Practical Magick: A Justice Spell For George Floyd and Others

Practical Magick: A Justice Spell For George Floyd and Others June 5, 2020

As additional support to the current protest, Ode and I have created a justice spell to share with those who choose to magically work toward arrests and convictions on behalf of victims of police brutality. Because while the former police officers in the George Floyd murder case have been charged, there is a long way to go to achieve punishment for their crimes. The same is true for Breonna Taylor and the other victims of excessive force or other violent actions that contribute to people’s death. The families of these victims need justice.

Justice
May Lady Justice prevail. Image by jessica45 via pixabay.com

Justice: For George Floyd and Others

We have designed this spell to be used when odds are stacked for the defendant rather than the prosecution working for the victim. Specifically, when police officers are accused of misconduct, brutality, or are responsible/complicit in the death of someone in their custody.

Why did we design the spell in this way? Because the deck tends to be stacked in favor of law enforcement in these cases, leading to an acquittal. For instance, Daniel Pantaleo, accused of choking Eric Garner in 2014, never received an indictment or charges for killing Mr. Garner or for his use of excessive force against the man. Rather, more than five years passed before a recommendation came for Pantaleo to even be fired from the police force.

The similarities between the deaths of George Floyd and Eric Garner are chilling. But in the case of Mr. Floyd, there is now a chance that his murderers will truly be held accountable for their crimes. Ode and I want to (magically) assist with that outcome so that Lady Justice may prevail in this case and others like it.

No Justice. No Peace. Image by John Gomez via shutterstock.com

Justice For George Floyd And Others: The Spell

Intention: Any individual who engages in, or is complicit with, actions or arrests involving police brutality or excessive use of force that results in harm to or the death of a person in police custody will be properly charged with an appropriate offense, convicted by a judge or jury of their peers,  receiving the maximum penalty allowable by the law.

Needed:
  • High John Root — Overcoming obstacles of pursuing charges against law enforcement.
  • Marigold Blossoms— Success in the legal prosecution of excessive force perpetrators.
  • Garlic Cloves — Justice or can be used to invoke Hekate’s aid (she is a goddess of the marginalized) in this spell.
  • Black Peppercorns— Courage and protection for those seeking justice from law enforcement violence.
  • Justice Tarot Card –Self-explanatory.
  • Soapstone (small piece)– To slowly release the spell
  • Lapis Lazuli — To enact the spell and hold its place on an altar.
  • Black Bag or piece of cloth (include black thread, yarn,etc. if using a piece of cloth and not a bag)
  • Blue thread or yarn, string, etc. –9 inches in length.
  • A small image of outspread hands covered in red. (Print, draw or otherwise create this image) –Representing those in law enforcement who have or do use excessive force.
  • Begin spell on a Thursday — Allow the spell to build for a week and one day to be cast on Friday.
Instructions:
  • Prepare a sacred space, cast a circle, or set area for spellcraft in whatever way is appropriate for your tradition, path, practice. Allow intuition to guide you to whatever incense or candles you need or want.
  • Open the black bag or spread out the piece of black cloth. Hold each component of the spell, asking the spirit of herb or stone to aid in the structure and performance of this spell, lending its power and strength.
  • Add each herb element of the spell to the bag or place it on the cloth one at a time. Focus on the intention of the spell, speak the words while holding each spell ingredient cupped in your hands, breathing the intention into each herb then place it into the bag or on the cloth.
  • Hold the image of the hands. Speak the words of the intention with purpose and will, demanding justice will be served. Using the blue thread, bind the intention onto the hands. (If desired, write the intention in black or blue ink on a small piece of paper then wrap the paper around the hands before binding it all with the blue thread.) Place the image into the bag or on the cloth.
  • Hold the justice card and speak the words of the intention. You may also insert the name of an individual who needs this justice. (see below)
  • Speak the words of intention into the soapstone and lapis lazuli before placing both into the bag or on the cloth. (These will remain in the bag/bundle to absorb the energy of the spell ingredients and then removed before casting.)
  • Close the bag or bundle up the cloth and tie it with black string/thread.
  • Place the bag or bundle on a justice altar or a space on your main altar. Leave it there for seven days (beginning on a Thursday). Each day, focus the intention of the spell on the bag. Breathe the intention into it through speaking the words onto the bag/bundle. Light a candle and burn incense that amplifies the intention of justice.
Activate or cast the Justice Spell:
  • On the eighth day, which should be a Friday, remove the two stones from the bag or bundle. Place them on the justice altar as a permanent energetic focus for the spell. Create a Justice Oil Blend of jasmine, honeysuckle, and vervain to anoint the stones as needed for continuing justice.
  • Close the bag or re-tie the bundle. Carry to a space designated safe for fire use (outdoor fire pit, fireplace, large cast-iron cauldron, etc).
  • Burn the bag, speaking the intention into the air. Focus on the intention as the bag burns. Remain until the burning is complete. Extinguish the fire, using best practices and safety precautions.

So mote it be.

Justice
Fire energizes the justice spell. Image by SupremeRyan via pixabay.com

A Few Spell Ingredient Substitution Ideas

If you cannot find everything listed above, no worries. Use substitutions that work best with what you already have available in your witch’s apothecary. Some ideas include:

  • If you have no soapstone or lapis lazuli available, then create a paper crown, painted or colored blue and gold, as a stand-in. Keep the crown in the bag for the seven days, then remove it on the eighth to keep on the altar. You can anoint it with Justice Oil as well.
  • If you do not have a Tarot deck that you use for spellwork, you can print a Justice card image.
  • Use Galangal (Finger Root) or Ginger Root as a stand-in for High John Root, although ginger won’t have the same punch.
  • Use honeysuckle, dill, nettle, or carnation instead of marigold if needed. You can also use the essential oils if you do not have the herbs available. For this, place nine drops of the essential oil on a cotton ball to put it into the bag/bundle, speaking the intention. Use one cotton ball per essential oil used. And still ask the plant spirit of any essential oil used for its assistance and partnership in this working.
  • If you want to reword the intention/incantation to be more lyrical then please do so. We thought it best to be succinct.

A note: We begin the spell on Thursday, or Thor’s Day, because it corresponds with legal matters in spellcraft. The spell is cast on Friday because it is Frigga’s Day, as She is the mother of a slain son.

A Sigil by Ode To Use For The Spell:

Justice. A sigil by Ode. Image provided by the author.

Copy this sigil to place in the bag or bundle.

An additional note on invocation from Ode:

Go to mappingpoliceviolence.org

Feel free, while you’re there, to read all the terrible statistics they have available. And then scroll down the front page to Police Killings By State. Enter your state. (And gods help you if you’re in Texas or California, you’ll be loading for a bit.) There is not a single state which has not, between 2013 and 2019, killed at least one unarmed person with police violence, including the District of Columbia. I checked them all. Sit with that.

 And then choose a name.

That’s who you’re fighting for. A person you likely did not know, and never will. A name you probably have not heard on national news. A killing which, in 99% of cases, no one has been charged, tried, or convicted of anything. In many cases, you can click a link to be taken to a news article describing the death. Many of those stories will be painfully familiar. Sit with that.

 Your invocation is “Justice for [Name].”

Now make it happen.

 

**Edited to include the Justice Tarot Card in the spell ingredients.**

About Gwyn
Gwyn is one of the hosts of 3 Pagans and a Cat, a podcast about the questions and discussions between three pagan family members, each exploring different pagan paths and how their various traditions can intersect. The most practiced pagan on the path, Gwyn is a Green Witch devoted to Hekate, Brighid, and Frigga. She is a Clairsentient Medium, Tarot Reader, loves writing and, spending time with her family, as well as working with herbs, essential oils, and plants. You can read more about the author here.

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