St. Michael the Archangel

[SunKat]

Though technically speaking Archangel Michael is not a Saint, sometimes this entity is venerated as one. In Hoodoo, he is petitioned to protect and shield from abusive people, harmful magick and demons, and their snares and trickery. In Santeria and sometimes ( by certain practitioners ) in New Orleans vodoun he is syncretized with Ogun, and sometimes with Legba as well.

The day of the weak associated with St. Michael is Sunday, so it’s clear that his planetary rulership is over the Sun. The Hebrew name translates to “brilliant one” or “one who is brilliant” and the Archangel plays important role in Abrahamic religions and Kabala , otherwise ( in other systems, such as Higher magick ) he is “imported” from those religions. His metals are gold and brass, and herbs and resins associated with this spirit are many, among commonly  mentioned Angelica, include  Orange, Bay laurel, Benzoin, Ambergris, Cinnamon and Frankincense. It is said that the results of working with St. Michael are seen in seven days after the petitioning him.

Iconography and depiction of St. Michael is rather uniform really, he is depicted as mighty warrior with the flaming sword,  as his feature, sometimes also holding the scales to weigh the souls of the deceased. In Catholic and Orthodox Christian Iconography St.Michael is often depicted defeating the Adversary, trampling the Wicked One ( a nice example is “Archangel Michael” by Guido Reni’s ) or slaying the dragon.

Here is St. Michaels signature that can be inscribed on candles or petitioner paper ( candle colors are red or white )

We can find countless invocations, and compelling words of power,  relying on this spirit's power and authority,  in many Western Higher magick texts. 

Generally, in magick ,  this spirit is seen as a “blockbuster spirit” , spirit that clears away evil spirits, demons in particular, and undoes their evil. Therefore, it should not surprise that St.Michael is petitioned in hex removal spells, uncrossing and reversal magickal  work, and here are few examples :

Uncrossing spell

It is believed that if the crossing or hex is very powerful, old or personal concerns had been  used to cast the  negative spell, and/or the originator is not known, or the crossing comes from wicked spirits, and common uncrossing procedures give no satisfactory results, St. Michael is to be called upon

Red candle is lit, in front of the St.Michaels image , dressed with any suitable oil ( Run D Run, St. Michael’s oil, Reversing oil, Uncrossing oil, Jinx killer oil ) and a petitioner paper is placed bellow the candle. The petitioner prays to St, Michael for liberation from evil that has befallen on them ( or their client ) after what a purification bath, with the addition of the same oil ( used in ritual ) is suggested. 

Judika Illes suggested blending Frankincense, Myrrh and Salt in Almond oil as base, as suitable oil for such work.

Reversing and protection spells

St.Michael is also called upon, when returning the evil spells to their originator, and a very popular ( and very powerful ) method calls for writing Your enemy ‘s name ( or just "enemy", if  the name is  unknown ) on a piece of papper, placing   the paper in the  glass  , sprinkling it  with sea salt and pouring ( spring or Holy ) water over it. The saucer is than placed over the glass and the glass is swiftly overturned, so that it rests on saucer, without any water  being spilt , I n the process, and should some water escape, the ritual act is repeated. Then, a white candle is turned upside down, so that one could pick out the wick from the bottom of the candle, now becoming the top. Candle is divided into nine partitions ( in some version into nine small candles ) , and burned atop the glass for nine ( in some version seven days ) while praying that the evil spells are returned to the originator. I like to use St. Michael prayer by Pope Leo XIII in any apotropaic or protective magick work with Archangel Michael ( even though I’m an Orthodo x Christian ) , whether in Latin or other language . The English version is this:

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle;
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray:
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen

There is a nifty protection spell I was taught to use employing the mentioned prayer,  and the Psalm 91^st ;

Light a Novena candle to St. Michael the Archangel or white or red offertory candle fixed with St.Michael’s oil. Read the Psalm 91^st and then the prayer given above and it is believed that as long as the candle burns, You will be safe from all ills. 

Holy cards or St. Michael medallions are common ingredients in protection mojo’s and New Orleans Home Protection “packets” alongside protective herbs and salt. St. Michales holy card or printed images are often used in creating protective “amparos” a type of amulets used frequently in Latin America or Spain[1]

St. Michael image is believed to be a powerful ward on itself, and is often found on Hoodoo altars dedicated to more "dangerous" spirits, such as Santissima Muerte, to ensure that they "behave". Other than being a block buster spirit, St. Michael is also seen as an psychopomp. 

St. Michael the Archangel’s oil

This is my personal formula I’d like to share with my readers, based upon cross-reference on various herbal correspondences given for this Archangel, as well as resin, and essential oil’s correspondences and my personal inclination towards certain of the ingredients

This oil formula ( among many others ) will be available in my upcoming document that I will post on my Scribd page, so check often ; )

· Frankincense resin

· Dragon’s blood resin

· Myrrh resin

· Angelica root

· Bay Laurel leafs or essential oil

· Cinnamon powder or essential oil

· Salt

Mind that cinnamon essential oil can act as skin irritant , so if using use a in a pinch, sort of say. All in base of either Almond or Ambergris oil.

Expressing gratitude

Though in Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity, there are no suggestions for a tribute, in Hoodoo it’s customary to “pay” a spirit after they have helped, and I myself find such practice reasonable, very respectful and very beneficial. A candle lit, or a contribution to loccal police or comunity watch shall do, among other. It does seem like least we could do, right :D

NOTES: This article was composed and written by myself, so If You wish to use any part of it, elsewhere provide credits Shadow of Shadows magick place, [e-mail] a direct link to this post. [1] to learn how to make St. Michaels amparo visit this brilliant video by Devi sprig www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAAsVF-rZeY The first image show Catholic holy card depiction of St.Michael and is from www.luckymojo.com , page/entry about St. Michael ( lucky mojo amulet’s archive, St.Michael Archangel ) respectfully. The second image is edited by myself and shows Michael's Angelic signature http://shadowsmagickplace.blogspot.com/2011/05/st-michael-archangel...