Sangomancy

[Aislin Ni MorRhiaghan]

Sangomancy
© 2007 Aislin Ni MorRhiaghan


Sangomancy or blood magick is an ancient arte that has been a part of nearly every path. In the old days blood sacrifices via animals or human were performed to honor the old gods and the sanctity of life. Divine ties between all beings are held within the blood and it is through the blood that the magick of the ages is carried still.

While most modern Pagan paths and even some vampyre paths do not condone, endorse, or perform blood sacrifices (in the form of animals or human), some old paths still use ritual sacrifice to honor the old ways. Modern Heathens still attend and perform blots, a ritual that involves the sacrifice and consumption of an animal in the most sacred of ways, with much prayer, forethought, and respect. Usually this animal is one that would normally be consumed (pig, goat, and such), and the blood of the animal is offered to the gods, a way of offering the life back to the source that sustains us all through the flesh of the animal.

Blood magick is not solely a Pagan tradition and early Christians and many Jewish paths also performed blood sacrifices often and in abundance. The sacrificing of oxen, cattle, sheep, and even first born children was utilized to atone for the sins of their tribe. Other tales have blood being used in ancient Egypt to prevent Azrael from imposing death on newborns. In other paths, blood sacrifices were done on a daily basis in droves. The Aztecs and Mayans were the most prolific sacrificers doling out hundreds of them a day.

Blood has been used throughout the ages because it has such potency and power to attract. It is the most intense of sympathetic magicks and among Nightkind the most potent. Blood may be used to shield, to divine the future, to form a barrier, to bind or blind, to ensure that a spell is done in the utmost sincerity, and to seal dedication rituals.







Lunar Blood

Menstrual blood is one of the most potent forms of blood as it is the essence of primal feminine power, the divine ability to create and give life. Its strong tie to the earth (the iron in blood representing earth) and heaven (the lunar association and relation to the divine feminine force) align it with power and strength. In the old days menstruation was hailed with rites, much ceremony, and celebration. It marked the time of change from young girl to womanhood, around the year 13 which is in itself a point of extreme power for young girls. At this point our senses are alive and our spirits begin to awaken to whatever path we embark upon. A primal feminine force indeed this type of blood, once honored and later condemned, is a potent magickal ingredient.

Vampyre lore tells of young women being hidden away during this time, not because they were a detriment to their village, but because vampyres were drawn to menstrual blood for its primal life giving abilities. There are still some who consider this blood potent, although it should be considered unsafe to drink.

In the old days one could purchase menstrual blood or rags used during this time for magick involving healing, fertility, love, impotence, repelling demons, chasing away death, faithlessness, attaining or strengthening marriage, or protection. Menstrual blood was at one time a base ingredient to many spells. Today it is rare to find energy workers who will work during their cycles, much less with it. Part of that has evolved from the belief that we are unclean during our cycles. The other stems from simply not having the energy to work magick during this time.

Fatigue and general muscle discomfort are usually good enough reasons not to try to perform magick, as most of us don’t if we’re not feeling well. However, it is a prime time for harvesting energy for magickal workings. Elemental and ecological harvesting is usually done without much effort. Generally speaking when someone is low in energy, the greater areas of energy in their environment will compensate. Going outside for a few hours a day will recharge you. When you step outside take a deep cleansing breath. Spend a moment sitting on the ground and notice that your palms and feet are tingling. If there is a breeze take it in. Even if it is raining feel the energy coming from it and pull it in. Magick can be worked during this time with great effectiveness. It is a personal choice of whether to work during this time or not.

Blood Shielding

Blood has remarkably potent shielding properties so much so that even blood bonds may be superceded with it. Blood is already charged and a potent form of sympathetic magick. Placing a few drops of your own blood with a mixture of herbs and placing it in mojo bags around your bed, entrances to your home, and even in your car offers a great deal of protection. Generally only a few drops is needed, depending upon whether or not you use herbs with this mixture. Blood without the herbs may also be used.

Blood has been used throughout history to ward evil, disease, and death away from doorsteps, a remarkable feat considering that most diseases and death were caused by blood born pathogens. In various parts of Europe warriors painting their faces in the blood of their enemies or their fallen comrades in an effort to carry some of their power with them back into battle. Menstrual rags were hung to ward off evil spirits as were a virgin’s sheets. The purer the blood the more potent the warding. It’s not a common practice today, but the same effect can be achieved with creating sigils with blood. Choosing a deity that is closely tied with blood (the MorRhiaghan, Baba Yaga, Cailleach Bheur, Kali Durga, Sekmet, etc) create a sigil using their name. Create an ink from a few drops of your blood and India ink. Draw the sigil with this ink and hang it somewhere near the entrance of your home or bury it near your entrance.

Weapons and magickal items (blades, shields, pikes, halberds, etc) were often consecrated and blessed with a drop of blood from the owner. This was to bond the weapon or tool to the owner so that they would act of one accord. If the blade was consecrated to a specific deity, the blood acted as a bond between the owner and the deity. It was also a way of purifying and sanctifying the weapon.







Wearing blood charms can be particularly effective especially at nightside gatherings. A small vial is all that is needed. You can use only blood or a mixture of dragonsblood and alcohol or peroxide with a few drops of your blood. Another formula is ground hematite (a small chip is fine), ground dragonsblood resin (you won’t need much), and blood. You may use a liquid such as peroxide or alcohol to keep it from clotting. The life of blood is relatively short if it’s allowed to dry. It’s only good unrefrigerated for a short time. After that the risk of putrefication is high and it should be discarded.

Should the need arise to ward or shield yourself from someone you share a blood bond with, using your own blood can be extremely effective. A vampyre can trace the energy patterns they are familiar with and especially so if they have engaged in communion with you. The best way to shield…use your own blood. During sanguine communion you exchange energies as well as blood. Normally using your own energy only intensifies the energy print, however using the combined energy is confusing. It can shield you from them or vice versa. I discovered this through an experiment a few months ago.

A newly awakened friend accompanied me to a nightside event where a mutual acquaintance was going to be. I share a bond with him, she does not. He had been pursuing her much to her aggravation. Nonetheless, I prepared a vial charm for her to wear hoping that my blood was strong enough to shield her from unwanted attacks and attention. Alas it worked better than I planned as the gentleman in question walked passed her several times, once even brushing up against her and she didn’t even see him. After a few days of trying to figure out why he was practically invisible to her but plainly visible to everyone else, it occurred that he could not penetrate his own energy field. The bond that we share was still present in the blood and therefore strengthened the shield.

Shielding with blood is not only limited to the physical world but also to the dreaming world as well. I once discovered while being pestered by a particularly aggravating dreamwalker that a simple bite to my wrist and a circle of blood was all I needed to keep him at bay. He simply could not cross the barrier and the rest of the night went by quite peacefully.




Love in Vein

Blood has also been used for creating love filters or potions intended to attract or enthrall a lover. Its intention is to bind someone to you for eternity. Generally this type of sympathetic magick is administered in strongly flavored foods or strong….very strong….drinks.

An old Romany recipe takes a ground devil’s hand root and mixes it with a little menstrual blood (although blood from a finger is every bit as effective as long as the woman is menstruating). The two are ground together and dropped in the unsuspecting gentleman’s dinner. Other variations of this from other parts of the world include adding a single drop of menstrual blood to someone’s food or beverage, mixing it with a dried passionflower and placing it under the pillow of your intended, and wrapping a rag containing menstrual blood around a stick and burying it under their bedroom window. It doesn’t necessarily have to be that specific type of blood as long as it is obtained at that time of the month. The day is also specific as most love spells are best worked on May Eve or Belteane.

While that may be the best time of the year and month to work love spells, regular blood works as well. In the old days blood was much easier to obtain than it is now and so were the organs used to obtain it. Using a cow’s heart or sheep’s heart (if you live on a farm where these animals are routinely slaughtered it’s not a big deal to obtain. Some may be able to get them at butchers that sell organ meats.) for love magick is not unheard of. In the more rural parts of Western Europe it was actually quite common. The heart was stuck with a needle much as a voodoo doll would be stuck these days. The intention was clear, albeit messy.

Folk magick aside, the most typical image of the vampyre is the enthralling, irresistible, ever potent lover. While this is generally a myth, vampyres do indeed have a higher level of pheromones that are greatly enhanced when they are in need of sating their hungers. It would seem that the urge to mate and the urge to feed are closely connected, likely due to the intimacy involved. After all, what is more intimate than our blood? Emotional attachment with those we commune with may well be the strongest form of binding magick as we are bound to them body, mind, and spirit. Until at least the two opt to release each other. But vampyres are not the only ones who drink blood.

The legendary Jim Morrison is noted as claiming to have partaken of blood. Drinking human blood is an old cure for ED as well as other potency and fertility problems. It was so common that in ancient Rome one could purchase bottles of the stuff at market. Warriors would drink it to enhance their fighting skills well into the dark ages. As Christianity took hold the practice became taboo and this old manner of honoring one’s fallen friends and family members ceased. The idea being that when one ingested the blood of their loved ones they were taking in the essence of that person, thus absorbing their strength and vitality allowing them to move on.

Blood and sex magick are a powerful duo. Unlike modern sex magick techniques, ancient practices show sex magick not occurring between people but between a person and a discarnate (an ancient that resides on the other side of the Veil and is not dead but no longer maintains a physical body). Blood is often used to attract these discarnated ancients as they are drawn to the life force within it. During this practice the person enters a trance state and by either placing sigils on their body written in blood, or by placing a vial of blood nearby, they access the astral where these ancients reside. Once contact has been established, they engage in communion which in this case involves some sort of sexual communion. This could be as simple as deep feeding via a kiss or a bite, or through actual intercourse. During communion the discarnate enters the physical body of the person giving them the sensation of pleasure and intimacy while raising the energy level and vibration of the magickian so that magick may be worked via sexual release. The energy raised in one is poured out through the other thus forming a continual circle.

Sacred sexuality among people requires a distinct level of well placed boundaries and even more so when mixed with blood. This can be used through complete sexual contact, partial contact, or contact through flagellation or other fetish behavior. Working through fetish behavior could involve anything that draws blood and raises energy at the same time. Pins or needles could be slid into the skin of the bound person. Intricate lacing with ribbon is then done lacing all of the sharp points together. This is done with much slowness and anticipation so as to raise the energy silently. Both parties should be conscious of the end result which is to release energy towards a specific goal. At the appropriate moment the ribbon is pulled, the pins pulled out, and the blood and energy harvested for ritual use. Flagellation may also be used.

General sex magick could incorporate two to as many people as someone is comfortable working with. The main focus of the work should be toward a specific goal. This process could last for hours, if the people involved are skilled enough to maintain their energy levels that long. In general they should focus on raising as much energy as slowly as possible without achieving orgasm. Blood obtained from this sort of magick is potent as it is filled with life giving chemicals and highly charged with bioelectrical energy. Use the blood obtained as soon as it is harvested as this is when it will be the most potent. Blood obtained from this sort of work may be used for healing, fertility, and bonding.


This form of magickal work is especially effective between those sharing blood bonds as the blood. Warming the blood by first releasing the fire of kundalini energy may be a potent prerequisite. You do not have to be in the same room or near each other for this. It may be achieved by bilocation (physically being in one place and astrally or aetherically being in another), by thought transference (many who share blood bonds share a form of telepathy similar to beacon that allows thoughts to be transferred to the other person), dreamwalking, or using energy fingerprinting. We are known for our smoldering sexuality, in part due to our ability to heat the blood without laying a hand on the recipient. By reaching out to the other person using any of these methods and sending a tendril into the chakra the fire is stoked. Once the energy has begun the transference of thoughts, energies, dreams, or the feeling of being touched is enough to inflame the blood.

Other ways of raising this energy without involving the energy centers at all is to simply raise the temperature of the blood. This should be done with infinite care as too much heat may damage the precious blood and thus the person carrying it. Blood carries energy in its purest form. To raise the temperature by barely a point is enough to cause a kinetic stir. The energy in the blood is stimulated by delicate and steady amounts of influx of energy from the other person. When the temperature is heated it will feel as if it is rushing through the person’s veins. The heart may race a bit, they will become flushed, dizzy, perhaps even a bit warm to the touch. The skin will tingle and they will be very sensitive to the slightest touch.


Blood bonding is one of the most common forms of vampyrecraft. Blood bonds occur when a vampyre engages in sanguine communion with either another vampyre or a latent vampyre with the intention of siring. The initial purpose is to help the younger one on their path and with their skills, with energy balancing, and to create a cohesive bond that will last until they achieve adulthood and hive off to form their own coven or household. Blood bonding between two adult vampyres are usually created to enhance an existing relationship. Blood bonds are created when the more mature vampyre engages in communion with the less mature vampyre. An exchange is made and with it an intentional exchange of energies thus raising the energy level of the younger one. In the case of bonding, the energies that are exchanged leave long term fingerprints and the two people are woven together so that they are completely conscious of each other on many different levels. The old myth that a vampyre can’t come into one’s home without an invitation from the owner is simply a metaphor for this type of bonding. Once you invite someone to share in this primal life force you will likely not be able to un~invite them in the future.

Blood Divination and Juicy Tidbits

Divining using blood is probably not as old as some of the other forms. Nonetheless I thought it deserved an honorable mention. This is done on a full moon, a Blood Moon is best but any of them will do. You will need a black bowl, matte black if possible or a cast iron cauldron. Fill it with water and set it underneath a full moon so that the moon’s reflection is in the water. Concentrate on what you need to know. Prick your finger. Squeeze a drop into the water. Sit patiently and wait. If it drifts to the left your answer is yes. If it drifts to the right your answer is no. If it goes nowhere wait. It is not the right time.

It’s lucky if you happen to get a paper cut while using your tarot. They’ll be more responsive to your use. I received a vampire deck that I had trouble relating to because of all things, it was too colorful and the artwork was actually distracting. It was a brand new deck and as it happened I got a paper cut. It’s now one of the best decks I have. Ironic but true.

Figures may be crafted from blood and clay and used in sympathetic magick. An image of someone may be crafted from red clay and a few drops of blood. Use it for binding or banishing. It is best that it contain something of theirs, hair or nail clippings. If you’re fortunate enough to find something with their blood on it (a razor or paper) even better. Just add the part containing the blood and do away with the rest.

In closing, I’d like to remind everyone reading this that any time you use blood as a medium for any type of magickal or ritual work, you open yourself up to a lot of possibilities. We are vampyres but we are not immortal in the common sense of the word. We can get sick and we can die. Know the people you are involved with and know thyself first and foremost. If you engage in sanguine communion it is best to get tested for bloodborn pathogens on a regular basis. These include a routine VDRL, Hep and AIDS test. If you donate to the Red Cross they will run these tests for you free of charge. Know first aid. Know what to do in case of an emergency and establish safe, effective, and life affirming boundaries prior to any type of communion or blood letting.

[deacongray]

What a great article!

I really enjoy reading this kinda of piece because of the detail and complexity, and of course the kindness in writing it so even I can understand. Though I admit this piece is a little above my head in content.

I also thank you for the part about safty in blood letting.


Deacon

[EzikielTempted]

Well, that was a very insightful article! Now it makes me want to go cut things and try it out.

I have seen many uses of the life blood in ritual before, however I've never seen someone use it to keep a dream walker out. Then again, I've never seen a dream walker test their luck with someone with much control over their raw energies.

Anyway, great post! I'm glad I got the chance to read it!

[Aislin Ni MorRhiaghan]

Then you have been most fortunate. True most of them will only bug someone for a brief time until they get bored and move on. Some simply aren't capable enough to maintain their energy levels long enough to generate or manipulate a dreaming scenerio that will shake someone away from their shielding. Some are more persistent. Some are absolutely emetic in their persistence. In this particular instance there was not one but two at the same time, as he brought a friend with him. The circle of blood was more like a circle of liquid fire. The closer they came the more it blazed. It didn't take long before they left sans the quick meal they were hoping for. That was several months ago and other than a rather bizarre dream of cannabals I've not had any more problems. I've learned not to fight with them but simply to cast and go about my business, thus the less energy they receive from it.

Eternally,

Aislin

[EzikielTempted]

The few that I've met haven't bothered with me, though theyhaveprovided some very interesting conversation. I think that my otherkin nature is very much like their own.

Though, in my own travels in that "body" through the dreamscape, I've found it so easy to bypass shields that most of the time I don't have to feed very long. Many of the trials of dream walkers is that if you pose a threat, or are capable while sleeping you become more interesting. You present a challenge. Notsomething we have to deal with too much on our own turf.

Hopefully you don't have any problems in the future, my dear.

Ezikiel

[Von_Spookiness]

[Alterra Von Feuers]

[The Madame X]

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