Implements of Magical Resistance

“…you are not a citizen of a democracy but the subject of a carceral state, just waiting to be cataloged.”

Associate Justice Sonia Sotamayor, writing in dissent in Utah v. Strieff

Coinciding with the release of Episode 33 of the Frightful Howls You May Hear, Law Stay Away and Magical Resistance, we’ve decided to make available the Patreon show notes as a resource for those who find themselves victimized by the state on the basis of race, class, gender, or sexuality. Included within are written instructions for all of the workings described in the episode, along with an extended reading list and links to resources that we enjoy and support.

As I also described in the episode, I’m introducing a small collection of oils and charms that work to curry favor in the courtroom, repel law enforcement, and provide protection to the home.

The first item in the collection is a court case oil nearly identical in composition to the formula that I employ when working with clients. Calendula, galangal, and tobacco form the body of the oil, each awakened to align with their traditional virtues for victory in legal matters. Additional ingredients, such as the ashes of scripture, the ashes of legal documents from dropped and successfully defended cases, dirt from court houses, and dirt from the grave of a prominent civil rights attorney were added to sow confusion, mire the process in fortunate errors, and to respectively loosen the tongues of favorable witnesses and silence those against you.

The second oil offered is rooted in traditional Law Keep/Stay Away formulations, with additions to emphasize protection and luck in getting out of dangerous situations. Buried in locations noted for their significance to the contemporary civil rights movement in the United States, as well as a police station and the grave of a once-prominent civil rights lawyer, this blend of Devil’s shoestring, Dragon’s Blood, Tobacco, and more come together to protect the conjurer from the agents of the state. The lock affixed to the bottle was requested by one of the spirits who aided in the oil’s construction, itself previously closing a gate that continually frustrated a local police department.

Additionally, small kits consisting of an “Indian-head” penny and two nails, each awakened and dressed in advance with law-keep-away oil, themselves having been buried in a similar array of places of power, are available. The “Indian-head” penny is a folkloric house protection charm, often punched through the center and nailed to the threshold (or otherwise near the door of the home), or suspended with an “X” formed by two bent nails, which is said to “X out the laws”. I opted for the latter permutation for this reason, as well as situating the single coin in a crossroads, in which the guardian spirit can look to the 4 directions.

By popular demand, I also prepared another batch of St. Christopher’s Protection Chaplets, which you can read about in a post all their own. They fit nicely with the other items in the collection, and in my experience appreciate the occasional drop of Law Keep Away oil.

The oils and coins included in the collection are slightly discounted when compared to my normal rates, as I’d like to make these particular products as accessible as possible. A significant portion of the proceeds will also be used to contribute to the very organizations and causes that these enchantments were woven in service of, as well as bail funds for incarcerated protesters across the United States. While the episode is fairly US-centric, in order to reflect my own background as an American (separately from Sfinga and Salt being European), these formularies are intended to help anyone, and especially anyone marginalized by the state or especially vulnerable to its oppression, in their work so that they may live freely and well. If you can’t afford a particular item but have need of it, or are yourself part of a marginalized community, please reach out directly by email (broaderkey[at]gmail.com) or on Instagram and I’d be happy to work something out.

Stay safe, protect your comrades, and fight the good fight.