![]() Conjure first emerged in the days of slavery and plantations and is widely considered among the most potent forms of magic. Anyone seeking to comprehend conjure and benefit from its powerful magic would do well to read Old Style Conjure."-Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells and many other booksįeaturing rituals, spells, and home recipes, the book provides useful information suitable for novices and seasoned practitioners alike.Ĭonjure, hoodoo, rootwork-these are all names for a uniquely American form of folk magic. That soul-to-soul connection.” As a result, the friends and family that come in for ceremonies often leave more open with each other.“Starr Casas is the real deal. For LaReina, the joy of her work comes from connecting with those who come for a ceremony, using tea as the foundation “to have those moments when you can actually talk about things and reveal truths about yourself that maybe you didn’t even know about. When it’s cut off from that connection to earth, to water, it goes to sleep.” Activating the herb with hot water for tea is a way to “breathe life into it.”Īcross cultures, tea has drawn people together as an occasion for gathering and listening. In Rootwork, “the herbs are considered asleep when they are no longer attached to water, like when they’re growing,” LaReina explained. She walked us through the three-sip process, and told us where we might taste each element of the tea-the lavender at the tip of our tongues, the mugwort in the back of our throats. As the water hit the tea, the pea blossom transformed it to a bright, playful blue. LaReina poured the tea blend she had selected for us, Elements of Water-a combination of lavender, damiana, mugwort, honeysuckle, and butterfly pea blossom. “There’s a song we sing that goes, ‘Isn’t it great for brothers and sisters to work together?’” She went on, “I like to say, the water in me connects to the water in the herbs.” By paying close attention to the herbs-from where they’re sourced (local shops like Rosalie Botanical and organic farms around the country) to the spirit they embody-we can connect our own spirit to the natural world. She explained that each herb used in her teas is a spirit of its own, from lemon (a refresher), to mint (sharp, powerful, good when working towards prosperity), to lavender (maternal and nurturing). ![]() “I don’t necessarily ask ‘What kind of tea do you want?’ but I say, ‘What is it that you feel that you are missing and that you want to draw into yourself?’” -LaReinaĪs the ceremony proceeded, LaReina’s voice rang soft and purposeful, her presence inviting, her smile open. The result? A unique blend of her own magic. Guided by her family’s heritage, as well as mentorship from Sen Elias of Crescent City Conjure, LaReina has developed a practice that syncretizes her Hoodoo roots with the art of tea. Though teas, or tisanes, are a part of Hoodoo tradition, LaReina’s tea ceremonies are more inspired by the traditional Chinese tea ceremony, or Gong Fu Cha, which emphasizes precision in tea to water ratio and savoring the quality of the tea itself. When everything shut down, she felt a call from her ancestors to fully embrace her role as a Rootwork practitioner. LaReina, born and raised in California with family roots in Louisiana, initially moved to New Orleans just three days before the pandemic of 2020 to pursue her burlesque dancing career. Her mother passed down the information that was given to her, and her father, who could knock out a cold overnight with his bitter tea blend, taught LaReina how to work with herbs. Over the years its traditions incorporated the herbal remedies from Africa with those of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.Īs part of this lineage, LaReina learned Rootwork from her parents. Hoodoo in the Americas originated from a diverse set of spiritual beliefs preserved by the West Africans who were forced into the slave trade-all of which collectively placed a high value on the generational wisdom of ancestors. Until she finds a more permanent space, this is where LaReina has been hosting her tea ceremonies-part of her practice of Hoodoo, or Rootwork, here in New Orleans. ![]() ![]() Before us sat a handmade bowl and small clay cups, patiently waiting to be filled. Recently, I found myself seated across from Queenly Conjure’s LaReina at Endless Night Tattoo shop, sage permeating around the room. Through Queenly Conjure, LaReina draws people towards mindfulness and meditation through folk magic and tea ceremonies.
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