Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo and Conjuring with Herbs

2005 COVR Award Winner

.. .[I]n Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo & Conjuring With Herbs, Stephanie Rose Bird--a talented author, healer, and artist who inherited her family's way with roots and spirits--offers a deep, sumptuous new guide to hoodoo's true origins, philosophy, ethics, tools, and techniques, worth reading if just to learn more about Afro-Atlantic culture. --Village Voice

With humor and a positive outlook, Bird does a convincing job of inspiring the reader to rediscover life's magic through a connection with the natural world. In addition to providing plenty of useful and easy-to-follow recipes for making a 'mojo, ' or trick bag, Bird shares her boundless enthusiasm and respect for the power of Hoodoo. Her book...shares a rich piece of American history that often goes untold. --Herb Quarterly

If you are fascinated with folk magick in general, or African spiritual concepts in particular, you will find this book captivating. Highly recommended. --Witchcraft Magazine

In this book you receive a topnotch appreciation of Hoodoo...Gifted with a smooth writing style that captivates the reader's interest, Stephanie Rose Bird give a fascinating account. With over three decades in the practice of rootwork, she is highly qualified to write this book. --Ghostvillage.com

If you want to keep your MOJO working, this is the book for you. This is a fascinating and well-researched book. It tells how many of the African religious practices which held close to nature spread around the world mainly because of slave trading...This is the most complete book I have read on the subject. It is not only history, but a wonderful text on how to create charms...This book covers everything you would want to know on the fascinating subject. --The Path Review

This book is a fascinating mish-mash of magickal recipes from all over the world, its extremely eclectic and contains some fascinating sounding spells such as Growin' Green, Oya's Herbal Graveyard Dirt, Queen Elisabeth's love dust, and Spirit of Love Floor wash! Recommended to people interested in African magick, who also work within a western pagan tradition. --Avalonia, UK

The author traces [Hoodoo's] roots back to Africa and gives practical advice on recipes, rituals, spells and charms. --The Cauldron, UK

Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones, primarily a recipe book of Hoodoo practices, serves as an invaluable reference for those interested in rootwork or herbal magick. In addition, it provides a glimpse into the ancient origins of an almost-extinct world where everything--from the trees in one's backyard to the stones in the driveway--is sacred. --Dancing World

It is always a rare and exquisite experience to find a new author, particularly when the subject is neglected and in jeopardy of being lost. Stephanie Rose Bird's Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones outlines and documents Hoodoo explaining its origins and practices...I think many Wiccan and Pagan practitioners will find this book helpful because it discusses the use of folk magic, Hoodoo, that can be adapted and incorporated in many different paths. --WiccaNet

I welcome Stephanie Rose Bird's contribution to the herbal literature. Her contribution stands well apart from most works already on the market, not least due to her focus on the magical herbal traditions of African American origin known as Hoodoo. --www.sacredearth.com

A magickal guide to African and African American herbalism with an emphasis on the spiritual aspects. Historical tidbits and lore of African herbalism makes this a great historical reference to herbal enthusiasts, and the practical recipes and crafts make it a must for any bookshelf! --Carly Wall, editor of Wholistic Woman, an www.iVillage.com magazine

What an excellent book! A grand contribution to African healing traditions, herbalism, and ethnobotany. Written with the expertise of someone who truly understands, from personal background and experience, the rich complexity of the African healing traditions. Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones is full of practical advice, recipes, and tips on how to apply this ancient system of 'rootwork' in our modern lives. I loved every page and plan to use this practical and inspiring book as a reference in my programs and classes. --Rosemary Gladstar, herbalist, author, and founder of United Plant Savers and California School of Herbal Studies

Stephanie Rose Bird is a hereditary intuitive, contemporary rootworker, solitary green witch and visionary. She has been involved with mysticism, symbology, spiritualism and the occult for thirty years. Bird is inspired by her ancestors, in particular her grandmothers, one of which was a psychic and the other a spiritualist minister and herbal healer. Her uncle, a Santeria priest, Babalawo of Shango, taught her the Ifa traditions of the Yoruba people. Bird studies healing, magical and divination traditions of indigenous people around the world with a focus on Africa. Her passions include keeping the ancient traditions alive and updating them so that they evolve with us, suiting our current environment and lifestyles. She is a member of the American Folklore Soceity, the Herb Research Foundation and the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild.

Bird holds a BFA cum laude from Temple University, Tyler School of Art, and an MFA from University of California at San Diego, and has received multiple academic awards. Bird was an assistant professor at the School of the Art Institute of the Art Institute of Chicago from 1987-2002. Bird offers healing workshops, rituals, retreats, and classes across the country. Bird is an active arts educator, teaching undergraduate art appreciation and art history in Chicago, giving lectures, conducting goddess rituals, and writing for numerous publications. Visit Stephanie's webpage at http: //www.stephanierosebird.com/.

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