Blasting Rod

Raymond · Blasting Rod

I've just been outside waving my blasting rod around.

For the past few nights some local youths have got their hands on a scrambler bike.
They ride it up and down the local streets and it's annoying the bloody hell out of me.

So I just waited for the little git to go past and I let him have it.

I was nice though. I don't want him to get hurt or killed or anything. Just a bad enough accident to wreck the bike.

GenieDi

Raymond what is a blasting rod?? and do you need a licence for it

GenieDi

oh and well done by the way....

Raymond

LOL! I don't think you need a licence for it. At least I hope not.

A blasting rod is a piece of Blackthorn wood, usually about a foot long. It has enscribed on it certain symbols and runes.

It has to be blessed and charged in a very certain way before it can be used.

It has to be made of Blackthorn because that wood is very, very good at directing negative energy, and only negative energy.

Basically it's a wand to deliver mini-hexes and cause harm to people.

In olden days Witches used them to blight crops and make the livestock of their enemies barren.

These days Witches use them when, for whatever reason, a full hex is either impossible or impracticle to use - like making people fall off motorbikes.

GenieDi

Wonderful Raymond, I rather like the thinking behind that.

Put it this way, I could have certainly used something like that in the last few years of my marriage.

Bravo

We have some jerkoff every now and then on some quad bike going around with no helmet.

Wouldn't want an accident but something mechanical, untraceable and unfixable would be great.

Raymond

I want the little shits to have an accident. They might think twice before they go round tearing up the grass again.

david hobbs

I went down the lane yeterday and found a nice peice of Blackthorn to make a blasting rod.

I have never used wands before, ony a crystal and a staff.

Do I have to make one end pointed or is it OK just as it is?

Raymond

I've always found the best blasting rods are double ended, two short prongs at the "fireing end" as it were.

Mr. Hobbs, any chance you could pick me up a nice piece? I've been asked to make one for a friend.

david hobbs

Raymond

Collar some street urchin and make him go instead. The little brats aren't at school anyway.

david hobbs

I cut two pieces for you Raymond. They are not huge so I hope they will be OK. The big stuff is high up and out of reach due to the fact that they cut it all back using a tractor and chains.

The site had water to the west and open space to the east. Canewdon Church to the north.

The sun is always in the south so no problem there.

Raymond

Thanks. Actually there are two people who want me to make one for them so maybe your psychic powers were talking to you.

Raymond

Blackthorn is depicted in many fairytales throughout Europe as a tree of ill omen. Called Straif in the Ogham, this tree has the most sinister reputation in Celtic tree lore. The English word “strife” is said to derive from this Celtic word. A long hard winter is referred to as a Blackthorn Winter.

To Witches, it often represents the dark side of the Craft. It is a sacred tree to the Dark, or Crone aspect of the Triple Goddess, and represents the Waning and Dark Moons. Blackthorn is known as “the increaser and keeper of dark secrets”.

The tree is linked with warfare, wounding and death, associated with the Scottish Cailleach - the Crone of Death, and the Irish Morrigan. In Scotland, winter begins when the Cailleach (also the Goddess of Winter) strikes the ground with Her Blackthorn staff.

According to Christian folklore, Blackthorn is seen as a sinister tree and associated with Witches. Blackthorn was often used for “binding and blasting.” A black rod is a Blackthorn wand with fixed thorns on the end, used to cause harm to others. In British folklore, a Witch will use a Blackthorn stang in rituals of cursing. The sharp thorns were reputedly used by English witches to pierce poppets in their curses, called the “pins of slumber”.

In South Devon folklore in England, Witches were said to carry Blackthorn walking sticks, with which they caused much local mischief. Witches and heretics were burned on Blackthorn pyres. The Devil was said, in Medieval times, to prick his follower’s fingers with the thorn of a Blackthorn tree.

A single pronged blasting rod

Raymond

Any chance you could get me a decent handful of the thorns as well please Mr. Hobbs?

Raymond

Just for the sake of balance I should probably point out that the opposite of the blasting rod is the blessing rod.

A blessing rod is a wand Witches use to bestow blessings and good favour on people who have pleased them or in someway helped them.

A blessing rod is traditionally made of Hawthorn wood.

A single pronged blessing rod.

GenieDi

I had never heard about any of these things Raymond, it's very interesting.

Can anyone have these things or do you need to have some ability ?

Raymond

Anyone can give it a go I suppose but it's like most things connected with the craft, I wouldn't advise dabbling unless you know what you're doing - especially if it concerns the darker side.
That said, jumping in the deep end is often the best way to learn how to swim.

david hobbs

Raymond

You're more of a man than that Mr. Hobbs. Without the thorns the blasting rod is useless.
I'm sure you have a strong pair of gloves.

Lilly

david hobbs

Well I have made three trips now, slightly thwarted by the mud and snow.

Why is the best wood always in the most inaccessible places.

If this blasted blasting rod isn't the best then blast it.

Raymond

Bless you Mr. Hobbs. Once you have made your blasting rod I will be happy to charge it for you.

david hobbs

Funny you should say that but I do have a job for it.

Raymond

Tell all.

Samjaza

We've got one of those annoting brats on his loud moped, I find a Black Widow catapault (you find em on ebay) ideal.

Raymond

Not exactly a magickal approach but just as effective I'm sure.

beantighe

Wow, just found this - most interesting and educational!

One thing that struck me, Raymond, if you'll pardon that unintentional pun, is your mention of a black rod. That immediately made me think of Black Rod in Parliament. I wonder if there's any connection?

Raymond

Black rod?

Where is that? Can you quote me - can't seem to find it.

beantighe

Here you go, Raymond:

'A black rod is a Blackthorn wand with fixed thorns on the end, used to cause harm to others.'

Raymond

I think I said 'blasting rod' not 'black rod', if I did say black rod then it's a typo.

I've never heard of a black rod - except, as you say, in the houses of parliament.

beantighe

That's what you actually said, Raymond - I copied and pasted it. Perhaps it was just a typo.

GenieDi

I've just seen they sell blasting rods on eBay too, would they work if you haven't made them yourself??

Raymond

Actually GenieDi, with all this talk of rods and wands and what-not there's an incredibly important point that hasn't been raised.
With all these things the power doesn't lie in the tool, it lies within the user.

If your will is strong enough and your intent is powerful enough you could use an old biro pen to direct your energy if you wanted to.

The reason a lot of people use "wands" is because 9 times out of 10 they are made of wood or some other natural substance that conducts energy easier than an artificial substance.

It's perfectly valid to use your own fore-finger instead of a wand or athame and I know many successful withces and magickians who do.

But in answer to your question, a purchased item can be just as good as a self made one so long as you cleanse it spiritually to rid it of it's former energies before you use it. An item you make yourself is filled with your energy from scratch and won't need cleansing before use.

GenieDi

Great answer Raymond.

I'm totally intrigued by this blasting rod as you can probably now tell

Raymond

Here's some nice ready-made ones:

http://www.spiritofold.co.uk/rods/blasting.htm

If you're going to buy one I would suggest getting one from a site like this rather than ebay. These people are probably Witches themselves and at least you will know they have been made in the correct way.
I personally wouldn't buy magickal tools from ebay, there's no guarentee they have been made properly.