Paying For Graveyard Dirt and Asking Favors

There comes a time in every practicing witch’s life that you have to make a little trip to the graveyard. For some, I know this can be a very anxiety laden chore and for others it’s quite exhilarating. I tend to fall into a different category. Visiting graveyards for me has always been a very peaceful, calming and grounding experience. There is a certain calm that exists only in a cemetery. I find that most reassuring. Most people like to go to a park and relax, have a picnic lunch or just commune with nature. Me, I would much rather enjoy and share my lunch with the spirits of those who have passed on. I see this as a perfect way to establish a relationship with the spirits who live there in the cemetery.
If you are new to this practice then this is a great way to ease into it and become acquainted with it. Coming to the graveyard to pay a visit and ask nothing of the spirits at the time, but just to take the time to get to know them. Doing this breeds a relationship of trust. Get to know those who have passed on before you. Have a conversation, share a snack, sing a song and just be with them. Over time you will have established a relationship of trust. You will begin to know who you can talk to and who you can’t, who you can ask a favor of and who you can’t.
When the time comes that you have to do a little “work” in the graveyard then there are certain things you should do and certain other things you should be mindful of. Now, everyone has their own way of going about this. Here is my method.
Upon entering the cemetery I ask Baron Samedi’s permission to enter. Once granted, I proceed on. The best time to collect or “pay” for some graveyard dirt is between the hours of 9:00 pm and 12:00 midnight. There are occasions when you would need to do your work between Midnight and 3 am. I usually reserve that time for my “dark energy” work. Most cemeteries close at sunset so you would need to be very discreet in your actions. Always bring flowers. Most times if you’re caught at the gravesite after hours the simplest explanation would be that you are simply there to pay your respects to a loved one as you are on your way home from work. At that point you would simply leave the flowers on one of the gravesites and exit the cemetery quietly and call that little trip a wash or a “water haul” as my Mama used to say. If you don’t attract the attention of those passing by or security then it’s time to get to work. Locate the grave of the spirit you are most comfortable with and ask their permission to collect a little bit of dirt from the site. Upon getting that approval then proceed to collect a small bit of dirt into a clean bottle. Don’t be greedy, take only what you need. After collecting I usually deposit nine dimes in the disturbed dirt and gently cover it back over. Thank the spirit for the help and quietly leave the site.
If you are at the grave site to ask a favor of the dead or to solicit the help from a spirit then the payment is slightly different. If you are trying to bury an item in the grave (asking the spirit of the deceased one to help you with this certain chore) then ask the permission of the dead and ask them to help you with this matter. If permission is granted then quickly bury the item. I usually deposit petition paper in a small hole that I make with a spoon at the site and fill the hole up with a little rum and a cigar. Afterwards, petition Baron Samedi for his help, thank him, tell him of the offering you left and exit the graveyard. Do not look back. Looking back is doubting the efficacy of your work.
There are numerous reasons you can go to the cemetery to do work, this was just two reasons I shared in which I visit. As you become more comfortable with communing with the dead you will develop your own ways of doing this blessed work. As a general rule however I make it a point to thank Baron Samedi as I enter and as I leave the graveyard. He is after all the keeper of the graveyards and of the crossroads. Also it’s important to remember to never look back. Don’t doubt. Trust that the work you have done is sufficient and trust that your will be done.