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NARCISSUS — Harmony, healing, relaxation and sleep are all associated with this wonderful healing oil. Often used in combination with Uncrossing oil, particularly if nightmares are involved (see also: Morning Glory). Narcissus is also the favored fragrance of the Egyptian god Horus in his manifestation as Hoor-pa-Kraat (Harpocrates). Use with white, yellow, or blue candles. (EO)

NINE MYSTERIES — This is one of New Orleans’ most mystical fragrances, designed to help loosen someone’s tongue, reveal hidden things, expose lies, and aid in finding lost items. Burn the incense alone or use the oil on white, blue, yellow, or purple candles. (O)

NINO FIDENCIO — This Santeria oil is said to help cure people who are suffering with unknown sicknesses or pains. It can be added to your bath water, worn, or used on white candles repesenting the person who is ill. (O)

NO HEX — Many practitioners employ this recipe to ensure that no hexes befall them during an important ritual. Strongly protective, No Hex is designed to disperse negative energy before it can interfere with your goals. Although No Hex may be used on a daily basis, recipes such as House Dressing or Uncrossing are probably better suited for that purpose. Use with white or purple candles in any sort of positive ritual. (O)

NO. 20 LOVE — This classic is attributed to Marie Laveau and is used to calm and soothe individuals with romantic problems. Protective, healing, and entirely positive in effect, No. 20 Love has been a classic for nearly a century. Use with white, pink, or yellow candles. May be burned alone or in combination with any of the uncrossing recipes. (O)

NUTMEG — Viewed by almost every tradition as extremely lucky, Nutmeg is also associated with health, money, and sexual fidelity. Use with brown, green, or yellow candles for luck and/or money, with white or yellow candles for health, and with pink candles for fidelity. (EO)

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OBEAH — I hesitated to include this recipe because although Obeah has great potential to work for the good, it can just as easily inflict evil. Obeah is a multi-faceted concoction whose impact is defined by the candle colors you use with it. The inclusion of Myrrh in this formula means that it is particularly effective on the material plane. It is rumored by some practitioners to cast powerful love spells, but its more common use is for protection and as a commanding/compelling tool. Obeah may be used with any color candle. Because this compound contains two tricky herbs which require careful focusing, I do not recommend its use by inexperienced practitioners. (O)

ORANGE — In the Caribbean and New Orleans traditions, Orange is viewed as a “magnetic” fragrance, particularly beneficial in attracting love and extracting a proposal of marriage. Use with white, yellow, pink, red, or orange candles. Orange is often an ingredient in money oils, although this probably has more to do with its attraction powers. (EO)

ORANGE BLOSSOM — Has essentially the same meanings as Orange, but acts more subtly. Use with white, yellow, pink, red or orange candles. (EO)

ORCHID — Orchids are associated with love in just about every tradition. This is thought to attract a refined lover to the person using it. Use with pink or red candles. (EO)

ORRIS — Like Orchid, Orris is associated with love, but Orris is much, much more powerful in producing results. Orris is a fragrant root used in many perfumes and it is considered something of a commanding fragrance. Normally Orris is used in combination with other love-related oils, since using it on its own can sometimes be coercive. Keep in mind that roots are always more powerful than flowers or leaves. Use with red or pink candles. (EO)

OSIRIS — Similar to Master or King of the Woods, Osiris is a sexual commanding oil to be used by men only. It is alleged to stimulate a strong sexual reaction to women and to cause their most hidden secret fantasies to rise to the surface. Wear or use with red candles. (O)

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PAN — Here’s a sexy New Orleans oil that’s said to bring new love, particularly a young lover, your way. Wear when out on the town or use to anoint red candles. Although difficult to find, Pan oil enjoys a huge reputation among southern practitioners as one of the most effective sexual attraction oils going. (O)

PAPYRUS — This is one of several “legal” oils but it has a highly specialized function. Employ it with all legal or court papers in order to bring success. Use it on white, yellow, or purple candles which you should set on top of the papers. (O)

PARTY’S OVER — Having problems with a philandering spouse? Let him know the party’s over with this muscular “stop adultery” potion. Use with purple candles. Burn alone or in combination with formulas like Love Breaker or Spikenard. (O)

PASSION FLOWER — Despite its seeming X-rated name, Passion Flower is associated with peace and friendship. It is often used to calm a stormy household and to smooth hurt feelings. Many practitioners have told me that there are few single fragrances more potent than this to inspire friendship and enhance personal popularity. Use with white, pink and yellow candles. (EO)

• PATCHOULI — See comments under Commanding/Compelling for information about Patchouli. Although it has a relatively ominous reputation within Southern Voodoo, it also has strong sexual implications and is often used as an ingredient in love potions. Patchouli is considered both a power and materializing herb and is generally combined with other ritual ingredients (such as candles, oils and other incenses) to lend specificity to its force. (I, EO)

PAX/PEACE — Like House Dressing (see above), Pax/Peace is a calming and quieting fragrance designed to bring tranquillity to a disturbed environment. It can also be used to soothe your inner world in times of great personal distress. Use in combination with blue candles to restore serenity to a chaotic situation. This is also a useful incense for meditation. (I, O)

PAY ME (Pagame) — Use to make someone pay who owes you money. Although this is essentially a mild commanding oil, it can prove to be quite insidious if the debtor steadfastly refuses to pay or seeks to renege on the debt. Use on purple or red candles. (O)

• PEACEFUL HOME — Similar to House Dressing, but with a special ability to calm problems in the household, Peaceful Home is one of the best selling of New Orleans incenses. Use in combination with blue, yellow, or white candles. Excellent burned in combination with such fragrances as Commanding, Pax/Peace, Uncrossing, Altar, etc. You will be amazed, I believe, at how stunningly this potion can transform a difficult environment. (I, O)

PEACH — Love, harmony, good vibes, warm feelings, romance (with a gentle hint of passion) — all are qualities of Peach within the New Orleans tradition. Use with white, pink, or yellow candles. (O)

PEDRO JARAMILLO — Use this famous South American oil on white candles to send healing energy to someone who is sick. (O)

PENNYROYAL — Associated with physical strength, many practitioners recommend applying Pennyroyal to the body when endurance is important. It is also considered very fortuitous in forcing business deals and to end quarrels between business associates or marriage partners. Use with white, blue or yellow candles. (EO)

PENTATRUCK — Similar in effect to Zorba (below), this is New Orleans’ answer to Viagra. Men should rub a few drops on their loins about half an hour prior to intercourse. (Do not use on the genitals themselves.) (O)

PEONY — Although it is seldom used within the New Orleans tradition, in the British (Celtic) Wicca tradition Peony is associated with protection and exorcism. It is most commonly prescribed for protecting children against baneful spirits. Use with white or purple candles. (EO)

• PEPPERMINT — Peppermint oil is said to be the absolute favorite of the spirits and it is used in rituals of praise and thanks to spirits who have helped. If it is your practice to include a white altar candle in all your rituals, there’s no better anointing oil than Peppermint. It has the properties of psychic enhancement, healing, and relaxation and is often included in Uncrossing ceremonies. Use with white, yellow and pink candles. (EO)

PETUNIA — Petunia is said to be particularly helpful when applying for a loan or asking a friend or family member for financial assistance. Anoint the loan papers or a green or gold candle to bring a loan request to a successful conclusion. (EO)

PIKAKI — Pikaki is a Hawaiian flower with a unique and exotic fragrance. Its legendary attribution is as a “magnetic” or attraction fragrance. It is completely positive, but non-selective in its abilities to attract. Consequently Pikaki normally is used in combination with other oils and incense to make a specific goal clearer. There is an aura of mystery and intrigue associated with Pikaki, particularly when it is used to attract romance. It is traditionally worn on the wrists. Use with green, yellow, white or pink candles. (O)

PINE — Pine has a rich association of magical uses, ranging from money, healing and exorcism to fertility. Pine may be used successfully for any of these purposes. Pine is also useful in uncrossing rites. Use on white, green, yellow or blue candles. (EO)

PINEAPPLE — Although luck and money are two of Pineapple’s most common magical attributions, it is also associated with chastity and sexual continence. In the New Orleans tradition, Pineapple is considered a potent oil to cause a past lover to return. Anoint a red candle for this purpose. May also be used with white, yellow, orange and pink candles, depending on your intent. (EO)

POMEGRANATE — Traditionally associated with sexuality and fertility, the Pomegranate may be used in any sort of love spell. Unlike some love fragrances, Pomegranate may be used equally well by either men or women. Pomegranate also has a connection to the idea of “abundance” in some traditions, although this attribution is secondary to its fertility connotation. Use with pink or red candles. (O)

POWER — Power is probably the best known of all the many New Orleans commanding and compelling recipes. No New Orleans collection is complete without it. It is often used to “force” situations, particularly in success rituals. Although it is powerful, it normally acts in subtle ways. Use with purple or red candles. (O)

• PROSPERITY — As its name implies, this formula contains herbs related to long-term (as opposed to fast luck) success. Many practitioners burn this recipe daily to ensure a positive flow of money. This particular fragrance is one of my personal favorites. Use with green, yellow, or purple candles. (I, O)

• PROTECTION — Protection is another classic New Orleans recipe. Although many of you are familiar with Fiery Wall of Protection, which is New Orleans’ most famous defensive potion, the combination of Fiery Wall and Protection covers all the bases. While Fiery Wall is particularly useful for fending off an acute situation, the Protection formula affords long-term,broad-based coverage. Protection may be used with red, purple, blue, or white candles. (I, O)

• PSYCHIC POWER — For those of you interested in developing your psychic skills, this is one of the most forceful recipes in the candleburning repertoire. It can also be burned in combination with other incenses or oils to lend a strong psychic factor to love and success rituals. While it may be used for baneful magic, I certainly do not recommend it. Use with white or blue candles. (I, O)