William Jackson
My studies into the spiritual properties of herbs and roots began 17 years ago in the Taoist tradition of Xianyao (”Herbs for Transcendence”). Sparked by an initial experience I then went on to study the medicinal properties of the plant, animal, and mineral realm as taught in the systems of Classical Chinese Herbology and Western Herbology. I studied what I could find (and use) on plants from the Amazon before going to Northern Cal. for formal studies in Ayurvedic Medicine at the California College of Ayurveda (grad. 2005). Hoodoo entered my life working with the Ancestors. For a long time I’d done work
for the Ancestors but not
with them; then ATRs (African Traditional Religions) introduced me to that in a simple and effective manner. I visited Louisiana both as a pilgrimage to my own personal roots and also to peek at one of the main roots of Hoodoo in America. I went on to study Hoodoo, the African-American tradition of folk magic, under Mama Starr Casas (Old Style Conjure) who teaches a very traditional and old-school Southern lineage of Conjure. My studies and practice in Hoodoo, the ATRs, and Eastern spirituality continue, and my practice of Rootwork reflect that combination.
