High John, Low John and Chewing John
By Eileen Holland
Part 3
Chewing John
Chewing John is galangal, an aromatic root once used like ginger as a spice. Other names for it include galangal root, galang, galingal, galingale, greater galanga, Little John to Chew, African juju powder, China root, India root, catarrh root, East Indian catarrh root, colic root, gargaut, maraba, kaempferia, and kampferia galanga. Khalanjan is its name in Arabic, and the word 'galingal' was derived from this. Its botanical names are Alpinia galanga and Alpinia officinalis.
Galangal is a grassland plant of the ginger family, native to tropical Asia. It has long, narrow leaves and grows from four to six feet in height. Its white flowers have deep red veins. The aromatic root is dark red and resembles ginger. The root is the only part of the plant used magically.
Chewing John got its name because hoodoo practitioners would chew a piece of it in court, then spit the juice where the judge would walk through it in order to influence the outcome of a trial. It corresponds to the planets Mars and Pluto, and to the element of fire. Its gender is male and it is sacred to Vulcan. Galangal increases the power of any spell it is added to. It is used for psychic protection, lust, exorcism, health, money spells, psychic power, success and favor in court, psychic awareness, good luck, consecration, and work on the astral plane.
Powdered, Chewing John is used as incense and added to sprinkling powders and floor washes. Galangal powder is a charm for health, protection, good luck, and developing your psychic potential. It is sprinkled around the home or on the bedsheets for sex magic and to increase desire.
Galangal is added to incense mixtures for uncrossing and jinx breaking because it breaks hexes and curses and sends negative spells back to their makers. It is a traditional ingredient in abramelin incense, used in guardian angel rituals.
Medically, galangal is a stimulant and a mild hallucinogen, once used to treat gas, nausea, and upset stomach. It can be used in poultices to draw boils. A decoction of its leaves can be added to the bath for energy. The powder was once used as a medicinal snuff to break up congestion.
Like ginger, galangal can be used in cooking as a spice or condiment. It is used to make ginger beer and liqueur. The essential oil of galangal is used in perfumery.