This last week I had the honor of interviewing J. Allen Cross author of American Brujeria about his book, ancestor worship and his work as a paranormal investigator. It was a timely and important conversation to have during this spooky time of year.
Annie: How long have you been practicing witchcraft? Do you have any suggestions for those beginning their studies?
J. Allen Cross: I’ve been formally practicing witchcraft since about the age of twelve. However, I was actively and intentionally doing spell work before then.
I always suggest that new folks stay away from witchy or witchcraft based social media until they’ve been practicing for a while. A great deal of witchy social media is rife with misinformation and often hinders the learning process more than it helps. It will save you from having to do a lot of unlearning later. Similarly, developing discernment and critical thinking skills is key to this work, lest you find yourself victim to more internet misinformation or predatory spiritual mentors.
What inspired you to write American Brujeria?
My community! Mexican Americans often get swept under the rug or lumped into different categories by everyone around us in order to try and make us disappear. We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans in order to prove that we belong. Being of mixed race can often be very isolating, and we can feel very lonely and without support. But the truth is that there are a ton of us who are both Mexican and American (or similarly multicultural) and we are not alone. A bunch of folks live in this space between. This space is something I’ve come to think of as a liminal space, or a powerful spiritual crossroads that we stand in every day. This isn’t something to be embarrassed of, it’s a powerful gift to have a foot in each world. I wanted to not only spotlight my community but empower them as well and wake them up to their own magic.
This time of year many of us want to contact or work with our ancestors. What do you want those who are beginning their studies in witchcraft to know about building an altar to their ancestors?
That the term “ancestor” should be approached very loosely. Even if they aren’t blood, people can still be our family. The Queer community understands this more than most. Any of your dearly departed loved ones can be ancestors, even if you didn’t know them, but their existence impacted you in some way like famous musicians or writers or what have you.
Are there other ways that you would suggest honoring our ancestors if there isn’t space to build an altar?
Yes! I find folks underestimate the power of carrying on tradition. Sure, the altars and candles and stuff all look great on Instagram, but what if instead you learned to quilt like your grandma? Or how to play the guitar like your grandfather? These are not only things that we may enjoy but when you do these tasks, you’ll often find yourself telling stories of them and that way they can live on.
What sort of safety precautions would you suggest using while venerating ancestors?
Anytime we do spirit work whether it’s ancestors or deities we will draw the attention of the spirits as a whole. So always make sure to keep the altar physically and energetically clean, and make sure to be specific when you address them. Folks sit at the altar and say really broad things like “spirits from the other side, hear me!” and that’s a wide net to cast and a big invitation to anything that falls into the category of “spirits”. Call forth your “holy ancestors who have chosen to guide and protect you in this life”, this greatly decreases your chances of inviting in something unfriendly.
As someone who comes from an Anglo-Saxon/Celtic tradition are there ways that I can celebrate Dia de los Muertos without engaging in cultural appropriation?
I think the most important part of any sort of ancestor work or veneration is to put the ancestors first. Ask yourself what they would want. A lot of folks watch Coco and then decide this year they need to do Dia De Los Muertos but if their ancestors have no connection to the holiday, it can be awkward. The thing we need to remember is that this time of year is known to be a bridge to the ancestors all over the world and not just in Mexico. Every culture has ways of honoring the dead and you can absolutely honor your ancestors in the way they are accustomed during this time of year no matter what culture you are from. I highly recommend it.
Since it’s the spooky time of year I feel I would be remiss in not inquiring about your work as a paranormal investigator. How long have you been working as a paranormal investigator?
I began doing this work solo when I was in high school (about 16 years old) and did my first house clearing. Since then, I spent many years solo then joined a group that I love dearly in the Portland area about 9 years ago. So, I’ve been doing this work for about 14 years.
Do you see an uptick in paranormal activity this time of year?
As far as hauntings go, not really. Hauntings don’t follow a yearly cycle and are a constant factor no matter the season.
What is the most common reason a house might be haunted?
I’ve noticed that there some common threads, or reasons why folks find them common. But I’ll narrow those down to the top three for brevity. First, they usually did something to cause it such as a misguided Ouija board session, or even haphazardly practicing the craft can all draw unfriendly spirits into your home. Honestly, I see more folks haunted after trying to “manifest abundance” than I do with people actively trying to do satanic rites. Second, a surprising amount of folks think they are haunted, or cursed, but they are actually psychic. If most of the houses you’ve lived in have been haunted, or you’ve experienced paranormal phenomenon your whole life there’s a good chance you are a medium and you’re not realizing it. Earthbound spirits are often drawn to those who can perceive them and will bother them over the course of their life trying to get their attention. Third is location, some places are stained or rotten or at an energetic crossroads which creates all kinds of activity. Even things like underground water running underneath the house will increase your odds of activity.
Do you have any suggestions for simple ways to cleanse a house that isn’t haunted or a way to keep our houses safe from unwanted spirits?
To cleanse a home that isn’t haunted I recommend lighting your favorite incense and walking around each room counterclockwise and visualize the energy “unlocking” as you complete the circuit. Sprinkling salt across doorways and windowsills is quite effective at keeping unwanted spirits out of your home.
Do you have a memorable haunting that you would be willing to share?
The very first time I helped a spirit cross over was the case that I now refer to as “the spider girl case.” The basement of a local home had the ghost of a young girl haunting it with sadness and fear. Through our investigation and interactions with the spirit we learned that her spirit was trapped there because the basement had been her prison in life. We gathered that her father was abusive and would lock her down there for hours if not days at a time. During her time down there as a ghost, she had a lot of time to spend with the local fauna, mainly enormous wolf spiders that the home was infested with. They were her friends, her protectors, and her allies. It was very strange, the corner of the basement where she would spend most of her time had a thick web wrapping around it like they had spun it in an attempt to either protect her or give her, her own room. In order to get her spirit to finally come out of the basement and step into the light, we had to capture one of the spiders in a jar, take it upstairs and out into the gorgeous summer afternoon so it could see that it was safe, and then re-release it back into the basement so it could tell her what it saw. After that, she was able to leave and therefore move on.
For more information on J. Allen Cross be sure to check out all of the links below and buy his book American Brujeria.