chili pepper (thing)

Uses In Folk Magic:

Exorcism
• The Aztecs used chili peppers as an aid and often as a central ingredient in the rites of exorcism.
• If there has been a curse placed upon you, scatter red pepper around your home to break the hex.

Protection
• In modern-day New Mexico, some people burn the core of a red bell pepper on Friday nights to ward off evil from harmful humans.
• Make use of jalapeño, cayenne, habanero or bell peppers to guard against negative energies.
  

Lust & Love
• Red pepper is also used in love powders to enflame the beloved, or to ensure that the love you find will be a spicy one.
• If you feel your mate is looking for greener pastures, buy two large dried chili peppers. Cross them and tie together with a pink or red ribbon. Place this beneath your pillow and this should help keep fidelity in the relationship..

General
• The different colors chili peppers come in often have different associations. Below are some of the more popular ones:
  • Red: energy, vitality, strength
  • Green: growth, prosperity
  • Yellow: creativity
  • Black: cleansing, purification, banishing, protection
    .

Sources:

• Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1998.
• A Kitchen Witches' Guide to Vegetables. "Kitchen Witchery". www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/4536/WiseWomansCottage/kwveggies.html. Accessed: 22 December 2001.