Jennifer Medway began practicing the occult and esoteric arts at a tender young age when her mother gave her a tarot deck. Rootwork and hoodoo run in Jennifer’s family in Louisiana. Her mother’s cousin, Maybelline, was a professional rootworker whom locals called The Swamp Witch. Jennifer carried on her family tradition and works as a rootworker, Reiki Master, witch, ceremonial magician, and at her company Serpentine Spiritual Arts. She trained with some of the top occult professionals internationally and is a member of Ordo Templi Orientis. Jennifer presented working with La Santa Muerte during the Daisy L. Machado lecture at Vanderbilt University. She is researching the occult sciences and folklore while a master’s candidate. Jennifer attended Stanford, UCLA, and UC Berkeley, where she earned her BA in English. She has published spiritual poetry, fiction, and narrative nonfiction in several journals, including Cornell’s Rainy Day and Goddess and the Moon Metaphysical Journal. Jennifer is also a successful equestrian with many championships, and her students have won five state championships.
Working with La Santa Muerte
La Santa Muerte is a Mexican folk Catholic saint of death who has many names such as La Santisima Muerte, La Nina, and La Huesita. La Santa Muerte is the embodiment of death with the highest power over life of any spirit or saint—second only to God. Many venerate her as she accepts people from all walks of life and does not discriminate against LGBTQ+, sex workers, criminals, and gang members. Many depict her as a grim reaper-like skeleton holding a scythe, scales, or a globe. La Santa Muerte has three traditional robes or aspects: white (La Blanca), red (La Roja), and black (La Negra). Each robe represents a different side of her. La Santa Muerte is a complete magical system, which means that she can fulfill any need. The class begins with an introduction to Santa Muerte, her magical system, and a brief history of La Huesita. Participants will learn the symbolism and parts of Santa Muerte, roles of her different robes, signs of being called to work with her, rituals to complete before working with her, offerings to make to her and when, construction of a Santa Muerte altar, protection prayers before invoking her, celebrating of her feast days, praying of her rosary, and different Santa Muerte prayers and rituals for common issues.