A brooch, a beetle, and a little Egyptian magic

“Almost ready!” said Shaden, repeating the same answer she’d used for the last hour.

“You have ten more minutes, or you will be late for your big ceremony,” said her desperate, loving husband, conjuring all of his patience.

Shaden added her new brown scarf, which was a gift from her husband. Right before she stepped out of her bedroom, she opened her jewelry box and found her great-grandmother’s brooch. She sat on the bed as the brooch brought back memories.

Her frustrated husband entered and asked, “What are you doing?”

“I needed a brooch for my new scarf.”

“Take the whole box. Let’s go!” he said, as he rushed her to the car.

“Sit back and relax; I put the address in the GPS,” her husband announced.

She gave him a smile. She knew her husband hated setting the GPS, and he did that just for her. He always bragged about his sense of direction. As a former Boy Scout, he often claimed that if he could see the destination on a map, he would find it. But this was a big day, and he knew that setting the GPS would put his wife’s mind at ease.

It was long drive, and Shaden got lost in memories of her great grand-mother, Hajar. It was August 1, 1982, and she had just turned nine when her mother took her to see her great-grandmother. They entered a dark room filled with smoky incense. Hajar had her velvet curtains drawn. She was a knowledgeable practitioner of Egyptian magic. She didn’t really allow people to visit her anymore. Shaden remembered being excited and a little bit scared.

Hajar had fiery red hair that was her crown of beauty – she bragged about getting her Henna dye from Eastern Sudan. She was wearing a long, maroon robe with a marigold-colored flower brooch.

"It is time to learn about your Qareen."

“My sweet Shaden,” greeted Hajar. “You got your period early. That means you are a woman now.” Shaden turned red every time her mother shared that news with family and friends. Hajar added, “It is time to learn about your Qareen.”

Shaden didn’t know that word. Her mother saw the question in her eyes and responded, “A Qareen, sweetheart, is like a spiritual double, a spirit that accompanies you every day. Some of us have angels for Qareen, and they always guide us to do good. Others have Jinn for Qareen, and it misleads them. We just want to make sure you have a good Qareen,” explained her mother.

“I don’t want any Qareen. I want to leave, mama,” pleaded Shaden.

“You can’t abandon your shadow, baby girl,” said Hajar. “Now, sit down like a good girl and let me do my work.”

Hajar removed a large beetle from a box. She cut off its head and wings and then boiled the body. She wrapped up the body in cloth and steeped it for tea. She poured a cup for Shaden and urged her to drink. A few bitter sips later, Shaden put her cup down. Hajar reached for Shaden’s cup and finished the beetle tea.

Hajar announced that she had seen a vision. Shaden was not blessed with a good Qareen, she said. She was cursed, said Hajar, and a cleansing ritual would need to be performed. The bad Qareen would prevent her from getting married one day, said Hajar.

“I need you to pick a marigold and a white lily from my yard. As you pick it up, repeat: ‘I seek the healing power of Ra!’” Hajar instructed her.

Shaden did as she was told and returned. She watched intently as her great-grandmother prepared the ointment. Hajar smashed the flowers and mixed them with myrrh and a dash of cinnamon in a mortar until they were a paste. She put the concoction in a jar, which she then gave to Shaden’s mother.

“Use this ointment on her for seven days a month for the next three months,” Hajar instructed. “On the 7th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 16th, and 21st. In case you miss a day, use it on the 24th or the 25th.

“Wake up at sunrise,” she continued. “Look to the east and anoint her with the ointment while you repeat, ‘With the blood of Isis, with the strength of Isis, and with the powers of Isis, I anoint you.’” She took off her marigold-colored flower brooch and gave it to Shaden as her gift for reaching womanhood.

Shaden remembered how her mother followed the instructions religiously, and how her great-grandmother later announced that the curse was lifted.

The imperious voice of the GPS lady announcing that they reached their destination brought her back to reality.

Shaden opened the jewelry box and picked out the marigold-colored flower brooch. She smiled and pinned it on her scarf. After all, she was about to receive an award. Perhaps, she thought, her great-grandmother was still protecting her.