Elle Nurse

In the honour of the Fire Festival of Imbolc, soon to come, I’ve decided to record an old purification, release, and revivification spell of mine into this Book of Shadows.

This ceremony is an opening to create a deep and lasting change. This is a spell best used when you feel stuck, restless, and unsettled. It will help you break free, and open the road. Over time, opportunities will begin to appear in your life to move forward.  

This spell is best done during a waning moon, nearest to sunset.

Spell items:

Candle, fire, or bonfire

Purifying herbs, woods, or smudge sticks (sage, sweet grass, cedar, palo santo, citrus peels, coconut, lavender, lemon verbena, and so forth)

Paper with offerings inscribed upon it 

Burn your purifying herbs or woods in the fire. If you have smudge sticks, let them smoke near the flame. As you burn your purifying herbs, woods, or smudges, allow your thoughts to turn inwards. let your senses flicker and spark with the flame. Feel it’s purifying power, and prepare to release old patterns, old beliefs, and old wounds into the fire. Offer them to the spirits, and unburden your soul.

When you burn your offering, you must honour it - focus upon it’s impact on your life, feel it’s power and hold it. When you feel it’s weight heavy upon you, open your hands to the fire, and release it like a bird to the wind.

Say the words:

To the fire I feed you,

In the smoke I leave you.

Be that which rises on the tide,

Given to the moon and the spirits high.

I begin again.

I begin again.

I begin again.

I am pure. Revived. New Made.

In the moon’s shadow,

As the sun does fade.

As I will it, So mote it be.

Smudge yourself in the cleansing fire and smoke. Put your hands to the smoke briefly, and pull it close. Draw it to the belly, to the heart, to the lips, and to the forehead. Wash it over you as much as needed.

What you do with the remains of your spell (wax, photos, ashes, etc.) is just as important as the spell itself. The spellwork does not end when the candles and the incense extinguish. The spellwork is not complete until you return the remnants back to the Earth. The Earth and the universal energy carry and propel your magick and your spellwork to its full completion. Make sure your disposal method does not contradict your desired outcome by completing your spellwork following the disposal methods outlined below: 

– Burying in your Backyard – To maintain a desired circumstance, finances, a person, or a possession in your life.

Marriage

Prosperity

Protection

Harmonious relationships

– Burying in your Front Yard – To welcome something new into your life.

Attract new love

New career/life path spells

Attract a new experience, such as travel

Health

Marriage proposal

– Burying in the Cemetery – To curse or harm a person, or to end undesirable circumstance or habits in your life. Leave a few coins, pieces of candy and/or an apple at the cemetery gate as you leave. Take a different route home. Do not look back as you leave.

Curses

Banishments

– Burying in a Target’s Yard – To curse, bless, or to influence a specific person or family.

Curse the target

Love

Protection

Influence/manipulation spells

– Burying at a Business Property – To curse, bless, or to influence a specific business or an employee of the business.

Curse the business or employee of the business

Protection

Influence/manipulation spells

Prosperity

– Releasing Into Running Bodies of Water – To release negative circumstances or emotions. To deliver a curse or influence a person in a distant or unknown location.

Curses

Banishments

Spells to release emotional pain

Love

Influence/manipulation spells

– Leaving On Active Railroad Tracks – To release negative circumstances. To deliver a curse or influence a person in the direction of the running train. If cursing, take a different route home, do not look back. Avoid the train and railroad tracks for at least 3 nights.

Curses

Banishments

Spells to release emotional pain

Love

Influence/manipulation spells

– Leaving On Abandoned Railroad Tracks – To separate yourself or other people from each other or a situation.

Banishments

Break-up spells

– Leaving at an Intersection – To release negative circumstances. To deliver a curse, or influence a person in an unknown location.

Curses

Banishments

Release emotional pain

Love

Influence/manipulation spells

– Leaving on a Road in the Lane of the Direction of Your Target – To deliver a curse or influence a person in the direction of  the traffic lane.

Curses

Influence/manipulation spells

Love spells on a specific person

– Leaving at a Target’s Front Door/Driveway – The most direct way to curse or to influence. Remnants must be inconspicuous and discreet, such as ashes mixed with dirt. If cursing, take a different route home and do not look back.

Curses

Love

Influence/manipulation spells

Protection

– Blowing/Throwing Ashes – (only when you only have ashes, without any wax) General all-purpose release of spellwork energy into the universe.

Blow in the direction of the target to curse or influence

Love

Prosperity

Protection

Healing

– Throwing Into A Fire – To release negative circumstances. To deliver a curse or influence a person in an unknown location.   If cursing, it is recommended the fire is not on your property grounds.

Curses

Banishments

Spells to release emotional pain

- Notes:

*Banishment spells refer to any spellwork where the desired goal is to remove or end undesirable conditions, circumstances, people, or habits. 

*After performing a curse, it is best to completely disconnect from your magickal working. Not because of karma or anything external, but because you cannot thrive while being attached to the energy of destruction. You can do this by not looking back when you walk away. By walking away without looking back, you consciously (and physically) disconnect and move on with your life. 

Sweetening Jars are part of that brand of magic known as ‘bottle spells’. These types of spells are found in a variety of cultural practices, from Southern Hoodoo and Conjure traditions to old world European practices.

This spell aims to use sympathetic magic to draw ‘sweet things’ to the spell’s subject.

I used this spell recently, at the start of the year, when a coworker of mine was being particularly malicious. I realized that she felt unjustifiably insecure, and lashed out at others (particularly myself) when the feeling struck. As she was the boss’ wife, there was no way a banishing spell would have worked - nor would it have done to lose her, since she was important to the business. However, I was nearing my wits’ end, trying to figure out how to combat the negativity and toxicity she created.

And then it came to me - if she was insecure, then the thing to do, which was the least negative, and which would probably be the most effective in the long run, was not to run her out by magical purposes, but to build her up by them - to help her, to support her, magically, so she no longer sought to lash out at people.

To that end, I decided an old-fashioned sweetening jar would do the trick. Within a day, I noticed a huge shift in our interactions, and in her confidence levels.

Sweetening Jars use sympathetic magic to attract positive, ‘sweet’ things to the spell’s subject. You can create a sweetening jar for a friend who’s had a run of bad luck, or for a coworker or boss who’s creating friction, and needs to be ‘sweetened up’ towards you, or even for yourself, to draw positive, helpful things into your life.

Spell Items:

Household sweetener (Honey, sugar, splenda)

A jar

A square of paper

A candle

On the square of paper, in the center, write the ‘sweet things’ you wish to draw to the spell subject (for instance: Self-esteem, contentment, love, happiness, stability).

Then, without picking the pen/pencil off of the paper, write the spell subject’s name nine times, encircling the ‘sweet things’ at the center. 

Fold the edges of the paper inward (to draw the ‘sweet things’ in) and make the paper as small as possible.

Place the folded paper at the bottom of the jar. As you fill it with the sweetener of your choice (Honey is traditional, but sugar is less messy, and works just as well, in my experience), envision how the spell subject will be with those ‘sweet things’ in their life. See in your minds’ eye the positive change they’ll make, and murmur over the jar and the sweetener what you wish for the subject, and what you see for them once they obtain these ‘sweet things’. Call upon whatever spirits you choose to aid in the endeavour.

When you feel finished, seal the lid on the jar, and give it a good shake to activate the magic. Set the candle on top of the jar lid, and light the wick, letting the wax drip onto the lid and ‘seal’ in the magic, as well as add fire to the working. 

Over the next few days/weeks/months, whenever you feel like it, give the jar a shake, and focus on the sweet things being drawn to the spell subject. Vocally wish upon them the sweetness you’re drawing for them, and their acceptance of it into their life.

Over time, you’ll begin to see a change in their luck, demeanour, or behaviour.

~10 Helpful & Magickal Herbs for Witchy… Witchcraft~

If you’re a Green Witch or just have a penchant for herbalism and herbal witchcraft, this is a helpful list of herbs that are always good to have in your cupboards, or jars… or shelves.

Basil: Primarily, Basil is known as a culinary herb (add a dash of it to your dishes to add a little class and flavour!), but it also has some interesting and broad magickal properties. For example, it can be burned or strewn on the floors and thresholds of the home to purify and protect. It can be used in magick that concerns love/relationships and it can be used in divination. Old lore states that Basil can aid in both astral travel and projection, and physical travel. It is said to bring luck to those who are moving or transitioning to somewhere new, and is used in the detection of infidelity and the affirmation of fidelity.

Lavender: Lavender, unlike Basil, is not used primarily for cooking but it can be! Lavender and vanilla shortbread cookies are just divine. In magickal terms, this herb is often used in love spells and love magick, or in any sort of ritual that brings about peace and/or a state of calmness in life and in you.  Lavender can be strewn on floors and thresholds to protect from evil and can be used in purification magick/spells/rituals/baths and for smudging. It can soothe headaches and aid sleep when the buds are placed in a sachet or beneath your pillow.

Sage: Historically - very, historically! - Sage has been burned to cleanse and purify spaces; it is used still in smudging rituals* and the herb is often burned in incense to cleanse, purify and protect. It can also be used in healing rituals. A warning, though: when being burned, Sage emits a potent odour that is very much like that of marijuana!

Patchouli: Patouchli has an exotic aroma and is commonly used in incense, potpourri and ritual workings. This herb has strong ties to sexual power, wealth and love and is thus used in workings regarding those.  If you were to carry a small sachet of Patchouli leaves on your person, whether that is hung around your neck or stashed in your pocket, you will attract love, wealth and yes, sex into your life.

Mugwort: Mugwort is found and used frequently in modern Pagan and witchcraft workings as it is a very versatile and easy to grow (or obtain) herb. It can be used in an incense blend, in general spellwork; sachets and in smudging rituals. It is often tied with prophecy and divination. For example; to encourage success in divination, create an incense blend with mugwort, or use it in a smudging ritual to cleanse your work space of negative energies, and purify it before use. NOTE: Can be harmful to pregnant women.

Bay (leaves): Like some of the aforementioned items, Bay is a culinary herb. It is used not only in cooking, but for protection, purification, strength, healing and the enhancement of psychic power. If you write a wish or a desire on a bay leaf and burn it on a candle flame, it is said that the smoke will carry your desires to your respective deities and they will manifest, though not always in the way you would expect. Bay, if placed in a dream pillow, wards of negativity and induces prophetic dreams.

Chamomile: Known for its protective and purifying properties, Chamomile can be used in incense blends for sleep and meditation. It is, of course, a popular herbal tea that promotes peace and sleep. If you wish to protect your person or your household from psychic attacks, sprinkle Chamomile around your home.

Rosemary: Rosemary, yet another culinary herb, has been used historically for myriad purposes. In short, it is a herb of protection, love, lust, mental clarity, purification, healing, banishing, and cleansing. It’s pretty much multi-purpose.  Burn Rosemary to rid a space of negative energy, or hang it in the home to prevent evil in all its forms from crossing the threshold and entering. This herb is like a clear quartz crystal or a white candle; it can be used as a substitute for other herbs and you will still obtain good results.

Cinnamon: Oh, look! Another culinary herb! Cinnamon is versatile in that it is easy to obtain and very easy to use. It promotes spirituality, success, healing, psychic powers, lust, love, and protection, much like Rosemary, and can be used in incense blends, but (and this is the best part) it can be baked into sweets and desserts! It can be used in sachets too, or hung in the home to protect those inside.

Pennyroyal: Pennyroyal is often associated with money, strength and protection. In Hoodoo and some branches of folk magic/k, Pennyroyal is carried to ward of what is known as the ‘evil eye’. If you wish to utilise Pennyroyal’s protective properties, put some of the herb in a sachet with whatever else you feel you need and carry it on your person. For the best effect, your purse/bag or your pockets would work best.  If you wish to work money magick, use it to create some Money Oil or hang a sprig over your door to attract it into your life. If you are a business owner, hanging a sprig over the door will attract new custom. NOTE: Can be harmful to pregnant women.