What vibes to lean into to accomplish short term goals.
This is a 5-card tarot spread laid out in a diamond shape, with card 1 in the center. Card 2 is placed above, card 3 is placed below, card 4 is placed to the left, and card 5 is placed to the right.
All major arcana cards are removed from the deck. Draw card 1 only from the pile of major arcana. Draw the other 4 cards only from the pips.
The stations are:
"What crowns you," the current archetype, blessing, power, or focus that will be the most effective in helping you achieve your short-term goal. Wear this energy to assist you, even if it only crowns you for the short term.
"Proceed," what to directly apply this archetype towards, what it will help you with the most.
"Forebear," the path you should avoid; what you should not use this archetypal power to solve
"Blessings and Advice," or "Past." Use this card to gain extra guidance or as part of a past/present/future pattern.
"Blessings and Advice," or "Future." Use this card to gain extra guidance or as part of a past/present/future pattern.
Extra text: For any spread, draw a sideways card and place it over the signifier (card 1) to represent a primary blockage - it is read in both upright and reversed
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I made an herbal shower sachet this evening for a major cleansing ritual. I filled it with mountain mint, beebalm, elderflower, yarrow, and mullein flowers.
After I cleaned our whole living space from top to bottom it was my turn.
Then I dropped the herbs off at a rural crossroads.
Holly is variously associated with the planets of Mars and Saturn, making it an excellent choice for baneful work. Its berries cause vomiting when eaten, and its thorny leaves ensure suffering.
You will need:
A poppet of your foe, drawn as a paper doll
A seven-thorned holly leaf
A fresh holly berry
A needle
Black thread
- - - - - - -
Once the poppet has been constructed to your satisfaction, and taglocks have been attributed, you are to crush the holly berry and baptize it with the flesh inside:
"With sickening dew, I baptize you, (Name).
Your purpose is to deliver suffering and loss to the one who bears your name and face."
Press the holly leaf against the doll.
"By this holly's seven thorns, you shall suffer seven wounds."
Take the needle and thread, and begin sewing the leaf to the doll so that the thorns may torment it without rest. It need not look pretty. However you stitch it, the number of times you stab shall be seven.
"I stab your profession.
I stab your wealth.
I stab your possessions.
I stab your health.
I stab reputation.
I stab your lust.
By the seventh, friendships and trust.
No relief to you shall come. By spirit of holly, the act has been done."
Can you recommend any good resources on Tarot symbology? I'm curious about the meanings of all of the recurring symbols in Tarot, but searching online only returns ai junk and surface-level stuff meant for quick readings :p
There are a lot of books on tarot that are huge massive bricks. They don't need to be this big. Imo, the only two books on tarot you need are Pictoral Key to the Tarot, and Crowley's Liber T.
if and when you have bandwidth and interest, Iβd love to hear more about how you βdo workβ with a plant (reference to your recent post on plantain and self heal). When you put them on an altar like in the picture, are you talking to them, praying to them, asking for their assistance, simply forming more of a relationship by adding them to your preexisting sacred spaceβ¦?
I actually planned on doing a post this weekend about that particular workingβthe post you are referring to was a little teaser.
But this is an excellent βaskβ to talk about what the whole cycle looks like for me:
Work with the plant spirit begins when I stumble across it, mostly on the Illinois Bayou (as was the case with the plantain, the selfheal is from the Ouachitas and I have a couple bundles drying now that I found on my momβs property in the Ozark foothills). I usually give the plant an offering of water and ask if I can share in its βmedicineβ by taking some of its physical matter. When I get back home I often leave my harvest on my altar for a bit before preserving it (usually by hanging it to dry).
The plantain (narrowleaf) and selfheal at home in the wild, the Illinois Bayou and Ouachitas, respectively.
Plants at home on the altar.
While the plants are on the altar I ask for blessings from DΔduΕ‘ka, our house guardian, asking him to welcome them into our home as the representative of our ancestors, and from Mother Mary and Morana, the two faces of the feminine divine that I work with most intimately in recent years.
In this particular working you will see the amulet bag, our house guardian, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and Our Lady of the Ozarks, as well as a crucifix. There is also an effigy of Morana, but she is too tall to fit in the frame.
After I was done working with the herbs on the altar, I infused them in a double boiler method in a pot that I blessed as a magical cauldron back around Easter.
Pictured here with the cauldron is a working I did with cinquefoil root, with Our Lady of Perpetual Help, DΔduΕ‘ka, and beads representing the Catholicism of my most recent ancestors and prayer beads I made for the light half of the year representing the paganism of those farther back.
When I use the medicine from one of these workings I always thank the plants spirits as I apply and/or ingest it.
I hope that answered your question. Iβll probably add some links to this post later, but right now Iβm 10 minutes late getting ready to head up to the hospital to help my Dad with lunch.
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I remember enjoying this book when it first came out. At the time I thought there needed to be something better than Jason Miller's "Protection and Reversal Magic" (book review coming not soon). I also thought this book was the answer. Let's see if I agree now.
"Even if you're the most mild-mannered practitioner who sticks to personal development magick, you can still end up getting energetically attacked. Hex Twisting is the key to countering any curse or hex cast your way. Providing a variety of techniques to defend yourself, this indispensable guide helps you drive hurtful magick out of your home, trap malevolent spirits, and more.
Diana Rajchel has spent years handling psychic attacks, ancestral injuries, and work-for-hire hauntings. She carefully studied how each one worked and now she passes that knowledge to you through this book's powerful collection of exercises, tips, and tools. Discover how to diagnose, recover from, and prevent jinxes, hexes, crosses, and curses. Explore countermeasure recipes, reversal spells, and cleansing rituals. Whatever is after you, this book can help you stop it."
The book starts out by saying that "sometimes we must become [the] consequences [to someone else's actions]." Hell yeah. This is a book that doesn't shy away from cursing and hexing, but knows that there is a time and place for it. Though most of the book is concerned with reversals, protections, banishings, etc. The book does explain the difference between a jinx, hex, cross (mostly a term you'll find used in hoodoo and southern conjure traditions), and a curse.
The author mentions "karma," and what I like is that is that she actually talks about what karma is in Buddhism and Hindusim. Acknowledging that what the west has termed "karma" is actually just the consequences of your actions.
The author gives lots of different ways to verify if you are cursed or not, as well as "diagnostic" methods. Most of which include various divination methods, and lists of cursed "symptoms" may be.
When I first read the book, and again this time around, I found Rajchel's idea of "aura holes" to be interesting. I'm not sure that I totally buy into it, but I can see how the concepts of damage and repair could be beneficial depending on the practitioner.
In chapter 3 "Your Magickal Body, Yourself," there is a several pages long list of materials that can be used to cleanse and also break spells. I've seen newer practitioners who want to learn more about spell breaking asking about such materials and this may be useful to them.
In chapter 4 "Ah! Get it Out of Here!," Rajchel talks about the issues surrounding the term "smudging." I have heard the same from Native Americans I've spoken with that smudging is a specific ritual that non-Natives don't know how to do properly because they haven't actually been taught how to do, so the appropriation comes from the use of the term. I have also reblogged some posts on other Native American's take on why white sage itself would be closed. Though if you want to learn more about the environmental impact of the use of white sage, you won't find it here. I suggest taking a look at this website.
There are quite a few good workings in this book that I think would be helpful for those wondering about curse breaking and protection in general. There's talk of cleaning itself being an act of spiritual cleansing (her Basic House Cleansing and Warding method is a great starting point), a really good example of a historical witch bottle (which she separates from spell jars), minor spirit traps, bindings, a long list of simple ways to ward, among many other wonderful spells.
At the end of the book, whether the person is dealing with a curse, a haunting, or something else, Rajchel does encourage seeking mental health services if your emotional and mental wellbeing is in jeopardy. If you're experiencing depression and/or anxiety or any other mental health issue, seek a professional if you can who is able to help you through you medical experience.
There was more that I didn't like about this book than I had originally remembered. Some of them are minor issues, while others... are larger. I thought about whether I should put these in order from smaller to larger or larger to smaller. Ultimately these will be in chronological order as they begin to appear in the book.
A smaller issue, for me, is that the author uses the magick spelling. I personally think it's ridiculous. The person who picked up the book knows you're not talking about stage magic, and I'm also an Aleister Crowley hater. He got heat for all the wrong things in his life time.
While she understands what Karma is outside of the new age sphere, Rajchel is under the false impression that the misunderstanding in the new age, started with Wicca. It actually stems from Helena Blavatsky and Theosophy. A lot New Age bullshit, comes from Theosophy. If you want to learn more about Karma from Hinduism and Buddhism, I encourage you to read Hindu and Buddhist texts. These would be the Rig Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads (which are all Hindu, for Buddhism you really have to pick a Buddhist tradition you're interested in and learn which texts they suggest).
This leads to... chakras. They're all over this book and so misunderstood. From my own research and listening to Ayurvedic practitioners, chakras don't get clogged as the author seems to think, they do not need to be opened, they don't get tethered by energy cords, nor do they need to be "audited." This is another perception coming from Theosophy (though not Helena herself). If you are Hindu or Buddhist and I am wrong on any of this, please let me know. However, for now, I think Rajchel should probably be calling them something else.
I noticed that Rajchel uses some curse diagnostic methods that are used in Mexican folk magic. Specifically limpia con huevos (egg cleansing) and a limpia using candles. She doesn't mention that they're Mexican and no where does she mention if she is of Mexican descent (usually people say that when sharing their own cultural practices, but I could be wrong). While I've seen other folk practices adapt this practice, most have acknowledged it's origins.
Rajchel is really into shabbat candles, a candle which is lit 18 minutes before the sabbath day in Jewish tradition according to the Hasidic website Chabad. I don't understand why she insists on shabbat candles for cleansing. I don't know if she grew up Jewish or anything (as she is now a Gardnerian high priestess), but I scoured the Jewitches blog on candles in Jewish magic and I still don't understand. I've seen this style of cleansing in Mexican folk magic but not with a shabbat candle. Why specifically a shabbat candle? It's just a candle until it is burnt for shabbat, to my understanding.
A smaller issue, is that I wish she had put binomial names next to the folk names for the herbs she mentions as being good for cleansing and curse breaking. Not everyone calls the same plant by the same name so it would clear up some confusion.
There's a lot of hoodoo in this book without any crediting. For example in the section titled "Improving Metaphysical Immunity," one of the ideas suggested is to place Devil's Shoestring oil in your shoe to break any spells you may step on. This idea comes directly from hoodoo, where tricks (a type of working similar to a hex) can be laid by either placing a powder or similar substance where the target would step in it or touch it, and also by taking some of the tracks dust. Devil's Shoestring itself is very much tied to hoodoo. You'll also find the term "tricks" (which she defines as "negative spells activated by contact with you') being used at the beginning of chapter 4 "Ah! Get it Out of Here!: Driving Negative Magick Out of the Home." It very much makes it feel as though this author equates hoodoo with "negative" workings. Again, here she does not say that tricks is a term used in hoodoo specifically. On page 146 and 147, she talks about Reversal Candles with the two colors, which again she does not make mention of being hoodoo except for the quote "If you frequent botanicas... you have seen this tool, seven-day glass jar candles half-filled with two colors of wax." You've seen them in botanicas because they cater to African and Hispanic diasporic religions. At the beginning of chapter seven "Health Protection: Spells to Ward and Preserve the (Energetic) Bodies," Rajchel lists a working she has called "Health Preserving Mojo Bag." A mojo bag is a very specific working in hoodoo. Here she just lists a way to make a basic spell bag. This is NOT a mojo bag. Her section on Domination spells is also just hoodoo (at least she says they are from Conjure here). The last thing I noticed regarding hoodoo, she gives a spell titled "Run Devil Run" which she does acknowledge is a type of working in hoodoo, however, from what I know, this is not a way that it would be done in hoodoo. So, to me (someone who does not practice hoodoo), it feels like she's slapping on the name without being true to the tradition. If you are a hoodoo practitioner, please let me know if I got something wrong.
Skipping back to page 60 where Rajchel is discussing the energy body and it's orders, we have the quote "People with this arrangement align with what Western medicine classifies as neurotypical." It goes on to say that the order she has given that is "neurotypical" is easier to cleanse. Which made me, as a neurodivergent person, feel a type of way. I also feel like this isn't true.
On page 69, Rajchel talks about mirrors being portals or wards depending on how theyβre treated. She goes on to basically say if they arenβt cleansed and warded they can act as portals. However, the only time Iβve seen mirrors actually act as portals is when theyβve been ACTIVELY used that way purposefully by a practitioner. I really donβt think people need to be so fussed about mirrors.
In chapter 5, βChase Off the Small Stuff,β I wish she would talk more about the cultural beliefs of the Evil Eye and not just what it is generally. And I wish she would have acknowledged the cultures the Hamsa used in her spell βEvil Eye House Protection.β She doesnβt even tell the reader what itβs called or where it comes from, its symbolism, etc. Really just saying itβs a βgeneral anti-jealousy protection.β Which is pretty reductive.
On page 160 and 161, Rajchel talks about Milagros saying they are βcharms that folk-Catholicism practitioners from around the world place on their home altars.β I grew up Catholic, and itβs mostly a Latino thing from what I can find. You can find kits at botanicas (as she points out) for the same reason you can find reversal candles there.
The rest of these are smaller issues compared to some others Iβve covered. Rajchel talks about forwarding a curse, which I think is a really good and interesting idea! However, she says a popular choice to forward it to is Iowa, my home state. Please donβt forward it here, we have enough problems. Better yet, forward it to your least favorite politician or Project 2025.
At the beginning of chapter 10, βWhen Spirits are Jerks,β she says that some spirits can be described as βByzantium.β If youβre unfamiliar, Byzantium describes the time period and empire that was once modern day Istanbul. I donβt know what any of that has to do with whether or not a spirit is friendly.
In the same chapter, Rajchel suggests banishing spirits, and then if that doesnβt work, try communicating with them. I would argue to do the opposite. Talk with the spirit before trying to banish it. Itβs like shooting someone and then being like βoh sorry, hereβs some milk to make you happy.β Iβd also argue, itβs not a very good banishing if it doesnβt work.
While I do still prefer this book to some others on the topic that Iβve read, I didnβt remember all of the woof moments. There are lots of good advice in here that isnβt appropriative, however you need to know what to look out for. I will be continuing to look out for a better all encompassing, general practitioner book on protection magic and spell breaking. If you are interested in a specific type of tradition, however, that would probably be a better place to look for protections.
You can find other reviews below. If you want to buy this book it can be found on Amazon, Google Books, the author's website, the publisher's website, Portland Button Works & Spiral House, and more.
I first read this around the time it was published in October 2019 for a book club. I remember because I ended up getting through most of it while waiting out a typhoon in the hotel room during my honeymoon. I'm quite fond of this book, but let's see what I think now.
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Contents:
Synopsis
What I Liked
What I Didn't Like
Overall Thoughts
Conclusion
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Published 2019
"Learn how to connect with your ancestors and receive the benefits that come from veneration--deeper spirituality, more love in your life, better outcomes in creative pursuits, powerful magic and spellwork, and an improved sense of wellness. Filled with hands-on techniques and tips, Honoring Your Ancestors show you how to create an ancestor altar so you can work with ancestors of all kinds. Author Mallorie Vaudoise also shares fascinating ideas for incorporating rituals, spells, family recipes, and even practices like music and dancing to help you open this wonderful new dimension of your spiritual journey.
Ancestors veneration is one of the most widespread spiritual practices in the world. This book shares the important distinctions between working with blood ancestors, lineage ancestors, and affinity ancestors while helping you recognize the signs that your ancestors are responding to your petitions and offerings. You will also explore important topics like mediumship and ancestral trauma so you can be sure to develop a veneration practice that's uplifting and affirming for you."
-from the back of the book
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What I Liked
The book starts off with describing the different types of ancestors; from blood ancestors to saints and guides. Some were human and some were not. A ritual to reconnect with your ancestors is included if you wish to have a more formal start to your ancestor practice. I will sometimes go back to this if I have found that I've been neglecting them as well. The chapter ends with a discussion of what you can expect from working with your ancestors; as well as what some people may think will happen, but will not.
There's a really great section discussing memorial art and the healing that comes along with it. With examples of famous monuments that work as memorial art, such as the Stolpersteine project, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt among others. The author gives smaller examples as well that may inspire the reader to come up with their own memorial.
From there Vaudoise talks about the importance of "dying well in order to spare the future generations our own unresolved baggage" (pg. 39). Especially when we are young, we don't take the time to think about what would happen with those around us when we die. Writing a will is in our heads as something only the extremely aged have to think about. Where do you want to be buried? Do you want to be buried? What is legal to do with a dead body in your country, state, county? The book prompts the reader to think about these things, now. What will you be remembered for? Will you be?
The author has a chapter on building an ancestor altar. Here she talks about not actually needing anything to have an ancestor practice. She hopes that the suggestions in this chapter will inspire the reader to think of what they already own, and use that. The suggestions are very easy to come by or cheap to acquire.
Chapter Four is completely about giving offerings. What to do with them, what to give, how to give it. It's not just how the author would do it either, she gives examples of different spiritual practices and friends of hers who do something different as well.
In a chapter on spiritual hygiene, Vaudoise talks about house spirits. Here we see examples of different areas of the home having their own spirits. For example, the faucet and stove have, what the author calls, a water god and a fire god, the store rooms have their own protective spirits worth giving libations to, etc. From there Vaudoise also gives examples of how to cleanse different areas as well as different methods. From floor washes to smoke cleansings. There's also the New Moon House Cleansing Ritual that I've adapted to my own practice. I'd completely forgot this is where I got certain ideas from until I skimmed back through it for this review. When it comes to cleansing the body, Vaudoise also has examples of different types of spiritual baths and has a section talking about how to make holy waters.
Vaudoise has a couple of chapters on mediumship, one for complete beginners and one for more intermediate practitioners. In the first, she expresses how to respect the opinions of your ancestors while also being the one who is actually alive. You don't have to listen to everything they say, but you also don't have to be an asshole about it when you're the one who asked. Along with this advice, she gives about a weeks worth of exercises to help build your senses to be able to do mediumship work.
There's a whole chapter on working with plants and ancestors! There's a lot of really good lore and folk practice when it comes to the plants listed and may give the reader new ideas on how to think about the plants they utilize in their own practice.
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What I Didn't Like
This is one of the few books that I don't have any complaints about. It's incredibly informative and helps get the reader going in their ancestral practice. See below for more general thoughts.
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Overall Thoughts
As I mentioned, I think this book gives a good introduction to ancestor veneration. From beginning the practice and covering ancestral trauma and forgiveness (which may be a sticking point for some people and if you're into shadow work may be a good prompt for you) all the way to working with ancestors in spell work, there's quite a bit this small book covers. The end of each chapter also has some journal prompts to work through. I highly recommend this book to anyone curious about working with and venerating ancestors.
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Conclusions
If you wish to get this book it can be found on Amazon, Thrift Books, Half Price Books, Bookshop, Abe Books, Llewellyn Publishing, Powell's Books, Livebrary (free through certain public libraries!), and more!
this is exactly how certain spirits feel to me β not fully person, not fully landscape, but something in between.
the kind of presence you would meet at the edge of the woods, half-grown from light and moss, carrying a branch like a staff and saying absolutely nothing because it doesnβt need to.
some beings are not here to be understood.
just respected.
How do I lift a spell from my family? Itβs been destroying us for a decade or more. If you have any advice it would be so much appreciated. Thx.
Hi, anon. If I had more information, I could give more specific advice. But, based just on what you've given me, here what I would do:
Take two unneeded items from members of your family. They can be any items, but the first should be from the oldest member of your family and the second should be from the youngest. You're going use these to represent the breadth of the spell, impacting everyone in your family. Take these items to two places where your family is unlikely to go (better if they can be in a separate town) and leave them there (if you are concerned about littering, you can absolutely put them in dumpsters or trash cans in different parts of town). As you hide or dispose of each one, say a charm such as "As far as I have flung these items, so far let this spell be removed from my family. Let it do no more harm to us or anyone else."
A few notes:
If you are putting the items in the trash, the phrase "As far as I have flung these items" helps to ensure the desired effect, even if they end up in the same dump. Because the focus is on the effort you have gone to to put them in different places, rather than on the places they actually end up.
Alternate Version: This is the version I personally prefer to use, but it's not always feasible for everyone because it requires access to remote wooded areas and the ability to walk some distance. Instead of two items which can be disposed of anywhere, you can also use two pieces of natural (biodegradable, undyed, unbleached) cord. I prefer these to be one of the length of the Nameless Finger (left ring finger) of the oldest member of your family and one of the length the Nameless finger of the of the youngest member of your family. Wrap each around a different stick and tie it three times saying "This cord measures the Nameless Finger of the eldest/youngest among us. The space between them measures the spell upon us and all the damage it has done." Take these sticks to remote areas in exact opposite directions (ex: to the North and the South) and stick them into the ground, saying: "As far removed as these lengths of cord are from each other, so far removed from my family shall this spell be and remain. Let it do no more harm to us or to anyone else. As the earth reclaims this cord, let it claim and neutralize this spell."
Whichever method you use, you should leave each place without looking over your shoulder and should not return to the exact places you discarded the items/cords for at least a season.
making this response post about my personal warding systems inspired me to describe some methods of warding, especially for those of us with low energy or little time.
i will eventually be posting a more extensive version of this post as an article on my substack.
layered wards are nested within each other; from innermost to outermost, i've organized them as: the body, the bed(room), the home, the property, and spiritual allies.
the body
if your hair is long enough, braiding the hair can be utilized as a potent protective method, to tie up spirits and negative energies within it.
if you regularly wear makeup, it can be incanted over to protect from the evil eye, and/or from negative energy intrusions.
bracelets may be enchanted for protective purposes; traditional protective bracelets include those with blue and red braids, or charms of cross, cornicello, hamsa, nazar, serpent, or phallus.
the lords prayer was traditionally written and stored within the shoe for protection throughout the day.
a stronger protective charm may be created that is not worn every day, such as a SATOR square charm bag, or a jar of iron nails.
the bed(room)
a spell pouch underneath the pillow is a common contemporary spell for aiding sleep, hedgewitchery, and/or psychic dreams.
an open pair of scissors under the bed is a traditional(?) method of deterring nightmares.
witch balls or witch's ladder may be hung in windows to trap spirits attempting to enter.
the home
traditional wards over the home include the horseshoe, bulbs of garlic, witch bottles & balls, prayers & psalms over the house (such as within Carmenica Gadelica), to cross upon the hearth the iron fire-tools, the stuck heart, carving sigils into door frames, floor washes, incense, & crosses.
traditional delineators of home boundaries include go-away powder, salt, cascarilla, graveyard or church dirt. in hoodoo traditions goofer powder may be employed.
the property
a traditional property ward is the hedge or "witch's lump" figure, described by Gemma Gary:
To protect farm land, and all that lies within its boundaries, take small amounts of earth from the north, south, east and west of each piece of land that is to fall under the protection of the charm, remembering to collect also dirt or dust in the same way from each of the farmβs buildings. Mix these small samples together, and work them well into a lump of rough clay (even better if the clay used can be dug from the land to be protected), crafting this into a human but sexless form. As the body is worked, so the Pellar breathes life into it. The figureβs garments must then be set with small panels of broken glass. Once fired, set the figure somewhere within one of the farmβs hedges, so that it may keep a protective watch over the land and all that lies within.
farm-building specific charms can be found in Gemma Gary's texts ("To Protect Farm Buildings and their Contents"), as well as in Carmenica Gadelica.
traditional delineators of property boundaries include buried witch bottles, & protective blackthorn or hawthorn hedges.
spiritual allies
a contemporary method of spiritual allyship for protection is befriending and asking local nature spirits around you for protection (or other petitions) β especially trees, creeks, and birds of prey.
traditionally, specific trees would be planted on the property for this purpose; here is an excerpt from The Black Toad by Gemma Gary:
The Bay is to be planted by thresholds to impart a protective influence upon the home...The climbing Ivy, grown up the walls of the cottage, creates a verdant shell of protection around the home...To impart protections upon the home, the Rowan may be planed near doorways.
other areas you may benefit from warding:
an office or place of work
your name or reputation
vehicles
pets & livestock
gardens
suggested reading:
Simple Methods of Magical Protection by Keziah @sheydmade
Witchcraft 101: Protection Explained by Windvexer @windvexer
Beginner Witch Protection Recommendations by Windvexer @windvexer
Home Protection in Folk Magic by Keziah @sheydmade
Protection Work in Folk Magic by Keziah @sheydmade
Protection & Reversal Magick: A Witch's Defense Manual by Jason Miller
referenced texts:
Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways by Gemma Gary
The Black Toad: West Country Witchcraft and Magic by Gemma Gary
Carmina Gadelica (AKA Charms of the Gaels) by Alexander Carmichael (Accessible via Internet Archive or Internet Sacred Texts Archive)
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Often, Protection spells fall into the area of protecting against enemies and protecting against evil forces. The latter is often taken in a negative context, associated with a lot of things like 'Cultural Christianity', but it does happen. It's not necessarily an evil spirit per say, sometimes you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Still, protection is regarded as important for a reason, spirit or no spirit.
Planetary Forces
In practice, a lot of sadhanas and mantras are begun with the recitation of a protective hymn. This is generally done in order to protect the entire work from external forces, such as astrological ones. If a person is experiencing an issue with a particular planet, a protective hymn can be recited so as to negate the effects of that planet and be able to work. Sometimes, you need to do something, but there isn't an auspicious time nearby, so the action of the protective hymn is akin to just putting on something to shelter you while stepping out into the rainstorm.
External Non-Personified
Not everything that glitters is gold, not everything that happens is a spirit. Sometimes, you just got energy or the action itself raises and disrupts energy. Let's say you do a spell to reveal enemies, it will reveal enemies in whatever way it may see fit. If you do a ritual with a deity that is often regarded as having a chaotic and transformative energy, then obviously that energy will carry over into the rite. At that point, the protective spell is like a grounding cord. Any excess energy that could be harmful or cause more destruction and transformation that intended, is mediated.
Internal Non-Personified
Sometimes, you just got stuff hanging on you. Be it fear, ancestral issues, confusion, rampant thoughts and the like, a protection spell in this regard acts like a filter. It prevents those thoughts and impressions from directly affecting you which is important in ritual work. Not because the ritual becomes affected, or entirely, but because of the trance that the ritual induces. With all that incense, all that prayer, the flickering and the dancing and the sounds, all of that brings you deeper into the mind. It took me a while before I mastered the entire thing of 'controlling thoughts' while meditating, and it will be like that. You'll sit, and in that trance state where the waking mind isn't actively repressing, shit will come up by the dozens.
That's how it is, like a Lotus, you have to move through the water before blooming. Might not be so much of a big belief in certain circles, but some deities are active in their form. They pull you up but your bootstraps, maybe not because you want to, but because you need to. That involves having to go through that murky water, and see it properly for what it is. So the protection ritual acts as a means of balancing out, like putting on a coating so you can observe without being touched.
To weigh a person down, take a picture of them, write their full name and birth date on the back of it. On the front, write a petition calling for them to be weighed down, broken, hopeless and forlorn. On a tuesday, during the night, bury the photo head downwards and place a heavy stone on it saying: The burden's place, its on your shoulders. So long as this rock stays on this dirt, so too shall the rock of bane stand on your shoulders. So mote it be.
To cause someone to drown in misery, feel hopeless or lost, take a photo of them, write their full name on the back and on the front the petition, fold it a few times away from you. FInd a good rock of decent size and bind the picture to it with black thread. Wrap it in a small rag and bind it again with black thread. If desired, run it through incense made of parsley while saying a prayer against the person (one can say a prayer of the Reversed Lord's Prayer). After that, throw it into a river or stagnant water, letting it sink to the bottom. Give an offering of a coin to the spirits of the river.
To remove a spell. On a saturday evening, take a stone and hold it in your left hand. Say a prayer or incantation asking for the spell upon you to be removed. Take the stone and rub it over you from the top of your head, across your arms, down your feet and back up to the top of your head. Thereafter, place it in a bowl underneath the bed for the night. On a sunday morning, as the sun is rising, place the stone at a crossroads far away from the home, giving a coin, drink or sweet to the spirit of the Crossroads.
Wash the hands in chamomile tea to bring good luck in business ventures, gambling and all forms of financial work.
Wash the altar in jasmine tea to attract wise and helpful spirits, so too can you cover candles in olive oil and jasmine (taken from a teabag if the flowers are not available) or burn it as an incense during meditations. It can also be used as a bath prior to spiritual work or divination.
Use mint or basil leaves to asperge for attracting wealth and blessings, basil leaves to ward off ghosts and malefica, chamomile or lavender for peace and curse breaking, an oak branch for protection, good fortune and strength, a rose for love, harmony and peace, a red rose over the bed to attract a lover, rue for exorcisms and cleansings.
Place a clove of garlic in the four corners of the home to protect against unwanted spirits and harm.
Rub protection oil on the doorknob of the front door for protection against thieves, intruders, people with harmful intent and so on.
To make a person blind to you, or to afflict them with the evil eye, stab a needle into their eyes on their photo. To silence them, sew the mouth shut.
Black Pepper, Salt and Mother-in-Law make a fricking good combination for hexing - especially when you want to cause irritation, annoyance and conflict... tried and true.
βAfter a rainstorm, go to roadside and hunt for the flattened remains of a toad. If these cannot be had, you may substitute with the bones of the same creature. Add the remains to a jar along with a henβs egg β and to the same: a concoction of equal parts red wine, vinegar and storm water.
Powder the dried leaves of the mayapple and lacy crown of Queen Anne. Mix with shredded tobacco and add to the pot.
Seal the stew with a drop of blood and lid the jar. Swirl the contents three-times clockwise, three-times counter and three-times clockwise once more.
Bury this in the earth [in your own yard] with the lid exposed and let steep for 9 days. On the 9th night, exhume the jar and take it to the graveyard. Remove from within the egg, and bury this at the yardβs center most cross and use the jarβs remains to water the earth above it.β
I wrote this charm for a working to protect another from false friends and negative influences.
Let the Spirits who made the road before your feet set the stone firm beneath your step. No crooked tongue shall guide you, no hidden hand shall turn you aside. Let the light of the Insight go before you like the morning sun, and let the shadow of the Discernment stand behind you like a wall of stone.
If any would lead you into thorns, let their words falter and fall to dust. If any would hide their face in deceit, let their mask break and their name be known. What is crooked shall be made straight. What is hidden shall be brought into the day.
As mist flees the rising sun, so let false friends depart from you. Blessed is your road and wise be your counsel. Your path is kept, you steps are guarded, and only those who walk in truth shall remain beside.
These should be done with a rosary that was prayed with at least once.
~ Hang a rosary on your bed frame to ward off nightmares
~ To break a curse put on your house and its inhabitants, walk around your house while praying the rosary. Follow up with cleansing with herbal smoke or holy water.
~ To bless water, place a rosary in it once you are done praying
~ Place a rosary in the hands of the recently deceased
~ To cleanse the home, hold your rosary against your front door while praying for protection over the home. You can also plead the Blood of Christ over every point in your home.
~ Always carry a rosary with you to guard against being followed by evil spirits
~ Keep a rosary on your family memorial. You can also pray for the deceased.
~ Add saint medals to your rosary to ask for their intercession and honor them
Credit: Holy Stones and Iron Bones (Check out his blog. It's great!)
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What is the diferance between prayer and spellcasting?
Broadly speaking, prayer is a religious activity in line with the religious hegemon. Practices are deemed spells when they are Otherized by that religious authority.
Historically speaking this often leads to humorous circumstances where you have two rival religions who call each other's practices malicious sorcery, while their own practices are correct orthopraxy.
My knuckles tighten on the hilt of my frost scythe...but momentarily relax. Tch. You're lucky we are mutuals...otherwise you'd be cut down where you stand.
The first thing to do is to prepare a candle. The candle represents light, the eternal nature of the soul and the fire that is passed down through the generations. It can be a white candle, though the colours may vary based on your personal preference or accessibility. Holding the candle in your flames, imbue it with the heartfire declaring:
"I consecrate this candle to my ancestors, to those who prayed for me, to those who guide me and protect me, to those who strengthen me on a daily basis. I light this candle that those who are my fortunate ancestors may guide me and be present with me in my daily life. Let no unfortunate or evil ancestors, lemures or larvae come into this ritual."
Thereafter, the candle is placed on the altar. A white cloth should generally be used. The candle can be placed on a bed of rice and lit. Water should then be taken and held to the heartfire:
"I consecrate this water to my ancestors, that they may never thirst."
Thereafter, a small bowl of sugar, sweets, bread or something your ancestors would like is brought to the heartfire:
"I consecrate this meal to my ancestors that they may never hunger."
Both of which are placed on the altar. You can then sit and simply pray for a moment, asking for your ancestors' elevation, their protection and guidance, their wisdom and stories. You can recite prayers to your Ancient Ancestors, to Warrior Ancestors, to your Clan/Lineage Ancestors and to your family's patron deities from before conversion, to their saints and spirits post conversion and so on.
