bakunawa swallows the moon

WARNING: I am not responsible for any workings you do with these if you do use them. I just share what I know, and please be careful before you decide to do any of this. Please make sure you know what you are doing and do protections before any baneful working.

Say their name in a mundane moment (while stirring your coffee, stepping on a crack, throwing something away)with a sharp phrase like: “Your day breaks, your luck fades.” Micro curses accumulate fast, especially if repeated casually.

Write their name on paper, cover it with used coffee grounds, and stir until the letters blur. This tingles their thoughts, makes them restless, anxious, or confused. Works well in jars or buried at their threshold.

Instead of stabbing a doll with pins, make a poppet with weak seems, loose stitches, or fragile clay. Your intent that their life falls apart at the seams as the poppet does. This trick is passive and clever, and you don't even need to revisit it.

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.

From the Encyclopedia of Natural Magic, by John Greer. This substance is used to 'perfect' calcined vegetable matter into a potent substance amplifying its magical qualities.

Choose a day and hour corresponding to the ruling planets and signs of your chosen plant, and plan ahead so that the work can be completed then. Don't use plants that are toxic to burn or aggravating to the skin or stomach. To Gather the Plant, if you choose to

Go out before dawn and trace a circle around your plant ally, ask it permission to take part of its body. Pluck what parts you need with a hand wrapped in cloth; leave coin, grain, honey or water as an offering.

Or store-bought is fine.

Supplies

You'll need: Two canning jars and one small jar with an airtight lid Mortar and Pestle Flammable grain alcohol, such as Everclear. Don't use rubbing alcohol. Matches An Oven and a heatproof baking tray Enough herbs that, dried and pounded, it will fill one-third of the canning jar. 1. Having dried your herbs, grind them into a fine powder with your mortar and pestle. 2. Fill the bottom of one canning jar with the powdered herbs, and pour enough alcohol into it to fill the jar halfway.

3. Steep for several hours in a warm place, until the alcohol is visibly deep green. Strain into the other canning jar and put aside, and scoop the herbs onto the baking tray. 4. Take the tray outside and drop a lit match onto it. This will ignite the alcohol, calcining the herbs. There will be lots of smoke. Try not to lose any ash. 5. Take the calcined matter inside and bake in a 500 degree oven until the ash is mostly white. This will also make smoke. Throw windows, disable alarms if necessary. 6. Let the ash cool and grind it in a clean mortar and pestle. Place in your small airtight jar and drop a small amount of your alcohol maceration into it until a consistent, waxy white substance forms. Your vegetable stone is done! It is traditional, according to Greer, to use lemon balm (an herb once touted as panacea) for the first vegetable stone. The ointment can be applied topically or a small amount may be dissolved in water for the magical (and perhaps questionably, the medicinal) virtues of the herb.

Rule 0: Your decoy will be destroyed. If not by taking strikes meant for you, then by you when its time to move on. It is imperative that what you use for/on your decoy is environmentally safe and is disposed of in a way that does not poison the land and waters around it. So if you must use plastics, don’t bury them! Recycle them preferably, proper landfill trash if nothing else. (Or try not to use plastics unless necessary.) Consider how to incorporate the disposal methods into the working.

In all these suggestions, the actual working steps involved is left up to the reader to work out. One size does not fit all. Customize to your satisfaction.

What is your decoy? Stone? Paper craft? An unglazed clay jar? A glazed ceramic jar? Or even a glass jar? All these items are going to be disposed of in different ways, so keep that in mind as you start making the thing smell more you than you.

Speaking of smell, then a very light perfuming, or a smidge of your favorite antiperspirant/deodorant, or a drop of scented soap/gel can be used to make the decoy more you than you. You don’t have to complete douse the thing, just let it share your scent.

Do you smoke? Blow smoke over the decoy. Do you tend to get ashes on yourself? Rub a bit onto the decoy. Do you smell like cinnamon and nutmeg because of your job? Yup. Add that too. Whatever you smell like, give the decoy the same scent. If your decoy can withstand it, rub some body odor on it. (But, be safe. It doesn’t belong there, there, or over there unless it was made for such purposes. Don’t risk an infection trying to set this up.)

Use makeup? Draw on the decoy. Use runes, sigils, and/or personal markings? Get to it. Avoid the use of paints, or large quantities of ink if possible. Especially if you are going to dispose of the decoy by burial or waterway.

Carry the decoy (or the objects you’re placing in jars) for a few days so it can pick up various “energetic” associations connected with you. Why the quote marks? Because what one person would call energetic, another would call astral, and another would call soul-contamination, and I can’t keep up with all these new fangled terms so I’m just going to throw one out there and keep going.

Give it a good rub every now and then. Make some gesture and/or statement that reinforces that the decoy is associated with you. But don’t think of it as a pet (rock). This sucker is going to take an arrow to the knee for you. No emotional attachments!

I’d give it about three days of steady dunking in your personal aura before I would consider it ready for deployment. Where you place your decoy is dependent on what you’re trying to avoid, and why. If it’s decent looking enough, you can have it out in plain sight. Which makes it easy to check for signs of strikes, or if it is time to dispose of it.

If you are worried about something coming through the mirror, place the decoy in front of it. Doorway? Knick-knack table next to it. Property boundary? Marked stones can be buried there. Still don’t trust that spirit board and/or tarot deck despite all that has been reblogged about the topic of mass-produced cardboard? Plop that decoy right on top of it.

How many decoys to use, and where to place them in relation to you is something that you will have to answer for yourself. A good way to figure it out is to pretend you have an evil twin from another dimension that wants to replace you. How would they attack you. There are your decoy points.

Check your decoy often. If it is showing signs of degrading, breaking, discoloration, unusual odors, or movements that can not be accounted for, then it’s time to let it go.

Break the connection between the decoy and you before disposing, if desired. Rock? Douse it with water. Paper? Burn it or soak it in water. Glass jar or glazed ceramic jar? Fill it with water. (If already filled with liquid, pour out that liquid in a safe and responsible manner, then fill the jar again.) Unglazed clay or other porous container? Dunk it in a bucket of water.

(I’m quite fond of clean water as a cleansing and neutralizing tool, if you haven’t noticed. If your worldview varies, use what is appropriate for you. Just don’t burn down the garage, okay. Be safe.)

If you are reusing the jars, give them a good scrub out with salt and/or water. Rocks can be buried, or thrown in waterways if they won’t bring any problems to the receiving waterway. Paper can be recycled, or thrown away responsibly. But don’t contaminate watersheds with diluted paints, or use liquids that will harm the wildlife when they come to investigate it. Be responsible.

Emergency decoys: Spit on it.

Let’s say you walked into the wrong neighborhood, and the local spirits are not too happy about it. They’re on your ass and won’t let you leave without a fight. You’re trying to get away, but the damn darts keep coming.

Pick up a handful of pebbles or small rocks and spit on them. Throw them in various directions behind and to the side of your direction of travel. Then cover your head and depart with quickness.

This has been my emergency “why can’t Stealth be real” procedure and so far it’s worked for me. As long as the spit on the rocks are wet and undiluted, the decoy is effective. Once the spit dries out, I’m now the brightest blip on the radar again.

In other words, this does not work in the desert nor in pouring rain. I also have found this out the hard way.

Blood? No. I want to strongly advise to never use blood for a decoy, but I can not back up that advice with anything other than personal observations and an acknowledgement that it really comes down to how the working person views blood in the first place. But personally, I would never use blood for a decoy unless I was 1,850% sure that I would have complete control over that decoy at all times and that I would be the one to destroy it. And by destroy, I mean pulverize/burn that shit to nothing.

If you have read this far, keep in mind that this is all based on personal experiences and “Oh Shit!” circumstances. I am not a teacher. Not an expert. Have read no books on the subject that I would consider better than what I have found on the Internet. I can not tailor a specialized plan for you, because I do not know you, your circumstances, or what you are trying to dodge. It would take much more than a few asks/responses to sort that out.

If someone is out to get you and they have physical access to you, then these decoys are going to do jacque shitte at best, and at worst can be used against you.

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.

- a blessing charm for clarity and protection from false friends

The following is a simple protective charm that intends to protect a household from bad magic–that is, spells and energy of evil intent cast by others in your direction. You may choose to do this at the door you enter/exit your residence from the most, or over each external door to your residence. 

If you rent or there is any other reason you can’t nail something into your residence proper, that’s fine! Obtain a small piece of wood in which to hammer the nail and hang it somewhere as a charm.

Take up a hammer and an iron nail. Find a spot above your front door in which the nail can be placed. With each strike of the hammer, read a line of the following:

istud qui malefacit, istud qui imprecatur, istud qui exsecramur, hic non gratum es. eiecto te, abstergeo te.

(that one who curses, that one who hexes, that one who loathes, you are not wanted here. I eject you, I drive you away.)

Magical Pebbles

Adder Stones: Stones said to be made out of the congealed venom of multiple adders, used to cure a man in Pitlochry, Perthshire of an adder bite [1] as they were elsewhere. In Cornwall, they were identified as blue stones with a yellow line through them and called "millpreves" (from Cornish myl pref, "thousand snakes) and folk healers wore rings made of them [2].

Blood Stones: Red stones with white lines running through them, used to cure bleeding, as in Guilden Mordern, Gloucestershire in 1911 [3] and carried as amulets against it [4]. In the Scottish Highlands, they were said to be the congealed blood of the Fir Chlis/Merry Dancers, the spirits of the Northern Lights, spilt in battles and falling to earth. Hence, in that region they were called fuil siochaire - faerie blood [5].

Charm Stones: In Scotland, these were pebbles credited with healing powers and bestowing those powers by being placed in water [6], such as on the island of Lewis, where they were placed in the water trough of cattle suffering from snakebites [7].

Hag Stones: Hag stones were stones with natural holes in them hung around the necks of horses to ward off witchcraft [8], hags [9] (nocturnal evil spirits associated with nightmares and sleep paralysis) [10] and faeries [11] and were also credited with healing powers and, in particular, that looking through the hole allowed viewing of faeries [12]. They remained in use well into the modern period, W. Hockcliffe, a train driver in St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, owned one as an amulet, and in the early 20th century, a woman from Exmouth, Devon used one to ward off nightmares [13] and one from Salisbury is on display at the Pitt Rivers Museum [14].

Growing Pebbles: In East Anglia, pebbles in the soil were said to grow into larger stones, and Blaxhall, Suffolk boasts a 5-ton boulder which was allegedly originally a pebble [15].

Haley Stanes: In the Orkney Islands, this was the name given to quartz pebbles which were built into the walls of houses for luck [16].

Hydrophobia Stones: This was the name given to the stones of the Monmouthshire village of Mynyddislwyn, which cured rabies if ground into powder, mixed with milk and given to the sufferer or just licked by them [17].

Irish Stones: In northeast England, Irish objects were credited with the power of curing snakebites and wasp stings; for example, an ancestral Irish flint in Blanchland, Northumberland used against snakebites and one in Stamfordham in the same county used against poison and never allowed to touch Irish soil [18] along with several others in the village. It was also believed in the county that Irishmen had the power to trap snakes by drawing circles around them, and that the milk of an Irish cow was also effective against snakebites [19].

Kenning Stones: In the West Country, these were old beads used to cure eye problems, usually a bluish colour and suspended on a string, and had to be kept from touching anything wooden to retain their power; one was kept in the Devon village of Great Torrington as late as 1899 [20].

Peter's Stones: Another Devonshire charm, this one consisting of a chipped-off piece of a saint statue mixed with lard and used to cure sore breasts; this stayed in use well into the 19th century [21].

Puddingstones: In Hertfordshire, pebbles joined together through natural cement were called puddingstones, and credited with promoting fertility and warding off witchcraft. Hence, in 1662 in Aldenham a suspected witch was buried with one, several people were buried with them in Great Gaddesden, and the church towers of Harpenden and Stocking Pelham having puddingstones built into them for apotropaic purposes [22].

Saint's Pebbles: Both St. Cuthbert from northern England and St. Columba from Scotland blessed pebbles on the beach that hence act as amulets against drowning [23].

Serinstens: In the Shetlands, a serinsten (from Norse sigrsteinn, “victory stone”) is a talisman obtained from the active nest or the beak of a raven, which ensures popularity, good luck and protection from human and trow attack [24].

Pebbles in Magic

Divinatory Pebbles: On Nos Calan Gaeaf (the Welsh Halloween), families in North Wales built a fire each and inserted a white pebble, marked for the person it corresponded to, into the ashes. If any pebbles were missing the next day, that person would die. In Merionethshire, this practice continued until the 1930s [25].

Lucky Pebbles: In Lincolnshire, smooth white pebbles were lucky amulets [26].

Inserted Pebbles: The Finger Steen on the Orkney island of Rousay, said to have been thrown by a giant from Westray, had pebbles inserted into it by passers-by to ensure good catches of fish [27].

Pebbles in Wells: Pebbles were thrown into holy wells as part of magical rituals in Llanelian-yn-Rhôs, Denbighshire [28], Trellech, Merionethshire [29] and St. David's, Pembrokeshire [30]

Other:

In the West Riding of Yorkshire, children would try to expel rainbows by making a cross of two sticks and putting a pebble at each end [31].

On the Orkney island of Westray, to cure children or animals of sickliness or melancholy sent by evil beings in response to praise without the invocation of God, read the following charm over water with or one black, one white and one red, blue or green seashore pebble – “Sain. Father, Son, Holy Ghost, bitten sall they be, wha haif bitten thee, care to their near vein, until thou get’st thy heath again, mend thou in God’s name” – while making the sign of the cross, give some of the water to the patient and sprinkle the rest over them [32].

Bibliography

William Henderson, 1879, Notes on the folk-lore of the northern counties of England and the borders, Nichols & Sons, p.165

Tony Deane and Tony Shaw, 1975, The Folklore of Cornwall, Batsford, p.118

Owen Davies, 1998, “Healing Charms in Use in England and Wales 1700-1950”, Folklore, volume 107, pp.19-32

Ronald Hutton (editor), 2015, Physical Evidence for Ritual Acts, Witchcraft and Sorcery in Christian Britain: A Feeling for Magic, Palgrave MacMillan, p.197

Katherine Briggs, 1976, A Dictionary of Fairies, Penguin Books Ltd., p.177

Colin Bord and Janet Bord, 1985, Sacred Waters: Holy Wells and Water Lore in Britain and Ireland, Granada Publishing Ltd., p.52

Henderson 1879 p.165

Marc Alexander, 2002, A Companion to the Folklore, Legends and Customs of Britain, Sutton Publishing Ltd., p.223

John Aubrey, 1684 (1881 reprint), Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, Satchell, Peyton & Co., p.28

Briggs 1976 p.216

Janet Bord, 1997, Fairies: Real Encounters with the Little People, Michael O' Mara Books, p.12

Brice Stratford, 2022, New Forest Folklore, The History Press, p.137

Hutton 2015 pp.203-204

Hutton 2015 p.194

Jo Bourne et al., 2009, The Most Amazing Haunted & Mysterious Places in Britain, The Reader's Digest Association, p.126

Ernest Marwick, 1975, The Folklore of Orkney and Shetland, Batsford, p.79

Bourne et al. 2009 p.209

Davies 1998

Henderson 1879 p.166

Davies 1998

Theo Brown, 1961, “Some Examples of Post-Reformation Folklore in Devon”, Folklore, volume 72, number 2, pp.388-399

David Castleton, 2021, Church Curiosities: Strange Objects and Bizarre Legends, Shire Books, pp.85-86

Alexander 2002 pp.247-248

Marwick 1975 p.148

Ronald Hutton, The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain, Oxford University Press, p.366

Ethel Rudkin, 1933, "Lincolnshire Folklore", Folklore, volume 44, number 3, pp.279-295

Marwick 1975 p.59

Alexander 2002 p.61

Bord and Bord 1985 p.184

Bourne et al. 2009 p.205

Henderson 1879 p.25

Today we're scrolling through an illustrated Ethiopian protective roll, made in the 1700s. It contains numerous prayers against barya, legewon, evil spirits, demons, magical cunning and sorcery, and a variety of illnesses and conditions caused by these forces, such as smallpox, cough and sore throat, migraine, colic, and malaria. (UPenn Ms. Roll 2059)

🔗:

Apples. Apples are known as “the fruit of the dead” in Ireland. As such, they are a traditional offering for the dead on Celtic holidays like Samhain. The wood from an apple tree can be carved into necromantic wands or poppets.

Basil. Basil has a long history in purification and cleansing rituals. The Egyptians prepared embalming salves with basil; the Gauls infused it into purification washes; and basil juice was said to “help witches fly” in the Middle Ages. In Hinduism, Basil is used in both weddings and funerals because it is said to link people in love. It was a symbol of sorrow of ancient Greece. Use basil to aid in divination, hedgecrossing, or spirit communication.

Bay. Bay leaves are often used in clairvoyance spells and divination. They aid communication with the dead; the ancients either chewed them or burned them as incense. I often burn bay to enhance divination and ward off evil. (Be careful–it burns fast!)

Beet. Beet can be used as a blood substitute and as a dye in necromantic inks.

Carnations. Carnations are a common funeral flower, especially in France (where purple carnations are traditional). They are common in healing spells but are also used to remember the dead. After the crucifixion of Christ, it is said that Mary’s tears grew carnations. In the Netherlands, people wore carnations to remember fallen veterans.

Chamomile. Chamomile is best-known for its ability to aid sleep and meditation, but its history branches far before that. The ancient Egyptians associated chamomile with the sun, specifically with the God Ra, who was said to heal malaria with it. They used it in mummification to repel flies. The Romans also dedicated chamomile to their Gods and bathed in it for its healing properties. Chamomile makes a great offering to assuage the dead.

Cinnamon. Ever since Moses anointed the Tabernacle with cinnamon oil, it has been associated with deity and spirit work. Cinnamon oil was common in the Egyptian mummification process. The Roman emperor Nero tossed cinnamon onto his wife’s funeral pyre. In magic, cinnamon can amplify magical workings such as divination.

Copal. There are many different types of copal that have unique properties. However, most of them make great offerings for the dead, especially those who remain disoriented from trauma.

Damiana. In my experience, damiana is one of the best herbs to use in incense and herbal smoking blends. Its smoke produces visions, increases your ability to astral project, and aids meditation.

Dittany of Crete. As another spirit work herb, Dittany of Crete is burned to manifest spirits. It is especially potent in summoning spirits of the dead. Since it grows near cliffs, many farmers fell to their deaths trying to harvest them, giving this plant a negative connotation. However, the ancient Greeks valued it as a symbol of love and healing.

Dragon’s Blood. It’s nearly impossible to research ceremonial magic without running into this resin from the palm tree. Dragon’s blood is burned to aid spirit work and protect the magician. You can also infuse it into necromantic inks.

Eucalyptus. According to Australian Aboriginals, eucalyptus trees divided the Earth between the Underworld and Heaven. It is commonly used in healing poppets and health spells. DO NOT burn green eucalyptus; its oils produce too much smoke.

Fennel. Fennel is a protective and purifying herb. In the Middle Ages, people placed fennel inside their keyholes to prevent ghosts from entering their homes.

Frankincense. Due to its powerful vibrations, frankincense often aids spirit work. It is a common consecration herb in Judaism and Christianity. In Hoodoo and rootwork, frankincense boosts the powers of other herbs.

Heather. Heather is said to conjure ghosts and open the portals between worlds. In the Scottish highlands, heather marked the resting places of faeries. It was also said to grow where no blood had been shed. As such, it can help to heal deceased warriors.

Holly. Holly is often planted in graveyards to protect both the dead and the mourners. It also promotes good fortune.

Juniper. Juniper has ancient healing associations. The Egyptians used it both medicinally and to embalm the dead. In Scotland, it was said to guard against ghosts and illness. The Key of Solomon often lists it in purification rites. I often use juniper berries as offerings. (Be careful while burning or grinding it in a mortar and pestle–it is incredibly oily!)

Lavender. Beyond its sleep-inducing effects, lavender is also carried to see ghosts. Dried lavender was found in Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb. During the Middle Ages, Christians made crosses out of lavender to protect themselves from evil. It was also used in healing magic, as people carried it to cure headaches in the Mediterranean. You can use it to heal the dead, aid divination and psychic dreams, and protect the home.

Lemon Balm. Known as one of the “witch’s plants,” it is said that Hekate gave lemon balm to Her daughters. Pliny the Elder hyped up lemon balm’s properties as a healing herb, claiming that it could stop the bleeding from a stab wound and prevent bees from swarming. In the Abuzzi region of Italy, women would pick lemon balm between their fingers so Jesus would assist them into Heaven. For death work, lemon balm is a healing herb that helps souls to pass on.

Lily. Lilies do not only symbolize purity and love; they are also planted in gardens to ward off ghosts and evil spirits. They are a common funeral flower, especially for women and children. It is said that Mary’s tomb was adorned with lilies. In the Anglican church, Jesus is sometimes depicted as being crucified on a lily cross. There are many types of lilies with different meanings. For instance, the Calla lily is associated with everlasting honesty and love, so it is used in both weddings and funerals.

Marigold. Marigolds are the most popular flower used in Dia de los Muertos, and they are also common in funerals. Along with being a protective herb, they also improve your relationships. It is said that bathing in marigolds will help you earn respect and admiration. Use it in healing and communication spells for the dead.

Mint. Mint used to be a popular funerary herb in Greece, as it masked the scent of corpses. It is not so popular at funerals anymore. The name stems from the myth of Pluto and Menthe, so many Pagans use mint to connect to chthonic deities. It is also a healing herb and can protect you on journeys.

Mugwort. Another one of my favorite spirit work herbs–mugwort is used in divination teas, smoking blends for spirit work, and washes for magical tools. Native Americans rubbed mugwort on themselves to keep ghosts away. According to a 9th-century grimoire (Bald’s Leechbook), it casts out demonic possession. Use it to amplify spirit work and induce a trance state.

Mulberry. Mulberries (which are technically trees, not bushes) are planted in cemeteries to heal grief and grant eternal life. They also protect against evil.

Mullein. Because of its nickname “Graveyard Dust,” mullein is often mistaken for a graveyard dirt substitute. To be clear: it is not a substitute. But mullein torches used to be burned during funerals, and its smoke can help people see spirits of the dead and the afterlife.

Myrrh. Myrrh is a common incense and oil in necromancy. The Egyptians associated myrrh with Isis’s death aspects, so they used it in magical inks and embalming. The ash from myrrh can be used to draw magic circles. Burn it to enhance meditation and increase psychic powers.

Olive. Olive fruits and leaves were usually used for protection, healing spells, and luck. But olive oil is common in spirit work; the Romans used it for necromantic scrying. The Greek Magical Papyri recommends pouring it into spring water to see spirits of the dead.

Orchid. In Greek mythology, Orchis, the son of a satyr and a nymph, became an orchid upon dying. The Greeks also used orchids in fertility spells, so it became a symbol of death and rebirth. As such, it’s a common funeral flower. It also induces trance states and develops psychic powers.

Oregano. The ancient Greeks believed that growing oregano on graves would ensure that the deceased was happy. This herb enhances love and is used in healing salves. Place it under your pillow to have prophetic dreams, or give it as an offering.

Parsley. Parsley has long had associations with death. According to Greek mythos, parsley sprang from the blood of Archemorus, whose name means “forerunner of death.” It frequently appeared in ancient funerals. During Greek funerary games, victors wore crowns of parsley to commemorate the dead. It also has protective qualities.

Patchouli. Because of its earthiness, patchouli is often linked with graveyard dirt. I use it as an oil to anoint candles.

Rose. Possibly the most commonly recognized funeral flower, roses have been associated with death for centuries. In 5th century Egyptian tombs, paintings of roses covered the walls. Its relationship to love connects the living and the deceased for eternity. It can also heal the dead.

Rosemary. Rosemary is the herb of remembrance. Studies have linked rosemary to a sharper memory, but the ancients learned this long before. It appeared in Egyptian, Roman, and Medieval funeral rites to commemorate the dead. The Greeks tossed sprigs of rosemary into graves to ensure that the deceased would not be forgotten. It is also burned to magnify divination and infused into ritual washes.

Sage. In Medieval folklore, eating sage in May was said to promote longevity. It also symbolizes immortality. The Egyptians often used sage ceremonially. Sage pollen was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Ramses II. In France, sage is said to heal grief, so it is often planted in graveyards.

St. John’s Wort. St. John’s Wort sometimes appears in spirit work and divination rituals. In the Middle Ages, people carried it in the mouth to find witches. But it is also protective. Dry it during Midsummer and hang it over a door to guard against ghosts, necromancers, and evil spirits. Do not ingest if you are on an anti-depression or mood disorder medication.

Sandalwood. This fragrant plant was used in Egyptians embalming rituals. Nowadays, it is often burned as incense to support spirit work, consecrate tools, and protect a space. In my opinion, it’s more effective if you burn it with frankincense. Thyme. In ancient Greek funerals, thyme represented the bravery of a warrior. You can burn it to aid those suffering in death. It was also used in ancient Egyptian embalming and to induce prophetic dreams during the Victorian era. Combine it with marjoram in a bath to wash away sorrows of the past. You can also use it to communicate with the fae and the dead.

Tulips. Since blooming tulips signal the coming of spring, they are associated with death and rebirth. They often appear in funerals to signify perfect love. In Middle Eastern traditions, people wore tulips for protection.

Valerian. Like mullein, valerian root is called “graveyard dirt” when powdered. But it is not a substitute for real graveyard dirt. Instead, it is used to induce a trance state and sleep. The Greeks hung a sprig under a window to protect the home from evil.

Vervain. Vervain is a common herb in spirit work. In Christian mythos, it is said that Christ’s crucifixion wounds were staunched with vervain. The Romans called it a “sacrificial herb,” and it was said to be especially powerful. As a protective herb, vervain can be carried, burned, or infused into potions to drive off evil spirits. Use it in spirit work spells to enhance their powers.

This post is a continuation of my Notes on Narrative Charms post, where I broke down some of the common parts of traditional narrative charms (particularly in European folk magic, which is my own magical background) and the roles they can play in the performance of magic. This post will focus on ideas and suggestions for narrative subjects which can be incorporated into contemporary narrative charms or used to modify existing charms.

The suggestions and associated symbolism here are based on my own background in diasporic European folk magic. I have not included symbols from outside my own folklore and practice, simply because I do not consider myself well-versed enough in other folklore and magical backgrounds to do so. These ideas are intended only as suggestions and should not be taken as a supreme authority. In instances where these suggestions contradict symbols or symbolism from your own established practice or folkloric background, I strongly recommend using your own practice’s symbols and symbolism over these.

Notes: 1. Although this post is centered on the narrative subject, the same figures and symbols can be used as secondary subjects, or companions to the primary subject in a charm. These can be the narrative subject or any figure they cross paths with or interact with. 2. You will notice that many of the figures addressed here have overlapping symbolism and associations. That is because the narrative charm has strong historical ties to healing and protective magic. I have used my own background where appropriate to expand on some historical associations in order to expand the application of these charms into other magical disciplines. 3. Some of the associations for each figure may appear to be contradictory unto themselves. For example, a figure may be listed as being both associated with nightmares and with protection from nightmares. It is important to understand the lore associated with these figures to understand how the associations come into play.

The storytelling format for spoken charms is one of my favorite elements of the cunningcraft I learned from my grandmother. Sometimes known as a narrative charm, this is a method of charm delivery in which the magical directions are given in the form of a brief story. The stories come in many shapes, but one that is common in healing magic in particular is the format that I refer to as a “Two Maids Came Walking” Charm. This was the first charm of this kind that I was taught to use, and has been the basis of my personal study of the mechanisms and applications of narrative charms.

Narrative charms can be spoken directly over a wound or patient, as is the case in charms to staunch blood and to remove fevers. They can also be used to bless poultices, compresses and other supplies for healing work, imbuing the articles with the same healing spirits and powers that are wielded by administering the charm directly. To provide distance healing, they can be administered over pictures of the target or over items intended to be consumed or used by a healer’s target. The stories contained in narrative charms are not typical in the sense that we think of structured narratives. They do not contain a beginning, middle or end. There is no rising action or resolution. Rather, these stories depict a single moment, a single action. They are containers of symbol and instruction in the same way that prayers and petitions are containers of our desires. Speaking the charms over a patient or supplies is a coded command that is designed not to petition aid from a deity or spirit, but to directly cause the desired effect or action to take place. To stop or slow bleeding, to break a fever, to heal the sick, and so on.

Although many of the traditional examples we have of these types of charms describe scenes involving maids, the colors of their dresses, the items they carry in their hands, etc., there are also numerous examples which depict folkloric, mythological and even Biblical figures and motifs in the same manner. The methods associated with writing and performing narrative charms can be used by anyone to create narrative charms that fit within their own magical framework, symbol set, religious practice, etc. The figures that appear in the narratives used in these charms, the colors that are featured, the items they bring, the landscape, and so on can all be drawn from one’s own background, belief set, practice, and interests. And all of these can be used as functional tools for carrying out the charm’s magic.

Nothing but the wallpaper

Supplies

Item to carry with you/wear beit jewelry, a worry stone, fidget, book, tablet etc

Incense, candle, vapor oil, wax or other scent if applicable that you associate with cleansing (mine are patchouli, pine, sandalwood, or lavender)

A clear stone, crystal, piece of glass or good old water. Basically anything clear or see through

Tea light, chime, or pillar candle depending on how much juice you want this thing to have

Lists of the people you want to ignore you.

Incantation

[Insert higher power, guide, spirit, etc] I call on you to imbue this object to hide me from [names, family tree branch] so that to them I am nothing but the wallpaper. Seen and uninteresting, there but unnoticed.

Directions

Cleanse the object in your preferred manner (I like a combination of smoke and sound but you do you). Place the list in a fire safe container and the candle (anointed or not) on the list, place the object in front of the fire safe dish. Repeat the incantation as you light the candle and as often as you feel is needed. Let it burn all the way down (keep in sight) or until you feel the object has been charged. Touch it while repeating the incantation again.

A quick hex for the #SupermarketSpell challenge by @windvexer ! For the Witch who needs a Hex on the Go.

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Needed:

paper

pen

gold thread

black ink

Step one: Take his name, and surround it as such (Remember you’re replacing NAME with the name of the enemy: follow the same pattern Ie: NATHAN, ATHANN, THANNA, HANNAT, ANNATH, NNATHA, NATHAN)

Step two: Take the paper and roll it into a tube. As you do this, speak these words:

Te capto,

ego sum patronus, te capto

ego te capto, (name).

(For extra strength, roll the tube with a piece of the enemy inside)

Step three: Take the gold thread and dye it with black ink until no gold shines through. Tie the tube shut with the thread. 

Step four: Wedge the paper into the crack of a rock wall, where he may never find it. 

(optional) Step five: To reverse, undo the thread and light the tube on fire. Do this while chanting 3 times:

“(name), ot pacet oge,

ot pacet, sunort apmus oge,

ot pacet.”

That’s it!

Happy casting, folks. 

-TLW

Nervous on the Road Spell

Whether you've had bad experiences and have thus developed fear or whether you possess inexplicable phobias about driving, apples can help you overcome your fear, making driving a calmer, if not necessarily more pleasurable, experience.

Eat apples as much as possible, in any form: fresh apples, baked apples, apple pastry or whatever you can conceive.

Drive with a bag of apples beside you in the car

Eventually your fear will pass

(p. 974, The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, Judika Illes)

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I have so many things to talk about so it's hard to choose in what order to talk about them in. So let's talk about the genre of spell first.

This is what I would classify as a non-traditional health and protection spell based off of a specific need that wouldn't be something that you would see in older, more classical spellwork. The fear of driving especially after an accident is not something that would be something that would be found in shit from like Agrippa's books simply because it's a modern problem. Now there may be things dealing with fear, but ultimately this is a very specific niche spell.

Now why do I bring this up? There is an attitude in a lot of spell casting circles that spells which are modern based aren't worth much. They aren't interesting, and they aren't "powerful" (whatever that means to the person reading). So I wanted to call this out that spellwork like this is about solving a problem that's existing to you current day. Maybe you've never driven before, maybe you've never had an accident. But there's a lot of trauma, sadness, fear, a lot of emotions that happen after an accident. Sometimes there's physical and legal consequences out of a driving accident.

I would never turn a spell like this away from myself because it's so specific and I feel like we don't have enough conversation about how driven to a result this spell is. This one is not about making us all powerful, spiritual, or becoming something ultimate. It's really about that adjustment to recovery.

This is a recovery spell.

Apples - classically in my experience in spell reading (lol, classically I'm joking here in case that's not clear) - have been associated with beauty. There's a reason for that (and a mythos for that). So I tend to see them less in protection / health spells. They also have love again for the same reason. I do see in googling a bit further there are some elements of "protection" in apples in spellwork, but this protection feels more in the space of like other fruits, abundance, fertility, etc. Rather than a healing, "giving you space" type of protection which is what this is doing I'd argue.

So it's very nice to see this particular kind of protection be pulled here and using apples as that protective element or quality. A specific empty space, leading to more healthy outcomes. And I mean healthy as in recovery, not as in physical health. It's a encouragement or courage driver. It's a patient time will pass item.

And in these cases, we aren't using the apple in the stance of bobbing for apples or peeling them. We are consuming them - which is in a lot of more interesting spellwork about food and eating and prophecy for me. A lot of the spellwork that I have done regarding eating things for spellwork purposes have been prophecy based. Forcing an internal change for an external result. And this is exactly the same.

So there's this transformation element that's happening here. I am moving through time, eating to recover, to heal, to transform, and then coming to allowing myself the stability of being here.

This may be my time to say "it's not about the apples" and it's about the reasoning for the eating of the apples - because people could ultimately react to this spell on a shallow level. Meaning "apples aren't going to fix me" / "apple a day doctor away type shit" in directing their dislike of this kind of charm or spell. Sometimes spellwork is a little deeper than the surface level. There's not a specific direct link between an apple and recovery, especially fear recovery. You're not going to solve for that in terms of understanding your spell casting by coming to it from that shallow perspective.

So there could be other fruits or veggies you could replace with apples here, because the purpose of them is about recovery. So if there are other things that you can have to eat, and you can focus on recovery, then it should be the exact same.

Now we also have a talismanic element to that recovery or an amulet of that recovery in the bag of apples. Which means either two things, one we could literally use the apple as it is, or we could also use the symbol of the apple (physical apple charms, physical apple shape, etc) - and specifically the /whole/ form of the apple. Not the cut form. And multiples of those apples - to potentially fill that void.

I would even go a step further and say it would be worth it to make this charm yourself, out of some kind of material which would be consistently survive in the car or put on your keys on a key chain. However you want to build that out yourself, clay, bead work, knitted, etc. And build into those structures the recovery and comfort (and maybe that's a little bit of that protection I was saying, leading to comfort).

Now personally, I don't like apple smells or apple smelling products. So I hear you with you screaming about apple scents or spraying your car down with like apple infused water, etc.

It's not about the "reminders" of the apple which is giving you the courage and space for recovery. It's the literally presence and consumption of the /whole/ form of the apple. So just like a slice or a cut or a half of an apple as a symbol would not be sufficient here, I would argue the smells would be the same.

Also again, I really fucking hate the smells of apple products. (.. also is that double entendre?)

If we want the full effect, you must have the whole apple. To become. Whole.

Now of course, according to my Flora's Dictionary, Apple means "temptation" and apple blossom means "preference" - so these are completely divorced from the conversation we are having here. I just wanted to bring them up that I looked into it, in case yall were out here screaming at this post like apple means something in the flora dictionary blah blah. It's not relevant to the discussion we are having but I looked it up.

And yes, with time, wounds heal. So there's an ask for patience, preservation, and bidding that time filling it with space where things could be placed. This is very common for folks to need that time to recover and heal after an accident or something going on. Sometimes things like this can linger.

So having a focal point in spellwork on waiting through that time and consistently working towards that magical result is a very common method for spell casting. Time is an important element to this spell, and I don't want us to overlook it in the conversation when thinking holistically (because it's about the whole here).

Recovery is a time based item. This spell aids in that recovery. Would you recover in time without this spell? More than likely. Does having something like this help? I would argue yes. There's a fundamental charm about this particular spell, easing the dealing with time.

Sec, does that mean I could apply something like this to other forms of recovery? I would argue you could and if you are struggling, should add these elements. There's people who suggest things like mottos, sayings, prayers, etc. Right? Recovery as alone versus Recovery with a focal point. So this spell fits to me in the same space. Instead of using something ephemeral as words or prayers, we are using a physical focal point to drive that transformation.

Apples are naturally growing. They come from trees - which for me are already part of a level of purification in my particular spell practice. So there's a natural harmony between these things.

Anytime a spell asks something to be consumed, I always think of "you are what you eat", so this spell reads to me as more than just spreading the Apple Virtue of Emotional Fortitude through contagion. Talismanic representations of apples or apple scents or Apple energy doesn't seem to be a good substitute. The apples need to be eaten so they can transform the caster from within.

Also, since the apples read to me as standing in for the person's heart (with the connotations of courage and will) having the apples be in the car while driving makes it some sort of magical exposure therapy. Exposing the apples (the heart) to the source of anxiety (driving) and then consuming them as an act of power over the fear and to internalize courage.