Step 1: A rock. Any rock will do.

Step 2: Throw at target.

Step 3: Repeat as necessary.

Although people often use these terms interchangeably, they’re not the same thing and knowing the difference can make your magic more effective.

🔹 Cleansing

Purpose: Removes stagnant, heavy, or unwanted energy from a person, object, or space.

Tools:

• Smoke (incense, herbs like rosemary or lavender)

• Sound (bells, chimes, singing bowls)

• Salt, cleansing sprays, or water

When to Use:

• Before rituals or spellwork

• After conflict or illness

• When bringing new items into your home

🔹 Banishing

Purpose: Actively drives away harmful energies, spirits, or influences with intention and force.

Tools:

• Protective herbs (rosemary, bay leaf, rue)

• Black candles

• Banishing rituals & wards

When to Use:

• Persistent negative energy or unwanted spiritual presence

• Protecting your space long-term

✨ Witch’s Tip: Cleanse before you banish.

Maintaining Your Safety as a Magical Girl

No matter what you have decided your duties are as a magical hero, your safety is paramount. Even when situations seem dire, you must take care of yourself before helping others. After all, you can’t guarantee their safety if you’re out of commission!

Under the cut you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of ways you can maintain your safety and wellbeing while working in the astral, patrolling the physical, or out working in your community.

This post is part of my Magi Praxis series. If you have any suggestions for future topics, or you have attempted anything I have shared and want you share your experiences, please send me a message! I am always happy to go back and provide further explanation as well. ☆

"We do have funerals for the living. They're called birthday parties."

My birthday always brings forth a deep sadness. Even as a child the joy for the day felt performative, forced for the comfort of others.

So this year I've decided to try and create something to help me get through the day without forcing the positivity that I just don't feel.

MATERIALS:

Slips of paper

Writing utensil (pen, pencil, etc)

Birthday candle (or any other candle)

Fire starter (matches, lighter, etc)

Safe place to burn paper slips (see fire safety)

Food offering (optional, bonus if you can stick the candle in it)

INSTRUCTIONS:

If using an offering, set it out and stick the candle in it/place it close by.

Take time to write down the personal things you want to "die" (metaphorically). They can be bad habits, negative traits, etc.

When ready, light the candle and commence safely burning the slips. (My practice is mostly nonverbal, but if you have some words of banishing, now's the time).

If using a birthday candle, let it burn out completely. Slower burning candles can be blown out whenever you're ready.

Collect the remnants (ashes, offering, candle wax) and dispose* of away from your home.

*If burying DO NOT bury the candle remnants or any food offerings that would be harmful to nature. Disposal in a public garbage can or in your own home garbage is fine. Just be sure it leaves your house shortly after the spell is complete.

ALTERNATIVELY:

You can create a biodegradable poppet to represent your past self and stuff it with the slips OR write directly on it the things you wish to "die" (metaphorically). Then you can bury the poppet and as it decays, so will those bad habits, negative traits, etc.

Combat magick is the practice of using metaphysical and energetic techniques for defense, offense, and strategic advantage in spiritual or psychic conflicts. It blends elements of protection, attack, and counterattack, often drawing upon personal will, energy manipulation, and ritual magick to influence outcomes in battles—whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual.

Principles of Combat Magick

• Energetic Warfare – Combat magick works by manipulating energy to shield, attack, or neutralize threats. Practitioners learn to harness their own energy and direct external forces to achieve victory.

• Intent and Willpower – A strong will is essential in combat magick. The practitioner's intent determines whether their spells are defensive, retaliatory, or aggressive.

• Cleverness and Intellect - When it comes right down to it, your mind is the single best weapon in your arsenal. The practitioner should possess a some level of mental prowess before attempting combat magick.

• Ethical Considerations – While some use combat magick for self-defense, others employ it for baneful purposes. Some witches mayfollow guidelines such as the Threefold Law or personal codes of conduct that forbid the use of such workings.

Forms of Combat Magick

Defensive Magick (Shielding & Warding):

• Shielding: Creating energetic barriers around oneself or others to deflect attacks (psychic, emotional, spiritual).

• Warding: Placing protective symbols, sigils, or enchanted objects around spaces to prevent intrusion.

• Cleansing & Banishing: Removing negative influences through smoke cleansing, salt, sound, or sacred words.

Offensive Magick (Curses & Hexes):

• Curses & Hexes: Directing harmful energy toward an opponent to weaken, confuse, deter, or harm them.

• Energy Manipulation: Sending concentrated bursts of energy to disrupt an enemy’s balance.

• Elemental Combat: Calling upon fire, water, air, or earth to aid in magickal attacks.

Counterattacks & Reversal Magick:

• Mirror Spells (Return to Sender): Reflecting an attack back to it's source.

• Unbinding & Curse Breaking: Severing unwanted energetic ties or removing hostile spells.

• Reversal Magick: Redirecting negativity away from oneself and sending it elsewhere.

Tools & Techniques Used in Combat Magick

• Sigils & Symbols – Used for protection, strength, or attack. Examples include Algiz (protection), Mars glyphs (aggression).

• Herbs & Crystals – Protective plants like blackthorn, vervain, or dragon’s blood; stones like obsidian, hematite, or black tourmaline. Baneful components include herbs like datura, calamus, belladonna or Spanish moss and stones like opal, sardonyx, and garnet.

• Blood & Personal Energy – Some warriors of the craft may infuse spells with personal essence or their own blood to strengthen the magick.

• Chanting & Incantations – Words of power can amplify intent and activate spells more effectively.

• Astral Combat – Fighting in the spiritual realm through visualization, dream work, or projection. This can help you catch your target in a vulnerable position and quickly gain the upper hand.

Who Uses Combat Magick?

• Witches & Sorcerers – Those who practice both light and dark magick for protection or justice.

• Psychic Warriors & Energy Workers – Individuals who engage in spiritual defense against negative entities or forces.

• Shamans & Spirit Walkers – Practitioners who deal with hostile spirits or supernatural threats as well as those performing exorcisms.

• Chaos Magicians – Those who employ sigils, servitors, and energy constructs for their warfare.

Combat magick is not for the faint of heart—it requires discipline, mastery of energy work, and deep self-awareness. While it can be a powerful tool for protection and justice, it should always be wielded with wisdom and responsibility. Whether defending against psychic attacks or engaging in mystical battles, combat magick remains an essential part of the spiritual warrior’s arsenal.

Witchcraft 101:

Cleansing vs Uncrossing vs Banishing

Alright witches. Lets dive into some witchy basics and discuss the differences between cleansing, uncrossing and banishing. This will hopefully help you differentiate between them. But.. lets be honestly if you do something like call a spell an uncrossing when "technically" doing a banishing, who cares its all in good spirit. The reason i think its good to have a difference in mind between these falls into how you handle a spell. If I'm doing an uncrossing vs a banishing i would choose different spell ingredients, maybe work with different gods, or choose a different element to work with.

Cleansing: I consider cleansings as the foundation and most basic of these. Its almost an umbrella term the other two fall under. All banishings are cleansings, but not all cleansings are a banishing. Cleansings are when you're trying clear something away. Most often people will use this term in day to day workings and general upkeep to make sure nothing has stuck to them. This would include more casual things like smoke cleansing, showering and asking the water to cleanse you, sound cleansing, etc. Its not a full spellworking or ritual, but still done with energy and intention. Sometimes you may do a cleansing and realize whatever is there, is stuck deeper then you expected. So you take the next steps and do a more "intense" cleansing like an uncrossing or banishing.

Uncrossing Spells: Uncrossing specifically refers to removing unwanted energy. Usually when discussing what is an uncrossing, I sperate it from just a cleansing by describing it as a very intense cleansing where you're trying to strip away intense and specific energy. These are more work and a step up from an everyday cleansing for more intense scenarios. This is very spirit focused; think of it as taking out the bad and putting in the good. Some types of spells I would consider an uncrossing are: removing hexes/jinx/curses, removing the evil eye, spiritual detoxes, road openers, removing any stubborn energy, removing feelings, etc. I associate uncrossings with water: it's soaking in and getting that energy out. I would choose herbs/spell ingredients that are uplifting and purifying. Think salt, rosemary, rue, and lemons.

Banishing Spells: Banishing spells remove unwanted entities, spirits or people. You can use it to get rid of very deep rooted things like habits or insecurities. Banishings are quite a strong forms of spellwork. You're really kicking something out and away from you when you do a banishing. Its connected to more deep rooted things that you're trying to remove from your life. Some types of spells I could consider a banishing: cord cutting, exorcisms, banishing a spirit attached to you, getting rid of insecurities, freezers, etc. I associate banishings with fire. Burn and gtfo. I would choose herbs that have more of a kick to them and are defensive. Think nettle, blackberry leaves, cloves, even pepper in some cases.

Please note this doesn't have to be something strict. Like i said at the beginning this is just a guide that will help you differentiate so you can tackle the spellwork as effectively as possible.