the book of tides

Sea Glass in Magic.

For anyone who doesn’t know glass is made from sand. When searching for it on a beach we are effectively searching for melted sand in sand.

Sand is made from mainly quartz, feldspar and mica with some crushed seashell. Quartz has always been important in magical practice. Containing rocks and minerals sea glass has a good correspondence to Earth.

Making glass isn’t that easy as sand actually melts at an amazing 1700 degrees Celsius (3090 degrees Fahrenheit). To reduce this temperature soda ash (a form of salt) is added. Unfortunately, this would also make glass that would dissolve in water so limestone is also added to balance it.  All the heat gives sea glass a good correspondence with Fire.  

Although most bottles these days are made in factories the process has not changed. Once heated the glass is blown. Air is pumped into the glass to form a vessel. This process is repeated a number of times until the bottle is completely formed. This gives the glass a correspondence to Air.

Sea glass production is a slow process. It takes between 20 and 40 years for a broken piece glass to become a smooth piece of sea glass. For beaches with very fine sand this can increase to over 100 years. Churning in the surf for years under the moonlight give it a very strong correspondence to Water.

So in short it truly can be used in practice to represent any element.

It is also great for making jewellery and crafting (see my guide below to making sea glass meditation beads).

💎 Some of my personal correspondences for these gems, as a water and sea witch, and their uses in watery magic! 💎

💎 Aquamarine: This crystal is commonly associated with clean waters, safe travel on water, calmness, gentleness, peace, prophetic dreams, inspiration, and can be used in healing and soothing magic. Is also associated with the throat energy center, and the zodiac signs of gemini, pisces and aquarius.

💎 Lapis Lazuli: [Not safe for water, do not submerge] This stone is associated with inner truth, inner strength, self-confidence, deep thoughts, manifestation. It is commonly used as protection against psychic attacks and to release stress. It is also associated with the throat and third eye energy centers and the signs of aries and scorpio.

💎 Beryl: This crystal is associated with courage and filters negativity, also associated with the heart and throat energy centers and the sign of taurus.

💎 Sapphire: This crystal is associated with beauty, purity, wisdom, communication, optimism, generosity, loyalty, balance, study, knowledge and self appreciation. It is also associated with the heart, throat and crown energy centers, and the signs of virgo, libra and sagittarius.

💎 Moonstone: This crystal is actually a labradorite in a white matrix!, it is associated with happiness, good fortune, ancient wisdom, hope, love, luck, spiritual insights, dreams. It can be used to represent the Moon in Lunar magic. It is also associated with the third eye energy center and the signs of cancer and scorpio.

💎 Turquoise: [Be cautious, contains copper] This gemstone is associated with purification, , protection, balance, strength, love, friendship, safe travels, positivity and happiness.Usually associated with the throat, heart and third eye energy centers, and the zodiac signs of scorpio, aquarius and pisces.

💎 Blue tiger eye: This gemstone is associated with calmness, releasing stress, grounding, clear thinking, will power, grace. It is also associated with the throat energy center and the signs of taurus, gemini and capricorn.

💎 Opal: This crystal is associated with peace, gentleness, loyalty, strong emotions, psychic powers, originality, creativity, memory and also spontaneity. It is also associated with the heart and third eye energy centers and the zodiac signs of pisces, cancer and gemini.

💎 Emerald: This crystal is associated with love, romance, joy, happiness, truth, memory, communication, serenity and clairvoyance. It is also associated with the heart energy center and the zodiac signs of taurus, libra, aries.

💎 Pearl: This mineral is associated with purity, honesty, innocence, concentration, focus, meditation, tranquility and wisdom. I highly recommend pearl rosaries or beaded necklaces (like malas) for meditation and healing. It is also associated with the third eye energy center and the zodiac signs of gemini and cancer.

💎 Nacre / Mother-of-pearl: This substance, found in the insides of many seashells, is associated with the gentle healing power of the sea, intuition, imagination, creativity, new ideas, clarity, new beginnings, harmony, balance, cycles, and protection. It is often associated with the heart and sacral energy centers and with the signs of cancer and pisces.

💎 Labradorite: This crystal, also known as spectrolite, is basically Moonstone in a darker matrix. It is associated with transformation, psychic abilities, will power, and creativity. Its has a really mysterious yet calming aura. It is also associated with the throat, crown and third eye energy centers and the signs of scorpio and leo.

💎 Kyanite: This crystal is associated with vivid dreams, the astral plane, faefolk, specially merfolk, visualization and also loyalty, honesty and serenity. Can be used in crystal grids for mermaid magic!. It is also associated with the throat energy center and the signs of aries, taurus and libra.

💎 Blue lace agate: This gemstone is associated with communication, emotional healing, calm and peace of mind, and letting go negative thoughts and habits. It is also associated with the throat energy center and the sign of pisces.

💎 Sodalite: This gemstone is associated with clarity, intelligence, wisdom, truth, perception, emotional balance, freedom and studies. Great for memory and study spells!. It is also associated with the throat, crown and third eye energy centers and the signs of gemini, sagittarius and libra.

💎 Selenite: [Not safe for water, do not submerge] This crystal is associated with purification, serenity, clear mind, meditation, the subconscious mind, integrity, positive thoughts and awareness. It is also associated with the crown and third eye energy centers and the signs of cancer and taurus.

💎 Enhydro quartz: [Not safe for water, do not submerge] These crystals have water bubbles trapped inside of them! Really cool for weather magic!!!! These are often associated with inner power, wisdom, purity of mind, body and soul, purification and meditation.

💎 Green Aventurine: [Not safe for water, do not submerge] This metamorphic crystal is associated with prosperity, intelligence, independence, balance, career success, healing and creativity. It is also associated with the heart and throat energy centers and the signs of leo, aries and taurus.

💎 Tourmaline: This crystal is associated with flexibility, happiness, compassion, healing, tolerance, and black tourmaline is awesome for protection!. It is also associated with the heart, base and throat energy centers and the zodiac signs of taurus, capricorn and virgo.

💎 Fluorite: [Not safe for water, do not submerge] This crystal is associated with truth, consciousness, cleansing, healing, intellect, protection. It is also associated with the heart, throat and third eye energy centers, and with the signs of pisces and capricorn.

💎 Seaglass: This is glass that has been weathered after long exposure to the elements and the ocean. It is associated with protection, wisdom, experience, clairvoyance and strength. It is associated with the base and throat energy center and the signs of scorpio, pisces and cancer.

💎 Ocean Jasper: This gemstone is associated with positivity, protection, happiness, new journeys and safe travel. It is associated with the heart energy center and the sign of taurus.

💎 Blue topaz: This crystal is associated with communication, good luck, good fortune, health, truth, wisdom, clarity and joy. It is also associated with the throat and third eye energy centers and the signs of leo, scorpio and sagittarius.

💎 I’ve marked some advice here, but before using crystals for any elixir or anything at all, do your own research too and be really careful! Health is always first~💎

💎So, I think that’s all for now! I might update it to add more advice or if i find any other gemstone or mineral useful for water magic. As always, if anyone has any questions or just wants to swim by and say hello, my inbox is always open!💎

Water is also the only element that is capable of changing its form. It is linked to all of the other elements. 

Water covers the earth, and the earth requires water to produce life. Fire can act upon water and cause it to combine with air to evaporate and form a gas. Finally, when water is cooled, it can combine with air to form ice. 

So water is pretty fluffin cool.

The freezing of ice begins the spell, because the caster is already thinking of the spell, and planning the ritual when the ice is frozen. The process begins as the water solidifies, and the power is released during the ritual as the ice melts. For this reason, it is most useful to freeze “special” ice for spells.

A piece of ice naturally begins to melt when it is left at room temperature, so it works like the burning of a candle in candle magic. Changing itself during the spell, so releasing its energy to the goal at hand.  Spells that use fire and ice are wonderful for obtaining balance since they employ the complementary elements of fire and water. Also, try putting ice in a bathtub while visualizing. This technique is especially suited for spells involving a physical transformation.

Herbs and oils can also be used to enhance ice magic. An infusion of one or more herbs can be frozen, or essential oils can be added to the water before freezing. Herbs that work best are ones that, when growing in the natural world, can endure cold and snow, or require cold weather to germinate, mostly because it may start to create negative energy… unless that’s what you want of course. 

When freezing your ice think about what type of spell that you are gonna do with it. Then think if there is anything you can add to the ice like crystals, small stuff, or really anything you can think of. As it starts to freeze it’ll charge itself and then the ice melts it’ll release the energy of what object you put into it. 

Some of the best things about ice? 

- Can be used as a candle if you are not allowed to burn candles/don’t like to.

- They can also be dyed for certain spells or for just color magic. 

- Add oils or herbs 

- Add crystals

- Use icicles as a wand (with gloves pls) 

- Suck on a piece of ice as a way to cleanse yourself

Thank you for reading this post if you made it this far! And if you would like to join the enchanted lands server where we have many things planned, you can do so here! 

A simple salt recipe to help with mermaid spells and magic, offerings for mermaids, or to use in mermaid ritual baths 🧜🏾‍♀️

Ingredients:

🏺Mortar and pestle

🌊Sea salt

🌀Blue food dye

🌸Lavender buds

🌿Rosemary

🌼Jasmine flower and/or chamomile

🐚Broken/fragile sea shells

🌴A pinch of seaweed or palm tree frond (dried)

🧜🏾‍♀️What to do:

-start by breaking up the thin or broken shells in your mortar and pestle, grind it into a powder or close to one

-then add the salt with blue food dye (make sure to dye it before you add the rest of the ingredients, and dont add too much! It should lightly coat it and shouldn’t make the salt wet, so let it dry if you need to)

-add the plants to the mixture , you can grind them up with the salts or leave them whole

-if you want the scent stronger you can add essential oils, I would recommend lemon, cedarwood, rosemary, lavender, orange, and/or mint but this is completely optional!

-keep it in an airtight jar, and enjoy!

-you can let it charge in sunlight, moonlight, with a water element stone, or with your favorite seashell

Seven shells, a raven’s stone, and two old weathered bones,

Nine knots to bind the wind, or so the story goes.

Each knot holds a secret key, sung on the ocean waves,

an old leather strap has caught the wind, as sure as deadmen’s graves.

We raise the leather to the sky, and call out the sacred names.

We call three times for each knot, three times we do exclaim:

“Where sea and sky do meet, the water is our soul. Where cloud and waves are one, the salt our tears extol.

In our blood a fire is eternally quenched, By the tides that drive the wind over the open fetch.”

With our tears and breath we bind that spirit’s hastening air.

To be unleashed at our command these words we must declare:

“Spirits of the wind, come forth from untied knot, Bring on the coming gale for which this spell is wrought. Spirits of the air, your ancient dance is called anew, Unleash your frenzy like a storm on darkened seas untrue.”

Tears of pain and tears of laughter work in equal parts,

to hold fast the wind in knots you’ve tied with subtle cunning arts.

To ask the spirits to subside, to call off that quicken’d air,

Call out three times these baneful words and never do despair:

Hi!

If you have access to the sea, spend time at the shores. Observe the tides and how the tides ebbs and flows. Study tide tables for the shores in your area and note what phase the moon is in as well and how high and low the tides can get during the different phases. The water element is tied to emotions. Reflect on how your own emotions shifts and changes, ebbs and flows just as the tides do and your own highs and lows.

If you don’t have access to the sea, find videos of seashores and meditate on the waves as they crash and recede on the shores. View ones from different shorelines and note the similarities and differences. Are the waters calm and gentle? Are they rapid and strong? Think about your own emotions. Do you see parallels between the different movements of the waves to your own feelings?

Journal all of this and you’ll be able to look back at it down the road and contemplate on it some more and perhaps more will be revealed, just as the waves reveals treasures on the shores after a storm.

Here’s a great post on resources for Sea Magic by Sylvaetria

Check out Sea Magic by Sandra Kynes - it was one of the first books I got on sea magic and I find it rather easily accessible, especially for beginners

SeaWitch.Org - One of the first sites I frequented at when I started to work with sea magic more

mynoise.net - Wonderful sound generator with many different water/sea options, wonderful to use if you can’t be at the shores or if landlocked

Thanks for swimming by and good luck on your sea magic journey!

I was researching mermaids and the magic surrounding them and I couldn’t find a post or location that just had basic information about mermaids. A lot of them just felt like the person reading should have prior knowledge. So I decided to make this post of my research to help others that may be interested in these creatures. This post links to various articles that I found useful. 

Information / History 

Mermaids & Mermen: Facts & Legends Wikipedia Article on Mermaids  9 Mermaid Legends From Around the World Fantastically Wrong: The Murderous, Sometimes Sexy History of the Mermaid Mermaids in Mythology  Types of Mermaids  Anatomy Of A Mermaid

Mermaids in Magic

Water, Mermaids and Magick Mermaid article on Occultopedia  The Shocking True Story of How Mermaids Changed My Life Mermaid Magick Mirrors in Mermaid Lore  A Witch’s Guide to Mermaids  Merfolk Masterpost (types of merfolk) Powers of Mermaids 

Mermaids in Your Magic 

Contacting a Mermaid  Mermaid Offerings  More Offerings  Mermaid Tips  Crystals and Gemstones for water magic Mermaid Magic Spray (Spray to attract mermaids)  Seashell Correspondences Sea Witch Tips  Sea Magick and The Tide

Spells 

Magical Associations

Adaptability

Camouflage

Communication

Flexibility

Glamours

Independence

Intelligence

Knowledge

Self reliance

Solitude

Studying

Sure thing! I try to get my hands on as much reading material as I can having to do with the topic (or anything having to do with sea-related superstitions) because I believe inspiration can be found from any book. And lets be real, if you’re practicing sea-witchcraft in todays age then you are likely not following any heritable tradition, which means you can do the eclectic pagan thing and just pick and choose from things you like OR you can say “hell naw” and just use things for inspiration and build your own craft around it.

That being said, there is no one definitive book for sea-witches to abide by. There are actually not that many in circulation, so if you are a student it helps to have access to academic journals where you can search for topics of interest. Honestly, anthropologic and scholarly books on folklore read like grimoires half the time anyway. 

So here is what I recommend: (all from memory so bear with me)

Traditional witchcraft for the Sea-Shore (Melusine D.) the best place to start in my opinion. It gives the reader a good feel for natural and intuitive magic that ultimately becomes a cornerstone for this practice.

Sea Magic (Sandra K) Reads like a new-age spell book, but its also surprisingly comprehensive as its own system of magic. Tends to re-hash some common tropes in western witchcraft however, such as the incessant need for divination and familiars.

Weather Wisdom (Albert L) Actually a scholarly book about superstitions. I picked it up at a flea market and its actually been incredibly helpful in developing a few rain-based rituals. I only recommend this if you’re interested in weather branches of sea-witchcraft.

Wisdom of Water (John A) The dude who wrote this book is an asshole and biggot. He thinks science is a lie. But that aside, he does do his homework. He creates a surprisingly deep look at various water-related deities and spirits across many cultures, and even manages to pull up some information that I had to translate from old texts to verify. He actually knows what he’s talking about. But he’s still an ass. 

Mermaid Magic (Lucy C) New age kinda book, but ultimately great for inspiration if you plan on working with any merfolk myths/archetypes/spirits. I wouldn’t buy this book expecting anything earth shattering from it directly, but it does bring up some good chains of thought if your looking to get into a more mer-friendly mindset. 

Below is a list of herbs, trees and plants used in weather witching. I’m sure there are plants and herbs that are missing from this list. However the herbs on this list were corroborated by multiple sources which confirmed their use in weather magic. If you know of any other plants, trees or herbs used in weather magic please feel free to add them to this list.

Alder – Raises winds: Turned into whistles to ‘whistle up a wind’

Broom – Thrown into fire to calm winds or thrown into air to raise winds

Cotton – Thrown into fire to bring rain

Ferns – Thrown into fire to bring rain

Garlic – Worn on person to ward off bad weather

Heather – Thrown into fire to bring rain

Henbane – Thrown into water to bring rain

Oak/Acorn – Protects against lightning strikes and bad weather

Pansy – Brings rain and storms: If picked on a sunny day it will bring storms but if picked in early morning while covered in dew it will bring rain.

Rice/Grains/Wheat – Thrown into the air to bring rain

Saffron – Raises winds, Assists with control of the weather