Tag: spell saturdays

Yule Candle (Spell Saturday #38)

This is called a Yule Candle. It’s a strictly holiday based spell. Traditionally, it’s lit during dinner on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day but this is kind of one of those traditions that’s not based in any particular religion so you an easily adopt it to your own traditions.  So this can be lit during your designated big  winter holiday meal.

 

yule-candle-by-this-crooked-crown

 

This is pretty much the easiest candle spell you’ll ever see. Everything is optional. The colors are up to you. It’s comes down to one, singular rule: Light the candle before you sit down to eat and don’t let it go out until you’re done eating. That’s it. That’s the spell.

Following the Yule Candle rule will allow you to avoid bad luck. It’s a pretty adaptable spell so you can do what you like but this spell will combine blessings, safety, prosperity, good luck, and security (enough food, enough rent money, job security, etc.).

I lit mine during my family’s Christmas Day brunch but sometimes I’ll also light it if we don’t go out for dinner on Christmas Eve. Depends on what we’re doing that year. (For reference, my family does a secular gift exchange on Christmas. Religion’s checked at the door for us.) Typically this is lit and left on the table among the family but I like to leave it off to the side or even in the kitchen (within sight of the table) so it doesn’t get knocked over.

What you’ll need:

  • A candle that can last the length of your meal, any color
  • Sturdy, stable candle holder appropriate for the candle size
  • Cinnamon, powdered
  • Clover, diced
  • Clove, powdered
  • Nutmeg, powdered
  • Sage, powdered
  • Rosemary, diced
  • Thyme, diced
  • Ginger, powdered
  • Lavender, crushed and crumbled
  • Rose petals, crumbled
  • Pine needles (optional)
  • Drawing oil or flame

 

common-money-spell-ingredients-by-this-crooked-crown

Mix your herbs together and spread them out on a plate. Get your candle and make sure to remove any labels for it. You may wish to rough up the sides a bit too with a knife or your fingernails to make the herbs stick better but that’s optional

Coat your candle in drawing oil. You can even use something like vegetable oil or olive oil if you don’t have a designated drawing oil. While the candle is still oily and wet, roll it in the herbs, coating all the sides.

Alternatively, if you want to skip the oil, slowly and carefully heat the sides of the candle up and roll the hot wax in the herbs. This techniques requires more patience and a severe eye for fire safety so you don’t burn yourself but the herbs literally become the candle.

A third option is to melt the candle down, add in the herbs to the melted wax, and pour the wax into a fireproof container or candle mold. Make sure to include the wick and check to see if your newly made candle can fit in any candle holder you own.

Once your candle is dressed, store it in a sunny window or in your kitchen until it’s time for your big holiday meal. Right as people are getting ready to sit down and eat, light the candle. You don’t need to say anything but you can if you wish.

Let the candle burn throughout your entire meal and when everyone has left the table, blow it out. You can discard the candle alongside your meal or holiday decorations or you can save it until next year, using the leftovers to forge a new candle.

Notes:

  • Pillars, tapers, and jar candles are really good for this spell. Large pillars can even be stored in a box or bag and used annually.You can use votive candles, as shown, if your meal isn’t going to be a huge affair.
  • The herb choices here will be largely personal. I have orange zest, ginger peel, and hydrangea petals in my mix for personal reasons. Go with your instincts here. Add dried florals or herbs from your garden or pick a dried herb that screams your holiday to you.
  • Pine needles are included here under the assumption you’re using a holiday tree. If you’re not, skip it.
  • When you blow out the candle will depend on your family. For example, my family doesn’t serve dessert at the main meal – we eat it hours later. But we do sit down and play games after we clear the table from dishes. While we’re clearing the table of dishes, I blow the candle out. Your family’s probably different so trust your instincts here.

Happy casting!

Foundations of a Happy Home Bottle Spell (Spell Saturday #37)

 

This spell’s intent is to bring happiness to your home and house all year round. It’s what I call a cornerstone witch bottle. My definition of this is a witch bottle can be temporary – like to draw new friends or lovers –  but a cornerstone witch bottle has the intent to permanent work it’s magic. You’ll touch it up and return it to it’s place, like the cornerstone of a house. If you move, you will leave the bottle there.

foundation-of-a-happy-home-bottle-spell

You’ll need:

  • Dirt or dust from the four corners of your property or home.
  • Bottle or jar (any kind)
  • Calendar of some kind
  • Dried citrus rinds
  • Dried flower petals, preferably in yellow, orange, light pink, or other bright cheerful colors
  • Sand
  • Rice (any kind)
  • Flour (any kind)
  • Quartz crystal small enough to fit into the bottle
  • Wishes for happiness (optional)

 

First, gather dust or dirt from the four corners of your property. If you home has wonky corners or edges, go ahead and collect some dirt or dust from there too. It doesn’t have to be much.

Fill a small to medium sized jar halfway with sand, rice, and flour. I’d recommend using less flour than rice or sand. Now add in your dirt or dust. Then the quartz crystal, citrus rings, and flower petals.

If you have something specific that you want to brig happiness to your household that year, write it on a piece of paper and include it in the jar as well. This wish could be something like “I want us to be safe and secure” or it could be “I wish for more joyful laughter in our house”.

 

 

Seal up the jar. You can just twist the cap tightly or use a wax or tape seal. Up to you. Remember that you will need to open this jar again so don’t be too aggressive with it.

Bury the bottle somewhere memorable but as close to the foundations as possible. Under the steps, in a flower pot, under the third zinnia. Whatever. You get the idea. Somewhere close to the base of the house. If you live in an apartment, you can totally do this too. Leave the jar in the back of a bookcase or shoe rack near the front door. Whatever you select, it should be as close to the ground as possible.

Mark the date. Make it a reoccurring google date on the computer, set it up on your phone, circle it in red on your calendar.

In a year, dig it up, pull everything out, and bury all of it except the quartz crystal. Was and cleanse the quartz crystal. Let it dry completely and repeat the spell, using the same bottle and same quartz crystal. Repeat annually for best results.

Note:

  • You can absolutely use plastic jars or bottles for this spell.

 

Happy casting!

Cash & Fortune Money Spell (Spell Saturday #36)

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This spell is based off one of my personal money spells. It works well and has a tendency to work fast. Be sure to read the notes before beginning.

cfms

What you’ll need:

  • Mint (any kind)
  • Sea salt
  • Clover
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • A lock of your hair (or appropriate sacrifice)
  • Candle (any color)

Gather your herbs and ingredients except the sacrifice and candle. Lightly powder them and put them nearby. Light the candle and say,

With this candle

My magic will find a way

To bring money to my side

And keep my debt away

With these herbs I plant

The seeds for which my fortune will grow

Together to me cast will flow.

Sprinkle some of the herbs over and onto the candle. Pick up your sacrifice and hold it over the herbs.

With this sacrifice, I power my spell

Bring to me what I am owed

Bring to me coin and cash

So my wealth may last.

Split the sacrifice and put a little on top of the candle and the rest with the herbs. If that’s not possible, put your sacrifice with the herbs. Go to your exterior door and bury it at the base. If that’s not possible, plant it in a pot, at your place of employment, or on your property somewhere.

Notes:

  • You can use any seven ingredients you’d like to bring money to you.
  • Your sacrifice doesn’t need to be your hair. What’s key here is that it’s a personal sacrifice – a piece of you. A fingernail, hair, or blood are usually easiest but be safe in acquiring your sacrifice.

Happy casting!

A Cleansing Ritual For House & Home (Spell Saturday #35)

When it comes to cleansing I’m more of a low-key kind of practitioner. I’ll enchant my cleaning supplies to cleanse and go clean the house. But sometimes, you just need a ritual to get it done.

cleansingritual

The problem comes with many cleansing rituals using smudge sticks. The issue with smudge sticks is this: burning plants tied together in a bundle is seen in a variety of places in the world. That being said when someone says the words “smudge stick” an image of white ceremonial sage, maybe an abalone shell, and Native Americans are conjured. The thing is, that specific ritual does belong to the Native American peoples. And that term is ubiquitous with that image.

So. While you can use herb bundles for your cleansing and incense, you shouldn’t adopt that ritual. It belongs to a closed culture. It’s cultural appropriation to use it when you’re not part of that culture. Additionally, and really this is an aside, white ceremonial sage (salvia apiana) is considered an at-risk plant. Meaning that it’s over-harvested and care should be taken to preserve the species.

This ritual avoids all of that and still gets your home cleansed.

What you’ll need:

  • Candles for each room you’re cleansing. (See notes)
  • White taper candle
  • Dust from each of the rooms you’re cleansing (see notes)
  • Sacred or holy water or cleansing wash water
  • Anointing oil for blessings or cleansing (optional)
  • Cleansing herbs (optional)

Bath your white taper candle in sacred or holy water. Or you can use water enchanted with cleansing properties. Dry the candle thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel. Let sit out for a full day in the bright sunlight and again a full night under the bright moonlight.

Rub the anointing oil over the candle. If you don’t have an oil you’d like to use, you can skip this step.

Roll the candle in cleansing herbs. If you’re not using an anointing oil, you can slightly melt the sides of the candle with a lighter or flame and roll the softened candle in cleansing herbs. If you’re using a votive, you can just sprinkle the herbs on top instead.

Now let the candle rest for a full day of sun again. Once more let it rest for a full night under bright moonlight.

Lay out a candle in each of the rooms and spaces you’re cleansing. You can leave the candles there until they collect dust or you can sprinkle a pinch of dust onto the candle from the room.

Now it’s time to cast the spell. Open your front door and step outside. When you’re ready to being, light the taper candle and step through the front door, holding the candle in front of you. Go to each room candle and working in a circle as much as possible and light each room candle with the taper candle. Allow the white wax of the taper to drip onto the room’s candle. One drop is enough but you can do more if you like.

Do this for each and every room candle. Once you get back to the front door, blow out the white taper and carry it through the house in the same route you used to light the candles and gently blow out the room candles.

Pay attention to any candles that went out on their own. That room might need extra cleansing.

When all the candles are out, break the white taper in half. Collect the other candles and throw them all out. Then take the trash outside. You don’t want to leave the candles inside the house at the end of the spell.

acrfhh

Notes:

  • Tealights work perfectly for this spell for the room candles. I highly recommend a taper for the lighting candle as they’re easier to drip.
  • Be sure to include spaces in your candle count that aren’t exactly rooms. So you might need a candle for your living room, bathroom, bedroom, hallway, and attic or basement. If you used your porch, patio, or outside space often, make sure to light a candle for that too.
  • The room candles can be any color you want. The idea is that you’re putting the cleansing candle (the white taper) over the room candle. It has more of a visual impact if the candle’s a different color.
  • This spell is especially good if you burn candles in those rooms for decorative purposes. If one of those candles are almost done, use that in this spell instead of a tealight. (Example, I might burn a cinnamon candle in my kitchen to make it smell good and use that candle to represent the kitchen in this spell)
  • If you grow plants in specific rooms, you can use a crumbled leaf or petal from those plants instead of dust. Similarly, if you keep charm bags of herbs in those rooms for protective purposes, you can use a pinch of those herbs powdered in the candle instead of dust.
  • This doesn’t have to be done during the full moon. It just has to be a clear night where the moon is very visible.

Happy casting!

Still Waters Protection Spell (Spell Saturday #34)

Sometimes we get involved in situations that are so wildly out of our control that we’re holding on with the skin of our teeth. Stress and anxiety are constant companions and you just want t be safe and at peace.

This spell is for those times.

swps

You’ll need:

  • A body of water hosting a spirit (see notes)
  • A clipping of hair
  • A small handful of elderberries
  • A shiny coin

Once you’ve located the water in question, go to it under the light of a full moon. Look out onto the water’s stillness and wait until you feel the spirit’s presence.

Place your hair in front of you and ask the spirit for protection, serenity, and strength in the coming days. You’ll have to be sincere and heartfelt. Don’t offer reasons or explanations. Say as much or as little as you want.

If the spirit doesn’t attack or seem aggressive, throw the elderberries into the water. Wash your hands, face, and hair in the water. Bury the coin on the shore or beside the water.

You can leave right away or stay and look out at the stillness of the water until you’re ready to go.

Notes:

  • For this spell, use a lake, pond, or well. A slow moving river, creek , or stream could be used as well.
  • The spirit in question must be a peaceful spirit. You’ll have to figure this out before you attempt this spell. The spirit should, ideally, haunt the body of water and is benevolent or pleasantly apathetic to you. Genus loci or nature spirits are usually perfect for this spell.
  • Some bodies of water may not need to be haunted. If the water is considered sacred or holy in some fashion, that will work in place of a spirit.
  • This spell works because you’re seeking a particular kind of blessing from the spirit or water itself.
  • Alternatively, if you don’t want to wash your hands, face, and hair in the water use a clipping of your hair or fingernails instead. If you do this, make sure to take the clippings with you and carry them as a talisman.

Happy casting!

Scrying Spell For Inspiration (Spell Saturday #32)

Sometimes the muses are just not playing and you need to get something on paper or under that horrid little blinking line in a word document. Instead of staring blankly at the screen and then surfing the web, try this spell instead.

This is one of those spells that requires a lot of thinking to prepare but once set up it’ll be simple to repeat whenever you need it. It’s a handy scrying spell too which is always fun.

ssfi

What you’ll need:

  • Quartz crystal
  • A scent you want to dedicate purely to inspiration and creative pursuits

Experiment until you find the right scent or scent combination to inspire you. You can use a candle, incense, aromatherapy, etc. Whatever you have, start it up and let the scent fill your work space.

Pass your crystal it over the scent source such as over an aromatherapy device, oil burner, candle, or incense.

Dedicate the crystal to your creative pursuits by saying the following:

In the depths of my heart and mind lies bright sparks, burning embers, and tamed passions

In the depths of your heart I will see what reflects in mine

In you I will see how to unlock my creativity.

Look into the heart of the crystal and let what comes to mind happen. Don’t fight it or force it. Just let the thoughts flow.

Every time you want to create something, fill your work space with that scent and look into the crystal’s heart.

Notes:

  • You can swap out the quartz crystal for any kind of stone with a crystalline shape or a reflective surface. Bonus if the stone is know for inspiration, creativity, opening the mind, or inciting passions.
  • Finding the stone as a pendant can make your life so much easier. Just wear as a necklace and you’ll have the stone inspiring your very heart.
  • You can use any kind of scent. It’s up to you. Don’t forget that you can combine scents to create a unique atmosphere. Just write down what you’re creating so you can replicate it later. I like to use a warm citrus spice with cool minty undertones and sandalwood for myself.

A Spell For Courage & Wonders (Spell Saturday #33)

I was recently rereading The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland On A Ship Of Her Own Making* by Catherynne M. Valente. Besides adoring A-through-L, I remembered how lovely the story is. If you haven’t read it, you might want to as it tells a pretty fantastic fairy tale. It’s especially beautifully if you pair it with S.J.Tucker’s album Wonders* which you can buy or listen to, for free over on her bandcamp site*. Tucker often writes songs about Valente’s work and Valente’s all for it. I adore when artists do collaborations like this, don’t you?

All of that being said, you don’t need to know the story at all to cast this spell! This spell is give you courage and create new experiences for you. It’s best used when you’re about to embark on an adventure like going off to college, starting a new job, or traveling.

WARNING: This spell involves blood.

Make sure to read the spell the whole way through, especially the notes. This isn’t a tricky spell so much as an exacting or intricately subtle spell.

asfcaw

What you’ll need:

  • Your blood
  • A portable light
  • Your shoes
  • Your name

Flip your shoes over so you see the soles of your shoes. When you’re ready and have the blood available, turn on your light source and put it in front of you but within arms reach.

Press the blood to the sole of the shoe and say,

“By my blood and name

I am not afraid

By my blood and name 

I am ready

By my blood and name

I am brave, strong, and true

By my blood and name

I will have wonders too

What’s before me may be hard and I may have to fight

But I am ready

What’s before me will bring wonder and joy

By my blood and name.”

Turn off the portable light with a deliberate move. Let the blood dry on the shoes and treat your wound.

Candle Smoke

Notes:

  • If you do not have a safe method of getting blood, please either wait until you’re bleeding from something such as a cut to cast this spell or skip it entirely. Your blood is essential to this spell so don’t use an alternative. It’s all or nothing, as I’ve written it. Just please be safe!
  • Portable lights can be anything from a flashlight, flashlight app on your phone, lantern, candle, LED light. It just needs to be something that stays light and is portable.
  • The shoes should, ideally, be the ones you’ll wear for the specific circumstances you’re casting like for (like a job or vacation). If you’re not going somewhere new, just pick the pair of shoes you wear the most. If you’re fast, you may be able to get more than one pair of shoes.
  • It’s probably a good idea to wash the shoes before you cast this spell, if possible. Or at least wash the soles.
  • Your True Name is your full, complete name. This could be the name you’re known by legally or it may be your magical name. It’s a name you call yourself in your head. The one that fits your soul.

Happy casting!

 

*Indicates outside links such as Amazon

Grace Under Fire Charm (Spell Saturday #31)

Want to be able to keep your cool when you’re facing deadlines or a hardass boss? This charm’s for you.

You’ll need:

  • Gladiolus petals
  • Jasmine petals
  • Pink rose petals
  • Magnolia petals
  • Snapdragon petals
  • Betony
  • Sage
  • Valerian
  • Ginger
  • Allspice

Dry all the ingredients well and place them in a silk or satin bag, preferably of yellow or cream. Carry this with you.

gufc

Notes:

  • Silk or satin is nice but you can use a silky cheap synthetic material instead.
  • Don’t eat this recipe.

Does this seem familiar? Here’s a potion version of it!

Spirit Summoning Spell (Spell Saturday #30)

There’s lots and lots of ways to summon spirits. This one is for communication rather than working with a spirit in spells.

sss

You’ll need:

  • Frankincense incense
  • Myrrh incense
  • Sandalwood incense
  • Basil
  • Parsley
  • Lavender
  • Rose petals
  • Wine or clear alcohol
  • Sage
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Salt or sea salt
  • Holy water, sacred water, or purified water
  • 2 Charcoal tablets
  • 3 Fire-safe dishes or bowls for burning incense
  • Divination tools or communication methods
  • Chocolate (optional)
  • Tobacco (optional)

Before you begin, boil sage, rosemary, salt, thyme, and salt in some of the water for 15 or so minutes. You don’t need much but enough to cleanse the space afterwards. Leave some of the herbs and water for the ritual.

An hour or so before midnight, set the ritual space. Make sure that you have somewhere comfortable to see and work. Don’t cramp your space if possible. Prepare yourself with whatever ritual methods you use – cleansing, purification, creating a magical circle, ritual robes, entheogens, whatever. Make sure to prepare both incense bowls with herbs before you start. One should have basil, parsley, lavender, and rose petals. The other should have sage, rosemary, and thyme in it. Pour the holy water in a fire-safe bowl and keep within reach.

Lay out your offerings. You can add other offerings if you’re summoning someone specifically but you’ll want to start with what’s listened. Place your basil, parsley, lavender, and rose petals in an offering dish or dishes. Add in the tobacco and chocolate if you have it. Pour out the wine or clear alcohol and put it in the offering area.

Light your incense and say the following,

 

“Spirits, I offer you sustenance in exchange for communion until the midnight hour.

If you bring me and mine no ill will,

Come to me and speak

And I will listen.”

 

You can use a meditation or a trance to listen for the spirits to speak. Or you can use technology. Or you can use your divination tool. You can use automatic writing, scrying, pendulum, or tarot. Anything, really.

After midnight, thank the spirits that appeared and dunk any remaining incense in the prepared holy water to smother it. Light the second bowl of incense and cleanse the room with the herb infused holy water. When the second incense bowl is burned up (or you’re sick of standing around), dump that in with the rest of the incense and throw it all away or bury it in your yard.

Dispose of the offerings by burying them if possible. If not, leave out until morning and throw away in the garbage.

Notes:

  • Put the cleansing and spirit banishing water in a spray bottle. The misting will cleanse the room without leaving water everywhere.
  • While tobacco is a traditional offering, chocolate isn’t in many places. Chocolate might not be appropriate for your summoning and I’d only use tobacco for spirits from a certain era or people I know who smoked.
  • You can buy incense to summon spirits or cleanse rooms in exchange for the herbs here.
  • You could also sprinkle the herbs in white candles and burn those instead of creating incense. Pick unscented candles or candles of frankincense, myrrh, or sandalwood. It can be mixed scented like vanilla-sandalwood.

Happy casting!

 

Protection from Spirits Spell (Spell Saturday #29)

There’s plenty of protection spells out there. Most are general. They protect from everything but it’s a good idea to have protection spells for specific reasons. Protection spells of this nature not only allow you to tailor the spell to specific desires (like a fire protection spell when you regularly run the fireplace or a fire pit) but it also allows you to remove that protection as needed. Like if you want to invite spirits into your home on Samhain but you don’t want to deal with them on your average Tuesday.

This spell is designed to work for a most spirits. It doesn’t work as well against the fae or spirits with a gift for illusion and glamour. It hampers them but doesn’t work as well against them. Still, the spell’s great for most entities and worth having.

What you’ll need:

  • Basil
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Salt or sea salt
  • Rue (not Syrian rue)
  • Large nails or spikes (see notes)
  • Sun water (see notes)

Take your sun water and wash the large nails/spikes in it. Let dry in direct sunlight. Avoid letting night or big shadows touch them. (Putting them outside is a good idea but setting them in a window works well too.) Keep them wrapped until you’re ready for the next step.

Powder the herbs and salt together. Set aside until you’re ready.

On a sunny day, step outside. Sprinkle the powder over your nails/spikes. Go to each door, ground level window, and gate, touching the nails to them and sprinkling the powder in a line across the ground or windowsill. You’re creating a line that can’t be crossed. Take the nail or spike and drive them into the ground at the edge of your property. This should all be done before the sun sets.

pfs

Notes:

  • To get large nails or spikes, check either a hardware store or online. Railroad spikes are the best option but I’ve gone to a hardware store and picked up a foot and a half long aluminium-steel nail for less than $1 so do what works best for you. This works no matter what kind of nail or spike you use.
  • Sun water is water that’s been left in the sunlight. It can also refer to rain water collected on a sunny day (when it rains while it’s still sunny).
  • You can drive the nails as deep as you like into the ground. I’ve put them underground before and I’ve left them sticking halfway out of the ground. Remember that you’ll probably need to mow the lawn or walk near that space so keep that in mind with your placement. Replacing lawn mowers can be very expensive and tripping over your own protection spell is embarrassing.

Happy casting!