Hex Breaking: 5 Powerful Spells for Breaking Curses

Hexes and curses have been feared and respected for centuries, often viewed as malevolent workings intended to cause harm or misfortune. While the concept of hexes varies across cultures, many share a belief in their power and the necessity for effective countermeasures. In this blog, we explore practical steps for breaking a hex, drawing on folklore and traditional practices. We also provide five hex-breaking spells rooted in magical traditions, ensuring you have the tools to protect yourself and restore balance.

What is a Hex?

Hexes are deliberate acts of magic designed to harm or disrupt another’s life, often stemming from feelings of malice or the desire for retribution. For centuries, they have been tied to the practices of witchcraft and sorcery, where symbolic objects, incantations, and ritualistic actions were believed to channel the caster's intent. Hexes have long been a source of fear and intrigue, raising questions about the balance of power, morality, and justice.

In European folklore, hexes became closely associated with the feared and misunderstood practices of witches and sorcerers. Stories of curses that caused illness, ruined crops, or harmed livestock painted a vivid picture of the supernatural influence attributed to magic. Yet, not all hexes were seen as acts of pure malevolence. In many traditions, hexes served as a form of “justice magic,” offering a way to address wrongs or restore balance in situations where conventional methods failed.

The practice of cursing has been part of human history for centuries, and just as enduring is the art of breaking those curses. Counteracting a hex, whether through rituals, prayers, or protective magic, has always been viewed as a vital skill to neutralize harm and restore harmony. These acts of protection reflect a deep-rooted human desire to overcome adversity and reclaim a sense of control.

Hexes embody the complexity of human emotion and the interplay of power and morality within the framework of magic. As Hans Sebald observed, hexes often blurred the line between harm and retribution, illustrating how deeply intertwined they are with cultural beliefs about justice and the supernatural. This duality continues to fascinate, offering a glimpse into the enduring connection between humanity and the mystical.

Signs You Might Be Hexed

Recognizing a hex is essential for addressing it. Common signs include:

• Persistent misfortunes without logical explanation.
• Sudden physical ailments or feelings of heaviness and unease.
• Disturbed dreams, often involving symbolic threats.
• Disruptions in relationships, finances, or work.

Many cultures emphasize intuition—a strong sense that something is "off"—as a key indicator of a hex. In Slavic traditions, dreams involving animals, dark figures, or broken objects are frequently noted as spiritual warnings.

How to Break a Hex

Breaking a hex requires intention, focus, and the right tools. Here are the general steps:

1. Cleanse Your Space:
   Purify your surroundings by burning cleansing herbs like sage or rosemary, or using incense. This practice aligns with European traditions of "smoking out" negativity. J. F. Doering noted that chanting during these rituals enhances their effectiveness, stating, "The charm must be spoken aloud for the hex to lose its grip."

2. Protect Yourself:
   Establish personal protection with amulets, symbols, or visualizations of white light surrounding your body. Protective charms, such as the Nazar, St. Benedict medal, or Hamsa hand, are common across cultures. In North American African American traditions, carrying a mercury dime tied to the body deflects harmful energies and provides ongoing protection (Leone & Fry, 1999).

3. Identify and Remove the Source:
   If you suspect an object or gift was used to cast the hex, carefully remove it from your home. Dispose of it far from your property to sever any physical connection.

4. Perform a Hex-Breaking Ritual:
   Traditional hex-breaking rituals neutralize negative energy. The importance of belief in these rituals cannot be overstated—faith amplifies their effectiveness. In Franconian Switzerland, hex-breaking often involved invoking community healers known for their "Anfangen" or "starting abilities," combining chants with symbolic actions to undo harm (Sebald, 1980).

Five Hex-Breaking Spells

1. The Ezekiel Charm

This spell, derived from Louisiana folk traditions, uses a biblical verse to counteract severe spiritual harm.

What You Need:

• A Bible.
• A red thread.

Instructions:

1. Open the Bible to Ezekiel 16:6: "And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live."
2. Tie the red thread around your wrist as you repeat the verse three times.
3. Visualize the hex breaking as you recite the words. Leave the thread on until it naturally falls off, signaling the hex’s end.

This spell highlights the intersection of religion and folk magic, using scripture as a source of divine power.

2. The “Three Angels” Spell

A traditional hex-breaking incantation from Claiborne Parish emphasizes divine intervention.

What You Need:

• A white candle.
• A bowl of spring water.

Instructions:

1. Light the candle and place the bowl of water before you.
2. Say: “Three little angels came from the east; One brought fire, the other frost. Out fire! In frost! In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
3. Sprinkle the water around your home, focusing on entryways and corners. Allow the candle to burn out fully to seal the spell.

3. Salt and Bread Hex Removal

This spell is rooted in Franconian folk practices and uses symbolic offerings to neutralize negativity.

What You Need:

• A pinch of salt.
• A piece of bread.
• A black cloth.
• Fiery Wall of Protection Oil (optional).

Instructions:

1. Place the salt and bread on the black cloth.
2. Wrap them together and say:
   “Bread and salt, life and health. Absorb this harm, take its wealth. Carry away this curse so vile; bury it deep, mile by mile.”
3. Anoint the cloth with a few drops of Fiery Wall of Protection Oil.
4. Bury the cloth far from your home or throw it into running water to carry the negativity away.

4. Hoodoo Uncrossing Spell

What You Need:

• Holy water.
• Horseradish.
• Ammonia.

Instructions:

1. Combine the ingredients.
2. Sprinkle the mixture in the corners of your home.
3. Add the remainder to a quart of spring water and use it to wash down doorways and entrances to remove lingering negativity.

5. The Devil’s Dirt Spell

What You Need:

• Devil’s Dirt (Asafetida).
• Epsom salt.
• A mirror.
• A black chime candle.
• Uncrossing Oil (optional).

Instructions:

1. Mix Devil’s Dirt and Epsom salt, and place it in the center of a mirror.
2. Anoint the candle with Uncrossing Oil, pushing the oil downward away from your body.
3. Place the candle in the center of the salt and dirt mixture.
4. Light the candle and recite the Lord’s Prayer.
5. Remove all ingredients from your home and bury them in a churchyard.

Maintaining Protection After Breaking a Hex

After breaking a hex, ensure long-term protection:

• Wear Protective Charms: Items like the Hamsa hand, pentacle, or Nazar provide ongoing protection by deflecting negativity and harmful energies. These charms can be worn as jewelry, placed on altars, or carried in a pocket.

• Create a Protective Home Environment: Crystals like black tourmaline, obsidian, or clear quartz can absorb and deflect negative energy. Place these stones near windows, doorways, or at the center of your home. Sprinkle protective salt across thresholds or in the corners of rooms to seal off your space from malevolent forces.

• Hang Herbs and Talismans Above Doors: Strings of rowan berries or bundles of protective herbs like yarrow, bay leaves, St. John’s Wort, or garlic can be hung above doorways to ward off curses and negative energy. These herbs, historically used in European and Mediterranean traditions, are believed to create a barrier against malicious intentions.

• Practice Regular Cleansing: Set a routine to burn protective herbs such as sage, mugwort, or juniper weekly to maintain the spiritual cleanliness of your space. Consider using sound cleansing with bells or Tibetan singing bowls as an additional layer of purification.

• Cultivate Positivity: Surround yourself with supportive relationships, and make a conscious effort to avoid toxic environments or individuals. Positive intentions and emotional resilience can act as a shield against negativity.

Using Protective Herbs in your Everyday Spiritual Practice

For centuries, the use of protective herbs has been a cornerstone of many traditions, offering a way to safeguard homes, break hexes, and repel malevolent forces. Passed down through generations, these practices often involved hanging herbs above doorways, weaving them into wreaths, or incorporating them into rituals to create powerful protective barriers and dispel harmful magic. Botanicals like garlic, rue, and rosemary have long been revered for their ability to shield against negativity and dissolve curses, carrying a rich legacy of spiritual and magical significance. These age-old practices continue to inspire modern traditions, bridging the wisdom of the past with the needs of the present.

Garlic: Garlic is a classic protective herb used to repel evil spirits, witches, and curses, often braided into garlands and hung above doors in Mediterranean and European traditions.

Rue: Rue, known as the “Herb of Grace,” is a powerful protective herb used in European and Latin American practices to guard against hexes and malevolent magic.

Rosemary: Rosemary, associated with purification and protection, was hung above doors in many cultures to repel negativity and provide spiritual cleansing.

Dill: Dill, rooted in European folklore, was believed to protect against witches and prevent spells from entering the home when placed above doorways.

St. John’s Wort: St. John’s Wort, widely used in European traditions, was thought to repel evil spirits, protect against curses, and safeguard homes from witchcraft.

Mugwort: Mugwort has been used in European and Asian traditions as a protective charm against evil influences and curses.

Yarrow: Yarrow, often hung above doors, was believed to provide protection from harmful energies and ensure peace within the home.

Bay: Bay leaves were hung above doors or placed in sachets to protect against witchcraft and attract positive energy.

Thyme: Thyme, in medieval Europe, was often hung above doors or burned to purify spaces and ward off negative energy.

Elder: Elder, considered sacred in European folklore, was used in the form of twigs and leaves hung above doors to shield homes from evil spirits and magical harm.

Hawthorn: Hawthorn, known for its strong protective qualities, saw its branches or berries placed over doorways to guard against curses and malevolent spirits.

Wormwood: Wormwood, a key herb in European and Middle Eastern traditions, was believed to protect against the evil eye and dispel curses when hung above entrances.

Breaking a hex requires patience and intention. Whether through ancient spells or modern practices, the ultimate goal is to restore balance and peace. By combining personal empowerment with protective measures, even the strongest negative influences can be dissolved.

Embrace these practices with confidence, and remember that your belief in your ability to overcome adversity is as powerful as the rituals themselves. Hex-breaking is not only a spiritual act but also a declaration of personal strength and resilience.

For more on Folk Magic Traditions, check out our article: Hoodoo, Brujeria & Pow-Wow: American Folk Magic Tools & Traditions

Sources

Doering, J. F. (1946). Three White Hexes. The Journal of American Folklore, 59(233), 322-323.

Haskins, Jim. Voodoo & Hoodoo: Their Traditional Crafts as Revealed by Actual Practitioners. Original Publications, 1990.

Orth, Richard L.T. Folk Religion of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Pennsylvania German Society, 2003.

Sebald, H. (1980). Franconian Witchcraft: The Demise of a Folk Magic. Anthropological Quarterly, 53(3), 173-187. 

Leone, M. P., & Fry, G. M. (1999). Conjuring in the Big House Kitchen: An Interpretation of African American Belief Systems. The Journal of American Folklore, 112(445), 372-403. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/541368

Long, C. M. (2005). Marie Laveau: A Nineteenth-Century Voudou Priestess. Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association, 46(3), 262-292. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/4234121