For thousands of years, protection and shielding rituals have served an important function in magical belief systems worldwide. They have been used to ensure safety, prosperity, good health and positive outcomes since the since the dawn of history. These deeply human concerns remain with us today and impact the choices we make throughout our lives.

Today, as in ancient times, the goal of protection magic is to protect people and property from the harmful intentions of others. A protection ritual not only creates a barrier to the negative energy around you, it also enhances other protective measures you may take to ward off malicious spells, the evil eye, or destructive intentions. In almost any situation, protection magic adds an extra layer of security.  It is important to note, however, that protective magic can only do so much. You still need to be vigilant, particularly when it comes to your physical well-being and the safety of your valuables. Remember that protective magic tends to be most effective on the spiritual rather than the physical plane.

• Take a piece of thread or string long enough to comfortably wrap it around your waist. Next, add some eucalyptus and basil to a pot of simmering distilled water.  Place your string into the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes and let cool.  After it cools, take the string and let it air dry for the next three day. When its dry, you are going to make three knots in it.  As you tie each knot recite the Hail Mary. Tie this around your waist or you can simply triple wrap it around your ankle.

• Take an iron railroad spike and hang it on the inside of your door. Or, bury a railroad spike on the outside of each corner of your home.

• A traditional northern European amulet can be used to ward off evil. Find a stone with a natural hole in it. Historically this is referred to as hag stones. Wear this as around your neck or simply carry it on you. Carnelian stones or beads can also serve as protection and are particularly powerful when worn against the skin such as in jewelry.

• Salt can also be a wonderful to provide a protective shield around a specific place or person. In may experience any salts can be used although some people claim that black salt is the most powerful. There are a number of ways you can utilize salts. You can simply throw some on the entrance way to your front door or you can mix some with some hyssop and rue and place this in a black flannel pouch to carry on you. Make a protective bath by mixing ½ cup of kosher salt with 5 drops of rosemary essential oil and 5 drops of cedar essential oil. Frankincense and myrrh essential oils can also be added. For a more in-depth ritual, get some dead sea salt and create a circle of salt around you. Get 4 small candles and place them inside the circle. Make sure you place each candle in one of the four directions (NWSE). When ready, light the candle and recite Psalm 35 or you may simply recite a prayer of your own.

• For herbs that are readily available and usually carried in most kitchens, get some dried bay leaves and sage. Pulverize them into a powder. Lighting a charcoal disc, carefully burn this mixture in every corner of your home and along your front door. You may also fumigate yourself by drawing the smoke up your body and over your head. Sandalwood also works well for this.

* For candle divination we suggest the following ritual. Create your own protection conjure oil by mixing bay, sage, caraway and clove into a 1/2 and oz of olive oil. You may also want to consider adding black cohosh and burdock root. Or, you can simply try one of ours. We recommend our Fiery Wall of Protection Oil. 

For those of you who are fans of St. Michael, this ritual can definitely be used as a petition for his protection. Carve a white or blue jumbo pillar candle with your name and birth date. Then you get a red jumbo pillar candle and carve all the things you wish to protect yourself from. On top of this, carve the name of St. Michael. Above these two candles place an image of St. Michael. You are then going to anoint the blue candle with some Fiery Wall of Protection Oil. If you are seeking protection, keep the candle turned towards you and draw the oil up the candle towards the wick. If you are attempting to dispel adverse energies, anoint the candle with oil pushing down the candle. Do the same with the Red candle. Finally, take some salt and cast a circle around both candles. When ready, light the red candle first and then follow with the blue candle. Say a prayer or recite Psalm 23.

You may also use a dab of Fiery Wall of Protection Oil to wash down your doors or windows with it.  Pour a few drops of Fiery Wall into your bath water. You may even dab a drop or two onto any object or possession of special importance or value to you. Anoint a cotton ball with Fiery Wall of Protection Oil and carry it on you. Finally, anoint a garlic bulb with some Fiery Wall of Protection Oil and leave it by your front door or rest it in your fireplace.

Below are spells taken from a variety of resources, some new and some very old. Please note we may have slightly altered the original spells to make them more accessible and up to date. If you would like more information, we have included the sources below each spell.

Walk Backwards in bare feet out of your house for a total of nine steps. Make sure you do not look back. Then walk forward in the exact same tracks you made walking backwards. When you reach your front door, take sugar , alcohol, red pepper, saltpeter and Sulphur; and place them in your tracks right at the entrance of your doorway.

* Source: Haskins, James. Voodoo & Hoodoo: Their Tradition and Craft as Revealed by Actual Practitioners. Original Publications, 2005.

On a small piece of leather carve the following words, “Abrasax Abraischo’ou”. Carry this on you. You may also write this on a piece of parchment paper and pin it to your front door.

* Source: Lecouteux, Claude. Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells: from Abraxas to Zoar. Inner Traditions, 2015.

To create a protective amulet against witchcraft targeting your health and well-being, take dried vervain and pulverize it into a powder. Stick this in a pouch and carry it on you.

For protections against bad luck and negative intentions get a piece of parchment paper and write the following:  “Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Trine, Saxtile, Dragon’s Head, Dragon’s Tale, I charge you all to guard this house from evil spirits whatever, and guard it from all disorders and thievery and give this family good health and wealth.” Pin or nail this above the inside of your front door.

* Source: Mercer, A.D. The Wicked Shall Decay, Charms, Spells & Witchcraft of Old Britain, Three Hand Press, 2018.

To restrain and protect oneself from another person’s anger get a small piece of linen and some myrrh essential oil. On the linen use the myrrh oil as an ink and write out this word, “KHNUM.” Take the piece of linen and hold it in your left hand. Recite the follow, “I am restraining the anger of all, especially of him NAME of PERSON, all is Khnum”

- Khnum was an early Egyptian creator God who was associated with abundance of the Nile.

* Source: Betz, Hans Dieter. The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells. University of Chicago Press, 1996.

We often get questions on how to perform the most effective Banishing spell.  Of course, the best method for applying each spell depends largely on what or who you wish to banish. People, for example, can require a different approach than dispelling unwanted habits or negative energies. In this post, we are going to focus on techniques that are known to help rid yourself of the nasty neighbor, roommate or obnoxious person that simply will not give you any peace.

The first thing you may want to consider is timing. If you follow the cycles of the moon than the most applicable time to perform a banishing spell would be during a waning moon. What is a waning moon? A waning moon typically appears about 4 days after a full moon has completed its cycle. This is the most effective time for any type of issue you would like to dispel from your life. The time of the week also plays a role. We always suggest Tuesdays for banishing Work. Ruled, by mars, Tuesday lends itself to anything that relates to expelling things. If you tend to be avoidant, then Tuesdays can also give you the necessary power and energy to confront things that have been bothering you such as really annoying person!

Here’s the kicker. I always tell people that they really need to be ready to detach to whatever they wish to rid themselves of. Sometimes, even though there are no warm feelings between two people, there can still be a kind of emotional investment. So you may want to perform a cleansing  before you do attempt anything.  For a quick cleansing ritual, simply simmer some basil and dried lemon peel in water. Take a cup of this and throw it in a warm bath.

For our purposes I have decided to list a number of spells and rituals for you to review. Feel free to customize them in any way you feel speaks to you. Keep in mind that certain spells, like herbs, work more effectively for some then for others. The key is to find what works for you. The best approach is to try and work with a spell that speaks to you.  Try one or more one of these spells and see what which one works best for you.

SPELLS

One of my favorite banishing spells is to simply write out your target’s name on a 3 x 3 piece of brown paper bag. Wrap this around a walnut and then tie it with a black piece of yarn. Drop this in a bottle of vinegar or urine.  Place this near the home or an area the target will be exposed to it.

Another simple technique is the Lemon Spell. Get a lemon and make a slit in it. Do not cut it in half. Get a piece of parchment paper and write exactly what your intention is. Fold the paper in half, making sure you fold it away from you. Then fold it one more time. Slide it into the lemon. Put the lemon is a paper bag and place it in your freezer.

If candle divination is your thing, we recommend using some Banishing Oil . Put the oil onto the candle by rubbing the oil down the candle making sure your movement is going away from you. Write on a slip of paper the object of your petition (this is whatever you want to get rid of). Make the shape of a cross with some oil on the paper. Place it under the candle, and recite either Psalms 7 or 9 when you prepare to light your candle. After the candle has finished burning, take what is left of it and your petition somewhere at a crossroads.

Two relatively simple spells that are considered to be quite effective come straight out of Henry Middleton Hyatt’s book, Hoodoo Conjuration Witchcraft & Rootwork: Beliefs Accepted By Many Negroes and White Persons. These Being Orally Recorded Among Blacks and Whites, Vol. 3

Take red pepper and gun shell Powder and sprinkle it all over the floors and window sills.  Another method instructs to take red pepper and salt and sprinkle it behind the person who has left your home. Take your broom and sweep it out. Every time you sweep tell the person you want them to go.

In Papa Jim’s Herbal Magic Workbook, there are also several easy methods for ridding yourself of people

If you are dealing with jealous or spiteful people, simply place some horehound in a white flannel bag and carry it on you.

Sprinkle Cowslip on your front yard or doorway to prevent people from visiting you.

Write down your target’s name four times and then write their name 5 times backward. Melt a black candle and take the warm wax and paper with your targets name and roll it into a ball. The you are going to want to take 9 pins and stick it directly into the ball. Go to a river or running water and throw the ball away. Then, snap your fingers and recite the following, “St. Expedite, make him go quick.”  When your goal has been achieved, leave an offering to St. Expedite. (This particular ritual is sourced from Jim Haskins, Witchcraft, Mysticism and Magic. The original spell suggests you throw the ball of wax from a ferry boat in the middle of a river).

If the person you so wish to banish is considered an enemy and you wish them to lose interest in causing you harm, write their name out on a small piece of paper. Mix this with valerian root and warm wax to create a small amulet. Wear this on you or bury it near your front door. 

Sources

Hyatt, H.M. Hoodoo, Conjuration, Witchcraft, Rootwork: Beliefs Accepted by Many Negroes and White Persons These Being Orally Recorded Among Blacks and Whites, Volume 3, Western Publishing, 1974.

Jim, P. Papa Jim’s Herbal Magic Workbook: How to use herbs for magical purposes an A-Z guide, Old Bethpage, NY: Original Publications, 2001.

Haskins, J. Witchcraft, Mysticism and Magic in the Black World. New York: Dell, 1976.

Ryan, W. F. The Bathhouse at Midnight: An Historical Survey of Magic and Divination in Russia. Sutton, 1999.

Iron. Nearly every ancient culture venerates it and lets face it, they named an entire age after it. The Iron Age, a category of our historical history known to have entered the picture post 1300 B.C. (although in some cultures it was utilized far earlier). It's magic was in it's strength both for weapons and in agriculture.  And iron was considered magical! Many cultures believed it had the ability to ward off evil. After all, It protected warriors and their families and helped crops flourish. For example, If an invasion occurred and you happened to have a solid iron weapon, you would be in much better shape than if you had a bronze or stone one.

Enter the horseshoe. The magical talisman most likely entered the picture much earlier. Try Ancient Greece, 4th century BC. As for the horseshoe, well it gave the equine added protection and strength in flight. Even today, it is considered one of the greatest symbols of luck and protection, particularly when hung above one's door with with the points facing up (although some cultures prefer to hanging the points down). An upright horseshoe may may remind you of the crescent moon, another ancient symbol. And it's very ancient. The Babylonians associated it to their God Sin, the god of the moon who was most often depicted with the bull. Yes, the horns of a bull clearly have a similar resemblance to a crescent moon. Many draw the connection of the crescent moon to fertility due to it's association with cattle, the lunar cycles and of course, menstrual cycles. When one relates this to the much more contemporary ritual acts of Hoodoo, it may draw a connection to the power of using one's own menstrual blood in love spells. Just a thought.....

Back to the horseshoe. Enter the Romans who took the horseshoe one step further. They refined it's use on their fellow equestrians but preserved it's use as a magical talisman. Of course, iron horseshoes are forged with fire. And those who have done some research on magical elements may know that Fire is considered to be protective. Furthermore, the Romans venerated metalwork and even had their own God associated to it, aka Vulcan who forged with “fire”. The Romans then in carried it into Christianity and Europe for that matter. In European folklore the horseshoe was believed to ward of “faeries” and supernatural beings due to the fact that spirits simply do not like cold Iron. When the Middle Ages rolled in, superstitions were at an all time high, particularly when it came to witches! A horseshoe on the door was believed to protect a home from witches who flew on brooms. Why? Well apparently witches didn't like horses too much. Why the door? That may be apparent but in the middle ages witches could also enter through chimneys and windows particularly in the form of a black cat or other animals. If you get a chance, read the story of St. Dunstan and the devil. It's a classic example of how Christianity borrowed an ancient symbol and made it their own.

The symbol of the horseshoe nailed onto the door may have it's root's from the ancient Hebrews. Passover to be exact; and this goes all the way back to when Ancient Egyptians had enslaved the Jews. The myth, at least according to Exodus, goes something like this: The Jews had migrated to Egypt. The Pharaoh, being acutely aware of the growing Jewish population decides to enslave the Jews. An order is called by the Pharaoh that all first born sons of Jews be killed. Enter a first born male, the son of a Jewish woman. As a means to avoid execution, she places her child in a basket and floats him down the Nile river. He is found by a the Pharaoh's daughter, who names him Moses. Moses sees the suffering of the Hebrew people. Moses goes to God and God tells him to have every Israelite  kill a lamb and put it's blood on their front doors so God may' pass over" their homes when he comes down to take every first born child. This myth has made an impact, particularly for the Christians of the middle ages believed that protection on the front door served as protection against a great evil. Even today, some cultures will still place blood on their doors, however it's usually the blood from a chicken.

Today, the horseshoe remains an important symbol of protection and luck. It is even commonly worn as a talisman on the neck and wrist. I have a iron railroad spike behind my door, and quite frankly I'm not opposed to putting a horseshoe up there as well. Horseshoe aren't just for the door  either. They can also be hung over fireplaces (which no doubt stems from from the fear of witches from the middle ages). For the Hoodoo fan, get some Moses or Holy Oil and anoint that horseshoe. Place it above your door with three iron nails or if you happen to have a horseshoe with seven holes, even better! Put seven nails in there. Hang one in your bedroom to prevent nightmares or to protect you from the wandering bad spirit. FYI, if you have the opportunity to find an old horseshoe, it's believed to be much more powerful than a new one. So hit those flea markets and antique stores! Iron horseshoes, by the way, are also a traditional wedding gift given to new brides and grooms for good luck in their marriage. So if your stumped on what to get your friend for their wedding, try a good old fashioned iron horseshoe. Chances are it may do much better good than your typical coffee maker.