A Banishing Ritual

Banishment is one of those tricky gray-area rituals that gets a conscientious witch to thinking. Is it okay to banish someone? Does this cross over that rather sketchy line of acting harmfully towards another? But if done with kindness and grace, banishing someone from your life or even some unwanted thing from your life, can actually be a very positive act.

I personally have someone who has been a very unpleasant presence in my life for many, many years and while I have been as tolerant as humanly possible with them, I can no longer endure their painfully negative energy; energy that is routinely directed at me. And so the time has come to sever the ties between us and send them away as powerfully- and as gently- as I am able. Here is a fairly simple ritual for getting rid of that which no longer serves its purpose in your life, for whatever reason.

You'll want to perform this ritual when the moon is waning. A Saturday is the best day of the week for this, and if you're lucky enough for the new moon to land on a Saturday night, you'll find yourself with an additional boost of power in your corner. However, any time during the dark of the moon will work just fine so don't feel you have to do your banishment ritual on a specific day. Choose an object that represents what it is you want to banish: a photograph or personal belonging of someone you no longer want in your life, something that represents a bad habit you wish to break, a failed endeavor (a business, a personal relationship) that you no longer want your heart to pine over, or anything negative that you just can't stop dwelling on and want permanently gone! Place the object on your altar surrounded by four white candles. Also use white candles for the four quarters in your circle as well. Cleanse the perimeter of your circle with the four elements: sprinkle it with salt water for earth and water and burn sage for fire and air. Cast your circle and call upon those deities that are known for being powerful custodians of the cosmos: Hecate, Anubis, Cerridwen or anyone else that will aid you with their strength and ability to weed out that which is negative.

State clearly what it is you want banished and then sprinkle your object with the salt water and pass it through the sage smoke. Now, instead of continuing to focus on the negative in regards to this person or situation, express the positive energy you wish to draw to you in its place. You want to turn the negative into a positive. You can say that you wish to turn your broken heart into one filled with perfect love. Or if you're banishing a bad habit, express the good that will come of ridding yourself of it rather than focusing on what it's doing to you now. Move widdershins around your circle and chant

"I release you, negative energy from my past,

No pain nor sorrow ever lasts,

I heal my spirit, I heal my soul,

As I release you from my life

I am again made whole."

At first you may feel rather tired or slow, but as you continue to chant and release the negative from your life you'll feel your energy building and growing stronger. Continue to raise this energy by moving and chanting faster and faster. As you feel the spell coming to its climax, stop moving in the circle, stand before your altar and direct your energy into the object. Say

"I cast this spell now three times three

As I will it, so mote it be"

and either tear, break or somehow dramatically destroy this object (it can also be burned in a cauldron with a fire already lit in it). Ground yourself, thank the spirits for their help, close your circle and then permanently dispose of your object by throwing it in the trash, flushing it down the toilet, burying it in the ground or tossing it into moving water. Be sure to give thanks to Mother Earth for her recycling powers and if you can, open your doors and windows and with a broom sweep out the negative energies from this ritual. Likewise, you can smudge your home with sage to re-cleanse your environment.

A(nother) New Pendulum

Pendulum made of aventurine, yellow jasper, brecciated jasper, clear quartz, obsidian and amethyst with a round of red jasper capping the chain.

Pendulum made of bloodstone, with a round of bloodstone capping the chain as well.

I was so pleased with the bloodstone pendulum I bought last year that I went out and bought myself a second pendulum. And while I didn't exactly need another one as the first one's energy is wonderful and brings great clarity to my readings, when I saw this multi-stoned pendulum I just knew I had to have it. Its energy is quite potent and I was drawn to it instantly. Pendulum divination is really, at its most basic, physically quite a simple practice, but at the same time is also intriguingly subtle and complex.

Amethyst. Amethyst is a stone rich in ancient magickal history. This is a stone of peace and pure spirituality. It calms all turbulent emotions and fears, focuses meditative states, and helps the wearer attune themselves with their highest psychic vibrations. This is the ideal stone to wear during any divinatory work as it also enhances its wearer's mental accuity as well. It cures headaches, halts nightmares and puts an end to insomnia. Amethyst is the stone of wisdom.

Aventurine. This stone is used to increase perception, to stimulate creativity and to enhance intelligence. This is a wonderful stone to use in divination.

Bloodstone. Bloodstone has a magickal-use history of more than 3000 years. This stone brings courage to its wearer, calms fears and eliminates anger. It is used to increase the effectiveness of spells and brings concentrated power to magickal rites and rituals. Bloodstone is also a general health-giving talisman, but is especially used to halt bleeding and reduce fevers.

Clear Quartz. Crystal is a powerful stone used in various forms of divination from pendulums to scrying and as such is prized for its ability to amplify psychic and magickal energy. Each of the various colors of quartz crystal offer unique properties and uses, and clear quartz is no exception. Clear quartz, as a stone symbolizing the goddess, taps into the deepest part of the conscious mind, helps to open the subconscious mind, and brings to its wearer a very powerful psychic experience when divining. Quartz is also a stone that can be used to protect oneself during magickal ritual as well.

Jasper. Jasper is another stone with a rich and ancient magickal history. It was used by Native Americans in their rituals and ceremonies, and like them is still used today to connect with the earth's energies and to ground when working magick. Like quartz, the various colors of jasper offer their own unique properties including acting as a protective stone when working magick and aiding the wearer in heavy psychic and spiritual work.

Obsidian. This is another grounding stone used to center oneself when performing magick and is an exceptional stone to use when scrying as it is believed that the pure blackness of its surface allows easier access to one's subconscious mind. This is a stone of protection when opening oneself up psychically.

Wishing Powder

Who doesn't want their wishes to come true? With this simple powder, you can empower your wishes or even your circle (or the altar within it) while working other spells and thus give them a powerful energy boost as well.

What you'll need:
two tablespoons sage (freshly dried is best)
one tablespoon white sandalwood
one or two vanilla beans

Grind each item individually and as finely as possible in a mortar as you concentrate on your wish or desire. Be sure to always grind in a deosil (clockwise) motion when grinding herbs for positive use. Combine all three ingredients while still focusing clearly on your wish. Mix them with your fingers, thus infusing the herbs with your body's own personal energy, and be sure to use your power hand while doing so. If you are working within a circle and wish to use this powder to empower your ritual, this powder can be sprinkled either around the perimeter of the circle while visualizing its power to focus and channel your spellwork, or it can be sprinkled amongst the items you are working with on your altar. If you are using this powder specifically to aid you in sending wish energy powerfully out into the universe, take it outdoors and with your back to the wind, hold the powder before you in your power hand. Visualize the power of your intentions and feel the earth's grounding energy beneath your feet. As you concentrate on your desire, open your palm and blow the wish powder into the wind and watch as the universe carries your wishes away on the particles of dust. Give thanks to the wind for its help in making your wish come true.

Rowan Spell for Home Protection

After you've finished your spring cleaning, why not perform a rite to ensure your home is now not only immaculate but safe as well? This simple spell uses rowan, a tree that is known for its protective properties, to provide a shield and a blessing for your home and all who live within it.

What you'll need:

Two or three rowan twigs, about ten inches long

A Bottle of Ale

A piece of red ribbon

A small personal power chant (optional)

What you'll need to do with these things:

Gather the rowan twigs, but be sure to not cut them from a living tree. They should be found on the ground so as not to harm the tree and they also must be found at this length, not cut down to it, as that will diminish the power of the wood. When you find your twigs, pour the ale deosil (in a clockwise circle) around the base of the tree as an offering to thank it for its gift to you as well as to symbolize the potency of the spell you are about to work. With the red ribbon, bind the twigs into a cross or star shape (depending on how many twigs you use) and concentrate on the safety of your home and its inhabitants as you do this. If you've written a short and personal spell, this should be chanted here while you bind the twigs.

Place your rowan cross to your forehead as you focus on the power of your intentions, then to your heart as you feel your power, then to your lips. Seal the rowan's power in the cross with a kiss. Starting with those rooms furthest from your front door, carry your cross in your outstretched power hand, circling each room fully while feeling your intentions plainly and clearly. When you reach your front door, exit it backwards so that your cross leaves your home after you do. Secure it above your front door.

This ritual may be repeated every three to four months to ensure the potency of your talisman.

Photo courtesy of Floraworks (internet on...off...on...off) on flickr.