Category: Death Witchcraft

Ancient Greek Funerals and What Death Workers Can Learn from Them

12/4/2021

When most people discuss ancient Greek funeral rites, they often talk about Charon, the river Styx, Hades and Elysium. Many remember that people would put coins in the deceased’s mouth for Charon. But ancient Greek burial was much more complex than that.

For instance, Charon did not appear as a major Greek figure until around 500 BC. Before then, Hermes brought the dead to Hades. The earliest mention of placing coins in the deceased’s mouth was Aristophanes’ The Frog (450 BC). On top of that, Elysium (Paradise) did not rise in popularity until the 5th and 4th centuries BC, and it was only in certain religious groups.

If you pull from ancient Greek sources to work with the dead like I do, you’ll want accurate information. I have spent a long time researching ancient Greek burial rites. To save you some time, I’ve written an abridged version of what their funerals might have looked like. I’ll include sources at the end, too.

"Goethe's Ankunft im Elysium" by Franz Nadorp. Franz Nadorp/Wikipedia

Views of the Afterlife That Many Don’t Discuss

Before I jump into ancient Greek funerals, I want to include certain perceptions of the afterlife that many other authors gloss over. According to Robert Garland, a historian and professor of Classics at Colgate University, the Greek view of death was much less uniform than we believe. Ideas of the afterlife varied by culture and city-state, especially during the Classical Era (500 - 323 BC).

According to most sources, when a person died, their spirit (psyche) left the body. Unlike other cultures, the body was no longer important to the spirit. The psyche either left through the mouth or through an open wound, if applicable. Homer mentioned a spirit from the heart (thumos) and viral spirit (aion), but these had no further role and were hardly ever mentioned.

As many know, the Underworld (often just called Hades) was surrounded by rivers. Although the most famous river is Styx, the Underworld actually had five rivers, as per The Odyssey and Aeneid: Acheron (the river of woe), Cocytus (the river of lamentation), Phlegethon (the river of fire), Lethe (the river of forgetfulness), and of course, Styx (river of unbreakable oath by which the Gods took vows.

However, a river was not the only way to get to the Underworld. Other sources mentioned souls going over the edge of Okeanos, the Western Sea. In many myths, people entered Hades through a cave. Oracles governed specific areas that connected to the Underworld. If a soul’s body was not buried, it could not enter Underworld, so the Greeks would even bury their war enemies.

Before Charon came onto the scene, Hermes escorted souls from Thanatos (the God of death) into Hades. Later, some believed that Hermes brought the souls to Charon, who guided them from there.

Souls had a neutral, calm existence in the Underworld. Many believed that they were happy with rites and funerals, but other than that, they had no contact with the living. However, during certain feasts and festivals, the dead were said to join the living and eat designated meals, similar to many modern-day feasts of the dead. When they did speak to the living (such as through necromancy or oracles), they conveyed wisdom relating to the future, past, or present.

With these facts in mind, let’s move onto ancient Greek funerals.

Burial or Cremation?

During Greece’s early history, most corpses were cremated. By 1100 BC, however, most Greeks switched to burial. Athens was the exception.

If corpses were cremated, they were still buried in simple, rectangular pits or placed in urns.

"Presentation of the Wreaths" (150 BC). Marie-Lee Nguyen/Wikipedia

The Funeral

Historians received most information on Greek funerals from Attica, between the 8th and 4th centuries BC. These were rather lavish, and some families could not afford all of these steps. Even so, the ancient Greek funeral was divided into three stages.

Prothesis - The Laying of the Body

The prothesis involved caring for the corpse and paying respects, usually performed by older women.
The corpse was washed and anointed with a fragrant oil, usually olive oil.
Women dressed the corpse in white or red garments.
Sometimes, the corpse was also adorned with wreaths of flowers and ribbons. Jewels were rarely used.
The corpse was placed on a high bed with the feet facing the door. Mourners would visit and pay respects, usually through lamentations.

Side note: the Greeks considered anything that was in contact with a corpse to be “tainted.” That included the house and its water. A fresh bucket of water was placed outside the door for visitors to “cleanse themselves” after paying respects. I'll expand upon this later.

Lamentations were sung along with music, often from flutes, lyres, and harps.
The corpse stayed there for two days in case they actually weren’t dead.

Ekphora - The Funeral Procession

The corpse was carried by friends and family, with men in the front and older women in the back (younger women usually didn’t join).
Sometimes, a mule-pulled cart hauled the corpse.
The procession avoided main roads to prevent “contamination.” Many cemeteries and tombs were outside of cities.
The corpse was covered with a white cloth, except for the head, as per the law.

The Burial

Like today, corpses were buried in a coffin or similar container.
Mourners tossed grains over the grave plot after it was filled in, according to Cicero.
Sometimes, animal sacrifices were made for the Gods.
Gravesites were usually bordered by piles of rocks, which protected the dead from grave robbing. A headstone was also erected which included the name.
If mourners could afford it, urns and vases of Gods, symbols, and myths also decorated the grave.

Afterwards, on the second and third days, the mourners had a feast of the dead called perideipnon. They would return to the house with drinking, merriment, and libations to the Gods.

Prothesis, 6th century BC. Gela Painter/Walters Art Museum/Wikipedia

After the Burial

Few offerings were left at the gravesite. The ancient Greeks did not usually leave flowers on the grave unless it was during a rite or festival of the dead like Anthesteria.
Most offerings were libations of milk and honey. Other libations included wine, water, and olive oil. Sometimes, people would mix these liquids (such as combining wine with water during daily libations).
Libations were poured into the earth for the dead and chthonic deities.
Mourners would also deliver small cakes to the graveside.
Food offerings were believed to “feed” the dead. Unlike other traditions, this was not necessary for a restful afterlife, but it pleased the soul all the same.

Cleansing

Because deaths (and births) were considered “polluted,” the ancient Greeks would cleanse themselves after these events. This act of purification was called lustration.

Since the prothesis occurred in the home, all areas of the home--including the water--were considered polluted. A “clean” bucket of water remained outside for visitors to wash their hands. After the funeral, the home was washed with “new water,” usually from an ocean or spring. In Argos, mourners even put a “new fire” into the hearth.

Other lustrations included: fumigation (often with sulphur or incense), rubbing oneself with clay, or “washing off” with animal blood. These were not exclusive to funerals, however.

Cemeteries were said to be slightly polluted. Ghosts were said to hover near the burial site. If one wanted to communicate with the dead, they would go one of the Underworld entrances mentioned above, or to the ghost's burial site.

Kerameikos cemetery at Athens. Χρήστης Templar52/Wikipedia

What Can Practitioners Take Away from This?

After years of digging into ancient Greek funerals, I’ve pulled together correspondence lists that relate to that culture. If your Craft or faith pulls from ancient Greece, these might be useful to you.

Offerings for the Dead

Flowers
Music
Lamentations, including poetry, prayers, and songs
Olive oil
Milk
Honey
Water
Wine
Stones
Cakes, breads, and other grains

Libations are usually poured downward into the earth or another container.

Keep in mind that these are not the only offerings for the deceased. They are just options that I took away from the sources in "Recommended Reading."

To Honor or Heal the Dead

Hold a feast and include a dish for them
Give offerings
Sing or play music
Give them art, such as pottery, paintings, writings, or drawings
If applicable, ask deities to guide or aid them
- It does not need to be a chthonic deity; Demeter and Hestia can help loved ones, too

For Spiritual Protection

Enchant a stone to protect spirit vessels (such as graveyard dirt)
Cleanse tools with natural water, such as moon water, rain, river or spring water, etc.
Burn protective incense including myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, or dragon’s blood. I do not recommend burning sulphur.
If applicable, call upon the Gods. Prayers to the Gods were a big part of protection spells in ancient Greece.

Three Protection Spells to Keep Evil Away from the Home

9/10/2021

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Since autumn is rapidly approaching, I am refreshing my home protection spells. I do this every year before Samhain, when I perform my most elaborate spirit work.

Protection spells, also called wards, are essential for any magic path, but especially spirit work. Have you ever heard about ouija board sessions gone wrong? Or poltergeist hauntings? Or a long streak of bad luck? Wards prevent those from happening.

If your wards are strong, you won’t have to worry about spirits following you home from a graveyard or hexes reaching your family.

Here are three protection spells that have aided me in the past. As with my post Three Death Witchcraft Spells to Heal the Deceased, I will list the ingredient correspondences at the end of the article. I recommend reading that list; spells always have more power if you understand the purpose of the ingredients.

Note: These are NOT banishing spells. They are not appropriate for someone who is currently being haunted. Wards are specifically performed to prevent attacks, not end them.

Candle Protection Spell

Candle spells are the most common form of wards I see. I believe that candle magic is popular because it is so accessible. Similarly, I have developed one that involves equally accessible ingredients: cooking herbs.

You will need:

A black or white candle (I chose black)
A protection oil. I used one from the Earthbound Craftworks. If you do not own a protection oil blend, use frankincense oil.
Dill (dried)
Oregano (dried)
Parsley (dried)

Mix equal parts of dried dill, oregano, and parsley. If they are not already in small pieces, use a mortar and pestle to grind them.

Anoint your candle with the protection oil. Lay the dried herbs out on a paper towel, and roll the candle over them while it is still wet with the oil. The oil will stick the herbs to the candle.

Light the candle, and burn it until you can do it no longer. I created my other two protection spells while the candle was burning.

NOTE: Keep a close eye on the flame. As with any herb-covered candle, the fire could spread to the dried herbs and quickly burn out of control. Keep a glass of water nearby.

Protection Oil for Windows and Doors

When I was first learning witchcraft, my magic teacher showed me how she rubbed oils on her window and door frames. This is not a new concept; many cultures, from the ancient Egyptians through the Middle Ages, rubbed oils on doors and windows.

More commonly, people would hang, plant, or scatter herbs near their doors for protection. Oil blends are easier because they are subtle and can work in any home, including college dorms and apartments.

You’ll need:

Rose geranium oil (use plain geranium if you can’t find rose geranium)
Lavender oil
Frankincense oil
A glass, airtight container for the oils

Clean and consecrate your container. I used a vintage perfume container that I found at a thrift store. You can cleanse the vial through many methods, from crystal charging to moon water. Personally, I consecrated it with myrrh incense.

Combine the oils with two parts rose geranium, one part lavender, and one part frankincense. For example, if you use two drops of rose geranium oil, pour one drop of lavender and frankincense oils. I did ten drops of rose geranium and five drops of the other two.

Leave it on your altar overnight to charge. I placed mine on a wooden Goddess symbol. If you perform this spell during a full moon, you may charge it with the moonlight. Do NOT charge it in sunlight; the light will degrade the oils.

The next morning, take your oil vial outside with a cotton ball. Place the oil on a cotton ball and rub it along your door and window frames. If you live on the second floor or above, you may do this inside.

Try to rub the oil on all four corners, if possible. You do not have to cover entire doors in oil. A little bit goes a long way.

Refresh this spell every six months.

Graveyard Dirt Protection Powder

Graveyard dirt has many magical properties, which you can learn more about in the post Magical Uses for Graveyard Dirt. One of its properties is protection, especially when it’s from the grave of a loved one (such as Goofer Dust in Hoodoo).

Use some from a reliable spirit whom you’ve worked with before, such as an ancestor. Think of it this way: which spirit do you want guarding your home?

This is a warding powder made with graveyard dirt.

You’ll need:

Graveyard dirt
Juniper berries or ground juniper
Black salt
Patchouli oil

Ask the spirit’s permission to use their dirt in a protection powder. When you have permission, combine the dirt with black salt (not cooking black salt--witches’ black salt. Learn more in the next section).

Add juniper berries and grind in a mortar and pestle. Pour two to three drops of patchouli essential oil, and mix. Keep this powder in an airtight glass container.

Scatter the powder around your home, especially the front and back doors. If you live above-ground, spread the powder along window sills and balconies.

Why I Chose These Ingredients

Candle - Both black and white candles are used in protection spells. Black candles can also aid with banishing and absorbing negativity, and white candles promote purity, serenity, and calling on spirit guides.
Black Salt - Black salt is a mixture of table salt with an ingredient that turns it black, such as charcoal or ash. While all salt is relevant for protection spells, black salt is specifically designed to ward off evil spirits.
Dill - Dill comes from the Norse word dilla, meaning “soothe.” In the Middle Ages, people planted dill to protect them from witchcraft. You can also carry it in a sachet for protection. When hung over a door, dill prevents people who are ill-disposed or jealous from entering.
Frankincense - In both Christian and Jewish traditions, frankincense is burned for consecration. It also releases purifying vibrations that drive away evil and negativity. In Hoodoo and rootwork, frankincense is used to boost other magical herbs in a ritual.
Geranium, Rose - Geraniums of all types are used in protection spells, as they tend to ward off predators like snakes. I have personally had a lot of success with rose geranium. In folklore, people would rub rose geranium on doors, doorknobs, or windows for protection. You can also place it in a protection sachet.
Graveyard Dirt - This is dirt from a cemetery or grave. Learn more about its associations in this post: Magical Uses for Graveyard Dirt.
Juniper - Juniper, both the berries and leaves, was a popular protective herb in Europe during the Renaissance and Middle Ages. It was hung above doors and carried to prevent theft and burned during exorcisms. A sprig of juniper was believed to guard against illness and malicious ghosts.
Lavender - Lavender is frequently mentioned in the Bible, and early Christians would make crosses from lavender to ward off evil. Because of its ability to repel pests, lavender is used in protection satchels and to dispel the evil eye.
Oregano - If oregano grows near a home, it is said to protect that house from evil. Oregano is also great in death work. The ancient Greeks believed that if oregano grew on a grave, the deceased was happy in the afterlife.
Parsley - The Romans wore parsley during weddings to ward off evil spirits. They also tucked the herb into their togas for protection. In ancient Greece, victors of funeral games were crowned with parsley to honor the deceased. They believed that the herb grew from the blood of Archemorus, whose name meant “forerunner of death.” You can also use parsley in purification baths and in spells to prevent misfortune.
Patchouli - Patchouli’s smell links it with the rich earth, and it is often used as a substitute for graveyard dust. You can find it in many money and prosperity spells, too.

For More Protection, Check out These Posts

Which protection spells have you done in the past? How often do you need to refresh them? Have any not worked? Let me know in the comments below!

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How to Build an Ancestor Altar and Start Practicing

7/17/2021

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As many of my readers know, my grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. Ever since then, I’ve felt like there are two parts of me. The first part is the death witch side of me, which gives myself the same advice that I would give others who mourn. And the second part is me, who, for some reason, doesn’t want to take the advice.

Grieving is an intense group of emotions. When I grieve, I tend to shut down and numb myself. My current goal is to force some of those emotions out so I can make peace with them.

Ancestor altars are not just for death witchcraft; they also help people grieve. You can find versions of ancestor altars or shrines across the world, as they provide a place where one can give offerings and pray to those who have passed. That said, you don’t need to know any of your ancestors to create an altar for them.

Since I recently created an ancestor altar, I decided to share my process. Here's what we'll cover:

Finding an altar spot
The two basics + ideas for both
Religious differences between you and your ancestors
Including your craft on the altar
How to start ancestor work

For the basics of ancestor worship, check out this post.

Find a Comfortable Spot

“Find a spot for your altar” seems like obvious advice, but the location deserves some thought. Your ancestor altar does not need to be a large table with a complex gallery wall behind it.

Many families place ancestor altars on a shelf. These shelves often include a dish for offerings, pictures, and other religious icons. I’ve also seen tables or shelves next to a bench or chair, so that people who grieve may “sit with” their family.

A spot on your desk, a bookshelf, bedside table--your ancestor altar can fit in any of those spots. It does not need to be big; it just needs the basics, which I will cover later.

I have a large altar table for my practice, but I had to replace one of my altars for the ancestor one. I ended up replacing my Wiccan one (temporarily--the Gods know that this is what I need right now).

The Basics

While every ancestor altar is different, most contain two basic components: a representation of your ancestors, and an area to give offerings. Let’s dive deeper into these two components.

A Representation of Your Ancestors

There are many ways to represent your ancestors on your altar. The most obvious are pictures. Many necromancers and death workers display pictures of their ancestors, as both a mark of honor and a visualization to aid spirit work.

If you attended that person’s funeral, you might have an order of service (the pamphlet that details the funeral timeline). These often contain a photo or prayer for the deceased. For my ancestor altar, I displayed the order of service for my grandmother’s funeral, which included an Irish prayer.

But you don’t need photos to create an ancestor altar. Family heirlooms are also brilliant ways to portray your ancestry. Do you have a book that’s been passed down? A necklace? A card? Any object that has been passed down to you, through your grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, etc. act as family heirlooms.

For my ancestor altar, I had a butterfly pin given by my maternal grandmother and a sliver cup given by my great-grandmother.

But what if you don’t have any family heirlooms? Then look at cultural representations. For example, my grandmother immigrated to America from Ireland, so the Irish blessing acts as a representation of my paternal ancestors. You might have a book in your family’s native language, a doll, a piece of art, or a plate that depicts your cultural heritage.

If you need more ideas, scroll down for several ideas in every category I’ve mentioned.

Pictures/Visual Representations:

Old photographs
An order of service
A list of your ancestor’s names
An old card (birthday card, letter, etc.)
A family tree
Dirt from their graves
Ashes, if applicable

Family Heirlooms:

Books owned by an older family member
A piece of jewelry, such as a necklace, brooch, pin, or ring
Timepieces that are indicative of that era, such as a pocket watch, switchblade, baseball cards, etc.
A recipe book
Military memorabilia
Diaries or scrapbooks
Kitchenware such as wine glasses, bowls, or teacups
Art
Stories--write down some stories that you’ve heard from your older relatives
A piece of clothing, folded or hung above the altar
A blanket or quilt
An old toy

Cultural Depictions:

A language book
A flag
A prayer or cultural saying
National or culturally significant animals
Symbols, religious or otherwise
A book about said culture
A written recipe from that culture
An item from that country or region, such as a mug, plate, magnet, or photograph
A photo of a cultural festival
Clothing
Religious iconography, such as a votive candle

The Irish blessing was on the back of my grandmother's order of service--a perfect touch.

I included a San Francisco pin because my grandmother grew up there.

An Area to Provide Offerings

Offerings are the cornerstone of ancestor work. Even if you’ve never contacted your ancestors before, you can show that you’re thinking about them through offerings. What offerings you give depend on your culture and your practice.

Many death workers provide an area for offerings. For instance, I have a black and white leaf dish for food and herb offerings, and a brown leaf dish for incense. Foods, drinks, and incense are all common offerings for ancestors.

Another idea is to provide a candle. Many people devote a candle to their ancestors and light it whenever they want to honor their family. I have a votive candle to St. Joseph because my Auntie Mary, who was a Catholic nun, was a Sister of St. Joseph. I also have a more general ancestor candle, the one labeled “In Memoriam.”

Here are some ideas for offering areas:

A candle or candle holder
A cauldron
An incense holder
A glass, teacup, or wine glass (bonus points if it’s a family heirloom)
Any bowl or plate (again, you can use family heirlooms if you wish)
Any fireproof bowl, such as ceramic, if you wish to burn incense or herbs
A basket

If you need ideas for offerings, consider these:

Water, wine, milk, or honey
Dark bread
Any kind of meal, baked good, or drink you make yourself (bonus points if it’s something that your ancestor enjoyed eating)
Incense
Coins
Stones or crystals
Herbs to soothe your ancestors, such as lavender, rose, thyme, or chamomile
Herbs that signify remembrance, such as rosemary, marigold, or frankincense
Flowers
Oils like olive oil
Songs or music
A letter that you write to a past loved one

I hide the cauldron and black leaf candle holder under the altar shelves.

I burned myrrh incense, a common offering in both Catholicism and necromancy.

About Religious Differences

Many people who read my blog have a different faith than their ancestors did. In my case, my ancestors were devoutly Catholic, and I am Wiccan. If this sounds like you, then you might wonder how you can respect both religions during ancestor work.

“Will my ancestors even like me since I practice a different religion?” is one of the most common questions I receive. The short answer is: it depends. Some ancestors will gladly work with you, and others will ignore you until you cater to their religion.

Do not answer this question before your ancestors do. You might assume that they won’t like your craft, and then when you start working with them, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Death provides a different perspective for many souls. Although my grandmother was very Catholic, he happily let me take some graveyard dirt. For him, it was like giving me a sweater for Christmas.

So what does this have to do with ancestor altars? You might want to portray your or your ancestor’s faith on your altar. In my case, I did both. I provided a rosary that I used during my grandfather’s funeral and a St. Joseph votive. But I also included a pentagram to represent myself.

Do not feel as if you have to forfeit your religion for your ancestors. If you have an ancestor who forsakes your beliefs, do not work with them. You are not required to work with every ancestor, and you are not required to ignore your own beliefs or make yourself uncomfortable.

If you want to represent religions on your ancestor altar (this is optional), here are some ideas to do so.

Your Ancestor’s Beliefs:

A Bible or other holy text
A rosary
A prayer they used to recite (or one that you believe represents them)
A religious votive
A symbol of their religion, such as a cross or Star of David

Your Beliefs:

A symbol of your beliefs, such as a pentagram or rune
A deity statue, if applicable
A prayer that aligns with your belief
Prayer beads
A stone or other object that you meditate with
A prayer journal or devotional art book

I have a Catholic rosary and Hades prayer beads

I have to include a full moon somewhere...I'm Wiccan, okay?

Including Your Practice

If you are a frequent reader of this blog, then you’re probably a death worker or interested in death witchcraft/necromancy. In this case, you might want to add some magic tools on your ancestor altar. Doing so will aid your spirit work and enhance your connection with those passed.

Before you dump every magic tool on your altar, ask yourself: what do you want to achieve with your ancestors? Do you want to just honor and remember them? If so, you might want to provide some offerings, prayers, or paper to write letters to them. Do you want to practice spirit work? If so, include a divination method and smoke blends to boost your psychic abilities.

Here Are Some Death Witch Supplies to Include on Your Altar:

A divination tool, such as a pendulum, runes, bone throwing set, or obsidian mirror
A mirror to scry with
A bowl of water to scry with (Scrying is a common form of divination in necromancy)
Graveyard dirt
A crystal pipe, if applicable
Bones or other animal parts
A skull or similar representation of death

I use this "In Memoriam" candle as an offering for all the dead.

Ancestor powder is another term for graveyard dirt from your ancestor's grave.

Stumped? Here’s Where to Start

If you’re building an ancestor altar, then you probably want to work with your ancestors. But where do you start? I always recommend beginning with offerings.

Offerings let your ancestors know that you are thinking of them and want them to be well. Light a candle, provide some incense, give some tea or coffee. As you give these offerings, talk to your ancestors. Tell them that you want to work with them and hope that you can get along.

If you are grieving a lost family member, like I am, spend some time sorting through your emotions. Write a letter to your deceased loved one. Tell them everything you wanted to when they were alive, or how much you miss them in death. You can keep them letter or burn it.

If you’re struggling with intense emotions, try journaling. Set a timer for two minutes, and write down your thoughts and feelings. At the end of the two minutes, take an emotional break. Cry, hug a stuffed animal, smell something soothing--do whatever you need to process these emotions. And when you feel up to it, do this again.

Meditating or praying at your ancestor altar can provide some mental and emotional clarity. Imagine that you’re sitting with your ancestors, just enjoying your time together.

Do you have an ancestor altar? Are ancestors a part of your magic practice? If so, let me know what you do to honor your family. And if I missed anything in this post, remind me in the comments below.

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Magical Uses for Cemetery Water and Snow

5/1/2021

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In February, my husband and I drove seven miles north of the tiny mountain town Lee Vining. We were heading toward an isolated cemetery on the ridge of Mono Lake. Mono Lake is three times saltier than the ocean, and salt deposits stick out of the lake like rocks. While driving, we played a game called “Is that snow, or is it salt?”

Mono Lake Cemetery was massive and freezing. The northern wind slapped my face and left stinging handprints. As we walked around, we saw overturn benches and wooden crosses leaning from the wind. Snow somehow snuck into my boots.

By the time we were leaving, I felt hot and sticky under my coat but raw in the face. But I suddenly remembered that an Instagram follower had asked me about cemetery snow. I decided to gather some and test its uses.

I asked my husband to toss me the empty water bottle in my car. Then, at the front gates, I shoveled snow into the water bottle barehanded. Sure, it felt like my skin was melting, but I live in Southern California; we rarely see snow.

Since I got that cemetery snow, it has melted. But I have studied and tested cemetery water for its uses in death witchcraft. These are my findings.

What Do We Know About Ghosts and Water?

12/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

I’ve read a few posts about cemetery water, and most authors give it the traditional associations with water. For instance, they would say that cemetery water can purify, cleanse, etc.

This is a perfectly valid way to analyze cemetery water. But I want to explore the relationship between ghosts and water in folklore.

In some cultures, ghosts inhabit water. In Slavic folklore, the realm of the dead and realm of the living are divided by water, namely the sea. Navia, or souls of the dead, are said to live in water.

In Thailand, ghosts called Phi Phrai are said to inhabit water. These ghosts are usually women, and they might have died with a child in the womb. If you are familiar with the Ghost Festival, you might have heard something similar. Residents of China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore call the seventh month of the lunar calendar Ghost Month, when the deceased rise from the lower realm. On Ghost Day, many people will avoid water in fear that a ghost will drag them down. Shui gui, or water ghosts, are said to have died by drowning.

Depending on the culture and religion, water might have connections to the Underworld. I discussed wells, rivers, and caves in this post: Real-Life Locations That Connect to the Underworld.

But in other cultures, ghosts avoid water. In Scotland, spirits of the dead cannot cross bodies of water. When funeral processions carried a coffin to a cemetery, they would cross a bridge or walk on river rocks along the way. They believed that ghosts and malicious spirits could not follow the body that way.

The concept of ghosts avoiding water also exists in the United States. If you’ve ever been to the South, you’ve probably noticed that many porches and houses are a light bluish-green. This color is called haint blue, and it had special significance to the Gullah, African Americans who lived in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Because haint blue resembles water, it is said to protect houses from spirits of the dead.

Depending on your Craft and where you live, water can have different associations in death witchcraft. I’ve narrowed it down to two uses: connecting to the dead and protection.

Connecting to the Dead with Cemetery Water

Scrying with cemetery water.

The first use for cemetery water is to connect with the dead. Because this water is infused with death energy, its function is similar to graveyard dirt.

Put cemetery water into death witch or necromancy-related spells. I used some in my spirit work oil and necromancy ink. You can also add it to salves, oils, or baths. Dipping a candle in it (not the wick!) and letting it dry might enhance a candle spell. Add a tiny bit to dampen your herbal smoking blend should you want to go hedgecrossing or divine.

To simplify, view cemetery water as a spirit work booster. Anything you add it to should help you connect with the dead.

Another use for cemetery water is lecanomancy, otherwise known as water scrying. Since ancient Rome, necromancers have peered into water to receive messages from the dead.

To practice water scrying, grab a clear bowl (glass is ideal) and pour cemetery water into it. Make sure that the bowl is not too dark; you want to see the water. Light a candle and keep it nearby to illuminate the space. Some people put a bit of olive oil into the water, but that is not necessary. Breathe evenly, clear your mind, and peer into the water. See what the dead wish to show you.

Protection with Cemetery Water

Another potential use for cemetery water is protection. Depending on the folklore, even imitating water can protect you from spirits.

Rub cemetery water onto your windows and doors to ward your home. While leaving a cemetery, toss some water behind you so that spirits don’t follow you home. Painting certain objects in the color of water might dissuade spirits from touching them.

Cemetery water can also consecrate and cleanse. Use it to anoint magical tools and keep them safe from harm. If you feel like spirits are clinging to you or following you, pour a drop onto your clothes.

How to Get Cemetery Water

If you are interested in working with cemetery water, there are several ways you can get it. If it rains at a cemetery, collect some of the drops. You can also collect some water from puddles or sprinklers in a graveyard.

You can also do it how I did: by collecting cemetery snow. Snow and water have similar correspondences, and you can use snow in the same ways as listed above. If it snows in your area, head to a local cemetery and get it there.

While gathering cemetery water or snow, try to avoid specific graves. Water is a common offering for the dead, and you don’t want to disturb the soul that lives there. When I gathered snow, I did it near the front gate. The entrance of the cemetery belongs to the gatekeeper, a deceased soul that guards the graveyard. If you get this spirit’s permission, you can grab snow or water from there.

Can You Do the Same Spells with Regular Water?

While I was researching cemetery water, I kept asking myself: Can we do the same spells with cemetery water? Historically, few spells require cemetery water, specifically. When necromancers scried with water, they got it from a river or spring, not a graveyard. At least, that’s what we know from the Greek Magical Papyri.

The closest thing I found to cemetery water was a form of divination from the Native American tribe, Catawba. They would place a bowl of water next to a corpse’s head. After three days, people could peer into the water and receive messages from the deceased.

I hold my cemetery water in this thrifted glass vial.

In short, you don’t need cemetery water to practice lecanomancy. Plenty of death witchcraft spells require regular water. However, if you want a “spirit work boost,” using cemetery water will only work in your favor.

Conclusion

In short, cemetery water and snow have two main uses: connecting to the dead and protection. Lecanomancy, which is scrying with a bowl of water, is a common necromancy method.

You can get cemetery water from rain, sprinkles, puddles, or snow that is not on a specific grave.

View cemetery water as a spirit work booster; it’s not required for spirit work, but it will increase your chances of connecting with the deceased.

Would you use cemetery water or snow? Have you used either in the past? Let me know in the comments below!

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Osteomancy: How to Divine by Throwing Bones

4/17/2021

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Bones aren’t placed on altars for just aesthetics. Magicians use these bones for spirit work, magic, and divination. One of the most popular uses for bones is osteomancy.

Osteomancy, also called bone throwing, is a form of divination that is interpreted from a tossed bone set. It can provide detailed answers to complex questions, from careers to hobbies to relationships. This attention to detail makes bone throwing my preferred form of divination.

If this interests you, here’s how you can gather a bone set and start divining.

What Is Bone Throwing?

Osteomancy is a type of bone divination. The diviner tosses a set of bones onto the floor or a cloth. When they land, the diviner analyzes their position and determines an answer from the formation.

Bone divination has existed for thousands of years. In ancient China, diviners examined shoulder blades, a practice called scapulimancy. During the Shang Dynasty, people burned an ox shoulder blade and divined the cracks in it. Today, people call this pyro-osteomancy.

Evidence of bone divination also stems from Japan, Korea, Northern Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Serbia, and Greece. The form of osteomancy that people know today--which involves tossing sets of bones, shells, rocks, and other materials--likely came from American Hoodoo. In Africa and Asia, diviners would put those materials in a basket, shake them, and then toss them onto a mat or circle.

Gathering Your Bone Set

Gathering bones can be a daunting task. Some people find them in nature, and others buy them from ethically-sourced shops. If you want to gather bones, know that certain countries and U.S. states have laws and regulations against collecting bones. Even some bird feathers are illegal to take. Research your local laws before exploring.

You can also purchase bones from Etsy sellers, antique shops, or taxidermy stores. Most taxidermy stores get their bones from research or university donations as well as personal collections. Some butcher shops sell meat with bones inside. I got my set from a cattle spine that I cut and cleaned.

Along with bones, osteomancy sets also feature other materials. Shells (bones of the sea) and bark (bones of the earth) are common.

These pages are from my zine, Death Witchcraft: Volume 2.

Here are some other examples of objects that many diviners include in their sets:

Keys
Rocks
Hag stones
Snail shells
Exoskeletons
Horns
Coins
Di (dice)
Bottle caps
Acorns
Sticks and bark

Diviners often include objects that they feel drawn to or have some symbolic meaning in their faith or culture. For simplicity, I’m going to call all the items in an osteomancy set “bones” from now on.

Because osteomancy sets are so varied and personal, it takes a while to curate one. Although there is no limit to the amount of items you can have, I recommend having between four and seven to start. These will give you enough variation to begin practicing.

Assigning Your Bones

Once you have a set of bones and other objects, you will need to assign each a meaning. These meanings vary by set and practitioner. Some diviners draw runes on their bones; some give label each object as a person (woman, man, nonbinary, child); and others give more broad meanings.

As an example, I’ll tell you my bones’ meanings: malice, creativity, career, passion, love, money. I also have seashells that stand for people (male, female, adult, child, etc.). The longer bones in my collection are separators that show which part of your life has a “block.” And finally, the key points to the answer.

Here is a brief list of example meanings, including ones I did not use:

Career
Spirituality
Luck
Family
Love
Difficulty
Lessons learned
Deities
Spirits
Elements
Your true path
Self Care
Home
Organization
Creativity

These are just ideas; get creative!

You’re probably wondering, “How do I assign my bones?” This will require a bit of intuition and spirit work. Connect with the bones’s spirits to determine which one means what. The more time you spend “bonding” with the bones, the easier this will be. As a funny example, one of my bones cut me when I was cleaning it. I labeled it as the malice bone.

If you would like help speaking to your bones, check out this post: How to Conduct Spirit Communication with Bones.

How to Cast

Once you’ve assigned your bone set, it’s time to cast. Here are the basics:

Gather your bones in a basket, box, or just your hands.
Ask your question. Repeat it a couple of times in your head while holding/shaking the bones around.
Gently toss them onto a cloth or other soft area. (I have broken shells from my set by throwing them too hard!)
Based on where they land, interpret the answer.

How you interpret it depends on your set, the question, and how you cast.

The Many Ways to Interpret Bone

Generally speaking, people interpret the bones by how close they are to each other. For example, if they luck bone and money bone land close to each other, they might be related. Some diviners look at the shape that the bones make and determine an answer from that.

Some people set rules. For instance, I focus on the bones that land within my cloth; the ones outside are not as important to the answer. Others divide their cloth into quadrants and read it that way. I know one diviner whose cloth had butterflies, and the bones near the butterflies have significance to the meaning.

How do you set up these rules? By practicing, of course.

To the average person, a bone throwing reading will look like a pile of junk. The diviner must rely on their intuition and spiritual connection with the set to determine an answer.

Here's an example of a reading I did for a friend.

Practice and More Practice

As with any form of divination, osteomancy becomes more straightforward the more you practice. The more you cast, the more you’ll have to rely on intuition.

For example, I said earlier that the key in my set points to the answer. But what happens if the key lands outside of the cloth or points at nothing? In that case, I found that the answer might not lie with the question. In other words, the asker might be asking the wrong question or need to think outside of the box.

Performing readings on yourself can be great practice. You can also perform readings for friends or loved ones.

If you have trouble connecting with your bones, spend time with them. Meditate with the bones or keep them nearby while you’re working or studying. Sometimes, spirits attached to bones take a while to open up to a practitioner. Be patient with your set, and you’ll receive helpful answers in return.

Conclusion

Here’s the short version of what you need to do to practice osteomancy:

Gather your bones and other objects.
Assign each object a meaning.
Decide how you’ll interpret them. Will you look at the shapes they create, or will you see how close each bones land next to each other?
Practice. Trial and error will make your readings clearer.

Do you practice osteomancy, or another form of bone divination? What is your experience? Let me know in the comments below!

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Making Magical Inks

4/11/2021

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In the Middle Ages, many grimoires and religious texts were written by monks. Their apprentices would make the inks, and it was a tedious process. Magicians have been creating inks for centuries.

I’ve always been interested in making my own inks, whether it be for my Book of Shadows or protection symbols or prayers. Recently, I finally tried making my own inks, with varying results. I made two: one for spirit work and another for necromancy.

This post is less instructional and more about my own journey. My recipe is not perfect, but it worked well enough in the end. If you are interested in making magical inks, read on.

My Universal Ink Recipe

When I researched ink recipes online, I found a variety of different recipes with different ingredients and methods. But after trying a few and tinkering with them, I came up with this:

Boil one cup of water.
Add two cups of fruits, herbs, or other ingredients for color.
Lower it to a simmer, and leave for around 30 minutes.
Strain out the solids.
Stir in four teaspoons of gum arabic.
When it cools, pour it into your desired container.
Add one to two drops of thyme or spearmint essential oil to preserve it.

Before you start, here are some other tools that you’ll need:

A disposable pot. Inks might stain your pots, and some of the ingredients I use are not edible. To prevent cross-contamination, I recommend buying a disposable pot. I got mine for $6 at Daiso, but you can also get one at a dollar store or thrift shop.
A strainer, preferably one you don’t use as often.
A glass or steel bowl to strain the ink into.
Spoons to stir in the gum arabic.
Containers to hold the ink. I recommend glass containers with a sealable lid. Do not use corks; these are too breathable and can dry out the liquid. I bought my ink wells at an antique market, but they did not come with lids, so I used silicone beer stoppers.
A funnel. This will help you pour the ink into the container.

What Is Gum Arabic, and Do I Need It?

Gum arabic, which is made from the sap of acacia trees, is a natural thickener. People use it to make glue, watercolor paints, and incense.

Some online ink recipes do not include gum arabic, but I personally recommend it. If you do not thicken your ink, it will look more like watercolor: light, translucent, washy. That said, the amount of gum arabic you need depends on how you’re using your ink

I made my inks for dip pens. These are pens that I dip into ink and draw with. Because of this, I needed thicker ink, hence the four teaspoons of gum arabic. If you are making ink for fountain pens, you should use less gum arabic, around ½ to one teaspoon. Use too much, and your pen could clog.

Also--If you can find liquid gum arabic, get it! I bought it powdered, and it’s hard to stir in. The powder immediately starts thickening the second it touches liquid, and it takes a while to dissolve it. I have not tried the resin, but I imagine that it is not much easier.

It took a few tries for me to find a suitable gum arabic ratio for my ink. The same might happen for you. If you find a different recipe, let me know in the comments below!

Which Ingredients Color the Ink?

Finding the right ingredients to color your ink could be a challenge. As a general rule, if a food, flower, herb, or liquid stains your fingers when you pick it up, it’s good for ink. Here are some examples that I did not include in the recipes below:

Turmeric (orange)
Berries (red, black, purple, or blue)
Tea bags (brown)
Red onion skins (purple/red)
Avocado pits (brown/black)
Black walnut shells (black)
Marigold (yellow/orange)
Ash from paper or wood (black)

If you steep a certain herb or flower, and it creates a specific color, it will also work for ink. Examples include chamomile, peonies, hibiscus, rose, lavender, lily of the valley, and daffodils.

But what about magical associations? After all, the entire point of making magical inks is to make them magical. Here is how I made my own ink recipes:

Determine your color and ink.
Write down a list of ingredients that will create that color.
Research the magical associations of these ingredients.
Choose the ingredients that will manifest your intent and create the color.

If you cannot decide which color to choose, check out this post about color magic and correspondence lists.

If you want your ink to have more magic, consider adding incense, graveyard dirt, moon water, tea bags, or herbs. I’ll provide some examples of how I made my own magical inks below.

Red Ink for Spirit Work

My first ink was designed to enhance spirit work. I want to use it to draw protection symbols and summoning circles, and I made it red.

First, I wrote down a list of ingredients that could make ink red: raspberries, turmeric, marigolds, red onion skins, and rooibos tea were some contenders. In the end, I settled on these ingredients:

Beets. These are often used as substitutes for blood and in banishing spells.
Red roses. I often offer roses to spirits to calm them.
Dragon’s blood. This is a common ingredient in magical inks. Dragon’s blood incense is often burnt for both protection and spirit communication. I used the incense.

Specifically, I added one cup of chopped beets, two tablespoons of dried rose petals, and two cones of dragon’s blood incense.

To say that this mixture smelled weird while simmering was an understatement. But it made a deep, purplish red color close to blood, which is what I wanted. After following the recipe I detailed above, here is how it turned out.

It is a light, purplish red color. I have to shake it before using, similar to other inks. If you want to make it more red, perhaps you can add more rose petals than I did.

Black Ink for Necromancy

My next ink was black, and I wanted to gear it toward death witchcraft, specifically. I’m going to use it for necromancy symbols, decorating bones, and writing prayers to my ancestors.

Although there are many ingredients that can create black ink, I settled on charcoal. It is essentially ash and appears dark enough (or so I thought).

After examining many different ingredients, I came up with this list:

Charcoal blocks. Historically, many magicians used charcoal to write in grimoires. It was viewed as a “cure all” against diseases, psychic attacks, and protection.
Myrrh. Called the “oil of holy ointments” in the Bible, this incense became common in necromancy spells. It is often burned to purify magic tools and attract spirits.
Graveyard dirt. I wrote about its uses here. I used graveyard dirt from my grandfather’s grave, which is sometimes called “ancestor powder.”
Coffee. Coffee is a spell booster that adds more power to the ink. If my charcoal ended up not working, the coffee would provide some color.
Cemetery water (optional).

As soon as the charcoal blocks hit the water, they disintegrated. Charcoal does not dissolve, but it does “melt” into the water. I only had myrrh incense sticks, so I scraped off the incense into the water. I added two tablespoons of coffee and a tiny bit of graveyard dirt.

The mixture smelled like myrrh, moreso than coffee. To remove most of the charcoal powder, I had to strain the ink a few times. The coffee seemed to dissolve right into the water.

Unfortunately, this ink turned out more brown than black. If I were to do this again, I would use more charcoal. I only used two blocks for this recipe, so in the future, I’ll use four or five. Like the previous ink, I also need to shake it before using.

Would You Create Magical Ink?

What do you think about these magical ink recipes? Do you want to make your own, and if so, for what purpose? Do you have a better recipe than me? This was my first time making inks, and I have a long way to go. Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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Three Death Witchcraft Spells To Heal The Deceased

3/13/2021

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I talk a lot about healing the dead in death witchcraft, and today, we’re going to cover some spells that help people do that. These three spells are specifically designed for honoring and emotionally assuaging the dead.

As regular readers know, I tend to pull my magic from ancient sources -- the Greek Magical Papyri, ancient Egyptian Coffin Spells, and first-hand accounts of Irish folklore from the University of Dublin, among others. I take (what we know of) these sources and reconstruct them into a modern spell. Here, I’m going to do the same thing while detailing my process.

For some of these ingredients, I listed potential substitutions. The correspondence list is at the end of the post. If you’re wondering why certain substitutions work, or why I used these ingredients, check the bottom of the post.

Offerings Made From Graveyard Dirt And Honey

The Papyri Graecae Magicae, often shortened to PGM, is a set of Greek magical papyri that dates between 100 and 400 BC. It is one of the most comprehensive lists of spells and rituals that we have from Greco-Roman Egypt, so it’s no wonder why many magicians reference it.

The PGM is not all death spells, but there are some involving graves, love spells that invoke dead soldiers (yes, there are love spells in necromancy), and one “Pitys the Thessalian's spell for questioning corpses.” I combined many elements from these spells, including common ingredients and offerings, to create a subtle and healing offering for the dead.

When you're done, it should look something like this.

Essentially, you are going to take graveyard dirt and dried herbs and bind them into tiny balls with honey. You can place these offerings in cemeteries or on graves.

Ingredients:

Graveyard dirt
Honey -- I recommend getting a squeeze bottle; otherwise you’ll pollute your honey jar with dirt.
The ash of burnt myrrh incense
Bread crumbs
Dried lavender, rose, and thyme.
1. Substitutions: calendula, rosemary, parsley.

First, grind all of your ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Lay them out on a paper towel, and use the honey to glue them into tiny balls. Your hands will get sticky.

Leave then on a paper towel to dry. I recommend keeping them in a plastic bag with little air so they won’t fall apart. These make convenient, subtle offerings for cemetery spirits.

Spirit Work Oil For Necromancy

Oil blends have been used in magic and funerary practices for centuries. From embalming corpses in ancient Egypt to applying flying ointments in medieval witchcraft, oils have a long list of uses. Many are also used for spirit work.

Here, I took influence from Abramelin Oil. This ceremonial anointing oil has a long magic history, from ancient Judaism to the Golden Dawn to Aleistor Crowley’s Thelema. Since I am not a part of any of those traditions, I changed the recipe to better suit death work.

I kept the base of olive oil, myrrh, and cinnamon, because all of these ingredients have strong connections to necromancy (see the correspondence list at the end of this post). Instead of cassia and galanga, I compiled some other herbs commonly used in death witchcraft. I also added some graveyard dirt, since I found that it boosts the power of any spirit work oil I make.

Here's what you'll need:

Olive oil
Myrrh -- I ground up the incense
Cinnamon -- I used the essential oil, Crowley style
Rosemary
1. Substitutions: rose or lavender
Wormwood
1. Substitution: mugwort
Graveyard dirt

I ground the dried herbs in a mortar and pestle before adding them to the container. After, I included the graveyard dirt, cinnamon oil, and olive oil. As I made it, I gave a substantial offering to the dead (mainly the soul who offered the dirt) through candle light and burnt herbs.

Above: Grinding the herbs together with a mortar and pestle. Right: the finished spirit work oil on my altar with some candle offerings.

Then, I placed the oil on Hades’s altar for blessing. I kept it there for three days, giving Him an offering each night. You don’t have to do this, but I found that divine blessing empowers my oils so much more.

This oil can be added to water for scrying, consecrate tools, applied topically for spirit sense (in small doses), or given as an offering. In the next spell, I’m going to use the oil to anoint a candle.

Some have asked whether you need to strain the oil. Since we’re not using this oil for cooking or hygiene products like soap, you don’t need to strain it. However, you should seal it in an airtight container and watch for any mold, just like any other infused oil.

Healing Candle Spell for the Dead

I don’t think that I need to provide any historical reference for this spell. Candles have been used to honor the dead for a millennia.

Here, think of a specific soul that you want to heal or honor in some way. I recommend getting an item that links to that person, such as their graveyard dirt, a photo, or a belonging. If all else fails, carve their name onto the candle before anointing it.

You’ll need:

A candle in a healing color; I chose a light lavender
The spirit work oil from the previous spell
Dried healing herbs; I chose lavender, calendula, and rosemary
An object linking to the soul; I used graveyard dirt

Grind the dried herbs with a mortar and pestle, and lay them out on a paper towel. Anoint your candle with the oil; I used a Q-tip for this. After the candle is covered in oil, roll it on the dried herbs. They should stick to the candle. Place the candle near the soul’s object and light it.

As with any candle spell, watch the flame! This spell tends to create a very high flame (which is good; that means it’s effective). If the dried herbs catch fire, it might grow too big to blow out. Keep some water around just in case.

That pink container holds graveyard dirt for a soul whom I've often worked with.

Why I Chose These Ingredients

Bread Crumbs - Bread is one of the most universal offerings for the deceased, from ceremonial necromancy to the funerary rites written in the ancient Egyptian Coffin Spells. Many talk about bread loaves, but crumbs have appeared in necromancy as well. In the PGM, a love spell required the practitioner to throw bread crumbs onto the graves of those who died violently.
Calendula - Since the Victorian Era, calendulas have been common funerary flowers. It is also a prominent healing herb; it was often used to alleviate skin wounds from ancient Egypt to the American Civil War.

Cinnamon - Cinnamon has a long history of spirit work and consecration, especially in Judeo-Christian circles, since Moses anointed the Tabernacle with a cinnamon-infused oil. It was also a common embalming perfume; Emperor Nero bought as much cinnamon as he could to include it in his wife’s funeral pyre.

Honey - This ingredient appears quite frequently in the PGM and funerary rites for the ancient Greeks. Some would mix honey with milk as an offering or place a jar of honey next to the deceased. In Celtic lore, bees could pass through spiritual realms; some witches allegedly had bees as familiars, according to the Witchcraft Museum in Boscastle.
Lavender - Lavender is another popular funeral herb. The Ancient Greeks and Romans used it to heal wounds, illness, back aches, and insomnia. In Christian magic, lavender can protect against spirits. People would toss it on the church floor or make a cross out of lavender.
Mugwort - Although mugwort is commonly used for spirit work nowadays, I cannot find many historical sources backing this. Most use it for spirit work because of its hallucinogenic effects. That said, folklore promotes it as a healing herb. In medieval Europe, people wore wreaths of mugwort to dispel evil spirits.
Myrrh* - Myrrh is perhaps the most common incense in both ancient and traditional necromancy. Ash from myrrh incense was used to make magic circles or reused for other rites. The ancient Egyptians associated myrrh with Isis’s role as the Goddess of death and mourning, so they made magical inks and embalming oils with it.
Olive Oil - This oil is one of the most common consecration and divination oils out there, especially in ancient Rome, where people would scry with water and olive oil or rub the oil on their deity statues.
Parsley - In ancient Greece, people associated parsley with remembering the dead. Athletes would wear crowns of parsley to honor the recently deceased, and the ancient Romans put parsley on graves.
Rose - Another popular funeral flower, roses were often dedicated to deities in ancient Greece and Rome. In Egyptian tombs from the 5th century BC, paintings of roses hang on the walls. Today, many associated roses with love (as the Greeks related roses to Aphrodite) and the purifying rosewater.
Rosemary - Rosemary is commonly associated with memory, especially remembrance of the dead. You’ll find it in funerary rites from Rome, ancient Egypt, and medieval England.
Thyme - Thyme is another herb that the Egyptians used for embalming. The ancient Greeks put thyme into baths, believing that it would raise their courage. Hence, the herb commonly appeared in funerals, often associated with the courage and the strength of the mourners. According to the English Cottage Garden Nursery, people used to put thyme on coffins to assure passage into the afterlife.
Wormwood* - Wormwood is similar to mugwort in that most people relate its spirit work properties to its hallucinogenic effect. However, wormwood has a bit more folklore related to spirit work. The Ancient Greeks hung to guard against malicious spirits, and people carried wormwood for protection in Slavic folk dances and rituals.

** These herbs can be toxic in large amounts. Do not use while pregnant or if you have seizures.

These Related Posts That Might Help

Do you have spells to heal the deceased? Would you have used a different ingredient or method? Let me know in the comments below.

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Real-Life Locations That Connect to the Underworld

3/6/2021

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Hierapolis, the ancient Greek city that now lies in ruins in Turkey, holds a mysterious religious site. The ancient Romans called it Pluto’s Gate, and later medieval scholars named it “the Gateway to Hell.” Both names, of course, represented the Lord of the Dead, Pluto.

Pluto's Gate - Anette/Pinterest

Pluto’s Gate was a cave that led deep underground, surrounded by bubbling hot springs. Priests would lead animals into the cave as offerings. Onlookers heard the animals panic before a loud thud, and the priest would drag out a dead cow, goat, or lamb. Birds that landed on the cave would eventually suffocate and die. Only priests could enter, and when they did, they experienced visions of the Underworld and the dead.

It’s no wonder why people assumed that this cave led to the Underworld. But in 2013, Italian archaeologists found another explanation. The nearby hot springs emitted toxic gases, specifically CO₂, which made up 91% of the air in the cave. This much CO₂ is deadly and causes vivid hallucinations.

Although Pluto’s Gate has a scientific explanation, it still portrays a universal trope in folklore: real-life locations that lead to the land of the dead. Some cultures call this the Otherworld, Heaven, Hell, or afterlife; I’m going to use the term “Underworld” for simplicity.

There are many other locations that are said to connect to the Underworld, where witches and magicians can more easily speak to the dead. I am going to cover many of these locations here, and how you can use them.

Crossroads

Crossroads in Venice, Italy - Yakir/Pixabay

Crossroads are commonly known as a “thin place” where ghosts, faeries, witches, the Devil, and other spirits appear. You can find stories of the crossroads in Denmark, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Greece, Brazil, and the Kingdom of Kongo. In spirit work, crossroads are so prevalent that the ancient Greeks dedicated a Goddess to them--Hecate.

Some rituals require people to visit the crossroads at certain times, such as at night or on All Hallow’s Eve. Whenever the magician arrived, they usually performed divination. Crossroads were said to connect people to ghosts and tell magicians when people will die.

According to Welsh folklore, if you stand in a crossroads and listen to the wind in the trees, you will hear the names of people who will die. People in the Scottish Highlands would sit on a three-legged stool and wait for ghosts to whisper these names into their ears. In Denmark, practitioners made a triangle with their horse cart and called a ghost by name. They could then ask the ghost three questions.

Because of its associations with the afterlife, crossroads often appeared in funeral processions. In Finland and Wales, the deceased was carried across crossroads during the funeral to protect it against witchcraft and prevent the spirit from haunting the living.

Nowadays, many people visit crossroads to practice spirit work, especially in traditional witchcraft and Hoodoo. Many leave offerings for spirits at crossroads, while others go there to practice divination. Some say that you can dispose of spell ingredients at crossroads, while others go there to perform certain spells, such as hedgecrossing and traveling to the Underworld.

Cemeteries and Graveyards

We all knew that cemeteries and graveyards would be on the list, but I have to mention them. Many, many cultures speak of ghosts that walk around in cemeteries. In ancient cemeteries, everything from the iron gates to the type of trees planted were meant to prevent the dead from haunting the living (see: Trees in Cemeteries).

In traditional necromancy, otherwise known as reanimation necromancy, practitioners aimed to put a person’s soul back into their body. According to authors such as Ebenezer Sibly, necromancers needed a fresh body to do this, usually no older than three days. The necromancers would approach the corpse at sunset, midnight, or on a full moon. They would cast a circle, light (usually poisonous) incense, and perform rituals to reanimate the body and speak to it.

Most people do not practice this anymore because (1) digging into a grave is illegal, (2) entering cemeteries at night is usually illegal, and (3) it’s just flat-out disrespectful to the deceased.

Instead of performing necromancy at cemeteries, modern-day practitioners go there to collect graveyard dirt, speak with local spirits, clean graves, and give offerings. I’ve covered these topics already in these posts: Magical Uses for Graveyard Dirt and How to Commune with Spirits While in a Graveyard.

My photo of a cemetery in Ramona, CA.

Caves

Light pours into a cave - Ivana Cajina/Unsplash

As you could probably tell by the Pluto’s Gate story, caves are often linked to the Underworld. After all, many of the ancients believed that the Underworld was literally right under their feet. Necropoles, graves, and burial sites were all underground--as are caves.

Stories of caves leading to the afterlife date back to ancient Babylon. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh entered a cave on Mount Mashu to cross the Sea of Death and enter Paradise. Across the world, the Mayans performed religious rituals in caves along the Yucatan Peninsula, believing that they connected to the Underworld. When a person was born, they emerged from the Underworld; when they died, they returned to it.

One thing to note is that, in most cultures, caves are perceived as dangerous, not just physically but spiritually. People who entered the Underworld were unlikely to return. In Ireland, caves were not only houses for ghosts, but for fae. The ancients warned children not to go near caves, or else they could get kidnapped by the fae. In England, people carved “anti-witch” marks into caves to prevent witchcraft, many of which still exist today. Because these spiritual sites were so risky, the only people who inhabited them were shamans, priests, or oracles.

Although records upon records of folklore associate caves with the Underworld, modern practitioners do not use caves as much. Certain caves see practitioners arrive for a ritual, but other than that, not many people use caves for magic.

Bridges

In many cultures, bridges symbolize the transition between life and death. On some Scandinavian gravestones, you might see inscriptions of bridges, implying that the soul crossed one to reach the afterlife. It is no wonder, then, that real-life bridges are viewed as hot spots of spirit activity.

A bridge in Shatin Park, Hong Kong - Wai Siew/Unsplash

In Germany, Russia, France, Italy, and many other countries, bridges are viewed as a “thin place” that ghosts frequent. Most often, the bridges that attracted practitioners were called Devil’s Bridges. These stone arch bridges had an unusual shape, and the ancients claimed that the Devil himself built it.

Some believed that witches and other magical practitioners would cross bridges during the Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt was a procession of spirits from ghosts to fae that occurred many times throughout the year, usually around Yule. Because bridges are seen as routes to the Otherworld, many people use them for hedgecrossing or astral projection.

Rivers

River in Aosta, Italy - Mario Álvarez/Unsplash

If you’re familiar with Greek mythology, then you know about the river Styx carrying souls into the Underworld. But the Greeks were not the only culture who associated rivers with the afterlife. In Japanese Buddhism, souls have to cross the Sanzu River to reach the afterlife. The ancient Egyptian Underworld, Duat, included rivers similar to real-life Egypt. In some traditions, Mesopotamian Underworld, Kur, also had a river.

Now, rivers leading to the Underworld (like Styx) and rivers in the Underworld (like the other four rivers in Hades) are two very different things. Nonetheless, a lot of people associate rivers with the realm of the dead. Many who have hedgecrossed to the afterlife describe rivers, and I knew one death witch who used her bath to travel to the afterlife.

Unlike other locations on this list, Underworld rivers were not usually equated with real-life locations, like the Nile. They were deemed to be entirely different rivers, possibly similar or identical to the physical world, but in another realm.

That has not stopped people from experiencing hauntings around rivers, especially in the U.S., where many rivers were sites of Civil War battles. You might have some luck connecting to ghosts by rivers; at the very least, you will meet local land spirits there.

Rainbows

In many cultures, rainbows connect the living to the dead. From Germany to Hawai’i to Australia, many cultures viewed rainbows as a way to connect humans to spirits and Gods.

In terms of deceased souls, folklore from Austria and Germany said that children’s souls ascended to Heaven through the rainbow. Unborn children also reached the afterlife through a rainbow serpent, according to Australian Aboriginal mythology.

Nowadays, the rainbow holds many other meanings, from gay rights to miracles to God’s promise after the flood. Some practitioners perform certain religious and spiritual rituals during rainbows, or use the symbol of the rainbow in their work. Others gather rainwater when a rainbow appears, believing that deceased loved ones send them a rainbow to let them know that they’re okay.

A rainbow touches a meadow - Pexels/Pixabay

Other Notable Locations

While I was researching, I came across some other locations that are associated with ghosts, mainly through urban legends. There is not enough information for these to have a full section, but I want to include them because they’re interesting.

Mazes have appeared in both Egyptian and Celtic mythology as being part of the afterlife. The idea is that ghosts cannot navigate mazes, so it keeps them inside the Underworld.
Wells are often sites of hauntings. They connect the top of the earth to the deep underground, which many interpret as leading to the Underworld.
Certain roads, highways, and tunnels are seen as ghost hot spots, largely due to traffic accidents there. Tales of ghost hitchhikers are common in these areas.
Fields--most ancient Underworlds are described as large fields, including reeds, grass, lakes, and so on. Many people see this while hedgecrossing.

Conclusion

Many ancient civilizations perceived real-life locations as connecting to the Underworld, including caves, rivers, rainbows, and bridges. These places were known as a “thin place” where people can more easily sense ghosts.

Modern practitioners can use this to their advantage by performing divination there, giving offerings to local spirits, or gathering tools from there such as graveyard dirt.

Is there any location that you associate with the dead? Or do you go somewhere to practice your Craft? Let me know in the comments below!

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How to Detect, Avoid, and Handle Malicious Spirits

2/7/2021

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In October 2020, a study measured peoples’ heart rates while they watched horror movies. They aimed to see which movie caused the most consistent rapid heart rate, not just leaps from jump scares. The five scariest movies--Sinister, Insidious, The Conjuring, Hereditary, and Paranormal Activity--all featured malicious demons or ghosts.

Two years earlier, research from Chapman University determined that 57.7% of Americans believe in spirits or hauntings. Although many participants claimed that they were not scared of spirits, the current horror movie market says otherwise.

Spirit workers might look at these studies and wonder, are all spirits really malicious? Do evil spirits really possess people like in the movies? And how do we, as magicians, keep ourselves safe?

In this post, I’m going to talk about malicious spirits and how to detect them. Much of this post stems from my personal experience and UPG (unverified personal gnosis). However, I will also reference information from folklore.

Do Evil Spirits Exist?

Abd al-'Aziz/Wikipedia Commons

In an effort to make spirit work appear more safe and accessible, some online practitioners have claimed that evil spirits do not exist. Personally, I find this claim to not only be incorrect, but potentially dangerous.

Some of the world’s earliest magical texts include spells that protect people from spirits. The Maqlû, a collection of incantations from Mesopotamia, lists spells that guard people against witchcraft and spirits. Some of the ancient Greeks practiced apotropaic magic, in which they summoned chthonic deities or heroes to protect them against spirits. Some of these charms can be found in the Greek Magical Papyri, known in the occult community as the PGM (Papyri Graecae Magicae).

But if you were to base your entire spiritual knowledge on horror movies, you might think that all spirits are evil. This is not the case. Religions and folklore tell us that there are far more spirits than just ghosts, poltergeists, and demons. Hell, even if a ghost is in your house, that doesn’t mean that it wants to harm you.

Approach spiritual morality in the same way that most people view human morality. Some are good and helpful, while others and evil, and many are somewhere in the middle. It’s not uncommon for a spirit to act kind until they feel slighted.

How Can Spirits Harm Us?

Depending on the religion and culture, malicious spirits can harm people in any number of ways. According to Mesopotamian religious texts, angry ghosts can inflict illness and bad luck onto people. In certain Muslim traditions, malicious djinn were similar; they could even steal food or other items. Irish folklore tells of faeries who kidnapped humans to work for them before returning them to the human realm.

For simplicity’s sake, I put together a list of the ways that spirits might harm people. These are based on both UPG and folklore I’ve read.

Unusual bad luck
Illness
Stealing or misplacing belongings
Nightmares
Possession (very rare)
Manipulating people into contracts or deals
Physical pain: scratches, burns, hand prints, etc.
Forced trances
Leeching off your energy
Mental or emotional manipulation

How to Quickly Detect Malicious Spirits

When I first practiced spirit work around 13 years ago, I ran into quite a few malicious spirits. I was naive, arrogant, and lacked supervision, so I fell for a lot of their tricks. Now, I know how to detect when spirits might have an ulterior motive. Based on my experiences, plus the experiences that other practitioners have shared with me, I’ve put together a list of red flags.

It sounds too good to be true. Some spirits approach magicians with claims of grandeur. They might say that you are their queen/king, that you are gifted, or that you are the “chosen one” or “only one who can help them.” This is especially common with new spirit workers. Take it from a crone: If it sounds too good to be true, it is. We all love to be complimented, and spirits who go out of their way to flatter you are probably manipulating you.
They’re being purposefully vague. “I need you to help me.” With what? “Something bad will happen.” What will happen? “Your ancestor wants to talk to you.” Which ancestor? Many new spirit workers mistake vagueness for their inability to understand spirits. This is another way that an evil spirit can manipulate you. If a spirit genuinely needs your help or wants to give you information, they will find a way to tell you clearly. I guarantee it.
They guilt-trip you. One of the most common manipulation tactics that spirits use is to claim that they need help, and that you’re the only person who can do it. Predators use this to get victims, too. When I aid the dead, they are usually very grateful. But if the spirit does not act grateful and continues to push, beware.
They’re giving you different answers each time. This is a huge red flag, especially for people who contact spirits through divination. When you first start working with a spirit, write down questions to ask them. When the spirit answers, jot down the answers. The next day, ask them the same questions. If the answers are different, then either the spirit is lying to you or you need to work on your divination skills.
You feel awful after working with them. If you want to work with ancestors, heed this tip! You are never required to work with spirits who make you feel awful, even if they’re family. Sure, the spirit might not be intentionally making you feel bad. But at the risk of sounding New-Agey, why waste your time on that negative energy?

Your gut is screaming, “wait!” Just as you should follow your intuition around creepy people, you should do the same for spirits.

Some spirit work protection talismans.

Spirits Who Disguise As Deities

I’ve had many people ask me if spirits can pretend to be deities. In short, yes, they can. Learning to distinguish between a deity and spirit requires certain skills and experience, and I plan to write an entire post about this topic.

Here’s all I will say for now: If your deity suddenly sounds different--if They say something that’s entirely out of character or contradictory--be suspicious.

What to Do When You Encounter a Malicious Spirit

Because this post is already so long, I can’t go into detail about every single spell you should perform. But I put together a short list of what you should do if you believe that you encounter a malicious spirit. If you want a separate post about this topic, comment or message me.

Rule out all other explanations. When it comes to spirit work, mundane explanations always take precedence. If you have a few nightmares, or if you have a streak of bad luck, that is not guaranteed to be a negative spirit. You can also perform a spell to determine whether or not you are being haunted.
Cut contact. Just cut it. Do not give the spirit a second chance.
Do NOT just cleanse. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve read this: “I tried smoke cleansing, but it didn’t work! The spirit is still there!” The idea that cleansing gets rid of spirits stems from media and common misconception. Cleansing gets rid of negative energies, but it does not get rid of a spirit. What you’re looking for is a banishing spell.
Banish. Again, cleansing is not enough to get rid of a malicious spirit. You want a strong banishing spell to get them away from you.
If the spirit is actively harming you, bind them. Binding is a technique that prevents the spirit from moving. Ceremonial magicians bind spirits as soon as they summon them so they don’t get harmed. A binding spell might keep a spirit away from you.
Protect yourself and your home. Ideally, spirit workers should cast protection spells on their homes before they contact spirits. But if you need extra protection, cast it. Draw the rune algiz on your body; hang the sator square above your bed; or jam coffin nails into the outside corners of your home. There are many other protection charms; those are just a few.
If you contacted the spirit through a magical tool, put it away for a bit. Cleanse the tool, and then put it in your closet underneath a black blanket. This will cut off all of the energies attached to the tool. I’d leave it for at least a week, and then check it.

If you need help, ask. There are plenty of other magicians, occultists, and priests out there who can help you. Just ensure that you’re asking a trusted source.

My drawing of the sator square.

Conclusion

Not all spirits act like they do in horror movies. Some are far more subtle, and others work to flatter you instead of scare you. If you know how malicious spirits act, you can detect them early. Then it’s just a matter of cutting contact, banishing, and protecting.

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Starting Spirit Work: Tips for Beginners and Experienced Practitioners Alike

12/5/2020

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Last November, I was speaking to a dead soul whose grave I had tended to in the past. He was a World War I vet with a sweet wife who would only let his squadron use his nickname. He warned me that a close family member would soon pass away unexpectedly.

I presumed that he meant my grandfather, who had been struggling from brain cancer, but I was wrong. My great aunt passed away that next week. She had died overnight from an undiagnosed medical condition. For me, it was a groundbreaking moment in my spirit work journey.

This year, I spent my November trying to learn spirit work again after six months of no practice.

Spirit work is like a muscle that you consistently need to stretch. If you haven’t practiced it in a while (which happens; that’s life), then you might need to start from the basics. Meanwhile, some people have never tried spirit work and need some beginner tips.

It’s no secret that people learn spirit work differently. I personally began with energy work, but others have never done energy work and prefer to use divination only. Since I first contacted spirits 13 years ago, I have learned that what worked for me may not benefit others. Here, I’ve created a list of techniques for beginner and returning spirit workers. I hope that at least one of these methods can kickstart your journey.

Energy Work

Let’s start with what my magic teacher showed me: energy work. It is the practice of sensing the energies of objects and living beings. If you can feel the energies of stones, pets, and trees, then you will eventually sense the energies of spirits.

Start with a small object. I recommend using one that can fit in the palm of your hand, such as a coin, crystal, or small jar. Place it on a table, and hover your hand a few centimeters above it. Don’t touch it.

Here's an example of me with a selenite crystal.

Close your eyes. What do you feel underneath your hand? A tingling? A coolness? A burning? Focus on what you feel and write it down.

Next, try this with another object. I personally recommend using a bowl of water because water has a distinct energy that many people can sense. Repeat the exercise.

The more you do this, the better you’ll get. Try it with trees, dirt, or even your bookshelf. Jot down what every object’s energy feels like. Over time, you will learn to distinguish a plant from a crystal, a table from a person, or a living entity from a non-living entity.

Meditation

In the occult community, there is a lot of debate over whether meditation is necessary. Personally, I believe that meditation is not mandatory, but it can improve one’s practice. Meditation trains people to remove their own thoughts from their head. For spirit work, this can be a game changer.

Many beginners struggle to distinguish their own thoughts and feelings from a spirit. “Was that my thought, or a spirit’s? Did those candle flames really respond to me, or am I just seeing things?” Most of the time, these thoughts result from anxiety. We’re so nervous about getting an accurate reading that overthink and over-doubt.

Meditation trains us to ignore intrusive and anxious thoughts. It also calms the mind and body. The more calm you are during spirit work, the more you’ll be able to trust your instinct.

A few minutes of meditation can enhance your spirit work. If you struggle to relax your mind, try adding music or listening to a guided meditation. I use the app Calm. It has a wide range of guided meditations of varying lengths that help me when I haven’t meditated in a while.

If you meditate for just a few minutes every day, you may find that spirit communication becomes easier.

Divination

Divination is the most common method of beginning spirit work. Through divination, you can ask spirits questions about the past, present, or future. Popular divination methods include tarot cards, rune drawings, pendulum swinging, and bone throwing. The more you do it, the better you’ll get.

The downside is that it may take a while to find a method that you jive with. When I started, many people in my community recommended tarot cards. I tried it, but I was never interested in it and rarely got results.

Next, I tried using a pendulum. The same happened; I got some results, but they were not detailed enough for my liking. Later, I went from scrying to bone throwing to rune drawing. It took a lot of trial and error to find divination methods that gave me the results I wanted. This may happen to you, too.

Be patient. If your first divination doesn’t work, try another one. If you don’t get results on the first try, attempt it a few more times. Combine it with some other techniques that I list here. I highly recommend keeping a journal about your divination results. That way, you can ask a question, receive an answer, and ask the same question a few days later. See if your answers are consistent.

I will not discuss all divination methods here, but I will write about some in the future. There are plenty of other blogs who have written beginner guides for divination methods, too.

Give the Spirits an Offering

Dried rose petals burning with a candle and oil in a cauldron.

This is one of the easiest yet overlooked methods of starting a dialogue with spirits. I believe that some people underestimate the power of offerings. To demonstrate, I like to use the neighbor analogy.

Imagine that you want your nextdoor neighbor to come over to your house. Would you stand on your porch and scream, “Hey! Come over and talk to me!” Probably not. Instead, you might entice them with something. You might say, “I made brownies; would you like some?” or “Want to come over and play Mario Kart?” If your neighbor accepts your offer, then you have successfully started a relationship.

Offerings work the same way. Many spirits--even some family members--will not talk to you just because you want them to. Giving offerings is a way of saying, “I am a polite host. I respect your company and your time.”

If you perform spirit work at your altar, provide an offering before or during your ritual. To connect to the local land spirits, leave an offering outside or at your local park or graveyard. Common offerings include water, honey, stones, herbs, and flowers. Research folklore to determine which offerings are best.

The downside is that you may attract nasty spirits. I will talk more about protection during spirit work later.

Reach out for Help

Deities, angels, saints, and other spirits may help to enhance your spirit senses. According to many cultures, other entities can grant people “spirit sight,” or a variation of that phrase. In ancient Scotland, the sithean (dead souls from the otherworld) would grant people “second sight” to peer into another world. Meanwhile, other cultures said that anyone could see or communicate with the dead. The ancient Egyptians would write letters to the dead, asking them to intercede if harm should come their way.

Some magicians will conduct spells to strengthen their spirit sight. They may leave an offering to a deity with a request. They may also create an oil or smoking blend or open their spirit senses.

Returning spirit workers: If you have a spirit guide, ask them to connect you with a certain spirit. Many guides will create a link between you and a spirit or deity. They may also transfer messages.
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You do not have to contact a deity, saint, goetia, or other spirit to succeed at spirit work. I am simply mentioning this for people who want a bit of extra help.

Connecting to a Taglock

In English, a taglock is a bunch of knotted hair, but that’s not what it means in the metaphysical community. In magic, a taglock is an object that connects you to another being. For example, cunning men and women used to retrieve a lock of hair from a person to cast (or break) a spell on them.

Taglocks also work for spirits. You may think, “But I don’t have anything that a spirit owns.” But you do. You have the blood of your ancestors running through your veins. You have your ancestor’s DNA in your hair and nails. (There are even spells for determining information by gazing into fingernails, but that’s another conversation.) This is why many necromancers recommend starting with ancestor work; it’s easy to connect to your biological ancestors.

Do you need a physical object? Use a family heirloom, old photograph, or graveyard dirt (if collected ethically). Many people create ancestor altars filled with taglocks to contact their family. Connect to the taglock via the energy work exercise I described above. Then try divination or prayer to reach the spirit.

"Ancestor powder" is another term for graveyard dirt from a relative's grave.

Related: Spirit Guides in Death Magic

Spirit Safety Tips--The Quick Edition

Later, I will write a longer blog post on spirit work safety. But for now, I have devised a quick list of safety procedures to follow for beginners.

Ward your home before you start. Trust me.
Do not reach out to souls who have passed away within the year. Many do not want to talk, and you may feel too emotional to contact them effectively.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Not all happenings, good or bad, are the result of a spirit. If a situation can be explained through common sense, then it is probably not a spirit.
If you feel that something is haunting you, banish and ward. Cleansing is not a permanent solution.

Conclusion

There are many ways to strengthen your spirit senses. Practicing divination is one of the most common techniques. If you have trouble sensing spirits, practice energy work or meditation to calm the mind. You can always receive help by using a taglock, giving offerings, and partitioning a deity or other spirit. Study up on spirit work safety before you start; it’s better to go in cautiously.

Did I leave a method out? Which method works best for you? Let me know about your thoughts on spirit work below!

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Views of the Afterlife That Many Don’t Discuss

Burial or Cremation?

The Funeral

After the Burial

Cleansing ​

What Can Practitioners Take Away from This?

Recommended Reading

Candle Protection Spell

Protection Oil for Windows and Doors

Graveyard Dirt Protection Powder

Why I Chose These Ingredients

For More Protection, Check out These Posts

Find a Comfortable Spot

The Basics

A Representation of Your Ancestors

An Area to Provide Offerings

About Religious Differences

Including Your Practice

Stumped? Here’s Where to Start

What Do We Know About Ghosts and Water?

Connecting to the Dead with Cemetery Water

Protection with Cemetery Water

How to Get Cemetery Water

Can You Do the Same Spells with Regular Water?

Conclusion

What Is Bone Throwing?

Gathering Your Bone Set

Assigning Your Bones

How to Cast

The Many Ways to Interpret Bone

Practice and More Practice

Conclusion

My Universal Ink Recipe

​What Is Gum Arabic, and Do I Need It?

Which Ingredients Color the Ink?

Red Ink for Spirit Work

Black Ink for Necromancy

Would You Create Magical Ink?

Offerings Made From Graveyard Dirt And Honey

Spirit Work Oil For Necromancy

Healing Candle Spell for the Dead

Why I Chose These Ingredients

These Related Posts That Might Help

Crossroads

Cemeteries and Graveyards

Caves

Bridges

Rivers

Rainbows

Other Notable Locations

Conclusion

Do Evil Spirits Exist?

How Can Spirits Harm Us?

How to Quickly Detect Malicious Spirits ​

Spirits Who Disguise As Deities ​

What to Do When You Encounter a Malicious Spirit

Conclusion

​Energy Work

Meditation

Divination

Give the Spirits an Offering

Reach out for Help

Connecting to a Taglock

Spirit Safety Tips--The Quick Edition

Conclusion

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