Witchery: How to Create Holy Water

~~~ Author’s Note: I had planned a different post for this evening, but in honor of the storm which came raging through North Texas and knocked out my (and a couple hundred thousand+ other people’s) power for more than eight hours, I decided to hold off on Ma’at for tonight and post this bit of info since I have two new jars of rain water settling on my altar, ready to work with tomorrow. 😀 ~~~

When doing spell work or performing rituals, witches will often use Holy Water as a component in targeted spells for fertility, purification, protection and so much more. Some witches choose to use Holy Water purchased for the spells from a local establishment. These witches do not have a problem with using Holy Water charged via the name of the Christian God, sometimes because they are Christian witches. Other times the witches prefer Christian based Holy Water because they hold faith with the Christian God as well as other Gods and/or Goddesses. They may even attend local churches and obtain their Holy Water directly from a specific church toward whom they feel a kinship. If not a specific church, the witches can find Holy Water online from many suppliers. There are also sites around the world that offer Holy Water from their specific location, the most notable being water from the Jordan River in the Holy Lands. This Holy Water purchased online is perfectly fine as long as the witch using it finds it sufficient unto to their needs.

However, other witches prefer to capture and manipulate certain types of water using their own power, consecrated sea salt and additional energies to craft their own Holy Water. It is a particular preference with some witches to craft their own Holy Waters as they can do it to their own specifications in order to add particular strengths to different batches of Holy Water. Targeted Holy Waters are useful in specific spells and rituals based on the base water, the construction method used to craft the Holy Water and various additives in addition to the consecrated sea salt. There are many different ways to craft Holy Water and each is as valid as the next.

First, the witch decides upon the individual characteristics that they want to have within the Holy Water once the crafting is complete. Second, the witch must choose a water source for the base of the Holy Water that fulfills their specific needs for the Holy Water. Third, is consecrating and charging the Holy Water, crafting it to carry their specific intent, charging it to their particular desire or crafting a general purpose Holy Water. Finally, adding in the consecrated sea salt and any addition items to infuse their Holy Water with specific strengths or additional powers required.

• Ocean Water – Many witches consider this the perfect base to start with in making their Holy Water. It already has the salt and water combined, it has the strength of earth, and air added to the properties of the water as it tossed between the two. Drop in a stone relating to fire and you have a very powerful Holy Water. If a witch is fortunate enough to live close to an ocean, they may simply walk out into the water, using a clean glass jar or bottle, collect some of the precious water, cap it, and bring it home. Filtering it through a clean and energy free cloth, then consecrating and charging it, infusing it with any specific deities with whom they work, if the witch has specific deities in which they believe and with whom they have developed relationships.
• River Water – Choosing water from a river is also a good option for crafting Holy Water. As long as the water is moving well and not stagnant, it will retain the strength of the water. If the witch has a river locally with safe access via the banks of the river, it is a simple enough matter to collect as long as the witch is careful. If the water is fast moving or hard to reach, via public banks, particular care should be taken toward safety in gathering the water. A clean glass jar or bottle might be lowered on a strong string. As the bottle or jar is lowered into the water, it will collect the needed sample. Filtering it through a clean and energy free cloth to remove impurities is always a good idea. Once the witch consecrates and charges the water, a charged crystal, stone or even a charged silver or gold coin or other piece of metal may be added, as well as the teaspoon of sea salt required per each 16 ounces of water. The salt and any other additions infuse it with the specific properties of these additions while it is stored.
• Natural Spring Water – Whether collected from an actual spring, or purchased by the bottle, this water should retain the unique energy of the individual spring. However, when the witch purchases it by the bottle they need to remember that the process of commercially bottling the water, shipping, storing, and selling it will allow it to collect energies from the people involved in handling the bottle prior to the water being added and the bottled water itself during these processes. As such the witch will need to use an additional step of cleansing the water of energies, prior to consecrating and charging it as Holy Water will be required. However, once the bottled water is cleansed of all previous energy, it will, of course, require additional extra steps for the witch in charging it to regain the energy lost. For this reason, I suggest avoiding the commercially bottled water, if possible. Naturally collected water is always going to be a witch’s best choice for crafting Holy Water. Storing it in a clean glass jar or bottle with a crystal, metal, and/or stones to infuse powers back into the water will be a good choice, especially if the water was commercially bottled, first. Do not forget to add the consecrated sea salt to the water as well.
• Cistern or Well Water – Natural cistern water is an excellent choice for any witch, as it has rain collected over a broad period of time. This allows the witch to have Holy Water that benefits from various dates, all cycles of the moon, sun, and the elements in the earth or stone where the rain is collected and stored. This gives a great breadth to the properties of the base water even before it is consecrated and charged to the witch’s specific intent. The addition of consecrated salt and other items will just strengthen the already existing power. Well water is typically from an underground aquifer or groundwater, however, they may also be spring fed wells. Determine where the water comes from, specifically, in order to determine the properties of the base water.
• Rain Water – This Holy Water is an excellent addition to any nature based spells the witch intends to use, especially if it is collected on the night of a full moon. This is excellent when used in spells seeking to enhance a witch’s magicks, personal skills, health, etc. If the witch wants to get rid of negativity in their life, bad habits, negative people, etc. Holy Water created from collected rain on a night when the moon is waning away will capture the properties of the waning moon. Rain gathered under a waxing moon will capture the properties of the moon as it is building toward full. This would be an excellent addition to spells where the witch is trying to increase their business, increase their fertility, or grow their relationships.
• Date Specific Water – When a witch has rain on a date specific to them and/or their practice, whether it is a witches holiday, such as Mabon, Beltane, or Samhaine, etc. the witch should collect it in a clean glass jar or glass bowl for use in spells relating to that specific holiday or practices covered by that holiday, season or even Zodiac sign. There are also dates that are important to the witch, personally, which should be collected. Dates such as the anniversary of their birth, the anniversary of their wedding, the anniversaries of their child(rens’) birth. These are powerful dates in the witch’s life and magickal items relating to them can have unique powers all their own. Using Holy Water created with rain collected on these dates for specific uses can be empowering. Wedding anniversary Holy Water would be wonderful to use in spells to increase intimacy between partners, or magick used to celebrate their love for one another. Rain collected on a witch’s birthday creates Holy Water to heal them if they are ill father into the year or Holy Water created with their child’s birthday rain will help with protection spells if they are involved in sports or if they are traveling, etc.
• Deity Infused – Created using any of the previous types of Holy Water in a clean glass jar or bottle. Holding the bottle between the witch’s hands, they call upon their favored Gods and/or Goddesses to bless the water and ask them to infuse it with their strengths and power. Do not forget that just as the witch is asking their deities to infuse the water with their holy purpose and power that the witch needs to send their own power and intent into the water, as well. This will mark the Holy Water for the witch’s specific use. This helps when they use the Holy Water in their rituals and spells. After this is completed, if the salt has not already been added, they add one teaspoon of sea salt for every sixteen ounces of water.

Once the water is prepared in the manner the witch chooses, passing it over or through the four elements on their altar (if they use an altar) to give added strength and power to the water. Holy water is not for drinking. I cannot specify this strongly enough. Also, bear in mind any water will become stagnant if it sits too long, so keeping an eye on water for bacterial growth is crucial for every witch. The salt added will help to retard grown of bacteria, but it will not cure the water completely of bacteria.

No matter which type of Holy Water a witch ultimately choose to work with for their spell casting and other magickal needs, it is imperative that they are comfortable with the water and its use. If A witch feels more comfortable with Holy Water blessed by the Catholic Church, or water blessed and created by a powerful figure in magickal tradition vastly different from their own it does not matter.

Remember that it is the witch’s belief in the power of the water they use that will ultimately affect the magick the most. If a witch has Holy Water blessed by Pope Francis himself but does not believe it to be sufficient to their needs, it is not. On the other hand, if they have Holy Water blessed by a local witch whom they personally know and trust, named Iva Fetish (she is a story for another time) and they believe it to be the most useful Holy Water they can get their hands on, then it is the most useful Holy Water for their spells.

As always, the magick depends upon the witch to make it work. Anyone can call him or herself a witch, or want to be a witch. Only the individual witch knows if they are a witch and if their magick works as they intend.