Common Witchery: Simple Binding Spells

As previously mentioned, witches and magick have been around for centuries. Many of the older, more well-known spells are so common that no one actually knows where they originated. As such, they tend are passed on by word of mouth, in books and on websites frequently because they are so simple and so easy to use. They may be used as is, or “doctored” up to add additional layers of power to the spell, which is something I, personally, prefer. I suggest that others do so in order to increase the potency of their common spells. It is not necessary, of course, but adding in a few simple elements to a common spell, puts their own special touch on a witches’ spell. As I see it, better to shoot for the moon and hit the stars than to underestimate your needs.

Here are a few of the simpler and better-known spells to bind an enemy and/or sweeten their disposition toward you. Remember to focus on the intent of the spell and the outcome you want to see as you gather the items needed and actually work the spell.

Spell 1: Use a picture of the person, draw an “X” in Bat’s Blood ink over the face, fold it into a small square, freeze it in a mixture of sugar water, and keep it in the back of your freezer as long as you wish.

Spell 2: Write their name on a piece of parchment, draw an “X” or a circle with a line through it over the name in Bat’s Blood ink, freeze it in a mixture of sugar water and keep it in the back of your freezer as long as you wish.

Spell 3: Write the person’s name on a piece of parchment in Bat’s Blood ink,  add a small bit of Solomon Seal Root and a Morning Glory bloom and fold them into the parchment, tie it closed and bury it.

Spell 4: Create a poppet for the person, add in any personal items of theirs you have, hair, nail clippings, saliva (such as contained on a cigarette butt, a lollipop stick, etc) fill the poppet with graveyard dirt, add a pinch or two of black salt, sew it closed, and bury it deep.

To layer on more strength to the spell, you can always use Dragon’s Blood ink for the writing portion in place of the Bat’s Blood ink. Burn an Exorcism incense to pass the parchment, poppet or picture through. Burn a black candle engraved with the appropriate runes, or a sigil you have created for them carved into it and drip black wax over the parchment or picture. Use black ribbon or twine to bind the picture before freezing or burying it. Write a quick spell to read over the item, etc. Always remember that the more thought and care you put into the creation of your spell, the stronger it will be due to the extra intent and focus you are putting into it. As always, this is my way, not the way, since each witch always knows best how to handle their own situations in life.

Witchery: Remedies for Headaches

Witches lead busy, busy lives in modern times. Gone are the simple days of standing over a bubbling cauldron and stirring in ingredients all day. 😉 Now witches have day jobs, continuing education for the day jobs, some have families and spouses. We may plan our children’s’ education, their after school activities. Many are repurposing household items for personal projects, gardening, planning vacations, working on home improvements, blogging, or even performing automobile maintenance. Some witches are D-I-Y kings or queens and have side projects that link into their family’s welfare or link into their spell work. All sorts of activities are now the “norm” for the everyday witches. However, the norm can also cause a number of health problems.

One we will be addressing today via natural and witchy methods, not via man made drugs. For myself, and several friends and family members, we often have odd reactions to manufactured drugs and have had to find many ways to “work around” the ability of simply “popping a pill” to make things better. We had to find ways that are more natural and healthier. One of the most frequent problems in our personal health seems to be the prevalence of being so busy or so stressed we develop headaches. As such, here are a few of the ideas and fixes that have worked for us over the years on everything from simple allergy headaches, stress and tension headaches to the more complex but fortunately less frequent ocular migraines.

If you feel a headache coming on, or if you know you have a stressful day planned, avoid stimulants. Avoid or at least limit the amount of caffeine that you take in. (The same with nicotine avoid it or drastically cut back on it, at least.) However, you need to watch for withdrawal symptoms as they can also cause headaches. For example, if you are a five-cup a day coffee-drinker, do not stop drinking coffee, cold turkey. Wean yourself from the coffee until you limit it to two cups a day. A certain amount of coffee per day is good for you. Researchers link coffee to delaying Alzheimer’s, improving brain function and memory and protecting against Type 2 Diabetes.

Once a headache begins, I am a strong proponent of using amethyst to relieve headaches. Laying a smooth amethyst or better yet, the flat side of an amethyst quartz against the exact spot on the head where the pain is for a minute or two will draw the headache out of the head and into the stone. I have no idea why it works so well, but after two decades of handing out amethyst to believers and skeptics of alternative medicine alike and seeing the same success, I swear by it for headaches relating to stress, tension, basic allergy headaches, etc.

Also, using lavender water on a warm cloth and laying it over the closed eyes of someone suffering from headaches and even migraines, or rubbing a drop of lavender essential oil onto temples of migraine sufferers and allowing them to lie still in a cool, dark room and drift off to sleep has worked very well in the past.

Acupressure can erase a headache as you firmly massage the spot between the thumb and index finger (as shown on the picture) and focus on dissolving the pain as you massage. You may also turn to a licensed, trained acupuncturist for treatment if the headaches recur often, as there may be a specific reason for them.

If you have a stress or tension headache, massaging your temples, the center of the bridge of your nose, or even your entire scalp during headaches can cause them to disappear as it focuses blood flow to the area and causes the body to begin the natural healing process.

For tension and stress headaches, practice a combination of slow and easy stretching and deep breathing as you visualize yourself inside a peaceful setting of your choice, deep within a quiet forest surrounded by lush green plants that leech and absorb the pain from your body. You may try visualizing yourself lying in a field surrounded by wildflowers as a soft breeze makes them dance about you and wafts the pain from you, or sitting beside a softly babbling brook as you dangle your feet in the water, feeling the headache sinking toward your feet and feel it as the water washes your pain away.

Drinking a full eight to ten ounces of water can erase many headaches, as a great number of people simply are dehydrated from their busy lifestyles and forgetting to stay hydrated properly as they rush through their busy days.

If water does not help, try drinking a cup of warm peppermint tea at the onset of a headache and/or breathing in peppermint oil, as it reduces the pain and removes headaches from many people. Try drinking ginger tea, or chewing on a fresh slice of ginger root as they can also help to reduce the pain of headaches, as well.

For those who suffer ocular migraines, as I do, as soon as the migraine begins (while it is still painless and is only affecting the visual field) I have found that a cold can of soda or a similarly sized jar from the fridge is the perfect size to fit into the eye socket and against the eyeball. Applying gentle pressure, using an on for a couple of minutes and off for a minute, then repeating action to keep the eye cold but not cause damage to sensitive eye tissue. Keep this up until the visual field returns to normal and it can prevent the migraine from advancing to the point of pain. However, if you wait until the visual field has degraded to the point that the pain begins, they you may need to find another way to relieve the symptoms. I know for myself, applying cold after the pain sets in only deepens the pain.

There are many ways to fight headaches and these are just a few of the ways that I have used, or that others I know have used, with success. If you know of any others, please feel free to share them! As far as I am concerned, a witch can never have too many ways to try to get rid of a headache!