To Restore Peace to a Neighborhood

If your neighborhood has had frequent disturbances, this spell restores equanimity in the community. Gather the materials for the candle spell to restore peace to a home.

  • Restoration Oil
  • Blue 7-day candle
  • Bowl
  • Water
  • Orange peel
  • Stick of cinnamon
  • Vanilla bean

Grab a marker. On the candle, write the name of the major intersections in your neighborhood. Add a little dirt from those cross streets, leaving a penny at each crossroads as payment for the energies. When the candle burns down completely, throw out the candle glass and reserve the water. Sprinkle the water in front of trouble spots and at the crossroads named on the candle.

To Restore Peace to a Home

Sometimes after you cleanse the home and establish wards, it still feels frayed. Whiel some peace only happens after repairing relationships, restting hte ambient vibe to mellow can help.

  • Restoration Oil
  • Blue 7-day candle
  • Bowl
  • Water
  • Orange peel
  • Stick of cinnamon
  • Vanilla bean

Rub a small amount of restoration oil on the wick of the candle and place it in the bowl. Fill the bowl with 1 of water for fire safety. Add the orange peel, cinnamon, and vanilla to the water. Light the candle, adn if appropriate to your spirituality, request Psyche, arcangel Gabriel, or an ancestor you have a relationshipo with to expand peace through the house. Imagine that energy evaporating from the bowl of water. Burn the candle for 1 hour a day until the wax is completely gone.

Four Magical Waters for Power and Healing by Melissa Tipton

The following meditation technique is designed to help you connect with the energy of water in a way that might be quite different from what you’re used to, and youlll learn how to discern which type of magickal water is most suitable for specific aims.

You’ll want to choose a place where you can sit undisturbed fifteen minutes, and optionally, you can introduce a physical water element by turning on an indoor fountain if you have one or simply filling a pretty dish with water. Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your body. Do a gentle scan from head to toe. No need to change or fix anything; you’re simply giving each area of your body a little love and attention. Then, bring your wareness to your breath. Again, without forcing or changing, simply be present with your breath and let this focus help you find more calm and inner repose.

Conjure a blank screen or empty room in your mind. This is simply a clean slate upon which you can project anything you need. Then, call up the image of a door on the screen or in the room. It might be an ornate metal door a simple wooden plank; let it arise organically. Next, draw or simply see a symbol of water on the door, a triangle with a downward-facing point.

You might color it blue or even see animated waves inside the triangle. This is your doorway to the healing realm of water.

Each time you use this technique, you have the opton of setting an intention to visit a specific type of water (more on those to come), or you can ask to visit the ofrm of water that is correct and good for you at this time. Once you have your intention in mind, knock on the door three times and then enter, closing hte door behind you. Take as much time as you need getting your bearings, and then seek out the water source. Sometimes this will be immediately apparent (e.g., you’ll be standing on the shoreline), whlie other times you may hve to travel through the landscape a bit to find hte water. Keep your intention in mind (e.g., “I seek the healing River”) as you search, and trust taht you will find precisely what you need, even if it’s not always what you expect.

When you reach the water, there are a number of ways to interact, and we’ll cover a variety of possibilities when discuss the unique types, but know that you can always follow your intuition and ask the water directly for guidance. For example, if you entered the meditation with a sense of overwhelm, as you’re standing on the edge of hte Oceans, you might receive the intuitive guidance that you need to pile your burdens on a raft and let it wash out to sea. Do so! If you ever feel stuck, you can always rely on the prompts outlined in this article.

When the experience feels complete, thank the water and any other beings who appeared to help, if applicable, and exit the way you returned, closing hte water door behind you and allowing it to fade fro the screen or room of your mind.

All forms of water share some common qualities. For starters, they’re powerful gateways to the unconscious, meaning they can help you access parts of yourself that might otherwise remain hidden from conscious awareness, parts that may be seeking expression in your life and hold the power to ignite great satisfaction and creative passion if given an outlet to do so. Interaction with teh unconscious also introduces us to new ideas and creative possibilities, which can be anything from the vision of a new painting to a way of phrasing something you’ve been struggling to express to your partner.

The unconscious is also our connection to Source. It’s like an intimate portal to the Divine, and when we’re overly caught up in the conscious mind, or ego, we can get disconnected from this Source and feel isolated and purposeless. Water is a conduit for plugging back into a larger sense of meaning and nourishment, giving us more energy and motivation in our day-to-day lives. And finally, water is cleansing and purifying. When we’re feeling stuck or stagnant, it can help us dissolve blockages and get things moving again.

Now we’re going to cover main types of water, each with specific trengths in terms of initiating healing, providing guidance, adn improving your magical aims. Keep in mind that this is far from an exhaustive list, and by using this meditation technique, you might well encounter different forms of water that are just what you need in your unique situation.

Ocean

The Ocean, in its vastness, is great for helping us put things into perspective, especially when we’ve built them up in our minds to overwhelming proportions. It’s a bit like hitting the reset button by seeing that whatever you’re experiencing, no matter how big, is still a drop in the immense cosmic Ocean of shred human experience. Guaranteed, no matter how uniquely specific your situation, you’re not alone. Many (many) others have experienced – and surved – similar experiences, and you can too. For this reason, the Ocean is also great when you’re feeling isolated and alone. It can help you tap into the beautiful web of interconnection of which you are always a part.

This theme of interconnection makes the Ocean ideal for shifting from an overly zoomed-in view to a larger perspective, which can be useful if you need to uncover new options, discern common threads, put yourself in another’s shoes, or otherwise step out of your habitual way of approaching something and experiment with a different tack.

Generally, the Ocean imparts a sense of expansion and liberation, making it a wonderful ally when you feel stuck in a rut or constrained by seemingly insurmountable factors, and a sense of connection, bringing comfort and healing when you’re feeling alone.

Some possible ways of interacting with the Ocean include releasing things into the water, diving deep in search of insights (perhaps in the form of an animal, mermaid, or other water-loving being), floating on the surface and feeling fully supported and part of something bigger than yourself, or standing at the shoreline to receive guidance when transitioning from one thing to another.

River

The River is all about movement, and it’s a useful ally when you’re feeling stuck and need to shake things up or when you’re preparing to transition from A to B and could use some momentum and guidance. Rivers can choose to work at a watery pace that feels best for your unique situation; although, keep in mind that if you’ve been dragging your feet on something that’s important to your growth, your inner wisdom might challenge your with a raging river of energy and possibility to help you break out of your comfort zone.

The theme of movement can be approached in different ways depending on your goals. If you’re feeling blocked, you can ask for insights at the riverbank, uncover what it is you need to release, adn then set that energy free into the water. If you have a goal – for example, you want to apply at three new companies by the end of the month – you can see yourself in a bot, launching from the present moment, and traveling, unobstructed, to your desired outcome by visualizing yourself emailing your resume, nailing the interviews, and happily accepting your dream job as you move down the River, aided by the momentum of the current. This can be easily adapted for inner shifts as well, such as changing your mindset from trapped and pessimistic to inspired and motivated. Swim or boat from one experience to the next, allowing the water to facilitate your transition.

Generally, the River imparts a sense of progress and change, making it wonderful for situations that move through a series of steps, as well as a sense of clearing, bringing release and unburdening from unnecessary baggage.

Some possible ways of interacting with the River include releasing things into the water, traveling from place to place with the power of the current, noticing changes in the water and along the riverbanks as you progress from A to B (this gives you symbolic insights as to what you might expect along your journey), and getting a rush of energy and motivation by standing or swimming in the current.

Woodland Pond

The Woodland Pond is about nourishment and stages of growth, and it’s a great place to visit for longer-term projects that require a sustainment of energy and effort. For example, if you’re launching a new business, you can go the Woodland Pond for initial ideas and guiding structure and then return on a regular basis to see how hte water and landscape have changed, providing you with ever-evolving insights relevant to your project.

You might see a turtle at teh water’s edge, and by asking for messages, you learn that now is a phase when it pays to be methodical and take your time, even though you’re wanting to charge full speed ahead. You can go back in a couple of weeks, and this time a fox appears, advising you to trust your intuition and reach out to that intellectual property lawyer you were on the fence about. Alternatively, you might gaze into the water’s mirror-like surface adn receive messages from your reflection.

In addition to guidance, the Woodland Pond can serve as a source of nourishment, whether you’re just starting a rpoject or magical working, or you’re midway and in need of a recharge. Just as the water sustains the plants and animals of the woods, you too can visit this safe haven to build yp your energy stores, clear your mind, and help you stay the course.

Generally, the Woodland Pond imparts a sense of sanctuary and support, making it an ideal place to visit repeatedly when you need a calming, helpful presence in your life. It can foster inner quiet when your monkey mind is achatter and leave you feeling more grounded and focused.

Ways of interacting with the Woodland Pond include meeting plant animal, faery, and other guides; dialoguing with your reflection to expand self-awareness and increase partnership between your inner aspects; noting alterations in the inhabitants, seasons, and landscape features in recurring visits, which offer symbolic indicators, of change; and releasing offerings into the water as thanks to guides, deities, and other benevolent forces in your life.

Cave-Fed Spring

The Cave-Fed Spring is all about finding deeper purpose an seeing underlying connections While all forms of water help you dialugue with the unconscious, the Cave-Fed Spring is particularly well suited to initiating bubblings up from the more remote corners of your psyche. If you notice you’re caught in an unhelpful pattern, such as unsatisfying relationship dynamics or frustation around food, the Cave-Fed Spring can aid in identifying what’s fueling hte pattern and how you can heal.

This is also a place that carries a sense of reverence and profoudn sacredness, and as such, it’s useful to visit when you’re feeling a little devoid of these energies. Perhaps you’re burned out at work or you feel like you’ve been going through the motions your spiritual practice. Traveling to the Cave-Fed Spring with the intention of renewing your connection to teh things that truly feed you can be a wonderful way to feel more vibrant and purposeful again. While you can certainly do this at any of the Waters, I find the Cave-Fed Spring to be an especially magical post for doing inner rituals, and within the meditation, I might visualize lighting candles, call upon guides and deities, cast a spell, and so on.

The Cave-Fed Spring imparts a feeling of devotion and sacred meaning, perfect for reviving lackluster practices and helping you reconnect with your passion and purpose. It also support you in understanding underlying causes so you can heal at the root rather than playing whack-a-mole with symptoms.

Ways of interacting with the Cave-Fed Spring include holding an inner ritual near or in the water; requesting healing or guidance and drinking from the Spring; asking to see underlying patterns in your situation and the advised actions for change, then agazing into the water or swimming below the sruface, following underwater passageways to your deepest inner chambers; and baptizing yourself with a submersion in the Spring, aligning yourself with the intention of your choosing.

This meditation practice is meant to connect you with inner resources that, in the hustle and bustle of daily life, can be all too easy to overlook. You possess vast stores of strenth, wisdom, and healing energy,a nd by working with teh magic of water, you can channel these forces into your life to improve your problem solving and decision making, relationship, physical and mental health, and the success of your magical workings, among other things. By partnering with water, you will feel more in tune with teh unconscious, which is the source of your intuition and creativity, and your magic – and your life – will be imbued with more fluidity, resilience, and flow.

Rosewater Lemonade

Nothing says summer like pink lemonade. This recipe adds a few extra ingredients to make it more magical. Strawberries add sweetness and color. Rose petals and rosewater evoke love and luxury. Lemons refresh adn uplift the mood, standing for the yellow sun at the height of its power.

Prep time:  5 minutes for ice cubes, plus 10 minutes for lemonade
Inactive:  5 hours for ice cubes
Servings:  4
  • Fresh rose petals
  • Water
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 lemons
  • 1/2 cups strawberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp dried rose petals
  • 1-2 tsp rosewater
  • 1/2 cup ice

Ice Cubes

Into an ice cube tray, pour enough water to cover hte bottom of each cubicle. Place in the freezer until the surface frosts over, about half an hour.

Wet the fresh rose petals, then place one rose petal into each cubicle, pressing down to contact the ice. Return the tray to teh reezer for half an hour.

Fill the cubicles to the brim with water. Return the tray to teh freezer until frozen solid, about 5 hours.

Lemonade

Put 4 cups of water into a high-speed blender.

Peel the lemons. Remove any seeds. Put the sections in the blender.

Rinse the strawberries and cut off the tops. Add the strawberries to the blender.

Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp dried rose petals. Add 1 tsp rosewater, then taste. You should get just a hint of rose flavor; too much and it tastes soapy. Add another tsp if needed.

Put in 1/2 cup regular ice. Use the “smoothie” setting, or process until liquefied. If you want pulp-free lemonade, strain it before pouring into glasses. Serve over rose petal ice cubes.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a year or tuck into the freezer. If you’re a home canner, process in a water bath canner for longer storage.

To serve, add two or three Tbsp of shrub to a glass of chopped ice and water. There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day!

Water

Water is a liquid, like the blood that flows through our veins. It is associated with the emotions, feelings, and the subconscious, and water magic is usually concerned with divination and scrying. Water plants are juicy and fleshy or grow near water, such as iris, lemon, and jasmine. [1]

Resources

[1] The Hearth Witch’s Compendium by Anna Franklin

Ash (Fraxinus spp.)

Wands, protection, leaves for prophetic dreams, prosperity, study, health, enhances magic, made into besoms and stangs. Ash, oak and hawthorn grown or found together form what is called a Fairy Triad, where the fair folk may visit and maybe seen. Sprinkle ash leaves under the pillow to grant insight and prophetic dreams. [1]

The world tree, astral travel, all rites of passage, healing, protection, initiation, autumn equinox, Midsummer, Ostara, and Yule. Sacred to Ares, Athena, Cernunnos, Fates, Furies, Gwydion, Herne, Jupiter, Llyr, Mars, Minerva, Neptune, Norns, Odin, Poseidon, Thor, Uranus, Woden, Wyrd, Ymir, and Zeus. Ruled by the sun, the elements of water and fire, and the star sign Leo. [2]

Resources

[1] Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura

[2] The Hearth Witch’s Compendium by Anna Franklin

Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

Blessing, love, Midsummer, fertility. Ruled by the planet Venus and the elements of earth or water. Sacred to fairies, Freya, love goddesses, and mother goddesses. [1]

In parts of Bavaria, it was traditional come springtime to tie little bags or baskets of wild strawberries to the cows’ horns to appease the fairies and elves, and to protect the cows. [2]

Some of the fairies’ preferred gathering places at Beltane are “fairy rings’ – circles of wild mushrooms; as well as circles of lawn daisies, patches of wild violets, patches of wild thyme, and, most of all, swathes of wild strawberries. [2]

Strawberry Mythology

Some Native American Indian tribes have long associated wild strawberries with spring and rebirth, as they are the first wild fruits to ripen. They used them mixed with cornmeal to make strawberry bread, which whtie settlers transformed to strawberry shortcake, a traditional Memorial Day weekend dessert.

During meieval times, the strawberry signified perfection and righteousness and strawberry fruits also symbolized esteem, love, purity, passion, health, and perfection, and were a popular embroidery motif. In heraldry, depictions of strawberry leaves were sometimes used to denote rank.

Strawberries are one of Venus’s symbols, due to their red heart shape. Frigga, the Norse marriage goddess, was believe to smuggle dad children to heaven by hiding them in strawberry patches. Both Freya, the Norse goddess of love, and the Christian Virgin Mary have been associated with strawberries.

Dutch early surrealist artist Hieronymus Bosch painted one of his most famous works, the triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights, in the fifteenth century. It is now housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, and, if you are unfamiliar with Bosch’s work, it is wonderfully strange. The center panel, which represents a lustful earthly paradise, features many oversized strawberries. At the bottom right are two human-sized straberries, one bursting open to emit round blue balls, and the other being used as an exercise ball by a naked woman. One of the men is offering the woman a strawberry as big as a melon. Another giant strawberry, with fairy wings, rides on the back of a naked man, a spiny tail emergy from a slit on its side. [2]

Resources

[1] The Hearth Witch’s Compendium by Anna Franklin

[2] Llewellyn’s 2022 Sabbats Almanac: Samhain 2021 to Mabon 2022

Rose (Rosa spp.)

Rebirth, resurrection, funerals, memorials, initiations, luck, love, passion, sexuality, sensuality, seduction, marriage, Great Rite, handfasting, Beltane. The white rose represents purity, perfection, innocence, virginity, and the Maiden Goddess, while the red rose is earthly passion, fertility, and the Mother Goddess. Red roses are ruled by Jupiter, damask roses by the planet Venus, and white roses by the moon. All fall under the element of water. Sacred to Adonis, Aphrodite, Artemis, Aurora, Bacchus, Blodeuwedd, Christ, Cupid, Demeter, Dionysus, Eros, Flora, Freya, Hathor, Horus, Hulda, Hymen, Inanna, Ishtar, Isis, Kubaba, the Mothers, Nike, Ninsianna, Saule, Venus, Virgin Mary, and Vishnu. [1]

When thinking about planting a protective barrier or plants and flowers near your threshold, let’s not forget to mention roses. The flower of peace, love, and friendship, the rose is also highly protective when planted near the entrance of a home. It helps prevent negativity from entering any dwelling. Just scattering a few rose petals near the threshold will ease domestic tensions. This will also neutralize any dark energy left behind by an unpleasant visitor who has just left. Today there are many easy-care roses available, so you needn’t worry about fussing over them with toxic sprays. However, today’s easy-to-grow roses shouldn’t need sraying. Simply plant them and enjoy their protective qualities. [2]

Resources

[1] The Hearth Witch’s Compendium by Anna Franklin

[2] Llewellyn’s 2022 Magical Almanac by Chi Cicero

Lily (Lilium spp.)

New moon, Imbolc. Ruled by the moon and the element of water. Sacred to Adonis, Astarte, Athena, Attis, Ceres, Isis, Jupiter, Kundalini, Lakshmi, maiden goddesses, moon goddesses, Osiris, Psyche, Sophia, and Venus. [1]

If you want to keep the evil eye, negative spirits, and unwanted visitors away from your threshold, plant a few lily bulbs. These tall beauties grow three to four feet high. Not only will they bring protection to your doorstep, but they’ll also add charm. As a bonus, their trumpet-shaped flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds. [2]

Resources

[1] The Hearth Witch’s Compendium: Magical and Natural Living for Everyday by Anna Franklin

[2] Llewellyn’s 2022 Magical Almanac by Chi Cicero