No shame in the hex game?

I’ve been a long term believer that nobody hexes. Who has that kind of energy? That kind of spare time? But I’ve learned recently just how wrong a witch can be. Quite by accident, I stumbled into some circles with the definitive rule of “no hex shaming.” That is to say, you can’t be telling others that hexing and cursing are wrong, or make a witch feel bad about their choice in any way.

Honestly, I liked being ignorant on this one. 

I’ve been standing on the side-lines, absorbing information, wondering privately why you wouldn’t simply use your magick to empower yourself. Isn’t the best revenge living well?

And of course, at these parties and many others, Wiccans are looked down upon so it’s been best to keep my mouth shut. Love and light aren’t cool and edgy. Nor is a dedication to peace particularly scary. Arguably some of a witch’s social power comes from that undercurrent of fear that’s generated when people know you’re a witch but don’t know what it means.

I get it, Threefold Return is a laughable concept not rooted in much logic or science. A brave soul might be happy to test whether something three times as bad happens as a result of a mildly malicious spell and be emboldened from there. But here’s the thing, shouldn’t we be guided by our internal compasses? Nobody actually needs the Threefold rule or the Ten Commandments or any sort of creed to know that deliberately harming another is a shitty thing to do.

But what if that person has harmed you? What if you’re an atheist witch with no one to hold you accountable or a devotee of a vengeful God? Nothing is clear cut. Context matters.

Obviously it’s not my place to judge, either, and regardless of my personal fluffy opinion, these curses are happening. The more I interact with the wider witch community, the more I feel the need to protect myself and my family. Whilst I would like to believe malevolent witches* aren’t petty and only hex in extreme circumstances, there’s no way to guarantee that. There are certainly above average amounts of delusion, drug abuse, paranoia, and hatred of “yt vegans” swirling in our metaphysical soup, and as the annoying creature I am… Well, it’s a wonder I haven’t been targeted before. (Or maybe I have and my low-level fluff practices have been enough to save me, who knows?) 

Whatever the case below  you’ll find some basic protection spells to get you started. I’ll be paying more attention to this field of magick from here on in, that’s for sure!

Protecting the home:

Witches jar – This is old kinda gross magick, but it’s simple and it’s been used for so long you don’t need to be able to hold a visualisation or have anything “witchy” on hand. All you need is a glass jar, a full bladder, and an assortment of sharp or broken things. If you dislike faeries, make sure some of those things are iron. Ideas include old razor blades, nails and screws, scissors,  broken glass, pins and snapped sewing needles.

Pile your nasty items into the jar making sure it’s at least half full, then urinate in the jar. Yep. Fill it with pee. If you’re squeamish or working in a group, apple cider vinegar is an appropriate substitute. But consider this: urine is free.

When your jar is complete, bury it at the edge of your property.  If you don’t have property, there’s no reason the bottom of a potted plant won’t do.

Boundary spell – Reinforce the boundaries of your home with blessed water. If you’re Christian you can probably pick some up at the church, if not you can bless your own water.  

Sprinkle the water along the boundaries of your home, imagining a divine barrier blocking all negativity from entering, repeating at each portal:

“Holy water, seal our home against evil. No harm may enter here. No hate may abide. Love and protection fill the place we reside.”

Wards – Wards can be set up purely with visualisation, much like calling the quarters, or they can be painted or craved on boards, fence posts, or stones and then reinforced with visualisation. Choose established protective symbols or make your own sigils; same for visualisations. Some people like to call upon archangels to power their wards, imagine coloured pillars of light, ask their ancestors, or rely upon elemental energies. Whoever you invoke and however you set your wards, keep it consistent and make sure it is logical to you. If your intent is clear and your emotions invested, your will can withstand just about any attack.

Protecting individuals:

Jewellery is an easy solution. The apotropaic amulet protects from the evil eye (It looks like a blue eye).  The pentacle is a protective symbol. Protective stones are easy to come by and don’t raise any eyebrows.

Beyond that, charm pouches and wards can be carried in glove boxes, inside fenders, in handbags and backpacks, secreted in office drawers and workplace gardens. As these take quite a bit of effort, I’m only going to write up the spells if you request them.

Lastly, you can create your own sigils and draw them on the bottom of your feet so you always walk in safety.

* We don’t say black witch to indicate someone who is evil anymore. A Black witch is a person of colour.

Miriam Cumming is a fluffy bunny Wiccan who is slowly learning what parts of her faith were appropriated and what parts weren’t. She appreciates your patience while she transitions her language and practices. If you want to follow her journey, Miriam puts a tonne of effort into her daily Instagram posts.