Pagan Blog Project Week 32- Protection Stones and Herbs

So, I felt bad because I really wanted to do one week on protection and one week on purification for the Pagan Blog Project.   I would still like to do the same sort of post for purification, but that will be outside the scope of the Pagan Blog Project, as we’re moving on to Q next week.  Hint: I’m kind of excited to explore the symbolism of quail.

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Physical protection is a basic necessity, as there really are all sorts of things out there that are ‘out to get us’.  This ranges from other people, to animals, to the elements, to big business, to anything else that can ruin the delicate balance of our equilibrium.  Sometimes, we must be protected from ourselves.

There are basic ways to do this, including shelter and clothing, which protect us from the elements.  We have our friends and family to protect us from loneliness and boredom.  We even have virus protection on our computers.  Or we should, at any rate.  But there are magickal ways that we can bolster our personal protections as well.

For example, when I know I’m going to be around people who drain my energy, I’ve created a small bag with tourmaline, tourmalinated quartz, and hematite.  All of these things deal with negativity, and they help me to feel grounded.  I added in a little rosemary and some rosemary oil to further that protective energy.   I also like to place a piece of hematite in each window and over each door, because it absorbs negativity.

Here are some common stones and herbs used in protection magick.  I’ve only included the most readily available and most protective, as there are tons of stones and herbs with protective properties.  As with any other ritual use, the intention you put into the item is the most important thing.

Stones:

Amber:  Brings stability and transmutes negative energy into positive energy.

Amethyst:  High spiritual vibration guards against psychic attack, transmuting the energy into spiritual and love energy.  Also blocks negative environmental energies.  Protects against drunkenness.

Black tourmaline (and tourmalinated quartz): Protective during rituals.  Points out the cause of negativity or trouble.  Disperses negativity, and also protects against electromagnetism, radiation, psychic attack, spells, ill-wishing, and defends against disease.  Also bolsters the immune system.

Bloodstone:  Banishes evil and negative energy.  Also strengthens personal defenses.

Fire Agate:  Grounding energy promotes safety and security, builds a protective shield around the body.  Returns harmful energy back to the sender with a clear message where the harm is being returned from.

Hematite:  Absorbs negativity by absorbing it from the aura and the environment.  Must be cleansed often, or it will then become ‘full’, and begin to radiate the same negativity out.  Also, strengthening and confidence-building.

Jet: Protects against violence and illness, also protects during spiritual journeying from ‘entities of darkness’, also stabilizes finances and protects businesses.

Labradorite: Deflects unwanted energies from the aura and prevents energy leakage.  Creates a barrier to negativity.

Malachite: Absorbs negativity and pollution, including radioactive and electromagnetic pollution.

Obsidian: Forms a shield against negativity and blocks psychic attack, also helps with grounding.

Pyrite:  Excellent energy shield, also blocks pollutants and disease.  Protects subtle and physical bodies.  Blocks energy leaks.

Smoky Quartz:  Neutralizes negative energy, replacing it with positive energy.

Sardonyx (and black onyx): Can be gridded around home or placed at points of entry (windows and doors) to protect against crime.

Tiger’s eye: Traditionally carried as a talisman against curses.

 

Protective Fire Agate
Fire Agate By: Jessa Dow-Anderson

Herbs:

Angelica:  Use in protection and exorcism incenses, or sprinkle around the house to ward from evil.  Bathe in angelica to remove curses.

Asafoetida: Smells terrible, and is thus protective.  Use in protective sachets, but only if you want to smell bad.  Use very small amounts in exorcism and protection incenses.

Bay:  Wear as an amulet to ward from negativity and evil, place in windows to protect from lightning, hang in home to prevent poltergeists.    A tree planted near the home protects inhabitants against sickness.

Cedar:  Hang in the home to protect against lightning.  Cut 3 prongs into the top of a cedar stick and place upright near home to trap evil.

Cinquefoil:  Hang in the home or over the bed for protection.  Make an infusion of the leaves to wash yourself with to remove hexes and curses.

Cloves:  Burn as incense to drive away negativity and stop others from gossiping about you.

Comfrey:  Worn or carried, comfrey protects during travel.  Also, add some to suitcases so they aren’t lost or stolen.

Dill:  Protective when hung on the door or carried in sachets, protects babies if hung near a cradle or crib.

Dragon’s Blood:  Burn, carry, or sprinkle around the home to protect.

Elder:  Wards from attackers, physical and psychic.  Grow in the garden to shield the house from sorcery and lightning.

Fennel:  Grow in garden or hang in windows to ward from evil.

Feverfew:  Carry to protect against colds, fevers, and accidents.

Galangel:  Wear or carry for protection and good luck.  Guards health.

Garlic:  Protects against disease, shipwreck, or during battles.  Hang in the home to protect against thieves, envious people, bad weather, and evil spirits.

Holly:  Guards against lightning, poison, and evil spirits.  When planted around the house, protects inhabitants from evil sorcerers.  When thrown at wild animals, it will make them leave you alone.  Holly-infused water is sprinkled on newborns to protect them.

Horehound:  Carry in protective sachets to guard against sorcery and fascination.  Scatter around for exorcism rituals.

Hyssop:  Hang in the home to purge evil and negativity.

Irish Moss:  Carry on trips for protection and safety.

Ivy:  Guards against negativity and disaster.

Juniper:  Protects and guards against theft, ahng on the door to repel evil forces and people, burn in exorcism rituals.  A sprig carried, will protect from accidents, attacks from wild animals, ghosts, and sickness.

Mandrake:  Place a root on your mantel to protect your house, or on your headboard to protect during sleep.  “Where there is mandrake, demons cannot reside…”  Soak mandrake root in water, and then sprinkle water over windows and doors for protection.

Marigold:  Make into garlands to hang over doors for protection, or scatter under bed to protect while you sleep.

Marjoram:  Grow in garden to shield from evil, or place around home.  Replace monthly.

Mistletoe:  Leaves and berries protect against lightning, disease, misfortune, and fires.  A ring carved from mistletoe wood will ward off sickness.

Mugwort:  When carrying mugwort, you cannot be harmed by poison, wild beasts or sunstroke.  Prevents elves and evil spirits from entering.

Mustard:  Carry in a red sachet to guard against colds.  Sprinkle on doorsill or under doorstep for protection.

Nettle:  Stuff a poppet with nettles to send curses back to their senders.  Sprinkle around the house or wear to avert danger or ghosts.

Oak (and acorns):  Bind two twigs into an equal-armed solar cross with red thread and hang in the house for protection.  Place acorns in windows or carry a twig.

Onions: Leave a half onion in the kitchen to absorb disease and negativity.  Also place black pins into an onion, and place in a window.  Carry to protect against venomous beasts.  Grow in the garden to protect your home.

Orris:  Placed around the home or in a protective bath in Japan for personal protection.

Pine:  Scatter pine needles on the floor of your home to drive away evil, or burn to exorcise negativity and send evil spells back to their originator.

Plantain:  Hang in your car to guard against the intrusion of evil spirits.

Primrose:  Red and blue primroses grown in a garden protect against faeries.

Red Clover:    Three-leaf clovers are protective, while four-leaf clovers protect against madness.

Rosemary:  Place beneath your pillow to drive away nightmares.  Hang on porch to ward against thieves.

Rowan:  Tie two twigs together in an equal-armed cross with red thread to create a protective amulet.

Rue:  Placed in bathwater, it will help break hexes and curses.  Add to exorcism incenses.  Rub leaves on floorboards to send back spells someone has sent against you.

St. John’s Wort:  Wards off colds and makes soldiers invincible.  When gathered on Midsummer, will keep mental illness at bay.  Hang near window to keep ghosts, necromancers, and other evildoers from the house, or burn to banish spirits and demons.

Slippery Elm:  Burn and throw a knotted yellow cord into the resulting fire to stop gossip about you.

Solomon’s Seal:  Place the root in the four corners of the house to protect it.  Use in protection or exorcism spells of all kinds.

Thyme:  Place under pillow to protect against nightmares.

Valerian:  Wear in a sachet for personal protection or hang in the home to protect against lightning.

Vetiver:  Burn to overcome evil spells.

Willow:  Carry or hang in the home for protection.  Knock on the willow wood to avert evil.

Wolf’s Bane:  Carry in a protective sachet against vampires and werewolves.

Wood Betony:  Protects soul and body, place under pillow to shield from visions and bad dreams.  Grow in garden and scatter in front of windows and doors for protection from evil.

Wormwood:   Carry to protect against bewitchment and ‘the bite of sea serpents’.  Also counteracts poison from hemlock or toadstools.  Hang in car to protect during travels.

Yarrow:  Wear for general protection.

 

St. John's Wort
St. John’s Wort By: john shortland

Other Protective Symbols, etc:

Algiz: The rune of protection, of shielding

Pentagram: The pentacle or pentagram has often been used as a protective sigil, or as a ward when invoked in the air around a circle or around the entrances to a home.

Witch’s Bottle: A bottle filled with string, sharp objects, reflective objects, and often a witch’s blood or urine to activate the ingredients.  The bottle is then sealed and placed near or buried in front of doors and windows to ‘trap’ negativity and evil as it tries to enter.

Tree shaped like Algiz
Tree shaped like Algiz By: Karl-Ludwig Poggemann

 

Sources:

The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn’s Sourcebook Series) (Cunningham’s Encyclopedia Series) by Scott Cunningham

Wylundt’s Book of Incense by Wylundt

One Comment

  1. Aurora Thessaly says:

    Horehound…. *snicker*

Comments are closed.