Magickal Black Salt

NOT FOR EATING

Pythagoras proclaimed, “Salt is born of the purest parents: the sun and the sea.”

Long used to absorb moisture, kill bacteria, and emit ions, salt is a common staple in every witch’s arsenal. as a powerful protective and cleansing agent, both physically and metaphysically, with purifying qualities and ability to absorb psychic energies.

Historically, salt was a game-changing food preservative, with multiple medicinal uses, making it a valuable commodity with political and military significance. Outside of food storage, ancient Egyptians famously altered salt chemically to produce natron, used in the art of perfecting mummification.

Wars were fought over salts and spices. The Pen Ts’ao Kang Mu, published in China 4,700 years ago, is probably the earliest known treatise on pharmacology, with detailed discussions of the palliative and curative powers of more than 40 kinds of salts. Salt is mentioned over 30 times in the Bible. You get the gist, salt is important stuff with endless uses.

Black salt however, is salt combined with other magickal elements. It is not the same as culinary black salt and is NOT for consumption. Magickal black salt is crafted to absorb negative energies, nullify curses, or rid harmful influences and obtain balance.

The magickal qualities of black salt be used to increase the potency of protection spells, repel or drive negatively away from specific places, but should be replaced often to reinforce protection. Sprinkle salt in doorways or windows while reciting a protection spell. Use at work or around your altar before spells, rituals or sabbats. Carry some for safe travels. Place in a bowl by your bed to aid sleep.

To make your own, select an intention. Mine is for protecting my home, but you may choose to make salt for psychic protection, or perhaps warding, or banishing, or spell reversal. The intention helps determine what other magickal elements to include.

Select the right time to craft your salt based on the intended use. I traditionally make mine on the first new moon after Beltane. Why? Simplest answer: ashes and darkness. We usually perform a protection spell and ritual for Beltane that includes burnings, which result in an abundance of ash. The purpose of the new moon, is symbolic for darkness, but also when the moon is protected in the shadow. Depending on the purpose of your salt you may choose a different moon phase or time of year.

Choose a salt. This year, I’m using French Grey sun-evaporated sea salt, with cleansing, blessing, and balancing properties, but type, texture, color are personal preferences.

Himalayan pink sea salt is a toxin absorber, ionizer, and romance attractor. Hawaiian black lava salt is already rich with charcoal used for banishing. Red Hawaiian salt is iron-rich and good for cleansing and purifying tools. Japanese big-flake salt has a lower mineral content and dissolves easier. Several varieties to choose from, but if all you have nothing else, though it may lack exotic appeal table salt has magickal properties.

You’ll need equal parts salt and ash, so collect a good amount of ash. I typically have an abundance of ash collected from ritual burnings, protection spells, and white sage cleansings conducted on Beltane. You may choose to burn other herbs with cleansing or protective properties such as wormwood, cedar, pine, santo palo, holy basil, various mints, oak, eucalyptus, or rosemary. An alternative to ash for those with allergies is activated charcoal, which correspondences are cleansing, protection and purification.

For extra protection my recipe calls for iron shavings and powdered eggshell, but you may want your salt to have a warding action so you might select black pepper. Like salt, pepper has a variey with specialized purposes. Include ingredients specific for your intention. Options include; cinnamon as a shield from negativity, or chili seeds and sulphur for banishing, or ground myrrh resin for cleansing, or drops of frankincense oil for a magickal boost.

Multiple recipes are available online. Some encourage the use of black ink, but I don’t wish to stain my floors. I’m also aware that some practitioners use ground bone or grave dirt, but I do not.

I start by smoke cleansing a jar. Then I work with one item at a time stating the purpose for each. Adding ash to my mortar, in a clockwise direction I grind it with the pestle, saying three times; “Ash from my burnings, negate from harmful forces, absorb harmful energies, protect from negative and unwanted forces.” Then place my ash into the jar.

Next, eggshells go into the mortar and using my pestle clockwise; “This shell is strong enough to protect life. Provide me with strength and protection.” Grind into fine powder and add to jar.

Adding iron shavings to the mortar, grinding clockwise; “Mighty Iron repel unwanted energies.” (I like iron because it’s found on earth but also other stars.)

Using other materials like pepper or oils? Add them to the mortar one at a time, grind clockwise and state their useful intention before also placing into the jar. Example: “Sulphur exorcise harmful energies.”

Lastly, add salt; “Salt of the earth, cleanse and purify my space.” Pour into the jar, close the lid and shake the combined ingredients while meditating on protection.

It’s somewhat addicting creating recipe variations. After some time experimenting with salts and ingredients you will create something that works for you and find infinite magickal uses for your black salts.