Animals and Their Parts
The subject of using animal parts in shadow magick often offends people and even creates a divide between members of the Pagan community. However, using animal parts such as hearts, bones, and horns in magick is rooted in the history of many traditions around the world, starting long ago when hunting food and keeping livestock were a normal part of everyday life. We’re all familiar with the stereotype of a witch sacrificing chickens, sticking pins in toads, and slicing open hearts. This stereotype creates a lot of fear and misunderstanding, which can hopefully be assuaged by discussing it openly.
Animal remains can be used in ritual and magick in countless ways. Bones are so important in magick that Chapter 7 is specifically dedicated to them.
An animal’s traits come through their body parts into your magick, so choosing which creature to include in your practice is important. Snakeskin encompasses self-activated change and growth. One can carry cat claws for stealth and hunter energy or fox fur for cleverness. Every animal has different associations.
Preserved animal parts can be placed on the altar to attract the spirit of a certain creature into your practice. They’re added to sachets, worn as jewelry, ground up to add to powders and incense, or engraved with runes or symbols for use in divination.
Finding Animal Parts
Animal components can be salvaged in many ways that don’t involve hurting an animal. That being said, there are various means of obtaining them, and peoples’ values differ as far as what is “ethical” and what is not. As with everything regarding ethics, it’s a fluid gray area that can be debated endlessly. Where you stand on this is your own personal choice. Personally, I would never kill an animal for use in magick. The following are some different sources of animal parts with various pros and cons for your consideration.
Natural Death/Predators
I put this one first because in my opinion it is the best and most fortuitous. If you pay attention, you’ll be surprised just how often you find remains left by a predator or dead from natural causes. Larger animals attack and eat smaller ones, leaving a pile of bones and fur. Older animals fall behind the pack and pass away, to be consumed by vultures and scavengers. Babies are rejected from the nest. House pets like cats and dogs sometimes attack and kill smaller creatures because it’s their natural instinct. Other times, an animal is found dead and intact, appearing mysteriously unharmed.
Finding dead animals seemingly at random happens to me so frequently it’s honestly impossible to ignore. Here are just a few examples. On the morning of my fortieth birthday, I opened up my front door and right there at my feet were, literally, the wings of a dove. The dove’s body was completely eaten, and all that was left were two perfect wings, connected by a bit of bloody bone. It was so jarring and seemed like a symbol sent straight from spirit, telling me, “Okay, lady, this is an important year for you. Get ready to grow wings and fly.” Another time, on the night of a full moon in spring, when I was thinking about all the new projects I was undertaking, I went out to the garden and stumbled across a dead rabbit lying across the path perfectly intact. Its placement seemed so intentional, put directly where I had no choice but to find it. Rabbits represent beginnings and springing forward into new projects. Another time, when I was feeling discouraged about writing this book, I was given a crow that had been killed by a hawk to clean. Crows are definite symbols from dark deity, so it felt like this was a symbol from spirit to buck up and get writing. I can’t help but think of these things as gifts and omens that arrived to give me a nudge in the right direction or help me make up my mind about something. Needless to say, I respectfully honored, cleaned, and salvaged the remains of all these creatures.
Some animals die from disease, and while it’s not possible to always know for sure, there are some indications. If numbers of a species are found dead regularly, there’s a good chance that disease is involved, and you should contact wildlife control. If you suspect an animal was diseased, it’s best not to handle it at all.
Finding animal remains in nature is often a symbol sent to you from deity, the cosmos, spirit, or whatever you choose to name it. Of course, live animals are omens as well, but nothing stops you in your tracks like a dead creature placed in front of your nose. Pay attention, because when an animal dies at the hands of nature and is presented to you, you are being sent a very clear message. No bones about it.
Human Accidents (Roadkill)
An unfortunate reality of living in times of excessive cars and trucks is that many animals fall victim to road accidents. There’s nothing sadder than a little skunk or squirrel squashed on the road, driven over without a single thought given to its life. Unfortunately, we see this all the time, especially on country roads and long stretches of highway. You may wish to collect animal remains that you find this way. My personal thoughts are that you are in fact honoring its life by cleaning it off the road and removing it from further thoughtless disrespect. You will need to follow the instructions later on in this chapter for cleaning bones and health and safety tips for collecting dead animals. As you gather the animal remains, say a word of thanks over them, acknowledging the animal’s shortened life and sending love to its spirit. Tell the animal’s spirit what you intend to do with its body, such as use it in magick that benefits the greater good. You will be able to feel the energy of the animal near you. It may have something to tell you. Send it love and respect.
This technique can be applied to any animal you find that has died directly or indirectly because of humans.
Some people feel that these animals have been tainted by human carelessness and disrespect and choose not to include them in their craft. Others, like I said, feel they are honoring an otherwise abandoned spirit. It’s a personal choice. What you feel deep down is the answer. If you feel there is negativity attached to an animal whose life ended this way and don’t want to use it in your magick, consider just giving it a respectful burial instead or at least moving its remains off the road away from further harm.
If you’re unsure whether or not an animal is dead, do not touch it. An injured animal will bite. If it’s a small animal, you can get a long stick and nudge it to see if it moves. A large animal can be deadly due to its size, and I wouldn’t go near it at all if there were any question. A good indication that it’s dead is that it will have begun to stiffen with rigor mortis. Its limbs will be frozen in position and it will be hard.
There is no way to know if an animal killed on the road was diseased, but you’re better safe than sorry. Wear gloves when you handle it and do not get fluids on yourself.
If you find an animal that is in a severe state of decay and there are maggots crawling on it, you might not want to take it into your house or vehicle for hygiene reasons.
Purchasing
Believe it or not, there are entire businesses out there based on scavenged animal parts salvaged from natural sources. Some of these sellers live in remote areas where finding animal remains is commonplace, and they sell the bones, teeth, and claws already cleaned. This is a good alternative for those who would rather not do the dirty work of bone cleaning (and believe me, it’s dirty, but more on that later). If you’re concerned about animals being harmed by humans, most of the time you can contact the store online and ask. Many sellers are forthright on their website explaining where they source their wares. If the tooth, claw, or bone came from an endangered, rare, or extinct species, it was definitely not a cruelty-free salvaged item, and you’d best stay away from it. It’s also probably illegal. On that note, there are laws in place about buying and selling animal remains depending on where you live, especially from one country into another. Certain things are banned completely. For example, in Canada and the United States it is illegal to have the remains of most migratory birds.6 Reputable sellers will not have banned items on offer anyway, but it never hurts to do some research about legalities in your area while shopping.
Some animal parts, such as faces, tails, and pelts, are left over from the fashion industry or hunting. Many people are against this. That being said, other practitioners believe that these discarded animal parts are better off being honored by someone using them in magick than just going to waste, similar to their feelings about honoring roadkill. Some people feel that these animals were killed long ago, or in a way that they themselves have no control over, and that refusing to use the parts is pointless and not helping the problem anyway. This is a conundrum for your own moral compass.
Hunters
Hunting is another way to source animal remains, which may or may not be appealing or ethical in some circles. Where I live, it is legal at certain times of the year to hunt turkeys, deer, coyotes, and more. Fishing falls into the hunting category as well. People who hunt typically eat the whole animal, and often the skins and fur are used as well. If you know someone who hunts, you may be able to ask for discarded parts they do not want or need, such as antlers, skulls, teeth, claws, hooves, and other parts not needed for meat. If you are against hunting or eating wild game, this would perhaps not be an option for you.
Factory Farms
Most of the meat you buy at large chain grocers comes from factory farming. The problem with factory farming, and the reason so many people are against it, is that it is thought that the animals there are mistreated and that the process is harmful to the earth. While one person may argue that using remains of factory-farmed creatures is unethical because the animals were mistreated in life, another person would argue that since the animal was already dead, using their parts is okay and even honoring the animal in a way by including them in something spiritual. This side of the argument believes that these animals are being killed and slaughtered in a way that they cannot help or control, as mentioned earlier, and that using them in ritual is better than them going to waste.
It is your choice whether to use factory-farmed animals in your witchcraft, just as it is your choice whether to eat them or not.
Animals and Magick
How do animal and insect parts factor into witchcraft? Animals, including teeny-tiny insects, are interwoven in a witch’s craft. Every animal is an archetype for a larger energy current, which can be tapped into for use in magick or shown to us as an omen. Here we’re going to discuss two ways that animals and insects play into our magickal experience: first, as messengers carrying omens from divinity; and second, by integrating them into ritual. Following that is a list of animals and their associations in terms of symbolism and magickal properties.
Animals as Messengers
I am a firm believer that there are no coincidences in this life and that everything we experience has a purpose. I believe that spirit is constantly communicating with us through any means possible—what we see, words we hear, people we meet. Spirit is guiding us all the time. We just need to know what to look for.
One of the major conduits spirit uses to communicate with us is nature. When in touch with the dark moon phase in your life, you may find yourself coming into contact with like-minded creatures, by which I mean creatures of the night. These are mostly nocturnal animals or are animals that have what we conventionally consider “dark” or mystical aspects. For example, during my own shadow work, I was very connected to owls and vultures. One is a nocturnal predator and the other a beast of carrion. Both are associated with death energy. These birds showed up for me on a daily basis during my own time of darkness. Knowing what I do now, I could have noted all the owls I was seeing and realized I was headed into the cauldron for a big, mind-expanding transformation. Now I know to pay attention next time.
Animal guides may appear in the flesh as you go about your day or night, or you may find yourself inundated with imagery of a specific animal. This is not a coincidence. The energy of that animal is trying to give you a message, offer guidance, or even issue a warning. Many wild animals are mostly hidden, especially in our industrialized society, which means the sighting of a bat or coyote is truly a gift and very meaningful. When an animal spirit has information for you, you will know it: a ton of imagery about one animal suddenly, coincidentally, being thrown in your path will be difficult to ignore once you see it. If you find that everywhere you look, you seem to see pictures of owls, you need to pay attention to what an owl means!
The trick is figuring out what the animal is trying to tell you. Consider that animal’s traits, talents, and special abilities, and those will be clues. Books and websites are great starting points, but it’s worth mentioning that what message an animal has for you is highly dependent on how you feel about the creature, regardless of what any outside resource says. If you have a terrifying phobia of cats, then seeing a cat is a definite warning for you, no matter what nice things a kitty represents for me.
My Lesson from Vultures
I had an interesting experience with vultures a few years ago that illustrates how clearly spirit communicates with us through animals. Vultures, sometimes called buzzards, are birds of carrion, which means they eat other dead animals. Many people erroneously dismiss them as disgusting, lowly scavengers. The most common vulture in my area is the turkey vulture, which is a massive black bird with a six-foot wingspan. When turkey vultures roost, they gather their magnificent black wings around their bodies like a vampire cape, adding to their foreboding appearance. Usually, they travel in groups and can be seen high up in the sky riding the wind in spiral patterns. Vultures appear when death is literally near. They spy a sick or injured animal down on the ground and gather to circle it from above, waiting patiently for its demise. Then they descend on what is left of its dead body and consume it, integrating its shed earthly shell back into nature’s cycle. When we look at death not as a scary ending, like we’ve been taught, but as a beginning and fresh start, the vulture takes on a whole new meaning. No longer just a scavenging eater of death, the vulture is here to carry creatures to their next incarnation, much like a psychopomp, escorting them to the other side, into the spirit world. They come to warn us that they’re about to carry us through a transformative, probably challenging, experience that changes us permanently.
During the several years when my mother had cancer, a group of vultures started nesting in a public park right near my home. It’s very unusual for vultures to nest in a busy place with all that noise and activity, yet this is where they chose to live. Every time I left the house, I would see them soaring around and around in the distance, sometimes right over my yard. This went on consistently for the years that my mother was suffering her long, treacherous illness. The vultures were a constant circling presence in the sky, much like my mother’s declining health was a constant thought in my mind. Shortly after she died and I was deeply grieving, I decided to take a walk on the natural pathways in the park one day. Suddenly a bizarre, huge black creature appeared on the path ahead of me. I stopped and stared. I’d never seen such an enormous, strange bird up close. It was monstrously scary looking. I froze. After a moment, it spread huge cape-like wings and took flight, its feathers so big I could almost feel the wind they made on my face. It felt like the vulture had stopped me on the path to get my attention. It showed me that it was flying away now, as if to say, “Our work here is done.” After that startling confrontation, I gradually stopped seeing vultures in the sky and their numbers decreased locally, parallel with how I began to heal from my loss. In this way, vultures came into my life to signify the death that was coming, as well as the huge personal transition I would experience as a result. They saw me through the harrowing experience of illness and death of a loved one, with their message about the unending cycles of life, and then went on their way.
Another time, I was going for a run in the park at dawn and saw five vultures roosting on a tree over the river, hunched there like grim reapers. I stopped to admire them for a moment, and they all took flight. A minute later I almost got killed by a car running a red light and was only saved because another person pulled me back out of the way. That time, the vultures were warning me to watch out.
If you pay attention, it’s amazing how often nature reflects what is happening in our lives. Nature works in mysterious, coincidental ways, always in synch, never by accident.
Incorporating Animal Remains in Ritual
The second way that animal energies factor into witchcraft is when we use their bones and other parts in our spells and rituals. There is a lot to learn about this, from the very practical details of cleaning bones to what different body parts mean and what to do with them. We’ll expand further on that and get specific about the powers of different animals and how to integrate them into our witchcraft.
Toward the end of this chapter is a list of animal meanings. The animals on my list are mostly found in North America because they’re what I’m familiar with. Since this book focuses on the dark moon energy in our lives, the animals listed are mainly nocturnal, beasts of carrion, or underground animals that spend their lives connected to the shadow current and darkness. Research animals from your own area to find out their history and what they may mean. Some of the symbolism for certain animals bridges cultures and spans civilizations. For example, the symbolism of the fox in Western, Asian, Indigenous Canadian, Native American, and Druid folklore is all similar: diplomacy, cunning, slyness, and sometimes trickery. The fox having the same symbolism in societies so separated by time and space is meaningful, as it indicates a larger archetype in the collective unconscious. It means that fox spirit is real and alive all over the world and not something made up by one group to suit their purposes or immediate needs. Similar worldwide patterns can be seen with the spider, the snake, and countless others. When working with animal energies, it helps to do some background research on top of your own feelings toward the animal, as these collective beliefs are powerful indeed.
Animal lore is rich and bountiful. When choosing an animal or insect to work with in magick, I focus a little bit on mythology but also on the behavior of that particular creature, including its strengths and characteristics, when calling upon it in spells or rituals.
Animal Parts in Spells
There’s evidence to support that mentions of animal parts in spells in old texts, specifically Shakespeare, were actually simply folk names for herbs and not to be taken literally. This is true in many cases. However, to say that old-world witchcraft never made use of actual animal parts is just as dubious as claiming those same people never ate meat. Hunting and farming livestock was a natural part of life. Killing and eating animals, preparing them for food, and making use of the leftover parts were all very ordinary parts of living.
While many witches prefer to stick to bones and skulls for magick, there are of course other animal parts to consider. We’ve all seen rabbit’s feet made into key chains. While some animal parts are much messier to handle than others, they do have their uses in magick and a history therein. The following is a brief list of different parts and what they might be used for in spells. Please keep in mind that organs can spread germs and illness.
Antlers and Horns
Antlers are very common items and are readily available. Each year, male deer and other antlered mammals drop their racks naturally and grow new ones in their place. If you’re a serious hiker or spend a lot of time in remote areas, seeing deer or moose antlers on the ground is an ordinary sight. Almost all animals with antlers are male (except reindeer—which means Santa’s sled just may have been pulled by does). Males use their antlers against one another during mating season in feats of strength as they battle for female companions. They do this by locking their antlers together and wrestling; the buck with the strongest rack wins female attention and also leadership in the hierarchy of the group. This same technique is used to battle for territory. Sometimes antlers are employed as weapons in a fight, but mostly they are a visual signal to communicate power and dominance. In this way, antlers are associated with strength, victory, and sexual attraction. Antlers and horns are also associated with gods with horns, such as Pan (Greek) and Cernunnos (Celtic). The horned gods generally encompass fertility, warrior energy, action, sexuality, protection, and power. Horns and antlers can be used in magick to channel all these energies.
Horns, such as those of sheep or goats, do not shed annually like antlers do.
You can purchase antlers and horns whole or in pieces to make into your own jewelry or charms. You can even powder them with a file to add to soaps, oils, sachets, and incense. However, be warned: antler and horn are not known for smelling pretty when burned!
Teeth
For predators, sharp fangs are not only used for protection and defense but also for survival and the conquering of prey. Teeth can therefore be used as protection charms or as part of spells for victory and power. If the tooth comes from a carnivore, they are most likely at the top of the food chain, making them useful in dominance and personal power spells or to protect yourself from the emotional “predators” you encounter in day-to-day life. In the animal world, showing the teeth when threatened by another animal is a way to ward off attack and danger. An animal will bare its fangs to threaten an enemy and scare them away. Sharp animal teeth can be used in a spell of this nature and send off the vibe that you are not to be threatened.
Teeth that are not fangs are also considered protective. Even herbivores will bite when provoked, and it hurts! Molars are used for chewing food and can be integrated into spells for abundance and prosperity.
Claws
Much like teeth, claws are a mechanism of defense and protecting oneself. Any animal, even a tiny herbivore, will use its sharp claws for defense, and size doesn’t matter—even mouse claws bring pain. They can be used in protection magic, in deflective magick to “fight back,” or to bring pain upon an enemy. Many animals such as cats organically shed their claws, leaving behind a husk that naturally falls off and maintains the shape of the claw. This can be added to spells or mixtures for protection or any working in which a claw would be appropriate.
Bird Feet
You can make charms from bird feet according to what kind of bird the claw came from. You can figure out its qualities based on its behavioral patterns or folklore about the bird.
The most popular use of bird feet is in protective magick. Most birds have big and sharp claws, and the idea is that they can scratch and gouge, a quality that can be used in defensive magick. Also, a charm made from a bird’s foot looks scary all on its own. However, bird talons can be used in many other ways, from love to prosperity.
Chicken, turkey, and duck feet can be purchased at specialty grocers or from people who hunt wild game. They are affordable and come in bulk; however, they do require some work and preparation for use. There are several spells using bird feet in this book, but the feet must be properly prepared ahead of time, which is explained later in this chapter.
Hooves
Hooves are part of an animal that typically doesn’t get used by hunters or butchers. You can find these sometimes with the legs still attached, dried and made into ornaments. Hooves can be powdered and added to magick powders and salts or placed whole on your altar. There are different kinds of hooves:
Cloven Hooves: A cloven hoof is divided in two and seen on goats, sheep, pigs, and cattle. The cloven hoof is a popular symbol of Satan and evil. Cloven hooves have ties with the Horned God, Pan, the Green Man, and more. Cloven hooves are associated with carnal desires, sex, fertility, prosperity, and, if you believe in it, the “evil” of Satan.
Equine Hooves: These hooves are one solid piece and don’t share the demonized reputation of the cloven hoof. Because they are associated with horses, they represent power, strength, virility, capability, and beauty. They can be used in spells for all those things.
Feet
Feet are of course all about movement. They mean different things depending on which animal they come from, but some stand out through time as having had specific purposes. They’re used in spells for travel, forging new paths, and stability. The rabbit’s foot has a long history of bringing good fortune to the one who carries it and has an association with money and gambler’s luck. Rabbits are symbols of fertility, growth, fresh beginnings, and procreation, so use rabbits’ feet, or bones from rabbits’ feet, for spells of these kinds. When it comes to the feet of other animals, consider that animal’s magickal associations and then combine it with the idea of movement and travel.
Ears, Eyes, and Tongues
While the thought of actually touching and using any of these items in spell work is off-putting to say the least, it has certainly been done. Eyeballs of animals are used in spells for truth seeking, ears represent wisdom and learning, and the tongue is all about communication. These items, which typically are harder to preserve and dry, unlike bones or claws, can be replaced with alternatives such as cat’s eye shells or cat’s eye stones.
Hearts
The heart is the very core of every living creature and is very powerful. Hearts are most commonly used in love spells. They can be added to a poppet to act as the heart of the person it represents or dried and added to powders, incense, and spells. They can be pierced with needles to inflict emotional turmoil and heartbreak or lovingly wrapped and used in healing spells.
Fur and Pelts
Fur can be used for camouflage, which for us translates to protection. You can also add a sprig of fur to your spells to share characteristics of the animal with your working. For example, adding some cat fur to a spell for stealth would make sense. The pelt of a carnivorous animal, such as a coyote, can act as symbolic protection. Furs can be placed on your altar to attract the energy of an animal just like bones.
Skin
Reptiles such as snakes and lizards shed their skin naturally. If you find bits of molt, add them to spells for change, renewal, fresh beginnings, and shedding the past. Molts can be utilized in any spell for letting go of something or banishing unwanted qualities.
Wings
While possessing parts of wild birds is illegal in many places, you may be lucky enough to find an intact domestic bird and keep its wing. You can stretch it out and dry it in borax or salt. You can also purchase intact bird wings. These make wonderful fans for smoke ceremonies. Because wings are associated with air, they are used in spells for communication, learning, intellect, ideas, and sending messages. The type of bird dictates further what it might be used for. For example a peacock feather is very different from a rooster feather, so whatever feather you find, do some research and meditation to figure out what it is meant to show you.
Feathers
These are much like wings, associated with air energy. Their purpose depends on which kind of bird they came from and what color they are. You can apply the usual color associations of magick to the feather: for example, red for love, yellow for communication, or white for spirituality. Again, these are useful in communication spells and sending messages.
Tails
Animals use their tails for many things. The type of tail you have and what it was used for in life will give you insight into its magickal properties. Cats use their tails for their incredible balancing feats, whereas canines use their tails for communicating through body language. Birds use their tails to steer as they fly through the air, and fish use their tails the same way in the water. Tails can be included in spells for communication, travel, and stability.
Other Internal Organs
While I personally usually prefer not to make use of entrails or innards of animals due to mess and other reasons, these parts do have their place in religious ritual and divination. Haruspicy was the act of inspecting the entrails of an animal to glean information about the past, present, and future. In Rome, animals that were sacrificed to the gods were then sliced open and their organs examined for signs and portends. The liver was believed to be especially important in divination.7
Substitutions
In part 2 of this book, when describing spells using animal parts, I’ve included at least one suggestion in each for plant-based substitutes. Perhaps you do not wish to use animal parts in magick whatsoever, and that is perfectly okay. If this is the case for you, but you find a spell that appeals to you, here are some suggestions for replacing animal parts with vegetable matter instead.
Animal Hearts: Any small dehydrated fruit or vegetable can be used in place of an animal heart. Some suggestions are prunes, dried apricots, artichoke hearts, cherries, and beetroot.
Antlers: Use branches.
Bird Feet: A twisted root that is very strong can be shaped and dehydrated just like a bird foot. Choose your root according to intent. Dried invasive vines, such as bindweed or ivy, can also be tied and twisted in such a way as to keep a certain shape, such as a foot.
Blood: Some replacements for blood in spells are beet juice, walnut ink, milk, and egg yolk.
Bones: Depending on intent, consider twigs and stems of various plants. The sticks can be dried and cut into random shapes for divination or tied onto an amulet just like a bone can be. Sticks can be drawn or etched on once they are dry, just like a bone. Research the magickal properties of trees in your area and use them instead.
Eggs: Try bulbs or large seeds. Walnut or other large nut shells can replace an eggshell.
Fur or Pelts: Instead of fur, you can use fabric in the color aligned with your magickal intent. You can also obtain fur that was clipped or shed without affecting the animal.
Skulls: Pumpkins or gourds painted to look like skulls can replace the real thing, especially when dried or with their insides removed.
Teeth or Claws: Use thorns.
Gathering and Cleaning Bones
Though every once in a while you’ll be lucky enough to find bones and skulls that nature has naturally cleaned up on its own, usually it requires more elbow grease than that. I have to be honest: cleaning bones is not a pleasant task, and that’s why it’s a business all on its own. However, if you’re up for collecting and cleaning your own, there are a few different ways to do so depending on where you live, what kind of space you have to work in, and how much time you’re willing to invest in it.
Some basic tools you may need are rubber or plastic gloves, plastic or metal tubs for soaking, plastic bags or reusable containers for transport, and large pots or bowls. Any dishes you use should be set aside only for bone cleaning and never used for food or anything else. You’ll also need sea salt, borax, peroxide, and biological washing powder.
Never touch bones you find with your bare hands until they have been cleaned. They are a host to disease and germs—and sometimes an unfortunate stink. Wear gloves when picking up bones you’ve found, placing them carefully in a plastic bag or washable tub for transport. If you can avoid plastics by having reusable gloves and a metal box set aside just for this purpose, instead of a plastic bag, that’s great. However, remember these objects will be contaminated and can attract germs, so be sure to disinfect them between uses.
Sometimes you’ll find bones that are already cleaned by nature, but often they will need a little extra work before they are safe to make into jewelry or touch without gloves. Some people place bones in the freezer until they’re ready to clean them, which will kill any bugs or parasites on them, but I wouldn’t personally recommend taking a stinky, bug-ridden corpse into your home. I prefer burying it outside to let nature cleanse most of the flesh off before working with the bones, although this isn’t an option for everyone. If you cannot bury an animal, I would suggest that for now you seek out an ethical place from which to purchase precleaned bones. This is a messy business and best done outside!
There are four steps to cleaning an animal you find in order to make use of the bones: burying, maceration/soaking, filing and picking, and degreasing.
Burying Bones
Burying bones involves simply digging a substantial hole in the earth on your own property, placing the dead animal in the hole, covering with dirt, and letting nature run its course. Burial is an ideal way to begin if you have found a mostly intact animal.
Keep in mind there are bylaws in some cities that make it illegal to bury animals on your property for various reasons, so check the rules where you live before doing this.
If you have found an animal that’s still partially intact, my personal preferred method of cleaning it is burial. I’m fortunate enough to have a yard to work in. Burial is the least smelly and messy method I have tried, and it lessens or eliminates the time you will have bones sitting around soaking in peroxide or water. The biggest problem I’ve encountered with burying bones is timing. If left in the ground too long, the bones will start to rot and you will lose part of your animal. If not left long enough, when you dig it up, it will still have flesh and moisture on it—this experience is not for someone with a weak stomach.
How deep you bury your animal depends on its size. For a small creature like a bird or mouse, one foot is plenty deep. For something larger, such as a fully grown raccoon, I recommend around three feet deep. Before burial, wrap the animal in burlap, a piece of sheet, muslin, or wire screen to ensure the bones all stay in one place while still allowing insects and bacteria in to break down the flesh. Pack the earth over the top thoroughly, and place heavy rocks or cement blocks on top of the site. Do not skip this step! This is not just a way of marking the spot for when you return. If you neglect to put a weighty object on top of the burial, it will be dug up by scavengers. This can be a disturbing sight to say the least, not to mention you will have lost your animal.
Now comes the tricky part: timing. Figuring out when to dig up bones varies greatly, depending on several factors: the size of the animal, how much flesh was still on it when buried, soil quality, and the time of year. For a small animal, waiting one to two months is long enough to check on it. Larger animals you may leave for three or four months. Be prepared for some trial and error; you may have to rebury the animal and wait another month. It is okay to leave the animal buried over the winter. The earth, and it, will freeze, and then it will continue to decompose in the spring. The freezing also helps kill germs and bacteria that may be living on it. Even after being buried, bones may still have cartilage and connective tissue on them, which will have to be removed by maceration or by hand, which are methods explained next.
Maceration
Maceration refers to covering the bones completely with water, letting them sit, and allowing water to very slowly work away the flesh. After you have dug up your bones after burial and they still have connective tissue and gristle on them, maceration is the next step. Maceration is also appropriate for an animal you find that has mostly deteriorated and only has a small amount of flesh on it still. Maceration is a long process but leaves bones clean and intact and allows more control over the outcome than burial because you can keep a closer eye on the process.
Simply place the bones in a bowl or bucket of water and patiently leave them, changing the water every few days. This is considered the most effective method of flesh removal and the least disruptive to the physical makeup of the bones. The downside is that it can take one to ten months and is extremely stinky. It also requires space to store all this smelly stuff during the process. Some people prefer to add enzyme detergent, also called biological washing powder, to the water, although it’s not absolutely necessary. This is a type of powdered laundry soap containing enzymes that break down grease, proteins, and fats to effectively remove stains on laundry and, incidentally, gristle and soft tissue on bones. Non-enzyme detergents will not have the same effect. Many popular brands of laundry soap use enzymes; simply read the label to see which ones. Dissolve one part soap in three parts water, and let the bones soak covered in this. Change the water every few days. When you remove the bones, rinse them very well so that the enzyme detergent doesn’t continue to eat away at the bones.
Cleaning with Hydrogen Peroxide
The next step is to clean the bones with hydrogen peroxide, which can be purchased from hair salon suppliers or in small amounts at the pharmacy. It is available in varying concentrations, but the higher percentages are harder to purchase because they are dangerous. I’ve personally used peroxide from the pharmacy, which is only a 3 percent concentration, many times, and it works fine for small critters. Some taxidermists use peroxide that is up to a 35 percent concentration, but this can be dangerous and difficult to obtain. Even when using low concentrations of peroxide, wear gloves and eye protection when handling it. Do not get it on your skin, eyes, or even your clothes. You may add peroxide to your maceration water in a fifty-fifty measurement to help break down fats or cover the bones completely only with peroxide for faster results. Do not use peroxide and enzyme detergent at the same time.
Peroxide will whiten and sterilize the bones while softening tissue and making it easier to remove by hand.
Contrary to popular belief, bones should never be bleached or boiled. Bleach will turn them to powder, and boiling weakens them considerably.
Filing and Picking
Even after all this work, no matter what method you use, there can still be gristle and cartilage on your bones. Now begins the real manual labor of bone cleaning—peeling and prying by hand, flossing with wire, and sanding off soft tissue with a metal file. There’s no magickal trick to make this go easier. You just have to do the work. Believe me, you don’t want any gristle and cartilage left on your jewelry or on your altar. It will smell terrible and attract unwanted pests.
Degreasing
After you’ve removed all the soft tissue you can, cover the bone in sea salt or borax and leave them there until they are completely dried. Letting the bones sit in borax or salt also leeches all the remaining grease out of them. You can change the borax or salt once a week until the bones are dry.
When working with any animal flesh of any kind, please wear gloves and remember to avoid cross contamination—that is, do not touch raw meat and then your wand or chalice with your dirty hand, as this spreads bacteria that can make you sick. Wash your hands thoroughly after every time you touch flesh, meat, fresh bones, or organs. Once the bones are completely cleaned of gristle and totally dry, you can touch them without worry.
Gathering, burying, and cleaning bones can be a very long process, sometimes taking months. There is no quick way to get it done, and you must be in synch with nature for it to be successful.
Dehydration
A food dehydrator can be used on parts of animals such as claws, feet, and even small organs. I don’t recommend trying to dehydrate anything fleshier than bird talons, as it would take far too long.
When drying bird feet, remember that they are raw meat and must be treated as such. Avoid cross contamination when handling them. Bird feet must be dried thoroughly to prevent rot and unwanted smells. One way to do this is with a normal food dehydrator. Space the feet in a single layer and not touching one another on the racks, and dehydrate them for about three days. You want to make sure they are absolutely, certainly, 100-percent dried. If your bird feet still have moisture in them when you store them, they can grow mold, attract pests, and smell bad.
The second way to dehydrate them is by putting them in a dish and covering them with borax or salt. This can take several weeks. Be sure to check them every few days and change the salt or borax as needed. Borax and salt draw moisture out of the feet and keep bacteria away as well.
Depending on the spell you are doing, you may want to shape the feet before drying them. This can be done by tying them into the desired position with string so they will harden that way. Some examples are tying the two side toes down and leaving the middle one up (like it’s “giving the finger” or “flipping someone off”), shaping them to hold something (like money in a prosperity spell), or positioning the middle claw down and side claws up (like horns). To shape them to hold on to things, try tying them around a marble and drying them that way. You can remove the marble afterward, and your claw will be ready to hold whatever you put into it. Sometimes you can dry the feet while holding the item included in the spell, such as a coin or crystal. This is fine too, as long as your object isn’t flammable and will not be ruined by the heat of the dehydrator or salt.
The following is a list of animals that are often seen in and around my area and what they mean magickally. These are mostly animals that appear during the dark moon current in your life and are generally associated with shadow work.
Bat: Bats live their lives at night and are dependent on sound and echolocation to hunt and navigate the world, rather than their vision. A bat sighting indicates you need to look deeper into a situation than what is right in front of your eyes, that there’s more going on than you can see. Bats symbolize messages coming to your intuition or through your dreams. Unseen energy is guiding you, just as invisible sound guides the bat. Bat energy can be used in spells for learning secrets and asking for guidance in murky situations. Add bat parts to dream pillows to aid in prophetic dreams, keep them with divination tools, or carry them with you when intuition is needed.
Cat: Stealthy, aloof and independent, the cat is a fierce, dominant hunter. Cats answer to no one. They do as they please and are their own masters. They often win fights against much larger creatures and saunter coolly away afterward. Cats teach you to do the same: to be in charge of your own actions and destiny and embrace your fighting spirit. During a cat nap, a cat looks like it is sound asleep when in fact it is wide awake, listening, smelling, and planning; unbeknownst to any observer, the cat is pulling in information and plotting its next move. They appear placid but are actually very much alert and aware of everything around them. When unsure how to proceed in life, use the same technique. Cat parts can be used in an endless amount of spells; protection, hunting, psychic ability, lunar workings—and are a favorite witch’s familiar.
Crow: Entire books and movies have been made about these wonderful birds. Crows are a witch’s best friend, and for good reason. The crow represents the death of one thing so that another may begin. They are the blackness between the end and the beginning. Crows are present at war and sacred to the Morrigan. The presence of crows heralds death. Crows can travel between this world and the next, making them symbols of knowledge, wisdom, and the unknown. Like witches, crows have one foot in each world—that of the living and that of spirit—and perhaps that is why we like each other so much. When crow energy is present in your life, you are being guided to look to the occult, the esoteric, and the witchy side. The crow calls on you to explore your dark side, and it will appear to remind you that magick is real. Use crow energy for spells for death, endings, occult knowledge, and spiritual journeys.
Coyote: Coyotes are able to survive and breed in any environment, including secretly in the middle of cities completely unseen by humans. Coyotes are a miracle of evolution, wile, and adaptability. Much as humans try to trap and control these animals, they continue to thrive and outsmart us again and again, outwitting those who try to interfere. Coyotes are cunning, intelligent, and strategic. Coyote energy is crafty, tough, and determined to succeed. Use coyote remains in spells for outwitting your rivals and enemies.
Frog and Toad: Frogs and toads are another witch’s favorite. Frogs and toads have figured into folklore since the times of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. They’re associated with predicting weather and bringing luck and fertility. On the other end of the spectrum, frogs and toads were demonized as witch’s familiars and agents of the devil during the witch hunts. Stories abound from this time of their body parts being used in various curses and hexes. In your own practice, they can encompass either of these extremes depending on how you personally feel about these warty, slimy creatures.
Mole: The common mole can be found all over North America and beyond, though we rarely see them. The most we ever glimpse of these underground rodents is a mole hill or what looks like lines of disturbed grass on the lawn where they’ve been tunneling below the surface. Underground, these blind animals create and navigate entire complex subterranean mazes. Moles rely almost entirely on touch to live and eat. They feel their way through life. Mole energy is useful for feeling your way through new or uncharted territory.
Mouse: Mouse energy tells us to be quiet, lie low, and keep our mouth shut. A mouse can signify that you’re potentially prey in a situation, so make yourself scarce. Mouse energy is good for keeping yourself hidden and thriving while unseen and unnoticed. Mice are good animals to work with when your best defense is to just appear to disappear. In some contexts, mice are believed to spread disease and illness and are associated with the destruction of crops and food sources. Mouse bones can be added to spells for destroying things or symbolically setting pestilence upon a situation.
Opossum: The opossum is the only marsupial in the Americas and is most famous for its ability to “play dead” when faced with a predator. When under attack, an opossum will seize up and lie still for hours, letting off a bad stink to keep itself safe. This is where the saying “playing possum” comes from. It means to just lie low, play dead, don’t stir up a scene, and literally do nothing. If you see an opossum, this may be the message. Opossum parts can be used in spells for deflecting enemies and shielding yourself from harm.
Owl: An owl spends the majority of its life watching and waiting for prey. It is an observer and an outsider who travels alone. In many cultures, owls are a portent of death. This death association can also be linked to representing big life changes. Owls are one of the few predators who ingest an entire animal for prey, leaving nothing behind; they can literally stomach anything. This can represent an ability to withstand, ingest, and learn from whatever life throws at you, no matter how unpalatable. Owls also draw attention to matters of the mind, wisdom, occult mysteries, and lessons. Owls represent the pursuits of a spiritual seeker. Use owl energy for magick involving boosting your own mystical powers. Owl pellets also contain bones of the creatures they’ve eaten, which may be identifiable enough to use in magick as well.
Porcupine: Proceed with caution. The porcupine represents a seemingly harmless situation that can turn into disaster quickly. It’s also a sign that you need to protect yourself. Act prickly to shield your soft heart. Use porcupine quills or bones in spells for protecting yourself against enemies or stopping someone from inflicting pain on you or others. Simply stabbing a porcupine quill into a picture of a person or thing is a spell in itself to quell their negative energy and protect you.
Raccoon: These scavengers are not afraid of anything. Brazen and brave, raccoons are able to use their handlike claws and discerning minds to solve any problem in order to get what they want (which is usually food). Raccoons are considered a nuisance in cities because they are so good at figuring out humans’ traps, locks, and defenses against them. They can figure out how to open complicated containers and garbage bins. Undoing puzzles and overcoming obstacles are the raccoon’s strengths, and their energy can help you negotiate your way through a difficult scenario. Raccoons go after what they want fearlessly and with determined focus and will fight what gets in their way. The striped tail is especially indicative of a sleuthing nature, containing both the dark and light. Raccoon parts can be used in spells to boost one’s determination, to unlock the puzzles or deceit of another person, or for stealing. Raccoon penis bones are associated with love and luck.
Rat: Rats are a real source of horror for many. This is most likely because of their association with spreading disease and destroying homes and crops. Rats are also amazingly cunning and clever, adaptable to almost any situation or habitat, and true survivors. Rat bones and teeth or dried rat tails can be used in pestilence spells as described in the mouse section. Rat parts can be used for spells involving cunning, discernment, and trickery. The phrase “I smell a rat!” means something seems dishonest or untruthful. Another saying, “the rats are abandoning ship,” refers to disloyal associates. Rats can be used in any spell regarding disloyalty, exposing a scam, or an otherwise bad person.
Skunk: When skunks are provoked, their reaction reeks for several miles around them. They really know how to clear a room. If they spray someone, the stench is almost impossible to wash out. Skunks warn that there may be someone or something in your life that is a dramatic stink bomb waiting to happen, and once the situation explodes, it will have lasting, unpleasant affects. Look out for that person who may be a ticking time bomb of drama and disaster. Skunk parts can be used in spells to dramatically hinder the actions of others or to spread a “big stink” symbolically that ruins a situation (think a skunk at a picnic). Use bones, teeth, claws, or the tail with fur on. Warning: never approach a skunk. I guarantee you will regret it!
Snake: The snake is one of those iconic animals that have represented both good and evil over time. Some people have deeply entrenched phobias of snakes, whereas others are beguiled by their strange beauty. The snake outgrows and sheds its skin and is therefore connected to rebirth and self-generated change. One of my personal favorite symbols is the ouroboros, in which the snake is shown eating its own tail. The ouroboros is a reminder that creation and progress are always a result of destruction. Snake energy can be included in meditation or magickal workings for renewal, for letting go of the past, for banishing unwanted habits and traits, and for blessing a new beginning. If you are someone who deeply hates snakes, you can draw on that repulsion for curses and hexes. Shed snakeskin is easily found in nature, and sometimes bones as well.
Vulture: A vulture can spot a sick or dying animal from afar; it will hang around patiently gliding on the air currents until the suffering animal expires, then seemingly ruthlessly descend on the corpse to eat it. Vultures take what has died, eat it, and transform it into energy for themselves, thus assimilating it into the great cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Vultures represent taking the past and learning from it. They also herald big important changes in life that affect your future. Vultures often have a negative connotation. For example, to call a person a “vulture” means they search for ways to benefit from other peoples’ misfortune, such as when a family member dies “the vultures” come along hoping to get money or property from them, pouncing in to pick at the corpse, so to speak, before it has even gone cold. If this is the association in your mind for vultures, next time you see one you may want to be on the lookout for human ones! Vulture energy can be used in spells to remove aspects of you that are holding you back, resolving the past, overcoming trauma, and letting go of that which no longer serves you.
Weasel: Weasels are known to hunt relentlessly night and day. They are among the most successful of hunters, often killing more prey than they can eat and saving it for later. Weasels are solitary and capable of killing animals much larger than themselves. They can be called upon for hunting skills, dominating others, and abundance. In the modern world, this translates into making money and beating down competition for position and rank.
Wolf: Wolves were given a bad reputation in fairy tales, known for eating people and ferociously destroying the homes of little pigs. While wolves are carnivores that eat smaller creatures, underneath their strength they’re shy, intelligent, and wise. The imagery of the wolf is a strong one that resonates with many people. Wolves represent loyalty, strength, survival, and warrior energy. Due to stories of children being raised by wolves (whether true or not), they are also associated with maternal instinct and nurturance.
Creepy-Crawlies
Not much has been written about bugs from a magickal perspective, mostly because they are considered “lower” than bigger creatures and because the idea of touching them makes many people shiver.
Insects are just as important to our ecosystem as everything else living here on earth. Some of them, like the dragonfly, have relatives dating back to when dinosaurs roamed the earth! These are ancient, powerful beings and their energy can contribute to your magick just as much as birds or mammals. This list of insects is not limited to shadow work. Unlike animal symbolism, which has been written about extensively, I feel like insects have been overlooked somewhat, and for that reason I’ve included all kinds of common bugs and their magickal uses in this list.
Ant: A colony of ants is like no other community in the animal world. Thousands of ants work together to build entire cities underground, each with their own job, working as a team for the betterment of the whole. In this vein, ant energy can be utilized for making friends, cooperation, and attracting like-minded people into your life. Every single ant in a colony has its own task and is never idle, so ants can be used in employment spells. Ants are amazingly strong for their size and can carry fifty times their own body weight, so ant energy can help when you need the strength to shoulder many burdens. Fire ants, known for biting and stinging, can be employed in spells to cause destruction or pain.
Bees: Bees, in particular honeybees, are masters of industry. Honeybees represent being a productive part of your community, as well as working hard toward a positive goal. A honeybee is useful in magick pertaining to studying and schoolwork, starting a business, or any other industrious pursuit that requires you to buckle down and put your nose to the grindstone. The honey produced by these bees is, among many things, said to have healing properties, so if you consider yourself a healer in some capacity, using a honeybee in your working can increase your powers. Honeybees devote their lives to serving and nurturing their hive, protecting their babies (larvae) and looking after each other. A honeybee can be used in a home protection working or spells for family harmony.
Beetle: Some beetle species have been around for over 300,000 years. Their hard shell is strong and provides a shield, making them useful in protective magick. Because they’ve been around so long, beetles represent ancient wisdom. Their energy is useful in spells relating to study and learning and spells to provide a wider view on life.
Butterfly: It’s easy to guess the associations of the pretty and beloved butterfly: beauty, attention-getting, and standing out in the crowd. Butterflies are the end result of the transformation of a caterpillar, and they signify success and change for the better. They symbolize grace, joy, and lightheartedness. Butterflies cannot hear the way we do, but instead they can feel vibrations. Use a butterfly in your magick to increase your awareness of happy, carefree vibes around you.
Caterpillar: The caterpillar curls up inside a cocoon before a big change. Energy of the caterpillar can be called upon when facing life’s shifts with courage and acceptance. The caterpillar carries within it the potential to be anything and everything. Its energy is great for any new beginning or while learning a new skill.
Cicada: Cicadas have one of the most interesting life cycles of insects. They are birthed on a tree branch, then fall to the ground and burrow for roots for anywhere from two to seventeen years, depending on the species! This is a long journey into the underworld, during which many things are learned. A cicada spends most of its life underground and then emerges with a loud, strong song. Its time above ground is extremely short in comparison and limited only to the very end of its life. Perhaps you’ve been through a long time of darkness and learned many important things, and now you’re ready to share your message with the world. Cicada is all about self-discovery followed by communication and sharing an important message. The cicada is a voice of things learned in the shadows. They can be included in spells regarding meditation, vision questing, divination, and communication.
Cockroach: These unpopular guests can survive literally anything. Cockroaches are horrifying to many people and have a very strong energy because of this. Cockroach energy can be used to thrive in an ugly situation that you have to get through. It can also be used to repel and disgust another person. I’ve never met a person who didn’t squirm at the mention of cockroaches, which makes them excellent in the worst kinds of curses.
Cricket: Crickets are all about getting your voice heard. Crickets spend their lives singing loudly in the darkness, and so are associated with communication and getting a message out. If you feel you have an important message for someone who is not hearing your words, or if your words are being ignored and overlooked, cricket energy can put some volume behind your voice.
Dragonfly: Starting life as larva underwater, this insect crawls onto land and then transforms into a dragonfly. For this unique reason, the dragonfly is called upon to combine the essence of both water and air: emotion and communication. This equals pure self-expression. The dragonfly tells us to be brave enough to voice our feelings and tell the world who we really are. Come out of the dark, still water and fly in the sun and air.
Earwig: These guys get their name from an old myth that claims they will crawl into your ear while you sleep, tunnel into your brain, and drive you insane. There is no proof that they actually do this. However, they do like small, dark, damp areas. Because of the superstition attached to them, you could use earwigs in a spell to find out information. Charm the earwig to reveal the information you seek by getting inside someone else’s head.
Firefly: Fireflies are symbols of pleasure and delight. Male fireflies light up to attract females. Fireflies are all about attracting mates and friends. They signify love, lust, and fatuousness. Romance, flirtation, young love, and the beginning stages of relationships are all part of the firefly’s life. Doesn’t sound like shadow magick, does it? However, if you find a dead firefly (please don’t kill one on purpose), its remains can be included in spells to end relationships, to kill the glow on a partnership that needs to end, or to otherwise “snap off the light” in a situation where people are so beguiled by love that the stars in their eyes are blinding them to the truth.
Fly: Most common flies have compound eyes that allow them to see many things at once, giving them a wide range of vision. For this reason, a fly can be used in workings for foresight or for seeing a situation from many perspectives. Flies are able to multiply at a rapid rate, and so they can be used to increase or multiply your own abilities or talents. They are incredibly adaptable, thriving in almost any situation, making fly energy useful for toughing out new situations. Flies help break down and transform waste into sustenance, so they are also associated with transformation. In that sense, they can be viewed as a reminder to take the lessons you’ve learned from the past and move on with the knowledge you’ve acquired. Alternately, flies have a dirty, nasty reputation as pests and, as such, can be used for cursing.
Grasshopper: Grasshoppers are always jumping forward: ahead of the competition, into new situations without fear, and over obstacles. Grasshopper energy can help you cast off what holds you back and jump into the future with enthusiasm. This can pertain to any number of risks, including employment, following a dream, starting a relationship, or other leap of faith. The grasshopper urges us to follow the joy in our hearts and see where we land.
Ladybug: The fun, bright polka-dot pattern of the cute little ladybug signifies happiness and carefree feelings. In nature, their bright colors actually scare off predators, just as you can use positive vibes to keep negative people away. Ladybugs can be used in spells to dispel negativity, attract joy and peace, and promote friendship. People will often exclaim in delight when they see a ladybug, because they are considered lucky. Ladybugs evoke the childish joy that resides in all of us, and by using them in magick, you can have some of their lovely charisma for yourself.
Maggots: Studies have found that maggots have antimicrobial effects on wounds and can be used for healing. In other words, maggots eat disease and cure infected flesh wounds. When properly applied to a flesh wound in a human or animal, maggots will ingest the “necrotic” or dead tissue, thus cleaning out and disinfecting the injury. They ingest that which is rotten and no longer needed. Maggots are fly larva, and they eat rotten food and meat to gain the energy required to transform into flies. Maggots can be used to remove unwanted or “rotten” energy in your life and transform it into something useful.
Mosquito: It’s hard to find nice things to say about mosquitoes. As bloodsuckers, they are useful in hexing when you wish to drain someone else’s energy or glean some of their traits for yourself. Although they’re an important part of the ecosystem, there’s no denying that they are pests who spread disease and can be employed to spread bad energy if you desire.
Moth: Everyone knows moths are drawn to the porch light, the flame of a candle, and other bright sources. An interesting fact is that when unimpeded by human-made light, moths normally navigate by the stars and moonlight. The moth can be used in spells for nocturnal knowledge, understanding moon mysteries and astrology, and seeing truth behind the shadows. If you are in a dark place metaphorically, moth energy can help you find the light at the end of the tunnel. Moths are masters of camouflage, and many species are known for imitating other animals as a disguise to confuse their enemies and predators. Moth energy can be used to conceal yourself when you wish not to be noticed.
Snail: The patient, unhurried snail reminds us to slow down and relax. The spiral in the shell represents the constant ongoing cycles of life, and within this universal spiral, the snail patiently plods on and lives in the moment, trusting its fate. Snail energy can be harnessed for grounding and learning to accept that we are part of something larger, encouraging us to live in the moment. The snail represents devotion to a slow and steady spiritual path. If you are feeling vulnerable, carry a protective snail shell to shield your personal growth from others.
Spider: Spiders are almost as popular as snakes when it comes to the occult. Love them or hate them, the sight of a spider triggers a strong reaction either way. Spiders are believed to be keepers of the primordial alphabet and so are associated with the written word. A writer looking for inspiration or battling writer’s block could benefit from spider energy. Spiders also represent wisdom, cunning, mystic knowledge, and psychic ability and can help us understand the grand web of existence. The spider weaves its web all of its own creativity and lives in it, yet the web also kills prey for the spider to eat. This is a creature that is entirely self-sufficient and independent; this energy can help you create your own reality and make your own dreams come true. Seeing spiders in life can symbolize that you are able to deal with a situation all on your own and be the master of your own future.
Wasp: Wasps are tough, very threatening, and do not play around. They can sting repeatedly, and their venom lets off a pheromone that alerts other wasps to become more aggressive alongside them. Wasps are great for protection and defense magick. They can be used to promote courage to stand behind your words even if others may not like it—in other words, when you must deliver a necessary sting. Wasp energy can be employed to rally like-minded people to take your side or help you get your point across in an important debate, discussion, argument, or legal dispute. If you associate wasps with fear, pain and unpleasantness, you can use this association while crafting curses to “sting” an enemy.
Worm: Worms get a pretty bad rap, being associated with death the way they are, and it doesn’t help that they are slimy and wiggly either. However, when we understand the role worms play on our planet and the gifts they bestow upon all life on earth, it is possible to appreciate them in a whole new way. Worms are associated with the dark moon and shadow magick because they spend most of their life in darkness. They’re commonly called “night crawlers” because they only come to the surface after dark or when it rains. Worms are sightless and deaf but are minutely sensitive to invisible vibrations, which links them to intuition, psychic ability, and spirit connection. Worms consume dead vegetation and transform it into nutrients for the soil, taking what is old and no longer needed and transforming it into something new and useful. Like all our scavenger friends, they represent renewal, change, and growth. An interesting worm fact is that if they get ripped apart, they are able to regenerate new segments of their body, further symbolizing creativity.
If you pay attention, you’ll notice that deceased insects can be easily found at almost any given time. Usually, things show up for us as we need them, exactly when they should. This is part of the amazing way that spirit communicates and shows itself to us. Yes, even through bugs! So the next time you notice a dead wasp on the windowsill, don’t squash it in a tissue. Keep it for later, for chances are you will need it in a spell soon. Here are some ways to use deceased insects in magick:
• Include them in sachets.
• Put one in a tiny glass bottle and make a hanging amulet.
• A dead insect will get very dry and brittle over time. Grind it up with a mortar and pestle and add it to incense, herb mixes, and casting powders.
• In a small amount of oil such as jojoba or grape-seed, soak the dead insect. Allow it to infuse the oil with its energy for three days. Strain the oil through cheesecloth. Dab a small amount on your skin to absorb the energy of the creature. You can also use this oil to anoint candles and other spell tools. I know this sounds disgusting, but no one ever said dark magick was pleasant.
• If you’re really crafty, you can try setting a bug in clear resin jewelry to wear as an amulet. Supplies for this craft are obtainable and reasonably priced; however, making resin jewelry does take practice. Try it out a few times with different objects before using your special insect, just to make sure you don’t waste it.
Spells Using Animal Remains
This section focuses on spells that make use of animal remains, bones, and organs. For those who do not wish to make use of animal remains, a plant-based substitute is suggested.
Antler Dominance Amulet
Since antlers are associated with the qualities of the Horned God—fertility, warrior energy, dominance, victory, power, and protection—this amulet will attract those qualities. An amulet like this may be useful when in a competition of any kind, whether it is recreational (sports), professional (career), or personal (relationships). This amulet is carried or worn when you wish to exert power over an opponent.
To create this amulet, you are going to make a magickal sigil. A sigil is an esoteric symbol or character created personally by the witch, which is imbued with magickal power toward a specific end. You can design your own sigil and make it as simple or complex as you want. What is really important about a sigil is the intent and focus that is put into it, as well as its deeply personal nature. I will be providing an example of a sigil for this spell, but it is preferable that you design one yourself so only you know its meaning.
materials
Orange candle
Lighter or matches
Wood burning kit, carving tools, or marker. This will be used to put your sigil onto the antler. Wood burning kits are available at craft stores, but if you cannot get one, you can carefully carve or scratch the sigil into the antler with a sharp object or draw it onto the antler with permanent marker.
Small piece of antler (substitution: a small disk cut from a tree branch)
Sterile lancet (optional)
30-inch cord (optional if making a necklace)
There are entire books written about creating sigils, but the simplest way to create one is the layering of different letters of a word on top of each other, creating a symbol. You can also link the letters together in a visually appealing way, adding shapes or designs to put your own twist on it. We are going to use the word DOMINATE to create this sigil. I do this by removing the vowels and repeated consonants, leaving me with DMNT. I then take those letters and my pencil and paper and play around with different ways to connect them to create a symbol. Here is mine:
If you look hard enough, you can see the letters. I also added a few fitting artistic details, such as sun rays, dots, and a black space that resembles the head of a horned animal. You can use my sigil for this charm or create your own. You can incorporate your own initials, name, or astrological symbol into the sigil, creating a link between it and yourself.
When you are happy with your design, it’s time to create the amulet. Light an orange candle while you work to represent victory and success.
Wood burning or carving are preferable because both will create a rhythm as you work and require extended physical effort and energy, allowing you to transfer your intent into the amulet while working away on it. While you burn your sigil into the antler, you will see the antler burning, small amounts of smoke rising from it, and smell it changing form. These things are energy being transferred into the amulet. Visualize your desired outcome (winning the game, getting the promotion, gaining someone’s interest) while the smoke and scent carry it off into the spirit world. Also see the blackened marks you make in the antler as physical proof, a declaration stamped into the world, that you are manifesting your goal right now. If you’re carving, the physical acts of scraping, clenching your hand muscles, and digging into the antler are transferring the energy of your intent into the amulet. Make sure during the drawing, burning, or carving of the sigil that you are strongly visualizing.
Cast your circle and light the orange candle again. Hold the amulet in your hand, and see your sigil pulsing with power and energy. Optionally, prick your finger with the sterile lancet and rub your blood into the sigil. Now, the energy of dominance and power are embedded in the symbol and directly linked to you.
Close the circle.
Let the orange candle burn out.
Carry your amulet with you, or string it into a necklace that you wear close to your skin.
For some, a dominance spell may sound aggressive and therefore seem unethical and a gross display of greed and control over others. You can use your own judgment about whether or not you think this type of spell is right for you.
Bird Claw Protection Charm
This charm can be hung on the interior mirror of your car, if legal in your area, or the doorknob of your home for protection against accidents, theft, and break-ins. I suggest using a bird foot with very large, sharp talons.
materials
Prepared bird foot (substitution: a strong twisted root with multiple appendages)
Glue
3 black feathers
3 small jingle bells
3-foot black ribbon
½ cup witch’s salt (see page 49)
Nail file
Blood-red nail polish
You will need to construct and decorate the charm beforehand, with the exception of painting the fingernails. Dry the bird foot as described on page 109 and page 110. Glue black feathers to the top and tie a few of the small jingle bells around it with the black ribbon. The jingle bells make a sound both to warn the potential predator to stay away and also to alert you to unwanted energy entering your space.
Use the black ribbon to make a loop at the top for hanging.
Cast your circle.
Make a ring of witch’s salt on your altar and lay the bird foot inside it. Focus on how scary and intimidating it is. Its claws are sharp, curved, and vicious, and its energy may even seem repulsive. This is good because it is meant to scare things away; the more repellent it is the better.
Using the nail file, sharpen each claw to a point. They will already be naturally sharp, but you are making them even more so. As you do this, chant:
Sharpened claws and bloodied nails
Act as a warning sign.
No thieves or enemies come near
The lives of me or mine.
Paint each nail blood red and, as it dries, imagine the red paint is blood dripping from the claws as if they have just shredded an enemy.
Close the circle.
Hang the charm in your car or on the doorknob of your home.
Bird Foot Money Amulet
Livestock birds such chickens and turkeys represent abundance and prosperity, since once upon a time people depended on them for food. The following amulet is created with the intention of attracting wealth and money to the place you hang it in.
materials
Dried turkey or chicken foot (substitution: dried braided stalks of wheat or barley)
Green paint
Golden nail polish
7 sparkly silver and gold beads
3 feet green string, cut as needed
Scissors
7 sprigs of dried peppermint or other money-attracting herbs
Coin or rolled-up bill
Paint the bird claw green, the color of prosperity (if you’re using wheat, there’s no need to paint it green). Use the nail polish to paint the nails of the claws (or tips of the wheat) golden. Place the coin or bill in the claws of the bird. The idea is to get and keep money, so it is important the money be permanently “caught” in the claw. Tie it in with green string to ensure it stays put. Glue the sprigs of dried herbs to the top of the foot and secure them with green string. Put the beads on the green string and tie them to the claw as well. Charge your charm by imagining that you always have money set aside for emergencies, a bank account that is always in the black, and plenty of money to do fun things. Hide this charm near your front door or in the place where you make money to welcome prosperous energy in.
Heartbreak Reversal Spell
This spell is to be cast when you have been betrayed in love, when someone has lied, manipulated, cheated, and used you thoughtlessly and without remorse. It will send the feelings they’ve created back to them.
materials
Small animal heart, such as bird’s or rabbit’s (substitution: cooked artichoke heart or dried apricot)
Piece of their clothing. If clothing isn’t attainable, a picture of them or a description of them with their name on a piece of paper will do.
Death candle (see page 51)
Rose stem with thorns
Charge the heart with the person’s essence. Imagine it is beating in conjunction with their real heart. Hear the sound in your head. Then place it on the clothing or paper, wrap it up, and leave it overnight to absorb their energy.
The following night cast your circle and light a death candle. Open the clothing or paper the heart is in. Hold the rose stem in your hands and feel the prick of the thorns. See the thorns pulsing with red bloody light. Chant:
Vicious thorns
For your vicious heart.
The pain you cause
Rips you apart.
Chant this repeatedly while raising anger, power, and hurt, then transfer your betrayal into the rose stem, filling it with red, bruised light. Now take the stem and stab the thorns into the heart. Use the thorns to rip the heart apart, pulling, and tearing. Poke it full of holes and wounds while visualizing the person suffering from their own actions in a fitting way.
Afterward, note the absence of a heartbeat in your mind.
Close the circle.
Wrap the heart in the cloth and dispose of all the items in the garbage. Allow the candle to burn out.
Breakup Spell with Chicken Hearts
If a relationship needs to end because one or both people are being hurt, are toxic to each other, or are engaged in an unhealthy cycle of abuse or manipulation, then it is time for a breakup spell. Keep in mind that their desire to be together may still be more powerful than your magick. Toxic relationships are very hard to end, especially for the people trapped inside them. These types of relationships are much like an addiction, and just as powerful. You may have to perform this spell more than once if that is the case.
materials
2 chicken or bird hearts (substitution: 2 artichoke hearts)
Black plate
3 feet red cotton thread
3 drops death oil (see page 48)
Put the two hearts side by side on a black plate on your altar during the dark moon. Choose which heart represents each person. One at a time, charge each heart with the energy of the person it represents. Hold it in your hand, and imagine their face, affectation, and voice clearly in your mind. Send that image into the heart; imagine it beating in synch with the individual’s heart. Repeat this with the other heart, charging it with the essence of the other person.
Next, wind the red thread all around both hearts, binding them together tightly. As you wind the thread, think about their relationship and their bond: how they interact together, their arguments and problems, and what it is that keeps them so unhealthily attached.
Place the bound hearts back on the plate and put 3 drops of death oil onto them. Imagine the death oil snuffing the life out of the bond.
Spend some time thinking about the hearts, imagining the couple as broken up. Do not concern yourself with how this will come about; think instead of the outcome, seeing both people as separate individuals who have moved on with their lives. See them as happy and independent, one at a time.
Declare to the dark moon or your deity:
These are the hearts of (name) and (name).
As these hearts rot, so shall their bond decay,
Setting them both free.
As I will it, so mote it be.
Bury the charm in the ground.
Close the circle.
The decay of the hearts can in fact represent “rot” in the relationship, the bond between two people going sour and foul thus bringing it to an end. Because the thread is made of cotton, it too should eventually decompose, ending their attachment.
Bird Heart Love Spell
This spell seems simple on the surface, but don’t be fooled. It’s to make someone love you. Make sure this is what you really want before proceeding. Also review your real reasons behind wanting to perform it. This is a very controlling spell and definitely doesn’t fit under the “harm none” category.
I feel this spell, unlike other love magick, leans toward the dark side because it borders on violence in its ferocity. It’s a last resort, a desperate act when everything else has failed. It employs the dark moon circle casting mentioned earlier in the book, as it requires the destructive aspects of the elements.
materials
Red candle anointed with a drop of your own blood or sexual fluids
Lighter or matches
Heart from a bird. This can be dehydrated or fresh. If you’re using a fresh heart, have a plate to set it on. (substitution: a cherry)
Hair of the person the spell is directed at, if possible
3 pins
Your own hair
6-inch square of red cloth
1 foot red string
Cast your circle and lay out your materials on your altar. Light the red candle. Pass each of the materials one at a time over the heat of the flame of the candle, infusing them with sexual fire energy.
Hold the bird heart in your hand. See it vibrating with raw emotion and deep feeling.
Declare out loud:
This heart belongs to (name).
Visualize the heart becoming swollen with the energy of the person. Imagine the sound of their beating heart inside their chest, wherever they may be at the moment, how this core of their being pushes the blood through their very veins. The heart is the center that keeps them alive and the home of their love. Hear the sound of their breathing. Feel the warmth of their skin against yours and the blood beneath it.
Wind their hair around the heart and knot it tight. If it’s not long enough to do that, just place it firmly on top of the heart.
Set the heart down on the plate when you feel it is infused with energy, and pick up one of the pins. Shove it into the heart, piercing it in the center, and say:
One to see me.
Insert the second pin, saying:
One to feel me.
Insert the third pin, saying:
One to love me.
Wrap the strand of your own hair around the pins creating as much of a tangle as possible. Use several strands if necessary, weaving them in and around the pins while you visualize your beloved seeing you, feeling your energy, and then loving you. If your hair is too short for this, you can place it firmly on the heart instead. Imagine they are fixated on you completely, like they’ve dropped everything to notice you.
Hold the finished charm in your hand and say:
(Name), you will know no peace until you come to me.
Place the charm inside the red cloth and tie it securely with red string.
Close the circle.
If the heart was dried, hide it in your bedroom. Otherwise, bury it outside where it will not be disturbed. Allow the candle to burn out.
The recipient of the spell should begin to feel piercing emotional discomfort and longing, which they eventually connect to you, causing them to seek you out.
A note on love spells: When thinking of doing a very controlling love spell, consider that your obsession with the person may not be based in reality. They represent an ideal. The same can be said for someone you strongly dislike but who isn’t directly harming you in some way—there’s a good chance you don’t actually know a whole lot about them, but they are instead a symbol. A crush exists almost solely because of what you don’t know about the person, allowing you to fill in the blanks with all the traits you wish for, which you then project onto them. Once you get to know them, you will quickly realize that they were mostly imaginary in your mind. If you’re trying to force a partner to stay with you against their will, you need to look inward at why your own happiness is so dependent on them.
Shut Up Spell with Cow’s Tongue
This spell is to stop someone from verbally causing you or someone else harm. We encounter this type of thing all the time in life, whether it’s a gossiping coworker or someone who hurls deeply scathing insults just to get their way. Often the people guilty of this underestimate the power of words and have no idea just how much harm they are causing with what may seem like casual remarks; other times, they know exactly what they are doing and are intentionally causing problems with rumors or lies. This spell is appropriate only when all practical measures to stop the situation have been attempted, such as communicating with them directly if possible, reporting the person to management, or otherwise solving the issue logistically.
This spell usually uses a cow’s tongue, which can be purchased in a butcher shop and some Asian markets. You can replace it with the tongue of any found animal that is already deceased.
materials
Cow’s tongue (substitution: slab of soft fruit, such as a very ripe peach or cantaloupe)
Black plate
Large sewing needle
3 feet black thread
Photo or drawing of the person no larger than 4 by 6 inches
Black pen or marker
Scalpel or sharp knife
3 drops death oil (see page 48)
Cast your circle during the dark moon. Have the cow’s tongue unpackaged and ready on a plate and the needle already generously threaded.
Place the photo of the person where you can see it. Imagine their words and hear their voice. Contemplate the things they are saying that are causing harm. Using the black marker, draw an X over their mouth. Now, hear how muffled they have become; imagine them unable to speak, as if they’ve lost their voice. See them become powerless. Say:
Your harmful words have no more power.
Speak no more—your voice is gone.
No one hears you, no one listens.
Lose your speech, be gone, move on.
Using the scalpel, cut a slit down the center of the cow tongue. Do not cut all the way through. Place several drops of death oil into the slit you have made, and then slide the photo into it. Fold the tongue over on itself in such a fashion that the photo is inside. Chant the above phrase and imagine the person unable to talk. Using the needle and thread, stitch the tongue over on itself so it is “sewn shut” around the photo. You have symbolically sewn the person’s wagging tongue still. See them as fully silenced. Handling the tongue may be unpleasant and unsettling, but that is fitting, seeing as the things that leave the person’s mouth are equally undesirable.
Close the circle.
You can bury the tongue (remember, bury it at least 1 foot deep and place something heavy on top so it is not disturbed by scavengers) or pop it in your freezer and leave it until the spell has worked.
This spell doesn’t mean the person will physically actually stop talking, but that the power of their words will in some way be rendered ineffectual or used against them.
Sea Sponge Energy-Draining Spell
This spell is meant to siphon negative energy off a person who is causing harm to those around them. The saying “one bad apple spoils the barrel” is true for people too. One person’s bad energy can throw off an entire household or place of work. This charm is meant to suck away some of that negativity over time and restore balance to a place, group, or community.
materials
Sea sponge (substitution: a piece of moss)
6 white tea light candles
1 tablespoon witch’s salt (see page 49)
Cast a circle. Place the sponge on your altar, with the 6 tea lights in a circle around it.
Place a little pinch of witch’s salt into each tea light to give them an extra personal boost. Light all the candles. Feel the heat that comes off the flames. Imagine that heat permeating the materials you have placed at their midst. This heat is empowering the sponge with the ability to soak up the unwanted energy. The heat from the flames will warm the sponge, enlivening it (be careful; don’t let it catch fire). Mentally, tell the sponge its purpose. Picture the unwanted emotion as a color (such as red for anger or muddy brown for sadness) drawn to the sponge from all directions. The sponge attracts this color like a magnet and draws it right into itself. Visualize until your attention starts to waver or your own energy drains. Close the circle and allow the candles to burn out.
Hide the sponge near the person it is meant for. It can be under the side of the bed they sleep in or near their work area in a place of employment. If they are a long distance away, hide the sponge in your own home wrapped in black cloth.
If possible, every so often, rinse it under water, ring it out, and put it back in place until the job is done.
Snake Spell to Break Addictions
All too often when we enter a dark phase in life, we don’t know how to handle it in a healthy manner. Instead of facing our shadow, we find all kinds of ways to numb ourselves to it instead: drowning it with alcohol, scrambling it with drugs, distracting ourselves with food, sex, or some other diversion. People look to outside sources to ease pain, halting their personal growth in the process. When you spiral into the darkness in an uncontrolled way, fighting it with drugs or other vices, you will only have that much more trouble finding the light again. Sadly, as in the classic haunted woods in a fairy tale, many people who take this path never come out again, and their addictions result in terminal illness and death. They go into a dark place and never come back.
This spell can apply to any kind of habit, addiction, behavior, or dependency that needs to be faced and released. The snake sheds its skin and bursts forth triumphant, bigger and better every time, all of its own volition. It requires no outside assistance to make this change: it is completely self-generated, as is the decision to move forward in life.
For the sake of simplicity, I’ll be using the example of addiction when outlining this spell. This can pertain to food, relationships, fears, or other habits too and is not restricted to substance abuse.
materials
Small piece of snakeskin, about the size of your palm (substitution: birch tree bark)
Amethyst crystal
Several sterile lancets
Small black cloth bag
Sit at your altar with your materials and cast your circle.
Place the piece of snakeskin before you. It will represent the “old” you. It is a husk containing what you used to be before you made this decision to reinvent yourself and become stronger and better. The snakeskin will hold the energy of the addiction or habit you are shedding. Place the amethyst on top of the snakeskin; amethysts are associated with sobriety and self-control. Spend some time visualizing what you’d like to purge yourself of. See yourself experiencing the negative parts of the behavior. You may feel shame while you do this, and that is okay: the shame or embarrassment are things that must be faced in order to move forward. This can be a painful exercise, but it is entirely necessary to be honest with yourself during this visualization. There may be feelings of regret or sadness as you see and feel your own actions. Accept them. When you’re brimming with feelings of your addiction, prick your finger with the lancet. The pain you feel in doing this is a powerful release of energy. Put your blood onto the snakeskin and, with it, all your shame and sadness. Now the snakeskin holds the power of your addiction.
Place the snakeskin into the bag, along with the amethyst, and keep it closed.
You can close your circle for now. However, this spell is not done. When it comes to addiction, there are triggers and cravings. A trigger or craving urges you to engage in the negative habit and can be anything from having a stressful day to hearing a certain song. Keep your amulet with you in the closed bag. Every time you experience a craving or trigger, you need to channel it into the amulet to be neutralized and taken away. A way to do this is to use a fresh lancet and add a drop of your blood to the snakeskin, releasing the craving through pain like you did the first time. Feel the uncomfortable, awful energy, and release it with your blood. If you are not comfortable using a lancet again (or at all), this can just as effectively be done by visualizing the craving as a black cloud streaming from your forehead into the amulet instead. Triggers and cravings can go on for a long time, so you can repeat this every time you have one. Some people need to keep their amulet for years as a means of dealing with relapse. Only you will know when you are truly ready to let the amulet go and either bury it or take it apart.
Every time you acknowledge your feelings and send the energy of the habit into your amulet, you are funneling its power away from your present and into your old, cast-off version of yourself. You are telling spirit again and again that you are emerging as a new, stronger, bigger, and better self as you reject the unwanted behavior. Each and every time you use the amulet, you are affirming to yourself and to the universe that you are moving on. You may find that the amulet feels utterly disgusting and repulsive to you over time, as it takes all that unwanted energy into itself.
If you are struggling with drugs or alcohol, this spell is not intended as a replacement for treatment. It can be used in conjunction with counseling and professional attention, and as always use common sense.
Teeth Intimidation Spell
Animals in the wild have many visual signals they use to converse with each other. Body language is one of many ways animals and humans communicate. Just observe any two or more animals together and you are sure to see subtle correspondence. For example, a dog will lift its tail to signal friendliness, flatten its ears to show annoyance, or fluff up its fur to appear threatening. Something that is quite universal among carnivores is that they will bare their teeth at each other to act as a warning. If you’ve ever seen a dog peel its lips back from its fangs and rip out a snarl, you know that this sends a very clear message to back off or be torn up. The human equivalent would be flashing a weapon at your enemy to indicate that you mean business.
I’m not saying you should go about your daily life flashing weapons at people. Don’t. First of all, it’s illegal. Second of all, physical violence is not the solution to anything. This spell is not about physical harm or any harm at all; rather, it is about sending out an aggressive, defensive warning signal to another person or people to back off and to scare them away before any harm happens at all.
When we consider teeth in magick, especially those of a predator, there are many uses for their energy in charms. Wearing an animal tooth charged with defense, even when no one can see it, sends out a warning vibration to those who wish to harm you that they’d better not bother. This sentiment, unfortunately, can be applied to many aspects of our lives as we navigate the workplace, school, and social networks. All too often we find ourselves around people who, for some reason or another, would wish to harm us, intimidate or manipulate us, slander us, or steal from us. Carrying a charged tooth of a predator is like flashing warning energy at these people. Even though they may not see the tooth or know you have done any magick, if you have imbued it with enough power, something inside them will get the message and leave you alone.
materials
Tooth of an animal. Drill a hole in the top with a power drill and string a cord through it if you wish to wear as a necklace, or you can put it in a little charm jar. (substitution: jagged shard of a walnut shell or large thorn)
Photo of the animal in attack mode. Find an image on the internet of the animal that is intimidating or scary and print it out. If you’d prefer, you can use a photo of an intimidating character that you admire. Whichever you choose, make sure it is vicious and merciless looking
½ cup witch’s salt (see page 49)
Red candle in a holder. A small chime candle is best for this spell.
Knife
Lighter or matches
Cast your circle.
On your altar, place the tooth on top of the photo. Around the tooth and photo, make a circle of witch’s salt, being sure to leave room for the candle. If someone specific is bothering you, carve their name onto the red candle with the knife. Fill your red candle with the energy of bloodshed by visualizing gnashing teeth tearing flesh as you light it. This is hostile, war-like energy. Do not see yourself being attacked, but rather project the energy outward. Place the candle within the salt circle with the tooth and light it. For the duration of the burning time of the red candle, hold the tooth in your right hand and gaze at the picture. Hold the tooth in the warmth of the flame (don’t burn yourself) and let it absorb the heat. Imagine all the things that picture brings to mind: the threat, the power, the dominance, the protection. See the name in the candle with the person’s name on it lose its power as it melts away under the fire.
When the candle is burned out, you can close the circle and wear your amulet.
Dispose of all the salt, candle drippings, and picture outdoors or in the garbage to get them off your property.
Store your tooth amulet in a dark piece of cloth or in a box to contain its energy when you’re not wearing it. You don’t want it sitting out and making everyone who enters your house uneasy.
Live Animal Spells
This section focuses on performing spells in the proximity of live animals while enlisting their help, without disturbing their natural habitats. No animals are to be disturbed, moved, or touched during the working of these spells.
Ant Spell to Ease Community Discord
As grownups, we don’t often pay a lot of attention to the little critters beneath our feet, but I think we all can remember a time when we were children, looking at an operational anthill and being mesmerized. Underneath the sidewalks are utterly miraculous ant-built worlds that rival our own human cities in innovation and efficiency. We can take a lesson from the ants when our own home, workplace, community, or group of friends is in discord. This spell can be done to help create harmony, community, and a sense of camaraderie among a group of people when power struggles are holding back the whole of the group.
You can find ants in the warm months. Their nest is usually indicated by a little mound of dirt that they enter and exit through a small hole. Do not disturb the anthill during your working.
materials
Jar or container with a lid the right size to hold the fruit
Slice of apple or other sweet fruit
Functioning anthill
Take the jar containing the fruit with you the next time you’re with the group that is experiencing discord. Keep it hidden. Anytime during the meeting or event when you notice disharmony or conflict, mentally guide the energy of that conflict into your jar. It may look like dark, cloudy energy. Put the lid on when you leave.
Later, sit beside the anthill and cast your circle. Explain mentally to the ants the discord that is inside the jar, and ask them lovingly to transform it into teamwork and community. Remove the apple slice from the jar and place near the anthill. Thank the ants and offer them respect. Imagine the conflict in the group being resolved and everyone getting along well and happily. Release the circle.
Over the next few days, the ants will harvest and consume the offering, transforming it into nourishment for the group. This symbolically transforms that negative energy into productive, communicative energy.
Soon after, the problems or power struggles within the group dynamic should be resolved and harmony should take its place.
Earwig Spells
Just mentioning the word earwig is enough to give people the chills. The name itself is part of the problem. The word earwig comes from the myth that they like to bore into human ears while people sleep and lay eggs inside their brain, making the host go insane. This story is entirely untrue—there are no medical accounts of this ever actually happening. Earwigs can typically be found inside ears of corn, lettuce, celery, cabbage, and leafy greens in the garden. The disturbing lore of the earwig can be applied to magick for spells that require getting inside someone else’s head or, as another saying goes, “put a bug in their ear” about something you wish them to know, understand, or warn them against. Don’t worry—these spells do not involve putting an earwig in anyone’s ear! The point of these spells is to instill an idea in someone’s mind, wiggling energy into their head and helping them see things differently. I’m going to share two different methods for using earwigs for this purpose. One uses live earwigs, and the other uses a dead one.
Earwig Spell for Eating Negative Thoughts
This spell is to remove negative thoughts that are holding a person back, such as self-doubt, low self-esteem, unhealthy influence from others, or bad habits.
materials
Area outdoors where you know there are many earwigs, such as a garden or damp forested area you have located beforehand. Earwigs often live in large groups under rocks. Locating such a group is ideal for this spell if possible.
Death candle, in a jar for burning outdoors (see page 51)
Lighter or matches
Ear of fresh corn with leaves and corn silk still attached or head of cabbage (both available at a grocery store)
Natural ink that will not harm animals or insects if consumed. Beet juice or blueberry juice is great for this.
Small paintbrush
1 drop of death oil (see page 48)
Go to the place where earwigs live. Sit down on the ground and cast a circle. Light your death candle. Imagine it glowing with purification energy, burning up intrusive, useless, or harmful thoughts.
Hold your vegetable in your hands and quietly contemplate what you want removed from the mind. Then, using your choice of ink, write the person’s name on the vegetable. Say out loud or in your mind:
I ask that all self-doubt (or other problematic pattern) be gently
and lovingly removed from (name’s) mind, setting them free to
grow and be their best. Insect friends, please aid me in my working,
cleaning up the bad thoughts and influences that plague (name).
Place a drop of death oil on the vegetable. Imagine the earwigs coming and wiggling into the leaves and folds of the food, eating away parts that they wish. This represents nature’s power to cleanse and purify the thoughts and feelings in one’s brain. As the earwigs consume parts of your offering, so too should the negative aspects be removed from the thoughts of the targeted person. Leave the vegetable near the earwig colony. Release the circle and leave the space.
Keep the candle and light it occasionally over the next few days until it burns out, while thinking about how the bad thoughts are being eaten away.
Do not go back and disturb the earwigs. Just trust that they will do their work.
Earwig Spell to Get into Someone’s Mind
This spell is meant to get inside someone else’s head and send a message to them or implant a thought in their mind. It could be that they are in denial about something that is harmful to them and they need to see the truth, or their thoughts are holding them back from growing. It’s also suitable to use when someone’s beliefs are making them hurt those around them.
materials
Light blue candle
Lighter or matches
Small paint brush
Natural ink, such as blueberry or beet juice, that will not harm animals if consumed
Head of iceberg lettuce
Dead earwig or molt (substitution: a burr from a prickly plant)
Knife or long object to make a hole in the head of lettuce
Cast your circle at your altar. Light the blue candle.
Use the paint brush and juice to mark the head of lettuce with the name of the person you wish to communicate with. Lettuce tends to be quite watery, so don’t worry if your writing gets smeared, absorbed, or marred; it’s the energy in the words that is important. As you write, imagine the lettuce as the head of the person. See them as they are, with their current problematic thinking or habit.
Set the lettuce aside and hold the earwig in your hand. Close your eyes. What is the message you want to send into this person’s mind? Your message will be tailored to the situation. Keep your message short and sweet, just a sentence or two. Repeat this sentence as a chant while pouring your intention into the bug.
When you feel the insect is saturated with energy, set it aside and pick up your knife or long object. Pierce a hole into the center of the head of lettuce, without cutting all the way through. Blow your breath into the hole you have made. Then shove the dead earwig down inside it.
Now the new thoughts are symbolically inside the person’s head. Spend a moment seeing the message in the earwig spreading throughout the veins in the lettuce leaves. Visualize the person having the desired realization, idea, or awakening and how that might play out positively for everyone.
Bury the lettuce or compost it. Let the blue candle burn itself out.
Maggot Spell to Heal a Broken Heart
Maggots are gross. I get it. Believe me. However, amazingly enough, these offensive wigglers have been used to cure infections and diseases of the flesh for thousands of years. Therefore, maggots, despite their bad rap, in fact ingest disease and are said to be healers. That being said, please don’t try this method at home—lucky for us, nowadays we have antibiotic ointment. Instead, you’ll be calling upon the healing energy of maggots in your magick.
This spell is for healing a broken heart. A relationship that ends badly can leave you with a heartache that makes it difficult to trust new partners or even send you into dark places of mourning, loss, and isolation. This is a very dramatic and visceral spell using the heart of a small animal to ease the part of your heart that is in need of healing. You must have access to an outdoor location away from people in order for the maggots to find the heart and go to work on it.
materials
Animal heart or piece of meat (substitution: rotting onion)
Container to put the heart in
Sewing needle
5 feet red thread
Cast a circle and place the heart in the container before you.
Visualize the person who hurt you, the words they said, and the way they betrayed you. Feel the pain all over again and transfer it into the heart. You can do this by holding your palms over the heart and visualizing the pain as murky energy flowing from your hands into it.
Thread the sewing needle with the red thread. Pierce the heart through its center and then securely tie the thread. The heart should be dangling securely from a length of red thread.
Release the circle.
Take the charm outdoors and tie it somewhere high in the air, such as on a tree branch or secluded balcony, where it will be safe from scavengers. It is best if it is hanging isolated, completely surrounded by air, so that only flies will be able to get to it. As the heart begins to rot, it will naturally attract flies, which lay eggs in it. The eggs become larvae. Nature will do its work, and the maggots will eat away the rotting heart, using its energy to transform themselves into flies. When the heart is all gone, you should be free of your pain and ready to move on.
Worm Spell to End a Relationship
The following is a spell employing worms to end a relationship. Since worms are associated with death in that they’re said to eat buried corpses, they can be integrated into spells for endings.
materials
Shovel
Carving tool such as a small knife
2 fruits or vegetables, to represent each person in the relationship. Traditionally, a phallic-shaped vegetable such as a carrot would be used to represent a man and a round, womb-like food such as an orange for a woman. These can of course be used in any combination for any kind of relationship. If gender binaries are not your thing, you can select a fruit or vegetable based on some other association that resonates with you and your partner, such as color or shape.
Container of 2 cups of fresh soil
About 5 worms. You can easily find them crawling on the sidewalk after it rains. When you pick them up, gently put them in the container of soil to allow them to be comfortable throughout the spell. You need to do this spell within 24 hours of taking the worms to avoid hurting or killing them.
This is an outdoor spell, best performed on a dark moon. Before you begin, use the shovel to dig a hole in the ground about a foot deep and a foot wide.
Cast your circle.
Carve your name into the fruit that represents you. As you do, pour your energy into it. Carve your partner’s name into the other, filling it with their image. Imagine their face, smell, voice, and other characteristics while you do so. Next, join the foods together. If you are using a carrot and an orange, for example, insert the carrot into the orange to represent your union. If you are using two carrots or two oranges, push them together tightly.
Hold them above the hole in the ground. Consider the energetic ties that bind the two people together. Since this is the end of a relationship, these may be things like obligation, fear of change, familiarity, stability, boredom, or money. Avoid the temptation to focus on the good times past with rose-colored glasses: most relationships that are at an end are being held in place by stale, unhealthy things like those stated above. It’s important to recognize what is keeping you in a dead relationship and face it. See those tangled obligatory things holding you together like black energy threads snarled all around the foods. When you are ready, slowly pull the foods apart and imagine the threads falling away and disappearing into the dark hole you have dug. Now, observe each piece of fruit as peacefully separated and unique, unattached to the other, each in its own bright, thriving circle of light.
Lay the fruits in the hole in the ground, peacefully side by side but not touching each other.
Now, hold the container of worms in your hands. Be aware of their wise, primal, benevolent energy. Remember, they can feel your vibrations and energy as well. In your mind (or out loud if you want), ask them to help you separate from the relationship, and ask them to transform that which has stagnated into something new and beneficial. Tell them the relationship is over and ask them to recycle what is left. Because worms feel vibrations, the better you are at energy transfer the more effective this will be. Imagine your message traveling down your arms, through your hands, and into the dirt, or else streaming from the center of your forehead. Send them your appreciation and gratitude, and then gently pour the contents of the container into the hole in the ground with the fruit. Refill the hole with the dirt, close the circle and walk away. It is done.
Over time the worms and other critters will eat away the fruits you have buried and change will come to you.
This spell can be altered for many other applications. It can be performed to help you let go of someone who doesn’t love you back or to get rid of someone who is enmeshed in your life in an unhealthy way. The idea is not to hurt this person but to remove their hold on you and transform it into something positive. You can also use this spell to break your bond to an object, substance, or habit.
Bird Spell to Banish Illness
This spell was originally written to banish an illness or ailment. It can be reworded to banish anything one wishes to get rid of. It involves feeding wild birds, so make sure to find a place where this is legal. You will also need a general knowledge of which birds inhabit your area and what they eat.
For this spell, you will be using suet. Suet is fat taken from around the organs of sheep and cows. You’ve probably seen this kind of bird feeder before. Suet is available at animal feed stores already cubed and coated in bird seed, or you may be able to acquire some from a butcher shop. Most birds that eat insects also eat suet. It has a consistency similar to clay or wax and can be cut or molded into the shape needed for this spell.
materials
Mold shaped like a person (such as a gingerbread man mold from the holiday season) or a knife for cutting the suet into a human shape
1 suet cake
Lock of hair, a fingernail, or drop of blood from the person who is ill
Small lump of almond paste or marzipan, about the size of a large marble. This can be purchased at baking stores.
Pin or sewing needle
1 cup bird seed
First consider what it is you wish to banish. This illness can be an actual physical ailment you wish to help someone overcome (along with proper medical attention) or spiritual in nature. Beforehand decide on a simple symbol that represents the ailment. You will be tracing this symbol into the marzipan with a pin. If the illness is depression, it can be represented by a sad face. If it’s a broken bone, a simple bone shape will do. If all else fails, you can use the pin to write the actual name of the illness in the marzipan in tiny letters.
Gather your materials on your altar on the first night of the dark moon or during the last quarter of the waning moon. Cast your circle.
Using your knife or mold, make the suet cake into the shape of a human. Don’t worry about making it look perfect—the intent is much more important than appearance. As you work with the figure, imagine the person you wish it to represent. Feel it becoming warm with their life and energy. See their face. Hear their voice. Add their hair, fingernails, or blood to the suet.
Now take your marzipan or almond paste. Hold it in your hands and knead it until it is soft like a piece of dough. While you do this, imagine the illness. Feel its heavy, rotten energy. Carve the symbol or word into the marzipan with the pin. Then, push the marzipan into the body part of the suet figure affiliated with the disease (head, heart, liver, etc.). Seal the suet over top of it.
Roll the figure in bird seed until it’s covered.
Close the circle.
Take the suet to a deserted outdoor place in nature (not a public park or somewhere people and pets are likely to be). Take a moment to sit with it, and feel the energy of the birds that live there. Listen to their chirping. Call on their attention with your mind. Even if you do not see any at that exact moment, know they are there and that they can feel your intentions. Explain to them that you wish for them to enjoy the treat in exchange for carrying away the sickness. Listen to their songs and feel their presence while you do this.
Through the birds, nature is carrying away the illness and transforming it into something new.
Put your treat in a tree in a suet cage, or some other high place that won’t be disturbed by land animals.