Bones and Skulls
Bones are believed to house the true soul of the animal they came from, creating a direct link to the spirit energy of that creature through all time and incarnations. For example, a single coyote bone contains the life force of every coyote that ever lived. The DNA in that single bone is a direct conduit to the archetype of that species. The bone brings all the qualities, mythology, personality traits, and history of the coyote into any working you include it in. This concept applies to the bones of any animal, including people.
On Human Remains
Using human remains in magick is a lot more common than many people realize. Utilizing human bones, or even ashes, is a fairly common practice among magickal practitioners, at least for those who are able to obtain them and who wish to work with spirit in this way. That being said, using human bones in spells and rituals is not so different from using animal parts except that instead of working with the pure energy of a plant or animal, we are dealing with a much more complex human spirit.
Human bones house human characteristics. This means that in terms of magick, they can be employed in spells for things that people value most, such as love, prosperity, and connection. A spirit can be asked to retrieve information, send messages, and pull strings, so to speak, in situations in which otherwise you do not have much control. Human bones will have energetic characteristics of the person they belonged to in life and reflect their personality traits. The same can be said of animal bones. If the creature the bones come from experienced a difficult and traumatic life, this can sometimes be felt in their remains.
I include information here on human bones for research purposes only. I prefer working with animals and plants. For this reason, I don’t have any spells in here employing human remains. As an empathic person, the unpredictable personalities of living humans are enough for me to handle in this life, never mind the dead ones! However, some people do choose to get human remains ethically and use them in their practice.
If you decide you’d like to include human remains in your practice, please never, ever, under any circumstances, go into a graveyard and steal body parts. Not only is it far more physically difficult than you can probably imagine, it’s illegal and you can go to jail. It’s disrespectful to the spirit, and it’s insulting to the family of the deceased. There have been some documented cases of grave robbing across North America in which the skull is stolen for use in spells. The illegal trade of human remains has been, unfortunately, a lucrative one. People will pay lots of money for a human skull, especially those who believe it possesses the magic powers to grant their heart’s desire. However, there are many legal ways to obtain human bones, such as through established online shops who sell cleaned and legally sourced remains. There are laws surrounding the sale of bones across the border or overseas, so you may have to hunt around a little to find them in your own country. The bones in these stores come from people who willingly donated their bodies to science and whose bones have been used in a classrooms and labs for educational purposes or scientific research. This is much different from tearing into the grave of someone’s grandmother and stealing her head!
When you purchase bones online, there is no way to know for certain who they came from. You can attempt to find out from the dealer, but often all they can tell you is its country of origin. For the rest, you will have to rely on your own meditation and divinatory work to figure out what the bones can be used for, what kind of person they came from, and whether or not they wish to assist you with your work. You can do this by keeping the bone near you when you sleep and asking the spirit respectfully to come to you in your dreams and make themselves known. You can hold it in your hand during meditation, ask for information, and see what drifts into your vision. We all have varying levels of skill when it comes to communicating with the dead.
When working with any bones, it’s important to be respectful to the spirit who resides there. Some people like to make offerings of food or drink to their bones, particularly on special days the spirit may have celebrated in life.
When you possess a piece of human bone, the spirit attached to it can aid you in your magickal workings. They can gather information about situations that you cannot, and can give your spells a push in certain directions. The spirit in the bones has journeyed to the other side and experienced the afterlife. They have walked between the worlds and know the secrets of life and death. They know what our purpose here is even when we don’t. The spirits of the dead have wisdom we do not because they’ve evolved beyond our world of the living into the next dimension. Working with human bones is different from working with those of animals because animals are such pure creatures; they don’t know what evil or hatred is, and their energy is far clearer and easier to understand. Humans are a whole different story, in life and in death, which is why I tend to be very wary of them in either form!
The Human Skull
Human skulls have been sought out by necromancers, spiritualists, shamans, witches, and magick workers of all kinds since the dawn of time. Some believe a human skull is the most powerful tool a practitioner can possess. It is considered a literal link to the spirit world of humans. While a fox skull can connect us to the archetypal spirit of fox, the human skull does the same with the most primordial essence of human spirit and our earliest beginnings. Some believe they can communicate directly with the dead through a human skull, either vocally or with visions, and that they can use the skull as a tool in summoning the deceased. Obtaining a human skull can be expensive, so some people will use a skull replica, a crystal skull, or even a photo in place of the real thing for these purposes.
Along with being linked to the archetypal spirit of a being, human and animal bones will also contain elements of the individual from which they came, depending on their personality traits. I believe that the older the bone or skull is, the less of the individual personality will be clinging to it as the energy fades over time.
The human skull has been a prized possession in magic throughout history. But why?
Cups and bowls from days past fashioned from human skulls have been unearthed. These were elaborately decorated drinking vessels, possibly used in ritual settings. Archaeological digs in parts of the Pacific, South Asia, and the Americas have revealed ancient temples filled with carved skulls. These have been labeled “skull cults.”8 Sometimes skulls were positioned in a place of reverence, while other times they appeared to be trophies of vanquished enemies. There’s no way to know exactly what these so-called skull cults actually practiced or how they felt about their strange treasure, but chances are they believed the heads were a conduit to the Divine or the afterlife. Regardless, their existence is proof that the human skull has been a powerful object the world over, forever.
Most current spiritual practices that use human skulls do so for creating a connection with ancestors and bring power and luck to their practice. It’s not necessarily anything evil or scary, simply different from what many Westerners are used to. In some parts of the world, purchasing a human skull is as easy as buying an ordinary household item. There are some rare instances when a family member can bequeath their skull to their kin in their will, although doing this nowadays is mostly unheard of. In many cases the use of human remains is done respectfully and viewed as an act of reverence to spirit.
The skull image has now become a commonplace thing in fashion and home décor, particularly the colorful Mexican sugar skull, which is rooted in Day of the Dead ceremonies. This image is seen in the mainstream regularly, with many people not understanding its importance in Mexican culture as part of honoring ancestors. At one time, skull and bone images were thought to be foreboding and only for heavy metal bands or pirate costumes, but now they’re everywhere. I like to think the prevalence of the skull in popular culture indicates a shift in thought regarding death and the afterlife, if even subconsciously. I feel it could be the deities of death and rebirth making themselves known, indicating that we’re currently in a time of transition as a whole. The deaths of old paradigms are upon us, and we’re shifting into new ways of thinking, communicating, and existing together. The skull symbolizes the death of outdated ways of being as we evolve and change for the better.
All in all, whether a skull is a trophy from a vanquished enemy, an oracle through which to speak to the dead, a thing to respect as housing ancestors, or a warning symbol, it’s a powerful icon. To look at a human skull is to face death.
Animal Skulls
Animal skulls represent a true connection with the creature. The skull is the most important part of an animal you can have on your altar. The head is where the brain lives, the eyes see, and the ears hear and where all the animal’s experiences are processed. While all bones are a conduit to animal energy and archetypes, the skull is the most powerful.
Working with Bones
Let’s say you’ve decided to use bones in your magickal work and have bought some online or found and cleaned your own. Purchasing online means you’ve skipped the bonding process of finding, cleaning, and intimately handling the bones, which can create a feeling of disconnection. In a nutshell, the bones are strangers to you and you’ve not developed a rapport. When you receive them in the mail, they might not feel “right,” or perhaps you’ll feel nothing at all. The good news about feeling nothing when you handle them is that there is no malevolence attached to them. To put it another way, the spirit in the bones is “at peace” with you, and you should be easily able to work with them once woken up. Bones that you’ve found and cleaned yourself can also sometimes have dubious energy.
If the bones are giving you a bad feeling and you’re reluctant to use them, it’s possible they were disrespected on their journey to you, or maybe the spirit of the creature is unsettled.
Take the time to develop a relationship with the spirit in the bones. Give them a special spot on your altar and make an offering to them of food or drink. This is as simple as setting the offering before the bones and saying it is meant for them.
Sit before them in a quiet place and take some deep breaths. Hold your hands in front of you as if you are holding a ball. The ball is pink or white. It is pulsing with a gentle glow. Feel your positive intentions, respect, and reverence, and send those emotions into the ball of light. Then, place the ball of light over the bones and imagine it permeating them. This is your way of sending a message to the spirit that you mean no harm and that you want to be friends and allies. Don’t expect immediate results. You don’t know what traumatic events may have led to the death of the creature, so allow time for a relationship to develop between you. Repeat this process every so often until the feeling of unease leaves the bones. At this point, you may be able to commence dream work and meditation to find out more about them.
Remember that a spirit, whether human or animal, is not your servant. Do not approach them with a demanding attitude. This spirit is your ally and friend; treat them as such. If not, they will either go silent and not work with you at all, or worse, spoil your plans.
Giving Thanks to Animal Spirits
When you are working with parts of an animal, whether you find them or purchase them, it is very important to offer thanks and gratitude to the spirit of the animal. You’re thanking the one rabbit you found for providing the bones, but you are also honoring all rabbits and all that they represent in our world, their special archetype of fertility, newness, virility, and new beginnings.
Besides uttering a thankful chant or prayer over the parts you are using, consider giving thanks through your actions. There are many practical ways to honor animals that also provide useful aid to the environment and natural habitats. While pouring a libation to the spirit of the animal is nice, also consider the following:
• Pick up trash in a naturalized area.
• Make a donation to a wildlife fund or nature center.
• Put out high-quality birdseed in winter.
• Always recycle and reuse as much as possible. Garbage and plastics have destroyed so many habitats already. Every time you choose to reuse and recycle is a step toward helping the planet.
• Plant herbs, flowers, other plants, or trees.
• Volunteer at an animal shelter.
• During extremely dry weather, put out dishes of water for wildlife.
Just having an animal’s bones in a place of honor on your altar is in many ways an act of respect and thanks. When you’re not using the bones and have stored them away, every so often be sure to handle them and feel appreciation for them. This is a form of “feeding” them with your energy, explained in further detail on page 153. Some people prefer to put a drop of their blood on them now and then or blow incense smoke onto them. As you handle the bones, imagine the animal and all the wonderful traits it has and the archetypes it represents and feel grateful.
The Bone Oracle
A bone oracle is a collection of bones from one or several animals, stored together in a bag or box, that are used for divination. The bones are gently dropped onto a surface and then interpreted according to how and where they land in relation to each other. You can ask questions or request guidance from a bone oracle the same way you would with tarot cards or tea leaves.
As you work with your bone oracle, the spirits inhabiting them lend their power to your reading. For this reason, you have to show respect to the bone oracle and “feed” it with your energy, blood, or breath.
Collecting the Oracle Bones
You can use any small bones you have found in nature and cleaned yourself. The collection may be a range of different animal bones that you’ve salvaged over time or all from one skeleton. You can also purchase pieces of cleaned animal skeletons online.
If you’re a meat eater, you can salvage the bones of a whole chicken, a rabbit, or game you’ve eaten or keep a few pieces from each different type of animal you consume. Place the bones in borax or salt for a week or more to dry them out.
Creating the Casting Cloth
The casting cloth is the surface on which you will toss your bones when consulting your oracle. It can also double as a storage bag for your bones: place them in the middle, gather the edges, and tie them up with string to make a pouch.
Get a circle of black cloth about a foot and a half in diameter. Divide it into four equal parts by painting a cross in the middle with the lines extending to its edges. Each section represents one of the cardinal directions: north, east, south, and west. You can paint a symbol or letter on each section to mark this. Each cardinal direction governs a different aspect of our lives and can add information to the reading when you cast your bones, depending on which of the sections they land in on your cloth. When doing a reading, lay your cloth on a table or the floor with the letters corresponding with the actual directions in your space. For example, the N corner of your cloth should physically face north. Having the cloth aligned with the directions is important, as the bones will be pulled by the spirit of that direction or element when you throw them, especially if you’ve cast a circle and called upon the elements to assist you. The significance of the directions in a bone oracle is as follows:
North: Earth, family, stability, money concerns, survival, home, work, career
East: Air, communication, friendships, other people, wisdom, lessons
South: Fire, passion, sex, anger, war, creativity, rebirth
West: Water, emotion, intuition, love and relationships, moods, inner feelings
If you cast your bones and most of them fall in the northern quadrant, this denotes issues about family and finance. In the east, communication and outside influence have bearing on your situation. Bones in the southern quadrant indicate intense drama, and the west implies deep emotions are involved. If at first it seems the cardinal direction in which your bones land doesn’t apply to the question, look for a connection. For example, if you’ve asked about your career, yet all the bones land in west for water (love and emotion), it means your job is somehow directly affected by a relationship and your inner emotions. Your bones may fall into several different cardinal directions at a time. Your query and how the bones land together will indicate what bearing the elements have on your reading.
Bonding with the Bones
It’s necessary to create a connection between yourself and the spirits inside the bone oracle. You can accomplish this by sleeping with them under your pillow or spending some time each day handling them with your fingers and just feeling their power. You can try meditating with them to figure out what sort of energy already resides in them. Try not to let other people handle your oracle bones, as they’re very personal. Those who read for others often have two sets, one for public use by clients and one just for themselves alone. The rapport between yourself and the spirit of the bones is crucial for doing meaningful readings.
Some people feed their bone oracle regularly. This can be done by adding a drop of blood to them and shaking the bag around gently to spread the blood’s energy, sprinkling some herbs on them (such as mugwort, which is associated with blessing divination tools), or dropping some moon water from your fingertips onto them. The idea behind feeding the oracle is to keep its energy active, show respect to the spirit, and maintain the bond.
Cleansing the Bones
It’s imperative to cleanse your bones in between readings. Your thoughts and questions can cling to the bones and affect future readings, even if you’re the only one who uses them. Cleanse them by laying them in the sunlight or moonlight for a few hours or by placing them carefully in a glass of moon water or rainwater. Let them sit in the water overnight, and then lay them out to dry completely. Pour the water on the ground or down the drain. Cleanse the bones after each reading.
When not using the bones, store them in their cloth or bag.
Reading the Bones
Spread your cloth in front of you, aligned with the cardinal directions. Gather all the bones in both your hands and close your eyes. Contemplate your question while gently breathing onto the bones. The breath communicates your underlying concerns that you can’t put into words. When you’re ready, gently drop them onto your cloth.
Look at the bones and loosen your gaze, like you would do when reading tea leaves or scrying. Together the bones will form shapes and pictures. Take note of the shapes, what they mean to you, and which cardinal direction they have fallen within.
The largest bone represents the actual object of your question. If your concern is family, the largest bone represents family. Examine how the bones lie around it. Are there vertebrae touching it and supporting it? Is it isolated and alone? Is there a broken bone near it? Wing bones represent swift change, whereas vertebrae connote stability. The bones may fall together touching each other, forming a shape that resembles something else, such as a cross, a square, or even a star formation. These symbols are just for you, and only you can say what they mean. For example, a cross for me means the meeting of two different people or ideas, whereas to many people a cross signifies religion. Your bones will speak directly to you.
The bones around the largest “question” bone will tell you the state of your family. If many ribs point sharply at the large bone, it means your family is under some kind of attack, whereas if there is a sturdy triangle shape around it, it is secure. If they land over the top of one another in a toppling fashion, it means the situation is not stable and likely to fall apart, or the relationship is in a precarious position.
It can become very complex and personalized, but with practice, you will develop a rapport with your oracle and be able to understand what it is telling you.
Additional Objects
Some people like to add other objects besides bones to their oracle for clarity. A shell, for example, can represent a shield, and where it falls in a reading, it denotes protection. A piece of wood from a tree can signify growth, and if it falls near the big main bone of a question, it means an increase. If it falls far away, it could mean a decrease. A coin can be added to indicate work, so if it falls near your main bones, it means you will have to work hard to solve your problem. A pair of dice can be used to show timing based on what numbers turn up, and a stone can represent yourself or a key person.
Here is an example reading of my own bird bone oracle that I’ll share with you so that you can see the different elements that go into interpreting it.
Bone Oracle Sample Reading
For this reading, my friend asked me, “What can I expect in my social life?” Here is a diagram of how the bones landed and an explanation of how I interpreted them.
The largest bone is in the west. This big flat bone is covering a smaller one, as if shielding or protecting it (A). Since they fell in the western quadrant, these bones pertain to emotions. They indicate the querent is hiding or shielding their feelings, perhaps to protect themselves socially. This could represent their fear of opening up to others about something that is important to them.
In the southern corner, the realm of fire and passion, we see a small vertebrae (B) with several larger bones bursting away from it like fireworks. This means the querent is a “small,” quiet, and largely unknown individual who is bursting out of their shell and having a huge impact on those around them, perhaps without realizing it. Since this is in the realm of fire, it means this person is making serious, dramatic waves around them in terms of how they’re affecting others. Their reason for doing this has to do with passionate, tumultuous feelings that they’re unable to hold in.
In the east, the realm of air and communication, we find the wishbone (C). Where the wishbone falls is always especially important. In this case, it means the gift of communication right now, a run of good luck, and success in terms of being heard and making connections. The large bone in the upper corner (D), which is touching several smaller bones, is holding space for the querent. This represents a mentor or more experienced person who is there to support and aid them in their goals. This person is staying to the side out of the way and letting the querent take the stage, supporting them from the sidelines.
In the north, we can see a direct pattern in which the bones are facing away from the wishbone in the east as if propelled by it. In terms of social life, the north represents those who are in your immediate circle. Here we see quite a few flimsy bones being supported by larger, thicker ones (E). The querent may feel they are speaking for those who are weaker than them or less able to do so, holding them up, so to speak. Some of these small bones have scattered into other quadrants, indicating that there have already been people close to the querent who have been lost or negatively affected by social issues. However, their winning streak with communication in the east (the wishbone) is clearly showing that their actions will give stability to those they care about.
In conclusion, to answer the question “What can I expect in my social life?” the querent is someone who feels small and less important than others and has not been heard in the past due to shyness or other factors. The querent has something very important to convey, and emotions are running high because of it. There could be injustice involved and a desire to speak out against it. The querent is already having a big impact on those around them with their passion. Soon they will have time to shine, really get their message out, and be heard perhaps for the first time, with the aid of a more experienced, older person backing them up. This will lead to strengthening the querent in a social sense, allowing them to learn the value of their voice. They will be able to help those who need it and positively impact others, especially those nearest and dearest to them who are struggling.
Spells Using Bones and Skulls
The following spells all make use of bones or skulls in different ways.
Chicken Bone Breakup Spell
This spell is to end a relationship between two people. If you wish to break up a couple for your own reasons, please take a moment to reflect on how this will affect everyone around them, including their families and children, and decide if it really is in the best interest of all involved. This spell is potentially destructive, and you should proceed with caution.
materials
2 bones from a chicken or other small animal (substitution: 2 sticks from a lilac tree or rose bush)
Felt-tip pen
Various colors of paint
Hair of the 2 people involved, if possible
Rusty old nail
1 foot pure cotton thread (must be biodegradable)
Cast your circle. Decorate each bone to represent a person in the relationship. Write their name on it with the pen and paint it with their favorite colors. Spend time with each bone one at a time, pouring the essence of the individual into it. If possible, tie a piece of their hair to the bone that represents them. If you don’t have hair, visualization will have to do.
Now hold the rusty nail in your hand, and notice its corroding, rotting state. Imagine how painful and destructive it would be to have a nail inserted into flesh, how it would oxidize and cause infection to all it touched. This nail represents a fight or problem that will come between the people and destroy their union.
Tie the chicken bones together with the cotton thread.
Now insert the nail right in the middle of them, at a 90-degree angle, wedging them apart. Say:
Break apart, break apart.
This nail will separate your hearts.
Close the circle.
Bury the charm deep in the ground. As the thread rots, so will their bond, until they fall away from each other.
Skull Spell to Guard a Secret
This spell uses a dog or other canine skull because they’re known to be loyal and protective. If you have a secret that you wish to keep hidden, this is a spell to create a guardian amulet to protect it from being exposed.
materials
Canine skull, such as a dog’s or coyote’s (substitution: plastic, wood, or clay replica)
Bowl with 1 cup dark moon water (see page 43)
½ cup witch’s salt (see page 49)
Turquoise crystal
Small open padlock and matching key
Place your materials on your altar and cast a circle.
Hold the skull in your hands and look into its face. Feel affection for it as you would for a beloved dog who was part of your family. Send the skull this love from your heart center to let the spirit know that you are a friend, kind of like how you’d allow a dog to sniff your hand before petting it.
Once you’ve developed an energetic connection, visualize what you’d like the spirit to do. In this case, their job is to guard a secret. Imagine a canine creature standing vigilantly in front of a locked gate on the lookout for intruders. Send this image into the skull. This lets the spirit know that its job is to guard and protect.
Set the skull down and dip your finger in the dark moon water. Place several drops of dark moon water on the skull. Say:
Loyal spirit, guard my secrets
Viciously with teeth and claws.
If anyone tries to see inside the circle,
Bite them and chase them away.
Pour the witch’s salt in a circle on your altar, about 6 inches across.
Turquoise is said to absorb the feelings of those who handle it. Picture your secret exactly as it is and hold the crystal against your forehead. The secret is now inside the crystal. Place the crystal inside the salt circle.
Now take the open lock. Snap it shut. The clicking sound signals your secret is closed and locked up. Set it down inside the circle near the crystal.
Place the skull on top of the lock and stone so it is touching both.
The canine spirit is now guarding the secret, which is locked up tight inside the protective salt circle.
Release the magick circle. Put the key away until you’re ready to release your secret.
Every day place several drops of dark moon water on the skull. This feeds its energy and acknowledges its spirit. You can also make an offering to the skull each day by placing a dog bone, toy, kibble, or meat before the skull. If it is meat, remove it and dispose of it each day. This tells the spirit that you appreciate it and the work it is doing.
To further protect your secret, it’s best not to allow anyone to see the altar with this setup on it. You can drape cloth over it to keep it hidden during the process of the working if you like.
When you’re ready to release the spell or the threat of your secret being told has passed, unlock the lock and cleanse it to use for something else. Throw away the salt circle and bury the turquoise stone.
Keep the skull for future spells or as a general protection amulet in your home.
The Hand of Glory
The hand of glory is a very old spell that originally was said to work the following way. The left hand was cut from a hanged man’s corpse during the night, then dried and cured. The cured hand was slathered with the rendered fat of the hanged man to make it flammable like a candle. The hand was placed fingers up in a holder. It was believed that when this charm was placed next to the intended victim and each of the five fingertips lit like candles, it would render the targeted person completely immobile and motionless.
The following spell is meant to render someone’s power immobile. This will not be a physical immobility, but rather the spell will stop their actions and power over you or others.
materials
Death candle (see page 51)
Thoroughly dried paw bones from any animal. This represents the “hand.” It can be one bone or several; it doesn’t need to be a whole intact paw. (substitution: a stick that has a shape similar to a hand or a cardboard cutout of a hand)
1 tablespoon death oil (see page 48)
Photo of the targeted person if necessary, any size
Lighter or matches
Charcoal disk
Fireproof dish
It’s best to do this spell with the targeted person nearby but without their knowledge. If that’s not possible, a photo of them will do.
During the dark moon, gather your materials on your altar. Cast a circle and invoke deity if you wish.
Light your death candle.
Hold the bones in your hand and breathe on them gently to bring them to life energetically. Imagine you are holding the hand of a hanged man. These bones contain the same death energy as the hand from a hanged man would, as they are both from a deceased being.
Put a dab of death oil on your fingers and gently massage it into each of the bones. This replicates the act of putting tallow or rendered fat on the hand. It also carries the essence of death itself, imbuing the bones with the absence of life and movement.
Place the photo of the person next to your fireproof vessel and light your charcoal disk. Put the disk in the fireproof dish. One by one, place the bones on the charcoal disk and watch them burn. Imagine the smoke is rising from them carrying the power of death and stillness, drifting through the air to find the intended person, stopping them cold in their actions. Do this with each bone. Imagine the person becoming powerless as the smoke surrounds them.
If you’re using a bone that is too large to fit on the charcoal disk, you can light it on fire with the lighter and let it burn in the dish. You may have to relight it several times during the process depending on how dry it is.
When the bones are done burning, let the candle burn all the way out and extinguish the charcoal disk. Close the circle.
You can keep the ashes of this spell to add to protective witch’s salt or for use in future curses.
Please keep in mind that bones smell bad when they burn, so you may want to do this spell outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
Wing Bone Spell to Flee a Situation
While this spell won’t actually induce physical flight, it is to provide an opportunity for you to fly out of a difficult situation and become “free as a bird.” This opportunity can come in the form of unexpected assistance from other people or simply a new way of thinking you hadn’t explored before.
materials
8½-by-11-inch piece of black construction paper
Chalk or white crayon
Sterile lancet
Wing bone from a bird (substitution: a feather)
You can do this spell either at your altar or outdoors near a high cliff or overhang where there are no people.
Cast your circle and invoke deity if you wish.
Write your situation on the black paper exactly as it is. Describe precisely what it is you want to be free of, whether that is a person’s name, a situation, or a feeling. Allow the pain and negative feelings that go with feeling trapped to pour over you while you write. Using the sterile lancet, prick your finger and add a drop of your blood to the paper, transferring the pain into it. Imagine the piece of paper is surrounded by an oppressive murky gray aura.
Set the paper aside and take the wing bone in your hand. See the bird in flight. Imagine the freedom of being a bird, feeling the wind all around you as if you were flying away. Envision your own freedom exactly how you wish it would be.
Fold the black paper all around the bone with the writing facing inward. The black paper mutes the energy of the bone, trapping it inside.
Close your circle if you’re indoors.
Go to a place such as a high cliff or a bridge over water (avoid anywhere that has lots of people). Hold the charm out over the edge and see your situation as it is now. Unfold the bone from the paper, and feel the freedom and power bursting out of it. Throw the bone over the edge of the cliff as hard as you can and let it fly. As you do so, see yourself breaking free and flying too.
Now rip the paper to shreds, destroying the thing that trapped you, rendering it powerless. Burn or recycle the paper.
Goat Bone Chaos Spell
Goats are associated with the devil in all of his many guises and forms. The Christian devil represents lust, sin, and carnal desires. The devil is often imagined as being a lying trickster who enjoys causing trouble. Goats are unpredictable, clever, and devious and manage to get into all kinds of trouble too. You don’t have to believe in the existence of the devil to perform this spell, but rather bear in mind the qualities of his animal representation, the goat.
Goat energy is lustful, fun, and playful, but it is also cunning, troublemaking, and destructive. Goats are famous for being able to manipulate and demolish almost any fence put around them and destroy any landscape by eating it. They’re known to be very noisy and disruptive, and the males let off a terrible stink when in rut. It’s these unpredictable qualities of the goat that this spell focuses on.
materials
Goat bone of any kind or piece of horn or hoof (substitution: a jagged piece of wood with splinters)
Marker or sharp object for inscribing the bone or hoof
Box with a lid of appropriate size to hold the bone
1 cup cayenne pepper powder, or enough to fill the box
3 prickly thistle leaves
13 thumbtacks
Cast your circle and call your deity.
Place the goat bone on your altar and fill your mind with images of destruction and chaos. This can look like an explosion or fight. It can sound like an alarm or siren. As you visualize this, draw or scrape the image of an asterisk symbol into the bone. The asterisk, with its converging lines, symbolizes the clash of many different energies, creating chaos. Instead of an asterisk, you can design your own sigil if you please.
Fill the box with the cayenne pepper, prickly thistle leaves, and thumbtacks. Together they make a burning, stinging, piercing, and irritating concoction that would be unbearable to have in the skin or eyes. This mixture encompasses all that is irritating, inflammatory, and unpleasant.
Place the bone in the box and cover it completely with the cayenne pepper mixture. Imagine the cayenne pepper saturating the bone with burning, irritating energy. Visualize the inflammatory qualities of the cayenne pepper soaking into every pore of the bone and into the chaos symbol. Put so much irritated energy into the box that it feels almost unbearable to open it or look inside.
Close the circle.
Let the bone sit in the mixture for 3 nights.
Remove the bone and wrap it up in paper so you don’t have to touch it. Take it with you to the place you want to disrupt or release havoc upon. Remove it from the paper and place it discretely somewhere on the property or in the room you wish to affect. Walk away and allow it to fill the space with chaotic energy, shaking up every situation and interaction that takes place there.
Dispose of the ingredients. You can cleanse and reuse the thumbtacks for similar future spells.
Raccoon Penis Bone Breakup Spell
As you start digging into the topic of using bones in witchcraft, you’re bound to discover that the penis bone of a raccoon is a coveted object. It can be salvaged, as explained earlier, or bought at many witchcraft stores.
A penis bone, or baculum, is generally used in magick to increase sexual attraction. However, in the spirit of shadow work, this spell is meant to banish sexual chemistry between two people by breaking the bone, thus breaking their attraction to each other.
materials
Death candle (see page 51)
Raccoon penis bone
Marker
Small dish containing ¼ cup witch’s salt (see page 49)
Cast your circle and invoke deity if you wish.
Light the death candle. Write the names of the two people involved on the bone, leaving a space in between. You will break the bone in between their names, so make sure there is a gap in the middle of the writing.
As the death candle burns, hold the bone in your hands. Visualize the sexual chemistry between the two people as it is now. Their sexual chemistry is inside the bone. Now tightly grasp the ends of the bone in your fingers. Snap it cleanly in half, and then immediately stick the broken ends into the salt. Imagine the salt entering the broken parts of the bones, getting inside it, and breaking down its power. Imagine the salt burning into the bone, softening it and making it porous with its death energy. Envision the witch’s salt weakening the bone and the tie between the two people until it dissipates into nothing.
Release your circle. Allow the candle to burn out.
Compost the remaining bones and salt.
8. Shaena Montanari, “Hints of Skull Cult Found in World’s Oldest Temple,” National Geographic, June 28, 2017, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2017/06/skulls-cult-turkey-archaeology-neolithic-gobekli.