Magical Safekeeping
We’ve all heard tales of treasure chests, magic trunks, powerful rings, magical lockets, and of secret mysteries hidden away. We’ve heard of these mysteries bundled into the hollow of a fabled faery tree under the cover of darkness with the moon above as the only witness. As fanciful as it sounds, things like this do happen every day all over the world. These tools are a means of securing our magic, keeping it strong and focused on making our wishes come true.
With some spells, such as those that require poppets or paper, it is advised that that you store the item in a safe place. So where is this safe place? The answer is simple: in a spell box. A spell box is a box that has been cleansed and consecrated for use in holding magical items for the duration of a spell (or beyond). Any type of box can be used, but a wooden box is traditional. You can either make your own spell box or you can buy a small treasure-chest box and consecrate it. You could also use an old keepsake box, a glass or ceramic bowl, or a large jar as long as it has a lid. A few years ago, my sister hollowed out and carved a gourd for me and created an image of a wolf and a pentagram on its surface. This gourd makes a fantastic protective-oriented spell box. Almost anything can be used. After you choose or create a box, the box must be cleansed and consecrated.
Cleansing the spell box in the following method is recommended if the box is old or has been used for other purposes before. To cleanse the spell box, close your eyes while holding the box and visualize white light pouring down on you from above. Imagine the light streaming from your hands into the box, cleansing it of any negativity. If you wish, you could hold the box in the smoke of purification incense (see page 214) for a few moments, making sure that all parts of the box are touched by the smoke.
Next, the box must be charged with the same type of energy as the item that will be stored. For example, if you intend to store a poppet used in a healing rite, then you should fill the spell box with healing energy, loading it as if it were a talisman. This provides a wonderful boost to your original spell and prevents the poppet’s energies from being scattered. After you no longer need to store the poppet in that box, just cleanse and consecrate the spell box for a new use.
Never reuse a spell box without cleansing and consecrating it again. The box will still contain residual energy from the previous spell; this residue will cloud and confuse the new spell, thus altering or reducing your results. Aside from being a magical safe place and power booster, a spell box is a practical storage item if you are worried that your magical items will be seen or handled by others. If that is the case, I suggest obtaining the most inconspicuous, plain, unremarkable box you can find; the less noticeable the better. You can use a large trunk as a spell box to store your ritual items and tools to keep them safe, properly energized, and out of the hands of others. In this instance, the box or trunk should be charged with general magical energy (white light from the universe). This will keep the tools safe without blending or scattering their individual energies.
Spell boxes can be used as magical devices in their own right. To do this, first you must decide on a goal and obtain ingredients in harmony with that goal, such as herbs, photos, fabrics, etc. Next, design a decorative theme for the spell box that illustrates your goal. The process is kind of like making a dollhouse. Decorate your spell box in such a way that just by looking at it, you know what you are working toward. It is your vision made manifest. For example, if I was making a spell box for a new home, a good idea would be to obtain a photo of the type of home I was looking for (or a specific home as long as it is currently for rent or sale) and glue it inside the box. I would add herbs for prosperity, a lock of my hair to lend my own personal energy, and maybe even some doll furniture in a style that appeals to me. Let your imagination run with possibility. Decorate your box how you see fit; as long as its decoration is in harmony with your magical goal, your results should be splendidly successful. After the decorating is complete, charge the box with magical energy to be a talisman toward your goal.
Keep the spell box in a safe place where you can see it often. Spell boxes are great magical storage devices and a wonderful method of gathering multiple ingredients into one spell, as in the “new home” example above. Another more portable method takes the form of a locket or “poison ring.” A locket, of course, is a small case with a hinged lid that may contain a photo or other small item and is usually worn as a pendant. A poison ring is similar, as it too is a small container with a hinged lid that is worn as a ring. Both of these items may be transformed into tools of magic. By placing an herb, photo, jewel, or lock of hair into a locket or ring and magically charging it, you recreate it as a talisman.
This form of talisman is excellent for keeping magical energy around you without drawing too much attention to yourself. A giant flannel bag worn around your neck while strolling through the grocery store would be a bit awkward; magical jewelry is a much more practical alternative. Another benefit is that since you can only store a tiny amount in a locket, the cost of herbs or other ingredients is minimized. You can charge them with the general charging ritual (see Charging Ritual on page 75).
Finally, we come to a beautiful method of working magic with the aid of trees. Trees are beautiful, wise, long-lived beings that are grounded into the earth, reach to the sky, and drink in the rain. They are connected to all three realms of land, sea, and sky and are natural conduits for reaching from realm to realm and through the different planes of existence. Each tree (like all living things) is made of both its physical self and its spirit (the tree faery). If a tree contains an uninhabited hollow (a natural hollow—don’t drill a hole in a tree for this), you can store a bundle or charm bag there and ask the tree spirit to help you manifest your goal. You can write your wish on a piece of paper and hide it in the hollow of the tree and ask for the tree’s assistance. If you seek the aid of a tree, or any living thing for that matter, always leave a token of gratitude in addition to what you leave there as your magical petition. For trees, leave water, compost, or fertilizer.
A final note regarding trees: If you feel uneasy, nervous, or rejected around a particular tree, don’t ask for its help. This is the way the spirit of the tree is letting you know it doesn’t want to participate for whatever reason. An unhappy tree spirit would only hurt your chances of achieving your goal. If the spirit is not inclined to you, don’t worry—it will let you know.