Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water. Similarly, our brain and heart are composed of 73 percent water, and our total body weight is approximately 90 percent water. Water is life, the cradle of existence. Its elemental association is that of the emotional realm. Oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams become metaphors for our inner spiritual lives. Connections in nature are exemplified by the vast network of rivers.
Hans-Henrik Stolum, a former professor of earth sciences at Cambridge University, sought to quantify the world’s rivers and made a fascinating discovery. He measured the longest rivers in the world in two ways. First, he measured a direct line from the source of the river to its mouth. Then, he measured the meandering paths that each river took across the earth. What Stolum discovered was that the ratio between these two distances was 1:3.14. This is significant because even the rivers seem to want to move in a circle, to echo the divine pattern that gives rise to the universe. The relationship of 1:3.14 is the same ratio of the diameter of a circle to its circumference. We all live within the borders of a watershed. Rivers were the first roadways; they were the connections between communities, avenues of trade, transportation, and communication. The earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia flourished in the fertile crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where Ishtar and Inanna were the supreme goddesses of the land. Ishtar, the most important goddess in the Akkadian pantheon, was worshipped in fertility rites as a symbol of pure love, a universal creatrix, and the mother of the gods.
In the power of the oceans, we feel the waves of divinity. Powerful deities such as Tiamat, Poseidon, Yemaya, and Thetis have all been connected to the sea. Life-giving and powerful, water sustains us. Without it, life on earth would not be possible. The veneration of wells was an important ritual practice among ancient pagans. Wells took on a mythical quality as portals into a mystical world. Alternately, they were believed to possess powers that could affect the lives of mortals. Even today, the practice of tossing a coin into a fountain echoes the age-old understanding that from the life-giving presence of water, there is much to be gained and a price to be paid.
Access to fresh potable water is the single most important indicator of survival of a civilization or settlement, and this resource is undeniable in its ability to shape reality. From the gentle rain that nourishes and cleanses, to the unknowable depths of the deepest trenches of the ocean, the wandering paths of rivers, and the quiet stillness of lakes and ponds, the magic of water is all around us.
From the annual flooding of the Nile that gave rise to Egyptian civilization to the sacred Ganges river, which is said to possess healing properties, the element of water has always played a major role in religious expression. Even the Christian sacrament of baptism echoes the pagan tradition in which a person must pass through a stand of water in order to break an enchantment. The lure and lore of water is found in legends of mermaids and selkies, of the lost kingdom of Atlantis, and in the Arthurian legend of the Lady of the Lake, where Excalibur is secreted.
Nereids, The Sea Priestesses
The Greek goddess Thetis, mother of Achilles, was among the most prominent of the nereids. The nereids were the daughters of Nereus and Amphitrite, although in some accounts, the wife of Nereus, Doris, is also attributed to their source. Depicted in ancient texts, the nereids are described as fifty or one hundred individuals who had the ability to interact with sea creatures both real and mythical. They would escort heroes from near death back to life, or from life to immortality. They were featured in celebrations and were described as holding small fish and dolphins, sometimes even carrying armor. They were believed to possess protective powers, and offerings were made to them in exchange for safe passage over the sea.
The lotus is a symbol of spiritual enlightenment because of its unique life cycle. The stem and roots are aquatic, completely submerged, while the leaves rest on the surface of the water, and the beautiful blossom appears to float above. The lotus has many petals, each representing an aspect of spirit. The lotus in bloom represents the individual undergoing a spiritual awakening, while the stem and roots remain tethered to the earth. Use this meditation when you are seeking to open your mind to higher levels of consciousness. The image of the lotus can aid you in conceptualizing letting go. The emptying of the mind is a key component to meditation, while still remaining a connection to the water and earth. If it is possible, try to meditate near a body of water to deepen your connection to this element.
• Begin with a basic awareness of your body. Sit in a lotus position, on the ground with your knees crossed and your hands resting on your knees with your palms facing up. Focus at first on your heartbeat. Listen for it and feel it. When you begin to get in sync with the natural rhythm of your heartbeat, begin to slowly and purposefully inhale through your nose to a count of four heartbeats. Hold the breath for four heartbeats and exhale for the same duration. When you have exhaled, wait four heartbeats before you inhale again. Get into a deep and steady pattern as you breathe in on a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold your breath for four counts again. This is all determined by the rhythm of your heart. Get in touch with your natural rhythm as you envision a seed.
• It is a rich brown oval, an earthy ellipse, smooth and dark, about the color of a coffee bean. Its outer casing keeps it merrily floating along a tranquil body of water. The seed is buoyant. It bobs along peacefully. Take some time to envision the water. Ask yourself, is it a river? A lake? A pond? Where has your desire transported you? You are on a journey to awaken your highest spiritual self, and you begin in sacred water.
• The waters are pulled by the moon; slowly you watch as they recede. The seed sinks into the soft silt and mud. There it rests to await the return of the waters. A season passes. You observe the silent passage of time. The waters begin to return. Throughout this time the seed has remained protected in depths of the supple earth. Now, the growing season has begun. You watch as the seed bursts forth with life, sending a lush green shoot up toward the surface of the returning waters, simultaneously sending white roots into the yielding silt and sediment below.
• You feel this power in your own body. You are linked to this process of growth and awakening. The exploration of the root bed is easy as a network of roots feel their way through the layers below. Radiating growth in both directions, the green shoot breaks the surface of the water above. Like a graceful spiral unfolding, a large circular leaf begins to unfurl. It is rough along the bottom, heavily textured with thick veins that run along its underside. A beautiful pattern emerges, almost like a spiderweb that radiates outward from a central point. You are looking up at the leaf from below. You notice how the edges of the leaf curl upward, creating a protective shelf. Your spirit moves freely, and you can observe above and below. You are at one with the water, and you observe the beauty of the life that it supports all around you. Birds flock to it. Fish swim in it. And before your eyes, a beautiful blossom begins to open. Its petals are white, and layer upon layer of harmonious perfume is released into the air, attracting all manner of life. Scarab beetles, the sacred symbol of the sun, find secret chambers within.
• With each opening petal, a new dimension of peace is revealed to you. Like the lotus, you float above the plane of reality that keeps you anchored as well. You exist in many worlds at once: the riverbed, the water itself, and the air above. You are witness to this miraculous manifestation of life, and you experience it internally as well. You see the lotus as a facet of your spiritual awakening, for now you observe that it is possible to occupy several planes of existence at once, to be both above and below, to be a source of beauty in the world, to be connected to the earth and provide shelter for its creatures. You take these lessons of the lotus into your spirit, for they are nature’s gift to you.
A ritual bath may be taken at any time, but it is particularly useful before a sacred rite such as initiation or ordination. Our planet is a water planet, and a ritual bath gives the natural magick practitioner another way to connect with the divine elemental energies of water. You will choose dried herbs that suit your purpose, be it preparation or dedication, and you will combine your herbs with other elements to create a meditative and cleansing ritual.
• A drawstring muslin pouch.
• One half-cup of sea salt. Be mindful when choosing your salt. Consider its origin, as this element can work as a symbolic link to a specific geographic area.
• One cup of magnesium sulfate mineral salts (Epsom salts).
• One quarter-cup of dried herbs. Choose with intention and outcome in mind. Popular ingredients include lavender (calming), mint (stimulating), and rosemary (for remembrance).
• Three to five drops of a harmonizing essential oil, can be of the same variety of the herbs.
• A clean, dry glass jar for mixing and storage.
• A screen for the drain if performing the ritual bath indoors in a tub.
• An essential oil blend of your own making to resonate with your purpose.
1. Begin by combining the dry ingredients in the jar. Mix them together well by shaking the jar or by turning it over and over. Add the drops of essential oil, five if you are using a single oil and three of each if you are using a combination. Shake again to distribute the oil throughout the salt mixture. Fill the muslin pouch with the mixture. The rest can be stored for later use.
2. Prepare yourself mentally for the ritual bath by stating to yourself what it is that you wish to accomplish. As earlier stated, this ritual can be done as preparation before a greater rite such as a rite of passage or formal Sabbat. Ritual baths are particularly helpful for priestesses and ritual facilitators who will benefit from the extra level of preparation before expending the energy on the greater ritual. Think about the level and type of attunement that you seek. Create an essential oil blend as described in Chapter 4 that will serve your purpose and augment your energy. You can use the same herbal properties in the ritual bath.
3. Begin by using your oil blend to anoint your forehead, inner wrists, and the bottoms of your feet. Next, begin running a hot bath. Hang the muslin pouch around the faucet so that the hot water flows through and dissolves the salts. You may darken the room and light it with candles to enhance your experience. If you like, you can also sprinkle some dried herbs directly into the bath water. If you choose to do so, be sure to use a screen or strainer over the drain so as not to create any plumbing clogs when your bath is over.
4. When the tub is filled, get in and breathe deeply, taking in the aroma of the bath. Hold your breath, close your eyes, and completely submerge yourself. Contemplate the work ahead and project yourself into that future space by envisioning the best possible outcomes. Before a ritual of importance, it is not unusual for an obstacle to manifest. Think of the ways you can use this place of relaxation and peace to overcome any challenges that may arise. Remember the sacred willow tree that seeks that water’s edge: strong and flexible, you must make your plans carefully but be prepared to switch gears at any moment.
5. A ritual bath can help fortify your spirit and amplify your energy so that you may radiate it forth to others. Allow yourself to remain in the bath as long as it takes you to focus or until the water grows tepid and is no longer comfortable. When you step out, repeat the five-point anointing and prepare yourself for the tasks at hand.
Indicium Aquae: “The Swimming Test”
The connection between witches and water has a tragic component. The indicium aquae, or “swimming test,” was used in the Middle Ages (and sometimes later) to determine if a person was guilty of practicing witchcraft. The Scottish witchcraft act, Anentis Witchcraftis, was enacted by the Protestant Scottish parliament on June 4, 1563, during the reign of the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots. A similar law was passed in England in January 1563, making witchcraft illegal across the British Isles. The Scottish law was the harsher of the two; not only was witchcraft prohibited, but the state of being of a witch was a crime punishable by death. In England, acts of witchcraft were forbidden, and punishment was tiered according to the severity of the offense. Witchcraft itself was never explicitly defined, and in Scotland, the knowledge of or seeking out of witchcraft was also punishable by death. A person accused of witchcraft would be bound up and thrown into water that had been blessed. If the water “rejected” the accused, she would float to the surface and was subsequently found guilty. If the accused sank to the bottom and drowned, she was presumed to be innocent of the charges. The Anentis Witchcraftis was not repealed until 1736. An estimated two thousand people were executed for crimes, including sorcery, charms, enchantments, invocations, and conjuration during this time.
One of the cardinal elementals, water has a vast association with magick of many kinds. Aside from the practical applications such as washing and cleansing, the ritual use of water has been employed to achieve everything from spiritual purity and apotropaic magick to blessings and expressions of gratitude. Water can be used for scrying, purification, and the pouring of a libation into the earth. How you choose to use water in your magick will be determined by your geographical area and your magickal goals. Whether you are practicing alone or with a group, using water to perform a spiritual blessing serves as a reminder of our physical dependency on water, the necessity of water to nourish the land, and its association with mystery.
Water Witching
Water witching, also known as dowsing, is the process of locating underground water sources through unexplained sensory perception. Dowsing is also referred to as “water divining.” Dowsing is a way of gathering information from the environment. Minute changes in the electromagnetic field of energy caused by the movement of underground water can also reveal the presence of mineral deposits. The earliest reference to prospecting for minerals is Georgius Agricola’s De Re Metallica, published in 1556. It is very interesting to note that the concept of “divining” for water involves acute sensory perception in the practitioner. Often, tools such as pendulums or rods are used to detect underground water. These tools will respond to changes in the environment that would otherwise be undetectable. By keeping a conduit in a state of both balance and tension, the natural magick practitioner is better able to detect the subtle changes in energy and thus be able to divine information from the unseen environment.
Water is symbolic of the emotions; it is constantly in flux. Water is mutable and takes on many forms. It can be frozen as ice, liquid as water, evaporated as steam, and it has the ability to condense its nature and create a cyclical energy that sustains life on the planet. We are inextricably linked to water. Water partly composes us, and without it we cannot survive. This spell is designed to acknowledge and amplify our connection to water in a metaphysical sense. It is a symbolic recognition of the power of water and how it shapes our perception. It can be done indoors or outdoors, solitary or with a group.
• A chalice full of water
• A small sea sponge
• A circle of white cloth, around five inches in diameter; choose a natural fabric such as cotton
• A blue cord (yarn or thread will work) to bind up the cloth
1. Put the sea sponge on the circle of fabric, gather up the edges toward the center, and tie them together with the cord. Soak the wrapped sponge in the chalice of water to saturate it. Squeeze off some of the excess so that it is not overly drippy. Hold it over your third eye and take a moment to experience the coolness and moisture. Close your eyes and imagine yourself looking over a vast sea as you say these words:
“Water is mystery; its depths unknowable. I ask for the power of seeing beyond, that these mysteries become revealed to me, that I may work in harmony with this most necessary and vital element. So mote it be.”
2. Place the wrapped sponge back into the chalice and repeat the saturation and expelling of water. Touch the bundle to your lips and breathe deeply. Notice if there is any scent you can discern. Think of how the water feels upon your lips. Close your eyes and imagine that you are looking over a crystal clear, cold spring. Intone these words:
“Life-giving waters that do sustain us, bring me your gift of clarity. May your stillness inspire me to choose careful words, to speak truth with confidence, and to share the blessings of your inspiration so that I may show forth your power in my work. So mote it be.”
3. Replenish the sponge by returning it to the chalice and repeating the action, only this time you will hold it in the center of your chest, beneath your clothing (unless your practice is skyclad) so that it rests against your skin. For your third intonation you will envision a turbulent river.
“Wild and powerful, sacred waters will flow where they will. I invoke the force of passion, the strength that can wear away solid stone. In the rushing currents, I attune the beating of my heart. My blood flows energetically, full of life and vitality. I ask for comfort amidst the uncontrollable, for inner peace within turbulence. All this I seek, so mote it be.”
If you are using this threefold blessing as part of a coven ritual, it should be carried out so that all participants perform each blessing in succession (i.e., the chalice would be passed around as each practitioner performs the third eye blessing). At the conclusion of each blessing, the companion would leave the wrapped sponge in the chalice and pass it to the next person until the chalice makes its way around the circle three times.
In medieval times, distilled spirits were believed to have magical potency. The distillation of alcohol is credited to Taddeo Alderotti, an Italian doctor, scholar, and alchemist who lived from c. 1205 until 1295. Alcohol is both an astringent and a preservative and is a necessary component to creating tinctures, which are liquid extracts containing an essence of herbs, roots, bark, or flowers. Often used in medicine, herbal tinctures can also be used for spiritual strengthening.
Perhaps no one has understood this more completely than Edward Bach, who created a system of remedies known as the Bach Flower Remedies. Bach’s philosophy was built on the understanding that in its glory and simplicity, the healing power of nature was not limited to the physical body. Bach created a series of remedies meant to address more esoteric concerns. By combining herbage steeped or boiled in “rock water,” or pure spring water that flows from the earth, with brandy, he created a method of addressing afflictions of the spirit such as specific fears, feelings of anxiety, preoccupation, oversensitivity, loneliness, jealousy, the inability to live in the present moment, and other forms of despondency. By embracing the beauty and subtle effects that magick confers upon those who practice it, it is possible to elevate your spiritual vibration and improve your metal state.
Dr. Bach used recognizable and easily obtainable ingredients in his remedies and was so generous of spirit that he published his methods, making the remedies and their creation available to any who wished to experience them. Remedies using honeysuckle, wild rose, olive, mustard, impatiens, agrimony, centaury, walnut, holly, pine, elm, willow, and oak were all included in his body of work devoted to improving the mental state and consequently the overall health of the practitioners who availed themselves of his knowledge. The natural magick practitioner will notice several sacred and magic-bearing plants in this partial list. Creating your own tinctures is a powerful way to harness the energy of nature and use it to transform your life. How you plan to use your tinctures and which ingredients you choose to include will be determined by your own needs and expectations. Different types of herbage (woody or leafy, fresh or dried) will require slightly different preparation methods. The general method of preparation is as follows.
• A clean, sterilized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, one jar for each extract you plan to create
• Eighty- to ninety-proof vodka
• Grain alcohol, 190 proof
• Herbs (fresh or dried), berries, or flowers with which you have chosen to work
• A funnel
• Cheesecloth
• Dark glass or amber bottles with droppers
1. Begin by preparing your herbal material. Whether you are using fresh or dried, everything will need to be very finely chopped, as fine as possible. Fill your sterilized jar about halfway with the herbs if you are using dried plant material. Then, fill the jar to the very top with vodka, making sure all plant material is completely covered. If you are using fresh herbs, more will be needed because it is more difficult to extract from moist material. Tear the leaves and stems and pack them into the jar. Press down and add more until the jar is very full.
2. While vodka works very well as a preservative and an astringent, sometimes a stronger extracting solution is needed. This can be done by making a solution with a 1:1 ratio using equal parts of the vodka and the grain alcohol. Make sure the herbs are covered completely and fill the jar to the top.
3. If there is cultural tradition or a condition that prohibits you from using alcohol of any kind, it is possible to make nonalcoholic tinctures using vinegar or glycerin. While not as effective as alcohol because these ingredients are not as strong, they will still work; however, these preparations are more prone to spoilage, so extra attentive care will need to be taken. Never use rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol. These will not work. You must use ethyl alcohol, the type used for drinking. Do not use flavored alcohols. Vodka or brandy are the most appropriate choices.
4. Store the jars away from light and heat, in a cool, dark cupboard and check on them weekly. Each week, shake the jars gently for a few minutes and check to make certain that the alcohol has not evaporated. If you see evidence of evaporation, open the jars and refill them to the top, making sure the plant material is submerged. Exposure to air can ruin a tincture, so you want to be very observant of this. After storing the tinctures for six to eight weeks, you may strain off the liquid.
5. Drape the cheesecloth over the funnel and place the funnel in the amber bottle. Pour off the liquid and fill as many bottles as you can. You can even add the saturated herbs to the cheesecloth and express any remaining extract through the cloth. Make sure to label your tinctures with the ingredients you chose and the date on which they were prepared. Since alcohol is both a solvent and a preservative, the tinctures will last for many years. You can add a few drops to your ritual bath for an enhanced connection to nature.
There is much emphasis on the preparation of ritual space, as it creates a vibration of ritual participants truly being between the worlds. Aromatherapy is another method of creating a bond between the natural world and your physical space. Aromatherapy can be used as part of the preparation for ritual, to enhance a meditation, or even for daily use to bring about harmonious states of balance and peace. Creating your own aromatherapy spray allows you to engage the water element with your growing knowledge of herbs and your skills at blending their essential oils into an essence that can stimulate creativity or change the energy of a physical place in order to attune it to the work at hand.
• One and one-half ounces of distilled water
• One quarter-ounce of witch hazel
• Fifteen to twenty drops of an essential oil blend
• A dark-colored glass bottle with a spray top, capable of holding two ounces
• A shot glass or other glass to blend your oils
• A small funnel to transfer the essential oil blend into the suspension
1. In the small glass, combine a carrier oil such as jojoba or fractionated coconut oil with your choice of essential oils to suit your purpose. Remember that even though you are creating a suspension in distilled water, you must still follow all the steps for creating the essential oil blend by balancing base, middle, and top notes. You may also create a simple aromatherapy spray using a single essential oil if you wish; however, the essential oil must still be diluted with a carrier. Create the blend or dilute a simple oil and set it aside.
2. Carefully use the funnel to pour the distilled water and the witch hazel into the bottle. Add the oil blend to the bottle and screw on the top. Shake the mixture to blend it. Your aromatherapy spray is now ready to use. It should be stored in a cool, dry place away from light and heat. Use the spray liberally whenever you are in need of a pick-me-up. You can also listen to the fragrance and create an evocative and esoteric name for it based on the herbal properties you chose to create it.
Collect nine silver coins, either silver dollars, or quarters and half-dollars minted before 1964. These will have a silver content of 90 percent. Place them in a small bowl or shallow dish and cover them with spring water. Allow the bowl to charge in the moonlight by exposing it to the rays of the full moon. Touch your fingers into the water and with them anoint your forehead, your hands, and anything that will assist you in connection with your effort as you speak the words:
“I accept the prosperity that is rightly mine. I reject scarcity in its deceptive guise. I welcome abundance, as it comes right soon. I give thanks by the light of a bountiful moon. May fair Fortuna smile on me, my fate blessed by the warm and welcoming sea. By the power of three times three, as I will so mote it be.”
Continue the incantations until the efficacy of your spell is evident.
Using water in magickal ways is empowering to the natural magick practitioner. Acknowledging our connection to water and using it for magickal purposes creates a deeper understanding of the subtle transformational powers of water. Water is perhaps the most mutable of all the elements. It connects us to our origin in a particular way. It is also receptive and reacts to the environment.
The Japanese author, photographer, and doctor of alternative medicine Masaru Emoto dedicated a huge body of his work to photographing and cataloging how water crystals form under particular circumstances. He found that water will react and form either beautiful and ordered or chaotic and disordered crystals depending on the type of stimuli to which it is exposed. In his photographic works, water crystals gathered from the source of a river or downstream from a source reveal beautiful and ordered patterns that follow divine proportion and sacred geometry. Water crystals gathered from water that had been dammed, its flow inhibited, show a disrupted, inconsistent, and irregular arrangement. Similarly, water crystals grown in the presence of nature tend to reflect the beauty of natural order.
Even more intriguing is photographic evidence that when the water crystals are exposed to kind words and positive emotions, their crystalline structure mimics this harmony. The opposite is also true: water crystals grown amidst negative sentiments show the irregularities observed in inhibited or polluted water. Emoto’s work seems to suggest that the element of water has a certain sentience about it. It responds, reacts, and is greatly changed by its environment. The sentience of water is something to be considered when using, conserving, and respecting this powerful life-giving element.