Saturday

How pleasant is Saturday night,
when I’ve tried all week to be good.

Nancy Sproat

At-a-Glance Correspondences

planetary influence	Saturn
planetary symbol
deities	Saturn, Hecate
flowers & plants	Pansy, morning glory, mullein, cypress tree, mimosa
metal	Lead
colors	Black, deep purple
crystals & stones	Obsidian/apache tear, hematite, jet, black tourmaline
essential oils	Cypress, mimosa, myrrh, patchouli
tarot cards	Temperance, Knight of Swords, Two of Swords
foods, herbs & spices	Pomegranate, beets, thyme

Daily Magickal Applications

Saturday, our final featured day of the week, gets its name from the Latin Dies Saturni, or “Saturn’s day.” In Old English, it was Saeturnesdaeg. The Middle English version was Saterday. Saturn, a Roman god of agriculture, was believed to have ruled the earth during an age of contentment and virtue. Saturn was a god who symbolized the passage of time and karma. He was not a harsh, judgmental god, either; he was a sower and a harvester. Interestingly enough, there is no Norse god associated with this day. It has remained under the province of Saturn. But if you think about what Saturn stood for, it does make a lot of sense.

Saturdays are traditionally days to work on protection, remove obstacles, bind troublesome or dangerous individuals, and banish negativity. Saturdays are like a magickal “let’s clean house” day. Any magickal messes left lying around that need to be addressed, or any problems that need to be cleared up, are best dealt with on the day devoted to Saturn.

Deities

Saturn

An ancient Roman god also known as Father Time, Saturn was called the ruler of the Golden Age and the Father of the Gods. Saturn was considered the “great lesson giver,” as he required people to learn their lessons through karma. Saturn was also a god of agriculture and fertility, and he was married to a fertility goddess named Ops.

There is a Roman festival named after him called the Saturnalia, which began on December 17 and ran until December 23. What was Saturnalia like? It was probably very similar to the rowdy and fun Mardi Gras celebrations of today. This seven-day midwinter festival was a time of gift-giving, feasts, and partying. Traditional gifts on Saturnalia were candles, clay figurines of the gods, and silver. Decorations included wreaths and fresh garlands hung above the doorways. With an “eat, drink, and make merry” type of attitude in place, the wine flowed freely, and the slaves were given the holiday off. Schools closed, and the military was given leave.

The god Saturn was described as a man with a half-bared chest, holding a sickle and a few ears of corn. This image of Saturn eventually evolved into our Father Time, a popular image at New Year’s Eve. The sickle became the scythe, and the hourglass symbolized the passing of time and Saturn’s control over it. Saturn is not a frightening god—he is a teacher, a spiritual influence that grants tranquility and calmness in your later years. Saturn is the guardian of time.

Hecate

Hecate was the daughter of Perses and one of the original Titans. Even after Zeus defeated the Titans, he kept Hecate in power to assist the mortals. Zeus honored Hecate greatly by granting her a share of power over the earth, the sky, and the sea.

Mortals who were favored by Hecate received great blessings, as she could increase the size of their herds or help the fishermen who prayed to her haul in huge catches of fish. Originally considered a generous and compassionate ancient fertility goddess, in later myths Hecate became associated with a darker and more frightening magick. She developed into the patron of sorcerers and became associated with the underworld, dark mysteries, crossroads, and graveyards. Hecate became known as the queen of the Witches and the guardian of the crossroads.

Hecate was frequently pictured as triple-faced deity. There are a few variations on her name as well—Hecate Trivia or Hekate. She is often part of another trio of Greco-Roman goddesses: Persephone the Maiden, Demeter the Mother, and Hecate as the Crone.

Hecate was thought to be all-seeing and wise. When Demeter searched everywhere for her daughter Persephone, who had been snatched by Hades into the underworld to be his bride, it was Hecate who finally told Demeter where she was.

Today, Hecate is a powerful and protective deity for Witches. If you feel the need to defend yourself, your property, or your family, Hecate is the one to call on. Associations for Hecate include three-way crossroads, black dogs, snakes, owls, ravens and crows, bats, and toads, who are a symbol of conception.

For herbal and plant correspondences, try the blooming cyclamen, dandelion, lavender, mugwort, mint, and poppy. Trees that are associated with Hecate and her magick are the yew, cypress, hazel, and willow. Festivals for Hecate include August 13 and November 16, called the “The Night of Hecate” in Greece, which began at sundown. Finally, there is Hecate’s Day in Rome, celebrated on December 31.

Saturday’s Witchery

Saturday is a day filled with opportunities to clean up and clear out. So if you are wondering why I assigned Hecate to Saturday, take another look at what she symbolizes and the magick that is associated with her. That should answer your question.

Hecate was the oldest form of the Greek Triple Goddess, as she presided over heaven, the underworld, and earth. Crossroads where three roads met were especially sacred to Hecate, earning her the title of Hekate of the Three Ways. It’s interesting to note that even after the worship of other goddesses waned, ancient people still worshiped Hecate as the queen of the underworld and the guardian of the three-way crossroad. It was also believed that if you left her an offering of food there, she would grant you her favors. As Hecate Trivia, her triple images were often displayed at these crossroads, where she was petitioned on the full moon for positive magick and on the dark of the moon for cursing and dark magick.

While this last bit of information sounds a little ominous, keep in mind that Hecate/Hekate was known by many titles and is a shapeshifter. Her appearance could and did change often. As a dark moon goddess, her faces are many. To some she may appear as a old crone, hunched over a smoking cauldron and draped in a midnight cape. To others she may appear as a dark, beautiful, mysterious, and mature woman wearing a shimmering crown. To some she may be perceived as a maiden priestess. She was called the “most lovely one,” the Great Goddess of Nature, and the Queen of the World of Spirits. This dark goddess knows her way around the earth and the underworld. All the powers of nature, life, and death are at her command.

The following meditation is a favorite of mine. I felt Hecate guide me along when I penned this for her. I originally wrote a shorter version of this for an almanac article many years ago. It comes straight from my own personal Book of Shadows and is what I like to call an oldie but goodie. Enjoy the meditation, and have a good journey.

Meditation

The earth began to bellow, trees to dance, and howling dogs in glimmering light advance, ere Hekate came.

Virgil

To begin this guided meditation, picture yourself walking safely along a dark, graveled path on a quiet, clear autumn night. It is late, and as you look to the east, you see a waning moon rising slowly over the tree line. The sounds of the night are quiet and calm, and you can hear the crickets singing off in the distance while the mournful hoot of an owl drifts to you. You walk confidently forward, enjoying your solitude and the companionable sound of the crunch of gravel beneath your feet. Your breath makes little puffs of white steam in the chill evening air.

Up ahead, you can see a flickering light. It is a torch mounted to the post marking the crossroads, and as you make your way closer, you can make out small offerings of food left neatly at the base of the signpost. Others have been here to honor Hecate before you. There is a small basket of apples, a plaque depicting the triple Hecate, and a few loaves of bread. Someone has left what appears to be a small jar of honey. Your hands tighten on the small wrapped bundle of homemade bread that you carry. It may be a humble offering, but sometimes simple is best. As you approach the crossroads, a breeze picks up, and a swirl of autumn leaves rushes through the crossroads. You stop for a moment to take in the captivating scene and approach the torchlit area as quietly as possible and with a calm reverence.

You prepare to leave your gift and offer up a quiet prayer to Hecate. While you are very aware of your surroundings and perfectly comfortable alone this night, there is something in the air that makes you stay on guard. You turn your head this way and that, trying to account for the sense that something is happening. Suddenly, the sound of howling dogs shatters the peaceful evening. The breeze that sent leaves playfully dancing has now whipped up into a much stronger force. A rush of dramatically colder air swirls past you, accompanied by a whirlwind of rustling leaves. Birds awaken and begin singing in the middle of the night; it is a beautiful but eerie song. As you push your hair out of your stinging eyes and look around you, a rumbling noise is growing in its intensity. You feel the earth tremble beneath your feet, and you instinctively make a grab for the signpost as you try to keep yourself upright.

As quickly as it began, the maelstrom fades, and the night falls to silence once more. Shaken, you right yourself and realize that you have dropped your offering. Concerned, you hunker down to pick up the little cloth-wrapped bundle and carefully brush a few dead leaves from the wrapping. As you look around, you realize that the other offerings once arranged so neatly are now in disarray. Without a thought, you immediately begin to straighten them back out. You lean the plaque against the signpost and return the apples quickly to their basket. A trio of old-fashioned keys catches your eye. Intrigued, you pick them up and admire their shapes and textures. Carefully, you place the keys on top of the little jar of honey. Pleased with the results, you look around for any missed items and prepare to rise to your feet.

A prickling at the base of your neck is the first indication that you are no longer alone. As you turn slowly to look behind you, a large black dog comes barreling out of the darkness and is running straight at you. There is no time to be afraid. Your eyes widen, and the next thing you know, the dog has knocked you flat on your back and is affectionately greeting you. Your initial shriek of alarm gives way to helpless laughter as you vainly attempt to get the dog off your chest so you can sit up. After a few moments of laughing struggle, you manage to collar the dog and sit upright again.

“Where did you come from?” you ask your new canine friend. As an answer, the large dog barks once and whips his tail back and forth. The dog barks again at you in a friendly way and sniffs you over. You sling an arm around your new friend and wonder who the animal belongs to. As you give the dog’s ears a good scratch, he suddenly goes on alert and sits rigidly still, seeming to be at attention. You look up to see what has captured the interest of the dog and notice that a woman is silently approaching you. Her sandaled feet are noiseless on the gravel path, and she is draped from head to ankle in a richly textured, black hooded cape.

As she approaches, an owl swoops down from the tree line and lands gracefully on the top of the signpost as a sentinel. It blinks its wide eyes at you and ruffles its feathers. Your heart is hammering in your chest as you quickly rise to your feet to greet the lady. You bow your head and murmur a greeting. As she walks into the flickering light cast by the torch, you look upon her face to discover that she is a stately middle- aged woman wearing a glistening silver crown. The next moment, she appears as a young woman, dark and beautiful, then an elderly woman with a mass of wrinkles and a shock of white, wild hair. Back and forth, her image shifts and flows from one into another. The one thing that is constant is her eyes; they are ageless: a deep jet black, sparkling, and with a kindness and wisdom that radiates outwards. No matter which face she shows you, her eyes and the expression in them remain the same. Her hands raise to her hood, and she pushes it back so you can fully look upon her. Pay attention to how Hecate appears to you.

“Greetings,” she says softly, in a voice that rustles like dry leaves. “I thank you for caring for my sacred place.” She nods toward the items that you have just straightened out. You smile, and she looks at you carefully. “You have no fear of me.” This is a statement, and it pleases her. She continues by saying, “Many who are unprepared for my mysteries are afraid. They believe that I am the one who brings death. But they are mistaken, for I do not. I am the midwife who assists you into this world and the wise one who escorts you into the next.”

Hecate holds out her hand, and the three old metal keys that you were admiring appear in her palm. She silently hands them to you as her hair whips about in the cold wind. Honored, you silently close your fist around them.

“I leave you with three gifts, my child,” she tells you quietly. “Knowledge, intuition, and magick. Hold these close to your heart, and if you ever have need of me, know that I will be there.”

You clasp the keys to your chest, and a curious warmth emanates from the keys. Slowly they dissolve, and now the warmth is coming from inside your own body. You bow your head and whisper your thanks. Hecate holds up a hand, and the owl silently leaps from the signpost and flies over to circle over the goddess’s head. With a single call, the owl swoops off and into the darkness. Hecate then pulls up her hood and smiles at you one last time. As she turns to leave, the dog leaps to her side and follows her down the path. A mist rising from the ground seems to swallow them up as they disappear from your view.

Look around you now, and focus on your image of the sacred crossroads. Keep this visualization in place; should you ever wish to return here, it will be waiting for you. Feel the warmth of Hecate’s gifts of knowledge, intuition, and magick burning bright within yourself. Then take a deep breath, ground and center, and begin your journey home. Come to awareness, and stretch out. Now go and eat a light snack, and afterwards, take a brisk walk. Be sure that you are reconnected to the earth plane and are well grounded.

Magickal Plants & Flowers

It should be noted that many of the plants that are classically associated with Saturn, and interestingly enough, the goddess Hecate, are indeed toxic—such as aconite (also known as wolfsbane or monkshood), deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), hellebore, hemlock, and yew. For more specific magickal information and folklore on these gothic and poisonous plants, please refer to my book Garden Witch’s Herbal.

Some of the more common herbs associated with the planetary influence of Saturn are the pansy, morning glory, and mullein. The trees associated with Saturday and the planet Saturn are the mimosa and the cypress tree. The majority of the featured herbs, flowers, and trees for this chapter are easy to procure and are safe to work your spell-craft with.

Pansy

The pansy, or viola (Viola tricolor), is a common garden flower with a lot of magickal oomph behind it. Available in myriad colors, it is a happy, unassuming, protective flower that many magickal practitioners grow in their gardens but never put to work. Besides their qualities of healing a broken heart, they also speak of happy thoughts. The pansy has many folk names, including heartsease, Johnny jump-up, and love-in-idleness.

If you choose to work Saturday spells and protective charms with the pansy, then look for the dark purple and black ones. The deeper the color of the pansy, the more protective energy it will produce. (All colors of the pansy will work, but tap into a bit of color magick while you are at it and crank up the volume on your witchery!) There are black pansies that are readily available for you to work into your flower fascinations as well—look for the variety called ‘Black Magic’ or the ‘Trick or Treat’ varieties in the fall months.

I confess that I plant those witchy pansies every year; it’s a readily available black flower that I love adding to my garden. This year, try it for yourself. Plant some of those deep, jewel-toned pansies in a container or add them to your semi-shady borders for a little mystery and drama in the magickal garden.

The classic magickal associations of the pansy are Saturn and the element of water. The pansy’s definitions in florigraphy are many; for our cheerful friend the pansy, it announces “happy, kind, and loving thoughts.”

You may also apply classic color magick correspondences to the many varieties and bewitching colors of the pansy: red for protecting your love and for passion; pink for children’s magick and for friendship; white and purple mixtures for spirituality; baby blue for peace and tranquility; orange to increase energy and vitality; yellow for knowledge and sunshine. Lastly, don’t forget to work with the deep purple and black pansies for banishing, bindings, stripping away a psychic vampire’s power, and of course to remove negative magick or to break a spell.

Garden Witch Tip

Pansies will perform their best in the spring and fall months. They dislike hot weather. You can get pansies to winter over if they are planted in the ground—just mulch them well with fallen leaves in the late autumn, when temperatures start to dip toward the freezing point. Keep them covered up all winter and then, at the spring equinox, uncover them. They will bloom for you again even more heavily.

Morning Glory

The morning glory (Ipomoea spp.) is a favorite cottage-style plant of mine. These annual climbing vines can grow over fifteen feet in height in just one season. The deep-blue blooms open in September, and the vines, foliage, and flowers may be worked into protection spells and bindings. There are several varieties of morning glories available to garden Witches today. One of my favorites is a variety called ‘Grandpa Otts’. This morning glory is dark purple with star-shaped markings on the flowers. It is very dramatic and witchy.

If you choose to work with morning glory vines for a binding, snip off a small section of the vine and wrap it around your item of sympathy. If this is a troublesome person, then you could wrap the vine around a photo or a sample of their handwriting. Or take an old, clean glass jar and put the item of sympathy inside, then stuff the jar full of morning glory leaves and vines. Bury or dispose of the jar off of your property.

In Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, he suggests that “the roots of the morning glory plant may be used as a substitute for High John the Conqueror root.” Finally, the magickal associations for this blooming vine are the planet Saturn and the element of water. According to florigraphy, the morning glory conveys the message of being “sustained by your affections.”

Mullein

Mullein (Verbascum) is a wildflower that grows in dry, rocky, disturbed ground. Folk names for mullein include graveyard dirt and hag’s tapers. The latter name started because in olden times, the flower stalks were soaked in tallow and then set aflame to be used as long-lasting torches. The mullein is a biennial that produces large stalks of yellow flowers up to eight feet in height. The flower stalks bloom from the bottom up, and the large leaves are soft and fuzzy (sort of a gigantic version of lamb’s ears). The leaves are so huge that the early American settlers used the leaves for diapers for their little ones!

I grew mullein in my sunny frontyard gardens once. As it is a biennial, the first year it sat there looking charming with those massive silver leaves. The second year, it grew into a monstrous plant. I’m not exaggerating, either—that plant literally stopped traffic. The blooming flower stalks were over seven feet tall. It got to be where folks would roll down their car windows and shout out, with a laugh, “What the hell is that plant?” My husband threatened to put a sign in the yard so people would stop asking. It went to seed shortly after the flowers faded, and I saved a few seeds and planted them in the back gardens.

In magickal herbalism, mullein leaves are thought to keep away all negative intentions and evil. Carrying a leaf was supposed to protect its bearer from attack and from harm. Finally, dried, crushed mullein leaves may be used as a substitute for real graveyard dirt, should you ever find yourself in need of some. In the language of flowers, the mullein stands for a “good-natured individual.” The magickal correspondences include the planet Saturn and the element of fire. Mullein is classified as possessing feminine energies.

Mimosa

Also called silver wattle, the mimosa (Acacia dealbata) is a tree that can reach up to thirty feet in height and is indigenous to tropical climates. The acacia is native to Africa, Australia, parts of Asia, and the Mediterranean. It does grow beautifully in the United States in warm climates such as California. Its magickal uses are purification and protection, and its fluffy, fragrant flowers are typically worked into love spells. Having a mimosa tree growing on your property is thought to protect the entire household from hexes and curses.

The flowers of the mimosa are a golden yellow and are described as bearing the fragrance of violets. The evergreen foliage of the mimosa is silvery green, divided, and feathery. The best way I can think to describe the leaves is that they look like super-fine fern fronds. The planetary association is Saturn, and the elemental correspondence is water. In the language of flowers, the mimosa blossom symbolizes “a sensitive soul.”

Cypress

The cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) is also known as Italian cypress. This tree is a symbol for immortality and eternity, and it has the startling folk name of “the tree of death.” This may be because of its link to Hecate and darker magick, or it may simply be due to the fact that it is a tree often found in European graveyards and was once a popular wood with the Egyptians for building coffins. Some varieties of this grand evergreen may grow over 100 feet in height. The cypress has grayish-brown bark and small green foliage (needles). There is also a native cypress to the southwestern United States called the Arizona cypress. This tree has more of a silvery-blue color to its foliage. It is utilized to help stop erosion and is treasured for its ability to adapt to harsh climates.

Cypress oil is a popular ingredient in colognes and soaps, as its scent is bracing and clean. Carrying a piece of cypress wood is thought to bring you a long life, and when the tree is planted near the home, it bestows blessings and protection on the house’s inhabitants. Cypress may be used to construct a wand for healing purposes or be used when working with the goddess Hecate. In the language of flowers, the cypress carries the definition of “mourning.” It is classified as a feminine plant. Magickal associations are the planet Saturn and the element of earth.

Why not combine some of the plant folklore and magickal herbal information from this chapter into a protective spell with ingredients that you can probably find in your own gardens?

Garden Witch Protection Spell

This Saturday witchery is designed to stop bad feelings and harsh words between two friends. It’s tough when a person that you consider your friend turns against you for whatever reason. Perhaps you quarreled or you have simply grown apart. In these situations, however, now that the feud is on, your defenses are low. Emotions can be raw, and feelings may be hurt very easily on both sides. Why? Probably because you know each other well enough to know exactly which buttons to push. If you feel that you’ve hit your limit on what you can handle, then try this protection spell designed to end the fight and let the both of you heal and move forward in a positive way.

Gather the following supplies:

• A single stem of blooming snapdragons (if you recall from Tuesday’s chapter, snapdragons break manipulative energies and are very protective magickal flowers)
• A few dark purple pansies—a bloom or two will suffice
• A black satin ribbon
• A 6 x 6-inch square of cotton or silk dark purple or black fabric (it’s best if the fabric is natural)

Take a few of the snapdragon blooms and a pansy flower, and place them in the center of the cloth square. Repeat the spell below three times, and on the final saying, gather up the sides of the bag and tie it closed with the black ribbon.

Snapdragons, snap back at hostility
End the quarrel between my friend and me
The bewitching colors of purple and black
Remove hurt and keep negativity back
Pansies are a sure cure for the brokenhearted
Let us both move on and our relief get started!

Knot the bag three times. Close the spell by saying:

For the good of all, with harm to none
By Saturn’s energies, this spell is done.

You may keep the charm bag on your person for as long as you need to. Allow yourself some time to mend. It won’t be instantaneous, but you can reinforce this spell every Saturday as needed. Perform in a waning moon phase to push away the hurt and in a waxing moon phase to pull healing toward yourself.

When you feel that you don’t need the herbal charm bag anymore, open it up and give the floral components back to nature. You now have two options with the fabric square and the ribbon. You may wash them by hand, allow them to air-dry, and save them for another use. Or you can dispose of them in a garbage can well away from where you live and work.

Colors, Candles, Metals & Crystals

Colors

The colors linked with Saturn and Saturday’s protective magick are black and dark purple. Yes, I agree that purple has shown up all over the daily color correspondences, perhaps because it is a very popular color with magick users. There is just something mystical about it. However, for today’s spells and color magick, we need the deepest, darkest purple that we can find.

Black is the classic Witch’s color. This midnight hue is a traditional color to work with and to wear on a Saturday or anytime you want to appear in control and confident. Whether you go trendy, dramatic, and gothic or more subdued, such as wearing a classic tailored black jacket and slacks, black is a seductive, attention-getting color for clothes.

Now, typically magick users adore all colors, but we tend to save our all-black ensembles for special occasions. Honestly, doesn’t everybody? No matter your religious preference, almost every woman owns a “little black dress”—something she saves for when she really wants to turn a few heads or make a confident statement.

Candles

Black is also the traditional candle color for protection magick. There is something extra intriguing and witchy about black candles. Sometimes these may be hard to locate throughout the year. Your best bet is to watch for black candles during the fall months (especially around Halloween) and stock up on them.

If you check out a few specialty or trendy candle shops at the mall, you will be able to find black jar candles and votives. It always makes me smile to see a classy jar candle labeled something like “Midsummer’s Magic” or “Midnight Spice.” Typically these are patchouli scented, which is perfect to use in candle magick, as patchouli is associated with Saturn and protection. Work with either of these dramatic and dark-featured colors for Saturday candle spells designed to protect, neutralize gossip, and deflect harm.

A Black Candle Uncrossing Spell to Deflect Negativity

Have you had one ghastly week at work? Is bad luck plaguing you, or does everything seem to be going wrong? Maybe you simply feel that you are surrounded by everyone else’s psychic garbage. Before you start to panic, stop and consider your options. Here is a candle spell to break up those bad vibes and to deflect the negativity that seems to be surrounding you. Technically, this would be referred to as an uncrossing. A crossed condition is somewhat like a low-scale hex, but a crossed situation typically happens from a combination of events and influences. Uncrossing spells and rituals focus on making the magickal problems leave for good, as opposed to focusing on where it all started from.

All this time you’ve been waiting for the perfect excuse to get all vamped up and to break out the black candles. This dramatic spell is a favorite of my friends and students, as many of them love to have any excuse to be as theatrical and witchy as possible. For this spell, you’ll need to go all-out: black clothes, dark makeup (if you wish), and several black candles. Play your favorite magickal music—Native American drums, haunting Celtic tunes, or a dreamy synthesizer piece—whatever you find particularly inspiring or magickal.

When should you work this spell? Set it up late Friday night and, as the clock strikes midnight, signaling the start of a new Saturday, light the altar candles and begin the spell.

Gather the following supplies:

• A black piece of cloth or scarf to drape over your work area
• 2 black votive candles (you will use the votives as altar candles for illumination)
• 1 black taper candle to represent the negativity you are fighting
• 3 coordinating candle holders (2 votive cups, 1 candlestick holder)
• Matches or a lighter
• 1 brown paper lunch bag
• A black permanent marker
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell

One of these candles must be a taper, as you need to be able to easily snap the candle in half during this spell. This is a quick sort of witchery, but it’s very effective. Ground and center yourself before you begin this spell, and remove all hatred from your heart. Put yourself into a determined and practical state of mind, and then get to work. Begin speaking the charm as the clock strikes twelve:

As the clock strikes midnight, this candle spell now takes place
Fear and dread, begone—I banish you from time and space!

Light the black taper. Take a few moments to calmly visualize all of the negativity and problems that you need safely removed from your life, and say:

This black candle represents all the negativity
With magick, I break the bad luck that is surrounding me
With Saturn’s power to bring all problems to an end
These crossed conditions will now surely begin to mend.

Pinch out the candle and then snap the taper in half, and say:

By the powers of the moon, the stars, and the sun
As I will, so mote it be, and let it harm none.

Place the broken taper candle into the lunch bag. Fold the bag closed and drip a bit of the votive candle wax on it to seal the spell. Now, draw the symbol for the planet Saturn () on the bag with the black marker. You may allow the votive illuminator candles to burn until they go out on their own or save them to reuse for another Saturday spell.

Take the paper bag holding the candle and remove it from your property. This represents the negativity that has been surrounding you, so let’s get rid of it. Take a drive—or better yet, a walk—and toss the brown bag into a public garbage can, somewhere away from your house and away from where you work. Once it’s been disposed of, turn your back and don’t look back. Put all of this garbage behind you.

Metals & Crystals

The metal associated with the planet Saturn is lead. Lead is very toxic, as I am sure you know, and this metal is aligned with the element of earth. Lead is considered receptive, probably due to the fact that this material is so malleable. It was once used to ward the thresholds of the home, and the metal is complementary to protective and defensive magick. While I find the history to be fascinating, this metal is not recommend for magickal use today.

The following crystals and stones that are connected to Saturday and the energies of Saturn are useful for grounding, centering, protection, and for absorbing negativity. Three of these featured crystals are easy to find as tumbled stones; the black tourmaline is sold in its raw form. Keep a good supply of crystals and stones in your home. They will come in handy for all sorts of protective witchery.

Obsidian: Obsidian is a naturally occurring glass. It’s lava that cooled so quickly that the minerals inside of it did not have time to form. Its elemental association is fire, and its planetary correspondence is Saturn. Sometimes this black, translucent stone is called an apache tear, and you may also find obsidian with white patterns in it—this variety is called snowflake obsidian. No matter what variety you discover, this is a great stone to help you ground and center. An excellent choice to add to any Saturday spell, obsidian is a popular stone to utilize in protective spells and magick designed to fight negativity and break bad luck. Check out a few stores that carry inexpensive tumbled stones and pick up a few to have on hand.

Hematite: Hematite is a solid, heavy-feeling silvery-black colored stone. This stone is popular for its grounding and calming properties. Hematite is a stabilizer, and you may often find rings carved out of it. I always felt light-headed whenever I wore a solid hematite ring. I can and do work with the tumbled stones of hematite successfully, and with no side effects, but in my research, I discovered why this type of jewelry affected me so. Wearing or carrying hematite will calm you down and open you up to impressions and the feelings of another (think of it as having similar qualities as moonstone).

Not everyone may experience this; in fact, if you need to be more receptive and levelheaded, then this stone is the way to go. Hematite claims the elemental correspondence of fire and the planetary association of Saturn. Hematite may be also used in types of emotional healing rituals, so if you wanted to, this would be a great stone to add to any spells designed to help feuding friends or romantic partners heal, forgive, let go, and then to move forward.

Jet: Jet has the folk name of Witch’s amber or black amber, probably due to the fact that many high priestesses wear beads of amber and jet to denote their rank. Jet is ancient fossilized wood, which explains its compatibility with amber. Jet has links to many crone goddesses, such as Hecate. Its elemental associations are earth and Spirit. This black stone, like the other featured crystals in this chapter, also claims the planetary correspondence of Saturn. The jet will clear your aura, boost your psychic abilities, and allow you to see things as they truly are.

Jet becomes electronically charged when it is rubbed. It is a sympathetic stone and will absorb pessimistic or negative energies. It can be placed in a heavily trafficked room in your home to absorb bad vibes or to absorb anger. If jet is placed in the bedroom, it promotes a good night’s sleep and guards against nightmares. Try placing jet around a candle and then focus your intentions on creating a happy and argument-free zone in your home. Set the candle and the stones somewhere in the most-used room in the house and silently let them do their work. On an interesting note, today some magicians suggest that female Witches work with jet for issues regarding menopause and perimenopause.

Black Tourmaline: This has the magickal associations of the element of earth and the planetary correspondence of Saturn. It is a receptive stone and a powerful tool for protection, as it absorbs negativity and magickal manipulations. Black tourmaline will help seal your aura, and it also reflects and pushes out psychic pollution. Think of it as a clever little secret to defend yourself from needy emotional vampires and the occasional psychic vampire. The black tourmaline stone is sold in chunks and comes in its rough crystal form, which I personally enjoy. This stone is considered to be brittle, and it does shatter easily, so handle it carefully.

The nifty thing about black tourmaline is that it creates a psychic barrier. If you are inside the boundary, then black tourmaline helps you to make quick decisions. When someone is on the outside of the tourmaline barrier, the stones reflect any unbalanced energy right back to them like a mirror. For the exact reasons listed previously, I use this bewitching crystal often when I do back-to-back clairvoyant or tarot readings for several hours with the general public. Because I have to tell you, you do get some wild and sometimes even unbalanced folks in for readings.

About half of readings are fun. People are happy, in a good mood, and really enjoy their readings. But the other half . . . the client is typically wound up emotionally and their auras are leaking all over the place. They have no qualms about dumping all that on you. After all, in their mind, that’s what they are paying you for—your time and attention. So unless you want to wade through all that emotional muck and mire, you need some psychic protection on hand, because, my witchy friend, if you don’t shield against that, you will be carting it home with you at the end of the day.

It’s a delicate line to walk. You do want to remain open to the psychic impressions; however, you don’t want to get bombarded with all that swirl of negative emotions and anxiety either. Personally, if I do not protect myself, I have found that I will become overloaded very quickly. For me, that’s a bad situation, since when that scenario does occur, all of my mediumship abilities will come roaring out to play—it’s sort of like, “Hey, we are all psychically warmed up. Let us out so we can show off and do our thing!” And I am merely along for the ride.

Honestly, while that sounds super-cool to some folks, in reality, it’s a gigantic pain in the ass. Yes, sometimes I have no choice in the matter, and the messages from the other side of the veil will pop through. But typically these surprise visits from the client’s dearly departed don’t last too long, and it’s usually pretty mild. However, if I choose to do the medium thing on purpose, then I want a controlled environment so I can begin and end the session when I decide.

I mean, think about it—would you want a bunch of folks’ deceased relatives talking your ear off night and day? ’Cause once they find you and figure out that you are open to the messages, it can be tough to turn them off, so to speak.

In an effort to help me combat this problem, a coven sister and jewelry-designing friend, Ravyn, made me a bracelet out of black tourmaline chunks, and it works like a charm. And it’s the strangest thing, but the bracelet goes on vacation and disappears from time to time. My theory is that it needs to recharge and to purify. So when it is ready to go again, it always shows back up somewhere in my home.

Black Tourmaline Boundary Spell

If you are the sort of person who really wants or needs a fast crystal protection spell that is no muss, no fuss, then try out this Saturday witchery while working with your black tourmaline. Hold the black tourmaline jewelry piece or the raw chunks of stone in your hands. Visualize what it is that you want them to do. Then repeat the following spell verse three times:

Lovely tourmaline crystal so chunky and black

Reflect all negativity right out and back

While I am inside of this magickal boundary

I am protected from any psychic vampirey

By the element of earth, keep me free from the mire

May this crystal spell grant the outcome I desire.

Now go ahead and work with the black tourmaline. I bet that you will notice a huge difference.

Potions, Philters & Oils

Magickal Protection Oil

In keeping with our theme of the day, here is a recipe for you to create your own magickal protection oil. Add this to candles or dab a bit onto a talisman or a sachet bag filled with protective herbs. Put a bit on a cotton ball and rub it on doorframes and thresholds to ward your home or office. (Don’t go overboard, now—we don’t want to ruin the woodwork or cause someone to slip on a oily surface.) Just a small amount will work beautifully. As with all philter and potion recipes in this book, do not apply it directly to the skin.

• 1 small decorative glass bottle
• Base oil, approximately 1⁄8 cup
• Clean dropper
• 3 drops myrrh or cypress oil
• 3 drops patchouli oil
• 1 pansy flower (dark purple or black is best)
• 1 small morning glory leaf or tiny bit of the vine
• A small chip of black tourmaline
• 6 inches each purple and black thin satin ribbon
• 1 small metal pentagram charm or talisman that you feel coordinates with protection
• A label and a pen (to list the ingredients and to decorate and mark the bottle)

Pour the base oil into the bottle; fill it three quarters of the way full. Add the essential oils one at a time. Next, add the herbs and the crystal. Close up the bottle with the lid, place your fingers over the lid, and carefully shake up the mixture. Hold up the mixture to the sunlight and allow the light of Saturday’s sun to illuminate the philter for a moment or two.

Wipe off the outside of the bottle. Use the label to list the ingredients and the use of this potion. Decorate the bottle by drawing the sigil of Saturn () or pentagrams. If you have other magickal symbols that you would like to use for protection, then add those to the label. Attach the label to the glass bottle, and finish up by threading the metal charm onto the ribbon and then tying the two colored ribbons around the neck of the bottle.

As you finish tying on the bow, hold the bottle in your hands and concentrate on the visualization that your aura around your entire body is glowing with a deep and sparkling purple color. Silently call on the god of karma and time, Saturn, and the triple goddess Hecate to ask for their assistance. Visualize that protection is swirling around you, your home, and your loved ones in the best possible way. Now pull all that energy from your visualization into the philter bottle that you hold in your hands. Take a deep breath, hold it for three counts, and then blow it out slowly. Now, repeat the charm below:

Hecate, I call upon you now

This philter with your magick endow

Saturn’s strong energy will circle around

With this potion, only protection is found

Witches’ herbs and crystal add their power

Begin the magick in this hour.

Set the bottle aside, and ground and center yourself. Clean up the supplies, and eat a few crackers or do something physical. Make sure to store the protection philter in a dark, dry place out of the reach of young children.

Essential Oils

In this final chapter on the days of the week, here are the essential oils associated with Saturn:

• Cypress
• Myrrh
• Patchouli
• Mimosa
• Tamarisk

Some of these essential oils, such as the myrrh, may be on the pricey side. Personally, I always have regular old essential patchouli oil on hand for protection spells. I just enjoy the scent of it. Plus, if you need to watch your budget, go for the patchouli. It’s available everywhere—just make sure you are purchasing essential oils, not fragrance oils.

Tarot Card Associations

The tarot cards that correspond with Saturday’s protective and troubleshooting energy are Temperance, the Knight of Swords, and the Two of Swords. The suit of Swords often represents conflict, power, decisions, and judgment. The Major Arcana card featured in this final chapter is Temperance. This card symbolizes moderation and patience, a way of maintaining a sort of inner balance. These are the qualities we will want to tap into for our Saturday spellwork.

Temperance

Temperance is a Major Arcana card that typically shows a winged female figure pouring liquid from one cup into another. While some folks assume that this is an angel, this winged figure has probable Pagan origins. (Think of Isis and her sister Nepthys—both of these goddesses had wings.) The Temperance card may be used in spells designed to help you find the right balance. This symbolism can assist you in finding a way to harmoniously blend all of the aspects of your life. It may also mean that you need to work harder to pull things and situations back into alignment in your own life. When the Temperance card appears in a tarot reading, it means that the person has a mature and balanced personality, and that they can handle difficult situations with diplomacy and competence. This is the sort of tone or imagery that we want to invoke for Saturday spells.

Knight of Swords

The Knight of Swords can be summed up in two words: no fear. The Knight of Swords symbolizes a person who is fearless. They ride into situations and handle even the most difficult things in a spirited and competent fashion. In a reading, this card symbolizes a direct, honest, and open person. This is the tarot card to work with when dealing with a conflict or argument with another person. This type of energy comes in handy when you need to make a quick and wise decision, are working to overcome obstacles, or if you are breaking negativity or attempting to deal fairly with a difficult person.

Two of Swords

Many of the cards in the suit of Swords represent struggle or conflict. However, the Two of Swords stands for balance and restored peace. This card speaks of two equal forces that have maintained a balance. Neither is better than the other; they are both just as strong or as right. In magick, this card invokes a truce and a cautious peace. Work with this card when you are trying to create a peaceful resolution to a problem and when justice is the issue. This card will help ensure that the magick turns out fairly for everyone involved. Now, with that idea in mind, here is a tarot spell to try when you need to call for justice and harmony.

Tarot Spell for Justice and Peace

Here is our final tarot spell, and it’s a doozy. Remember to work your spells honestly and ethically, especially when you call for justice. Justice is a neutral force. It doesn’t take sides or play favorites. The scales will be weighed for you as well. So be honest and fair in both your magickal and mundane dealings. You may use whatever style candle you prefer—taper, votive, or pillar. Even those little mini taper candles would be fabulous for this spell.

Gather the following supplies:

• Temperance, Two of Swords, and the Knight of Swords tarot cards
• 1 black candle
• 1 white candle
• 1 gray candle
• 3 coordinating candle holders
• Mullein flowers or leaves to banish negativity
• An item of sympathy
• Matches or a lighter
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell

Arrange the herb and cards to your liking between the white and black candles. Set the gray candle, symbolizing neutrality, in its holder, in the center and directly behind the cards. The white and black candles symbolize balance and represent the two opposing forces that are at work.

If you choose, you can personalize this spell by adding an item of sympathy. If this is a legal matter, perhaps you could add a letter from your attorney. If it’s personal, you could add an item that was given to you as a gift by the other party. Be creative! Take a few moments to ground and center. Calm yourself, and hold the idea in your mind for the fairest and best possible outcome. Repeat the following spell three times:

The Knight of Swords, a symbol for courage under fire
Hear my call for protection; it’s justice I desire
The Two of Swords settles conflicts and does invoke peace so fair
Add Temperance for balance, and a bit of personal flair
Lord and Lady, hear my cry, defend and watch over me
Help me settle this fairly; as I will, so mote it be.

Close the spell by saying:

In no way will this tarot spell reverse
Or place upon me or mine any curse.

Allow the candles to burn until they go out on their own. When finished, straighten up your work area and tuck the Temperance card into your wallet, purse, or day planner. Carry it with you until the following Saturday, then return it to your tarot deck.

Daily Witch Craft

poppets

The poppet is one of the most misunderstood tools in witchcraft today. If you even mention poppet work to people, they get very nervous, very quickly. Personally, I don’t see what the fuss is about. Using a poppet in protection magick is a practical and powerful way to bind a troublemaker. A poppet is a small cloth doll in the rough shape of a human. To me, it always looks like a gingerbread-man shape. It is sewn up by hand, leaving the side open to stuff the doll with natural materials, such as cotton batting or sphagnum moss. A simple face is drawn on to the doll, and then sympathetic items are added into the stuffing of the doll to link it to the individual who needs to be bound.

These items of sympathy may be shed hair, nail clippings, or a sample of the person’s handwriting. This item creates a physical link to the miscreant. The doll is sewn closed, and then you ceremonially bind up the doll with white ribbons or a cord. You wrap the ribbon around the arms and hands, and then around the feet and legs, to symbolically restrict their movements. If the person who is causing all the trouble is running their mouth, then wrap the ribbon around the head and right over the drawn-on mouth too, effectively keeping all parts of the person bound from causing any more harm.

Some modern books on the Craft today recommend that you keep the doll very small so that you can keep it with you and keep an eye on it at all times. While I like the idea of a travel-sized poppet, hauling it around with you all the time, in my opinion, is a bad idea. Think of how much explaining you’d have to do if for some reason that bound poppet came out of your purse or pocket, or if someone else accidentally found it. Instead, I recommend tucking away the poppet somewhere safe in your home, where no one will find it and it’s well out of the way.

Never Piss Off the Witch
A Poppet Magick Tale

So, if you are wondering when have I ever used poppet magick, I have a story for you. Many years ago, I had a boss at a little boutique where I worked who was the moodiest, craziest, meanest woman I have ever met in my life. She could be sweet, charming, and kind one moment, and the next she was screaming at you and accusing you of all sorts of things. She was an interesting and unpredictable character. She would be on a tear for a few days and make all the employees a nervous wreck . . . and then she’d be fine for a few weeks or so. Just about the time you had convinced yourself that you must have exaggerated how bad she was, things would flare up, and off she’d go. There was no rhyme or reason to her behavior; one day she treated you like family, the next she was hell on wheels.

Why did I stay? Well, the hours were great, it was close to home, and the pay was good. It was one of those situations where I needed to keep the paychecks coming in, so I kept working there while I started searching for a new job. However, I still had to deal with her and all her tantrums until I landed that different job.

One especially brutal day, I went to the bathroom to calm down and, yes, to get away from my boss and her screaming fits for a few moments. I had reached my limit, my nerves were shot, and my temper was up. I was literally shaking, I was that angry. That very morning, I had started to mentally plot and plan just what I could do, magick- wise, to quiet down the psychopath. I truly did not want to cause her harm, I only wanted the verbal abuse and screaming to stop.

While hiding out in the bathroom, I tried to ground and center and calm myself down. I leaned my back against the door, took deep breaths, and considered my witchy options. It was then that I discovered my boss’s makeup bag was open and lying right out and on the bathroom counter. It was definitely hers—she had top-of-the-line cosmetics in there and her name was embroidered on the bag. Inside of the makeup bag was her hairbrush, and it was full of hair.

I just stood there and grinned. I pulled a big wad of hair out of her brush, wrapped it in tissue, and tucked it into my pocket. Armed for the coming battle, I managed to quietly finish out my shift at work. That evening, I sewed up a small gingerbread-man-shaped doll, stuffed it full of cotton batting and that chunk of my boss’s hair, and sewed it shut. I then tucked the little doll inside of a cloth bag and put it in the bottom of my purse. It made me a nervous wreck the day that I took it into work with me, but I disguised it as best I could and worked a charm to made my purse less noticeable.

The following Saturday when I went to work, I did my best to act nonchalant. The first chance I got, I took my purse into the bathroom with me and found the boss’s makeup bag lying open and out on the counter again. So I locked myself in the bathroom, took out the little poppet from my purse, and fished out the eyeliner and lipstick from my boss’s makeup bag. Using her own cosmetics, I drew eyes and a nose on the face of the doll, and then used her lipstick to draw a mouth on the doll. I was damn near cackling to myself. Think about it: these were her own cosmetics, so you know that they carried her saliva and skin cells. Now that’s what I call a link to the troublemaker.

I carefully wrapped up the doll, stashed it in the bottom of my purse, put back all of my crazy boss’s cosmetics in her makeup bag, and left the bag looking untouched. Then I went back to work. When I went home that night, I cast a ritual circle, took the poppet out of the cloth bag, and got busy working protection magick. That little poppet was bound up good and tight. And it worked like a charm. Not only did my boss stop the verbal abuse, she even stopped coming in on the days that I was scheduled, which made me very happy and made for a much more pleasant working atmosphere.

A few months later, I found a better job and turned in my resignation. Once I was happily employed at the new job, I unwrapped the doll that I had stashed in my house, removed all the stuffing, and burned all the components—the ribbons, stuffing, and hair—to end the spell and to release the magick.

So, yes, poppet magick can be safely used to stop troublemakers and abusive people. All you have to do is be creative and keep yourself calm and focused on the goal at hand. Here is the spell and the directions that I used.

• 2 pieces plain cotton fabric, 12 inches square
• Cotton batting to stuff the doll; cotton balls will work in a pinch
• White thread to sew the doll closed
• Items of sympathy
• A permanent marker to draw a face on the doll
• 1 yard of white ribbon or cord
• A black candle to stop the negativity and to end any harm that the troublemaker is causing
• A candle holder
• Lighter or matches
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell

Draw a rough gingerbread-man-looking shape on the fabric, cut it out, and sew it together by hand with simple stitches. Leave a small section of one side of the poppet open for stuffing. Next, stuff the poppet full. Add any items of sympathy to the inside of the doll and sew the doll shut. Then, draw on eyes, a nose, and a mouth. Move to your work area. Set up the poppet, the ribbon/cord, and the candle. Take a few moments, and make sure you are calm and ready to go.

Light the candle. Cast a circle in whatever style you prefer. Now pick up the poppet and say these lines:

I now bind you, [Name], from doing any more harm
I halt your negative actions and words with this charm.

Wrap the ribbon or cord around the doll’s arms, legs, and over its mouth. Continue with:

White ribbons and cords now tie your legs, mouth, and hands
Quickly bringing protection to me without end.

Set aside the poppet on the work surface. Place one hand on the poppet and focus your attention to the spell candle. Now say:

When you have learned your lesson, this spell will fade
Leaving us both free to enjoy better days.

I recommend closing up this poppet spell with a tagline. The tagline reinforces that the magick you are doing is for the highest good and that it will not turn around and bite you in the magickal behind. Say:

This protection magick is just; now I close this charm
It will not reverse nor place upon me any harm.

Allow the candle to burn out in a safe place. Then pick up the poppet and wrap it in a plain piece of fabric or a paper bag. Put it in an out-of-the-way place and let the magick work itself out.

Custom-Made Daily Magick

Protection, removing negativity, justice, and balance have been the theme of this chapter. As we have just seen, you can indeed perform a binding and not cross the ethical line. Bindings are a more ethical route than cursing someone. But are there other options? Why, of course. I know of some Witches who, when they see a criminal’s face on television or read about them in the paper, mentally paint a white X over a criminal’s face while they say the phrase “I neutralize that person” with intention. This neutralizes the power and harm that the stranger causes.

If there is someone that you personally know who is causing you or your family harm, it is possible to use a photograph of the destructive person. Simply wrap white ribbon around their photo to symbolize you binding them up as you say, “I neutralize any physical or emotional harm that you are causing.”

But if you feel magickal bindings are the way to go, then perhaps your best course of action is to remove all emotion from yourself and the spell when you perform the binding. Just as I stated before, justice—like magick—is a neutral force. For lack of a better term, be businesslike. Wild swings of emotion only make for an uncontrollable magickal energy. Therefore, your best bet is to be neutral. If there was ever a time to be calm and in control, this is it. If you are not sure that you can pull off being neutral, then I suggest that you leave magick alone. It is essential to be in control. How much karma drama are you willing to pull into your life?

Bindings: A Commonsense Guideline

If you don’t like the idea of poppets and have decided to work a binding, and you have a handle on your emotions, then here are some commonsense guidelines that I suggest you follow:

• Bindings are best performed on a Saturday.
• Work the binding at sunset and you pull into the spell the closing energies of not only the day, but of the entire week.
• Work with black candles; they coordinate with Saturn’s energies and they are the classic magickal color for this type of witchery.

Finally, to be crystal clear, a binding is the act of psychically restraining a harmful person or criminal so that their actions cannot harm anyone else. The goddess to call on is Hecate, and she is a mighty magickal force. Consider your words and actions carefully when you call on her. How you choose to work a binding is up to you. At this point, I strongly suggest that you take a moment and draft out your binding spell on paper. Refer to the spell worksheet; it will help you. Go carefully, and remember to harm none.

You may experience some dramatic special effects when working with Hecate. Don’t be taken aback if the wind picks up . . . if your candles flicker and snap . . . or if you begin to notice barking or howling dogs. The animals sense when Hecate is near. Yes, we have gotten very serious all of a sudden. That’s because a binding is a serious matter. Surprised? Don’t be. Just because I tend to look at things from a humorous perspective doesn’t mean I am not serious when the situation calls for it.

This invocation includes some of the correspondences for Hecate. If you choose, you can add these to your spellwork. (This would also be a fine addition to the opening of the poppet magick spell.) A general invocation for Hecate follows.

Invocation to Hecate

Cauldrons, three keys, and black dogs that bay at the moon
Grant me wisdom and strength, pray hear this Witch’s tune
Goddess of the crossroads, Hecate, I call on you
Come lend your magick to mine; my need is strong and true.

Note: Remember to thank Hecate for her time and attention when you are finished with your witchery.

Ritual for Saturday

four crystals of saturn protection ritual

Try this final Saturday ritual to work for protection and a little help in boosting your personal shields. Sometimes we all need to boost our auras, or our personal energy shields. Whether you have a case of the magickal “blahs,” are recovering from being sick, or are just feeling emotionally vulnerable at the moment, this enjoyable witchery for a Saturday ought to do the trick.

For this ritual, the phase that the moon is currently in does not matter. If the moon is in a waxing lunar phase, then pull protection toward you. Consequently, if you are in a waning moon phase, then push away all negativity and bad vibes. If it happens to be a full moon or the new moon, then go for it and take advantage of all that extra magickal energy that’s out there!

Remember, we are working to make you in sync with the daily planetary energies for your magick. That has been the theme of the entire book! There is always a way to work things out, no matter what phase the moon is in. It’s up to you to use your witchery in a creative way and to work your magick successfully with what you have, and with what energies are currently in play.

Gather the following supplies:

• One each of the four crystals associated with Saturn: hematite, black tourmaline, jet, and obsidian
• A plain white tealight candle
• A coordinating fireproof candle holder (a tiny metal cauldron would be a nice touch)
• A current photo of yourself
• A lighter or matches
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell

First things first: take a shower or a bath, and imagine that all of the negativity you’ve been carrying around is being washed away by the age-old cure of running water. Step out of the shower, dry off, and slip on a favorite comfy outfit or robe.

Find a good spot on which to set up this ritual—try a shelf or a fireplace mantle. Maybe you’ll want to use your nightstand. Just make sure you are setting the candle in a safe place, away from small children or pets.

Situate the photo of yourself off to the side of the candle and holder. Surround the photo with the four protective stones.

Cast a circle in the way that you prefer or use this elemental circlecasting verse; if you speak this deliberately and with magickal intention, it works wonderfully:

The elements four, I call you here

Earth, air, fire, and water so dear

Now circle around and create a ring

Your energies and strength to me please bring.

Now visualize yourself surrounded by a dazzling white light and a strong, protective energy. Repeat the following verse three times:

Crystals and stones of protection and power

Lend your strength to me in this magick hour

Tealight candle that is burning so clear and bright

Lend your magick to mine on this Saturday night

Safety and security this ritual now yields

As I increase my energy and boost my own shields.

Close the spell by saying:

For the good of all, bringing harm to no one

By flame and crystal, this witchery is done!

You should know the drill by now—open your ritual circle. I personally like the following classic line:

The circle is open but unbroken
Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.

Allow the candle to burn out. Keep an eye on it while it does so. Once the candle is out, pocket the four protective crystals and keep them with you, on your person, for a week.

Well, we have just about wrapped things up with this chapter and the individual days of the week. Before we move on to the final chapter, here are a few more quick and practical ideas for magick on a Saturday. Feel the need for a psychic cleansing in the house? Light up some patchouli- or myrrh-scented incense, and wave the smoke around your house or apartment. It will help to break up any lingering negativity or bad feelings. Crumble up a few dried mullein leaves and create a circle around your home, or scatter it across the thresholds, to keep prowlers away.

Burn a few black candles to repel manipulative intentions or unwanted advances. Add a few protective herbs to your dinner such as thyme or basil. Try growing a blooming cyclamen plant in your kitchen to ward the family and to encourage Hecate’s blessings. Grow deep purple and black pansies in window boxes to encourage the planetary vibrations of Saturn. Let ivy grow up the walls of your home for even more bewitching security.

Saturdays are the particular day of the week for protection and for dealing with more serious magickal matters. Go back over the at-a-glance list and see what components you can add to your spells for today for a little more oomph.

Don’t forget to check out the daily spell worksheet on page 301. Write down some ideas for your own individual and custom-made magick. For example, what other plants, crystals, and stones do you enjoy working with that were not listed in these chapters? How do you imagine you could creatively integrate them? Try creating even more tarot spells just for you. Craft your own quick candle spells, and write your own colorful charms and daily incantations.

Meditate on Hecate to learn her lessons and include some dark goddess wisdom into your Craft. As a Witch, you already know that you have power—the power to effect real change in your life. Working with Hecate can teach you how and when to best use this power for the greater good.

If you want to expand your magickal skills, then start learning how to incorporate all of this information on the days of witchery in a whole new way. This includes the knowledge you already have and the new day-by-day correspondences and witchcraft that were presented in this Book of Shadows. Put your own unique spin on things. Decide what your enchanting specialties are, then apply them to your Craft each and every day with wisdom and style.

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