Simple Witchery: Witchcraft that Works . . .

. . . Seeing Magic in the Mundane

I don’t use commercial fragrance sprays in my home—I’d rather avoid the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), indoor air pollution, damage to the ozone, and all that jazz. But full disclosure, my husband uses them. What can I say, you choose your battles. And there is one exception to my personal ban on aerosol sprays, I use a commercial disinfectant spray. On occasion. So I’m not a perfect witch. Is there one?

A perfect witch would brew up a potion of herbs, citrus peel and vinegar to use for wiping surfaces and misting the air. I do this, but I can’t rely on its efficacy to kill virus and bacteria during this pandemic. I’m using the commercial wipes and sprays because I know they work in the physical world realm.

When I worked part-time at a brick-and-mortar business, my office space was shared by others on the days I was not in. It seemed from the time I started that job I was afflicted with colds and flu every year from fall though winter and into spring. It finally dawned on me that many fingers were touching my computer keys, many mouths were breathing on my telephone, not to mention sneezing and coughing their droplets there, and all over the room.

Once I began cleaning all the hard surfaces with antiseptic wipes and giving a swirl of Lysol spray around the room each time I went to work, as the first step of my daily office routine, POOF—like magic, no more colds and flu.

Now that I’m a practicing witch, I can cast spells of protection to keep myself and loved ones safe from a deadly virus, but you can bet I’m also backing that magick up with some real-world action. This is an excellent example of using physical, mundane effort to up the odds of success and pull off some witchcraft that works.

Those of us who have been witching around for a while know that the combination of esoteric magick and practical action works. But what about not just using the mundane to give the magical a boost? What about making the mundane magical for even more witchcraft that works?

Witching It Up Around the House

When the pandemic hit, people began hoarding essentials like paper products and disinfectants. I was hard pressed to find disinfectant spray anywhere, so whenever I did see a can, regardless of brand or variety, I bought it.  I ended up with a few cans of lavender-scented disinfectant spray in my stock.

Lavender is just one of the essential, all-purpose herbs in a witch’s tool kit. One magickal use is for cleansing and purifying energetic realms as well as physical space. MUCH in the way we often use sage smoke to cleanse and purify spaces, we can burn lavender for the same purpose. But the physical properties of lavender’s volatile oils are both antiviral and antibacterial, meaning an infusion of lavender is also a good choice for mundane world cleansing.

Recently, when I was spraying the air with my lavender-scented disinfectant because we’d had to have a service professional in the house for an extended period of time, I had a “duh” moment. In a pinch, why not use the lavender spray the same way I do a smoke smudge for for clearing, purifying, and consecrating sacred space?

Now, I’m not talking about physical properties here—I doubt that the lavender scent in my commercial spray comes from actual lavender (though I could be wrong). I’m talking about giving the spray (lavender, orange or plain old disinfectant scent) a magickal charge.  I mean, if I’m going to use it anyway, I may as well use it for witchcraft that works.

Now, not only will it clean up the virus and bacteria particles I can’t see, but it will chase away the energetic gunk of negativity, malicious or evil entities, and any and all harm sent my way by those known and unknown.

Everyday Enchantment

There are many products and items I use every day that I can infuse with magick.

I’m cutting back on my essential oil use since the corporate, multilevel marketing crowd have pushed them into overuse, and certain resources like Frankincense are being endangered. However, there is an abundant source for the citrus oils. I add orange and lemon oil to my dishwashing liquid, along with oils of lavender and mint.

Talk about getting an energetic boost every time I have to do that mundane chore of washing a sinkful of dishes. With each new bottle, I cast a spell to cleanse and purify my dishes, and bring the qualities of abundance and prosperity, good health and love through the plates and utensils, as I serve food to my family and friends.

Rosemary and nettle are both excellent herbs to promote healthy, beautiful hair. You can make an infusion of both, let cool, strain the herbs from the liquid, then add to your shampoo and conditioner. Most commercial products can easily be cut one-part water to about four-parts of shampoo and still be effective for cleaning and conditioning your hair . . . not to mention helping to stretch your budget.

Enchant your vacuum—after all, it’s a modern-day broom!  If you’re going to put in the time to suck up the dirt and grime from your floors, why not suck up, and bind, any ghoulies and gremlins with intentions to cause harm? I put binding herbs in my vacuum’s dirt collector after each time I empty it. If your machine uses bags, just add the herbs to the new bag before attaching it.

Good herbs for binding include bindweed, knotweed and licorice root. When emptying the container or disposing the full bag, say a few words to hold what is bound in place, and then take it outside to the trash. I like to say “Good riddance to bad rubbish.”

Consider enchanting your window coverings, drapes, curtains and blinds, as a protective shield to your home. You could use burning herbs to smoke cleanse, sealing in the magic, or simply enchant them with your words:

By dark of night and light of day
These window coverings keep us safe.
No harmful energy or evil intention, give ingress
from north, south, east or west.
No spirit or entity, known or unknown
May enter through the windows into this home.

You can also make an infusion of protective herbs—there are so many you probably have what you need right in your spice cupboard. Rosemary, clove, and basil are good choices. Garlic and pepper are powerful too. Do your research and experiment, adding cleansing herbs like lavender, citrus and mint, until you find a pleasant scent you like.

Preserve infusions by adding a tablespoon or more of clear alcohol, like vodka, and store in a sealed container. Add a capful of the infusion to laundry water when washing curtains for spring or fall cleaning. Put the infusion in a spray bottle and mist your drapes and curtains, or spray on blinds and wipe with a sponge.

You can give the same protective shield directly to your windows, just add the solution to your window wash. I make my own from scratch – with one cup white vinegar in a spray bottle, 3 TBS of my magickal shielding potion, a small dollop of dishwashing soap and then top off the bottle with water. Shake to blend all ingredients.

Another way to shield your house is to add a few drops of essential oils for protection to house paint, both exterior and interior. Imagine the next time you paint, covering your entire home in a protective shield that will be there for the life of the paint.

Enchant your bedding for restful sleep, magickal or prophetic dreams, or passionate lovemaking. Add appropriate essential oils when you wash them, make an herbal infusion to use as a linen spray, or simply tuck the herbs between the mattress and fitted sheet, or into pillowcases.

Likewise cast spells on blankets to cover you always in protection, success, abundance, good health—whatever you desire.

There’s no end to the ways you can enchant mundane items with magical properties:

• Charm your slippers and robes for relaxation and comfort.
• Rev up your fitness gear and equipment with energy for stamina, vigor and endurance.
• Infuse your sunscreen and facial creams with a glamour for beauty.
• Cast a spell on your rugs, to magically charge your feet to always find your path in the world.
• Enchant your A.C. or fans to blow good fortune your way.
• Impose energetic limits on your credit cards so as not to use them unwisely.
• Charm your hand soap to help you complete a project.
• Imbue your glasses with the power of insight as well as clear vision.

Remember, of course, to add your personal magick when enchanting items and products in your home for witchcraft that works, by always including a simple spell or invocation.

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