Winter is hard. Especially the start of the new year. The holidays take their toll, even when they’re really good times. And after the holidays, there is the cleaning and putting things away and then everybody goes back to work. We’re not really thinking about self-love.

But this time of year can be very good for workings that help us to connect to our best selves, to clean off all the accumulated detritus and start thinking and acting more skillfully and kindly, first to ourselves, then to others.

As I’ve written before, I’m a fan of starting with Condition Oils made by other skilled practitioners and mixing them for my specific needs.* For this spell, we’re using Cast Off Evil and Self-Love candles and a Fresh Start oil from Serpent’s Kiss, Guardian Angel and Blessing oils from Lucky Mojo Curio Co., and a Love oil from The Mystic Dream.

And so, without further ado:

A Three-Part Spell for Self-Love and Esteem

PART ONE!

A 7 day spiritual cleanse

What ya need:

Cast Off Evil Candle

7 cups of Salt

14 Tealights, dressed with Guardian Angel Oil

Piece of Black Tourmaline

Pouch (that you can wear around your neck, and big enough to hold the Tourmaline)

Guardian Angel Oil

How to do:

Start on the full moon

The evening before, light the Cast Off Evil candle, with a prayer that you may be cleansed of old habits/ attachments/difficulties

While it is burning, lay out clean clothes to put on in the morning

Pour a cup of salt into a quart jar of warm water

Set the jar of water in front of the burning Cast Off Evil Candle

Dress the Black Tourmaline with Guardian Angel oil, and set it and the Pouch in front of the jar of Water

Leave the water overnight

In the morning, get up before sunrise

Take your jar of water with salt in it, 2 of the dressed tealights, a small basin, Tourmaline and Pouch, and your clean clothes into the bathroom

Set the tealights to the sides of the tub or shower, so that you will step between them as you exit the shower

Light the tealights

Set the jar of Salt Water and the basin so that you can reach them from the tub/shower

Take a regular shower

When you’re all clean, turn off the shower and place the basin between your feet, or stand in it.

Take the jar of Salt Water and, starting with the top of your head, pour it over you, brushing with your other hand, brushing all that off you that holds you back, keeps you stuck in old ways

You may choose to ask Guardians, Guides, Gods, Saints, Angels or any other spirit to help you

After you’ve poured out all the water, step out of the tub/shower, between the candles which have made a ‘gate’ for you to step into your day, cleansed and cleared

You may speak a prayer here, acknowledging that you step into a new day, fresh and clean

Let yourself air dry (you don’t want to wipe off the juju!) and put the Tourmaline in the Pouch around your neck

Dress yourself in clean clothes and reach back into the tub/shower and bring out the basin of yucky water

Take it off your property, if at all possible, to a crossroads, if you can, or to a helpful tree

Throw it over your left shoulder and walk away

Go back into the house and get on with your awesome day!

Do this for seven consecutive days (not the CoE Candle part, just the rest of it), re-dressing the Tourmaline with Guardian Angel oil each night

After the seven days, continue to dress the Tourmaline with oil, say a prayer and put it on each morning.  This will keep your shields strong.

PART TWO!

A Spell for Self-Love

What ya need:

Self-Love Candle

14 Small Pink Candles

Fresh Start-Love-Blessing Oil

Angelica Root

John the Conqueror Root

Flannel or Muslin Bag

A Good-Smelling Soap (I favor Patchouli, myself)

How to do:

Begin on the 7th day

Get an old grocery bag and neatly tear out about a 6×6” square

Write on it your name 7 times

Turn the paper clockwise and write 7 times across your name:  I LOVE YOU

Draw some hearts and flowers on the paper!  Add glitter if ya want!

Dress the paper with oil on the 4 corners and in the center

Fold it towards you, turn clockwise, fold it towards you, turn it, fold it, etc until it’s small enough to put in the Cloth Bag

Dress the Angelica Root with the Fresh Start-Love-Blessing Oil and ask it to help you learn to be more loving to yourself

Dress the John the Conqueror Root with the Oil and ask it to help you remember your power

Put the Roots and the Paper into the Cloth Bag (now it’s a MOJO bag!)

Put the Bag in front of the candle

Put 3 drops of Oil on the Self-Love candle and let it burn all the way down

Leave the Bag there until morning

In the morning, again say your prayer to Love, put 3 drops of Oil on a pink candle and let it burn down while you get ready for your day

Use the lovely soap when you bathe

Dress the Mojo Bag with the Oil and keep it in your pocket or purse (keep it with you as much as possible)

Do this for 14 days

PART THREE!

Maintenance

Keep doing the Tourmaline blessing and wear it each day

Keep the Mojo Bag in your purse or pocket (don’t show it to anyone)

Don’t fret and don’t mess with the Work for a month or so, to let it sink in

Be gentle and loving with yourself

* My favorite makers of spell  candles, oils, soaps, powders, and incense are: Susan Diamond at Serpent’s Kiss, Storm Faerywolf and Chas Bogan at Mystic Dream, and the lovely folks at Lucky Mojo Curio Co.