Hello Readers! I know it has been quite some time since I have dropped a blog on this platform. So today I thought I would answer one of the most common questions I get from people on my Instagram page. I probably get asked this question 5x a week. At first, I answered every question. Now, I feel it is time for a blog post! So what is the most asked question on my Instagram? It is “What do you do with all that spell stuff after you are done?” I made a little reel about it a while back but that got lost on social media. So I thought I would give you a quick rundown on how I clean up my spells.
To begin I should start by saying that some spells do not require “cleaning up” but rather need to be deposited somewhere, burned, buried, or left at the crossroads. I am not speaking of these types of spells. Rather, the ones that need a good clean, sift and cleanse before the objects are re-used in spells or rituals.
If you have followed me for a while on Instagram you might be familiar with the types of rituals and spells I do. They often include sand, salt, dried flowers, fresh flowers, herbs, stones, crystals, bowls of water, candles, and crystals. Each spell and ritual is different, but these are some of the most common ingredients I use. The deconstruction of a spell doesn’t take as much thought and attention as building the spell. However, it does take some time, effort, sorting, and cleansing of the ritual objects used.
Once the spell is cast or the ritual started I always let my candles burn completely down. There are a few occasions I do not but for the most part, I let the candles burn till they naturally go out. If there is any leftover wax I gather it up and place it in a box with other wax bits. These are collected and eventually melted down and made into other spell candles.
If I have used a bowl or shell full of water I usually have a particular use for the water in mind. In this case, they are usually lifted off the altar after a few hours. The water is then used for that particular purpose. On the occasion I don’t, bowls of water is then gifted to a spirit, deity, or the land.
When a spell is complete and it is time to clean up I usually start by removing any objects that will be re-used. These include bowls, stones, ammonite, and crystals. These are usually large items that are used in rituals and spells over and over again. Objects like bowls, shells, fossils, stones, and crystals are usually smoke or water cleansed. They are then placed back on their shelf until I use them again.
Next, I take any natural plant matter and place it in the burning box. The Burning box is just a designated box where I place all used natural materials. These include string, paper, flowers, herbs, sticks, berries etc. Basically, anything that can be burned from rituals and other spells goes in this box. I keep them in this box till there is a ritual fire and then they are all burned at once. Great times for ritual fires are the solstices and fire festivals.
Sand and Salt are the hardest ingredients to re-use but I do when I can! I tend not to re-use salt. If I am making bath salts it all goes into the bath. If it is used in spell work I usually just toss it in the trash. I haven’t found a great way to re-use salt.
I do use a lot of sand in my spells and rituals. It is great to work with, easy to draw in, and holds candles quite well. Sand is quite precious to me and is something that I try to re-use as much as I can. To save the sand requires sifting. It is messy and sand gets all over the place but it is worth it to me! So I have acquired a metal wire strainer to sift all the smaller plant bits out of the sand. Once this is done I place it all back jar until next time. Sand is made from quartz, bone, and shells and is easily cleansed with smoke, or under the moon just like you would cleanse your crystals.
When it comes to your spellwork and rituals what needs to be disposed of? What needs to be cleansed? What needs to be sorted and reused?
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