Witch Bottles for Protection

A friend reminded me lately of a very ancient way to draw in and trap forever the evil lingering outside your door. This wicca device is the witch bottle and making one can protect you against evil spirits and attack by magick or from black witches and their spells against you.

Traditionally, a witch bottle was a jug or flask. They were made of stoneware or green, amber or blue glass depending on the available ingredients of the witch. The stoneware was glazed with salt with evil looking bearded men to ward off evil. A replica of any earlier time of a tyrant who killed witches.

Historically, the witch's bottle was filled with the maker's urine, hair or nail clippings and red thread from sprite traps. In more recent years, witch's have filled their bottles with protection herbs like rosemary, nails, needles and pins, and red wine.

The bottle has always been buried at the farthest corner of the maker's property, beneath the hearth, or placed in a secret spot in the house, like inside the walls. After being buried or hidden, the bottle captures evil by impaling it with the sharp objects, drowning the negative energy with the wine, and sending the evil packing from the rosemary.

Seawater or earth may be used if you know what kind of evil is looking for you. Other types of Witch bottles contain sand, stones, knotted threads, feathers, shells, herbs, flowers, salt, vinegar, oil, coins, or ashes. A similar magickal talisman to protect yourself when you travel is the "lemon and pins" charm.

When you've captured an evil within the confines of the witch's bottle, cast it into a fire and when it explodes, the spell is broken and the evil dies.

Bottled spells date back hundreds of years to Elizabethan England, when witches were in vast numbers and not always conjuring "white magick". In ancient buildings, people find witch bottles buried under the stones of the fireplace, under the floorboards, and plastered inside walls.

As long as the witch bottle remains buried, hidden and unbroken, the spell is strong. The tradition has it's origins in the 16th century. In very ancient times witch bottles were made of stone and were filled with rusty nails, urine, thorns, hair, menstrual blood, and pieces of glass, wood, and bone.

To make a witch bottle today, choose ingredients that will benefit you the most. Seal the bottle with wax to make sure the contents stay within and bury or hide your witch bottle.

Embracing Witchcraft in our Times

Witchcraft at one time was practiced by witches, seers, shamans, charmers, pagans, gypsy's and more. These gifted people were legendary from Egypt to Rome. Witches have been part of many great moments in history since the time of shamanism. They gave counsel to Kings and used powerful spells to take down the unjust or cruel.

That is who witches were in the past, but what of the future? Is witchcraft a forgotten religion? Is being a witch relevant today?

Absolutely. Being Wiccan, Shaman or a Pagan in the world today is more relevant than ever. Overall, you'll find ecologically savvy men and women trying their best to bring awareness to the public to protect Gaia, our planet. NeoPagans of all faiths believe in equal rights, natural food sources, feminism, personal and social responsibility by all, respect for other faiths "that do no harm" and so much more.

Historically, witchcraft could be either maleficium, a "malevolent magick" or white "cunning magick" country folk used in the villages. Through history witchcraft was responsible for great and evil deeds. In Medieval Europe, the Church considered all witchcraft to be nothing more than superstition. But for a long time witches were not prosecuted until the late 15th century. During this chaotic time of bad politics and religious zealot, witchcraft was wrongly associated with Satanism.

More modern practitioners of witchcraft call their religion Wicca. Witchcraft and Wicca are very different. Wicca is a religion, and witchcraft is a magical practice. Wiccans are not all witches--some Wiccans have no interest in practical magic and it's workings. Also, many modern witches are not Wiccan.

Some consider Wicca a subset of witchcraft, and when Wiccans speak of practicing witchcraft, they are not speaking of maleficium or any ancient form of witchcraft. Witches today practice white magick that benefits society as a whole. The belief that "first you do no harm, do what ye will" is strong with the Wiccan and witches of our time.