Banishing Bad Habits: A Ritual

The moon wanes and so begins the cleansing and banishing work. Banishing is not a task taken lightly; it is one that can often lead to performing harm to others, a vital offense to the Rule of Three. It is with this understand that, though one can do what he or she desires with the following spell, it is not encouraged that one use it to harm. For this ritual, you will need:

• glass jar

• iron nail, the head of which ideally covers ("seals") the jar. If your nail does not cover it, snag something that will seal the jar, like Kraft paper or linen. If your nail does cover it, snag a wax adhesive (found at any craft store for around $3.00; can be used to make candles or seal other items)

• argimony, mullein, valerian root or any other protective and banishing herbs.

• bay leaves

• permanent marker, black

• white, purple and black candles

• any items that promote healing or a positive intention, like rose quartz or mint sprigs

Ideally, perform your incantation on a Saturday at midnight, when the moon is full or waning. Create a circle wherein you can perform your magic. It is vastly important that you create this circle to keep negative entities from entering your space. Face yourself and your altar in the southern direction. If you have an altar, follow the instructions for placement below. (If you do not have an altar, place the items facing the corresponding direction along the salt circle.)

• Half a dropper full of water or oil (representing Water) in an oil burner or small dish: west

• Lit black, deep purple or white candles (representing Fire): south

• A palmful of salts or herbs (representing Earth) in a pile or dish: north

• Smudge stick or palo santo, lit, over a dish (representing Air; you could use incense): east

You may set out obsidian, jet or apache’s tears if desired. Write your ills, one on each leaf of bay, and place the leaves in the jar. If they crackle and break, that’s OK. As you place them in there, state the following incantation:

Rid the bones of all that’s black

Remove the _________ that ache(s) to last

Sweep the hearth of negative winds

This (home/heart) need not what darkness bids

I present my ill(s) on a sprig of bay

And the gales doth move the ills away

I dissolve their energy with rust of iron and seal the jar with urgence

I bury the jar in the hearth of mother, the dirt removes what burdens.

Place your nail into the jar. Seal your jar depending on what you have (Kraft/linen for nails that don't fill the jar head; wax adhesive for larger, older nails that do). Bury your jar outside of your property in the southern direction. Over it, place any offering to mother earth, like rose quartz or a sprig of mint to symbolically ask that love or fresh starts replace your ills. Close your circle and vehemently demand that any negative entities that may have come through be sent back. Often it is through banishing work that entities come, as there is already a focus on the negative habit at hand. After this ritual, engage in self-care that promotes healing or the "filling of the void," the space where the habit once was. This can be in tune with what you placed over the jar, like love for self and others by taking a bath, or a simple act, like using the expensive soap instead of saving it because you don't want to waste it (I'm not projecting; who's projecting?).