Baneful Ingredients

To the Gods lost to time

We may have no way of knowing your name, but we do know you. We know you existed.

We may have no way of knowing what purpose you served in your pantheon, but we appreciate the work that you did, and the work you continue to do.

You may be older than what we think of as the first civilizations, you may be older than evolution, but thank you for being with our ancestors.

Thank you for holding their hands, teaching them how to hunt, which plants were edible, how to walk, how to develop.

It's because of you that humanity exists in the way we know today.

I'm sorry you've been lost to time.

a couple new enamel pins! really excited about this series - eda, raine and more to come soon!

Apollon is the warmth you feel when you wake up in the mornings.

Apollon is the sound of birds chirping on a sunny morning.

Apollon is the breeze on a hot day.

BANEFUL INGREDIENTS AND USES

This is a list I have compiled and have created. With the herbs, they must be negatively charged, just like anything else. Tell them what to do and charge them with your intent. Herbs have polarity, they can heal but they can also hex.

BANEFUL HERBS

Angelica root - misery, strife, distress

Asafoetida - drives enemies away

Bayberry - depression

Blueberry - confusion, strife

Catnip - distraction, loss

Cayenne - anxiety 

Chickory - to sow discord 

Chili powder/flakes - discord, spicy misery

Clove - stop gossip

Dahlia - bad luck, loss

Foxglove - causes, nightmares, vanity

Gardenia - seal their love life

Ginger - bitterness

Hemlock - discord, misery 

Ivy - binding

Lavender - depression, insomnia

Lotus - depression

Mandrake - misery, strife

Mint - visions, nightmares

Mistletoe - serious harm, anxiety, confusion

Mugwort - nightmares, hallucinations, paranoia

Mullein - nightmares

Nightshade - nightmares, anxiety, sickness

Onion - strife

Poppy seeds - discord, nightmares

Rose - tempt into cheating

Rosemary - nightmares, insecurity

Rue - misery 

Spanish moss - bad luck, binding

Tobacco - substitute for (most) any baneful herb

Vetiver - silence

Wormwood - misery, strife

OTHER INGREDIENTS Glass shards - reflect transgressions, to cause harm

Sharp objects (pins, needles, thumb tacks, thorns, etc) - damage, cause harm

Rusty nails - cause harm

Glitter - make their problems stick to them

Price tags - Debt, financial troubles

Dead battery - drain their energy

Vinegar - to sour, to rid yourself of them

Charcoal - block their vision, lack of clarity

Hot sauce - spicy misery

Cover hex jar with tin foil - make victim feel isolated and alone

Googly eyes - evil eye, to make them always feel watched, paranoia

Agar or Pectin - stick their problems to them, cause them stagnation

dog/cat shit - to shit on their life (energetically sever the connection to your pet though)

Cigarette butts - to cause addiction and troubles

Salted earth (just combine hydrophobic soil and salt) - dry up their resources, cause infertility

Nasty bong water - it's gross, need I say more?

Dog hair - fear, anxiety

Urine - to sour

Citric Acid - to pucker, to get them to stfu.

Pro-tip: use ingredients your target is allergic to. This can really help make a powerful hex, especially if they are allergic to nuts and go into anaphylactic shock or have any other extreme adverse reaction.

Any herb CAN be used banefully. Any crystal CAN be used banefully. First see what the herb/crystal is used for and, well, reverse it. Love => loneliness/loss of love. Peace => paranoia. Dream work => nightmares. Mental Clarity => delusions. All you need to do is negatively charge them. Tell them what to do and focus your rage and hate into the herbs/crystals to charge them up.

For more information on baneful ingredients, spellwork, and other herbs' uses, check out The Cobalt Athenaeum discord server!

I'm just thinkin' about how Eda pushed Raine away because of the curse.

She was afraid to let them in. She was afraid to ask them for help, or share how she was feeling...she was scared to show the side of herself that was messy and dangerous and painful and (in her mind) unlovable.

But when she finally let Raine see who she actually was...

...this was their reaction.

...they love all of her. Including those messy and dangerous and painful parts.

“CONNECTING WITH THE LAND

Go somewhere you know well. Someplace that calls to your bones and stirs your blood, whether that's a forest clearing, a pasture, a churchyard, or a mountain trail. “Betwixt” places such as crossroads, the place where three creeks meet, a river between two mountains, the base of a tree grown into three, or a mountaintop are especially good spots to help bring you “between” times and places. Ponder what took place here. How many footprints do you now follow? How many forgotten graves lay beneath the red clay? How many bones has this soil devoured?

Feel the presence of the place. This is the spirit of the land. While few speak of the spirit as having form, it is likely to appear as an animal, a cluster of summer gnats in the sunlight, or a whisper on the breeze. Those with the sight are more inclined to see them; some have reported the spirit of the land lives in the trees themselves and is a simple voice that speaks from an unknown source, while others say it takes the form of giants that make their residence in the mountaintops or the rocks by the rivers. Many of them are left without a name because, much like this work, they're too old for those things or anyone living today.

When you find where your roots are nourished, give an offering to the land. The Cherokee gave corn, tobacco, and blood. The Irish gave bread, butter, and sweet things. Today's Appalachian workers give tobacco, food, hard candy, whiskey, coins, and old cheap jewelry. Sit with the land and feel your surroundings. Walk about and familiarize yourself with the hills and rocks and trees.

Don't expect them to be accepting of you right away, or at all, really. As with any other friendship, it takes time to become familiar with each other and sometimes it will never grow. Some of these land spirits simply wish to be left alone and unbothered by humans. Who could blame them, after the blooddrenched history they have witnessed in these hills? The spirit of a place is simply someone who has taken up residence on that land, meaning it could be a little person, or a haint, or it could simply be made up of the events that occurred there. For example, a bridge known for suicides wouldn't be a good place to start, as it would contain the spiritual traits of its distinguished events.

It will take many times of showing up, giving an offering, and simply presenting yourself before any presence will be shown. Because not all spirits have your best interest in mind, I'd reckon you ought to carry three used horseshoe nails on you: one around your neck and two under the soles of your shoes. It's quite an odd thing to try and do, but with a handy pocketknife you can pry the soles up just enough to slide a nail under it right at the heels. It may be a bit uncomfortable, but horses have always been regarded in Appalachia as being able to see and protect from haints.”

—

3: ‘Barefoot Wandering’

Backwoods Witchcraft:

Conjure & Folk Magic from Appalachia

by Jake Richards

I think a system thing that fails to be represented is how difficult basic hygiene can be, simply because mirrors are so scary. it's hard to look at a reflection that isn't yours, acknowledge a body that isn't yours. it's very easy to skip out on things that most people consider easy, like showering or brushing your teeth or washing your face. it's tough, and it's valid to be freaked out by it. go easy on yourself

Magical Powder Recipes

A collection of some of my original magical powder recipes.

All-Purpose Cursing Powder

Bree's Banishing Powder

Clean House Powder

Come Hither Powder

Dead Man's Dust

Dream Dust

“Eye of Sauron” Revelation Powder

Get Thee Hence Powder

Ghost-Be-Gone Powder

Heal Thy Heart Powder

Hexbreaker Powder

Inspiration Salt

Lucky Day Powder

“Outta My Way” Powder

Peacekeeper Powder

Persuasion Powder

STFU Powder

Traveler’s Luck Powder

Truthfinder Powder

For those of you who may not be able to find herbs locally, here are some online suppliers who consistently have affordable and high-quality products.

Penn Herb Co. - Bulk herbs, spices, and botanicals - including over 400 wildcrafted herbs, gathered from the United States and worldwide. Single ounce packages are available. Excellent source for powders.

Starwest Botanicals - Bulk herbs, spices, oils, and teas. Good amount of organic and Fair Trade products, as well as supplies for holistic medicine and tea-making.

Mountain Rose Herbs - Bulk herbs, spices, and sundries. Also carries organic products and essential oils, and has link to schools that offer courses in herbalism and herbology.

Bulk Apothecary - Bulk herbs, spices, and oils, in addition to materials for the home production of soap, candles, wine, and beer.

For more recipes to fill out your potion kit, you can check out Pestlework: A Book of Magical Powders & Oils. (Available on Amazon and in my shop!)

If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊

have these been done yet

Fuck Off Oil (Banishing  Oil)

Sometimes, just saying “fuck off” doesn’t quite do the trick. Whether it’s unsatisfying or doesn’t repel the asshole you’re trying to get rid of, it might be time to pull out the big guns.

This banishing oil is a revamped version of an oil I made for an old friend many years ago. The original purpose was to rid her home of a nasty invasive spirit and then keep it away, since it had already been banished and returned a few times. She used it to anoint her mirrors, windows, doors, and even herself, followed by a large black pillar candle coated in more of the oil and burned every day until it was just a lump of wax.

It worked perfectly for her purposes, so I have taken that old recipe and recreated it in my current style for my current needs. If you saw my earlier rant post, then you know what this is for. If not, that’s okay - just know that someone has tested my patience and taken advantage of my kindness, and now they should kindly fuck off forever.

Like most of my spells and spell ingredients, this oil is 100% edible… and pretty tasty! See my notes below for ideas on how to use it.

Ingredients:

Oil of Your Choice (I used olive oil because it’s what was in my cabinet)

Salt

Pepper

Red Chili Flakes

Smoked Paprika

Garlic, minced

Onion Powder

Oregano, dried

Caraway Seeds

Coriander

Bay Leaf

A Jar or Bottle

Instructions:

Measure how much oil you will need to fill your jar or bottle of choice. You can pour the oil into a bowl or use a measuring cup to both measure and mix your oil, which is what I did. Fewer dishes to wash at the end!

Add each of your ingredients, one at a time, to the oil. Leave the bay leaf for last, and see step 3. I added the ingredients in the order that they are listed, but you can do them in whatever order suits you best. Be sure to give each a purpose tied back to the person, spirit, or other bothersome creature you are banishing (some ingredients have protective properties; see my note below for how I assigned a purpose to each).

Stir your mixture well. Really whip it. Beat the hell out of it. Etc.

Bay leaves are often used in wish magic or as vehicles for sigils. For our purposes, hold the leaf with both hands and stare at it hard. Think of the person, spirit, or thing you are banishing. Whisper or shout your desire to keep them away from you, adding any specifics you like. Stuff the leaf into your jar or bottle whole.

Pour your mixture into the jar or bottle over the bay leaf. Be sure to get all of the bits of garlic in there.

Cap the jar or bottle and give it a good shake. I recommend letting it sit and infuse for a few days to get a really good flavor going, but you can use it immediately if you want. Just be sure to shake it well to charge it before use.

This oil is good for up to six months, though it may last longer. Keep an eye on it; if it forms mold, throw it away immediately. Keep your jar or bottle in a cool, dark space. Refrigeration is optional, but it’ll last longer if you keep it in the fridge.

Notes:

As with most oils, there are many uses for this recipe. It can be either a spell on its own, or you can create it to be a component in another spell. Or both! Both is good.

I like to use this to cook vegetables like brussels sprouts, asparagus, and potatoes, but you could also use it in a stir fry or to cook meats. This oil also makes for a very pleasant salad dressing when mixed with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. It would be both funny and effective to feed a Fuck Off Salad to your target. If you want to do this, I recommend making it extra spicy, especially if they hate spice and you’re feeling especially vindictive.

If you’re not looking to eat this oil in some way, you can also use it to anoint candles for a banishing spell. Or, if you want to get a little more involved, you can submerge a taglock or poppet in the oil to symbolize the person you are repelling. This would be a great way to continuously banish someone or something if they keep trying to return. Plus, it can have the added benefit of being… uncomfortable for the target.

Here are the purposes I assigned to each ingredient; feel free to use these or come up with your own based off your own experiences:

Salt - Protect the caster during the creation and use of the oil, repel bad vibes and start the process of cleansing

Pepper - First line of fuck off; give a reason or a particular attribute that you want gone, such as “aggression” and “lying”

Chili flakes - Second line of fuck off, this time with ✨spice✨; I assigned “threats” and “rancid vibes” to this ingredient

Garlic - Third line of fuck off; protection against further nonsense, repelling them from contacting me

Onion - Keeping away pests; I use the layers of the onion to symbolize the layers of “fuck off” in the oil and reinforce each one

Oregano - Now comes the part where we protect ourselves from the offending party’s possible retaliation! This is protection from backlash and luck for the success of the spell. This has extra power for me, since my mom grew this oregano and is superbly pissed about someone threatening her kids!

Caraway seeds - Boosting my convictions and inner power, preventing the spell from backfiring on me (the target(s) are also witches, so this was very important to include!)

Coriander - Personal protection against further nonsense, cementing this oil as a line of self-defense

If you use this oil in a spell, let me know how you liked it, if you made any substitutions, and/or how it worked for you!

Happy Banishing, Witches!