The House Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Space with Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home - Arin Murphy-Hiscock 2018

Plants, Stones, and Other Protective Techniques
Using Hearthcraft to Protect Your Home

You can also use the energies of living plants and trees as well as natural stones to protect your home.

Trees and Plants

One of the easiest things to do to protect your house is to plant trees, shrubs, and plants associated with defense and protection around it. If you’re thinking of planting a tree on your property, you can choose one that has protective associations, thereby extending the tree’s value to your home and land as well. If you already have one of these trees on your land or near your home, introduce yourself to it and thank it for the energy it emanates.

✵ Hawthorn: protects against damage from storms, encourages happiness

✵ Birch: protects children

✵ Rowan: protects health

✵ Hazel: protects against evil; encourages abundance and inspiration

✵ Oak: defends against physical harm

✵ Sassafras: defends from evil spirits

✵ Elder: defends against evil and negative energy

✵ Lilac: defends against harmful spirits

When you plant a tree for protection, you can say a prayer such as the following:

Sacred tree [or bush],

Grant us your protection.

May your roots defend us against harm from below,

May your branches defend us against harm from above.

May your leaves and shade

Extend your protection to our home and property.

In return we will care for you, sacred tree,

And guard you against blight and drought.

Sacred tree, we welcome you to our family.

If you don’t own land but there is an existing tree nearby that you wish to use as part of your house and home protection, introduce yourself to it by spending time sitting with it. Get to know its energy and decide if you wish to incorporate it into your work. Trees, like other natural objects, are living creatures and may or may not feel open to working with you. After getting to know its energy over a few days, offer the tree water and ask it if it is willing to work with you as a home guardian. Trust your intuition for the answer.

Using Stones for Protection

Stones and gems are frequently used as protective objects for their associated energies and qualities. These stones in particular are good to use in the home:

✵ Amber: health, prevents energy drain, transforms negative energy to positive energy

✵ Amethyst: absorbs negative energy, promotes harmony

✵ Apache tear: encourages harmony in times of stress

✵ Aventurine: defends prosperity and health

✵ Carnelian: success, creativity, protection from nightmares, equalizes emotions such as anger and grief

✵ Hematite: reflects negativity

✵ Jade: wisdom, fidelity

✵ Lapis lazuli: harmony, serenity

✵ Malachite: prosperity, abundance, protection

✵ Obsidian: absorbs negative energy

✵ Onyx: happiness, good luck

✵ Quartz crystal: transforms negative energy to positive, source of energy for those in the home

✵ Rose quartz: transforms negative energy into positive energy, encourages affection

✵ Tiger eye: stability, wealth

Other Protective Techniques

Folk magic and cultural customs are a treasure trove of protective techniques. Here are some to consider:

✵ Paint magical symbols on walls/ceilings for a specific purpose, using salt water or lemon water. If you get the chance to do it before you repaint a room, do it in the same color of paint before you paint over it.

✵ Walk your property boundaries with cornmeal and water (separately), asking blessings and friendship of the spirits of the land to guard and protect those who live here.

✵ Salt water left out in the center of a room all night will absorb negativity. Wash it away with flowing water in the sink or outdoors the next morning.

✵ Placing a mirror in a window on each side of your home, facing outward, will reflect negativity back to the sender. Likewise hanging a witch ball (a polished glass globe) in the window will absorb and return negative energy.

✵ Bells or wind chimes hung from the doors guard against intruders and stagnant energy. Hang them where the air currents can ring them. They will set up movement in the air and clear the psychic energy of your home.

✵ Hang a mirror empowered to reflect negative energy inside, facing the front door.

✵ Bury protective stones such as onyx, malachite, or amethyst under your doorstep, porch, or steps.

✵ Wash your doorstep with purifying wash (see Chapter 11).

✵ Hang Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs associated with protection inside and outside your house.

✵ Hang an iron horseshoe above your door, with the open end facing upward.