It is known by many names, Witch’s Salt, Witches Salt, Salt Negro, Hoodoo Salt, Santeria Salt, Drive-away Salt, and Black salt to name a few. But whatever you choose to call it, Black salt is a common occurrence on many a magickal ingredients list, especially when casting spells or performing powerful rituals that seek to banish one’s enemies or protect oneself from all harm.
In this article, we will be taking a much closer look at what exactly goes into making this common yet mysterious magickal ingredient and a couple of ways how to use black salt for protection in your own home!
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What is Black Salt?
For those of you who want a little something for powerful protection to tuck away for a rainy day in your stash of magickal tools and tricks, you definitely should consider crafting yourself a batch of this incredibly versatile, highly customizable Black salt!
In fact, did you know that Black Salt (not to be confused with the edible black salt from Indian cuisine) has been used by Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, Voodoo and Hoodoo practitioners for its extreme protective elements for literally centuries? This is powerful stuff!
Black Salt can be spread just about anywhere – in your home, at your workplace, around your sacred circle, and even in the path of your enemies. The list goes on and on! The main purpose of Black Salt is to drive away or cast out those who would seek to harm you (whether physically, mentally, or spiritually).
However, as with most things in life and in magick, Black Salt can have a darker, more sinister side as well. In addition to all of its beneficial uses in light-hearted witchcraft,
Black Salt is also said to be a popular ingredient for crafting magickal hexes or dark curses to ensnare one’s enemies and make them suffer. That said, the use of such dark and toxic magick goes against everything that I believe in and strive for as a good witch, so I will only be focusing on the use of Black Salt for powerful protection and spiritual cleansing in this article.
Remember witches, whatever you cast out will always find its way back to you.
How To Make Black Salt?
One of the things I truly appreciate about using Black Salt in my practice is that I can easily make it myself at home and so can you! All you need are a couple of key magickal ingredients, a strong intention, and preferably the Dark Moon.
You simply gather up all of your magickal materials, head out into the night, and put it all together to craft something truly magickal with some incredible multi-purpose positively protective properties. (Say that five times fast!)
Of course, if you can’t find the time or the magickal materials to make some Black Salt of your own, you could always look into purchasing some pre-made Black Salts online or at your local witchy store.
However, as with everything, if you can actually properly craft it yourself and infuse it with your own unique flavour of magick, it will prove far more effective in your spells!
Metaphysically, witches and other magick practitioners use black salt to absorb negative energies, spiritually toxic vibes, and to protect us from our enemies. I love to use it for everything from soaking up a bad mood to driving away toxic people from my life. This stuff is truly amazing!
Magickal Materials:
Coarse Sea Salt (you can use another form of salt if you can’t find sea salt but typically you will want to have nice large grains or flakes of salt for this recipe.)
Add in any or all of the following magickal ingredients:
- Ashes from your Cauldron or Latest Spell Petition
- Ashes from your Home’s Hearth
- Black Peppercorns
- Activated Charcoal Powder
- (optional) Shavings from your Cast Iron Cauldron or Pan
- (optional but not recommended) A Natural Black Food Dye/Colouring
- Mortar and Pestle
- Air-tight Glass Jar or Container
- Wooden Spoon or Object for Stirring
Protective Properties Explained:
Salt: This mineral can be one of the most powerful in your witchy arsenal especially when it is used in purification or protection spells. Did you know that Salt was once considered so powerful, so precious, that in ancient times, the mineral was treated as a luxury and could often only be found in the homes of the rich and powerful?
In fact, the modern term “Salary” derives its origins from the ancient Latin word “salarium” originally meaning “salt money” and refers to the sum that was paid to soldiers by famous generals such as Julias Ceasar to purchase their salt rations. Hence the expression “worth one’s salt” meaning to be of value.
Of course, nowadays it is extremely easy to not only find but to purchase salt in a stunning array of variety! Yet, while its fiscal value may have changed over the years, salt is still considered to be a powerful ally in spiritual or magickal practices by those of us who understand how to harness its ancient power.
Black Peppercorn: This spice is used to drive away unwanted persons, banish all negative energy, and to give protection from evil. It has a very masculine vibrational energy and is associated with the element of Air, and planet Mars.
Cast Iron Shavings: There are some recipes that recommend using cast iron shavings, such as from your cauldron, or a pan. I personally do not like the idea of shaving pieces off of my magickal tools and risk damaging them later on down the line.
That said, Iron has a long history of repelling or containing harmful entities and magickal energies and if I did decide to use shavings from my own witch’s cauldron or a cast iron pan, it would serve to infuse a lot more of my own power into the concoction.
While some may consider this to be more potent, the truth is that I have found over the years that my own unique methods and materials seem to work out just fine for my personal needs and magickal practice.
Ash: For this recipe, you could use any ashes that you can find such as ash from your home’s hearth (often thought to be the heart of the home), your smudging bundles, your favourite incense, or even your latest spell petitions. Of course, I would recommend trying to use ash that has magickal properties attached to it. For instance, I like to use the remaining ash from a burnt spell petition with witch I had cast a spell for protection or some other useful and positive vibes.
I also love using the remnants of burnt herbs that were used for energy cleansing, unbindings, and/or protection as well as ashes from my home’s hearth (especially after a bit of kitchen witchery). This allows me to combine the energy from these magickal acts along with the purification and protection that I seek to gain from my Black Salt.
Witchy Tip: Want to add an extra bit of oomph to the mix?! Try burning some wood in your hearth that already possesses magickal properties such as Oak, Ash, or Birch for Protection, Cedar or Eucalyptus for Cleansing, and even Rose Thorns to rid yourself of enemies!
Activated Charcoal Powder: This is what will give your salt its deep black colour. There are some who suggest using black food dye in lieu of food-grade activated charcoal, but it is just not as natural.
Plus, charcoal powder is far more enriched with magickal properties. It is associated with Fire, Earth and Air, and is greatly powerful in its cleansing abilities (both medicinally and spiritually). However, if you are absolutely set on using a black food dye in its place, please at least be certain that you use a colouring that is as close to all natural as possible!
Magickal Method:
- Step One: Pour your black peppercorns and sea salt into a mortar and pestle and, if you so desire, grind them together until they reach a consistency that you are happy with. You can have your concoction as coarse or as fine as you want however, I personally prefer mine to be a bit more on the coarse side for easy clean-up.
As you add in the peppercorn and salt try to keep them at a two to one ratio of salt to pepper and once ground, mix them gently with a wooden spoon or branch of natural wood (I love to use Palo Santo!).
- Step Two: Next, add in the gathered ashes from your hearth, burnt herbs, incense, or spell petitions and any cast iron scrapings if using.
- Step Three: Add in the activated charcoal powder and gently stir the mix in a widdershins or counterclockwise motion. Add the charcoal in small increments little by little so that you don’t end up accidentally making your salt too black.
- Step Four: Continue to stir your black salt mixture in a widdershins or counterclockwise motion until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Finish by adding in any additional essential oils or additives such as red pepper flakes etc and pour the black salt into an air-tight glass jar or container for safekeeping.
As you close off the jar, remember to set your intention for the black salt and to speak any protective incantations you may have prepared.
- Step Five: Place your freshly crafted Black Salt outside or on your windowsill under the shadow of the dark moon where it can become further charged with powerful protective and banishing energies.
Here’s How to Use Black Salt For Protection
Okay, so you’ve crafted yourself a bit of Black Salt, now what can you actually do with it? Thankfully, Black Salt can be used alone or even in combination with other magickal ingredients to accomplish rather powerful and even quick results!
Remember, the primary properties of Black Salt are warding, grounding, absorption, protection, and barrier-forming—knowing that, it’s easy to imagine all sorts of different uses for this magickal mix!
Here are a couple of traditional methods to get you started:
? Banish harmful negativity by walking along the boundaries of your property counterclockwise while sprinkling your black salt. You can even pair this activity with another powerful cleansing method such as smudging with sage or palo santo!
? Draw a thin line of black salt across the threshold of every door and window in your home in order to ward off and protect from evil spirits. If there is a particular enemy or person that you wish to keep out, sprinkle some black salt on your doorway while speaking their name aloud and focusing your intent on barring them from your home as well as your life.
? You can use black salt to add to your spell jars or mojo and charm bags in order to repel and protect against negative energy and even curses or hexes!
? Hide a small packet or charm bag of black salt in your workplace or other shared space to help absorb any anger, grouchiness, gossip, etc. (Try taping an envelope of black salt under your desk or drawer and replace periodically with fresh salt.)
? When casting protection spells or in rituals, Black salt can represent the grounding element of Earth in the new moon, protect you during shadow magick, or even serve as an offering when seeking protection and blessings from the Dark Goddess.
? When crafting a charm for a positive outcome such as a money or fame spell, throw in a pinch or two of black salt to ward and protect against any jealousy that may arise from you obtaining your desires.
? A teaspoon or so of black salt dissolved into water makes for an especially effective protective wash when dealing with extra-nasty energetic issues. (Be careful though—black salt can easily stain clothes and other surfaces.) Use the wash on your floor from the back of the room toward the door, and on your body from head to toe before rinsing in a ritual bath or with a bit of refreshing water and mint leaves.
? When an unwanted guest is leaving your home, throw a pinch of black salt in their footsteps to prevent their return. This practice is said to be especially effective against other witches and ill-wishers.
? To protect yourself and remove someone or something toxic from your life for good, write out their name on your altar with black salt. (A paper cone makes this so much easier!) Focus your intent on banishing it/them as you sweep the salt away!
? Craft a protective spell candle by rolling the still-soft wax in black salt. If you are using an existing candle, simply melt the wax surface slightly with the flame from a lighter or match. Use this spell candle in rituals for protection and banishing magick for an extra kick of power!
How To Safely Dispose Of Black Salt?
In fact, the elements can not only dispose of such negative energies but also strip away its impurities returning it to its natural state before releasing it safely back into the universe. Think of it as metaphysical recycling!To dispose of used black salt, you can bury the leftovers away from your property, cast it into running water, scatter it to the four winds, or even burn it!
Just remember, although it is “natural”, salt can kill grass and harm insects when dumped outdoors. A pinch or two during a spell is fine—but avoid harming wildlife with large quantities!
Running water (especially seawater) or a sandy patch of ground away from any plants or roots will be the least impactful place to rid yourself of your unwanted salts.
And there you have it! A super simple recipe for Black Salt and a couple of ideas for how to use Black Salt for protection!
Until Next Time!
Clear Skies & Bright Moons,
Naia Moonbrook
