Casting Salt: Simple But Effective Protection Magic
We walk a Left-Hand Path, but there are many such paths, and we each walk for different reasons. Some do it for the power, some do it to make the hurt go away, some do it to honor a demon or spirit or lost love, some can't articulate their reasons yet still find fulfillment. Just as there are millions of us, there are millions of reasons why we do what we do. Still, one common trait we share is that sooner or later, we will be attacked for our beliefs. For many of us, another kind of attack - the psychic attack - is also inevitable. My intent for this essay is to provide a framework which can be used to protect against these attacks, at least to a degree.
But first, there are two preliminary topics that need to be clarified.
The first is Self-Confidence. Here's a secret: "magic" (or if you want to be mysterious, "magick") relies heavily upon one's state of mind. In other words, you need Self-Confidence. You need to *know* that you will be able to handle any bullshit the world throws at you. The trappings of magic - the candles, incense, robes, altars, goblets, crystals, athames - are used to help us reach a beneficial state of mind. Those items are useful because they help our self-confidence. Without self-confidence, you could use the most powerful magic in the world, and still be little more than a victim-in-waiting. Some magic is a "set it and forget it" kind of thing, and the method I will outline is among those. Once you complete this work, put it out of your mind, and let your self-confidence carry it the rest of the way.
The second topic is black salt. It's mostly a prop. It's a tool. It is useful because it boosts self-confidence during the somewhat silly deadpan theatrics of ritual. Still, there are valid reasons why it helps us attain the right frame of mind, whether we use the magic grade or food grade variety. Magic grade black salt contains salt and spent ash (that's fine ash from incense, burnt offerings, braziers or fire pits or cauldrons, or even fireplaces). There are often other ingredients, but these are the most significant. Food grade black salt is made primarily with volcanic salt (salt burned black by volcanic heat, mixed with fine volcanic ash). You may have picked up on the key concepts: salt and spent ash. Black salt is an energy dissipator, an energy absorber. Spent ash, especially ash from ritual or ritual-like activity, has expended all its energy. Salt is comprised of tiny crystals which can store energy. Combined into black salt, you get a substance that will absorb and trap energy. That makes it useful for barriers. Is this scientific? No. Does it serve as a useful and therefore valid tool to help us attain a state of mind conducive to self-confidence? Yes.
If you like, you can buy food grade black salt at a high-end grocery store, and be assured that it will work just as well as magic grade. The thought of all those poor, tiny, salt crystals being burnt at 900F by the relentless uncaring heat of a volcano should be enough to let you use it as a tool for absorbing energy. Or, you can make your own black salt by grinding together sea salt (Himalayan pink salt works even better, but is expensive) with plenty of expended ash from incense (not resin incense), offerings, fire pits, and the like. Grind it all together in a cast-iron mortar and pestle, or in a cast-iron cauldron or skillet. If you like, toss in a bit of crushed lava rock or black pumice stone and grind it all up. Some people add black pepper. I do not, because my cat will sneeze on me all night if I add pepper. If you make your own black salt, take care not to "charge it up" with your own emotions, or with anything else. Let it be the energy absorber it should be. As for which is more effective -- store-bought, homemade, food grade, or magic grade black salt -- you have to decide that for yourself.
Now that the preliminary topics are out of the way, we have only the casting to talk about. Building a barrier like this is quite easy, though it can take a couple hours or more. Basically, you take tiny, tiny pinches of the black salt, and flick it around the house while thinking about spiritual protection. Slowly walk every room of your house, and flick tiny pinches of black salt directly at all outside walls and windows (let it land on the windowsills and don't clean it off yet). Include the entire inside of the house, and if you feel like you need to flick a little more in a particular closet, then do it. If you feel you need to redo the garage, then redo it. If your brain says to work through the house in a certain order, then do that. Include closets, bathrooms, garages, attics, basements. If you have a large room, flick a tiny bit up onto the ceiling and let it scatter around the room (and on your head too). At every doorway and opening, sprinkle a very tiny pinch along the threshold. Sprinkle some on your front and back porches, on a balcony, under your car, inside your car, in a barn, on a driveway...anywhere your brain wants. Satisfy the obsessive-compulsive need to sprinkle salt under that one rock in the garden, or in the possum hole behind the barn. The point is, we're trying to reach a state of mind that leads to the retention of self-confidence, so satisfy your brain (but don't let your brain leave you with an inch-deep salty mess to clean up, either).
That's it for the basics. If you like, you can add layers of ritual to it, to help your mental state even more. Here are some ideas for that. This is not a full ritual, but is only a list of ideas you can incorporate into your own ritual, roughly in order:
Light a black 8-hour candle when you begin.
Don't anoint the candle unless you feel compelled to do so, and then use black anointing oil (available online. It's difficult to make because it contains human bone powder).
I'd stay away from petroleum based candles, and would use beeswax or good soy root candles.
If you don't have an appropriate black candle, then other colors can be used, but bear in mind how other colors can change the nature of a working.
To me, a plain uncolored beeswax candle is preferable to a petroleum-based black candle.
Ask for assistance from a demon.
Generally, you won't provide much direction to a demon if it knows why you're asked for help.
Allow the demon to enter rooms ahead of you to "pre-cleanse" them and to find spots of interest.
This can be a bonding experience as well...you asked for help, received help, and accepted the help, in mutual displays of trust.
Perform a cleansing phase, and prepare the house before going back to build the barrier.
Go to each room of the house, open all interior doors, and close all exterior doors and windows.
Leave a stick of sandalwood incense burning in each room as you leave it.
As you walk the house, recite prayers or mantras to boost your self-confidence and resolve.
In each room, provide a short spoken mantra or affirmation that's relevant to a cleansing.
If you asked for spiritual/astral/demonic assistance, use it! Listen to their suggestions.
Demonic assistants greatly appreciate being included in your prayers and mantras after agreeing to help.
Perform a mini-ritual at the half-way point
Say more prayers or meditations, refresh the incense if it's burned down, maybe pour some libation to drink later.
Perhaps you discovered something bad during the cleansing walk...you might want to request additional assistance or perform a special meditation.
When you walk the house to cast the black salt, keep going until your mind is satisfied.
Plan ahead..negativity needs to be destroyed, or needs a path of escape.
If you've requested spiritual or astral assistance, keep a strong connection as you walk the house to cast the salt.
Recite whatever prayer or mantra helps your self-confidence and resolve.
If you lit an 8-hour candle, don't extinguish it. Let it burn itself out.
If you poured libation, drink up! (Or leave it for your patron as a "thank you")
Wait for two or three days before vacuuming or sweeping up the salt.
Repeat about once a year unless you feel you need it more often.
You have your own ideas, I'm certain. So, think about them. If you feel that a particular action will enhance your self-confidence in the working, then use it. You can always adapt and change and expand your methodology should you perform another salt casting.
