Salt in folk magic and witchcraft

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Note: This article was originally published by @gritchenwitch on Instagram. To learn about me and my practice, including more info on folk witchcraft, mountain magic, knot work, and hearthcraft, please visit gritchenwitch.com or join my Patreon at patreon.com/gritchenwitch.


One super-easy way to remove negative energy from your home is to keep a jar of salt tucked away in a corner.

Popular in folk magic, you’ll often see salt used in protection (barrier) and cleansing magic. I still occasionally see people throwing salt over their left shoulder to stop whatever bad luck is creeping up behind them (traditionally, it’s to blind the devil).

It’s also great at absorbing energy, good and bad. Therefore, if you feel like your home is holding onto something negative (maybe you want to clear the air after an argument), you can toss the contents of your jar back to the earth and start fresh. (Note: I tend to use 'back to the earth' as a blanket term, but in this case, large quantities of salt can damage soil...the trash is fine!) Likewise, if you’re performing any ritual that involves happiness, love, etc., you can keep a small bowl of salt on your altar to absorb that power and use it elsewhere (like a bath or cleaning solution).

In mountain magic, it’s also extremely bad luck to run out of salt. As an extra safety precaution, you can keep a small packet of it somewhere it’ll never be touched.