Charged Waters: Florida Water

When it comes to charged waters, Florida Water tops the most famous list. It's the only charged water to have its name copyrighted. That's right! Murray and Lanman own the name Florida Water and their version is actually excellent and affordable.

Florida Water was originally marketed as the American version of eau de Cologne having a refreshing and light citrus-rosemary fragrance. However, it has developed into a magical staple among the Voodoo and Santeria communities. Its an extremely powerful spiritual cleanser and protective agent. Many use Florida Water to cleanse their altar and altar tools, during home cleansing and protection rituals, or leave out a bowl as an offering to their ancestors.

Despite the name being copyright by Murray and Lanman, there are thousands of homemade version all over the place. The basic formula contains alcohol, preferably vodka, and floral essential oils. My go to recipe is as follows (although I find it cheaper just to purchase it already made):

• Two cups vodka
• Two tablespoons rose hydrosol
• Sixteen drops bergamot essential oil
• Twelve drops lavender essential oil
• Six drops may chang essential oil
• Three drops rosemary essential oil
• Two drops jasmin essential oil
• Two drops rose attar

Pretty simple recipe, but rather expensive if you only need a small amount.

You can use Florida Water in virtually any cleansing bath, floor wash, ritual, or spell, as long as you do not ingest it. Florida Water is for EXTERNAL use only, so don't go making yourself sick!

Do you use Florida Water in any of your spell work? Maybe you should!

Want to learn about other charged waters? Please refer to my posts on Holy Water and Flower Waters!

Charged Waters: Flower Waters

Last week I introduced charged waters and talked about Holy Water. This week I would like to cover Flower Waters. There are a number of flower waters used in a variety of magic, especially rose water. Although some spells demand very specific flower waters, they may be substitute for regular water in many magical workings, especially those for healing and romantic purposes and for inks and incenses.

Rose water is frequently used in Indian, North African, and Middle Eastern cuisine (might be why I love it so much) and is easily purchased at specialty vendors. Sometimes health shops will also carry rose water, so keep an eye out the next time you venture out. However, pre-packaged rose waters vary greatly in quality as there are no set standards. Some contain very little trace of the flower while others are excellent. That being said, fine hydrosols are more popular now and thus more readily available in today's market. Hydrosols may be the best source of rose water.

If you don't wish to purchase your rose water, you can easily make it at home. However, do not use florist flowers as they are more often than not coated with pesticides which can concentrate in the flower water.

There are two methods you can use to make Rose/Flower Water.

Method 1:

1. Wash and remove petals from roses. Place in a small pot and cover with a quarter of an inch of spring water.
2. Simmer gently until the petals are limp and pallid. When in doubt simmer longer.
3. Strain and allow liquid to cool. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

Method 2:

1. Place washed petals or blossoms in a mason jar.
2. Cover with boiling water and allow to sit overnight.
3. Strain and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Both methods can be used to make any type of flower water as long as the flowers are not poisonous or toxic of course. I will post a more in depth guide in the future.

Rose Water is used for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to:

• Love Magic
• Aiding the the awakening of one who has been in a trance
• Used in a ritual cleansing bath
• To relieve headaches and bruises
• Stimulate sexual appetite and enhance beauty
• Induce prophetic dreams
• Healing magic
• Stress relief

I will talk about lavender water in another post, as it is made from distilling instead of boiling. Until then, do you use rose water in your magical workings?

Charged Waters: Holy Water

This week's Pagan Blog Project letter is W, so I thought I would talk about charged waters.

Charged water is very simply water that has been charged with magical power and intentions. However, not all charged waters are really water. Some are alcohol-based as the roots of perfumeries and liqueurs lie in magical potions and brews. Alcohols commonly used include aquavit or whiskey (which derives from the Gaelic for "water of life") and vodka. Vodka is most common because it has little to no scent. Rubbing alcohol is avoided as it typically has a very strong aroma.

There are several types of charged waters including the infamous Holy Water, Rose Water, and Florida Water. I'll talk about Holy Water as it is probably the most familiar, yet misunderstood of charged waters. Many assume Holy Water indicates Church-blesses water only, but this is an oversimplification of a complex subject. The Roman Catholic Church did not in fact invent Holy Water, but instead adopted it from earlier pagan customs. Holy Water is a crucial component in magical workings, although how it is made varies greatly between traditions. It can refer to:

• Church-blessed Water
• Jordan River Water
• Modern Wicca claims it to be either spring water with salt added or more personal recipes as decided by the coven or witch.
• According to Pow-Wow traditions, it is water with salt and vervain added.
• Some believe water charged by the Full Moon or a lunar eclipse is holy.
• Balinese tradition has a variety of recipes including one that involves unripe coconuts or bamboo. Sometimes ocean water is used.
• British folk traditions say that rain falling on Holy Thursday (Ascension Day) can be used as Holy Water. Other sacred days may be substituted, such as the Summer Solstice, May Eve, New Year's Day, Samhain, a saint's day, or even your birthday.

Balinese Holy Water, Church-blessed Holy Water, and Wiccan Holy Water are all consecrated via ritual. It is the ritual itself that activates the water. Other traditions say no ritual is needed because the sacred, magical power of Holy Water is innate and that a ritual can interfere with its power. So, depending on what you believe, Holy Water can be easily obtained through collection or involve a complex ritual.

Holy Water is used for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to:

• Altar cleansing and blessing.
• Healing spells. Holy Water is believed to be capable of magically transmitting physical relief for headaches and tensions when used in a compress or massage.
• Cleansing and purification for both an individual and sacred space.
• Cleansing and empowering magical tools and materials.
• And of course, exorcisms and banishing spells.

I personally use ocean water as my holy water. Why? Because it contains salt, a natural purifier of negativity and "disease." I collect ocean water in a glass jar whenever we visit the ocean. I try to do it in the moon light to further charge the water, but I find water collected at high noon is just as powerful. Its really a personal choice.

Do you use Holy Water? If so, which tradition do you identify with the most?