Elemental Magic: Earth Spells and Rituals

Wow, what a year 2020 has been thus far. In the first half of the year, we really needed Water to help us heal. We still do as there is much work left to be done this year, but we also need the grounding and centering energy of Earth to help us deal with our anxieties and stresses so we can keep the healing movement going as well as help us understand what is truly important. Next, we will use Fire to continue burning away the old, leaving fertile soil in its wake. I've gotten a little behind on my posts and wanted to already be on Fire, but such is life. Either way, its obvious my intuition knew what elements we would need most at what time of year. Water to heal (COVID-19, anxiety, etc), Earth to ground (recentering ourselves to recognize what is really important), Fire to ignite (fighting injustice), and Air to communicate (voting, letter writing, etc). I did not match them with their traditionally corresponding seasons, and I realize now more than ever there was a reason not to. You see, not everything in life fits into neat correspondences and while we traditionally work with Earth in the winter months, it isn't what we needed this year. We needed in the late spring and early summer. We must recognize that traditions are meant to be broken so that we may work with what we need, instead of what we are told. Your practice is just as unique as you are; take what you need and leave the rest behind.

In this post, I cover a number of spells that include the Earth element. In light of recent events, more specifically the resurgence of massive BLM protests, riots, and a cry for change and the end of police brutality, I decided it was important for me to include spells to help us navigate this revolution. Some of the spells will help you with your mental health, while others are for protection, resistance, and stability. Our current battle may seem like we are trying to move mountains, but even the mountain is weathered away by the slow, steady force of Water and Air. 

If my mention of this turns you off and you decide not to continue to follow my blog, so be it. I am not here to pussyfoot around issues near and dear to my heart, and I most certainly will always use my platform to speak up for marginalized voices. And so it is.

Earthing is the process of physically connecting with the Earth through touch. This is different from grounding in that grounding establishes a spiritual connection while bringing your energies in tune with the Earth, while earthing establishes a physical connection that results in a mental and physiological response. Both the Journal of Inflammation Research and Proceedings fo the National Academy of Sciences have found that physical contact with the Earth, think skin to Earth contact, has profound effects on our health and happiness, including calming the part of your brain that is responsible for depression and anxiety. As such, it reduces stress hormones, decreases blood pressure, relieves tension, and decreases your heart rate likely because the Earth is pulsing with energy. This ritual is simple and a great way to help relieve stress and anxiety, especially during trying times. It's also a great way to connect with the Earth in your area. Don't be surprised if a local spirit wishes to connect with you.

What You'll Need

• An outdoor spot where you will not be disturbed
  
  

What to Do

Begin by traveling to a local forest, park, beach, or just going out into your own yard. If you have nowhere private to go, a dish of soil will also work. Remove your shoes and walk barefoot or touch the soil with your hands, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. When it feels right, stop, close your eyes, and feel your connection to the Earth. Feel your heartbeat slowing down, the stress melting away into the Earth. Imagine the worry, fear, doubt, hatred, anger, depression, and all other emotions flowing out through your feet deep into the Earth. Allow Her to take away the pain, replacing it instead with healing energy, peace, and calm.

Spend at least 15 minutes, if not an hour, connecting physically with the Earth. Lay down if you want, continue walking, or sit in silence. If you wish, ask the Earth if you may bring back gifts with you and should you feel She replies with the affirmative, gather leaves, stones, and other natural objects to bring home with you. Be sure to thank the Earth for the gifts you have received. Place these items on your altar and use them to help you connect with the Earth when stress, doubt, and fear come creeping back in.

This ritual is performed on a regular schedule. Use it to check in with yourself on a weekly or monthly basis or use it as a quick way to dispel fear before a protest!

Amulets are generally worn for protection and take on many forms. Whether you decide to use a crystal, pentacle, or some other object, make sure it can be easily worn on your person or carried with you. Amulets can also be kept in your pocket away from prying hands so it can't be used to subdue you. This protection amulet utilizes the Earth element to protect you from harm, negativity, and stress.

What You'll Need

• String, yarn, cord, chain, or wire
• Smoky quartz, pentacle, or another protective object
  
  

What to Do

This spell is best done between midnight and 3am on a Full Moon or Waxing Moon, although any moon phase can technically be used. Gather your supplies and cleanse the object you are turning into an amulet. Smoky quartz is one of the best crystals to turn into an amulet because of its protective yet calming nature. The wisps of smoke protect the wearer from negativity and harm, while also bringing emotional calmness by relieving stress and anxiety. The pentacle, a symbol of Earth, is also highly protective. Consider using a silver pentacle to reflect negativity and harm away from you.

After your object is cleansed, you need to charge it with your intent. I personally like to blow my intent into an object, but any charging method is fine. While you do so say or chant the following: "I place upon this [insert object name] protective power. It is now a shield from harm and negativity. I call upon the strength of my ancestors at this witching hour, to bless this object with protective serenity. No harm may come so long as it remains. Heed my words and protect forevermore." 

Once charged, you can turn the amulet into a necklace, keychain, or just carry the object on your person. I find that having something tied to it makes it easier to hold onto and prevents it from being lost or misplaced.

Recharge your amulet periodically, usually with each monthly moon cycle, or if you have been exposed to high levels of negativity. If the crystal cracks, this is a sign that the magic is working. Simply replace the crystal with a freshly charged one. Thank the previous crystal for its protection and bury it away from your home. 

The Earth is great at removing things we wish to get rid of through earthly cleansing. As such, witches commonly bury objects to cleanse them or to remove something from their life. While the Earth brings forth life, it also helps things to decay. This spell is designed to get rid of jealousy by allowing it to "rot" in the soil.

What You'll Need

• Potato
• An object from the jealous person (yourself or someone else)
• Brown ribbon or string
• Knife
• Spade or shovel
  
  

What to Do

This spell is best performed during the Dark Moon as it is a form of banishment. Cut the potato in half and carve out a spot between the two halves to fit the item from the jealous person. It can be your own personal jealousy or that of another. If you cannot obtain a personal object, a picture of the person will also work or their full name written on a piece of paper. Place the object inside the potato and tie the two halves together with the brown ribbon or string. Bury the potato somewhere away from your house, creating a resting place where the jealousy can reside. As the potato rots, the jealousy will dissipate.

Now more than ever we have a need to keep the police away from us, or at least protect ourselves from police brutality, especially during protests. This conjure bag or sachet is specifically designed for that purpose. You can carry it on your person, hang it in your home, or place it in your vehicle. Heck, make three so you can place them everywhere. 

What You'll Need

• Sachet or bag with a drawstring
• Fennel seeds
• Sardonyx 
• Hydrangea blossoms
• Crabgrass seed heads
  
  

What to Do

Cleanse and charge the sardonyx with your intent to keep away law enforcement and protect you from police brutality. Place the sardonyx in the sachet followed by a handful of fennel, hydrangea blossoms, and crabgrass seed heads. Sardonyx is often used to obtain justice, especially against the police, while fennel sees ward off authority. Hydrangea blossoms are used for shielding and protection (a reference to their shield-like shape) and crabgrass seed heads, which look like fingers, are used to misdirect and confuse. If you are looking for an extra punch read Psalms 9, 16, and 53 over the sachet, or include them inside. 

While I recognize most of us are not Christian, nor believe in the Christian God, many magical practices include Christian saints and the bible in their magical workings. It is important we respect these traditions, specifically Vodou, Vodoun, Hoodoo, and Santeria that incorporate these elements. They are just as powerful as calling upon your personal spirits or deities.

Tea is a great way to combine the elements of Water and Earth together in harmony. The Water nourishes our soul while the Earthly herbs bring about magical focus. This particular tea is designed to increase your persuasiveness, whether you are arguing in favor of social and political justice, fighting flat earthers online, or trying to convince your Uncle that climate change is real. This herbal infusion can be drunk or used to bathe your hands and face to increase your persuasiveness. 

What You'll Need

• 1-2 teaspoons cinquefoil (five-finger grass)
• 1 cup hot water
• Honey (if drinking)
  
  

What to Do

Begin by boiling water and pouring it over 1-2 teaspoons of dried cinquefoil. Swirl the cup clockwise and imagine it filling with golden yellow light. Yellow is the color of communication and therefore perfect in cases where you wish to persuade someone. Breathe in the steam deeply and say "Five-Finger Grass, growing wild, help me persuade those with whom I speak. Five-Finger Grass, blooming yellow, be the guide I need and seek today and tomorrow. Five-Finger grass, standing tall, give me the confidence to speak my truth. Five-Finger Grass, relentlessly perched, bring me the strength to combat the uncouth. And so it is."

Allow the mixture to steep for about 10 minutes. Strain and add the honey if you wish to drink the tea. If not, rub the infusion on your hands so that everything you touch is favorable or on your face and neck so that your words are convincing. This infusion can be seal in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Sometimes we feel completely powerless over our situation and that things are spiraling out of control. This ritual is designed to bring you tranquility and peace and uses a common prayer along with crystals to help calm your spirit and bring you strength. 

What You'll Need

• 5 smoky quartz crystals
• Personal item or photograph
  
• Private space
  
  

What to Do

Begin by sitting quietly in your private space. This can be your altar, a place in the woods, or anywhere else you can work without being disturbed. If you like, cleanse and consecrate the area and cast a circle. While sitting quietly, close your eyes and think about what is causing you to feel powerless. Focus on specific events, actions, words, etc that have caused this unease. Think about what you can do to change the situation. Think about what is out of your control. Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Allow what you cannot change to leave your body and enter into the ground.

When you have reached a state of calmness, open your eyes and place your personal item in front of you. Cleanse the smoky quartz, which is extremely grounding in nature as well as an absorber of negativity, by blowing on each crystal. This not only cleanse the crystals but also solidify its connection with you. Begin placing the 5 crystals around your personal object while chanting "Grant me the serenity to accept the thing I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." 

Spend time meditating and infusing the ritual with your energy. Allow yourself to feel your connection with the Earth and the tranquility its calming embrace brings. Leave the crystals and your personal item out as long as you can. If possible, continue to return to this place to reinforce the magical working.

Earth has the power to bring about great change and new beginnings. We see this each year with the turning of the wheel. We can harness that power to bring about change in our own lives by sowing seeds and watching them grow. As they do so, what we seek to change comes to light.

What You'll Need

• Small pot
• Soil to fill the pot
• Seeds (doesn't matter what kind)
• Water
• Paint, Sharpie, or markers to decorate the pot
  
  

What to Do

Fill the pot with soil and press the seeds you have chosen into the soil. As you do so say "I sow these seeds of change to bring about my heart's desire." If you want, include what you wish to change in your chant. Gently water the seeds and keep the soil moist until the seeds begin sprouting. 

Decorate the outside of the pot with symbols, sigils, images, and colors associated with the change you wish to bring. For example, if you wish for social justice draw scales, swords, or the runes tiwaz and hagalaz. Make the decorations personal. Infuse these images with your power and keep your intention clear as you do so.

As the seeds grow, so shall the change you desire.

***

These spells are just some of the many uses of Earth, some of which you can find elsewhere on my blog. Again, I tried to include several spells to help us navigate the current social climate, but there are several spells that can be used whenever you need them. How do you use Earth in your practice? Share your spells and ideas in the comments below!

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

If you liked this post and would like to support future content, please consider leaving a small tip in the jar. 

Elemental Magic: Tools of Earth

In today's post, I will discuss some of the many tools associated with Earth and how you can use them in your practice. Many of these tools were hinted at or discussed when I introduced you to some of the folklore surrounding Earth. However, this post is more of a correspondences type list that you can use to quickly plan spells. For your pleasure, I have also included a free 5-page printable for your Grimoire or Book of Shadows. Enjoy!

Beach Sand: Use for calming or anxiety spells to gradually wash away and smooth out fear or negativity, for spells regarding change, or in magic for motivation or strength.

Biogenic Sand: Biogenic sand is comprised of exoskeletons and bone fragments of sea creatures. It can be used in magic for healing and protection.

Black Lava Salt: Black lava salt is infused with activated charcoal from lava flows in Hawaii and Cyprus. Use it to absorb and dispel negativity or in spells to banish negative emotions or physical toxins. This is a great bath ingredient should you get your hands on some.

Black Sand: Like black lava salt, black sand can be used for protection, banishing, or negativity-based spells including cursing and hexing.

Chalk: Often made of calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate, chalk is a basic necessity in many a witch's craft. It can be used to cast/draw circles, sigils, and protection symbols without harming property. You can also create binding chalk. The Traveling Witch has a great recipe.

Clay: Clay can be used in a variety of ways in witchcraft depending on the type of clay being used. Red clay and bentonite clay are great in healing and purification rituals, while other clays are great for grounding and sculpting.

Desert Sand: Use for cursing to "dry" your target of wealth, luck, or happiness or add to a resilience spell for the capability to grow through hard times or situations. Desert sand is also great for endurance and strength spells.

Epsom Salt: Also known as magnesium sulfate, Epsom salt is best used in purifying baths and detoxing rituals due to its natural detoxing properties. 

Humus: Humus is a mixture of decomposing plant material that is typically found on the top of the soil. It is nutrient-dense and acts as a sponge for water. Use humus for spells needing an extra kick, for fertility rituals, for nurturing spells, or when you are looking to hold onto something. Humus is also great for grounding and for seed magic.

Loam: Loam is a type of soil that is high in nutrients and moisture. Like humus, use loam for nurturing or fertility spells or when you are looking to hold onto something. 

Mud: Mud is a combination of Water and Earth, and therefore holds magical properties from both. It can be used for grounding, burying objects, and even for cleansing.

Peat: Peat, not to be confused with peat moss, is commonly found in areas where stagnant water and wetlands obstruct the flow of oxygen, thus slowing the rate of decomposition. Its made up of partially decayed organic matter and was traditionally used as a fuel source in many countries, especially Ireland. It can be used in healing spells (as Roman soldiers used it to treat wounds), to stagnant an enemy or situation, to burn bridges and barriers, and in fertility spells.

Pink Himalayan Salt: Mined from salt rock deposits near the Himalayans, pink Himalayan salt gets its hue from the trace minerals found in the deposits. Use in spells to attract love, romance, or friendship.

River Sand: Due to its flowing nature, river sand is perfect for spells that focus on moving on physically or mentally, change, or healing. It can act as an offering to the element Water.

Sea Salt: Use for cleansing, purification, and protection spells. Sea salt can also be used to connect with the element Water, to wash away fears and inhibitions, or cyclic spells and rituals.

Silt: Silt is a favorite among farmers, especially those in the Nile River Valley where the silt gives the river banks a boost of nutrients during the yearly floods (which no longer occur naturally due to damming). Silt can be used in fertility spells, to make a situation slippery, or to add an extra push to spells needed "nutrients." It is also great for seed spells and new beginnings.

Table Salt: Table salt usually mined from a salt mine, cleaned, and mixed with anti-caking substances and iodine before being sold in stores. Like all salt, it can be used for protection, purification, and drawing/casting circles.

Volcanic Sand: Use for destructive spells or curses, in magic to reveal deeper or hidden meanings and feelings, or for banishing magic. It can act as an offering to the element Fire.

Acorns: Acorns can be worn or carried to promote youthfulness, longevity, luck, and protection. They are also commonly used in spells for wisdom and prosperity, as well as to attract faeries.

Antlers: Often used to represent the god Cernunnos, antlers can be used for protection, strength, endurance, deflecting curses, and as a symbol of hope. Antlers are also a great way to connect with spirits and aid in spirit communication as deer are believed to be able to pass between worlds with ease.

Bones: While each type of bone has a slightly different correspondence, they can be used to represent the element Earth and in spells related to death, spirits, and ancestral work. Teeth can be used in aid in communication, defense, news, or to add "bite" to a spell. Skulls are commonly used for communication, learning, thoughts, divination, spirit work, and astral travel. Vertebrae can be used for support, endurance, confidence, and strength, especially if you need help holding your head high and walking tall. Rib bones are perfect for agility and protection. 

Broom: Brooms can be used for protection, to ward off negativity, banishment, and to sweep away the "dirty" energy. If you cast a magical circle, a broom can be used to guard the entrance and exit should you need to leave for whatever reason.

Ceramics: Earthenware bowls, statues, beads, or other objects can be used for a variety of purposes, depending on their design. Use them to represent deities, to hold soil, crystals, or other representatives of Earth, or as fire-safe bowls.

Coins: Coins can be used to promote prosperity, abundance, and luck, while also acting as a grounding agent depending on the material used. Coins are great for money spells and job magic.

Disk: In tarot, Earth is often represented by coins, disks, or pentacles. Disks can be used to represent the element Earth on your altar, as plates for spell casting, to represent the cyclic nature of the season, or the Wheel of the Year.

Emerald: Often referred to as the "Stone of Truth," emerald can be used to protect the wearer or user from deception and lies. It is also useful in protecting against domestic violence, nightmares, a psychic attack. Emerald is also great for connecting with the Otherworld and contacting spirits.

Flowers: Flowers are a great way to represent the element Earth on your altar or around your home. While each flower has a different magical correspondence, they can be used in beauty magic, grounding, purification rituals, and spiritual cleansing.

Horns: Horns can be used in defensive magic, to add aggression to a spell, for endurance, perseverance, protection, cursing/hexing, or in wealth spells.

Iron: Iron is deeply associated with the Earth, as well as heavenly bodies. Iron is found in abundance across the universe, thus embodying the phrase "As Above, So Below." Iron is often used for grounding, as well as for protection, power, courage, and strength. Because of its connection with both Earth and the heavens, it can be used to travel between worlds.

Jet: Jet is commonly used for protection, especially of a home or business, or against psychic vampires. It also guards against nightmares, violence, and anxiety. Use it to bring balance to your life.

Lead: Lead is the heaviest of the base metals and blocks out both light, sound, and electricity. While often associated with Fire, lead is also deeply connected to Earth. It can be used for grounding, strength, stability, meditation, and to connect with the Otherworld. It's also perfect for breaking habits and shadow work.

Leaves: Like flowers, the types of leaves you use will have different correspondences, however, they are a great way to represent the Earth. Place them on your altar as an offering or to help you ground and center.

Moss: Moss grows rapidly and abundantly in low-light conditions and can, therefore, be used for protection, prosperity, abundance, wealth, and luck magic. It can also bring stillness or calmness to a situation.

Moss Agate: Moss agate is most commonly used in gardening magic, to promote fertility and health among your plants. However, on a personal level, it can be used to balance emotions, bring inner peace, and quiet the mind. Moss agate is a great grounding stone.

Pentacles: Pentacles are most commonly used as a form of protection, whether it be an object or living creature. They can be worn, carried, or drawn in chalk, oil, or in the air. The pentacle can also be used for banishing, summoning, cleansing, or connecting with all the elements.

River Rocks: River rocks are perfect for grounding, smoothing a situation, healing spells, or in magic relating to being steadfast yet open to change. 

Roots: Roots and root vegetables can be used in protection and grounding rituals, as well as for cleansing. They also act as a great offering to local spirits, deities, and ancestors. They can also be used for endurance, steadfastness, stability, strength, and longevity. 

Seeds: Mostly commonly used in fertility magic, seeds can also be used for spells regarding new beginnings, growth, abundance, and strength. Use it to help grow both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Whisper spells and blessings over seeds and watch your magic grow with them.

And there you have it. A complete list of types of Earth as well as commonly used tools associated with Earth! Below is a free 5-page printable for your Grimoire or Book of Shadows.

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

If you liked this post and would like to support future content, please consider leaving a small tip in the jar. 

Elemental Magic: Connecting with Earth Ritual

Now that we have covered Earth folklore and correspondences, its time to actually start working with Earth! Today I share a ritual to help you connect with Earth more intimately and start building the foundation for healing and change. There are several tasks in this post and I encourage you to perform each of them with fidelity. Before we get started, however, I'd like to discuss what I put together for the first Earth task presented two weeks ago.

The first task was to research your local ley lines. These lines are believed to be areas of power, a liminal place full of magic, and often intersect through many holy or sacred places across the world, including Stonehenge, the Gret Pyramids, and even the Great Wall of China.

There are a number of online maps that lay out where these ley lines are, but I suggested you first lookup local holy and sacred places in your area before consulting these maps. This helps you become more intimately familiar with your local area, thus helping you develop a more localized practice. I am rather close to the Etowah Indian Mounds, which are situated extremely close if not directly on a leyline running through Georgia. It's hard to tell from a map, but there aren't many scared sites in Georgia, making it difficult to completely map out the ley lines by hand. However, the Georgia Guidestones are on the same ley line as the Etowah Indian Mounds, giving me a reason to believe the mounds are close enough to be considered on a ley line. According to some maps, Stone Mountain, a large granite pluton outside of Atlanta, is also on a ley line. I used to live right at the mountain and felt a deep connection to the park. In fact, I ran through the park almost every day when I lived nearby. Its the only thing I miss about Atlanta.

Once I realized the mounds and Stone Mountain were both along ley lines, I started looking at where I have chosen to live as an adult. My current house and the one by Stone Mountain are either directly on a potential ley line or close enough to one to feel its power. I find it interesting that I was naturally drawn to these areas, and you may very well find something similar.

What were you able to find on your search?

There are a number of ways you can connect with the element Earth, but one of the best ways is to go outside and touch the Earth directly. However, I recognize not everyone can do that, so I have designed a ritual that can take place indoors or outdoors depending on your needs.

Ingredients:

• Quiet place outside in direct connect with the Earth or a bowl of Earth (soil or salt)
• Blanket (if you are concerned about your clothes getting dirty or ants)
• Quartz crystal

Directions:
Begin by sitting quietly in your chosen spot, whether this be in a field, deep within a forest, or in the comfort of your own home at your altar. If possible, place your feet and/or hands flat on the ground or in the bowl of Earth. Feel the coolness of the Earth on your body. Close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly as the coolness slowly embraces you. Imagine roots sprouting from your feet and hands, sinking deep into the Earth. Follow these roots in your mind's eye, watching them penetrate deep into the Earth. When they stop growing, send out your energy and ask for the Earth to nurture your soul. Feel the nutrients from the soil enter into the roots you have placed and traveling through to your mind, body, and soul. Continue to breathe deeply and slowly, embracing the calming, stabilizing energy of the Earth. Continue this visualization for as long as you can, soaking up the nutrients and nourishing your spirit.

When ready, retract the roots back into your body and open your eyes. Hold the quartz crystal between your hands until you feel it warm with your energy. Once warm, blow lightly on the quartz, further infusing it with your energy. Bury the quartz in the soil nearby or in the bowl of Earth as a thank you. Thank the Earth for her loving embrace and if possible, spend some time exploring the area or sitting quietly with the Earth on your altar. Be open to receive any communication Earth may have for you. The lessons She has to teach us are different from witch to witch, so I cannot say exactly what you will experience, but know the message She has for you is important.

When you are finished, take a deep breath, thank the Earth for its time and be sure to journal about your experience. Keeping detailed notes is an integral part of any practice, and will help you keep track of your elemental magic journey should you need to come back to parts of it later. The messages you may have received during your ritual should be written down immediately and may require some research on your part.

You can repeat this ritual over and over and over again as needed. In fact, what we have done is called grounding, but it is an extremely powerful method of connecting and building a relationship with Earth. Honestly, I see no better way of developing a relationship with Earth other than to spend time in nature, touching Earth, and feeling her loving, calming embrace as often as possible. 

I love altars. I like designing them. I like looking at them. I like using them. Altars, especially when placed somewhere you frequent, are a great reminder to practice magic daily. They are also a great way to build a relationship with something, such as an element. Once you have established a connection with Earth through the ritual above, you need to continue to nurture it so it may grow and one of the best ways to do that is with an altar dedicated just to Earth.

Plan to have your altar dedicated to Earth for the next couple of weeks. How you set up your altar is completely up to you, but I encourage you to place a bowl of Earth on your altar as well as other symbols associated with Earth. Below are some ideas of items to include:

• a bowl of dirt or salt
• local rocks, stones, or crystals
• pentacle or coin tarot cards
• acorns, bark, lichen, moss, oak, honeysuckle, sage, magnolia, ivy, oak, or cedar
• antlers
• emerald, peridot, slate, iron, granite, quartz, tiger's eye, jet, tourmaline, moss agate, or jasper.
• branches, flowers, and leaves

Once you have set up your altar, spend about 15 minutes a day lightly meditating about Earth and the ritual experience you had. Touch the Earth on your altar daily and feel the grounding energy it possesses. Use your crystal of choice to draw an upside-down triangle with a line through it around on the bottoms of your feet to connect with Earth more intimately. 

***

And there you have it! Let me know how things went in the comments below.

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

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Elemental Magic: A Complete Guide to Earth Folklore & Correspondences

The second stop on our elemental journey is Earth, the element of stability, grounding, and steadfastness as well as fertility, rebirth, and death. It is the perfect element to work with during the spring and early summer months because it is during this time that the Earth is coming back to life and we can venture into Her depths once more. After working with Water, you likely opened some emotional doors, whether you intended to or not. Such work often requires us to ground and center, using the Earth as our loving Mother. In today's post, I will discuss the element Earth in all her glory, from her history to her correspondences to how she works with the other elements. Unlike the other elements, however, Earth has very little folklore dealing specifically with the physical Earth. Much of our Earth folklore deals with trees, plants, and individual crystals, which is not what I wish to focus on in this post. Nevertheless, I've put together as much folklore as I could for your learning pleasure!

When it comes to the Earth, much of the focus of our folklore focuses on how our planet was actually formed. These myths shed a great deal of light on our magical associations with the element Earth, especially in regards to rebirth, fertility, and death. The name Earth comes from the Norse goddess Jord, pronounces "yurdth," who was a personification of Earth. While she is not an official goddess of the Norse pantheon as she was a jotnar, it is believed she coupled with Odin to bear a son known as Thor. Jord was believed to be the life force of the planet, causing trees to fruit and seeds to sprout at her touch, thus strongly associating her with fertility, birth, and new beginnings. Her personification was adopted by a number of cultures across Europe and eventually became known as Mother Earth or Mother Nature. Greek Mythology has a similar goddess known as Gaia. According to Greek creation myths, Gaia (the Earth) emerged from Chaos. Without assistance, she bore Uranus the Sky who then fertilized her. From this union, the Titans were born of which the Gods and Goddesses were born. As such, Gaia is the personification of Earth, the mother of all life. In Roman mythology she is referred to as Terra, meaning Earth. Similar myths can be found in every culture around the world, but they all have two things in common, the Earth is usually a feminine figure associated with birth and life.

Apart from creation myths, Earth also appears as the golem. According to Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated human-like creature made of mud and clay. Through ritual work, a creature could be brought to life using clay and mud to do the life-givers bidding. Some reports say to bring the golem to life, the Hebrew equivalent of the word "shem" was written on a piece of paper and placed in the golem's mouth while other reports say "emet" which means truth was written on the forehead of the golem. To "kill" the golem the paper was removed or the last letter of the word truth was removed to turn the word into dead. In Prague, Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel brought a golem to life to protect the Prague ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks. The golem was believed to be able to communicate with and summon spirits as well as go invisible. He kept the ghetto safe for quite some time and every Friday evening, the Rabbi would remove the shem from the golem's forehead to allow it to rest without spoiling the Sabbath. However, one Friday he forgot to remove the shem and the golem went on a murderous rampage. The Rabbi managed to pull the shem from the golem's mouth in front the synagogue where the golem fell apart. Supposedly the remains of the golem are stored in the attic of genizah of the Old New Synagogue waiting to be restored should the need arise. There are many similar legends across Eastern Europe featuring golems that were originally created to protect or carry out menial tasks. However, many end in the golems becoming unruly and needing to be tricked into their demise. Either way, the creation of a golem from nothing but Earth lends to the belief that Earth is the giver of life and a protector, much like the Cherokee creation myth which suggests the Earth and all Her life was created from mud.

The rest of our Earth folklore focuses on ley lines, a grid of Earth energies that circle the globe that connect important sacred sites. In the British Isles, these lines were sometimes referred to as "fairy paths" and it was believed to be dangerous to walk along them for fear of being snatched by the fairies. In general, these lines not only connected sacred sites, but also certain hilltops in the countryside, and were liminal places between realms. We still view them as such today, recognizing the energy found among them is potent as well as liminal. Alfred Watkins, a landscape photographer, was the first the describe ley lines in 1921 when he noticed that our ancestors built and used prominent features in the landscape as navigation points and that these landmarks could be connected in straight lines. These scared sites include standing stones, such as Stonehenge, stone circles, barrows, fairy mounds, hill forts, ancient moats, pre-Reformation churches, crossroads, and prominent hilltops across the British Isles. But its not just in the British Isles that we see this. In fact, all major historical sites, such as the pyramids, line up in straight lines around the world. Watkins did not believe ley lines were magical or mystical but instead believed them to be routes that were followed by our ancestors for religious rites or trading. However, while Watkins coined the term, he wasn't the first to describe the phenomena. In 1870, William Henry Black theorized there were "grand geometrical lines across the country" that connects monuments in western Europe. While there is no scientific evidence supporting that these areas are any different from the surrounding areas, energy work and dowsing usually connect one with them quite quickly. Captain Robert Boothby and Reginald Smith of the British Museum apparently linked ley-lines with underground streams and magnetic currents using dowsing, concluding that areas where "positive" and "negative" lines crossed correspond with sacred sites. Despite the fact that many scared sites align, the biggest challenge facing ley lines is that not everyone considers the same sites holy; what one local region designates as a holy place, may not be considered holy elsewhere. This makes it difficult to plot all scared places along ley lines. Furthermore, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line and most trackways were in straight lines where possible historically so it makes sense that such sites would be aligned in a straight line. No matter what you believe, however, most find these areas to be teeming with Earth energies, using them to reinforce magical workings regarding the Earth, to amplify magic, and as a way to connect with the Otherworld.

Below is a quick correspondence guide for water, including a free printable page for your Book of Shadows!

Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus, Saturn
Time: Midnight
Season: Winter
Direction: North (although if the closest body of earth to you is a different direction, use that instead)
Tarot Cards: Pentacles, Coins
Zodiac: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Symbolism: Grounding, strength, healing, success, stability, sturdiness, steadfastness, foundations, empathy, fertility, death, rebirth, wisdom, nature, animals, plants, money, prosperity,
Symbols: Rocks, plains, soil, caves, fields, stones, trees, gardens, canyons, forests
Deities: Cerridwyn, Demeter, Gaia, Terra, Jord, Ceres, Rhiannon, Persephone, Epona, Ptithivi, Pan, Herne, Cernunnos, Thoth, Adonis, Tammuz, Dionysus, Athos, Mah, Nephtys, Marduk, Athos, Arawn, Cybele, Leimarel Sidabi, Opes, Proserpina, Mat Zemlya, Pachamama, Houtu, Umay, Sif, Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Geb, Asintmah, Zemes mate, Mlande, Mlande-Ava, Nerthus, Veles, Mokosh
Nature Spirits: Gnomes, fairies, trolls, dwarves, dryads, faun
Colors: Green, brown, black, gold
Food and Drink: Beer, vodka, whiskey, bread, salt, garlic, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, nuts, rice, oats, butter
Herbs: Oak, cedar, cypress, honeysuckle, ivy, primrose, sage, grains, patchouli, nuts, magnolia, comfrey, vetivert, moss, lilac, lichen, roots, barley, alfalfa, corn, rice
Crystals and Gemstones: Emerald, peridot, amethyst, jet, tourmaline, granite, quartz, salt, jasper, azurite, onyx, bedrock, tiger's eye, rutilated quartz, fluorite, slate, lead, iron, moss agate, tree agate, coal
Animals: gopher, bear, wolf, ant, horse, stag, deer, dog, cow, bull, bison, snake, worms, moles, voles, grubs

How does Earth work with the other elements?

Earth with Fire: Earth can be used to smother Fire, while Fire can be used to melt Earth into magma or reshape it into precious crystals.
Earth with Water: Earth is fertilized by Water, bringing it lifegiving properties for plants, while Earth can pollute Water, making it unsuitable for life. Earth also hold Water, giving it a place to reside.
Earth with Air: Earth can be eroded and carried by Air, while Earth often remains steadfast, even during the strongest winds.

Your task for the next week is to find ley lines in your area. There are many ways to do this, but I suggest you pull out an old fashioned map first and circle some historical sites of religious or spiritual importance. Use sites indigenous people found sacred, not areas colonizers picked. Indigenous people were much more in tune with the land and naturally followed these lines of power, compared to colonizers whose only goal was to tame and conquer the wild world. Once you have found some spots in your local area, see if any of them match up in a perfectly straight line. If they do, you have likely found a ley line. If not, it may be you have found spots on different ley lines. Finally, pull up a map of ley lines in your country and see if any of these maps correspond with what you found. The reason I want you to check Google last is because I am encouraging you to develop a more local practice. By learning about local history, sacred sites, and whatnot, you are slowly developing a more localized practice and becoming more in tune with the world in your area. These steps are necessary for working with the Genius Loci or spirits of place. 

Next week I will dive into how to connect more deeply with Earth using a simple yet effective ritual. I'll also share my ley line research and follow up the post later in the month with tools of Earth and finish out with Earth spells and rituals you can easily perform from home!

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

Help support future writings:

Elemental Magic: Introduction to the Elements

Well, the survey results were pretty clear regarding which topic you guys wanted me to talk about in more detail: The Elements. One of the biggest issues with most modern books on witchcraft is that they gloss over the Elements, giving a brief overview and their correspondences, then never returning to them with more detail. How have the Elements been used historically? How can one connect on a deep spiritual level with each element? How can the Elements be used in witchcraft in a meaningful way that enhances a spell's potency, instead of just throwing them in because their correspondences align with the spell? These are questions this series will help to answer.

The plan for the next several months is to dive deep into each element and how you can use it more effectively in your spellcraft. For each element, I will discuss their history, correspondences, tools, and how they work with other elements, as well as provide you with a ritual designed to specifically connect with that element with alternative methods for those without access to certain materials or limited mobility, and finish with spells and rituals that incorporate that element in a positive, enriching way, with a full explanation of course.

But what are the Elements? There are four basic elements: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. For many of us, we include a fifth element that pulls everything together, and I'm not talking about a beautiful weapon with orange hair designed to save Earth from impending destruction. I'm talking about Spirit or ether. Honestly, you could think about Spirit as a weapon against impending destruction if you like. It's the human spirit that has gotten humankind through more than one rough patch. Its the human spirit that has driven innovation, exploration, and discovery. It is also the human spirit that drives kindness, passion, empathy, and love. Spirit is the magical fountain within each of us; our individual source. Within Spirit, all the basic four elements come together to work in harmony with one another.

In most if not all traditions, each element is associated with very specific correspondences and used in specific ways based on their nature. Water is traditionally associated with healing, emotions, and intuition. It is sometimes referred to as the element of movement, as water is constantly in motion, and is often used in spells for cleansing, purifying, clarifying, and healing the body and mind, but is also destructive and deadly. Water can take life just as easily as it gives life. Earth, also known as the solid element, is the element of stability, grounding, endurance, abundance, and even stubbornness. Earth is often unyielding, but other times light as a feather and easily moved. It is from the Earth that plants grow and thrive (with few exceptions, think mistletoe), providing an abundant life source of food. In spellwork, Earth is often used for grounding and centering, to make a spell stick, or to bring abundance and prosperity. Fire, on the other hand, represents passion, enthusiasm, love, and transformation, and is vastly unpredictable and volatile. It is often used to spark innovation, increase vitality and vigor, as well as speed up a spell, or during transformations. When used properly, fire is a potent ally in spellwork. Finally, there is Air, the most elusive of the elements as we cannot easily see it. Air is the element of communication, knowledge, and wisdom, but can be flighty and a bit ditzy at times. Air is often used in spells to carry messages, especially to the Universe, spirits, deities, and our ancestors, through the use of incense. Air is also used in spells to aid in communication between two parties on our plane of existence and to bring wisdom to a spell.

For this series, I will be starting with Water, which asked to be first because it is associated with healing and starting over. What better element to begin the new year with? Plus, emotions have been running high, relationships have come crashing down, and everyone is at their wit's end. I think some serious healing is in order. I will follow Water with Earth, as life is returning in the Spring and early Summer months. After healing, we all need a little grounding and Earth will help us do just that. Next, I will cover Fire, as the Summer Sun is beating down passionately on the Earth, bringing with it plentiful gardens, beach bonfires, and the longest day of the year. Once we have healed and recentered, it's time to start anew and fire will help with this transformation. As the year begins to wane, I will delve into Air. Communication and lightheartedness are important during the early Fall months as we shift gears for Winter and return back to jobs and school after Summer fun. Air will help us communicate our new selves and ideas to others. Finally, I will end the series with Spirit, helping you connect to the magic within yourself. Winter is the perfect time for shadow work, reflection, and spiritual growth and it only seems fitting that we end with ourselves. By the end of this series, I hope that not only will you have developed a relationship with each element and a deeper understanding of how to use each, but that you will have transformed through their ritual use. 2020 is a year of healing and transformation, and what better way to do it than through the elements?

I look forward to walking this road with each of you and seeing where it takes us. While I have a general outline of the series to come, I am going to let intuition guide me, so keep in mind some of the outline may change as we proceed.

Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

Introduction to the Elements
Water
Water Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Water Ritual
Tools of Water
Water Spells and Rituals
Earth
Earth Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Earth Ritual
Tools of Earth
Earth Spells and Rituals
Fire
Fire Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Fire Ritual
Tools of Fire
Fire Spells and Rituals
Air
Air Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting With Air Ritual
Tools of Air
Air Spells and Rituals
Spirit
Spirit Folklore & Correspondences
Connecting with Spirit Ritual
Tools of Spirit

Putting It All Together

Looking for more information on the elements? Check out my posts on the topic:

Representing the Elements with Crystals
Infograph: Water
Infograph: Earth
Infograph: Fire
Infograph: Air

Help support future writings:

Representing the Elements with Crystals

Generally when people think of crystals they associate them with the element Earth. This isn't incorrect by any means as crystals come straight from Mother Earth, and, therefore, they have a strong Earthly connection, but this isn't the only way to think about crystals. In fact, many crystals are born of Fire, Air, and Water, depending on how the crystal was formed. If you are looking at a new way to represent the elements on your altar, especially if you can't have candles or incense or don't have a lot of space, crystals are a great, smoke-free, flame-free, inconspicuous way to represent all the elements.

Some of these crystals are harder to find than others, so I have made sure to list easy to find alternatives as well. Remember, if a crystal speaks Water to you, but I have it listed under Air, go with your gut. Your associations and correspondences are more important and will make your altar and magic more personal and therefore strong. 

Earth

Earth represents grounding, stability, protection, prosperity, strength, and success. Really any crystal can be used to represent Earth, but if you are looking for specifics feel free to use any of the crystals below.

Black Tourmaline
Moss Agate
Jet
Malachite
Emerald
Peridot
Onyx
Jasper
Petrified Wood
Halite

 

Water

Water is the basis of all life on Earth, and with water comes healing, purification, peace, intuition, divination, and emotions. Look for blue and white stones to represent water.

Pearls
Amethyst
Aquamarine
Coral
Moonstone
Blue Agate
Azurite
Chalcedony
Lapis lazuli
Sodalite

 

Air

Air is associated with thought, reason, intellect, memory, and knowledge. Being associated with yellow, many yellow stones are perfect for representing Air.

Tiger's Eye
Citrine
Opal
Topaz
Turquiose
Mica
Rhodonite
Amazonite
Fluorite
 Calcite

 

Fire

Finally Fire represents passion, courage, lust, romance, desire, and force. It can both create and destroy. Brightly colored red crystals are prefect to represent fire.

Carnelian
Sun Stone
Red Calcite
Amber
Garnet
Tektites
Fire Agate
Ruby
Red Jasper
Citrine

Don't worry if you don't have any of the crystals listed above to represent the elements. There are several crystals that can be used to represent all four, including clear quartz. Clear quartz is am amplifier of all energies and can be used for just about anything. A crystal you may be unfamiliar with, Zeolite crystals, also represents all four elements. Zeolite crystals is crystallized sea water and lava. When it forms it combines lava (Fire and Earth) with sea water (Water) and ash (Air) to form a beautiful crystal. Zeolites include Apophyllite, Scolecite, and Heulandite. If you are limited on space, try using quartz or zeolite to represent the elements.

How do you represent the Elements on your altar?