Making and Using Black Salt for Spell Work

A Triune Moon Magickal Moment

Need a “go to” for protection, cleansing negative energies and banishing? Then black salt should be added to your magickal cupboard. When made and used properly, this mineral becomes a powerful ally for your spells, potions and powders. Making and using black salt isn’t difficult, but it can be a bit time consuming. To begin, let’s discuss its various uses as the purpose of the salt can determine the ingredients that go into its preparation.

Safety Note: Do not confuse the black salt we are making here with
black lava salt or kala namak salts used in fine cuisine. This salt should never ingested. It is for ritual purposes only.

Uses of Black Salt

Also known as Witch’s Salt, Drive Away Salt, Sal Negro and Indio Salt, black salt has a long history of use in the magickal community. While salt has always been seen as protective, when the color black is added it takes on some very different energies. Anything colored black, when used in magick and ritual, traditionally corresponds to:

• Protection
• Absorbing or removing negativity
• Banishing
• Releasing
• Reversing
• Hexing
• Cursing

The change from white to black, transmutes the salt’s energies, allowing those energies to move from the realm of light into the shadows, into the dark. When we add additional herbs to the darkened mineral we change its powers even further.

Basic Recipe for Black Salt

Black salt can be created in two ways – with the list of ingredients below or with food coloring. While many people feel the salt blackened with food coloring is just as potent, I believe the extra time and effort it takes to mix in the corresponding ingredients adds a power that you just can’t recreate with food coloring. However, use what works best you.

To create a basic black salt you will need the following:

• 2 parts sea salt – course or fine
• 1 part scrapings from a cast iron cauldron, pot or skillet
• 2 parts fine ash from your fire pit or hearth fire (Using ash from a ritual fire works great as long as the ritual corresponds with the use of the salt.)
• Optional – Black Pepper (replace one part ash with the pepper)

I prefer to use coarse sea salt as it is easily strewn in a circle or across walkways or steps. If I want to use it in powders I grind it up a bit with my mortar and pestle.

Iron scrapings are traditional in most recipes but don’t worry if you do not have any cast iron. Just replace the scrapings with additional ash. If you do use scrapings from your cauldron, wipe out the cauldron first to clear out any residue from previous spell work. You wouldn’t want to mix ash or oil from a healing ritual with a black salt for banishing.

The ash can be gathered out of the family fire pit, fireplace or from your cauldron. A ritual fire or a fire burned exclusively to create your salt will add even more power to the working.

Below are some of the many herbs and woods you may want to add to your fire, increasing the potency of the ash. The list is arranged by the energies you may wish to incorporate:

Magickal Properties

• Protection:  Oak, Ash, Birch, Rosemary, Garlic, Graveyard dirt
• Cleansing negative energies:  Cedar, White Sage, Basil, Eucalyptus
• Banishing: Alder, Black Pepper, Rue, Cayenne pepper
• To Rid yourself of enemies:  Red Pepper, rose thorns

Be cautious! Some of these herbs may give off caustic smoke. Do not purposefully breathe in the fumes.

Gather up your ash once it has cooled completely. I’ve used both the fine ash and small charcoal bits in my salts.

Place all of the ingredients in a large glass jar. Shake until the salt has turned completely black. Let it sit for at least three days then remove any large pieces of charcoal. Your salt is now ready to use.

Using your Black Salt

There are several traditional uses for black salt. However, don’t feel limited by these methods. Use your salt in any way that works for you.

Getting an enemy to leave: Mix red pepper with black salt and toss it where an enemy walks so that he or she will leave. Alternately you can sprinkle some in your enemies shoes.

Protections: Use black salt, either alone or created with ash from protective herbs, and sprinkle it around your home or ritual circle. This creates a protective barrier that allows no harm to enter.

Absorbing and removing unwanted and negative energies: In any area that has unwanted or negative energies place a bowl of, or create a ring with, your black salt. Allow the salt to sit for at least 9 to 24 hour while It pulls in all of the energies. Using gloves so you don’t come into contact with the salt, clean up all of the salt. Dispose of it off your property if possible or wrap it securely in black paper and place in your garbage can.

Binding and Hexing: Add black salt to poppets and spell bags.

The time and effort you take in making and using black salt will pay off in more powerful and focused spell work. So get busy and mix up a batch for your magickal cupboard today.

Blessed Be!