Simple Ward Against Spirits (and Other Varieties)
Forbidden peanut butter cookies
I've been very much enjoying working with a new style of ward. It's pertinent materia magica blended into air-dry clay, worked into small disks stamped with protective symbols, and hung up near doors and windows (or carried).
Sometimes I paint them; this time I just filled in the symbols with India ink.
The recipe is quite nice as you can make several little wards for the effort of one spell. And they work up pretty quickly.
3 substances aligning with intent (sets given below)
A small handful of air-dry clay
Paint or ink to decorate, as desired
Thread or cord to hang up, if desired
Clear-dry glue (modge-podge used in picture) to seal clay, especially helpful to block strong-smelling herbs
Work over each substance individually to ensure they are carriers of power. Ensure each substance is empowered and aligned with its duties before moving on.
Blend all three substances into some air-dry clay (the clay itself is not worked with as a correspondence, but could be, if you're into it).
Divide the air-dry clay into individual balls and flatten them out into disks. You may have to add plenty of extra water to counteract the dehydrating effect of salt or herbs.
Poke a hole at the top of each disk (I used the back end of a matchstick) if you want to hang them up.
On one side of the disk, carve or paint any protective symbol pertinent to your faith. Pictured, an equilateral cross.
On the other side of the disk, carve or paint a symbol that expresses the specific sort of protection you're working (such as a very simplified sigil, or perhaps elemental or planetary signs you're calling on, or a minimalist animal, and so forth).
Once the clay is dry, coat with a clear layer of glue or modge-podge. This helps protect against moisture and minor chips but primarily is to stop the charm from having a strong odor if you use, say, garlic and dill.
Use perhaps an eighth of a teaspoon of each to start with; I find the clay can hold a lot of foreign materials, but expect it to significantly change texture and dry out. Of course, use any materials you prefer.
Use only dried herbs. Fresh will not do.
Dill (to perceive, forewarn, and shelter against against evil)
Garlic (to protect against evil)
Salt (to neutralize evil)
Garlic (to protect against the uninvited)
Red pepper (to set boundaries against the uninvited)
Basil (to guard against transgressors)
Against Unwanted Energies
Rosemary (to shield and shelter)
Clove (to create a barrier that limits energies)
Salt (to neutralize unwanted energies)
The spell can "end" at any number of moments; you can seal it once you mark symbols, or only after it's dried and painted, or only after you've done knot magic to weave a special hanger, etc.
IME, a very powerful set of wards can be made by linking 4 such disks, each one to a different element, and hanging them in the cardinal directions as your path specifies; thus assigning an elemental guardian working in tandem with his brothers to guard those roads of egress. Try making a base formula shared between all four disks, and then adding a unique ingredient to each one of them that corresponds with the element.
Air-dry clay is fragile. These wards are not especially suited to be carried around, but can be carried in a pinch. If you like, the idea of a ward breaking when it's done it's job is very applicable to brittle clay disks.
You can work greater magic into them; knot magic for the hanger, earth magic for the clay, layering on more power if you paint, and so forth.
