Beginner's Sea/Water Witchcraft
Hey, beginners!
I've posted a few of these (one of which earlier today) and so far people have been really receptive, so I thought I'd keep going! It's really fun to connect with all of you & share more knowledge / experiences! This post's topic is about sea/water witchcraft! This post is quite extensive compared to my other ones that I've made like this, because it kind of branches into various topics, but all have to do with water/sea witchcraft!
As my usual disclaimer, this is simply my knowledge and my teachings that I've come across & developed through research, speaking with others, cultural teachings, etc. However, everyone has the right to believe what they like, I just hope this serves as beneficial to some of you somehow, whether it be providing information you resonate with or just teaching you something cool.
Lastly... BEFORE DOING ANYTHING: SET UP THOROUGH PROTECTIONS!
Comment any questions :D
Beginner-Friendly Practices for Sea Witches (Give + Take: Mutuality)
Working with the ocean can be as simple as giving and being given to. It requires self-reflection, and it requires working in relationship with the ocean and the land.
Pick up trash: Cleaning up litter around the beach/water. It shows that you care and are considering the ocean and its inhabitants and relatives. This can be done as an offering, gift, favor, or just because!
Offerings: Giving food, aquatic items, etc (biodegradable or safe for the sea/land/creatures) to the waves/sand (also counts for returning items that belong to the ocean!)
Accept gifts, don't steal: Taking only what is being given to you by the ocean (for example, your intuition might tell you to turn around, and when you do, you spot a sand dollar -- that sand dollar is intended for you, a gift. If you bump a shell with your foot, it may have been meant for you. If you tripped on a shell, it’s probably not meant for you - it just tripped you! You can take that as an accident or a sign.)
Connection: Sitting by or in the waves; putting your hands and/or feet in the water (this may be calming or grounding). Quality time and good company is always a friendly gesture!
In my opinion: We can learn a lot from the ocean. We can receive many blessings from it. It’s only right that we do something in return. We are symbiotic with water. It’s important that we value it.
Water Types & Common Uses/Properties
Disclaimer: The following list is nuanced, as it can change depending on culture or practice. I tried to be inclusive, but this is a brief guide. Depending on your practice, make sure you are mindful with your intentions and energy work, be aware of what properties you'd like to utilize and which you wouldn't.
River water: Flow, movement, travel, banishing (cleanse yourself of ill health, negativity, etc, as you let abundance, good health, prosperity rain down on you), communication with the spirit world. Often associated with creation, fertility, and purification
Ocean water: Purification (cleanses & refreshes), healing (in many ways, one of which is deep shadow work), power, divination, opens energy centers
Lake water: Peace, stillness, divination, knowledge, strength
Storm water: High energy, force, personal power, big changers, chaos
Holy well water: Blessings, healing, purification, protection
Dew: Renewal, healing, beauty
Moon water: Lunar energy (depends on the moon phase), emotions, empathy, intuition, intentions
Sun water: Solar energy, illumination, power
Floral / herbal waters: Holds the energies of those plants
Snow / ice: Stagnation, stillness, getting unstuck (if melted), transformation
Conch Shells
Conch shells are, and can be, used for a variety of purposes and practices. This section includes some of the usages, benefits, associations, and properties of conch shells.
Common / Main Spiritual properties:
1. Used for good luck, healing and protection
2. Feminine energy
3. Energy purification
Other Spiritual properties:
Communication with the spirit world
Abundance and prosperity
Getting rid of negative energy and evil spirits
Brilliance, luster, purity, and auspicious beginnings
The existence of the spirit of the sea
The animation of succeeding generations by the spirit of the ancestors
Rituals & Symbolism:
ceremonial instruments in Pre-Incan temples
metaphysical symbol of fertility, luck, infinity, and interconnectedness (according to the Metropolitan Museum)
used in some cultural weddings, for brides to blow a conch shell as part of rituals (I believe this is Bengali but don't quote me on that)
Conch shells are used in rituals to mark important religious, life and agricultural milestones, like birth/death or religious initiation
in Hinduism, conch shells are used for their purifying properties
In some African-American and Afro-Caribbean cemeteries, conch shells are placed on graves
representation of infinity and the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, as well as interconnectedness and Indigenous concepts of time (the spiral)
Fertility and feminine aspects of birth, life, etc
A vessel filled with the water of life and a symbol of the womb
Mother of Pearl
Mother of pearl is, and can be, used for a variety of purposes and practices. This section goes over some of the spiritual usages, benefits, associations, and properties of mother of pearl.
Healing (physical and mental/emotional):
Soothes or calms emotions
Stirs, balances & harmonizes emotions
Healing (the mind):
Divinity and intuition
Potentially enhances psychic sensitivity and imagination
More:
Prosperity
Feminine energy
Potentially protects against negative energies
Thank you for reading this far!
I hope that these bits of information are somehow helpful to you!
