Hey friends! I’ve been really interested in spells and enchantments for transmasculine folks lately, and I wanted to come up with an enchantment for my binder so I put together a soak that I really like! This protection soak is all about securing the wearer from any negative energies- dysphoria, transphobia, misgendering, etc. You can use this on your binders, sports bras, compression shirts and anything else you use to bind!
St. John’s Wort- Courage, happiness, security
Elderberry- Health and safety
Cloves (ground)- Self love
Valerian- Anti anxiety and freedom from negative energy
Sage- Purification and cleansing
Bay leaf and basil- Bodily protection and health
Rosemary- General protection from bad energies/people
Cedar incense (broken up)- Masculine energy
Lavender essential oil- Calming, symbol for queer folks
A container to soak your binder in
Start with a clean binder! You should wash your binder regularly anyway, but it’s especially important that there’s no dirt or sweat in the mix here.
In a small bowl, add about a tablespoon of each ingredient. I used two leaves each of the sage and basil, then 3-5 drops of essential oil.
Mix it all together in the bowl. As you’re doing this, be sure to focus your intentions on the purpose of your binder- protection from dysphoria and misgendering, concealment, safety, etc. This will be unique for every person!
Get your clean binder and put it inside the container you want to soak it in.
Pour the soaking mixture into the container with your binder. Fill the container with warm or hot water until your binder is completely covered.
Find a comfortable spot and sit with the container and as you sit, focus your energy and your intentions on what your binder means to you and the relationship you have to it. For me, I thought about how I want to bind safely and how my binder is very important to my overall wellbeing. You can meditate for as long as you feel is appropriate!
If you have one, put a cover on the container and set it in a safe spot to soak overnight.
In the morning, rinse your binder off and hang it to dry! If you need to, you can also run it through a dryer.
You can repeat this every time you wash your binder, or any time you feel particularly dysphoric, or just need a little confidence boost! I also set a few charms that I use for personal safety and happiness alongside the container while it soaked. If you want to, you can write sigils on the container or place them nearby.
REMEMBER: Try to limit your binding to 6-8 hours at a time, never sleep in your binder, and check to see if it’s safe for swimming and exercising before doing any of those activities. Never bind with tape, ace bandages or anything that isn’t made for chest binding. Stretch regularly and be sure to take your binder off if you’re experiencing any pain or discomfort. Stay safe, friends!
