Protection Spell
Protection Spell
This page about protection and shielding spells is a shortcut providing links to all of the Lucky W pages depicting and describing apotropaic and protective amulets and talismans -- plus complete instructions (in the sections marked with a *) for dozens of simple folkloric protection spells collected by Harry M. Hyatt in Adams County, Illinois, during the 1930s. I also maintain the Lucky Mojo Free Spell Archive, a web site cataloguing spell-work in general. At that site you will find archives from usenet posts circa 1995 to the present detailing many more spells for personal and household protection from several magical traditions. Folks seeking a structural understanding of the role apotropaic charms play in folkmagic may be interested in a brief essay i have written on how luck, religious devotion, and the need for protection overlap in the making and wearing of amulets. The kinds of protection and shielding spells used in various cultures and magical traditions vary based on what is perceived as a magical threat in weach culture or tradition. For instance, in cultures where the evil eye is a major magical threat, there are hundreds of styles of apotropaic amulets and spells to ward off the effect of the eye. In cultures where a major form of hostile magic consists of throwing magical powders or dusts on the ground for victims to walk over, then the types of protection will be aimed at immunizing or shielding one from getting hurt when stepping in that mess. In other words, in order to understand a culture's protection spells, you have to understand that culture's spells of animosity and destruction.
crucifix knife key ring deities and saints for protection and luck Devil's shoestring roots (shown above) charms and spells against the evil eye eye-in-hand amulet eyes-all-over amulet good luck coins hamsa hand amulet horseshoe key ring John the Conqueror mano cornuto amulet mano fico amulet powerful hand of God mojo hand or conjure bag ojo de venado amulet Thai penis amulets (palad khik) protection talisman amulet cast in Pewter "Protection From Evil" by Henri Gamache rabbit foot rattlesnake silver dimes (and other silver) skull vulva amulets abracadabra amulet abraxas amulet crescent & hand amulet buckle of Isis * protective charms worn in Adams County, Illinois
Peace Water magical uses of salt * Uncrossing and Jinx-Breaking spiritual supplies Van Van brand spiritual supplies Roman hand of power * protective house charms from Adams County, Illinois
As you read through these spells, compare the different -- and similar -approaches to magical protection taken by Hyatt's German-American and African-American informants from Quincy, Illinois in the early 1930s. For instance, although informants from both cultures recounted almost identical spells employing salt and/or recitation of the phrase "in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," the heavy African-American emphasis on foot-track magic (working with shoes, socks, rabbit feet, doorways, paths, etc.) was counter-balanced by a relative lack of interest in feet and foot-tracks in the German material. I have retained Hyatt's original entry numbers, but sorted the spells by type, for ease of comparison. [Comments in brackets are mine -- cat]. return to the top of this page
9594. "If you think someone has put something down for you to walk over, you take a piece of brown paper, put some red pepper in the brown paper, put it in your shoes, and when you walk over it, it will do you no harm." Negro. 9599. "Wear your pockets inside out to keep the witches off." German. 9619. "Carrying a rabbit's foot keeps all evil away." Negro. 9620. "Put a piece of rattlesnake skin in your shoe to keep the witches away." Negro. 9621. "If you wear a piece of rattlesnake skin in your clothing, you cannot be put under a spell." Negro. 9624. "If you will wear black pepper and salt in your shoes, you can walk anywhere and not be hoodoo." Negro. return to the top of this page
9550. "To keep the witches out of the house, place a dime under the fireplace." Irish. 9570. "If you put a horseshoe over your door with the point down, a witch will never come under your door." Irish. 9571. "If a person try to hoodoo you in leap year, put a horseshoe over your door and they can't hoodoo you." Negro. 9589. "I always keep onions in the house to keep the devils out." Negro. 9592. "I always keep red pepper in the house so I will have good luck and not be hoodooed." Negro. 9595. "If you sprinkle black pepper and salt around your house, then sweep it up and burn it, it will keep your enemies away." Negro. 9629. "Take a sack of salt and make a cross on it and put it under the front doorstep, and you will keep away all evil." Negro. 9646. "If you will put a pair of scissors under your pillow, open with the points to the head of the bed, no one can harm you or bewitch you. I was bewitched years ago, and someone told me about putting the scissors under my pillow, open with the points to the head, and I have been doing this every night for years. I never go to sleep without the scissors under my pillow, and I have never been bewitched since that time." German. 9663. "If you put a piece of silver under your head [while you sleep], the witches will not bother you ." German. 9669. "To keep your enemies out of your house, put a tablespoonful of vinegar and a tablespoonsful of sulphur in a little can and keep that in the house, and they will never bother you." German. 9671. "If you think someone is hoodooing you, burn sulphur and salt every day; and open the door and your trouble will blow out." Negro. return to the top of this page
9574. "If a witch comes to your house, say, 'Kiss my a--' three times under your breath; and she can't harm you." German. 9575. "If you see a witch coming, run and put the broom down in front of the door and say, 'Kiss my a--' three times; and she will not be able to step over the broom." German. 9576. "If you think someone is a witch and you do not want them to bewitch you when you meet them on the street, say under your breath, "Kiss my a--' all the time until they get out of your sight." German. 9667. "If you think someone is trying to hoodoo you or do you some harm, and you meet them, walk backward six steps; spitting right and left, saying 'John over John' and 'John the Conqueror' and they can't hurt you." Negro. return to the top of this page
9598. "If you think someone is bewitching you, draw the picture of the one you think it is, and take that picture to the woods where the trees are very thick and nail the picture on a tree; and if you have the right one, the spell will be broken." German. 9623. "If someone is bothering you and you don't want them to, you take a handful of salt and call their name and throw it over your right shoulder and they will not bother you." Negro. 9626. "If you think someone has a spell on you, put red pepper and salt in all four corners of the room. It will take the spell off." Negro. 9675. "If you think you are hoodooed, take one pint of salt, one pint of corn meal, one pint of your urine. Put that in a can on the stove at twelve o'clock at night and cook until it burns. Then throw the can and all away and your hoodoo spell will be off." Negro.