Something I have made for years are witch bottles. I always keep a couple in the house and renew them regularly.
Their purpose in my home is to soak up negative energy and keep the house full of happy positive vibes. However, witch bottles can be made for any intent.
These are so easy to make, you don’t need special pretty bottles you can just use old clean jam jars.
Generally speaking, the modern day witch bottles are very similar to historical witch bottles in their basic structure, even though their intended purpose has changed. The most common purpose for constructing a witch bottle today is to capture negative energy and send it back out as positive.
The basics
The basic structure of witch bottles can be used for purposes other than protection such as prosperity, healing and love.
Basically a witch bottle is a container of some sort, usually a jar or a bottle, which is filled with objects that correspond to a given intent. The items are magically charged as they are added and can also be recharged with energy for as long as is needed, provided the bottle does not get broken.
Traditionally a witch bottle would have contained nails, earth, stones, knotted threads, herbs, spices, resin, flowers, candle wax, salt, vinegar, oil, coins, ashes and quite often urine.
Originally witch bottles were used to keep witches away. They also used to contain all sorts of bodily fluids, hair and finger nail clippings – you can add these if you want to.
Your choice
Start with your jar or bottle, then as charge each item before you add it, layering up the ‘ingredients’ as you go.
It really is up to you what you put in. I like to put in three nails to attract negativity and for protection, I also put in a piece of string with three knots in, knotting in my intent with each tie. If it is for prosperity I often drop in a silver coin. I usually put salt in for protection, cleansing and purification. I also like to add some kind of dried pulse – lentils or beans to ‘soak’ up any negative energies. Garlic is good for protection too. Then add any herbs, spices and flowers that correspond with your intent – rose petals for love, cinnamon for success, mint and basil for prosperity etc. Keep filling the jar or bottle up until you reach the top then put the lid on. If you are using a jam jar I like to draw a pentacle on the lid. If I am using a bottle with a cork I like to seal the cork lid with dripped wax.
If you are making the witch bottle for protection for your own home I like to put in a pebble from the garden, a couple of fallen leaves from the tree in my yard and a bit of cobweb from inside the house, it makes it all more personal and ties the bottle to the energies of the home.
Video
This is a video I made shows how I create my witch bottles…
Witchcraft…into the wilds by Rachel Patterson
Originally posted on Beneath the Moon, Patheos Pagan - 16.1.20
