In many magical practices a distinction is made between the various sources of the water and their effects. Spiritual Cleansing provides some basic information about this. When you are able to observe that various kinds of water have various “feelings” or vibrations, as they are often called, you are well on the way to understanding some of the principles of magic. You can cover a sufficiently large range of work with ordinary tap water or bottled spring water available from the grocery store. It is usually not necessary to complicate things beyond this, as simple tap water will do as well in most spells as the more difficult to obtain products.
Cold water is preferred in most magical work, as it seems to hold the “charge” of the magician's prayer better than warm water. Generally, but dependent upon the requirements of the specific practice, water is simply prayed over and then used as desired. When you add herbs, oils, colors, or perfumes to water you do so to enhance the ability of the prayer to do the work which is being requested. The water is usually the accumulator of the magical prayer or charge.
ADDING INFLUENCES TO WATER
There are a variety of simple methods for adding specific influences to water. This has been highly developed in the healing arts and a variety of methods are in use. In India, the Ayurvedic healers developed a system of healing which uses water to capture the vital essence of gemstones. Metal pieces are placed in water which is then used for the treatment of specific conditions. Flower petals, placed on the surface of a bowl of water and exposed to sunlight, are the basis for the preparation of the Bach Flower Essences discovered by Dr. Edward Bach in England. The “vital essence,” or what is called “akasha,” of the material passes into the water, which accumulates it. In the case of the Bach Flower Essences, and in some of the Ayurvedic gemstone healing solutions, the vital essence of the flower or gem is placed into the water by the vital essence of the sun. The water is the passive accumulator of this force.
Solarized water is simply water which has been placed in the sunlight. The vital essence of the sun enters into the water in this way. The astrological aspects or the placement of the sun and moon may also be considered to determine the best time to prepare a particular solarized water. It is sometimes specified that a particular spell be made with “water which has never seen the light of the sun.”
Moon water, as the name suggests, is water which has been exposed to the light of the full moon. Again, it may be necessary to inquire into the lunar aspects and other astrological factors to determine just what kind of water is being produced. For example, the sun and moon are joined at the new moon, and it is difficult-if not impossible-to prepare “new moon water” which is not also “solarized water.”
From the above it is easy to see that it is quite possible to practice a full range of magical operations using only water as the medium for the magical charge. Some magicians have large collections of every conceivable type of magical water. This becomes a bulky process however, as the average person doesn't have the storage space for such an extensive collection of waters. And you don't really need them.
SOLARIZED HEALING WATERS
Healing water may be prepared by placing tap water into a clean bottle, exposing it to sunlight, and then praying over it for the healing of a specific person or condition. The same water may be prepared over the course of a year by filling a green bottle with tap water and exposing the bottle to sunlight on the day after the new moon. If this is done with the new moon in each of the astrological signs over the course of a year, a complete set of twelve healing waters will be obtained. You can use this water for healing by placing a few drops of the healing water in a small glass with a teaspoonful of tap water. Pray over the glass for relief of the condition with which the individual is afflicted. The dose should be repeated four or five times a day until remission occurs. As with any natural healing method, healing with water is a very slow process, so it is best to consult a physician and place yourself under his or her treatment, using this method as an adjutant rather than as a primary form of healing.
In order to solarize healing water, remember that the unique healing property comes from the color of the glass bottle and the vital energy of the sun. To induce energy in a lethargic person, the water should be placed in a red bottle, while a blue bottle will provide a calming effect. Using a yellow glass bottle will stimulate the mind, shaking off mental dullness. Colored glass bottles which will pass the rays of the sun are difficult to obtain, so green wine bottles are usually used for solarization.
If you want to make a more penetrative or active version of the healing waters, use bottled spring water instead of tap water. Spring water is considered to be somewhat more active in nature, but there is little difference between it and tap water. If you live in a place where your water comes from underground sources, you will find your tap water as satisfactory as most spring water.
There is no standard procedure for exposing water to sunlight. Place the bottle on a windowsill. The water will accumulate the most energy when it is exposed to the light of the sun between sunrise and noon on the day following the new moon. Once the water is prepared, store it in a dark place, or at least keep it out of the light of the sun.
To use the twelve solarized waters effectively, you must treat the body with water solarized in the sign of the zodiac that rules the part of the body you wish to heal. This will send the energy of the new moon in that sign to the part of the body affected. See Table 1 on page 22 for a complete list. Healing is assisted by the energy of the moon and the prayer you say over the water. For example, let's say that you want to preserve the appearance of your skin. According to astrological theory, the skin itself is ruled by Capricorn, while its beauty is ruled by Libra. If you were to use solarized water for this treatment you would add a few drops of Libra water to a teaspoon of tap water and rub it on your skin. You might also wish to add a few drops of the healing water to your regular bath. Needless to say, like any other holistic or natural healing method, you cannot use this system of therapy on anyone other than yourself. You cannot set yourself as a “water healer” without a degree to practice medicine.
You will discover there are times when solarized water is not of a healing nature. For example, you should not make solarized water during a solar eclipse. These “spoiled” waters should either be discarded or used for work which is more attuned to their nature. You can solarize perfectly acceptable water on the second day following the new moon if the water made on the first day does not meet the healing quality necessary.
Preparing a set of solarized waters can be an interesting exercise. At best it will teach you to notice the changes of the seasons and the way the quality of the water changes in accordance with the vibrations or influences of the astral universe at the time. If the exercise is approached as an exercise in self-discipline and development, it will pay dividends which will be of more value than any possible medical use, for it will assist you to attune yourself with the world around you.
Table 1. Parts of the Body Ruled by Moon Sign*
*This information was extracted from: A Beginners Guide to Practical Astrology by Vivan E. Robson. Published by Samuel Weiser, York Beach, Maine, 1976, pp. 71-73.
Having looked at water in its relatively pure state, we shall now look at its more complicated uses. For the most part this relates to making teas from herbs, but you can also add other things to enhance the qualities of water. There is no real difference between the water of an herb and an herbal tea used in herbal medicine. Magical teas are frequently diluted or colored with food color to make a specific water. In some cases perfumes are added for various purposes. Magic waters that are sold in magic stores often have many other ingredients added to them. In most cases, additions are made to increase sales appeal. You NEVER use magical water or tea internally.
MAKING WATER FOR MAGICAL USE
There is one rule you must commit to memory if you wish to make any kind of water into a herbal tea. It applies to healing as well as to magic with he
rbs, and is one of the few rules which applies to both arts. The rule is that leaves and flowers must be steeped, while roots and barks should be boiled. Until you have at least several years experience working with herbs there are no exceptions to this rule. There are a few exceptions which relate to specific advanced spells. Meanwhile, do not experiment!
Most of the herbs used in magical work are not the same as those you use for healing. Not only are different parts of the herb used, but some magical herbs have no place in the wildest and most eclectic herbal pharmacopoeia. The universal life force of the herb is extracted when you use herbs for healing or for magic, but that is the only similarity. If you use herbs for healing as well as for magic it might be noted that when your healing herbs lose their “virtue” from age or poor storage they may still be strong enough to use magically. The opposite condition does not hold true at all. Some magical herbs are simply members of a general family of herbs, and any member of that family will do. Others must be taken from very specific plants, under very specific conditions to obtain the virtue desired. Again-NEVER DRINK magical herbal teas. They are not meant for internal use!
There are two general methods for preparing magical herbal teas. They give different effects, depending on the prayer made over them at the time they are “brought to life.” The two methods depend upon the temperature of the water used in making the teas. The cold method, using room temperature or cooler water, is preferred for fresh picked herbs and flowers. The cold method allows the water to absorb the astral magnetic influence of the herb as well as some of the “akashic” influence-the influence of the universal life force of the herb. In the hot method you use some form of boiling water, and only the akashic influence or its universal life force content transfers to the water. Any magnetic influence in the herb tea must be added by the prayer of the magician when the herb is used.
It is quite possible to have clients make teas by the cold method for their own use. However, teas made by the hot process should be prepared by the magician. Or the magician could give a few ounces of water (which the magician has prayed over) to the client to be added to the hot tea once it has reached room temperature. Another way of dealing with this is to purchase small (single service) bottles of vodka, which the magician prays over, and these could be added by the client to the completed herbal tea. In this way herbal baths, cleansers, or other herb ally based spells used by far-away clients will be as effective as the ones actually made by the magician. Vodka will take a good magical charge, especially if it is a higher proof. Vodka also has the ability of preserving herbal teas that are not refrigerated.
The Cold Herbal Tea Method
In order to make a cold herbal tea you need a clean jar with a fairly wide mouth, such as a mason jar. Fill the jar with the fresh herbs or flowers, but don't pack them down tightly. Once the jar is filled with herbs, add sufficient tap or spring water to fill the jar within an inch or so of its top. All the herbs should be under the water. Place the filled bottle in the refrigerator or some other cool place for a week. If the mixture was made for use as a sprinkle it is now ready. If you want to store the herb tea, you can either strain out the herbs or leave them in. You should add a few ounces of vodka in any event, as it assists in retarding spoilage.
If you have made the herbal mixture by the cold process for a bath, you should use the bath as soon as possible after the tea is ready, but do not add vodka. Alcohol of any kind has an effect of its own in a bath, and is best kept away from any bath you might take. Using any alcoholic beverage in a bath will encourage many people to drink alcohol.
The Hot Herbal Tea Method
Bring about ten or twelve ounces of water to a boil in an iron or stainless steel pot. A ceramic pot can be used, but aluminum pots should be avoided. Add the pieces of root bark or seeds, and allow the mixture to simmer for ten to fifteen minutes at a low boil. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. You can strain out the pieces of root bark or seeds by passing the liquid through cheesecloth or a tea strainer. If the liquid is going to be stored for any length of time, two or three ounces of vodka should be added to retard spoilage.
To make a tea of flowers or dried herbs you would bring the ten or twelve ounces of water to boil in the same way. Use an iron, stainless steel, or ceramic pot to boil the water, as you did for the root and bark. When you use flowers or dried leaves, you pour the boiling water over about a teaspoon of the dried or ground herb in a bowl. Allow the mixture to stand and steep until it reaches room temperature. The solids may be strained out with cheesecloth or a tea strainer, and the finished tea can be bottled for storage if desired. Add about two ounces of vodka to each eight ounces (or cup) of the finished herbal tea.
In most cases it is advisable to make up only as much of the tea as you will need within the next few months. Most of these preparations do not store well, even with the addition of vodka (or other alcohol) as a preservative. When you open a bottle of herbal tea and are assailed by an odor of decay it is best to close it up again and discard the entire mixture, bottle and all. It may not seem obvious, but the essential quality of a product will usually pass to its most negative form through the action of bacteria. In short, this means that if the tea has spoiled, don't use it, for you may make a harmful situation rather than a cure.
The reason for using iron or ceramic pots is not obvious until you recall that aluminum is not a natural metal. Iron and stainless steel occur in nature. Passing energy through them in the form of heat transmits the virtue of Mars, the planetary ruler of iron, to the material being boiled or to the water being heated. Ceramics are also naturally occurring materials, and pyrex-type products are the modern cousins of the clay pots made by our ancestors. Heat energy is not distorted when it passes through these materials.
Treat herbs with respect and they will give you the same consideration. You are working with their non-physical properties when you work with herbs magically. Your ability to work with them at all is a gauge of your ability to feel their essence at work, for you recognize that they are a part of the same divine creation which you inhabit.
WAR WATER
War Water (or iron water) was used to treat anemia by folk healers many years ago. It is not a particularly effective method for treating anemia, and there are far better ways to correct iron deficiencies today. It is almost never used medically by folk healers any more, but it has retained its value in magical practice.
Magically, iron water is used to gain protection or to launch magical attacks. It is called War Water because it is one of the most useful weapons for engaging in psychic warfare. It has this reputation because of the superiority of iron weapons over the older weapons of bronze and stone. Iron is the metal of the planet Mars, the planet astrologers credit with ruling warfare and combat, as well as sex. Used for either defense or attack, war water is a strong carrier of the negative emotional energy used in magical battles.
Iron is found in many urban water supplies. Naturally occurring iron water is not really any better than the homemade product. In some cases the homemade product is far superior, as natural iron water may also include undesirable ingredients. The following formula for War Water will produce a material that has a very strong and workable quality to it.
Place about 3/4 pound of cut iron nails into a large (2 quart) bottle. “Cut nails” are the old fashioned nails that have a rectangular cross-section. They are still available from hardware stores as they are used as masonary nails. We use cut nails because they have a rough finish, and will rust easily. Add a half pint of drinkable tap water. Allow this to stand for eight or ten days until the nails begin to rust. Once the rusting process begins, add a quart of tap water. You can store the bottle in the refrigerator, or leave it in a cool place in your home. The bottle must be opened occasionally to allow enough air to enter to continue the rusting process.
Once the water has a definite tinge of rust, usually about a week to ten days after you have added the quart of water, it
is ready to use. Should you find any trace of mould or bacteria on the water, you should discard the water, the bottle and the nails. I have never had this happen, but I have heard that it can.
To use the water, remove about two ounces of the rusty water from the bottle at a time. Add fresh tap water as water is removed and you will have an almost continuous supply of the water. As this water is not often used, even in the midst of a psychic war, it is not necessary to concern yourself about running out once you have made some. A little war water goes a long way.
Using War (or Iron) Water
There are a number of ways that you can use iron water. It is generally used for protection, and you can take a bath to protect yourself, or you can use it in your home to protect yourself against specific spells. This water is especially beneficial when you want to protect yourself against acts of violence of any sort.
Protection Bath: Take two ounces of War Water and add it to a tub of water. Pray over the tub for general protection in life, as well as for protection against the specific influence you wish to have removed from your life. This could be as specific as “The thoughts of N.N.,” “The evil work of N.N.,” or so forth. You could also pray for general protection, but this should be done only rarely. Once a year is sufficient for a general protection bath, and it should be taken after you have protected your home with the war water as given below. Soak in the tub for at least eight minutes, immersing yourself completely at least four times. You should air dry after this bath to maintain the protection around you. It is best if you avoid taking any other bath, even for cleansing, for twenty-four hours.
Century of Spells Page 3
