The Power of Black Salt: How to Make and Use Your Own

What Is Black Salt And What Does It Mean?

Black salt is seen as a tool for spiritual defense, first and foremost. Witches may incorporate it into rituals to create a shield against psychic attacks or to fortify their personal energy. It can absorb negative vibes as well as it can be an essential for circle casting – whatever your choice is, it’s a must-have for any Witch.

It’s known by many names: Salt Negro, Witches Salt, Hoodoo Salt, Santeria Salt, Drive-Away Salt and Protection Salt. It can absolutely be used in banishing spells and rituals. Its dark colour and ability to absorb negative energy make it ideal for removing unwanted influences or entities from your space. Some even use it as an ingredient in hexes and curses, although this practice is highly debated within the witchcraft circles, and I’m always going to direct you to follow your own path on that.

You do not have to be a Wiccan, Voudoo or Hoodoo practitioner to use plain or home created black salt. I’ve got a recipe below for you, but a clean jar filled with sea salt, black ashes and charcoal dust can be a simple quick fix for your home and spellwork. You could also use kala namak, Icelandic salt or himalayan black salt too, but that’s usually not as easy to find or inexpensive, yet it’s no less powerful than stuff you make yourself.

You can use it in boundary work (physical, like the home, or emotional, like unwanted visitors and their trauma dumping). Just having it nearby can be the comfort a lot of witches need, and with all the energetic work we do it’s a great way to ground our energy safely and inconspicuously.

Black Salt Origins

Ayurvedic medicine, according to some, is the earliest use of black salt and salt for magickal/ritual purpose. Shintoism in Japan was documented from Yayoi period (300 BCE to 300 CE) before Buddhism, although thought to be older, Shinto being the indigenous spirituality of Japan and is often considered a form of Japanese folk religion. In Shinto practices, salt (known as shio) is commonly used for purification rituals. One example is the ritual called “Oharae,” where salt is ritually waved or thrown (like in Sumo wrestling) or mixed with water to purify a person, object, or space. The use of salt is also present in other Shinto ceremonies and festivals such as after visiting a funeral.

Salting challah for sabbat is known in Judaism and beyond, the Christian Church has used salt for exorcisms for centuries, salt being worth more than gold to the Akan people in Africa and beyond. But witches?

Witches have many names. Healer, wisewoman, wiseman, shaman, midwife, nurse, medicine men, witch doctor, cunning folk, elder, practitioner, herbalist, conjurer, medium, soothsayer, meteorologist, sage, seer. There are so many more names, but as you can see a small theme running through all of them; a knowing, a wisdom, and even a skill.

French Grey Salt, or Celtic Salt or Sel Gris as it’s sometimes referred to, is a nutrient rich salt from France which would be great for kitchen witches especially. The seaweed with the salt is left to naturally dry, which actually feels unusual if you’ve ever felt sel gris – it is clumpy and feels like it actually could still be wet.

In the Old Norse culture, Völva would use elements of the earth like salt for their rituals and Seiðr magick. These shamanic females would share knowledge, healing and divination readings with the community, and Vǫlva weren’t shy for creating herbal concoctions and using their voices in incantation (galdr). A famous grave of a Vǫlva was found in Fyrkat, dating the Völva herself back to the 9th century. Not all that long ago, if you think about it?

The use of salt and colour correspondences in witchcraft can be traced back across these ancient cultures and traditions all over the world; wherever witches have been found, themes for the tools have been too. Salt has been a part of various spiritual practices for millennia, and its potency and versatility have made it a staple tool for many witches as an amalgamation of science and cultural tradition. As these wise-folk in the community, the knowledge that salt is a protective force is inherent (an example from even as simple as craving salt in our diet’s when we are down or unwell as generational prescriptional advice, but now we know that sodium causes the hypothalamus to release dopamine, so before we even knew what a hypothalamus was nor had it been studied, we understood the importance of salt as a tool and in our bodies). It has been an evolutionary journey from our ancient ancestors.

Whilst witchcraft is not a religion, you can see just how clearly salt has an important hold and everything that has come before.

sources:

https://www.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Akan-History.html

Michno, Dennis G. (1998) [1983]. A Priest’s Handbook: Ceremonies of the Church. “A Form for Blessing Holy Water”.

https://www.shieldmaidenssanctum.com/blog/2019/2/21

https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/9903/jewish/Chapter-2.htm#v13

Ben-Ari, E. (1991). Transformation in ritual, transformation of ritual: audiences and rites in a Japanese commuter village.

https://www.healthline.com/health/craving-salt

Black Salt Uses In Witchcraft

You can generally use plain salt, table salt, or any other salt you have to hand in your witchcraft practice. There is no rule that says you HAVE to use black salt – and I will never dictate to you that you have to!

But if you do choose to, you may use it for some of these suggestions below:

1. Protection: Black salt is often used as a protective barrier. Witches may sprinkle it around their homes or create protective circles with it during rituals to ward off negativity or unwanted energies. I like to use salt around the Dark Moon phase at my front door and back door, and whenever I refresh wards.
2. Banishing: It’s believed that black salt can help in banishing or repelling negative influences simply based on it’s properties and colour correspondence. Witches may sprinkle it in areas they feel need cleansing or use it in rituals to remove obstacles.
3. Absorption of Negativity: Black salt has the ability to absorb negative energy too. Some witches place small bowls of black salt in specific areas, like near the front door in my case, to help absorb any negativity that may enter the space. It is something that can easily be disposed of, as well as be a tool to use when we are in the broom-closet.
4. Spiritual Cleansing: Witches may use black salt as part of a spiritual cleansing bath or ritual. It’s believed to help remove spiritual impurities and provide a sense of renewal.
5. Creating Boundaries: When cast around a space, black salt can symbolize boundaries. Witches may use it to define sacred spaces, creating a barrier between the magickal and mundane, which is why you’ll see it for a lot of ritual set ups.
6. Deity Offerings: If you create it mixed with a specific herb or crystal associated with your patron deity (or deity/god/goddess you wish to petition to work with) or even just with your intention, it can be placed on an altar as an offering. Mixed with lavender for lunar deities, or seaweed for sea deities, as an example.
7. Spell Enhancer: Some witches believe that adding a pinch of black salt to spells can enhance their potency and effectiveness, especially if you have a tendency to lean towards darker spellwork or even hexing and cursing. Pack that power, witch!
8. Manifestation: Black salt can also be used in manifestation rituals to help draw in desired energies and intentions. Black as a colour and salt are both absorbants, so if that aligns with your intention then absolutely do so.
9. Divination: Witches may also use black salt in divination rituals and spells to help enhance their intuition and psychic abilities. Salt divination is called Halomancy (or Alomancy) and has incredibly ancient origins – Bedouin travellers, Ancient Egyptians, even in Panacea times it has been documented. I write about it in depth in “An A to Z of Modern Divination”.
10. Crystals Cleansing: Some witches believe that black salt can be used as a way to cleanse and recharge crystals. Placing them on a bed of black salt is believed to remove any negative energy or impurities they may have absorbed. You could also do this with divination tools!

DIY Black Salt Recipe

Here is a simple recipe for making your own black salt at home:

• Ingredients: Whatever Salt You Have, Ash (from a bonfire or incense ash), Storage Container, and Charcoal Powder.

1. Collect the ash from a bonfire or burn an incense stick and collect the ashes.
2. In a mortar and pestle, crush the charcoal into a fine powder.
3. In a bowl, mix together the salt, ash and charcoal powder. (you can also add dried herbs or oils for extra properties: rosemary and sage for protection, lavender for calming purification, cinnamon or chilli flakes for speed with strength etc)
4. As you mix, visualize your intent for the black salt – whether it is protection, banishing, or any other purpose.
5. Once fully combined and charged with your intent, store the black salt in jar or container.

And there you have it, your own homemade black salt ready to go!

Disposing Of Black Salt

If you have finished with the salt and it’s served it’s purpose, it’s best to dispose of properly and not just dump in the garden. Salt can be harmful to soil and plants, and you wouldn’t want any wildlife to harm themselves by accidentally consuming it – it’s not like we speak squirrel, right? Ways you can get rid include putting in a street bin, especially at a crossing or at a public place like a bus station. You can even flush it down the toilet, as long as it doesn’t have wax or fats in your blend.

Tips To Use Black Salt For Protection

• Use in a spell jar or open container as a ward by your doors, windows or garden gate
• Sprinkle a line of black salt around your bed before you go to sleep for protection while you dream
• Design protective runes or symbols with black salt on surfaces like doorsteps, windowsills, or even on protective charms. This adds a visual and symbolic layer to the protection
• Create a grid using black salt around the perimeter of your garden to protect your plants from negative influences. Visualize it as a barrier that shields your plants from harm
• Mix black salt with your wash water and a few drops of protective essential oils to create a boosted floor wash. Use this mixture to cleanse and protect the floors in your home, reinforcing the idea of walking on a protected surface
• Craft small amulets using black salt and protective crystals or herbs. Wear these amulets as jewelry or carry them in your pocket for continuous personal protection
• Attach small pouches of black salt to the strings of a wind chime. Hang this near entrances to your home to cleanse and protect the energy as it flows with the wind
• Use in rituals and spells related to banishing, protection, and boundary setting
• Carry a small pouch of black salt with you for protection while traveling or if you find yourself in a situation where negative energy is prevalent
• Surround a protection candle with a circle of black salt on a fireproof surface. As the candle burns, visualize the black salt forming a protective barrier that absorbs and transforms negative energy into positive, purifying light
• Add a pinch of black salt to your bath water for spiritual cleansing and renewal
• Place black salt on your altar as an offering to deities or spirits associated with protection or banishing
• Place a small mirror in a bowl of black salt and position it facing outward near your front door or window. The mirror reflects negativity away from your home
• Utilize black salt in divination rituals to enhance intuition and psychic abilities
• Mix black salt with herbs or oils for added properties and intentions in your witchcraft practice.

Black salt is a versatile tool that can be used in various ways in witchcraft. Whether it’s for protection, banishing, spiritual cleansing, or enhancing spells and divination rituals, adding this powerful ingredient to your practice can bring about many benefits and I’d love to hear in the comments below how you use yours! Until next time xox