Witchful Thinking

Dear Witchful Thinking,

Last year my Domestic Partner and I moved in with his father after being evicted from our apartment when both our jobs decided we could do the same work for less or leave.

Since moving in with my Father-in-law, we’ve had two attempted break-ins.  There were several others prior to us moving.  Now I want to do something to make myself feel safer, like warding the home, but I don’t want to upset the neighbors.  I’m actually rather scared of the neighbors, to be honest, and I don’t want them to decide that our home is a good target for vandalizing.

Every spell I’ve found for Warding tells me to cast around the home, not inside.  Do you have any suggestions for me that would keep me out of my neighbors’ eyes but still allow me to ward the house?

Thank you and Bless’d Be,
Time

Dear Time,

Sounds like you guys are in a tough situation! And with so many break-ins, and boundary violations in general, it’s no wonder you don’t feel safe.

That is a good point: most warding spells do suggest casting around the home. The idea is that you want your property safe, not just the home. If you’re good at looking up spells, you might look up ones that Banish the Evil Eye. They are often superstitions that are still living, which means you can usually get spell materials for them. Here are some of my favorite spells to help feel safe:

• Make a Gods’ Eye. I know you made them in grade school, probably on Cinco de Mayo. But you could make one and dedicate it to a particular Godform, and place it in a place where thieves will see it…like the front door, or your mailbox. It reminds them that they are being seen by a God who is protecting you.
• The Greeks make an interesting piece that banishes the evil eye. It’s made of glass: a little black circle on a white circle on a bigger blue circle. It looks like an eye peering out, but it’s a good eye sent to look out after you. It’s a great charm because a lot of people recognize what it means.
• Colored salt: I think it’s a Voudoun protection spell, but you use different colored salt to do things around the house. Black salt banishes negativity, while green salt would bring protection and wealth. Or consider a blue salt to attract peace. If you fill a space with an intent, there won’t be room for bad things to happen. You can buy colored salt on the internet or make it yourself using food coloring and some very pure sea salt. Simply sprinkle it into the corners of the house. If you vacuum it up, that’s ok as long as there is still some residue.
• Blood barrier: Many old protection spells call for menstrual blood to be placed on any permeable boundary, like doors and windows. Menstrual blood is powerful in magic because a woman bleeds but does not die, proving her strength regularly. You can collect it in a menstrual rubber cup, available at many healthfood stores and co-ops. You don’t actually need much for it to be effective, just a drop or two added to sacred water or a protection potion can be extremely potent. Then use a paintbrush to put a bit on the places you need protection. Feeling squeamish about it? Yeah, so will thieves. And no one has to know about it.
• Sacred Space: Keeping your property safe outside doesn’t have to involve brooms, incense or walking around the yard thrice with a sword in the air. Remember, magic is about your intent. Empower some water to keep you safe, then walk around the property or house pouring it from a common watering can, or a garden hose. As long as you know it works, it will, and I guarantee your neighbors will just think you want your plants to go on living!
• Take it on faith: And finally, maybe this is the universes way of telling you to move away! Make a plan to get yourself and your loved ones out of there. On a mundane level, this is an inhospitable neighborhood and a bad place for you. You won’t thrive, so get the heck out! …as soon as it is safe and feasible to do so. Address the other parts of your life, like finding adequate work, retraining for better opportunities, and finding resources to help.
• The power of the ordinary world: Until then, consider calling the police and asking them to sweep by the house more often–it is their job to protect their citizens, after all. And of course, do all the mundane safety things like lock the doors, place security signs up (works great as a deterrent if thieves think you have an alarm system), put valuable things out of view, etc. Always pair the magic with the mundane for the most effective change.

On a personal note, I’ve had several break-ins to my car on my own property, so I can totally empathize with the violation and discomfort of trespassers. It has made me suspicious of people and is very stressful. Pairing the magical and the mundane is exactly what we’ve been doing, and trying to get the heck out of here! Good luck to ya!