by Keziah

Spring creeps into the Northern Hemisphere, awakening much of the land’s greenery from its slumber. The spring birds are returning, the flowers and trees will soon be blossoming, and the time for spring magic has arrived.

For some spring has already come, as the 01st of February marks the folkloric return of spring and the changing of the seasons for many cultures; and others find themselves at spring’s threshold, mere weeks away from the turn of the seasons. Either way, now is the perfect time to take advantage of the magic that spring has to offer. I’ve created and curated a collection of spells, charms, and magical workings for cleansing (of a space, item, or of the self), prosperity, and plenty more money matters that are perfect to include in your work this spring. Enjoy!

WHEN IS SPRING?

There are three main systems used for determining when spring arrives - the astronomical system, the meteorological system, and the solar or folkloric system. The astronomical system is determined by the sun and moon’s locations in relation to the earth, marking the seasonal start dates at the time of the equinoxes and solstices, though in many practices and throughout history, these were seen as the height of the season, not the beginning. The meteorological system is determined by when the weather shifts to best fit meteorological circumstances associated with that season. The solar and folkloric system is that which is determined by the local lore and customs of a people.

So, when does spring begin in the Northern Hemisphere?

-Per the astronomical system: 20th of March.
-Per the meteorological system: 01st of March.
-Per the solar and folkloric system: Varies, but typically about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Imbolc and Saint Brigid’s Day (festivals which hail from Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man) are celebrated on the 01st of February, marking the first day of spring; the traditional Chinese calendar sees spring’s start within the 03rd - 05th of February; and some follow the opinion of Marcus Terentius Varro (a Roman scholar, polymath, and author) who pinpointed the start of spring as the 07th of February.

HERBS & INGREDIENTS TO INCLUDE IN SPRING MAGIC:

As always, please research any and all herbs, plants, and magical ingredients you use if you have children or pets.

*Seasonal spring flowers and plants to make use of in your magic this spring.

• Allspice: for aiding in protection and prosperity magic, in workings for new business ventures, and for drawing in money, success, and luck.
• Anise: can be used in purification and cleansing work, as well some protection magic.
• Buttercup*: for love, friendship, and harmony.
• Cinnamon: for cleansing, healing, psychic enhancement, prosperity, abundance, good fortune, luck, protection.
• Coffee: for prosperity, love, fidelity, warding, malevolent works; to attract money, good luck, success in business, new jobs and career changes,
• Daffodil*: for prosperity, renewal, luck, love, fertility, happiness, and rebirth.
• Dogwood*: can be used in protective charms and spells; dogwood sap can be used in wishing magic.
• Garlic: for cleansing, purification, protection; used to attract money and ward off theft.
• Ginger: for love, money, success.
• Lemon: for cleansing, purification, luck, friendship, and love
• Magnolia*: for fidelity, loyalty, transformation, psychic development, rebirth, fertility, and abundance.
• Periwinkle*: for money, prosperity, protection, and love [poisonous, toxic for some pets, use with caution, do not keep around pets or children, best not to consume - more info here (symptoms and identification) and here (list of animals for which periwinkle is toxic and further information)].
• Rosemary: for protection, love, cleansing, purification, and healing.
• Rue: for cleansing, healing, and love; can also be used to remove curses and hexes.
• Sea Salt, Salt: for cleansing, purification, protection.
• Tulip*: for love, prosperity, and protection.
• Witch Hazel*: for protection, cleansing, purification, aid in divination, in work for healing a broken heart.

SPELLS & CHARMS

Cleansing:

As many practitioners use spring as a time to cleanse their spaces and welcome in change, positivity, prosperity, and good fortune, cleansing work, such as sweeps and washes, is essential magic for the season.

HAND WASH CLEANSING

To purify, sanctify, and get rid of old energy and negativity, and to attract protection, new opportunities, good fortune, happiness, and harmony.

What you’ll need:

• water
• lemon juice or lemon essential oil
• rosemary or rosemary essential oil
• chamomile essential oil or chamomile flowers
• lavender flowers or lavender essential oil
• bowl or basin

What to do:

-Designate the area where you’ll perform this cleansing spell. Ideally, it should take place in a space that you feel comfortable and at peace – outdoors, in your bedroom, at an altar, anywhere you feel secure and in tune with yourself.

-Fill your bowl with water (whichever kind of water you prefer to use) and add lemon juice or lemon essential oil, rosemary leaves or rosemary essential oil, and chamomile flowers or chamomile essential oil. Why these ingredients? Lemon purifies, cleanses, and sanctifies while also attracting luck, friendship, and love; rosemary is often used in cleansing work and also boosts protection and healing; chamomile has long been used in ritual washes to bring purification and cleansing; and lavender is another cleansing ally that removes negative energy.

Other options for cleansing & purifying essential oils to use instead of these are:

-Bergamot – grounding & attracting good fortune
-Cedar & Cedarwood – cleansing, removing negative energy
-Frankincense – purification
-Patchouli – spiritual awakening, peace-bringing
-Ylang-Ylang – healing (especially emotional healing), cleansing

-Take a moment to close your eyes and set your intentions. You will use this water to symbolically wash away the old. Think about why you’re doing this. Are you washing away negative energy? Are you cleansing yourself in preparation for the new season and the new opportunities it may bring? Are you washing away bad luck in hopes to attract a turn of fortune? Set your intentions and sit with them for a moment, affirming them within yourself.

-Dip one hand into the bowl of water. Cupping water in that hand, hold the other hand over the bowl and pour the cupped water over the dry hand. While you do this, think on washing away whatever it is you wish to leave behind and welcoming in newness, positivity, and whatever goodness you seek.

-Now dip the opposite hand into the water and perform this same act on the other side, cupping water in your hand and pouring it over the other hand, letting the water wash down from your hand back into the bowl. Perform this step as many times as you like, alternating slowly between each hand. The action should be slow and meaningful, not hurried, and you should be thinking on all that you’re leaving behind with this symbolic washing of your hands.

-When you’re finished, dry your hands (preferably using a white cloth). You can use the water left over to brush over doorways, windows, and sacred spaces, if you like.

CLEANSING WASH FOR AMULETS, DOORWAYS, MAGICAL TOOLS, & SACRED SPACES

To cleans one’s home and space of negativity and old energy, and to attract prosperity, protection, blessings, and positivity.

What you’ll need:

• water (you can use any kind of water you prefer)
• lemon juice
• mugwort / st. john’s plant (whole frond with leaves)*
• bowl or basin

*you can use a mugwort infusion added to your water instead of using a frond of mugwort

What to do:

For washing doors, windows, etc.:
-Mix water and lemon juice (it can be freshly squeezed or pre-bottled) in your bowl or basin. You can take a moment before, during, or after mixing the water and lemon juice to sit and think on the purpose of your wash - to cleans old energy, purify and sanctify the space or object, and to welcome in new opportunities, good energy, and good luck.

-Take your frond of mugwort and submerge or dip the leaves in the water.

-Use the mugwort frond to brush the doorframe, the door, the woodwork around windows, the windows themselves, and even the beams and/or rails on your porch if you have them.

-If you’re using a mugwort infusion added to your water and lemon juice instead of using a brush of mugwort frond, you can use a cloth to wash with, preferably a white cloth to symbolize purity, cleansing, and newness.

For washing amulets & sacred spaces:
-Small amulets, such as those worn or carried on one’s person, can be gently washed with a small amount of the water, lemon, and mugwort wash, or, if you’re using the mugwort frond method, you can flick the frond over the amulets to sprinkle them with the water and lemon juice mixture.

-Amulets that hang on walls can be sprinkled or splashed with the mixture to cleans and purify them.

-Altars and magical workspaces can be gently washed with this cleansing wash as well.

For washing magical tools:
-This wash can be used on magical tools, especially divination tools, as mugwort is a valuable ally in the art of divination. Wash crystal balls, scrying mirrors, scrying bowls, tabletops on which you perform divinatory readings, any sortilege utensils, pendulums, etc. with this water, lemon juice, and mugwort blend to cleans old energy whilst enhancing psychic practice.

CLEANSING WASH FOR ITEMS & SURFACES

This cleansing wash is intended for things and places where lingering energy may have settled, such as items inherited from or having belonged to a now deceased person, items given you by an ex-lover or former friend, or items purchased second hand or from antique stores, yard sales, or estate sales. It can also be used on surfaces in rooms where a spirit, ex-lover, former friend, negative person, or enemy may have passed through or lingered.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup of warm water
• 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• bowl, basin, or cup
• cloth or rag

What to do:

-Add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar/apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of warm water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir.

-Using a rag or cloth, gently wash surfaces, areas, or items that you wish to clean. Be mindful of your items. Only wash items that wouldn’t be damaged by water, vinegar, or salt. For a milder cleans use more water and less vinegar.

CLEANSING SWEEP

What you’ll need:

• salt (any kind of salt you like);
• a broom (birch brooms add extra cleansing oomf, but you can use any broom)
• a dustpan

Optional additives: Herbs and flowers are commonly used in floor sweeps to not only add to cleansing work but to also attract things like good luck, money, love, and blessings. Always be mindful if you have pets or children to never perform a sweep in an area they have access to, as many ingredients are not safe for them to ingest.

• flowers and petals - burdock for cleansing and banishing negative energy; chamomile for cleansing and purification; daisy for cleansing and attracting good luck and positivity; lavender for cleansing, purification, and peace; roses for love, manifesting wishes, and luck.
• herbs and plant allies - dried lemon peel/rind for cleansing, renewal, and purification; pine needles for cleansing, banishing and protection, and to attract money; rosemary for protection, cleansing, purification, and healing.

What to do:

-In an area where you wish to clear out negative energy, sprinkle salt (or your mixture of salt and any additives) on the floor. Make sure you sprinkle extra at thresholds and beneath windows or in front of fireplaces - boosting the banishing of negative energy at all entrance points of the space. To banish energies, sprinkle your salt/mixture from the back of the home/space toward the front; for houses with multiple levels you work back-to-front, top-to-bottom. To attract energies, sprinkle your salt/mixture from the front of the home/space to the back.

-While sprinkling and laying out your salt/mixture, you should think on or speak on your intension to rid that space. Be as specific as you need to be, let not one hint of negativity or malevolent energy or spirit linger in ta shadowy corner or a crack between floorboards.

-Some leave their salt to sit and work for a few hours, a whole day, some overnight. You can do that if you like. Others sweep it up immediately, while still thinking on or stating their intentions to banish energy and clean the space. Whatever way you put your salt out, sweep it in the same manner (back to front of the home or front to back).

-Dispose of the salt/mixture after sweeping it up. You can toss it off your property or put it in the trash bin, but make sure you don’t keep it in the house.

SMOKE CLEANSING

These dried herbs can all be burned and smoke either in the form of a bundle or loose in a firesafe pot, cauldron, bowl, or vessel. Cast iron is always good. Line the bottom of the vessel with sand (to absorb heat) and place a disc of charcoal on the sand. Burn the herbs on top of the charcoal disc.

Eucalyptus - Eucalyptus bundles are burned to purify spaces, especially those in which healing work is to be performed. It’s also said to be ideal for cleansing homes of those who are struggling with their mental health.
Pine Needles - Burn pine needles and let the smoke banish negative energy and banish evil eye and any curse or hex work that’s been sent your way, as well as clean and sanctify sacred spaces.
Rosemary - Burn a bundle of dried rosemary. The smoke will rid the space of negativity and ward off negative or harmful energy. It also grants protection to that space and those within it.
Thyme - Thyme can be burned as a dried bundle or in incense form to provide cleansing, purification, psychic enhancement, and healing.

Prosperity, Money, & Business:

Incense to Attract Money Your Way

Burning these incenses is said to draw money to you.

• Allspice
• Bergamot
• Jasmine

Wallet Charms to Attract Money

BERGAMOT: Leaves of orange bergamot should be kept in wallets and purses to attract money and financial luck.

CHAMOMILE: Keeping a chamomile flower in your wallet or purse is said to bring in more money.

FLAX SEEDS: Place a few flax seeds in your pocket, wallet, or purse along with a few coins. This should be repeated daily to bring the money your way. You can also keep flax seed in your shoes to ward off poverty.

JASMINE: Carrying Jasmine in your wallet or purse to draw in money.

PERIWINKLE: Keeping a periwinkle flower in your wallet or purse will attract money your way. *WARNING: Varieties of periwinkle can be poisonous and periwinkle is toxic to some animals. Do not keep periwinkle flowers around pets or children and always handle with caution. [ More information on animal safety and periwinkle. ] [ More information on periwinkle varieties, child safety, and animal safety. ] [ More information on potential toxicity. ]

SASSAFRAS: Kept in the purse or wallet to draw money your way.

Pomegranate Branch Charm for the Home

It’s said that keeping a pomegranate branch will help one attract money their way and can also aid in uncovering “hidden” or “lost” money. You can mount a pomegranate branch in your house to keep the money close to home.

Wheat Charm for the Home

Keeping sheaves of wheat in the home (either dried and hanging, in a vase, or braided) is believed to attract money, aid in business ventures, and bring prosperity and fruitfulness.

Arrowroot Powder for Business Success & Money Luck

Where I’m from, people powder their feet with arrowroot powder or poot arrowroot powder in their shoes when they’re going to business meetings, pitching a new business idea, or going gambling. It’s believed to bring luck with money and success in business ventures.

the 10 of Diamonds for Attracting Money

There are various methods of using the 10 of Diamonds playing card to attract money your way.

• The simplest way is to carry the 10 of Diamonds card in your wallet, purse, or pocket.
• Another method common in the Southeastern US and Southern Appalachia is to write your name horizontally across the 10 of Diamonds three times. Where I’m from, we then turn it clockwise and write your name again, three times. The lines of names from the first three and the lines of names from the second three should crisscross over each other, as demonstrated below. Another variation includes you writing your date of birth within the squares formed between the written names (where the 'x’ marks are on the rightmost image below).

You then keep this as a charm to attract money. Put it in your wallet or add it to a satchet spell for money or in a money jar spell.

Money Jar

There are lots of ways of doing jar spells and lots of ways of doing money jar spells. Where I’m from in the Southeastern US, we tend to use herbs, flowers, and sweet things like honey, molasses, or syrup because the sweetness is believed to attract good things and the stickiness is believed to make the money and goodness stick to you. So, I’m going to write an easily customizable version of the variation I’m most familiar with. You can do this in three versions - the dry version, the wet, and the sticky version. It’s up to you.

What you’ll need:

• Herbs and flowers that attract money, such as:
  alfalfa, allspice, arrowroot, bay leaves, basil, cinnamon, clover, garlic (cloves or dried for the dry version, cloves or minced for the wet version), ginger (for dry version, root or powdered), ginseng (for dry version, root or powdered), honeysuckle, nutmeg, thyme.
• (dry version) sugar
• (wet version) whiskey or bourbon
• (sticky version) honey, molasses, or syrup
• coins
• a jar with a lid
• a pen or marker (optional)
• a 10 of hearts playing card with or without your name written on it (optional)
• candle wax (to seal the jar)

What to do:

-Put a layer of coins in the bottom of the jar, preferably pennies, but you can use any coin.

-Next, place your selection of herbs and flowers in the jar. If you’re using bay leaves, you can use a pen or marker to write your money wishes on the bay leaf before putting it in the jar.

-You can include your playing card now if you’re using the playing card.

-For the dry version, fill the jar with sugar.

-For the wet version, fill the jar with whiskey.

-For the sticky version, fill the jar with your honey, molasses, or syrup.

-Seal your jar with the candle wax. You do this by lighting a candle and dripping the wax all around the jar lid. You can use white wax, or you can use a particular color of candle if you associate a certain color with money, such as green for wealth or gold/yellow for prosperity. After you’ve sealed the lid, you can burn the rest of the candle down if there’s any left, either on top of the jar or beside the jar.

-Keep your money jar in a place you’ll see it every day or in a place where you work, like in your office. If you do ever need or wish to dispose of your money jar, you can do so by burying the jar whole or throwing it away whole.

Apple Spell for Good Luck, Attracting Fortune, & Prosperity

This is a spring variation of the same spell featured in my Apple Magic piece.

What you’ll need:

• an apple, preferably green or golden
• red clover
• allspice
• cinnamon

What to do:

-Take your apple and cut it in half, but instead of cutting it from top to bottom, turn the apple on its side and cut it down the middle that way.

-You should now see holes in the middle with the apple seeds inside. This usually forms the shape of a five-pointed star. As apples and stars are both a symbol of good luck, this is the perfect base to build our spell on.

-Next, press the red clover, allspice, and cinnamon into the apple around the star. You should do this with both halves of the apple.

-Leave the apple to sit on a windowsill or porch rail to soak up the sun’s light for the rest of the day. If you like, you can bury the apple at sundown or the next morning as a means of “discarding” your spell. You can also simply throw the apple away. Remember, you’ve already done the work, these are just what’s left of the tools you used in doing so.

TAROT ALLIES FOR MONEY & BUSINESS WORK

Many practitioners of witchcraft like to utilize tarot cards in their spells or as visual manifestation tools. These tarot cards are ideal for incorporating in either spellwork for money or success in business, or as those visual manifestation tools to keep on your person or around you.

• the Magician: For those starting a new business venture or trying to start their own business, the Magician is a powerful tarot ally. He has all the tools he needs before him, just as you do. Emulate the Magician’s ability to summon new ideas and bring his vision to life.
• the Sun: Perfect for those hoping to find a new job or get a promotion. The Sun is all about growth, prosperity, and expanding one’s horizons.
• Ace of Pentacles: This card is all about raking in the money. Let the money come your way and put the Ace of Pentacles to use in your spellwork to help ensure so. It can also be used when looking for a raise, a change of career, or to start a new business.
• Nine of Pentacles: If business and success are your main focus right now, the Nine of Pentacles is the helper you need. Success, monetary gain, growth, and recognition are the central themes with this card.

I hope you’ll find some use for these spells, charms, and techniques. May your spring be filled with renewal, fresh starts, abundance, and prosperity!

Sources & Further Reading:

-’Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs’ - Cunningham, Scott
-’Doctoring the Devil’ -Richards, Jake
-’Herbal Magic: A Handbook of Natural Spells, Charms, and Potions’ -Kane, Aurora
-’Köhler’s Medizinal-Pflanzen’ -Köhler, Hermann Adolf
-’Magical Folkhealing’ -Conway, DJ
-’the Master Book of Herbalism’ -Beyerl, Paul
-’Tarot Spells’ -Renée, Janina

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