The Keeper's Path

Witches traditionally were not above casting hexes if the need presented itself. We are charged with acting with wisdom and accepting the results of our choices. If you feel strongly enough that a hex is needed to right a wrong or to guarantee protection or safety, so be it. But you have to deal with whatever consequences – good or bad – come about as a result.

Weigh your decision carefully and act with as much wisdom and compassion in the situation as you can muster. It’s never a good idea to fling out a spell for selfish reasons; you wouldn’t want that sort of energy manifesting as a result if you’re a smart, caring person. But if you’re hexing someone like a murderer, abuser, or rapist, then you’re doing this out of a motive to see justice and safety carried out. The ends justify the means, in other words.

People who cast spells from less-than-honorable motivations (jealousy, revenge, hatred, etc.) MUST have their work sent back on them. There is no point coddling or protecting someone who would use the power to inflict intentional, wanton harm on another person/people/property, etc. You will not suffer negative repercussions for sending back harm sent to you because you were not the originator of the attack.

You shouldn’t necessarily cast your own magic/spells/hexes back on the person though because it is traditionally taught that you “draw from the same well.” However, once energy or magic is sent out, it’s ‘fair game’ so to speak. It is certainly acceptable (and perhaps should even be expected) that a Witch will muddle or confuse magic sent from another to prevent harm or to ensure protection or justice for someone. Just tread carefully here.

There are other ways than sending back negativity if you’re honestly uncomfortable with it, but in a lot of cases, it’s hard for someone to do because it requires a lot of compassion and spiritual/mental maturity and the fact is that when we’re being intentionally harmed, that’s the last thing most of us want to consider — being compassionate and spiritually/mentally mature.

If you are suffering the ill effects of a curse, you can absorb that energy and transform it. Energy is energy and a spell works because it is energy given a specific purpose. But, once that energy is sent, it’s ‘fair game’ and can be manipulated if you have that level of competence and understanding. You can absorb the energy and transform it into loving, compassionate, healing energy and return it to the sender. The phrase ‘fight fire with fire’ is very common, but in actuality, it’s false — you fight fire with water; fight hexes/curses with love and compassion.

If you have a strong alliance with a particular deity, or even Divine Energy in general, you can ask for the energy to be returned in the manner most fitting the attack. But you have to be willing to let it go and realize that you may never have the ‘personal satisfaction’ of seeing this person get their karmic return or punishment. Most people don’t think that way and find more pleasure in seeing their opponent suffer than they find peace in letting the Gods handle the situation for them. Thus — the need for spiritual/mental maturity.

If you’re suffering a curse from someone who has died, sprinkle/burn agrimony, angelica, and black salt on their grave. If that is not possible, inscribe a black candle with their name, date of birth and death and scoop a hole out in the bottom of the candle to ‘stuff’ it with the three items mentioned. Melt the wax scrapings back over the hole to seal it, and then burn the candle. Let it burn away completely (or as completely as possible) then bury the remainder (if any) at a crossroads.

If you feel that you are suffering the ill effects of magic and the sender/caster is still alive then fill a tub with bath water to which you will add two handfuls of sea salt, a cup of vinegar, and the petals of three white roses. Submerge yourself completely in the water and do not rinse. Relax and accept that the salt and vinegar will wash away the negativity being sent to you and the white rose petals will strengthen your feelings of protection.

When you are finished with the bath, stand and drain the tub. Remain in the tub as the water drains away, watching it carry away all of the remnants of the foul magic that was clinging to you. Air dry after the cleansing bath, put on clean clothing, and then think no more on the curse against you.