The use of black ritual salt as a protective element originated in the practice of Hoodoo and Santeria. A powerful tool that should be a staple in the magical toolbox of any practitioner. While many will view the black color of the salt and assume that it is associated with black magic, this is far from the truth. Instead, the salt is often used to absorb and contain negativity, working to eliminate its influences from spaces and people. Also known as Witch’s Salt, Indio Salt and Drive Away Salt, you can make this powerful substance at home!
How to Make Black Salt
There are many different recipes, with different approaches to achieve the dark/black coloring of the final product. While some will recommend the use of food coloring or dye it should be noted that the addition of a liquid to any type of salt will cause it to clump up and dissolve. In order to maintain the integrity of the salt, it is recommended that you find a dry ingredient that will accomplish the desired final appearance. Some suggestions include black iron pot scrapings, black pepper, ground charcoal and fire pit ash.
In an article for The Magick Kitchen, practitioner Leandra Witchwood explains that she prefers to use iron pot scrapings as iron has its own abilities, including drawing discord, negativity and evil away from a person, place or thing. This means that it will further enhance the protective powers of the finished black salt. She recommends combining 2 parts sea salt, rock salt or any other coarse salt with 1-part scrapings from a cast iron skillet, caldron or pot. Simply place the salt on the surface of a well-seasoned pan. Take a soft white cotton cloth and use it to move the salt around on the pot’s surface, collecting the scrapings and slowly changing the appearance of the salt. Once you have reached the desired color, move the salt to a glass container for storage.
Spells That Use Black Salt
The completed salt possesses abilities in the areas of grounding, barrier-forming, warding and absorbing. It can be used either on its own or in combination with any number of other ingredients of your choosing
Here Are 5 Different Spells That Use Black Salt:
#1 – Keep a hidden back in your office, workplace or other shared space, for example, taped under a desk or in a drawer, replacing it regularly. This will work to absorb anger, gossip, grouchiness, and drama.
#2 – In order to banish negativity from your home or property, walk the boundaries of the property counterclockwise while sprinkling the salt. Effective on its own, it can also be combined with other cleansing and protective methods such as smudging or water rituals.
#3 – If you are trying to keep a specific person out of your home or space, sprinkle the black salt across each threshold while naming the person and the reasons that you do not wish to allow them into your space.
#4 – If you are working on a charm that you hope will bring a positive outcome, such as one for wealth or fame, adding a pinch of black salt to the spell can help to protect you against jealousy, lies and ill intent.
#5 – If someone has entered your house that you would like to stop from returning, you can use black salt as they are leaving. Simply sprinkle the sale into their footsteps, preventing their return.
Disposing of Black Salt After Use
As black salt works by absorbing negative energies, the used salt is the equivalent of ‘magical toxic waste.’ For this reason, disposing of the used salt should be done carefully as you will be disposing of the negative energies with it. You must also consider the safety of any wildlife or plant life at your disposal, so simply dumping the salt outdoors is not an option.
Safe disposal options include casting it into water, burning it, scattering it in very small amounts to the four winds (the amounts must be incredibly small in order to avoid leaving a pile outdoors as referenced above) or burying it away from your property.