Witches' salt: white, black, red.

Salt has always been a key element in magical and religious matters. There are long traditions about salt as a repellent of evil spirits. It has long been used in both magical circles and in more mundane ways, such as throwing it on the doorstep to keep evil spirits from entering, or throwing a little on the left shoulder if salt has been spilled, in order to scare away the devil, who comes to peek out from that side.

White salt

All this folklore comes from the religious association of salt as a condiment. Sodium is a precious commodity in nature, but it is in the human aspect where it gains more value. Salt was used as a purifying element in Egyptian and Greco-Roman cultures, for example, by scattering it over destroyed cities to ward off evil spirits and bring peace, as well as in funeral rituals, with the intention of preserving corpses and therefore life in the afterlife. Scattering salt on streets and homes was also a tradition in the Far East, China and Japan. In the Arab and Judeo-Christian world, newborns were rubbed with salt as protection against demons. Baptismal water, in fact, contains a pinch of salt.

However, it was also used in a negative sense, since salt in large quantities takes away the fertility of the earth. Also in the Bible, episodes such as the metamorphosis of Lot's wife into salt can show a negative value of salt, as divine punishment. In India, for certain sacred times and important rituals, it was necessary to abstain from salt. Among some South American tribes, abstinence from salt was a requirement for rule, while North American tribes seemed to ignore the existence of this ingredient.

Except in Hungary and some areas of Southeast Asia, salt has always been a repellent of demons and witches. That is why people throw it over their shoulders when they pour it (which is, in itself, a disgrace given its price and religious value), or surround magic circles of salt. Some suppose that it is because of the sodium and its sulfurous vapors, and then its next transformation, sulfur, whose smell and consequences on health they would associate with hell, to which they would not want to return (except, as already mentioned, in Hungarian folklore, where it would be a favorite food). Other scholars believe that it is because, being salt a sacred element, it would be a natural enemy.

Today, traditions and superstitions about salt have remained firmly in general knowledge. In the magical world in particular, it has applications such as protection on doors and windows, to make a magic circle with it, as well as throwing it into water, fire or cauldron. Some people purify their amulets and crystals by placing them in a container with salt or salt water (always making sure that the salt does not eat away at the base material). On the Wiccan altar, a plate of salt water symbolizes fertility (the salt is the semen, the water is the amniotic fluid). In Celtic and Roman neopaganism, among the offerings to the gods we find salt cakes.

Specifically, it is considered that white salt can cancel out the effects of black salt used with negative intentions.

Black Salt

This black salt should not be confused with the black powders used in voodoo, "goofer dust", since those have a component of grave dirt, herbs, anvil scrapings, and sometimes drugs that cause the "zombie" effect. When they do not have "chemical" elements, this powder has uses similar to those of the magical black salt that we will see below.

Natural black salt is that which comes from India and the volcanic islands of the Pacific, used in cooking, and without any magical use, with the exception of the use of black salt in Ayurveda, which is actually more medicinal. So, we can ask ourselves, when did the black salt of witches arise?

It is a relatively recent creation, from the 20th century. Since salt is a natural element and commonly associated against witches, its use in magic seemed a bit contradictory. Although there are those who use white salt in their spells, in Wicca and Neopaganism the creation of a "different" salt seemed necessary.

The first thing to know is that it is not edible. The second thing we inevitably notice is the color. Black is obtained by mixing salt, a magical element, with the ashes of burnt magical herbs and black pepper. Some recipes also include charcoal, incense remains, tourmaline powder and cauldron scrapings. All of these elements must belong to a spell, either for the creation of the witches' salt itself, or for another purpose, for which the salt will be used.

This preparation must be carried out conscientiously, exposed to the moonlight, and mixed with ritual movements. In this way, the creation of a new ritual ingredient takes place, which can currently be found in the vast majority of markets and esoteric stores.

Black salt is used to repel spells and evil eyes, as well as for protection and purification. Still, there are currents that consider that white salt should be used for positive rituals, and black salt for negative rituals. Among its negative uses we find curses, potions, witch bottles, as well as negative rituals and throwing it on the person to be conjured.

Among its positive uses are blessings and sacralizations, protection, ingredient for burning (the salt crackles in a special way), preparation of magical spaces, preparation of lucky bags, etc.

Red Salt

The most well-known natural red salt is Hawaiian Alaea salt and Himalayan pink salt. Witches' red salt is commonly sold for love purposes, but its origin has nothing to do with the places mentioned. The red clay brick dust, used in hoodoo and voodoo for the same purposes of defending against evil spirits as white salt, traveled through folklore, becoming related to it.

The red salt that can be found for sale or prepared today has been related to love spells, losing its protective aspect. Although clay is also used, it is more common to make red salt with Himalayan salt, rose petals or other red flowers, paprika, chili, cayenne... Ingredients that give it that reddish touch.

With red salt, small bags are made to achieve or preserve love, as well as an ingredient for intentional drinks (a pinch in a cup of hot chocolate, for example). All this taking into account that no non-edible ingredients have been mixed in, such as reddish oxide shavings. It is also obviously used in magic spells and bindings, and you can sprinkle a little in places where you want to enhance love/sex, or between people.

Due to its dubious moral uses, it is often used together with black salt, both to enhance the effects of the red salt and for the protection of the magician, in case the spell rebounds.

Another type of red salt adds blood of the magician or the person to be enchanted to the mixture. It is a type of magic normally intended as an offering/sacrifice in exchange for obtaining what is requested, but it is not as common as one might think. Rather, powdered dyes are used to dye it.

These three types of salt are the most common witch salts today, with black salt being the most famous, although when it comes down to it, white salt still has greater prominence in traditional and modern witchcraft.

Other salts

Pink salt, mentioned in passing, is a salt originating mainly from Pakistan, used in cooking and cosmetics. This salt has been attributed healing and calming properties, as well as purifying or absorbing negative energies. However, its use has not reached magical practice, beyond the famous salt lamps for the ambience.

They are not very popular, but in some places, especially in the United States, salts of more colors are prepared, using dyes and other elements of these tones. For example, together with pigments, violet salt with lavender flowers, green salt with mint leaves, orange salt with citrus fruit zest, yellow salt with marigold flowers and gold leaf... The objective of these salts is similar to that of the color laws of candles, associating the color given to the salt with the objective: blue for health, green and yellow for work and money, violet for relaxation and spirituality, etc. It certainly seems more like an aesthetic (and business) product than a truly esoteric product, since the protective function of salt, its preferred work, is relegated to the background, and it also does not offer anything new, since colored candles more easily fulfill the different missions.

Pietro V. Carracedo Ahumada - pietrocarracedo@gmail.com

Bibliography:

-Buckland, R. Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft. Llewellyn publications, 2002.

-Charro Gorgojo, M.A. La sal. ¿Mito o superstición? Revista de folklore Nº 214, 1998, págs. 124-133

-Hedera, V. Folkloric American Witchcraft and the Multicultural Experience. A Crucible at the Crossroads. John Hunt Publishing, 2021.

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