As the moon draws the sea skyward, its waves cast the treasures of the ocean on beaches all over the world. If you spent some time collecting altar decorations shore side this summer, put your seashells to good use!
Try one of these 11 ideas for using shells in witchcraft.
(And if you’re interested in a more complete guide to sea witchery, check out Moody Moons School of Metaphysical Art’s online class, Sea Witch 101).
Draw down the moon.
The gravitational pull of the Earth’s closes celestial body is so powerful, it causes waves to crash on every coastline in the world.
These waves wash up the ocean’s beautiful treasures. Seashells are the result of the force of the moon on the world around us. They arrive where you find them on the beach because of the moon’s colossal force.
Line your sacred circle with seashells when drawing down the moon or during full moon rituals.
Release something.
Write something you want to let go of on a seashell—a person, a job, or even a thought.
During the waning moon, toss the shell into the ocean.
Walk away and don’t look back.
Create a sea witch altar.
If you live near a coastline, are a water sign (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) or you work with the Element of Water often, consider devoting a space in your home for a sea witch altar.
Pile on seashells high to bring the spirit of the ocean into your sacred space.
Place seashells in the western corner of your circle.
Water rules the western direction.
Seashells symbolize the treasures hidden deep beneath the ocean’s surface.
When casting your circle, place seashells in the western corner.
Meditation seashells.
If you love using your fine art skills in magic (or just want to try it for the first time), try using seashells as a base for an art spell.
Need some ideas?
Check out these amazing “zen” seashells for some magical, meditative art therapy.
Dry cleansing.
Try storing magical tools with seashells to clear negative energy.
This technique is particular useful for tools that cannot have contact with water, like your tarot cards.
Add them to your witchy candle-making.
If you make your own candles for spell casting, incorporate your collection of seashells into your craft.
Try this gorgeous tutorial for turning seashells into tea candles.
Or, press candles into the base of a pillar candle while the wax is still warm.
Use them in love spell.
In love and attraction spells, the Element of Water rules emotions and matters of the heart.
Include a small seashell in an attraction spell bag.
When working with the goddess Aphrodite.
If you work with Aphrodite, honor her with an offering of seashells.
In particular, oyster shells represent the deep, hidden beauty of womanhood and the feminine divine.
Make a set of runes.
Collect 24 shells of roughly the same size.
Then, use a fine-tipped black marker to draw a runic symbol on each one.
Voila! Your set of runes is not only unique, it’s infused with your creative energy.
Add them to ritual baths.
Infuse your ritual bath experience with the magic of the ocean.
Surround your tub with seashells, add some sea salt to the water and indulge in a ritual bath that draws on the oceanic energy of sea magic.
Thank you! I’m a baby witch who’s studies and rituals revolve around sea and cosmos witchcraft and this was so so helpful!
I wish you guys would start talking about the other types of shells, freshwater clams, snails, even land snails. I collect them ethically, finding the empty shells, and would like to learn more about those.
We came across this house that is definitely enchanted. The woman died there. I was drawn to this house like a magnet. My 3 year old is “special”, she talks to animals and sees and hears things that others do not. This placeakes her act like she is in a candy store. The property is very fruitful. Literally. Right when you pull up and park there are the biggest blackberries I’ve ever seen. Apple trees, pear trees, some sort of cherry / plum tree, we have encountered Wildlife this last time we were there there was a 2 point buck in the front yard that hung around. And was not afraid of us at all. Almost like he was watching the house and property like security LOL. This house is surrounded by a 1-foot Mote of quartz crystal and seashells. The ground is Hollow all over the property. There in the courts is sticks that are smooth and twisted. One looks like a cat. This woman who passed away left the house to her brother and sister. This I found out because when we were taking a look at the property the woman that passed away had a best friend pulled up the driveway. She was not interested in myself or the people that I was looking at the house. Instead she pulls up directly behind me nervously lit a cigarette walked into the backyard by the fire pit and look directly to the hillside in front of her. This Hillside is covered in fruit trees. Old fruit trees. One of them that stands in the middle has a circle of rocks that are Jagged and dark and are covered in Moss this goes all the way around the street. On the left side before we got to the tree my husband was drawn to this rock on the ground he took a large stick and started tapping this rock and you can hear that the ground is hollow underneath almost like a box. We have not gone any further than just confirming that there’s something under it. My husband’s shoulder has been hurting him intensely since he Unearthed this first rock. He feels like something is guarding it possibly? Can you help us? What do you think? He says there’s a very large flat stone Under The Rock and it’s Hollow underneath you could hear the hollowness from ten feet away where I was standing as he topped it with the large Branch you found on the ground. Also in the fire pit which is a perfect circle is a pentagram with sticks. Not straight perfect symbol pentagram like the branches fell this way.
I know when I was little I could see and talk to things just like your little one can, I don’t know if it’s a phase or something because I lost that ability when I turned eight. I would though think that you want her to become accustomed to just talking to them because they used to help me with my ancestry. So don’t make her think it’s all fake, and let her know it’s ok.