Planetary Spells & Rituals

by Raven Digitalis

  Saturnus … Saturnus … Saturnus! Great Reaper and Lord of Karma, he who oversees time, and the death of all things great and small. Great Saturnus, great Kronos, great angel Azræl, I connect with you now on this most Saturnian night. I invite you to surround me, to deliver messages I must hear, and heed my prayers. Come now, take from me that which no longer serves my path. Saturnus … Saturnus … Saturnus!

  Close your eyes and envision a grim reaper in a long black hooded cloak. Sickle in hand, his influence is that of reaping the harvest, declaring reign on the fruitful land by taking its life to the Underworld. He is Saturn, Kronos, Father Time, Azræl, the Grim Reaper. He is the archetype of the dying year. He is Death.

  Face this deity straight-on, making out his features and telling him your wishes of severance. Psychically tell him your reasons for wishing to contact him, making clear the things you wish to sever from your life. Open your psychic and perceptive channels to see if you receive any messages from Saturn. You may receive messages having to do with any qualities or properties that Saturn represents.

  When you feel this meditation has continued for as long as is beneficial to you, speak aloud any personal prayers you have to Saturnus, Kronos, Azræl, and the Reaper. When finished, keep your eyes closed and pluck the rose from atop your body. Hold it high above you and say:

  Great Saturnus! With the severing of life in this rose, I too ask you to sever and break issues in my life that no longer serve me. Great Lord of Karma, and Bestower of Divine Justice, I ask you to assist me in harvesting that which restricts my development, that it may fall before me to analyze, understand, and banish. Saturnus, with your mighty sickle, I ask you now to oversee this severance of my dead past.

  Using the boline or blade, cut the rose in two, whether it be in the middle or at the top of the stem. With a piece in either hand, let your arms fall, hitting the ground with force. Close your eyes and slip into meditation. Again, allow any visions to fill you, and simply be in the presence of the energy at hand.

  When you are finished, reenter your normal waking state of consciousness, get up, shake the herbs off the blanket, and throw the pieces of the flower in opposing directions. Snuff the candle in the dirt, declaring “So mote it be.” End by thanking the deities, bowing to each direction, and leaving the beet as an offering.

  Here we come to another cursing spell. I must reiterate that spells for crossing another person should only be done in the most dire of circumstances, and after all other efforts to resolve the situation have been exhausted. Destructive magick toward others should not be used for revenge, but for self-protection and defense. Please approach such workings with intelligence and solid ethics. To magickally harm another without damn good reason is to lay a curse upon oneself. The practitioner must take full responsibility for their actions in the spell and for anything that could potentially result from performing it.

  One of Saturn’s archetypes is the Lord of Karma. It would be entirely egotistical to think that other peoples’ karmic lessons are up to us to determine, but sometimes a push in the right direction is what’s needed when our well-being or that of others is legitimately threatened. Stopping a perpetrator in their tracks can in fact be the best way a person learns the lessons they’re actively avoiding.

  Magick focused on love, sex, money, and cursing are some of the most prevalent types of ancient spells. There’s nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves, but an attachment to these forces can lead to unethical decisions and an unhealthy attachment to the physical plane and its components. I advise practitioners to perform all magick, benign or severe, with a foundation of morality and conscious thought.

  If you would like to learn more about cursing in a Neopagan context, I suggest Dorothy Morrison’s acclaimed Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions. This book contains numerous ideas and methods of cursing and is one that I feel should be read by morally inclined Craft practitioners, even if there is never a need to utilize the workings.

  Stepping Back & Further Application

  Cursing magick is serious. Aside from the obvious reason that it can cause damage to a person, the subject is serious because the motivation of the practitioner is highly significant. Yes, some people who are “into” magick will throw curses and hexes out like nobody’s business. This can be a psychological assertion of power, an ego-based domination tactic, or a whole slew of other inner issues on the caster’s part. If you’re considering a curse, approach the situation from the most objective stance possible, clearly defining where you stand in the mix. More often than not, genuine compassion and the desire to heal are the energies that can truly mend a difficult situation. Get inside the person’s head and see if a curse really is the most ideal solution.

  Think about other ways you can follow up on the situation that you may not have tried before. Use your real-world magick to influence change before turning exclusively to esoterica. Remove yourself, your subjectivity, and your bitter emotions from the situation and analyze it from that vantage point. If you’ve honestly tried other methods of influencing change and feel that wishing deep ill upon a person is the best option for them, give yourself time to reflect on the working and modify the magick to fit the situation. Finally, wait at least a few days to perform a curse after you get the initial idea to do so; sometimes you’ll realize that a curse may actually be counterproductive.

  Supplies

  • 3 black candles

  • the “essence” of the other person (see Notes)

  • a black poppet that has one side open (or an old black sock or fabric that has been made into a doll)

  • 1 or more Solanaceæ herbs (see Notes)

  • a coffin nail (see Notes)

  • a small stone of opal and/or obsidian

  • a small, empty cardboard box

  • a black permanent marker

  • graveyard dirt (see Notes)

  • a small amount of powdered sage

  Notes

  • The “essence” of a person, also called ousia, is anything that carries their energy pattern, including DNA (such as hair, fingernail clippings, and excretions), or has come in contact with the person (this is the Law of Contagion, and can include a person’s possession, footprint, handwriting, and so forth). A person’s essence can also be tapped into by creating a picture of the person, or by simply writing their name and focusing on them.

  • Coffin nails are generally a component of baneful magick and have a rich history in Hoodoo and other magickal systems. However, they (or any nail) can also be imbued with properties of “fixing down” energies or sealing a spell.

  • Graveyard dirt has long been used in Hoodoo and other magickal practices. For our purposes, it will represent the laying to rest of an old habit. Simply go to a graveyard and scoop up a small amount of dirt (not from someone’s grave in this case), ideally from a crossroads area of the cemetery. A common substitute for graveyard dirt is to make a powdered mixture of patchouli, mullein, valerian, and sage.

  • A Solanaceæ herb is any herb belonging to the plant family of that name. This includes the nightshades, encompassing belladonna, henbane, datura, mandrake, and tobacco. If none of these are available to you, substitute (or add) tomato, potato, eggplant, or petunia, which are mostly nontoxic members of the Solanaceæ family.

  Procedure

  Begin by casting a circle, calling the quarters, chanting, or raising energy as you normally would, performing protective exercises, and altering your consciousness. Clear your mind, bring focus to your breath, and meditate for at least a few minutes. When ready, begin the spell.

  Light the black candles and situate them in a triangle in front of you; the uppermost candle should be farthest from you, with the other two closer to you, and about a foot apart from each other. Grab the “essence” of the person. Close your eyes and bring to mind all the negat
ive things that make it clear this person should be cursed. Feel the upset rise inside you. Become angry and sad. Have confidence in your curse. When ready, open your eyes and put the contents in the poppet (or makeshift poppet). Glare at it and say:

  [Name]: this is you.

  [Name]: this is you.

  [Name]: this is you.

  Add the Solanaceæ herb(s) and the stone(s) to the poppet and seal it up as needed (by sewing it, dripping candle wax on it, or tying it shut). Place it in the center of the candles. Envision a black line connecting the candle flames into a perfect triangle, energetically trapping the poppet inside. Stare at the poppet and envision the person as being helpless to your magick. Say:

  If you continue on this path, you’ll fall farther down the black hole.

  If you continue on this path, the Earth shall swallow you whole.

  If you continue on this path, you’ll reach the deadliest end.

  If you continue on this path, you’ll find only suffering again and again.

  Grab the coffin nail and briefly dip it in the hot wax of each candle. Hold the nail in your right fist with the spike pointing downwards. Stare at the poppet and shout the following,

  D¯estr¯uctus! D¯estr¯uctus! D¯estr¯uctus!

  Detritus! Detritus! Detritus!

  D¯estr¯uctus! D¯estr¯uctus! D¯estr¯uctus!

  Immediately slam the nail into the heart of the poppet, seeing all the dense and destructive energies plummeting into the victim. Shout:

  Grow or Go! Grow or Go! Grow or Go!

  [Name]: ARUR! [Name]: ARUR! [Name]: ARUR!

  On the inside- and outside-bottoms of the box, draw symbol 17. On 3 other sides (such as on the lid—it’s your choice) write AŌROS. On all other sides of the box, draw a large X. Sprinkle the graveyard dirt into the bottom of the box. Place the poppet inside the box and say:

  This is your coffin if you don’t change your ways.

  This begins for you a downward spiral of self-destruction.

  But: should you make an effort to grow and to love, you will be blessed …

  Sprinkle some of the powdered sage over the poppet. Say:

  However: if you stay as you are, you are cursed, hexed, bound, and dead.

  Forcefully spit at the poppet and declare:

  See the light! Be the light! Or perish if no effort is made! So mote it be!

  Put the lid on the box and seal it with black wax. Drip some of the wax on the top of the box to form a cross shape. Close the circle as you normally would, allowing the candles to burn fully down with the “coffin” in the middle. (But keep an eye on the flames, of course.) Once the candles are extinguished, leave the box in a dark, hidden corner of your house so that you can release and “unbind” the spell if necessary.

  A Saturn return is the time in a person’s life when Saturn’s original placement in one’s natal chart returns to its original position. Saturn takes approximately 29.5 years to make a complete cycle around the sun. Depending on its position when a person is born, the time of its precise return can vary. In more simple terms, every time we have a birthday it marks a solar return: the Sun coming back to the same position it was in when you were born. A Saturn return is our Saturnian birthday. This ceremony celebrates a person’s second Saturn return.

  Most people experience two or three Saturn returns; the first one at somewhere between the ages of 27 and 30, the second between 58 and 60, and the third between 86 and 88. When these returns occur, the influences of Saturn, including Karma, destiny, purpose, and direction, become illuminated in a person’s life. The initial Saturn cycle (from birth until the age 27–30) can be seen as the Maiden or Son cycle, the second (beginning at 27–30) as the Mother or Father cycle, the third (beginning at 58–60) as the Crone or Sage cycle—which this ceremony is focused on celebrating—and the fourth (beginning at 86–88) as the Transcendent, Transitioning, or Spiritual Merging cycle. The exact time of the return can be calculated by a reliable astrological source.

  If you are searching for a natal chart (birthchart) astrological casting, I personally recommend the and fun and extremely accurate MoonCat! Astrology, whose contact information is located at www.catoverthemoon

  .com. MoonCat is a globetrotting astrologer extraordinaire whose cosmic insights are like none other. I also heartily recommend Calantirniel, whose professional chart castings have keenly assisted those in need (myself included) more times than I can count! She can be found via www.thehiddenrealm.org or www.myspace.com/aartiana.

  One thing to keep in mind is this: chronological age and spiritual age are not always synonymous. For many, the two go hand-in-hand (and that is what this particular rite of passage is focused on) because life experience can, and should, encourage the deepening of knowledge, which is wisdom. Still, some people are well aged and have little wisdom; others are little aged and have much wisdom. This ritual honors the convergence of these two forces: the physiological/biological and the spiritual/experiential. Also, the entrance into becoming a Crone or Sage is not synonymous with becoming a Priest, Priestess, or Craft Elder—such titles are separate and generally depend on a person’s tradition and Craft training.

  Some women begin to observe the “Entrance of the Crone” just after the final period of menopause, and perform a Croning ritual to mark the achievement. Men’s biological times are not as clearly marked, so many perform a “Saging” at the time their intuition (and community) deems it appropriate. Most importantly—and even more important than precise age or Saturnian time—a person should have a deep sense of knowingness regarding their dedication into the next step of life’s mysteries.

  As mentioned in the Introduction, all ceremonies in here are designed for solitary practitioners but can be modified for group work. Because the Eldering position of Crone or Sage has implications of wisdom, ability, and experience, many “new Elders” are involved with a working group or will solitarily utilize their skills to help others in need. To conclude a Croning or Saging ritual, the newly dedicated Crone or Sage can present themselves to their community by going to a metaphysical shop and other magickal circles and mentioning their willingness to assist community members in need.

  Stepping Back & Further Application

  One does not have to perform this spell precisely at the moment of their second Saturn return, though it would be ideal. People transition into the Crone or Sage aspect of their lives as the Fates guide it to occur. This cosmically occurs upon the second Saturn return, but if one performs this rite give or take a number of years, its effects are still significant. That is, if the Universe aligns your elevation into this most venerated level, you will clearly perceive the transition regardless of Saturnian position. Just the same, marking one’s physical age in this rite is almost as important as marking the wisdom earned.

  Are you being objective in your desire to dedicate yourself at this time? Is this the most ideal time to leave behind aspects of your past and enter what’s next? Have you accepted your experiences of the past and are you willing to embrace the unseen future? If now is the time, plan your solitary rite of passage accordingly. Put a lot of thought into the preparation and modify the ritual to fit you. Decide if you wish to practice fasting during the experience, if you wish to perform it skyclad, if you wish to paint your body, or even if you wish to do a vow of silence during the twenty-four-hour period (in which case you should “mentally speak” the ritual words). Make this “rebirthday” highly significant and reflective.

  Supplies

  • a small tent or supplies to construct one

  • camping tools, sleeping supplies, and fire-kindling tools

  • a pen and sketchbook

  • supplies for building a campfire

  • any combination of the herbs eyebright, High John the Conqueror root, ivy, lotus, mistletoe, mullein, Solomon’s seal root, thyme, and woodruff

  • drums, ratt
les, shakers, and other trance-inducing instruments

  • jugs of fresh water (to drink and to extinguish the fire)

  • a bottle of cooled gingko tea (see Notes)

  Notes

  • You will be spending a period of 24 hours alone in the wilderness for this ritual. Plan this carefully, plotting a campsite area where you won’t be disrupted (if possible). Bring all the food, water, and sleeping supplies you need. If you choose to fully fast for the 24-hour period, permit yourself water, tea, and/or juice. At the very least, you should not eat any meat or dairy during the experience, to keep your energies merged with the Earth rather than with other animals’ energies. Also, camp in a safe area.

  • Please note the [bracketed] words in the spell and use the appropriate words depending on your gender. In instances of “[God/dess],” men can pray to the God alone and women to the Goddess alone or both men and women alike can certainly say “God and Goddess” if they’d like. As with all rituals, it should be personalized depending on one’s own spirituality and deific alignments.

  • Gingko is one of the most ancient trees in the world. For this reason, it’s said to hold the memories of the world. Ingesting the tea slowly throughout the duration of the experience represents imbuing oneself with the wisdom of the ages.

  • It’s best to have scoped out a campsite well before the ritual. I recommend setting up your tent in the early afternoon and remaining there throughout the ceremony until that same hour the following day. Also, be sure that you’re in an area with a fire pit and that there are no fire restrictions in effect at the moment.

  Procedure

  After setting up the tent, cast a circle around it, call the quarters, chant, or raise energy as you normally would, perform protective exercises, and alter your consciousness. Clear your mind, bring focus to your breath, and meditate for at least a few minutes. When ready, begin the spell.