Marriage and Divorce Spells - The Spells

The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells - Judika Illes 2009

Marriage and Divorce Spells
The Spells

Because marriage, handfasting, or any ritualized union is one of the major thresholds of life, it’s perceived as a time of tremendous power, promise, and vulnerability. The entire marriage ceremony, the arrangements preceding it, and post-nuptial celebrations may be perceived as a huge series of magic spells as much as a religious sacrament. In some cases, it’s consciously both.

Activate an Engagement Ring

In regards to promoting and preserving love and long-term relationships, the emerald is by far the best choice for an engagement ring. However the following ritual transforms any ring into an enchanted ring of love.

First obtain the ring.

Tie it to a red silk thread and suspend it into the smoke made from burning frankincense and myrrh, patchouli and vetiver.

Wrap it securely in silk cloth. (You may remove the thread.)

Wear this packet for nine days and nights against your skin, preferably next to your heart or under your left armpit.

Pass it through the incense again.

Make a braid from three of your hairs and three of your beloved’s.

Wrap this around the ring.

Wrap the ring with the braid in silk again.

Wear it for an additional six days against your heart or in your armpit.

On the seventh day, remove the lover’s braid and present the ring to your beloved.

Banyan Blessings

Banyan trees are considered ancient, benevolent, powerful reservoirs of blessing and protection. Get married under a banyan tree to receive marital blessings. (One more reason to get married in Hawaii …)

Bride’s Anti-Evil Eye Spell

One of the psychic dangers inherent on the Wedding Day is that so much celebration and happiness will inevitably attract the envious eyes of jealous spirits, or the Evil Eye. Among those perceived as vulnerable to the Evil Eye, brides rank highest, right alongside infants and pregnant women. Although many protection spells exist, this one specifically targets the Evil Eye.

The bride holds a coin under her left armpit during the marriage ceremony. Upon leaving the ceremony, the coin is secretly and discreetly allowed to fall to the ground, either as a payment to spirits who will protect from the Evil Eye or as a bribe to the spirits. Whoever discovers and picks up this coin unknowingly obtains a year’s good fortune.

Bridal Bouquet Spell: Ariadne and Dionysus

Greek mythology typically depicts marriage as a sorry affair. No wonder spirits like Artemis and Athena vowed never to marry. The only Olympian spirits who are genuinely happily wed soul mates are Dionysus and Ariadne.

May Day commemorates their wedding anniversary. Carry a bouquet of holly and ivy, their sacred plants, to invoke their blessings of happiness and compatibility.

Bridal Bouquet Spell: Heather

Incorporate white heather into the bridal bouquet for luck and protection.

Bridal Bouquet Spell: Queen of the Meadow

Queen of the Meadow’s other nickname, bridewort, indicates its affinity with brides. Carry some within the bridal bouquet to obtain all the happiest marriage blessings.

Bridal Bouquet Spell: Yarrow

Incorporate yarrow into the bridal bouquet for seven years of happiness.

Bridal Preparation Spell

You’ve bought the dress, chosen the veil, gone shopping for new make-up. What else is there? Various magical methods serve to prepare the bride for marriage. In general they serve two purposes, frequently simultaneously: erotic enhancement and protection.

In traditional Javanese rituals, the bride is effectively marinated in flowers and warm scented oils, including frangipani, jasmine, and roses. Depending upon how wealthy the bride (or her family) is, these combined cleansing treatments, protective formulas, and love baths may linger for days.

Bridal Preparation Kikubo

An East Indian tradition popularized in Africa:

A wide variety of fragrant botanicals are used. Collect some or all of the following: henna blossoms and/or seeds, jasmine blossoms, kilua flowers, mkadi flowers, rose petals, pachori leaves, pompia leaves, and rehani leaves.

Dry, powder, and blend all the ingredients.

Mix the powder with rose water and either olive or ben oil.

Use the resulting oil to anoint the bride for beauty and protection.

The spell may now conclude; however, to intensify the fragrance and power, once the initial blended powder has been created, add fresh jasmine blossoms. Give the blossoms time to dry out then grind them together with the powder. Blend with rose water and oil to create a sensual, protective balm for the bride.

Bridal Protection Spells

Because the bride is perceived as so psychically vulnerable, hidden amulets and charms serve as magical bodyguards during the ceremony. Because the distinctive bridal gown so clearly identifies the bride, exposing her vulnerability, so the gown becomes the most common tool of protection. Special spells and charms simultaneously protect the bride while promoting romance and devotion.

Bridal Protection Spell (1) Botanicals

Sew herbs into the hem and/or belt of the wedding gown to bring love and romance to the marriage. Favorable herbs include clover, elecampane, lavender, and powdered mistletoe.

Bridal Protection Spell (2) Conjure Bag

Fill a red silk bag with some or all of the bridal amulets below:


Cowrie shells

Small horseshoes

Clove of garlic in a red charm bag

Red ribbon

Silver charms


Sew this bag inside the skirt of the bridal gown.

Bridal Protection Spell (3) Garter

The bridal garter was originally a protective garment, intended to safeguard the bride from spiritual danger. For maximum magical protection, instead of the typical blue garter, wear a red one with a piece of silver attached. Remember to charge it with your desire.

Bridal Protection Spell (4) Mother Goose

Mother Goose rides through the air on a very fine gander. Today, Mother Goose is limited to the nursery, her rhymes intended to entertain only the youngest, least sophisticated children, yet Mother Goose’s namesake bird links her to a host of powerful spirits: Aphrodite, too, rides through the air on a goose. The bird is sacred to Egyptian Hathor and Roman Juno, both valiant protectors and advocates for women.

In the Middle Ages, the once sacred goose became associated with witchcraft and disreputable women. Attempts to discredit Lilith and the Queen of Sheba depict them as dangerously beautiful, seductive women, with one goose’s foot peeping from beneath a skirt.

Mother Goose’s famous marital recommendation echoes an old witch charm:


Something old, something new

Something borrowed, something blue

And a sixpence in her shoe!


Follow Mother Goose’s directions in order to provide the bride with spiritual protection and promote romance in the marriage.

Bridal Protection Spell (5) Needle in Shoe

Wrap a needle and a little salt in a piece of red silk. Place this in the bride’s right shoe to promote her magical well being.

Bridal Protection Spell (6) Needle in Gown

A Russian spell recommends that you break the eyes off new needles and stick them into the underside of the bridal gown.

Bridal Protection Spell (7) Peach Blossom Girl

The Peach Blossom Girl, T’ao Hua Hsien Nii, is a Chinese flower fairy and protector of brides. Typically depicted brandishing her sword by its scabbard, she bears four flags displaying the character for “happiness.” Mothers give their daughters her image when they get married, charged with love and blessings, to accompany them into married life as magical protection.

Bridal Protection Spell (8) Red

Hungarian brides consider red to be the color of protection, not blue. Pin a red silk ribbon inside the wedding gown’s skirt.

Bridal Protection Spell (9) Soap

The bridal gown singles the bride out, making her vulnerable. However that same gown helps create a powerful protective amulet for future use.

Tuck a small bar of soap into the bodice of the wedding gown.

Keep it there during the ceremony and the party, then put it away safely.

This soap can be used to wash any future children of this marriage to prevent, remove, or repel the Evil Eye.

Bridegroom Protection Spell (1)

The bride seems to get all the magical attention. Sometimes the groom needs protection, too. Luckily, if he does, the bride can provide it.

In some Slavic ceremonies, just before the ceremony, the groom is wrapped in the bride’s cloak, evoking primal female protective power.

Bridegroom Protection Spell (2)

To provide the groom with protection, the bride should circle him sunwise either three or seven times.

Bridewort Dream Spell

Create infused oil from the blossoms of the sacred Druid plant, Queen of the Meadow, also known as bridewort. (Follow directions for infusing the oil in Elements of Magic Spells.) Rub the oil on your body before going to sleep, concentrating on your query, to receive marital advice dreams.

Get Engaged Spells: Obtaining Proposals of Marriage

A not uncommon dilemma occurs when one person decides that it’s high time to get hitched, while the other party remains unconvinced or doesn’t even want to discuss the matter. Reflecting times past, when women’s life security was determined by marriage, most spells assume that it’s the woman who wishes to wed, although in reality this is obviously not always the case and undoubtedly never was.

There are many spells that contrive to obtain a proposal. They may be used identically by either gender, with the exception of spells that appeal to a Spirit that is the guardian of one particular gender, like Juno, Yemaya, and the Weaving Maiden.

(Maria Padilha is an equal opportunity spirit, willing to work with women, men, transsexuals—basically anyone whom she likes.)

Get Engaged Spell (1) Ace of Diamonds

Remove the ace of diamonds from a new pack of playing cards and place it on a dish.

Sprinkle powdered rosemary and lavender over it.

If you have a dime-store ring place it on the plate.

Dress a pink candle with Come to Me Lover and Essence of Bend Over. Place it on top of the playing card and burn.

Get Engaged Spell (2) Bride and Groom Candle (1)

Spiritual supply stores sell candles in the shape of a conjoined bride and groom. This particular spell can also serve as a binding spell.

Use this type of candle or place two figure candles side by side.

Carve and dress the candle(s).

Bind them with ribbons, knotting in desires and blessings.

Perform a marriage ceremony over the candles, using your name and that of your beloved.

When you have pronounced them husband and wife, burn the candle(s).

Get Engaged Spell (3) Bride and Groom Candle (2)

Make a bed of sand.

Place a photo of the couple upright in the sand. This should be a happy photo. If you don’t have one, you may place individual photos side by side.

Carve and dress a conjoined Couple Candle, ideally a red one, depicting the couple wearing formal wedding attire.

Place this in the sand in front of the photograph.

Burn the candle.

If a Couple Candle isn’t available, use individual figure candles. Place them side by side or facing each other. Tie them together around the waist or hands with pink, red or gold silk or satin ribbon before burning.

Get Engaged Spell (4) Conjure Bag (1)

To obtain a proposal of marriage make a secret mojo hand:

Dress a pair of Adam and Eve roots with a love-drawing oil.

Put them into a red silk or flannel bag.

Slip this into your beloved’s pocket secretly on the night of a Full Moon.

Get Engaged Spell (5) Conjure Bag (2)

Obtain one strand of hair from each party and entwine them around a wedding ring.

Place this in a conjure bag together with a pair of needles, eye to point, wrapped in red silk thread, and some rosemary.

Carry until you receive your proposal or slip it in the other party’s pocket for a more direct approach.

Get Engaged Spell (6) Courage

Perhaps you haven’t received the proposal you long for because the other party is afraid to ask. Or maybe you’d like to get married but the other person is afraid of making that commitment. If courage is the sole barrier to your happiness, serve a potion containing the herb borage to enhance bravery, risk-taking, and daring.

Get Engaged Spell (7) Elder Flowers

Successfully accomplish this spell and English folk tradition says you’ll be wed within the year.

Pour boiling water over elder flowers to create an infusion.

Allow this to cool, then strain, discarding the botanicals and reserving the infused liquid.

Add this elder-flower infusion to beer or wine.

Contrive to drink from a shared glass.

Get Engaged Spell (8) Engagement Powder

This mix allegedly magically induces the other party to get into the marrying mood. Powder lily of the valley and orange blossoms together. Blend into arrowroot powder and dust yourself with the mixture; dust your sheets, too.

Get Engaged Spell (9) Matrimony Vine

Matrimony vine allegedly enhances one’s desirability. Bathe in it to attract a proposal. Add powdered matrimony vine to spring water, rose water, and honey. Warm it on the stove and then add it to your bathwater.

Get Engaged Spell (10) Midsummer’s Eve (1)

Dance around nine Midsummer’s bonfires to be married within the year.

Get Engaged Spell (11) Midsummer’s Eve (2)

Take a mouthful of water from a well on Midsummer’s Eve.

Walk around the well three times sunwise without swallowing the water.

Spit the water out; you should receive the desired proposal.

Get Engaged Spell (12) Pea Pod Marriage Spell

Should you discover a pea pod containing precisely nine peas, preserve it.

The old legend claiming that if this pea pod is hung over your door the first man to enter will marry you reeks of desperation. Just keep that pea pod safe.

When you find someone you’d like to marry, place the pod within his hand.

Get Engaged Spell (13) Rosemary Wand

Tap your intended’s wedding ring finger with a sprig of rosemary three times.

Allegedly you’ll be engaged and wed within the year.

Get Engaged Spell (14) Santeria

This spell takes a more “persuasive” approach toward obtaining a proposal. This is traditionally an invocation to Oshun, Spirit of Love, requesting her assistance with your stalled situation.

Secretly soak a piece of white cotton in spent seminal emissions.

Roll this cotton between your hands to form a wick and reserve.

Using a knife, shape a large lily bulb into a magic lamp. (Slice off the top, hollow out the inside.)

Write the man’s name, birthday and other identifying information on a slip of paper.

Tuck the paper into the bulb and sprinkle it with ground cardamom, cinnamon, and Grains of Paradise.

Carefully fill the cavity with sweet almond oil.

Add the wick.

Make your invocation to Oshun, requesting her sacred assistance.

Burn the wick.

For maximum strength, repeat this ritual for five consecutive nights, using fresh materials.

Get Engaged Spell (15) Van Van Success

Add vervain and Grains of Paradise to Van Van Oil.

Use this oil to anoint the corners of a photograph—you’ll know which one—and dress a silver candle.

Place the photo in front of the candle, focus on your desire and light the candle.

When the candle has burned down, at the first appropriate moment, give the photograph to the other party.

Get Engaged Spell (16) Weaving Maiden (1)

The Feast of the Double Seventh occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It’s a significant day for unmarried women. This is the day when magpies form a bridge across the Milky Way for the Weaving Maiden’s single annual opportunity to visit her beloved husband, the Cowherd. The Weaving Maiden, in some legends the Kitchen God’s daughter, in others that of the Jade Emperor, is the Matron of Unmarried Women. Unlucky in love and marriage herself, the Weaving Maiden helps women obtain proposals of marriage.

Request her assistance with your own marital predicaments: the Weaving Maiden accepts burned paper offerings.

Use traditional paper offerings. The Weaving Maiden favors paper clothes, combs, and mirrors, rather than cash.

Write her a respectful letter in your own words.

Burn it so she’ll receive it via the smoke.

(The Feast of the Double Seventh is the Weaving Maiden’s only day of the year she sees the Cowherd. It’s your only day of the year to create Seven Sisters Water. See the Formulary for details.)

Get Engaged Spell (17) Weaving Maiden (2)

Spells requesting assistance from spirits are to some extent dependent on whether you’ve found favor with the deity. In other words, if they like you, the spell is most likely to work. But do they like you? How can you tell? This spell lets you know whether you’re in the Weaving Lady’s favor.

On the morning of the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, find a spider.

Place this spider gently into a box and leave it there for 24 hours.

The following morning, open the box, free the spider to go where it will and check the spider’s progress: if the spider has woven a web, you have the Weaving Lady’s favor. The larger and more intricate the web, the more she likes you.

Get Engaged Spell (18) Yemaya

The Yoruba orisha Yemaya is matron and protector of women. She may be petitioned to help with any facet of a woman’s life, including obtaining marriage proposals.

Offer Yemaya a glass of salted water and seven white roses.

Place a happy photograph of the couple inside a bowl. (You may wish to use a photocopy as the photograph may, at best, be damaged.)

Cover it with white sugar, then with a layer of white rice.

Set a few clear crystals, pearls or seashells into the rice.

Stand two white candles in the bowl.

Tie them together with a blue satin ribbon and burn them.

Happy Marriage Spells

For on-going, ever-present marriage blessings:

Happy Marriage Spell (1) Ducks

Ducks allegedly mate for life. In any case, their marital success rate is among the best in the animal kingdom, far superior to that of humans, no doubt. A pair of mandarin ducks serves as a lucky marriage charm in the hopes that you’ll be able to emulate their devotion to each other. These ducks epitomize faithfulness and fidelity.

Post an image of mandarin ducks prominently in your home. Or place a matched pair of statues somewhere strategic to radiate happiness there.

Happy Marriage Spell (2) Handfasting Broom

Brooms are named after the broom plant. This plant of fertility and growth (it’s an invasive plant spreading rapidly) demarcates sacred territory. Use the botanical broom to create a ritual broom for handfastings, to mark the sacred space encompassing bride and groom.

Happy Marriage Spell (3) Hawthorn Torch

Use flaming hawthorn branches to illuminate the nuptial bedroom. This ancient Roman custom allegedly ensures that the marriage will be filled with happiness and luck.

Happy Marriage Spell (4) Marjoram Crown

Marjoram is among Aphrodite’s sacred herbs. Crown the bride and groom with marjoram garlands to ensure marital happiness and romantic bliss.

Happy Marriage Spell (5) Orange Blossom

Reserve orange blossoms from the bride’s bouquet or garland.

Do not let them whither but burn them, together with a piece of parchment bearing the names of each member of the couple.

Put the ashes in a red bag or small bottle, together with a piece of true silver, and store in a safe, discreet place to protect and preserve love and marital harmony.

Happy Marriage Spell (6) Rosemary

The bride and groom should dip a rosemary wand into their first drink as a married couple and sip from a single glass together, to preserve love and happiness.

Happy Marriage Spell (7) Trees

Surround your home with magnolia and pine trees to provide a shield to preserve and protect your happy marriage.

Heartache and Stress Spell

To remedy marital problems:

Fill a glass with sea salt, rose water and either Holy Water or Notre Dame Water.

Drop your wedding ring in the glass and let it soak overnight.

Recite your wedding vows as you remember them.

Heartache and Stress Spell: The Other Woman

This spell is intended to make a husband forsake the “other woman.”

Go to a crossroads barefoot with your head uncovered, your hair loose and undone.

At the crossroads pick up a pebble and place it under your left armpit.

Make a wish: murmur something to the effect that just as this pebble can be removed from the road, so the other woman can be removed from your partner’s heart.

Go to a second crossroads.

Pick up another pebble but this time place it under your right armpit. Make the wish again.

With both pebbles in place, travel to a third crossroads and pick up another pebble.

Stick this pebble between your breasts or beneath your chin. Repeat your wish.

Go home: when you reach your residence but before you enter it, drop all the pebbles in the gutter.

Henna Spells

Although henna has many uses, its strongest associations are with marital rites. This natural botanical dye is used to create temporary tattoos on the bride’s body to prepare and protect her.

Henna repels the Evil Eye. Its scent is also an aphrodisiac; it places the bride in a heightened state of receptive expectancy. It also provides erotic stimulation for the groom, whenever he is close enough to inhale his bride’s aroma.

Applying henna is a lengthy process. It takes hours to mix it up. It may take hours to apply the design and it will take many hours for the design to dry fully. From the time the henna is applied, the bride is effectively incapacitated—because palms and soles are invariably painted, she cannot walk but must be carried, nor can she hold anything, such as a glass of water. Everything must be done for her as if she were a baby.

Because of this intensity of time and labor, the night of the henna is transformed into a ritual party, the original “hen night.”

Henna Basic Party Ritual

This is a women’s pre-marriage ritual. Traditionally, no men are allowed, although this may be adapted to your own tastes and purposes.

Invite friends and serve wonderful food and drink. (Make sure the bride eats before the henna begins but limits her liquid intake carefully. She may have to be carried to the bathroom, so as not to ruin her designs.)

The henna artist may be accompanied by belly dancers and musicians. Once upon a time, these rituals were dedicated to the djinn. Create a spiritual component that suits the bride’s beliefs.

A good henna artist knows special bridal designs meant to enhance the bride’s beauty as much as possible, while stimulating the groom’s sexual talents.

Henna Spell Bride’s Gloves

Lady fern, a plant known in Syria as the “bride’s gloves,” is placed on the bride’s cleansed hands and attached with tape or honey.

Henna paste is spread over the plant.

Removed when the henna is complete, it leaves a beautiful design plus the essence of blessing from the plant.

Henna Spell Hide and Seek

A trick, common to the sub-continent, is to hide the groom’s initials somewhere inside a design on the bride’s body. A wedding night game of Hide and Seek can then be played: if the groom can’t find his initials, proverbial wisdom says that the bride will dominate the match.

Henna Spell Honeyed Future

Once the design has been applied, Yemenite Jews seal the bride’s hand by sticking a coin into the center and pouring honey over it, to be scraped off the next morning with the rest of the henna paste. This blesses her married life with sweetness and prosperity. The coin may be kept as a lucky amulet.

Henna Spell Lakshmi

In India, henna is identified with Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth, Luck, and Love. Lakshmi is the eternal bride; wearing henna enables one to share in a touch of her beautiful, auspicious essence. Request her blessings for your marriage.

In-Law Spell (1)

Trouble with the in-laws? Oregano allegedly keeps meddlesome in-laws away. Greek oregano is allegedly the most magically powerful member of the species.

Don’t cook the oregano for your spouse’s troublesome relations—fumigate the premises instead. In addition, you may wish to fumigate their photographs at regular intervals.

In-Law Spell (2)

If they won’t stay away, perhaps you can inspire some affection. This spell may be used on anyone although it’s most traditionally associated with mothers-in-law. It inspires affection rather than passionate love; this is not a substitution for one of the Notorious Potions (see page 703).

Grind up your fingernail clippings.

Brew them in a hot beverage, preferably coffee.

Serve to your target.

In-Law Spell (3)

If the in-law managing methods above don’t work, try burning dried bridewort (Queen of the Meadow) to relieve tension between yourself and your in-laws.

Jump the Cauldron Spells

Some jump the broomstick; others jump the cauldron. An iron cauldron unites the male and female principles, in the same manner as the broomstick. Jumping over it offers protection, fertility, and transformation.

Jump the Cauldron Flame Spell

Jumping over flames echoes Beltane and Midsummer’s bonfires. Similar blessings of protection, fertility, and fulfillment of wishes are received. Fill the cauldron with flames by burning aromatic, romantic wood and herbs.

Jump the Cauldron Flower Spell

Think Cerridwen; think Medea: in fairy tales and mythology, cauldrons are vehicles of transformation. Fill the cauldron with flowers to represent fertility. Hold hands and jump over the cauldron to be transformed from two into one.

Marital Assistance Spells

Certain spirits are passionately involved with the lives of women. Because for millennia, marriage was such a crucial factor in women’s security and potential for happiness, these spirits provide assistance with every aspect of marriage, from obtaining the engagement to maintaining happiness to sending an abusive spouse packing.

Marital Assistance Spell: Damballah

Damballah, a Dahomean serpent deity, is among the most primordial and profound Vodou spirits. Together with his wife, Ayida Wedo, he sustains and maintains Earth. Damballah is the proverbial wise, benevolent serpent. Damballah is so ancient, he doesn’t speak but merely hisses. If a married couple honors him together, he will maintain their happiness.

Create an altar in the bedroom. Feed Damballah every Thursday. Light white and silver candles for him. Offer bougainvillea flowers and white foods like milk and eggs.

Marital Assistance: Juno, Matron of Marriage

Most famous today as the wife of Jupiter, Juno’s worship in the region that is now Italy may precede his. Juno has Etruscan roots. Her original name was Uni, which derives from the same source as one, the root of unity, unify, and unification, and indeed one is her sacred number. Rome’s supreme matron, Juno is the Matron of Women. She guides and guards them throughout all stages of life. Marriage is her holy sacrament, the ceremony that transforms two individuals into one couple.

As far as Juno is concerned, all women should be June brides. Juno is the only Roman spirit with two months named in her honor: not only the obvious June but also February, named for Juno Februata, Juno of the Fever of Love. Valentine’s Day coincides with one of Juno’s ancient Roman festivals. It’s an excellent day to offer her a petition.

Request assistance from Juno regarding any facet of marriage—from obtaining the proposal to finding a caterer:

Make your petition by creating an offering table in Juno’s honor. She accepts offerings of roses, irises, and orrisroot.

If Juno helps you, she will expect offering tables on your wedding anniversary, as well as on your birthday and at the birth of any children. In exchange, she may be petitioned for help in any area of life for the rest of your life.

Marital Assistance: Maria Padilha

Perhaps because in real life her own marital status was so precarious, Maria Padilha is very helpful in nuptial matters. Although her husband, King Pedro I of Castile and Leon, adored her, he was forced to make other more politically viable marriages while still married to Maria. (He is also suspected of poisoning one of the other wives.)

Maria Padilha will help you get married; she will also help remedy any troubles during the marriage. (She’ll help with divorce, too, if necessary.)

Offer Maria Padilha a bouquet of seven long-stemmed red roses, all thorns removed by hand.

Give her additional gifts: anisette or a glass of champagne, cigarillos, and matches.

This is all just to attract her attention. Tell her what you need. She will expect another offering (consider it payment; she will) once it’s been provided.

Marital Assistance: Saint Paraskeva

Russian Saint Paraskeva or Saint Friday is the protector of women and a provider of husbands. She may be petitioned for any aspect of the marital process or for any later needs involving marriage. The price for Saint Paraskeva’s assistance isn’t too harsh: no housework or traditional “women’s work” (sewing, weaving, cleaning) can be carried out on Friday or she may punish you. Build Saint Paraskeva a shrine by posting her icon or image at a crossroads. Make your appeal to her, then leave the image and go home without looking back.

Marital Fertility Spells

Fertility spells are often a conscious component of marital ceremonies. The goal of these spells is to implant the capacity for fertility within the union, even if the couple is nowhere near ready to conceive. If you’re already wed, having fertility troubles and regret not incorporating these magical rites into your ceremony, never despair. Renew your vows and incorporate them now.

Marital Fertility Spell (1) Egg

According to old French custom, a bride entering her new home for the first time as a married woman breaks an egg immediately to ensure her fertility.

Marital Fertility Spell (2) Gifts

Who needs another toaster? Bridal gifts may be given to ensure fertility: put frankincense, myrrh, henna, and goats on the wish list. A toy goat or an image of one will work, too!

Marital Fertility Spell (3) Fire

The pre-Christian Armenian practice of jumping over fire is intended to stimulate and ensure personal fertility. The newly married couple should leap over a fire together, while holding hands. The wedding guests circle around them holding hands.

Marital Fertility Spell (4) Belly Dancer

There’s much debate about the origins of belly dance or Eastern dance, as some prefer to call it. Some argue that the tradition dates back to ancient Middle Eastern priestesses; others claim that it’s a more recent purely folkloric tradition. Either way, no one denies its expression of primal female power and its connection with enhancing women’s reproductive energy. This is made explicit by a modern Egyptian wedding ritual: following the wedding, at the reception, the bride and groom together place their hands on the dancer’s abdomen to receive blessings of future fertility.

Marital Fertility Spell (5) Bedroom

In a Thai ritual, during the actual ceremony, an older couple ritually prepares the bedroom so that it will be ready for use by the bride and groom. The room must be spiritually cleansed, protection set up and talismans left behind to radiate good fortune.

Talismans include bags of rice, sesame seeds, coins, and a tomcat (for happiness and fertility). The cat doesn’t have to be a gift; it can be someone’s pet that just hangs out in the room for a little while, emanating energy. The one caveat is that the cat may not be neutered. It defeats the purpose of the spell. This may be a good opportunity to adopt a stray from a shelter and let it participate in the ceremony prior to neutering.

Marital Fertility Spell (6) Cat in the Cradle

In a similar ritual, this time from Switzerland, approximately one month after the wedding, visiting friends should bring a tomcat and a cradle to the new couple’s home. The cat is rocked in the cradle before the newlyweds.

Marital Fertility Spell (7) Threshold

This is a Chinese ritual to ensure the bride’s future success in childbirth, prevent birth complications and safeguard her partner, too.

Before the bride first enters her home as a married woman, place a pan of red-hot burning charcoal on the threshold. The bride is carried over the threshold, not by her new husband, but by two women whose husbands (or significant life partners) and children remain alive and well.

Marital Potion (1) Bride

Inspiring the original honeymoon, Teuton brides were fed honey-beer daily for thirty consecutive days following hand-fasting ceremonies. This allegedly keeps the bride happy and more sexually responsive.

Marital Potion (2) Groom

This medieval potency potion was traditionally served to bridegrooms on the wedding night to promote extra vigor.

Cook eggs with honey, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg. Mix two parts of this concoction with one part fortified wine.

Marital Potion (3) Groom and Bride

Some potions are for bride and groom to share together:

Steep myrtle in white wine or add a splash of myrtle hydrosol.

The bride and groom should drink of this together from one shared glass to ensure romance, fidelity, and fertility and to beseech Aphrodite’s blessings on their union.

Tie the Knot Spell

To knot love and success into a marital union, reproduce an ancient Babylonian wedding spell:

During the wedding, pull a thread from the bride’s dress and another from the groom’s clothing.

Tie the two threads together, knotting in love, happiness, and devotion.

Preserve this knotted thread in a safe place, or burn it to transmit your wishes to the spirit realm and so the lover’s knot can’t be undone.

Fidelity Spells

Fidelity is a genteel, pious term for what essentially translates to expected sexual exclusivity. Some have a greater need for it than others; some are better able to provide it than others. Notorious potions may make someone love you forever; binding spells may keep that person by your side forever; however neither guarantees that the other party will be sexually faithful to you, hence development of Fidelity Spells.

There are two kinds of Fidelity Spells. Certain Fidelity Spells magically encourage faithfulness and fidelity: they stimulate the other party to want to be faithful toward you or at least not to seek out other opportunities. Other Fidelity Spells refuse to take chances but attempt to enforce sexual exclusivity, one way or another.

Fidelity Encouraging Spells

Bed of Magnolia Spell

Magnolia trees represent happy matrimony, so line your mattress with magnolia leaves. Or slip a magnolia blossom under your partner’s pillow while he or she is asleep to encourage fidelity. Periodically replace the leaves, burying or burning the old ones.

Be True Charm Bag

This conjure bag incorporates the three “Cs” of fidelity. Two bags may be made and exchanged as a promise of exclusivity.

Place caraway, cumin, and coriander seeds in a red charm bag.

Add pine needles and an unadorned gold ring.

Ideally this should be sewn within your partner’s clothing, but it may be placed underneath the mattress on his side of the bed, too.

Chili Pepper Spell

While your partner is sleeping, pass two red chili peppers over his body, never actually touching him, more like vacuuming his aura.

Concentrate on his rambling nature being drawn into the peppers, his inclination to wander terminated and his passion for you filling the void left by those disappearing desires.

When you’re finished, lay one pepper against the other to form a cross.

Safety pin them together and when you have a chance, hide them under his side of the mattress.

Clothing Spell

This spell strongly encourages fidelity but also has an aphrodisiac edge to it, so that he’ll be kept content while faithful.

Obtain an unwashed piece of your lover’s clothing, ideally underwear or a sock. You may also use any fabric that has been soiled with his sexual emissions. Cut a piece of the bed linen if necessary.

Wear it inside your own underwear for seven days, wearing that same underwear for seven days. Do not launder either your underwear or his item during that time. They can never be laundered again or the spell will be broken.

On the eighth day, tie your underwear together with his item, with a red silk ribbon.

Place them in a jar and cover with powdered confectioner’s sugar, spikenard, damiana, licorice root, sweet flag, and vetiver.

Seal it shut and hide it safely.

Elderberry Fidelity Spell

Allegedly carrying elderberries and twigs guards against the temptations of adultery. Place some in two conjure bags. Carry one yourself and either give one to the other party or slip it into his or her pocket, as you deem appropriate.

Fidelity Candle

Powder caraway seeds, cumin, and licorice root and add to grapeseed oil. Carve a figure candle to represent your partner; dress with this oil and burn.

Fidelity Candle Extra Strength

Candles in the shape of genitals are used to magically enforce fidelity. This spell falls between basic fidelity spells and ligatures in terms of intensity. Carve and dress the candle to suit your situation. Traditionally the candle is bound and tied up before burning.

Fidelity Potion

In many parts of the world, hair is associated with providing the ties that bind fidelity. In Morocco, however, urine is traditionally used instead of or in addition to hair. Moroccan-style tea is made with great quantities of sugar and spearmint, lending a strong taste that will easily mask a mere few drops of urine added to ensure fidelity and docility. Just double-check who gets which cup

Fidelity Wash

Create a strong infusion by pouring boiling water over caraway and cumin seeds and senna leaves. Strain out the botanical material and use the liquid to wash your partner’s underwear and socks.

Footprint Spell

Gather your lover’s footprint up in its entirety. (If you miss any, the spell may not work.) Pour the dirt into a bag, which should be placed safely beneath your pillow or mattress.

Hair Spell (1) Commanding, Compelling

Obtain a lock of your lover’s hair.

Sprinkle it with Command and Compel Oil.

Place it in a small piece of white linen. Wrap it toward you, knotting it securely shut with blue, red, or gold silk thread.

Carry it in your pocket or in a charm bag.

Hair Spell (2) Intimate

Menstrual blood served in food or drink supposedly makes him love you madly, but doesn’t offer assurances that he might not also be sleeping around on the side. This spell focuses on the fidelity issue.

Pluck three pubic hairs and three hairs from your left armpit, the one closest to your heart.

Burn them like incense on charcoal.

Bake the ashes into cake or sweet bread. Feed it to your lover for fidelity.

Hair Spell (3) Perfume

Obtain two strands of his or her hair and tie them together to two strands of your own.

Place these hairs inside a bottle of your favorite fragrance together with an Adam and Eve root.

Every morning, ideally before he or she awakes, place a drop of this fragrance under each of your arms.

Hair and Ashes Fidelity Spell

This spell, timed to coincide with the New Moon, allegedly keeps your lover true for one lunar cycle.

Burn an intimate item of your lover’s clothing, reserving the ashes.

Braid or otherwise entwine a lock of your lover’s hair with your own and place on a white cloth.

Blend the reserved ashes with dried crumbled vervain and sprinkle over the hair.

Wrap everything up in the cloth, always folding it toward you.

Bury the packet under your threshold or doorstep at the New Moon.

Repeat as needed.

Heartsease Fidelity Spell

Heartsease, the wild pansy’s nickname, reveals its magic power to ease a worried heart. Wrap heartsease in your lover’s unwashed underwear or sock. Bury it in Earth.

Hibiscus Fidelity Spell

Sprinkle crumbled hibiscus in your lover’s pockets so that he or she will be true.

I Command You To Be True!

Licorice root and sweet flag, the building blocks of commanding magic, also possess romantic, aphrodisiac properties. Thus many of the commanding, compelling condition formulas that incorporate them (Essence of Bend Over, Do As I Say) are popularly used to exert one’s will in a relationship.

Basic Commanding Fidelity Spell: Discreet Method

Sew a piece of licorice root into the hem of your partner’s garment.

Basic Commanding Fidelity Spell: Fragrant Method

Make an infusion by pouring boiling water over bruised cloves and vetiver.

Strain the solids out and add two drops of essential oil of bergamot to the liquid.

Use this liquid as the final rinse when washing your partner’s underwear.

Basic Commanding Fidelity Spell: Blunt Method

Soak cotton balls in any of the Commanding Oils: Do As I Say (also known as As You Please) is reasonably subtle; Essence of Bend Over is most powerful. Slip these cotton balls among the clothes your partner customarily wears when stepping out alone.

Prized powerful ingredients for fidelity spells may be hiding modestly in your kitchen cabinets. Both caraway and cumin allegedly encourage fidelity and constancy.

Kitchen Spice Spell (1) Magic Diet

Consuming cumin and/or caraway supposedly encourages faithfulness and fidelity. Discreetly add the spices to your partner’s regular diet.

Kitchen Spice Spell (2) Potion

Kummel, a sweet liqueur, mainly flavored with caraway may also contain cumin.

Norwegian aquavit is typically flavored with caraway seeds. Serve either one as fidelity potions. Pour out a glass for your beloved. Before serving, murmur your desires over the liquid, and then serve with a smile.

Kitchen Spice Spell (3) Special Packet

At least as far as prehistoric remains can be determined and interpreted, caraway is among the oldest botanicals to be used for apparently magical purposes—8000-year-old remains have been discovered in Switzerland.

If you are afflicted with a serially unfaithful spouse, with an ever-wandering eye, try sewing caraway seeds into his clothing.

Locket Spell

There’s a reason locket is a homophone for lock it. Wear your lover’s picture together with a lock of hair chained in a locket around your neck to encourage faithfulness.

Lodestone Fidelity Spell

Place two matched lodestones and some of the botanical skullcap into a sachet. Add lots of the botanical or extra layers of fabric because lodestones are hard and presumably you’d like this spell to remain a secret.

Sew this sachet into his pillow.

Martha the Dominator Spell

Make an appeal to Saint Martha the Dominator. Saint Martha epitomizes the able, organized, capable housekeeper, and it is more effective to request her assistance if you are the wife in an established family than if you are merely a jealous girlfriend. If your husband’s infidelities are threatening the stability of your home, marriage and family, appeal to Martha. She could tame a dragon; you only want her to tame your man. Tuesday is the most favorable day for an appeal.

Set up an altar for Martha; most altars display a depiction of the saint and/or her dragon.

Carve a green or white candle with your name, identifying information, simultaneously charging it with your desire. (There are also commercially prepared candles available that are dedicated to Saint Martha. Almost inevitably they depict her with dragon or snake.)

Dress the candle with Martha the Dominator Oil.

Place an item that belongs to your mate, something that somehow represents his infidelity to you, beside the candle and make your petition to Martha.

Nutmeg Fidelity Spell

This spell depends on the influence of the four elements as well as that of nutmeg, which allegedly promotes fidelity.

Hold a nutmeg in your left hand and charge it with your desire.

Slice it into four quarters. (This is easier said than done; nutmegs can be very hard. Be careful not to slice yourself instead.)

Bury one quarter in Earth.

Toss one quarter off a steep cliff so that it flies through the air.

Burn the third quarter.

Make an infusion by pouring boiling water over the last quarter and take one sip.

Retain this final nutmeg quarter, keeping it with you at all times, sleeping with it beneath your pillow.

Park Your Feet At Home Spell

Offer to give your partner a pedicure.

Before moistening the feet, begin by scraping off any dry skin, preferably from the heels.

Proceed as you wish, have fun, but reserve that dried skin.

When he is peacefully asleep in your bed, bury the skin under your doorstep or a similar safe discreet place.

Rosemary Spell

Gather rosemary leaves on Midsummer’s Day.

Dry them.

When they have completely dried, coordinate with the time of the New Moon and powder the leaves, placing them in a jar with a rose quartz.

Store the jar in a quiet, secret place.

At the Full Moon, sprinkle the powdered leaves under the bed that you share.

Slice of Pie Spell

Serve your partner rhubarb pie to promote fidelity and maintain their romantic interest.

Shoe Spell

Keep a sprig of myrtle inside a rambling lover’s shoes. Peel up the sole, slip the myrtle underneath and glue it down again, if necessary.

Sock Spell (1) Deluxe

The spell requires a small piece of genuine silver. Once upon a time a dime or silver threepenny bit or similar coin would have been recommended.

However, few modern coins really contain silver. Use a pure silver coin, or a small bead or charm.

Wrap a hair from your beloved’s head around this silver.

Write his or her name on a slip of paper, three times.

Place this paper plus the hair-wrapped silver inside his or her unwashed sock.

Sprinkle magnetic sand over a lodestone and toss that into the sock, too.

Close it with two needles or with poultry trusses. (Real silver needles, such as silver acupuncture needles, provide maximum effectiveness.)

Dribble this sock-sachet with a little of your beloved’s favored alcoholic libation. (Whatever drink would be most pleasing is what you should feed the sock. However, alcohol has a pacifying effect: if your lover is a teetotaler, simply substitute whiskey.)

Hide this sock over your home’s rear door. Feed it with a little liquor periodically.

Sock Spell (2) Simple

A simpler fidelity spell involving socks:

Tie a knot in your lover’s unwashed sock.

Hide it under the mattress on the side where you sleep, or beneath the carpet.

Spikenard Spell

Burn a spikenard root and bury the ashes in Earth.

Reinforce it weekly by anointing the spot with essential oil of spikenard or the infused oil of the root, every Friday.

Stay Home Oil

To soothe a restless mate:

Steep spikenard root shavings, linden flowers and yerba mate in sweet almond oil.

Strain out the botanicals and add the oil to his or her bathwater.

Make a sufficient quantity of oil: periodically reinforce good behavior by using it to anoint shoes, sprinkle over sheets or even give a foot massage with it.

Stay at Home Powder

To keep your lover from going out wandering:

Cut a strip off of a bedsheet, preferably one that is soiled with both of your sexual juices. Chop it up, grind it, mash it, do whatever you have to do to pulverize this fabric into the consistency of powder.

Grind allspice berries, cloves, Deer’s Tongue, mullein, sage and vetiver into a fine powder.

Blend this powder with the pulverized bedsheet.

Add this combined powder into a rice powder base.

Dust yourself with this powder before you go to bed with him to encourage him to stay home.

You’re Sleeping on My Side Spell

In many metaphysical traditions, the left side is the female side, the right side the male. Because of this perception, many Asian traditions encourage the woman to sleep on the left, with the right side of the bed, the “rightful” place of the male head of the household.

This Chinese spell assumes, as many do, that it is the female partner who wishes to control the male’s roving nature; whichever party desires to enforce fidelity should attempt to sleep on the right consistently. Adjust to your personal situation.

To stimulate fidelity and perhaps a little docility too, encourage the male partner to sleep on the left side, with the woman moving to the right.

Whether this proves possible or not, tie a piece of amethyst to the foot of the bed on the side the woman sleeps on.

Reactivate and re-energize weekly or as needed by placing the crystal in sunlight, moonlight, a dish of rainwater, or all of the above.

Fidelity Enforcement Spells: More Drastic Measures

All those spells were very interesting but your situation is far too drastic for any of them, you say? You’re apparently not the first to feel this way. More drastic measures were conceived, too—the magical equivalent of the chastity belt.

These spells literally enforce sexual exclusivity by attempting to impose selective impotence. In other words, your husband can have a great sex life, no problem, providing it’s exclusively with you. Fidelity Enforcement Spells attempt to prevent him from consummating any impulse to dally with another.

Although there are other methods of fidelity enforcement, the most common and famous involves nothing more than string. Because apparently some concerns are eternal and universal, these notorious spells are among the most ancient and well-distributed.

The aiguillette or ligature is a magical spell used to cause selective impotence, typically involving tying knots in a cord the length of the man’s erect penis. It’s very familiar in medieval European magic, although references indicate that it’s much older and may have been known in ancient Mesopotamia. Virgil refers to nine knots affecting copulation.

The goal of the aiguillette is to make sure that the male organ works with only one woman; the key unlocks only one door. An attempt to render someone impotent is a hex, as plainly as rendering someone ill, bankrupt or any other disaster. So why aren’t these spells with hexes?

Magical ethics have evolved as have every other type of ethic. Under influence of Wicca, new concerns have arisen about affecting the free will of the target, in which case any love or money spell targeted at another person is unethical. Other traditions would say that affecting the free will of the target is the whole point of magic, what other point is there? Although men may not perceive it this way, aiguillette spells are a reaction to women’s centuries of forced dependence upon them.

In many cases, attempts to enforce selective impotence wasn’t meant badly (well, not really badly, maybe a little) but was intended as a survival mechanism. A woman who was discarded for another might lose her home, her children, her economic status, any status. In extreme situations, extreme measures arose: the man who is no longer interested in you sexually may not provide for your children either, even if they’re his, as many modern women will attest. (Of course, let’s face it, there are also those spell-casters who just have evil, controlling, jealous natures.)

How do you measure the man? If he’s awake it’s hard to keep it a secret. Although several versions of the spell caution that he must be unaware of the creation of the aiguillette, there may be at least an implicit cooperation involved, as there often is with menstrual blood potions. The man signals, “I am so trustworthy I am willing to do this.” Because, of course, no harm is done, as long as he’s not trying to have some fun on the side.

The other option is secret but risky: measure an erection that occurs while he’s asleep. In theory, most ligatures are created fairly immediately after sexual union, when a man’s sleep hormones may kick in. Another option is waking up earlier than him in the morning to take advantage of an early morning erection. In either case, you take the risk of his awakening in mid-measure and having to do some quick explaining.

Make sure that only the targeted lover’s sexual emissions are used. They cannot be mingled with your own unless you wish this to be a binding spell, too. The most obvious way to achieve this is offering to dispose of a used condom and stashing it rather than throwing it away. This may or may not be foolproof, however. The safest method is to provide sexual services that keep you clothed, at least below the waist.

It is advisable to retain the aiguillette. The Memphis-style Nation Sack was always supposed to be within reach. This is not only because if the charm is found, it can be undone but also for your own well-being. Should the relationship end, it is advisable to undo the charm. First, because it is the nice thing to do; second, because if this man discovers he can only have sex with you, he will never leave you alone, so undoing it will mean you can find another love of your own.

Although historically these spells have been cast by women over men, there’s nothing to stop a man from casting these spells over a male partner.

Basic Love Leash

There are many names for this charm: “ligature” in English, “aiguillette” in French, “ghirlanda della streghe” in Italian. Call it The Love Leash. The standard method is as follows:

Measure a cord the length of a man’s erect penis.

Reserve the cord and when possible soak it in his, and only his, sexual fluids.

Make knots it in it and reserve it in a secret place. (Ancient versions called for the knots to be tied in a wolf’s foreskin.)

Bell Rope Version

Not every version requires personal measurement.

Cut off the edge of a bell-rope (as in a church bell or similar) before dawn.

Make three knots in it, while murmuring something like,

Just like the bell hangs down,

So [Name], child of [Name]’s member hangs down Except when he’s with me.

Binding Spell Version (1)

This version creates the same effect without measuring the member and simultaneously produces a binding spell.

Following sex, retain a cloth that has been used to clean both partners.

Tie it into seven knots.

Place a rock inside the cloth and knot around it.

Drop it in a river. Make an appeal to the river’s spirit to protect your love. Only the maker of this charm can undo the spell even if it is fished from the water.

Binding Spell Version (2) Mutually Cooperative Method

In addition to mutual fidelity, this Romany spell is intended to cement romance, commitment, and partnership. Both partners consciously, willingly participate in the spell.

In order to effect this spell, both parties must wear a red scarf while making love.

This spell should be reserved for casting after moments of mutual bliss. The key is to be happy and have a mutually satisfying, wonderful time—a true expression of love.

After making love, each person takes off their scarf and uses it to wipe sweat off the other person’s body and cleanse the genitals.

Lay the scarves on top of each other.

Roll them up together and knot them securely at both ends. Keep in a safe place.

Take the charm out once a year, perhaps on the anniversary of spell-casting, a wedding anniversary, Midsummer’s Eve or other significant date. Do not unroll or unknot. Instead place it under the bed and make love.

Mexican Variation

Measure the length of a man’s penis with a ribbon while he’s asleep.

Keep this ribbon rolled up inside a scapular of Saint Anthony, from which it cannot ever be separated, even momentarily.

This cannot be a cooperative spell. If he knows about it, it won’t work.

The Nation Sack

The Nation Sack is forever immortalized in Robert Johnson’s classic blues song, “Come on in my Kitchen,” although few understand the reference. The singer reports that his lover has left. He’s sure she won’t be back because he’s stolen the last nickel from her Nation Sack.

The Nation Sack is a mojo bag, exclusively used by women, deriving from Memphis-area Conjure traditions. This type of bag was attached to a belt and worn around the waist. At night, it might be placed under her pillow or inside her magic treasure box. The Nation Sack would be inactivated if anyone touched or tampered with it, especially a man. The bag contained a woman’s survival tools: an aiguillette might be the centerpiece. She might also carry other charms to control her male partner or her children. An evolutionary mojo hand, items were added and subtracted as needed.

Although the Nation Sack has achieved notoriety because of its associations with ligatures, it’s more than just a fidelity charm. In the days before credit cards and checks, when a bank might be suspect, a woman might keep all her cash money inside the Nation Sack, so that it would be empowered to grow by proximity to magical articles. A poor woman kept her life tied securely around her waist. The knowledge that cash was kept inside makes the bag very tempting: anyone familiar with the tradition would know exactly where the money was hidden. The red flannel bag also evokes elements of menstrual taboos: few people would touch it, hence Robert Johnson’s unforgivable crime.

Creating a Nation Sack

The target of the ligature is forbidden to look within the bag, even if he suspects what’s inside. Doing so will indeed restore his sexual nature, however it will also effectively end their relationship. (In other words, don’t leave the sack lying around.)

Activate the bag to coordinate with your menstrual period. (If you don’t menstruate, coordinate with the Full Moon.)

Add roots that will represent the couple, a male and female root: Adam and Eve root may be used or High John or Sampson snake root to represent the man, orrisroot or angelica root to represent the woman.

Light red candles.

Pass the bag through incense smoke.

Add items as they appear: assorted intimacies like bits of hair, nail clippings, sexual emissions.

Add bits of silver and cowrie charms.

Keep small magical or personal items in the bag: the bag also serves to empower items.

Hoodoo-style Ligature

In Hoodoo parlance, the aiguillette is not necessarily named but its function is: it’s meant to “control” or “tame a man’s nature.”

Trim the string to match the length of the man’s erect penis.

Hide this string, keeping it close at hand, until the appropriate moment presents itself.

Following sex, this string must be soaked in his semen, without touching any of your sexual fluids.

Let him fall asleep.

Begin a knot in the center of the string; in other words, start the loop but don’t pull it tight.

When he is asleep, call his name aloud. When he responds, pull the knot tight.

For many this single knot is sufficient. For others, a total of nine knots is required for maximum effectiveness, making the second on the right of the central knot, the third on the left, the fourth on the right and so on. It is only the knot-tying, however, that must be repeated, calling his name each time.

Keep it in a safe, secret place or resurrect the Nation Sack.

Romany/Russian Variations

Romany and Russian versions of the ligature are identical. Who learned from whom is subject to scholarly conjecture.

Cut a length of red silk ribbon the length of a man’s erect penis.

Keep the ribbon under the pillow.

After making love, while he is asleep, take out the ribbon, soak it in his seminal emissions and tie seven knots in it.

As long as you have possession of this ribbon, with its knots intact, his fidelity is assured.

Other methods of causing selective impotence exist:

Don’t Be Crazy Spell

You will need reserved semen. This is a mean spell, so get it from a used condom or a hand-job; you want to be sure there are no intermingled love juices.

Add Goofer dust.

Wrap this up in paper or fabric.

Bury it in Earth, ideally where your target will step over it. Nothing will happen as long as he’s faithful. However, if he ever even attempts sex with another, this allegedly causes him to suffer insanity as well as impotence.

Senna Bath

The fact that senna tea, when consumed, is a potent laxative adds a certain bitter, sardonic humor to this spell, however it’s not completely a coincidence nor is it necessarily intended to work in anything other but a magical way. Once upon a time, violent purgative action was perceived as a demonstration of a plant’s magic powers. (Don’t even consider consuming a High John the Conqueror root!) Purgatives are still incorporated into various shamanic and traditional healing rituals.

Add senna tea to your partner’s bath and allegedly he’ll stay home, rather than go stepping out.

Graveyard Spell

Obtain a piece of a dead man’s shroud. The original spell suggests that the shroud be enclosed within amuletic paper covered with sacred texts.

Bury it by your home’s front entrance so that your man will walk over it. Once he has, dig up the charm. Put it inside a goat’s or ram’s horn. (If you don’t have one lying around, ritual shofars may be purchased from a Judaic supply store.)

Take the horn with the charm to an old grave of an unknown person. Bury it there.

Beyond selective impotence, this allegedly prevents your lover from even having an erection when observing anyone but you.

Sex Ball

Warm red wax in your hands until it’s pliable.

Roll it into a ball.

Add a few of your lover’s pubic hairs and a few drops of your menstrual blood. If this is not possible, prick your little finger with a needle or rose thorn and let a few drops of blood fall.

If you’ve created an aiguillette you may add it to the ball. You may also simply knot your intentions into a cord and add that.

Roll the ball around until the outside is smooth.

Hold it in your right hand to charge it. Carry it with you or reserve in a safe, secure place.

Trapped in a Bottle Spell

This spell is traditionally performed with a cotton handkerchief. Offer the man the cloth to cleanse himself with after sex. (You can do it for him; however there’s an element of submission in his doing it, then handing you the cloth.) Reserve this cloth. When possible, stuff it into a bottle, seal it tightly shut, and bury it.

Have these spells got you scared? Have you started considering the advantages of sleeping alone? Every poison has its antidote, if only it can be discovered. The same goes for magic spells.

Enforced Fidelity Spell Antidotes

Of course, the obvious antidote is to discover the knotted cord and remove the knots. If that’s not possible, here are other suggestions.

Burdock Root Spell

Burdock root, a favorite of Japanese cuisine, is often used to metaphorically represent phallic prowess.

Steep a whole burdock root in olive oil.

Let it rest overnight, exposed to the Full Moon.

Rub the oil on the genitals.

Repeat as needed, using fresh burdock roots.

Egg and Ant Hill Spell

A formula to “restore manhood.”

Dip an egg into a substantial quantity of cod liver oil, and then place it in a pot of water to boil. The oil will separate from the water and should remain distinct.

When hard-boiled, remove the egg from the pot and let it cool.

Discard the contents of the pot, both boiled water and oil, by tossing it into a rapidly moving stream, flowing away from one’s home.

Place the egg on top of a red ant hill. As the ants consume the egg, vigor and potency are restored.

Cod liver oil substitutes for the whale oil recommended by Albertus Magnus. Any type of fish-derived oil may be used, however.

The Perfumed Garden’s Recommended Spell Breaker

The Perfumed Garden is a sixteenth-century manual of the erotic arts, sort of an Arabic equivalent of the Kama Sutra or the Ananga Ranga. This is The Perfumed Garden’s recommendation for remedying impotence, specifically that caused by knot-tying spells.

Blend and pound the following together: Galangal, cinnamon, cloves, Indian cachou, nutmeg, cubebs, sparrow-wort, cardamom, Indian thistle, pyrether, bay laurel seeds, and gilly flowers.

Consume morning and evening, either mixed with honey or added to broth: pigeon broth being the first choice, chicken the second.

Drink a glass of water before and after the potion.

Sweet Flag Solution

Sweet flag, also known as calamus root, is the preeminent ingredient in Commanding Spells. It is also magically perceived as an emphatically “male” plant. Use it to command your nature to return.

Simmer a sweet flag root in whiskey until the liquid reduces by half.

Let it cool and remove the root.

Place the liquid in a bottle and add fresh whiskey, to taste. Take a swig daily. (If you need to make more, use a fresh root.)

Spells to Ensure Women’s Sexual Fidelity

You thought only men could be targeted? Think again!

Nine Knot Spell (1) Strap

A woman’s nature can be attacked, too, depriving her of desire for anyone but the maker of the charm. Because it lacks any phallic imagery, this spell can be cast by either a woman or a man, although the target must be a woman.

Use her garter belt or cut the strap from her bra.

Tie nine knots in the strap, focusing with each one on your desire for enforced fidelity.

Keep it in your pocket.

Nine Knot Spell (2) Underwear

You’ll need a red candle to represent you. Choose a red figure candle, a seven-day candle, a red devil, or a red phallus: the choice is yours. Carve and dress it so that it is identified with you.

Make nine knots in the woman’s unwashed underwear, announcing aloud “You’re mine!” or “You have sex with only me” or whatever best expresses your desire each time you tie a knot. Call her name aloud with each knot, too, for a total of nine times.

Arrange the knotted panty around the candle. If you have a seven-day candle in a glass sheath, you can tie the panty to it.

Spit on the candle and sprinkle a few of your pubic and underarm hairs over it.

Announce: “[Name], daughter of [Name], You belong to me!”

Light the candle.

When the candle has completed burning, take the panty and tie it to a hammer or other metal tool, something heavy in weight and implicitly phallic. Hide it.

Raspberry Branch

An Iroquois spell to keep a woman faithful while you are separated.

Find a raspberry branch that has rooted at the tip.

Take a small piece of the root from both ends without killing the plant. (This transcends important ecological concerns; killing the plant defeats the purpose of the spell. It won’t work. There’s no point.)

Boil this root.

Let the liquid cool. Take one sip of the liquid. Use another tablespoonful to bathe your genitals.

Give the rest of the liquid to the targeted woman to drink.

Antidote Spell

For a woman to regain control of her sexual independence:

Rub fresh peppermint leaves between the palms of your hands, so that the volatile oils are released.

Immediately, go fondle your partner’s genitals so that his control over you is broken.

Divorce Spells

Divorce Candle Spell (1)

A candle spell for the person who would like a divorce while the other party is resistant. (Spells for the other party may be found in the Heartache section of Love Spells, page 695.)

Obtain male and female figure candles.

Place them back-to-back, ready to go in opposite directions.

Dress them with Command and Compel Oil and burn in timed increments, corresponding to the number of years you have been wed.

For instance, burn them for thirty minutes at a time if you were wed for thirty years. Pinch them out when the time is up. Next day, before lighting the candles again, move them farther apart. When they are finally as far apart as space will allow, let the candle burn entirely.

Divorce Candle Spell (2)

Some spiritual supply companies market what is known as a “Divorce Candle.” This is a single candle, usually, although not always, black containing a male and female human figure, back-to-back. This type of candle may be carved and dressed as above but there’s no need for incremental burning.

Divorce: Move Out Oil

One person moves out, the other stays—but why do you continue to feel the presence of the departed party? This spell’s aim is to banish and remove lingering traces of the other person from the home you once shared. (It is beneficial for any long-term housemate relationship that has ended.)

Blend and grind asafetida, camphor, cinnamon, eucalyptus, High John chips, and rosemary.

Add the result to sweet almond and jojoba oils.

Dress a black candle with the oil. Walk the candle through your home slowly, pausing at areas especially associated with the other person.

When your rounds are completed, go outside, pinch out the candle and bury it upside down in Earth.

Wormwood, Plant of Bitterness, can be used to remedy and escape from bitter situations.

Wormwood Spell (1)

Pour boiling water over wormwood roots, leaves and twigs to create an infusion.

Allow it to cool, then strain out the botanical material, reserving the liquid.

Add this liquid to the laundry rinse water used to wash the other party’s clothes.

This establishes boundaries, and encourages the other person to leave.

Wormwood Spell (2)

This spell targets a person who has left the relationship but remains resistant to divorce or a final dissolution desired by the spell-caster.

Grind and powder dried wormwood.

Sprinkle the powder on lit charcoal.

Pass a letter written to the other party through the incense smoke.

What you write in the letter is not relevant to the spell, there’s no need to address the issue unless you wish to. The spell’s crucial component is contact and inhalation of the wormwood scent. You may also drop a twig into the letter, although this gives away your secrets.

Domestic Abuse Spells

If marriage was historically women’s only outlet, it was also often—and frequently remains today—a trap filled with danger and violence.

Bamboo Protection Spell

Bury a bamboo cane in a cemetery overnight. Dig it up the next day, then slip it into your husband’s bed while he’s asleep as a magical attempt to make him stop beating you.

Fiery Wall of Protection Spell (1) Basic

Fiery Wall of Protection condition oil allegedly provides protection for woman from abusive partners.

Soak a cotton ball in Fiery Wall of Protection Oil.

Tuck it into your pocket or bra.

Pay attention: the smell may intensify when danger is imminent.

Fiery Wall of Protection Spell (2) Charm Bag

This spell combines Fiery Wall of Protection Oil with angelica root, a herb identified with women’s power and protection. Dress a whole angelica root with Fiery Wall of Protection Oil and carry it in a charm bag.

Fiery Wall of Protection Spell (3) Extra Strength

Dress yourself with Fiery Wall of Protection Oil Use it as perfume oil or add it to baths so that its protective, soothing fragrance radiates from your very aura.

Lavender Safety Spells

Allegedly lavender minimizes spousal abuse and cruelty.

Lavender Safety Spell (1)

Add essential oil of lavender and/or lavender hydrosol to your bath.

Lavender Safety Spell (2)

Safety-pin a sprig of lavender within your clothing.

Spiritual Assistance Spells

When people fail you, sometimes the only thing to do is to turn to the spirit realm for solace, safety, protection, inspiration, and solutions.

Spiritual Assistance (1) Archangel Michael

Archangel Michael offers protection in all areas, however he has earned special renown for protecting against rape. Call him by name or attract him with burning frankincense and tell him what you need.

Spiritual Assistance (2) Juno

Juno may be petitioned for safety and shelter. Her ancient Roman temples housed shelters for abused wives. Herein though is the catch: Juno is intrinsically tied to legal marital rites. You must actually be legally wed to request her assistance with this matter. She will assist with former husbands as long as once upon a time, there was a legal wedding ceremony. If you were a June bride, consider yourself automatically under her protection.

Burn orrisroot powder on lit charcoals.

Offer Juno one beautiful rose and tell her what you need.

Spiritual Assistance (3) Saint Rita

Saint Rita is the saint petitioned for protection from abuse. According to legend, Saint Rita herself suffered an abusive marriage and will assist others suffering similarly if requested. Although you may request whenever help is needed, her feast day, the most auspicious day to call upon her, is May 22nd. Saint Rita’s traditional offering is a bouquet of roses.

Spiritual Assistance (4) Saint Rita’s Ex-Husband Spell

Sometimes the problem is that people won’t leave. Saint Rita may be petitioned to help you get rid of an ex-husband who continues one sort of abuse or another even after the end of the marriage.

Place a bouquet of roses in a vase and offer them to Saint Rita.

Sprinkle baking soda around the vase of flowers.

You will need either a copy or the original of your marriage license or some similar document of your marriage. Burn it.

Spiritual Assistance (5) Yemaya

Yemaya despises domestic violence. Having herself once been the victim of rape and abuse, she does not tolerate it.

Bring your petition to the beach.

Make an altar in the sand: burn seven blue candles.

Enter the sea with a bouquet of white roses tied with blue ribbons.

Tell Yemaya what you need and gently place the roses in the water, to be carried home to her.

Spiritual Assistance (6) Yemaya’s Stay-at-Home Spell

If traveling to the beach is not an option, recreate the spell in your bathroom.

Add large quantities of sea salt to the water.

Light seven blue candles for Yemaya and offer her a wine glass containing salted water and seashells.

Soak in the water, gaze at the candles, and tell her what you need.

If possible, maintain the white roses on an altar, beside the goblet of salt water.

White Bryony Safety Spell

White bryony, also known as European mandrake, is most frequently used as a substitute for true mandrake, however it possesses its own magic powers. Carry white bryony root to protect against spousal abuse.