Getting Creative

One of my favorite parts of witchcrafting is being creative and allowing myself to trust my intuition with curiousity and an open mind. There's no wrong way to do it, so the only limit is our imaginations.

I'm seeking advice for what to do with some special salt and vinegar that I have. The salt is from my ancestral homeland, and the vinegar was used to preserve three flower essences I created this year. I would be open to anything-- from making a housecleaning product with them, to performing a special, one-time ritual. Nothing would be too high or too low.

This is a fun question, and it really highlights the near infinite ways we can make magic to suit our needs, personalities, ingredients, and imaginations. You could do literally anything with what you’ve got, as long as you are open minded, curious and creative.

I am sensing that you wish to use them together. You could certainly do plenty with either on their own but it seems more potent to mix them, so that’s how I’ll answer your question.

I love the idea of a housecleaning product. I use some witch-made cleaners in my home and love the synergy of cleaning while simultaneously clearing energy. You could easily mix the salt (probably just a pinch) and vinegar together, add a few essential oils (if you have pets make sure you check that they are safe for animals), some moon or rain water, bless it with a ritual, and use it to clean floors and other surfaces. As you clean, imagine that the potion is also cleansing the energy of your home.

Along these same lines, you could put these ingredients together in a spray bottle, so you could also use it as a spritz for clearing yourself when you walk in the door and any items you bring home (especially if they’re used). Personally, I would add a quartz crystal in the bottle as well, to amplify the power of the spell.

You could also take the above mixture, or some variation thereof, and use it to ward your home. Spritz in every corner and around windows and doors, and to finger paint protection sigils on your front door.

If you want to use them in a one time ritual, I would advise that you take care of how you use and dispose of such ingredients. For instance, while you could throw salt into a fire, please don’t put it on the earth or into fresh water. It would probably be ok to put a small amount of both into the ocean (and you can always just lovingly release them down the drain).

I would suggest an ancestral honoring ceremony, because of where the salt is from. You could make an ancestor altar (there are lots of ideas for how to do this out there, or make it up as you go), and place a vessel of the salt to connect you to the land and a vessel of vinegar to connect you to your blood. Sing or speak to them, dance or burn incense or chant or stretch, or whatever makes you feel inspired, in honor of them. Finish your ritual by placing a sprinkle of salt and a dash of vinegar in your mouth.

As part of honoring your ancestors you could also cook a meal using the salt and vinegar, and eat it at your altar (both could go equally well into a soup or salad dressing, for instance). Or, why not make your own potato chips?

If you have a bathtub, you could add a little of both to the water for a magical bath. Or create a jar spell of salt and vinegar, flowers, stones, or anything else that suits you. Place the ingredients, beautify the jar with ribbons or drawings, set a clear intention and place it on an altar, under your pillow, or somewhere else special.

Here are a handful of ideas I came up with off the top of my head. Feel free to use any or none, or combine anything that feels right for you. Magic is personal and creative. Ultimately, allow yourself to be inspired and do it your way. Good luck.