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circe-mediterranean-witch · 2 years

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Sea shells and witchcraft

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Seashells are a very special magical material - a beautiful gift from the Earth and the Sea. Seashells are found in the secret space between these two realms, only revealed when the tides change. They are treasures of an invisible world.

Whether plain brown or white, or cascading in a rainbow of colors, each seashell brings a message to whoever is lucky enough to find it.

What are seashells? They are the tough, protective exoskeletons of marine molluscs. Soft-bodied invertebrates create their own shells from minerals in their bodies and from the sea. Each creature makes a shell that will be its home for life. For this reason, seashells can be seen as symbols of independence, loneliness, and self-reliance.

Not only are they essential to marine life, but seashells rival anything man-made in beauty, strength, and mathematical precision. (The outward curve of a Nautilus shell follows the famous Fibonacci sequence.) The shapes and patterns are not random, they have been passed down to

countless generations. It is difficult to contemplate a seashell without being impressed by the power of ancestral memory and divine creativity.

Seashell Matches

Every child knows that if you hold a seashell to your ear, you can hear the ocean. Naturally, shells are often used on the pagan altar to represent the Water element. Seashells also correspond to Venus (the planet and deity) and the Moon, which gently throws them to shore with each tidal cycle.

For millennia, seashells have been the symbol of feminine beauty. Their pinkish-white colors are reminiscent of the blush of a fair complexion, and some shells resemble women's breasts or vulva. When Botticelli painted the goddess of love floating on a raft of seashells, he cemented centuries-old correspondence into an indelible image.

Cups, mirrors and combs are often made with shells (or shaped) in keeping with the Venusian look of shells. The use of shells in necklaces dates back to the Stone Age, although we have no way of knowing whether these shell artifacts were used for male or female adornment.

But seashells aren't just about beauty. Seashells are also linked to prosperity and abundance. They have long been an important religious symbol for coastal dwellers who feed on the sea. Seashells have also been used as currency by many cultures around the world. There are probably billions of seashells in the ocean, but it's always special and lucky to find a perfect seashell laying in the sand.

Despite their family resemblance, different types of seashells have different properties in magic. Generally speaking, seashells symbolize mystery, divinity, love, and prosperity, but each type has its own nuances.

Magic shells

The natural cup shape of many seashells makes them perfect for holding objects! Seashells make perfect small dishes for incense, sand, crystals and herbs. Cleaned shells can also contain food or drink for rituals.

Abalone shells are a very popular choice for sage fumigation.

The shell serves either to catch the ashes or to hold the burning herbs. (Some people think the latter use is inappropriate - that it is disrespectful to place fire in a container of water.) If you are burning herbs or incense in a shell, put a thin layer of sand on the bottom to help distribute the heat and avoid burning the shell.

The shell is sometimes cut into thin slices and used to decorate pendants, bowls, or just about any flat or curved surface. A shell-covered box or mirror could be a beautiful tool for a water witch's altar. Small shells or shell tiles can be incorporated into the handle of a wand or ritual knife.

Of course, the most popular way to use seashells is in their natural, unmodified form. Large shells can be placed on your altar or used to decorate the interior and exterior. Smaller seashells make beautiful jewelry. (Some even have natural holes for threading!) You can add seashells to magical wind chimes, mojo bags, or incorporate them into charms and amulets.

Find your own seashells

It's a fact: Seashells you collect yourself are nicer than the fanciest purchases in the store. If you're lucky enough to live near a beach, find out what types of seashells are available on your local shores. Or go at the first low tide and see what you see!

If you are purchasing shells, please purchase from responsible sources. Small, common seashells are the best bet. The bigger and shinier the shell, the more likely it is to come from a slow-growing or over-hunted animal. The illegal export of rare shells is big business that funds environmental plunder, organized crime and labor exploitation.

Certain types of sea life have been making seashells in more or less the same designs for millions of years. Seashell shapes are timeless and sacred. They were here before humans and will probably outlive us. Here are some of the most common seashell shapes and their magical lore:

Abalone

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The Abalone shell incorporates all the colors of the sea and sky. The inside of the shell is coated with nacre, the same substance in pearls and mother-of-pearl.

Abalone has been an important food source for tens of thousands of years. The shells represent the giving power of the Mother Ocean. The iridescent hue promotes feeling of abundance, peace, and compassion.

Abalone shells have an especially sacred meaning in Native American and Polynesian religion. Most people are familiar with Abalone as a vessel for Sage smudging, a Native American spiritual practice.

The vibrant color and natural luster of Abalone shell makes it ideal for jewelry and ornamental objects. Wearing an amulet of Abalone is said to impart a calming, spiritual vibration and to help the wearer work through emotional issues.

Scallop

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The Scallop is perhaps the most familiar seashell shape. It has a sacred meaning in Christian Europe, dating back to the earliest pilgrims—many of whom would have been illiterate—who were guided to pilgrimage sites by the Scallop emblem. The Scallop is an emblem of Saint James the Apostle. It may be adopted as a badge by anyone who has undergone a spiritual quest. Scallop shapes may be discerned in countless Christian altars and cathedrals.

Art nerds will recognize the Scallop as the seat or carriage of many an ocean deity. Poseidon is depicted riding upon one, and Aphrodite floats to shore in a Scallop shell. The Scallop appears on Pagan altars as a symbol of the sea goddess and the element of Water. Use a Scallop shell as a chalice, offering bowl, or vessel for love magick. (The large and colorful variety found in magick shops is a warm-water species called Lion's Paw or Mexican Sea Scallop.)

The Scallop is distinguished from other shells by the multiple rays and ridges, converging on a single point near the base. To medieval Christians, this represented the varied paths of travelers on their way to a holy site. To earlier humans, the Scallop’s rays may have resembled the Sun’s beams converging on the horizon at sunrise or sunset. This makes the Scallop an especially fitting symbol of Venus, who is called the Morning Star or Evening Star.

Nautilus

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The Nautilus is the nomad of the sea, traveling hundreds of miles on currents (and a raft of bubbles). The name means “sailor” in Greek. The Nautilus shell is an important symbol in sacred geometry and even mathematics—displaying a logarithmic spiral in its growth pattern.

Unlike some other shell creatures, the Nautilus does not shed or exchange its shell, but creates a large chamber for its body as it grows. The Nautilus shell is thus a symbol of growth and renewal. The outward spiral shape of the Nautilus suggests that it can keep growing indefinitely.

The Nautilus is one of the few sea creatures to have survived since the time of the dinosaurs. It is one of Nature’s true masterpieces. Meditate on a Nautilus shell, or use it in your magick of spiritual growth and expansion.

Auger

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The Auger shell is an elongated spiral, with an opening at the base and a point at the tip. In the language of shells, the Auger is both masculine and feminine, representing completeness. There are hundreds of varieties worldwide.

Auger shells come from a type of predatory sea snail, and the aggression of the animal is implied by its narrowly focused shape. Augers possess a venomous tooth that is the terror of marine worms. In magick, Augers are one of the only shells that may be properly attributed to Mars. Augers are popular for headdresses, magick wands, and protective charms.

Cowrie

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The familiar Cowrie shell is yellow or white and egg-shaped, with two rows of teeth along a central gap. Cowrie shells have appeared as currency, decoration, and religious items in nearly every part of the world.

Owing to its shape, the Cowrie often represents the life-giving vulva. It is used in charms for wealth and fertility. Cowrie shells are strung onto necklaces or sewn into garments. Additionally, the shells may be used for divination. There are several distinct systems of Cowrie divination stemming from African and Afro-Carribean occult traditions.

Cowrie shells are admired for their fine natural polish. Their glossiness symbolizes refinement and luxury. The Italian word for Cowrie is porcellana (“little pig”)—from which we derive the word porcelain.

Starfish

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Not technically a seashell, Starfish are nonetheless available at many a beach seller’s stall. The Starfish is a spiny sea creature whose dried body forms the shape of a star. They are symbols of heavenly power, renewal, and good luck.

Because of their resemblance to the heavenly stars, the Starfish has an affinity with various sky Gods and Goddesses. How amazing to uncover a star within the depths of the seas! (As that old thrice-great Egyptian guy says, “As above, so below.”) As a (usually) five-pointed creature, Starfish are also linked to the Pentagram and the number 5, the number of Man. No wonder the Starfish speaks to the mystic's heart.

Biologists will tell you that Starfish are exquisitely sensitive animals. Its nervous system radiates from the center and extends through each limb, allowing it to explore the ocean floor with grace and ease. Starfish are symbols of instinct and intuition. As a totem or amulet, Starfish reminds a sensitive person to adapt and thrive within their surroundings.

Starfish possess the superpower of being able to regrow a missing limb. Use them in charms for strength and recovery from trauma.

Shells can teach us many things and can be used as tools to help you meditate, manifest, and create magic in your life.

Whether you already have a vast collection of seashells or plan on starting one next time you're near the sea, keep these magical uses for shells in mind.

MAGICAL USES FOR SHELLS

Healing and grounding

Connection (put in your bath with sea salt to connect to the ocean and the shells' properties)

Divination (like runes)

Casting sacred circles

Gridding

Meditation (like you would with crystals)

Altar decor

Spell work (write sigils on them, put in a wish or spell bottle, use in your spells)

Wear as an amulet

Crafting (attach to your wand, adorn boxes, chests, besoms, and candles)

Charge with your crystals

SHELL MAGICAL PROPERTIES

Sea shells magic focus

Best shells for:

Grounding: auger, barnacle, pearl

Creativity: radiant, spiral, pearl, spindle

Healing/Cleansing: spiral wand, dish, pearl

Grief/Loss/Sadness: heart shaped cockle, spiral, pearl, barnacle

Energy boost: spiral, radiant, sand dollar, starfish

Protection: coral, pearl, starfish, auger

Beauty/Love: heart shaped shells, pearl, clam, conch, oyster, nautilus

Abundance/Growth/Strength: coral, starfish, cowrie, scallop, whelk

Meditation/Serenity: starfish, moon shell, spindle

Radiant shells include scallops, limpets, and cockle shells.

Spiral shells include long and round augers, nautilus, harp, cowrie, and cone shells. Round spirals are best for energy flow and enhancement. Long spirals are best for connecting with spirit (when pointed up) and earth (when pointed down).

Dish shells like clams and abalone act as a container and can support us in healing and cleansing.

Scallops are the quartz crystals of the ocean, as they can be used in place of any other shell, as well as amplify your shell magic.

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