Out of the Broom Closet, into the Fire
Saturn and Neptune into Aries and Protection Spells
Yesterday, Saturn joined Neptune in Aries, which marks a time of structural collapse and confusion around what is real and not real. The last time Saturn and Neptune were conjunct was in 1989. Most notably, this was when the Berlin Wall fell. Saturn/Neptune conjunctions are also associated with spiritual panic and witch hunts (the McCarthy trials and Satanic panic happened under this conjunction).
For many of us, Neptune’s transit through Pisces (2011-2026), has been a time of embracing spiritual sovereignty, whether that means deconstructing Christian and capitalist narratives; embracing personal relationship with spirit through tarot, astrology, or witchcraft; diving into the otherworldly magic of science and technology; or any number of other esoteric and magickal practices.
Massive amounts of people, including me, have come out of the broom closet, outing ourselves as witches.
Photo by Charlie Harutaka on Unsplash
Then, the transit into Aries tests our authenticity. Are our spiritual practices cute and fun or are they part of who we truly are? Are we grounded in their personal meaning for us or are we superstitious and acting out of fear?
Saturn is angry in Aries, perhaps even impatient, and so the planet of consequences brings them quickly. If you act in integrity, you get consequences in line with that integrity, but if you act outside of it, Saturn lets you know right away through your body’s signals and your external results. Aries is a fire sign, and there is no need to touch the stove a second time before learning that it burns.
Photo by Tobias Rademacher on Unsplash
I am in a group online where I have seen a number of posts about “spiritual warfare,” something that I grew up thinking a lot about. The concept of spiritual warfare means that there are unseen threats that might undermine us, and through adherence to certain spiritual practices we can fight those threats.
In my view, this is an essentially misguided concept at least in part because it positions spirituality as potentially threatening, and outside of us, and offers solutions that feel tricky.
Truth is never tricky.
The unseen is only drawn to you if it corresponds with you. And I do not mean that as pressure to raise your vibration or pretend to be positive. Instead it is an invitation to deeply learn what corresponds with you, what is correct for you, and release anything that is not.
This requires boundaries and understanding who you are, which is harder than it sounds and completely worth it.
Healthy boundaries protect us from what is not correct for us, whether it is in the 3D reality or outside of it.
Here are a few ways to craft a basic protection spell to get started.
Protection Spells
Energetic boundaries:
Find a space that both is safe in reality and also feels safe to you. This can be your bed if that is a safe space.
With your eyes open or closed (whatever is comfortable and safe for you), pay attention to how the space feels on your skin. Your skin is the boundary between the inside of your body and the external world. Energetic boundaries are like skin but for your energy body.
Picture or feel roots growing out of the lowest part of your body and into the ground.
Picture or feel the bubble of the space around you. Notice how far your senses can perceive the space around you. If you close your eyes, can you sense what is happening in the room around you? Can you sense what is happening beyond the room you are in?
Picture or feel the bubble of space around you becoming an actual bubble or an egg shell. What is inside the egg shell is yours, what is outside of it belongs to the universe. Your guides or the bubble itself evict any energy that is not the right fit for you.
Now, picture or feel the bubble filling with whatever color your body and spirit crave.
Sit inside that energy like you would a bath.
Communication Boundaries:
Think of the person who most challenges your boundaries, comes into your space, or expects energetic or emotional labor from you.
In your mind or out loud, say to that person three times, “No,” “Leave,” “Ew stop,” or “Go away.” Imagine yourself walking away from that person without inviting a response from them.
Notice any objections that come up in your mind. Are there spaces where your mind thinks it is dangerous for you to enforce a boundary? Are there spaces where your mind thinks you need to comply or compromise your boundaries in order to be safe? Journal about the objections that come up or talk through them with a trusted person.
What would the benefits of enforcing a boundary be for you?
Do those benefits make it worth enforcing your boundaries despite your fears? Why/why not?
If you choose not to enforce your boundaries, how can you take responsibility for the consequences to yourself and others?
Circle casting (attribution goes to the Cabot Kent Hermetic Temple for this):
Find a wand, which can be a stick or kitchen spoon, but should be wood the length of your inner elbow to the tip of your longest finger. In a meditative state, tell the wand that you clear it of all positive and negative energies and forces that may come to do you harm. Then, tell the wand that you charge it to catalyze your thoughts and deeds to your will.
Walking clockwise in a circle, say, “I cast this circle to protect me from all positive or negative energies or forces that may come to do me harm.”
Walk two more times clockwise, and on the final turn, say, “The circle is cast. So shall it be.”
Inside of the circle, do whatever magical or personal work you want to do. You can cast a circle before you go to sleep if you have disrupted sleep, too. The only problem here is if you have pets, they may break your circle and make it less effective.
When your work is done, walk counterclockwise in the same circle and say, “The circle is open and remains unbroken. I send it out to the cosmos to do my bidding.” When I do my morning thought work and cast it as a spell, I say, “I send it out to the cosmos to contribute to healing myself and the collective unconscious.”
Protection potion (I follow Laurie Cabot’s protection potion from her Book of Shadows):
1/8 Ounce of Almond Oil
10 Drops of Patchouli Oil
10 Drops of Frankincense Oil
10 Drops of Myrrh Oil
¼ Teaspoon of Mandrake Root
¼ Teaspoon of Sea Salt
Pinch of hair from your familiar
If you do not have these ingredients, you can use salt water as protection potion in a pinch. Tell the potion that its job is to provide protection for you and all it touches.
Boundaries and Harm. The principles of witchcraft say that you should do what you want, provided it does not cause harm. Sometimes people believe that if we enforce our boundaries and make choices that are healthy for us, it harms them.
This can feel confusing because we do not want to harm anyone, but it is also not appropriate to comply with harm to ourselves.
In that way it is important to remember these rules:
Suffering creates more suffering, but safety creates more safety. You being safe does not cause harm to someone else.
Putting energy toward someone who causes harm supports that harm.
You may have a duty of care to someone vulnerable, like a child or animal, but a caregiving relationship has inherent power imbalance. Caregiving relationships are not mutual or romantic. Most often caregiving relationships with peers cause harm on both sides.
From a space of safety, you are better able to offer support to others. Your safety is your responsibility and your first duty to your body.
Thanks for reading and bringing your magick to the world! If reality feels confusing and consequences feel unfair, ground into your energy and the information you get from your body. What is one safe thing you can do today?