The Seashore and Moon Magic* Sand July is a good time to pay a traditional visit to the seashore, and gather some natural materials that might useful for magical purposes, for rituals, for charms and for talismans for the coming year. Sand that has been collected between the tide lines — that powerfully magical area between two worlds that is sometimes dry land and sometimes ocean bottom — is a wonderfully potent addition to any magical operation involving ocean deities, especially when it is sprinkled around the working Circle to mark the boundaries of this "place that is not a place." And, since the tides are controlled by the Moon, the intertidal zone is the particular realm of the Moon Goddess. Sea Water A bottle of sea water can be collected for anointing or asperging. A substitute can be made by adding marine aquarium salt to distilled water, but it doesn't have the potent magic of the living sea itself — the birth water from which all life emerged. And for this reason, seawater is especially useful in rituals concerning new beginnings, particularly when they are performed at the time of the New Moon. Seashells All seashells of the class Gastropoda (i.e., snails) grow in a spiral and are therefore sacred to the Goddess. In many species, the spiral is always apparent, but often the shells found on the beach are broken to emphasise the internal spiral structure. One genus of shells, the cowries, are particularly sacred to the Goddess because their slit-like apertures bear a strong resemblance to female genitals (a closely related species is called in Latin, Volva). For this reason, and because the shells are strikingly beautiful, the were left as offerings at the Temple of Aphrodite on Cyprus. And because shells of the genus Cyprae have a glossy, smooth surface, as well as a vagina-like opening, pregnant women in the South Pacific insured a smooth delivery by rubbing their abdomens with shells. Many snails have an appendage called an operculum, which works like a trap door sealing the opening of the shell when the animal has withdrawn into it. Operculums come in a variety of shapes according to their species, but those of the genus Turbo petholatus, or Tapestry Turban of tropical waters, are deep iridescent green and are called Cat's Eyes. These Cat's Eyes are sometimes set into jewelry and worn as amulets or protection against the evil eye. The bivalves of the family Pinnidae are related to mussels, and like mussels, these animals produce a thread called a byssus that is attached to rocks buried in the sand to anchor the pen shells to the sea floor. The byssus of the pen shells are golden are believed to have healing properties. Sand Dollars Sand dollars are natural pentacles with their five point radial symmetry; and starfish are natural pentagrams — both can be worn as amulets or used as altar pieces. Holey Stone If you find a Holey Stone, a stone or pebble with a natural hole in it, on the beach, thank the God/Goddess who left it there and take it home. On the night of the next full moon, cast a circle with sea sand, asperge it with sea water, and hold the stone high with the fingers of both hands whilst saying:
View the moon through the hole in the stone and know that it is being charged with Moon magic. Then wrap it in a bit of white linen and place it in your amulet bag. Other Sea Amulets Other amulets you may find at the sea include seabird feathers, and nuts, seeds or sea beans. The Sea Heart (Entada gigas) is a large, heart-shaped seed of smooth, shiny dark brown. In Norway, women in labour drink a brew made of this seed to relieve pain. In England, sea hearts were given as amulets to young men going to sea. The Sea Bean (Mucana sp.) is a brown flat seed with a black band outlined in cream. In Ireland, this bean is placed under the pillow to protect against mischievieous night spirits.
Page last updated: 3 Jul 2004
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