Magickal powders make an excellent addition to your spells and rituals. Simple or complex blends can be included in conjure bags, poppets, magickal pillows, sachets, spirit dolls, and stuffed animals, or sprinkled around an empowered candle, thrown in your cauldron, or tossed in the ritual bonfire outdoors. If the ingredients are pet/people safe, they can be sprinkled in the corners of a room, brushed under the carpet, or strewn across the front and back doorstep, stoop, or porch. The main ingredients of a powder are usually a mixture of specially chosen dried herbs; however, other items can be added to strengthen your intent. Magickal powders are economical (you only use just a little bit) and easy to store. Just a small amount of powder goes a long way in a working; you don't need to use more herbs for more power. The pattern of the thing is already there—in the basic composition of the blend. All you need to do is to whisper (or chant, or sing, or drum) to awaken the Spirit of that powder once you have designed it.

A simple protection powder blend for strewing across your doorstep or porch relies on a primary base of salt. This can be sea salt, pink salt, or table salt. Use what you have at hand. The measurement is up to you—two ounces should do front and back stoop, more if you want to strew across an entire porch.

What will make your powder incredibly powerful is the addition of a prayer that you choose—something that is dear to your heart. This could be a passage, charm, or poem that has always worked for you. Write your words on white or blue paper with blue or black ink.

When finished, hold the paper, close your eyes, and connect with a deity (or an angel, totem animal, or whatever you desire). Clearly state your intent—that of protection for yourself and your family, etc.

Burn the paper. Allow the ashes to cool. Mix the ashes with the salt, then grind until you have a powder. You may wish to chant the word "protection" or a bit of a charm as you grind with mortar and pestle. Don't have a set? No worries. Be inventive. I used a rounded, palm-sized stone on a flat rock in the woods. And, it was super fun to go looking for just the right grinding tools that nature could provide.

When you are finished, seal your working with an equal-armed cross in the air. Put the salt/ash mixture in a cloth bag. I always throw in a lit match and quickly extinguish the flame in the bag to activate the powder. Other practitioners simply pass a fire over the mouth of the bag; the choice is entirely up to you.

Strew your powder on the front and back doorstep, reiterating your intent. I command my powders because I believe that all energy is intelligent in that any object can be impregnated with design; therefore I verbally tell the powder what I expect it to do. What you believe and how you distribute your powder, however, is entirely up to you.

You can ramp up this formula by adding additional ingredients, such as a drop or two of a liquid fluid condenser, rosemary or other dried herbs with associations to protection, or a spritz of grain alcohol (for the spirits). If you have added a touch of liquid, let everything dry before grinding. Just remember, too much liquid and you will melt the salt.

Does this formula work?

I made a big batch a few years ago for the protection of our home and family. Halfway down the driveway, I drew a huge line in salt formula from one side to the other. The stones turned a different color, and if you were observant, you could see the line at dawn and dusk. The entire area settled into a peaceful rhythm. Delivery trucks no longer rumbled to the door, they stopped at the edge of the line. The "let me sell you discounted meat" people no longer entered my driveway, strangers stopped using my drive as a turn-around, and whoever thought it necessary to leave me constant religious tracts on my porch no longer visited. One afternoon my granddaughter furrowed her brow and said, "Ama, why is there a black line across the driveway?"

"Because I'm the Grammy with the whammy," I answered.

She nodded sagely. "You wanted to keep bad people and sickness out."

"Indeed."