How To Make Braucherei Charms & Amulets From Safety Pins
by Silver RavenWolf copyright 2012
On my first visit to Preston Zerbe in my quest to learn Braucherei, I noticed that he wore a safety pin on the left sleeve. Visit after visit, his shirts were always different; but the pin remained on the left sleeve. After inquiry I learned that the safety pin on the left sleeve means “protection from harm”. If you wore the pin over the heart, it worked for wishes. Ladies running market stalls would use one large pin worn over the sternum to attract high sales and ensure a pleasant, busy day. Sometimes smaller pins dangled from the larger pin, each small pin representing a different wish.
Simple Magick!
So, where did the safety pin come from, anyway? Research tell us that the safety pin was actually invented in Greece during the 14th century BC; however, as Greece fell from power the safety pin slipped into the historical cracks. The safety pin wasn’t seen again until 1849, when (as the story goes) a fellow by the name of Walter Hunt sat as his desk, worrying about how he would pay off a $15.00 debt. In those days fifteen bucks represented a tidy sum. Anyway, there sat good old Walter, fretting, stewing, and panicking over how he was going to pay that debt — the whole time twisting this little piece of brass wire. Imagine Walter with that tight throat feeling. Yeah. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. After three hours he glanced down at the wire in his hands and realized he had a new invention — the safety pin, which eventually sold for a patent price of $400.00. Although Walter’s story on the surface is about success, it also teaches us that the mind can work on successful solutions to a problem, even though our emotions are all in a dither. As Walter made something from nothing — the magick surrounding the safety pin was born.
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
Brauchers, hoodoo practitioners, pow-wow’s, and those involved in simple witchery used (and still do today) items easily obtained, often things from their own homes, property, or within walking distance. Interesting and powerful charms were (and still are) made out of almost anything. Whether we discuss banishing or attracting — the wonderful little invention of the safety pin fits right into everyday magicks!
For example, safety pin chains decorated with ribbons or fresh herbs are a way to call things to you. The chain pictured below is for drawing the energy of one’s guardian angel for a specific purpose, and is decorated with orange and purple ribbons. As the ribbons are tied, the chant is intoned. This specific talisman is for drawing a good job for someone — hence the colors orange (opportunity) and purple (highest possible outcome). The individual’s name will be pinned to the top of the chain.
This pin chain was made to draw a good job to the recipient of the chain.
A safety pin chain can also be used to count chants or charms, as each chant or charm is to be said three times, times three. A total of nine pins make up this type of chain, with one larger pin to hold a specific religious charm. This type of chain is an unobtrusive way to count chants if you are out in public.
A candle surrounded by safety pins is a simple, unobtrusive way to work for protection for the home.
A protection candle can be ringed in a safety pin chain. Add a mixture of salt and rosemary inside the circle for added protection.
Silver pins can be empowered in the moonlight, and gold-tone pins in sunlight. Either type of pin works well as an amulet, talisman, or counting chain — all you need is a little imagination to create a truly powerful magickal talisman or amulet.
Making your own safety pin magick is easy! Here is a picture of a protective pin using a sterling silver headpin, cat charm, and black onyx gemstone.
Several pins constructed for different uses are shown in the picture below.
Different types of modern Braucherei Charms.
Safety Pin Charms can be added to a modern Braucherei conjuring bag, such as the one shown below. This conjuring bag is for general Good Luck and Success, and contains chamomile, a buckeye, St. John the Conqueror Root, cinquefoil, patchouli and mint. The safety pin charm was constructed with sterling silver head pins, sterling silver jump rings (both to draw money and good fortune), yellow beads for success, for money and success), and a metal key charm (also for success).
Good Luck Conjuring Bag
To Empower the Pin
To empower any safety pin you can perform the following, or you can use your favorite cleansing, consecration and blessing activity.
Step One. Soak the pin in blessed salt water, or blessed herbal water that contains a banishing herb such as rosemary or lavender for at least nine minutes. Dry thoroughly. This is the cleansing part of the activity.
Step Two. Time to consecrate in the name of your divinity. You can use your own prayers and chants, or you can use the Morning Braucherei chant that I taught you during our Great Release Program. The choice of divinity is your own. Say this chant nine times while holding the pin towards the East. This is best done at the rising of the sun; but, if you are desperate, any time will do. The chant is as follows:
Eastwards I stand for favors I pray From Goddess Divine and Lord of the Day Earth lends Her power and Breath sends the spell Days end will reveal That all will be well!
Then, blow on the pin three times, from bottom to top so that your breath goes out over the top of the pin. Make an equal-armed cross in the air over the pin to seal your magick. Now, you can dedicate the pin to a specific deity — or not — that is the blessing part of the activity and should be done in your own words. A blessing, in this example, is to call in the powers of deity to assist in the activation of your safety pin charm. Some folks don’t want to call in deity, they may ask for the assistance of the honored ancestral dead, the help of a totem animal, angels, or the powers of Earth (elements). Your choice.
Step Three: Everything physical thing on the planet has some type of “will” because, if nothing else, it has a shape. The “will” of the electrons and protons constitute the shape of the thing. Next, then, is to blend the “will” of the pin with your will — specifically, what you want the object to do for you. In Witchcraft, the idea of blending the will of an object to yours is sometimes called “awakening the tool”. Some people add human or animal characteristics (behavior, emotion) to an object, during this process, others don’t. For example: Naming your pin Walter. To give it a name is to give it a personality. Regardless of whether you get real chummy with your pin or see it as a simple earth object, you need to envelop the object with the thought form of the type of performance you are seeking. Simply the act of banishment, or attraction.
Hold the pin directly against your chest, and visualize what you want it to do. Is it protection you seek? Then think of yourself surrounded by white light, angelic beings, or a totem animal that guards you. If you are working on a specific attraction (let’s say you want a good job), then see yourself happily going to and from work, or working on what you love, etc. In essence, let the pin “see” what you want. Rather than holding the pin against the chest, some individuals like to roll small objects smoothly in their hands a number of times, like a physical mantra, while visualizing what they desire. You can whisper precisely what you want at the same time. The more lulled you become at the mantra, the better. Isn’t that what Walter did? Roll the wire in his hands while reaching out to the universe to find a solution? This last step, then, is the empowerment of the object.
Now your pin is ready for use. You can add more charms and chants that are specific, or use the pin charm in a meditation or larger working. Let’s say you want to create the conjuring bag pictured above. Once the bag is constructed, it also needs to be awakened or “fed” (white rum, vodka, holy water, perfume, a drop of your blood, spit, etc.). In the conjuring bag example, the empowered pin is only part of the totality of the magick, as in the picture shown below.
Got a need? Want to work a simple magick? Try the safety pin!
Peace with the Gods Peace with Nature Peace within. So be it!
Silver
P.S.: Have a better idea, or want to add more to this blog? Everyone here enjoys your opinion or great ideas. Please feel free to share! We are a Village of Magick.