Salt

Scientific Name: Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

Ethical Concerns: Some particular salts that have become popular (like Himalayan Rock Salt and Dead Sea Salt) are finite resources, mined with little environmental consideration and poor working conditions, and then transported around the globe. Consider seeking more local and sustainable alternatives.

Magical

Element: Earth
Day: Saturday
Planet: Moon
Zodiac: Cancer
Deities: Huixtocihuatl, Neptune, Phelo, Poseidon, Salus, Tiamat, Ukko

Magical Properties: Cleansing, grounding, protection, prosperity, healing, purification, luck, longevity, wisdom, hospitality.

Substitutions: Eggshells

Lore

Salt has been culturally and religiously significant to humans worldwide for millennia.

Cultural Significance

The use of salt to preserve food is seen as a significant factor in allowing modern civilisation to develop - It freed humans from relying on seasonal availability of food, and allowed food to be transported.

Salt became a precious commodity and was highly valued. The town of Solnitsata in Bulgaria, believed to be the earliest town in Europe (roughly 4700–4200 BCE), was based around salt production.

At various times, salt has been of equal value as gold (by weight), used as currency, to trade for slaves, and many significant trade routes were established around this precious resource.

Salt’s dessicating properties are also believed to have been used to “salt the earth” - an act of war, ensuring that nothing was able to be grown on that land.

Religious Significance

Offerings of salt and water were made to the gods in Kehmerant, Greek, and Roman traditions.

It’s associated with luck, purification, and protection from evil spirits in a number of different belief systems.

Salted bread, or bread with salt, is an important part of Kiddush for Shabbat and other significant Jewish holidays.

In some Christian practices, salt is added to Holy Water.

Magical Uses

• Add salt to a bath for healing or purification.
• Add salt (in moderation) to foods to encourage grounding or prosperity.
• Salt blocks psychic awareness, so can be used to dampen over-sensitivity if needed.
• Salt can be used to absorb negative energies - use it in a cleansing powder to absorb unwanted energies before vacuuming it up, or set a salt bowl in a room for the same purpose, emptying/re-setting as needed.

Cautions

While some people use salt to mark the outline of their ritual circle, PLEASE ensure this is not done outdoors, as salt is incredibly damaging to plants and soil ecosystems.

Practical

Around 6% of salt is used for human consumption. Other uses including water conditioning, de-icing roads, and agricultural and industrial processes.

Culinary

Salt has been instrumental in preserving and flavouring food for millennia.

References:

Lawrence, Robert Means (1898); The Magic of the Horse-Shoe

Time Magazine (1982); A Brief History of Salt