Unwelcome Mat: A Spell for Home Protection
Cottage witchery and other forms of domestic magic are all about infusing the seemingly mundane with magic. These magical traditions seek, in part, to harmonize our households with the natural world and create a sense of security and serenity within our living spaces. Protecting our homes is a fundamental aspect of this practice.
There are many ways to ward off negativity and magically protect our spaces. And the down-to-earth nature of cottage magic allows practitioners to make use of commonplace household items as powerful magical supplies. This can be a practical and accessible approach for many practitioners, it allows individuals to practice their craft even when they may have limited access to specialized tools or might prefer a more discreet form of magic. With a little time and ritual, everyday items can be repurposed for magical uses, imbued with intent and purpose that makes them just as powerful as more formal tools and supplies.
One commonplace object that can be seen on many stoops, steps, and porches is a welcome mat. We are so used to seeing them that we seldom ever give them a second glance. Who would ever suspect a welcome mat of hiding a powerful magical charm beneath it? But it could. A welcome mat, the very thing that we use as a symbol of welcoming the world into our home, can be turned into a simple but powerful charm to ward off enemies, unwanted visitors, and even malevolent spirits.
Spell Components:
Your welcome mat
Protective charms or symbols
Water
A paintbrush
Step One: Begin your spells as you usually do. You may choose to light a candle, create a circle to work in, or simply take a moment to sit in your workspace and center your focus. Think about the type of energies and people you want to welcome into your home, as well as the types that you don’t. Focus your thoughts on repelling all that is unwanted, on creating a charm that will not allow your enemies or other unpleasant energies to walk across it.
Step Two: Prepare your water. You can use whatever kind of water you prefer. Water can be charged under certain phases of the moon, imbued with the power of the sun, infused with herbs, collected from specific locations, purified with salt, or simply put into a bowl and blessed. Pour the water of your choice into a small bowl and put your hands over it, saying aloud, “I charge this water with protective blessings. Let it be the paint with which I write my symbols of magic. Let it be the broom which sweeps away all unwanted energies. Let it be the soldier that stands guard at the door.”
Step Three: Turn your welcome mat over, so that the rubber side of the mat is face up. Dip your paintbrush into the charged water and use it to paint protective charms, words, and symbols on the underside of the mat. You can use any symbols of protection you prefer. Some practitioners may use magical seals while others prefer runes and bind-symbols. Others may prefer a simple equal-armed cross or pentacle/pentagram. You can even use the water to simply write a charm on the mat. As you work, speak out loud about the specific people, energies, and entities you want to ward away from your home’s threshold; charge the mat and the symbols to make them feel unwelcome.
Step Four: When you are finished, take a moment to seal the spell, saying, “Although these charms may dry and fade, their magic shall remain to protect my house from all evil and all ill-intent.” Allow the mat to dry before placing it at the main entrance of your home.
Step Five: Keep in mind that the protective energy of the charm may wane over time. Periodically, clean and remake the charms under your welcome mat to ensure continuous protection for your home.
Thomasin (they/them) | Thomasin Strange is the owner of Crowsbone Boutique and founder of Broomstraws Arcanium. They have been a practitioner of magic since 1999 and has spent the past ten years focusing on reconnecting with their family’s magical heritage. Thomasin lives with their partner and their shared pets in a haunted hospital-turned-apartment-complex.