For our ancestors, jealousy of another person’s good fortune was seen as the root of black magic. This can be seen in the Italian belief of evil eye, “fascinum”, which was a spell based on envy and jealousy. George Luck states “The word is probably related to Greek baskania ‘envy, jealousy’, which would mean that there is a common Indo-European root…” (Luck 19). Perhaps this is why so many of the IE cultures felt the need to have warding or protection against this dark intention. Even the gods were not immune to the feelings of jealousy towards humans who were happy and successful. According to Luck, there were several things an individual could do to protect himself against dark emotions of this nature. The first was not to be prideful. Showing oneself to be humble would help from drawing attention to your success. Second you would never display or flaunt your belongs and achievements. To me this goes back to being humble about your successes. In Greece it is custom to give an object that is admired by another. They believe it is “… better to part with a prized possession right away than to live in constant fear of baskania” (Luck). The third way was to wear an amulet as protection. These amulets, phylakteria, can be found all over the Mediterranean. These amulets range from abstract shapes to human body parts like an eye pierced with an arrow, an open hand with an eye on the palm and even phallus shapes, hence the name fascinum. There was also a practice in Italy where a clay figure of a snake was broken as an act of protection and warding known as angues ruptae.

As an artist, I am very drawn to the idea of making such votive figures to create this type magic protection. I already had been working with an ADF type warding for a home, but this gave me another item that could be used in warding a home. I really love the idea of the Roman talismans being used to ward and “break” this evil intention.

I created enough small discs with the image of an eye and snake pulling from both the Greek and the Roman principles of ancient talismans to have one per window and door in the home. See Figure 1. As snake tend to be seen as sinister and the eye reinforcing the image of evil watching, I used these as part of my ADF style House cleansing and warding. The following is the ritual and how I implemented the use of these clay ‘seals’ to break the connection with me and my household from those that would intend me harm or taking actions against me in their jealousy.

House Cleansing, Warding, and Blessing Ritual

Opening Prayers:

1. Offerings/Prayer to Hestia (pour libation or offering into offering bowl or Fire as you say): Bright shining fire of hearth, warmth of home and soul, source of human survival, We call to you Great eldest and youngest Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, Mighty Hestia, I call upon you to protect and shelter me in this rite!
2. Offerings/Prayer to Zeus (pour libation or offering into the offering bowl or Fire as you say): Loving King of all the worlds, Father of the gods, hurler of the great lightning bolts, bringer of life sustaining rain, Mighty Zeus, I call upon you to light the path before me and aide me in this rite!
3. Offering/Prayer to Inspiration (pour a libation into an offering bowl or Well as you say): Scared spirit of words, guide of mortal speech and deed, I call upon you to guide my words and actions in this rite!
4. Earth Mother Offering (give offering of grains into an offering bowl at the Tree as you say): Lady Sustainer, Mother of us all I give of my bounty calling to you, join me in this rite!

Establishing Scared Center:

1. Hallowing of the Well (pour libation into the Well): Spirit of the Well, formless base of the world, flow beneath & about me, nourish my path, I give this offering to you as invitation to be with me at this rite!
2. Hallowing of the Tree (place offering of grains into the offering bowl at the Tree): Spirit of the Tree, living axis to all the worlds, stand with me as I reach for beyond this world, I give this offering to you as invitation to be with me at this rite!
3. Hallowing of the Fire (place offerings [flammable liquor] into the fire/light incense): Spirit of Fire, light of the heavens, shine upon me and light my path, I give this offering to you as invitation to be with me at this rite!
4. Invocation of Raven as Gate Keeper (place offering into the Well, the Tree offering bowl and into the Fire): Raven, winged messenger of all the worlds, accept this offering to hold open the gates, carry my praise and offerings to those beyond!

Opening of the Gate:

1. Opening of Well Gate (stand before the Well, arms at your side palms facing out. Feel the Wells energy. See a light begin to grow in it and say, raising your arms out to your sides slowly until palms are above your head as you finish. Then moved them slowly back down to your side feeling the gate open): Let the Well be no more a well but all wells and all waters reaching into the depths of the Sea, let it be the foundation of the worlds and the anchor of the Gate.
2. Opening of Tree Gate (stand before the Tree, arms at your side palms facing out. Feel the Trees energy. See a line of light begin to grow in the center of it and say, raising your arms out to your sides slowly until palms are above your head as you finish. Then moved them slowly back down to your side feeling the gate open): Let Tree be no more a tree but all trees and all life spanning the breadth of the Land, let it be the axis of the worlds and anchor the Gate.
3. Opening of Fire Gate (stand before the Fire, arms at your side palms facing out. Feel the Fire energy. See a light begin to grow in it and say, raising your arms out to your sides slowly until palms are above your head as you finish. Then moved them slowly back down to your side feeling the gate open): Let the Fire be no more a flame but all fire and light of the Sky, let it be the crown of the worlds and anchor the Gate.

By the powers of the Hallows and Raven, Let the Gates be open! Let the Gates be open! Let the Gates be open!…. The Gates are open!

Kindred Invocations

1. Offering to Ancestors (go to the Well, visualize the Ancestors coming through the gate and offer a libation after saying): Honored dead of our kin, who came before so that we might be, hear my words I pray. I wish to do you honor. Blessed spirits of the dead attend my rite, accept this gift and join in my worship. Beloved Ancestors, accept my offering!
2. Offering to Nature Spirits (go to the Tree, visualize the Nature Spirits coming to and through the gate and offer grains after saying): Noble spirits of nature pure, of sky and water, of fur and feather and scale, of soil and earth, hear my words I pray! I wish to do you honor. Noble spirits of nature attend my rite, accept this gift, and join in my worship. Spirits of Nature, accept my offering!
3. Offering to Gods (go to the Fire, visualize the Gods coming through the gate and give an offering after saying): Shining gods of immortal realms, of sky and earth, of life and death, and the forces of all the worlds, hear my words I pray! I wish to do you honor. Shining gods of all the people attend my rite, accept this gift, and join in my worship. Bright Gods accept my offering!

Main Ritual:

Outside Offering ( [done by home owner] have tray with offerings. See all the unwanted beings within the home. Feel their presence. Hold the tray aloft and say): Outdwellers, you who are not a part of this home, you who are unwelcome here, though you are mighty, though you are strong, I ask that you accept this offering and leave my home in peace. (Carry the tray around the house saying): Outdwellers accept this offering and leave my home in peace! (end outside of the house.)

Ancestor Offering: Ancestors, I give you this offering and ask that you lend me your courage and power to cleanse, ward, and bless this home! (place offering into the Well)

Nature Spirit Offering: Natures Spirits, I give you this offering and ask that you lend me your strength and power to cleanse, ward and bless this home! (place offering into the Tree offering bowl)

Gods Offering: Shining Ones, I give you this offering and ask that you lend me your wisdom and power to cleanse, ward, and bless this home! (place offering into Fire or offering bowl)

Omen: (using Tarot or other divination tool draw THREE cards. These will tell you if the Kindreds give their blessings on this rite. As long as the reading is positive you are good to continue.)

Blessing: (pour drink into the blessing glass. Then go to each of the Hallows)

1. Hollowing of Waters by Ancestor (Hold Blessing Cup to the Well. Feel the energy of the Ancestors pouring into the cup): Ancestors if you have heard my prayers and accept them you will do what is right, bless these waters so that I may receive your blessings.
2. Hollowing of Waters by Nature Spirits (Hold Blessing Cup to the Tree. Feel the energy of the Nature Spirits pouring into the cup): Nature Spirits if you have heard my prayers and accept them you will do what is right, bless these waters so that I may receive your blessings.
3. Hollowing of Waters by Gods (Hold Blessing Cup to the Fire. Feel the energy of the Gods pouring into the cup): Shinning Ones if you have heard my prayers and accept them you will do what is right, bless these waters so that I may receive your blessings.
4. Blessing: May no one ever know hunger nor thirst while I do you will!

(everyone present sips from the cup.)

Ritual Cleansing, Warding, and Blessing

Cleansing:

Well Cleansing (Take the Well and carry it around the house sprinkling water counter clockwise saying until you have cleansed every part of the house):
Scared Well, Waters of life, follow beneath and around us, cleanse this home from negative influences.
(Light the black candle as you go on the first round at each of the four directional walls, all windows, doors, and mirrors.)

Tree Cleansing (Take the Tree and carry it around the house with a small bowl of salt which you will use to sprinkle counter clockwise and say until you have cleansed every part of the house):
Scared Tree, grow and spread your branches around us, cleanse this home from negative influences.

Fire Cleansing (Take lighted incense of Frankincense and Myrrh carry it around the house counter clockwise and say until you have cleansed every part of the house):
Scared Fire, burn bright spilling your light around us, cleanse this home from negative influences.

Blessing:

Ancestor Blessing: (going CLOCKWISE to each room light ONE at each of the directional walls, all windows, and doors, and mirrors tea lights saying until every part of the house is blessed. Visualize the Ancestors filling the candle with their blessings and it flowing through the house)
Mighty Ancestors we ask that you bless this home and those who live within these walls.

Nature Spirits Blessing: (going CLOCKWISE to each room light ONE at each of the directional walls, all windows, and doors, and mirrors tea lights saying until every part of the house is blessed. Visualize the Nature Spirits filling the candle with their blessings and it flowing through the house):
Glorious nature spirits we ask that you bless this home and those who live within these walls.

Gods Blessing: (going CLOCKWISE to each room light ONE at each of the directional walls, all windows, and doors, and mirrors tea lights saying until every part of the house is blessed. Visualize the Gods filling the candle with their blessings and it flowing through the house):
Shining Ones we ask that you bless this home and those who live within these walls.

Warding:

Ancestor Warding: (using the white sage and sea salt mixture mark all directional walls, windows, doors, and mirrors with your choice of power symbol visualizing the Ancestors forming a barrier of energy as you work COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the house):
Ancestors, loved ones past and heroes of old, let nothing pass that does not pass in peace.

Nature Spirits Warding: (using the white sage and sea salt mixture mark all directional walls, windows,

doors, and mirrors with your choice of power symbol visualizing the Nature Spirits forming a barrier of energy as you work COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the house): Nature Spirits, creatures of fur and feather, of scale and skin, let nothing pass that does not pass in peace.

Gods Warding: : (using the white sage and sea salt mixture mark all directional walls, windows, doors, and mirrors with your choice of power symbol visualizing the Nature Spirits forming a barrier of energy as you work COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the house):
Shining One, gods and goddesses of the sky, land, and sea, let nothing pass that does not pass in peace.

Turning Back Evil Warding: (carry the seals to each window and door COUNTER CLOCKWISE breaking each seal once the prayer has been made.)
Oh bright blessed Apollo, slavery of the great serpent Python, I ask you turn back all evil intent from me and my home. As you slay the great evil and blind those with your light, so I seek your protection to slave all evils and blind those who seek me harm.
(break the seal)

Ending Ritual:

Return of the Waters to Earth (take the blessing Cup and pour what remains into the well saying):
I give what is unused to the land so that it may be better for me having been here.

                Thanks Patrons & Allies:

                Thank the Gods:

                Thank the Nature Spirits:

                Thank the Ancestors:

                Thank the Earth Mother:

                Thank Spirit of Poetic Inspiration:

                Thank Zeus:

                Thank Hestia

                Close the Gate: Fire, Tree, Well:

Fire: (feel the energy return through the gate and close as you say ): Let the Fire be no more the Crown of all the worlds but simply a fire! Fare well Spirit of Fire!

Tree: (feel the energy return through the gate and close as you say ):  Let the Tree be no more the Axis of all the worlds but simply a tree! Fare well Spirit of Tree!

Well: (feel the energy return through the gate and close as you say ): Let the Well be no more the Foundation of all the worlds but simply a well! Fare well Spirit of Well!

Let the gates be closed! Let the gates be closed!…. THE GATES ARE CLOSED!!!

Thank Raven: Raven I give you thanks for your help and ask that you go swiftly upon you way carrying with you my offerings to the Otherside! I ask you be with me when next I call!

Works Cited

• Luck, Georg. Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds – A Collection of Ancient Texts. 10: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. Paperback.