Proper Disposal of Ritual Remains

The magick begins with the first thought of "doing the work". Not so obvious to the untrained magician or spell caster... And while this is so, so is the fact that new workers do not anticipate the finishing and completion of their ritual. Many times, when new customers come to me for advice on how to go about crafting a spell, they seem to only focus on the part of the ritual that entails lighting and working candles, mojo hands, prayers, deploying powders and oils, etc. They fail to realize the full dynamics of magickal work, it's full incorporation into our lives from start to finish. With many of these new folks, if I do not specifically tell them what to do with their remains or left overs of the ritual, the question never rises. But weeks later I get a call or email asking what to do with the left over items. I have known some to come to me for advice again wanting to repeat a spell and that they wish to incorporate old remains they saved wrapped up from the previous spell. While this CAN be a great idea in some situations that have required you to keep working on the spell such as a Poppet Doll spell, where you have worked on the Doll, placed it under your bed, and come back to work on it again a month later, as you can see, this is not exactly a ritual that has ended, but yet is still in process being worked on, this is not what we mean by ritual remains disposal. If you had done a spell for bringing your lover back and you were suppose to bury the remains of the wax in the front yard, but saved it sitting on your altar and decided to redo the spell, use some of the oils left over, I would have to stop you there. I would tell you that you should bury the wax from the first ritual by your door FIRST before starting a new ritual. Some rituals are to be completed from start to finish which would mean to properly dispose of ritual remains. Oils in the bottle, powders in the baggies, incense in the baggies can be saved OR disposed of with the wax and curio remains from the ritual. This is optional. What is NOT optional is if a ritual requires you to dispose of the wax burning, papers, etc. by burying, carry to crossroads, running water, etc. This completes your ritual. It is just as much as part of the ACT OF DOING THE WORK. Do not dismiss this task. If it's an ongoing process where you are going to be continuing to work on a honey jar, reuse a glass vigil jar, a mojo hand, or poppets, then they are placed in a safe place if not an altar and this would be the time that they are not disposed of. All other remains are properly disposed of to complete your work. I once had a male client who came to me asking me to do something FAST because his work wasn't working as fast as when I had done spells for him in the past. So, I sat him down, asked him to explain to me what he had done. Every step of the ritual followed exact, was perfect, until he got to the part that he had taken the remains and put them in a box to be buried but hadn't had the time to bury it by his front door. Four weeks ago... I told him, if I had been anyone else, he probably would have just spent more money out of pocket for a new spell or a spell worker to do the job for him, however, he was lucky I was such a nice person to let him know he's not done with the work, he's left it open ended because he didn't follow the last of the directions I originally gave him: bury the remains by the front door. Low and behold, after he did the burial, his request was granted... Ok, so point gotten right? GREAT! So let's talk about the all the different places you would dispose of ritual remains. We will start simple here.

Prayers recited according to the work and direction of the disposal vary. Research appropriate Bible Psalms or use "In the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost", along with a statement of intent and thank you. Use common sense and your feelings from the heart when you dispose of these remain.
Examples: To the spirit of the crossroads take three pennies or coins to pay for disposal and state your thanks.
To the spirit of the grave take three silver coins and whiskey/rum to pay and state your request and thanks.
To the rising or setting sun use an appropriate prayer or psalm
To the running water use an appropriate prayer or psalm

Directional Placements:

East- To bring in blessings
West- To remove something

Front Yard- To bring in blessings of all sorts (money, luck, love, success, protection) 
Back Yard- To tie someone or something down

Running Water-To remove or send someone or something away from you
In a Tree- Used to hold something in place, or hide a spell on a target
Fire- Used to remove evil/negative, or send prayers to heaven, burn petition papers to be mixed with dusts and powders used in further workings
Crossroads- Universal placement OR to change a path OR to open the road
Graveyard- To harm or cause illness on someone OR to use a specific spirit to hold someone in place
Freezer- To freeze a person or situation to a halt
Food- To work on the target specifically
Foot tracks- To work on a target specifically

Targets Yard or Under Their Doorstep- Buried. Used for the targets to walk over such as break up, move out, separate, drive out
Your Own Doorstep- Buried. Used for protection, bring in blessings of all sorts (money, luck, love, success, protection)

In Pots-Buried. An alternative to burying in the yard
Under Mattress/Bed- Used to bring something or someone close to you, protect you, or work on a specific target

Types of Remains: 

Baths and Floor Wash-

• Bring In Blessings- Used water thrown in the front yard facing the east at rising sun OR taken to the crossroads
• Remove Negative, Curses, Evil- Used water thrown in the west to setting sun (NOT IN YOUR OWN BACK YARD) OR taken to the crossroads

Candle Wax/spells remains-

• Glass Vigil Candles- Crossroads is the universal place, can be recycled for same purpose
• Wax from spells-Follow the above outlines according to your circumstance

1. If you are bringing in love, new love, old lover, money, success, protection bury by front door, or in a pot by front door, or crossroads
2. If you are removing something take it and throw it in running water, crossroads, or bury it in the west off of your property
3. If you are tying someone (a cheating, straying spouse) or something (obtained blessing of success) down so the current situation doesn't move forward bury it in backyard. Example, your spouse is back home, or your current situation at work is pleasant and successful but threatened so you tie down your current pleasant situation at work
4. If you are working on an enemy or target you are getting rid of or breaking up, bury the remains under their doorstep or on their property in the earth or a tree hollow.

 Mojo Bags/Hands-

• Place on your person, under your mattress, in your undergarments drawer, or by your front door all out of sight

Poppet/Hoodoo Dolls-

• Love dolls, healing dolls, protection dolls keep them on an altar, or under the bed for future use
• Cursing, harming, coercive works are either disposed of in running water, crossroads, graveyard, targets yard, put in freezer, etc.

Bottle Spells-

• For bottles used to harm or break up, bury in targets yard, take to crossroads, throw in running water, or bury in graveyard 
• For bottles used for love work, disposal can be done by burying in the east, front yard, or tied down in back yard, or taken to crossroads

Powders, Oils, Petition Papers-

• When working these things singularly there are many ways to deploy them. If I was going to hot foot someone with only powders, I could use them in the targets foot tracks in the dirt. The same way you can work love work using their shoes or laundry rinse with love oils or baths.
• Petition papers can be burned into ash by fire flame of the petitioning candle and used in powders to deploy, or cooked into the targets food to be eaten, placed in jar spells, crossroads, running water, etc.

As you can see the list is not exhausted, there are many ways and places to dispose of ritual remains. The nature of Conjure work is symbolic to nature itself. Many families and workers have different places to dispose of remains, the actual practices and prayers can vary because of teachings from families.Use what you know, what you have been taught, and use your creative skills to discover new places to dispose of your ritual remains, do not just throw them in the trash! This would be discrediting your own hard work. There is a proper place for everything from start to finish! Respect the work and you will be successful in your work.

Love and Light~
Mama V