Salt and Sorcery

Salt is one of the most common, yet potent, magical items in your kitchen. Over the centuries salt has functioned in a mundane capacity such as currency, preservation, and culinary uses, as well as for magical purposes. At one time Roman soldiers received salt as part of their pay because it was a precious commodity; time consuming to both mine and process. Its use as a preservative for food made it invaluable in a time before refrigeration. Eventually, as with many other mundane objects turned magical, superstition quickly surrounded it.
 
It is common knowledge today to throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, as the left side has long been associated with evil or malevolent energies. The left Hand Path is considered a dark path (though I would not consider it evil), and even some Christian beliefs say the Devil sits on your left side. However, there are plenty more superstitions connected with salt. In places like Germany, Scotland, and Normandy it was once spread in and around the butter churn to deter witches from spoiling it, and in the Ozarks it was once said that witches didn’t like salt, so if someone complained about food being too salty they were a witch. Many cultures around the world have had their own beliefs as well. In Ireland it was used in conjunction with prayer to cure those who were considered “fairy struck”, and in Egypt it was burned on hot coals in the desert to protect travelers from evil spirits.
 
Culinarily speaking there are at least a dozen types of salt. However, magically speaking there are three main types used, each with their own purpose. (These can vary between traditions and personal experience).
 
 

• Table or Sea Salt offers purification when used to cleanse/consecrate objects like altar or magical tools, crystals, etc.. and can even be added to water to cleanse one’s home (like floors and walls.) It has also been used to represent the Earth element on altars or in ritual, have a grounding effect, and used to create the sacred circle where ritual or spell work is performed.  
• Black Salt is primarily used to create a protective barrier, which is commonly done by creating a salt line across thresholds or liminal spaces like on window sills and in doorways, but can be used to create sacred circles for magical workings as well. It has also been used in spell work for banishing, warding off evil energies/entities, and breaking curses.
• Pink Himalayan salt is used for purification, but in a different way. It is meant to “purify” one emotionally, promoting emotional healing while fostering self-love and bringing harmony to relationships of all kinds (not just between lovers).

 
In some ancient cultures it was used as an offering to deities. Two such deities were the Aztec goddess Huixtocihuatl, and the Mesopotamian goddess Ninpumuna. It was even mentioned in the bible (Leviticus) that every offering of grain and animal placed on the altar had to be seasoned with salt.
 
As you can see, salt has been a big part of both mundane and magical practices for centuries. I find it interesting that some beliefs/superstitions around salt are said to repel or indicate/implicate witches (as they are said to not like it), while it is also used in many magical practices to purify and protect them. Just an observation.
 
So how do you use it in your magical practice? Do you use more than one kind? Do you keep your magical and culinary salt separate? Does salt hold any superstitions for you?  I would love to know.