Beachcombing for the Sea Witch: 20 Seashore Oddities with Magical Uses

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Beachcombing is an interesting way to come across new magical tools. The ocean washes up all sorts of unique items along the shoreline for the observant witch to find. You just need to know where and how to look.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the odder things you can discover while beachcombing and how to incorporate them into your craft. We’ll also touch on using personal gnosis and the doctrine of signatures to determine magical uses and associations for these objects. Whether you’re a sea witch or just interested in summer witchcraft, you’re sure to find some inspiration here!

Seashells

Seashells have a wide variety of magical uses. Their correspondences draw on the mystical energies of the ocean itself. Shells can be incorporated into spells and charms in many ways:

• Use shells symbolically to represent different goals based on their shape, markings or color. For example, spiral shells for creativity, speckled shells for purification, pink shells for love, etc.
• Make shell charms by attaching a shell to a cord to wear around your neck. Choose shells with properties that align with your intention.
• Crush shells into a powder to add to incense, floor washes, spell bags or ritual baths. Abalone and sand dollar shells are common choices.
• Gently pass shells through the smoke of cleansing herbs like sage to purify and charge them.
• Place shells around candles or crystals to enhance their effects.
• Use large shells as ritual bowls or dishes for offerings.
• Scry into the natural patterns and markings of shells to receive intuitive messages.

Sea Glass

Tumbled smooth by the sea, pieces of sea glass carry a touch of ocean magic. Here’s how to make the most of them:

• Turn sea glass shards into pendants or beads for necklaces and bracelets. These make great protective and lucky charms.
• Arrange colored sea glass on your altar to invoke different elements – blue for water, green for earth, etc.
• Decorate jars and bottles with sea glass shards to strengthen any spells contained within.
• Add sea glass to charm bags, spell jars or incense mixes aimed at harmony, calm and soothing emotions.
• Empower a piece of sea glass by visualizing your magical goal and charging it with moonlight. Carry it with you as an amulet.
• Use sea glass as a scrying tool by gazing deeply into the frosted surface. Let inner visions arise.
• Scatter sea glass around the perimeter of your space to ward off unwanted energies.

Seaweed

Dried seaweed from the ocean carries strong energy that can be used in many ways:

• Burn small amounts of dried seaweed as incense to promote prophecy, wisdom and divination magic.
• Add crumbled seaweed to incense blends designed for prosperity, business success and financial gain.
• Sew small seaweed pieces into sachets or charm bags for abundance spells.
• Place seaweed in ritual baths to amplify their magical effects.
• Use dried seaweed strands to mark out magical circles and boundaries.
• Scatter powdered seaweed around the home to ward off evil and harsh energies.
• Add pinches of seaweed to potions, elixirs or herbal blends focused on increasing psychic powers.

Sand Dollars

Sand dollars are magical gifts from the sea. You can work with them in many ways:

• Carry or wear a small sand dollar as an amulet for protection and good fortune.
• Grind sand dollars into powder to use in incense, floor washes or cleansing bath salts.
• Place sand dollars on altars and shrines to amplify prayers and intentions.
• Use their five-pointed shape in magical rituals aligned with the number 5 and the pentagram.
• Meditate with a sand dollar, noticing its symbolic echoes of the circle of life.
• Scry by gazing into the intricate star-like pattern on the sand dollar’s surface.
• Assign different sand dollars to represent spirit guides. Talk to them during rituals.

Driftwood

Driftwood harvested from the beach can be incorporated into magic like so:

• Carve driftwood into wands, staffs or rune sticks to direct energy and perform rituals.
• Use small driftwood sticks as runes by burning magical symbols into them with pyrography.
• Weave small pieces of driftwood into dream catchers or spirit shields for protection.
• Craft driftwood boxes to store sacred tools like tarot cards and crystals.
• Decorate driftwood plaques with sigils, glyphs and magical symbols for your altar.
• Burn very small amounts of dried driftwood as a magickal incense for change and transformation spells.
• Tie cords around notched driftwood pieces to create personal amulets and talismans.

Beach Agates

Ocean-tumbled agates have versatile magical uses:

• Use for healing, harmony and emotional balance rituals. Match color to intention.
• Empower agates with specific goals like prosperity or protection. Carry as talismans.
• Meditate with agates to tap into their ancient wisdom and earth energy.
• Place appropriate agates on altars, shrines or spell jars to amplify their power.
• Scry by gazing into the intricate banding and layers within the agate’s surface.

However, always source agates ethically:

• Limit how many you take from the beach so you don’t deplete ecosystems.
• Be mindful of regulations protecting rock/mineral collecting where you live.
• Support ethical and sustainable mining companies if buying additional stones.
• Give back by donating to conservation groups. Express gratitude for agates’ gifts.

Fish Vertebrae

Fish bones can be incorporated into magic with care:

• Use vertebrae symbolically in rituals for flexibility, change and transformation.
• Create runic tokens by carving sigils into larger bones and strands.
• Build bone pendulums for divination by suspending a vertebra from a cord.
• Cleanse and charge bones under the moon then add to spell jars or sachets.

However, always source bones in ethical ways:

• Sustainably use bones from your own catch or food waste. Never harm fish.
• Research species to avoid endangered wildlife. Follow all legal collecting regulations.
• Consider substituting artificial or recycled bones to avoid depletion concerns.
• Give back by volunteering or donating to ocean conservation groups.

Coral

Gifts from the sea, coral has many magical uses:

• Use red coral beads in passion spells or fertility rituals.
• Powder white coral for inclusion in cleansing and purification baths.
• Make protective amulets with small pieces of black coral strung on cord.
• Place coral fragments around white candles to enhance divination and insight.

However, factor ethics into your sourcing:

• Avoid harvesting live coral yourself. Fragments washed up on beach are best.
• If buying more, ensure coral is sustainably farmed or salvaged, not wild-harvested.
• Never use materials from endangered coral species. Research regulations.
• Support coral reef conservation to give back for the gifts of this rare material.

Whale Bone

Whale bones hold ancient power but require careful sourcing:

• Fossilized bone is optimal, or bone from traditional Indigenous harvests. Never buy from whaling.
• Carve mystic runes and glyphs into bones for ritual wands or divination tiles.
• Use smaller pieces respectfully in sachets or spell jars calling on whale energy and wisdom.

However, consider ethics like:

• Not using whale bone at all, as the industry threatens whale species worldwide.
• Finding authentic fossilized substitutes. Or using wood, resin or stone carvings shaped like bones.
• Donating to ethical whale conservation groups if you do choose to source bones mindfully.

Dried Starfish

Ethically utilizing starfish in magic:

• Burn very small amounts of dried starfish powder as part of banishing rituals.
• Use minimal powder in protective sachets or incense mixes. A little goes a long way.
• Consider paper cutouts instead of real starfish. This avoids harming living populations.
• Only use starfish naturally washed up on shore. Never harvest live animals.

And factor in conservation:

• Research species protected in your area. Avoid endangered wildlife.
• Volunteer at coastal cleanups to help give back and protect habitats.
• Limit how many you take and express gratitude to the starfish’s spirit. Seek to honor, not exploit.

Feathers

Seabird feathers like seagulls have many magical uses:

• Use feathers as ritual tools to direct energy and perform magic chants.
• Tie feathers to wands or staffs to enhance their power and connection to air/wind.
• Add feathers to dream pillows, dream catchers and sleep amulets to induce prophetic dreams.
• Hang feathers above doorways or in windows to ward off unwanted energies and spirits.
• Use feathers in rituals calling on seabird guides like gulls for clarity, wisdom and keen sight.

However, source feathers ethically:

• Only use feathers found already washed up on the beach. Never harm birds.
• Check that taking feathers is allowed where you live. Follow all regulations.
• Limit how many you collect to avoid damaging populations or ecosystems.

Whale Blubber

Whale blubber holds potent magical energy but requires mindful sourcing:

• Indigenous cultures sustainably use blubber for fuel, food, medicine and tools. Respect these traditions.
• Commercial whaling to obtain blubber is unethical, risky and threatens whale species. Avoid supporting this industry.
• If you do come across blubber ethically, use small amounts in protective charms and healing salves. A little goes a long way.
• Consider substituting more ethical animal fats for similar magical effects. Or use synthetic alternatives.
• Support whale conservation efforts if working with blubber. Express gratitude for the whales’ sacrifice.

Barnacles

Within ethical limits, barnacles offer intriguing magical uses:

• Add bits of crushed barnacle to spells for abundance, prosperity, enrichment and growth. Use sparingly.
• Make protective amulets by filling small barnacle shells with herbs, crystals or ashes.
• Empower fertility spells by including minute amounts of barnacle shell or flesh.

However, always factor conservation into your practice:

• Never harvest live barnacles yourself. Only use bits of empty shells washed up on beach.
• Research which species are endangered or threatened in your area. Avoid utilizing those.
• Limit how many you take and give thanks for barnacles’ gifts. Look for sustainable alternatives when possible.

Oyster Pearls

Ethically sourced pearls lend well to magic:

• Use small pearls in spells related to beauty, relationships, charm and attraction.
• Empower pearls with moonlight then carry or wear for lunar luck and intuitive boosts.
• Place pearls around prosperity candles to increase their abundant effects.

But consider environmental impacts:

• Only use pearls harvested sustainably or bought from ethical pearl farmers. Never take from wild oysters.
• Support conservation efforts that protect pearl oyster habitats and populations.
• If using wild pearls found on beach, take judiciously. Follow all collecting regulations.

Beach Glass Bottles

Recycled bottles offer versatile maritime magic:

• Fill bottles with empowered sand, shells or sea water for spellcraft.
• Scry by gazing through the frosted, wave-tumbled glass. Let visions arise.
• Use bottle shards in mosaics, jars or sachets to lend ocean energy to your work.

And reduce waste pollution:

• Clean up beaches and shorelines when collecting bottles. This protects wildlife.
• Limit bottles taken. Follow rules about removing items from natural areas.
• Reuse and creatively repurpose every bottle collected. Avoid any waste or litter.

Sand

The abundant gifts of sand facilitate magical practices like:

• Use sand jars, bottles or piles as divination tools to scry for answers and insights.
• Bury charms or poppets in sand to amplify manifestation properties.
• Create mandalas and sacred geometry designs using colored sands for rituals.
• Add sand to spell jars and sachets tailored to your specific intention.
• Use sand to trace magical circles, ward boundaries or illustrate sigils.

While also being mindful of the ecosystem:

• Limit how much sand you collect from any beach or shoreline area.
• Follow regulations on removing natural materials wherever you source sand.
• If taking a lot, opt for craft sand. Return any excess sand back to nature when possible.
• Give thanks to the beach for its abundance. Seek to honor, not exploit.

Animal Bones

Bones found on the shore hold ancient magic, requiring mindful use:

• Carve runes into larger bones to make ritual wands and divination tiles.
• Powder smaller fragments to include in sachets and spell jars, using only tiny amounts.
• String bone beads for protective amulets and charms. Empower them under the moon.
• Use bones as symbolic representations of transformation, change, and spirit guides.

However, always source ethically:

• Only use bones naturally washed up on shore. Never take from living animals.
• Research species status – avoid utilizing bones from endangered or threatened wildlife.
• Follow all regulations on bone collecting where you live. Take judiciously.
• Consider substitutes like carved wood, resin or stones shaped like bones to avoid depletion.
• Support conservation efforts to protect ocean habitats and life if working with bones.

Sea Urchin Spikes

While intriguing, sea urchin spines require very mindful use:

• Use a single spine in banishing spells by visualizing it repelling unwanted energies.
• Powder only tiny amounts for cursing mixtures. Handle toxins carefully.

However, sustainability and ethics should be prioritized:

• Never harvest live sea urchins. Only use spines naturally washed up on beach.
• Research protected species. Avoid utilizing spines from vulnerable wildlife.
• Consider substitutes like thistle spines instead. This prevents harming sea life.
• Limit collecting and give thanks to the urchin’s spirit. Support ocean conservation efforts.

Fish Eyes

If sourced ethically, fish eyes offer some symbolic magical uses:

• Place an eye on an amulet or sachet for protection from evil intentions and ill-wishing.
• Use fish eyes in rituals for increasing perception, visionary abilities and insight.

However, environmental impacts should be considered:

• Only use eyes from your own sustainable catch or fish processing waste. Never harm animals.
• Research species conservation status – avoid utilizing eyes from vulnerable wildlife.
• Look for artful glass substitutes to represent the eye symbolically instead of using real eyes.
• Give back by supporting organizations focused on ocean protection and fish habitat conservation.

Saltwater

The ocean’s gift of saltwater facilitates diverse magical practices:

• Use as a cleansing floor wash to purify space and banish negativity.
• Add to ritual baths for purification of the soul, aura and energy body.
• Spray around the perimeter of a space to ward off unwanted spirits or energies.
• Empower with intention then consume small amounts in potions or elixirs.
• Bottle and place on altar to represent the ocean’s power and lend strength to spells.

While also protecting the ecosystem:

• Limit how much water you collect. Never take more than you ethically need.
• Give thanks to the ocean for providing this sacred material.
• Support beach cleanups and ocean conservation efforts.

Tips For Sea Witch Beginners

Starting out with seashore magic? Here are some ethical tips:

• Research items fully so you understand their properties and origins before use.
• Start small with shells, sand, water and common items. Slowly build up over time.
• Only collect what intuitively calls to you. Let the items find their way to you.
• Wash and cleanse items well before use. Charge under moonlight.
• Learn folklore and legends about your materials to deepen understanding.
• Keep a journal of your experiences and development.
• Connect with like-minded sea witches for community support and knowledge sharing.
• Give thanks for the ocean’s gifts. Seek to honor the beach, never exploit.
• Limit collecting and follow all regulations to avoid damaging ecosystems.
• Support beach cleanups and conservation groups to protect habitats.
• Let your practices cultivate reverence for the power and interconnectedness of nature.