Banishing magick is a method used to help remove unwanted energies, influences, or obstacles from your life. This type of ritual can be helpful for easing pain, illness, or barriers to your personal well-being. It may also support the release of negative influences, such as addictions, persistent negative thoughts, grief, guilt, anxiety, envy, or anger that no longer serves a purpose. Sometimes, banishing rituals are used to gently close relationships or life stages where you wish to move on with goodwill. While binding spells are often performed under a full moon, banishing rituals during the waning moon are also effective, especially when the goal is to gradually let go of something or someone. The waning moon, associated with the Crone aspect of the Goddess, is a time for release and closure.
Here is a clear, step-by-step guide for performing a banishing ritual during the waning moon.
The ebb tide, when the sea is moving away from the shore, is traditionally seen as a good time for banishing rituals because it represents the removal of unwanted energies. If you are not near the sea, you can use any flowing water, such as a river, stream, or even a household drain. The important part is to work with water that moves away from you, which helps reinforce your intention to let go.
To begin, choose a physical object to represent what you want to banish. For example, a dying flower can symbolize the end of a cycle, or a piece of seaweed can represent the ebb and flow of life. Hold the object and focus on it as a symbol of what you wish to release. Next, draw a square around the object. This can be done in sand, earth, or with chalk on a hard surface. The square marks the boundary of the influence you want to remove.
When you feel ready, you may wish to say the following words with clear intention:
“These are the limits of your power, these are the limits of your sway, thus you lose your thrall, away, now, away.”
After speaking, erase or rub out the square. This act symbolizes the breaking of the unwanted influence’s boundaries. As you do this, you can say: “See, even this your power is gone, leave my life, your day is done.” Then, release the object into the ebbing tide or flowing water. If you are at the sea, you may need to wade out so the object does not return. If using a river or drain, simply let it go into the current. As you release it, you may say: “Away, no more stay.” To finish, do something that brings you happiness, even if it is small. This helps anchor the ritual in positive energy and creates a memory of renewal.
Sometimes, it may be necessary to repeat this ritual over several waning moons, especially if the issue is persistent. If the influence returns before the next waning moon, a simpler ritual can be used.
For this alternative, run a bath and add a drop or two of essential oil, such as eucalyptus, pine, or lavender, which are known for their cleansing properties. On a small piece of soap, inscribe a symbol that represents your problem. Draw a cross through the symbol to show it is being negated. Place the soap in the bath and let it dissolve as you soak, focusing on the feeling of release. When you feel refreshed and the soap has melted, pull out the plug and say: “Sorrow grievous, flow to sea, never more to trouble me.” If you do not have time for a bath, you can melt the soap in a bowl or bucket of water and pour it down a drain, imagining the problem leaving your life. While the soap is melting, try to do something positive, even if it is small, to reinforce the sense of closure and new beginnings.
