Witch’s Broom: History And Magical Uses

 

Witch’s Broom: History And Magical Uses

Witches are nearly always depicted with their trusty broomsticks. Brooms, also called besoms, have a long history in magic and continue to be used today. So I thought I'd share my thoughts and a little magical information about every witches favorite tool!!

Why do witches use brooms?

For as long as there have been witches, witches have used brooms. But why? In the Dark Ages, many women were accused of witchcraft…and a broom was a household tool women used daily. In Witch Trial documents, witches who “confessed” to witchcraft admitted to using their brooms to fly to their sabbaths. It’s also said witches anointed their broomsticks with flying ointments and inserted the broomstick into their vaginas. This topical ointment contained hallucinogens which resulted in witches visions of “flying” or potential astral projection.

Magical Uses for the Witch Broom

Aside from flying ointments, the witch broom has one main magical purpose, to purify. Physically, we use brooms to sweep away dirt and debris. Magically, we use brooms to sweep away negative energy in our home and sacred space. Some traditions require a witch’s broom to be dedicated solely to magical cleansing, whereas another broom is used for housecleaning. In American folk magic, the same broom is used for house cleaning AND purifying a space. The witch’s broom can be used to cleanse your space, your home, and even a person or object of negative energy. In addition, the witch’s besom will function as a wand and brings prosperity and peace in one’s home.

Witch Tip: Never sweep your home on a Monday or you will sweep out all of your prosperity

How to Use the Witch’s Broom to Cleanse Your Home

To cleanse your home of negative energy, take your witch’s broom and start at the back door. Sweep each room, moving in a counter-clockwise fashion from room-to-room, then ending at the back door where you started. Sweep any debris out the back door OR dump your dustpan out the back door. To dump or sweep dirt out the front door invites negative energy back in.

How to Cleanse Your Sacred Space with a Besom

Similar to how you cleanse your home with the witch’s broom, you can cleanse your sacred space before ritual. Instead of touching the bristles to the floor, sweep slightly above it and move in a counterclockwise, circular pattern. Counterclockwise “un-does” things AND clears negative energy. If you dedicate one besom to your magical practice, keep it near your altar.

Witch Tip: Keep your witch’s broom bristles pointed up and next to the front door to welcome good fortune into the home.

Old Witch’s Broom Magic and Lore:

• If your broomstick falls over, company is coming
• Jumping over a broom signified marital union in the Old South
• Never sweep under someone’s feet, it causes bad luck
• An “invisible broom” was removed from the house of Sarah Good, according to the testimony of William Batten and William Shaw during the Salem Witch Trials
• Some traditions say to sweep from west to east then throw the dust out the back door
• The witch’s broom is used to summon winds for weather magic – throwing a broom into the air off a cliff summons the wind while burning one stops the wind
• Lay a broom under the bed for protection
• There’s a Chinese broom goddess who presides over the weather – her name is Sao Ch’ing Niang
• The child’s antique toy hobby horse is linked to the witch’s broom
• The straws of a broom are thought to have magical powers and are used in healing spells
• Jumping over a broomstick 9 times will bring a suitable spouse within one year
• Laying a broomstick across the threshold ensures only good visitors come by

Many Blessings J