Elemental Magic: Tools of Water

So, I was taking a shower when it hit me...I forgot to discuss the tools of Water! Originally I was going to do this in the Water Spells and Rituals post, but I decided long before writing the post that it was going to be long enough as is and that I wanted to separate the tools from the spells. But with all the craziness that has been going on lately, I posted spells and rituals before I posted tools. This is what I get for not writing this down on a calendar or at least in my blogging notebook. Is anyone even using those any more? What day is it? Where am I? Seriously though, I need to print off some calendar pages and get my life back together. If you haven't noticed, the blog has been pretty haphazard this year, mostly because I haven't planned like I normally do because my real life has been a complete mess...as I am sure everyone's has been. I'm taking things one day at a time and talking to a psychiatrist to find the right medication, but needless to say I am struggling. But I digress!

In today's post, I will discuss some of the many tools associated with Water and how you can use them in your practice. Many of these tools were hinted at or discussed when I introduced you to some of the folklore surrounding Water. However, this post is more of a correspondences type list that you can use to quickly plan spells. For your pleasure, I have also included a free 6-page printable for your Gimoire or Book of Shadows. Enjoy!


Black Water: Water that is black due to the minerals found in it and is therefore unsafe to consume. Black water can be used for banishment, shadow work, honoring the dark half of the year, hexes, curses, death magic, and any other "dark" or nocturnal magics.

Brackish Water: A mix of salt and freshwater, usually where a river meets the sea. Because of its liminal nature, brackish water is perfect form spells regarding hedge riding, astral travel, spirit work, and other liminal work. It can also be used for healing or harming and can be used as a substitute for fresh or saltwater.

Dew: Dew is the moisture left on surfaces in the morning due to atmospheric water condensing. Dew is most often used in healing and beauty spells and rituals, especially dew collected on Beltane (May 1st). In some folklore, dirty children and women were often stolen away by the fae where they were then washed with dew. Upon their return, they were said to be more beautiful. Dew is also collected for healing purposes, especially ailments involving the eyes or skin.

Floral Water: Floral Waters are created by combining Water with different herbs and flowers. These Waters can be used for a variety of purposes and generally are infused with the magical properties of both Water and the plant you used. You can learn more about floral waters, including how to make them in my post Charged Waters: Flower Waters

Fog: This liminal water is best for liminal magics such as hedge riding, astral travel, divination, spirit work, and death magic, especially fog that occurs at dusk or dawn.

Fountain Water: In this case, I am referring to man-made fountains and water that comes directly into your home that often contain chlorinated water. These tend to have general properties associated with Water, such as healing, cleansing, and purification, although certain sources have a personality of their own. If a fountain is commonly used as a wishing fountain, Water taken from it can be used in wishing spells and prosperity magic.

Hail: Hail is commonly used in cursing or as a base for War Water. It can also be used in spells that need an aggressive push, as hail is often associated with terrible storms.

Holy Water: Blessed Water that can be used for cleansing, purification, or exorcisms. You can create Holy Water by blessing it yourself with prayer and salt or by purchasing it from a church. You can learn more about Holy Waters in my posted Charged Waters: Holy Water

Ice: Ice tends to be used most often in freezer spells or spells looking to get you unstuck or unfrozen from a situation.

Lake Water: Lake Water is often calm and mirror-like. It can be used in divination such as scrying, as a portal to the Otherworld, in healing spells and rituals, cleansing, purification, relaxation, or revitalizing spells.

Marsh Water: Marsh Water is often dirty, filled with decaying plant matter. In some cases, the Water is also stagnant. Marsh Water can be used in hexes and curses, to stagnate a situation, to cover or hide something, and even during ancestral work. Marsh Water is often associated with death and decay, making it the perfect Water to use when working with the dead.

Moon Water: Moon Water is water that has been charged under the Moon. The properties of Moon Water changes based upon the phase of the Moon under which it was charged. It can be used for a variety of spells, including healing magic, prosperity rituals, and even curses or hexes. See a complete description of Moon Water properties and how to make it in my post Elemental Magic: Water Spells and Rituals.

Mud: Mud is a combination of Water and Earth, and therefore holds magical properties from both. It can be used for grounding, burying objects, and even for cleansing.

Pond Water: Pond water behaves similarly to Lake Water.

Rain Water: Rain Water takes on the property of the storm in which it was born. Sun showers are often used for solar magic, nourishment, and healing, while dreary rain is great for resting, rejuvenation, protection, shadow work, and invisibility. Stormwater, on the other hand, is fierce and can be used in aggressive magics, cursing, hexing, or any spell that needs to pack a punch. Stormwater is also a great base for War Water or even for freezer spells aimed at stopping a person from doing something. You can read more about rainwater in an upcoming post.

River Water: River Water is fast-moving and therefore is great in spells that need speed or that deal with speeding things up. It is also great for cleansing and purifying yourself and objects, as well as for banishment magic.

Sea Water: Sea Water or Ocean Water is extremely versatile. Because it is already salted, it can be easily turned into Holy Water, or used for cleansing, protection, healing, charming, or banishment. It is also commonly used as a representative of ocean spirits.

Snow: Snow tends to be more peaceful in nature than hail and can be used to unthaw a situation or person, help you get unstuck, or in freezer spells. Snow is also great for drawing sigils in and can be stored either frozen or melted. To learn more about graveyard snow, check out Witchcraft Life's post How to Use Graveyard Snow in Your Magickal Workings.

Stump Water: This is Water that naturally collects in a tree stump or hole in a tree. Stump Water is considered to have healing properties and is often used to cure warts. It is also considered lucky. Charms, such as rabbit's feet, can be dipped in Stump Water to enhance their lucky properties. Furthermore, Stump Water is stagnated Water, making it perfect for scrying, ancestral work, spirit communication, necromancy, or as a portal to the Otherworld. The Water also takes on the property of the tree in which it is found and can, therefore, be used to mimic the tree's power in spell work.

Waterfall: Waterfalls are strong flowing bodies of Water. While some are seasonal, many run all year. Like river Water, Waterfall water can be used to remove obstacles, purify, cleanse, or bring movement to a spell. However, waterfalls can also be used in beauty magic and birth rites and rituals.

War Water: A combination of Water and rust that can be used for physical and psychic protection and cleansing, as well as for placing or reversing a curse. Hail is a perfect base for War Water.

Well Water: Well Water is typically calm, clear water that springs up from the Earth. It is most often used for healing and purification as well as for astral travel, hedge riding, and connecting with the Otherworld. The smooth surface is perfect for scrying and water divination. It can also be used for removing curses as well as placing them.



Ammonite: Ammonites are ancient sea creatures that went extinct millions of years ago. Their fossilized remains are used for a variety of spells, including transference, healing, ancestral communication, cycles, protection, and fertility.

Belemnite: Belemnites are fossilized ancient squids and are associated with the Norse god Thor. As such they are associated with lightning and thunder and can be used for protection, especially from lightning, and can pack a powerful punch to spells that are intended to aggressively protect you or our Earth, as well as hexes and curses.

Bowl: Bowls are commonly associated with Water and are used as vessels to hold Water. Darker colored bowls can be used for scrying or as offering dishes. Bowls are also associated with the Feminine, fertility, new beginnings, rebirth, and cycles.

Cauldron: Like bowls, cauldrons are used as vessels to hold Water and are associated with the Goddess. Cauldrons can be used in spells for fertility, rebirth, new beginnings, and wisdom. If you are looking to connect with the fae, don't use cast iron, as iron is harmful to fae.

Chalice: Chalices are commonly used as Water holding vessels and represent the female form.

Comb: Combs are strongly associated with mermaids and other Water spirits. They can be used as offerings, to entwine spells, magic, and charms, remove obstacles, and in glamour magic.

Coral: Coral is often used as protection from the Evil Eye, general danger and ill will, drowning, and nightmares.

Crab Shell & Claws: Crabs are associated with protection, as well as withdrawal and retreat. Claws, in particular, can be used in protection spells or magics involving fighting something or giving something a "pinch." Because crabs often run away, their shells can be used in magics involving retreating or withdrawing, especially if you are trying to get someone else to back down or you need assistance giving something up. They can also be used for binding.

Crinoid: Crinoids are ancient "sea lilies." Usually, only their "stems" preserved, forming bead-like fossils. They are thought to bring good luck and victory to those who carry them and were often used as rosary beads. These make wonderful charm beads.

Driftwood: Driftwood is strongly associated with transformation and endurance. Pieces can be turned into charms and talismans for these purposes, or used as wands.

Fishing Nets: Fishing nets are most commonly associated with snaring or catching something, so they are perfect for use in binding spells or spells involving catching something. Because they are used to catch large amounts of fish, they are also associated with prosperity and abundance and can be used in spells wishing to draw things to you, especially wealth.

Hagstones: Hagstones are stones with naturally occurring holes in them. They are most often used for protection, but the hole can be used to see into the Otherworld or fae folk walking among us. They can be added to your hedge riding sachet or held to increase psychic abilities and ease travel to the Otherworld.

Mermaid's Purse: Mermaid's purses are actually egg sacks from sharks, skates, and rays. They are often black and often referred to as Devil's purses, sea purses, sailor purses, or maid's purses. They make excellent vessels for spells and rituals regarding growth, prosperity, birth, fertility, and renewal. They are also used for the protection of children, pregnancy, and pets. If you find one washed up on the beach, make sure the babies have hatched (there should be a hole) otherwise place it back into the ocean.

Mirror: Mirrors mimic the surface of still Water and can be used for scrying and divination. They can also be used for protection, in reflection spells, or as a portal to the Otherworld. Furthermore, mirrors are strongly associated with mermaids and can be used in glamour magic.

Orthoceras: This is another fossil similar to belemnite. Orthoceras is used in a similar way for protection and healing of the spine because it looks like vertebrae. It can also be used for general healing purposes.

Pearls: Pearls are a direct result of mollusks attempting to protect and heal themselves when grains of sand or other irritants get inside the mollusk's shell. The particle is encased in calcium bicarbonate, the same material used to make shells. As such, pearls are often used for healing and are directly associated with the Moon due to their shape and color. They can be used as offerings to deities, ancestors, and fae, in beauty rituals, rejuvenation and transformation spells, as well as for health and sexual potency.

Sand Dollar: Due to their star-like structure, Sand Dollars are associated with the pentagram. They can be used in money and prosperity spells, as well as rituals to bring wholeness.

Seahorse: Seahorses are most commonly used for protection and luck. Seahorses were also believed to ferry the souls of drowned sailors to the afterlife, and can, therefore, be used in ancestral or spirit work, especially involving drowned souls. Please note that purchasing seahorses online could inadvertently support farming businesses that harvest seahorses for profit. The best seahorses are those found naturally.

Sea Glass: Sea glass is glass that has been worn smooth by the sea. As such, it can be used similarly to driftwood in spells for endurance and transformation. Sea glass is also used in death and rebirth magic, as well as in color magic.

Seaweed: Seaweed, which is actually a protist, not a plant, is commonly used for fertility and prosperity due to its abundant nature. It can also be used for healing (think seaweed wraps) and to bind.

Shark Teeth: Shark teeth, or any marine teeth for that matter, is often used for protection and to add an aggressive kick to a spell. Shark teeth are great for curses and hexes, as well as making a spell more potent.

Shells: Shells have a wide range of uses based on the type of shell being used. For example, Conch shells are used for spirit communication and necromancy (often called oracle shells), while limpets are used for empowerment, courage, power, and wisdom. You can find a great list of shells and their magical uses here.

Starfish: Starfish are most commonly used in regeneration spells because starfish as able to regrow body parts that have been lost. This is why when crabbers started shopping up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean to get them to stop eating their crabs, they actually made the starfish situation worse. All of those pieces grew back into more starfish, causing a population boom. Thus, starfish are perfect for regeneration, new beginnings, regrowth, fertility, and prosperity magic. Being star-shaped, they are also associated with the petagram and therefore protection.

Witch Balls: These are also known as fisher floats, and are glass balls that wash up on shore. They are used for protection and to trap energy.


And there you have it. A complete list of types of Water as well as commonly used tools associated with Water! Below is a free 6-page printable for your Grimoire or Book of Shadows.


Interest in the rest of the series? Here's what's to come!

Elemental Magic Series

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