Magical Water Types and their Use in Potions, spells, and rituals

Water, I would argue, is one of the most important ingredients for a witch to have on hand. And not just any water. I mean, water from your tap will work in a pinch, but specific kinds of water have more and different kinds of powers. 

As the one thing on this planet that is common to every living thing, water connects us to our magic, and to other and even to animals and nature in a way that nothing else does.  

My favorite water to use is moon water. Many witches will prep specific ingredients such as coins, herbs, spices, essential oils or crystals into their mundane water BEFORE putting it out into the moon to charge. Myself, though, with the way my soap alchemy calls for very very specific ingredients, I use only distilled water that is devoid of any minerals or other objects that may change the integrity of the water. It ensures that my other chemicals will react properly and predictably during saponification. My moon water is pure and clean. 

You can put whatever you like into your moon water though, and set your intentions for its use. Just remember: you can drink moon water in order to activate the spell and power. So if you do plan to ingest it, make sure the ingredients you are adding to it are safe to ingest and clean enough not to make you sick (in the case of coins, for example.) 

The full moon phase isn't just one night. It actually lasts 3 nights, and the full moon is often seen throughout the daytime as well. For me, I like to put my moon water out the day before the moon is going to reach its full figure, and leave it out there until the moon begins waning again. That way I get the entire full-phase. Some witches (In my experience, the minority of witches) will say to remove the water at sunrise so that it isn't in the sun...in my opinion, along with most other witches, you can leave it out during the day because 1- when the moon is out during the day, you don't want to remove your charging water from out of the moon's face just because the sun is present. 2- the glow of the moon that we see when it's full is literally the reflection of the sun. Sun rays do not hurt your moon water. If anything, they strengthen it. 3- Convenience. I don't know what kind of life you've got going on where you are. Maybe you're an old crone or a hedge witch who lives alone. Maybe you have time to monitor the appearance and disappearance of the moon. And if you want to do that, it's totally okay. But for myself, I have way too much going on to have to worry about it. Remember, witchcraft and magic revolves significantly around intention. Follow your gut. Do what you feel is best and trust your instincts about it. 

Note: You can also make moon water if it's cloudy outside. The energy is the same with a clear sky, or an overcast sky.

Each full moon comes with its own magical properties. 

Full Moon Water: 

    Wolf Moon (January): 

        Contains magical properties of  renewal, star/beginning of a new cycle, heightened intuition, spiritual growth. 

    Snow Moon (February):
        Magical properties include: Courage, strength, guidance, clarity, new opportunities, rebirth. 

    Worm Moon (March)

        Use worm moon water for manifestation, cleansing and purification, intention setting, transformation, cooperation and collaboration. 

    Pink Moon (April)     

        April's pink moon water should be used in spells for empowerment, heightened intuition and psychic ability, emotional intensity, intimacy, and self empowerment. 

    Flower Moon (May) 

        This moon water can be used for optimism, taking risks, embracing new opportunities, abundance, and self reflection. 

    Strawberry Moon (June) 

        The full strawberry moon brings powers of purity, prosperity, love, new directions and responsibility and prosperity. 

    Buck/Storm/Herb Moon (July) 

        Use July's Buck moon water for potent energy, growth, renewal, regeneration, strength, courage, determination, break free from and banish negative patterns. 

    Sturgeon/Corn Moon (August)

        The August moon brings generosity, sharing, prosperity, abundance, and manifestation, 

    Harvest/Singing Moon (September) 

        September's harvest moon is a catalyst for change, and assists in making significant decisions. 

    Hunter's/Falling Leaves Moon (October) 

        October's full moon is probably my most favorite ever, and thins the veil between the living and the dead, brings courage and strength, transformation, ancestral power, spiritual connection, and spiritual cleansing. 

    Beaver/Frost Moon (November) 

        The beaver moon is good for manifestation of goals, and is considered the "mourning moon" and assists with grief healing, and letting go of negative energy. 

    Cold Moon (December) 

        December's full moon is great for spells of protection, inner peace, and manifesting wishes. 

Where to Apply Your Moon Water: 

Dress candles before a spell. 

Add to your bath water. 

Use it in cooking food. 

Just drink it. 

Carry it with you as a talisman in a little jar or bottle. 

Wash your hands with it- usually as a cleansing ritual before doing a spell. 

Clean and charge your crystals with it. 

Water your plants with it. 

Other Types of Moon Water

The moon has a full range of phases and each one comes with unique properties. Though most witches I know personally make their water during the full moon, we can appreciate each phase, and draw from it the power we need. 

Waxing Moon Water: 

Moon water made during the waxing moon will lend to your spells constructive, building power. 

A waxing moon is a GROWING moon. Consider the way hand-dipped candles are created. By dipping a wick into hot wax, and letting it cool and then dipping it again, you create a fatter, thicker candle layer by layer. When a moon is waxing, it is growing rounder and brighter. 

The waxing moon is full of constructive magic. Said to have strong magnetic energies and may be used to call forth from life things that you want or need, including plans, projects, or emotional progressions.  

The waxing moon also is said to have "sympathetic" magic, meaning that it will mirror and then enhance the powers it's used alongside. Use this intention to increase the intensity of your love life, to progress and build your career, or to nurture your self esteem. 

As the waxing moon grows and expands, it can be used in spell work for growth, expansion and attraction. It's a great time for abundance, and to amplify manifestation.

Waning Moon Water: 

Opposite of the waxing moon, the waning moon is when the moon is diminishing in size and dulling in brightness. This moon is a catalyst for change, letting go, introspection and healing.

The waning moon is a good time for cord cutting spells, letting go of old patterns, release, breaking habits, reflecting on lessons learned and to express gratitude. 

Use this time (or this moon water) to banish or cleanse things that are no longer wanted such as bad habits, bad relationships, and self sabotaging behaviors. 

This phase is a time for calm and peace, a balance between the moon and the sun and should be used as a time to learn and grow. 

Blue Moon Water: 

A "blue moon" can mean a couple of things. 
1. It is the second full moon in a calendar month.
2. It is the fourth full moon in a lunar cycle/season. (This year's Sturgeon Moon is a blue moon.) 

Typically a blue moon will only occur once every 3 years or so. While in the astronomy world this is "fairly common", to those of us who adhere to time as a construct, it's still pretty rare. This is where the "once in a blue moon" phrase comes from- meaning "occasionally" or "rarely". 

The blue moon brings heightened emotions and intensified energy. Some witches, myself included, believe that when a full moon is also a blue moon, it means that that moon's powers and effects are amplified. When you make full moon water during the blue moon, that moon water will be extra powerful in its area of specialty.  Furthermore, a blue moon is an excellent time for transformation and growth. 

Blue moon water would be a fantastic way to add power and intensity to spells and rituals that you need extra "umph" behind. 

Eclipse Moon Water: 

Lunar eclipses are far more common than blue moons are, happening between 2-5 times per year on average, though some years do not have any lunar eclipses at all. 

While there is mixed feelings among witches about whether lunar eclipse moon water should be used for bathing or consuming because of it's extremely chaotic energies, therefore it can be a little unpredictable. I have not tried drinking it, but it has been a great addition to my soap potions, and I feel like bathing with it makes a powerful spell, but you do your magic your own way and in the way you are comfortable with. 

Many believe that lunar eclipse opens a portal to higher consciousness, allowing the user to expand their mind, let go of limiting beliefs, and connect to your intuition. A lunar eclipse is a good time for meditation and reflection, and for setting intentions. Connect with the divine, embrace change, and do some shadow work as this is a perfect time to receive messages from your ancestors, your chosen deities, and the universe at large.  

New Moon Water

                                      

The new moon phase is where there is no visible moon because the moon is between the earth and the sun, and we can't see it because the part of the moon that is illuminated by the sun is facing away from the earth. Facing us is the "dark side of the moon." 

They say "new moon, new beginning" and this is the way I see it. A fresh start, a time to start a new project, a blank slate, cleansing and refreshing. Moon water made during this phase will allow you to start over. 

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While you can use the moon phases to find the right TIME to perform your spells and rituals, you can also use your collected moon waters during these phases to work magic that you want to work at ANY TIME and still infuse your work with the benefits of the moon phase you need. 

Magical Water that Isn't Moon Water

Sun or "Solar" Water

Sun water is much easier to get as it can be done literally any day. Even if it's cloudy. The sun is much more powerful than the moon, so you only need an hour or so in the sun to complete the charge. While the sun does not have specific phases the way the moon does, many witches like to consider the zodiac position the sun is in when creating your water, as it will be endowed with the qualities of that sign. I'm a Leo, so I'll use that as an example. Leo sun water may be full of properties that inspire leadership, confidence, creativity and passion. But on the other hand, Leo sun water may have a little kick of stubborn pride as well. 

Sun water contains magical properties including anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral values, making it excellent for the body and skin. It is said that if you ingest sun water daily, it can help resolve digestive problems such as heartburn, ulcers, and can improve gut health. (This is not medical advice and if you are suffering from these ailments you should consult a doctor.) 

Rain Water

Rain is my favorite weather, and I'm in Utah so it's sort of hard to come by. Nothing- and let me reiterate, NOTHING- invigorates and excites me more than a dark, overcast sky, and a loud downpour of rain and thunder, or a long drizzly afternoon. The smell of the rain falling, and the chill it brings with it, and the cozy feeling of being safe and warm inside. Every single time I'll pull on a heavy wooly sweater and turn on a spooky movie. 

Rain water isn't as clean as you'd think. Put a bowl out where it can collect free-falling rain water, and you'll find dregs at the bottom of the bowl. Be careful when pouring this rain water into a container and discard as much of the dregs as you can without losing your rain water. 

The type of rain water you collect can have its own magical properties. 

Thunder and lightning storms: Protection, confidence and power

Hot summer storms that downpour without lightning or thunder: cleansing, dreams, sleep and intuition

Violent storms such as hurricanes or monsoons: power, protection, sacred rage

Soft, quiet rainfall: Cleansing, purification, growth and joy

Rain water can be used the same ways other magical waters can be used, but I like to use rain water as an invisible ink to draw protection sigils and beautification sigils on my front/back doors and walls of my home. Sigils in general offer powerful protection, but many people believe that not looking at a sigil again after its written lends it even more power. Rain water is an excellent way to achieve this. 

Snow Water

The cutest thing I ever witnessed in baby-witchcraft was this spring. My then 6 year old daughter had taken a fat, short jar and packed it full of snow at Christmas time. Once the water was melted, she added a heart shaped stone she got from Tom Ballard (The Heart Rock Guy) from a school assembly and kept it on her dresser until spring, when she chose to put it out for moon water. Once charged, she put it back on her dresser and it's been there ever since. I'm not sure what she'll do with it, but I loved the thought process and really enjoyed seeing her using her own little intuitive magic. 

Like waxing moon water, snow water is "sympathetic" water, meaning it will match the intensity of your own power regarding the spell you're casting. 

While there are many ways to do a cord cutting ritual with candles, lemons and a freezer, or with my own soap potion for cord cutting, one that I love and I feel works the very best just because it's rare magic (I guess unless you live somewhere like Alaska or other places where it snows all year long) and the rarer the magic the more power it typically has is a snow banishing spell: 

1. Gather snow on a large plate 

2. Write the name of the person or entity (perhaps you want to cut ties or banish a behavior or habit instead of a person)  in the snow on the plate. 

3. Put the snow in the sun and wait for it to melt. Once it's fully melted, pour the water into a container that can be transported to a location far from your home, and dump it out. If you can dispose of the container away from your home, that is preferable, or you can wash it thoroughly once you return home. 

Furthermore, snow water is used for spells and rituals that involve beauty, purification, and healing- specifically emotional healing. 

How do you use your magical water? Have any tips? Please leave a comment and lets have a conversation! 

**All my photos in this article (Except for the rain water vial, which is my own collection and photo) are stock photos found on google. ;)