Centerpieces can serve both as a decorative touch and a home ward. These can look as normal as necessary. A simple vase filled with flowers can serve as a ward. You'd place your protections on the item by way of blessing it. You can also add petitions with protective symbols and affirmations under these centerpieces.
Hidden wards:
Wards can be hidden in the home. Under floor boards and other spaces. I like to use protective symbols behind artwork in frames. The artwork need not be witchy or pagan in nature. One can use a family photo. This is a great method for broom closet practitioners.
Charms, stones and such:
Stones and other protective charms can be used. Historically many of these methods were used. A horseshoe over a door for example. In Catholic folk practice a palm is often used over a doorway. Protective stones by entrances and in other prominent places are an excellent protective means. These too can be blessed before use.
Liquids and salts:
Salt is often used to ward and protect the home. In corners and by entrances salt is a mineral which is strongly protective. Holy water is good for strong protections. These wards are shorter term and will have to be replenished and upkept. Centerpieces and charms can be used for longer term.
Creativity:
Decorative wards can get pretty creative and unique and add something nice to look at while at the same time protecting the home and hearth.
Currently aside from other long term protections, I have a couple of centerpieces which act both as wards, and as magical stations.
In example, one centerpiece is a pedestal with a censor atop. In the censor I burn protective herbal blends to combine magical work with warding.
In closing:
Home warding has been part of daily living. In this modern time sometimes we forget this. It has been practiced historically for quite a while, and is a strong method of protection magic.
Wonderful information RavenFeet! There are indeed many practices and options; some overt, and some that are much more subtle. But in the end they all serve to the same purpose. Namely, setting a boundary for the home and laying definition of what is and is not permitted within that boundary.
The tricky part can be deciding what to use and when. With so many options, do we pile them all on like a stack of mines and tripwire? Or do we choose one or two personal methods and dedicate our intent to hoping it 'covers the basics'? Do certain methods only have effect against certain things?
Largely it depends on the individual, I suppose. Different people will have different ideas of what works and what doesn't, and why. It is much like personal shielding that way. The point is to use what you connect with. When you observe and recognize the presence of your wards, do they give you a feeling of comfort? When contemplating the meanings and lores behind where they come from does it elicit a sense of warmth and strength? Do they represent not only what you want to keep out, but also what you want to welcome in? These things are what matter most.
If nailing a horseshoe over the door is just decorating with a piece of metal to you, then it will have just as much effect for your home. Or does it remind you of the tale it comes from; A blacksmith being visited by the devil, who began torturing the fallen angel by shoeing him with hot iron spikes- making him promise to never enter a home with shoe hung up. Therefore you are kept safe as that promise is what prevents darkness from passing and so it will have power.
Other wards are tied in with folk-tales too. And they are worth learning about if you are considering making use of them. A jar of rice or colored marbles at the porch will stop a revenant, as they are compelled to count and sort these things when they are found in disarray. It can take long enough that the sun would rise before the being is through, and so they subsequently are thwarted by the light.
For runes and sigils, they too have messages and meanings. Explore them, their construction, and then even create your own to define specifically what it is that is allowed within your walls (and so, removing all else).
I'm not a fan of posting my personal wards online [just in case someone tries to break them] but I do a lot of "in plain sight" type wards as well as psychic/spiritual barriers.
One I wanted to share, it's not really a "ward" but it does help keep negative energy at bay, acorns. In the fall, I collect acorns and place them in the corners of my home [say on the bottom corners of a windowcill] the acorns absorb negative energy through the winter [and placing them near entrances to your home will stop the energy before entering] then in the spring, gather the acorns and toss them in a stream or scatter them in the woods away from your home. That way the acorn is returned to nature and the energy is purified.
Thank you for your contributions to the thread. You touch upon some very great points not only in this post, but in many of your posts. Thanks.
Neko.
Yes I really dislike sharing aspects of my personal practice. Though not of fear that others will try and break my boundaries, though it is a possibility. It is just that my personal practice is just that, very personal to me. I'd rather people learn the basic techniques and incorporate it in their own unique way, rather than attempt to copy. But, I felt home warding is an important aspect of practice to discuss, and there are many new to the craft who hear of these practices and may not know how to begin incorporating them. This serves as a simple example.
I love what you do with the acorns! Such a lovely idea.
