Magical Thresholds

The thresholds of our homes are portals for magical energy. Whether it's a window, a porch, or a front door, these architectural features are more than mere necessities; they also serve as entry points for the flow of magical energy.



This belief is very old. In ancient Rome for example, house spirits were thought to dwell in courtyards, and in eastern Europe, ancestral spirits are sometimes still believed to inhabit dark spaces beneath the front porch.



Today, practitioners of the ancient art of feng shui place a great deal of importance on a home's threshold. Windows, porches, and doors are seen as openings that channel energy into and through the home, affecting all who live there.



You can easily turn a window, porch, or the front door of your home or apartment into a place of beauty, magic, and protection. No matter if you own a large home with a wrap-around porch or live in an apartment with a terrace, you can create a magical threshold that's cozy and protective.



Windows: The Eyes of Your Home



Windows are truly the eyes of your home. They provide us with light and beauty and can also help keep out negativity. Windows have been associated with magic for centuries. If you look closely at Moorish-influenced architecture for example, you'll notice that the windows are frequently made in different sizes and shapes. This is not just an architectural oddity; it would confuse evil spirits so they would not enter.



Windows have also been linked to one of the world's oldest magical beliefs, the evil eye. It was believed that the dreaded curse of the evil eye could pass into a dwelling through a window from the envious glare of a passerby. This belief was especially strong in England during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. During that time, reflective glass spheres known as Witch balls were displayed in windows in many homes. It was thought that the shiny reflective surface would return the spell of the evil eye back to the sender. This tradition lives on today in the form of garden gazing globes.



If you are fortunate enough to find an authentic Witch ball today, they can be pricey. Sometimes they will turn up in antique shops. To magically protect your windows using the same idea, but without the expense, try these suggestions.



You could find an inexpensive small gazing ball at a garden center. Magically cleanse and charge the ball with your intent, then display it near a front window. For an attractive look, place the gazing ball among a grouping of houseplants.



Glass ornaments available in gift stores and art galleries can also be used in windows to repel negativity. The best types have a swirl pattern, which is believed to trap any negative energy directed at your home and render it harmless.



Stained-glass pieces and suncatchers can also be used to protect your windows. I once found a suncatcher in the shape of a crescent New Moon; it was a beautiful shade of blue. It hung for many years in my bedroom window keeping out unwanted energy. Suncatchers made with glass or crystal beads also create a magical barrier. Their natural ability to capture and reflect light will help protect your home.



Porches: A Magical Sanctuary



Porches are transitional spaces between the outside world and our private inside living space. Even if you have only a front step instead of a porch, this area can easily become a magical sanctuary. With the right plants and decorative accents, your porch will become a haven for you and inviting for others, attracting positive energy at the same time.



To begin with, your porch decor should echo the changing seasons. I've had neighbors tell me they enjoy seeing the seasonal changes I make to my front porch. Here are some ideas to keep you in step with the seasons.



Spring: Give your porch a good magical cleaning. Sprinkle some salt on the porch floor and give it a good sweeping. Sweep away from your front door toward the street. Pot some pansies or primroses to attract or strengthen love--primroses also are used for protection. If you don't have a garden, buy a pot of daffodils and place them on your porch step--daffodils will draw fertility and love. If you have any wall space hang a garden plaque in the shape of the Green Man--this nature deity represents spring and growth.



Summer: Nothing says summer like a simple terra-cotta pot planted with red geraniums. They are protective and attract good health. This is also the time to plant a pot of fiery, protective herbs (basil, dill, and rosemary are superb choices). The herbs will super-charge any space with protective energy and add zip to summer recipes. If you have a trellis connected to your porch, plant some morning glory vines, especially in blue. Morning glories will promote peace and provide shade.



Autumn: Now nature takes on the colors of a Persian carpet--gold, red, and rust dominate the landscape. These are colors of strength and protection; they're the colors of the sun. To bring these colors to your porch, plant a pot of chrysanthemums, used to protect against evil spirits. Or plant the flowers in a window-box with some ivy to trail over the sides. The ivy protects against negativity and doesn't mind the cooler temperatures of autumn. To promote fertility and protection, display some pumpkins and Indian corn in a basket. And for a bit of old-fashioned protection magic, hang a dried gourd in a corner of your porch.



Winter: The air may be crisp and icicles may hang from the eaves, but your porch can still be inviting. For good luck and protection, hang a swag of holly on your porch or layer it in a window-box. As a symbol of everlasting life, pine is the best choice. Combine it with holly in a windowbox, a swag, or a wreath to symbolize eternity ad protection. The fragrance of pine will purify your porch and a few pine needles sprinkled by your front steps will repel any negativity. Darkness comes quickly now and the year draws to a close. To symbolize the Divine Spirit and light the way for the coming year, hang a string of tiny white or blue lights on your porch railing. Or, add them to a pine garland for a nice effect.



For a New Year's resolution, promise yourself you'll make time to relax on your front porch during the coming year!



Doors: Your Personal Gateway



Doors stand at the point where the internal and external forces of magical energy meet. Doors are our personal gateway from the past to the future. And they act as a sentry--protecting, guarding, and keeping us safe. There are many magical beliefs associated with doorways. Here are some examples to help you guard your door with protective magic.



Long ago in rural America, if a housewife wanted to protect her home against malevolence, she might have sprinkled a few grains of salt along the door sill. At night, she'd lean her trusty broom across the inside of the front door.



To favor household spirits, small bits of food would be left outside the door at night. This was also done on nights of the Wild Hunt to protect the home against unseen spirits that rode the wind beneath the Full Moon.



In rural Greece years ago, if only one knock was heard at the door after dark, the door wouldn't be answered because a single knock was believed to be that of a vampire.



One of the most enduring forms of magic associated with the front door is the welcoming shape of a wreath. Whether it's made of pine at Yule or bittersweet berries in the fall, the wreath is the symbol of eternity and the wheel of the year. When a wreath is blessed with your magic, it will protect hearth and home.



Whether you threshold is a simple step or a spacious veranda, your threshold should be warm inviting, and above all, magical.



by James Kambos