Note from the author to nonsmokers/non-THC users: This article does apply to you, too! While we will be working with cannabis ash, you can use the ash from cannabis incense as a substitute and adjust these workings as necessary.

Laws in the United States criminalizing cannabis originated in the 1920s and 1930s, and most (if not all) were drawn up and enacted with the goal of controlling and criminalizing certain demographics, especially Hispanic immigrants and the Black community (who were often the direct descendants of slaves).¹

While progress has been made around the country, beginning in the 1970s and continuing to this day, to decriminialize and even legalize the use of cannabis, the legality of some of these cannabinoids are again coming into question. (As one example, several Chicagoland suburbs have recently been questioning the legality of substances such as Delta 9 and thca, since they were not addressed in the 2018 Farm Bill. Many similar cases of this are popping up throughout the country, with more expected to be brought.)

It is possible our current government could again use cannabis as a way to imprison people, or they could take the opposite approach by fully legalizing it, embracing its capitalistic potential and tax revenue. Control or money? (With our current administration, it could go either way.) Either way, as a weed witch, it's abundantly clear to me how my beliefs and the work that I have done for the past several decades could at some point again be labelled as unacceptable and be censored.

I also know conformity to restrictive laws that encroach on personal beliefs is not in our nature. That's why we are who we are. We have chosen, as most pagans and witches have, to live a life of nonconformity to the status quo of, "what is right for some, must be right for all." Sadly, we know that this sentiment is not true.

It is only fitting, then, that as weed witches, we use our magic to protect and defend ourselves, our families, and our communities from anyone that wishes, or attempts, harm.

Never Let Them See You Sweat
Celebrate and actively participate in the nonconformity we love so much. Don't let distractors scare you. Never let them see you sweat. Don't let them guilt trip you. You aren't doing anything wrong, so don't act or feel like you are.

Be the wickedly wonderful weed witch your badass self is, on the daily. Go about your life as normal; do not give up what you do, how you practice, or who you are. Don't be intimidated. YOU are your strongest ally and you have magic at your fingertips.

Cannabis holds protective energies, and the ash from the weed you smoke—infused with a focused intention—is a powerful ingredient. Use your energy, cannabis ash, and your magic to set up protective boundaries around your home, place of employment if possible, car, family, and self. First, you must collect your cannabis ash.

Set Your Scene
Your goal in this working is to prepare a protective ash infused with your focused energy, your determined will, and your personal power.

Set your scene to back your working:

• Wear what makes you feel strong, protected, and safe. This may be anything from a favorite T-shirt to chainmail. What makes you feel like a weed witch warrior? Dress the part.
• Pick a theme song. What song raises your primal energy? What song makes you feel powerful? Unstoppable? If you like to raise energy through dance, make a short playlist.
• Safely burn white or black candles.
• Light a protective incense such as rosemary or Dragon's Blood (save this ash, too).
• Keep a special sealable container for your accumulated ash.

Use a bong (equipped with a screen) and a sativa strain (or use what you have available to you), to unite all of the elements together:

• Earth (the weed)
• Air (your breath)
• Water (the bong water)
• Fire (the burning of the weed)
• Spirit (your personal power and focused intention)

This process results in creating the final infused ash to use as a protective ally in other workings.

Charge your bong water with consumption-safe, food-grade herbs. I like three whole cloves and a sprinkle of cinnamon, blended well into the water.

Place your weed on the screen in your bong's bowl, with a lighter at hand.

Center yourself.

Smell the protective incense you are burning.

Listen to the music. Feel it in your bones.

Focus on the flickering flame to bring yourself to the present moment. Put all other thoughts away.

Breathe deeply, slowly, mindfully.

Say to yourself:
I am energy.
I am power.
I am magic.

If you dance or drum to raise energy, start now. (Don't try dancing with your bong in your hand; you'll lose your weed.)

Call to savage strength, fierce determination, primal power.

Angry about what is going on in the world around you?

Tap into this anger. You have it, so put it to good use. Accept that protecting and defending yourself may be vital to your survival. This is the warrior energy that you need to harness. Remind yourself: No one is coming to rescue you. You are here to save yourself and your world. You have responsibilities to uphold for yourself and to others. You are here to lend your strength to others when called upon.

You are the strength.
You are the power.
You are the warrior.

Feel these energies building inside of you, growing.

Connect with the energies from the candles, incense, and music. Draw these energies near to you, encircling you like a bubble.

(Cease dancing or drumming.)

Hold your bong to your lips, light your weed, and as you inhale, envision the bubble of energy around you being drawn into the burning weed, through the charged water, and into your lungs.

Inhale all this energy through the smoke and hold it in your lungs. Feel the energy combine with your personal energy. Focus on your intention: Protection. Safety. Defense.

Exhale sending your desires into the universe.

Collect the ash from the screen and store it in a container you select for this purpose.

Consistently add to your ash supply.

Call In Reinforcements
Blessed ash is a rare commodity. Stretch it by making black salt with it, and/or adding other protective herbs, spices, and oils to utilize in a variety of ways. Here we will combine the ash with whatever protective ingredients you have available to you. You can then add the blend to salt increasing its energy and bulk.

This working is perfect for a dark moon, or when the moon is just a sliver.

Collect your available protective ingredients.

Set up a large bowl or cauldron and place a tall pillar candle (white or black) in glass at the center of it.

You will light the candle when instructed and then add your ingredients to the bowl in a mindful manner. When ready, you will remove the candle and blend all of the ingredients together using a wooden spoon.

If you have a special way you like to open your workings, do so, then say:

I call upon my ancestors: those who have fought to protect themselves, their beliefs, their families, and their lives before me.

Passed down generation to generation: your power, your tenacity, your independence, your strength, your love. Lend your energies to collect and pool here, within me.

All you have suffered, survived, endured, led to here and now.

From your soul to mine, into my heart, through my hands; your power be mine to use and share.

I call upon the energies of fire: passion, strength, ferocity, savagery, a protective barrier, destruction of what it consumes.

(Light the candle.)

Begin carefully adding each ingredient to the bowl one by one around the candle with deep, thoughtful, intention. Focus on what this energy will be like when it is used: a strong protective barrier. A force field to keep you safe. While adding the ingredients, repeat:
I call upon the energies of each ally present here: each herb, each spice, each oil, infused with magical protection.

All these energies, all these powers, I call to combine under the dark moon.

When your bowl is full, focus on sending your intention into the universe and blow out the candle. Say:
Concealed. Cloaked. Clouded.

Carefully remove the candle, being aware of where the glass will be hot. Set it aside to cool and save for the next time you do this working.

Using a wooden spoon, begin blending your ingredients together in a clockwise motion. As you work, say:
Hidden from view but ever present, as we have been, as we are, as we shall remain.
Turn heads away that should not see,
push them to pass on by.
Those who enter with good intentions
receive an eye for eye.
Whomever comes forth, the magic is set:
Angry hate or love that's true
What you bring is what you receive
Reflected back to you.

This concoction not only protects the area you wish, but it also reflects intentions back to others who come in proximity to it—good intentions receive good vibes.

Let the Magic Flow
Utilize your blend combined with salt and your magic to construct protective barriers.

• Place it on the ground in front of doorways and windows, or on windowsills.
• Pour into small hemp bags and hang over all entrance ways.
• Add to poppets, gris gris bags, or other personal charms or enchantments you can carry on your body, in your car, in a purse, luggage, etc.
• Place bags (or bury jars) with the mixture at each side of your driveway, sidewalk, or other area where public property meets private property.
• Keep a small, filled bag or jar in your desk at work.
• Add to jars and place in rooms throughout your home

Use the Power in Words
While using the blend to physically mark the barrier, focus your energy to psychically mark the barrier with the power of your words. Visualize this energy building a wall or dome as you work.

Pick one of the following three chants to use with your working or combine them all together.

1. I set these bounds into place
No evil pass, by my grace.
Upon this ground,
My strength does pour,
To protect those here for evermore.

2. My bounds are set,
My power bold,
My home (car) be blessed,
My power hold.

3. Where I walk protect the ground,
Keep those who reside (work) here safe and sound.
Only love can enter here,
No persecution, hate, evil, or fear.
Protect this space defined by me,
This is my will, so mote it be.

Reinforce these boundaries at least monthly, earlier if you feel the need.

We are going to see plenty of chaos and turbulence, mixed with disorganization and misrule in the days to come. Work your magic but always remember to back up all magical working with mundane working. Build your communities. Keep yourself informed from reliable sources. Help those who need and deserve your compassion. Run for office. It is essential for us to keep ourselves, our families, our homes, and our communities safe and the people cared for. Our survival may depend on it.

¹ "Legal History of Cannabis in the United States," Wikipedia.org. Accessed 3/04/2025.