The Scottish Ritual of Saining

Saining is a Scottish ritual that is one part blessing, one part cleansing and one part protection.

It involves using juniper in various applications with fire or water, in the ritual purification of temples, celebrations, for health, to ward off evil, to cleanse, and more.

Saining uses juniper and other herbs – either to burn or in oils – to remove the unwanted or hidden, negative influences. It can also be used with other types of spellwork.

History of Saining

Scotland has a long history of using plants such as juniper in ritualistic ceremonies to bless, cleanse, heal and protect – going back to the 11th Century.

Midsummer fires were a tradition of Scottish farming communities, who celebrated with a large fire of juniper wood at the end of June. They believed the fires were a blessing to their crops, livestock, and that it warded off evil spirits.  This celebration is marked by the Catholic Church as the Feast of St. John, on June 24.

Each Samhain, juniper was burned in an effort to make contact with the Otherworld. Scots burned Juniper in Saining their homes to repel disease. They also added it to whisky and gin for health.

Modern Day Saining

Saining is still used today by many. Regular saining safeguards your home, spellwork, personal property and your person. A popular custom is to use saining before major life decisions. It allows you to be fully present, without negative influences.

Saining removes curses, hexes or malefic spells of any kind, including unwanted influences. Saining kits are sold in our shoppe, and are made with ethically-sourced juniper, as juniper has become very scarce. Our saining oil is organic and handcrafted in small batches over a 6-week period.

Grab your kit while they are still in stock. Supplies are very limited.

Resources:
http://www.tairis.co.uk/practices/saining/#11
https://magicnorthstar.com/the-tradition-of-scottish-saining-smudging/
https://treesforlife.org.uk/into-the-forest/trees-plants-animals/trees/juniper/
https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/when-scots-were-banned-lighting-midsummer-fires-647540
https://thedruidscauldron.org/2020/09/10/the-druid-and-fairy-doctor-practice-of-saining/#:~:text=Saining%2C%20that%20is%2C%20burning%20herbal,king%20goes%20his%20way%20westward
https://www.truehighlands.com/the-fires-of-midsummer/#:~:text=The%20festival%20itself%20is%20primarily,the%20sunrise%20on%20this%20day

Witchy Women Magic Shoppe is a woman-owned, ethical, sustainable and philanthropic metaphysical supply shoppe. Our mission is to support healing, growth and restoration of people and the planet.

All our handmade products are infused with frequency 528Hz – the frequency of miracles and love – thought to resonate at the core of everything. It connects the heart and spirit with Divine Harmony.

This sound has been used since ancient civilizations to manifest miracles, bring blessings, and harness a healing property. It is now available to you in every candle, oil, potion, herbal blend, spray, soap or salt.

Intention Setting Rituals

An intention setting ritual can be done just after the New Moon to focus energy into your intentions. (The next new moon as of this writing is May 30, 2022, at 7:29 am EDT.)

An intention is a guiding principle with which to live by. Your intentions should define how you want to feel, the things you would like to experience and the personal qualities and strengths you want to develop. 

Think about your core values and the kind of life you want to live. Intentions should be written in the present tense and in a positive form. 

For example, instead of saying, “I want to stop eating so much junk food,” you could say, “I feel healthy and vital.” The first one is a goal, but the second is the intention (the why) behind the goal.

This is just a suggestion. It’s important to always be open to your own intuition to create a variation that feels right for you.

Begin by cleansing your sacred space – this can be done by smoke purification or lightly spraying with moon water or smudge spray

Center yourself in any way that feels comfortable – deep breathing, free drawing, chanting, meditating or using singing bowls.

Focus on formulating your intentions. What do you truly want from your life? Keep your intentions positive and motivating. You can also use oracle cards to get insight into what it is you truly desire.

Light a candle, then write each of your intentions on a separate piece of paper. Say each one aloud, then spend a few minutes visualizing that it has already manifested. 

Hold the intention in your mind and do any any of the following:

– Create a crystal grid around it

– Burn it in a fireproof container

– Bury it in soil (write your intention on seeded paper)

– Place it in a bowl of water

When you are done with all of them, blow out the candle and thank the universe in advance for manifesting your intentions.


Witchy Women Magic Shoppe is a woman-owned, ethical, sustainable and philanthropic metaphysical supply shoppe. Our mission is to support healing, growth and restoration of people and the planet.

All our handmade products are infused with frequency 528Hz – the frequency of miracles and love – thought to resonate at the core of everything. It connects the heart and spirit with Divine Harmony.

This sound has been used since ancient civilizations to manifest miracles, bring blessings, and harness a healing property. It is now available to you in every candle, oil, potion, herbal blend, spray, soap or salt.