I like jewelry. Over the years certain pieces have appeared to me at significant points in my life and they've become amulets and talismans of sorts. It's as if each piece came looking for me, knowing that I needed it.

Once it was an Atlas bracelet, purchased on a trip to San Francisco for a job interview. I got the job and moved to San Francisco, where I was very happy, and I still consider San Francisco to be my spirit's home. It was as if the bracelet was a literal atlas, showing me the way to where I was supposed to be. Another time it was a string of peridot beads I bought after a psychic friend told me he'd had a vision of me wearing them and they were important. I'd been mercilessly dumped by the boyfriend I thought was "the one" and was really devastated; the beads were meant to heal my wounded soul. I wore them faithfully every day and a month later met a significant new love. There are other similar examples, and over time I have come to trust that if an object speaks to me, there is a reason.

This morning, I was reading Hecate and happened to look at her list of "Shiny Things!" Amongst Fairy Wear and Seeds for Witches was a link to Elsa Peretti. My curiosity was piqued. I know Elsa Peretti's work and was curious to see what sort of witch-relevant piece Hecate was referencing. Her link took me to the Tiffany & Co. site. Ah, a witch after my own heart! So I started to browse their online Elsa Peretti catalog.

Elsa Peretti's jewelry is so wonderfully organic it isn't difficult to see how it would appeal to a witch's sensibilities. Many of her pieces use stones that have magickal correspondences. She even has a pendant that is a small silver bottle - the perfect vessel for a protection potion! And then I found it - a band of iron. A frisson of energy ran through me - a powerful portent.

“The spirit of this ring exists in the material—pure iron. The high polish shine will soon give way to iron’s natural appearance”—Elsa Peretti

Iron is the Warrior's metal. Ruled by Mars, it corresponds to the emerald and its astrological houses are Aries and Scorpio. Iron is useful to ward against ghosts and spirits; for strength, competition, protection and command. In Iron we recognize the male and active character of the war-like god Mars, building and conquering himself a new world.

The magickal use of Iron in rituals, spells and charms is to promote energy, strength, determination, will power, assertiveness and aggression. It aids in fertility rites, beginnings and undertakings, and spells for speed, power and courage. We can use herbs that contain iron, like urtica, equisetum, kelp and spirulina. To increase energy, we eat foods that are rich in iron: red meat, beets, dark green vegetables, whole grains, dried fruits, nuts and seaweed.

The universe is not a subtle messenger. Through many sources it has been telling me of late that I have to be myself, live in my strength, honor my power, and create my own happiness. (I'm in the process of writing more on this subject, through work I've been doing with the tarot. Stay tuned!) What better talisman to aid in these goals than to wear a band of iron?

I wanted to find out if different fingers had correspondences that I should heed when choosing where to wear my band of iron. In fact, they do! (Google is fast becoming one of my most reliable magickal tools!) The pinky finger corresponds to the element of Air and the Waxing Moon. The ring finger corresponds to the element of Fire and the Full Moon. The index finger corresponds to the element of Water and the Waning Moon. The middle finger corresponds to the element of Earth and the New Moon. I'm thinking ring finger or middle finger - I'll have to meditate on this a bit.

Now it's time to plan a spell using the current Waxing Moon energy to bring me some money so that I can offer Tiffany & Co. my custom!

Posted by Angela-Eloise at 2:03 PM