How to use Witch Bells for Protection – A practical beginners guide

1. Summary

Using witch bells for protection usually involves hanging them on doors, windows or sacred spaces to ward off negative energy and unwanted spirits. The sound of the bells disrupts harmful vibrations, creating a protective barrier. Many practitioners also charge them with intent for added spiritual defence.

2. What are witch bells?

Witch bells are a set of magical bells used for protection and energy cleansing in the home by hanging on doors, windows or in sacred spaces. They are usually made from metal bells, twine and charms (such as pentacles or feathers) and their chimes are thought to repel negative energies and spirits, making them a popular tool in witchcraft.

3. Where did witch bells come from?

The exact origin of witch bells is unclear, but we know bells were often used in the classical world to ward off bad luck and evil spirits. The specific association with witchcraft, where bells are used in rituals for protection and cleansing, most likely emerged during the revival of witchcraft and other neo-pagan practices in the mid-20th century.

4. What are witch bells used for?

Primarily associated with the safeguarding of homes against malevolent spirits, witch bells (or witches bells) are a powerful tool in folk magic. Traditionally, they are hung in or around the home to prevent unwanted spirits and/or negative energy from entering living spaces, while simultaneously attracting positive influences.

5. How to use witch bells for protection and energy cleansing

Traditionally, witch bells are hung on doors, windows or in sacred spaces to ward off negative energies and invite positive vibrations. Here’s how you can incorporate witch bells into your practice:

• Choose your Witch Bells: Witch bells can be made of metal, wood, or a combination of materials. Many practitioners prefer bells with a clear, crisp sound, as it is believed to effectively break up stagnant or harmful energy. You can make your own or purchase a set that resonates with your intentions.
• Set your Intentions: Before hanging your bells, take a moment to charge them with your desired intent. Hold them in your hands, close your eyes, and visualize them creating a protective barrier or calling in blessings. You may also say an incantation, such as: “With each chime, let peace flow through, Negativity, be gone from view.”
• Ring the Bells: Ring the bells intentionally whenever you feel the need to cleanse your space or when you sense negativity. The sound is believed to disrupt and repel negative energy or spirits.
• Rituals: Use the bells during rituals or spells as a tool for invoking protection, calling upon spirits or amplifying energy.

6. Where to hang witch bells inside

Witch bells are commonly hung in specific locations to enhance their protective and cleansing properties. For protection throughout the home, bells can be placed in different rooms to ensure the flow of positive energy, often in corners, above doorways, or in places where negative energy might linger.

• Front Door: Hanging bells inside your main entrance prevents unwanted energies from entering and welcomes positivity. This placement ensures that every time your front door opens, the bells will ring, dispelling negative energy and protecting your home.
• Windows: Placing bells here helps guard against external influences and psychic disturbances that can enter our homes via draughts that come through our windows.
• Sacred Spaces : Hanging bells near sacred spaces, such as altars can enhance spiritual work and maintain a harmonious atmosphere.
• Bedrooms: Perhaps the most sacred space of all, hanging witch bells your bedroom, near or above the bed or at the bedroom door, promotes restful sleep, repels nightmares and fosters a calm, protective energy.

7. Where to hang witch bells outside

Witch bells can also be placed outside the home to extend their protective and cleansing properties to the surrounding environment.

• Trees: Hanging witch bells from trees helps dispel negative energy around your property. As the wind moves the branches of the tree, the bells are actively rung, nature’s way!
• Gates and Fencing: Attaching witch bells to gates or fences creates a protective boundary, keeping negative energy at bay and alerting you to movement around your property.
• Patios and decking areas: Witch bells can add a calm, harmonious atmosphere in areas where you spend time relaxing or socialising. Any breeze or wind will ensure your bells are rung on a regular basis.

8. Consecration, affirmation and visualisation

• Consecration: To consecrate your with bells (declare them as sacred to your purpose), hold them in your hands and set your intention for protection. Speak or think clearly about what you want the bells to do and what protection you require from them.
• Affirmation: Speak protective affirmations or prayers over your witch bells whenever you feel the need to reinforce their purpose.
• Visualisation: Visualise the protective energy surrounding your home each time the bells ring, imagining any negativity being pushed out and away from your space.

9. Cleansing and recharging

Witches usually cleanse their witch bells first before using them, often using sage or rosemary or some other sacred smoke. Some believe that placing them under moonlight or using sound (e.g., a singing bowl) can also do the trick. Here are the most common ways that witches cleanse and recharge witch bells.

• Moonlight: Place your witch bells under the full moon overnight.
• Ringing: Manually ring your witch bells to reset their energy.
• Sacred smoke: Run your witch bells through incense smoke, such as sage, lavender, or rosemary.
• Singing bowl: Hold the bells near the bowl and gently play it, allowing the vibrations to cleanse and recharge their energy.

10. Enhancing your witch bells

For added potency, you can adorn your bells with:

• Herbs: Small sachets of lavender, rosemary or mugwort.
• Crystals: Attach amethyst, black tourmaline or clear quartz.
• Sigils or Charms: Inscribe symbols of protection or prosperity.

By using witch bells with intention and care, you can create a protective and harmonious environment that resonates with your personal energy. Whether for safeguarding your space or adding a magical touch to your home, these mystical chimes offer a beautiful and meaningful practice in everyday witchcraft.

11. Types of witch bells

Witch bells are often unique in design and can be customised to align with personal intentions or spiritual practices. But seasonal variations, hung during pagan festivals like Yule or Samhain, are also popular.

Broadly, witch bells fall into the following categories:

• Protection Bells: Door protection bells are usually hung on the doorknob, chiming whenever the door is opened or closed, helping to ward off negative energies and protect the home. Window bells are smaller and hung near windows to keep negative spirits or energy from entering the home.
• Charmed Bells: These include crystal-enhanced bells, which have crystals like amethyst, rose quartz or clear quartz attached, adding the energy of the crystal to the protective powers of the bell.
• Herb-bound Bells: These bells have small bags or pouches containing herbs like sage, lavender, or rosemary tied to them for an extra layer of cleansing or protection.
• Seasonal Witch Bells: These include Samhain bells, designed for the Samhain (Halloween) season, often featuring darker tones or symbols like bats, pumpkins, or black ribbons. Yule bells celebrate the winter solstice and are usually decorated with traditional red, green or gold ribbons and sprigs of holly or mistletoe.
• Symbolic Bells: These include Moon bells that feature crescent moon charms or other lunar imagery, used for enhancing intuition or for rituals connected to the moon cycles. Elemental bells celebrate one or all of the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) with corresponding symbols or stones to channel the energy of each element.
• Personalised Bells: These include intention bells that are created with a specific intention in mind, such as attracting love, good luck or for enhancing spiritual growth. Ancestral bells are decorated with tokens, photos, or symbols that honour ancestors or loved ones, used for ancestral work or remembrance. Personalised bells can be customised with charms, colours and symbols that resonate with the user’s intention.

12. Where to get your witch bells

Witch bells are an essential tool for practitioners of witchcraft, particularly when it comes to protection magic. Many witches prefer to make their own witch bells, but if you’re not very crafty, buying a ready-made set works just as well. You can see a selection of our own handmade witch bells below.

13. How to use witch bells – Conclusion

The ringing of bells has long been associated with warding off evil, dispelling bad spirits and clearing energy. The sound is thought to purify and protect the space, making witch bells a simple yet powerful tool in your spiritual practice.

By using witch bells for protection of your home, family or sacred space, you create an ongoing ritual of protection, ensuring that your environment remains safe and energetically clear.

When it comes to hanging your witch bells, it’s not rocket science. Hang them from a door handle, a window frame, above your bed, a sacred space or anywhere you think needs protection, whether indoors or out.

However, if witchcraft is not your thing and you just want these charming witch bells for decorative purposes, just hang them wherever you think they go best. From a hook on a wall, above your fireplace or in front of a mirror..  You can even hang them from your Christmas tree (as we do!)..

The choice is yours.

• The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic: our first visit
• Gerald Gardner: the father of Wicca