Where you live informs a lot about your life. What you eat, what you believe, whether you call it pop or soda, etc. If you’re a witch, it also influences your magic. I used to live in the desert, so rainstorms became very powerful and special to me and the perfect time to do magic. In the mountains, I was introduced to seasons and those changes became magical. I think most witches relate to their environments in this way, and in particular the weather of the region.

Through online resources, we have access to all kinds of different magic, but at the end of the day, you’ll use what’s around you and you develop a style based on how your environment influences you.

Today, we’re going to focus on elemental magic by region and give you some ideas of how to use your environment for your craft. While it’s fabulous to be inside in front of your altar with candles and spell ingredients, this post is about getting back to nature and using what’s already available in your region in your magic.

Desert

Water is essential to life. Our blue planet is a thriving, flourishing, unique place in the known universe becauseof its water. Without it, we would not exist. Perhaps more than any other region, the desert is especially aware of this. Animals and plants are built to conserve precious water until the next rainstorm, and even the people, who have access to running water in their homes, move out to their porches when it rains to simply enjoy a break from the otherwise unrelenting sun.

While my first impulse was to choose fire for the desert, I realized that what’s truly special about the desert is how it relates to water. Its lack of water is what makes it what it is, and so I’ve whipped up some easy magic for desert witches to use when those all too rare thunderstorms finally show up.

The next time it rains, go outside and collect some rainwater in a couple bottles. Enjoy the storm and try and think of it as restoring you!

Rainwater Cleanse

What you will need:

• White candle
• Black candle
• Rainwater

When the rains come to the desert, they replenish the earth and that’s what this cleansing spell is about. Think of it as a restorative cleanse for yourself, and any emotional damage you’ve endured lately.

Light your candles and arrange them on either side of your stove, then pour the rainwater into a pot and bring it to a boil. Hold your head close enough so that the steam from the water touches your face. Inhale deeply and hold your hands over the steam as well. Not so that you burn yourself — just waft the vapors toward you like you would if you were sick and trying to clear out your sinuses. This cleansing works in the same way, except you’re clearing out negativity from your system. You can save this rainwater in a spray bottle and use it for cleansing instead burning sage or smoking in other ways — much easier on the lungs!

You can also add plants and sand to this brew and really get the essence of the desert, which is a very pungent energy. You must be careful, however, because the desert defends itself and some plants are toxic — like the rain-scented creosote and pretty oleander. Be careful and do your research, witches!

Mountain

The mountains make our world interesting in a way few other things do. Traveling to the mountains, where the air is thin and cool, touches some primitive part of us all and it’s hard to deny their majesty. The element I’ve paired with the mountains is earth. Earth represents many different things but especially grounding.

If you live near mountains, you may not get to visit them as much as you’d like, so next time you do, take a few smoky quartz crystals and a container. While you let the crystals charge in the crisp mountain air, fill the container with earth and any leaves or soft mountain debris that you find — smooth stones, old pine needles, etc. Make sure there are no creepy crawlies in there.

Next time you perform a grounding, arrange the same smoky quartz on the surface of the earth you collected and submerge your fingers into the container while you center yourself. Clear your head. Run the earth between your fingers, smell it, remember what it’s like to be up in the mountains and away from it all. This is a very literal way to get back to nature during groundings, without having to travel anywhere. This earth can also be added to amulets or talismans so you can keep this steady power with you, or used to charge grounding stones.

Coastal

Water seems like a natural element to use for the coast and sea, but after looking harder at what the sea represents, what it’s capable of it, how it has shaped our world, it becomes clear that water in this environment represents power. Symbolically, power is associated with the sun and fire — something the sea tends to lack. The easiest way to capture fire is a candle, so that’s what we’ll be making for this coastal power spell, merging these two powerful elements and helping to rekindle your personal power when you feel it’s gone out.

What you will need:

• Candle making equipment along with red dye
• Small stones or shells from the shore
• Sand
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Oaktree bark if it’s handy, if not the bark of your favorite coastal tree

There are many online tutorials about making candles so I won’t detail that here. While you’re making the candle, add the stones or shells, sand, salt, cayenne pepper, and bark to the wax so all of these power ingredients are part of the candle. Once completed, take your candle down to the shore, light it, and meditate on all the ways you feel powerless in your life and how you can flip these scenarios to regain your power. Take a notebook and pen if you like, to write down any realizations or ideas. Once you’ve completed your powerless list, make a new one for all the times in your life you were powerful. Sometimes when we’re overwhelmed, we tend to forget the good things we’re capable of and only focus on the bad. How can you apply these powerful moments of your life to your powerless ones to regain a feeling of control? Take as long as you like with this, and when you feel you’ve made some progress, use a little sea water to put out the candle. Repeat this ritual whenever you need a little power pick me up.

Plains

Often ignored, the plains are the heartbeat of a country. In the USA at least, this is where we grow most of our food. It’s a land with a clear purpose, which is why I’ve chosen air as its element and the perfect place to work on manifestation.

Manifesting is hard. Essentially, you’re making what you think and dream about a reality, but if you’re bogged down with negative thoughts, you can see how this would manifest negative energy in your life. It’s not personal — the universe isn’t targeting you. Going beyond magic, there are medical studies that support this logic, as well. Negative, stressed out people tend to have greater risks for heart problems and other health issues. The good news is that you can train yourself to think differently and avoid these problems simply by changing your perspective.

In life, we all have some good and some bad, but what separates us is how we cope with these things. During the lows, you must learn to remember the good and to be grateful, to keep your thoughts positive and appreciative of what you do have. We all have moments of being overwhelmed, but you can’t let it rule how you see your life. Learning to be positive is key in learning to manifest positive things. No, you may not suddenly win the lottery or cure a long-standing illness, but you’ll learn to be thankful when things do go your way, and how to cope when they don’t.

So, witches of the plains, go out to one of those big open fields, relax, regulate your breathing, and say aloud what you are grateful for. You may struggle for a minute — it’s hard to retrain a mind — but work at it and make this is a regular ritual. Feel the air on your face, don’t let negative thoughts get in the way, and list all the things that you have that make you happy. During the week, make notes of when you’re grateful for something (especially small things) and try hard to stop negative thoughts or feelings in their tracks. Recognize when it’s happening and work to control it. Being alone in an open place will help you center, but by no means does this exercise only have to be performed outside. It should be something we all practice regularly.

Once you start changing the way you think, you’ll begin to notice good things happening because you’re learning to see them better.

You can always take it to the next level and show your gratitude as well. Take some seeds out to the field and leave it for the birds in offering. Pick up any trash around the area. Do something that gives a little back, taking the time to show thanks in any way you can think of. It does a soul very good. Congratulations, you’re now actively manifesting positive energy!

While I often enjoy complicated, structured magic, it’s certainly not the only way. By simply being outside and learning to use your magic with your environment and finding the magic within instead of in fancy ingredients, you’ll become a stronger witch. I haven’t covered all the different, beautiful regions this world has to offer, but with a little creativity, you can learn to use whatever environment you’re in to your advantage.

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