Juleigh Howard-Hobson
People tend to think that with the passing of commonly held folk customs the spirits that responded to these customs disappeared—but, honestly, there is nothing further from the truth. Attracting spirits who have long held an affinity with humans is not very difficult to do at all. All over humanity, various forms of ancient belief systems incorporate unseen spirits that live amongst the living and help out where and when they can.
Northern European house and land spirits are known as wights, and they are easily attracted. Actually, they most likely are already present, but unrecognizably so. These days we don’t know what we are looking at when the wights help us out by throwing the car keys we’ve misplaced into our pockets, or by keeping that pilot light on in the back of the gas oven….but they are there all the same.
On the off chance that they are absent from your home, rather than simply being unappreciated, there are simple ways to attract and also to celebrate these benevolent spirits of the home.
First and foremost it is important to realize that these spirits are shy and most wisely so. Centuries of being considered agents of the devil have taken a toll on their willingness to share themselves freely with us anymore. Find a spot, remembering that housewights were traditionally hearth dwellers, in your home that is undisturbed and cozy. Create a small altar area in this spot, it can be as elaborate or as minimalist as you deign—these wights live with you, after all, and they tend to be in harmony with your overall style of living. Hallow the area with words such as ‘Hail all wights who dwell nearby. In honor and respect, this area is hallowed for you.”
In this hallowed area, leave the wights an offering of a bowl of oats, cooked in milk, topped with honey and butter. Use what you can, but ingredients like raw honey, organic milk, grass-fed butter, and steel cut oats are best…the more effort your offering has taken in its creation, the more meaningful power it contains—this is a rule for all matters spiritual, magical and realistic. That said, these wights have chosen you and if you think it is fine to use instant oats, margarine and Sue B honey, then go right ahead—if they don’t like what you sincerely offer, they will choose not to remain…but be aware that your offering must be sincerely the best you can manage or else it is better not to offer at all. Wights can become troublesome if they feel insulted.
While placing the bowl of oatmeal down, welcome the wights into your life and your home with words such as “Welcome Wights. Here is your due. May all who dwell here continue in peace and prosperity”.
Remember their presence in the home; include them in household affairs (they thrive on being part of a family’s world) and turn to them with problems that they can help with, such as missing bills, lost items, minor family health issues. Leave them plates of holy tide feasts (never just leftovers piled up), dishes of sweets, apples, small piles of shiny coins (while you must eventually clean up the plates of food, never take these coins back, even in times of need).
Refer to them pleasantly in Blot and in mundane talk around the house.
And the wights shall return your attentions nine-fold or more. Your household and your life will prosper and grow richer.
The old ways are not gone, they are merely unused for the most part. Which is all to the good for us who return to them, there is so much there for us…and for them.
