Besoms

Besoms are used as ritual tool to cleanse the area before casting a circle, they can also be used to clear negative energy from your home and to ward of negative energy as well. To learn more about Besoms click the links below.
History of the Besom

Besom Chants

By now if you have read any of my other posts you will be aware that I do things my way.
So I decided to make my own Besom from materials I had in the garden after all it would contain all the energy of my garden and would be unique.
I already had the handle from the Holly I had used at Yule.

Holly for Protection

For the skirt or bristles I chose Rosemary for Purification, Lavender for Protection, Grass for warding of negative energy and Fennel for Purification and protection.
I have a huge Rosemary bush that needs trimming back every year. Fennel that grows where it wants. Lavender that is growing nicely and had plenty of dried stems on it  and long ornamental grass that grows strong every year.

Garden twine made from Jute to bind
Black Embroidery thread. Black to rid negativity
Black permanent marker pen
Artificial flowers = White Rose and yellow spring flowers white for Purity Yellow for Change
Lavender ribbon =  Spirit and Protective energy
Heart = Love
Tree = Tree of life
 Sun and Moon symbol  = God and Goddess
 small Citrine = Cleansing and Turquoise bead = Success

Scissors
Boline Knife

I assembled everything together and cast my circle in the usual way and cleansed everything before I started then I began making the Besom

I started with the Fennel cutting it to the length I wanted and tied this to the Holly ( this was already at a length I wanted)  using the black thread. I then used Rosemary cutting it the length I needed again and bound that with black thread and did the same with the Grass and Lavender. Finally I bound the whole thing with the Garden Twine so everything was nice and secure.
I trimmed the ends around the handle so they looked neat and tidy using the Boline. ( the one with the white handle in a previous post)
I wound the ribbon around the skirt tying it off  neatly.
I added the Heart, Tree, Sun and Moon symbols and the Citrine and Turquoise beads. These were charms so had tiny fasteners that I was able to hook over the ribbon so they will not fall off.
Then I added the flowers this was easy as the yellow fowers were for candle decorations and a white button hole. So it was a case of thread some ribbon through the ring of the yellow flowers and tie it in a bow at the back and add the white button hole in the violet ribbon making sure it was secure.

Finally I cut down to the white wood of the Holly handle and added symbols using the marker pen ( I cannot carve so use marker pens instead) that I thought appropriate. My name symbol, the symbol for the name of the Besom and a Pentagram.
I gave thanks and asked for a Blessing on my new Besom and opened my circle .

My New Besom hanging in my Kitchen

 Here she is in the garden, her birth place if you like.

Not a traditional Besom but my Besom that holds all the protective energy of my garden and the perfect size for my home.

I also have a tiny Besom over my front door

This hangs over my front door on the inside the Black to remove negative vibrations Pentagram for protection and the Rowan Besom that I made for Protection and Success.

Close up of my mini door besom

Then I have a mini Besom Asperger that is also made from Rowan that is used to sprinkle water in my Rituals.

Here is the beautiful Rowan tree who has so kindly given me my mini Besoms and my Wand

She over looks my garden and has given me some beautiful tools as well as the berries to make Rowan Jelly from.

So there you have it a Besom that is full of energy and love and something that I made and will serve me for a long time. So don't be afraid to make a small Besom from what you have it will be yours and have meaning to you.
No garden? that is fine work with what you find on walks, maybe a tree has shed a small branch or thick twig that you can use as a handle, pick it up leave an offereing of a small coin or if you are sat under the tree and you have some water with you give some to the tree. For the skirt of the tree you can use some rafia or some straw along with some herbs you can buy herbs in supermarkets, you can use any plant that is to hand that will provide protection. Go with what you have it is your Besom after all, large or small it will be special to you and have meaning for you.
I know purists would hate the idea but I look at it this way, people used what they had in days gone by and if that was Birch they used it, if not they used what they had around them.
The same goes with cooking, just look at the variety of stews, people used what they had and it became the traditional way of making the dish, the same goes with tools and the materials they used.
So if you want a Besom have a go at making one it really is not hard to do if I can do it so can you.