Magical Mondays: Toothbrush!
Monday November 24, 2008
Magical Mondays: Toothbrush!
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If you're new to Magical Mondays, here's how it works. Each Monday I'll post a photo of an item -- and the catch is, that it's *not* going to be a traditional magical object. No crystals, herbs, or other things typically associated with spellwork or magic. The idea is to see how many magical uses we can come up with for the item. No right answers, no wrong answers, just sharing ideas. Post your suggestions in the Comments section, and see what other readers have to say as well!
To see previous editions of Magical Mondays, you can read here: Magical Mondays. Last week's item was socks, simply because this time of year we tend to start wearing them a lot more. Readers recommended stuffing them with herbs, blessing them for healing and safety, and making poppets. You can still contribute to that conversation, so feel free to chime in if you missed it.
So this week's item is one that KissMeImPagan somehow ended up with a whole bag of (I'm sure there's a good story there). In addition to scrubbing your pearly whites, what can you use a toothbrush for? How would you put one to use in a magical working?
Comments
I can see a toothbrush being used to wipe something out…like a bad habit.
It might also be a nice little sweeper for altars. (I use stick incense, and sometimes I’ve got ash to clean up…a toothbrush would be perfect for that!)
I could see it being used as a cleansing amulet. Or maybe you could use it as an asperger. Or there’s the obvious use; clean your intricate altar pieces with it! I have several cone incense burners that are brass, with very intricate designs and the dust and smoke just cakes into them. A toothbrush is the perfect tool to clean these.
Possibly die the head of the toothbrush a color representative of the elements / quarter markers (green for earth, blue for water, etc).
Also, possible pocket wands (yes I know a bit far out there).
My first thought when seeing the toothbrush was about washing your mouth out. Which made me think about arguments and words being said that you wish hadn’t. Maybe the toothbrush could represent stopping the hurtful words, ending the argument and starting over.
Or maybe you have a tendency to gossip and wish to stop this habit…. ie washing your mouth out.
Blimey, I hope I’ve made myself clear… first time I’ve added a comment and felt a bit nervous.
My first thought was to use it to clean your nails during a ritual bath, lol.
I like the idea of dying the bristles.
Maybe they could be used on the family alter to represent a young child’s goal to better dental hygiene. Or representing their passage from toddlerhood to “big kid” status, since they can now brush their own teeth.
It could be used as a wand, put in the ground as a temporary marker for boundaries in outside ritual, dipped in ink to draw or write or stuck in your magickal plant pots to help you identify those tiny seedlings!
Can’t wait to see all the fun things everyone comes up with!
I would make a special wand out of it for the tooth fairy. (if you have kids, this could be a fun craft project.) just decorate them with glitter and ribbons. or even paint them pretty colors and have them leave it under their pillow along with the tooth they lost.
and then later( when they have gone to sleep) along with a coin or two leave a sparkly crystal stone or a painted glitter shell, in it’s place. When they wake up and look under their pillow, watch their face light up at the treasure the tooth fairy left them.
It would also make a neat wand for cleansing.
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(symbolic ) and placed on the altar during rituals.
I like the ideas of using them to clean cencers.(insence burners) they do get messy after awhile.LOL.
BB
Shelley
I use my toothbrush to “clear” the lines of communication in a similar way that Bamby stated.
I’m very much a neophyte, and this is my first time posting, so please be gentle
They could be used as a mini-besom, to be used in purification rituals on small objects, or to clean incense burners, for a more practical use.
Wow - really like the washing-my-mouth-out idea!
As an Aspie, I have a talent for sticking my foot in my mouth. Could be a good reminder to think before speaking.
tie them together with dental floss and make a pentacle out of them
Toothbrushes are used by professional vehicle interior cleaners for getting into the small places. They are also excellant for cleaning silver and brass amulets and door knockers with Brasso or Silvo.
I would use the toothbrush as part of a beauty spell or ritual..possibly before a big date. I’d use it to both help with communication amd to make my teeth and breath clean!
Also, it could be used before making a speech to again, help with communication and to make sure that the words that come out of your mouth are cleanly understood!
Cleansing rituals…it also makes a good sound! LOL I’d use it also to mark candles with nice patterns (snake like perhaps?)
The toothfairy idea is just too precious!
You could also combine them with a home-made toothpaste and appropriate edible herbs for spells to help with bad verbal habits (i.e. dirty language), as a cleansing wand, or to anoint/bless (dip bristles in holy water or blessed oils and flick them to mist the person/area/object in question). OH! Now that I think of it, it would be great to clean up dried candle drippings, especially if you whittle one edge of the head to be sharply flat (rather than the rounded way they come molded) for scraping.
make it your friend, give it a little soul all for itself…