Magical Figureheads For Your House
by David Harrington

Ancient mariners knew that the sea was a dangerous, unpredictable
place.
Their vessels were frail, so from early times they bolstered the
physical and magical protection of these ships with sacred symbols
and animals.

Among the earliest protective images painted on the prows of ships,
for instance, were the Eyes of Horus.  These eyes looked out for
danger, and also made the ship one with the divine energy of Horus. 
Other Egyptian vessels sometimes were adorned with the high, graceful
gooseneck prow, a symbol of the great sun god Ra, "The Great
Cackler."  Later ships were decorated with images of beautiful women,
a remnant of ancient Goddess worship.  Ships were all thought to
be "female" in nature--nurturing and protecting, yet also capable of
fierce attack.

Today, while some of us are fortunate enough to have our own boats,
most of us live as "landlubbers"; our homes are our "ships."  In many
cultures even today homes are often christened, as are ships, with
evocative names such as "Windswept," "Heart's Ease," "Willow
Cottage," and so on.  Houses, like pets, in fact will sometimes tell
you their inner names if you take the time to listen.  That is, if
you live in a house that was built some time ago, it will have
acquired its own energy and personality.

"Figureheads" have been incorporated in the homes from many
cultures.  The gargoyles that protect sacred buildings are a form of
figurehead.  Old style Chinese roofs are bristling with dozens of
small ceramic figures, each from folklore, that protect the
inhabitants both by repelling the negative energy and by attracting
the negativity to themselves rather than to the inhabitants of the
house.  In Greece, most domestic roofs sport a terra-cotta image. 
Sometimes these are just symbolic scrolls, but most of them are
stylized images of Aphrodite, with a beautifully modeled head and
torso showing her life-giving breasts.  Often, the edge of the flat-
roofed houses will be lined with akroterions, forming a toothlike row
warding off all negative outside energy.  In Bali, where every child
is encouraged to be an artist, the home decorations are immense and
creative, usually made of brightly painted carved wood showing the
faces of fantastic birds and creatures.

Choosing Your Home's Figurehead

Figureheads for the home can take many forms.  Cast-metal door
knockers in the shape of animals are effective talismans, and the
metal enables them to hold a charge of magical energy.  Mailboxes,
which are a portal between the outside world and your inner living
space, can be painted or decorated as a protective image.  Garden
sculptures present a wonderful array of Pagan gods and goddesses,
Chinese dragons, Germanic gnomes, and Celtic leprechauns--all
symbolic of magical power.  In the end, choose items you feel
omfortable with symbolizing the protection of your home.

Goddess figures and fountains--Any feminine figure can be blessed with
divine energy, and all will be protective if you charge them with that
intent.  In addition to protection, images of Aphrodite will bring a
loving environment or help to maintain one.  Chinese Kuan Yin figures
confer peace.

God figures and door knockers--Foliate masks, or "Green Men,"
encourage growth, fertility, and protection.  Like gargoyles, these
imposing images announce that the area is magically active and ready
to protect the inhabitants.  Animal images can represent both male
and female energies, but some animals are clearly masculine.  Stag,
wolf, and stallion images can sometimes be found as door knockers,
and are just some of the many forms appropriate for magical
protection.

If you know you are not going to be in your home for very long, you
can dedicate the image itself rather than connecting it energetically
to the physical dwelling.  In this case, you bless and enchant the
image with the idea that it will project protection wherever you
are.  If you are in a home permanently, you can connect the energy of
the image to the existing energies of the house.  In this case, the
image that you use should probably stay with the house if you ever do
leave it.  If you expect that it will be unappreciated by the new
owners or residents, bury small images somewhere on the property.  In
this case, the protective figurehead will continue to protect its
other half, the physical house itself, even if the occupants are
unmagical.

Topiary trees can be used as living totems of magical power.  They
can betrained or trimmed into many animal forms.  Let your 
imagination run wild. Many hedges and shrubs can be formed into easy,
rounded, low-lying animal forms, such as turtles (excellent for house
protection as the turtle carries its own house), alligators, and
hedgehogs.  If you are no artist with the plant shears, don't worry. 
Even the impression of an animal form will be magically powerful and
evocative, even if those who see it aren't quite sure what it's meant
to be.  In China, confusing evil spirits help keep them away.

Home Naming Ceremony

For this important ritual, meditate on the idea of your home's name
for several days.  Walk around your home several times, letting it
speak to you. Observe any interesting features.  Find out the names
of the plants or trees growing nearby, and ask your neighbors if they
remember when these things were planted.  Think about the
microclimate surrounding your area.  Listen to the birds, and find
out their names.

When you have discovered your home's name, gather your family and
friends. Walk around the exterior of the home, softly chanting its
new name.  Do the same inside, burning a protective, blessing incense
such as myrrh as you go from room to room.  End the procession by
the "hearth"--either a fireplace or kitchen stove--and hang a piece
of paper nearby with the name of the home on it.  This paper can also
be later inscribed or painted on a piece of wood and hung outside,
nailed to a post, or placed where others can see it.  Mark the day of
your home naming ceremony on your magical calendar, and each year
reenergize and reconfirm the naming.

Home Figurehead Blessing Ceremony

This ceremony is designed for a home you will plan to live in for a
long time.  Start by taking the image which you are using to
symbolize the protection of your home.  If the object is big, such as
a statue or fountain, array it and the area around it with flowers,
decorative objects, and ritual tools.  If you use a particular
magical path or faith, feel free to sanctify the space in whatever
way you wish.  Otherwise, simply take a vessel of water, and add a
few leaves, flowers, or twigs from the area around your home to the
water.  Hold the vessel to your heart and then hold it to the sky,
concentrating on your image of the divine.  Say these or similar
words:

     I call upon the power of my sacred and eternal home,
     the deities of our true spirits
     to bless this place on earth, this life's home.
     Let the power be placed in this divine image,
     (speak of the image itself, for instance, "this powerful Wolf,")
     Ever vigilant, ever powerful,
     potent against any negativity,
     protecting all who reside within this home.

If you have named your dwelling, use the name instead of "this home."
Sprinkle the image with the water.  Place it where you have decided
in your home.  Enjoy its magic!

by David Harrington,
copyright 2000

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