Hag Stone Meaning and magickal uses
Also called Holey Stone, Adder Stone, Witch Stone, Serpent's Egg
A stone with a natural hole, kept in folklore for protection and second sight.
- Intentions
- Protection, Divination, Sleep and Dreams
- Element
- Water
- Planet
- The Moon
- Day
- Monday
- Moon phase
- Full Moon
- Color
- Varies; often gray, white or brown flint, chalk or beach pebble
- Hardness
- Varies with the stone
- Found in
- Beaches and riverbeds worldwide
How to use it
- Hang it by the door
Thread a hag stone on red cord or string and hang it near your front door or on your keys. In folklore it keeps harmful spirits and ill wishes from crossing the threshold.
- Guard your sleep
Tie a hag stone to your bedpost or hang it above your bed. Traditionally this keeps nightmares away, so hold it before sleep and ask for safe, restful dreams.
- Look through it
On a full moon, hold the stone up and look through the hole at the moonlit sky or a quiet landscape. Notice any images or feelings that come, and write them down.
Works well with
Substitutes
History and folklore
A hag stone is not a mineral species but any natural stone with a hole worn clean through it, usually by running water or the sea. In British and European folklore these stones were hung over doors, in stables and on bedposts to keep away witches, fairies and the night hag who caused bad dreams. Looking through the hole was said to reveal the fair folk or other hidden things. Finding one is often taken as a small gift from the water itself.
A stone with a natural hole, kept in folklore for protection and second sight.
- Intentions: Protection, Divination, Sleep and Dreams
- Element: Water
- Planet: The Moon
- Day: Monday
- Moon phase: Full Moon
- Color: Varies; often gray, white or brown flint, chalk or beach pebble
- Hardness: Varies with the stone
- Found in: Beaches and riverbeds worldwide
Safety: If you collect your own, check local rules first, since many beaches and parks do not allow stones to be removed. Never drill a hole yourself; the folklore is about holes worn naturally by water.
How to use it
- Hang it by the door. Thread a hag stone on red cord or string and hang it near your front door or on your keys. In folklore it keeps harmful spirits and ill wishes from crossing the threshold.
- Guard your sleep. Tie a hag stone to your bedpost or hang it above your bed. Traditionally this keeps nightmares away, so hold it before sleep and ask for safe, restful dreams.
- Look through it. On a full moon, hold the stone up and look through the hole at the moonlit sky or a quiet landscape. Notice any images or feelings that come, and write them down.
Works well with: Red Candle, Silver Candle, Full Moon, The Moon, Rowan, Algiz
Folklore
A hag stone is not a mineral species but any natural stone with a hole worn clean through it, usually by running water or the sea. In British and European folklore these stones were hung over doors, in stables and on bedposts to keep away witches, fairies and the night hag who caused bad dreams. Looking through the hole was said to reveal the fair folk or other hidden things. Finding one is often taken as a small gift from the water itself.
The Witch's Cabinet is a free reference for your practice. Correspondences are traditional associations, not medical advice. Always follow the safety notes, especially with herbs and essential oils around children, pets and during pregnancy.