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| Padlock image , scaned from Book covers( see credits ) and edited, depicting confornted foce s fighting as they emanate from padlock |
Padlocks are lock devices invented in ancient Rome in third
century, but some consider they’ve
existed in simpler forms in ancient
Egypt as well. However The padlock, as
we know it today , with the lock body,
shackle and key had been, as said
above, made ( created , composed ) in
third century, and quickly gained
popularity and spread beyond the great Roman empire. It was due to it
being useful, practical and portable, more so in times when personal property
was not as protected ( by law ) as today is. The origin of the word “padlock”
may be traced into old English : “padlock” , even though the meaning of the
prefix “pad” remains unclear. In Germanic and Scandinavian country, the
words used to described padlock,
literarily translate to “hanging lock” or “hang lock”. Possibly their simple use and effectiveness
were not the only things that made people like them. It is considered that in China they were
initially used by emperor and wealthy
people, as a sort of power/status symbol. Wooden beams were used before padlocks to protect property in china
and were doing a good job. Padlocks were ( and are still ) mostly made of
metal, so it could have been that this had added , at least spiritually, to
their “protective” power.
In psychology, lock , and consequently padlocks, bare many symbolic meanings, as
they do in folklore and myths as well. Well I’d say what Freud though keyhole or
padlock and key represent, but I try to keep this blog pg rated lol. It’s worth
mentioning ( for those unfamiliar with the fact ) that Freud’s analogies and
symbolism were almost always sexually related.
Besides , symbols are not defined with how some humans perceive them, but with what they represent. Therofore, locks and padlocks are usually
indicative of something that is suppressed, locked, repressed or dissociated in the unconscious or elsewhere,
while keys are symbols or solution to the riddle, resolving of the problem and
alike. Same applies to padlock and keys in dream analysis, and here is an
example on how the locks dreams are interpreted by one online dream
interpretation source:
“Dreaming of a lock represents that you cannot get what you
desire. If you are locked out of something, first relate what you are looked
out of to your life. Maybe you are concealing parts of yourself. You feel
confused and locked out of society.
If the lock is shut around your wrist, even though it is by accident, in reality it denotes feelings of uncertainty about expressing your feelings. You probably feel like you cannot trust people with them, you may be right. However, it is a risk you should take if you want to be understood and accepted.”[1]
If the lock is shut around your wrist, even though it is by accident, in reality it denotes feelings of uncertainty about expressing your feelings. You probably feel like you cannot trust people with them, you may be right. However, it is a risk you should take if you want to be understood and accepted.”[1]
We should note, here, that the concept of lock and padlock
is hardly ever separated in mundane speech or discussion, which is fine,
because symbolically and in terms of esotery and occult, the two might be seen
as almost the same. That simply means ,
that You’ll have to try harder to find
an entry: “padlock” in dream dicitionries , but even when You do it will say
pretty much the same as under “lock” or will simply say “look under lock” lol
Unfortunately, in occultism , padlocks are rarely ( if at
all, in a proper manner ) dealt with at
all, more entries on them we find in folk magick and folklore. Seems like
indeed , over the years some magick related information and secrets get
lost. Where I live ( Eastern Europe
), is however common to find some of the “oldest” magickal secrets preserved intact, in their
raw and “undistilled” form, which is so
simply due to lack of urbanization in remote ( usually mountain ) areas,
where people still have much closer bond to nature and heritage of
their ancestors, than most of us ( city people lol ) do. Interesting, in Taiwan they are considered to
be sort of luck generators, when affixed to the train station overpass. It is
believed that the trains magnetic force shall empower them and make wishes come
true[2]. Make sense, if we look at occult belief that magnetic field ( such as
TV’s electromagnetic field )
help wishes come true. Hence, the same is with padlocks. Researching
European, and American folklore, as well as drawing from ( little ) written and ( rich ) oral
tradition of Balkan peninsula cunning
folk, has given me some, good
information of properties and uses of padlocks in occult and magick, and here
is what I’ve encountered:
·
Padlocks represent oppressive, constricting and
protective force and impediment
·
Padlocks can be seen as “double headed” , as
they can cross, or bind, and uncross or unbind, see examples latter in text.
This is particularly true in Balkan
peninsula folk magick
·
Padlocks can be used in love magick , which gains popularity in certain urban areas
of the world. This may be so because
padlock can be symbolic of an unbroken , firm, steady bond.
·
Padlock s like locks can be opened magickally
using various plants, seals and or other techniques
Padlocks can be used to cross indeed. The very simple symbolism obviously played an important role
here. Padlocks restrict, bind, lock, they can do same when cunningly employed
to someone’s energy, will power, joje de vivere , allegedly even spirit.
Certain sprit traps contained a padlock, as part of them. I witnessed a folk
ritual that used a poppet over which (
or around which ) a padlock was closed and then they were thrown together in a
river, and so symbolically sacrificed,
or given, tied and helpless to watery spirit called Tartor, a nasty chthonic
entity, invoked in Balkan peninsula folk magick. Somewhat less sever example ,
is what they call here “erotic black magick” where the personal concern of
desired person is collected and “locked
in padlock” along with casters. This when properly done, violently binds two
persons together, sometimes literarily
unless one of the parties in question dies. Similarly, a men’s personal
concerns ( mostly seminal fluid ) can be collected on with a piece of cotton or old cloth , which is then
ritually ( while speaking and incantation ) “locked” with padlock to make men
infertile or dysfunctional in a specific sense, ehm…lol
Love locking with padlocks
As I have mentioned before, padlocks can be used for love
magick, and even what is considered love manipulation and binding, taking away
sexual virility and so on. As of
more-less recently , people from all
around Europe have been practicing a strange ritual with padlocks. It seems to
be a part of urban culure now, for a couple to write their names together, on a
padlock and hung it on a bridge’s fence or even a tree in some cases. This
was allegedly supposed to ensure the stability and endurance of the
relationship, and was even more powerful if done of ( let’s call them such ) cultic or legendary places, such as certain
Bridges. In Paris for example, there is
“Ponte des arts” , or “Ponte Vecchio” in Florence ( Italy, it
had 5500 padlocks attached to it , now removed
:O ) or “Most ljubavi” ( in
town Vrnjacka Banja ) in Serbia , Ponte
Milvio in Rome ( Italy again, this one inspired by romantic novel ) etc .
Usually these places have some sort of legend, or myth about the fierce
love between two Young people,
associated with them.
Whether such practice
is effective or not, You tell me, You’ve probably encountered it somewhere near
You. It can be illegal and damaging to the architecture, therefore people might
consider that as well.
Now the following is an example of a ritual used to remove
an evil spell, as used in Eastern Europe. It is however very possible that the
such use of padlock and key is ( or was, or had been ) more cosmopolite, however in such form, it has survived where I live, and in some
neighboring mainland and Mediterranean European countries [3]
It requires 6 black candles, and incense ( here was often
either or a mixture of: Frankincense, Sage, Nettle, Blackberry leafs,
Basil and other ), a sponge or old cloth,
( or piece of fabric ), needles or pins,
and a padlock with a key. In older days,
they used candles covered with tar and or chimney sooth, which made the candles
smell really nasty when burnt, and the odor created was considered to be a
demonifuge of a kind. Padlock has
sympathetic role in the ritual in the way. For closed padlock may represent (
or even be used to ) restrained will power, luck, binding, captivity etc.
Ritually unlocking a padlock was
symbolic of breaking bonds , much like piece of broken chain in Your
Uncrossing Condition oil. It was also symbolic of “taking control” over the messes and fusses in Your life, and bringing it to desired
state once again, for which key of the
padlock is used. The sponge or clothe is a form of image magick and it
represents the very evil that oppresses one, bad luck , enemies, evil magick,
evil spirits sent, evil energy, You name it. Warmed needles are stick into it during one phase of the ritual , thus
symbolically overpowering, defeating and destroying evil. Let’s take a look at ritual broken down to
steps :
·
Light six black candles and as You do meditate
on Your strength to overpower evil and injustice
·
Light the incense
·
Inhale the incense smoke few times, than open/
unlock the ( locked ) padlock above the candles saying
something along the lines: “This padlock I open, over my condition/situation /
destiny power to gain” . This can be done few times. Then leave the unlocked
padlock on the left , and the
key on the right side of the candles.
·
Heat the
needles or pins on candle flame and while
hot, stick them in the sponge saying something along the lines: “Sponge
I puncture, evil to rupture” Some people
would repeat the procedure with a single needle , some would use more than one,
others may use more than one and repeat the pining with each. This seems to
have been left for intuitive insight of the practitioner to determine
·
When finished, take sponge and one of the two
candles placed in the middle ( candles were usually place d in a row, one next
to another, forming a line of a sort ) , and go
where there is some river or
stream ( moving, flowing body of water )
light the sponge on a candles flame and throw it as swiftly as You can into a
body of the water saying something along the lines: “Evil I have pinned, into
neverland* I’ve sent, Evil I have
burned, forever destroyed, evil
I’ve send down the water, forever of
it I’m released!”** Take the candle with You, and come back home
·
Return the candle to it’s proprietary place
among other candles, and then extinguish them candles by blowing them out, one
by one, realizing that as You do so, You are destroying the power that
the evil spell has over Your life.
·
Collect the extinguished candle and any remaining
wax, or material , pack them in a paper bag and carry and toss down the body of moving
water.***
Now the local etnographist **** that recorder the ritual adds what seems to be
a modern addition to the ritual, more so If we take in consideration that in many remote parts of
Balkan peninsula, colored candles where
pretty much unattainable, all up to very recently. Furthermore, as younger I
was taught the variation of the ritual, and it
did not include the following:
·
Light one green, one purple and one red candle
·
Take the padlock in Your left hand, and the key
in Your right then lock and unlock the padlock 9 times as You speak something
along the lines: “Padlock I hold,
future/destiny to control, this Key I hold , eternal luck to
gain an’ withhold !”
·
Place the Key and padlock a in a box separated
on two compartments, ideally equal ones. The box was best to be wooden, or
metal. It is hidden from plain sight, and can be opened should the need for extra power and luck
arise , regarding some serious issue or condition
Many Blessings , Shadow !
NOTES: This article was written and composed by myself, so If You wish to use it elswhere online, give credit , Shadow of Shadows magick place, Shadow-333@hotmail.com or simply a direct link to this post
CREDITS AND REFERENCES :
[2] source of the information regarding belief about padlocks in Taiwan , can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_padlocks
[3] Look under : Explanations and
clarifications, under ****
Explanations and clarifications:
*Neverland is the most similar concept , and most practical
translation to/for the “Land with no
echo” mentioned often in banishing incantations of Balkan peninsula traditional
witchcraft. It’s a nasty place where all
sort of evil became trapped to fight among themselves and eventually fade away.
It is described as a place “with no echo, where rosters never sound themselves,
dogs never bark, birds never sing etc…”
**While for this very ritual there
is no specific incantation, instead generic banishment incantations are used,
they take form as they usually do in Balkan peninsula folk magick,
they use simple, often corrupted
language, and are formed so to rhyme in a very simple manner, much like modern rapping, in a way. I have done my best
to translate them to English here so that they still retain their natural
syllable melodies and rhythm , and to be analogous to the original version
***Note how method of disposal are
similar to those of traditional Hoodoo
and Conjure, it’s just unclear to me ( and always had been ) why is sponge
tossed separately from the rest, and
prior to the candles. When I asked cunning folk lady that taught me the ritual
she simply replied :” like everything in nature there is an order in which
things are done “
**** and [3] Ethnograpist ,
anthropologist and journalist Jasna Jojic Pavlovski, had recorded this ritual,
and has posted it in her magazine “Lek I amajlija, za srecu I ljubav” (
literarily Cure and amulet, for luck and love” ) and has added the part with
three colored candles, that I was not aware of. The version given in above
text is translated from Serbian by
myself, edited, and commented by myself, for Your convenience. The author has
her website, for those interested here: http://www.vlaskamagija.com/o-jasni-jojic/ Padlock Image with Demon and Angel, is from
the cover of an older edition of the author’s book, slightly edited by myself,
and used here for illustrative purposes only with no ill will J
IMAGE CREDITS: The padlock image is an edition of scan of the cover of the book "Cuda Vlaske magije" by above mentioned author, local ethnologist ( see under ****, [3] ) and is used here without any ill will for illustrative and explanatior y purposes only
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