Talk:Salt

Ah, a bit extraneous to the page, but thought it might be interesting: In most pagan or neopagan religions, salt is almost universally regarded as powerful psychic purifier and cleanser, but in relation to spirits, it's a little more unclear. E.g. In Yoruba, salt is used as a cleanser, but is not used in any food that will be offered to ancestors, or in any ritual around them, as salt repels spirits (reference - Jambalaya by Luisah Teish). In contrast, old-school (Gardnerian) Wiccans often cast circles using salt (Winchester style), and many Wiccans use it to purify circle space, or have salt on their altars - usually as a symbol of earth. Even during rituals to honour ancestors... However, it does not appear to be a practice of any great antiquity (we're talking 1940s), and is probably a misunderstanding of common folk usages for purification.

P

However, it does not appear to be a practice of any great antiquity (we're talking 1940s), and is probably a misunderstanding of common folk usages for purification. Are you referring here to Wiccan practices specifically or the use of salt as purifying in general as not being a practice prior to the 40's? ~Maygra 8/19/2006 11:24am EST

Interesting info, definitely worth adding to the page - but I think that when it comes to historical accuracy and timeframes, the diegesis of Supernatural generally renders that irrelevant - it seems to work on an assumption that things you might have assumed were unreal/fake/merely urban legend do in fact exist... So whether it was a 'misunderstanding' of common folk or not is irrelevant, in this case. At least, that's my understanding of how reality is constructed in SPN. --Angstslashhope 23:14, 19 August 2006 (PDT)

I changed a fair bit here, trying to streamline things and clear up any inaccuracies (it's nigh impossible to separate "Christian" and "secular" use from pagan traditions, assuming there even is such a thing as secular magic use.) Also added the salt=semen reference, as it seems an interesting point that fits very well with some interpretations of the series (as if shotguns weren't phallic enough....) IsaacSapphire 23:47, 16 April 2009 (UTC)