CASCARILLA Eggshell Powder

Cascarilla, a ritual substance with its origins in the native traditions of West Africa, continues to be valued for its symbolism, properties, and spirituality in protection and purification practices.

In Santeria, cascarilla is a well-known and respected source of protection. Its practitioners use it to create protective barriers around themselves or their homes, to purify themselves from negative energies, or to honor their respected deities in ceremonies. Cascarilla is made from ground-up eggshells that have been cleaned and sometimes mixed with other ingredients.

The amazing properties of cascarilla have made an impression on some practitioners of other pagan religions as well. Although cascarilla is not typically used in traditional Wiccan practices, some Wiccans who incorporate elements of Santeria, Hoodoo, or other Afro-Caribbean religions into their practice may use cascarilla for its protective and cleansing properties. Many other pagan practitioners also recognize its power and use it in their own rituals and practices, adapting it to their own beliefs and traditions.

The Transformation of Efun to Cascarilla

Cascarilla can be traced back to the native traditions of West Africa, where people brought the concept of sacred white earth called "efun" to the New World. Efun, which is the Yoruba word for kaolin clay, was believed to provide someone with powerful protection against all evil.

As efun was a very important substance within Santeria, it was often used to purify and cleanse people and many other ritual objects. It was also used as an offering to the Orishas. Efun is believed to have spiritual properties that can help connect people with the divine and bring blessings and protection.

When these people were pushed off of their ancestral lands, they looked for a substitution for this "white earth". They started to make a powder from a plant called Croton eluteria, also known as the cascarilla tree or the sweetwood bark tree. This powder was made from the bark of this tropical shrub and was already used by many Caribbean natives as medicine. It could help reduce fevers, loosen phlegm, and even get rid of gas.

Cascarilla also happened to possess a nearly white color, which was important for its symbolism. Over time, Santeria practitioners transitioned from using this herbal powder to using crushed eggshells, which were easier to come by and had the added symbolism of the life-giving egg.

The Symbolism of Crushed Eggshells Within Santeria

In Santeria, crushed eggshells are a common symbol used in various rituals and ceremonies. They are often used to represent new life, rebirth, and regeneration since eggshells are potential containers of new life. When the shells are crushed, they represent the breaking of old patterns and the beginning of a new cycle.

In Santeria practice, crushed eggshells can be used in different ways, depending on the specific ritual or ceremony. They may be sprinkled on the ground to create a boundary or protective circle or placed on an altar as an offering to a particular deity.

Eggshells can also be used in divination, which is a method of gaining insight or information through spiritual means. In this case, the eggshells are often used in a process called "egg divination," where they are cracked and interpreted based on the patterns and shapes that are formed.

Needless to say, crushed eggshells in all forms, including cascarilla, hold deep symbolism in Santeria practice, representing new beginnings, protection, and spiritual insight.

Cascarilla Eggshell Powder to purify, cleanse, and protect. Each blend is handcrafted with organic eggshells and herbs charged under lunar rays with black tourmaline crystals.

USES: Cascarilla Eggshell Powder can be used to cast sacred space, sprinkled around the barrier of your home or a specific room, to dress candles, to make sigils, added to ritual baths and floor washes, sprinkled along windows and door frames, added to mojo and sachet bags, or used in sigil creations. if you have bad dreams create a circle under your bed to remove them from your realm sleep. 

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