An Easy Spell To Try This Halloween (Because We Could All Use Some Magic)

Not only is it the spooky season, but Halloween falls on a rare blue moon this year, charging this night with a little extra magic. So, what better time to try out a simple spell? (And an ancient one at that.) No caldrons or potions necessary—witchcraft doesn't have to be complicated. Here, author of Revolutionary Witchcraft Sarah Lyons shares one of the oldest known spells for protection: the Sator Square.

According to Lyons, this spell dates back to the Roman Empire, and was found in "the ruins of Pompeii, to the spell books of Scandinavia." The words Sator, Arepo, Tenet, Opera, and Rotas are written out as a square (Arepo under Sator, Tenet under Arepo, and so on), so it can be read left to right, but also up and down. And not only that, but it's a palindrome, meaning the phrase is the same backward.

The exact translation is up for debate, but one common translation is "The farmer Arepo uses a plow as a form of work." The story goes palindromes are confusing for the devil and thus offer protection. The Sator Square is a four-way palindrome.

"The Sator Square can be used for protection or to diminish the power of an evil force over you, such as disease or the evil eye," Lyons explains. Here's how to use it.

"Write out the square on a piece of paper," Lyons explains, "while envisioning yourself surrounded by a circle of protection. When you are done, chant the words 'Sator, Arepo, Tenet, Opera, Rotas' to charge the amulet."

You can then carry the paper with you for protection from harm and can repeat the chant as necessary. It should look something like this:

SATOR

AREPO

TENET

OPERA

ROTAS

This powerful spell is perfect for seasoned witches and novel spell-casters alike. And if you're curious to learn more about the Sator Square (and have some time to kill) a quick search will bring you down a rabbit hole of different meanings, translations, uses, origin stories, and mysteries surrounding this spell. It's a cool one—and it's been around for ages.

So, give it a try this Halloween. It's not very often we have a blue moon on the spookiest night of the year, and a protective spell just makes sense.