Besoms & Brooms

The old picture of the witch riding around on the broom's stick casting magic spells is believed to have come from a agricultural fertility rite, where the women rode around the fields (like on a hobby horse), with the broom between their legs,  hoping to bring the farmers  a good harvest. Many pagan traditions have the bridal couple, jump across the broom, a symbol of  fertility (old bit of agricultural fertility magic), to signify the establishment of their new household. The brooms are usually decorated for the occasion and then kept in a place of honor in the home. In many Wicca handfasting (marriage) rituals, couples often jump over the broom if they want children. Historically, brooms made great gifts for weddings or handfastings. Just add a little ribbon, some flowers, and your are good to go. No wrapping needed. Every new home needs a new broom! Witches use brooms in magick and ritual. The pagan broom or "besom" is used in ritual for cleansing the general circle or ritual area.  The besom is sweeping away the psychic dirt, getting the area purified for the ritual at hand. A Witch may begin a ritual by sweeping the area with the magick broom, visualizing the psychic dirt being swept out of the ritual area. The sweeping also helps to get the mind ready for the ritual, quieting the mind and narrowing the focus for the witch.  The besom is a purifier and is related to the element of Water. Besoms have been used by Witches to indicate to other occultists that they were resident, or at work, by placing a besom (broom) outside the door. This is NOT to say that anyone who has a kitchen broom sitting outside their door is a witch. Many Witches keep a besom by their door, or hanging from their door to protect the home from unwanted outside energies.