Come sit a spell...

Hi there, friend —

Have you heard this sweet little phrase? If you’re anywhere near the South, I’ll bet your parents or grandparents used it to offer a warm welcome.

“Come sit a spell” is an invitation to sit, relax, and have a friendly chat. Often accompanied by sweet tea and cookies.

We can trace the most recent use of the term back to early settlement days when porches were necessary to get out of the sweltering heat and humidity during hot spells.

But, there’s actually a more long-ago origin of the term — and you BET I found it for you.

It comes from one of my all-time favorite books, Sister Karol’s Book of Spells, Blessings & Folk Magic, written by a Catholic nun named Karol Jackowski.

Sister Karol explains how — long before religion became organized into churches — it was practiced in homes, and most often led by women.

She writes, “Every household had its deities, its altars, its daily rituals, with meals most sacred, sources of Holy Communion. All of life became part of ritual prayer. All of life was holy, charged with the presence of God… Connecting daily to what is holy in heaven, on earth, and in one another is an ancient soul-saving grace.”

Spells, blessings, and folk magic were “homemade prayers and rituals.” And they were how our ancestors honored the sacredness of everyday life.

Thus, the term, “come sit a spell” was an invitation to God, the angels, saints, and other deities and holy spirits to come into a home and bring with them divine intervention.

In other words — a spell.

But let’s get back to southern porches — specifically, the ceilings of those porches.

In the south (and increasingly throughout other areas of the country, too), porch ceilings were painted “haint blue” (light blue with a hint of green) to ward off evil spirits, ghosts, or haunts (known as haints).  

Some believe the blue symbolizes water, which spirits cannot pass over, while others say the color helps keep restless souls away from the home.

So, is painting your porch ceiling blue actually a way of casting a spell?

I think so.  

I also think it’s a wonderful way to create an intention (cast a spell) that helps someone relax and find a welcoming, safe space.

And maybe even chase away the haints.

xo

P.S. Want to peep a look at more of my recommended books? Click HERE to download the list.

xo