The Curators
Creature Location: The Himalayan Mountain Range
Basic Description: A white-haired hominid, massive in stature.
Likes: Cold and inhospitable environments, eating yaks and hikers, proper seasoning
Dislikes: Sunny days, caftans, excessive bbq sauce, yellow snow
Resource of Interest: Salt soaked with Yeti Saliva
The Cryptid Resource
Among the more famous creatures labeled a “cryptid” exists the Yeti. Referenced often within Buddhist history, the Yeti is often described as a reclusive hunter of the mountain peaks. It generally feeds on Yaks and on the occasional mountaineer who stumbles upon their domain. The Yeti is an ambush predator which, upon identifying its prey, will slowly stalk it or lie in wait until it has the opportunity to use its tremendous strength, large hands, and sharp teeth which deliver a numbing and paralyzing toxin to quickly overpower its victim. The Yeti will then drag its next meal into its den. The Yeti den is very unique as the creatures prefer to set up its home within caves lined with salt rock. As the Yeti consumes, the blood from its food will mix with the Yeti’s saliva and drip onto the salt rock. This chemical interaction will stain the salt a unique, fiery red color. This salt is the resource that one will be looking to acquire when dealing with a Yeti.
This salt is powerful because, just as the cold and icy maw of the Himalayas chills the bone and spirit, the Himalayan Red Salt can chill the heightened or extreme emotions of those witches who tap into its energy. While Salt Lamps themselves have commonly been used to remove negative ions and reduce anxiety, a salt lamp infused with the red salt of the Yeti’s saliva will have greatly heightened power and a wider range of effects than any bargain basement pink sea salt ever would.
THe Quest
We at Surly Witches have a first hand experience as proof of the lamp’s power. In our travels to find peace from suffering and the secret Land of Shangri-La, we found many useful solutions for the DIY witch at home.
... Excerpt from the Journal of Barabarella Jones Vol. III (1942)
We spent our first night in an unnamed village in the northeast of Pakistan. looking for guides before we make our ascent through the mountains. We found help from a village elder, our sherpa, an elderly woman named Bōksī. She claimed to know the secret paths of the mountains and could lead us to the hidden land of Shangri-La.
We left the village at dawn. At first, we were confused as to why she carried a salt brick from the lower steppe to the peak, but we were so thankful that she did. As we scaled the crags of the Batura Sar, the winds and snow picked up and whipped us harshly. We were near panicking when we heard a feral scream from the rocks above and the crunching of what must have been bones. We scrambled to sequester ourselves in a quaint little cave to hide for the night.
The cave was dark and grimy. The blood of some creature pooled from above us onto the snow, and Bōksī soaked her salt brick in the blood while the storm raged around us. Though we had escaped the winds we were unsure how much further we could go as our pack animals had frozen to the bone.
While we scrambled to assess our potions and our options, Bōksī calmly sang a tune and carved a salt lamp to give light to our camp that night. Fueled by the oil from our last yak, that lamp glowed through the night while she told us the story of the Yeti and its frightening power. Thanks to the magical, warm glow of the lamp our fears subsided and our breath and warmth returned, despite our situation.
By the light of the morning, we were calm and rested and found that the cave itself had expanded to include a cavernous spelunking tube. We followed the passage for days into the hidden valley of Kunlun where we found the lost Monastery of Shangri-La. It was truly a special moment, and it all happened thanks to the Yeti’s blood salt lamp.
The Craft
The greatest challenge facing the witch who searches for Himalayan Red Salt lies in finding a Yeti’s cave. Luckily for you, the lifespan of the Yeti is incredibly long, and they are known to relocate dens once the salt becomes overly red. This leaves a relatively large amount of possible harvesting locations. That said, we at Surly Witches do recommend significant climbing and trekking experience, proper mountain gear, and plenty of food and water before beginning the search. Though optional, bringing along a trusted friend, relative, hypnotized servant or well paid guide may be of great help.
One must be prepared to explore many uncharted Himalayan caves in order to find the red salt rocks. Ideally the cave will not contain a Yeti. Once a cave is discovered containing the deep red crystal, use a pickaxe and shovel to harvest a large chunk of salt rock. The deeper the saliva has permeated, the higher the potency. Now, take the rock back home and begin the next step, which will be crafting the Red Salt Lamp!
Himalayan Pink Salt Lamp
Equipment
- Hammer and awl
- Electric Drill
- 1/4" + 3/4" drill bits
Materials
- 5-10 lb Authentic Himalayan Pink Salt Pink with flecks of red
- 1 Large Vessel wire or brass or otherwise open to air
- 1 Low wattage bulb >30 watts
- 6 ft socket and cord available at colorcord.com
Instructions
- Salt lamps can be made simply and in many fashions but require a few standard components. First, of course, is the large block of Himalayan Red Salt 5-10 lbs whose steps to obtaining we have previously laid out. Make sure the rock is handled with care and not damaged on the return journey home. Smaller bits of salt that would be classified as chunks, flakes, or grains will lose their unique properties. If the worst does occur and your blood salt is significantly damaged in transit, we at Surly Witches recommend transferring it to a course grinder and using it to top any fancy dishes for an added flair while plating.
- The next requirement will be a proper heat and light source. Traditionally, the sherpas use candles crafted from Yak fat but we have found that modern heat sources are acceptable in the form of low wattage filament bulbs. The low heat properties of LEDs fail to heat and activate the lamp and fluorescents are just unacceptable on principle. The closer to an antique style bulb in the style of Nikola Tesla, the better. Though more of a fire hazard, the more exposed and brighter burning the filament, the more powerful the lamp will be. Just remember our Surly Witches motto: “Ultimate power first, safety second!” You can find proper electrical sockets, plugs, cables and fittings by exploring abandoned lightbulb factories or by visiting your local hardware store or appropriate website.
- Thirdly, you need a Vessel for the lamp to inhabit. This can be a glass vase or a wire basket. The important thing is that it is hand crafted by the witch who is going to be casting spells through it, there are many creative possibilities for your personal witchy aesthetic. Enrolling in basket weaving or glass blowing courses at your local community college can assist greatly in this step.The only requirement is that it is heat resistant, so think of things you would use to contain or hold a candle. As examples, Gemini’s vessel is a shimmering collage of used tins from store-bought candle holders. It was broken apart, hammered into a basic shape, and glued together into its final form. Misty’s is a repurposed leather boot.
- Finally, you will need a high quality power drill with a full set of bits. We will note here that the sherpa who showed us how to make the lamp used a bone awl to grind, as is traditional. However, this method is deemed by us at Surly Witches to be much too tedious. From our experience, the use of modern tools did not affect the results.To Assemble: Feel the Red Salt Rock in your palms, visualizing where the bulb will fit inside. Imagine the salt in its final form. Utilize a ruler and make some markings with a drafting pencil if you do not feel confident free-handing it. Once you are ready, use a ¾” drill bit to carefully core out the cavity for your socket and bulb. The hole should come up from what will be the bottom of the rock and be deep enough to fit the entire bulb comfortably. Make sure to leave a ¼” hole for the power cord and air flow.
- Before final assembly, rinse the salt with a damp cloth using decanted sun-infused water. This will clean the surface as well as help bind the lamp in its finished state.
- Once all the parts are prepared connect the bulb and cord in the vessel and cover with your Bloody Yeti spit covered salt crystals. If it fails to hold its shape just use some clear silicone adhesive to slap that thing into shape.
- Alakazam! Your brand new Himalayan Salt Lamp is ready to begin healing your ails. Be sure to leave it on in a room you spend time in!
Notes
Using the Product: Keep the lamp lit at all times in a comfortable place where it can clean and deodorize air. Drip some essential oils on top to magnify the cleansing power. With its pale warmth, and spirit of the mountains it will refresh your air, boost your blood flow, and reduce symptoms of asthma.Hey witches,
Thanks so much for checking out our little blog. If you like it please comment and share!
-🧙🏻♀️+🧝♀️
