Hag Stones: Meaning, Magic & Where To Find Them

If you’re someone who loves collecting magical, sacred items for your altar, a hag stone will make a perfect addition. But what exactly is a Hag Stone, does it have a spiritual meaning, and where can you find these rare, lucky stones?

What are Hag Stones?

Hag Stones are rare and extremely magical stones tumbled by tides and winds through time with a natural hole right through it, made by the movement of water continually over hundreds of years.

Hag Stones can be any type of stone as long as they possess a natural hole through it and if in your possession, should be considered a sacred object. They have been called by many names over the centuries including:

• Witch Stones
• Adder Stones
• Snake Eggs
• Hex Stones
• Fairy Stones
• Holy Stones
• Holey Stones
• Eye Stones

Most are found in dry riverbeds or along the seashore, as the action of running or moving water causes erosion that results in the unique appearance of the stone. 

Hag Stones Meaning and Symbolism

Hag stones are considered to be a stone of good luck. They symbolize protection, good health, abundance, and strength. In addition to being lucky, many believe that finding a hag stone is symbolic of wisdom.

If you find a hag stone, it means you are wise and powerful enough to have possession of it. Moreover, manifesting a hag stone is a spiritual sign of your maturity.

No doubt, hag stones are a rare find. In fact, they say a hag stone finds you, and not the other way around. If you find a hag stone during Samhain, (October 31st) then even better luck is with you. (And indeed it is best to find, rather than to purchase, a hag stone.)

Hag Stones History and Folklore

The name “Hag Stone” originates from the ancient belief that many illnesses were caused by hags, meaning witches. Hag stones were believed to ward off these witches and were used traditionally for protection from them.

Hag stones were thought to cure or prevent any illness conjured by a witch since dark spells cannot be cast in moving water. And the stones contain powerful water flow energy.

It’s all in the hole, you see. The theory goes that only good things can pass through a hole, so while good fortune and good wishes will find you through a hag stone, bad luck, and evil thoughts are too big to be able to pass through the hole and become stuck in the middle. This belief may be bolstered by the centuries-old belief that magic cannot work on moving water. So, since the hole in a hag stone was created by moving water, it works as a sort of ‘shield’ against spells and the like.

The reason they are so sought after and valuable is that it’s a common belief that magick cannot work on moving water, and since the holes in hag stones are made by the force of this element (water,) the stones retain water’s beneficial influence.  In effect, a hag stone is an amazing protection amulet, and so much more. They have been used through the ages to promote healing, and protection, and inspire good luck.

It is said that by looking through a hag stone, you can spot a witch in disguise. You can “uncloak” her, so to speak, and cripple her powers in doing so. Additionally, it’s been said that looking through a hag stone allows you to glimpse faerie worlds, or peer into the future.

Uses for Hag Stones

If you’re a modern practicing witch, you can use hag stones to:

• Heal emotional wounds
• During meditation for greater insight and wisdom.
• Incorporate them into any spell or ritual: protection spells, love spells, good luck spells
• Place them on your altar
• Hang a hag stone above your doorway to ward off dark energy, witches, and spirits entering your home
• Place it above your bed to prevent nightmares
• Put one in a spell jar
• Place it under your pillow to promote fertility or to protect you from bad dreams
• Close one eye and look through the hole to see into other realms, including the fairy world, and work with the fae
• Place them next to a candle during a candle magic ritual
• Use them for astral travel
• Wear it around your neck on a string to ensure good health and to heal any minor ills.
• Use them in cleansing rituals
• Tie one to your keys so they will never be lost again
• As a divination tool
• Incorporate into a Dreamcatcher

Where to Find Hag Stones

You’re most likely to find these precious stones washed up on beaches or in rivers, and occasionally in forests. Some specialist stores collect and sell these stones, like a crystal or gems. But beware of fakes—an authentic hag stone will have a natural-made hole, not one created by human hands.