The Witch's Ladder ↔ Knotted Cord Magic

January 9, 2026

BY NICOLE LAU

Knots Are Not Just Ties—They Are Energy Locks

A simple piece of rope. Tie a knot while focusing your intention. The knot holds that intention—physically locks it into form. Untie the knot, and the intention releases—deploys into reality.

This is knot magic, one of humanity's oldest and most elegant magical techniques. European witchcraft calls it the Witch's Ladder. Chinese tradition calls it Jie Sheng (結繩, knotted cord). Both discovered the same truth: Knots can bind and release energy.

This is not metaphor. This is topological magic—using physical structure to manipulate energetic structure.

The Witch's Ladder: Binding Intention in Knots

In European witchcraft, a Witch's Ladder is a cord with knots (traditionally 9) tied while chanting, each knot holding a specific intention or power.

Traditional Witch's Ladder Construction:

Materials:

Cord: Natural fiber (cotton, hemp, wool), color corresponding to intention
Feathers: Often woven in (traditionally from familiar or power animal)
Beads/charms: Optional additions for extra power
Length: Long enough for 9 knots with space between

The Nine-Knot Chant:

Traditional rhyme spoken while tying each knot:

By knot of one, the spell's begun
By knot of two, it cometh true
By knot of three, so mote it be
By knot of four, this power I store
By knot of five, the spell's alive
By knot of six, this spell I fix
By knot of seven, events I'll leaven
By knot of eight, it will be fate
By knot of nine, what's done is mine

How to Use:

For Binding/Storing:

Tie knots to lock in intention (protection, love, prosperity)
Hang the ladder in your space
Each knot holds power, releasing slowly over time
Or keep tied until you need to activate

For Releasing:

Untie knots one by one to release the stored intention
Can untie all at once for immediate effect
Or untie one per day for gradual manifestation

For Banishing:

Tie knots to bind unwanted energy (bad habits, illness, negativity)
Then burn or bury the entire ladder to destroy what's bound

Why 9 Knots?

9 = 3² (triple power of sacred 3)
9 = Fibonacci-adjacent (8 + 1, close to Fibonacci sequence)
9 = completion (highest single digit, fullness)
9 lunar months (gestation, bringing intention to birth)

Variations:

3 knots: Simple spell (past, present, future)
7 knots: Planetary magic (7 classical planets)
13 knots: Lunar magic (13 moons per year)

Chinese Knotted Cord Magic: Jie Sheng Ji Shi

In ancient China, Jie Sheng Ji Shi (結繩記事, "knotted cord record-keeping") was used before writing to record information. But it was also magical practice—knots could bind spirits, seal contracts, and store power.

Magical Uses of Knotted Cords:

1. Protection Knots

Red cord with knots: Worn on wrist or ankle to ward off evil
Chinese knots (中國結): Decorative knots with protective power
Endless knot (盤長結): Buddhist symbol, no beginning/end, binds good fortune

2. Binding Spells

Tie knots to bind spirits: Shamans tie knots while chanting to trap malevolent entities
Seal contracts: Knots on documents make agreements binding
Lock doors/gates: Knotted cords hung to prevent entry of negative forces

3. Wish Knots

Tie knot while making wish: Keep tied until wish manifests
Untie to release: When ready for wish to come true
Burn to send to heaven: Smoke carries wish to deities

4. Healing Knots

Tie knots to bind illness: Shaman ties knots representing disease
Untie to release: As knots open, illness leaves body
Burn knotted cord: Destroys the bound sickness

5. Love Knots

Lovers tie knots together: Binds their fates
Red thread of fate (紅線): Invisible red cord connecting destined partners
Knot as promise: Physical symbol of commitment

Traditional Knot Numbers:

3 knots: Heaven-Earth-Humanity
5 knots: Five Elements
8 knots: Eight Trigrams (Bagua)
9 knots: Imperial number, maximum Yang

The Isomorphism: Identical Knot Mechanics

Compare the practices:

Aspect	Witch's Ladder	Chinese Knot Magic	Core Principle
Basic Technique	Tie knots while chanting intention	Tie knots while focusing will	Knot = physical lock for energy
Binding	Tie to store/hold power	Tie to trap spirits/seal contracts	Knot binds and contains
Releasing	Untie to deploy intention	Untie to release wish/healing	Opening knot releases energy
Destroying	Burn ladder to banish	Burn cord to destroy bound illness	Fire transforms bound energy
Sacred Numbers	9 knots (traditional)	3, 5, 8, 9 knots	Fibonacci/sacred number patterns
Color Magic	Cord color = intention (red/love, green/money)	Red cord = protection, other colors for purposes	Color carries energetic signature
Wearing	Hang in space or wear on body	Wear on wrist/ankle for protection	Proximity maintains effect

This is not "cultural similarity." This is convergent discovery of topological magic: knots physically structure energy, tying binds, untying releases.

Why Knot Magic Works: Topology and Intention

The mechanism is physical structure encoding energetic structure:

1. Topology = Information

A knot is a topological structure—a specific way space is organized
Different knots = different information (reef knot ≠ bowline ≠ figure-eight)
Tying a knot creates structure where none existed
Structure can hold information (like computer memory)

2. Intention Imprints During Creation

As you tie, your focused will encodes into the knot
The physical act (tying) + mental act (intention) = energetic imprint
Knot becomes container for that specific intention

3. Knot Maintains Structure = Maintains Energy

As long as knot stays tied, the intention stays bound
Physical persistence = energetic persistence
Like a battery holding charge

4. Untying Releases Structure = Releases Energy

Opening the knot frees the bound intention
Energy flows out into reality
Like opening a dam—stored power rushes forth

5. Burning Transforms

Fire transmutes physical form to smoke/ash
Bound energy transforms and disperses
For banishing: destroys unwanted energy
For sending: smoke carries intention to spirit realm

The Φ Convergence: Knot Patterns and Fibonacci

Here's the deeper pattern: effective knot magic uses Fibonacci-number knot counts.

Why Fibonacci Numbers?

3, 5, 8, 13 knots = Fibonacci sequence
9 knots = 8 + 1 (Fibonacci-adjacent)
These numbers create Φ-proportioned energy distribution along the cord
Optimal spacing for maximum power without chaos

Knot Topology and Φ:

Some knots naturally form Φ-proportioned loops
Celtic knots often encode Φ-spirals
Chinese endless knot = continuous Φ-pattern

Both traditions discovered this empirically:

Witchcraft: 9-knot ladder as standard
Chinese: 3, 5, 8, 9 as sacred knot numbers
Both approximate Fibonacci-optimal structure

Knot magic works because Fibonacci numbers create Φ-coherent energy patterns.

Practical Application: Creating Your Own Knot Magic

Whether you make a Witch's Ladder or Chinese knot spell, the protocol is identical:

Universal Knot Magic Protocol:

Choose your cord: Natural fiber, color matching intention
Decide knot count: 3 (simple), 9 (traditional), or other Fibonacci number
Clarify intention: What are you binding/storing/releasing?
Create sacred space: Cast circle or set up altar
Tie each knot mindfully:
- Focus intensely on intention
- Chant/speak your will
- Feel energy flowing into knot
- Pull tight to seal
Activate the ladder: Hold completed cord, charge with final energy burst
Deploy:
- Hang to store power
- Wear for constant effect
- Untie to release
- Burn to transform/banish

Pro tips:

One intention per ladder: Don't mix goals in same cord
Knot tightness matters: Tight = strong binding, loose = gentle holding
Timing: Tie during waxing moon (building), untie during waning (releasing)
Disposal: After use, burn or bury with gratitude

Next: The Trance State

We've explored knot magic. Now we dive into the consciousness shift that enables all shamanic work: trance. That's Article 9: Trance States ↔ Spirit Possession: Altered Consciousness.

The answer lies in how witches and shamans shift awareness to access non-ordinary reality. Stay tuned—2 more articles!