Will this spell harm the other person?

No. This ritual is designed entirely around releasing your own attachment and reclaiming your energy — it is not directed at the other person as a target. There is no curse, no binding of their will, and no mechanism here for harm. The scissors cut the connection you have been maintaining, not the person themselves. If you find yourself wanting something punitive, it may be worth sitting quietly with that feeling before doing any magical work — intention shapes everything.

Can I do this spell if they're stalking or harassing me?

A symbolic ritual can be a meaningful part of how you emotionally process a frightening situation, but it is not a safety plan. If someone is stalking, harassing, or threatening you, please document every incident, reach out to local law enforcement, and contact a professional support service. In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 1-800-799-7233. Magic works best alongside real-world action, not instead of it. Please protect yourself through every channel available to you.

What if I still feel connected to this person after the ritual?

That is completely normal — emotional bonds, especially painful ones, do not dissolve in a single evening. Consider repeating this ritual over three consecutive waning moon nights, or pairing it with journaling and, if the connection was a significant relationship, speaking with a therapist or counselor. The ritual creates a conscious point of intention; the deeper release often unfolds gradually over the days and weeks that follow.

Does the other person need to know I'm doing this?

No. This ritual concerns only your own inner landscape — your attachment, your energy, your boundary. The other person is named on the paper as a focal point for your own release, not as a target. There is nothing here that acts on them without their knowledge in any harmful sense; you are simply choosing, privately and symbolically, to stop feeding the energetic thread between you.

What moon phase should I use, and does it matter if I miss it?

A waning moon — the phase when the moon is moving from full back toward new — is traditionally associated with release, endings, and letting go, which makes it a natural fit for this work. That said, the most important ingredient here is your own sincere intention. If waiting for the right moon phase feels impossible given your circumstances, trust yourself to begin when you are ready. The calendar is a guide, not a gatekeeper.

Spell to Get Rid of Someone — From Your Life, For Good

The Cord-Cutting Release Ritual

A beginner cord-cutting spell to help you release an unwanted presence from your life — no harm, no manipulation, just your own energy returned to you.

I sense you've been carrying the weight of someone else's presence far longer than is healthy for you. This isn't about punishment or force — it's about reclaiming your own energy and drawing a clear boundary between who you are and what you've allowed to linger. The work here is yours to do, within yourself first, and the world may follow.

Timing

Moon: Waning moon
Day: Saturday evening
Time: After sunset

What You Need

black candle
piece of paper
black ink pen
scissors
sea salt

The Incantation

What was tangled, I now release.

What was mine, I call back whole.

This cord dissolves with my own peace.

No ill intent, no binding hold.

I am returned to myself alone.

The Ritual

Find a quiet evening when you can be undisturbed for at least thirty minutes. Place your black candle on a fire-safe surface, light it, and take three slow, grounding breaths — this flame marks your intention and witnesses your release.
On your piece of paper, write the name of the person you wish to release from your life, as well as a brief, honest description of how their presence has affected you. This is not a curse — it is an acknowledgment. Writing the truth is the first act of letting go.
Hold the paper in both hands. Without anger if you can manage it, simply recognize that this connection has cost you something, and that you are choosing, from this moment, to stop paying that cost. Sit with that recognition for a full, unhurried minute.
Using the scissors, cut the paper slowly and deliberately in two. As you cut, speak the incantation aloud — once quietly, once at a normal voice, once with full certainty. You are not cutting the person; you are cutting the energetic thread you have maintained between yourself and their influence.
If you have sea salt, sprinkle a small amount over both pieces of paper, then fold each piece away from you — creasing the paper outward — and set them aside. Let the candle burn for another twenty minutes while you sit quietly, then extinguish it safely. Do not leave it unattended.
Dispose of both pieces of paper away from your home — in an outdoor bin, not your household trash. If weather permits, you may bury them far from your doorstep. This act signals to your own psyche that the release is complete. Take a moment afterward to drink a glass of water and feel your own feet on the floor.