Category: Spellcrafting

Dedicating Your Altar

Dedicating Your Altar

 

Now you have turned your space into an altar, dedicate it in such a way that it will support any workings you may choose to do. One good way is to dedicate it to the principle of the Greater Good – that none may be harmed by anything that you may do. (Remember that traditionally any harm you instigate deliberately will return to you threefold, particularly when it comes from such a sacred space.) It will depend on your basic belief just how you choose to dedicate the altar further, perhaps to the Moon deity and all her manifestations, perhaps to the Gods of power.

 

Try to put as much passion and energy into the dedication as you can and remember to include a prayer for protection of your sacred space. Some people will need to cast a circle each time they do a working, while others will feel that just by setting the altar up in the way suggested that that space is consecrated henceforth. If you wish to follow the principles of feng shui rather than Wicca within your work, your placings will be slightly different, as they will also be if you choose to follow the tenets of other religions.

 

However, whatever you do, you should take care to dedicate all of your tools and altar furnishings to the purpose in hand. You are empowering them and making them usable only in ritual and magical work. If you try to use them for any other purpose, you will negate that magical power.

Setting Up Your Altar

Setting Up Your Altar

 

To turn your dressed table into a proper altar, you will need as basics the following objects:

 

1. Two candles with candle holders – you might like to think of one representing the female principle and one the male. You may also choose, in addition, candles of a color suitable for the ritual or spell you are working.

 

2. An incense holder and incense suitable for the particular working.

 

3. A representation of the deity or deities you prefer to work with. An image of the Goddess, for instance, could be anything from a statue of the Chinese Goddess of Compassion, Kuan Yin, to seashells, chalices, bowls, or certain stones that symbolize the womb or motherhood.

 

4. A small vase for flowers or fresh herbs.
Other objects appropriate for ceremonial working are:

• • An athame, which is a sacred knife for ceremonial use; it should never be used for anything else.

• • A white-handled knife (called a boline) for cutting branches, herbs, etc.

• • A burin, which is a sharp-pointed instrument for inscribing magical objects such as candles.

• • A small earthenware or ceramic bowl, or a small cauldron, for mixing ingredients.

• A bowl of water.

• • A bowl of salt or sand, representing Earth.

• • A consecrated cloth, or a pentacle, on which to place dedicated objects.
Some people additionally use bells to summon the powers of the Elements, whilst others have additional candles with the colors representing both themselves and the work they wish to do. You can also have other items on your altar, such as crystals, amulets and talismans.

 

You can do what you wish with your own altar provided you have thought through very carefully your logical or emotional reasons for including whatever you have there. You might, for instance, choose to have differing representations of the Earth Mother from diverse religions or include a pretty gift to establish a psychic link with the person who gave it to you.

Consecrating Your Sacred Space

Consecrating Your Sacred Space

 

If you are going to be carrying out a fair number of rituals or spells, you will really need a sacred space or altar along with various other altar furnishings. Whether your altar is inside or outside does not matter. To set it up indoors, your altar and or sacred space should preferably be in a quiet place in the home, where it will not be disturbed and where candles can be burned safely.

 

The space first needs to be dedicated to the purpose of magical working. You can do this by first brushing the area clean with an ordinary brush, concentrating your thoughts on cleansing the space as you work physically to bring this about. Mentally cleanse the space three times, imagining doing it once for the physical world, once for the emotional space and once spiritually.

 

If you wish, you may sprinkle the whole area with water and with salt (which represents the Earth). You might perhaps also burn incense such as jasmine or frankincense to clear the atmosphere. Think of the space as somewhere you would entertain an honored guest in your home – you would wish the room you use to be as welcoming as it can be. You will later use your besom to keep the sacred space clear.

 

If you travel a lot or are pushed for space, you might dedicate a tray or special piece of wood or china for ceremonial working. This, along with your candles and incense, can then be kept together in a small box or suitcase. Otherwise, you could dedicate a table especially for the purpose. Ideally, you should not need to pack up each time.

 

You will also need a ‘fine cloth’ – the best you can afford – to cover the surface. Place your cloth on your chosen surface and spend some quiet time just thinking about its purpose. You may, if you wish, have different cloths for different purposes or perhaps have one basic cloth which is then ‘dressed’ with the appropriate color for each ritual.

Your Ritual Clothing and Jewellery

Your Ritual Clothing and Jewellery

 

Inevitably there are certain things you will need to remember before you begin your magical working. While you are preparing and putting on your robes or ritual gowns you might spend time in reflection, silent meditation or prayer. Prior to the beginning of any spell and while dressing concentrate on the matter in hand. Alternatively, simply focus on the Supreme Being, Cosmic Responsibility and/or a successful outcome and ask that the event to follow helps you in your learning..

 

There is no limit to what can be worn. Some suggest white robes with black cords or vice versa, while others simply suggest that you are comfortable in what you wear. Many people will spend a great deal of time, energy and effort on fashioning suitable robes.

 

The idea is that when working magically you leave behind the ordinary mundane world, so turn off mobile phones, put away keys and name tags, remove money and other objects from pockets and so on.

 

It will be a matter of choice as to whether you wear jewellery or not. Magical jewellery such as the pentagram, ankh or rings with magical symbols or significance are often worn, although they are by no means essential. Many prefer not to wear watches, since time is considered irrelevant. It is often better not to use perfume or cologne unless it is based on essential oils which are suitable for the work in hand, or complement any incense being used.

Making your bath salts

Making your bath salts

 

Commercial bath salts will do absolutely nothing on an esoteric level – they have too many chemical additives and artificial perfumes – so it is a nice touch to make your own using single essential oils, blends and/or herbs. The fact that you have mixed them yourself means they are infused with your own vibration and therefore will work on a very subtle level. Matching your bath salt perfume to your incense perfume does wonders for your inner self.

 

You will need

• • 3 PARTS EPSOM SALTS

• • 2 PARTS BAKING SODA

• • 1 PART ROCK SALT (or Borax)

• • BOWL FOR MIXING

• • ESSENTIAL OILS IN YOUR CHOSEN PERFUMES

• • HANDFUL OF HERBS (optional)

• • NATURAL FOOD COLOURING

 

Method

Mix the first three ingredients thoroughly in the mixing bowl. Use your hands as this will enable you to imbue the salts with your own energy. This is your basic mixture and can be perfumed or coloured in any way that you please.

 

Note: It is wise when using essential oils to mix them first if you are using a blend to allow the synergy between the oils to develop.

 

Add your colouring first and mix to your satisfaction, then follow with your oil or blend a drop at a time. Add the herbs to the mixture and combine thoroughly. Be generous with the oils since the salts will absorb a surprising amount without you realizing. Your nose, however, as with all oils and perfumes is the best judge – there is no right or wrong amount.

 
When you wish to use your salts, add approximately 2 tablespoons to a full bathtub and mix well.

Preparation for Spell Working – The Ritual Bath

Preparation for Spell Working – The Ritual Bath

 

Several processes become automatic when preparing for spell work. If you choose to wear special clothing, then this has to be prepared before you actually start your personal preparations. We give below some suggestions for personal robes which can be laid out with some ceremony before you begin.

 
Important magical workings require you to take a ritual bath which cleanses, purifies and clarifies your energy so that you are able to get the best results possible. Many practitioners prefer to take a ritual bath before performing any magical workings. For what you may consider ‘lesser’ magic you do not need to bathe, but may prefer to cleanse yourself by running your hands over your body before you embark on any working.

 

Ritual Bathing

 

Ritual bathing arose in times gone by from a perceived need to be in as ‘virgin’ – that is, unsullied – a state as possible. This is what gave rise to working skyclad, i.e. without clothes, so that there were no encumbrances between the practitioner and his or her gods or deities.

 

Ritual Bath

 

As you mix in your salts, bless the water and charge it with your intent – be that a particular magical working, a relaxing evening or a successful meeting. The candles used in this ritual can be in the colours of the Elements or those most appropriate to your purpose, for example – pink (tranquility), blue (wisdom), green (self-awareness) and red (passion). For spiritual matters, use purple.

 

You will need

• • HOMEMADE BATH SALTS

• • VOTIVE CANDLES ACCORDING TO YOUR NEED

• • LARGE WHITE CANDLE

• • ESSENTIAL OIL TO REMOVE NEGATIVITY (e.g. rosemary)

• • LARGE GLASS OF MINERAL WATER OR JUICE

 

Method

Anoint the large white candle with the essential oil and ask for positivity, health and happiness as you do so. Do the same with the votive candles according to your need. You may, if you wish, inscribe a symbol to represent your purpose on each candle.

 

Run your bath and mix in the bath salts.
Light the candles, first the white one followed by the votives. Place the latter safely around the bath. The white candle should be placed wherever you feel is safest. You have now created a sacred space for yourself.

 
Lie back and enjoy your bath and at some point drink your water or juice visualizing your whole system being cleansed inside as well as out. Before you get out of the bath, thank the water deities for this opportunity to prepare thoroughly for the new energies available to you. If you are to perform a magical working, then keep your mind focused on that intent.

 

On this occasion, for safety’s sake, when you have finished your bath, snuff out the candles.

Different types of spell working

Different types of spell working

 

Elemental

In this particular type of magic the Elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water are given their own directional focus to create added power and give extra energy to your spells. You will no doubt find that you tend to favor one particular direction but should be able to use all of them.

 

Color

Perhaps the simplest form of magic is that which involves color. This method of working is also used in conjunction with various other forms of magic. Color can enhance, alter and completely change moods and emotions and therefore can be used to represent our chosen goal. At its simplest it can be used alone and can be used in dressing an altar.

 

Herbal

Herbal magic is often used alongside many other forms of magic. Used as talismans and amulets – for example in a pouch or bag – herbs become protective; the oil from herbs can also be used in candle magic. There are many different types of herbs available for use in this way. Each herb has its own specific use, but frequently is used along with many other herbs and oils to produce a desired result.

 

Candle

In candle magic, man discovered the ability to control light and this is one of the oldest forms of magic as well as one of the most simple. Using candles to symbolize ourselves and our beliefs means that we have access to a power beyond ourselves. Candle magic also forms an effective back-up for most other forms of magical working.

 

Crystal

Every stone or gem has its own attribute which can be used in magic. Crystals are used extensively in healing because of the vibration impact they can have. Because of this, they lend themselves to the enhancement of any spell-making or magical working. Even ordinary stones have their own power and can be used as repositories for all sorts of energies and powers.

 

Knot

Knot magic works partly with the principle of binding, which is a type of bidding spell and also with that of weaving, which was traditionally a female intuitive occupation. It utilizes ribbon, rope, string, yarn, or anything that can be knotted or plaited to signify our aspiration. It is a type of representational magic, and is used in conjunction with many of the other forms. The techniques of colour, form and use of energies are all used in its practice.

 

Representational

Representational magic involves using an object that represents something or someone for whom you are working the spell. It helps in concentrating the energy and visualizing the desire and the end result. Representational objects should never be used for negative purposes.

 

Symbolic

In this system different symbols, rather than objects, are used to represent various ideas, people or goals. These symbols can be personal to you or such things as Tarot cards, Runes, Hebrew letters or numerology. You will often use symbolic magic in your magical workings and will soon develop your own preferred symbols.

 

Talismans, amulets and charms

These devices use all the other forms of magic in their formation, but principally representational and symbolic magic. They are ‘charged’ (given power) magically and usually are worn or carried on the person for protection or good luck. Many are worn around the neck, perhaps as jewellery, or carried in a pouch and incorporate crystals, herbs or other magical objects. There are many types of each of these objects and you will gradually learn to differentiate between them.

Magical Self-Defense and Protection

Magical Self-Defense and Protection

Many people involved in Pagan and Wiccan spirituality find themselves, at some point, worrying about magical attack. What if someone casts a spell on me? How will I know? What do I do? More importantly, how do I protect myself so that it doesn’t happen in the first place?

Well, first of all, relax. Chances are really good that you’re not going to be the victim of a magical attack at all. Here’s why: it takes a certain amount of skill and effort to magically attack someone with a curse or hex, and honestly, many people aren’t interested in putting forth that much work, and of those, many do not have the skill level required for a magical strike.

In other words, not everyone who talks the talk can walk the walk. That having been said, if someone is willing to put forth the effort and they have the ability to craft an effective spell, it’s possible you could be the victim of a deliberate, concentrated attack.

Be aware, also, that in most cases, someone who tells you they’ve hexed, cursed, or otherwise put a spell on you is the one least likely to be able to do so.

How Do You Know if You’re Under Attack?

What is a magical attack? It’s a curse or a hex, that’s designed to make things go badly for you. If there are other circumstances in place, it’s probably not a magical attack. Maybe you’re just having a run of bad luck. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of changing your lifestyle, or looking at mundane causes. Let’s take a look at how to tell if you’re under a magical attack. Ask yourself these questions:

  • Is there someone in your life that you have angered or offended in some way?
  • Is that person someone who has the magical knowledge to place a harmful spell on you?
  • Is a hex or curse the only possible explanation for what is happening to you?

If the answer to all three is “yes”, then it’s possible you’ve been cursed or hexed. If that’s the case, then you need to take protective measures.

Many people also choose to use divination as a way of determining whether they’re the victim of a hex or a curse, but if you do this, bear in mind that your own fears and worries may effect the outcome. It’s better to have the divination done by an objective party who isn’t aware of your concerns. Ask a trusted friend to do the divination, and see if they come to the same conclusions that you have.

Magical Protection

If you feel you’ve genuinely been the victim of a magical attack, the first thing to do is protect yourself from further mischief. Once you’ve done that, you need to get started on removal of the curse or hex. There are several methods of doing this. Some examples that may be used successfully include:

  • Create a “magic mirror” spell which bounces the hex or curse back to its sender*
  • Create a doll or poppet to take the damage in your place
  • Perform a working that will remove negative influences from your life
  • Use meditation, Reiki, chakra healing, or other energy work to lift the spell

For general protection, most people use a simple shielding method. This is a psychic shell that one draws around themselves. You can do this either by casting a circle of protection and recharging it periodically, or you can charge an amulet or talisman with protective properties. This will be an effective way of protecting you in the majority of magical attacks.

Property and vehicles can be protected as well. You can place a magical barrier or ward around your yard, keep a protective amulet or talisman in your car, or even set up a shield around your desk at work.

Herbs and Crystals of Protection

If you’re going to put together a working for magical protection, you may want to use some of these correspondences.

Magical Herbs

 

  • Acacia: protects against psychic attack
  • Agrimony: useful for returning harmful energy to its original source
  • Basil: warns off negative magic
  • Black thorn: reverses a spell
  • Cayenne: returns negative energy to its source
  • Coffee: neutralizes harmful magic
  • Dragon’s Blood resin: protection
  • Hyssop: purification and defensive magic
  • Mugwort: protects against astral attack, or psychic attack in dreams
  • Patchouli: returns harmful magic
  • Solomon’s Seal: protects against negative energy
  • St. John’s Wort: purifies and protects against psychic attack
  • Vetivert: use to break a hex or curse
  • Wormwood: use in uncrossing rituals, to remove hexes or curses upon you
  • Yarrow: psychic protection
  • Yucca: prevents attack via sympathetic magic

Crystals and Gemstones

 

  • Amber: protects against psychic attack
  • Amethyst: protects from negative energy
  • Black onyx: protects against harmful magic
  • Fire agate: for protection of the aura
  • Hematite: use for protection of home and property, as well as to fend off psychic attack
  • Malachite: repels hostile magical attacks
  • Obsidian: provides protective energies
  • Quartz: use to protect yourself from hexes or curses
  • Ruby: use to defend against magical attacks related to emotions
  • Selenite: for shielding against negative outside influences

 

Source:

Magical Ethics

Magical Ethics

 

There’s a saying among the contemporary Pagan community that “black magic is whatever works, white magic is anything else.” This stems in part from a misconception that black equals bad, white equals good, and that there are no gray areas at all. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Let’s look at the word black itself, and figure out why it connotates evil. A big part of that is thanks to pop culture — after all, in popular shows like Charmed or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the good guys are the “white light” people.

The bad guys are surrounded by darkness. Another part of the whole black = bad concept is because of people who can’t let go of their Christian upbringing, in which those who are righteous are surrounded by the light of God, and those who are damned will dwell in darkness.

The problem with this logic is that darkness in and of itself doesn’t have to be bad at all. After all, how beautiful is a quiet night out in the country, miles away from the lights of a city? Have you ever walked in the woods at midnight, embracing the comfort of the shadows? Darkness is what lies in the soil, below the earth, before a plant grows in the spring.

It is the long nights of winter, when we are drawn into our homes to embrace our families and count our good fortune. It is the inside of the womb, warm and nurturing. Even the darkness of the grave, of death itself, may be seen as welcoming.

Once we accept that dark isn’t all that bad, it’s a lot easier to look at the concept of “black magic” vs. “white magic.” Even if we replace the words “black” with “negative” and “white” with “positive”, we’re still in a bit of a pickle, and here’s why: because it is the intent that matters as much as the action.

In other words, if someone performs magic that others might see as “negative,” but does it for what they believe is an honest and just reason, then is it really negative magic?

To do magic is to say that you want to bring about change in the Universe — after all, if everything were perfect, there’d be no need for magic at all. Any magic capable of causing change is also magic that can harm, simply by its very nature. Magic isn’t some Super Spooky Power that we have — it’s a tool we can use to precipitate changes. Any tool can be used for helping or harming — if I have a hammer, I can use it to build a house.

I can also use it to whack people in the head. It’s not the hammer that’s “negative”, but what I choose to do with it.

Case in point: in the early nineties, a serial rapist was terrorizing the women of a coastal city in the Carolinas. His reported victims, over two years, numbered at least two dozen, including a teenage girl who later committed suicide. A group of witches got together one night, and did a working calling for this man to be stopped by the Universe. A couple of weeks later, the prime suspect — who was later convicted — led police on a high-speed chase and wrecked his car, nearly dying from his injuries. He has lived since then severely handicapped, but he never raped another woman.

Negative magic, or no?

There are people within the Wiccan and Pagan community who feel that any magic that affects other people at all is unethical, and they have the right to not perform any magic on, against, or for others. However, there are an equal amount of people who believe that change brought about by magic is acceptable, just as change brought about by mundane methods is acceptable. Chances are, the two camps will never agree, but what you can do, as an individual, is respect the beliefs of those who may disagree with you, whichever side you may happen to fall on.

Look at magic as a way to improve your life. You can use it to bring love to you, to gain financial abundance, to eliminate problems from your life. You can use it as a method of growth and self-empowerment. It can be used to help you fulfill your dreams, desires and goals. Can you use magic to help other people? Sure — if they ask you to. If they haven’t asked — or if they’ve specifically told you NOT to do anything on their behalf, then don’t.

Ultimately, only you can decide which forms of magic fall into your personal system of ethics. If you feel a particular course of action is wrong, then avoid it. If you feel it is ethically acceptable, and you’re willing to accept the results of your actions, then so be it.

 

Source:

How Does Magic Work?

How Does Magic Work?

Question: How Does Magic Work?

You keep talking about magic and spells. I don’t get it, and I’m pretty smart. How do they actually work?

Answer:

That’s a really good question, and one that may have a number of different answers, depending on which people you ask. First, there are many different types of magic — natural magic, practical magic, high magic, ceremonial magic — and each is a little bit varied from the others.

Even when it comes to spell work, you’ll find a number of opinions on the Hows and Whys of the process.

In natural magic, there is a theory that many natural objects — rocks, roots, plants, animal bones, etc. — have a connection within them to some part of the human experience. For example, a rose quartz is linked with love and matters of the heart, a piece of oak would take on the attributes of strength and sturdiness, and a sprig of sage is connected to wisdom and purification. In this form of magic, also called sympathetic magic, the link between items and their magical symbolism is referred to as the Doctrine of Signatures.

Spellwork in natural magic is often carried out with no prayer or invocation to deities or gods. It is simply the natural attributes of the items involved in the spell that make the magic happen.

In some traditions of Wicca and Paganism, magic is the realm of the Divine. A practitioner may call upon his or her gods for intervention and assistance. For example, someone doing a spell working to repair their damaged love life might call upon Aphrodite for aid.

A person moving into a new home could invoke Brighid or Freyja, goddesses of hearth and home, as part of a ritual.

There is also a school of thought that believes magic occurs only in accordance with one’s will — in other words, intent is everything. Some people in these traditions believe that the physical trappings of spell work — candles, herbs, etc. — are unimportant, because all that really matters is the strength of will to bring about results. If one focuses one’s intent precisely enough, and manipulates the necessary energy, change will come about.

Regardless of how you believe magic actually works and whatever tradition you choose to embrace, understand that magic is a skill set that can be used in tandem with the mundane.

While magic will not solve all of your problems (and probably shouldn’t be turned to as some sort of cure-all) it is certainly a useful tool when used sensibly.

Source:

Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article found on & owned by About.com

WOTC Extra (b) – The Basic Steps in Spellcraft

Altar

The Basic Steps in Spellcraft

 

As in crafting rituals, creating and casting a spell follow a certain sequence of events. While every spell is different, the basic steps are:

  1. Establish your need or desire. Doing a spell for the sake of doing a spell is a waste of time and energy. Why trouble the web and the pattern of energy around you if you don’t have to?
  2. Compose your spell. It is essential to determine a clear and precisely defined goal. Take the time to think about your desired outcome. Think, too, about the energies you wish to incorporate or call upon to help you achieve that goal.
  3. Shift consciousness. Your mind must be in the correct mode for working spells. A mind overrun by everyday thoughts isn’t very efficient at gathering energies, weaving them into a tight and well-focused spell, and then releasing them toward a goal. Shifting your consciousness allows you to attain a different state of mind ideal for ritual or spell-craft. You need to be able to filter out the surface noise and distractions to concentrate and focus on what you’re doing. (This state is often referred to as alpha.)
  4. Raise energy and release it toward your goal. Spells are powered by the energies possessed by the correspondences you incorporate in your spell and by your own personal energy as well.
  5. Manifestation. Ideally, the final step is the achievement of your goal.

 

 

Solitary Wicca For Life: Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own

Arin Murphy-Hiscock

WOTC Extra (a) – How Spells Work

Altar

How Spells Work

 

Everything in the world emits an energy vibration of some kind, with different things having different signatures. Sometimes a signature is referred to as possessing a different level of vibration. A higher level is usually considered more spiritual and closer to the gods; a lower vibration indicates something more material. These energies reach out to touch one another, forming what amounts to a giant spider web of energy that crisscrosses around the world. It also connects the physical and nonphysical worlds. (Neo-Pagan literature refers to this as “the web.”)

As everything is connected in this fashion, it is possible to have an effect on things simply by twitching the web in one place and allowing the resulting vibration to flow along the web until it reaches your goal. The web is also how we can send energy to someone or something far away from us—the strands of energy that connect all organic and living things serve as wires through which we can send our energy.

 

Solitary Wicca For Life: Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own

Arin Murphy-Hiscock

 

Poppets 101 – Introduction to Poppet Magic

Poppets 101 – Introduction to Poppet Magic

The poppet is simply a doll. Although TV shows and movies typically show poppets as the stereotypical “voodoo doll,” poppets have been around for a long time. There are a number of different ways to create a poppet. This is one of the most commonly used implements in sympathetic magic, which follows along on the theory that “like creates like”. They can be used to harm or to heal, so if you create a poppet of a person, anything done to the poppet will affect the person it represents.

Bear in mind that some magical traditions discourage the use of poppets. If you’re not sure whether or not it’s okay for you to use poppet magic, you may want to check with someone in your tradition.

A poppet is usually made from cloth or fabric, but you can also make one from clay, wax, wood, or just about any other material. You can fill your poppet with herbs, stones, bits of wood, paper, or anything else that suits your needs. In addition to magical items, it’s a good idea to include some cotton or poly fill as stuffing material. Once the poppet is created, you’ll need to connect it to the person it represents.

Here’s how you can make a poppet of your own: Create Your Poppet. You can have a lot of fun with them, and all you need are a few pieces of scrap fabric and a few craft supplies.

 

Create Your Poppet

 

Planning Your Poppetry

A poppet can be as simple or as elaborate as you like — it all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into it. You can construct one out of just about any material — cloth, clay, wood, wax. Use your imagination! In some magical traditions, it’s believed that the more work you put into it, and the more complex it is, the stronger your link will be to your goal. Because a poppet is a device for sympathetic magic, all of its components will be symbols of what it is you hope to achieve.

You can do your poppet-making as part of the working itself, or it can be made ahead of time so you can use the poppet later on. Which method you choose is really up to you.

Remember, your poppet represents a person, so figure out before you begin who it symbolizes. Is it you? A friend who’s asked you for help? An un-named lover you want to bring into your life? A gossip you want to shut up? The possibilities are endless, but just like in any spell working, you’ll need to set a goal before you begin. It keeps you from having to deal with “do-overs” later. These instructions are for a basic poppet construction, using fabric. Feel free to modify your design as you need to.

Selecting Your Fabric

There are no real rules when it comes to choosing your material, but it’s not a bad idea to select fabric based on your goal. If you’re doing a money spell, use a piece of green or gold cloth. If you’re looking at healing, perhaps something in a soft blue or silver would be best. Check out fabric stores around the holidays, and you can find all kinds of neat patterns.

Valentine’s Day designs are perfect for matters of the heart, and there are plenty of prints with dollar signs, coins, stars and moons, and other fun designs.

Another option is to use fabric that links the poppet to the person it represents. Doing a healing spell for a friend? Ask the person for an old t-shirt. If you’re trying to draw love into your life, consider using a scrap from that sexy lingerie you wore last night. If you just can’t find the right material, use a plain muslin or white felt. Here are a few ideas for designs and colors for poppet magic.

  • Animals: Brown or green fabrics, patterns with cats or dogs, anything pet-related
  • Banishing: Black fabric, designs such as swords or wands, dragons or fire
  • Creativity: Orange or yellow fabric, prints of suns or other fire symbols
  • Healing: Silver, white or blue, with designs of clouds or other air symbols
  • Love: Pink or red material, designs like hearts, roses or other flowers, Cupids
  • Money: Silver, gold or green fabric, or designs of dollar bills or coins, cups or earthy symbols
  • Protection: Red or white material, with patterns of shields, keys or locks, fences, mistletoe

When it comes to types of fabric, use what’s easiest for you to work with. Cotton prints are easy to sew, but if you’ve never used a needle and thread before, you might want to try something stiffer like felt — it comes in every color you can imagine, and will hold its shape as you sew. If you’re an experienced sewer, use anything you like.

Cutting and Sewing Your Poppet

A poppet represents a person, so ideally it should look (sort of) like a person. Give it a head, two arms, two legs, a torso. You can make your own outline or you can use the ultimate poppet pattern — a gingerbread man. If you’re doing a spell for an animal — such as a healing spell for a sick pet — make the poppet shape accordingly. Your poppet doesn’t have to be huge, but it should be big enough that you can stuff it with your ingredients later.

Take two pieces of your fabric, and place them right side together on a flat surface. Place the pattern on top, pin it in place, and cut it out. Leave a little room around the edges for a seam allowance — usually a 3/8″ margin is good. Remove the pattern, and there are your two poppet shapes. Time to start sewing!

If you’ve never sewn anything by hand before, don’t panic. It’s not hard, but it does require some patience. You could always use a sewing machine if you’re pressed for time, but most experienced poppet-makers agree that it’s worth the effort to do it by hand. Pin the two pieces of material with the right sides together, and stitch around the edges. Leave an opening somewhere, wide enough to stick a couple of fingers in. Turn the poppet inside out, and begin stuffing.

Personalize Your Poppet

Fill your poppet with something soft, like polyfill or cotton balls. Old pantyhose work nicely too. Work the stuffing all the way into the nooks and crannies of the arms and legs, and then fill the torso and head.

This is where you’ll place your spell components — herbs, stones, whatever. In some magical traditions, something from the person represented goes inside the poppet. This is alternately referred to as a taglock or a magical link — it can be bits of hair, nail clippings, body fluids, a business card, or even a photograph. Once everything is inside, sew the poppet completely shut.

The more you can customize your poppet, the better. Even if you’ve placed a magical link, or taglock, inside, you’ll want to decorate the outside too. Draw or paint or sew a face onto your doll. Add yard or string for hair. Dress your poppet in something that looks like the person’s clothing. Copy any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing features onto the poppet as well. Add magical or astrological symbols if you like. While you’re doing this, tell the poppet who it represents. You can say something along the lines of, “I have made you, and you are Jane Jones.”

Your poppet can be used for any number of things — love, money, protection, healing, to get a job. Anything you can imagine, you can make a poppet to bring it about. Simply figure out your goal and the means to achieve it. The only limits on poppet construction are your own creativity and imagination.

Source:

Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article located on & owned by About.com

Poppet History – Global Poppet Magic

Poppet History – Global Poppet Magic

 

Ramses and the Poppets:

When most people think of a poppet, they automatically think of the Voodoo doll, thanks to this item’s negative portrayal in movies and on television. However, the use of dolls in sympathetic magic goes back several millennia. Back in the days of ancient Egypt, the enemies of Ramses III (who were numerous, and included some of his harem women and at least one high-ranking official) used wax images of the Pharaoh, to bring about his death.

 

Greek Kolossi:

It wasn’t uncommon for the Greeks to use sympathetic magic in workings related to love or war. Christopher Faraone, Professor of Classical Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago, is one of the foremost authorities on Greek magic today, and says that Greek poppets called Kolossoi were sometimes used to restrain a ghost or even a dangerous deity, or to bind two lovers together. In Idyll 2, The Witch (Pharmakeutria), written about 200 b.c.e., the tragedian Theocritus refers to melting and burning wax dolls. He relates the tale of Simaetha, rejected by Delphis, attempts to get her lover back with magic.

The Princess Who Played with Dolls:

Wax dolls certainly weren’t limited to the ancient classical world. The one-time Princess of Wales, Caroline of Brunswick, was married to the man who later became King George IV, and evidently couldn’t stand him. She spent many hours forming wax dolls of her husband and jabbing them with pins. Although there’s no concrete evidence as to what this may have done to George, when Caroline ran off to Italy with her young lover, George didn’t object.

The royal couple remained married but lived separately until Caroline’s death in 1821, according to Witchcraft and Evidence in Early Modern England by Malcolm Gaskill.

West African Fetish Magic:

West African slaves brought with them a doll called a fetish when they were forced to leave their homes and come to the American colonies. In this case, the doll is not so much representative of an individual, but is in fact possessed by spirits connected to the doll’s owner. A fetish contains significant power and is typically worn or carried by its owner as a talisman. During America’s Colonial period, slave owners were allowed to kill any slave found with a fetish in his possession.

American Hoodoo and Folk Magic:

In American Hoodoo and folk magic, the use of poppets as a magical tool became popular following the Civil War. There is some dispute as to whether the dolls are used at all in Haiti, which is the home of Vodoun religion, and a few sources disagree on whether the use of poppets is truly a Vodoun practice or not. However, the Voodoo Museum of New Orleans does stock a variety of dolls in their gift shop.

Regardless of how you make your poppet — out of cloth, a chunk of meat, or a glob of wax, remember that poppets have a long tradition behind them, and that tradition is influences by the magical practices of a wide range of cultures. Treat your poppets well, and they will do the same for you.

 

Source:

  Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article located on & owned by About.com

Sympathetic Magic

Sympathetic Magic

Definition:

In many traditions of magic, both older and modern, the concept of sympathetic magic plays a crucial role. The idea behind sympathetic magic is, at its core, that a person can be effected magically by actions performed towards something that represents them.

A perfect example of this is the use of the poppet or doll in magical workings. The poppet has been around for a long time – there is documentation that the ancient Greeks and Egyptians used them – long before pop culture discovered “Voodoo dolls.” A doll is used to represent a person, and the magical acts performed on the doll are then reflected on the person himself.

Sir George James Frazer, who wrote The Golden Bough, summarized the concept of sympathetic magic as “like produces like.”

Frazer broke down the idea further into two distinct parts – the Law of Similarity and the Law of Contact/Contagion. He said, “From the first of these principles, namely the Law of Similarity, the magician infers that he can produce any effect he desires merely by imitating it: from the second he infers that whatever he does to a material object will affect equally the person with whom the object was once in contact, whether it formed part of his body or not.”

To carry the idea of sympathetic magic a step further, in many modern magical traditions we use correspondences, or connections between non-magical items and magical concepts.

It’s why sage is associated with wisdom, or rose quartz with love, or the color red with passion.

There are some theories that prehistoric cave art may represent the earliest documented examples of sympathetic magic. If, for instance, a tribe’s shaman wanted to ensure a successful hunt, he might paint images of the hunting group killing an animal that could later be consumed by the whole tribe.

 

Source:

Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article located on & owned by About.com

WOTC Extra (b) – The Actual Ritual Bath

Pentagram

The Actual Ritual Bath

 

If you are intending to take a ritual bath you should, as you mix in your salts, bless the water and charge it with your intent – be that a particular ritual, a relaxing evening or a successful meeting. In this ritual you will use candles. These can be in the colours of the Elements or the colours most appropriate to your purpose, for example – pink (peace and tranquillity), blue (wisdom), green (self-awareness) and red (passion). For spiritual matters, use purple.

YOU WILL NEED

Bath Salts

Votive candles according to your need

Large white candle

Essential oil to remove negativity, e.g. Rosemary

Large glass of mineral water or juice

 

METHOD

Anoint the large white candle with the essential oil and ask for positivity, health and happiness as you do so. Do the same with the votive candles according to your need. You may, if you wish, inscribe a symbol to represent your purpose on each candle.

Run your bath and mix in the bath salts.

Light the candles, the white one first followed by the votives and place the latter safely around the bath. The white candle should be placed wherever you feel is safest. You have now created a sacred space.

Lie back and enjoy your bath and at some point drink your water or juice visualizing your whole system being cleansed inside as well as out. Before you get out of the bath, thank the water deities for this opportunity to prepare thoroughly for the new energies available to you. If you are to perform a ritual, then keep your mind focussed on that intent.

On this occasion, for safety’s sake, when you have finished your bath, snuff out the candles.

 

Natural Magic: Spells, Enchantments & Self-Development

Pamela Bell

WOTC Extra (a) – A Method of Ritual Bathing

Pentagram
A Method of Ritual Bathing

 

Many practitioners prefer to take a ritual bath before performing any magical workings. You will probably develop your own routine, but below we show the basic sequences that can work very well.

Bath Salts

Commercial bath salts will do absolutely nothing on an esoteric level – they have too many chemical additives and artificial perfumes, so it is a nice touch to make your own using essential oils, blends such as those shown below and/or herbs. The fact that you have mixed them yourself means that they are infused with your own vibration and therefore will work on a very subtle level.

Matching your bath salt perfume to your incense perfume will do wonders for your psyche.

On a slightly more practical level, bath salts with an esoteric theme are an effective and gentle way of introducing someone to the delights of ritual.

YOU WILL NEED

3 parts Epsom salts

2 parts baking soda

1 part rock salt (or borax)

Bowl for mixing Essential Oils in your chosen perfumes

Handful of herbs (optional)

Natural food colouring

 

METHOD

Mix the first three ingredients thoroughly in the mixing bowl. Use your hands as this will enable you to imbue the salts with your own energy. This is your basic mixture and can be perfumed or coloured in any way that you please.

Note: It is wise when using essential oils to mix them first if you are using a blend to allow the synergy between the oils to develop.

Add your colouring first and mix to your satisfaction, then follow with your oil or blend a drop at a time. Next add the herbs to the mixture and combine thoroughly. Be generous with the oils since the salts will absorb a surprising amount. Your nose, however, as with all oils and perfumes is the best judge – there is no right or wrong amount.

If you wish to call upon one of the water gods, now is a good time to do so since you should take your time in blending the ingredients.

When you wish to use your salts, add approximately 2 tablespoons to a full bathtub and mix well.

 

Natural Magic: Spells, Enchantments & Self-Development

Pamela Bell

Let’s Talk Witch – Preparation for Rituals

Pentagram

Preparation for Rituals

 

Inevitably there are certain things to remember before the ritual proper begins. While you are preparing for the ritual, when putting on your robes or ritual gowns you might spend time in reflection, silent meditation or prayer. Prior to the beginning of any ritual, and while enrobing, concentrate on the matter in hand, if the ritual has a special intent. Alternatively, simply focus on the Supreme Being, Cosmic Responsibility and/or a successful outcome and ask that the event to follow helps you in your learning.

There is no limit to what can be worn in a ritual. Some groups will suggest white robes with black cords or vice versa for everyone, thus ensuring that everyone starts off on an equal footing. Others may designate certain colours for leaders of the group and other colours for trainees, while yet others will simply suggest that you are comfortable in what you wear. Many people will spend a great deal of time, energy and effort on fashioning suitable robes, and we suggest that you use sigils and symbols appropriate to your own beliefs.

The idea is that when working magically you leave behind the ordinary mundane world, so you will probably prefer to turn off mobile phones, put away keys and name tags and remove money from pockets and so on. It will be a matter of group preference as to whether you wear jewellery or not. In some circles, magical jewellery such as the pentagram, the ankh or rings with magical symbols or significance may be allowed while in others they are not. Many groups will not allow the use of watches, since time is considered irrelevant. It is often better not to use perfume or cologne unless it is based on essential oils which are suitable for the work in hand, or complement any incense being used.

 

Natural Magic: Spells, Enchantments & Self-Development

Pamela Bell

 

Banishing Spells and Folklore

Banishing Spells and Folklore

Disclaimer: The spells contained here are collected from years of personal experience, folk magic traditions, and various occult sources as noted. They are posted with the intention of being helpful to those who are looking for spell resources, and may need to be adjusted to fit your individual need. Please bear in mind that if your particular belief system prohibits you from casting certain types of spells, you should probably not do so — however, it’s important to recognize that not all magical traditions follow the same set of guidelines when it comes to spellwork.

If you’re here on this page, chances are good you’ve already read about the basics of banishing – and that article focuses primarily on getting unwanted metaphysical entities out of your life. However, sometimes, we have actual people in our lives that cause problems, and this is where a banishing spell comes in handy. There are a number of different methods you can try – just make sure that the one you use doesn’t violate any of your own personal moral or ethical guidelines.

To Make Someone Leave You Alone

This one comes in handy when you’ve got someone in your life that you can’t avoid – a co-worker or classmate – but you’re tired of being harassed by them.

They’ll still be around, but they’ll stop bothering you.

Write the individual’s name on a piece of paper. Burn the paper around the edges using a black candle (black is associated with banishing magic), and as you do so, let them know that you are burning away whatever feelings (animosity, lust, jealousy, whatever) they may have towards you. Burn as much of the paper as you can, until all that’s left is their name.

Take the last bit of paper to the place where you normally see them – work or school or wherever – and dig a hole and bury it.

To Keep Someone from Harassing You

Use the Chill Out spell, to get the person to chill out and move on.

Balloon Banishing

Write the person’s name on a small piece of paper, and insert it into a balloon. Fill the balloon with helium, and then take it far away and release it into the sky.

The Get Out of My Life Poppet

This is a good one to use when you not only want to be left alone, you want the person completely out of your life.

Light two black candles (black for banishment!), one on each side of your workspace.

Create a poppet out of whatever material you prefer to use (cloth, clay, wax, etc). As you assemble the poppet, make sure you tell the poppet how much you dislike it, and how your life would be a heck of a lot better if it would get out. Make sure you use a magical link so the poppet knows who it represents.

If you’re in a hurry to get the person out of your life, you can “light a fire under their butt” with the candles (important safety tip here, make sure you only SINGE the bottom of the poppet rather than actually lighting it on fire). Take it to the edge of your town, and bury it outside the city limits… if you make it out of clay you can smash it instead of burying it. Allow the candles to burn down until they are gone.

Four Thieves Banishing Spell

In some Hoodoo and folk magic tradition, an item known as Four Thieves vinegar is used. You’ll need to brew up a batch before you get started.

Use this spell to keep someone bothersome away from you.

Write your target’s name on a piece of paper – some traditions recommend you use brown paper, or parchment. Soak the paper in Four Thieves Vinegar. Fold the piece of paper up as small as you can, and bury in the dirt somewhere. One school of thought is that you should bury it in a pot, preferably under a plant like a cactus, so no one will ever disturb it.

 

Source:

 

, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article found on and owned by About.com

 

Banishing Spells

Banishing Spells

In many traditions of Paganism and Wicca, banishing is done to get rid of negative energy, unwanted energy, or even people who causing problems in our lives. While some traditions frown upon banishing as manipulative magic on the theory that it impacts the free will of another, if your tradition has no prohibitions against such things, then there’s no reason you can’t do a banishing to get rid of negativity.

There are a number of different methods to accomplishing a successful banishing. Which one you choose will vary, depending on how comfortable you are with the different techniques, and what you’re trying to achieve.

Giving Orders

If you’re trying to get rid of an unwanted spirit, one of the most effective methods is to simply give it its marching orders. Be firm and blunt, and say something along the lines of, “This is not the place for you, and it’s time for you to leave.” You may wish to offer a blessing or well-wishes if it makes you feel better about things, and say, “It is time for you to move on, and we wish you the best in your new place.” Frequently, this will do the trick and your problems will be solved.

Elemental Banishing

A popular method of banishing is the use of the various elements, in particular the use of fire or water. Fire can be used as a method of purification and cleansing by way of destruction. Water is used in a number of religions for a variety of purposes, including banishing. You can make your own consecrated water for use in rituals.

Salt is also a great tool for banishing. In some magical traditions, it represents earth, and has been used for centuries to get rid of negative energy.

In some folk magic traditions, black salt – a blend of sea salt and another item such as charcoal – is used as a protective barrier.

Use fire to burn a symbol of whatever it is you wish to be rid of, or earth to bury it.

Ritual and Spellwork

In some circumstances, banishing may be far more complex than simply sprinkling some salt and telling someone (or something) to go away. If you have a person, for instance, who is harassing you, a banishing ritual may be called for. A banishing ritual should include a combination of the following:

  • The name of the person you wish to banish from your life
  • A specific and active description of what you intend to happen. For instance, “Make Susan a better person” is rather vague and passive – instead, try “Susan will stop harassing me at work.”
  • A magical link, or taglock, connected to the person you wish to banish

A great deal of magic relies on symbolism. You can use this to your advantage in a banishing, by doing things such as freezing someone’s behavior, binding them from continuing the behavior, or reflecting the negative behavior back at them. Some simple methods include:

  • A “chill out” spell, in which the person’s name is placed in a container of water and frozen.
  • A basic binding which metaphysically ties the hands of the individual. Try the tongue-binding spell if you’re dealing with someone who is spreading nasty rumors about you.
  • Use a box with mirrors inside it to reflect negativity back to the individual who is harassing you.

Finally, more complex banishings can be performed if needed. You can create a banishing spell using the basic Spell Creation Template, and perform it as necessary. Feel free to make your banishing ritual or spell as over-the-top and extreme as you wish – getting rid of someone who is causing you pain or heartache is a pretty significant thing, so unleash as much magical mojo as you feel you need.

 

Source:

, Paganism/Wicca Expert
Article found on and owned by About.com