Category: Spellcrafting

The Thirteen Principles of Witchcraft

The Thirteen Principles of Witchcraft

 

The Council of American Witches (now defunct) adopted the 13 Principles of Witchcraft in April of 1974. Although many modern-day Witches are unfamiliar with the C.A.W., the Council’s principles are widely adhered to just the same. They are as follows:

 

1) We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross-quarters.

 

2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and consciousness within an evolutionary concept.

 

3) We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called supernatural, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.

 

4) We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe as manifesting through polarity – as masculine and feminine – and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the interaction of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be supportive to the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.

 

5) We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconsciousness, Inner Planes, etc. – and we see in the interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.

 

6) We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those have courageously given of themselves in leadership.

 

7) We see religion, magick, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it – a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft – the Pagan Way.

 

8) Calling oneself a Witch does not make a Witch – but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees, and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.

 

9) We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.

 

10) Our only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that it’s institutions have claimed to be ‘the only way’, and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.

 

11) As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.

 

12) We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as Satan, or the Devil, as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the sufferings of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.

 

13) We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.

 

[The above principles are now in the public domain.]

The Charge of the Star Goddess (Part II)

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess. She, in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, whose body encircleth the universe.

I, who am the beauty of the Green Earth and the White Moon amongst the stars and the mystery of the Waters and the desire of the heart of man;  I call unto thy soul to arise and come unto me. For I am the Soul of Nature who giveth life to the universe; from me all things proceed and unto me all things must return You, beloved of the Gods and men, whose innermost divine self shall be enfolded in the raptures of the Infinite, let my worship be in the heart. Rejoiceth, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals; therefore, let there be beauty and strength–power and compassion–honor and humility, mirth and reverence–within you. And thou who thinkest to seek me, know that thy seeking and yearning avail thee not, unless thou knowest the mystery–that if that which thou seekest thou findeth not within thyself, thou will never find it without thee. For behold!I have been with thee from the beginning and I am that which is attained at the end of desire!

The Charge (Part I)

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old, called amongst men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arionhod, Bride, and by many other names.

At mine Altar, the youths of Lacedemon in Sparta made due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month and better it be when the Moon is Full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the Spirit of Me, who am Queen of all the Witcheries. There shall ye assemble, who are feign to learn all sorceries who have not as yet won my deepest secrets. To these will I teach that which is as yet unknown. And ye shall be free from all slavery and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall sing, feast, and make music, all in my presence. For mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit and mine is also joy on earth. For my Law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideals, strive ever towards them. Let none stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret that upon the door of youth and mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immorality I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man upon earth. I give the knowledge of the Spirit Eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before. Nor do I demand aught or sacrifice, for behold I am the Mother of all things and my love is poured out upon the earth.

Charge Of The Goddess

The Charge of the Goddess is one of the most popular ritual invocation in modern Witchcraft and Wicca. The foundation of the work comes from a book titled Aradia – Gospel of the Witches, written by Charles Leland and published in 1899. Sometime after 1955, Doreen Valiente, one of the most gifted poets and priestesses of Wicca in our time, used the information in poetry while assisting Gerald Gardner in compiling the material later used for Gardnerian instruction. The version you will find here first appeared in The Grimoire of Lady Sheba, first published in 1972. In later years, the Charge was broken into two parts, with the second section standing alone and titled “The Charge of the Star Goddess.”

Depending upon personal or coven choice, the Charge is read:

  • At the beginning of a ritual. Members of the coven may practice deep breathing, grounding and centering, or meditation

  • Before communion.

  • At the end of a ritual, as a closure

  • At some point during an initiation rite.

  • During daily devotion

  • During personal spellworking.

Circle Casting In Spells and Rituals

Long before circles were adopted by ceremonial magicians, they have appeased in folk tradition as people for thousands of years have danced in circles around a festival fire. They offer power as well as protection.

In essence you can cast a circle anywhere for any kind of spell or ritual (a visualized one using your index finger takes seconds). If someone is being spiteful at work, you can swirl round in a circle in your chair casting a circle close to your aura (about an  extended arm span all round) so that nasty words bounce off or are diverted back to the speaker.

Any circle you create should enclose yourself; your altar and tools, if you are using them and anyone working with you to create an enclosed protected place of concentrated power. Even if you are carrying out a whole spell with words or in your mind you can cast a visualized circle of light.

Empowering the Square

  • Use smudge and proceed clockwise round the square from the top north-west corner (as you face north) until you end at the same place. If possible empower at sunset, and as close to the three days after the full moon as you can.

  • Make a swirl at each corner with the smudge and ask for blessings and protection from the benign lesser earth spirits who will, if you are fortunate, take up position there (especially if you have taller rocks on which for them to make a home).

  • Greet each of the loftier mid-point guardians, however you picture them, by raising your smudge to the sky and then downwards to the earth. Greet each of the guardians on the first occasion with a small rounded black stone offering (you can use jet or tourmaline if you want to use a crystal but not the fiery obsidian).

  • Unlike archangels, a land wight may not reveal his specific name so greet him as “sacred or noble land wight of the northern land” and so on round the four directions.

  • You can if you wish refer to the northern directions guardian as Tiwaz the Viking spirit warrior who represents the Pole Star, the east as Odin the Viking father god, the south as Thor the mighty thunder and blacksmith god and the west as Ingvi or Ingwaz, the ancient fertility go who, according to the old sagas or legends, went anticlockwise,  against the sun, that is westwards.

  • You can empower a temporary or large visualized square by standing in the  center and pointing your smudge in the same order as you walked: north-west corner, north center, north-east corner, et., and repeating the words as you turn the smudge clockwise and anticlockwise.

  • If you are making a protective square of light around yourself in a dangerous place, picture staves of light rising vertically at all eight points.

  • Magick squares don’t need to be uncast as their energies will flow back and forth from the soil.

  • Re-empower a permanent magick square monthly as sunset, on any day during the three days after the full moon.

Casting A Magick Square

The square is a very powerful symbol of protection. Even if you work within a circle you can still designate an outer square as an additional protective enclosure. If you can’t have a permanent altar outdoors, your magick square can designate the smaller space where you regularly set up your magickal tools.

It is also very protective of the home, even more so than a circle, and is an easier shape to cast in many gardens than the circle. You can draw a square around anything outdoors with small stone markers if the site is very quiet or if you have to leave the item, building or whatever you are trying to protect alone or unoccupied for a while.

It is effective also for keeping children or animals temporarily off lawns or flower beds you are trying to grow.

You can visualize a protective square of any size, from a small one around a precious artifact to one around a sacred site where you have organized a seasonal ritual.

They are very protective around natural circles such as groves where you would not draw a circle.

Indeed, you can create a temporary square if you are working in a public spot and don’t want your magick area invaded by dogs and curious individuals. In modern times where working in isolated places may be less safe, you can visualize one around the beach or forest while you are working or around yourself (as well as your protective circle) on a deserted station platform or taxi rank.

  • Stand in the center of your designated square, which may also be the center of your projected magick circle.
  • Hold out your arm as far as you can with your palm upright and outwards and say:

“Enough and no more, I draw my square of protection. Preserve this space as sacred.”

  • Picture a line of light forming the top horizontal (west to east). Keep turning, making next the vertical north-south line along the right east side as you face north. Speak and visualize till you have all four lines in place and can see a shimmering outline to your square of light.
  • You can also walk your square from the furthest away top left-hand corner, moving clockwise and ending at the nearest, bottom left corner. Use your wand in front of you and put a small dark stone at each corner and one halfway along each line. You can align with a compass or estimate north in the middle of the top line furthest from you as you face north.
  • You can assign your midpoint, the main directions, to archangels or to the lofty Landvaetir, the tall brown guardians who in Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway; Germany and eastern parts of the UK are recognized as protecting land and all who live on it. You can further protect the corners with the traditional taller dark stones if you are setting up a permanent magickal square. Bless your square as you would a circle the first time you create it.

The Magick Square

Squares have a strong folk magick tradition; a magickal square would be marked in a field with hoes, rakes or other agricultural implements. In times of persecution squares could be consecrated as a magickal space, but were much easier to disguise as magickal working than circles. Some were undoubtedly used to mark as sacred land where a former sacred Roman temple stood, just as a circle of stones or tree stumps beneath a church or cathedral might mark a former sacred Druidic grove.

In Scandinavia, the magickal square formed the outline for a grid of nine squares, three by three. These were made by the seior, the witch seers of the Norse world who channelled wisdom from the spirit world, specifically from Helheim where the Crone Goddess Hel cared for the deceased. The seior sat on raised thrones  within the grids and travelled astrally to Helheim to talk to the ancestors and receive advice for the living. Only later did the Goddess Hel become demonized and in recent years there has been a revival of seior craft.

The water witches of the West Midlands also used a magickal square, or mill as they called it, for magick. They were people who came from the Netherlands to live and work on the Midland canals in the 1800s. They practiced an ancient form of folk magick that did not die out till the mid-1900s and there are still a few practitioners remaining. Rituals were practiced by these canal people on a square of land adjacent to the canal bank with a triple magickal square. Each square was joined by four lines and constructed from wood and was known as the Mil. Only women entered the sacred area under the leadership of a senior female water witch, through the chief male, known as the master, standing at the edge, summoned a spirit entity to assist in the ritual.

In modern Iceland, the Landvaetir or Land guardians often have particularly sacred square fields that cannot be built on, where offerings are left in order to bring protection to the homes and farms around.

Magickal Squares and Circles In Magick

Magickal squares and circles date back to prehistory. Megalithic stone circles were created from around 3,500 BCE and set out according to precise geometric and astronomical measurements. They were used for rituals of all kinds by the Neolithic tribes especially on the seasonal change points to invoke the ancestors for fertility of crops, animals and people and continued to provide the setting for magickal gatherings through the millennia.

In Sweden and Norway the sacred square grid has formed a magickal device for more than three thousand years. It was used originally on the great seasonal fire festivals, at midwinter, midsummer and harvest. Nine turf squares were etched in the earth and eight removed, leaving the middle one to form the center of the ritual fire.

The magick circle and square also have their place in modern magick. Both shapes occur naturally in forest clearings and can be drawn in sand, earth or snow, or formed out of twigs, branches, shells, flowers, or even crystals.

Both act as markers for the main directions, the circle as though on a clock face and the square halfway along each side, both giving equal segment for the elements.

What Is The Difference Between A Spell and A Ritual?

In practice the terms “spell” and “ritual” are used interchangeably in magick and through many Traditions as an umbrella terms for magickal workings.

A spell tends to be a less formal kind of magick, usually cast for a specific purpose or need, for example to protect a named traveller (maybe yourself or a family member) on a particular journey or trip for a specified length of time. The energies are raised, and then released so they will bounce back to activate the purpose of the spell which has been represented by a symbol of that journey. This physical focus of the spell might in magick be a feather of some chopped fennel herbs to symbolize travel.

In contrast a ritual is usually based on a more general or long-lasting focus. A ritual may be carried out at specified times, for example, the first day of spring or to celebrate the birth of a baby. A ritual follows a more structured format.

What is more, whereas a spell builds up to a climax and release of energy, the ritual may release energy more evenly throughout the weeks and months ahead.

Circle Casting

First- Start by determining how big your space needs to be. If you are solitary it usually doesn’t need to be more than 3 feet, but if you wish to work with something bigger, that’s ok too.

Next- Figure out where your Circle should be cast. Are you doing this in your room, outside, and if so where.

Then- Which direction will your circle face? The circle is almost always oriented to the four cardinal points.

Once you get the first three steps out of the way, get all your tools, and anything else you need together and place it within the boundary of where your circle will be. You want everything inside before you cast so you don’t have to run all over the place like a chicken with it’s head cut off.

Now you can actually cast your circle.

But how exactly is this done? For the purposes here, I’ll describe a solitary circle casting as this is the internet and most of the people here are solitares. I will also include the calling of the quarters.

You can begin by marking the circle out if you want, whether by candles, or just keeping the image of how big you want your circle in your mind. There are many methods to this, but candles and visualization are usually the best if you are secretive about it all.

Go ahead and call your quarters, and if you chose to mark with candles, light them as you come to each quater (please note this is only one way to do this, that doesn’t mean you have to do it this way), starting in the East.

East:

”Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.”

South:

”Guardians of the South, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of energy and will, guided by Fire, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.”

West:

”Guardians of the West, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of passion and emotion, guided by Water, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.”

North:

”Guardians of the North, I call upon you to watch over the rites of Three Circles Coven. Powers of endurance and strength, guided by Earth, we ask that you keep watch over us tonight within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust.”

Now take up your athame (your index and middle together if you don’t have one) and stand in the northeast point of your circle. Visualize an electric blue energy just for the circle, moving it’s way from your chest, down your arms, and through the athame and hovering just an inch or two above the ground. Walk sunwise (or clockwise as an alternative) and let this blue light flow through you and out to hover above the ground as you walk the area of your circle. Go all the way around, and make sure to overlap a bit at the starting point so that your circle is closed. From here raise the light to form a complete sphere around your area, as well as below it.

Then you can go about your ritual or spell.

This circle is for you to work without distraction, and within yet without, time and space itself. It helps you to focus your energy that you raise within it, and to direct it towards your goal.

To dismiss the circle, You need to dismiss elements and deities if you call them. Then you will start at the Northeast corner again. This time instead of sending out the electric blue light, you will be reabsorbing it. Draw the light up and through your athame back into you. Walk counter clockwise (also known as widdershins) around the circle until you once again, over lap. You can say something to the effect of ”May the Circle be Open yet Remain unbroken”

Ground and Center then do you clean up.

Writing Your Own Spells

First you need to consider what kind of spell you want to write. Will it be a rain spell, a protection spell, or maybe a healing spell?

Once you’ve gotten down what kind of spell you want to do, consider your intent behind it. Do you want to make it rain because the plants are drying up? Do you know someone who is struggling and needs some protection? Or perhaps you want to help heal someone who is sick? Dig deep and really feel out the reasons behind why you want to do this kind of spell. You should ask yourself- Do I really need to cast this spell? Make sure your spell isn’t going to harm others. Is it going to take away free will from someone? If your intentions are pure and not out of spite or hate, then you can proceed.

The next thing you are going to wanna do is really consider if you want to use tools. If you do, what kinds of tools will you need? Every tool has an energy you can add to a spell, so consider them very carefully. At this time you may also wish to consider the use of herbs or stones as well, as they too are a type of tool. Remember that if you feel you don’t need a tool, then don’t use one.

Once you know what materials you are going to use, if you desire to use any at all, you can move on to a moon phase, or a day of the week, colors, gods and goddesses etc… Or you can choose not to use one at all. Now is the time to also consider, how fast do you want the spell to work, and what exactly you want the outcome to be.

Now comes the fun part. You have all the basic criteria down. You can now start working on the actual writing of the spell. Remember that when you write your own spells, you put your own energy into them, and these will work better because of that. (This same technique can also be used for rewriting other spells that you may find). Once you have the spell written you are ready to plan a basic outline for casting.

Here’s one you can use to help you (this is based on the use of a candle, and remember this is only an outline, that means it’s just here to give you a rough idea)

  1. Casting the spell on the day and in the moon that is needed
  2. Annointing a candle (of which colour you would have found out in the step above) with oil and herbs (which you also found out in the step above).
  3. Then lighting the candle and saying a rhyme, chant or verse to the god or goddess you are calling upon statung exactly what you want the outcome of the spell to be.
  4. Putting your hands over the candle (not so you burn yourself) focus your energies into the candle envisioning them as a bright white light which will power the spell.
  5. Then you have the choice of blowing the candle out a burrying the remaining or letting it burn down completely which will send the spell out into the universe.
  6. Finish the spell by saying:

With harm to none, So mote it be. (or something along these lines)

You should write the whole spell out as above exactly how you plan on casting it, so you have it in front of you and there will be no mistakes when it comes to casting it for real.

Don’t forget to cast your circle before the spell, or remove it afterwards.Just make sure you are working in a clean area and cleanse the room of negativity before hand by sprinkling some salt water around and keeping a bowl of salt in the room to absorb negative energies. Smudging is also a good idea! Dont forget most spells unless specified in it will take anything up to 21 days to manifest although most work quickly if the need is great.

Reduce the Risk of Fear

Many spellcrafters are paralyzed by the idea of making a mistake. They have some vague conception of their lives imploding if they add the oregano before the deer’s tongue grass, or if the candle is lit before the incense.

Part of the spellcrafting process involves having the courage to take your life into your hands and commit yourself to making a difference. There’s no way around that. In fact, it’s one of the greatest truth of accepted that he or she can make a difference in his or her life. As a spellcrafter, you possess the power to initiate change. If you’re petrified of doing something wrong, though, you’re not even giving yourself the opportunity to make a difference, let alone the chance to make a mistake–or to succeed.

Resolve right now to allow yourself to make mistakes. Mistakes are how we learn. “Be willing to look like a beginner in order to be an expert,” says creative coach Jill Badonksy and she’s right: everyone has to start somewhere. When you learned to ride a bicycle, you fell off and skinned your knees over and over until your finally mastered the trick of balancing on two narrow, moving tires. Spellcrafting can be a much  less painful experience as long as you remember to come up with a clearly defined goal, to think through your spell carefully, and to consider the consequences. Practice gives you experience to apply to your future spells. Note, however, that practice does not make perfect in the subjective area of spellcraft.. Life is a work in progress, after all. Things are rarely perfect.

Spontaneous Spells

What about the magick of the moment? What about those times where you’re swept up by emotion and you perform a spontaneous spell right then and there?

Spontaneous spells can be lovely, deep, and very meaningful. There’s no rule anywhere insisting that every spell has to be thought and planned out to the last detail. If you’re standing on the seashore under a full moon and your heart swells, then by all means do what you feel inspired to do.

Just write it down when you get back home. Scribble down as best you can what you said and what you did. You can use a spell record sheet, or you can record it in a journal reserved for spellcrafting. A journal like this can also record meditations, questions, dreams and bits of research, and over time can become a beautiful and personal  record of your evolution as a spellcrafter. Knowledge is power and the more knowledge you acquire from studying your success and failures, the more power you have over your abilities and your life.

Ground and Center

Ground and Center before all magickal work to avoid depleting personal energy levels. Begin by being still, gathering within and releasing through the fee (and palms if need be) into the ground all static, chaotic internal energies. Now feel the inner calmness, centered around the heart, and draw up through the feet strong Earth  energy (through the floor if indoor), feeling the power and energy rising up and intertwining with your own energies up through the legs, body, arms, neck, and head, out the top, circled around and up again until all portions of the body are in balance. Once this power is felt and is in balance, then Circle Casting, Ritual, Divination, and Spell Work may begin.

Grounding after all magickal work to avoid overload of personal energy levels; touch the Earth/floor with palms of the hands after magickal work and feel the excess energy drain out, leaving a balance of personal energy, augmented only by that amount of Earth necessary for healthy functioning of the body. Too much retained energy will result in headache, depression, or irritability. Too Little will result in fatigue, depression or faintness. You must find the inner balance and adjust according to how you feel.