Category: Witchcraft

Let’s Talk Witch – NEVER

Blue Dragons At The Castle

NEVER

 

One of the best parts of being a Witch is that there are hardly any rules. You gotta love that. Really, we only have one: An it harm none, do as ye will. So pretty much as long as what you do doesn’t hurt anyone (including yourself), it’s cool.

But there are a few things that are considered to be serious no-noes in the witchy world. They may not get you sent to hell (since Witches don’t actually believe in hell, the devil, or, for that matter, sin), but they could get you severely scolded by your witchy friends. (Or, worse yet, get your butt kicked by the karma police.)

So as you make your way through your day, keep in mind that you should NEVER, EVER:

• Cast a spell that will hurt anyone (see Rule #i, above).

• Cast a spell that interferes with another person’s free will (even if you are sure it will help them).

• “Out” someone as a Witch without asking them first-if you don’t know whether or not someone is out of the broom closet, do not mention their witchiness to anyone.

• Tell outsiders what goes on in your group rituals (unless it is okay with all members).

• Break circle during a ritual (this can scatter or burst the gathered energy with unpleasant effects). If it is necessary to leave mid-ritual, you should be “cut” out of circle.

• Pick up someone else’s witchy tools (athame, tarot cards, drums, etc.) without asking first. These tools become attuned to their user’s energy with repeated use, and some Witches don’t like to have their own energy diluted or contaminated by someone else’s.

• Cast a spell to make someone else love you. Not only does this interfere with free will, but it is likely to come back and bite you on the butt eventually. Seriously-I know it can be tempting, but just don’t do it. (You can cast a spell to make yourself open to love instead, which will only affect you, so it is okay.)

• Force someone to take part in a ritual or any other aspect of witchy life if they don’t want to. If your friends, relatives, or co-workers are meant to be Pagans, they’ll come to you when the time is right and they are ready. We want others to respect our spiritual beliefs-that means we have to do the same. (This is especially true for significant others. We all want to share our lives with someone who believes as we do, but sometimes we just have to settle for tolerance instead of agreement.)

• Talk to outsiders about a confidence shared with you in circle. We have a saying: “What’s said in circle stays in circle.” (Yeah, I know, those Vegas people stole it from us.) People need to know that if they bare their souls while passing the speaking stick-or at any other point during ritual-that whatever they talk about will stay in the safe space of circle and not show up as gossip in the outside world.

There are probably a few more that I am forgetting, but these are the biggies. Avoid these “nevers” and do harm to none, and you can practice your craft with a clear conscience and a happy heart.

–Deborah Blake, Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft

 

Let’s Talk Witch – Feeling the Power

Mysterious witch in orange

Feeling the Power

 

What power? Not the energy piped through your home, but the powers of magic— the forces of the elements and winds, the energy that keeps our planet spinning within our spinning galaxy within a spinning universe. This is the real energy of magic.

One of the best ways to gain a familiarity with this power is through memory. We have the power at all times; it is what keeps our body running and working properly. We take it in through the food we eat and release it in physical exertion, mental workings, and simple bodily functions like breathing and blinking our eyes.

Since this power is with us at all times, it sometimes makes its presence known.

Most people have experienced a thunderstorm. Jagged lightning glances across the sky, rain and wind slam down, and the sky shakes with tremendous thunder. Such a storm will often cause unexpected reactions.

A chill might shake you, both in anxiety and also in exhilaration of such a spectacular example of nature’s unlimited power.

If you can recall an especially powerful storm that sent a chill down your spine, attempt to recapture that feeling. Recall the time; remember your reactions to the storm.

You may begin to feel charged with energy. Your pulse and breathing may increase in rate, the muscles of your body may tense, and you may begin to perspire.

These physical changes are manifestations of the increased amount of energy surging through your body.

This is the same energy used in magic. As mentioned previously, much of the energy is generated by the emotion. Emotional reactions to situations can have amazing results (the weak woman who pushed a car off her child’s leg, for example) that seem to defy normal laws.

This isn’t the case. These power surges are manifestations of other laws of nature not yet discovered by science.

Since emotion is an excellent way in which to feel the power, a strong emotional reaction— such as that to a storm— is often beneficial to help the power begin flowing.

Obviously it would be ridiculous to stand and reexperience a thunderstorm before every spell. Simply use the thunderstorm exercise in order to feel the energy— the energy that manifests itself in tense muscles, increased respiration and heart rates, and perhaps perspiration.

Once you have felt it and can do so at will, you can generate power and send it off during your spells to work your need.

Any spell performed in such a state will be much more effective than one that was walked through.

Again, use the emotion of the need of the particular spell to attain this state. If you desperately need five hundred dollars for an unexpected, neglected, or forgotten bill, pour all of your concern into the spell. But back it up with your unshakeable knowledge that you can and will draw it to you.

All right, so it isn’t easy at first. As my piano teacher used to tell me, “Practice!”

 

 

-Scott Cunningham, Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic

 

 

 

Energy + Spells = Change

strega d'autunno

Energy + Spells = Change

 

When our own energy is concentrated and channeled, it can move the broader energy currents. The images and objects used in spells are the channels, the vessels through which our power is poured and by which it is shaped. When energy is directed into the images we visualize, it gradually manifests physical form and takes shape in the material world.

-Starhawk, The Spiral Dance

 

Merry Meet & Good Morning To All Our Dear Family & Friends on this Beautiful Tuesday!

Leaves

The White Witch’s Oath

In Life’s name, and for Life’s sake,

I say that I will use the

Art for nothing but the service of Life.

I will guard growth and ease pain.

I will fight to preserve what grows

and lives well in its own way;

and I will change no object

or creature unless its growth and life,

or that of the system of

which it is part, are threatened.

To these ends, in the practice of my

Art, I will put aside fear for courage,

and death for life, when it is right to do so

—till Universe’s end

Consecrating Altar Objects

Consecrating Altar Objects

If you are not using completely new objects on your altar – here we are referring to the basic ‘furnishings’ of candle holders etc – you should cleanse them before you dedicate them to your purpose. Treat them in the same way as you would any crystals you use, by soaking them overnight in salt water to remove anyone else’s vibrations and then standing them in sunshine (or moonshine) for at least 12 hours to charge them with the appropriate energy.

 

When you are ready, hold each object and allow your own energy to flow into it, followed by the energy of your idea of Ultimate Power. (That way you make a very powerful link between yourself, the object and the Ultimate.) Ask this Power to bless the object and any working you may do with it and perceive yourself as truly a medium or channel for the energy.

 

Hopefully, each time you use any of the objects, you will immediately be able to reinforce that link rather than having to re-establish it. It is like a refrain continually running in the background. Now place the objects on your altar however it feels right for you.

 

Finally, if appropriate, create and caste your circle so that it includes yourself and your altar. The magic circle defines the ritual area, holds in personal power and shuts out all distractions and negative energies. You now have a sacred space set up which is your link to the powers that be. Again it is a matter of personal choice as to whether you choose to re-dedicate your altar and what it contains on a regular basis

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.

WOTC EXtra – Sensing Energy Currents

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Sensing Energy Currents

 

Try these simple exercises to start becoming aware of your own energy and the energy around you. If you like, you can do these exercises with a friend.

Close your eyes and hold your palms up in front of you, facing each other, about a foot or so apart. Slowly move your palms closer together but don’t actually let them touch. Can you sense the energy flowing between your palms? You may feel warmth or coolness, various degrees of tingling, or something else. You might even sense a color or feel an emotion. Does the feeling grow stronger as your hands get closer together?

Choose an object, preferably a natural one such as a stone or plant. Run your hands around the object without touching it physically, trying to feel the energy it possesses. What do you sense? Can you feel warmth, coolness, or any other sensation coming from the object? Do you get any impressions or thoughts? Don’t discount them, even if they seem weird.

Ask a friend to do this exercise with you. Sit with your eyes closed, while your friend stands behind you. Slowly, your friend moves her hand toward your head, without ever actually touching you. When you sense the energy from her hand, say so. Then switch places and try the exercise again.

Write down what you experienced in what will become your “grimoire” or “book of shadows,” a journal of your magick spells and experiences. These notes will help you as you continue working with different energies, and as you grow more aware of how your own energies fluctuate with your mood, your health, and your circumstances.


The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells
Skye Alexander

 

Let’s Talk Witch – The Cosmic Web & Energy, Energy Everywhere

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THE COSMIC WEB

From the perspective of science, everything is energy. Magicians see the world as surrounded by an energetic matrix that connects everything to everything else. This matrix, or “cosmic web,” envelops our earth like a big bubble. It also permeates all things that exist here and extends throughout the solar system and beyond. The web pulses with subtle vibrations that magicians, psychics, and other sensitive individuals can feel. Regardless of whether you are consciously aware of these vibrations, you are affected by — and your own personal energy vibrations continually affect the matrix.

Energy, Energy Everywhere

Everything in the world emits an energy vibration of some kind. Different things have different energy patterns, resonances, or “signatures.” These resonances reach out to touch one another in a series of crisscrossing lines all around the world, rather like a big spider web. They also connect the physical and nonphysical worlds. These energetic connections are what enable witches and wizards to work magick— even over a long distance. You simply send a thought or emotion along one of these energy lines to wherever or whomever you wish to reach— it works faster than sending a text.

Consider this: How many times have you gotten a phone call from someone you were just thinking about? It’s not an accident. Your thoughts and the other person’s connected in the cosmic web before you spoke to one another in the physical realm. When you do magick, you purposefully tap into this infinite web. You tug a little on one of the lines. As you become skilled at using magick, you’ll learn to navigate the cosmic web just as easily as you surf the Internet. The first step is to sensitize yourself to these vibrations and become aware of the energetic field around you.

 

WOTC Extra – Very Simple Dedication Ritual

Witch

Very Simple Dedication Ritual

 

Here is a simple dedication ritual. On the night of a full moon, go outside and draw a circle around yourself with your athame. Once you are inside your circle, light a white candle and gaze at it until you can feel the moonlight filling ing your soul. Then pour a libation to the goddess from your chalice onto the ground. Hold the chalice up to the moon and say,

“With all my heart and soul, I, __________, willingly dedicate myself to the Craft and to you.

So mote it be.”

Drink from the chalice, and then sit quietly in your circle until it feels like the right time to go back inside.

 

 

Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft

Deborah Blake

 

Let’s Talk Witch – Dedication

Witch

Dedication

 

Some might say that it takes dedication to be a Witch. And they would be right in more ways than one.

When a Witch says that he or she is dedicated to the Craft, it might just mean that she or he puts in a lot of time and effort. More likely, though, they are referring to a particular ceremony called a dedication.

A dedication is a formal declaration of intent, a wedding vow of sorts, if you will, that binds the Witch to the practice of Witchcraft or to a coven or group. While not necessarily a vow of the “til death do us part” sort (since you can always change your mind and take up Buddhism instead, if you like), it is a serious commitment and should never be made lightly.

Some Witches know right away that they want to make this commitment, and some practice for their entire lives without ever making a formal dedication-neither way is right or wrong. In truth, the only “wrong” way is to make a dedication frivolously, without thinking it through first.

Otherwise, there are a number of ways to go about it. If you are a Solitary Witch, there are lots of great self-dedication rituals available in books or online. Better yet, just light some candles, cast your circle, and speak from the heart-the gods will certainly hear you.

If you are in a group, your high priest and/or high priestess will probably dedicate you, usually with the rest of the group there to help out and bear witness. You can even invite friends and family as long as they will treat the event with the proper reverence.

A group dedication is a slightly different event-if your group is just starting out, you will probably hold a ritual that dedicates you all at the same time.

No matter what kind of dedication you are doing, the ritual will be beautiful, moving, and will change your life forever. Who could ask for more?

 

 

Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft

Deborah Blake

 

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

 

Let’s Talk Witch – Pantheon Pathways

witchcraft

Pantheon Pathways

 

As Witches, we often draw upon the mythology of many different lands to find the god and goddess figures that we identify with most strongly. And while this can vary greatly from Witch to Witch (like everything else we do-hey, at least we are not a bunch of boring conformists), many of us are drawn to the pantheons (from the Greek “temple of the gods,” meaning the officially recognized gods of a particular people) of the Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Celtic cultures, with a few Norse and Hindu gods thrown in for good measure.

It is interesting to see how much the gods from one culture resemble the gods in another. It makes sense, I suppose, when you consider that most Pagan peoples had the same interests as we do today: love, protection, prosperity, the moon, growing things, etc.

In addition, it is historically possible in many cases to follow the path that a god took from one culture to another. For instance, many of the Roman gods and goddesses were taken more or less directly from the Greeks who preceded them.

It is fine to focus on one pantheon or culture, but it is also okay to mix and match. The gods that want you will find you, that much is for sure.

 

 

Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft

Deborah Blake

 

Sacred Salt Jar

Sacred Salt Jar

 
This is not only great to have for oneself, but it makes a nice gift to someone special if you happen to know what scents they like or stones they like. Since what you put into it is “yours”, it is like giving a part of yourself, too. This mixture is excellent to charge stones in and to “simmer energies”. Once it has blended for a few months, a pinch can be added to rituals, etc., bathwater or as a gift to Mother Earth. You can also make a “starter salt” as a gift for a friend. You can also give of your own sacred salt mixture to a special friend to help blend powers and energies when they make their own sacred salt mixture. The mixture should be made and kept in a covered stone or Earthen jar, but can be made and kept in a covered glass jar until you find one that is suitable. There are thoughts on what kind of salt to use. Some use rock salt, some Earth salt and some sea salt, some even use normal table salt. Whatever salt you use, make sure that it is “natural” and not iodized. You blend the salt with chopped or ground herbs, tiny crystals, small stones, nuts seeds, jewelry, locks of hair, ground incense and a few drops of your favorite oils, anything that you wish. Even rose petals and other flowers, or a lock of hair. When you have cleansed and charged stones and crystals by sun and Moon, place them in this mixture to store until you wish to use them or give them as gifts.

Making a Witches Bottle

Making a Witches Bottle

First select the Bottle you want to use. Your bottle maybe clear or tinted. If you’re working with a colored bottle, choose a color that suits what you are doing. Tinted bottles are great for spells that use color correspondences. Once you have a bottle, wash it with warm soapy water, or cleanse it in the ocean. After you have washed it, magically cleanse it and bathe it in the light of the full moon. When the bottle is clean it is time to fill it. There are a lot of options when it comes to contents, here are a few examples: For Protection from unfriendly forces, you can fill the bottle with very sharp objects such as nails, pins, safety pins, & needles, or sand. By collecting herbs, resins, leaves, roots, and spices and filling a bottle with them, you can concoct a wide variety of Wards, Spells, or Talismans. Add a base oil or cider vinegar and you have wonderful gifts for your friends, these would enhance their magical life as well as their cooking! You can also fill the bottle with a variety of flower petals selected for their healing properties, attributes, or correspondences to planetary or other forces. You may want to include a bit of alcohol, vinegar, or olive oil to preserve the flowers.