Tag: Esoteric and Occult

Getting Started: Now What?

Getting Started: Now What?

Author: Darksky

Getting started… now what? I wanted to address this because there are both some new members just embarking on their path and also some veterans returning to their path and who are experiencing difficulty getting started or resuming their practice.

I have heard, “OK, I have read tons of books and dabbled, but I am not sure I know what I’m doing or how to get started”. Fair enough. We have all had to start at the beginning. We have all had some doubt, confusion, and fear regarding the craft. Some have a feeling they might do something wrong or cause their own practice or spiritual space to go all out of whack. Relax; you won’t. Remember old sayings like, “Practice makes perfect”, or “trial and error” or “You have to walk before you can run”.

One of the first things in magick that sometimes is overlooked is attitude. You’ve read a few books, listened to the local witch shop owner impart their knowledge of the craft, taken , and maybe attended seminars… but have you really heard people stress the subject of attitude. You may have heard, “magick without ego”. OK, what does that mean?
Let’s define ego…*

e·go: [ee-goh, eg-oh] noun, plural e·gos.
1. The “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.
2. Psychoanalysis: the part of  apparatus that experiences and reacts to the outside world and thus mediates between the primitive drives of the id and the demands of the social and physical environment.
3. egotism: conceit; self-importance: Her ego becomes more unbearable each day.
4. self-esteem or self-image: feelings: Your criticism wounded his ego.
5. (Often initial capital letter) Philosophy: a. the enduring and conscious element that knows experience; b. Scholasticism: the complete person comprising both body and soul.

So you try and remove ego; seems difficult or might seem contrary to some parts of the definition. Be positive. Have no doubt. Be confident, right?

I believe that magick without ego is a process where one is able to understand and feel a connection between each person, animal, nature and realize that removing the “I” isn’t simply taking your “self” out of the equations, but rather understanding the connection between all things created by a divinity (whatever it happens to be, or however you chose to name it) .
Magick is a state of mind, a lifestyle, and a true journey. It’s a journey of oneself… not of the ego “self”, but a maturation into different levels of understanding and connections.

Magick is not only learning spells and invocations, and acquiring altar tools. Magick comes from within you; it’s learning about you. No one can teach you that. You may be able to learn mediation, divination, and be guided certain in steps and procedures, but the true magick is in you. The task at hand then becomes how to unlock this gift, this ability, and this treasure. Coming together with nature, the seasons, and your God and Goddess, it is up to you to hear the call, feel the pulse, and see the colors.

The first thing is reflection. Have yourself in order, no distractions, and holding a deep desire. Notice I didn’t say a ‘true desire’. Desire is a wanting, needing, a lusting. So how do you know what is it true or untrue? I tend to shy away from people who tell me what I have to do or not to do to be an accomplished witch. Your journey along your path is yours and yours alone.

I mentioned before you need to get yourself in order. I feel is important, but it may take a long time. There is no set deadline. I mentioned no distractions; well in this day and age, how is that done? Kids, wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, jobs, money… ugh, the list goes on and on, right? If you try to keep your journey’s path lit and do not allow the flame of desire to go out then you’re not distracted: All things in due time and moderation.

We all can’t all raise and cast in the AM or PM. we sometimes become overwhelmed with the trappings of every day life. I am guilty of that myself at times. Try to have reminders around you of the magick that you have discovered or are striving to discover, things that in an instant remind you of your magickal goals. The desire to learn and become something is not without doubt, mistakes, or pain.

Magick isn’t about the next step in a series of books or classes or altar tools. It’s about heart and soul. Take a chance, listen to everyone and listen to no one. Discover yourself and discover magick, not from a book or when some teacher of a class tells you that you have attained another degree. You alone know when you’re ready to move on in your education, lifestyle, and connections.

Magick has no timeline. There is never a final project that must be turned in to get credit. The God and Goddess have always been there and will continue to be there unless they decide otherwise. The journey you take, the path you have put yourself on may take a lifetime or for some, that understanding and connection may come sooner. It doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong, or that anyone is ‘better’ than you. It means that they may have been on their journeys longer than you have. Their paths may not be as confusing as your own or have as many twists and turns.

Do you think Gerald Gardner, Laurie Cabot, Dorothy Morrison, Z. Budapest, or even Aleister Crowley are any better or different than you? They’re not. They heard a voice once, too. They noticed an irregularity. They felt different and confused. They took a step and began their journey like the rest of us. They stayed true to themselves in order to find the understanding, make the connections and become who they are/were. If you think it’s not within your capability to become an accomplished witch, an innovator, or even start/discover a new tradition, you’re wrong.

You’ve read the books, bought the tools, and gotten tons of advise, so … reflect, get yourself in order, stay focused and take that first step. “Success is dependent on effort. ” -Sophocles

All the best on your journey! Remember… to know… to dare… to do… and to keep silent.

Footnotes:
* reference.com

Doing What the Book Says: A Cautionary Tale

Doing What the Book Says: A Cautionary Tale

Author:   Bronwen Forbes 

I was young, I was a shiny new Pagan, the Internet – which made contacting my fellow religionists as easy as calling my mom – was about ten years away from being invented, and by gosh I was going to perform this solitary sabbat exactly as The Book told me to! (And no, I’m not going to tell you which “The Book” it was. It would only embarrass me further and wouldn’t do the now-deceased author’s reputation any good. Okay, okay I’ll give you a hint somewhere below) : By the time I’d finished my ritual, I’d nearly burned the house down – a house that included my dog, four cats, and my born again Christian (now ex) husband.

But I learned a valuable lesson that night, a lesson that I see more and more new Pagans ignoring these days:

Books (and now the Internet) are no substitute for practical, hands-on experience with a group of like-minded people. But allow me to continue my illustration:

The Book said I needed a cauldron for this ritual, so I found a really cute brass one at Pier One – it even had soldered-on brass feet which I thought was particularly important – it’d be up off the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet in my den because Gods forbid I scorch the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet. The Book said to pour about an inch and a half of rubbing alcohol into the cauldron. And light it.

And, Gods help me and my now ex-husband who was sleeping – oblivious to the ritual and the fire – in the next room and the dog and the cats, I lit it.

The Book didn’t say (or maybe I missed that part) that this ritual had been designed to be performed outside. Outside where, theoretically, a six-foot column of flame shooting out of a brass cauldron wouldn’t be quite so much of an issue. Naturally, The Book didn’t say anything about having a pot lid or sand nearby to smother the flames, so I had no way to douse the tall bonfire that was pretty much the same shade as the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet.

The Book also didn’t say that the cauldron would, ideally, be cast iron, and not soldered brass bits. Any intelligent, experienced ritualist could have told me that, but I didn’t know any other ritualists yet – intelligent or otherwise – so I was on my own. And it finally dawned on me that I was in big trouble when the solder attaching one of the cauldron legs melted from the heat, causing the pot to tip sideways.

I now had about four feet of flame at about a forty to forty-five degree angle from the floor. I’m just damn lucky it didn’t tip so far that the alcohol poured out onto the aforementioned lovely orange shag carpet. As it was, some of the individual threads were a little black and crunchy if you examined them too closely.

Eventually, the inch and a half of rubbing alcohol burned itself out. Subdued, I finished the rest of the ritual as quickly as possible, put my things away, and crawled into bed beside my still-sleeping spouse. All that was left to deal with was the interesting conversation the next day.

Him: How did that black stuff get on the ceiling in the den? It looks like soot.

Me: I have no idea, dear.

Him: And the carpet looks like it’s singed or something.

Me: Really? I hadn’t noticed.

Funny? Yes. Stupid and potentially lethal? You betcha. However, the incident made me understand the contemporary wisdom of the old phrase, “You cannot be a witch alone” and I started circling and studying with the nearest group before the next sabbat. (Nice to know I’m not as dumb as I look!)

I am not saying that being a solitary practitioner is a bad thing. Far from it, whether you choose to be so for personal or geographical reasons. I am saying, don’t leave your common sense in the back pocket of your other pants whenever you open a book of Pagan rituals or click on a Pagan how-to website. It’s not common sense to wear a short, sleeveless tunic at an outdoor ritual in January. In Wisconsin. It’s not common sense to fast if you have any sort of blood sugar issue. And it’s sure not common sense to try to set your den on fire just because The Book said to do something a certain way. If I’d been thinking, instead of slavishly following, I’d have had one heck of a less exciting evening – to my benefit. And yes, these are all examples of bad advice I’ve seen in books and online.

If some faceless Pagan authority (me included) writes that you should do something and your gut tells you it’s a bad idea, listen to your gut. Better yet, go find someone who’s actually been in ritual with other people and ask them – and their friends. If, through Witchvox, you can’t find someone in your neighborhood, well, it’s better to go online and ask around rather than suffer frostbite – or burn your house down. Better yet, see if you can spend a few holidays in ritual with them, ask questions, learn how rituals are — and are not — supposed to go.

I’m on a lot of online Pagan forums, and I can’t even begin to count how many posts go something like, “I tried this ritual with my friends last night and now I feel sick and I have the worst headache. What did I do wrong?” Well, did you ground and center beforehand? “No, the ritual didn’t say to.” Did you check to see if you might be allergic to whatever you burned as incense? “Um, no.” Did you eat anything beforehand? “Um, no.” Five minutes asking about these sorts of basics beforehand, either online or at a local Pagan meet up would stop most, if not all, of these sad posts.

I’m also a print journalism major, and my professors are always cautioning me that if something, no matter how preposterous, is written down, people will believe it. This includes you. So we future newspaper reporters need to be extra careful about making sure our stories are as accurate as possible. How do we do that? We confirm through other sources anything we’re told as “fact.”

I cannot advise you too strongly to do the same.

I was young, I was a shiny new Pagan, the Internet – which made contacting my fellow religionists as easy as calling my mom – was about ten years away from being invented, and by gosh I was going to perform this solitary sabbat exactly as The Book told me to! (And no, I’m not going to tell you which “The Book” it was. It would only embarrass me further and wouldn’t do the now-deceased author’s reputation any good. Okay, okay I’ll give you a hint somewhere below) : By the time I’d finished my ritual, I’d nearly burned the house down – a house that included my dog, four cats, and my born again Christian (now ex) husband.

But I learned a valuable lesson that night, a lesson that I see more and more new Pagans ignoring these days:

Books (and now the Internet) are no substitute for practical, hands-on experience with a group of like-minded people. But allow me to continue my illustration:

The Book said I needed a cauldron for this ritual, so I found a really cute brass one at Pier One – it even had soldered-on brass feet which I thought was particularly important – it’d be up off the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet in my den because Gods forbid I scorch the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet. The Book said to pour about an inch and a half of rubbing alcohol into the cauldron. And light it.

And, Gods help me and my now ex-husband who was sleeping – oblivious to the ritual and the fire – in the next room and the dog and the cats, I lit it.

The Book didn’t say (or maybe I missed that part) that this ritual had been designed to be performed outside. Outside where, theoretically, a six-foot column of flame shooting out of a brass cauldron wouldn’t be quite so much of an issue. Naturally, The Book didn’t say anything about having a pot lid or sand nearby to smother the flames, so I had no way to douse the tall bonfire that was pretty much the same shade as the hideous pumpkin orange shag carpet.

The Book also didn’t say that the cauldron would, ideally, be cast iron, and not soldered brass bits. Any intelligent, experienced ritualist could have told me that, but I didn’t know any other ritualists yet – intelligent or otherwise – so I was on my own. And it finally dawned on me that I was in big trouble when the solder attaching one of the cauldron legs melted from the heat, causing the pot to tip sideways.

I now had about four feet of flame at about a forty to forty-five degree angle from the floor. I’m just damn lucky it didn’t tip so far that the alcohol poured out onto the aforementioned lovely orange shag carpet. As it was, some of the individual threads were a little black and crunchy if you examined them too closely.

Eventually, the inch and a half of rubbing alcohol burned itself out. Subdued, I finished the rest of the ritual as quickly as possible, put my things away, and crawled into bed beside my still-sleeping spouse. All that was left to deal with was the interesting conversation the next day.

Him: How did that black stuff get on the ceiling in the den? It looks like soot.

Me: I have no idea, dear.

Him: And the carpet looks like it’s singed or something.

Me: Really? I hadn’t noticed.

Funny? Yes. Stupid and potentially lethal? You betcha. However, the incident made me understand the contemporary wisdom of the old phrase, “You cannot be a witch alone” and I started circling and studying with the nearest group before the next sabbat. (Nice to know I’m not as dumb as I look!)

I am not saying that being a solitary practitioner is a bad thing. Far from it, whether you choose to be so for personal or geographical reasons. I am saying, don’t leave your common sense in the back pocket of your other pants whenever you open a book of Pagan rituals or click on a Pagan how-to website. It’s not common sense to wear a short, sleeveless tunic at an outdoor ritual in January. In Wisconsin. It’s not common sense to fast if you have any sort of blood sugar issue. And it’s sure not common sense to try to set your den on fire just because The Book said to do something a certain way. If I’d been thinking, instead of slavishly following, I’d have had one heck of a less exciting evening – to my benefit. And yes, these are all examples of bad advice I’ve seen in books and online.

If some faceless Pagan authority (me included) writes that you should do something and your gut tells you it’s a bad idea, listen to your gut. Better yet, go find someone who’s actually been in ritual with other people and ask them – and their friends. If, through Witchvox, you can’t find someone in your neighborhood, well, it’s better to go online and ask around rather than suffer frostbite – or burn your house down. Better yet, see if you can spend a few holidays in ritual with them, ask questions, learn how rituals are — and are not — supposed to go.

I’m on a lot of online Pagan forums, and I can’t even begin to count how many posts go something like, “I tried this ritual with my friends last night and now I feel sick and I have the worst headache. What did I do wrong?” Well, did you ground and center beforehand? “No, the ritual didn’t say to.” Did you check to see if you might be allergic to whatever you burned as incense? “Um, no.” Did you eat anything beforehand? “Um, no.” Five minutes asking about these sorts of basics beforehand, either online or at a local Pagan meet up would stop most, if not all, of these sad posts.

I’m also a print journalism major, and my professors are always cautioning me that if something, no matter how preposterous, is written down, people will believe it. This includes you. So we future newspaper reporters need to be extra careful about making sure our stories are as accurate as possible. How do we do that? We confirm through other sources anything we’re told as “fact.”

I cannot advise you too strongly to do the same.

Petition Magick

Petition Magick

This is the easiest form of magick. It requires a piece of paper, a sacred space, and an altar.

Petition magick is used for both minor and major problems, and can be used with other magickal applications without interference, as long as your focus and deity system remain the same. Petition magick is a very simple operation.

Go to your altar, write down the situation, burn some incense, ask for guidance, and put the paper in the middle of the altar. You will get an answer.

Petition magick is also good for problems in which you choose not to use any other type of magickal . Perhaps you feel that throwing magick at a problem will not solve it and seek the correction to move.

The petition should be burned after the answer is received and thanks given to the deity.

Life As The Witch – Past Life Remembrance Exercise

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I have been digging around in our files this morning especially for you, my dear. I am also on the hunt for the unusual and the different. I know if you are like me, you get tired of the same old, same old. I have done it seems like the same Past Life Regressions and Remembrance Spells for the last five years. I ran across this one and automatically said, “Oh boy, I had forgot about this. Something new to share. I admit it is different, very different from what you are use to but it does work and work very well it does. I hope you find it useful and enjoy!

Past Life Remembrance Exercise

Actually you can use it for many things, but it works well for this purpose.

Get into a relaxed position, lying down is best.  You should do some exercise to open your Chakras. After that, once you are really relaxed.  You first imagine that you are getting smaller.  Like your body is shrinking and you become smaller and smaller.  Then you imagine you are your normal size again. Now you imagine that you are getting bigger and bigger, your entire body is just growing.   Then again back to your normal size.  Eac h time you go smaller or bigger, imagine you are going further and further into that size.  When you are getting larger and you feel like you are above the town, above the earth, just hovering with the stars.  Stay there for a minute.  Just relax and think about nothing.  Then when you are ready to return to your normal size again, tell yourself as you move further down towards the earth, when you arrive you will be at another time, in another lifetime.  You can ask to arrive in a lifetime that will help you in this carnation.  Once you are back to normal size, take a minute and just see what you feel what thoughts are running through your head. You might see scenes or images or flashes of things.  Even if you think you might be making it up, just go along with it as it comes.  Don’t question it or try to understand any of it, just be more like a spectator.  When you are ready, you make yourself larger again.  And again, as you are hovering above the earth, you say to yourself as you return to your normal body size, you will be back in your own time, in your present life.  Take your time to come out of it, relaxed and slowly.  You may want to write down what you can remember about it all, so you don’t forget later.  Now, take what information you received and try to meditate on it, see if you can understand anything that connects that life with this one.

RITUAL MAGICK

RITUAL MAGICK

 

Ritual Magick could be said to be the halfway point between Ceremonial and Natural Magickal workings. It uses astrological alignments, colour correspondences, as well as moon phases and elements to achieve desired results. Singing and dancing are often used to help raise the energies, as well as drumming and trance-like states. Visualisation and incantations are used by the practitioner much the same as the Natural Magick practitioner, though elemental and astrological influences are taken into consideration. It may be performed by either individuals, or groups… as it is not as elaborate as Ceremonial Magick, though more complicated than Natural Magick. Because of the lesser complexities, it is not used for enlightment, but may be used to achieve mundane and spiritual results much the same as Nat

 

ural Magick. This genre of Magick can be classed within the same specifications as Ceremonial Magick- both are considered ‘high’ Magick, it does seem to be a meeting of both Ceremonial and Natural Magick.

NATURAL (OR ‘LOW’) MAGICK

 NATURAL (OR ‘LOW’) MAGICK


Once so called because it was the practise of those who worked and lived in the ‘lowlands’…people such as farmers who worked long hours during the day, and had little time to perform elaborate and complicated rituals and ceremonies. Nowadays, Natural Magick has its roots firmly placed in those days- using natural objects during the workings. This less formal genre of practise takes less time and does not need a magickal space or structure to achieve the desired results. Sometimes referred to as ‘folk’ magick, it seems to have a much more common sense approach to magickal workings. The practitioners of this use feathers, stones, gems,herbs, wood, the seasons of the year and moon phases, coupled with their own forces and energies to create and perform a spell. The desired results of such magickal workings can be mundane and simple as well as more spiritual and mental.

Any parts of animals used for the Magick are not procurred by sacrifice, but are things that can be found- such as feathers or bones that are visible on the surface of the ground. The pratise of Natural Magick perserveres to achieve harmony with nature, rather than connecting to the Divine, and is often called ‘the Magick of the Wiccans and Witches’. Visualisation and chanting (incantations or spells) is used in this form of Magick also.

CEREMONIAL (OR ‘HIGH’) MAGICK

CEREMONIAL (OR ‘HIGH’) MAGICK

 

High Magick was once called so because it was the practice of those who were ‘above’ farmers and labourers…those people whose station in life determined that they had much more time on their hands. However, it is generally more accepted in modern times to use the term ‘high’ or ‘ceremonial’ magick to describe the magickal workings that use specific rituals and guidlines. The rituals are intricate, and have to follow exact rules and definitions. The people involved in the ceremonies of High Magick call upon entities (and sometimes demons) to do their bidding and will. The guidelines of the ceremonies and rituals may not be deviated from nor changed, as this may cause severe problems. It may also be noted that this genre of Magickal workings requires a group of people, and is not practiced solitary. Magickal spaces are used to confine the Ceremonial Magick- such as the triple circle.

Many practitioners of this Magick use it to connect to the Divine, for enlightenment, and often use complex astrological and numerical charts… the rituals are elaborate and take much time to perform. It has been known for practitioners to use animal sacrifice within the boundaries of ceremonial Magick..but much less so in modern times. This is a very disciplined form of Magick

GREY MAGICK

GREY MAGICK

Sometimes referred to as ‘middle’ or ‘middle path’ magick, it is basically the use of negative energy for good purpose. For instance…using a love or money spell to help another in dire need. Grey magick is performed with the hope for good intended results. Sometimes grey magick is the the use of both black and white magick- a practioner of the Craft who uses both aspects of magick (black and white) to achieve desired results. Some people within the Craft use grey Magick, as they personally believe that this balances the natural order of things…it balances Karma.

Magick Itself

Magick Itself

 

Magick itself isn’t black, white, or grey. Magick is simply what it is. It is the intent of the person using the magick that molds it into becoming effectual as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, etc.

Categorising each magickal use as being white or black (or somewhere in between) is difficult. Some magickal practises can go awry, bad things may happen to one person due to not enough forethought…does this make the magick ‘black’? Good intent, nomatter how strong, may not make up for causing harm to another. The way in which you practise is entirely up to the individual- it is what you think you can accept morally and judgementally for yourself. As with all witchcraft, there is no right or wrong- it is whatever makes you most comfortable.

Life As The Witch – Things that Weaken or Ruin Spellcasting

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Things that Weaken or Ruin Spellcasting

There are some circumstances that can weaken or even destroy the spell you have worked so hard to cast, so you want to be aware of and avoid the following:

Drug or alcohol use: You should never cast a spell with anything other than a clear head. For one thing, it is insulting to the Gods to come into sacred space under the influence of mind-altering substances. For another, it interferes with focus. (Yes, there are some folks who believe in the use of drugs to deepen spiritual practice; they are entitled to their opinions, and I would never argue with them, but it has been my experience that nothing destroys magickal concentration and focus faster than coming into circle high or drunk.)

Extreme emotional states: As I said above, you need to have a clear head in order to do your best spellcasting. Coming in to your sacred space filled with anger or fear or any other very strong emotion will not only stand in the way of clarity and focus, but you may cast a spell you later wished you hadn’t. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do spellwork when things are bad—sometimes this is when we need magick the most. But try to achieve as calm a state as possible before starting the work. Do some meditation, take a long bath or walk, repeat some calming affirmation. At the very least, take slow, deep breaths and concentrate on the light and love of the Gods until your head is in a better place.

Mixed feelings about the spellwork: If you’re not sure whether the spell you are casting is the right thing to do or not, that doubt may undermine the will you need to feed the spell. Never cast a spell unless you are certain of your path in that instance. This is also true of the times when you are uncertain of your goal. That confusion will sap your spell of strength, so it is better to wait until you have a solid goal in mind, and the will to back it up.

Negative intent: This is not to say that you can’t cast a spell that would have a negative impact on someone else; for better or for worse, free will allows for this. However, you should bear in mind that not only do the powers of the Universe often not allow these types of spells to work, it is not unusual for them to rebound on the one what casts them–either immediately or sometime down the line.

Lack of focus: This is the main reason for not coming into circle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or heavy emotions; they will simply make it too difficult to maintain the focus needed to create a powerful spell and send it out into the world. But other things can get in way of focus, too. If you can’t find a quiet, private place to cast your spell (the kids are running around screaming, the dog is barking, the neighbors are arguing at the top of their lungs) you are better off waiting for a different time. It is almost impossible to get good results when you cast a spell in the midst of chaos.

Writing and casting your own spells can be a fun and empowering part of a well-balanced witchcraft practice. If you follow the few simple suggestions laid out above and sidestep the (easily avoidable) pitfalls that can stand in the way of successful spellcasting, all Witches can create spells to enhance and entrance their lives.

 

Reference:

Excerpt from

“Writing and Casting Spells for the Best Results”
by Deborah Blake
Lllewellyn’s 2013 Magical Almanac

We Are Going To Smother You With Our Love, Love Spells That Is!

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Since Valentine’s Day is next week, we decided we would start posting Love Spells & Potions for you. We drew straws and I got the short end of the straw. I hope you find my spells useful. If you don’t get enough Love Spells & Potions today, we will posting more in a few day.

 

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, WOTC!

Today’s I Ching Hexagram for Feb. 4th is 29: Dangerous Depths

29: Dangerous Depths

Monday, Feb 4th, 2013

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Exposure to passing dangers brings good fortune to those who move beyond them. Like boaters passing through white-water rapids, when you are faced with serious challenges, you must remain alert, take all available precautions, and above all, keep going forward so as to remove yourself from harm’s way. Once the danger has passed, good fortune.

The positive aspect of challenges is that they offer an excellent chance to cleanse the senses and strengthen the spirit. Surviving crises brings tremendous reinvigoration, and sharpens the eye and mind for future challenges.

It is reckless to court danger, but critical to inner development not to shrink from it either. Those who respond to challenges most effectively are those who are able to establish an inner bubble of calm in the midst of the action. A calm center keeps one rooted in the moment, alert and focused. Courage at such times springs from focused attention, from a willingness to penetrate the moment of danger to its very core, so as to shape it and transform the situation.

W is for Warding

W

 

Warding

 

Wards are magick raised and set into place to protect a space, object or person. The traditional Four Directions are warded, but one should ward “up” and “down” as well; “ooglies” and negative energies can “tunnel” over and under on the astral plane! For this reason, raise
a sphere rather than a Circle.

Obviously, in order to ward one must first learn to raise magic. Here’s a
simple but effective method. Stand erect and visualize roots growing from the
soles of your feet deep into the center of Mother Earth. Then, draw up magickal
energy into yourself until you feel filled with it. Don’t overdo it at first!
You can return unused magick the same way. Then, retract your roots. Don’t ever
leave leftover magick lying around. It will mutate and draw “nasties” that feed
on it like roaches feed on crumbs.

Why ward? For the same reason you keep your car and your house doors
locked: to protect yourself, your property, and your personal space. While
actual effective psychic attacks are quite rare (this is one of the hardest
magickal works to learn and the easiest to defuse; most people who can do this
sort of thing know that it is something that seldom should be done), other
things still need excluding: the negative energy of your mean, nasty, constantly
quarreling neighbors (especially in  buildings) and the fervent prayers
for the salvation of your soul (which to all intents and puiposes is an attempt
to force you into their mold by any means necessary and in my opinion borders on
black magick) which may be being offered up “for your own good” even as you read
this by your parents and their church! Also, magickal  increases levels
of sensitivity, and you just may feel the previously undetected energy of others
pressing in on you.

To ward yourself strengthen your aura daily by filling it with blue or
white magick. If you can’t assemble enough of it in your solar plexus to get the
job done (and don’t feel bad if you can’t; these things take time and work) draw
up some from Earth to “prime the pinup.” Some also visualize a helmet over their
heads with a protective symbol between the eyes and slightly upward (the
location of the “third eye”). If you do feel you are under psychic attack (its
symptoms can resemble those of the flu) and need additional protection, grasp
hold of cold iron. An old railroad spike works dandy. Consecrate it to Thor if
you like. Cold iron breaks hexes and dissipates psychic attacks. Or, it may just
be the flu you’re coining down with. Its treatment is somewhat different,
and beyond the scope of this article.

To ward an object (for instance, a trunk containing your magickal
supplies), put a protective sign on it. The Elhaz (Algiz) rune (the fifteenth
rune in the Elder Futhark) works just fine. To make one, get a peace sign, cut
off the circle around the edge, and  it upside down. It should look roughly
like a three-pronged antler. Or, you can just draw or paint it on. Cover the
object with a “chain link fence” of blue magick. Be sure some magick is in the
spaces between the -links. Anchor the wards to the protective sign. Visualize
them keeping others from touching the warded object Clean and maintain
periodically (at least once a month) to avoid your wards dying and perhaps
unpleasantly decaying. Also, don’t let others touch the object so it won’t give
them a nasty psychic shock You can make your car “invisible” (not readily
noticed) by putting magickal screens around it and willing that others not see
it. Be careful, or you might have a hard time finding it yourself when you
return, or find it’s been hit by another car even though in plain sight!

The “chain link fence” technique will also ward your house or apartment. I
advise homeowners to ward their homes around the walls, floors and ceilings
facing the outside of the building (not interior walls between rooms or the
floors/ceilings of multistory houses) and set up secondary wards around the
property lines. You’ll need something to anchor your wards to. I suggest driving
charged railroad spikes with the Elhaz nine painted on them at the corners (of a
square lot). White (clear) quartz crystal points work well for the corners of a
home as anchors. By the way, white quartz is the best “generic” stone for
general use, so don’t panic if some book says only the rare and costly Atlantean
Moonstone (available from the book’s publisher, needless to say) will do for
what you need to accomplish. White candles work well for most spells too. White
light contains all colors. That’s why sunshine can be broken up into a rainbow.
Clean those stones first Try to get some that haven’t been handled by a
bajillion people before you bought them. White quartz picks up and holds the
random charges of people who handle it. It picks up and holds a charge just
fine. That’s why you want it. My partner can’t stand handling white quartz
points in stores, so I get that job! I once pointed one at him and said “Zap!”
It was a joke, but it zapped him anyway, much to his chagrin. If you are
sensitive and need to handle, select and purchase them, try warding a pair of
gloves for the purpose! When you get them home, soak them overnight in cold salt
water. Take them out, rinse and dry them, send a wave of cleansing energy
through each one, and charge them one by one. You’ll need to do this
periodically in your ward cleansing, and should try to put each one back in its
proper corner each time. Then set your wards. Let them “jell” for an hour or so
before you go out, at least when you are initially setting them up. You’ll get
an extra bit of “Oomph!” if you do you warding on the Full Moon (and the
Full Moon will thereafter be a reminder to clean and recharge your wards). Be
sure to take down and ground your wards if you move!

Anything that can be done can at times be done just a bit too well. If
your wards are too tight, nothing can get in, but nothing can get out, either!
You might find the space difficult or impossible to sleep in, with an
increasingly heavy or oppressive feeling. In extreme cases, ghostly images of
people not currently there might be seen. These arise from personal energy that
cannot dissipate. A certain Lexington Pagan (not I) had this happen to her once!
In the unlikely event that this happens to you, turn the “volume” down on your
wards a bit and then do a basic magickal cleansing of the area. Use your magick
to sweep the area clean of accumulated magickal debris and trapped energy, and
take it as a sign that you can ward and ward well. Talk about beginner’s
luck!

A useful adjunct to your wards is a household guardian. Charge a small
statue. A frog dragon, cat or dog works well. Give it a name and decide its
gender. Fill it with magick, making it vigilant and friendly to you, your family
and friends but wary of and hostile to unwanted intruders, and finally and very
importantly, subject to your will. It is essentially an extension of your
will, a magickally ensouled thought form enshrined in the small statue. Feed it
regularly and tie it in to you. If you don’t, it will mutate, develop a will of
its own (probably a surly one) and create problems for you. You’ll have to
disassemble your creation, and it will be much harder to take apart than it was
to put together to begin with.

I recommend that every Pagan and magick user learn to ward. Wards are real
and wards work. I’ve seen psychic ickiness sliding off the wards of my apartment
when my partner and I let them get dirty. I once saw them repel a psychic attack
launched by some naughty local Pagans. I even sensed who was sending what was
tying to get through, and had the reality of the attack and identity of its
perpetrators confirmed by mundane means a few days later. When my partner and I
took down the wards in our old apartment right before we finished moving out (we
set the spell to take them down gradually) I saw curious little astral critters
move into space from which they previously had been excluded. Nevertheless,
there’s only so much warding can do! I once knew a magician who claimed only
Gods could get through his wards. Not surprisingly, two people independently got
through them without any problem, and one of them brought back unusual
information which was soon, without his inquiring, confirmed by “mundane” means.
Hubris will get you nowhere but into trouble.

Warding won’t protect you from the consequences of your own unethical
actions, nor from problems created by “getting in over your head.” With magick
as well as anything else, you’ve got to walk before you can run. If needed,
there are other things you can put into your wards. They can reflect negativity
or attacks (like a mirror) or even boost the strength of the attack and send it
home to bedevil the sender, potentially even killing anyone who can manage to
launch a very strong psychic attack against the warded individual. These are
techniques for the more advanced magician. Needless to say, don’t tell others
the details of your wards. Today’s friend may be tomorrow’s enemy in the all too
often dysfunctional world of the Heathen/Pagan Communities, so use discretion,
but avoid paranoia

 

Realmagick.com

A Little Humor for Your Day – Safe Witch Kit

Safe Witch Kit

Want to be a Witch, yet don’t want dangerous items in your home? We’ve assembled this comprehensive kit to meet the beginning Witch’s needs, without compromising safety.

Includes:

1 Rubber Athame. Painted black handle, silver blade. Very flexible. You can swing this about in Circle with no fears about hurting anyone!

Exclusive! The incredible Collapse-a-Wand! Hand-wrought of authentic wood-grained expanded foam, with a special adhesive patch for attaching the Power Stone of your choice (see below).

2 Battery-operated Candles (1 black, 1 white). No more concerns about flowing gowns catching fire.

1 package Glade Stick-ems. Fresh, floral scent, without the concerns of burning incense. No messy ash to clean up!

1 shaker Mrs. Dash. Get all the flavor and zip of salt, without the sodium!

1 Quality Fold-a-Cauldron. Easy-to-assemble, genuine simulated cast iron corrugated material. Complete instructions.

1 Fabric Rainbow Disk. No sharp corners to be concerned about. The perfect centerpiece for your own Altar. No worries of offending anyone, as could happen with those misunderstood pentagrams.

3 Assorted colors soft vinyl “Power Stones.” Focus the energy of crystals. Perfect for attaching to your Collapse-a-Wand!(Choking hazard. Not recommended for children under 3 years of age)

1 Booklet, “How to Be One with the White Light, Because There Is No Dark Side, Luke” subtitled: “The Absolutely, Completely Comprehensive Guide to Everything Possible that a Witch Needs to Know to cast Any Spell at All”

BONUS! Order now, and we’ll send you our exclusive Fill In The Blanks Book of Light! All the spells you’ll ever need, and YOU fill in the names and dates! Quality softcover binding.

All packaged attractively in a lovely carry-case, which unfolds to become your altar cloth.

Rush out and get yours today!

— by René Friberg, aka RaeVynn Sands

May the Glorious Full Moon’s Blessings Shine Down Upon All My Family & Friends!

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Well did you think I had run off? Not quite. It has been a rough week. I decided to really get laid back today. I slept late, didn’t get up to 11:00. Said “Good Morning to the beautiful Sun.” Perhaps it is because I haven’t seen the Sun in so long. It seemed exceptional bright today.

I wanted to rest and relax today because tonight is the Full Moon. I hope everyone has planned out what they are going to do. Remember your power is at its fullest. So that spell that needs a little extra zip to it, do it now. For myself, I am going to do a little Moon meditation. Then recharge my battery. After that I am going to bless the outside of my home and also the refuge. Then I will go inside each and smudge every window and door in both places. Then I was also do a warding at my home.

Let’s talk a little Moon magick and about being a witch. Ok, ok! You might wonder why I go to all this trouble every Full Moon. It is simple I am a Witch. The Aura of a Witch is especially bright. It is like you are a 100 watt light bulb on the planet for everyone and everything to see. There are some things that you don’t want to see your Light bulb (Aura). Like not so good witches, psychic vampires and other entities that are not so nice. As long as your light bulb is showing, you are leaving a direct path to you and your home. So you much hide your light bulb. You must protect it.You should know the main way of doing this when you are out and about on the town, is by shielding. Since we shield ourselves, we need a place we can sort of relax. So we bless our homes. We go outside each Full Moon and walk the perimeter of our homes. Asking the Powers of the Universe to protect our homes and keep all evil and negativity without. Then when we are through with the outside, we do to the inside.

If you are a witch that does a lot of rituals and spells on a regular basis, the inside is very important. Every time you do a spell or ritual, you have a magickal residue left over. If that magickal residue is not gotten rid of, it will built up. It can have an effect on you, your relationships, the feel of the home’s atmosphere and most of all your magick. So it is very important that you smudge your home to get rid of any magick residue laying around. You start in the middle of each room. Say a short blessing of your choice. The start at the corner of the room. If you are like me, the directions of North, South, East and West change from room to room. Smudge clockwise, starting with the corner to your left. Smudge the corner and as you walk to the next corner, continue to smudge along the wall. Do not stop smudging until every room in your house is complete. Then let the smudge stick or incense burn itself out.

Last but not least, do the warding. Warding might sound hard but it is simple. Start in the middle again, say a prayer of your choice (preferably short this time). After you have finished your prayer, make the sign of the pentagram. Working clockwise again, go to your first doorway or window, repeat your little prayer and in midair draw the sign of the pentagram. Do this at each window in the room and the doorway on the way out. Also be sure to include your front entrance and your rear entrance.

Now that we have all that do, we can relax a bit around the house. When I had my group on MSN, I kept my shield up 24/7. Yes, you heard right. There were some nasty witches in that group. The funny thing and they would give their self away. They would bitch because my shield was up constantly. Hmm, how would you know if my shield was up? And beside what business did you have with me that you couldn’t discuss. Instead you are trying to poke in my brain. Tells me a lot, that person is up to no good. So my shield stayed up, all the time. But now, I do let it down occasionally. One of the main reason I can do so comfortably now is because I have a super familiar. She guards me like a hawk and the minute something is trying to get to me, she goes nuts. So she is my security system. Razzy is going to be an excellent alarm system also. I was in the bathroom with her (not on the toilet either, lol!). I was curling my hair and all of a sudden she started taking her paws and swinging at the Air. I really didn’t know what to think but Kiki came running and I then knew what Razzy was doing.

That’s another thing, get you a good familiar. Make a connection with them and your life will be unbelievable. Full of love, companionship, understanding, friendship, I could go on and on.

But I won’t because I have talked more than I was planning on it. I have some articles I am typing up. I had some ladies request a posting on pet’s passing rite. So I am going to try to be a Witch of my word and get that done next.

Remember to get out and enjoy our Lady Moon tonight. Take a moment just to bask in Her Greatness, let your Spirit soar.

The Brightest of Blessings to You and Yours,

Lady A

 

 

Life As The Witch – Morning Tune-In Activities

Witchy Cat Graphics & Comments

Morning Tune-In Activities

The morning is when the magickal momentum of our day is set into motion. So it’s an especially powerful time for shaping the flavor or our day and the harmonics of your mood (i.e., the way we preceive and process our day). There are several tune-in exercises. Try them out, and once you find what works for you, do your best to make them as habitual as brushing your teeth.

First Thing

As soon as you open your eyes and get ready to get out of bed, remind yourself that the day belongs to you. Also remind yourself that everything you do in this day wil be a decision and a choice–that there is nothing that you do that you did not choose to do. (Even if it’s something you don’t want to do, recognize that you are still choosing to do it so that you can and occurrences you’d like to experience during the upcoming day as well as the feelings that go along with them (very important step).

During Breakfast of Coffee

Write down your intentions for the day in the present tense, as if they are already true. These feelings or actual occurrences. For example, you might write things like, “I love myself,” “My cats are safe and happy,” “I receive the such and such job offer or something better,” “I’m wonderfully comfortable in my own skin,” “The trip to the vet goes as smoothly as possible,” “I am having a great hair day,” “I am wealthy and receive generous sums of money from expected and unexpected sources,” “I am awake to the magick of life,” and/or “I embody the God/dess.” You might write an entire page worth, and then write “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Blessed be. And so it is.” And then sign and date.

Before You Leave The House

I know you’re busy, but this doesn’t need to take longer than five minutes. Sit comfortably, relax, and call on your divine helper(s) of choice to clear, fine-tune, and shield your energy field. Visualize/imagine/feel this happening. Then consciously connect with the core of the Earth and the cosmic light of the Universe. You might do this by sending roots of light down into the Earth and branches of light up into the sky. Draw golden Earth light up from the Earth and into your body/energy field, then draw sparkly rainbow light down from the Cosmos and into your body/energy field. Think or say something like “I am one with the Earth and Sky. I am one wih te God/dess, and I am in the divine flow. All information is available to me. All power is available to me. I am always in the perfect place at the perfect time doing the perfect thing. I always know just what to do. Magickal authority is mine.”

Excerpt from:

“Magical Authority:
The Only Ingredient You Need”
by Tess Whitehurst
Llewellyn’s 2013 Magical Almanac

Life As The Witch – Spell-Writing Basics

Witchy Comments=


Spell-Writing Basics

Don’t worry if you are not the world’s greatest writer. Spells don’t have to be long and complicated in order to work, and the Gods don’t care if you can spell correctly! The most common complaint I get is from people who can’t get their spells to rhyme. But that’s okay—-they don’t have to.

Rhyming is nice for some spells. Traditionally, rhyming is used to give the spells a little more power through the rhythms of the words and to make them easier to memorize. But it certainly isn’t necessary. I’ll give you an example of a prosperity spell done both ways, just make it clear.

Prosperity Spell 1 – Rhyming

God and Goddess hear my plea

Rain prosperity down on me

Bring in monies large and small

To pay my bills one and all

Money earned and gifts for free

As I Will, So Mote It Be.

(Originally published in Circle, Coven & Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice, Llewellyn, 2007.)

Prosperity Spell 2 – Not Rhyming

Money I need and money I want

So let it come to me

In positive ways, at perfect times

As I need it, as I want it

As I Will It, So It Is.

As you can see, both spells ask for the same thing–they just do it in a slightly different way. The second spell is simpler; it doesn’t rhyme, it is shorter, and it doesn’t get as specific–but there’s no reason it couldn’t work. You could write a spell like that even if writing isn’t your thing.

So the first thing to know about writing spells is that it is fine to do so in whatever style or manner you are comfortable with.

Excerpts from:

“Writing and Casting Spells for the Best Results”
By Deborah Blake
Llewellyn’s 2013 Magical Almanac for Everyday Living

Your Deck of Ancient Symbols Card for Today

phoenixCardMED

The Phoenix

The mythical, endearing Phoenix has long been a symbol of rebirth, renewal, and coming full circle. Tired in both body and spirit the aged Phoenix combust into flames and from its ashes is reborn. The Phoenix does not indicate change so much as it does renewal and revitalization. It denotes the completion of a cycle and beginning anew.

As a daily card, The Phoenix suggest you are at a place where some aspects of your life have reached the end of a cycle. Your energies may be weakened from use and stretched over too many arenas to be as effective as they once were. As a result, now may be a good time for you to take a step back and allow yourself time to revitalize both your physical and spiritual self.

Life As The Witch – Things That Can Weaken or Ruin Our Spellcasting

 Things that Weaken or Ruin Spellcasting

There are some circumstances that can weaken or even destroy the spell you have worked so hard to cast, so you want to be aware of and avoid the following:

*Drug or alcohol use: You should never cast a spell with anything other than a clear head. For one thing, it is insulting to the Gods to come into sacred space under the influence of mind-altering substances. For another, it interferes with focus. (Yes, there are some folks who believe in the use of drugs deepens spiritual practice, they are entitled to their opinions, and I would never argue with them, but it has been my experience that nothing destroys magickal concentration and focus faster than coming into a circle high or drunk.)

*Extreme emotional states: As I said above, you need to have a clear head in order to do your best spell casting. Coming in to your sacred space filled with anger or fear or any other very strong emotion will not only stand in the way of clarity and focus, but you may cast a spell you later wished you hadn’t. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do spell work when things are bad–sometimes this is when we need magick the most. But try to achieve as calm a state as possible before starting the work. Do some meditation, take a long bath or walk, repeat some calming affirmations. At the very least, take slow, deep breaths and concentrate on the light and love of the Gods until your head is in a better place.

*Mixed feelings about the spell work: If you’re not sure whether the spell you are casting is the right thing to do or not, that doubt may undermine the will you need to feed the spell. Never cast a spell unless you are certain of your path in that instance. This is also true of the times when you are uncertain of your goal. That confusion will sap your spell of strength, so it is better to wait until you have a solid goal in mind, and the will to back it up.

*Negative intent:  This is not to say that you can’t cast a spell that would have a negative impace on someone else, for better or for worse, free will allows for this. However, you should be in mind that not only do the powers of the Universe often not allow these types of spells to work, it is not unusual for them to rebound on the one what casts them–either immediately or sometime down the line.

*Lack of focus: This is the main reason for not coming into circle under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or heavy emotions, they will simply make it too difficult to maintain the focus needed to create a powerful spell and send it out into the world. But other thing can get in the way of focus, too. If you can’t find a quiet, private place to cast your spell (the kids are running around screaming, the dog is barking, the neighbors ae arguing at the top of their lungs) you are better off waiting for a different time. It is almost impossible to get good results when you cast a spell in the midst of chaos.

Reference:

Excerpt from:

“Writing and Casting Spells
  For the Best Results”
  By Deborah Blake
Llewellyn’s Magical 2013 Magical Almanac

More Fantasy Comments

Raising Magickal Power

Raising Magickal Power

by Harley Hashman

Webster’s dictionary defines power as “…the ability to do or act…” or as “…strength or energy…”. Some might say that magick and power are synonymous; after all, magick without any power is nothing at all. I think Crowley’s definition of magick is perhaps the best of all (despite what you might think of the man himself) – magick is the ability to compel change to occur in conformity with the will. Therefore power is the level of this conformity which your magick achieves.

What are some of the means of raising and increasing magickal power? I have thought long and hard on this question. There are several principles which will aid the magician in the raising of energy. There is conservation, timing, visualization, emotion, will, the use of deities, and physical conditioning.

The first principle is simply conservation. If you expend energy that might be saved and employed in magickal workings, you won’t have much potency left. I myself have a terrible temper at times and might burn off a great deal of energy cursing at that chair that leapt across my path and made me stub my toe – or that ferret that just splattered chocolate pudding all over my book of shadows, after yanking all of the bristles from my witch’s broom and scattering them all over my living room rug. Some of us might waste energy in needless worrying.

Other emotions which may be destructive to magickal workings are jealousy, rancor, envy, self-pity, and depression. Emotions arise from thought, not perception – we process our perceptions of the world and then generate these feelings. Our internal dialogue reinforces our emotional responses to the world. If we practice clearing our heads of habitual thought patterns, we can minimize this source of waste. Should we find ourselves about to waste power in useless emotional habits, about to agitate ourselves needlessly, we can enter into a state of mental silence or try to divert the course of our mental dialogue.

Some habits may lead to the consumption of our energy, including smoking, alcoholism, arguing, oversleeping, judging others or excessive criticism, complaining or whining, and self-importance. I have met many witches, sorcerers, and magicians who practice such habits (self-importance being epidemic); that badly compromises not only their ability to focus power but how other practitioners view them. An important principle of all magickal practice is self-knowledge. It is much more difficult to raise significant amounts of power without this understanding, as we can then be trapped in mental patterns that deplete our resources without the tools to break free.

Timing of magickal workings is also important. The use of lunar cycles is commonplace. Typically constructive magick, which includes such workings as spells for love, wealth, health, and protection, are done during the waxing of the moon and destructive magick, which would include binding spells, are done during the waning phases.

Why? The moon is just a vast rock in space. It has to do in part with the effect the moon cycle has on biological rhythms; the menstrual cycle is just one such rhythm that naturally coincides with the 28-day lunar orbit. Called in some Wiccan circles the Blood of the Moon, the female cycle is a source of perceptual change for that sex. For many of the species on this planet, key biological rhythms are linked to the lunar cycles. It is widely believed that during a full moon, all the “crazies” come out and this is borne out by statistics generated by police records.

Another more important key to the value of lunar timing is simply that many witches include Lunar Goddesses such as Diana and Selena in their pantheons; therefore the moon is quite important to their practices.

Visualization is another component I believe to be vital to the focusing of magickal power. It is simply the ability to form mental images of people or objects. Visualization works with emotion to raise power in the first place through one’s emotional response to an image. If one were trying to bind an enemy, for example, it is important to construct a mental image of the despicable character to be bound. This acts as a lens to focus the energies on the desired target. If the image is weak or shaky the power of the spell may be also.

I have said that some emotions can restrict the flow and raising of power. Yet without emotion, the power itself cannot be stirred up. Magick works when emotion is combined with visualization and will to produce a noticeable effect. If one does not feel strongly about a working then it may be that little or no energy can be raised. I feel the key is to isolate the feeling that is best for the working at hand and not allow other emotions to divert or interrupt the spell. Magick usually requires the use of will, a single-minded determination or attitude, combined with the fury of an emotional maelstrom. A limp, half-assed attempt is a waste of time. As Yoda said, “…Do or do not. There is no ‘try’.” And he is just a muppet with Frank Oz’s hand up his arse!

The use of deities is critical to many magickal workings. In shamanism it is the use of spirit guides or allies that grants the sorcerer a gift of power. In ceremonial magic it is the evocation of preternatural entities like those listed in the Goetia. In Wicca it is the invocation or evocation of the Fey or elementals or various gods or goddesses. In each case a being whose power is much superior to any mortals donates some of that ability, if only temporarily, to a given working or quest for knowledge. Here again it is the visualization of the entities in question combined with emotion, will and timing, that makes the transference of energies possible.

Lastly, physical condition is important to magickal workings. If one is so ill that you cannot get out of bed or your legs have recently been broken by a rampant wildebeest then your energies will be largely diverted towards healing and it would be ill-advised for you to try any magickal workings. Many practitioners, myself included, are out of shape physically and this may rob us of our maximum potential. If you are panting and out of breath after small exertions then how can you be expected to have any energy in your magick?

To raise power for magick one should practice magick – a muscle gets stronger with use. Regular magickal exercise whether alone or in a group will increase your abilities tremendously. If you are an arm-chair witch you may have the knowledge of magick but not the power to make it go.