Tag: Magic

Spell To Make You Dream Of The One You Love

Spell To Make You Dream Of The One You Love

Items You Will Need:

  • An Object

The Spell:

Find something that symbolizes the person you want to dream of, such as a photo, something they gave you, something they said to you written on paper, etc. Just before going to sleep, recall your most favorite memories with them, then hold the object on your heart and chant:

With these treasured memories,
sweet dreams of you shall come to me.
The way you laugh, the way you smile,
my heart, it skips, it leaps a mile.
Your gentle breath, your tender touch,
I long for you, so very much.
Your lips so soft, your eyes so bright,
I need you on this lonely night.
Let me feel you, smell your scent,
taste your mouth, you’re heaven sent.
Close me in your warm embrace,
and make my heart begin to race.
Pull me ever closer, near,
tell me what I need to hear.
Fulfill my every earthly desire,
until my passion roars like fire.
As is my will, this shall be done,
my magick dream has now begun!

Put the object under your pillow after reading the chant and then go to sleep straight away! 🙂 Enjoy!

Living The Witches’ Life: Water Magick for Autumn

Water Magick for Autumn

The Wheel of the Year begins to make its final turn and now we enter the twilight of the year. The spirit world is closer to us now. Autumn water magic includes working with spiritual energies, contacting ancestors, scrying and harvest blessings.

Since ancient times, it has been believed that spirits of the deceased make their journey to the Otherside by water. So it would be appropriate to use water to contact a deceased loved one. Begin by writing a letter to your loved one, using white paper and black ink. Either in the early morning or at dusk, go to a quiet body of water such as a pond – if it’s foggy or misty that’s even better. Kneel at the water’s edge, fold your letter, and let it float away. If there are any fallen leaves upon the water, you may place your letter on them instead. Your message has been received.

Scrying at this time of year by using water can be very effective. Fill you cauldron or a dark colored bowl with water, drop a silver coin into the water, and gaze at the ripples. Allow your eyes to focus on the coin and begin to gaze at the water. If you wish, perform this ritual after dark outside during a Full Moon. Using the water and the Moon together will aid your psychic powers.

Since colonial times, as the harvest season came to a close water was used to anoint the last stand of grain to ensure a bountiful crop the following year. You can do this in your own garden. Simply leave on plant standing in your garden. This could be one herb, tomato plant, or a flower. Before a killing frost, sprinkle this plant with water you’ve blessed. Don’t remove this plant until next spring.

Excerpt from

Four Seasons of Water Magic
By James Kambos
Llewellyn’s 2012 Almanac
Practical Magic for Everyday Magic

Living As The Witch: The Magic of Speaking Out

Petitions and Incantations: The Magic of Speaking Out

Sounds have powerful effect on the human psyche, stimulating strong mental, emotional, and instinctual responses. Gentle running water can produce an experience of calm, a heart beat sound is commonly used to comfort babies and young animals, and the deep rumbling sound of thunder often evokes fear. Of all the sounds we know, perhaps the most powerful is the sound of the human voice. The human voice can affect all who hear it, produce feelings of love and security, provide direction and purpose, and instill order.

The voice is also a powerful tool. Even when we are alone, feeling powerless and weak, and think we are without defense, we can use our voice to break the bonds of silence, and speak our truth.

The vibration or resonance of voice can uplift the spirit, focus intention, change consciousness, and shape reality. Whether use if for speaking, whispering, shouting, or singing; or employ it in a purposeful and productive manner through incantation, enchantment, petition, charm or mantra, the voice can be used to work magick.

Following the Universal Laws of Nature that describe how energy behaves and the patterns it moves in, we know that sound vibration has an energy signature, and that it affects the objects and subject that it touches, influencing them and changing their vibration. Quite literally, sound has the power to change the energy of a person, interaction, thought or feeling.

A power magical tool, be sure to learn how best to use your voice. Words have always been used to cast spells and state intentions. They have been chanted, recited, and written down, engaging the vibration of the voice and its transformative power in the working of magic.

 

Excerpt from:

Petitions and Incantations: The Magic of Speaking Out
By Dallas Jennifer Cobb
Llewellyn’s 2012 Magical Almanac,
Practical Magic for Everyday Living

Your Charm for August 16: The Utchat

Your Charm for Today

The Utchat

Today’s Meaning:  You must take steps to make this aspect safe. There are issues you may not be aware of that may cause harm or injury.

General Description:  Much importance was attached to this lucky talisman in Egypt, the Utchat, or Eye. The word Utchat means primarily strength, and was, at the summer solstice (about June 22nd), applied to the Sun at that time when at its greatest strength and power on earth. The Eye of Horus was supposed to bring strength, vigour, safety, good health, and protectionn to the wearer. Many of these charms were engraved by the Egyptians with the 140th chapter of their Book of the Dead. This was considered to endow the Utchat with particularly strong and effective magical powers.

The Sixth REDE – The Great Rite

THE SIXTH REDE – THE GREAT RITE

Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all
acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.

Initiation into the high priesthood in Moondaughter’s tradition always involved
performing the Great Rite in true. The necessity for this sexual act arose
naturally out of Moondaughter’s understanding of the power of love.

The Power of Love

Love, Moondaughter taught, is the power through which the Lord and Lady gave
birth to all things. Love is the source of human life and happiness. The power
of love is greater than that of the natural laws which govern the universe.

Sexual love, for Moondaughter, was the most potent and volatile form of love.
She believed that in sexual love a man and a woman unite not only physically,
but also spiritually and magically. By that magical act the lovers are
transformed, for better, or for worse.

The Misuse of Love

It is not difficult to observe in the physical world that the power to do good
is also the power to do harm; Moondaughter taught that the same was true of the
sacred power of sexual love. While she prized the sexual act as the holiest and
most powerful of rituals, she understood the misuse of that power to be
responsible for many of the dysfunctionalities of human society.
Today, even more than in Moondaughter’s time, we have become aware of the severe
psychological damage which can result from sexual abuse of children and from
rape. Moondaughter believed these were only the most visible ways that human
beings could take harm when the magical and spiritual energies exchanged during
sex were misused for purposes of exploitation and domination.

The Sacred Marriage

Moondaughter considered her coveners to be undertaking a course of both magical
and priestly training, and in that role she made demands of them which many
modern Pagans might find unacceptable. Married coveners were expected to be
strictly monogamous, and single coveners to be chaste. This requirement was not
merely an ethic, but a magical act, part of a spell of self-transformation to
prepare them to receive the third degree initiation.

In Moondaughter’s tradition, the initiation to third degree was identical with
the Sacred Marriage, a vital aspect of the Great Work.

When a couple was ready to receive the third degree, the Great Rite was first
administered in token to the woman by a male elder, and the woman then
immediately administered it — also in token — to her partner. At some later
time, the couple would perform the Rite in true to sexually complete the
initiation begun by the symbolic ritual.

There were rumors that in earlier times the true Rite had followed the pattern
of the token Rite, but this was never the practice in the United States.

Following the third degree initiation, the man and the women were considered to
be magical partners, a priest and priestess whose sexual union was an embodiment
of the Lord and the Lady.

All Acts Are Her Rituals

For Moondaughter, both the sexual ecstasy of the Great Rite and the sexual
abstinence that preceded it were magical acts for the transformation of the self
and the world. More than that, they were acts of worship, rituals of the Lord
and Lady.

Today it is common for the statement that “all acts of love and pleasure are my
rituals” to be regarded as an endorsement of casual sex. Moondaughter would have
seen such an attitude as the equivalent of a devout Catholic offering
consecrated hosts with salsa and dip as a party snack.

Moondaughter taught that every act of love and pleasure was indeed a ritual, and
cautioned her students to approach every such act with the reverence (as well as
the mirth) that such an incredibly sacred ritual deserves.

The Second REDE – The Web of Life

THE SECOND REDE – THE WEB OF LIFE

There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet
have not won its deepest secrets; to these shall I teach things that
are as yet unknown.

Moondaughter taught us that the act of creation did not end when the Lady gave birth to the universe. Energy continuously generated by the loving union of the
Lord and Lady still radiates to every being, linking all things together in a
vast web.
According to Moondaughter, however, individual beings do not receive this energy
in isolation; it is through the web of relationships between beings that all
share in the energy of life. These relationships determine the character of
every being, and so by changing these relationships, we can change reality.

Magical Relationships

Changing relationships was the kind of magic Moondaughter most often recommended
to her students, especially in the early months of training when the focus was
upon changing the self. She urged her students to take conscious control of
their relationships with thoughtforms, and to make a magical act of their
interaction with others.

Thus she might advise a student troubled by self-doubt to cut off interaction
with doubts and thus deprive such thoughts of their energy. Or she might advise
a student to overcome dislike of a fellow student by making a magical ritual of
treating the other as a friend.

The psychological effects of such techniques are obvious — and not without
their dangers. But the effects of Moondaughter’s techniques were magical as well
as psychological, and under Moondaughter’s gentle guidance, students kept both
their magic and their psychology in balance.

For Moondaughter, the magic of psychological and interpersonal relationships was
just one example of a set of principles which equally applied to the
interdependence of the ecosystem and the invisible energies that we call magic.
In every case influencing the relevant relationships can cause change.

The Dangers of Magic

Moondaughter taught, however, that to exercise such influence one must oneself
enter into relationship with that which one would change. Since every
relationship alters for good or ill each being who is a party to it, every
spell, for better or worse, is a spell of self-transformation.

We were taught that in order to enter into a relationship with an other, we must
have certain elements in common with the other, and those common elements become
the initial basis of the relationship. I know of no magical system which does
not include operations which have the purpose of creating within the operator
herself those elements possessed by that force which she wishes to call upon, in
order that the resulting relationship will be strong enough to produce a
manifestation on the physical plane.

Since all beings are children of the same Parents, there is no other with whom
one has absolutely nothing in common, but the character of the relationship will
be influenced by the particular commonalties which exist. During the
relationship the two beings share elements, and so that commonalty which is the
basis of the relationship tends to expand.

Obviously this makes intercourse with demonic entities prohibitively costly, but
Moondaughter taught that the same principle is at work in physical world
relationships as well. Relationships, esoteric or mundane, change us.

Magical Correspondences

Moondaughter’s tradition, rooted as it was in rural life, made little use of the
more complex props and associations of ceremonial magic. Nevertheless, it seems
to me that her teachings on relationships explain well why ceremonialists should
make use of such associations.

Enhancing a working with the proper color, the proper incense, the proper day
and time, and a hundred other such correspondences increases the common elements
which form the basis of the worker’s link to the object of the ritual, and
greatly increases the worker’s link to the egregore of whichever tradition which
has handed down those particular associations. Likewise, Moondaughter’s
understanding of relationships would explain why clippings of hair or
fingernails, photographs, or objects closely associated with a person or place
could add power to a working.

Moondaughter’s tradition, however, made almost no use of such things. I believe
that, if I had been wise enough to question her about this, she would have said
that the Web of Life already connects us to every other being, and that the most
important common elements in any magical working are wholly within oneself.

Magickal Living for the Witch for August 15th – Magick & You – Where To Begin

Magick & You – Where To Begin

Magick Starts with You

Magick is natural. Magick requires effort. You will only receive what you actually place into it. Magick is usually not instantaneous. Spells require time to be effective. Magick is a divine act. Magick is knowledge – not only of its ways or laws, but also of its effectiveness. Don’t believe magick works. Know it does. Magick is Love. The moment anger, hate or jealousy enters your magick, you endanger yourself and thouse around you. Love yourself and others, always considering free will. For to take the free will of another way, is to control – and magick is about love, free will and freedom, not control. Better yourself, bring good things to you, but consider the consequences before casting. Use the magickal energy that the universe is made up of for good. And be sure that it harms none – not even yourself!

To KNOW – Know yourself, know your craft. Research your spells, apply all your knowledge.

To WILL – Focus your mind, your power and inner being.

To DARE – Believe in your spells and all you do with Positive thought and intent. All this is energy you place in the universe.

To REMAIN SILENT – Speak not of your spells….For every thought placed into your magick, affects it.  (We don’t want other people’s thoughts in our magick, do we?)

With all that being said, Magick – can be as simple or complex as you wish it to be. It isn’t always about how you perform the spell, but what you actually place into it. And magick isn’t always about casting a spell either. Remember all thought is energy, all energy is in motion, so every thought in one form or other will push energy to condition. So, positive thoughts lead to positive actions, which lead to positive results. Don’t get all tied up in charts and graphs. It can be quite confusing and disheartening when trying to place a spell together and you find that you have to wait 20 days to the new moon, or a year and a day to ask a tree for a wand….Simplify your life and magick – and you will see greater results and find peace of mind.

The answers lie within…..

Excerpt from

Spellbound’s Book of Spells

A Collection of Simple Spells

Volume 1

By Kelli James Klymenko

Herbs & their Magickal Properties (F)

F
Fennel : Protection, Healing, Purification
Fenugreek : Money
Fern : Rain Making, Protection, Luck, Riches,
Eternal Youth, Health, Exorcism
Feverfew : Protection
Fig : Divination, Fertility, Love
Figwort : Health, Protection
Flax : Money, Protection, Beauty, Psychic Powers, Healing
Fleabane : Exorcism, Protection, Chastity
Foxglove : Protection
Frankincense : Protection, Exorcism, Spirituality
Fumitory : Money, Exorcism
Fuzzy Weed : Love, Hunting

The Witches’ Magickal Thought for Friday, August 10th

Magickal Places – Crossroads

Crossroads are interesting magickal places, for in order to understand their significance and power, you need to get outside of yourself and imagine looking at them from above, as if you are hovering over them in the air. The most magickal crossroads of all are five roads that come together to make a star shape. Admittedly, these are somewhat rare, and if you do find one that is not too heavily trafficked and built up, by all means make use of it.

There is a five-pointed star crossroads near my home here in Italy, made up of unpaved country roads, with an eleventh-century chapel and cemetery on one corner – a very powerful magickal place, indeed for working all kinds of magick.

Simple crossroads, which form a cross, are good places for protective magick.

Always be certain that you can work your spells undisturbed by possibly negative outside influences. To this end, look for very quiet crossroads where few, if any, cars pass, and preferably away from human habitation. Special old or unusually shaped trees, cemeteries, wells, bodies of water, rock formations, or even a statue or monument on one or more of the corners will increase the crossroad’s power.

The meeting of three roads in a T or Y shape is also powerful, as these shapes signify the meeting of male and female energies. All crossroads signify and actually offer, a choice of paths to take and magick worked at the point where various paths of lines intersect will generate energy that goes iin the direction of your chosen path.

Incidentally, crossroads are also the best places to dispose of leftover, used, or finished spell casting or magickally charge objects such as burnt-down candle stubs, used mojo bags, bit of cloth, cords, dried herbs, flowers, berries, and other biodegradable items. You can take these things to a special crossroads at night and bury them, or safely burn them. Any remaining magick powers in them will discharge, becoming available for future use at that same crossroad intersection.

Excerpt from

Llewellyn’s 2012 Magical Almanac

Magical Places

By Suzanne Ress

Spell Of The Day for Aug. 6 – Spell To Cover Your Rump

Spell To Cover Your Rump

Whether you’ve done something you shouldn’t or neglected to do something you should have this spell throws a “smoke screen” around you.

Best Time To Cast This Spell:

  • During the New Moon
  • When the Sun or Moon is in Scorpio

Items You Will Need:

  • Wood chips from these trees:  Ash, Rowan Pussy Willow, Holly
  • Small amounts of these herbs:  Fennel, Basil, Garlic, Dill, St. John’s Wort, Valerian, Star anise
  • Seeds or petals from these flowers, peony white snapdragon, primrose
  • An amber-colored glass bottle with stopper
  • A gray silk scarf
  • Matches

The Spell:

  1. In a safe place build a small fire using the wood chips, herbs and seeds or petals.
  2. When the fire has died down to ashes, hold the amber bottle above the ashes and collect some smoke. Stopper the bottle.
  3. Hold the silk scarf in the smoke (don’t let it catch fire) for a few moments. Extinguish the fire.
  4. The next time you need to cover your ass, open the bottle and let the smoke flow out. Imagine it swelling to form a dense cloud around you, completely hiding you from sight. Drape the scarf over your shoulders and imagine concealing yourself  with a cloak of invisibility.

Note:  Refill the bottle with magick smoke after each use.

‘Dragon Defense Spell’

‘Dragon Defense Spell’

Imagine your dragon coming to your aid while saying this incantation.

Dragons All, Dragon Kind
I need You standing by my side.
I need a strong defense, You see.
I need You all watching over me.
All good things that come my way,
Let them through to me, I pray.
But all bad things of darkness and hatred,
Send it back to the one who made it.

Working With The Four Elements

Working With The Four Elements

In all magick and most powerfully in Natural Magick the four ancient elements of Earth, Air, Fire  and Water form the building blocks of magical power and can be used formally and informally in spells to endow a symbol with power and to build up that  power.

The combination of the four elements creates a fifth element, Ether or Akasha, or quintessence, pure  Spirit, the energy and also the substance that transforms thoughts and desires to actuality.

We all contain these four elements within our personalities in different proportions. The  psychotherapist Jung talked about earth equating with sensations (practical functioning), air with thought (logic), fire with intuition (inspiration) and  water with feelings (empathy and emotions). We can call upon these strengths as contained within elemental substances and in nature both in spells and in our  lives to bring their powers into play.

The inner powers of the elements, for example the practical stability of earth or the inspiration of  fire, can be brought into the actual world for the fulfillment of your spell. This happens first when you visualize the elements, for example a beautiful  golden ploughed field for earth or a tall bonfire for fire, and then in the words you use when calling the power of the element, for example by making a  chant about all the different ways you imagine the earth. This transfers the powers of the elements into your mind. Then, on the physical level, you work  with, say, salt for earth and a candle flame for fire, and this together with your visualization and words joins the powers of the elements on the thought  and actual levels. The energy created is key to successful spell casting as the intangible thoughts and the actual substances come  together.

Sometimes you will put the emphasis on one or two particular elements, for example earth, and air to  speed up a house sale and/or purchase.

In this case you could choose a setting for example a woodland on a windy day or the rough grass on  a hill top. You would use a combination of earth – and air – related symbols, for example a feather tied to a white stone to represent your new home (you  could draw a house on the stone). You could then release the feather at the end of the spell.

In a pure water ritual, for example to send healing to a particularly polluted body of water where  your children would like to swim or to ask for clean drinking water for those who do not have it, you could light blue candles at each of the four quarters  and perhaps have a cauldron or dish of water in the center. You could symbolically purify this water with a few drops of flower essence such as Dr.  Bach’s Five Flower Rescue Remedy or pour one of your own magical waters into the earth.

Of course, the other elements would be present. Incense(air) would empower, activate and help the  need to be communicated to those who can help resolve it. Fire(candle) would inspire and give the necessary force to make actions and not just words happen  in the real world. Earth(salt) would sort out the practicalities such as who will pay for clean water. Then you can create the necessary magical rocket of  power in the fusion of the four elements. When these four meet, they become a fifth element called Quintessence, Ether or Akasha. This collective energy  fills the physical symbols with the psychically generated power.

HOW TO CAST A SPELL

HOW TO CAST A SPELL

To cast a sepll you have to follow the basic ritual structure.

Preparing the Altar.(nothing too elaborate, just a few of your favorite tools). Lighting the candles.

Cleansing the area.

Casting the circle.

Invoking the elements.

Invoking the Deities.

Stating the Purpose of the ritual.

Magickal workings or devotions.

Raising the Energy. Releasing the Energy.

Grounding.

Thanking the Deities.

Thanking the elements.

Closing(or sometimes called opening) the circle.

Cakes and ale.

At the magick working section, you have to use your spell. In this spell you have to use the correspondences to make a good ritual. You have to use the correct herbs, essential oils, foods, trees, flowers, crystals, colours, days, time, planetary hour, zodiac hour. Look along them to see which fits in to what you want, let’s say protection:

Herbs – These can be used in a spell around a candle and then put in a silk bag (of appropriate colour) and carried around as a charm bag. They add energy to the spell.

Essential Oils – These can be annointed on the candle or charm bag, made later

Foods – These can be eaten after the ritual, and for a week after, or until you don’t need the spell anymore, to help you feel more protected.

Trees – These can be used in a wand, or in a talisman, as a writing tablet, where you inscribe symbols, numbers and words. They can also be placed into the charm bag.

Flowers – These can be planted around your house and picked for the spell. The flowers will also act as a protective barrier and as a home for fae, who will help too.

Crystals – These can be used in the spell and afterwards placed in the charm bag. You can make protective patterns from many crystals and that will help protect too.

Days, Times, Planetary Hours, Zodiac Hours – These are used for the right moon phase, sun phase, zodiac house etc. to help achieve the goal. When used in conjunction, all in the right way, there is a particular influece in that time which will help the spell to travel, and for you to concentrate.

Theory Of SpellCasting

 

Theory Of SpellCasting

 

Spells are an important aspect of magical training. They require the

use of the combined faculties of relaxation, visualization,

concentration and projection. The casting of spells provides practice

in coordinating these skills and developing them further. Spells are

extremely sophisticated psychological tools that have subtle, but

important, effects on a person’s inner growth. Spells may highlight

otherwise hidden complexes of the person casting the spell.

A person who has conflicts about success will find great difficulty

in concentrating on a money spell, for example. Many times the

practical results of a spell are far less important than the

psychological insights that arise during the magical work, for

discovering our inner blocks and fears is the first step in

overcoming them. Spells also go one step further than most forms of

psychotherapy, in that they allow us not only to listen to and

interpret the unconscious, but also to speak to it in the language it

understands.

 

Symbols, images, and objects used in spells communicate directly with

Younger Self, who is the guardian of our emotions and who is barely

affected by the intellect. We often understand our feelings and

behavior but find ourselves unable to change them, but through

spells, we can attain the most important power – the power to change

our lives.

 

Spellcasting also forces us to come to terms with the material world.

Many people attracted to the spiritual path of the Craft find

themselves uneasy with using magic for practical or material goals.

Somehow it seems wrong to work magic for oneself, to want things and

to get things. This is an attitude which is a holdover of the Judeo-

Christian world view that sees spirit and matter as separate and that

identifies matter with evil and corruption.

In the Craft, flesh, the material world, none of what is commonly

thought of as matter is separate from spirit. The universe is made up

of the Goddess who is manifest in all things. Union with the Goddess

comes through embracing the material world and all the gifts that She

has placed in it for us. Our major task on this plane of existence is

to become masters of this realm of manifestation. We do not fight

self-interest; we follow it, but with an awareness that transmutes it

into something sacred

Spellcrafting 101

Spellcrafting 101

Contrary to popular belief, witches do not spend most of their time casting spells. Most of us have full-time jobs, busy social lives, families, and other demands on our times. A spell, properly cast, can be a tremendous drain on a witch’s physic resources. It’s not a task to be undertaken lightly.

Spellcraft does have its place the life of a witch, but not nearly as major a one as many people suppose. In fact, a wise witch is very sparing in her use of spellcraft. Pagans practice first and foremost a religion — a religion quite unlike many others, in that beliefs and practices vary, but a religion nonetheless. We have many different conceptions of what the Divine might be, but we do all believe that One exists. By definition, God/dess is more powerful and wiser than us. So before we jump in and try changing things according to our own limited understanding, we consider the situation carefully.

Remember the Wiccan Rede

, a basic ethical guideline that Wiccans – and many other pagans – follow: An it harm none, do what you will. As has been discussed elsewhere, the Rede is deceptively simple. Obviously, physical harm, emotional harm, slander, theft, and other crimes are verboten according to the Rede. But what about other, more subtle forms of harm?

Most witches agree that curses, hexes, and other harmful spellcraft is more trouble than it’s worth. Hand in hand with the Wiccan Rede goes something called the Law of Returns. In general terms, this Law states that all energy you send out into the Universe comes back to you. It may not come back right away, and it may not come back in the form you’re expecting, but it does come back. Different traditions put their own twist on the Law of Returns, saying that the energy comes back threefold or fivefold. I’m not so picky about the math, but I have seen the Law in action, and respect it highly.

Interpreting the Rede

Witches continue to disagree over other grey areas. For instance, does casting a spell on another person without consulting them first constitute harm, even if the intentions are good? What about actions taken in self-defense?

Personally, I avoid all actions – whether mundane or magickal – that can cause harm to another being. In my experience, acts of hatred and vengeance are best countered with actions of love and kindness.

Working my will on another person without their consent constitutes harm. To that end, I never cast a spell on another person without obtaining permission first. Manipulative spells designed to make someone else fall in love – whether with me or with a third party – to move away, or to leave a job ultimately backfire on the person who casts them. This policy also extends to more beneficial spells, such as spells for healing, prosperity, or other kinds of blessings. Only the Goddess has the power to know what is best for another person. No matter how noble my own intentions, it is presumptuous and ultimately harmful for me to meddle in someone else’s affairs.

That’s not to say that I haven’t done a little juju for my friends. Far from it; I’ve prepared charmed sachets for newlywed couples, given suggestions on how to attract jobs, held a healing circle for my lover, and even suggested a ritual to help a friend open herself up to the possibility of a love affair. But the main ingredient in all that magick was consent. Before I drag out my herbs and my athame, I get the permission of the person whom the spell is meant to benefit.

Often times people ask me if I have spells. Yes, I have spells. Some have worked, some haven’t. What a witch must keep in mind is that what works for me, may not work for another witch. Magick is within everything. How it is perceived is different from witch to witch. Some think patchouli oil is the best oil for a prosperity spell. I prefer clove oil and have had success in using it. One of the wonders of magick is that there is normally a wide variety of correspondences to choose from for any one desired result. There must be about a hundred different herbs listed for love and at least thirty for wealth and money (a few of which I have listed).I prefer to perform candle magick. Candle spells are simple, they are not time consuming (very important to a witch with little time) and they work. When I do a candle spell, I carefully choose an appropriate color for the candle, a stone, an oil, and three herbs, one for the physical realm, one for the mental realm and one for the spiritual realm, plus one more as a type of catalyst (normally these catalysts are either Dragon’s blood, Mandrake or Mistletoe).

How do I pick my correspondences? First, I must know what I’m doing the spell for. Is it a prosperity spell, a healing spell, a spell to find a new job or maybe to improve communication with a loved one? Once I determine what I’m trying to accomplish, I hit the books. Within my library, I have several books that index what various colors, herbs, oils and stones correspond with various desired results. I try to be as specific as I can and try to blend my choice of correspondences to better “describe” my desired result. If I’m going to perform a prosperity spell, what attributes are going to be needed to reach the final goal? Creativity, physical strength, courage? I try to chose some herb or the oil to correspond with those added aspects and keep in mind that most herbs and oils have several attributes. Its is very possible to have an herb with the attributes of both wealth and, say, strength. With one herb you can accomplish two ends. I leave the color of the candle to the core of the spell. For a prosperity spell, green, a banishing spell, black. The same applies to the stone I use. I leave it to the core of the spell.

Having said all that, now I must also add, use what you have! One of the first spells I did I literally raided my spice cabinet for the herbs I needed. Okay, so maybe fennel would not have been my first choice, but it worked! I am fortunate to have an orange tree in my back yard. Yes, I use the leaves, blossoms, fruit, and bark in place of other possibly more popular herbs. Use what you have!

Once I’ve gathered my correspondences, I then charge them with the purpose of the spell. How is this done? There are a few techniques that must be utilized for this part of spellworking.

Ability to Meditate

This is the art of clearing the mind of all mundane thoughts and feelings. It is a state of relaxation and peace, the goal to reach a state of non-thought. This is not easy and I still haven’t mastered the technique yet, but do the best you can. There are several very good books on the subject and even in many of the books on Wicca and witchcraft there are simple techniques to help in mastering meditation. This is essential to spellwork. Your mind must be at peace so that you can focus on what you’re trying to accomplish.

Ability to Visualize

This is the ability to see with your mind, not with your senses. Although it is called visualization, remember, use all your senses! Close your eyes. Within your mind’s eye, see a tree, whatever kind of tree you want or are familiar with. Let your mind see its limbs, its leaves or needles (depending on the type of tree), the trunk, etc. Let your mind feel the bark. Is it smooth, rough, spongy? Does the tree have a fragrance? Let your mind smell that fragrance. Let your mind hear the wind as it rustles the leaves. Visualization is not easy for some, but with practice you can visualize anything. (Taste also falls into this category, but for our little discussion, tasting a tree may not be prudent.) During spellwork you will visualize your goal (and be specific and detailed!) before directing it into the item you’re charging.

Ability to Direct Energy

This is the ability to take the energies of the correspondences and your own energy and directing it towards your goal. When you charge an object, that energy is initially coming from you. From within yourself imagine (visualize) a bright light, maybe white or the color that corresponds with your goal, forming within yourself centered between your chest and stomach. Let that light grow and expand. Then direct that light up through your body, down your projective arm, out your fingertips (or through your athame or wand) and into whatever your trying to charge. While you direct that light, that energy, you will be visualizing your intent with as many specifics as you can.

It is important to realize that magick is energy flow. It is not power. All spells create a tangible connection between the objects used and yourself. When you work magick, be specific, but be careful! If you do a spell for a new job, remember to be specific in that your new job doesn’t come at the expense of another! “An Ye Harm None” Remember these words when you work magick. As you finish your spell, (for me after I light the candle), I add something to the affect of “May the energy of this magick harm none and take a path that is for the good of all involved.”

For candle spells remember that the flame must be allowed to continue to burn until it goes out on its own. I use three and seven day candles that are in glass jars. You can sprinkle your herbs on the top of them and they are safer. Remember not to leave a burning candle near drapes or where something flammable may fall into the flame. Keep in mind that the glass jars get hot, so handle with care and as the candle reaches the bottom of the jar, make sure the candle is not sitting on something that might burn from the heat. I suggest getting a ceramic dish and put some sand in the bottom to act as insulation. When I leave my home, I place the candle in my bath tub, just in case. If for some reason it gets knocked over, there is nothing in my tub that could catch on fire.

For positive spells, once the candle is out, use the stone as a talisman. Carry it with you or put it someplace where its presence will have an affect. For banishing spells, very carefully remove all remnants, of the candle, especially the stone, without touching it. Wrap the remnants in white paper and bury it outside, preferably some distance away.

Remember to write down your spells! You can either keep these spells in your Book of Shadows or elsewhere. My Book of Shadows is riddled with pieces of paper, napkins, whatever I happen to jot notes and spells down on. Some choose to use their computers as their BoS. Regardless, with the spells written down, can keep track of what works and what doesn’t and you can also keep track of what you are doing while you’re doing it.

A few words about magick and ethics. Most magick, at least initially, is done for yourself. There will be times when spellwork will be used to benefit other people. Any ethical witch WILL NOT do a spell that will affect someone else specifically without that person’s permission. A witch must respect another person’s soul path. What if you can’t ask them (i.e. you can’t reach them, the person is unable to communicate, etc)? Then you must honestly consider if that person would object. If your favorite aunt were deathly ill and could not communicate, and you wanted to do a healing spell for her, you would need to consider if she would agree to the spell if she could. If she were a devout Fundamentalist Christian, chances are pretty good she’d say no. You must respect her choices and her soul path.

No witch in their right mind will perform magick that is intended to manipulate, control or harm another. Remember, what you send out will come back to you threefold.

A witch should never sell a spell. If someone asks you to do a spell for them, it is not unreasonable to ask them to cover the expenses of the materials used, but other then that, no money should be received for the magick you do. That is counter productive and can cloud the intent of the magick.

When someone asks you to do a spell for them, if possible, instead of you doing the spell, teach them how to do it. The spell will have a better chance at success and they will have a better understanding of how the magick works

TO BE A WITCH

　TO BE A WITCH

To be a witch is to love and be loved.
To be a witch is to know everything, and nothing at all.
To be a witch is to move amongst the stars while staying on earth.
To be a witch is to change the world around you, and yourself.
To be a witch is to share and give, while receiving all the while.
To be a witch is to dance and sing, and hold hands with the universe.
To be a witch is to honor the gods, and yourself.
To be a witch is to be magick, not just perform it.
To be a witch is to be honorable, or nothing at all.
To be a witch is to accept others who are not.
To be a witch is to know what you feel is right and good.
To be a witch is to harm none.
To be a witch is to know the ways of old.
To be a witch is to see beyond the barriers.
To be a witch is to follow the moon.
To be a witch is to be one with the gods.
To be a witch is to study and to learn.
To be a witch is to be the teacher and the student.
To be a witch is to acknowledge the truth.
To be a witch is to live with the earth, not just on it.
To be a witch is to be truly free!

Witch Works: Spells and Rituals for Every Season

Lammas/Lugnasadh Comments

Witch Works: Spells and Rituals for Every Season

By Banshee, WMS, Order of the White Moon

Lammas, August 1 or 2, is the first of three harvest Sabbats. Traditionally, this is a grain centered Sabbat, as August would be the appropriate agricultural time to harvest the planted grains from the fields. Modern day pagans can easily see why this Sabbat would have been important to our ancestors, but wonder what it offers to us in the present. Lammas is a perfect time to give thanks for the bounty we all experience everyday and to delve into different aspects of magickal workings.

Lammas Altar Decoration

Lammas, being a harvest festival, is characterized by ears of corn, loaves of bread, and fresh fruit. Try decorating your altar with these items to capture the essence of Lammas.

Lammas Magick

Because Lammas is a food-centric Sabbat, in my opinion, it is the perfect time to practice a little kitchen witchery. Kitchen witches imbue the food that they prepare with magick. For example, one could bake an apple pie. While mixing the ingredients and throughout the baking process, visualize the qualities of the apple (love, health, abundance) filling those who will partake of the pie. Image all of those magickal associations of the apple filling the eaters with love and health and abundance.

I suggest baking fresh bread, any dishes that involve corn would be more than appropriate, any type of fresh fruit pies, fruit salads and homemade beer. Don’t forget to bring some of your ritual items to the kitchen while you cook and cast a magick circle for your workings!

Lammas Ritual

Simple rituals are my favorite for Lammas. Being a Sabbat of abundance seems to call for a simplistic ritual to me. Try a very simple ritual with the normal process of casting a circle and invoking whatever deities you prefer, but keep it low key. Perhaps no magickal work will be done, but instead you perform a deep meditation on the abundance and blessings within your life. Or if you have need of something material at this time in your life, now would be the time to work the magick that will bring it to you.

Have a blessed Lammas!

About the Author:

Banshee is a solitary practitioner from the Midwest. She is currently a student at The White Moon School, studying to become a High Priestess. Banshee has been a practicing witch for 4 years and performs tarot readings and long distance energy work via the Internet.

Magickal Graphics

Egyptian Dream Scrying

Egyptian Dream Scrying

Ancient Egyptians believed in the power of dreams to bring messages from their many gods. Their methods of dream scrying go back over 5000 years and were recorded in their ancient texts and on hieroglyphic writings. Some of their techniques were later used by other ancient civilizations, as in ancient Greece thousands of years ago.

Ritual Dream Scrying Techniques

 

On the day you scry – find a place of solitude and remain alone.

Do not consume alcohol, eat for 4 hours before your begin, or engage in sexual activities.

Take a warm relaxing bath then anoint your temples with olive oil. You will need an oil lamp as used with lamp scrying.

On a short narrow strip of white linen write the name of the Egyptian God and the purpose for the dream scrying. Twist the linen strip into a wick and insert into the oil of the lamp. Place the lamp on a table beside your bed. Using the ink draw the image of the dream God upon your left palm.

Light your lamp. Kneel before the lamp. Invocation:

  Concentrating on the image on your left hand recite the following invocation :     Thoth, (use name of desired god) I invoke, blessed power of dreams divine,     Angel of future fates, swift wings are thine,     Great source of oracles to human kind,     When stealing soft, and whispering to the mind,     Through sleep’s sweet silence and the gloom of night,     Thy power awake the sight,     To silent souls the will of heaven relates,     And silently reveals their future fates.

Concentrate on your question. Around your left hand wrap a piece of black linen about four inches wide and about thirty inches long. The black cloth is called the black eye of Isis. – the Magic of Isis – or Black Isis.

Blow out the lamp’s flame. Clear your mind and go to sleep.

Have a tape recorder or pen and paper beside your bed so that when you awaken you may record your dreams while still fresh in your mind.

You will find that the dream will come to you in a voice that is clear and powerful rather than in dream images. Sometimes the messages are in symbols – cryptic forms. Take your time in deciphering the messages you have received. You may want to use a dream dictionary to interpret messages given, if possible. They are often archetypes from your subconscious mind, perhaps from an Egyptian lifetime.

Essential Pagan Etiquette

Essential Pagan Etiquette

by Amanda Silvers

I have been to a number of “open pagan events” recently, and I’ve observed that some people don’t seem to know the generally understood codes of conduct. Since I hadn’t seen a good piece on pagan etiquette for a good long spell, I thought I’d put a few of my reflections on paper.

I know that not everyone will know how things should go, for example if you’ve never attended a ritual before. That’s okay; every one of us began somewhere, and we didn’t know how to act either! If you’re a beginner, say so. People will help you and introduce you around and forgive your faux pas (if you make any).

On the other hand, most of my suggestions will come as nothing new to many of you. Practically all standard rules of courtesy pertain to pagan events and gatherings.

The following bits of advice, some general and some specific, cover open pagan events, festivals and rituals. They are commonly relevant to private functions as well. Don’t regard them as comprehensive, though. Always investigate and find out whether there are any special rules for the gathering that you are planning on attending.

Arrival times

Arrival times are frequently set at a certain interval of time preceding the actual beginning of the ceremony, feast or festivity. For example: Arrival time 4 p.m., ritual to follow at 6 p.m., feast after, then drumming. This time interval is generally built in – for latecomers, for people to get their energy settled, visit, have a drink or bathroom visit and so on.

Check with the high priestess, host or event coordinator to confirm that this is the custom of the group you are joining for the event. Festivals generally have a set time at which the space opens, and you cannot arrive prior to that. There is often an opening festival ritual that you will want to attend. Try to arrive in time to participate; it helps the whole group feel cohesive and connected in a different way than if you miss it.

Double-check times always, and don’t arrive after the rite has begun unless you’ve cleared it with the hosts ahead of time. It is generally safe to arrive a bit early and volunteer to help with setup. Particularly if you are new to the area or are attending an event put on by a particular group for the first time, assisting will give the impression that you are sociable and helpful, and people will remember you.

If you do arrive early, and the ritualists are conferring or doing a pre-ritual run through, don’t disturb them!

Certain groups have a policy to lock the door after a certain time, and you won’t be able to get in if you are later than that. “Pagan standard time” (that is, late) is not a standard to aspire to!

What to bring

Do bring a benevolent disposition, a cooperative spirit and an open attitude. Shower or bathe and brush your teeth just prior to ritual if you can; it gets very gamy quickly when 50 to 100 people are in a warm closed room, very close together. Besides, you should cleanse your body just prior to ritual anyway, as an offering to the gods! Also, don’t wear heavy perfumes. They can be almost as offensive as bad body odor. Especially, patchouli and musk oil can be very potent.

Wear a smile, and for most events your fanciest ritual wear (if you have it), ritual jewelry and so on will be appropriate. This is the time and place to don a cape and your best or weirdest ritual array – entirely black clothes or your coffee-cup-sized pentagram.

It is always a good idea to bring a snack or a nonalcoholic drink to share. Offering a snack is a really good way to make new acquaintances! Bring any flyers, announcements, business cards and so on that you want to share with the community.

Bring drums, rattles and musical instruments for yourself and one or two extra to share, if you have them, especially if music or drumming is mentioned in the invitation.

Bring the site fee if there is one, in cash – check ahead to find out so there are no surprises. More about site fees later on.

What to leave at home

Do not bring your disagreeable or superior attitude, head games or grudges or animosity toward others into the circle.

Do not bring animals of any kind. As much as most of us like them, many people are allergic, they can be disruptive to the circle, they may get into the food and so on. It’s okay to allow your familiar into your own circles if you like, but please don’t presume to subject a public group to your pets.

Please, do not bring small children – unless you are prepared to supervise them closely, and to get cut out of the ritual if they become disruptive. (If they do become obtrusive, please motion to one of the ritual staff that you’d like to depart from the circle.) It’s very difficult to concentrate or meditate when there’s an infant shrieking beside you. We all (or most of us, anyway) actually enjoy children when they are reasonably well-behaved, but tempers flare when they begin to encroach on the experience of those who took the trouble to get a sitter or are childless by choice.

Do not bring illegal drugs or alcohol unless you have been assured by the hosts that such is gladly received. With innumerable pagans in recovery now, it’s a good bet that a lot of the people attending an event will be clean and sober. If you do feel that you must have a wee drink or toke, do so very prudently. You never know which person around you might be inclined to call security.

Munchies

Make sure to determine if there is a potluck, and if there is, bring a dish to share that will feed 8 to 12 people. Please be creative when you select what to bring for the potluck. Many times, I have seen four or five containers of deli potato salad and no cheese, bread, drinks, fruit, veggies – well, you get the idea. I recently brought fresh fruit of various kinds and Devonshire cream to an open full moon – it went over very well and was gone in a twinkle.

Homemade is always preferred, hot dishes are frequently at a premium, and meat is popular. However, vegetarian dishes are always a reliable bet, and if you have a specialty that you feature, bring that! Unusual drinks, breads, cheeses, desserts and appetizers are a good risk, as is unique ethnic cuisine.

Check to see if you need to provide your own dishes and tableware, and don’t forget a serving spoon or fork for your contribution, as well as napkins, cups or glasses! I have a fairly large picnic basket that I keep packed with everything I might need – plates, bowls, knives, forks and spoons, napkins and all, including blue plastic goblets and salt and pepper!

If there is no potluck planned, be sure to eat something substantial prior to attending. Keep your blood sugar level up, and you have less of a chance of falling over due to hunger.

Social interaction

Behave toward others with courtesy, kindness and respect. Introduce yourself to and make an authentic effort to meet and make the acquaintance of at least three additional people at each gathering you attend. Expand your foundation of friends, and make other newcomers feel like the local pagan community is gracious and sociable.

Do be cautious when encountering strangers – don’t rush up and leap on them like a puppy with bad manners! Approach them with consideration. Don’t interrupt a conversation, but do contribute if you sense that you have something to add. Query, but don’t pry. Certain pagans are yet in the broom closet and may not wish to divulge a lot of personal information. Take a cue from how candid and friendly they appear to be.

Bringing a small gift for the host or something for the altar is an excellent notion. Flowers are usually appreciated for either.

Ritual behavior

Attempt to observe the customary conduct of others and follow along. Please do not talk, jest or criticize the ritual cast during the ritual. (I have been guilty of this one myself, and I apologize!) Endeavor to not disrupt the ritual energy at all, unless you absolutely can’t wait, and use the bathroom prior to joining the circle!

If there is music, chanting, singing and so on – don’t sing along with the music unless invited to do so by the performers. Then sing only after you’ve listened long enough to be able to sing the words and melody correctly. Respect and honor what the performers have spent their time and energy learning by lending an ear.

Do not touch the altar, ritual items, the ritual cast or anything that does not belong to you without asking first! This includes people’s jewelry and knives. Keep your paws off if it’s not yours!

Energy

You may or may not experience the energy in a public ritual. Practically all are intentionally performed at a “lite” energy level, for the best interests of the collective. The ritualists can never know the skill level of all of the participants.

If you focus and breathe and follow along with the priest or priestess, you will get much more out of the experience. Furthermore, why take the time and effort to attend an event just to convince yourself that it was not satisfactory and then complain about it. Where is the fun in that?

Be mindful, though, that you don’t get “ritual energy overload” if the ritual does in fact have some “juice” to it. If you feel that this is happening or if you get any symptoms such as ringing or buzzing in the ears, dizziness, nausea, queasy stomach, feeling suddenly very hot or flushed or very cold (unless you’re outdoors in October!), you may be getting an energy blast.

If you think you might collapse, or vomit, please make your condition known to the high priestess or priest. It will be much less embarrassing to be ushered out of ritual than just to crash to the ground! Not to mention how unpleasant it might be for others if they believe that you’ve had a heart attack or something.

Not infrequently, you can surf through an intense energy surge by grounding and breathing slowly, maybe by moving your body or by eating or drinking something, if possible.

Personal matters

In my experience producing events, there is no way you can ever make all the people happy all the time – no matter how hard you strive. Please take the time to think about your complaint prior to voicing it. Is it that important to you? Will it be productive? Will it make any kind of difference? Are you willing to help or offer useful, positive suggestions on how to improve things? Are you just having a bad day? My opinion is, if I’m the hostess, I get to do things my way. If someone else has a better idea, they’re welcome to go do it! Don’t just bitch at the producers of an event because you don’t like what they’re doing. If you positively don’t like it, make a note not to attend again, but endeavor to have the best time you can while you’re there and permit others their experience.

Again, please abandon your “attitude” at the door. I have attended numerous events where there were one or two troublemakers, complainers, disrupters and just ordinary assholes. Such people are a pain in the butt for the ritual staff, and often for the attendees as well. After the staff works really hard to make an event happen for the community, then they are subjected to a person who does nothing but complain because the staff hasn’t provided especially for the complainer’s particular, probably unexpected requirements.

Hedonistic composure

I am extremely sex-positive, but I want to say that pagan events are not a place to try to get laid. Ritual is not a place for sexually predatory behavior, and if you do exhibit this, you will quickly gain the reputation of a wolf, cad, or loose woman. You may not be invited – or allowed – to return.

It’s okay to flirt and even to “come on” to someone if who seems receptive, but make sure that person is interested and that you know his or her relationship status (and that person knows yours) before you leap!

If a person says no, respect that! No means no! If someone is not interested, move on to someone else. If you do move from man to man or woman to woman at a ritual or festival, be assured there will be some people who will notice your conquest mentality. A lot of people won’t want to be just another notch on your wand. So use discretion and common sense when choosing sex partners.

At some events, there will be the opportunity for sexual expression for those who wish to revel in it. I really appreciate it when there is a shrine provided for worship of Aphrodite or Pan or other gods that are sexually oriented, and I feel it is appropriate to make a sacrifice to them in this way.

However, if you partake of the shrines and make a mess, please clean it up! Dispose of condoms, gloves and dams properly by wrapping them in a tissue and putting them in the garbage. I don’t know how many times I’ve found used condoms lying in a shrine. Ugh!

Furthermore, wipe up any spills or mess, put out the candles and the incense, throw away the tissues, fold the blankets and so on. Leave the place as you would like to have found it. Remember this is the gods’ domain; you owe it to them.

Also, just as in any similar situation – if you are having sex with a new partner, use latex! We’re living in the ’90s, people. There are many, many incurable diseases that you can catch or pass on. Some strains of hepatitis can be fatal, and several are sexually transmitted. Thus, even if your partner is not at risk for HIV, they could give you hepatitis B or C or herpes. Latex should always be used for all activities involving body fluid exchange with a new partner.

Cleanup

Please pick up after yourself and your party. Make sure the area is as clean or cleaner than when you arrived. You might ask the ritual staff if they need any help with cleanup of the ritual space, kitchen or whatever. Again, volunteering to do these little things shows you are willing to go out of your way, and that is a welcome trait. It also helps you get acquainted with people you may never have met.

Some groups have a work exchange program, so if you want to get in free, ask. Some will require you to do setup and cleanup. Some will not require much at all. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and pay if you’re able. If you want the events to continue to be available – support them, bring your pagan or pagan curious friends!

Time to go?

There are usually times posted for public events, as in: Ritual from 7-8:30. Such a schedule is sometimes loose, and sometimes not. If the event promoters have to pay extra for the building after a certain time, it is annoying to have people just hang out for hours after the ritual is over. Take your cues from the majority of the people: When they leave, make for the door.

When you are at someone’s home, be sensitive to the fact that your host may be tired and want to go to bed. If he or she is yawning and everyone else is gone – go home!

Final suggestions

The time to discuss, analyze or process your experience is when you’re home, behind closed doors. If you have serious criticism, call the promoter or ritualists and ask if they want your feedback. If so, try to convey it in a nonjudgmental tone. If you come across as a whiner, they won’t hear or heed your words!

Don’t forget to express your thanks and appreciation of an event well done, too. Remember, no one and nothing is perfect, so if things went fairly well and you had a good time – call and let them know that too! It’s is a thankless job (most of the time) to produce events, and it’s nice to get some positive feedback occasionally instead of just bitching.

Take advantage of the public events to connect with the pulse of the local pagan community. Experience the diversity of the traditions in the area. Enjoy yourself and learn something new, and honor the people who produce the events and rituals with your presence, attention and energy. Most of all, worship the God and Goddess with those of a like mind. And have a great time doing it!

Tell them I sent you.

The Eternal Return

The Eternal Return

Experiencing the Magick of Giving Back

by Sylvana SilverWitch

The smell of the earth is moist and mysterious, the plants are bursting with a vivid kaleidoscope of flowers, the fruit is sweetening on the branch, the sun is shining hot on my back, and I am happy. This time of the earth’s bounty makes me think of giving something back… to the earth, to the greater community, to my clan, to my lover, to a stranger on the street.

One of the things I know unequivocally is that to be competent at creating what you desire in life, you must give, give, give and then give some more. Giving works as if to illustrate to the Goddess/God/universe that you trust absolutely in the greater scheme of things and that the universe will provide for you and your needs, and as if to create a spell of abundance in your life. Sometimes the giving has such an effect on the person given to that it changes his or her life. Such change has happened to me; I have, remarkably, been on both ends.

To receive, you must give; it helps to ask as well. In this time of impending harvest, I offer you a spell in three parts: appreciating and giving thanks for what you have in your life already, giving the universe your desires and giving back to the world just as it gives to you.

I work at making the spell of giving and receiving a part of ordinary life, and I do my best to give to my community, my friends, my coven, my lover and whoever else seems right – whether it’s love, food, money, advice, help, time or energy. I cannot always immediately see the results of giving, and unquestionably, we shouldn’t give with a mind to what we will get back – that ruins the energy of it. But we may give humbly, knowing that our energy will return to us threefold, at least.

Occasionally, something I do or say has an immediate profound effect on a person, and I receive my reward right away in the awareness that I have aided the person. Sometimes I am rewarded in an unusual and unforeseen way. For instance, the phone company keeps sending me money whenever I really need it, and I still have not figured out why. Oh, well – I just trust that everything will come out as it should, and it does.

The following is a very simple spell that anyone can do, any time, any place. It is chiefly about consciousness and awareness and about being present to the gifts that are yours every day of your life. To perform the spell successfully, it helps to be centered in being conscious of what you have rather than focusing your energy on what you don’t have.

First, take a few moments to contemplate and give thanks for all of the amazing, powerful gifts you have received so far this year. Your body, your breath, your life. Your family, friends, children, lover, clan, community. Did you get the job that you really wanted? Did you finally learn some hard lesson, so you can now move on? Did you meet just the right person to help you on a project? What favors have the gods bestowed upon you recently? Take a minute or two from your day every day to focus on what you do have, and what you have received that you asked for or needed.

Then make a list, and on it list everything you can think of that you wish for. Begin with the things that you can easily accomplish in a day or a week. Start with the very next day, as in “I want (fill in the blank) tomorrow,” then move on to next week, then next month. Follow with wishes for three months, six months, nine months, a year, three years, five years, ten years and so on. List material things, job goals, relationship goals, whatever you can think of (you can always add more things later as you remember them). I always make mine a list of dates with items next to them – for example: August 1, 1996, new job making great money in a place I like with people I respect and like.

Next, sense yourself into the future and into what you want to achieve, as if it is already happening. It is! As soon as you put power into it, you begin the movement in the direction of that actuality.

Once you’ve done that for every wish, locate a spot to hang your list where you will view it every day, preferably more than once a day. Seeing the list daily reminds your subconscious of where you are going without you having to think about it. Place the list in a location away from the eyes of those who would deter or discourage you.

Then, once the list is hung up, let the desires go. Doing so is important, and the point where a lot of spells get hung up. Forget about the list except when you glance at it or when you cross off a desire that you have accomplished. (Do cross off listed wishes as you achieve them, but leave them readable, as you want to be able to see the results of your spell and feel the sense of accomplishment that comes from success.)

Once you have hung up your list, sit down, preferably in a quiet place where you can sit on the ground, but anywhere will do. Close your eyes, and give thanks and appreciation to the earth, to the sky, to the God and Goddess, to the elementals, to the fey kingdom for all that is, for your place to live here on the earth.

Give thanks, and then go and give away something that you truly treasure; give away a little something every day. Give a present to your best friend or your lover for no reason. Give some coins to a person less fortunate than you; there are always the less fortunate. Do not judge them, or what they will do with the money; that’s not important; it’s only important that you give freely.

Hugs, kisses and love are things you can give freely whenever you feel affection for someone. Bring a gift when you visit; send a cheerful card or letter to a parent or other family member; give a flower to a child; give a treat to an animal friend; leave out offerings to the fey and to the other wild things. Try the charming Santería custom of kissing your money as you make an offering (or spend it); Santería devotees believe that kissing money ensures it will return to you (and I do too!).

Explore how much you can give with love, joy and generosity, and this will tell you where your prosperity potential is. The more difficult it is for you to be generous, the harder it is for you to be prosperous yourself.

See how it feels to feel as if you have enough, as if you are rich, as if you have all your needs fulfilled – as if you are the opulent Earth Mother giving to all her children!

Thank all for whatever you have. Put out the energy of generosity and good will, and that is what you will manifest in your life.

Give love, every day, to someone who needs some, and if nothing else, give a smile.