Candle Magick: Your Altar
You may use anything that has a flat top.. I use an old trunk with a piece of plywood on it. Be creative.. As for a cover I use white because of it’s kind of a multipurpose color. Although some magic specifies a color then what ever color is specified should be used. Again, be creative… Keep in mind that candle magic is usually done in condensed areas so keep things as simplistic as you can, especially your candlesticks and censors.
Candle Magic
Candle Magic has been around for many, many years, being traced as far back as the Palaeolithic era. It is a very powerful form of sympathetic magic.
There are many factors that play into the art of candle magic. As we know any type of magic that is performed will return to you three fold, whether it be positive or negative. Always keep the Wiccan Rede “An harm to none do what thou wilt” in mind when considering your work. Always keep in mind that magic effect’s the entire world around you. Be very careful what you ask for, for it may well come true. The wording in any type of magic must not be taken lightly, be very careful, concise , and precise, make sure you have covered all possible bases.
Keep in mind that some candle magic has to be repeated over a period of days. Therefore, you will want to place them in an area that will not be disturbed. Do not choose a place where there is a tv, radio noise or disturbances of any kind. Keep in mind to not put candles near curtains and such, as you would not want to burn your house down. Candle magic should always be performed in a low traffic area. That is why a bedroom is really nice for such work.
Family Holiday Pictures
December 23rd, 2011
by Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins
Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal
Frosty the Snowman was a fairy tale, they say
He was made of snow, but the children know
How he came to life one day
There must have been some magic
In that old top hat they found
For when they placed it on his head
He began to dance around!
Frosty the Snowman was alive as he could be
And the children say he could laugh and play
Just the same as you and me
He led them down the streets of town
Right to the traffic cop
And he only paused a moment when
He heard her holler, “Stop!”
Frosty the Snowman had to hurry on his way
But he said goodbye, saying
“Don’t you cry, I’ll be back again some day!”
ByPatti Wigington
There’s a saying among the contemporary Pagan community that “black magic is whatever works, white magic is anything else.” This stems in part from a misconception that black equals bad, white equals good, and that there are no gray areas at all. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.
Let’s look at the word blackitself, and figure out why it connotates evil. A big part of that is thanks to pop culture — after all, in popular shows like Charmed or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the good guys are the “white light” people. The bad guys are surrounded by darkness. Another part of the whole black = bad concept is because of people who can’t let go of their Christian upbringing, in which those who are righteous are surrounded by the light of God, and those who are damned will dwell in darkness.
The problem with this logic is that darkness in and of itself doesn’t have to be bad at all. After all, how beautiful is a quiet night out in the country, miles away from the lights of a city? Have you ever walked in the woods at midnight, embracing the comfort of the shadows? Darkness is what lies in the soil, below the earth, before a plant grows in the spring. It is the long nights of winter, when we are drawn into our homes to embrace our families and count our good fortune. It is the inside of the womb, warm and nurturing. Even the darkness of the grave, of death itself, may be seen as welcoming.
Once we accept that dark isn’t all that bad, it’s a lot easier to look at the concept of “black magic” vs. “white magic.” Even if we replace the words “black” with “negative” and “white” with “positive”, we’re still in a bit of a pickle, and here’s why: because it is the intent that matters as much as the action. In other words, if someone performs magic that others might see as “negative,” but does it for what they believe is an honest and just reason, then is it really negative magic?
To do magic is to say that you want to bring about change in the Universe — after all, if everything were perfect, there’d be no need for magic at all. Any magic capable of causing change is also magic that can harm, simply by its very nature. Magic isn’t some Super Spooky Power that we have — it’s a tool we can use to precipitate changes. Any tool can be used for helping or harming — if I have a hammer, I can use it to build a house. I can also use it to whack people in the head. It’s not the hammer that’s “negative”, but what I choose to do with it.
Case in point: in the early nineties, a serial rapist was terrorizing the women of a coastal city in the Carolinas. His reported victims, over two years, numbered at least two dozen, including a teenage girl who later committed suicide. A group of witches got together one night, and did a working calling for this man to be stopped by the Universe. A couple of weeks later, the prime suspect — who was later convicted — led police on a high-speed chase and wrecked his car, nearly dying from his injuries. He has lived since then severely handicapped, but he never raped another woman.
Negative magic, or no?
There are people within the Wiccan and Pagan community who feel that any magic that affects other people at all is unethical, and they have the right to not perform any magic on, against, or for others. However, there are an equal amount of people who believe that change brought about by magic is acceptable, just as change brought about by mundane methods is acceptable. Chances are, the two camps will never agree, but what you can do, as an individual, is respect the beliefs of those who may disagree with you, whichever side you may happen to fall on.
Look at magic as a way to improve your life. You can use it to bring love to you, to gain financial abundance, to eliminate problems from your life. You can use it as a method of growth and self-empowerment. It can be used to help you fulfill your dreams, desires and goals. Can you use magic to help other people? Sure — if they ask you to. If they haven’t asked — or if they’ve specifically told you NOT to do anything on their behalf, then don’t.
Ultimately, only you can decide which forms of magic fall into your personal system of ethics. If you feel a particular course of action is wrong, then avoid it. If you feel it is ethically acceptable, and you’re willing to accept the results of your actions, then so be it.
The Proper Use of Magical Intent
Author: Michael ‘Blackthorn’ Furie
Magical intent is one of the most important facets of working magic. For the magic to be ideal in its success the intent must not only be properly focused and projected but also, it must fit the actual goal of the spell. For example, if you cast a protection spell designed only for spiritual or psychic protection, you may still be vulnerable to physical attack. If the intent of a spell is not complete or proper in its scope, the effects of the spell will be diminished or diverted. To demonstrate, I will give some examples and some corrective measures for the main goals of most magical practitioners. Let’s start with love magic.
Love – Before performing a love spell you should be able to define, as precisely as possible, the type of person you wish to attract. You should also evaluate whether or not you are ready for a long-term relationship or if your true goal is merely sexual fulfillment. In the case of sexual fulfillment, I would suggest that you modify whatever love spell you are using to only include positive sexual attraction and take out any references to lasting partnerships or lifetime commitments. You should also be wary of using magic to fall in love if you only want to be in love ‘just to be in love.’ Any magic done that will involve the lives and free wills of other people should only be done with a proper level of maturity.
In addition, it is highly inadvisable to ever cast a love spell on a specific person. This is an outright attempt at overpowering the free will of an innocent human being and would result in ‘unsavory’ consequences. In order to cast a spell on another living being, they either have to subconsciously allow it to affect them or you have to channel enough energy to overpower their subconscious shielding (which every being has) and force them into compliance. A spell of that magnitude is harder to cast than you might think when using positive energy and the more energy you send out the greater the eventual return.
If you send out an enormous amount of energy essentially designed to break the free will of another, when that energy returns to you, well…don’t expect the relationship (or anything else) to go according to your wishes for a long time. You will then become someone whose will gets continually overpowered. Also, ‘relationships’ created in such a compulsory manner usually don’t last long since the target’s subconscious mind is aware of what you did and so, resentment and conflict will eventually bubble to the surface and destroy the relationship.
The proper intent for a love spell would be to focus on the type of partner that you wish to attract into your life with the desire that it be for your mutual good and with free will. This type of love spell if properly cast, is guaranteed to be free of harsh side effects.
Money – Money is an interesting thing. It is in fact, artificial. The concept of money is one of agreed upon value; everyone agrees that a certain coin or piece of paper is worth a given amount and…poof! It is. Truly understanding that money is more of a perception or concept as opposed to being the most powerful factor in existence is the key in using magic to bring money. Don’t get me wrong, having money is important! But not for its inherent value, for it has none. Money is important only because of the security that it can bring and the only reason it has this power is because we agree that it does.
Now, I’m not saying that if we personally stop believing that money has value in our lives our need for it will stop. I’m not even suggesting that. I’m also not saying that money is a bad concept; merely that it is in fact, a concept. Prior to the use of money, the barter system was used to trade goods and services. This system is of course, quite cumbersome and would be totally unworkable in today’s society.
I realize that we basically have no choice whether or not to agree on the value of money. Society decided that ages ago but, it’s not really money that we crave; we crave safety, health, comfort and security. This is why there are money spells in magic. We must work within the modern system in order to achieve the life security that nowadays, only money can provide.
When working with spiritual forces to acquire a mundane, physical thing (which is a large chunk of what magic is used to do) , it is important to focus on what the exact desired goal is rather than thinking in general terms. Specifically, when using magic to bring money, focus on why you need this money; what it will be used for, instead of just trying to ‘draw in money energy’ or something like that. We must focus on the truth behind things and not just a thin veneer or a means to an end. Focusing on the money itself is akin to over-analyzing the process of how magic will manifest a goal, which, as previously stated, then hinders that process. The true worth of money is what should be focused on and that can only be done by focusing on what it will be used to obtain.
So, if you need money to purchase a new car, focus on the need for the car. You may also focus on the specific amount of money needed to purchase the car, if desired. Do not however, only focus on the money! That cannot be overstated. Money magic is about growth, security, and abundance and not money for money’s sake.
Magic, in general works best if there is genuine need (as opposed to selfish want) . If you need money for something, cast the spell for that something. If you merely want $100, 000 dollars for the fun of it well, you can try for it but trust me, it will be a LOT harder to achieve.
Healing – When working healing magic for one’s self or others, it is necessary to visualize the person in a relaxed, healthy state as opposed to seeing them ‘becoming healed’ or ‘growing in strength’ or something along those lines. Surround them with healing energy and state that the injury or illness shall no longer exist. In your mind’ eye, ‘see’ the person healthy and with no illness. Visualize only the outcome; not even one speck of the process of healing. Otherwise, there will be delays, or mixed results due to confusing signals being projected by you. Any healing magic must be done with a true sense of compassion and love infused with it. This maximizes its effectiveness since magic done without proper feeling is only marginally successful at best.
Protection – As noted earlier, the type of protection magic worked is an integral of its success. If you feel that someone is trying to work negative magic against you (however, that is a rare occurrence) or that a dark spiritual entity has become attached to you in some way (an even rarer occurrence) , or that you spend time around an energy vampire (a surprisingly frequent occurrence) , then you should work magic for psychic protection.
If on the other hand, if you are worried about physical danger, then work magic for physical protection. Now, if you are under immediate physical threat or danger, then you should first take all necessary mundane precautions like locking doors, calling police, going to a safe public place etc. Most people work protective magic as a precautionary measure to avoid any such threats and I would recommend doing so. I personally feel that it is a good idea when using protection magic to aim for a combination of both types of protection; both psychic and physical, to make sure you are truly secure. A good dual protective measure is the witch bottle.
When working protection magic, you should be filled with a sense of safety and serenity (no fear!) and infuse this serenity into the spell. If you are filled with fear, you will only infuse that fear into the spell and it will offer no protection; it will only increase the fear. You must project how you want to feel with the end result for effective protection.
Binding – This is in an area known as gray magic. Binding can be used for positive ends but does involve the overpowering of the free will. Because of this, unless skillfully done (and even then) , there could be serious repercussions to the spellcaster. Many modern practitioners never use this type of magic and prefer to not even discuss such things but, given the fact that we live in an unpredictable, sometimes harsh world, I feel that it is best to be fully armed and knowledgeable with the use of defensive magic. The key here is defensive. Bindings should not be done merely to control another person for some type of ego boost or a cheap thrill. They should only be done to stop a dangerous person or situation from continuing on in its destructive ways. Additionally, it is possible (but, difficult) to bind oneself to help curb negative tendencies or bad habits.
The proper intent for a binding is to visualize the person bound and unable to escape then, give them a specific set of commands to follow according to need. You should feel fully in control without malice or fear. Feel as though you are overwhelming the person into giving in to your demands (think angry nagging as opposed to kidnapping and threatening) . Bindings do require lots of energy to be effective and if the person’s subconscious mind is strong enough to reject your spell, you will quickly suffer the consequences of rebound. This is why this type of magic should be rarely done and when done at all, should only be in times of true need.
The reason for specific orders is twofold. First, it speeds the success of the spell by giving it clear focus and second, it helps eliminate rebound upon the spellcaster since the stated conditions do not apply to the one casting the spell. Let me give an example, if you need to bind a thief then, do a binding with the specific command that the person will no longer steal the possessions of others and since you are not a thief (at least I hope not…) there would be no rebound of binding your free will. That being said, there is always an energy return from every spell cast and this is unavoidable. This is one reason why it is inadvisable to dwell too often in the realms of gray or black magic. You don’t need all that negative energy returning to you and disrupting your life.
Cursing – Ah, the most controversial magical topic of them all. Now, this does qualify as black magic and as such, should only be done under very severe circumstances. To work a curse first, you must be filled with angry, vengeful energy and second, be willing to project that energy on to someone else. This will definitely result in dark energy being returned to you so, you must make sure that you are willing to deal with the consequences and that there aren’t any other, less severe options (see binding, above) that could accomplish your goal.
A curse will cause misfortune to the target of the spell and will result in a life of misery for them. Unfortunately, to curse another is to curse oneself so, be prepared to be on the receiving end of misery as well.
If the consequences of curses are so awful then, why do people use them? Well, they should only be used in times of greatest need. Dark energy travels quickly on this plane. Much more quickly than positive energy, this is the lure of cursing. It’s quick and effective magic. Many people become addicted to the sense of power that the use of such magic brings. This is ignorant and dangerous behavior.
The only justifiable reason to cast a curse is if someone has greatly wrong you or a loved one with no remorse and intends to continue doing so (either to yourself or others) . In such a case, a curse could be used to force a realization of the person’s own actions into their mind, creating a kind of tortured empathy or fill their lives with such chaos and misery that they no longer have the time or even the strength to attempt to harm you or anyone else.
You should be very specific in your goals for a curse so, much like in the case of binding, the possibilities of rebound are minimized. Again, even if the curse doesn’t rebound upon you, the dark energy will eventually return and you will face the consequences of your actions. To cast the curse, you must be filled with anger and rage and infuse this feeling into your spell. This can be exhausting, as it requires enormous energy for the proper results to be achieved. For the most part, it is advisable to leave the negative magic alone in order to avoid the harsh repercussions of its use.
The positive magical path is always a safer and highly encouraged choice.
With all of these skills, anyone should be able to fine tune their intent, cast successful spells and reap the rewards of living the magical life.
Experimenting with Circles
When you feel comfortable in your ability to cast a circle, it is time to start finding new ways to do it. There is no limit to what you can do to create sacred space. It can be as simple as sitting and drumming the circle into existence or chanting something to create the energy to draw your circle. Movement is something used in lieu of everything else. It is possible to use a piece of recorded music to cast it, or to dance to the music to cast the circle. You can create a circle by telling stories or sharing your day with others.
Some of the techniques that can be used will be very difficult at first, and that is why you should learn to cast in one of the first two ways before you begin experimenting. If you do, you know what the end result should be and will know when you reach it. As you develop a new way to cast a circle, you will find certain things that work and certain ones that don’t. Don’t be afraid to change elements around or substitute things in or out to make it work. This is one of the first totally creative things that you will do as a witch.
Copyright © 2000, Jet Blackthorn
Dancing with Dragons
The sun is out. The day is bright.
The dragons dance upon the grass
And trees and flowers brilliant.
On the winds they pass.
In and out among the clouds
They frolic in the light,
Sliding down the sunbeams,
Dragons crystal bright.
When the Sun has passed beyond
Mountains turned purple-blue,
The dragons dance on through the night
On strands of Moon-lit dew.
They dance to strains of music
Unheard by human ears,
As they have danced through eons,
Untouched by human years.
Teach me, lovely dragons,
To dance with joy life’s plan,
To life myself to higher planes
Above the limits of common man.
“Dancing with Dragons”
D. J. Conway
In Defense of the Practice of Magic
Author: Lupa
You don’t have to practice magic to be a good pagan. In fact, you can theoretically go your entire life without casting a spell or performing a magical rite.
However, over the years I’ve seen a recurrence in the idea that not practicing magic is the superior decision. The general attitude seems to be somewhere along the lines of “I don’t practice magic—I just use mundane solutions instead of wasting my time!” A variation on this is “You’re not supposed to work magic for mundane and/or selfish purposes”. And there’s even “Don’t work magic when you don’t need to—you don’t want to overburden the gods!” I’ve also heard the sentiment that “Magic is a crutch, and if you think you need it then you’re too dependent on it”.
I would imagine that the roots of these attitudes are embedded in the fact that when some newbies to paganism are first getting started, they’re totally enamored of the idea of casting spells and whatnot. They get the idea that magic can solve all of their problems, and so dive right in. For them, religion is something they learn about later, only after the shiny newness of “I’m a witch!” wears off, and they get a little better idea of what paganism is about besides magic.
Since this is so common among newcomers, I would guess that at least some people who exhibit anti-magic attitudes are doing so in order to seem more experienced and mature. It resembles, in my mind, the child who puts his/her toys aside in an attempt to seem more grown-up.
This isn’t to say that everyone who doesn’t practice magic is just posturing. However, I’d like to address the attitudes that I’ve mentioned.
–I don’t practice magic—I just use mundane solutions instead of wasting my time
Okay, admittedly you don’t want to only use magic to get something done in this world. The clichéd example is the job seeker who casts a spell but then doesn’t go out and job hunt, instead waiting for work to miraculously fall into his/her lap. However, magic is a tool that can be used to augment mundane actions.
A well-executed ritual can increase the probability of success in mundane affairs. Don’t view the magic as something separate from your “real world” efforts; rather, see them all as complementary to each other.
Magic isn’t some detached, spooky force with no bearing on physical reality. Rather, it’s a practice that involves seemingly casual events joined together to create change. Whether you see this as manipulating invisible energies, asking for help from the Divine, or simply changing your psychological outlook on a particular issue, it has just as much relevance to everyday life as any mundane activities.
The methods and mechanics of magic may not be as obvious or as widely accepted, but I don’t see them as being superior or inferior to mundane actions.
— You’re not supposed to work magic for mundane and/or selfish purposes
I’m not sure where this one came from. If you look at magic throughout history, it has primarily been used for everyday issues affecting the individual. Whether that individual worked the magic him/herself or asked someone else to do so, practical magic for common problems has been prevalent for quite some time.
A study of folklore, witchcraft and related topics throughout history shows an abundance of spells and charms for love, money, health and other such concerns. While there’s also been plenty of magic designed to help the individual ascend to higher planes of reality, there’s no denying the strong interest in cultures around the world in using magic to make this reality better to live in.
And that includes “selfish” magic.
If you have a headache, you take a painkiller of some sort. If you need money, you find a better job or take out a loan. If you’re lonely, you find people to hang out with. What’s wrong with using magic to augment these things? The “no selfish magic” idea strikes me as rather Puritanical, not to mention incredibly impractical.
I’m assuming that if you’re not supposed to do magic for yourself, you instead work it for others. How are you supposed to help other people if your life is a mess? Would you get financial advice from a broker who was declaring bankruptcy? How about relationship advice from someone who’s been through eight divorces in ten years?
No one has ever been able to give me a solid reason why it’s such a bad thing to work magic on my own behalf; people who are going to be selfish to the point of harming others are going to be that way regardless of whether they have access to magic or not.
I also don’t fool myself into thinking that denying myself automatically makes me a more virtuous person. Personally, if I’m going to make the conscious effort to improve my life, I’m going to use every tool at my disposal, which includes magic. Which brings me to the final point I’d like to address…
— Don’t work magic when you don’t need to—you don’t want to overburden the gods
For some people, magic is inextricably bound to spirituality. When they cast a spell or otherwise work magic, they expect that some deity or spirit is going to make the magic work for them. With such a belief, I can see why they might want to avoid asking too much of the entities they work with. Granted, it’s quite possible for someone of a dependent nature to get to the point where s/he feels that s/he can’t do anything without divine intervention, but this is an extreme case.
Magic doesn’t have to involve deities and spirits if you don’t want it to. We’re quite capable of working magic by our own wills. If you’re that concerned that you’re asking too much of your deities, then just do the work yourself.
I’ve found, from my own experience, that the spirits I work with the most (totem animals in particular) actually appreciate it when I put forth the effort myself to the best of my ability. They know that if I do call on them for help, it’s because I really need it. “The Gods help those who help themselves”.
— Magic is a crutch, and if you think you need it then you’re too dependent on it
Anything can be a crutch if you allow it to be. Yes, there are the people who think that magic alone will solve any problems they have (even though they continue to have those same problems). However, this shouldn’t be taken as proof that magic itself is more likely to become a crutch than, say, religious fundamentalism.
I’ve known pagans who allowed their spiritual beliefs to completely take over their lives (without the practice of magic, mind you). People can get obsessed about literally anything; it doesn’t necessarily mean that what they’re obsessed over is what’s at fault.
Those of who practice magic on a regular basis aren’t necessarily obsessed. I practice magic because it’s beneficial, and because I really enjoy the experience. I can act quite well without it; I don’t cast a spell for every single thing in my day. But it’s an effective method of furthering my actions, and I use it when I think it’s warranted. If I find that it’s warranted on a regular basis, that doesn’t make me obsessed. It just makes me a magician.
In the end, it’s a personal choice. If you don’t want to work magic, that’s fine. Nobody’s forcing you. And for some people, it’s just not a necessary part of their lives. However, I really recommend against looking down on those of us who do work magic on a regular basis.
I’ve been able to use it to improve my life (along with mundane actions) in numerous ways, and intend to continue to do so. I believe that there’s absolutely no reason I shouldn’t be allowed to be happy, and I certainly don’t think it’s selfish to want that.
Do You Believe In Magic?
The beach road is long, winding and wide
The moon’s up tonight and with it the tide
Cars screech by, with evil glaring eyes
Down below the asphalt, the soul of the road cries
The beach is silent, just like the night
Not a soul around, save the devil in sight
The rumbling of the sea, and the swoosh of the trees
Makes me cherish moments, as precious as these
Moments like these, quite magical and rare
In solitude and with you, I’d love to share
As I see the calmness of the sea’s sheen
I look for the same within
Nature in its sparkling splendor
Makes me stare in amazing wonder
The sea, the sand and the serenity
Shows the unique trinity
This magical moment seemed just for me
And I knew in my heart that it is meant to be
— Copyright © 2010 Lubinisha Saha
Witches Of The Craft® 