Hey guys here are some tips for charging objects for spell-casting and why!
1. Bury the item you want to charge. Sometimes an item is used so often or for so long it starts to absorb energies around it. Reconnect it to the earth, literally grounding the item.
2. Charge with heat. There are many ways you can add heat to an item. The hot sun, a candle, an oven, a stove top, even the microwave. Please be careful when doing this however as it is very easy to get burned. As someone of finnish decent however, sauna stones are something I have often, and would recommend others try!
3. Although an unusual way to consider charging, make sure the space around your altar is clean. Or clean something while carrying what it is you want to charge. The purpose of this is to transform the space, and remove additional energies that might be clogging up your spell
4. If possible, soak an item in salt water for a period of time. Salt’s status as an electrolyte means that it’s atoms carry a charge. I would recommend at least 24 hours. This is a very literal way to charge something, but also very easy. Note that any salt will work as epsom salts are also electrolytes (just not ones you should eat)
5. Use the New or Full moon. Naturally these are powerful times to spell cast, collect, and charge items, as even ocean waves are influenced moreso during these times. This also may be why your spells are not working–about a weak after a full or new moon, the moon is at its weakest. This reflects in the oceans as neap tides. Avoid spellcasting during those times.
6. Have someone close to you hold the item for a length of time. Every person has their own energy, and their own shared energy, and if the spell involves them, or they have a quality you want to invoke in yourself,
7. For spells relating to change, take items from, or use a charging spell in liminal spaces. What does this mean? Loosely, liminal places that are only meant for transition, getting from one place to another. These are also places that make most people uneasy because lingering feels like it is outside of it’s normal use. This includes stairwells, elevators, train stations, empty parking lots, schools during break, even when at art galleries alone, because they imitate rooms we live in, while not being livable space.
When you’ve covered all the basics, the next step is to pick some topics and study them in-depth. Take notes, whether they are online or by hand, and find creative ways to incorporate what you’ve learned into your practice. With depth of knowledge comes depth of understanding, and that will make you a stronger witch. Here are some ideas/topics to get started:
Mesopotamian magic (especially the role of astrology in Mesopotamia)
Go through each of the Sabbats and write down a summary of how they came about. What is their history, purpose and associated mythology?
Hermeticism and its influence on Western magic
The first recorded spells and incantations (hint: they were in ancient Sumer)
Who was Zoroaster?
John Dee and Enochian magic
Freemasonry
The Golden Dawn
The Salem Witch Trials, and how they affected legislation on, and public perception of, witchcraft
Carl Gustav Jung and his work on the connections between psychology and alchemy
Crystal elixirs
Shadow work
Mythology from a variety of cultures - you’re probably familiar with Zeus and Ra, but how much do you know about Ranginui and Papatuanuku? Knowing a variety of mythologies, whether you follow them or not, can help you better understand the deities you work with.
Other religions! It’s the same as mythologies - the more you know, the better.
Buddhist philosophy
Reiki
The fae
Botany - if you can, try to research the plants in your region, and devise correspondences for plants you can find in your local area based on their physical or medicinal properties. Just make sure to be mindful of local/native cultures if there are any.
Make a dream journal, and write down whatever you can remember about your dreams (don’t worry if it’s hard at first, the more you write them down the better you’ll get at remembering). Research possible dream meanings of any dreams that stand out to you!
Astrology, if you’re not already familiar with it. Astrology originated in ancient Mesopotamia as one of the first forms of divination, and as a result is the basis of a lot of magic today.
The natural world. The metaphysical is important but perhaps more so is the world to which it is attached. I’d recommend watching nature documentaries for this one.
Cover all your bases. If there’s a witchcraft 101 area that you never fully learned, now’s the time. Things like grounding, centering, circle casting, meditation, warding, visualisation… these are all important foundations that you need before you can try to build on your knowledge.
Agrippa
since i’m starting to work on getting my own Grimoire better organized and figuring out what i think fits best in it for me, i feel like i should log some ideas that have helped me in my journey in hopes that it could help someone else just starting out. but just remember that your Grimoire is your own and personal to you and you alone so you don’t need to put everything in if it doesn’t vibe well with you or doesn’t fit into your craft. your book should hold things that are personal to you and your craft and what you believe and you don’t need to have every bit of knowledge in your book.
✏️ an index/table of contents ✏️ a blessing ✏️ a protection sigil and/or spell to keep from wondering eyes ✏️ your personal creed or rede/the wiccan rede(if you’re wiccan) ✏️ personal goals/13 goals of a witch ✏️ personal correspondences/things personal to you ✏️ your beliefs ✏️ your daily rituals ✏️ the different types of magic ✏️ the different types of divination ✏️ any gods, goddesses, deities, or spirits you worship/follow ✏️ information on any gods, goddesses, deities, or spirits ✏️ crystals 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ plants/tress/flowers 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ herbs 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ essential oils 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ incense 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ candles 》 meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ chakras 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ auras 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ elements(earth, fire, air, water) 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ runes 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ magical symbols 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ feathers 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences ✏️ crystal grid ✏️ pendulum board ✏️ sigils 》how to make them 》how they work 》how to charge ✏️ moon phases 》correspondences 》what they’re good 》what the mean ✏️ moon phase calendar(preferable something that can be removed or changed easily) ✏️ magical times 》hour 》day 》week 》month ✏️ moon water ✏️ sun water ✏️ zodiac 》correspondences 》dates 》characteristics ✏️ mythology of your heritage/culture and/or area ✏️ mythologies of interest ✏️ mythological creatures ✏️ star chart ✏️ constellations ✏️ celestial events ✏️ planets/celestial bodies 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences 》mythology 》relation to magic ✏️ cheat sheets ✏️ tips/reminders ✏️ spirit works ✏️ basic concepts 》banishing 》binding 》cleansing 》grounding 》ect. ✏️ altars 》what they are 》what they’re used for 》what you need 》basic set up 》plans ✏️ familiars ✏️ tools in your practice ✏️ spirit work ✏️ spirits ✏️ personal/family traditions ✏️ animals 》which animals you connect with 》spiritual powers of animals ✏️ spirits guides ✏️ sabbats 》solstice 》equinox ✏️ recipes 》spells 》potions 》teas 》cleaning products 》natural remedies 》powders 》oils 》beauty 》 body scrubs 》ect. ✏️ spells 》self love 》curses 》hexes 》protection 》banishing 》ect. ✏️ tea 》meanings 》uses 》correspondences 》spells 》recipes ✏️ rituals ✏️ visuals 》drawings 》pressed flowers/herbs/plants 》photos ✏️ meditation ✏️ a secret code or alphabet ✏️ gardening ✏️ list of words and phrases ✏️ books 》ones you reference & find helpful ✏️ experiences 》spell work 》divination 》spirit work 》banishing 》tarot readings 》ect. ✏️ spiritual diary ✏️ magical diary ✏️ dream log ✏️ spell log ✏️ anything else you want! literally! it’s your book and its always good to customize it to you! if you feel like it should be in your book, then go ahead and put it in your book because that’s what makes it special!
***correspondences =things such as 》elements, colors, symbolism, planets, astrology, anatomy, ect. really anything else important tied to something.
obviously you can pick and choose whatever works best for yourself and your craft, and i don’t even have some of these in my own book but still thought they would be helpful to include for witches like me who are just starting out who need ideas of what their books can hold! i’ll probably start posting more about my grimorire and how i keep it organized as well!
if you think i’ve missed anything feel free to add on more ideas to pass on to your fellow baby witches!
The Horror Hostess
In her book Wicca for Beginners Thea Sabin says, “When you do a spell, you are telling the universe that you intend to bring about a certain change and you are putting the energy in motion to achieve that end.”
A spell is sort of an energetic shove to get things moving in the way you want them to, and we do this by creating a ritual to build and then release the energy to get things going.
Most spells are based on a principle called imitative magic.
In his book Backwoods Shamanism, Ray Hess says, “Imitative magic means that making a symbolic gesture, when combined with intent and will… can affect the intended change on a grander scale.” [Note: I don’t actually recommend this book, but I like Hess’s definition of imitative magic.]
So, for example, you may have heard of a “cord cutting” ritual, where you symbolically cut your spiritual ties to a person you no longer want to have a relationship with. You’re symbolically creating a separation between yourself and that person, which creates physical separation in real life.
There are four basic components to any spell: your will, your intention, focused energy, and a ritual action. Some magical traditions add extra steps, like casting a circle, but from what I’ve read and been taught, these four basic components are constant no matter which tradition you’re following.
Let’s start with the most important bit: your will. Your will isn’t just what you want: it’s the desire and drive that is in alignment with your highest good. But in this case we’re also talking about will in the sense of willpower — Basically, your will is your personal spiritual authority and the source of your magical power.
Any spell that is not in alignment with your will won’t work. This is why it’s important to be clear about what you want and why you want it before you attempt a spell.
There’s also an element of belief here. Because magic only works when your spells are in alignment with your will, if you don’t believe your spell can work, it won’t. This is because you, yourself are blocking it from working.
The second important component of a spell is your intention. When you do a spell, it’s important to clearly state what you want to happen. Some traditions will write the intention down on a piece of paper, which is called a petition. Other traditions will use a spoken statement of intention in the form of an incantation. Some witches use both.
You need to be clear about your intention before you begin your spell. Magic will always follow the path of least resistance, so it’s important to be specific. However, I find that magic works better when your intention leaves a little bit of wiggle room. It’s about finding that happy medium.
You also want to keep your petitions and incantations simple. If it’s more than a couple of sentences, you probably need to trim it down a little.
The next important part of a spell is focused energy. Magic is a way of directing energy, and this means that your own energy needs to be focused for it to work.
Don’t get too stressed out about focus. Your spell isn’t going to fail if your mind wanders for a few seconds. But you should set aside some time where you’ll be able to fully dedicate yourself to your spell. Try to find a private place where you won’t be interrupted. Turn off the TV, put your phone away, and try to avoid distractions. You might find that playing meditation music or burning incense helps you focus.
While you cast your spell, keep focusing on what it is you want to manifest. Again, don’t overthink this and don’t worry if your thoughts wander a little, but try to stay in the moment. Repeating your incantation can help with maintaining focus.
The last important part of a spell is your ritual action. This just means doing a specific set of things, in a specific order, with a specific intent behind them. If we go back to our definition of imitative magic, your ritual actions are symbolic of the change you want to manifest.
Your ritual actions do not have to be complex. A very common ritual for spells is anointing and lighting a candle. Making a charm or poppet is also popular. But any action can be a magical ritual if it is done with intent and focus, in alignment with your will. Making a cup of tea or coffee can be a ritual. Running a bath can be a ritual. Cooking food can be a ritual. The only limit is your imagination.
These four things are literally all you need to cast a spell. A spell doesn’t have to be complicated or include a bunch of crystals and herbs to work. You can do an effective spell with nothing but your own mind and body.
A list of how my own personal Book of Shadows is organized ! 🌙
Index
A blessing
The Wiccan Rede
13 Goals of a Witch
History of Magic
Personal Correspondences
Lunar Calendar [removeable]
Moon Phases
Full Moons
Moon Glyphs
Zodiac Symbols & Correspondences
Zodiac Map 》inc. Celestial Bodies
Elements
Magical Times of the Day / Day of the Week
Witches Compass
Sabbats
Transitions between Sabbats
A to Z of Crystals
Planetary / Zodiac Crystals
How to Charge & Cleanse Crystals
Spreads & Grids
Chakras & Auras
Sacred Geometry
Oils 》essential oils & their properties
Candle Magick 》colours, scents etc.
Himalayan Salt in Magic
Metals & their properties
Amulets & Protection Items
Flower & Plant properties
Herbs 》dangerous herbs, herbal amulets, edible flowers, cooking brewing & drying, healing herbs, flower associations
Gardening 》herbal, flowers, moonlight, to attract bees, faeries etc.
Fruit & Vegetable Correspondences
Spirit Animals / Familiars
Animals & what they symbolize
Wolf Magick
Bird Associations 》feather magick, owl magick
Water in Magick
A to Z Types of Divination
Tarot 》summary of the deck, how to charge etc.
Runes
Tea Leaves
Palmistry
Pendulum
Spirit Guides
Symbols 》witches alphabet, sigils.
Numerology
Graphology
Superstitions
Ghost / Spirit Work
Basic Altar set up
Cleansing & Charging
Grounding & Centering 》circle casting.
Invocation & Evocation
Actions in Witchcraft
Recipes 》tea / coffee / hot chocolate magick, witches brew, healing salves, face / hair masks, body scrubs.
Protection associations 》herbs, stones, candles / incense, metals, symbols.
Relevant Spells
Gods & Goddess
Faeries
Myths & Legends
Entities
Please note that this is a very basic overview of the index in my Book of Shadows. For each bullet point is at least one page of information in my BoS.
I am only about halfway through recording information into my BoS; so as time goes on and as I learn more about the craft / my path this order may change. Also, if you feel I have missed anything please let me know !
For more posts straight out of my grimoire search the tag #queenofbohemebos 🌻
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