How To Cast Spells That Work

How to Cast Spells That Work

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.

Grimoire Organization 📖

A list of how my own personal Book of Shadows is organized ! 🌙

Section One {Introduction}

Index

A blessing

The Wiccan Rede

13 Goals of a Witch

History of Magic

Personal Correspondences

Section Two {Time & Space}

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

Section Three {Tools of the Craft}

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

Section Four {Nature Magick}

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

Section Five {Divination}

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

Section Six {Basics}

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

Section Seven {Myth}

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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bhasttet

5 years ago

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bhasttet

4 years ago

I am making animal crossing tarot cards and no one can stop me

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5 years ago

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bhasttet

4 years ago

Let’s Talk Poppets & Spell Dolls!👩🏻‍🤝‍👩🏽

hollywood has massively misrepresented poppets and spell dolls as a form of evil/baneful magick (the Voodoo Doll), however, this is often far from the truth about poppet magick!

the use of poppets and spell dolls is a sympathetic form of magick which ties a magick focus or object with a soul, to an inanimate object. people use rag dolls, ceramics, photos, paper cut outs, and even animals as poppets for humans.

however i use ceramic figures! usually when i make a poppet it is used to protect or nurture a loved figure in my life. i place crystals near the poppet depending on what the person represented by the doll needs, carry the poppet in my company for lonelier friends, or i may even do spellwork involving the doll for bigger issues.

to bind a poppet to a person, use hair, belongings (scraps of clothing belonging to your subject can be stuffed inside of stitched dolls, as can topical herbs), or even just the initials or birthdate of the person will do. i paint these details on the back of the poppet.

remember if you use a poppet to do any sort of magick on a friend, it is best to ask the friend first! otherwise using a poppet may end up being controlling or an unwanted magickal intervention.

heres how i make my ceramic dolls:

I use a cheap air-drying clay called “DAS”. You can use as much or little as you like, just be aware the the bigger you make your poppet, the longer it will take to dry.

Roll your clay roughly into a potato shaped ball, and working quickly (air-drying clay dries and becomes difficult to work with fast!) snip along the dotted lines pictured above! when you pull the sniped sectors away from eachother, you should get a ugly looking body-ish shape with a bulbous head. but with some pinching and squeezing, the body will quickly become prettier.

Once you have squeezed the clay into shape, you should end up with some very simple silhouetted human shapes. I smooth the clay out using my fingers (not with any water) on the front and the back of the poppet. In 24-48 hours the poppets should be fully dry and ready for painting.

i paint the skin of the doll whatever colour i want and then give it a heart, sigils, a face, a belly button, and the name and birthdate of the person represented by the poppet on the back. i also make a few plain ones at a time so i always have some ready to use. (the paint i use is water-based acrylic paint).

i hope this is helpful to some people! i put a little extra effort into this post. don’t forget that you don’t have to make people shaped poppets! if you’re making a poppet for an animal, they would be super cute as animal shaped <3

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bhasttet

4 years ago

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.

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bhasttet

4 years ago

Areas of Research for the Intermediate Witch

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

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