Annotated Literature Is Just So Beautiful

annotated literature is just so beautiful

Components of a Spell

Intent

Intent is the most important component and is the starting point of any magical process. Part of manifesting your desires into reality is defining them clearly and empowering that thought.

Making your intent specific is very important because it will help you avoid unwanted outcomes. Here are some examples of intents:

Weak: Protect me.

Better: Protect me from negative energy.

Strong: Protect my mind, body, and spirit from negative energy while allowing good energy in.

If you are less specific, you may find that you block of good energy as well as bad energy! The universe can also twist your words in ways you do not expect so be sure that your intent is clear.

General and simple intents may work for some practitioners but I recommend beginners strive to be specific.

Everything from here on will be directly related to your intent.

Materials

Choosing materials sounds difficult but if you have a clear intent, it should not be too difficult. Having a book of shadows or notebook and taking notes on spell materials is very helpful to crafting spells. As a beginner, you may be overwhelmed by the wide variety of herbs, flowers, spices, and crystals. Try to focus on a few at a time and keep track of their associations.

Pick materials that align with your intent. For example, if we are using the previous example you would want the following materials:

One that brings protection

One that connects to the self or the mind/body/spirit

One that absorbs or deflects negative energy

One that welcomes positive energy

You do not necessarily need all of these materials, as when you are performing the spell you can compensate for this through your words or actions.

Finding the correct components will involve research so be prepared! Your choices should be based on a combination of outside sources and personal experience. As you cast and create more spells you will become more advanced at using and choosing materials.

Words

The words you choose to speak, sign, or think, when casting a spell should reflect your intent. Your spell does not have to rhyme but the rhythm of a rhyming poem can 1. make it easier to remember and 2. help you connect more deeply to your spirit. You can also use repetition to strengthen the spell and solidify your intent.

If you are lacking in components, you should take great care in crafting your words. This is your chance to communicate to the universe what you want and need.

I recommend researching different types of poetry and literary techniques. In a way, your poem is an offering to the universe as a thanks for empowering the spell. There is value in choosing beautiful and meaningful words to aid your spell.

Actions

I find the actions people use when executing a spell vary depending on their religion and background. In the end, you have to go with your gut and choose actions that feel right to you. Some examples of actions you can take during a spell are as follows:

Kissing a component

Burning a material

Grinding or combining materials

Drawing shapes or sigils with your hands

Facing a specific direction

Sitting, standing, walking

Dancing or physical exercise

As you can see, actions are much more open ended which I why they are difficult to explain. However, I can say that the actions you take can aid in adding power and energy to your spell. For example, dancing releases your physical energy which can charge your spell.

Actions can also help you invoke specific spirits or deities. There is a reason many Christians make a cross motion when praying. The motions themselves are a symbol that invoke whatever power you are calling upon.

Conclusion

Much of spell-making is a personal process of research and discovery. But, hopefully this post gives you an idea of where to start! I invite people to add on to this post with other ideas and suggestions as well as critiques!

(image from pixabay)

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spellbound-savvie

3 years ago

Write your Witchcraft

The thing is, we change. We are not the same person we were five years ago. Hel, a lot of us are not even the same people we were last week. We change, and our beliefs, favourites, thoughts and the way we see ourselves changes with it.

The same is true for our witchraft, religion and spiritual beliefs. This is why I have a list of question that I like to answer for myself every couple of years. I first started this when I came across a list of questions by Juniper from Walking the Hedge (site no longer in use) in 2008, yes, over ten years ago. Every few years I filled in the questions and looked back at the answers I gave before. Some never changed, some changed quite a lot.

When our coven started a new lesson plan, I gave out the list of questions as well. We sealed our answers in envelopes and plan to fill them in again, once we finish our lessons. Then open the envelopes and look at the answers side by side. To see how we have changed.

I looked at the list last week and found it actually lacking a bit. The questions were very deity- and spiritual based, so I was missing some more questions about my personality and witchcraft. So I decided to make my own list of questions!

Since I wanted to make this more a weekly journaling/grimoire prompt for myself I put together 52 questions. These can be answered weekly (maybe every year) or you can work through the list in one go and repeat that every few years or so.

Some notes on the wording: I consider myself both a witch and a pagan, but to keep it easier to read I only used wording like “witch” and “witchcraft”, they can however be substituted for “pagan”, “paganism” or even “my path”, should that fit you better. When I talk about “sacred space” this can both mean a ritual space like a temple or casting of a circle, but also just your home or outdoors witchy environment.

I’d love it if you would tag anything you feel comfortable with posting online with the tag #writeyourwitchcraft!

What draws me to witchcraft?

How do I see the divine?

What in witchcraft makes me happy?

Do I want to follow a path that has to do with a little nature, or a lot of nature?

What areas of witchcraft would I like to learn more about?

Where do my witchy talents lie?

What kind of deities, if any, do I want to honor?

How do I believe magic works?

Simple or elaborate spells/rituals? Why?

What are my views on cursing/hexing?

Do I want to practice something similar to my ancestors?

What are the basic morals and ethics I feel I should live by?

What in nature am I drawn to; the ocean, animals, the trees, etc?

Which (witchy) holidays, if any, would I like to celebrate and how?

How do I believe divination works?

Would I like to work with a group some of the time, all of the time or not at all?

Which aspects of witchcraft appeal to me most, which the least?

What do I believe happens to us when we die?

How do I see mythological creatures?

When do I feel most magical?

How much is witchcraft woven into my daily life; is this too much, too little or just enough?

What kind of witch do I feel I am?

Which texts/quotes best describe my current path?

Do I like research and gathering info, or do I like things handed to me?

Which things about witchcraft worry or scare me?

What is my favourite element?

How do I see gender (roles) in witchcraft?

Am I interested more in magic, or spirituality?

Do I like to be told how to do things, or would I rather figure it out on my own?

What rules, if any, do I live by when it comes to witchcraft and magic?

What do I gain from witchcraft and magic?

Formal or informal rituals/spells? Why?

What subject do I love to study?

What is my favourite type of magic; candle, sympathetic, sigils, etc?

What would my perfect witchy day be like?

Would I want to be dedicated/initiated?

Who do I honor (ex: deities, ancestors, myself, etc), and how do I, or would I like to, honor them?

How do I create a sacred/witchy space?

What do I believe is needed for a succesful spell/ritual?

Which cultures do I draw from in my witchcraft?

What is my learning style; books, websites, videos, more hands-on?

What, if anything, in my mundane life influences my witchcraft?

What are my hobbys, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

Where do my non-witchy talents lie, how do I (or can I) incorporate them in my witchcraft?

What would my dream witchy life look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What would my dream sacred space/witchy home look like? What steps can I take to work towards it?

What symbols correspond with me; runes, animals, flowers, gemstones, etc?

Am I an open and proud witch, or do I (need to) hide my craft?

What are my favourite witchy items/tools; divination tool, ritual tool, décor, clothing, etc?

What is holding me back in my craft?

What is my pre-spell/ritual routine?

What are my ultimate witchy goals and how can I work towards them?

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spellbound-savvie

3 years ago

Housewarming Magic

For when you’ve moved into a new living situation or are ready for a new start <3

Finding your home/moving:

Spell for your dream house

The witch’s moving checklist

Cleansing:

Room cleansing

To absorb negative energy from a room

Summer house cleansing

Herbal wall/floor wash + witchy cleaners

Home cleansing tips

Home cleansing brew

Thoroughly clearing spaces

Crystals to cleanse the home

Cleansing your space without smoke

Cleansing your space: a how-to guide

Energy cleansing

Low energy cleaning + cleansing

Warding + Protection:

A crash course on warding

To ward the home

Threshold magic 101

Protect my home spell

Home protection steam spell

Simple home protection jar spell

“Little lurkers” home protection spell

Room/home protection

Wall of fire property & house protection spell

Protection (wind) chimes

The Rowan cross

Check out the sigils below!

Sigils:

“For a magical and happy home”

“Sospidonum”

“This space is full of life, light, and bright energy”

“No fighting in this home”

“My home is safe”

“This home is safe for all”

“This home is a safe and healthy environment”

“My house is protected from unwanted influences”

“My home is protected”

Witchin’ it up:

Happy home spell jar

Home sweet home spell jar

House to home spell

Doing the dishes the witchy way

Homemade laundry detergent recipe

Laundry magic

Pleasing household spirits

When a bad guest leaves

Building a magical home

Odds and ends:

Magic, and power, in homemaking

The history and creation of witch bottles

Cottage witch tips

Hearth witch tips

The basics of kitchen and cottage witchcraft

Devotional Acts to Death/Chthonic Deities

These are just suggestions. Adapt to your own personal needs.

Have a saving account!

Clean up graves

Read the history of your culture

Volunteer at hospices and end of life planning

Write a will/last testament

Create a memento mori

Trace ancestry (if possible)

Ancestor altars

Legacy Projects

Visiting Memoirs

Reading/writing poetry about death

Read books/articles on death and funeral traditions: - What happens to the body after death? By Maria Cohurt - Forensic Entomology: The Use of Insects in Death Investigations by Dr. Gail Anderson - ‘Death: a graveside companion’ by Joanna Ebenstein and Will Self - ‘Western attitudes to death from the Middle Ages to the present’ by Philippe Ariès - ‘A social history of dying’ by Allan Kellehear - ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory’ by Caitlin Doughty - 'From Here to Eternity: Travelling the World to Find the Good Death’ by Caitlin Doughty - 'Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers’ by Mary Roach - 'Past Mortems: Life and Death Behind Mortuary’ by Carla Valentine - 'All That Remains: A Life in Death’ by Sue Black - 'Written In Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind’ by Sue Black - 'Holding Space: On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go’ by Amy Wright Glenn - 'Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End’ by Atul Gawande - 'Traditions of Death and Burial’ by Dr Helen Frisby - 'The Adult Orphan Club: How I Learned to Grieve the Loss of My Parents’ by Flora Baker - 'Caring for the Dying: The Doula Approach to a Meaningful Death’ by Henry Fersko-Weiss

Video research: Demystifying Medical Aid in the Dying: Family Voices (part 1) Demystifying Medical Aid in the Dying: Family Voices (part 2) Why You Need to Plan Ahead for Death, with Alua Arthur