Ex Penna

What I'm about to say is probably the most inflammatory statement this blog has yet seen, but it is all completely true.  I have experienced it over the course of my 17 years as a witch and am prepared to back it up with historical information.

There is a theory rather new to the magical community which states that only newly-minted spells should ever be cast.  Proponents of this idea write fresh material for every situation, and suggest that all others do the same.  What follows is an argument on why this is nonsense.  As a theory it has no grounding and in practice it makes magic worse.

The Theory

1.  No historical basis
To begin, this is a modern theory.  You will not find Agrippa discussing it.  In fact, you will see just the opposite--traditional works are great champions of the magic worker being a hard worker.  Reading, researching, calculating, divining, channeling...all in the name of a better cast spell.  Nowhere do they mention basing magic on one's intuition or a list of correspondences.  This was time-tested information and created to be used time and time again with reliable results.

2. Makes no logical sense with other standard magical practices
Which makes one ask, "Just why would generations of magic workers bother with carefully writing books, creating charts, and calculating formulas for precise spellwork if any old spell you can write in 5 minutes would do the trick?"  That is the question.

Alongside this is the normal expectation of keeping a Book of Shadows or Grimoire.  These books are a sort of magical diary for many, but their primary function is as a register of all the spells a witch has cast and their outcomes.  Why would anyone today even keep a book like this if it were meaningless to reuse a spell?  And who would ever pass on a book to another witch when such works would be worth even less to another?

3.  It sounds like a ploy 
Whether or not those working under this assumption are actually trying to deceive others (and I can easily believe that they are not.  Many of those I've heard it from are innocently passing along what they have heard, but about which they have no direct knowledge), a statement like this smacks of a desire to make oneself distinct from the crowd.  It happens a lot in conjunction with phrases like, "Real witches know the truth..." and "You don't really have to do suchandsuch; that's for newbies."  These are easy to pass around, sound smart when saying, and gain some easy street-cred by bestowing on others.  Knowledge and the illusion of knowledge are not, for casual purposes, so different.

The magical community is run on knowledge--gaining it, hoarding it, sharing it, selling it, even stealing it.  Whatever it takes, we love being "in the know."  There are quite a few concepts floating around us that make us sound like we have access to some secret information that not everyone is privy to, and their infectious nature is so thrilling that they are rarely questioned.  This is one of them.

Never have I heard a proponent of the "new spell theory" share just where they learned it, or--more meaningful to a practitioner--personal stories where it proved true.  I would be willing to accept the concept's validity if I was told something like, "I spent two weeks casting pre-written spells and nothing happened.  Then I wrote my own and in 30 minutes---presto!"  You would think this kind of statement would happen a lot, but it doesn't.  And that's a shame because from that alone I could understand why one would choose to believe and share this "rule."  With neither personal gnosis nor tradition to back them up, I just can't find any reasons to accept it.

4.  Its reasoning seems to come and go
So are we all to write brand new spells because 1) they're stronger, 2) they work better, or 3) using pre-written spells is just taking the easy way out?  I've heard all these answers and a few more.  Which is it?  Can they all exist at the same time or is one the truth?  In light of the fact that none of the folks I have personally heard this from have any experiences from which to draw to support the claim itself, I can't imagine that these statements are any more compelling.

Besides, what is "stronger" when it comes to magic?  What is "better"?  I've cast some spells that didn't astound the world but I can't say it was because I used a spell with an expiration date.  Sometimes the timing is off, you're tired or distracted.  Maybe you're so deep in the desperation of your problems that you can't focus on eradicating them.  Or maybe you're having a bad day, you're experiencing a slump, or otherwise off you're game.  These things happen and they can crop up for a variety of reasons or no reason at all.  There just isn't one easy way to make sure every spell goes perfectly every time.

The other reasoning I've heard is even more confusing to me: Every spell we cast must have our personal stamp so if you must cast a pre-written spell, change something--anything--to make it your own.  Why?  First, what reason is there to need every spell to be made your own?  Do you alter every recipe in a cookbook or switch around the seams and darts in a dress pattern?  Any time you cast a spell, bake a cake, or sew a shirt, you have made it yourself and you have put your own energy into it regardless of whether you followed the instructions to the smallest detail or not.  There is no further tweeking necessary to identify it as your work.  And second, if the goal is not to change for the better but simply change something, you will nearly guarantee a poor outcome.  It's impossible to receive reliable results from arbitrary changes, magical or no.


The Practice

1.  Writing is time consuming 
In practice I find this idea cumbersome.  I cast quite a few spells, big and small, on a regular basis.  Most often I work the little stuff several times a day: speaking charms and using formulas to stay safe, get my way, and smooth the rough edge of an average day.  I can't imagine using a different charm on Tuesday from the one on Monday.  And the spells I cast that are more substantial--require tools or a list of components--are often put together with very little warning.  I need something, go to my workroom, scan the bookshelves for the spellbook I need, and flip to the right page so I can begin working.  If I had to sit down and write a new spell I doubt I could manage it that fast.  And if I did, of what quality would it be?  Which leads me to my next point...

2.  New spells are often poorly written
Now this isn't a judgement on your writing skills or my own, but it is often seen that a writer who is crunched for time can't put out their best work.  This is especially true when the piece has as many specifics as a spell carries--a solid rhyme scheme, meaningful words without ambiguity, positive phrasing, and a memorable rhythm.  I might be able to come up with parts of a spell rather quickly, the components that would work for my cause and how I can use them, but any spoken/written parts take a considerable amount of time to form. And so they should.  Why is a quickly jotted spell better than one which took shape over the course of days or weeks?  Why would a poet's delicate phrasing be dumped in favor of whatever 4-line ditty I thought up on the spot?

When I see the quality of the free spells available online I'm reminded of this fact.  With little to no research, herbs, stones, colors, and even deities are plucked nearly at random and briskly stirred together with a glitter covered wand.  That doesn't represent what I think of as magic.  It almost makes the rampant plagiarism found online preferable (almost).  You can usually recognize them by how carefully they are constructed.

3.  It works in favor of those who spurn any kind of investment
The magical community is known for its difficult attitudes towards money.  Some shun the very thought of connecting any payment with magical work, others are open to reimbursement only for the cost of materials. We love books but the online community is rife with stolen material because we don't want to pay for them. We want more classes, more teachers, more workshops, more public events, but we don't much care for compensation.  Professional spellcasters and tarot readers are regularly called shysters by our own kind purely on the basis of their fees. Providing value is a hard road to walk when you're constantly told never to expect any in return.

Because of all this, it's easy to see concepts creep into conversations which support getting something for nothing.  "Free magic spells" are some of the most searched keywords for witchcraft.  To think that this, shall we say thriftiness, could be a virtue would put a lot of minds at ease.  And what could be more thrifty than writing your own spells and having them only call for items you already own?  I totally get that.  But I don't at all condone it as some sort of rule or witches' "secret."

Magic is meant to be an investment.  You put your focus and your energy into this time, this object, these words, this movement.  And what you get out of it is the return on your investment--an amplification of the energy you put in.  Magic doesn't have to cost a lot of money but a little outlay does quite a bit to enhance its effects.  Get the real silk ribbon, the beeswax candles, the good ink on parchment, and your spell will reflect that effort.  Leave the dime store stuff behind; use a bit of finery instead of a truckload of garbage.  And the same goes for written spells--find an author whose words work for you and cast away.  Check out the old grimoires (most of which are in the public domain and are truly free online) and see how the greats did it.  If you wish to write your own work, have at it.  But please don't feel like there is no other way.  To do so is to be willingly blind to treasure.  

4.  This idea can easily inspire less casting
I honestly don't know how a witch who follows this idea can get anything done.  The research alone would cost me more time than the actual casting of a spell.  And couple that with the fact that one can never revisit old works, no matter how effectual they were, and you'll never save time again.

You know, that may be my biggest issue with the whole thing.  I like to re-cast spells.  I like going through my old BoS and seeing something I did 10 years ago and casting it again for a new situation.  I like knowing that the spells I'm working today have been worked by countless other practitioners in other times, in other countries, for other problems I couldn't possibly imagine. But always there is a link between us, a thread that holds us together even though we've never met.  It's human desire, love, dreams, hope for better things, and a trust that life itself is not cruel but can be reasoned with.  I like being part of that chain and knowing that the work I do today will continue on with my children and students, moving onward into an unseen future.  I want to remain a part of that chain, so I will continue to use the old spells and any new spells I create will be carefully crafted to last for another lifetime.


Whether you decide to write your own spells or use the tested materials of others, I hope only that you do so with awareness.  If you follow the "new spell theory," take some time to test it.  Take notes, record your work with both types of spells (or have yourself and a friend cast different spells for the same purpose in your respective lives, and share the outcomes), and see how their fare.  Share spells with coven mates and friends, compare ideas, and work to improve your success rate in whatever way works for you.  But please don't turn away from generations of written spells.  Don't toss your BoS and believe that no one will ever want or need to read it.  You are a part of that living chain, the same as I am, and what moves with it can only build in power.  

Images from:
free-witchcraft-spells.com
shutterstock.com

Be honest--this is what we're all here for.  No matter how many altruistic feelings you have as you cast spells for the healing and happiness of others, you're still working to change what is into what you want it to be.

That is the nature of magic and you shouldn't be ashamed to admit it.  Magic is essentially manipulative--as in molding, shaping, and transforming with your hands--and manipulation is a helpful tool in the magic and in the mundane.  If you don't think that our human interactions (and, indeed, life in general) is manipulative, just take a look at dating, job interviews, buying and selling, and both sides of parenting.

There's a give and take to these relations, and sometimes one or the other must be gently--or not so gently--coerced.  You pretend not to be too interested in a house so you can negotiate a better price.  He plays it cool on a date and she's intrigued.  Sons and daughters know just the right way to ask so that a parent is compelled to say "yes."  It's not right or wrong, it's just how we get things done.

But when it comes to magic, sometimes we just lose it.  In the chaos that ensues as we try to bail our sinking ship, we make choices that go completely against our efforts.  We go at the task with a bucket in one hand, a tea cup in the other, and two spoons in our teeth.  Our intention to quickly right our ship by using every tool and every limb fails miserably. Energy spent, water rising around our ears, we can at least congratulate ourselves for holding off the flood as long as we did. But we could have done a lot better. We could have taken a stern look at our tools, our space, and our energy reserves, picked up the bucket and scooped a full gallon of water back to the sea with every movement.  I'll show you how to do just that.

Simply put, it's not the spell you cast that ensures you get exactly what you want. Instead, it's all about organization, timing, and agility.

All practical magic is based on this information.  Unfortunately, no matter how many spellbooks you own they can never teach you how and when to use the spells they contain.  Few newcomers are willing to learn from a teacher, though many really need one because this is precisely what they teach.  To begin...

Organization

Looking at your situation as though it were a puzzle--and not a personal catastrophe--is the very first step. You must be pragmatic about it!  Forget, for the moment, about the good and bad; forget your fears and your hopes.  Forget about whether it's a curse or a cure you're about to cast and down what lane of the
shadowy future it might lead.  Just make your thoughts orderly in any way that helps you.  I suggest you write down the exact problem on paper and really look at it.  What's your angle?  What are your goals here?  Write a list of short phrases that represent the outcomes you desire.  Let's make an example: Jenny's sister is starting fights and making the whole family miserable.  As Jenny sits down to work, she puts aside her anger at her sister, frustration over the shattering of her family, and feelings of shame for contemplating casting against her own sister so that she can be clear about what really needs to happen in the situation.  She makes lists, does some divination, and talks with friends until she knows just how she wants to attack the problem.

Now you can go through your books and find spells that relate to your desired outcome.  Don't do this step before you're really clear or you'll end up with a ton of great, but thoroughly muddled, ideas without a clue on how to proceed.

Write down the name, source book, and page number for each spell that fits.  Have 2-3 spells for each angle of the problem so you will have options later in the planning process.  In the case of Jenny, she decides to look up spells for family harmony, ending strife, and binding troublemakers.


Timing 

This is more than picking a good day and time, and even more powerful of an option than calculating Planetary Hours.  The timing I mean is at what point within the situation.  If you know you'll be seeing your target in person next week, you might wish to forgo a distance spell and opt for working something more intimate instead (like sprinkling him with powders, secreting a talisman in his belongings, or plucking a strand of hair from his coat to use in a later spell.  Sometimes, too, things will need to happen in a certain order to have the best outcome.  Maybe your boss has to wait for a phone call, attend a meeting, and go over paperwork before she can discuss your raise with you.  This early in the day is not the time to work a spell so you can eloquently make your case for a generous raise.  Work on other aspects of it now and do your eloquence spell right before you go in her office.  This is a more efficient use of time and ensures that the right changes happen in the right order.  After all, you wouldn't want to be a wit in front of the copy boy and then a dope with the boss, right? Keep your focus on what you need and how their remedies are to be arranged.

So Jenny's sister has stirred the pot again and then left town.  She won't be back for two weeks, so Jenny's got plenty of time to work on home matters.  She clears away the misfortunes Sister has left in her wake and brings clarity and peace back to her family home.  Maybe she will add a little strength of will to the other family members so that when Sister returns, they're ready to stand up against her bad attitude.

Agility 

This is always last because what we're talking about is a "think on your feet" type of mentality that keeps us continually aware of what we have to work with at the moment.  Nothing happens in a vacuum, magic included, and we need to be ready for reactions. This is why some people have such a hard time with cursing. They lob a curse at their enemy and think the situation done (same problem with love spells, oddly enough).  But it isn't done--targets feel the effects of the spell and react, and they do so in whatever way feels natural for them.  Some grow sullen and depressed, certain that life hates them and they must recoil to be safe from it.  Not a bad option from the caster's point of view.  Other targets will lash out with anger, frustration, or jealousy and only cause further damage for you to clean up.  This is a witch's nightmare.  Unless you want to micro-manage every target, you're better off casting a spell with a fairly predictable reaction that you can work to your advantage and then (as needed) casting on the new situation that is created by the change.

Jenny decides not to bind her sister but instead to bolster the rest of her family because their safety is her primary concern.  They are happy and unified when Sister returns.  She tries bits of her old tricks and they don't work; the family remains solid and efforts to divide them fail.  Sister feels the brunt of spells she feel are effectively taking away her power, and she reacts.  Because Sister is overly dramatic she is furious--and possibly scared--and so goes wild and fakes a serious illness to regain sympathy.  Jenny's family, now strong and aware, tires of her antics and ignores her.  Jenny sees that Sister needs reigned in with stronger measures and decides to bind her for the safety of everyone concerned. Sister's behavior is halted and Jenny's conscience is clear.

You see how Jenny's spells worked?  She made an orderly task of it, worked within the brackets of time that were the best fit, and then allowed the changing situation to dictate the rhythm of her working.  She didn't need to whale on her sister with the strongest curses she possessed, nor did she need to confuse or exhaust herself by working all her spells at one time.

So there you have it--the quickest way to get what you want from anyone, any situation, any time.  It is as simple as the mundane manipulations we perform every day, and should quickly become just as obvious an option when you are contemplating the brewing of another of life's storms.  Just remember to stand tall, choose your bucket, and bail your ship with a firm hand!


Images from:
prismmagazine.ca
everythingunderthemoon.net

 

Of all the useless things people have named for them--cocktails and sandwiches and diseases...I'd rather be like Joe Pye.

Joe Pye was an Indian medicine man of Massachusetts, or so the legend goes, with such skill at healing the incredibly difficult disease, typhus, that the lovely Gravelroot was given his name.  Whether or not this was exactly so is a matter of opinion.  There doesn't seem to be a consensus on the matter among scholars (though, if you're as devoted to wild plants as I am you might like to read this in-depth article on just how very far the search for Joe Pye has come), but that doesn't stop the legends from rolling along.  

But, brilliant Indian herbalists aside, who is the Joe Pye you are likely to meet in the present-day woods?  A tall and stately figure with whorls of leaves rising in decreasing layers to meet a crown of fragrant purple flowers.  He is a lovely sight in clusters by the side of a creekbed and impossible to miss in a meadow, towering over the heads of every other plant. The butterflies and the bees love him dearly.  And so does the witch.

I won't bore you with the habitat and growth-cycle business of Joe Pye Weed, nor with its impressive medicinal uses.  I'm certain that many folks enjoy this kind of detail in other witchcraft pages but I regard it purely as packing material for filling out otherwise meager magical information.  And I don't ever like excess packaging.  So we're just going to tuck in to the good stuff right away, shall we?

If you don't have this plant in your stocks now, I suggest you remedy that right away (and not just because I sell the whole leaves in my shop).  If you find it growing wild, so much the better, because every inch of this plant has its own magic!  The leaves are the most commonly used, so we'll start there.  Lay a whole leaf in the sole of your shoe and everyone you meet will regard you with respect.  Tuck a leaf in your cheek (as though it were a pinch of snuff) and your words will be pleasing to the ears of the one whose amorous attention you seek.  Carry it in your pocket or add to formulas and mojo bags to bring gambling luck and general good fortune.

The flowers are another matter altogether.  Their focus is all love: drawing it, keeping it, strengthening it, and regaining it. There is also a lesser known method, noted by Catherine Yronwode of Lucky Mojo, for using Joe Pye blossoms in rites to inspire visions.  Call up spirits to answer questions on love and you'll neatly combine the two.

Before Joe came along, the root was the "big show" and the originator of the common name of this plant. Called Gravelroot, Gravelweed, and Kidneyroot, it is a clear standard for the root's use in treating kidney stones (that's all the medicine I'll talk, I swear).  But for magic, it's more about what's in your pocket than in your kidneys.  This is the part to use when you want money luck, business success, a new job, or prosperity in general. Roots can be carried alone or as part of a mojo.

Gathering Joe Pye Weed is a simple matter.  As always, carefully count the number of plants in any grouping (if you are taking roots or whole plants) and the number of leaves per plant (if only gathering leaves).  Your harvest should be no more than one-quarter of the total.  And I'm completely serious.  Unless the whole of it is about to be mowed down, never take more than is your share.  This ensures that there is enough for other witches, herbalists, and botanists, plus the wildlife who call its habitat their home.

Once you have your Joe Pye Weed at home, inspect each piece and wash where necessary.  Roots will need scrubbed with a stiff-bristled brush and leaves gently rubbed with the hands under cold running water. You will need to allow leaves to air dry for an hour on a kitchen towel before further processing, but the roots can be hung up to dry immediately.  Any area in the home with plenty of circulation will work for this.

If you would like to press your leaves, as you see them in my shop, you can layer them between sheets of plain paper and then weigh it down with large, heavy books.  Let your leaves rest this way for only a few days at a time.  Leaf pressing takes much less time than you think, and leaf molding is faster yet.  So watch your leaves!  You won't spoil them by checking in every other day. When they are quite flat, let them sit in their papers but without the weight so they can finish drying completely.

The other drying method is, of course, much simpler--just let them sit uncovered on a tray until they are curled and crunchy.  Crumble and pack away in a bag or bottle.  Done. This method is what you'll want if your goal is Joe Pye Weed you can add to bags and formulas: quick drying and easy to store on a spice rack.

Joe Pye Weed has become a favorite herb of mine not only because all parts are useful but because I call upon its virtues so often.  I always keep the leaves on hand because of the amount of public speaking I do (large and small) and the number of people I'd like to impress with that speaking.  It's something I keep in my emergency kit, give to our kids for school events, and have tucked in nearly every mojo I have carried. Couple that with its inclusion in my popular magical powder, Quill's Bag of Tricks (currently sold out), and I must keep a good supply year round or face a bewildering span of time until they grow tall again.

But now is the growing season, when all green things are lush and bright, and Joe Pye stands sentinel at his high purple post in the meadow or by the stream.  When you need him you can find him there, always ready to help.



Images from:
wvu.edu
color photos taken by author

the country, or even the world, and there is no signal on the line between us because there is no line.  That’s what drives me on at these times.  I know that if I give up altogether on producing a book or decide to just go small and distribute it on a purely local scale, that reader will never get to see it.  So I go on doing the hard work of putting up the poles and running the cables so that when at last my book is in its beautiful binding and I tap out my Morse code message, there will be many stations receiving.

Images from:
freeehdwall.net
rwwgroupblog.com

You may have noticed the major shift in the appearance of Quill's Occult Supply.  The shop has been open for two years now (amazing, isn't it?) and I felt that it was time for a change.  And, as per my usual, when I change I change big!  

Hocus Pocus, Pittsburg, Penna.

The old images of my shop were pretty much par for the course as far as magical businesses go: old world, dusty attic, dark corner shop on an abandoned street.  That sort of thing.  This is how we generally put forth the idea to other witches of Serious Magic.  "This is the big kid stuff and I don't want you to mistake me for a minute," we say with our hands on our hips.  But after all this time I began to wonder--why on earth is that so popular? Why do we communicate in terms of age and secrets?  And what else can I do besides that?

To appear to have swept cobwebs away from the scene just before the shutter was snapped is the very vision of most magical retailers, from online businesses to brick-and-mortar ones.  We desire to have our eyes dazzled, our senses overwhelmed, and our minds reeling with the thrill of discovery.

Mystical Horizons, East Lime, Conn.

While I do find this good fun (and have experienced it myself a good many times, feeling quite the explorer in a shop despite the fact that there really was nothing "new" to be found), I don't think it works very well for the customer.  I've been to many places that so confuddled me I ended up leaving without buying what I really needed.  I felt dizzied, bewildered, and a little irritated that everything seemed to go by so quickly.  Shutting the door behind me as I left was like touching down from a skydive.  It was a helluva rush, a sight to remember, but how much did I accomplish?

The Village Witch, Milton Regis, Kent, England

Perhaps my Capricorn mind desires things of a literal nature a bit more than the average. I know that most magic folk have the idea that the truly interesting part of the arcane is that it is hidden and secret.  To me, however, it is the knowledge part of it that is paramount.  Whether a spell from a thousand years ago or just last Tuesday, whether a freshly printed book or a scrawled tome from a forgotten hand--this is magic. Every bit of it is fascinating, every bit filled with possibility.  Naturally, the old works delight me (and they are certain to have better written rhymes) but the new still have the blush of innocence that wells up joy in this reader's heart.  They are both worth collecting, sharing, and experimenting with.  That is how we continue to move forward in our culture, in our literature, in our trades.

And that leads us back to my shop's new style.  Instead of treading the same worn path, I decided to go a different, almost opposite, way.  I wanted something clean, smart, and every bit as worldly as its dusty predecessor.  My clout never came from the charm of secrecy anyway, but from time-tested knowledge and the sincere desire to share it simply.  I needed to kick off the old, heavy wool cloak and come out in something smooth and bright for the breeze to blow through.  I dreampt of white-painted druggists with their marble counter-tops, apothecaries with rows of bottles and jars labeled in careful block lettering, and the fantastic herb shop in "Bell, Book, and Candle," all light and glass and a white-coated man behind the counter.  If in some beautiful future Quill's becomes a storefront, the first thing I will do is buy all my staff crisp, white coats.  Until then, I have done my best to translate this feeling into the finished product of this simple online shop.

The lady behind the counter at Quill's

It is surprising how very much such things mean in this business.  One would assume that the only thing needed for a magical shop to thrive was good wares at good prices but, as in any other industry, that is far from the truth of the matter.  Magical folk are a fickle crowd and their tastes are as varied as they can be. To inspire those who already practice witchcraft, a shop must appear knowledgeable far beyond the scope of the average individual.  To inspire those who don't practice (or dabblers who don't practice much), it must
appear enticing--or just harmless fun--but not too serious or threatening.  Depending upon how you work, you will draw in either one kind of customer or the other.  It may be greedy, but I desire both.  I welcome any and all who are interested in magic!  None shall be turned away, no matter your intentions. You may debate me, question me, and pick my brain for ideas.  You may request special items or suggest new goods.  And always you will receive straightforward answers, well-researched information, and careful work.  I see now that because those have always been my methods, this should have always been my presence.

Making spell kits is some of my favorite work.  The chance to interact with people on a personal level, helping them with what matters most to them right now, empowering them to make change happen--it's something I will never tire of.

I do still let it open as part of my local practice that I am available to cast spells for others, but I rarely do it anymore.  I have found that, unless special precautions are taken, customers can become more anxious about their situation, not less, as they await the outcome of another person's work.  That's easy to understand considering that they have taken no part in the change and therefore fear that it might go awry, take too long, or worst of all, never have been done in the first place.  A customer of any professional witch is rarely present for the actual casting of their spell, so there's a lot of trust that must be established before money changes hands and witch and client part ways.  I don't mind when people watch me perform magic on their behalf (and it does happen on occasion) but not all spells can be done at the same time they are requested.  So a customer is always left to trust and hope and wait.  Some are happy with this arrangement, letting their problems safely rest in the hands of another, but some are not.

Those who are not comforted by this are no less trusting, of course, nor less a believer than those who let a spellcaster tend to his/her business.  They just need some involvement, emotional release, and clear resolution.  This kind of person, it turns out, makes up most of the people who request spells. 

For those of you who have never ordered a spell kit from me, I'll take a little side-step and tell you what this work entails---

I have never felt very strongly about the standard "candle, oil, and sheet of paper" type kits that are pre-made for retail shops.  They might work wonders for some, but for myself I just cannot get that magic thrill out of such lackluster spells.  It is because of this that I work with the customer to find out just what they would like to happen and then fill their kit with all the necessary items for specific traditional spells to address their issues.  Many times I include cleansing formulas to be used prior to the "main event" spell.  It's been my experience that most problems either begin with or are made worse by a blockage in the flow around that person.  So we free up the space in your home and self first, then we can direct the exact changes you need from there. Once you have the road cleared, you can drive anywhere you like!

I like to work with formulas in my own practice, so my customers get to use lots of them too!  The ones I most often add to kits are handmade powders, oils, tinctures, (sometimes) incenses, or dry blends with instructions for making potions, baths, and washes.  The spell itself often includes some combination of herbs, talismans, candles, poppets, cords, charms, bags, and/or occasionally stones.  I have a fairly large variety of spellbooks old and new to work from and I like to pore over them until I find what would suit best.  So your spell could contain any combination of these items or others not listed here.  My magic room contains lots of odds and ends I've gathered over the years just waiting to be put to use!
Whether I'm making spell kits or doing the casting myself on behalf of a petitioner, I first go to my magic room to check the shelves, dig through cupboards, and find just the right components.  What better way to enjoy the fruits of years of traveling, collecting, and rambling in the woods than to use them to help others?

Unfortunately, that does not always work out for the best.  Case in point (and an excellent example of why I don't often work this way anymore), my most recent foray into casting for another.  It was just before I opened Quill's Occult Supply.  A young man came to me, desperately in love with a fickle young lady who was turning up her nose at all of his sincere overtures.  I gave him practical advice for free--show her some strength of self and make her rethink those assumptions of him being the nice guy to finish last.  She was playing with him like a cat with a mouse, and to stand up to her would be the only way to get her attention.  I read the cards for him and they supported and expanded upon my statements.  With his insistence, I moved on to researching the perfect spell for his situation and cast it in the best possible timing.  I was quite pleased and ready to let the whole thing quietly fall into place.

Sadly, he was not of the same mind.  He wrote me the next day to say that he had done the complete opposite of everything I'd suggested!  He wrote and called her several times, showed up at her door unannounced, and steamed with jealousy as she paraded other men in front of him.  She wasn't responding to his adoration, and maybe even drifting further away.  He feared the spell had not worked.  I explained the best I could, reaffirmed my previous advice, and then began again.

This time I brought out the big guns.  I summoned a spirit by name to assist him and bring to him the woman he desired.  Yeah, I know, lots of folks will disagree with this method, but it's what I did.  I told the young man to be mindful of the spirit's influence and to act as he was directed.  With the spirit bound to him by a wooden sigil, I mailed the lot to his home with clear instructions.  I thought that now I might rest easy.

But soon again I received a message from him that since smothering this girl with desperate pleas didn't work before...he had decided to do it again.  *sigh*  He sent her flowers and gifts, and left message after message on her phone.  I rubbed my temples.  I bet the spirit was rubbing his own, as well.

What a disaster!  Here was a wonderful person, sweet and affectionate with so much love to give.  And yet, he couldn't make it work.  And neither could I.  Everything I did was constantly being undone by the very person requesting it.  I felt sorry for his situation and I regretted being an agent of more anxiety and desperation in his life.  But above all I just wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him!

But, really, all he needed was to have something to do.  In the absence of a way to help, his hands could only harm.  He had requested not to be involved in the working because he feared making a mistake, but if I'd sent him a kit, full of instructions and simple spells, he might have had the confidence and calm to let it really work for him.  Instead I just kept adding stronger and stronger magic to the pot, thinking that there must be a tipping point where spellwork itself would overcome the fearful actions of those who don't see that magic is change.  You have to be willing to change in order to receive it.  But without a hand in it, he just didn't get the message. 

So now, tired but wiser, I get the message too.  And it had better be damned important for me to cast spells for someone else without their assistance.  Working alone is no problem for me; working alone in a disaster of the customer's creation is another matter altogether.


Images from:

http://www.pinterest.com/minimaria/miniature-witch-and-other-magical-stuff/
http://licklebear.tumblr.com/