Witchcraft 101: Five Things Apologists Should Know
I don't know if you've ever come into contact with this sort of beast before, but this link will take to you a page of instructions for Catholics to use when trying to convert witches and Pagans.
At first it starts off considerate with the basic important information they will need so as not to offend us, which is largely respectful. But then it turns into an all-out sales pitch. Of course this is the plan--and I understand that in a faith that teaches that the best thing you can do for you fellow man is convert him, this is a natural goal--but it offers more trickery than actual value to the witch.
Take for example their big plan to trap you with a fallacy of presumption:
"One way to demonstrate this is to ask the witch if she believes in the pope. "No," she’s likely to answer. "The pope is a Christian figure." True, you concede. But there is a man in Rome who holds the office of the papacy, right? Your belief or disbelief in the papacy does not determine whether or not the papacy exists. Put that way, a person will have to acknowledge that something or someone can exist independently of belief in its reality."
This may trip up the occassional practitioner, but not the prepared. One can easily say that belief in the physical form of a person and belief in their divine-given power are two different concepts. This is not the same argument, however, as the existence of a non-corporeal being. A Pagan could as quickly say that a Catholic's disbelief in the Gods is no more valid. In short, to believe in one world-view to the exclusion of others does not make it the correct view, no matter the number of backers to the theory.
So, just for fun, check out this link and see what you think of one Catholic take on discussing religon and belief with witches.
Quick Link Monday--Catholics on Witchcraft
Author: Quill / Labels: Quick Link Monday
Of course we know that divination, especially tarot, is standard practice for most magical folks. But what about when we're not interested in seeing the future?
A witch's cards are good for helping others and oneself to answer life's many questions, as well as being a terrific source of revenue, but they can also be used to directly assist in spellcasting. What we'll be discussing here can actually be said of almost any divination tool, but tarot (and before that, standard playing cards) is the traditional method, so we'll work from that.
Using the cards within a spell is a good way to incorperate how much experience you have had with both magic and divination. When time and time again you see the 6 of Cups appear within a spread to tell the querent that calm, simplicity, and forgiveness are ahead, you feel a real sense of security using it to procure the same thing in your life. You are drawing a spread on purpose, making your own fortune. And isn't that what witchcraft is all about, anyway?
There are several good books on the market that give spells for a number of specific purposes. You may be a different sort of reader than myself, so I will simply list the titles I have seen:
The Tarot Spellcaster by Terry Donaldson
Tarot Spells by Janina Renee
Portable Magic by Donald Tyson
Tarot and Magic by Donald Michael Kraig
Tarot Card Spell Casting by Franklin H. Zboyan
Getting new books is one of my very favorite things, but if you'd like to try your hand at a tarot spell before you buy, shuffle up to these ideas:
- Post a single card either on your altar or in some other prominent place. Choose one card that best represents your desired outcome and gaze at it while you let your mind wander around the situation. Allow the strength of the card's image to overpower the problem, standing above everything, securing what was chaotic, and creating order. Now stand the card upright where you will it every day.
- Falsify a spread that shows your chosen outcome. Sort through the deck and pick out cards that show past, present, and your desired future. Arrange them in your favorite spread and let this sit untouched until your goal has been achieved.
- Embody your card by wearing clothes in its color scheme on the day of a big event. You can use the well-known colors of the Rider Waite Smith or pick those of your favorite deck. You may wish to create outfits for all the majors!
Also of note to a practitoner--and this is my favorite part--are the spreads that are made specifically for the planning and timing of spellwork. One would assume that this need would be approached more often than it is, but such spreads are not easy to find. However, the use of divination to create the perfect spell is a fantastic way to incorperate two of a witch's most important works.
I cannot think how many times it has happened that though I know the problem and that I want it fixed, I simply can't think of the ideal way to go about it. And this is coming from 17 years of practice. I cannot possibly be alone in this! Despite armloads of excellent spellbooks and a grand selection of spell components, practitioners aren't always going to be able to see the heart of the situation, nor how to approach it. When that happens, get out your cards.
My first exposure with spell planning spreads was Edian McCoy's "Wheel Divination*" Ten cards are laid out in a circle pattern, starting at the top and rotating clockwise:
1. The need or desire on which the spell is based
2. The hidden underlying need (the root of your desire)
3. Hidden influences acting on the spell (could be of your inner self or influences outside your control)
4. Influence of others
5. The spell's weakness
6. The spell's strength
7.The inner-world outcome (effect your spell will have in the astral world)
8. The physical world outcome
9. The final outcome
10. What comes back to you (Karmic Card) If you get a negative card here you should look
*My apologies to Ms. McCoy if this is not precisely quoted. I found it indirectly years ago (on a Aeclectic Tarot forum)
I've also recently become aware of the website Tarotize.com which features a unique take on the spell planning spread with their "Magick Working Tarot Spread" (as pictured). You'll really want to follow the link because, in this spread, each card carries a specific weight outside of its standard meaning.
Quill's "Spellwork Guidence Spread" has a layout that moves from bottom to top: two crossed cards, two side by side, a single, two crossed, and a single card at the crown.
1. What's the problem?
2. (crossed over 1) What aspect of this problem should I focus on?
3. and 4. Which type of spells should I use? (based on the Element of the cards. Also denotes how the spell should be destroyed after the work is done)
FIRE- candles, bonfire, the sun, food, enchanted objcts
AIR- spirit conjuring, incense, dispersal
WATER- formula, ink, living water/the ocean
EARTH- herbs, foottracks/dirt magic, animals, burial
5. Barriers or hinderances to success
6. and 7. (with 7 crossing) How long will it take to see results? Duration of the spell
8. The Big Picture; after-effects of the spell
Even if you don't read tarot as a divination system, it is still useful to keep a deck for use in magic. As it is most common to see the major arcana used in this way, you may wish to begin by printing out a set of downloadable cards onto cardstock and using them. This is certainly a more affordable route, but also allows you to have multiple copies of the same card and to destroy the card when the spell is over (often a necessary part of the process).
For those of us who do read, tarot before, during, and after spellwork is yet another handy tool in our kit.
Related reading includes Tarot Every Day
Images from:
futuresobright.com
wikipedia.org
tarotize.com
Quick Link Monday--Female Occultists
Author: Quill / Labels: lessons, Quick Link Monday, stories, workFascinating Female Occultists
This excellent slideshow was brought to my attention to another fascinating female occultist, Judika Illes. The idea of celebrating the influencial women in magic thrilled me, but the stories I read revealed something deeper.
As is common for me, I am seeing parallels everywhere to a project I am exploring for the
NaNoWriMo. This year, I'll be writing on the theme of adepthood and fame in the magical community. It is unfortunate that so few occultists, witches, warlocks, mages, magicians, etc. are willing to take up the mantle of not only leadership but noteriety and run on where their predecessors had not the opportunity to go. We can look to any number of greats of the past, but who do we see when we look around us in the current day? Who will be the larger-than-life image we crave?
This collection of female practitiners is a great way to begin thinking about such things. Wht do they all have in comon?
1. They used the modes of fame available at their time
While it is not unusual in modern times to see a woman come forth in her own right in any topic, in generations past it would have been quite unlikely. So these ladies were often known first by the good name of their husbands. After securing a place at the table, however, they quickly proved themselves worthy to sit at the head of it. This isn't sexism; it's damn good business.
2. They knew and trusted their talents
If you know what you're good at, start now. If you trust that what you're good at will either emerge or improve with practice, start now. Either way, these women were able to let go of the fear of failure, social censure, and mockery to become their best selves.
3. They stepped into the spotlight
Set up a business, create a group, lead rites and workshops. Put yourself where the people are. This is more of that same fearlessness, but with a twist. If you stay at home, no matter how great your talent, no one will ever know you. These women were at the center of the action of their times. Know your local magical community, its most pressing issues, its greatest achievements, and throw yourself into them with gusto.
If you're intersted in gaining fame in your own lifetime, I suggest studying the stories of these fine female occultists--as well as their male counterparts--and taking extensive notes. Otherwise, sign up for this year's NaNoWriMo and send me a Writing Buddy request to learn more about my project!
Bewitchment is a nice all-purpose term, albeit a bit dramatic, for any kind of spell cast upon another person, especially without their knowledge. Most people worry only about curses but bewitchment can happen for any purpose--to bring that target love, money, success, peace, healing...anything the caster feels they need. Sometimes it's in your favor, oftentimes not. We'll be talking today in terms of spells you would like to rebel against--the love spell that horrible guy down the block wants to put on you; the job your mother-in-law thinks you deserve, even if you don't want it; the move you're desperate to make but your friend will do anything to prevent.
Secretly working on others is not all bad, of course, but even when it is totally benevolent and selfless, this sort of work is still looked down upon. Many practitioners shun going on their own permission in even the worst of situations, even when the target cannot be reached or is too ill to respond to requests to help. Others are more lenient but still have a large amount of rules governing its use. I don't mind at all what an individual chooses to do or not do. I'm not out there handing out flyers on the street and trying to convince people to cast spells on everyone in sight, but I understand the reasoning for not making a person aware of your assistance. It's fine with me either way.
But it is an unfortunate by-product of widespread hex-shunning that a few silly ideas (as noted in the above link) have cropped up about all forms of secretive magic. But, I can attest that the truth is there really is no need for compliance by a target of the spell and targets are generally unaware of any kind of work being done on them, so it's unnecessary to make it public. This goes for one and all types of spells, so it becomes even more important to know the signs and watch for them. Even if a spell is just a kind act by a friend, you should know what is being worked on you. And if it was a friend, say thank you!
So let's jump right in, shall we?
Signs that You're Being Bewitched
1. Repeated Thoughts and Emotions
Curses, by their forceful nature, must be irrepressible and painful. You're most likely to see what's going on around you as one disaster after another, with no way to halt the storm. But other kinds of bewitchments don't need to go to this extent to get the job done. Instead, you'll note the sudden and persistent thoughts about things you don't normally obsess over. These thoughts will often be accompanied by strong emotions of excitement and longing. This is part of the spell casting itself--to make you really desire what the caster desires you must feel what they feel.
Watch any thoughts that come unbidden, especially if they give you ideas that are opposite of what you normally think of that topic. If your once happy marriage is suddenly smothering and you can't take your mind off the woman at work who bats her eyelashes at you, consider the origins of this thought and if it is indeed your own. She may be more of a temptress than she seems.
To this end, I recommend journaling so you can really dig into these feelings and see them on paper.
2. Unusual Dreams
The best time to cast spells has always been at night. Why is that? Why is midnight "the Witching Hour"? Because your target is asleep! While we sleep we are vulnerable to influence of every kind. What you awake thinking about, what transpired in your dream world, memorable images or words, and how they make you feel all can be a part of a spell's effect.
Pay attention to your dreams. Especially if you can't seem to shake them after waking or return to thinking about the dream throughout the day, this could be a sign that it was intended to act upon you in a specific way.
3. Using Strange Words
How you describe what you're feeling or doing is usually typical to your upbringing and your current surroundings. But if you find yourself saying things foreign to you, consider who's words they might actually be. Casters implant ideas into your thoughts using images and emotions, but also words. Though it is more rare, pay attention to the desire to say what you normally wouldn't.
These are the most obvious, in order of likelihood, symptoms of bewitchment. There are others, I am sure, but they generally come after these three have been evident. Naturally, as not all bewitchment is meant for harmful coercion not all spells need to be rallied against. I remember years ago creating a sigil to get my brother to call me on the phone. I had lost his number and had something important I wanted to discuss, so I sat down, made the sigil, empowered it, and posted it to await his call. And, sure enough, within an hour the phone rang. He is a spellcaster himself and whether or not he knew I cast a spell on him, he went with it because it did him no harm. If you discover symptoms of a spell that is in your favor, roll with it! You notice a few words slip out in the same accent as that cute guy down the hall? Let them slip! You feel a tug in your chest every time you and your boss walk by the upper management office you'd love to call your own? Revel in it! These might be signs that someone is doing all the hard work for you.
If you have been bewitched and would like to share your story, feel free to write in the comments below. I'd love to hear about your experiences! If you're shy, message me on my shop's Facebook page, Quill's Occult Supply.
Related reading includes How to Tell if You're Cursed
Images from:
jimlehrman.com
cookmepancakes.deviantart.com
Presented for your consideration: Shocker: There is No Universal Threefold Law in Wicca
Normally, we wouldn't be discussing Wicca here at all but the concept of the Threefold Law has become so widespread that most people accept is as part of all magical traditions and not just a specific interpretation within a single path. Even the "Harm None" dictim of the Wiccan Rede has been conversely named the "Witches Rede" by a variety of books and their readers. The idea that we all should adopt any and all guidelines which will help us to appear less threatening to non-practitioners spread rapidly throughout the '90s and is only now beginning to taper off.
Read and consider. I have my own theory on the misinterpretation of Gardener's tabboo on haggling for magical tools. Remind me to tell you about it sometime.
The controversy over love magic is not as fierce as it once was, but it still remains a topic of debate any time witches gather. For me, love spells are the same as any other kind of magic. The concepts by which they are governed are no different than what you use to protect, to make prosperous, to
make well. There is the same potential to make your target happy or miserable, to bring pain or to soothe the pain. Coercing a relationship can go wonderfully right or horribly wrong, just like coercing a job or a new house.
Know What You Want and What You Will Give
It's been my experience that love spells rarely end in "happily ever after." This isn't because of some failing on your part or the part of the spell itself, it is only the limitations of our human interactions. If your grand gesture of love is only the act that initiates that second glance, you will never keep the heart of the one you love. Lasting relationships require your presence and your effort. You will need to say and show the other person--in whatever way is both comfortable and comforting for them and yourself--on a daily basis that you love them and want them with you. Some folks need long evenings spent by the fire, gazing into one another's eyes while reciting poetry. Others could never abide such things; they want the occasional afternoon coffee or weekend away, texting during a work break, or going for drinks with friends. You will have to find someone who provides the level you need and whose level you're prepared to fulfill.
Know What You Can Expect
So love spells alone won't sustain a relationship for you. So what are they good for then? Love magic is handy for giving you a second chance with someone you already know but upon whom you know you haven't made the right impression, a romantic impression. It's also useful for quick liaisons, infatuation, and lust. That's usually what we're talking about with such "love." It's not normally about the deep connection that keeps two people inexplicably returning to one another in quiet moments for that other half of their soul. Instead it's a compulsion of the body, a physical desire to be close, to taste, to feel. That's still love, don't be mistaken, but of a different sort than you may be thinking.
Even if it's not common, just the act of connecting to another person in an intimate way does create potential for affection that can last for years, if not a lifetime. Think about Sally Owens in "Practical Magic." It was only a spell that brought her and her husband together but it was something deeper, their mated personalities, a true connection that made it last. It began with a trick, so to speak, and then became real. That's the essence of a great deal of magic. You can bewitched your boss into giving you a promotion, but then you must put in effort to keep the high-powered job.
As you see, I'm not of the mindset that says magic is just a tiny part of your physical efforts to gain your desires. Instead it is the initiator, the creator of opportunity, and you need only flow along with what it begins.
The Perfect Love Spell
Instead of giving you one all-purpose, all-powerful spell (one that, surely, thousands of readers will take objection to) I offer the necessary aspects of any perfect love spell. With this as a guideline you will be able to judge spells you discover to be certain they have the approach needed for truly potent love magic. A perfect spell:
- Offers the kind of attention you need. Do you have time and energy for a high-maintenance relationship? If not, make sure your spell allows for more breezy affairs. Be specific and picture the physical reality of your time together.
- Leaves out the flowery language. It's decorative but unnecessary, and if you're not that type of person it's a distraction. Not every romance is romantic. Not every love feels like "divine blessing." Pick wording that feels like actual relationships, not fantasy. Love spells are best when they express how you really feel.
- Is quite specific. Though there is no shortage of authors saying it is morally wrong to cast a love spell upon a named individual (meaning don't bewitch Joe from the corner store, unless you do it with your eyelashes), you really will need to get it squared away what type of person you're seeking. I personally have no problem casting upon anyone, but that's just me. Make sure you're doing things your way and that the person you're asking for is able to keep you happy.
- Is inspiring! This one really falls under the directive I give to all good spells: it must beg to be cast. Flip through a spellbook with your goal in mind and you'll see what I mean. Even if there are many which could fit, only one will seem to leap from the page and give you chills. Cast that one! Ideally, a great spellbook will have lots of such spells, even to the point of inspiring you to get to work even when you don't need anything.
- Doesn't use negatives. Okay, that title was a bit of a gag, but the message remains relevant. Proper spells ignore what you don't want (or, at the very least, mention it once and cover it with positive language many times over). Fill your space with everything you do want: how you want to feel, how to want to spend your time, who you want in your life. Fill it up so tight with all these terrific words and thoughts and emotions that there's no room for anything else. Then let it explode out into the world, rushing in all directions to work your will.
- Duration. Though it's somewhat out of fashion these days (yeah, I just said that. I'm officially old.), putting a time cap on spells is very helpful. Make sure you know what the spell is supposed to do exactly. Did you choose one that makes you more open to love? Okay, what does that look like? How will you know if you've achieved it? Try for something more finite like creating opportunities to meet a special someone. If you suddenly get invited to lots of parties, you know it's working. And contrariwise, if no new social events present themselves it might behoove you to recast your spell.
Love spells are as valuable in your kit as any other. The main consideration is just in how we see things. If you believe it to be more manipulative than, say, changing a traffic cop's mind about writing that ticket, then feel free to completely forget everything you've just read. But if you're like
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me you'll want to know a little (or a lot) of every form of magic there is, just in case you someday are called upon to use it. And if that day comes, you'll be happy you can reach into your little bag and pull out a wonder.
In all seriousness, giving and receiving love is actually one of the finest things we can do as human beings. We're each here for a nearly insignificant span of time; let's not waste it arguing over whether or not it's selfish to ask for love. Just get out there and connect with somebody, a whole lot of somebodies if you have to, but do it today. Give your kindness like you're on a parade float--by the handful to anyone, to everyone. And take the love that you're offered, relish it, savor it. Even if it isn't perfect, it totally and completely is.
Images from:
appszoom.com
lovespells.me
imgfave.com
With the witchcraft resurgence now growing some real chin hair, fewer and fewer witches came from a time when secrecy was considered a must. But I remember that time and it wasn't all that long ago. It pleases me greatly to see the openness present in the magical community today. I have learned to be quite open so that perhaps I can spur it on.
When I first began to practice I was steadfast about keeping it a secret. I told only my mother and sister--once--and never really mentioned it again. My brother before me had started his career in the occult while still living at home and though he was by then grown and in the Navy, the sour taste of it was still fresh in my mother's mouth. She denounced my interests in a general way (seeming interested only in washing the topic away as quickly as possible, but noting especially that she hoped I wasn't getting into "the religion of it" though we were by no means a religious family) and then simply ridiculing the rest. I said I was only really interested in casting spells and that mainly it was out of innocent curiosity. She scoffed but left it at that. I never discussed it with her again.
From this experience, and everything I had read at that point, I decided that witchcraft was simply something you don't talk about (and from a occult perspective, you can't talk about). So I went out into the wide world with an open mind and a closed mouth.
At about 17 I dated a guy who revealed after a month or so that he was very interested in magic. I said nothing. He talked at length about occult theories he'd learned, the meaning of different symbols he invented for spells, and friends he had who also practiced. I said nothing. Here was a golden opportunity to dig into what was then a burgeoning community right in my own area and I let it slip away. Now, this guy wasn't any kind of magical genius and even at the time I could see how many of his ideas were silly, yet opening up about my practice could have lead me into a greater realm than was previous available in my life. We dated for only a few more months and then parted ways without me ever telling him that he was, in fact, explaining nothing new to me.
A few years later, at my first "paycheck" job, I met a young woman with coke-bottle glasses and a giddy laugh. One evening as we talked casually over our work counters (about 10+ feet apart) about our interests and lives, she openly talked about casting spells. My lazy gaze suddenly snapped to
attention and I calmly asked what she meant. She went on to describe how she owned many spellbooks but that as she read them she would never read aloud because "even just saying the words is enough to make stuff happen. You have to be really careful not to make stuff happen accidentally." Suddenly aware of how public this conversation was, I asked if she should really be talking so loudly about all this. I even breached the topic of the the Witches Pyramid (to know, to will, to dare and to be silent) by asking if "people like her" didn't have rules against talking to outsiders. "'Oh, no!" she declared, "We can talk about it whenever, where ever!" And, with that, I decided that she was much too blithe about witchcraft to bother with and I never talked to her about it again. Perhaps things would have been different if she'd known that by that time I'd already been practicing for years.For much of those early years I was quite content to stay alone and not discuss it with others. This indifference was a juxtaposition with my deep longing to have a teacher, or at least, a like-minded friend with whom I could learn. I've met some folks who are still quite reserved today, whether because they want to maintain something rare and special for their own or because they simply are not social creatures who need the company of others. In those instances, none of what I experienced would have affected them in the slightest, but to me it was anxiety-ridden. I would be calm on my own and then suddenly struck with an electricity in the presence of those who actually knew something of the occult. I wanted to say something, anything. I wanted to declare myself one of the band, the tribe that was connected even if disjointed and strange. But that misunderstood dictum--to bee silent--and the rules I lived by to keep me shut away, held me back.
Oddly, I think I only held onto the concept of a "broom closet" for as long as I did out of habit. It was a safe place where I didn't have to prove anything or compare myself (or be compared) to anyone else. Now that I am away from that mindset, and I have seen how judgmental the magical community can be, I understand my logic. But living in the dark, away from the rest of those like oneself, is not the same thing as being protected. Instead I was cloistered and closed off from the greater world. I was actively denying myself knowledge, the closest thing to a mortal sin among witches. That is not where I ever wanted to be and it was only my husband who convinced me to discard it.
When we first met, I talked about my love of art and Monty Python, family trips to Canada and Florida, my many books and my prized typewriter. But I never talked about the most notable part of my life, witchcraft. Indeed, it wasn't until I was set to move in with him that the truth wriggled its way to light. I had packed up all my things and brought them to his place, all set to begin a new life. He, in his eagerness, was proud to show me the whole shelf he'd cleared for my books. I was touched by this gesture (any readers out there with as much affection for the printed word as he and I will instantly see what a sacrifice it is to give away shelf space) and right away I began to unpack my many books, one after another on the topic of witchcraft. My poor husband/then boyfriend watched quietly, his head tilted to read the spines, and then asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Can you imagine? I was so set in my silence that I could very well have ruined a wonderful relationship just as it was beginning, all for the ties I had and never expressed. Lucky for me that he was so understanding; I have heard of other couples who weren't able to weather such a thing. I think about any other deeply held belief--like a religion or even a prejudice--and can see what a bombshell it would be to have the news launched at you by the one you love. What a strange past I have woven from following what I believed to be the rules.
I have met many practitioners since, but now that I am open about what I do, I may make myself a
part of the exchange instead of just witnessing it. I have been stopped in the bookstore and the grocery store, I've overheard bits of conversation that posed interesting questions about witchcraft
Images from:
freakinfacts.com
earthreview.eu
thepioneerwoman.com
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