Ex Penna

So here's the funny thing about having been a spellcaster for nearly 20 years--you lose track of things.  I never thought I'd get to the point where I couldn't quite remember if I'd read a certain book, if I have this or that herb in my collection, or in this case, where a piece of information came from that I really cherish.

Weird, huh?

But there it is, and though it didn't sound likely when I first began, I've come to the point where I simply can't recall every spell I've cast or client I've worked with.  That's one reason that I'm such a pain in the rear to readers, students, friends (and basically every caster I meet) about keeping impeccable records about everything.

So today I'm going to tell you about a formula that I use all the time, works incredibly well, and yet I'm not one-hundred percent sure whom to credit with its creation.  I'll note that at first I thought it was from Cunningham--and his "Incense, Oils and Brews" does indeed have a similar recipe--but it's not quite the same thing.  If you have any idea where this can be found in its original form, I'd love to know so that I can correct not only this post but also my own formulary at home.

But, no matter its source, here's the indispensable incense formula of my practice, Prayer Incense.

The most common magical tools are those that we see mostly in their ritual use-- the wand, cup, dagger, and pentacle.  While they do have their place on the altar as representations of masculine and feminine energies and the power of the Elements, they are also useful implements in their own right.

The wand is a classic.  Use it to shape and guide the energy you generate.

The dagger (or athame, if you prefer) is not usually for cutting but for controlling and containing spirits and masses of power better suited to sterner means than the lithe wand.

The cup (chalice) is the perfect way to continue the flow after you've made potions or charged waters; drink your brews from it, use it to asperge, make offerings, or soak objects to be empowered.

The pentacle (paten) is the ideal place to charge objects, acting as a mirror of your power--infusing your item from yourself from above and from the pentacle from below.

There are, of course, many other tools that are used in spellcasting such as the cauldron, boline, and scribe, but we're here to talk about what makes tools important and not just what makes them different.

To talk about that, let's back up a bit.  In the distant past of the magical community, we had a very different view of magical tools than we do today.  Before the Fraudulent Mediums Act which made casters feel compelled to prove their legitimacy as well as their rationality, we could be proud to own an object said to contain immense power and to wield it with importance in our own eyes and in those around us.  Before the Witchcraft Acts which compelled practitioners underground, denying knowledge of the magical properties of any object, we could find power in anything and anywhere.

After these changes, after becoming a society that has all but renounced magic, it has been hard work for its occult subset to regain that lost inspiration toward magical objects.  We're expected to be suspicious and skeptical about any item of power.  Though we well know our own power, there's just no proof of anyone else's.  So we wag fingers and make up rules.  Don't buy items with an impressive reputation for spellcasting and don't get pre-charged formulas.  In short, don't trust anyone or anything to help you work better or faster.  You just can't be too careful.

I tell you now that the truth is far from this attitude.  Other casters are not out to get you.  Sellers who tell you that they charge items (like myself) have very little to gain by lying and a lot of reputation to lose.  If you truly think that there's a risk that you're buying an item with a false, insufficient, or otherwise unacceptable charge attached to it, learn to detect such things instead of denying the validity of others' work.  When you have the talent for detecting the energy of others, you will never fear trickery and the trust and power you will gain is substantial.

In the meantime, you can find the trust and power you seek by getting to know your own tools.  Yes, I'm saying you should have tools, lots of them.  Find out what you like best, what works best for what kind of spells, what sounded good when you found/made/bought it but turned out to be a waste of time.  This is all important stuff.

Once you have your favorite implements, use them.  Use them all the time.  Gather power from other sources--charging them in sun- or moonlight, drawing up energy from the earth, or having fetches or other spirits flood your tools with energy--and tap into it as needed.  You'll be amazed at the results!  I can say this because that is the truth I'm talking about in the title---


Tools are magical storehouses.

That's why you keep them around.  It's not because you want to be fancy or that you're too thick to realize that your finger can be used instead of a wand.  A real wand--fancy or plain--can do great things for you just by holding on to all the strength that has flowed through it from previous spells.  You won't get that from your finger.

There are some easy ways to make this happen.  First is that tools should be made of the most natural materials available.  As has been stated many times before, plastic is a lousy conduit and nil as a battery; the same thing goes for it's abilities when it comes to magical charges.  Try to avoid it unless just as a decorative accent.

Once you have a quality tool you must give it a quality charge.  Having tools in which your faith is strong helps a lot here.  Every time you cast with this tool, if you give the work the very best you have--the strongest visualization you can muster, the most earnest focus, fluid motions, and rhythmic speech patterns--an enviable charge will build up within that tool.

Having items of power at your disposal will not stay a secret for long, which leads to our next truth--


Tools are signifiers.

These items quickly become a symbol of your influence.  Anyone who shares magical space with you will notice not only your comfort in wielding your tools, but also the crackling energy which surrounds such use.  They'll see the results of your work and consider it both your own aptitude at play and that of the grand object you control.

The best part of this is that spirits also take note of this power shift.  Any spirits taking part in your work--whether invited or just as curious interlopers--will recognize your tool as being a sharp weapon, a scepter of your leadership.

Amazingly, after what tools mean to outsiders, there's no comparison to what they mean inside you.  Setting up space with your tools helps to set the mood for the work that's about to begin.  Holding your tools in defense against a greater enemy bolsters your nerve and resolve.  With them by you, you have a physical representation to which to look, symbols of your mastery and might.

So they retain power and act as representations of our hidden ability, but what about what really happens during the casting?


Tools are amplifiers.

Let's think of spellcasting in the same terms as making dinner.  All the components of your spell are ingredients to the recipe you're using.  The power you call up is the heat of your stove and oven.  The formulas, decorations, and music you might employ are spices and herbs to give extra flavor.  Now you're cooking!  Everything is coming together nicely--bubbling pots and sizzling pans giving off wonderful aromas of what treats are to come.  You want to ensure their success, keep things moving in the right direction, and work your ingredients into their final form.

Your tools are your spoon, your spatula, your whisk and tongs.   You can cook without them, to be sure, and make something tasty, but think of the variety of foods you can make with the added implements to whip, deep fry, sear, and bake.  An entire world of cookery is now available to you.  That is the way magical tools work, as well.


In an effort to exert an opinion on a standard method, the magical community has swung too far in the other direction, calling the standard silly, pointless, and stodgy.  What a sad waste of potential that is!

Naturally, the topic of money is closely linked into any discussion of obtaining new items for magic.  I am of the mindset that money is not a necessity to great magic, but knowledge is.  Instead of bashing those who can afford expensive wares, study and work with the natural materials found right outside your door.  Learn the methods for making quality tools yourself and hone those skills carefully.  There are sources of power all around you if you open all your senses to them; utilize what exists around you.  Also study the occult traditions that support straightforward magic, especially using everyday items for spells.  In this, you will be richer and more powerful than anyone who is able to simply lay down cash for a flashy object.

Now that you know what it really means to wield a magical tool--or, hopefully, many--go and show the world.  Take up your wand and staff and perform your miracles.


Images from:

Witchesofthecraft.com

Last week we talked about Licorice root and its powers of persuasion, and I promised to share with you a spell that uses it to impressive effect.  I think you'll be pleased with the pay-off of your patience.

What follows is my go-to spell for all those times when I need to change someone's mind, make them do things my way, give a gentle nudge in the right direction, or outright control their behavior.  Of all the formulas, spells, poppet rituals, and spoken charms I have to make these things happen, I use this little spell twice as much.  It's my own work so although I can't make you credit me (or can I?), it would be nice if you gave a nod to the source when sharing this spell or copying it to your BoS.

Printable Magical Almanac


I am a firm advocate of always keeping an almanac handy for timing your spells and maintaining a magical schedule, but over the years I've met quite a few casters who simply cannot afford such a luxury.  Perhaps you are one of them, or maybe you don't have any local shops that sell almanacs, or you've never used one before and you don't even know if you'll use such a thing.  Well, then you will love this week's Quick Link offering!

Available as a PDF to store on your computer or mobile, to print in its full array, or to print modestly and conserve ink, and designed for either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, this magical almanac is all you need to get started mapping the movements of the universe--the moon, houses, sunrises and sets, and holidays--as they progress through your year.  Once you've enjoyed the simplicity and helpfulness of your own almanac you'll certainly want one every year!

If you think that you have come to the magical community to be rescued from the harshness of the outside world, I have some bad news for you.  Magical folk are just as judgemental as the rest, possibly more so.

It is based on sound logic, however.  Being accepted as knowledgeable and experienced in this community is shockingly easy to do.  All one needs is the right lingo and you're in.  You don't need fine clothes or expensive wares or even many books; many practitioners eschew such things and you can be one of them.  Just say that you received your knowledge on the astral plane or from guiding spirits or your intuition ("which is much better than anything you could learn from others, you know!") and you'll be welcomed eagerly.  I've read the interview of a well-known witchcraft author who admitted to not knowing anything about casting spells, only finding them interesting, even after having written a spellbook.

We've all met phonies in this world and phonies that damage you with bad advice and selfish interests should be rooted out wherever they lie, even amongst "kindred spirits."  Because of this, when you enter into this community, you will be scrutinized.  Even if someone says they don't judge, they do.  They must.

So, if you're new to magic or just new to a group, prepare yourself to be repeatedly analyzed and placed in rank according to your status.   How much you know, where you've been, what you've read, who you know, what you look like, your background, even the way you talk will be used to determine where you belong.  I have personally seen people prompted to use words like "boline" and "athame" in conversation, just so the others can judge if they know enough to pronounce them correctly.

If you are who you say you are--at any level--you have nothing to worry about.  If you are not, I suggest quitting the game and hitting the books instead.

Custom BoS Binders


I do love organization, and there's nothing finer than an organized magical practice for inspiring and keeping your work running smoothly to your ultimate destination.  So you can imagine what I thought after finding these binders online!

Made just like the sturdy but plain office supply style, these binders elevate your collection of papers into something nearing the classic tome we all dream of owning.  Note that most, if not all, of these binders are customizable on front and spine with whatever you wish to write, in the size and font of your choice.

I'm excited to get one for myself but they'd also make impressive presents.  Make sure to drop your hints appropriately this December!

  

Like Marshmallow, Licorice herb gets it's share of jibes by non-herbalists for its candy namesake.  But we are, of course, talking about the root of the Licorice plant, its incredibly sweet, strange flavor and fibrous texture, and its many uses in magic.  Though you can tease a witch about the addition of Twizzlers to her potion, you won't be laughing for long once you find out about its impressive powers.

Licorice is a sweetening agent, making people pliable and agreeable to your plans.  Oddly enough, though the effect is sweet, the source is brutal; Licorice is a commanding and controlling herb.  Even better, with all its love elements in the herb, the target is quite happy to comply!  I'll share with you in the next Shortcut post a Licorice spell I've used again and again to compel a person to conform to my wishes, whether in their favor or not.  It hasn't failed me yet!

Besides being a persistent agent of behavioral control (I kind of like the sound of that), Licorice can also be used to inspire love, fidelity, passion, sex, and potency.  On a calmer evening, try this root for its protective qualities, safeguarding your health, your home, and your life.

As a final note, this is the best known herb for changing habits, especially that of quitting smoking.  With so many options for bringing Licorice into your magic, be sure to rush to your nearest occult shop and pick up a bag so you will be ready at the first sight of a need!