Ex Penna

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?

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
if your spell could be harmful to anyone


*My apologies to Ms. McCoy if this is not precisely quoted.  I found it indirectly years ago (on a Aeclectic Tarot forum)



My own spread takes its own approach: I didn't want to talk about whether or not the spell would work.  That, to me, is obvious; the right spell for the job always works.  My focus was all about how to make it work the best it possibly can.


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

Fascinating 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.

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!