Ex Penna

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!

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Every once in a while, I like to remind you all that you can find me in other places.  Today, however, I want to give you an extra reason to drop by.


For the whole month of September (and possibly beyond), my working magical altar is home to the spirits of money luck!  Since this began, I've been receiving names and petitions for new jobs, more work, more customers, bigger cash flow, raises, prizes, reclaimed loans, windfalls, and all other kinds of money luck you can imagine.  I don't judge and you don't have to say anything about your situation if you don't want to.  All names and petitions go on the altar where dressed candles are burned, charms are spoken, tinctures and powders are sprinkled, and power is raised in their stead.  This will contine throughout the month, so be sure to get your name in quickly so you can bask in the longest possible glow of money magic!

To get your name on my money altar simply visit Quill's Occult Supply on Facebook, check out the post with the following sigil from the incredible Lucky Mojo Curio Co. and post "SUCCESS".  I'll add your name the same day and include you in my spells immediately!  No charge, no obligation, no worries!  If you are in need (or just desire some added prosperity), add your name today!

There are many charms so useful that they should be committed to memory immediately so that they may be recalled when needed; this is one of those charms.  A standard for healing burns, this Pow Wow chant is also good for infections, fevers, and inflammation.

As is the case with many of the best charms, the wording is not explicit to the circumstances.  I happen to find chants that say exactly what they mean a little tiresome, but as that have become the modern style, you may wish to focus differently than normal while reciting this one.  Instead of listening to the exact meaning of the phrases, focus on their power.  Think on all the thousands, nay, millions of times it's been used in the past and with what success.  That will fuel your magic in what will most likely be a stressful undertaking.

Moon Mandala Diary

The Full Moon has passed and we are again on the leeward side of the lunar energy.  Now is a good time to think ahead (that is, of course, unless you have some wickedness planned for the waning moon).  Now we can think of all that we want to remove and what will take their place.

To this end, I offer this stunning and useful printable, the Moon Mandala Diary from The Kitchen Drawer blog.  You can use it in whatever way feels most exploratory to you: write on each line something you did during that part of the moon's progression to further your goals while keeping in line with the phase's energy; make notes on changes happening to your goal from outside sources; note how you feel during this time, how your own moods change with that of the moon.  Play with it and have some "me time" without rules or expectations.

Spoken Charms in Latin


As you may have noticed from previous posts, I love the Latin language.  Not only is it a beautiful, expressive tongue steeped in history, poetry, and romance, but it's also the main language of magic.

Countless spells feature Latin either spoken or written because of the time period from which they were derived and because of it's connections to the root of all communication.  Grimiores were written in it.  Talismans bear Latin instriptions.  To read and speak it is a potent way to access the power stored within.

While I could spend the rest of this post explaining pronunciation, it would be better for me to suggest you find one of the many web pages which describe Classical Latin pronunciation and use it as a guide.  Once you try Latin spells and see their worth, you will certainly want to be familiar with the basics so you can do even more spells with it!