The Art of Spellcasting

We all have these images in our minds of spells cast in these large, lavish rituals, with a mass of mystical tools and enchanted objects, all spoken in some ancient dead language out of some dusty grimoire. There is this notion that in order for spells to be effective, they must be massive and complex. In reality, the simplest spells are often the most effective, as the energy is put into the spell itself rather than all the pomp and circumstance some have come to assign to spellwork. These spells become even more effective when they are written by the Witch casting the spell. While a few public Witches and Hollywood have given us this “you will need a dozen candles and a goat born under a Waning Libra Moon” vibe as far as what spells are supposed to look like, it really comes down to a few basic things to write a simple, effective spell.

The thing to understand is all that is really necessary to affect change (which is what Witchcraft basically is) is to gather energy, program it with your intent and then send it in the appropriate direction, which can all be done at work, if your focus, visualization, and intent are absolutely perfect. Everything else added into the mix is for the rest of us mere mortals who need a little help with these things. In its simplest form, that is all a spell is: something to help us gather, focus, and release energy for a specific purpose. The more complicated we make a spell, the more tangled and unclear our energy and intent become, and the less likely we are to get our desired outcome. Keeping things very clear and concise, with a few simple elements, is the key to making it work. Most of the work begins well before you cast the spell.

Intent and a clear purpose

Writing an effective spell is essentially sitting down and creating one clear, concise, very exact statement of the purpose. This not only sets the tone for the entire spell, but it tells the universe exactly what you need. Your statement should leave zero room for doubt or misinterpretation. A statement saying you need some money will more than likely yield you all the spare change you could ever want, from pennies on the ground to a few quarters under a couch cushion, but not the specific amount you need within a specific time frame for a specific purpose. A statement saying “you need $375 by October 1st for a train ticket to Chicago” is much better in that it gives a specific amount, a specific time frame, and a purpose to visualize.  The universe knows exactly what you are asking for and when you need it.  Being specific in your intent not only gives you something concrete to visualize, it leaves no room for the Universe to get creative with its interpretation.

Also, keep things reasonable. Large sums of money do not just appear magically out of the ether instantly. There needs to be both a reasonable amount of time, and a reasonable way for things to happen in order for spells to be effective. It’s like casting a spell to win the lottery but not buying a ticket, or casting a fertility spell to get pregnant but not having sex. That isn’t how the universe works in real life. The most effective spells are those which ask for a reasonable thing, within a reasonable amount of time.

Eye of Newt, Tongue of Goat, and other accoutrements

Over the centuries, we have fallen in love with the mystique of those Shakespearean spells; they have all these exotic, gruesome bits and pieces to them. They make us feel all warm and Witchy, and make us giggle when the muggles cringe. But, where the hell do you get Devil’s Shoestring at 2am? Why do I have to steal an egg from a neighboring farm (do I even have a neighboring farm??)? Do I really even need all that?

No, you really don’t. Once you have established your spell intent, gathering a few things to help out is easy if you remember to keep it simple. A candle can set the mood and get you in the mindset you need to cast your spell.

You can pick one or two herbs and crystals containing the energies matching your intent (the fewer the better), if that is where your comfort zone is. These things can help you program the energy you gather. Just make sure the properties of the stones and crystals are not at cross purposes with what you are trying to do.

You can also go for the cheap and easy visual aides, like actual currency for money and prosperity spells, and so on. All you really need is something that represents what you are trying to achieve. One or two simple objects can help to keep you focused on the intent of your spell.

Oh Mighty Ones of All Those Things We Want and Need...

This is the time to decide if you are going to call upon Gods and/or Goddesses, or just the Universe in general. Working with Deities can be useful in that you are asking a specific energy to help you with what you are doing, like dealing with one small department rather than an entire corporation. You can choose a Deity you work with regularly, or one specific to the purpose of your spell, such as Boudicca for a child protection spell. It is not ideal, however, to make your first dealings with a specific Deity a call for help. Whenever possible, work with Deities you have already established a relationship with, as the rapport will make the process more comfortable, and the energy will feel more compatible with your purpose.

Universal energy also works just as well.  Simple spells are great practice for dipping your cup into the vast pool of Universal energy. Some find the energy is easier to work with, as it isn’t programmed with the traits of a Deity, but rather raw material to be forged to your will.

Making the decision whether to include Deity or Universal energy is a personal choice. Work with what you feel comfortable working with, and tailor the body of your incantation to reflect your choice.

Facile Observabunt, Coinnigh Easca e, Neka Bude Lako

The incantation of a spell is the words we speak out loud. They set the tone and state our purpose. Words carry an energy of their own, not only in their meanings, but in the very vibration they create in a space when we say them out loud. In the text of a spell, we are using the energy of meaning along with auditory vibrations to gather and shape some of the energy for our purpose (along with Deity/universe, representational objects, our own will, etc). The words do not have to be fancy. They just need to be comfortable for you to say, and tie in with the purpose of your spell.

Ancient languages look cool on paper, and sound cool when someone who knows how to pronounce everything says them, but there is nothing more of an energy killer than butchering the pronunciation of words of power. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t pronounce a word, don’t use it in your spell. You will be distracted by saying it correctly, and probably fumble around with it enough to lose your focus on your intent. Stick with what you know.

It also does not have to be poetic in any way. Some of the most effective spells I have ever cast involved me simply having a clear conversation with my Deities on what was going on and what I needed. Poetry and chants are great for building huge amounts of energy, but conversations with the Universe will also do the trick.

What’s That Up in the Sky?

While I don’t get bogged down as far as the astrological timing of things when it comes to spell casting, I do pay a little attention to the phases of the Moon. While the New Moon phase is ideal for starting anything new, the Dark Moon phase is perfect for endings. Waxing phases are all about setting boundaries, building things up and growth. Waning Moon phases are about letting things go, releasing things, and clearing paths. Full Moons are pretty much good for everything. Look at the purpose of your spell, and decide where it will fit best. It never hurts to have a little Lunar energy on your side.

Document, Document, Document

Now that you have figured everything out,  you need to write it down. Why? If it works, you might want to use it again. If it doesn’t, you will be able to see where you messed up. Write down what the Lunar phase is, and all the tangibles (color of candle, herbs, crystals, representational objects) you are using and what their properties are. If you are going to use Deities, note which ones and why. Make sure the incantation you write down is the one you used. If you go off script, try and write down everything you said so you will know for later use. Also, go back and note if the spell worked (after a reasonable amount of time), and how it manifested. All these things can help you to repeat an effective spell, diagnose a spell that may not have worked, and can be a useful reference for later spell work.

As Witches, we are always learning and honing our craft. Gathering knowledge and tailoring our practices into something that not only resonates with our belief systems, but is comfortable for us on an individual, personal level is the key to effective spell work. When we stop becoming bogged down by complex spells, or how we think spells should look or be according to external standards, and approach them from an individual view point and understanding, we will find it easier to gather the energy necessary to affect change, and will find it far easier to construct our own simple, effective spells. We will also have gained a skillset that will aid us in becoming more proficient Witches. And, we will be able to affect positive change in our lives, and the world around us.

Blessings

Laurie Sherman

The Urban Crone

Because Even High Priestesses Have to do Their Own Laundry

(note this is unedited for grammar and content, posted from my phone. Read at your own risk)

When I started practicing Witchcraft 30+ years ago, I dove into it with all the fervor of a child with a new toy. I was (well, still am, really) a raving book nerd, and Witchcraft, in some ways, is the religion of the raving book nerd.

I was also a mentally unstable, self-medicating with whatever sex and drugs I could lay my hands on, teenager. I was angry, felt out of place with people my own age, felt cast aside by my family, spiritually adrift, and I was ripe pickings for one of those bad-afterschoolesque covens that was more than happy to cater to all my bad habits. And, I am forever grateful they found me, and for a few people within that coven because they not only set me on a journey of knowledge and understanding that shapes the core of my personal spiritual path, they set me on a journey to the importance of personal responsibility, and the realities of all group dynamics.

What's Mine is Mine

Spiritual belief is one of the most fundamentally personal things an individual has. At its core is an x-factor, a person's experiential relationship with Divine energies, and how they relate to Universal energies as a whole. Someone can explain their religious and spiritual beliefs to you, or you can read a book outlining someone's beliefs and practices, and you may get a good, general understanding of what their belief system may be. But, you will never truly “grok” how an individual feels/experiences/relates to their God(s)(ss), or even how they truly see themselves in the Cosmic scheme of all things.

This understanding becomes more significant when you look at paths such as Paganism and Witchcraft, which lack hardcore, centralized doctrine or dogma. In paths like these, personal experiences play a huge role in shaping an individual's spiritual path. My experiences are my own, as are yours. So, my spiritual path is different than yours.

This also means that my spiritual path is mine. I control what my spiritual path looks like, feels like. My own practices and experiences shape my path. And, I am strong enough in my spiritual beliefs and practices where extraneous, outside influences have little effect on it. I take in only what enhances my spirituality, and leave the rest at the door. I take personal ownership of my path. What is mine is mine.

Even Witches Have to do Their Own Laundry

Personal spiritual ownership also means personal responsibility. Though this fact was pounded continuously into my head very early on, I admit to being a woefully slow learner. I admit to wielding Witchcraft like a hammer rather than a scalpel. I admit to being angry with my Gods for not hearing my rituals, for not making Witchcraft the panacea I wanted it to be. I admit to blaming others for my own bullshit. I admit to lingering occasionally in my own victimhood rather than taking control of my life and working on my own healing. I admit to using Witchcraft to gain what I had no right to, and to intentionally cause harm. I admit to wielding power because I could, not giving any thought to whether I actually should. And, I admit my Deities have held me personally responsible for ALL of it. Age and hindsight make it poignantly obvious that personal responsibility is the core of Witchcraft, and Spirituality in general. There is no easy path. You have to do the work. You have to own your mistakes, and your bullshit. You have to clean up your own messes, and do your own laundry (I have always been very disappointed woodland creature do not come and do my woefully mundane chores). There are no panaceas here.

Navigating the Collective

Some people do walk into Witchcraft and Paganism seeking some miracle panacea that requires a minimal amount of personal responsibility and effort. They seek out mentors, circles, covens and communities with the hope of finding someone or something that will save them. They walk in vulnerable, and they occasionally become prey.

To say this only happens with groups of Pagans, Witches, etc is an absolute lie. We've all seen it with Catholic churches. I've seen it in AA. I've seen it in knitting circles (there is a woman on YouTube whose entire channel is an angry bitchfest at her knitting circle). I've seen it in the union I belong to, and the plant I work in. We see it everywhere in society. The vulnerable preyed upon by the predatory. All large groups contain a few predators. The Pagan “collective” is no different, and understanding that it's a collective and not a community goes a long way in understanding how to navigate within it.

Every time I see, and use, the term Pagan “community”, I laugh a little on the inside. And, I tell myself to stop using the word “community” because that isn't really what we are. The word community gives people the notion that something is a cohesive unit, functioning together under the same general idea of things, with reasonably the same beliefs, and some level of group cooperation. The reality is that is not how Pagans and Witches roll. I am telling you this as someone who has been a Pagan leader for a while. We are not a cohesive, cooperative community. We are very much a Collective.

Be clear that I am not speaking from the perspective of being involved with every Pagan, Witchcraft, etc group around the world. I am speaking as a leader of a largeish group in Kansas City. Over the years, I have stopped trying to beat the dead horse of crafting a Pagan “Community”. I didn't come to that realization in a sad way. On the contrary, I came to it from a place of respect and understanding for individual Pagans,Witches, etc, and all their unique personal experiences. We are, in truth, a Collective of individuals, study groups, meetups, circles, covens and Metaphysical businesses. When you stop trying to relate to this as one gigantic organism, and start seeing it as merely a collection of individual pieces, it becomes so much easier to navigate.

I am not at all saying this in a bad way. In some ways, the diversity and individuality within the Pagan Collective is an incredible asset. Nobody is towing some central party line, and everyone is thinking outside the box. As a leader, I can put issues out to the collective, and receive a diverse collection of solutions in return. By not trying to force everyone in a “community” box, we open things up to so many possibilities on some many different and beautifully unique levels, celebrating the individual along the way.

There is No Organized Pagan Axis of Evil

This also means we need to stop the fallacy of painting the “Pagan Community” with one brush of negative evil. There seriously is no organized Pagan Axis of Evil. No grand conspiracy of any kind. All those things require cooperation and cohesion. And, from a group that can't even agree upon the definition of Paganism, it's a freaking unicorn.

What you have are a few bad actors, predators and assholes. All groups have them. They are part of society as a whole. The Pagan Collective is no different. That's what comes with individuality and diversity. And, while as leaders we try to steer individuals around these bad actors, the reality is we aren't running a police state, and we aren't your parents. We do the best we can, but you are adults, and need to act accordingly, including learning to navigate society.

That may sound cold and callous, and may offend a few people. But, learning to deal with personal interactions, as well as taking ownership of the individuals you allow to be part of your life, on whatever level, is part of personal responsibility. There are people within the Pagan Collective I have chosen to not have anything to do with for personal reasons. I don't blame the Collective. I don't blame other people for not warning me about these individuals. I hold the individuals accountable for their actions and act accordingly, like an adult. And, I'm sure there are any number of people who feel that way about me.

There are people I do not like in the Kansas City Pagan, Witches, etc Collective, and would like to fenestrate from a great height. There are people I adore, love and think of as my family. There are friends and acquaintances there are somewhere in the middle.

Here is the thing, though: I really do love this crazy, diverse Pagan Collective I am honored to belong to, and be a leader in. I really do. And, it isn't because all of my experiences in it have been yarn and coffee (these are my happy things), but because I understand that each person is an individual, to be dealt with case by case, and not just some minuscule cog in a forced, fallacious “community” model.

We are a glorious Collective of individual weeds and wildflowers beyond the brush of any “community” garden box anyone tries to paint us with, a celebration of individuality and diversity, as well as an exercise in patience, understanding, and, that sometimes bittersweet morsel at the core of Spirituality, Paganism and Witchcraft, personal responsibility.

Laurie Sherman

The Urban Crone