Hello goddess.
Have you ever felt that stirring in your soul; a tingling at your fingertips; a sense of - there is something more?
That desire to craft the everyday items around you into that something more is witchery -
And the foundation of being a witch is creating spells.
But where to start?
The first, and most important thing of any spell, is the intention behind it.
Are you hoping to create more beauty into your life? Find love? Cut a cord? Discover abundance?
By being specific with your intention, you can then cultivate the ingredients and invocation for your spell. Once you have zeroed in on that, you can begin crafting your spell to support your intention.
Reflection Questions to Clarify Your Intention:
- What do you wish to achieve with this spell?
- Is there a person(s) that you wish to direct your spell to?
- Do you associate your spell with any feeling / color / image?
- If you can choose one word that you want to incorporate into your spell, what would it be?
- Does this intention feel like a full body-and-soul YES to you?
Once that is set, the parts of every spell can be broken down into these four steps:
STEP 1:Creating a Ritual Space:
Quite simply, you can better create magic when you feel like your space is magic.
You can purify your space by burning sage / palo santo / incense; by using a singing bowl; by using a selenite wand.
Protection can be invoked by a mantra; using certain crystals - like black tourmaline - to surround your spell-casting space; by appealing to a god or goddess.
Prepare yourself, whether it is through meditation; embodiment work; or adorning yourself with clothing and jewelry that make you feel magical.
Once you feel like your space is mindfully set up for magic, you can continue with the casting of your spell.
Step TWO: gather the ingredients
Spells, like any recipe, require certain ingredients to amplify your intention.
These vary from spell to spell, and range from herbs, crystals, flowers, and so on.
Choosing the ingredients is born from your intuition - what elements do you associate with your intention, and how can you bring them in in a way that feels like magic?
Whichever ingredients you decide to include, make sure that you feel they are all connected intricately to your intended spell.
Step 3: set the invocation
Once you have gathered your magical material, you are ready to cast your spell!
The invocation you write can be whatever length you feel necessary; whether a few lines that you repeat, or a longer piece that you recite. Put it to music, whisper it into the silence, shout it over the rooftops - whatever feels right.
You can choose to dedicate it to a god or goddess of your choice, write it as a poem, or leave it free-form.
Step 4: Gratitude & Closing
Once you have cast your spell, close it off by saying: “So mote it be,” and with a thank you to whatever deity you invoked. Spend a moment or two in silence so you can let the effects of your spell integrate into your being and the space.
When you gather up your magical materials, keep within your heart the feeling you had when you cast the spell.
Some examples of Basic Spells (from Practical Magic by Nikki van de Carr):
Truth Spell -
Write the question you seek the answer to on a piece of paper to burn;
Use a pimpernel smudge & tigers eye crystal with the invocation:
Let the truth be revealed
Clear away all deceit
Let nothing be concealed
So mote it be
Protection spell -
Gather mandrake, garlic, cinquefoil, betony;
With the crystals smoke quartz, obsidian, hematite, and pyrite
And the invocation:
Let no harm befall
Against all threats, be strong
Let (name) be safe behind my wall
So mote it be
Abundance spell -
Gather vervain, thyme, honeysuckle, marigold smudge wand;
With the crystals citrine and jade;
Light a candle with the invocation:
Let abundance come to me
Allow my dreams ot flow
Let me give back more than i receive
So mote it be
Self-confidence spell -
Write an affirmation on a piece of paper;
Use a smudge wand of thyme, sage, mandrake, lavender, clover;
With the crystals aquamarine, azurite, moonstone, citrine, obsidian;
Burn the affirmation with this invocation:
Let my true self shine through
I am already all that I need to be
Let me know that this is true
So mote it be
Love spell (specific) -
Write their name on a piece of paper;
Use a smudge wand of myrtle, mistletoe, honeysuckle, dragonsblood, caraway;
With the crystals rose quartz, smoky quartz, jade, carnelian;
Burn the paper in the same bowl as your smudge wand with the invocation:
Let me be open to the love that is here
There is much that I do not see
Let (name) draw me near
So mote it be
You can also experiment with different forms of spell-work, such as crafting your own smudge wands, building your own spell jars, or doing it with others and feeling that magic of connection.
If you want to create your own spell but are unsure where to start with gathering your items, here is a sweet intro to some elements:
SPELL INGREDIENT GLOSSARY:
Crystals:
Diving into crystals can feel like an overwhelming job - especially if you are new to it.
Start with the pieces you are drawn to, and after choosing the ones you wish to work with, then look into their meanings, properties, and messages.
If you still feel like that is too much to take in, you can narrow it down by the color of the crystal:
White/colourless: originality, beginnings, clarity, inspiration, developing talents, breaking bad luck, good health, vitality, spiritual development, contact with angels and spirit guides.
White cloudy (translucent or opaque): nurturing, slower new beginnings (especially after loss), slower unfolding potential, protection against negativity, mothers and babies, hope, granting wishes and fulfilling dreams, calling love from the past or afar.
Red: courage, positive change, strength, determination, power, sexual passion, male potency, initiative, competitiveness, protecting loved ones, survival, overcoming obstacles.
Orange: confidence, joy, creativity, female fertility, abundance, independence, self esteem.
Yellow: logic, memory, determination, tests, technology, job changes, communication, money-making, short distance moves and holidays, conventional healing, surgery, repelling malice.
Green: love, commitment, beauty, environment healing via nature, crystal healing, gradual increase in health, wealth, luck.
Blue: idealism, justice, career, authority, long distance travel and house moves, marriage, partnerships, prosperity, peace.
Purple: spirituality, imagination, dreams, psychic powers, intuition, teaching, counselling, healing from higher sources, banishing past sorrows or present troublesome influences.
Pink: reconciliation, happy family relationships, friendship, kindness, children and teenagers, girls entering puberty, young or new love, trust after betrayal.
Brown: practical matters, security, accumulation of money, learning new skills especially in later years, property, finding what is lost, perseverance.
Grey: adaptability, neutralising unfriendly energies, peacemaking, keeping secrets, shielding from psychic attack.
Gold: protection, fulfilling ambitions, large infusion of money and resources, long life, recovery after setbacks, healing when prognosis is not good.
Silver: establishing natural fertility cycles, luck, truth, intuition, female spirituality, unexpected money, attracting love.
Black: transformation, peaceful endings, grief, banishing sadness, guilt, and destructive tendencies, acceptance, blocking a negative force, psychic protection.
Plants, Herbs, & Flowers:
The use of plants, herbs, and flowers feels second nature to include in spell-work, as witches have been tied to the natural world for eons.
If you have a garden, incorporating things grown by your own hands can be a beautiful tribute for your spell.
This topic, too, can be overwhelming in its breadth and depth, so to make it easy and start you off, here is a list with the themes love, abundance, and protection.
Love:
- Apple · Apricot Blossom · Azalea · Camellia · Carnation (Red / White) · Cinnamon · Clove · Daisy ·Damask Rose · Dandelion · Forget-Me-Not · Gardenia · Hibiscus · Honeysuckle · Ivy · Jasmine · Lavender · Lemon Tree · Lily (White) · Marjoram · Mistletoe · Orange Blossom · Orchid · Periwinkle · Rose · Rosemary · Strawberry · Sunflower · Sycamore · Tulip · Violet
Abundance:
- Adonis ·Agave ·Barrel of Fruit, or Vegetables ·Beech ·Cherry Blossom ·Cornucopia ·Date Palm ·Fig Tree ·Goldenrod ·Grapes ·Narcissus ·Orange ·Peony ·Pomegranate Flower ·Tiger Lily
Protection:
- Heather (White) ·Holly ·Juniper ·Mountain Ash
Gods and Goddesses
Invoking a deity can amplify your spell, and by dedicating it, you surrender it into their hands.
If you are unsure who to dedicate your spell to, but feel drawn to adding this element into your spell, you can dedicate it to the Greek Goddess Hekate - as she is the goddess of magic, darkness, and liminal spaces.
Crafting your own spell with intentionality is magic in and of itself. By embracing your magic and channelling it, you can fully step into your power.
So go out and create your own magic, goddess!
“Believing that everything is inherently magical has opened the door for synchronicity, magic, & miracle in its purest form to enter my life on a daily basis.”
-@tarotreaderpeter
Written for Terra Luna Sol by:
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