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Introduction to Spellcasting

Spells can be done in a whole manner of ways; from a simple word to a full ritual under the moon. But spells do not have to be complicated or take hours to complete. A good spell has to be done with care, so finding your preferred methods and ingredients can take some effort and time.

What are spells?

Spells are the practical side of magick. They work by manipulating energy to fulfill a specific intention or purpose. Spells are fueled by emotions, and they work in conjunction with your personal power or the energy in the world around you. To understand what makes a spell effective, we need to first take a look at magick, power, and the nature of energy manipulation.

Magick is the energy that flows through every natural thing. It’s neutral energy that is neither good nor evil. Power is the practical art of channeling magick for your use. When you begin bending and channeling magick, you are, in a sense, building up your personal power. It’s through this manipulation that you can influence or control the energy around you.

We are all made up of molecules, and the bonds between these molecules contain potential energy. The idea that we can use and channel this energy is not so unusual. In fact, it’s easy to recognize when someone is directing their energy toward you. Have you ever “felt” someone’s hand hovering a few inches away from your back (even though they weren’t actually touching you)? Did you feel a tingling sensation, or even heat? That was the feeling of energy being directed toward you.

Spellcasting is just one of the many ways to manipulate energy. Crystals, stones, herbs, shells, metal, and wood have long been used as energy manipulation tools. And popular mind-body therapies such as tai chi, Reiki, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, and even massage use, raise, and manipulate energy to heal the physical, spiritual, and emotional body. The use of spells isn’t as outlandish as you think!

It’s important to note that spells are not get-out-of-jail-free cards. They cannot instantly fix all the problems you may want them to—they take energy, time, effort, focus, and belief to work. It’s a common misconception that you can use a spell to make someone fall in love with you or to impose your magick on others. You cannot take away another person’s free will with magick.

Who casts spells?

Anyone who desires to create positive changes in their life can cast a spell. Spellcasting can help those who seek clarity or purpose on their journey through life. Spells are often cast by Pagans, people who follow a religious or spiritual path based on a respect for nature. Many spellcasters choose a Neo-Pagan path or the tradition of Witchcraft, which encompasses modern or hybrid practices such as elemental, secular, hedge, eclectic, or traditional. Each of these categories can be tailored to you to create the perfect path.

History of Spellcasting

Casting spells has been popular throughout history. The term spell originates from the Anglo-Saxon word spel, which means “saying” or “story.” In ancient civilizations, spells developed alongside language. In ancient Egypt, for example, written stories often contained spells within them.

The term witch has been traced to the old Teutonic word wik, meaning “to bend.” Prior to the fourteenth century, Witchcraft and magick enjoyed a golden age. Things changes in 1486 when a now-discredited Catholic clergyman published the “Malleus Maleficarum” (or “Hammer of Witches”), known colloquially as the witch-hunter’s handbook. The popularity of the book led to a rise in anti-witchcraft sentiments. In 1542, England’s Witchcraft Act made Witchcraft and spellcasting punishable by death. In 1692, the Salem witch trials took place in Massachusetts, and 19 people were executed for allegedly practicing Witchcraft.

Persecution against witches continued for centuries. The anti-witchcraft movement began to lose steam in the 1900s. In the 1960s and ‘70s, American society saw an increase in Pagan practices and groups dedicated to Wicca and Witchcraft. In 1986, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit heard the case of Dettmer v. Landon and recognized Wicca as an official religion.

Core Principles

The core principles of Witchcraft relate to how we use the energy to manifest change in our environment. Magick is all around us in the form of energy. Practicing spells helps us learn to direct our intentions to manipulate energy. However, your intentions must follow the core principles outlined here.

Worshipping the Environment and Nature

Everything that exists in the natural world is sacred and filled with energy, and the seasons and elements are incorporated in many Pagan rituals and spells. The seasons are to be celebrated and honored. They tell a story of birth, life, death, and rebirth. The elements can be called upon for protection, guidance, and energy.

Celebrating Fertility and Sexuality

Celebrating life, light, joy, passion, and sensuality ignites the life-force within us all. Embracing your fertility and sexuality can be a valuable tool to manifest magick. Many witches celebrate fertility and sexuality during the springtime Pagan sabbats Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane.

Tapping into Intuition and Personal Energy

You can influence your environment through your personal energy. Begin with your gut reactions and inklings. Have you ever felt something deep within trying to tell you something—usually a warning? This is your intuition. Once you learn how to channel this energy, you can use it to fuel your spells.

Honoring Karma and the Natural Balance of Cosmic Law

Karma dictates that for every action you put out into the world, you will receive the same action back. The Law of Threefold Return is an old Pagan adage used to caution new witches about the consequences of performing harmful magick: If you cause harm or perform manipulative magick on another, you will receive the same back threefold. Many Pagans live by this karmic force, also known as cosmic law.

Knowing and Understanding the Afterlife, Spirits, and Reincarnation

Many witches believe in an afterlife and view the cycle birth, life, death, and rebirth as an endlessly turning wheel. Many witches celebrate endings and beginnings during the Pagan sabbat Samhain, when the veil between worlds gets thinner.

The Driving Forces of Spellwork

Spellwork should be driven by a respect for nature and the mystery of the universe. The more you can align yourself with the earth’s natural rhythms, the more you can tune in to the mysteries of the world and the more you can learn about the unknown.

Magick vs. Power

Magick is the natural energy that flows through the world, whereas power is the practical art of channeling that energy. Power is within you, waiting to be tapped into, and magick can be found in natural objects.

As a beginner spellcaster, you’ll draw mostly from your personal power. However, using only your power can be draining.

Another type of power that comes from within you is psychic ability. Some witches have abilities such as precognition, intuition, clairvoyance, psychometry, mediumship, or empathy absorption.

Precognition is the ability to know things or events before they happen.

Intuition is the ability to know things without being told.

Clairvoyance, often referred to as “clear vision,” is the ability to reveal what’s hidden and is often thought of as “inner sight.”

Psychometry is the ability to read the energy of an object or sense the details about the person who once had the object.

Mediums receive messages from the spirit world and can also channel spirits.

Empaths can sense the feelings and emotions of others while often absorbing energies from others.

Good Magick vs. Bad Magick

The non-magickal community often labels magick as “good” or “bad.” In the magickal community, however, there isn’t a distinction between “good” or “bad” magick. Magick isn’t black and white—its effects depend on the energy of the spellcaster’s intentions.

Using magick for harm, to get revenge, to alter someone’s free will, or to curse someone are all examples of what some might call “black magick” or unethical practice. Using magick to heal, empower, or uplift is often called “white magick.”

You might be tempted to use ill will in your magick if you are confronted with a curse, bad rumors, a malevolent spirit, or a stalker. If you do, however, you may open yourself up to the consequences of karma or cosmic law. Ethics in magick are the same as ethics in any other area of life, and in the end, you’ll be held personally responsible for your actions.

#spellcasting #spells

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art by enginervster ( my edits )

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📷 Spectra_mystic

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by Nina Zivadinovic

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Little black kitten being the best thing ever

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Quartz Chella, Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain

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Cleansing & Banishing Bath

You Will Need:

Epsom salts or Sea Salt

Chamomile

Lavender

Coconut Milk or Oil

This spell is a favorite method of banishing. It’s very relaxing and feels freeing as opposed to the more forceful natures of the other spells.

Run your bath, light some candles and add your preferred salts, herbs, and if you like, a cup of coconut milk. Swirl the water counterclockwise three times and chant the following spell. Fill in the blank with whatever you’re banishing.

“Troubles be gone, washed clean away, leave me free of ______ this day.”

Now all you have to do is relax, enjoy your bath allow the charmed water to do its work.

#banishing ritual #bath spell #witch #crystals #magic #witchy

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