So you want to do a spell?

So you want to do a spell? First you need to understand what magick is. Magick is the movement of natural energies (such as personal power) to create needed change. Energy exists within all things-ourselves, plants, stones, colors, sounds, movements. Magick is the process of rousing or building up this energy, giving it purpose, and releasing it. Magick is a natural, not supernatural, practice, though it is little understood. A spell is a magickal ritual, usually nonreligious in nature and often accompanied by spoken words.

There are different ways to do a spell. You can use candles, runes, herbs or stones. What matters is intent. The moon phases are important to the proper working of magick. The two main phases are as follows: the time from the New Moon, through the First Quarter, to the Full Moon, through the Last Quarter, to the New is known as the Waning Moon. When the moon is growing in size, it is waxing; when it is decreasing in size, it is waning.

Basically, constructive magick (for growth) is done during the waxing cycle and magick for destruction is done during the waning cycle. Constructive magick would include love, success, protection, health, fertility, luck. Destructive magick would include binding spells, separation, elimination, extermination.

The second basic of magick is feeling. You must want whatever you are working at to really happen. You must want it with all your being. You must put infinite particle of power into that desire, and that urge for the act to come to pass. For this reason it is usually far more effective to do magick for yourself than do it on someone else’s behalf. It is seldom that another person can feel as intensely about something as the one directly concerned. This strong “feeling” is in effect the raised “power” used in magick. As a aid, a booster to your power there can be used as a number of amplifiers.  One of these is chant and the other is rhyme. The rhythmic chanting of a spell, with a solid, regular beat can do much to intensify your feeling and, thereby, increase your power.

Whenever doing magick, always consider the Wiccan Rede. Will your action harm anyone? If the answer is “Yes…” do not do it. Some sources state magick should be a first resort to a problem, others state magick should be a last resort.  Personally, I use spells as a last resort to a problem. I don’t use spells often because from my experiences the situation is resolved before I resort to using spells. Its not the timing is off, I simply choose to wait it out.

Writing your own spell is far more powerful than using someone else’s spell. Figure out the goal or intent of the spell. Are you looking for prosperity? Hoping to get a better job? What is the specific aim of the spell? Whatever it may be, make sure you're clear on what it is you want- “ I will get that promotion at work!”

Determine what material components you'll need to achieve the goal. Will the spell require herbs, candles, stones, runes? I use Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham for herb and candle color correspondents. If I use pepper or a kitchen spice, I would find its correspondents in Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Wicca in the kitchen by Scott Cunningham. If I’m using runes, I use the Futhark runes in Norse Magic by D.J. Conway. If I’m working with a certain deity for a spell, I will look for the day, attributes and offerings in the Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes.

Moon phase is crucial in most traditions. Remember positive or constructive magick is done during the waning phase. Negative or destructive magick is done during the waxing phase. Some spells are done on certain day of the week or hour of the day. You do not have to feel obligated to be right down to every detail.

Figure out what wording or incantation-if any- will be verbalized during the spell. Are you going to chant something formal and powerful, calling upon the gods for assistance? Or is it the sort of spell where you simply ponder the Universe in silence?

Put all of the above together into a workable form and then perform the spell. If a spell hasn't begun to manifest within a few weeks-some traditions within 28 days, a lunar month- you may want to stop and revise the spell. Figure out what variables may need to be changed.

Remember magick is a tool and a skill set, but some common sense should prevail as well. You can cast a spell all day to get your self a job, but your chances of success are greatly reduced if you haven’t sent out copies of your resume.

You can ask a mentor or a Pagan/Wiccan practitioner to help you with magick but they are simply not going to spoon feed you all the information. They will however point you in the direction to find the answers and do the research yourself. Everyone has their own path and methods of doing magick. This is one of the reasons we don’t proselytize. It’s none of our business to pry into your personal life. Only seekers come to us when they are ready to learn and develop their own path that fits them personally. Unlike organized religion, you follow blindly on what you are told. By choosing your own path, you are a free spirit to decide what fits you.  

Information from:
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland.
http://paganwiccan.about.com/