FIRST THINGS FIRST
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When spellcasting, to protect us and our magick workings we should first cast a circle.
Casting Circles and Calling Quarters
The circle is the sacred space in which magick is worked, where Witches can meet with the Goddess and God. The word "circle" may be misleading, though, because actually what you are creating is a sphere that encompasses all participants and the altar. The magick circle defines the ritual area, holds in personal power and shuts out all distractions and negative energies. The circle is formed with personal power which is felt and visualized as streaming from the body to form what, ends up looking like a bubble made of light. Some use their athame, or magick knife, to direct this power, others use their hands. Once the energy is flowing through your fingertips or athame, walk the circle clockwise, envisioning the light trailing outward from you to form the sphere. When the circle is completed, shut off the energy by shaking your hand or simply pulling the energy back into yourself.
Once the circle is cast, you are ready to call the quarters if you wish.
When calling quarters, envision a door or opening of some kind and visualize the energy or being that will be coming through that door to guard the circle. All quarter energies should be thanked and released in the same manner they were called.
As you call each quarter, face that direction and hold out your athame with both hands, feeling the energy from that element flowing into you and say:
"To the East, I invite the powers of Air to blow out the old and bring in the new on your winds of change.
To the South, I invite the powers of Fire To burn away regrets and shine your gentle rays upon me for growth.
To the West, I invite the powers of Water To cleanse me of negativity and purify my thoughts.
To the North, I invite the powers of Earth Let your renewing strength bury all ills And open new paths before me."
When you are finished with your spell or ritual, release the circle exactly opposite of the way you cast it. Pull the circle back into your athame or whatever tool you used in your casting, and release and thank any spirits or elementals you called. There are literally thousands of ways to call quarters and cast circles. I've just given you an example but it's always best to figure out what works for you.
Before we begin our spellcasting we should next address the topic of what tools we will be using and how to consecrate our tools. Depending on the degree of your magick working, you may not be using all these tools but it is good to have this information.
Wand: Used to conjure and direct energy. It is associated with South and Fire. It is traditionally the length of the user's forearm, from the fingertip to the elbow, and preferably made from fallen wood. If you cut the wood, ask permission of the tree and thank it afterwards. Wands are represented in faery stories as having sparks coming from the tip, this could symbolize the energy and link to Fire. The Wand may also be used for casting a circle.
Cauldron and Chalice: The Chalice and the Cauldron are obvious female symbols, both representing the womb and the female ability to contain and nurture. The Chalice is used for consecrated drinks such as wine or fruit juice. The Cauldron used to be used to make brews. It can be filled with water and used for scrying, to contain a candle as a small ritual fire, or for any purposes the ritual demands.
Candle: Connected to South and Fire, is used for candle magick, meditation, mirror magick etc. Usually the colour of the Candle must be specific for the spell or ritual. Also used for consecration of the Fire element
Athame: (ath-AY-mee) A knife, which must be blunt and never used to cut anything. It is used similarly to the Wand. The Athame could be used to direct concentration, whereas the Wand is ysed for inspiration and invocation.
Incense: Associated with the Air element. Can be used to aid in meditation and direct concentration. Usually the type of incense should correspond to the kind of spell or ritual you are doing.
Pentacle: An important magical tool, a round disk with a Pentacle (5-pointed star) inscribed in it. Witches use it to charge and consecrate objects during magic. The disk symbolizes the earth and could also be used to invoke the earth's divinity. The star is the ancient symbol of the Goddess, representing the union of the 4 elements - air, fire, water and earth--and the spirit.
This is the ritual to consecrate your tools.
Tool Consecration
Preparation of your alter or workspace:
Incense (in the east)
White candle (in the south)
Small bowl of water (in the west)
Small bowl of salt or earth (in the north)
Cast the circle and say:
"Before these spirits, I bring (name of tool) to be dedicated to the service of the Lady and the Lord."
Pass the tool three times through the smoke of the incense, saying: "By power of air, be purified. Be dedicated to purity, that all goals you help acheive may harm none and be for good of all."
Pass the tool three times through the flame of the candle, saying: "By power of fire, be purified. Be dedicated to desire, that all goals you help acheive may harm none and be for good of all."
Sprinkle a few drops of water on the instrument, saying: "By power of water, be purified. Be dedicated to emotion, that you be used in a spirit of harmony, harming none and for good of all."
Touch instrument to the earth or salt, saying: "By power of earth, be purified. Be dedicated to steadfastness, that my will be acheived without wavering, with harm to none and for good of all."
Presentation to the Lord and Lady
If this is a chalice, present it first to the Lady, then to the Lord. If it is an athame, reverse the order. All other instruments, use your own preference, but it is a courtesy to present to Her first.
Presentation of Chalice
Say, "Lady, bless this chalice, let it be a vessel of productivity that may be worthy to reside in circle with you. Let it be so bound that no harm may come of it to any being. To thy service, I dedicate this vessel, that it and I may be long of service to thee.
Lord, bless this chalice that it may bring forth joy and purity. Guard the works which come forth from it, that they harm none and be ever in the service of thee. So Mote it Be!
Presentation of Athame
Say, "Great Lord, bless this athame. Let it be pure for thy service and bind it so that no harm may come of it to any being. Lord, bless this athame, that it be used always in the worship and honor of the One.
Lady, bless this athame that it may bring forth joy and purity, and shall cause no harm to any being.
I dedicate this athame to thy service, Great One. So Mote it Be!
Release the circle
This spell employs magickal sachets to protect the infant.
Items needed:
*(amounts will vary depending on the number of sachets you will be making)
dried rosemary
dried lavender
white cotton cloth
white thread
a white candle
Preparations:
You will use the cloth and thread to make sachets for the herbs. You will need as much of the cloth and herbs as necessary to make as many as you need. They will be placed in all areas the child will occupy (crib, playpen, etc.) After creating the sachets place them on your work area or altar.
Ritual:
Light a white candle. Say once, to each sachet:
"By the powers of earth, fire, air and water, let these herbs protect.
By the will of the Lady,
By the will of the Lord,
Let these herb protect."
Bring in the child, say to each sachet:
"Herbs of protection, here is thy charge. Protect him/her well.So mote it be."
Now you should visualize a white wall surrounding the infant, emanating from the sachets.
You can move the sachets anywhere, I suggest keeping at least one near the child at all times.
This spell is used when you feel that you have been cursed or have had some kind of evil or negative forces sent to you. You don't need to know who the sender is for the spell to work. The evil will merely return to it's sender.
Set a small round mirror against a wall. Place a large black candle in a plain holder in front of the mirror, making sure the candle is reflected in the mirror. Next take a large white candle and place it away from the mirror where it wont be reflected and light it. (This is being done to ensure the black candle doesn't attract any negative forces.) Now standing in front of the black candle strike a match and as you light the candle chant:
"Black, black send evil back"
Repeat this chant, 7 times, while looking at the candle and then leave the room. After an hour has passed snuff out the black candle's flame and place it and the mirror away. Now snuff out the white candle's flame and place it safely out of sight.
Repeat this spell for 7 nights or until you feel the evil has gone. This spell is meant to send any negative forces back to the sender and is meant as a defensive measure only.
LOST AND FOUND DEPT.
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Bound and Binding
Binding Bound
See the Sight
Hear the Sound
What was lost now is found
Bound and Binding
Binding Bound
Light a green candle for luck and prosperity.
Chant the following 3 times:
"I Pray to the Moon when she is round
Luck to me shall now abound
What I seek shall then be found
In sea or sky or solid ground"
Remember, like energies attract, so think of positive times spent with this lost treasure and both mentally and emotionally call the "lost one" home.
"Dear St Anthony please come 'round. Something's lost and can't be found."
This one rarely fails to help find a lost object.
You will need:
A small wooden Box (approx. 6in. x 9in.)
flat black paint
red paint or marker
white candle
Items that represent punishment to you.
Items that belonged to the theif (if possible)
During the time of the Waxing moon or Full moon...
Paint the top of the box flat back. Paint the insides flat black. On the inside lid, write in red paint or marker:
"Meager wealth, animosity & strife
Upon your thieving life
May the objects you have stole
offer not the pleasures that they hold
Right what thou has wronged
before crows sing their song"
Inside the box place items that represent appropriate punishment to you for the theif who robbed you. Also place in the box anything that belonged to the thief, if you can.
Place and light 1 white candle behind the box. Turn out the lights sit in front of the box and candle. Focus on the box and send it any negative feelings you have about your loss.
Now, take the white candle and use it to drip wax to seal the box while saying:
"Cursed are the objects stolen from me. Justice is a thing that must be. I seal thee with the power of my intent. No unjust harm have I meant."
Take the sealed box to a source of water on a moonlit night say:
"Justice is a thing that must be. Cursed are the objects stolen from me. May an innocent hand go free. Restitution come to me. As I will, So mote it be!"
Toss the box in the water and your spell is done.
Don't dwell on your loss anymore. This will justly punish the thief.
(definitions of the most commonly used terms in Witchcraft)
*Amulet - a magickally charged object, often used for protection.
*Asperge - To sprinkle with water before or during a ritual, to purify with sprinkled water.
*Athame - A double-edged dagger for ritual use. Aura - The energy field existing around all living things.
*Balefire - A fire lit for a magickal purpose.
*Besom - A magickal broom.
*Bolline - a white handled knife used for practical purposes (cutting herbs, flowers, etc.)
*Book of Shadows - A book kept like a diary by a Witch of spells, rituals, and stories.
*Censer - An incense burner
*Center - To center oneself's thoughts and energies
*Chalice - A ritual goblet
*Charge - To infuse an object or person with energy; also an oath or instruction.
*Circle - A sphere created by a Witch, constructed of energy.
*Cleanse - to remove negative energy, to purify.
*Coven - A group of Witches who come together to practice magick and celebrate the Sabbats
*Craft - The Craft; Witchcraft, natural magick
*Deosil - Clockwise
*Divination- The magickal art of discovering the unknown through use of cards, runes, stones, crystal balls, and other tools.
*Elements - the four building blocks of the universe. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Major forces used in natural magick
*Evocation - Calling up spirits or other non-physical entities.
*Faerie - One of many nature spirits that inhabit a realm or dimension next to our own.
*Faerie Kingdom - The realm of the Faerie
*Grimoire - A magickal workbook
*Grounding - to ground ; to root oneself firmly in the physical world in preparation for magicka; and metaphysical work.
*Handfasting - a Witch, Wiccan, Pagan, or Gypsy wedding
*Herbalist - one who works with herbs
*Invocation - to invoke or appeal to a God or Goddess, element or energy.
*Magick - the manipulation of natural forces and psychic energy to bring about desired changes.
*Pagan, Paganism - A Follower of an earth based religion
*Pentacle - A ritual object or piece of jewelry with a pentagram inscribed or woven into it.
*Pentagram - Five-pointed star.
*Ritual - Ceremony
*Runes - Symbols carved onto rocks, crystals, clay, candles or other surfaces which have powerful energies to be used during magick; symbols used in early alphabets.
*Scry - to gaze into or at an object while in a deep meditative state; to open oneself to visions of the future.
*Skyclad - To practice magick and ritual in the nude.
*Spell - A magickal ritual used to produce certain results in the physical world.
*Talisman - A magickally charged object used to attract a specific force or energy to its bearer. Underworld - The realm of the spirit; realm of the dead.
*Unicorn - A magickal horned horse.
*Visualization - The process of forming mental images *Wicca, Wiccan - (a participant of) A modern revival of ancient Earth-based religions focusing on the Goddess and God of nature
*Widdershins - counterclockwise.
*Witch - Someone who practices the craft of magick (usually also a member of the Pagan Religion)
*Witchcraft - The craft of magick