Animal Image Protection Spell

This is a spell used to protect your pets, great for all animals, but really good on housepets that go outside and think they are outdoor animals, like my silly kitty.

You will need a photograph of your pet and protection oil. A good protection oil recipe is found here at A Witch's Cauldron

1. Paint protective runes, hieroglyphs or other symbols onto the image
2. Anoint with protection oil
3. Keep the image in a discreet spot, touching up periodically with protection oil.

If you don't want to ruin the photo, you can paint the ruins IN protective oil over the photograph.

The Ethics of Spell-casting

If you have picked up a spell book, most common being The Element Encyclopaedia series, you probably have flipped through it and stopped at some love spells, or wealth spells.

“The universe wastes nothing. Everything is simply, transformed.”
This is a sentence, from the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, that sums up what spell casting is. Any Pagan who performs spells will tell you that when you cast a spell, you are exchanging energy with the universe.

This is not about how to cast spells. I believe that you can read the theory, but you never really learn how to cast spells until you try it.
This is about the ethics of spell casting.

When you flip through any spell book you will have spells that a majority of Pagans say will are “unethical” and “not worth the risk”. Well, this can be confusing. How do you know what would be ethical?

Most Pagan’s go by the three-fold rule which basically states that what you exchange with the universe will come back three times.
I can provide a simple example.
My cousin fell at hit her head. She could have died (but she is, thankfully, alright). I performed a simple distance healing spell. Meditation only. In response, the universe helped my cousin, and helped me perfect using eye liner.

This is an example of how the universe repays me. I sent my energy to my cousin, the universe replaced it with energy to do eye liner. As a makeup artist who was struggling with eye liner, this is a very positive thing. However, if you send your energy out in a bad way, such as cursing someone, the energy that will return to you will be negative.

The universe is like a cosmic mirror, you will put out your energy, be it negative or positive, and the universe will then amplify it, and send it back.

This is why in my Book of Shadows you will not find spells that are “negative”.
The obvious categories of hexes and curses are, of course, absent.

What about the more “grey areas”? These include spells like love spells and money spells.
These are special cases, where they can be both positive and negative. In these cases, you must read the spell fully, and understand its possible repercussions. Now, when studying my spell book, I read each of these. Let me tell you, it was a bit crazy.

I’ll talk about love spells. They are usually employed to make a specific person to fall on love with the caster. This counters ethics. As you are using magic to make someone fall in love, this interferes with the other person’s free will. However, there are love spells that don’t target a single person, but rather signal ones availably to the universe and allow romance to enter one’s life. This does not interfere with free will as there is no specific target.
Money spells work similarly. Some spells for money will bring you the opportunity to earn more money, which will require some work and quick thinking on your part. Do not expect the universe to give you everything you want.

But then, why did I include banishing spells?
This is another special case. In the case of banishing spells, you are using these against a person who is a serious threat to you. These are not spells for getting rid of the jerky boyfriend! These spells take careful consideration, and should not be used lightly. This is up to the spell caster’s discretion.

Spells are fickle things. You have to be able to really think ahead. It requires good decision-making skills. For younger witches, doing their first sort of spells, you should look for spells like a protection spell. These spells will help you learn how to do spells while still learning how your spells affect the universe. This is especially good for teenage witches, who may still lack the foresight to make a good decision. I know you hate to hear it, but I was a teenager once (I’m only 19 now!) and trust me, we don’t know everything. Spells can help with basic decision making, if you know your ethics.

It’s a good idea to do a bit of Googling “Pagan Ethics” and learn a bit of general ethics, then apply them to spell casting.

Psychic Herb Jars

A herb jar to enhance your powers physically and mentally.

Fill one jar with the following:
Cinnamon [for dream magick]
Nutmeg [for good luck]
Allspice [healing]
Ginger [lunar magick]
Basil [protection]
Fennel seeds [spiritual healing]
Garlic [spiritual purification]
Marjoram [protection]
Sage [spiritual purification]
Cloves [protection]
Mustard seed [protection]

Before you do any scrying-of any kind-inhale the scent deeply and shake the jar gently.

Dream Fragments Healing Bath

Have you ever had a dream where, when you wake up, it leaves it's residue and makes you feel disgusting for the entire day?

I did, and though I still feel a bit gross, I also feel a lot better. Here's what I did

You will need
- Sea salt
- a candle with a scent pleasing to you
- an oil with a scent pleasing to you
- a book (optional)

1. Draw a bath. Add as much or as little sea salt as you want.
2. Put a few drops of oil onto each of your chakra points. Anoint the candle with the oil as well. Don't worry about what the candle/oil smell or colour symbolizes, just make sure they are pleasing to you
3. Light the candle, get in the bath
4. Draw a line of sea salt on your stomach, and tell the salt to draw out the dream residue. Leave the salt there until you feel ready to remove it.
5. While the salt works, read a book if you choose, while soaking.
6. Wash the salt off

1000 Pages To Go!

So, last night I officially hit the "1000 pages to go" mark on my USBoS. This, of course, does not include my tarot decks to work with, but hey, 1000 pages over two books isn't bad. Okay, on a technical note its 1002 pages, but that's only because I went to bed last night to watch Harry Potter 6, which then proceeded to give me an incredibly surreal dream.

So, if we want to be specific, I have 375 pages (out of 603) to type up in my Symbol book. A little less than HALF the book was one chapter.

I have 627 (of 1035) in my Spell book. I'm on the chapter about the Evil Eye. I've skipped somje chapters in this book because the spells don't sit right with me, like the dominating spells and the hexes. I read each spell and deside if the risks of the spell are worth it.
For some, there is really no risk, such as the spiritual cleansing spells. Others, like the dominating spells, interfere too much with other people without there consent.
"But Lea!" I hear you all tell me, "you wrote up banishing spells!"
Banishing spells for people is indeed a last-chance-completely-desperate-no-other-option option. Yes, they do interfere with people without thier consent, but, unlike dominating spells and hexes, these people can be a legit threat to you. When you perform a person banishing spell, it really means they have overstayed thier welcome and are interfereing with your life WAY to much.
Each of these banishing spells does contain some degree of risk, and it's up to the spell-caster to choose if the risk is worth it.

So, then, why aren't I including the hexes and dominaing spells?
These types of spells are the spells that, unlike banishing spells, are spells in which you aren't getting rid of a problem, but exterting your power. For these spells, the risk is much higher, not to mention they can go very wrong. In these cases, unless you want a reputation as a "black witch", taking the risk to control other people or cause them harm on purpose is not worth it when there are other, less risky spells you can use, such as making yourself invisible to the people you want to hex.

In the end, spells all carry a certain degree of risk, and it is up to the spell caster to deside if the risk is great enough.

I have no idea where that little rant came from, but I think I'll polish it up for another one of my "lessons" postings.

New Home Floorwash

This spell is for the first time you clean your new home. It basically gives you a blank slate for moving in. If you can, clean the floors, counters, and other surfaces before you unpack most of your stuff, so that you can clean all the residual energy.

1. Make a strong infusion from basil, hyssop, and pine needles
2. Strain and add to a bucket of rinse water, with vinegar
3. Cleanse floors and surfaces as needed

Psychic Protection Cleansing

Yeah, I'm a bit late today...I was out of town and am now exhausted.

Moving on.
Cleansing spells are important aspects of a Witches everyday lives. This is one to help clear debris in your third eye and thus improve psychic vision. If you read tarot cards, pendulums, or use other forms of psychic...ness, you will need to perform a pyschic cleansing spell at least once a month, but perhaps more depending on your own needs.
This one is fairly straight forward, and is a modifed Native American smudging ceremony.


You will need
- Smudge stick
- Bowl or shell
- Matches
- Large feather
- Crystal. Any crystal that aids in cleansing will do. Amethyst clusters and clear quartz are always good choices.

Smudge yourself and the room around you. Smudge your crystal too. Place your crystal close by you to absorb any negative energy in order to gather all the strength you need. If you are performing this cleansing before bed, keep your crystal by your bed.
Center yourself, breathe deeply and evenly. Now call on the four Great Animal Spirits to cleanse and protect your space. Say: “Great Eagle, spread your wings before me. Keep my safe.” Next say: “Great Bear, please stand behind me. May you sharp claws protect my back.”Now call on Coyote saying: “Great Coyote, stand on my right and may your sharp wits protect me.” Finally summon Buffalo: “Great Buffalo, please stand to my left and keep me and this place safe.” Imagine all four Great Spirits surrounded and protecting your space.
Carry out an aura cleansing ritual and spread the bright white light to encompass the spirits and your whole room. Thank the spirits and ask them to keep up their protection as long as is necessary.

Coffee Grounds Banishing Spell

This is rather quirky person-banishing spell, but does require a little bit of finesse.
To make the spell more potent, and maybe scare them off before even doing the spell, offer to read thier coffee grounds like tea leaves. Don't just be depressing like Professor Trelawny! Actually read thier grounds and be honest with what you see.

Anyway, the spell.
Invite your target over to your home and serve fresh brewed coffee. Offer to read their coffee grounds. When they have left, immediately gather your spell materials.

1. Gather the dirt from your targets foot prints of, alternatively, gather dirt from under a chair in which they were the last person to sit
2. Combine this dirt with cayenne pepper, ground sassafras and used coffee grounds (preferably from their own cup)
3. Sprinkle this on the target’s front doorstep

A Spell to Heal Hard Feelings and Heal Emotional Rifts

You will need
- Quartz crystal.

Find a nice, quiet place where you can lay down, then place the quartz crystal
on your third eye and say:
"I call upon Gula, great Goddess of healing.
Guide the help to direct any bad feelings,
See this dark specters reeling.
By the grace of your power
I ask you to heal them.
Teach each to feel what the other feels,
By the power of three, I wish it to be."

You can call upon and healing diety you wish.

Magical Days: Friday

Well, this post is scheduled for eight am, so if you're reading it at that time, it means I've just gone under for my wisdom tooth extraction. I probably won't be online much today, but please send me your healing thoughts! I'm terrible with pain.

As it is Friday, I should be posting a Blog Prompt, but I can't stop focusing on the mundane of my surgery, so I'm going to give you a bit of information about the magical associations of Friday.

Friday is the day of Venus, and is appropriately associated with romance, the female, and art.

Friday is a good day for love spells, as it is the day of romantic love, marriage, friendships, beauty, affection, soulmates, relationships, partners, alliances courtship, and dating.

Friday is also good for the arts, being the day of artistic abilities, decorating, gardening, architects, artists, beauticians, chiropractors, dancers, designers, engineers, entertainers, fashion, music, painting, poetry, and household improvements.

Friday is also the day of harmony, grace, luxury, social activity, cosmetics, gifts, income, growth, planning parties, and my favorite, shopping

One last note: tomorrow is my 100th post! Any ideas for what we should do to celebrate? Anything you guys want to see on my blog?

The Teen Spell Book: Magick for Young Witches

This book gets divided reviews online. First off, older pagans think that this book is just bullshit for rebelling teenagers to read and claim they are Wiccan. Okay, yes, to a degree it is. It does give Wicca a “teenage” perspective. However, Wood also talks about the more serious aspects of Wicca, such as karma, and intent. This is not a book of spells. In fact, more than half the book is dedicated to the basics of Wicca.
On the other hand, it is a teenage book, and this is the sort of book rebelling teens would pick up. Even if there are no “evil” spells in this book, as someone who is technically still in her teens, I can tell you this: teenagers are stupid. We really are.
This book, however, had some redeeming factors. If I was raising a teenager in paganism, I would give this book as a “coming of age” present, because it gives them access to some basic spells that are geared to their age group, and if they are raised in the faith, they will have a bit more perspective on spells than a rebelling teenager.

Published in 2004 by Celestial Arts

Other Books by Jamie Wood: The Wicca Cookbook: Recipes, Ritual and Lore; The Enchanted Diary: A Teen’s Guide to Magick and Life; Wicca Herbal: Guide to Healing Body and Spirit with Magickal Herbs.

Readability:
Is it easy to read? Yes, it’s written for teens.
Is it easy to follow along with? Yes
Is it interesting? Yes
How long does it take to read? If you read all the spells, probably 5-7 days. If you just read the information about Wicca, 3-4 days.
Overall: 4/5

Content:
Is the author knowledgeable? Yes
Is the knowledge valuable? Yes.
Is the knowledge new knowledge or is it common knowledge? Some of it is rather common. Pick up any book on Wicca, and you’ll probably get similar information.
Is it cohesive and relevant? Yes
Other notes: This book is geared to teens, so older pagans might feel talked down to when reading this book.
Overall: 4/5

Design/Layout:
Is the book set up for easy reference: Yes
Is the layout or design obnoxious or annoying? No.
Overall: 4/5

Overall:
Do you recommend this book? Yes
Was it worth the money? It costs about $14 on Chapters. I got my copy at Green Earth, and it was I think $13, so it’s not too expensive, and I’ve got a lot of use out of it for only $13.
Will You Purchase Other Books from this Author?: The cookbook looks interesting, so I might pick that up.
Overall: 12/15