Last night, I taught a class that focused on the different types of magick most commonly used by Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches. These categories were rather broad covering all the sub-types such as Rune Magick, Candle Magick, Cord Magick, etc. These are the several types of magick that encompass just about everything we do.
Imitative Magick - This type of magick, also sometimes referred to as sympathetic magick and vice versa, involves advanced visualization and meditation to bring about the fruition of the intended desire or spell. During your meditative state, you may wish to draw symbols and write out what you are trying to achieve with your spell. These symbols can be pagan symbols of deities, elements, zodiac symbols, sigils, runes, etc. This type of magick is usually used to enhance spells and can be used in conjunction with any other type of magick.
Sympathetic Magick - Also referred to as imitative magick, it employs the use of symbolic items that represent the intention of the spell. It also helps focus the direction of the spell. You may wish to use colors, candles, poppets, statues, and anything else that represents your spell. For example: I'm casting a spell in which I'm seeking financial prosperity. So I decide to use a green candle to represent money and wealth into which I carve money signs into. I meditate over this candle visualizing the smoke as it rises from the candle as money flowing towards me.
Contagious Magick - In this type of magick, you use personal belongings to bring about a goal. These belongings also link you to the spell or a person to the spell for which the spell is intended. These personal items can be blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions, small amulets, trinkets, and charms. You can use anything that has been touched by you or the person you are doing the spell for...or on. This type of magick is notorious in curses and hexes because it physically links the curse to that person specifically.
Personal Magick - This is magick specifically directed at oneself to help in healing or any other personal work.
Active Magick - This magick is directed outward to bring about a certain event for oneself or for another person. For example: My job spell is intended to help me land a job by getting an interview.
Passive Magick - These are qualities that one possesses that can also bring about change in a subtle way. These qualities are psychic abilities such as premonitions, lucid dreaming, astral projection, etc. Example: Premonitions help me see future outcomes. Because of this, I am able to change my future without having to perform a spell.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Effectiveness of Protective Circles
Protective Circles have been around for centuries from the Druids, to the Celts, to the Greeks, to the Egyptians. You can find remnants of Circles throughout history and stories told about them being used to ward off evil. These Circles are a projection of one's will power and personal boundaries to keep out negative energies. You can make the protective circle as strong as you wish for it to be; you are only limited by your imagination.
There are multiple ways to create a Protective Circle, however, this post isn't to focus on those ways but to talk about the mechanics of how they work. You can cast a Protective Circle with the elements or with simple salt and water, or by smudging your space. All of these ways are effective at keeping out negative energies, however, their degrees of strength vary. You would want to cast a stronger Protection Circle when doing full rituals involving spellwork versus just doing a simple meditation.
However, no Protection Circle will protect you if you are willingly summoning entities that could cause you harm such as demons, imps, faeries, etc. Some of these creatures can be helpful such as Fae folk but not all, and I would dare to say not even most, are here for your highest good. Even calling the Guardians of the Directions when you cast a ritual circle are considered you summoning them to your space. Unless you are specific and clear about what you are calling them for, then they will bring in all that you have allowed them too. Example:
If I am casting a ritual circle and calling upon the Guardians of the East, the powers of Earth, to come inside my circle without stipulations such as calling them for strength or grounding, then I am essentially letting them bring whatever they have to offer and that includes earthquakes and landslides. Same for if I am calling upon the West and the element of Water. Water may decide to bring in overly emotional baggage and drippy psychic influences along with hurricanes and tsunamis. This may seem extreme to some but don't underestimate the power of magic and the forces that you are dealing with.
If I call in the Fae folk to assist me with a spell and I don't tag on the phrase, "all those who are dedicated to my highest good" or something to that affect then I am inviting all the Fae of the world to come into my circle, the good, the bad, and the downright nasty. Be clear and specific about what you want. Negative energies are masters at finding loopholes in your wording and trust me, they will find them.
Protection circles, as I said, are extensions of your Will. If your Will involves you summoning anything into you space then you are using yourself as a gateway to allow those entities entrance past your protective barrier into your sacred space. Protective circles are only as strong as you are and are as effective as you allow them to be. Don't be flimsy with your magic otherwise your protection will be a reflection of that.
There are multiple ways to create a Protective Circle, however, this post isn't to focus on those ways but to talk about the mechanics of how they work. You can cast a Protective Circle with the elements or with simple salt and water, or by smudging your space. All of these ways are effective at keeping out negative energies, however, their degrees of strength vary. You would want to cast a stronger Protection Circle when doing full rituals involving spellwork versus just doing a simple meditation.
However, no Protection Circle will protect you if you are willingly summoning entities that could cause you harm such as demons, imps, faeries, etc. Some of these creatures can be helpful such as Fae folk but not all, and I would dare to say not even most, are here for your highest good. Even calling the Guardians of the Directions when you cast a ritual circle are considered you summoning them to your space. Unless you are specific and clear about what you are calling them for, then they will bring in all that you have allowed them too. Example:
If I am casting a ritual circle and calling upon the Guardians of the East, the powers of Earth, to come inside my circle without stipulations such as calling them for strength or grounding, then I am essentially letting them bring whatever they have to offer and that includes earthquakes and landslides. Same for if I am calling upon the West and the element of Water. Water may decide to bring in overly emotional baggage and drippy psychic influences along with hurricanes and tsunamis. This may seem extreme to some but don't underestimate the power of magic and the forces that you are dealing with.
If I call in the Fae folk to assist me with a spell and I don't tag on the phrase, "all those who are dedicated to my highest good" or something to that affect then I am inviting all the Fae of the world to come into my circle, the good, the bad, and the downright nasty. Be clear and specific about what you want. Negative energies are masters at finding loopholes in your wording and trust me, they will find them.
Protection circles, as I said, are extensions of your Will. If your Will involves you summoning anything into you space then you are using yourself as a gateway to allow those entities entrance past your protective barrier into your sacred space. Protective circles are only as strong as you are and are as effective as you allow them to be. Don't be flimsy with your magic otherwise your protection will be a reflection of that.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Ancient History of the Lyre
I've been very musically inclined recently. Music has an important part in Wicca and the Craft. It has been used to invoke, to heal, and to aid in raising energy. In this post, I would to list a couple of instruments that help invoke the elements before moving on to the lyre, an instrument that I am highly drawn to because of its immaculate history in mythology.
Instruments that invoke the Earth include the drums. All types of drums can be used in doing this. Drums symbolize the rhythm of the heartbeat and help tie or ground all the other instruments together. It's low vibrations are attuned to the heartbeat of the Earth Mother; the music soothes her and heals her.
Fire is invoked through the harmony of string instruments such as the guitar and lyre. This is fitting considering that Apollo, the Sun God, was said to be the master of the lyre. By strumming the strings with your passionate hands that you use to touch others intimately, you are invoking the element of fire.
Instruments that invoke water have deep emotional sounds such as the gong and bells. Bells are traditionally used in invoking the Watchtowers of the directions to be present within the sacred Circle. They are also used to signal the beginning and the end of raising energy, meditations, and signal other ritual work. These bells have rich tones invoking emotion in relation to water.
Air is invoked through wind instruments such as the flute. Our breath fills these instruments to incite wonderful high pitched sounds that can create a beautiful orchestra of sounds. Use these instruments to invoke air with the breath you offer through these instruments.
So now, finally, the lyre. The lyre is a string instrument played by the ancient Greeks and is possibly one of the most important instruments to them. Hermes is credited with creating the lyre that was meant to help him steal cattle from Apollo. When Apollo discovered the theft from his sacred herd, Hermes traded him the lyre to appease him. He eventually became a master at playing the lyre and was said to have taught the great musician, Orpheus.
Other to be seen with the lyre include Eros, the God of Love, and the muses. Most players of the lyre were male as it invokes a masculine element but there are mentions of female players. Achilles was also taught to play the lyre by the centaur Cheiron. Plato also considered the lyre to be the only instrument suitable for musical education.
So as we can see, the lyre is definitely an instrument of nobility and charm!
Instruments that invoke the Earth include the drums. All types of drums can be used in doing this. Drums symbolize the rhythm of the heartbeat and help tie or ground all the other instruments together. It's low vibrations are attuned to the heartbeat of the Earth Mother; the music soothes her and heals her.
Fire is invoked through the harmony of string instruments such as the guitar and lyre. This is fitting considering that Apollo, the Sun God, was said to be the master of the lyre. By strumming the strings with your passionate hands that you use to touch others intimately, you are invoking the element of fire.
Instruments that invoke water have deep emotional sounds such as the gong and bells. Bells are traditionally used in invoking the Watchtowers of the directions to be present within the sacred Circle. They are also used to signal the beginning and the end of raising energy, meditations, and signal other ritual work. These bells have rich tones invoking emotion in relation to water.
Air is invoked through wind instruments such as the flute. Our breath fills these instruments to incite wonderful high pitched sounds that can create a beautiful orchestra of sounds. Use these instruments to invoke air with the breath you offer through these instruments.
So now, finally, the lyre. The lyre is a string instrument played by the ancient Greeks and is possibly one of the most important instruments to them. Hermes is credited with creating the lyre that was meant to help him steal cattle from Apollo. When Apollo discovered the theft from his sacred herd, Hermes traded him the lyre to appease him. He eventually became a master at playing the lyre and was said to have taught the great musician, Orpheus.
Other to be seen with the lyre include Eros, the God of Love, and the muses. Most players of the lyre were male as it invokes a masculine element but there are mentions of female players. Achilles was also taught to play the lyre by the centaur Cheiron. Plato also considered the lyre to be the only instrument suitable for musical education.
So as we can see, the lyre is definitely an instrument of nobility and charm!
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Personal: New Book
So I haven't been making any Earth shattering posts about the Craft recently because I've been busy working on a new novel! As of right now, it would be considered in the young adult historical fiction genre and it's centered around the Loudon Witch Trials of France. If you're not familiar with this check out this website to give you a brief description here.
I don't want to give too much away yet but I've written about 7 chapters so far and it has a lot of plot twists. I've been writing it with a friend as well. We are trying to be historically accurate with how witches actually are.
Well that's it for now! I will do more updates soon!
I don't want to give too much away yet but I've written about 7 chapters so far and it has a lot of plot twists. I've been writing it with a friend as well. We are trying to be historically accurate with how witches actually are.
Well that's it for now! I will do more updates soon!
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Wand Woods and Their Meanings
There are many other woods out there other than the ones listed above that can be used to craft wands such as Yew. Depending on the intention of the wand, you may want to craft several as different woods possess different abilities. You wouldn't use a wand made from Black Walnut for healing as that type of wood would not be efficient (Black Walnut trees kill everything around them; plants can't grow around the tree). You would want to use a wood such as Rowan for that. You want to be conscious of this when making your wand selection this year!
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