Posts Tagged ‘spells’

Next in out series of interviews is the very prolific author, Judika Illes! In today’s interview, Judika talks about her love of magic, her many books and her diverse background.

Bernadette:
We would love to hear a little bit about your background Judika!  Many of your books deal with magic from many different backgrounds and cultures, so I’d love to hear about your background and influences!

Judika:
Well, I’m from Queens, one of New York City’s outer boroughs, which partially explains my comfort and familiarity with different cultures. Queens is reputedly the most ethnically-diverse place on Earth. I come from a fairly international family—I have relatives all over the place. I was the first person in my family to be born in the United States. I grew up with people from lots of different backgrounds, cultures, religions, and spiritual traditions, so I was raised to be tolerant and not make assumptions about people.
I think that personally I am a fairly good example of an urban magical practitioner. Magical practitioners from major urban centers like New York are constantly learning from each other, trading and sharing information, and evolving new traditions. The traditions I learned at home were mainly Central and Eastern European, but I was also heavily influenced by people who taught me African-American, Latin-American, Caribbean, North African, and East Asian traditions. Other influences on me include the great occult stores that flourished in New York City during my youth, before rising rents drove them out of business—great stores like Samuel Weiser’s Books and Magickal Childe, and all the botanicas and wonderful herb stores like Aphrodisia, which just closed recently. Growing up, there was also an unofficial but strong and distinct local New York style of magic, mainly an amalgamation of Western occultism and Puerto Rican traditions, especially Espiritismo—I’m very much a product of my background.

Bernadette:

Tell us about what inspires you to write Judika.  Your books are great sources of information for anyone interested in metaphysics.  How do you go about compiling and researching all information that needed to complete the books that you write?

Judika:

What inspires me to write is my love for my topics. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to write about subjects I love, like spells and witchcraft, saints and spirits. I enjoy the researching process- that part is fun and I would do it for myself, whether I was published or not.
Writing itself is difficult, but I feel an obligation to my material, to preserve it and also to present it in the clearest possible way, so that readers can share in my passions. I love divination, for instance, and I want other people to love it, too. My motivations aren’t entirely unselfish—I think that there’s greater safety for my community of magical practitioners and fortune-tellers if the greater public really understands what it is that we do. Historically, it has been dangerous to practice these arts, as it still is in some places today. I hope that my writing helps dispel fear and misinformation.
My research derives from a combination of personal exploration, learning from books and learning from other people. By nature, I’m a fairly shy person, but I’m a fearless researcher. I contact perfect strangers, if I perceive that they have information needed for one of my books or if I need someone to teach me something or explain something to me—I’ve made some wonderful friends this way.

Bernadette:

Do you have “other” interests or hobbies?

Judika:

Oh, yeah, lots—although whether I have time to devote to them depends on my writing schedule. I love beading and cooking. I read a lot just for my own pleasure: history, mysteries, comic books, art books. I love music. I like to watch movies. I tend to accumulate stuff- I’m an avid collector, especially of witchcraft-themed items like postcards and dolls. I love traveling. Given the opportunity, I’d do all my own field research, if I could.

Bernadette:

What’s in the future for Judika?  What projects do you have coming up?

Judika:

My next book, The Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saint, and Sages will be published in November 2011. It’s another thousand-page encyclopedia, this one exploring saints, holy people, and miracle-workers from many spiritual traditions. It’s a practical work, similar to my Encyclopedia of Spirits, containing information regarding how to venerate and communicate with a wide variety of saints, as well as information on how to determine which saints are most compatible with you and helpful for your own particular problems and issues. I’m also in the process of updating my website and, hopefully, doing some more teaching. Having spent much of the last ten years alone in a room writing, I really appreciate opportunities for personal contact. I have some new classes in the works that I’m very excited about.

Bernadette:

Is there a book that you would like to write, but haven’t done so yet?

Judika:

I would actually like to write some fiction someday—I have a few novels turning around in my head that haven’t made it onto paper yet. I also have several half-completed books. The Encyclopedia of Spirits was initially going to incorporate saints and angels alongside Pagan spirits but the manuscript grew too big. The easiest way to trim it was to delete these categories with the hope that someday they would have their own books. The Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints, and Sages will be published in November and hopefully the angels will one day have their own encyclopedia, too.
I began my writing career with a large work on fertility that remains unpublished. That manuscript contains a chapter of magic spells. A publisher rejected the book, but liked that chapter, which evolved into my first published work, Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spellcasting. I would very much like to eventually publish my fertility book.

Bernadette:

I wanted to let people know about your musical background..can you tell us a little about that?

Judika:

I know that’s something we share, Bernadette! My first true loves were music, magic spells, and divination and they remain so today. Some of my earliest memories involve listening to music on the radio and eventually I became a disc jockey. I started off hosting a blues show, but also did standard rock programs and would sometimes fill in for the country and jazz hosts. My taste is eclectic. As with the magical arts, I love and appreciate many styles of music. I was the first female music director of WRSU-FM, the radio station affiliated with Rutgers University. In terms of the craft of writing, the writers who have influenced me the most are the music journalists of the ‘70s, who wrote with clarity and humor and were not afraid to wear their passions on their respective sleeves. When I was eighteen, my career plans involved these musically-oriented paths, but free-form radio was in its death-throes, as was that sort of music journalism, so I ended up on different paths, although, who knows? Radio has evolved and I may return to it someday. The urge to share music with other people spills out of me on facebook, where I’m constantly posting music news and sharing youtube videos.

Bernadette:

How do you feel about the pagan community today?

Judika:

I try to approach people as individuals, regardless of their background. I think that we are blessed to live in a spiritual renaissance and that we should be ever-vigilant to preserve hard-won liberties. I think that it’s crucial that we cultivate tolerance for each other.

Bernadette:

Any advice for aspiring pagan writers?
Judika:

People are constantly writing to me, telling me what book they think I should write next—sometimes describing these books in great detail. And what I always tell them is that if you can “see” a book that doesn’t yet exist, then maybe you’re meant to be the one that writes it. That’s how I began my career—I perceived a need for a book and I could “see” the book that would fulfill that need. If you can see it, then you can write it. This is a good time for spiritual publishing, so don’t wait. If you have a book in your head, put it down on paper. Just write it— it’s easier to fix or embellish something that already exists, rather than agonize over words in your head. My other word of advice is to consider the format in which you would like to present your work. If you hope to actually publish something in book form—whether in a traditional book or an e-book—then don’t post too much of the actual work on the internet: save it for the book itself.

This interview was such a pleasure to do!  Judika’s books have become the”mainstay” of anyone who is interested in the study of spells and magic.  I refer to her books on a daily basis!

Here are just some of her many books:

http://www.judikaIlles.com

You might not have heard of it: But you should celebrate it!

Of all the saint’s days in April, or perhaps even year round, none is more celebrated the world over than St. George’s Day on April 23rd. One of the most popular saints, he is also one of the most historically interesting and magickally relevant.

St. George’s mythological background makes him a perfect introduction to the power of the saints in all forms of magick, not just the Christian forms of worship figures like saints and angels are often superficially ascribed to. Saints, like George, act as intermediaries with the divine, and in a sense are basically the demi-gods of monotheistic religion. They are akin to the mortal heroes of other ages, like Hercules or Asclepius in Greek myth, whose actions raised them above mankind and up to the divine plain where they became patrons of art, medicine, and man in their own right. Saints are a loophole in Christian doctrine which allows for the worship of many, while still following the path of one god. Saints are also representative of older gods and ancient myths which were modernized and made palatable to the predominantly Christian western world over the last 1500 years.

Regardless of this seeming demotion, the divine spirit of the figure is not diminished; it has simply experienced its own kind of zeitgeist renaissance. In all of these regards, saints are a powerful force to have on your side and can be called on for specialized tasks associated with their myriad patronages. These patronages are usually things they were associated with in life or are areas which the symbolism of their story might draw parallels with; for instance the patron saint of television and its associated industry, St. Claire, earned the association because of the vivid visions of faraway events she purportedly experienced during her life. Or take St. George himself, he is very widely held as a patron of militant leagues and battles as he himself was a soldier in life. But the idea of him as a fighter has spread beyond to symbolically indicate his role in all types of struggles and he is now rather well known for his invocation by those fighting disease.

But who was St. George?

St. George was a Roman soldier from ancient Palestine in the third century AD. Hagiographers (those studying hagiography: the lives and writings of the saints) indicate he was most likely a historic personage in the guard of the Emperor Diocletian (244-311 AD), an emperor notorious for his persecutions of early Christians. In the most popular and most likely scenario of those involving his real life story, George refused to offer up a sacrifice to the gods of the Roman Empire (a type of refusal which was one of the primary issues of discontent between the Roman Empire and monotheistic cults like Christianity and Judaism). When bribery to coerce his sacrifice failed, he was tortured and purportedly killed three times, all the while refusing to renounce his faith and allegiance to the Christian god. Supposedly his devotion to his cause was so moving, that the pagan priest and writer Athanasius and a potentially fictional consort of Diocletian, the so-called Empress Alexandra, were converted on the spot and were executed alongside George.

By the end of the fourth century AD, his worship was popular in the Near East, particularly in George’s native Palestine and in Turkey. He was canonized (made a saint) in the 4th century in 494 AD by Pope Gelasius I. But it was the Crusaders in the Middle Ages who made St. George so popular and by their time, St. George’s story had expanded to include what is today its most prominent and romantic element: George’s encounter with a dragon.

Legend has it that during George’s travels with the Roman legionnaires, George found himself in Lydda in Palestine (potentially also his hometown) where a fearsome dragon was holding the town’s water supply hostage. The townspeople had been distracting if with an offering of a sheep a day in order to sneak past it to collect water. But eventually the dragon had tired of sheep (or they had run out of them) and the town had started sacrificing its young woman to the dragon: one a day. The maidens were chosen for sacrifice by lot, and as it happens, the day George strolled into town was the day a local princess was being offered up. George promptly stepped in between the dragon and the princess, crossed himself (hence his emblem the St. George’s cross, which is prominently featured on the flags of the United Kingdom), killed the dragon and rescued the princess. Some legends have him briefly marrying the princess (who is occasionally given the name Sabra) before rejoining the army in order to make it back to Diocletian in time for his later martyrdom; others have him monastically denying her devotion and the reward of her hand in marriage to pursue his celibate military life.

The ancient region of Lydda is also known for another, older, dragon slaying legend and princess rescue scenario. The Greek hero Perseus supposedly rescued the princess Andromeda just off the coast of modern day Jaffa there. You can actually go out on a boat tour to view certain rock formation on the seabed that are meant to be the remains of the dragon. The close region-ality of the two stories seems too coincidental to be anything but the same story, reworked for a new era. The St. George and the dragon version preserves the local legend without the pagan undertones that would have gotten the locals in trouble during the Middle Ages. Adding to the historical veracity of the tale, in several medieval versions of the story, the lance which George uses to slay the dragon is named Ascalon, a French re-working of the city name of Ashkelon, which is just down the coast from modern day Jaffa. Both were at various times included in the regional control of Lydda, though Ashkelon was closer to the sources of metal and therefore weapons and may well have been where a historical George got his historical lance. Despite the distance the tale travelled it is most intriguing that even subsidiary elements of the story remain, even in versions where the actions have been transplanted locally.

Several other anthropological and psychological theories regarding the myth are often cited in the hagiography of St. George. Among others, they include the idea that the dragon is an allegory of an evil cult which included human sacrifice and which the George/Perseus character symbolically “kills.” And there is the fabulous idea that even the Perseus myth was itself a reworking of earlier stories, and that the hero originated as an even more ancient Indo-European god-hero figure or amalgamation thereof. Most often noted in this concept is the Thracian sky god Sabazios. This empowers the figure of St. George even more so by making this seemingly Christian medieval figure in actuality a later face of one of the oldest deities known to man.

As such, it is appropriate that he is venerated so widely around the world. He is the patron saint of Genoa, Georgia, Germany, Gozo, Greece, Istanbul, Lithuania, Malta, Moscow, Netherlands, Palestine, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Venice. He is also known as the patron of shepherds, horses, equestrians, warriors, battles, farmers, fighting diseases (all and specifically snakebites, syphilis, herpes, and leprosy).

How is the day of St. George celebrated?

In the United Kingdom, St. George’s day is the National holiday, akin to the USA’s 4th of July, and the flag of St. George is displayed proudly by all, especially by pubs, shops, and civic buildings. He is also considered the patron saint of the British royal family, despite the fact that few of his regal namesakes were particularly successful (George III for instance went notoriously mad). Churches throughout the land have their parishioners sing a hymn called ‘Jerusalem.’ This particular hymn is actually a poem by the Romantic luminary William Blake and is quite similar to earlier Celtic poetry in terms of its structure and its invocation of objects and elements to fight a larger goal. Its concluding lines are particularly evocative:

Bring me my bow of burning gold;
Bring me my arrow of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental flight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand:
Till we have built Jerusalem,
In England’s green and pleasant land.”

Incidentally the poem is arguably an early ‘green’ poem in that Blake is arguing against the ruin caused by the “dark Satanic” mills of the Industrial Revolution and for the preservation of the vibrant British landscape of earlier days. Although not celebrated as such in England, it is quite fitting that such an environmentally friendly/springtime message be associated with St. George, for in the Eastern Orthodox Church he is venerated exactly as such. Balkan nations like Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia celebrate Durdevdan in his honor and in honor of Spring. Villages hold festivals, light bonfires, and often incorporate a parade of maidens dressed in flowers who sing throughout the town and country; and which is reminiscent of early Slavic rites: particularly those regionally associated with the Slavic goddess of rain Dodulya. Most Eastern orthodox celebrations of St. George also feature a lamb dinner, in honor of his role as a patron of shepherds, and perhaps as a remnant of ancient pagan rites which sacrificed a lamb to the coming spring. Local homes are decorated with flowers, particularly blooming twigs, and the outside of homes are washed with water. Western European nations of the Iberian Peninsula have similar festivities: including a parade re-enactment of St. George’s battle against the dragon, and again, the habit of washing the outside walls of their home in a literal interpretation of the idea of ‘spring cleaning.’

The Catalan region of Spain takes the day of St. George a step further and considers it a day of love, akin to what most of the world would associate with St. Valentine’s Day in February. On La Diada de Sant Jordi as it is known in Catalan, men traditionally give the women they love roses and women give the men in their lives books (although in the modern age conventions have altered with the times and often both gifts are given in conjunction to members of both sexes). This use of books as part of a festival was so intriguing, that in its honor and combined with the coincidental factors that April 23rd was also supposedly Shakespeare’s birthday and the day author Miguel Cervantes died, UNESCO declared April 23rd the International Day of the Book. It may be a modern politically motivated holiday, but no matter how contrived, it amplifies the spiritual power of the day.

And how should you celebrate the day of St. George? Combine a few of the elements above. Give a rose wedged in a book to your loved ones. Wash the outside of your house and decorate your sacred space with budding twigs. Have lamb for dinner, or fried Calocybe Gambosa, the St. George’s mushroom, so named for its appearance in the British woodlands around the time of St. George’s day. Mushrooms in general will do in a pinch, but you might be able to find the real delicious deal at local farmers’ markets.

There are also two very personal ways you can invoke St. George and bring him to your aid. In the first, you can adapt a traditional Catholic novena ritual to your own purposes. A novena is a candle ritual whereby you light a candle in the saint’s colors or featuring the saint’s emblems (so in this case carve a cross of St. George into your candle), nine days in a row, each time offering up the same prayer and respect. Burn a bit of an herb sacred to that saint (for St. George go for dried mushrooms or spring flowers) and let the remaining bit of the herb set into the melting candle wax) for extra oomph. Additionally you can increase the power of the calling by starting your novena on the 15th of April so that the ninth day is St. George’s day itself on the 23rd.

The other way to appeal to St. George is via the visualization provided by saints’ cards. Often given out at churches, they feature iconic images of the saints and background information or guided prayers on the back. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of the images churches choose to put on these handy dandy cards, so I make my own instead using artwork I like on the front face. Museums are my favorite hunting ground for personalized saints’ cards. Often fine arts museums sell postcard reproductions of their paintings; and whenever I see a pretty painting of a saint in the Renaissance or Medieval section of the Museum that I like, I make sure to buy a postcard of it later in the gift shop. I picked up my St. George card at the National Gallery in London where they have the Gustave Moreau painting featured in the article and sent it to myself. You can use half of the card to write down details of the saint and his life, and on the other half: write him or her a personalized letter requesting their aid in one of their attributed specializations (and don’t forget your address if you send them to yourself or to others). And then when you want to invoke them, use your personalized saints card on your altar as a visual focus; or keep it there permanently as a constant reminder of the saint’s guidance and aid in your life.

Whichever ways you to choose to celebrate this erudite holiday, many happy wishes to you and for the Spring ahead!

References:

Boas, G., 1952. St. George and the Dragon. English Oxford Journal 9(50): 42-45.

Riches, S. 2000. Saint George: Hero, Martyr, Myth. Stroud: Sutton Publishing.

Romans, C. 1996. Saint George, Catalonia’s Patron Saint & Symbol. Catalonia 1996 (45).

Selton, K.M., 1973. Saint George’s Head. Speculum 48(1), 1-12.

When we work with candles, whether it’s for spell work, meditation, devotionals or just our altar candle, we can add some herbs to them to make some amazing magickal tools.  What I’m going to share with you is a method of working with candles that involved oils, herbs and a few other elements that I personally have been using for years with great success.  It was one of the first methods of working with candles that I ever learned for spellwork.  I had never thought of it as being too much until I started to share it with others and they felt I was making too many steps.  I think it works great and if you’re into working with herbs and crystals as well as candles, this could be a great way to mix them all together with some magickal intent and personal power.

Obviously the first thing that you’ll need to do is come up with a purpose for your candle spell.  We’re going to work with the idea of creating a money drawing candle. For this we’re going to need some items; the first thing that you’re going to want is the most obvious item, your candle.

Color: When you’re picking your candle you need to make a few considerations.  The first thing is pick your color.  In the case of a money spell you can use green or gold; some people use shades or yellow.  Pick whatever color and shade of that color says “money” to you.  Many people recommend that you use a candle that is a solid color all the way through; you can tell this by scratching just a small chip off the bottom of the candle with your nail.  Personally, while I also prefer solid colored candles, I don’t think that a dipped candle with a white inside will harm or detract from your work.  So if you can’t find a solid candle and can only get a dipped one, I say don’t worry.

Shape and Size: Next you’ll need to pick what form you want this candle to take.  First consider how long you want to let the candle burn for.  Ideally you want to burn the candle down when you light it.  One of my personal favorites for this sort of candle work is the large, 7 day jar candles.  These, depending on your living situation, can be safely burned without having to extinguish and relight.  However, I will say that it is always best to err on the side of caution and snuff them out and relight them (we’ll talk about this later).  Some jar candles are not designed to come out of the jars, so look for ones that can be removed, sometimes sold as “pull out candles”.  You can use this method with any shape candle but the best are either the large 7 day jar candles, jumbo tapers, or votives if you need something that will burn for a shorter amount of time.

Herbs, Oils and Crystals: Pick some herbs, I personally like to use three, an oil and a crystal that correspond to your intention.  The amount of herbs you’ll use will vary based on both the size of the candle and the number of herbs that you decide to work with.  You’re going to need enough to cover you candle, full a portion of your candle, and have some either in the jar or holder.  Before you start working with putting any of this together, you’re going to want to know if the herbs are safe to burn.  Check some references online or books like Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs to be sure about how safe the herbs are for burning ensuring they aren’t toxic or explosive (things like seeds or Vesta powder wouldn’t be a good choice since they will pop and explode which can break glass and other items.

You’re going to want to pick an oil that corresponds to the purpose of your work and you’ll need enough to cover you candle well.  You’ll need more than just a few drops like you might use for your usual candle anointing.  I tend to use a palm-full for the larger candles.

Next, pick a crystals.  The stone is going to be used with the candle but it’s also going to become a talisman for you after the candle has burned down.

A Few Other Things You’ll Need:
Something to carve your candle with
A slip of parchment or plain paper
A pen or quill and ink
A small dish, which needs to be larger than the opening of your candle jar, that you can burn some of your herbs on
Glitter (this is optional but it’s fun, especially if you’re doing something like money magick)

Preparing Your Items:

The first thing you’ll want to do is physically clean everything; the candle holder/jar, the candle itself, and the crystal.  Cleanse the crystal in whatever way is best for that stone.  Let it air dry and use whatever method you use for charging and programing your stone.  For this example I’m going to be walking you through steps for using a jar candle since this is what I typically would be working with.  You can certainly make whatever adjustments you need to make based on what I give you here.

Take the candle out of the jar and with warm water (warm but not hot).  Use a drop or two of liquid soap and wash out the inside and outside of the jar.  Let it air dry completely.

Next, with a small bowl of lukewarm water, take a cotton ball or soft cloth, dampen it and then completely wipe down the entire candle.  Set the candle aside and also let this air dry completely.

While you’re waiting for things to dry, take this time to charge your herbs and set up your altar.  When you’re doing this sort of work, I personally think incorporating color as much as possible is very helpful.  Use an altar cloth that corresponds to the intent and if you have specific types of tools or other items that you might work with when doing (in this case) money magick.  Set your altar and then work to charge your herbs.  You don’t need to grind them to a powder but if you are using herbs that are large, like star anise for example, you’ll want to grind them to a size that will be safe for burning.

Crafting Your Candle:

Once your candle and jar are dry, gather everything you’ll need at your altar.  Keep the candle out of the jar.

In your power hand, hold some of your herbs and bless them, including some words and visualization of your intention.  Take your herbs and on the small plate form a pile with a peek to it.  Light it and let the herbs start to smolder.  Blow out the flame and cover the herbs with the jar so that the smoke will fill the inside of the jar completely.  Once the jar is full and clouded with smoke, hold the jar with one hand and the dish with the other and flip them so the herbs fall to the bottom of the jar and the dish is on top of the jar opening.  Let it sit like this while you work with your candle so that the herbs can finish smoldering and any smoke that is inside the jar will settle naturally.

Next, take your carving tool and carve a symbol representing your goal in the side of the candle.  This can be a single symbol, like in our case a large dollar sign, or you can work with a sigil, a seal, or create an image of your own out of multiple symbols, like a dollar sign topped with a crown for success.  While you’re doing this visualize your goal.  If you have a specific word or chant that suits your needs, use that as well.  As long as your intent is clear, your wording will fall in line with your work natrually.  The key here though is to carve deeply.  You’ll want to make sure that you go over your carving a number of times so that you’ll have a nice, deep groove in the candle that your herbs will be able be able to stick in the inside the candle.

Once you’re done carving you’ll want to get your oil and pour a good amount into your hand.  The oil is not only going to charge your candle and infuse it with energy and power, it’s going to also help herbs adhere to your candle.  Use both hands to rub the oil deeply into the candle.  Do this with intention and purpose.  Now is a great time for changing, visualizing, raising energy and directing that energy with intent into your candle.  In the case of our money spell we would rub the candle in long, downward strokes because we’re working on something that we want to draw toward us.  If we were working on a spell to break a bad habit, for example, we’d rub the candle from bottom to top to send this energy away from us.  Rub the candle with oil, adding more as you need to, until the candle is shiny with oil and filled with energy.

Now you’re ready for your herbs.  Take the herbs in your hand and begin filling the carving with herbs.  This can be tricky depending on how wide and deep you carved your symbols.  Do your best, and once the carving is filled, sprinkle herbs around the rest of the candle surface.  Don’t worry if they don’t stick real well because you’ll be putting herbs around the candle and on top of it once it’s in the jar. If you’re going to work with glitter as well, you can add that on the candle now as well.

When you’re done with the herbs, take the plate off the top of the jar and place the candle in the jar on top of the herbs that you burned. Anoint the top of the candle and sprinkle herbs deosil around the top of candle.  Take some of the herbs and, if there is space between the candle and the glass, try and sprinkle some down the sides as well.

Take your slip of parchment and write out a written spell with your intent in whatever words you wish.  Use runes and symbols as well if you’d like.  Anoint the four corners of the paper with oil and place it under your candle jar.  Hold your crystal in your power hand and take a moment to also anoint it and infuse it with energy.  Place the stone in front of your candle.

You’re just about ready to light your candle.  Take a few moments to visualize your intent, say some words of intention calling on whatever God, Goddess or spirit ally you’d like to aid you if you wish.  When you have the image of your intent fully in your mind, light your candle.  When you light the candle visualize it releasing your power and intent, directing your desires to your goals.  Let the  candle burn for as long as you can.  If you can let it burn completely, that’s perfect, but if not you can snuff it (not blow it out) and then relight it when you’re ready to continue.  When you do, relight it with purpose, taking time to focus on your goals and purpose just as you did initially.

When the candle burns out completely, there are two things that you can do.  If your spell hasn’t manifested as you desire yet, take the parchment, crystal, wax remnants, and any left over herbs into an appropriately colored spell bag and carry it with you until it does.  When it does you can take the crystal out of the bag and either cleanse it to reuse for another time and burn the other items.  If when your candle burns down your spell has manifested as you wish, you can burn the paper slip and any other left over herbs, taking the stone to cleanse for reuse later.  In either case, scatter the ashes in a natural body of running water or to the winds.  Recycle the candle jar or you can clean it out and use it with another candle in the future.

With regards to the crystal, in some cases people don’t like to reuse stones for spells or other work once they’ve been used like this.  If you wish, you can take the stone and bury it in the earth or toss it in a river, lake or ocean.

The method here is a nice and involved way for you to really collect and work with energy to add some oomph to candle magick and it’s a great way to add in herbs to candle work.  The steps I’ve given you here are vague in some regards on purpose so you can work to create your own spells with your own personal touch.  Years after I learned this method, I discovered a book that works with an almost identical method but expands on it adding a few other elements that I have found to be really interesting to work with.  The book is called “The Enchanted Candle” by Lady Rhea and Eve LeFey; I don’t believe it’s still being published but it can probably be found on eBay or used through Amazon.com.  The authors have a second book that is still in print called “The Enchanted Formulary” which is a great addition to give you some help with creating wonderful oils and potions for your candle spells.

So take this and have fun with it, be creative and let the act of crafting your spell candles be just as magickal as the rituals you use them in.

We’ve talked a little about magickal timing over the last handful of blogs and it’s one of those aspects of magickal work that can either be extremely simplistic or can get horribly complicated.  Some people work just with the phases of the moon, others work down to the planetary hour that is most approperiate for their work.  Learning to work with magickal timing can take years but it’s simple enough to start out with the small stuff.  If you’ve been working with magick for even just a handful of months you know the power of working with the cycles of the moon.  Let’s expand on that a bit and look at working with the moon when it is in specific zodiac signs.

Most of the Pagan or magickally themed wall or desk calendars, like the Llewellyn Witches’ Calendar, will tell you what phase the moon is in, astrologically speaking, on a daily basis.  It does this by placing the symbol of the phase next to the little moon icon, along with the time that the moon enters this sign.  Having a calendar that shows these little icons can help you to know at a glance what sign the moon is in on a specific day helping to make planning certain spells or rituals quite easy.

Void Of Course

The time when the moon is actually moving from one sign to another is called Void Of Course.  Each month the moon moves through all twelve signs of the zodiac and usually stays in a single sign for at least two days but never more than three days.  While the moon is orbiting and it comes to the point of being near the end of a sign, it will transition out of the last aspect of a sign and will have a period of not being connected to an aspect of any planet.  When this happens we call this a Void Of Course Moon.  The amount of time that the moon can be in a Void state can be a few seconds or minutes to a few days depending things like the location of the planets.  This can be a time of feeling generally disconnected and some people really can feel that the moon isn’t “attached”, as it were, to a sign.  This can be a good time to work on centering and focusing yourself so that we don’t feel that sense of disconnectedness in our personal lives.

The other reading that the Void Of Course Moon is important is in spellwork.  When the moon is in this Void phase and unconnected to a sign and planetary aspect it’s better to focus on the self than try and work with other energies that we might wish to aid our magick.  So if you really wanted to work on a love spell but the moon is Void of Course, rather than in the sign of Leo which connects with the elements of love, you might find that either nothing happens or you have a lot of stagnation or problems as a result.  The energy of having the moon in Leo would certainly aid your spell whereas with the moon being Void it isn’t lending any of that other energy to your work.

Can you do spells when the moon is Void?  Absolutely!  But if you’re looking to start working with magickal timing, this is one of the times you would want to plan around and you’ll find that working with the moon in specific signs will add some great energy to your work.

The Moon and the Signs

First, you’ll want to make yourself familiar with the signs of the zodiac as far as visual symbols go.  If you’re going to be looking at a quick glance calendar to see what phase the moon is in, this will be important.

Moon In Aquarius

The sign of Aquarius is ruled by the planet Uranus which often brings with it a desire for freedom and the unconventional.  When the moon comes into this sign we might notice that there is more of an interest from people to care for others and to pay attention to things happening within the community.  There can be a general sense of wanting to ensure that others, in a social sense, are cared for.  People might seem friendlier, but in a somewhat generic way; someone in your office building who normally never notices you coming around the corner to the elevator every day at the same time to leave the building might suddenly look up and see you and stop to hold the door for you.  It’s not anything personal toward you specifically but just a general tendency to want to be nicer.  People will seem more intellectual than emotional making this a good time to deal with issues that could become heated and makes it a great time for expressing your own personal and unique views on an issue or project since your sense of freedom will be more accepted.

Keywords for the Moon in Aquarius – humanitarian, stubborn

Moon in Aries

When the moon is in the sign of Aries people tend to much more enthusiastic and energetic.  But with that also comes some of the usual Aries traits of selfishness and forcefulness.  The sign of Aries is ruled by Mars and this can be a time of progress on projects and work but it can also become a time of a lot of head-butting.  Being careful not to do or say things strictly on impulse during a time when the moon is in Aries can help to cut back on some of the heated debates and flare-ups that can happen between people at this time.  Aries is very much a ruler of the head, the ego and the persona, so now is a time to be aware of how something you do or say can effect someone in that way.

Keywords for the Moon in Aries – temperamental, energetic

Moon in Cancer

The sign of Cancer is ruled by the Moon itself which means that this is a time when lunar influences and energy will be the strongest.  You’ll find that this is a time of very strong emotions and high sensitivity for most people.  This is not the best time to deal with issues that could get over emotional; this is a time when people will express and deal with things specifically through their emotions.  Being really careful to pick your words and be aware of how you handle other’s emotions is important now.  Most people will be very passive during this phase; they’ll be easy going, loving and very sentimental.  This can be an especially good time to work with that extra lunar and emotional energy through spells and meditations aimed at nurturing loving elements of relationships as well as nurturing one’s psychic abilities.

Keywords for the Moon in Cancer – warm, sensitive

Moon in Capricorn

Capricorn is influenced by the planet Saturn, and here we find that material interests and things like work and responsibility become important at the forsaking of the spiritual.  There is a feeling here of wanting to gain and develop status and financial security, so people often find that this is a time that concentrating on moving up in their career is important, or it the urge to ask for a raise may happen.  This can also be a time when those around us, especially colleagues, might seem to be a little cruel, cold and callous, but it’s because they’re focused on looking out for number one; themselves.  It’s not uncommon to find people feeling somewhat pessimistic and negative during this time and for there to be an overall feeling of low energy.

Keyword for the Moon in Capricorn – self-interests, ambition

Moon in Gemini

When the Moon comes into Gemini people will often find that their decision making skills completely elude them.  Gemini, which is the sign of the twins, often gives us a great ability to see both sides of every situation.  While this is a wonderful thing in some regards it comes with this inability to pick between two different courses of action.  Ruled by Mercury, this is a good time for focusing on communication, which is also enhanced by this ability to see things from all sides.  Issues that at other times seem so one-sided will have greater depth now.  This is also a good time to have any heart to heart discussions or important conversations with others because there is a good dose of rationality during this phase and people will be more likely to think a little before they speak or take action.

Keywords for the Moon in Gemini – quick wit, adaptable

Moon in Leo

At the time when the Moon comes into Sun ruled Leo, a desire to love, passion and romance is often felt.  It’s not uncommon for people to feel a desire to do or say thing very dramatic with regards to their feelings about another at this time.  Sudden confessions of love, sending and receiving flowers, even a surprise proposal are never out of the question during the Moon’s time in Leo.  The power of the Sun through Leo often helps put a sunny outlook on things and a desire for warmth and enjoyment is felt along with the sort of slow, laziness that is typical on a hot, late summer day.  It’s a time to show gentleness and kindness to those around you.

Keywords for the Moon in Leo – ambitious, enthusiastic

Moon in Libra

Libra, ruled by Venus, gives us an energy of tolerance, friendliness and beauty.  When the Moon comes into Libra people will often find themselves feeling strong attractions to others around them, especially when it means that this person will help bring some balance into their lives.  This is a time focused on marriage, partnerships, friendships and union.  Teamwork is the emphasis and balance is the goal.  This is a great time for socializing since people will feel naturally more open to those around them but there will still be a sense of wanting to use these connections to benefit the self.  So it might not be uncommon to find that someone attends a dinner party at this time and spend most of the night chatting up an individual that is there who happens to be part of the same line of work.  This is also a great time for working on spells or work related to art as an expression of beauty, as well as working on the idea of beauty of the self.

Keywords for the Moon in Libra – courteous, humble

Moon in Pisces

Neptune rules the sign of Pisces and creates a strong psychic current, especially when the Moon comes into this phase.  Imaginations will be high and sensitivity to creative expressions such as music, movies and art are also found now.  This can be a time of high emotions and intuition as well as a time of feeling somewhat self-sacrificing.  Some people can find that this is a time where they feel very emotionally and spiritually vulnerable and they may decide to withdraw into themselves instead of being out connecting with others.  Yet there are those who crave this kind of interaction and will find that they wish to use this time of heightened awareness as a way to express themselves to others.  For those that are more obviously psychic it’s not uncommon to experience more profound visions or have more vivid dreams during this time.  This is a great time for working magick related to psychic development, dream magick and doing past life work.

Keywords for the Moon in Pisces – psychic, artistic

Moon in Sagittarius

When the Moon is in Sagittarius there is a feeling of restlessness and a need for change.  Some people might find they have a sudden urge to get in the car and drive off into the mountains and go hiking for no reason while others might find themselves getting on a plane and traveling when  they had no previous plans to do so.  This is a time for adventure, taking changes and doing things spontaneously.  There is also a sense of working off one’s intuition and letting that be their only guide.  During this time some people may find that it’s an ideal point to start work aimed at self-improvement.  The influencing of ruling Jupiter can make some people feel very enthusiastic and this can something come in the form of wanting to start new educational pursuits ranging from reading new books to wanting to take a self-improvement course.

Keywords for the Moon in Sagittarius – optimistic, traditional

Moon in Scorpio

Scorpio is ruled by both Mars and Pluto, but with Pluto not being considered a planet anymore, some might debate what is the real ruling force of Scorpio.  These two planets lend some very strong energies to this sign; Mars brings passion and Pluto brings desire.  This can be a time when people can be particularly aggressive in order to get what they want as well as being somewhat argumentative and critical.  Impatience and moodiness are common traits during the Moon in Scorpio.   This can be a really tough time for interacting with others since people can be quick to insult and quick to anger.  Jealousy can pop up easily around this time as well.  Starting relationships now is really tricky but if you’re in one and you’re both looking to really strengthen it, this can be a great time for working together to do that.

Keywords for the Moon in Scorpio – self-confident, psychic

Moon in Taurus

Taurus is a known as the sign of the bull, so it’s not that big of a surprise to know that a “bull-headed” nature is highly likely during this time.  People can become overprotective, especially of themselves, during this time and the need to ensure job security can be high.  This is a good time to wrap up loose ends on any projects that you might be working on.  Since people can get a bit stubborn during this phase, now is a good time to take a step back and enjoy a few days of personal quiet time so that if someone is getting a bit “bull-headed” they can ram their way through whatever they’re dealing with without hitting you in the process.

Keywords for the Moon in Taurus – Stolid, hardworking

Moon in Virgo

Virgo is ruled by Mercury, much like Gemini, and has some common qualities.  Much like Gemini it’s also a good time for intellectual and educational projects but this is more of a time to work on the details of those projects rather than the creative part.  When the Moon was in Gemini we might have conceived our new idea, like to write a book, but when the Moon hits Virgo, now is the time to start to hammer out the specifics or to start doing serious research into our subject matter.  People can get a little shy or quiet during this time and others might find that they are overly critical of others.  This is a really good time to focus on matters in the home as well.

Keywords for the Moon in Virgo – clever, meticulous

These keywords and understanding the influences of days and times when the Moon happens to be influenced by a specific sign of the zodiac can help you add some extra energy to your magickal work and meditations by using these traits to draw some focus.  For example, work love magick when the Moon is in Leo, work to increase your psychic ability during the Moon’s visits to Pisces and Scorpio, or try working magick to open yourself up to being more empathic with others when the Moon is in Cancer.  With the use of a calendar that displaces astrological information, like the Llewellyn calendar, it’s a snap to bring this little bit of magickal timing into your ritual work.

The act of “casting charms”, a term sometimes used for working with amulets and talismans, is

one that many beginners and seasoned practitioners of magick and the Craft work with on a regular basis.  Some do it with intent, some are doing it without even knowing it.  The terms amulet and talisman are often used interchangeably but they are two distinct and different magickal devices.  Learning to identify each and answering the “which is which” question can help to open up a doorway for better understanding of how to work with these charms while helping you to create some powerful personal magickal devices.

What is an amulet?
Amulets are one of the oldest magickal items that we know of.  For thousands of years they have been used to help protect individuals, the homes and even other objects.  Amulets are objects, often worn as ornamentation or used to appear decorative in the home, which have been enchanted with spells or charged with energy, with the specific purpose of protecting someone or some place from evil, harm or negative forces and energy.

One of the most well known curses, that of the Evil Eye, has had amulets employed to protect against it for centuries.  Believed to be nothing more than a look with biting ill intent, the Evil Eye is thought to cause injury, bad luck, even death.  Many feel that if someone holds a powerful feeling of jealousy, envy or dislike for someone they can easily cast the Evil Eye upon them with this look of ill will.  While the belief in the Evil Eye is strongest in places like the Middle East, parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, the belief did come to the new world with slaves and immigrants and now you can find people all over to world using and wearing amulets designed to ward off or even deflect the power of this curse.  

In the case of the Evil Eye there are several symbolic items used, and often today we find them together as a single amulet; they would be the eye, the hand and the horseshoe.  Often you will find two of these together, most commonly the eye placed within a hand.  It combines the traditional Turkish all-seeing eye charm, a symbol of protection from the Supreme Being, placed within a down facing hand, an Arab symbol known as the hamsa hand, hamsa

meaning “five” and referring to the fingers on the hand.  The history of the hamsa hand is quite interesting and has been attributed to Jewish and Islamic traditions as well, however archaeological evidence seems to suggest that the down-turned hand as a protective symbol predates Judaism and Islam, suggesting that it is an ancient Middle Eastern symbol of the hand of a Goddess reaching out to offer protection and guidance.

So when we are talking about an amulet we are talking about an object that is mainly worn on the body, it can be in the form of a necklace, bracelet, pin, etc, and is charged with the specific act of protection.  It is means to protect and repel negative, evil and unwanted forces.

What is a talisman?
In the case of a talisman, we are talking about an object that has been crafted with the intention of drawing something to the user.  This can be an object charged and enchanted to draw power, good luck, improved health or any other similar objective.  The main idea is that with a tailsman you are working to draw something toward you. The other, and somewhat less crucial piece here with a talisman, is that it is an object believed to hold magickal power in and of itself.  This is often the definition seen related to talismans in fiction and even in some historical texts.  And while this may be part of the history of the talisman, and we certainly do see these objects as magickal, today’s modern use is mainly defined as an object created to draw a specific energy or quality to the user.

Another way that talismans and amulets differ is that while an amulet can be a more general item, like the mass produced and largely recognizable items talked about above (the St. Christopher metals that many people use for protection during travel is another example of a common amulet), a talisman is more person and is tailor made for the individual, or more likely by the individual themselves, for their specific needs at a specific time, such as during a full moon or with the moon in a specific astrological alignment.  Many times a talisman will be made using natural objects such as rocks, feathers, metals and woods, or they can be simply drawn on parchment.  Sigils, which we’ll talk about in the future, are sometimes used as markings on rocks or parchment as part of a talisman.

Another form that a talisman can take, and one that many modern practitioners work with at some point, is what we often refer to as a sachet; a small piece of cloth or a small cloth “spell bag” that is filled with specific herbs, stones, parchment sigils or markings, and other meaningful objects, which have been cleansed, blessed and charged together for a specific purpose.  Love sachets are very common.  These often consist of a small red bag, a mixture of herbs related to love such as rose, jasmine, mandrake, and clove, a heart shaped piece of read silk, and a piece of parchment with your name, your astrological symbol and a drawing of two entwined hearts.  The items are all charged and blessed, placed within the bag and the bag is then sewn closed with red string while words of blessing and intent are chanted over the bag to seal and charge it.  The bag is then often carried with the person on their receptive side of the body (e.g. the left side for someone that is right handed).  It can be carried in a pocket or pinned to the inside of a jacket or pants.

The importance of intention
Whether you’re working with an amulet or a talisman, visualization, intention and energy are extremely important.  These objects all need to be given a specific charge and a specific magickal direction, which is done through either the act of blessing and charging in the case of an amulet or during it’s creation, like with a talisman. In the case of a talisman, creating and working with a ritual to help set it’s intention is the best way to activate it.  A simple ritual cleansing, blessing and charging is usually all that is needed in the case of amulets.  However, as with all other magickal procedures, research and experiment with things that you feel drawn to but know that the purpose and goal here is to ensure that you are using clear visualization and intent with your objects.

The debate about amulets and talismans
There are a few other definitions for amulets and talismans and the two terms are often used interchangeably which can lead to confusion about what sort of object does what.  While in a round about way it can be argued that through the very act of protection and warding an amulet draws something to the user, this is not it’s main objective.  And the reverse can be said of a talisman; while a talisman is doing it’s job of drawing something to an individual, like in the case of a talisman for good luck, it does somewhat repel bad luck; but again this isn’t it’s main objective.

Raymond Buckland, in his book “The Complete Book of Witchcraft” has a very different take on amulets and talismans.  He states that an amulet is a natural object, such as a stone or crystal, especially the often talked about “Holy Stones” or “Hag Stones” which is simply a stone with a naturally occurring hole in the center.  Buckland states that an amulet cannot be created and can only be adopted and that if an amulet is engraved and consecrated (e.g. taking a stone from the ocean and carving a sigil for protection on it) it would then become a talisman.

With regards to a talisman, Buckland gives these the definition of a man-made object which has been empowered with magickal energy, especially for either warding off evil or drawing good luck.  He then states that the most common form of a talisman is that of a metal disc worn as a pendant which is often two sided; one side holds the objective of the talisman while the other is personalized by the wearer.

Definitions from Webster’s Dictionary state that an amulet is a charm worn around the neck to protect against evil while a talisman is something with an engraving of figures or symbols to bring good luck and keep evil away and can be a ring or stone.

So while some definitions will vary the essence of the objects are still the same.  An amulet is used to protect and repel negativity while a talisman is used to draw in energy.  Both can be object that can be worn or placed in the home or other space based on what or who it is meant to protect.  And, regardless of which you use or create, your personal interaction in key to the success of the object. 

If you’re interested in looking for amulets or talismans for your personal use, The Sacred Mists Shoppe carries a number of different amulets and talismans for just about any purpose.

One of the great, fundamental teachings that can help anyone getting starting in magickal practice is that of The Witch’s Pyramid, also known as the Four Pillars of Magick or the Four Power of the Magus.  Many of us may be familiar with the concept and the words, but how much thought have you given to the actual concept?  Do you put The Witch’s Pyramid into practice in your magickal life?

The Witch’s Pyramid is a model for effective magickal practice and consists of four basic principles.

• To Know
• To Dare
• To Will
• To Be Silent

The origins of this principle are somewhat debated thought it’s thought that it was developed out of practices within ceremonial and hermetic magick.  The phrase “The Witch’s Pyramid” is thought to just be a more modern naming of this (believed) ancient principle, adapted by modern Witches.  Christopher Penczak suggests in his book “The Inner Temple of Witchcraft” that it could be derived from the idea that some hold which states that magick and many magickal practices originate from Egypt, the land of pyramids.  It may also be that when placed in visual context we see this laid out in the shape of a pyramid, as shown below.

To Know
We all know the phrase “knowledge is power”, and in the case of magick, it certainly can be.  Knowing what you’re doing magickally, knowing your process, can be very important, but even more important is knowing yourself and knowing your true intentions behind your magickal actions.  This principle also can be tied to the element of earth within us.  By keeping our thoughts and intentions grounded in our work we have more of a clear path and more direction in what we’re doing.  Some also see this principle as being related to the element of air since it deals with the idea of thought and knowledge, areas that are typically ruled by the air element.

What this principle calls for us to do it to stop and think.  Sometimes thinking is one of the hardest parts of magick because we may find ourselves so driven by raw passion and emotions that we may find our minds not very clear but in the heat of the moment we are sure our direction is on track.  So the first thing that we need to do when working with the Pyramid and the idea of To Know is to be sure that we are in control of our thoughts and our intentions.

The next this is knowing our magickal procedure.  What is your plan for your magickal work?  Why techniques are you going to employ and what steps will you take to make that work happen.  Knowing what you’re going to be doing, knowing how the process works, what it takes to raise the necessary energy, knowing how to gather and direct that energy, all help to create the base foundation of your work.  Without that solid foundation there is no telling if the rest that is build upon it will just tumble.

This can also be summed up in the phrase of “Know thy self, Know thy Craft”.

To Dare
Corresponding to the element of air, To Dare deals with our thoughts and the use of the magickal mind, yet others might place this concept in alignment with water for the power of emotions that often back the daring task of casting spells and working magick.

To Dare asks us to do just that, to dare to do the work, to dare to take the risk and make that leap of faith.  One thing that many who are new to magick need to deal with on their first few forays into magick is fear.  Feeling fear, whether it’s fear of what you’re actually about to do or just the fear of the unknown in what you are doing, is a normal feeling, especially for those that are new to the Craft and working their first spells.  But fear needs to be faced and dealt with, head on, otherwise it becomes a crippling force and can keep you away from manifesting your desires, whether through magick or any other means.  

When you have fully worked with and realized the first principle of “To Know” the second principle of “To Dare” can be a lot less daunting.  But you still need to actually do the work and daring to make the magick happen is a critical step to make.

To Will
This principle is often related to the element of fire.  It takes some fire, some passion, some true desire to make your wishes become realty.  Fire helps us to manifest and here we must will what we desire into reality.

Will is also about discipline.  You need to be willing to follow up your magickal work in the mundane world as well.  It’s not just a matter of casting a spell at the altar and then walking away and calling your work done.  Casting the spell in the physical sense is just the begining of your work.  Now you need to have the will, or willpower, to back up your magickal work with mundane actions.  One of the great examples is when we cast a spell to find a job.  Once you have cast the spell you may very well get a call from a friend or family member out of the blue who may have found an oppertunity for you, but you’re far more likely to manifest your desires faster if you write out a resume and use it to apply for some positions.  Magick and energy follow the path of least resistance and by working with your energy you have put our there rather than against it, you’ll see faster, better results.

To Will also is a principle that deals with faith, but in this case faith in yourself knowing that you have done what you needed to and knowing that it will bring your desires into manifestation.  Being sure to keep your thoughts and actions in alignment with the work you have done takes a lot of personal will (i.e. not doubting your magickal work).  Doubt only sends negative energy toward what you have put out there, so keeping yourself mentally in line with what you have done keeps the energy flowing correctly.

To Be Silent
This is one of the more debated parts of this magickal concept because there are people that really don’t feel that one needs to keep their magickal work silent or secret while others believe very strongly in the idea that magickal work and the processes used in a spell, or even the fact that a spell has been cast, should never be share with anyone, save for those in your magickal circle or coven who may have been present at the time.  This principle is often related to the element of water because of need to keep emotions in check and under wraps within the magickal process.

To Keep Silent is often related to the idea of not sharing with others, especially the uninitiated, what one has done magickally.  The reason behind this is that if you share you magickal work and desires with someone that may disagree with you they would then have the ability to send negative energy (either intentionally or unintentionally) toward your work to possibly derail your efforts.  By not sharing this information with anyone you keep your work on track much easier.  The debate here often comes in with the idea that someone who isn’t magickally inclined wouldn’t have the knowledge to purposefully disrupt a magickal working or that they wouldn’t be able to generate the energy to do it.  Anyone who has ever just been in an emotional battle with another person, completely outside of the magickal realm, knows full well that the words, thoughts and emotions that can be generated through disagreement  can be powerful and if someone doesn’t want to see you get that new, high paying job you cast your spell for, regardless of their reasons, the thoughts and emotions they have generated with their desire to see you fail can be enough to send things off kilter.  So by keeping our work to ourselves we create a safeguard against possibly disruptions.

On the flip side of this debate some feel that by openly talking about their work they are sending more positive energy to it by personally acknowledging what they are working toward and therefore adding more fuel to the fire, so to speak.  This may very well be true, and in fact if discussing with others that are completely behind you, your work and your desires, their positive energy and desire to see you succeed can aid your work.  But this does need to beg the question “Can you ever truly know the intent and will of another?”

The other idea here is that magick isn’t meant to be flaunted; it’s a gift and a sacred art.  It’s not something for ego gratification and by treating it as such we not only cheapen our work but our gifts as well.  Some believe that by flaunting and boasting of magickal conquests ones magickal gifts can be taken away by the Gods.

The Connection of Spirit
Once these four principles are brought together one is able to them attain connection to Spirit through their magickal work and with the aid of Spirit your work will manifest with more clear and positive results. Spirit resides at the top of the pyramid and comes from that foundation of the other four practices.  In Wicca you can also connect this part of the pyramid to the concept of The Wiccan Rede, a sort of culmination and expression of these other four ideas in practice.

The Witch’s Pyramid is not something that is reserved for any single tradition and it is something that is used by magickal practitioners within spiritual paths like Wicca as well as by those that practice the magickal arts of Witchcraft outside of a religious context.  At it’s core it is a principle for working with energy and directing our magickal work in a more solid way that helps us to see results, grow our practice and overcome fear and obstacles that we face in the process.  Knowing the Pyramid and bringing it into your magickal practice can be very beneficial, especially for those that are still getting their grounding in the act of spellwork and ritual.