SPIDER PRODUCTIONS

Banishing Negativity

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At some point in our lives we hit a phase where we feels like we are wading though treacle; nothing progresses and we find dead-ends and sabotage at every turn. Try as we might, we struggle against the forces of adversity doing our best to maintain a positive mental attitude until the feeling creeps up on us that there’s more than just ‘bad luck’ or unfortunate circumstance at work here.

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If you have been in a similar situation, you too may have found yourself emotionally and spiritually drained from these events, facing depression because no logical or rational explanation satisfies. How it started, you’re not sure but a seemingly inconsequential event; a rejection, a betrayal, a failure leaves us with a dent in our confidence that doesn’t heal. We no longer view the positive side of things and soon we are projecting negativity ourselves.

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We realise we have been in a spiral of negativity which gathers momentum as it bounds through our lives. As it does, it attracts more negative energy to it, growing, pulling us with it as it speeds downwards out of control. We need to break this cycle, banish the negative energies that have become connected to us and begin again with a clean slate consciously building positivity around us.

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At this point, even people who have previously had little or no interest or connection with magical practise or spiritualism sometimes look to Witchcraft. Those who practise Witchcraft and spell casting understand the importance of keeping negativity at a minimum arms length, knowing that keeping a positive focus, seeing the upside of any situation is paramount as the tiniest negative thought or emotion can change the intent of a spell or ritual being worked. Banishing spells and rituals are common and have been used for centuries to cleanse and consecrate objects, places and individuals.

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One very familiar form of banishing is ‘spring cleaning’, banishing on the most basic level; we open doors and windows, knock the dust from every surface and sweep the stale winter air out of the house. Essentially what we are doing here is moving the air, ridding the stagnant atmosphere in our home, effecting movement and change. You can enhance this ritual by using fresh citrus scents, burning sage incense and scouring with salt, all of these things harness cleansing banishing energy.

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As well as the need to cleanse ourselves and our homes, there are other reasons why we banish; cleansing someone else’ ‘vibes’ from a pre-owned object so it is ready for our purpose, or sometimes we wish to put distance between us and another person or painful event and allow them to no longer encroach upon our daily thoughts and fade into memory.

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Banishing utilises many methods of magical practice from very simple to intricately complicated, when you cast your banishing spell you can bring into it as much or as little as you feel is necessary to express your desire and satisfy your need.  Here are some examples of simple elements that could be included in a banishing spell;

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Smudging ~ most commonly used for cleansing a space. Incense with a thick smoke is burned in the area and all that passes through the smoke is cleansed. Sage is the best herb to use for smudging, it can be burned loose over charcoal tablets or is available as handy sticks.

Ritual Bath ~ If you need to break the cycle of a downward spiral treating yourself to a ritual bath is good place to start. It’s not just about cleaning the body but washing away the negativity from the whole of your being. Burn frankincense or sandalwood incense for consecration, add bergamot, eucalyptus or juniperberry to the bathwater to banish negative vibes. Remember citrus scents are cleansing and uplifting especially juicy orange! Write and repeat a positive mantra while you soak and use downward and outward strokes along the body with your sponge as you wash.

Ashes to the wind ~ a wonderfully liberating & symbolic spell. Write down all the negative things that have happened to you, each of them on a separate slip of paper and one by one watch them burn in the flame of a white (purification) candle. Collect all the ash and take it outside and let the wind carry them away. Remember to check the direction the wind is blowing – you don’t want a face full of ash!

Bury your Fear ~ Cast out the effect of your fear which is preventing you achieve. Write, or draw the things that are holding you back on separate pieces of paper. If you prefer you can mould a 3D representation out of wax. Fold the edges of your paper inwards covering the word (or wrap the wax model), speak aloud words that affirm you don’t need this fear in your life any more. Tie up the package and seal the knot with wax, place all the little packages in a paper or cloth bag and take it a considerable distance from your house and bury it, as you do affirm that you are returning this energy to the Earth to be used elsewhere for good.

Cutting the ties ~ For letting go of a negative person, event or influence. For this spell you will need to be safety aware; again using little slips of paper write on each the reasons why you feel the time is right to let go, using a needle; thread each onto a piece of string about 2ft long. Tie each end of all the strings between two candles, a big one to represent you and a smaller one to represent the person or situation, and ensure that they are stable. Light both candles, read each strings ‘label’ and cut the string, when all the strings are cut – blow out the small candle.

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Any questions or queries… email me

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Dec 2009

Esme SpiderWitch ~ Dec 2009

Witches Archive

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Setting up your Altar

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Creating a sacred space within your home is a personal and empowering experience.  Knowing that you have a dedicated place where all of your magical tools and materials are kept and an Altar or shrine through which to direct your energies is a liberating and powerful thing.

So what is an Altar?
The definition of an Altar is a table-like structure or surface upon which objects, icons, tools and texts are placed for participation in a worshipful or ritual practice.
In real terms, when a witch says she has an Altar it means they have a dedicated space in their home where all their magical materials are kept and/or laid out for use in magic.  And every witch’s altar is different.

A witches Altar is a totally personal thing, there is no right or wrong way to keep one or anything that says you need keep one at all.  However they can be useful in your magical practise as both a spiritual representation of the physical you and also a space in which to direct your energies and will help you focus your intent.

Choosing a space
If you are setting up an altar in your home there are a few things to consider.  Is it going to be on display for all to see or tucked away discreetly in your bedroom?  Does is need to out of reach of your children or pets?  Will you want to be able to close the door for privacy or perhaps close enough to a window or back door so that you can be outside?  Consider how you’d like to worship as this will help greatly in finding the perfect spot.

Rather than setting up a constant altar you may find keeping a mobile altar more appropriate.  A mobile altar is discrete and portable, you can set it up wherever you choose whether indoors or outside and pack it all away again when you’re done.  If this suits you you’ll need to find a cloth (or even blanket!) that will define the space and a container, a box with a lid or a bag to transport your materials.  The same goes for the cloth that you cover a permanent table altar with; its purpose is to define the surface as special

Alignment
Some witches choose to align their altars with the compass as this help channel energy into the working space and if you want to do this there’s a couple of ways you can go about it.  One way is to line up the piece of furniture (say a square table) so that all flat edges face north, south, east & west. Another is to keep the table where it fits best in your room and align the objects on the surface so they correspond to the compass points.

The 5 Elements
Earth, Air, Fire, Water and the fifth is Spirit; your own spirit, the magic ingredient, the unique energy signature which defines you.  We as living beings are made up of these 5 elements as is everything on the surface of this world.  We are grown from it, we are part of it. And It, is part of us.  Most witches choose objects, tools and materials which represent the elements to place on their altar.  These materials physically represent the element and when placed at their corresponding compass point strengthen the connection to the energy being channelled into the space.

To do this divide your altar space into 4 quarters with crossing diagonal lines.  In the centre place a tile or board; something with a flat surface, this is traditionally  marked with a pentagram, and it will be your working area.  In the areas around it to the north, east, south and west place object which represent them and the elements.  Here’s some ideas…

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For Earth choose… Objects like stone, chalk, salt or sand, seasonal plants or flowers.  The colours green, white, brown and black represent Earth and correspond with the season of Winter, place these in the North quarter…

Magical Tools: Offering Bowl, coins, dice ~ this quarter is associated with the physical & material so health, wealth and protection and prosperity.

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For Air choose… Objects like feathers, birds, fairies, incense and bells.  The colours yellow, pale gold, pale green, white and grey represent Air and correspond with the season of Spring, place these in the East quarter…

Magical Tools:  Paper, scrolls, pens, your book of shadows, also a cutting tool such as a small blade, penknife or scissors ~ this quarter is associated with clarity through logic, communication and freedom; it is cleansing and banishes negitivity.

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For Fire choose… Objects like candles, oil burners, dragons, reptiles and orchard fruits.  The colours orange, gold, red & black represent Fire and correspond with the season of Summer, place these in the South quarter…

Magical Tools: Wand or Athame; these tools help us focus on directing our energy into our magic ~ this quarter is associated with conductivity, passion, motivation, courage and nurturing.

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For Water choose… Objects like a chalice or goblet, mirror, crystals, reflective objects and of course water itself.  The colours blue (all shades), silver, lilac and purple represent Water and correspond with the season of Autumn, place these in the West quarter…

Magical Tools: Oracles (tarot cards, runes, bones/stones) and other divination tools such as pendulums, dowsing rods and scrying mirrors ~ this quarter is associated with emotion, empathy, intuition and discovery.

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In the Centre place… an object that represents you; a picture or small statue of a figure you identify with, and if you have totem animals then surround your figurine with ornaments of them too.

Any spell work, charms or sacred object can be placed on the tile in the centre and their energy will be kept with you however far you travel from your altar… remember your altar IS you, you make it happen…

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Any questions or queries… email me

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Dec 2009

Esme SpiderWitch ~ Dec 2009

Witches Archive

SpiderWitch ~ Priestess Celebrant

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Pagan Handfasting ~ FAQ

(Frequently Asked Questions)

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- Is a handfasting legal?
No.  UK law states that the legally binding contract of Marriage can only be authorised by a Civil Registrar or through the Banns of a Christian church.  For some people the legal position is not important as many couples live together anyway, it is the spiritual and emotional commitment that they wish to share with others.  However if you do wish to be legally married or gain civil partnership then this needs to be arranged separately through your local Registry Office.  A civil ceremony cannot contain any religious content as it is a civil matter concerning a legally binding contract between two persons.
Arrange to have your civil ceremony at a separate time, perhaps in the morning, and then hold your HandFasting in the afternoon, or even on a separate day.

- Location? Where can we hold our handfasting?
Anywhere!  A handfasting can be held anywhere you like as long as you have the permission of whoever owns the space, and its up to you whether you prefer indoors or outdoors.  Popular choices are domestic gardens, public parks, barn/farm buildings and woodland. There are now many commercial venues which hold a license for marriages so if you are wanting to also legally marry both ceremonies can be held in the same venue.  Although they must happen separately of course because a civil ceremony cannot contain any religious content.

- Is there a specific structure or can we personalise our handfasting?
Yes.  There are no hard fast rules about what can or can’t be included, ultimately this ritual is a declaration of your commitment to one another before your chosen witnesses and how you express that should be as unique as you are.  However there are a few guidelines you can follow to get you started; a marriage ceremony has 3 parts, the blessing, the promises and the declaration. You may recognise these in a conventional wedding as the reading, speaking vows and the exchanging of rings.  In a Pagan Hanfasting these 3 acts can be expressed and personalised however you choose; popular examples are a poem or song, or burning incense and ringing bells for the blessing, lighting candles or tying knots for the vows, and finally the actual “handfasting” is when the hands are bound and rings exchanged, both partners repeat the same declaration before the bindings are removed leaving the couple wearing their rings: and eternal circle representing their bond.  Other popular actions are opening/closing a circle in which the handfasting is to be performed, drinking a mead toast, and jumping the broom!

- Can members of our family and friends take part?
Yes.  It is very moving for all involved when our nearest and dearest have a hand in such an important moment.  It is essential to appoint an ‘Officiate’ however; someone who is a confident public speaker who can organise people and keep event running to your schedule.  This can be a friend or family member but more often couples appoint a Priestess or other leader of their particular Pagan group.  Once you have your trust in someone to perform the handfasting you can begin choosing who else you wish to participate and what kind of role they are going to assume.  You may pick someone because they are suited to a particular task or alternatively create a role for someone because you want them to be involved, the choice is yours.  Another way family/friends are often involved is by being ushers, bridesmaids etc., it may be more appropriate to have ‘broommaidens’ for example to add a unique quirky twist, and they can sweep away all the negative energy from the past so that you both begin again anew.

What if only one partner is Pagan, can we still be handfasted?
Yes.  Because a handfasting can be personalised you can tailor the ceremony to incorporate mixed or non-denominational religious beliefs.  Many people acknowledge there is a spiritual connection created when a couple marry even if they have no specific beliefs themselves which is why handfastings are a popular choice for humanist ceremonies.  They work equally well for two people who have defined but separate beliefs as each as call upon their gods to witness and bless and traditions from both religions can be recognised and entwined as the couple themselves are.

- What time of year is the most appropriate for our handfasting?
Spring is the time of year when we see the land and livestock become fertile and many couples choose 1st May for their wedding date.  Traditionally May is a month of games, feasts and fairs; the weather is warmer, trade begins again and the land is worked.  Food is planted and people become more flirty and frisky too!  These days there are many things upon which we can base the search for the perfect wedding date.  You may choose an anniversary, or pick a Pagan sabbatical such as Beltane (1st May) or Samhain (31st Oct; Halloween), you may want to be married on a full moon or want a Yuletide wedding because of your love of the season, you may just want a Saturday in June!  Whatever your motivation its worth having a look into auspicious days and seeing what takes your fancy.

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Any questions or queries… email me

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Esme SpiderWitch ~ Dec 2009

Witches Archive

SpiderWitch ~ Priestess Celebrant

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10 Tips for planning your Pagan wedding

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Weddings can be a headache at the best of times, but when you are Pagan and have no-one who understands but each other ~ where do you begin?!  Here’s a few handy hints to get you on your way to that special day…

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1.  Respect each other… and yourself

Before you begin to plan this special day together you must first know what you as individuals find important about getting married.  Write separate lists stating what’s important to you about being married to your partner and then of course what is important to you about having a wedding in terms of celebrating it.  You can use my handy questions & ideas sheet here…

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2.  Know what you want…

Now it’s time to sit down together and decide what the most important aspects of the day are.  Things that you both have listed are your “must haves” they are your starting point as this is where you agree, other suggestions are up for discussion; what can you simply not be without?  Centre on these and plan outwards; both before and after the main event.

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3.  Structure your day from dawn ’til dusk!

Together, decide the order in which events are going to happen and consider timing.  With a conventional wedding there is only the one ceremony and then a party, a Pagan wedding celebration may have more than one to incorporate a legal/civil aspect as well as the spiritual part.  Where will they take place? Who will be invited? How will you travel between venues?  Start with a ‘fantasy list’ from when you get up to when you go to bed, the running order can be brought down to earth later.

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4.  Ceremony development;

Your Pagan handfasting ceremony may be the only marriage you have chosen to make, or you may have decided to legally marry at a registry office beforehand as well, perhaps you are having a handfasting blessing as an additional ceremony at your reception.  Because a handfasting is not legally binding in the UK there are no set boundaries concerning content so you can really personalise every aspect.  Consider mythology, culture, and symbolism that you are particularly attracted to.  Look back at your first list where you wrote what was important to you about marriage; these are the things that you want to express.  SpiderWitch can help with ceremony development; contact her…
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5. Ceremony development 2;
If you are going to write the ceremony yourself then you need to cover the basics… First comes the blessing; this can be a poem or even a song performed by a friend or family or more formal like heralding deities to bear witness and bless the union for example. Next comes the exchanging of vows; the promises and commitments you are making to one another; light candles or tie knots and speak your vows.  Then we have the declaration; this is the main attraction where hands are bound and rings (or other tokens) are exchanged, after this you can celebrate with the traditional kissing and/or jumping the broom!

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.6.  Invitations & Explanations…

Chances are that unless you have chosen to perform your handfasting in front of only your Pagan friends, then the ceremony may need some explaining to some of the guests.  Older relatives, some groups of friends or work colleagues may have never heard of Paganism let alone a handfasting!  Use the opportunity of sending invites to also explain what is going to happen and the significance of it.  Let them know what a Pagan handfasting is and why you will be celebrating your marriage in this way.  If you have chosen a specific day because of the moon phase for example, then communicate this to your guests.  It will help them to feel included in something special and the more they know the less they may jump to the wrong conclusion, feel awkward or uncomfortable.  Write a letter that you can slip into the invitation card, or as we did, create a small booklet with all of the details of the Pagan aspects plus other info like venue, location, travel, dress code (if any), and gifts.

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7. Choosing a theme;

You will know what your overall theme is because your handfasting may be linked to the Moon, a season, a goddess etc but your guests may well assume that “Pagan” is the theme and turn up dressed like a court jester (a lot of people mix up ‘Pagan’ with ‘Medieval’ for some reason).  It may help them to accept the normality of the Pagan aspect by incorporating another theme.  Theme doesn’t mean ‘fancy dress’, explain this in your invites, for example if you are having a September wedding then perhaps autumn would be an appropriate theme and suggest to guests to dress in autumnal colours and bring tokens to hang in the trees.  It will help guests to focus on something other than the Pagan and witchy aspects.

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8.  Attendants

Who is going to help you? Not just ushers and bridesmaids, do you want any family members or close friends to actually play a role in the ceremony itself? Maybe as ringbearers, or by reading a blessing, presenting tokens or performing a symbolic action, these things need to be considered.  Is the person you’d like able to and confident to do so?  There may be someone who would be perfect for a particular role but is not as close to you which may cause friction or jealousy among other friends.  When it comes to choosing your attendants my advice is: be honest and selfish… Have who you want not who you think you should, and make sure they are suited to their role, especially if they are going to be involved in the ceremony.  The energy they bring will be part of the binding nature of this ritual and it must be right and given in honesty and love.  Make sure that all involved have a copy of “the script” and know their part, and organise a rehearsal a couple of weeks before so that everyone gets a sense of where the fit in to the ceremony as a whole.

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9.  How Pagan are you?

This is not meant to be a cheeky question but to help you consider how prominent a part the Pagan symbolism will play in your wedding celebrations.  Ask yourself how integrated your religion is in all aspects of your life; are all of your family and most of your friends also Pagan? If so then you can probably get away with a lot more symbolism and ritual than if only you yourselves are Pagan and the rest of your family are pretty conventional.  Ultimately it is your marriage and your choice, but a ‘wedding’ is about celebrating and sharing with those who are most dear to you and your handfasting celebrations should seek to find a balance that means everyone enjoys themselves.  You can always plan two ceremonies; a highly ritualised one for your Pagan community and a toned down one for family and friends which focuses on love and commitment.

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10.  Stick to your guns;

Some people just won’t ‘get’ it. They’ll question, and moan and make suggestions and try to change your mind because of their perceptions of what a wedding should be isn’t what your planning.  Don’t listen!  If you have gone through the above stages of finding out what you want and knowing what is important to you as a couple - then stand by it.  Going through that first without the inference of family or friends will be crucial in making sure your handfasting remains just that - Yours, and you can go back to your list and stick up for each other because you wrote it together.  This is your day; make sure it stays that way!

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Any questions or queries… email me

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Esme Knight

SpiderWitch

Dec 2009

Invocation Amulet

Creating a magical object is a relatively simple process but requires a lot of focus and the dedication is in fact a spell in itself.  First you must decide whether you are going to make the amulet specifically for this ritual or if you are going to dedicate something you already own.  However take into consideration the treatment of the object during the ritual, for example during this ritual the amulet must be placed in the fire, so it must either be able to withstand the flame, ie ceramic or easily burned like wood or wax.  I recommend that you use either wood or wax for this ritual as the action of burning releases the energy stored within.

Therefore the amulet with be consumed & destroyed so in this case it’s probably best to make something specific.  Also the amulet will be passed from hand to hand so it is optimum shape is a palm sized tablet no more than approx 3″ diameter.  Whether you work in wood or wax, the following symbolism needs to be incorporated;

Blue is the colour of Invocation and it is the colour associated with the throat chakra and relates to communication, so mould your amulet out of blue wax or drip blue wax onto the wooden amulet and inscribe into it’s surface.  Personally I like to work with wax; it’s cheap simple and evaporates releasing the magic in the atmosphere, also it’s available in many different colours and easily absorbs oil for anointing.

Whatever you choose, inscribe either side with the following symbols;

The first symbol represents the time of year, the cycle of the seasons.  The wheel is turning and winter is upon us, the year itself is waning and the moon will be our comforting light through the long winter darkness. The second side contains a symbol that represents invocation and word of power.  The circle not only represents the circle of the ritual but the boundary of the self, the arrows show the flow of energy.  The words confirm the intent ; that you wish to draw your loved ones to you.

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Once your tablet is made, it is time to deditacte it.  Now this may sound a bit crazy, but the best way to dedicate an object is to talk to it!  Light a candle and raise your power, rub a little of your blended Invocation oil on your hands and hold the tablet you have made cupped in both hands.  Tell the tablet it is now a magical amulet that shall be used to invoke the ancestors on Samhain night, give it its purpose and stress the importance of the task.  When you feel you have said all that you need to say leave the Amulet in your sacred place until the time come to use it.  Withdraw your power and ground yourself, make sure the candle is secure and let it burn down.

Blended Oil for Invocation

It’s very simple to create a blended oil, you can follow the instructions below;

You will need;

• A Base oil; such as grapeseed or almond
• At least 3 of the following Essential Oils; Basil, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Clove, Lavender, Orange, Patchouli
• A bowl or ramekin (heatproof if using to infuse)
• A 10″ square of muslin for your herbal infusion
• A small wooden spatula/stirring stick
• A small bottle or container with a lid

Pour a small amount of the base oil into the bowl and add 3-5 drops of each essential oil, stir until the mixture is fully blended.  Test the oil against allergy if you are going to use it on the skin by smearing a tiny drop on the inner crease of your elbow and leave for 24 hours.  If you show no reaction, redness, itchyness then you should be ok.

If you wish to infuse your blended oil with herbs (in this case basil & cinnamon for example) this can be done to the base oil before you blend it with the essential oils.  Place the heatproof bowl with your base oil in into a larger pan full of water and turn onto a gentle heat.  Grind the herbs if necessary in a pestle & mortar, or crush with the flat side of a knife and make a ‘tea-bag’ of your herbs with a small square of musiln.  Tie the pouch and keep the ends long so that you can  drape them over the side of the pan and along the handle, you’ll then be able to retrieve the bag without scalding yourself.  Leave to slowly warm for 2hrs.

You can also use this method with fresh herbs and place them directly in the oil, warm for 2hrs and then strain through muslin.  When the oil has cooled, blend in the essential oils and pour into your container for safe keeping.  Keeping it in the fridge with preserve ti for longer but be careful not to cross contaminate with your food.

REMEMBER ~ Always be careful when handling hot oil!

Spell craft taps into and harnesses the innate energy within various natural components, and adds into the mix that very special ingredient – YOU; the energy of your desire, the focus of your will.  A spell is the focus of your will upon a physical transferal of matter to energy in response to a psychological affirmation.  Spell work relies on your awareness of Belief; the confidence to make positive change, Connectivity; that all things are part of the same living organism & Functionality; that everything in the world has a unique energy and function that can be manipulated.

STEP 1 - DEFINE YOUR DESIRE
There are only 5 types of energy used in spell work and they are based on the direction of flow;

• Banishing; pushing the energy away
• Attracting; bringing the energy towards
• Binding/Protecting; keeping the energy in stasis
• Invocation; taking energy into you, absorbing
• Divination; drawing energy out of you, projecting

STEP 2 - DEVELOP YOUR ETHICS
It’s ok to want… spells that promote personal desire are not ‘black’ or ‘dark’ magic, don’t let anyone tell you that.  You will never achieve, gain satisfaction or self-esteem if you constantly make self-sacrifices.  You are more likely to find that things go wrong for you and that you attract bad fortune because you send out self-effacing energies! There is a very delicate line, but you will know in your heart if you shouldn’t do it. Be mindful of the kharmic flow of things, this means using your energy to give thanks and offer blessings, being prepared to be humble, REMEMBER; always ask – never take, and then never take more than you need.  Be respectful, and accept responsibility.

STEP 3 - BRAIN STORM
First you need to gather all the connections, and symbols you associate with the spell, so write the result of the spell in the centre of a piece of paper and rattle out all of the word and feelings that you associate with this goal. These words are going to help you structure your spell.  You can also use visualisation or meditation if this is process that you work with – but remember to still write down your findings at the end and keep it with your ‘book of shadows’; your diary or workbook.

STEP 4 - RESEARCH
You’ll find that some of the words from your brain-storm will have a stronger meaning or a connection to you, they are most likely to be action words.  It’s time to go to your books or surf the net and do some research into the components that promote the energies of your spell.  Look for elemental correspondences, colours, herbs, flowers, crystals, symbols or sigils and timings.

STEP 5 - CHOOSE YOUR METHOD
The purpose of a spell is to connect the spiritual desire with the physical world and bring it into being.  We are beings of flesh and the Earth is a place of matter however there are other influences that are accessible. A spell can be as simple or as complicated as you require, it all about building layers, incorporate as many or few of your ideas into the process, what you feel is necessary. Suggestions to get you started:

• Candle Spell – use a coloured candle, anoint with oil, inscribe with a word of power.  Focus on the flame, repeat a mantra, meditate, or leave to burn down.
• Mantra or Affirmation – repeating of a phrase aids focus, write your own words, a simple to remember snappy phrase.  Chant, rhyme or sing.
• Spell Pouch – gather together the components of your spell and keep them on your person, in a pocket of handbag or in a chosen place.
• Amulet or Talisman – Amulet for protection, talisman for a specific purpose, choose or make an object and dedicate it to your purpose. Use power word to activate.
• Blessing or Ritual – symbolic action with smaller practical input.  Focuses the will, refer to Step1 to develop action.
• WishList – state your desires in a list, poem, chant or song.  Use coloured paper & pens, oils & herbs to add layers to the spell.  Speak the words aloud, burn the paper or seal with coloured wax and keep in a special place

STEP 6 - SOURCE YOUR TOOLS & COMPONENTS
A spell crafters toolbox is something that evolves over a period of time and is really an organic process.  However there are some things that are the ‘staple-diet’ in the arsenal and you shouldn’t be without.

• •    A selection of coloured candles
• •    Coloured papers, pencils or crayons
• •    Basic herbs; basil, lavender, rosemary, sage, tarragon and SALT
• •    Selection of essential oils
• •    Pestle & Mortar
• •    Cup, goblet or chalice
• •    Oil burner, incense catcher
• •    Heat proof bowl or mat
• •    Wand & wood knife
• •    Spoon, spatula & kitchen knife
• •    Mixing bowls, measuring cups & funnels
• •    Bottles, jars & small containers
• •    Cloth pouches or small bags/purses
• •    Twine, ribbons and bindings
• •    Large cloth to protect the surface
• •    A box to keep it all in

I recommend that you either buy new stuff specific for the purpose or select your tools, supplies & utensils from those that you own and dedicate them for magical use. Keep them together in the dedicated box.  This way their energies will not be diluted or polluted and will have greater impact when you do use them.

STEP 7 - PICK THE BEST TIME
Your research may discover correspondence to days of the week, phases of the moon, seasons or astronomical conjunction!  Use these to add another layer to your spell

STEP 8 - HOW WILL YOU PERFORM?
Choose whether you will perform the spell alone or in company, inside or outside? Which place or room of the house?  How much physical space do you need?

STEP 9 - PREPARATION
Make sure that you have all the things you need with you, pre-prepared where necessary before you even think about beginning.  Set the mood with music or silence, bells or drums if required.  Mentally prepare – do you need to meditate before the spell to still your mind and focus your will?

STEP 10 – CAST YOUR SPELL IN CONFIDENCE & WITH LOVE
Relax & enjoy, you have put the hard work in now is the time to see the benefits – enjoy the fruits on your labour.  If you are tense or unsure it will reflect in the outcome of your casting.

Invocation Spell for turning ideas into realities

• Red Candle
• White Paper strips
• Red Pen
• Herbal insert; lavender, basil, mistletoe, peppermint
• Sleep pillow
• Spell Workbook to write down dream images

Buy supplies for this spell here…

This spell can be done as many times as you have goals, work on your wishlist one by one over the winter.  It can be performed during the night while you sleep or as a visualisation meditation.  You’ll need to prepare a sleep pillow that will invoke dreams, this is simple thing and you don’t need to be a whiz with a needle and thread either, see the bottom of the page for instructions on how to make a sleep pillow.

Before you go to bed or begin your meditation, light a red candle and take a strip of white paper. With a red pen write the goal you are working on as a title boldly, in capitals and underline it, these things are a symbolic affirmation of your commitment to this goal.  Repeat the title again and again reinforcing the affirmation and burn the strip of paper in the flame of the candle.  Blow out the candle and re-use it next time.

Leave a page of your spell workbook open with the same title and a red pen close by for morning so that you can write the details of your dream.

Bring the pillow to your face and inhale the scent.  Close your eyes and visualise the bold title of your goal, lay down placing the pillow under your head, relax and fall asleep mindful of your wish.

When you wake, record the details of your dream/visualisation, record it as it happened regardless of how abstract it may seem and keep safe with your workbook.  You can then go back to it and begin to objectively decipher the symbols and discover the path to achieving your dream.

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HERBAL INSERT or Dry Mix pouch.  You’ll need to create a herbal insert, a dry mix that will help invoke dreams, take up the herbs and plants listed above and chop the leafier ones so that all are the same size (don’t use a pestle and mortar this time and this will squeeze the juice out of the plants and made it sticky… we want a dry mix for the pillow).  Use a lightweight soft fabric like natural cotton or muslin about 8” x 4” and lay out all the ingredients of the mix in the middle the space before folding all the edges over and inward (like wrapping a present).  It is best to stitch this insert around the edges, it doesn’t have to neat but it does have to be enough to keep the mix inside.  When you place it in the pillow ensure that the side with only one layer of fabric faces the top for maximum effect.

Caution; Mistletoe is poisonous if ingested!  Do Not Eat it! And make sure that you wash all your utensils thoroughly afterwards.

HOW TO MAKE A SLEEP PILLOW; Cut a piece of fabric twice the size of the desired finished size of the pillow, fold it in half and stitch or safety pin two of the sides to make a bag/pocket. The finished pillow should be about the size of an A5 piece of paper, however you can adapt this to pouch-size if you wish.  Choose red or seasonal wintery/yule fabric as this will give it purpose.  The majority of the pillow can be stuffed with old clothes, tights, socks etc for best effect, and don’t forget your herbal insert! The herbal insert can be a smaller pouch tucked into the middle of the stuffing or created flat to lie in the inside of one of the sides – it’s up to you to decide how creative you are feeling.  Once everything is inside fold over the open end and sew or safety pin closed.  Remember if you are going to use pins; to use safety pins and pin on the underside so that you don’t get nasty puncture wounds in the night!

Protection Spell for the home…

• White Candle
• White paper
• Green binding
• Salt & sage mix (tsp of each)
• Brown Wax for molding
• Green (or seasonal yule/winter colours) spell pouch

Buy supplies for this spell here…

Light the white candle and warm the brown wax so that it becomes pliable without melting, work some salt sage mix into the wax.  Mold the wax into the shape of a house; it doesn’t matter if it is a 3D model or just a flat tablet with a simple drawing of a house, but try to make it represent your home as much as possible – the right number of windows, the style of the door etc.

• On the white paper write;

• Protect this house
• It’s wood and stone
• Protect my family
• Protect my home

Or words to that effect… It is always better to choose your own words because they connect you to the spell and are more meaningful to you.  They don’t have to rhyme, but it’s sometimes easier if they are snappy and easy to remember when it comes to repeating them as a mantra.

Wrap the house talisman in the paper, repeating the mantra and bind it tight with the green binding.  Wind the binding around and around the talisman until it is completely covered and tie the ends off.  Place it in the pouch with the rest of the salt sage mix and take it and the candle into every room in your house (be careful when carrying the candle not to drip wax everywhere!).

In each room, walk a circle around the edge and keep repeating the mantra.  Work through each room until you end at the front door (or the most frequently used door), speak the mantra one last time and then blow out the candle.  Hang the pouch above the door.