The Modern Guide to Witchcraft (29 page)

Pinch your right nostril shut, inhale through the left, and hold to the count of ten. Release, and exhale through the right nostril. Repeat this five times, then switch sides. As you do this alternate nostril breathing, sense your power growing.

Spend as much time as you like in the circle of candlelight. When you’re ready, extinguish the candles in reverse order from the direction you lit them and leave the circle.

Self-awareness is linked with personal power. Most of us underestimate ourselves and are more familiar with our weaknesses than our strengths. We may not even be fully aware of our many abilities. The more you practice witchcraft, the more you develop an appreciation for yourself and your power. If possible, do this spell outside, under the full moon.

• 1 amber-colored candle
  
• A candleholder
  
• Frankincense essential oil
  
• Myrrh essential oil
  
• An object that represents personal power to you
  
• 1 quartz crystal
  

• Preferably on a Thursday night during a full moon
  

Thursday is Jupiter’s day, and Jupiter encourages expansion. If you can’t do this spell on a Thursday, do it during a full moon on any day except Saturday (Saturn’s day).

The object that represents your personal power should be something solid and three-dimensional: a stone or figurine, for instance, versus a photograph. Select the object with care. The amber-colored candle symbolizes the sun’s golden light. The crystal you’re using will amplify your desire.

Pick a spot where you won’t be disturbed. Dress the candle with both essential oils, fit it in the candleholder, and set it on your altar, at your right. The object that represents your personal power and the crystal should be positioned directly in front of you. Light the candle, and then open your arms to “embrace” the moon. Vividly imagine its light filling you as you say:

“This light is presence,

This light is power.

It fills me

Until I am presence,

And I am power.”

Gaze at the crystal and your power object as the moon’s light shines on them. Inhale the aroma of the oils for as long as you like, then snuff out the candle’s flame. Carry your power object with you and touch it whenever you need a power boost.

One way to expand your power is to learn how to gain info from your dreams. Your dreams are your friends, even if it doesn’t always seem that way. Getting in touch with your dreams can help you understand what’s going on during your waking hours. Dreams can help you work through problems. They may also present possibilities you might not have considered otherwise.

Dreams have fascinated us throughout history. The ancient Babylonians believed that spirits sent dreams to humans. In Egypt, people thought that dreams were gifts from the gods. The earliest known recorded dream, which belongs to King Thotmes IV, is carved on a granite tablet that rests between the paws of the Sphinx.

Often dreams give us a glimpse of the future, which can be immensely helpful to witches and others. What if you could see what’s going to happen before it does? A practice called “lucid dreaming” allows you to control your dreams and direct them in the way you choose. Developing this technique while you sleep can help you direct your waking life, too.

Dedicate a section of your book of shadows to dreamwork, and place your book and a pen or pencil near your bed. To get the most out of your dreams, write them down immediately upon waking—it’s easier then to capture the fleeting images, before they vanish into the busyness of your day. You needn’t write in complete sentences. Just make enough notes so you can come back later and revisit the dream and analyze it.

Don’t make any value judgments about what you write. Just record your feelings and the images that stand out. Who appears in your dreams? Where do the dreams take place? Do you notice patterns or similarities in your dreams? Sometimes you’ll realize that what takes place in your dream is a reworking of what happened during the day. The dream might even slip you a tip about how to handle something that occurred. Other times, a dream may serve as a warning to prepare you, or give you a glimpse into what lies ahead so you can take advantage of an opportunity when it comes. Always date your dreams, and include any information about what’s going on in your waking life at the time that may be relevant.

The more you work with your dreams, the more they will reveal to you and the more guidance they’ll provide—giving you the inside track. And, as you develop a better rapport with your subconscious, you’ll discover your spellworking improves.

For every desire, every worry, and every situation, there’s a spell. You can use magick for the big deals in life and for all those little things as well. Whether you want to find the perfect life partner or the perfect pair of shoes to wear to an upcoming event, magick can help. And if a “readymade” spell doesn’t already exist, you can always design your own or customize one to suit your needs.

The spells in this chapter address a variety of circumstances, both large and small, that show up in our daily lives. Some are so versatile they can be used in a number of different ways. A few of these spells may seem trifling, but hey, why wait until something major happens to flex your magickal muscles? Lots of witches use magick to get a parking space at a crowded shopping mall—nothing wrong with that. Every spell you do strengthens your power as a witch, so don’t hesitate to use your talents whenever you have the occasion to do so.

Things aren’t going as smoothly as you’d hoped. A project is taking longer or costing more than expected; a romance has hit a snag; you have to deal with a lot of uncooperative people at work or at home. This spell uses “kitchen witchery” to sweeten a frustrating situation.

You don’t have to be a gourmet cook to carry off this spell—your intention is what counts. When you’ve finished baking your magick cake, you may want to share it with the other people who are involved in the challenging situation, so that everyone benefits. Choose a flavor that suits your intentions: chocolate or strawberry for love; cinnamon or mint for money; almond or vanilla for peace of mind.

• A cake mix (or ingredients for making your favorite cake recipe)
  
• Food coloring
  
• A large bowl
  
• A large spoon
  
• Cake pan(s)
  
• Candles
  
• Matches or a lighter
  

• Depends on your intentions
  

Collect the ingredients needed for this spell. Cast a circle around the area where you will do your spell, in this case your kitchen. Preheat the oven.

Follow the directions for making the cake, according to the package or your favorite recipe. As you work, focus on your objective and imagine you are sending your intention into the batter. If you like, add food coloring to tint the batter to match your intention: pink for love, green for money, and so on. Stir the batter using a clockwise motion if your goal is to attract something or to stimulate an increase. Stir counterclockwise if you want to limit, decrease, or remove something. Pour the batter into the pan(s) and bake.

When the cake has finished cooking, let it cool. Ice it with frosting in a color that relates to your intention. You may want to decorate it with symbols, pictures, and words that also describe your objective. Add candles of an appropriate color. The number of candles should also correspond to your goal: two for love, four for stability, five for change, and so on.

Light the candles and concentrate on your wish. Blow out the candles. Share the cake with other people, if you like, or eat it yourself. Each person who eats some takes the intention into him/herself and becomes a cocreator in the spell’s success.

When you were a kid you may have worn a charm bracelet with tiny symbols that represented your interests or achievements. The symbols on the magick charm bracelet you make in this spell, however, represent your desires and intentions. Keeping these symbols in your immediate energy field makes this bracelet work, well, like a charm.

• A silver or gold link bracelet
  
• Small charms that can be attached to the bracelet
  

• Any time
  

Choose a bracelet that appeals to you and that can hold as many charms as you have wishes. You might want to wear a metal that relates to your goal. Silver embodies feminine qualities and corresponds to the moon. Its energy is receptive, intuitive, emotional, creative, and works through the power of attraction. Gold signifies masculine qualities and relates to the sun. Its energy is assertive, direct, logical, and works through the power of action.

Select charms that hold meaning for you and that depict your objectives. If your goal is to attract a lover, a heart is an apt symbol. A car or airplane might represent travel. Wear as many charms as you like. Add or remove them over time as your intentions change. Remember to wash your charms before wearing them, to get rid of any lingering energies left behind by other people who may have touched them.

Does it seem that you always get in the slowest checkout line at the store, especially when you’re in a hurry? Let Sheila the Shopping Goddess put you in the fast lane.

• None
  

• Any time
  

To make this spell succeed, you have to use your intuition—not logic. As you approach the checkout area of the store, close your eyes, clear your mind, and take a deep breath. Think or quietly say this incantation:

“Goddess Sheila so divine

Guide me to the fastest line.”

Open your eyes and allow yourself to be drawn to a particular line. Don’t analyze it or second-guess yourself. The shortest line may not be the fastest, and the shoppers with the fewest number of items in their carts might be the very people who’ll dawdle. Trust your instincts.

Whenever you move into a new home, it’s a good idea to clear away the energies left behind by the former occupants, so they don’t interfere with your comfort. This spell also blesses your home and brings happiness to you and anyone else who will share the home with you.

• Sage
  
• Broom
  
• 1 bottle of wine or apple cider
  
• 1 loaf of freshly baked bread
  

• Before you move into your new home
  

Begin by smudging your home with sage to cleanse it. Then, use the broom to sweep out the former occupants’ vibrations. After you’ve done this, pour the wine (or cider) and slice the bread. The bread and wine ensure that you will always have enough to eat and drink in your new home. Share this magick meal with all who will live in the home with you and/or any friends who will enjoy visiting you there.

No matter why you’re traveling, where you’re going, or what mode of transportation you’ll take, this spell smooths the way. If possible, cast the spell in a place where you can see the moon. If you’re traveling with someone else, add a piece of rose quartz for him or her.

• 1 ballpoint pen
  
• 1 white candle
  
• A candleholder
  
• Rosemary essential oil
  
• Matches or a lighter
  
• 1 piece of tumbled rose quartz
  

• At night, within twenty-four hours prior to your departure
  

With the ballpoint pen, draw the astrological symbol for Jupiter (the planet that rules travel) in the candle’s wax—it looks a bit like the number 4. Dress the candle with the rosemary oil, fit it in the candleholder, and light it. If you wish, you can burn a little dried rosemary in a fireproof dish. Set the rose quartz in front of the candle.

Repeat this incantation while you gaze into the candle’s flame and inhale the scent of the rosemary:

“By the light of Lady Moon,

I reach my destination soon.

The trip shall safe and happy be,

For all concerned, as well as me.”

When you’re finished, extinguish the candle and pick up the rose quartz. Rub a little rosemary oil on it and carry the stone with you while you’re traveling.

Worrying never makes a problem better. This spell uses the power of sound plus your intention to chase fearful thoughts away and raise positive energy.

• A dark blue candle
  
• A candleholder
  
• Matches or a lighter
  
• A hand drum or gong
  
• An athame or wand
  
• A bell
  

• At midnight, during the waning moon
  

Collect the ingredients needed for this spell. Cast a circle around the area where you will do your spell. Fit the candle in its holder, set it on your altar (or other surface where it can burn safely), and light it. Begin playing the drum or gong to break up negative thoughts and vibrations. Feel the sound resonating through your body, stirring up your power and confidence. When you feel ready, chant the following incantation aloud. If possible, shout it out—really express yourself!

“Doubt and fear