minkajane , 28

WHEN SPELLS GO WRONG
(http://www.geocities.com/annafranklin1/ywrong.html)


Spells can go wrong. We have already discussed some of the ways that this can happen but a week rarely goes by when I don’t get a call from someone suffering from the effects of a misjudged spell. Once free, magic cannot be recalled and you will probably just have to suffer the consequences- three fold, remember?

The best way to avoid this is to be careful in the first place but if a spell has gone wrong there are a few things that you can do to limit the effects.



Dis-spelling

If you have made up a pouch or tied up a cloth containing magical ingredients, these can be opened, the ingredients separated and thrown into running water with the words:

Let this spell’s course be run,

Ingredients scattered and magic done

I beg you Goddess, hear my call

Let this end now, once and for all.

For best effect do this on a day of Saturn [Saturday].



Spell Breaking

Once cast a spell can never truly be re-called but you may be able to limit it. On a day of Saturn at the waning moon take a black ribbon and say:

On such and such a day I cast a spell [name the day]

To cause such and such to happen [describe the spell]

I call upon all the powers to witness

That as I cut this ribbon [cut the ribbon]

So I cut the power of the spell

I earth its power

And end its magic

So mote it be!

Take the ribbon and burn it or bury it in the earth.



Reflecting Mirror

If you are suffering from the effects of someone else’s spell you can deflect the magic back to them by visualising a cocoon all around yourself. The outer surface of this cocoon is like a mirror, and reflects any magic back to its sender. Say:

By this mirror’s shining face

Send magic back unto its place

Reflect it back from whence it came

Wrap it up and send it hame!

[Hame is an old Scottish word for home.]



Witch Ball

A witch ball is a glass ball or fishing float that is hung in the window of your room. It is a protective object that deflects negativity and bad magic away from you. Charge it with the words:

By witch ball’s shining face

Send magic back unto its place

Reflect it back from whence it came

Wrap it up and send it hame!



Haematite Necklace

Wear a necklace of haematite stones to protect you from magical or psychic influences. Of course, you cannot practice magic, divination or scrying while wearing it.



Witch’s Bottle

Spells are thought to travel in straight lines and be caught up in any nets or tangles. To protect yourself against the effects of a spell wear any piece of jewellery with an interlacing pattern, such as Celtic knotwork, braid your hair or make a witch’s bottle by filling a bottle or jar with threads of coloured wool. Keep it in your room.

Courtesy of Mama Rose
(http://www.iit.edu/~phillips/personal/lore/critter.html)

A Conversation on the "Demonic"
Between a student who had been plagued by a Critter, and her Teacher (who happened to be Mama Rose herself.)
------------------------------------------------------------

It's been obvious all along that these beings are nonhuman, and they would seem to be intelligent -- are they?
Yes, they are intelligent, but their perceptions are different than ours. Except for the people who move deliberately into their frame of reference, they perceive us as energy patterns, some of which bind them, some of which they can, in turn, bind; some of which they can consume. It did not perceive you as an intelligent creature until you spoke to it. The Critter magician says that, under the circumstances, it was very careful with you; it could have eaten you all up in a single gulp (and they have been known to do so); instead, it was careful to let you recover in between. Imagine how island folks regard dolphins, and you get some little sense of how they regard us.
I am puzzled about how I should feel toward this thing. (...)I am upset that this *happened*. I mean, this is *ridiculous* --


Yes, it is ridiculous. And yes, you should (sic) feel upset. Or helplessly amused at it. This is exactly the reason that I am so very opposed to people "calling up demons" for any reason whatsoever. They don't know how to deal with them, and they don't know how to feed them, and the things have to scrabble for an existance as best they can.
I *know* victims of abuse tend to attract further abuse, but, I mean, it's almost *funny*. How often does this *happen*?
As often as the abused person is a) of a magical talent, and b) producing sufficient power. In fact, [the Student's friend] probably has a few scavengers hanging around her; but since she produces energy through anger rather than through pain, she is less likely to notice them. And would probably be shocked to find that she has them, and that the instances of her needing to be angry have something behind them.
Is it likely that whatever is wrong at the New Age bookstore is another of these things, or is that something different? There is definitely *something* the matter there. Is there any way I could find out what -- or should I just mind my own business, since they don't seem to be worried about it?
There is a group of people who are very strong in the New Age Movement that my sort scornfully calls "White Lighters" because they are unable to see, or, even when appropriate, to appreciate, any sort of darkness. The folks there may be blissfully unaware of it. What I would like you to do is to observe it: knowing that there is "something wrong", accept that and feel for further distinctions. Is it sad? Angry? Hungry? Malicious? Fearful? Does it change with time? If you can get any distictions of this nature, we will have one set of information. If you get NO feelings like this, we will know something else entirely. We shouldn't be hasty, but we WILL act.



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Basic Information:
Critters are life-forms which are not only not human, they are of neither this planet nor even this sphere of existance. They inhabit a wholly different set of spheres, which occasionally overlap ours at places.
Spells or rituals which act to "raise demons," "call up the forces of Darkness," or "bind the Servants of the Devil," in reality -- since neither the Devil nor Demons actually exist, as such -- act to kidnap and trap beings from these other spheres. Because the magicians who try this act on the assumption that these beings are naturally evil, they rarely provide basic nourishment for them, let alone treat them with any sort of respect. When the magician accidently breaks the containment circle -- which ALWAYS happens -- the Critter has the right, via the Three-Fold Law, to consume the energy of the magician.
How a loose Critter behaves depends on what version of our life-forms it corresponds to. It may
be intelligent, and go about providing for its needs, trying to determine exactly where it is, and planning what to do next;
be an herbivore, and attack what it perceives as a danger, but not consume such things;
be a carnivore, and hunt.


And there's no guarantee that any given intelligence is any more kind or moral than any given human intelligence -- or any less.
Critters eat energy. Energy is produced by a great many means, but the most easily available is the energy produced by emotions. When intelligent Critters act to reproduce the emotional energy they found before, they generally have no clue that emotional energy comes from intelligent beings. Some of them, but not most of them, still wouldn't care.
Energy produced by the darker emotions is the strongest and most readily available; however, it is also poisonous. Imagine having only sprouting potatoes to eat, and being hungry eough to eat all of the potato.
If you choose, you may make a ball of energy - make sure you separate it cleanly from yourself - and give it to a Critter as a present. It will probably still be defensive (quite understandably), but may begin to contemplate the concept that you, specifically, might not be out to hurt it. Such a ball of energy may well be the first nonpoisonous food the Critter has had in months. Or longer.
There is a Critter Magician in Chicago who will act as a Gate to send Critters home, if they choose to go. If you have found a Critter, you may try to send it to Chicago. Here is the method.


Draw a protective circle for yourself.
Light a white candle.
Envision the city of Chicago, with a tall beacon light shining out of it.
Envision a tie between your candle and the beacon.
Envision the Critter as clearly as you can: where it normally is, what it feels like to you: call it up in your mind.
When you have the attention of the Critter, invite it to go to Chicago. Let it know that comfort and vast quantities of food await it there, and a chance to go home.
Leave the candle burning for at least a solid hour; longer if possible. It can sometimes take a while to get to Chicago.
Then douse your circle in the usual way.

Sorry I've been gone so long! I just got back from vacation.
~~Mandy

Courtesy of Alan Tickhill
(http://www.galdraheim.kirion.net/articles.htm)

TALISMANS

‘A Talisman is a magickal item which has been created from significant materials, using magickal techniques and/or ritual to focus the intent, and which then holds and radiates whatever intention the Talisman has been created to serve so as to cause changes or certain results to manifest in the everyday world in accordance with that intent’.

We’ll break that down now into ‘bite-sized chunks’ to make it easier to understand and apply.

Start with an intent or desire- something that you want to happen, a result you want to obtain, or something you want to come into manifestation.

This can vary from for example passing a test, succeeding at an interview, getting past doormen at clubs, keeping you safe when you travel, to having oneself be more attractive to other people.

Talismans are mobile.

That is they can be carried about with you in your pocket or bag, and therefore carry that charge around with them wherever you take them. Which also means that the magick working through a Talisman is of a constant- presence flow nature, rather than being a ‘one-off’.

Obviously if a Talisman has been made with the intention of helping you pass a test or interview or similar, then it is a one-off matter, but as Talismans can be made to serve long term needs or intentions, then you’ll see the way that principle applies.

For example a Talisman made to protect you from attack if you regularly go out alone at night would be intended to work at all occasions that you go out and carry that Talisman with you, and not just one night and then not after that.

An important point to bear in mind when approaching magick in relation to this is to work out whether a Talisman is what you need, or if a straightforward, one-off magickal ritual- a spell, is going to be the more effective way to bring about your intent.

Balanced against that is that Talismans make an excellent visual, physical focus for magick. We humans often need something like this onto which to focus our intent- a spell that doesn’t have a focus object of some kind can feel like sending your magick off into the ‘wide blue yonder’, and not feel that focused at all. Whereas having some kind of object on which to focus can help enormously.

As well as that a Talisman that is carried with you radiates a certain ‘presence’ which helps you remember that you have it with you, and that it’s helping you in whichever way it has been made to do so. Which also means you can do the ancient ‘touch-wood for luck’ with it, by simply touching the Talisman when you need its power to ‘wake it up’ and ensure it works for you- ‘a great boost to the confidence in challenging situations.

SIGNIFICANT MATERIALS

These can vary from plain, new paper on which you draw a suitable design, combination of Runes, or other symbols appropriate to your intention, to very specific materials chosen because of their magickal correspondence with your intention.

For example, if you are making a Talisman that uses Runes to focus the power you might make that from a piece of symbolically appropriate wood such as Ash or Yew. Both of these woods have ancient associations with Runes, and the Runes would be carved into or painted onto the wood.

Or else you might use a piece of metal for the base which corresponds through Astrology or other systems with your intention. On which you would inscribe, engrave or paint appropriate symbols derived from the same sets of magickal correspondences.

Another example would be to use a piece of natural material that because of its form is considered to be a good holder of magickal charges and intentions. Such as Rock Crystal, Shell, Wood or Bone. Some of these are considered to hold a magickal charge well because they are composed of layers of material which hold the intention like a sponge holds water.

Or else of course that brings us back to a plain piece of paper again through the same thinking- it’s an organic, plant derived material that will ‘soak up’ and hold your intentions. Which could also be of an appropriate colour dependant on the magickal system or correspondences you are working with- Red for example for intentions of a martial nature, or Red for fire, Green for the Earth, or Green for Venus, etc. All dependant on your chosen approach and magickal system.

To work out what materials to use you’ll need to do some research into the kind of magickal systems or approaches you personally favour, and which you find work best for you.

TECHNIQUES AND RITUAL- FOCUSING YOUR INTENT

There are a variety of ways of approaching this.

One is to gather all the materials you have chosen to use, and then to construct your Talisman in a ritual way within a magick circle. Including any painting, engraving, scribing, etc that you are going to do. That can also include adding gems, stones, and other materials to your Talisman as appropriate using glue, cord or other means to attach them.

This way the Talisman is essentially charged by the ritual act of construction itself, and just needs some kind of spell or invocation of some kind to bind it all together to express your intent and finish the ritual charging.

This can be actually binding it round or together with a piece of appropriate coloured cord perhaps, while saying something- a cantrip or declaration of some kind that states your intention clearly and focuses your mind and magickal will while you are doing this.

To make this more powerful it is good to ritually cleanse and charge all the materials you use before you begin to weave them together- unless you are repeating yourself, it’s always better to do more to magickally empower a Talisman than to do less- if you want it to work, you must give it your all.

Within that it’s also important to balance that out by making your Talisman as focused and ‘pointed’ as possible- if for example your Talisman is for general protection, make that protection from people, and don’t try to weave in protection from fire, flood, falling trees, flying masonry, attacks by birds, dogs, flying pigs and all else you can think of, unless those things are as much a danger to you as the people may be, or you’re going into a situation where these are real dangers more than people are.

A second approach is to physically make your Talisman in your own time while sitting comfortably where you can work on it easily. If you will be painting, gluing bits on, engraving, etc that will need time for each part to dry or set, then this would be the best way to approach it. You would then take the physically complete Talisman into a magick circle and charge it. You can do this by either just using cantrips, invocations of appropriate forces- Gods, Spirits, Elemental powers, etc, and focusing all that you invoke into the Talisman.

Or else you could use a magickal tool such as Your Athame to ritually ‘go over’, each part or stage of the construction process, so as to charge all of that. As if you are magickally making, drawing/inscribing, etc what you had already physically made. You could either call in and focus power as above while you do this, or else use this stage to magickally ‘re-make’ the Talisman and then charge and empower it as already detailed.

A powerful variation on these two techniques is to use a system of Glyphs, Runes or even your own written language to focus your intent.

Start with a blank piece of material that will be the base of your Talisman. Take some scrap paper and a pen, write down your intent, and ‘kick that around’ in your mind so as to bring that down to a short sentence or phrase which neatly and concisely expresses your intent without waffling or being long winded. (Reference flying pigs, floods, fire, etc as above).

You can start off long winded to ensure you cover all possibilities, and could write it down as several sentences to begin with, but whittling that down to just one concise sentence or phrase will focus your intent through that process.

The next stage is to remove all letters on their second and subsequent occurrences.

Such as:- “PASS MATHS TEST” would come down to “PASS MTH E”

These letters can then be rearranged to create a magickal word or cantrip- “PASSMETH” perhaps.

From this we have two alternatives.

Either keep these letters as English characters, or translate them into a magickal script of your choice, such as Runes, which have magickal meanings that you are then weaving into your Talisman. A good knowledge of your chosen magickal script is required in this to ensure that you don’t involve characters that have meanings which are contrary to your intention.

Either way the letters can be combined into one or more Sigils- much like the combined Sigils of Initials that you see on some school blazer badges, or on ties worn by male members of clubs or associations. These are then painted, written or inscribed on your Talisman.

Again you could either do the entire process of creating your Sigils and cantrip, and then inscribing and charging your Talisman all in one combined ritual or split this up into separate sections by working out the sigils and cantrip on one occasion and then charging the Talisman at another.

WITHIN A MAGICK CIRCLE

All magick of every kind works more powerfully if it is performed within a space which has been ritually set aside, dedicated or designated as a special place. This can vary from a full scale ritual circle casting of some kind, to a clearing in a wood that is special to you, to simply closing the curtains in your living room, turning off the phone, lighting a candle on the coffee table and burning some incense to help create the right kind of atmosphere and ambience.

A powerful magickal principle is that you by and large get back from magick in direct proportion to what you put in: If you feel that a candle on your living room table, with the curtains drawn and incense burning is sufficient unto need, that’s fine. If you do it that way because you can’t be bothered to organise anything more, you will achieve results in direct proportion.

AFTERWARDS

Ok, your Talisman has been made, it’s been powerfully charged in the most awesome ceremony you could possibly muster, it glitters with Gems and stones, it dangles with Runes of Power, Bones and bits of dead animal, and it’s ready to change your life forever.

Until you need it your Talisman should be kept somewhere special: If you have a place, a box or cupboard where you keep magickal items, leave it there to ‘brew’ till you need it. Or else keep it under your pillow till it’s needed.

Something important to end this with is that Talismans are magickal items and not miracle bringers: Magick flows like water- downhill and along the path of least resistance. You need to ensure that you do all that you can in the ‘real world’ to enable that to happen. If you’ve studied a subject well for which you’ve made a Talisman to help you through a test, then your Talisman will ensure that your mind doesn’t blank, that you remember all that you’ve learned, and that you’ll find all the words you already know to express yourself well, or whatever is appropriate.

If you’ve made no learning effort whatsoever, if you haven’t bothered revising, it’s going to take a mighty Talisman to help you. If you can do this…. Get in touch immediately- I have work for you.

Courtesy of Jausserande Shadowstar
(http://jausserande.htmlplanet.com/magick.htm)

What is Magick?

A definition of magick is in order. We reject that of Webster's dictionary: magick as "the use of means (as charms, spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces." Here are some other definitions - by magickians:

"Magic is the science of the control of the secret forces of nature." - SL MacGregor Mathers, Order of the Golden Dawn

"Magic is a comprehensive knowledge of all nature." - Francis Barrett

"Magick is the Art and Science of causing changes to occur in conformity with will." - Aleister Crowley

"Magic is the art of effecting changes in consciousness at will." - William Butler

"The work of magic involves transformation, and the first transformation is the shift of perception." - Marion Weinstein

So we can see that magick involves using natural forces to effect willed change, often changes in our own perceptions or consciousness. But what is the goal?

What Magick Is For

Stewart Farrar puts it this way: "The stage-by-stage development of the entire human being is the whole aim of magic."

According to Weinstein, magick can help "get your entire life in harmony - mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually and psychically ... And what is the ultimate purpose of the work? To fulfill the self on an even higher level. To transform, uplift, and so fully develop the self that the whole Universe may benefit thereby."

William G. Gray, another well-known occultist, says: "Magic is for growing up as Children of Light. Sane, sound, healthy, and happy souls, living naturally and normally on levels of inner Life where we can be REAL people as contrasted with the poor shadow-selves we project at one another on Earth."

Thus magick exists to expedite, guide and enhance change. Wiccans might say it is the work of the Goddess within: "Everything She touches, changes ..."

It seems a peculiarly human process, as far as we know. Other creatures can change their environments, but only sentient, self-aware beings can change themselves. Perhaps the cetaceans attempt this too - one day we may explore the spiritual path and magickal traditions of the dolphins and whales.

Change ourselves? But to what? To a fuller range of possibilities, a broader spectrum of spirit. Not change to something else, but to something more. First learn to know ourselves, then we expand, stretch our hearts and minds and souls, and explore and develop new territories within ourselves.

We are part of All That Is. With magick we can experience existence from the perspective of other parts, and know that we are One. We can experience at-one-ment with the immanent Source.

Perhaps this is the goal of all spiritual paths: to reconnect with the Source, to bridge the chasm of illusion which makes us feel separate and alone, to come Home.

But the quest requires us to change, and magick is an effective tool for this. The scary part is this: we can't know who we are changing into until we actually experience the change. By then it's too late for second thoughts. We cannot change back - we can only keep changing, or wither.

Because we give up our old selves, any change is a "little death." To choose this, to will it, and to seek it out is an act of incredible courage. Magick requires daring. It brings the "little death" which is part of rebirth. Not to change is to stagnate and die; but to willingly offer up the life we know is to find a greater life.







What Magick is Not

Magick is not an array of tricks or stage illusions. The "k" at the end of the word serves to distinguish it from the "magic" of nightclub acts. It is not for show.

Magick is not supernatural. As Janet and Stewart Farrar, prominent Irish Witches and Craft teachers, point out, "Magic(k) does not break the laws of Nature; when it appears to do so, that is because it is obeying laws that the observer has not yet understood."

Magick is not the medieval art of summoning "demons" to do one's will. Though it is possible to establish communication with beings on other planes of relity, trying to coerce them into service is both unethical and dangerous.

Magick is not based on a pact with "the Devil." Most magickians, including Wiccan priest/esses, do not believe in Satan and would certainly have no dealings with such an entity if he did exist.

Magick is not a good way to get revenge on enemies or force a former lover to return to you. Indeed, there is no "good" way to return to you. Indeed, there is no "good" way to accomplish such nasty and immature things; but the penalties for misusing magick can be far greter than the consequences of these actions on the material plane.

Magick is not available only to a few talented individuals born with special gifts. It can be learned and mastered to a great degree by anyone with self-discipline and persistence.

Magick does not reside in ritual tools - amulets, magickal swords, etc. - unless and until they are charged by a magickian. The skill and power lie always in the person, not in the tool.

Magick does not generally result in spectacular "special effects" on the material plane: strange entities materializing, showers of gold falling from the sky, locked doors bursting asunder, etc., etc. Dramatic physical effects are possible and occasionally occur; but most magick aims at internal growth, where results are harder to see. Even magick for material-plane ends tends to manifest in more or less quiet, gradual, natural ways.

And magick is not easy to learn or to practice. It is not an "instant fix" for life's problems, nor a short-cut to fame and wealth. It is a set of specialized tools, uniquely well-designed for inner growth and spiritual development. It can be used for more ordinary purposes, but sometimes that is like trying to pound nails with a screwdriver. Magick can be used to bring you safety, wealth or loving relationships, but it is not a substitute for wearing a seat belt, getting a job, or being sensitive to your lover's needs. And no matter what it's used for, magick requires hard work and discipline.

Courtesy of Calenna
(http://www.geocities.com/calennaj/index.html)

When Spring Begins

The Earth sleeps
energy quivers beneath the frozen ground
Glowing, pulsing
waiting to surge upward
When spring begins.

Life is waiting
the world holds its breath
All is dark and cold
soon the light and warmth return
When spring begins.

In winter's night
snow and ice and cold winds blowing
Fire and ice beneath
forest, meadow, field, all will blossom soon
When spring begins.

An inner darkness
deep within a match is struck
A spark begins to glow
a fire to light the winter of the soul
When spring begins.