Components of Magical Working


JUST AS A RECIPE contains ingredients, so there
are certain components that are needed in
magical workings, in order to enhance the
power and energy that is created. To the
uninitiated some of these may seem strange,
yet if we remember that much magic initially
had to be performed with only what was
immediately and easily available to the
practitioner, the use of such items makes a great
deal of sense. Candles, crystals, herbs and so on
thus become an important part of modern-day
spell working.
CANDLES
Candles should be chosen carefully with regard
to type, and colour, depending on the purpose
of the spell. It is often better to use your

intuition when choosing the type of candle,
although for ease of reference, below is a list of
the principal types. There are other types
available, but these are the most suitable for
magical working.
Table
The most readily available candle, they are
ideal for many of the spells in this book. They
usually burn for six to eight hours and need to
be properly seated in suitable candlesticks. All
colours can be used, but they should not be
dipped, except in exceptional circumstances,
and should be of the best quality possible. It is
sensible to keep a ready supply at hand.
Pillar
This is a free-standing candle. It is usually in
the form of a simple pillar, although it can
sometimes be made in other shapes which can
be used as part of the spell, for example heart
shapes for love spells. This type of candle is
best burned on a flat holder since it usually
takes some time to burn out.
Taper
These candles are tall and thin and need a
particularly stable candle-holder. They are
either made in a mould, or by the traditional
method of dipping a length of wick into hot
molten white or coloured wax. For magical
purposes they should be coloured all the way
through. They can often be used when a quick
result is required. Because they are quite
fragile, you need to be careful not to break them
when anointing them.
Tea lights
These small candles are excellent for use when
a candle must be left to burn out, but are less
easy to anoint with essential oils. Poured in
small metal pots like small votives, they are
normally used in oil burners or specially-made
tea-light holders. Depending on their size, they
usually burn for approximately four hours.
Votive
This type of candle is specially designed as an
offering, to carry prayers to whichever deity
you honour. As the wax melts, the holder,

which is made of glass, can become hot so some
care must be taken when using them. They are
designed to be long-burning, usually between
one and seven days.

Talismans, Amulets and Charms

These devices use all the other forms of magic in
their formation, but principally representational
and symbolic magic. They are ‘charged’ (given
power) magically and usually are worn or
carried on the person for protection or good
luck. Many are worn around the neck, perhaps
as jewellery, or carried in a pouch and
incorporate crystals, herbs or other magical
objects. There are many types of each of these
objects and you will gradually learn to
differentiate between them.

Symbolic Magick

In this system different symbols, rather than
objects, are used to represent various ideas,
people or goals. These symbols can be personal
to you, or such things as Tarot cards, runes,
Hebrew letters or numerology. You will often
use symbolic magic in your magical workings
and will soon develop your own preferred
symbols

Invocations


These call on what is believed to be the ultimate
source of power, which differs from spell to
spell. Quite literally, they call up that power
and ask for permission to use this influence for
a stated purpose. Meddling with this power
and calling up negative forces is extremely
unwise and very foolish.
Spells for selfish personal power or to gain
power over others will often backfire on the
unwary and may cause damage to the
individual who casts them. Invocations of
positive forces can do no harm, except that the
results can sometimes be highly disconcerting
due to the sheer energy created, although the
eventual outcome may be good.

Modern Magick


Today there is a rich heritage of magical practices
and beliefs on which we can call to satisfy our
need for control over our own lives. Where
conventional religion no longer offers an outlet
for our sense of belonging, we can turn to
magical rituals and spell making to honour our
origins. We can make use of the knowledge and
practices that have been handed down to us and
have survived, often in the face of adversity. The
principles that form the basis of magical practice
still operate today, as do the various belief
systems associated with them.
Many of these belief systems take their names
from the Greek word theo, meaning god. One
can be polytheistic (belief in many gods) yet see
all things as being part of one great mystery, or
monotheistic (belief in one god) yet recognize
that for others there may be many gods. Again
one might be atheistic (with no belief in god),
with simply a belief in one’s own power.
In the working of magical spells no one can
tell you what to believe – you must make your
own decisions. The words ‘paganism’ and
‘pagan’ come from the Latin paganus, meaning
‘rustic’ or ‘belonging to the country’. Largely,
ancient paganism was pantheistic (believing in
all gods) but today the word has come to mean
someone who does not recognize the God of
the main religions of the world, such as
Christianity or Judaism. We are much closer to
a belief in the power of nature and for those
who seek to use magic and spell making in
their daily lives, there is the need for love and
respect for all living things. How we express
that will be mirrored in our spell making.

Magick, Curiosity, Exploration & Secrecy

Curiosity, exploration and secrecy
One of most interesting characters from early
times was Abraham Abulafia (1240–95), who
made available much arcane knowledge, which
ultimately formed the basis of Kabbalah.
Believing in the divine nature of the Hebrew
alphabet, he held that God cannot be described
or conceptualized using everyday symbols. He
therefore used abstract letter combinations and
permutations (tzeruf) in intense meditations
lasting for hours to reach ecstatic states.
These were spells in the real sense of the word
since they literally ‘spelt out’ the keys to altered
states of consciousness – failure to carry
through the keys correctly could have a farreaching effect on the careless practitioner,
resulting in madness and other states of
illusion. Again, these beliefs have been brought

through to the modern day and used to great
effect. Controlled use of altered states of
consciousness, backed up by empirical
evidence, is still one of the most potent tools a
magical practitioner or spell worker can have.
The Renaissance period in Europe saw the
coming to prominence of many secret societies
and scholar-magicians. Because of the
burgeoning natural curiosity encouraged by
Renaissance principles, a new importance was
placed on the actual controlling of the forces of
nature. The basis of magic working had
previously been seen as harnessing the power
of spirits and demons. Now, additionally, the
human mind was a factor to be considered and
magical working was geared to gaining power,
not only over external forces but also over
internal states. Much good work was done in
understanding the interaction between the
spiritual realm and the physical, and how
changes can be brought about within the latter.
Both Kabbalah and alchemy, one of whose
objectives was to transform baser metals into
gold, became very popular, as we have seen.
By the 17th century, folk magic and witchcraft
were being used side by side, often with little
differentiation between them. Most people
were alternately fascinated and frightened by
energies that offered control of nature coupled
with opportunities for enormous wealth. Even
King James 1 had fallen foul of Scottish witches,
in that they had tried to control his behaviour
during his time as King of Scotland. As a result
he did his best to control pagan belief in his
kingdoms.
Across the known world, witchcraft then
became more widely identified with demonic
or satanic entities opposed to God and
therefore wholly evil. A heretic was defined as
a traitor – an offence punishable by death – and
the persecution of those who did not conform
to the so-called religious thought of the day
became relentless. This caused the practice of
witchcraft to go underground not just in terms
of secrecy but in actuality, for example in the
use of caves and secret places, such as Wookey
Hole in Somerset, England.
The practice of magic survived however and
by the 19th century there is evidence that many
secret societies, each surrounded by its own

unique mysteries, still survived. Often they
were formed by highly creative people who
were searching for new and different ways of
self-expression. Many of the beliefs of these
societies were based on the old traditions,
though some differed widely from those of the
old alchemists. Rituals and invocations were
developed which were supposedly based on
the ancient rites, often with a very strong bias
towards melodrama. Secret societies have also
survived into the present day, though not
always with full awareness of the fact that their
rituals are based on magical practice

Defining Magick

IT IS SOMETIMES best not to attempt any
definition of ancient magic and magical
belief. However, in any discussion of magic
and its practitioners we must take account of a
period in which the magical traditions of
several different cultures coalesced and merged
into a type of international and even
multicultural magical practice, with its own
rituals, symbols and words of power. This
occurred in the Mediterranean basin and the
Near East from the 1st to the 7th centuries AD
and is the basis of most of the early, more
intellectually based, systems of magic.
Magic and its understanding is, in some ways,
a result of the human desire for control, and in
this period there was a need to control the
natural environment, the social world and the
outcome of those forces not fully understand.
This underlying desire for control comes to the
surface most often in times of change, as we have
seen repeatedly over the last fifteen centuries.
During this time the techniques may have been
modified but the goals have remained the same.
The basic laws of magic, of control, still apply
today just as they have always done.

Ancient Beliefs and Magick Practices

Ancient beliefs and practices are the mainstay of
magic. Modern-day spells often have their roots
in ancient rituals and today’s rituals arise from
knowledge of age-old spells.
While we might make an attempt at defining
ancient beliefs as applied to the modern day, no
definition of magic has ever found universal
acceptance, and countless attempts to separate
it from religion on the one hand and science on
the other, have never been truly successful.
What one group of people may label magic,
another would label religion, and another
science. By choosing only one of these
classifications for magic, we close our minds to
all the other possibilities that are available to us.

SHAPE SHIFTING

Spells designed to bring about a difference in
bodily appearance in order to dissolve
mischievous enchantments by the fairy folk or
frequenters of the lower world were legion in
most cultures. In Celtic lore for instance, during
the process of dissolving the enchantment,
having cast a magic circle, the rescuer had to
keep repeating the name of the enchanted
person to remind them of who they truly were.
Traditionally the enchanted one would go
through several metamorphoses or shape shifts
in the following order: esk, adder, lion and finally
a bolt of red-hot iron. Then returning to human
form, they were left completely naked. They had
to be covered by a cloak – thus rendered invisible
– and washed in milk and then hot water.
If we accept the idea of the evolution of the
soul, the stage of heating iron until it is red hot
represents the process of transmutation from
animal to human. The final purification in milk
(which in Irish mythology is a healing
substance) and water restores the victim to his
normal self – he is reborn.
In many cultures iron is regarded as a tool of
purification. It was, and still is, dreaded by the
darker powers and many amulets and charms
fashioned from the substance were used to avert
evil. Iron pins or brooches were stuck in
headgear, a piece of iron was often sown into the
clothes of children and horseshoes were often
used to protect the homes and byres (cowsheds).
Women in childbirth were also said to be
protected with iron (see the iron protection
incense on p 57), sometimes by a row of nails
and at other times by a scythe or pitchfork. This
was so that mother and baby were protected
from evil spirits, particularly from the night

demons who were said to steal babies. Up until
quite recently in Scotland in some areas, it was
considered highly unwise to leave a baby alone
at all, lest it be stolen away by the faeries.

Seeds of Change

Nothing says change more than a sprouting seed that grows into a plant. So harness that transformation for yourself, as long as you have a little patience. This spell works best when you’re trying to make some changes within yourself. You need:

An egg
A quick-growing seed (bean seeds work well)
Potting soil
A small piece of crystal
A black marker
The first part is a little tricky, but you do need to get it right. You need a cup-shaped piece of egg shell to start your seed, so crack an egg carefully so that the top end comes off and you’re left with about half an egg shell. Rinse it out gently and sit it out to dry for a few days before continuing.

Then use the marker to write a word on the outside of the shell to represent what you want to change. Place the little crystal in the shell. You’ll want to use a type of crystal that relates to what you’re trying to change (check the crystal chart) or use a plain piece of quartz. Fill the rest of the shell with soil. Press the seed into the soil and keep it moist. Use a cut piece of egg carton to hold the shell and leave it somewhere sunny.

Check the shell every day and take note in your mind as it starts to sprout and changes. Focus on that change and start to make your own changes as it grows. When it outgrows the shell, gently crack the bottom and then replant the whole thing into a larger pot so the plant can keep growing. Your own changes will thrive along with your plant.

Tome of Imriel, Wisdom : the Stillness

1. In the days of old, a curious blue imp named Imriel roamed the land, easily swayed by the winds of emotion and ever-reactive to the world’s changing currents.

2. He would dance in joy when the sun shone and wail in despair when the rain fell, embodying every fleeting moment’s emotion.

3. One day, Imriel encountered a wise elder named Seraphan by a serene brook. The elder noticed the imp’s whimsical nature and shared, “Imriel, why dost thou let the world toss thee about like a leaf in the wind?”

4. Imriel responded, “I am but a reflection of the world, and thus, I feel its every whim.”

5. Seraphan nodded, then dropped a stone into the brook, watching the ripples expand and then still. “Look,” he said, “The water does not cease to be, nor does it protest when the stone disturbs its peace. It simply returns to its state of calm.”

6. Imriel watched intently, his azure hue deepening in thought. “But how can I, with a heart that feels so deeply, remain unaffected by the world?”

7. “By realizing,” Seraphan began, “that just as the sky remains unaltered by the clouds that pass through it, thy core self remains unchanged by fleeting emotions. You can observe without becoming.”

8. Days turned to years, and the blue imp practiced the elder’s wisdom. While he still felt the world’s joys and sorrows, he learned not to be swept away by them.

9. And so, Imriel became a beacon of stillness amidst chaos, embodying the stoic essence, teaching others that emotions are but ripples on the surface of deep and tranquil waters.

10. The land remembered, and whispered to the winds, the tale of the blue imp who found strength in stillness, reminding all that amidst life’s storms, one can remain unshaken, rooted in inner peace.

As it is so.

A Threshold a Solid Foundation for Magick

A threshold is a solid foundation for any magic which is intended to effect the home, or everyone who enters the home. Such spells work based on the principal of the threshold as not being just a barrier, but a portal which must be passed through.

One use for magic of this kind is to ward against a particular person or type of entity. to do this it is useful to use materials and objects known to be harmful or hateful to that entity. (garlic for vampires, iron for fairies, things the person is allergic to, audio tape containing music they hate, etc.) As was mentioned before, placing these things in, on, or near the doorway is an effective method, but this may not always be convenient or practical. In this case, using them in a ritual to charge another object, such as a stone a piece of wood, or an ornament which can be attached less obtrusively is perfectly acceptable.

Another use is to place spells upon those who come and go through the door. Spells to encourage health, prosperity, peacefulness and joy are common choices. for these uses it’s best to use an object or material which is associated with your desired outcome, and place it in or above the door frame. Traditionally horseshoes were hung in this way to pour luck on those who entered. This is another situation where amulets hung in doorway can be useful, particularly if people are willing to touch or handle the objects as they come through.

A slightly sneakier method might be to paint or inscribe a spell into the door handle, so that a person HAS to handle it to enter, or building your spell to be charged and renewed by the act of using the knocker or doorbell, if it’s intended to drive off unwanted guests, or help visitors. 

Figurines

Be careful with figurines (animal or otherwise) you want to bring into your home. It doesn’t matter if you are a magician, wiccan, witch, cunning-man/woman or any magical practitioner worth their salt, there will always be a certain concentration of spirits in and around your house. They are drawn to you, your magic and anything in your home that can provide a house for them.

An empty vessel does not exist in a magical household. A potential window for parasitical beings does. Especially figurines with eyes, claws and pointy teeth seem to be favorites. But also saint statues that aren’t cleaned and blessed properly can become the home of a nasty critter or hungry entity that really enjoys your prayers, candles and offerings.

Sometimes when you buy antique- or vintage – statues from second hand shops you’ll find that a figurine or religious item (like a crucifix) feels like there is something in it. Be careful with this. In most cases, this is the accumulation of years and years of serving as a focus object for lay people. This can easily be cleaned up, or fine tuned. Depending on what you want. If you find that something is living in it, then it is when you have to be careful. Either the figurine/statue/religious object has been in a home of a magical practitioner in some way, shape or form. Or at one point, has been blessed by a priest (which is not unthinkable when it comes to, let’s say, a rosary/a holy water font/a crucifix) or it has had the misfortune of becoming a home to something.

The Power Of Imagination

The Spiritual world is indeed a large place; it has many dimensions and levels within it, some of which are incomprehensible to the human mind. So then how does one interpret all the magickal energies that appear during trances, deep meditations, or astral projections? The Answer is in using the great power that exists inside all of us, the Imagination.

Eliphas Levi once said” Imagination is actually as the eye of the soul, and it is therein that forms are delineated and preserved; by its means, we behold the reflections of the invisible world. It is the mirror of vision and the apparatus of magical life…for the sage, to imagine is to see, as for the magician to speak, is to create.”

The Imagination is one of the most powerful tools we have access too, for any area especially magick. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying “The Imagination is more important than knowledge.” He was very right. In Black Magick the power of the imagination allows us to interpret energies, access our higher mystical abilities and with it, we can make our spells more effective. Think about it for a second, what spell seems more powerful? Ones where you are merely chanting words? Or ones where you are using your imagination and living your spell, experiencing and breathing every second of it?

When casting spells, if you want them to be effective, it is essential that you use your imagination and completely throw your being into that spell. In all spells, you need to be able to visualize your outcome and what you wish to attain from casting that spell. The imagination is the device that is used for this.

The Imagination is the gateway in which we can communicate to our higher self and access our higher world. It is an ability that needs to be developed for anyone who is serious about magick. The imagination also allows your mind to go beyond what is already knows and access new thoughts and ideas, some of which are even unknown to society.

In Black magick, we believe that we create our own reality and everything in it. Using the power of the imagination helps one to craft that reality and can become the conduit for manifesting that reality into one’s life.

The Imagination is used when one engages astral travel or visits their higher world. It is that part of your brain which is used to generate pictures and create images using that energy that comes to you. Without imagination, magick would be a hard task to attain indeed.

Aside from all that, the imagination is a skill like any other that needs to be cultivated in order for it to grow and improve. As children, we seem to have a better imagination than we do as adults. That is because the concept of the imagination is usually shunned by society as we are taught as we grow up, to abandon our fantasies and desires.

In the first stage of the imagination, it can be used as an escape from the real world. But with practice, one can train their imagination to become powerful and an extension of one’s own magick and energies. The imagination can become so powerful that if you imagine someone touching you, you will feel it. If you imagine an object in front of you, you will see. Energy is all around us and the imagination can harness that energy and create things out of it. This with training will allow you to create your own reality and everything in it.

People are afraid of power. This is one reason why in society, magick, the imagination and the spiritual world are feared. People fear their own power and they fear other people’s power. This fear is irrational and keeps you from attaining your true power. Do not fear what you have inside of you, embrace it. Let your imagination go and see the wonderful, creative ideas that you can dream up.

Every great accomplishment in society started with a thought, a simple dream, the use of the imagination. Do not take this skill as a simple device used to entrance children. It is a great tool especially in the realm of black magick and spell casting.

Imagination helps us to grow and expand our understanding of the world. It can also relieve stress by allowing us a place of refuge. With a trained imagination, your dreams become more vivid and the hidden messages that once eluded you can be uncovered.

Don’t doubt your own power or the power that is locked away in your mind. A mind is a powerful tool that should be embraced, not wasted. 

THE HEIÐINN AWAKENING

“In that silent moment … listen.”

You have ‘felt’ the call, something within you has Awakened…memories of a time long past, still, it is something that belongs to you…

“Hugin and Munin fly each day over the wide world; I fear for Hugin that he will not return, yet I fear more for Munin.”
– Grimnismal –

The Lay of Sigrdrifa

“Long have l slept
And slumbered long,
Many and long are the woes of mankind,
By the might of Óðinn
Must l bide helpless
To shake from off me the spells of slumber.

Hail to the day come back!
Hail, sons of daylight!
Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter!
Look with kind eyes a-down,
On us sitting here lonely,
And give unto us the gain that we long for.

Hail to the Æsir,
And the sweet Ásynjur!
Hail to the fair Earth fulfilled of plenty!
Fair words, wise hearts,
Would we win from you,
And healing hands while life we hold.”

Blood Magick


I know this is a touchy subject, and I’m really hoping that nobody get’s offended by this topic, but blood magic is a valid branch of magic that I practice and it has come to my attention that it’s really hard to find any good sources on blood magic. Keep in mind, I don’t claim to be any kind of authority, and this is all my personal practice. I’m more than willing to hear how others use blood magic, but please, NO SHAMING. If you don’t like blood magic, you’re free to state why, but avoid blanketed statements such as “it’s evil/wrong/sick/ect…” because, just because it’s not okay for you, doesn’t mean your morals and life experiences apply to everyone else.

Overview

First and foremost, in my experience and learnings, blood magic is not evil. It is powerful. Big difference. Blood has a lot of connotations and associations tied to it, so it packs a bit of a metaphysical punch when you add it to a spell. What you do with that punch is all on you.

Physically, it is you. Or who ever the blood is from. This means a couple things. One, it is a stand in, and possibly the strongest representation of a person in spell work. Now, because it IS a part of your body, your blood only represents you, possibly family with blood ties, your blood can’t be used to represent another person. Also, using your blood in a spell will permanently tie the spell to you. As far as I’ve noticed, it won’t ever lose it’s focus on the target who’s blood is included in the spell.

The other thing I’ve learned about blood magic, is that blood holds “a charge”, be it intent, energy, or whatever, almost indefinitely. This helps keep a spell from fading over time. This is good, and bad. If you want a spell to last essentially forever, then use blood. I’ve come across spellwork from my grandparents that had blood, and it STILL had a very strong and clear intent attached to it. This also means that you have to actively dispel the intent and break the spell if you ever change your mind. 

Magickal Meanings

Ground- Clearing and releasing excess energy.
Center- Usually done after Grounding. To calm your emotions, Mind, and Body to be physically and magically aware.
Cleanse- Removing negative energies from an object or a space.
Charge – To infuse an object with personal or external power
Visualize – Forming mental images. It is done to direct energy during spell work.
Banish- To magickally end something, Or to rid the presence of.
Consecrate- The blessing of an object or place by instilling it with positive energy.
Intent / Intention – Your goal, Or purpose for spell work.
Sabbat- The Witches festivals or Holidays (Changing of the seasons / Equinoxes)
Talisman- An object charged with personal power to attract a specific force or energy to the wearer

Two-For-One Moon Wish Jar!


You’ll need:

A jar with a good, sealing lid
Water
Salt (about a teaspoon to a tablespoon should work)
Glitter, sequins, anything that catches light, in any color you want
Fill your jar most of the way full of water, add the salt, glitter, sequins, anything else you’re adding to your moon wish jar, and seal it up!

To use it for Moon Wishing, find a place in or near your home where you have a good view of the Full Moon. Position yourself and your jar in the light of the moon and envision you and your jar absorbing it, gaining power from it. Meditate for a few minutes, allow yourself to gain a sense of peace and relaxation from the moonlight. Once you feel empowered, make your wish to the Moon and shake up your jar, envisioning your wish being fulfilled. Allow the contents to settle while you continue meditating and focusing your energy on your wish. Once your jar has settled, shake it up one more time and set it in a window that gets moonlight at night.

This jar can also be used to quiet a troubled mind or to relieve stress! Simply shake it up again as needed (don’t forget to think about your wish!) and watch the contents settle to the bottom of the jar!