seven

Conjuring Minor
and Major Magicks

Not even gravity can keep a good Witch down. After all, who knows better how to work between the worlds where the gravity of any situation can be transmuted? Major and minor magicks help us combat boredom and negative thoughtforms. They also assist in bringing abundance and joy into our lives. Magick, including spellcasting, is not difficult. Generally, it follows an easy formula with distinct steps that can be used for a variety of purposes. You do not need money, fancy tools, or exotic plants to work minor magicks. Major magicks sometimes require a small investment, depending upon your interests and where you wish to take your studies. For both minor and major magicks, you must have faith in yourself, a positive attitude, and connection with Divinity.

This chapter has very few spells in it. Sorry to disappoint you; that comes in the next chapter. Right now, we are concerned with the mechanics of spellcasting, what it is, how it is done, etc. The actual spells are icing on the cake—no, sugar in the cauldron!

What Does it Take to be a Real Working Witch?

It takes courage, guts, and determination to be a Witch. How do you know an adept has cast a spell or done a major working? You don’t; that’s the point. An adept is so good, he or she can even cloak another magickal person’s divination attempt. Real working Witches are bold. They go beyond the whining stage of “Why me, O Lord, why me?” They get their hands dirty. They move right in and do what has to be done, whether it is a mundane action, casting a spell, or performing a ritual. They don’t quibble over politics, worry about who is Queen of the sabbat this week, or brag about how much community service they have done, how many students they’ve taught, or how many people showed up at their house on circle night. They don’t worry about having a retinue, and they don’t use people to get what they want. They simply do, for themselves and others, in the best way they know how. They aren’t always right and may make mistakes here and there, but that is all part of the human condition and the lessons that have been presented to them to learn.

Real Witches don’t abuse their power, or seek to remove or denigrate others. They don’t abuse children, spouses, or students. People who practice such abuses are fakes, frauds, and con artists. A real Witch doesn’t make fun of another individual’s handicaps or level of achievement, whether they be magickal or not. Every religion has them—these spineless jellyfish play-acting as wolves. As a community, we should be watching out for each other and taking out the trash. If no one is making a move on a particular situation and you see it for what it is, take it to the goddess. She is always watching, and her justice isn’t blind.

Lady Bats says, “It is a blatant fool who plays big-Witchie-magickal-person. They gonna go down. Yes, they is. And the goddess ain’t mighty friendly when they gets to the bottom. No sir, that she ain’t.”

Spells? Prayers?

Although many working Witches explain spells as prayers to those who have no clue about the Craft, that is not exactly correct. Don’t worry, I’m guilty of it myself because the hoped-for end result of a spell is the same as a prayer. Spells, unlike most prayers, as we’ve covered before, are focused acts. Mind, spirit, and body are attuned to a single desire. Groveling and mentally beating yourself is not required.

By now, you should not be muttering about whether spells work or not. Nor should you be in the throes of ethical vacillations. That’s for 101 people, not you. If you have any doubts about spellcasting, go back to the beginner books and work through those sections again. As an added kick, here is what Z. Budapest has to say about spellcasting:

Casting a spell, in self-defense or in self-interest is not selfish, but positive, life-affirming. You have been given powers, the very same powers that society devalues . . . What if it comes back tenfold? Well, don’t be a fool. Never use your magick to attack the innocent. Then you have nothing to fear . . . Don’t be frivolous or cowardly. If your course is righteous, and your tools ready, go to it.29

In teaching students, I focus on the Witches’ Pyramid. The foundation consists of the following:

To Know

To Will

To Dare

To Be Silent

These four principles, when focused, are the springboard of all Craft magick. Let’s do something different. Rather than my rambling about the four principles of spellcasting, how about I put it in outline form.

Spell Outline

I. The Witches’ Pyramid

A. To Know

1. Know yourself

2. Know what you want to accomplish

a. Write down the specifics in longhand

b. Factor down to phonetics

c. Factor down to initials

d. Create a sigil with those initials

3. Know how to work in moderation

B. To Will

1. Belief in yourself

2. Belief in Divinity

3. Belief in your skill level

4. Belief in the abundance of the Universe

5. The will to practice again and again

6. Meditation skills

a. Practice for visualization

b. Practice for relaxation

c. Practice for reaching alpha

d. Practice for speed

7. Why do you want to perform this magickal operation?

8. Is your will directed correctly?

a. Do not influence another

b. Do not influence in a negative manner

c. Do a divination to check your plans

C. To Dare

1. Have the guts to change circumstances

2. Have the guts to control your environment

3. Take responsibility for your actions

4. Choose the best course of action for the working to be done

D. To Be Silent

1. Learn to keep your mouth shut before you perform

2. Learn to keep your mouth shut while you are waiting for results

3. Learn to keep your mouth shut after the operation

a. Protects your confidence

b. Protects your reputation

Your Work

Project 1: Take a favorite spell and see how it fits into the outline above. Is there anything you would change now that you have walked through the outline?

Project 2: Perform your spell with the outline in mind. Record your results.

Celestial Magicks

I know it is a pain, but let’s start from square one and go through all the little nuances that make slam-bang-shoot-’em-up spellcasting. Believe me, by the time you get through this chapter, and if you learn everything in here, there is no excuse for casting a lousy spell—unless your dog eats your notes, of course.

The ancients used the sun, moon, planets, and stars in their magick and religions. The working Witch follows in the footsteps of the shamans before him or her by employing many of the same concepts. Normally, the first type of celestial magick employed by the working Witch is that of the moon and her phases. Is it necessary to learn this information? Yes, if you want to be an adept at spellcasting.

I use four very important tools for celestial magicks:

1. Llewellyn’s Daily Planetary Guide

2. Llewellyn’s Magical Almanac

3. Llewellyn’s Astrological Pocket Planner

4. Jim Maynard’s Pocket Astrologer30

Most magickal books give you a table of correspondences, throw a few paragraphs at you on how to use them, and leave you to your own designs. Here, we’ll go through many of these various correspondences in more detail.

I mentioned before that most working Witches begin with the moon phase when planning a spell. First, of course, you have determined the who, what, when, where, why, and how of a spell. After the situation is clearly considered, take a look at the moon phases below and determine where your work should be done, if possible.

Lunar Magicks

This magick deals primarily with the timing and phases of the moon. Most Witches use the standard phases (full, new, waxing, waning, dark); these can be expanded, however, for more advanced students in the following manner.

New Moon Magick

(Moon is 0–45 degrees directly ahead of the sun.) Sun and moon energies are combined in this phase to give great strength to new projects. Legend has it that in this phase, Diana, disguised as a cat, coerced her brother Lucifer into her bed of passions. The Queen of Witches, Aradia, is the result of this unusual union.31 As the new moon signifies the conception of Aradia, she is always a willing participant in the magick of her children. Now is also the time to give thanks for workings (both long- and short-term) that have been successful. Banishments at the full and waning moons have most likely manifested by now. Offerings of milk and honey, or water laced with fertilizer for the plants outside (during the growing season), are appropriate. If in the season of sleep, then set out food for the small animals. Other goddesses employed are Diana, Artemis, Astarte, and one of my favorites, Ana.

Timing: The moon rises at dawn and sets at sunset. For the best use of this energy, magick should be performed between dawn and sunset. This is not to say that you cannot work at night. To get the most punch for your magick, however, choose the correct timing. Also, check the planetary hours to give added power to the working. Sun goddesses such as Sekhmet, Vesta, and Heartha can be aspected with great success. This is a wonderful time for dragon magick, or rituals where the god and goddess are balanced. Rituals focusing on the god are quite acceptable in this phase.

Conjuring: New moon workings can be done from the day of the new moon to 31⁄2 days after. Naturally, the closer you are to the new moon, the better your chances of success.

Your work should manifest by the full moon or the next new moon. If it does not, repeat the working. Things to work for include:

Beauty, health, and self-improvement

Farms and gardens

Job hunting

Love and romance

Networking

Meditations: Work on bringing abundance into your life. Picture the harmony you desire, the current needs you have. Make a mind movie about how you want both short- and long-term goals to manifest. Concentrate also on parts of yourself (body, mind, or spirit) that need regeneration.

Crescent Moon Magick

(Moon is 45–90 degrees ahead of the sun. The crescent faces west, the home of the Cailleach and the gates of death and rebirth.) The crescent is the symbol of the goddess, a ladle of love, manifestation, and abundance. It is the holy cup of her hand, containing the Mysteries to be showered upon her children. In the mundane world, you should be gathering information, ideas, and laying a foundation for the project you have set into motion through magick. Use small rituals and magickal techniques to help your mundane work move along. Since the crescent faces west, the aid of Aphrodite, Marianne, Themis, or Tiamat can be aspected, as well as the ancient power of the Magdalens.32

Timing: The moon rises at midmorning and sets after sunset. The crescent’s greatest strength would be at the midpoint. Check an almanac for exact timing.

Conjuring: This phase lasts from 31⁄2 days after the new moon through the seventh day. You can do some minor magicks each day to enhance your goals and projects. This is definitely a time for the goddess and her female archetypes, as the crescent energy is strong. Work for:

Animals

Business

Change

Emotions

Matriarchal strength

Meditations: Continue to work on your mind movie for the manifestation of goals and projects, then slip into goddess archetype meditations to cultivate a particular quality you would like to instill in your own life.

First Quarter (Waxing Moon) Magick

(Moon is 90–135 degrees ahead of the sun.) To most working Witches, waxing means the process of building up. Now is the time to put on a little extra steam, buck up a few things that are sagging, and push forward toward manifestation. Do a small ritual to continue success or bring it on a bit faster. If extra magickal guns may be needed, now is the time to use them.

Timing: The moon rises at noon and sets at midnight. Sunset is the prime time for waxing moon magick. Dusk is auspicious for faeries and their energy. Altar devotions and offerings for the faery folk in return for a favor work especially well during this moon phase. A special trip to your outdoor shrine may be in order, with a small ceremony to leave milk and honey, no matter the season. A wonderful time also to work with the triple goddess aspect.

Conjuring: Moon is from 7 to 101⁄2 days after the new moon. Check the planetary hours for spellworking or additional ritual performance. Do rituals for:

Courage

Elemental magick

Friends

Luck

Motivation

Meditation: Meditate upon gods and goddesses of strength and success in pathworking exercises. Continue to use the mind movie. Instinct and intuition are valuable assets during this time. Program your mind both in and out of meditation to take advantage of these gifts.

Gibbous Moon Magick

(Moon is 135–180 degrees ahead of the sun and is mistaken by laypeople as the full moon, especially in the last day.) Time to catch loose ends or make any changes necessary. If the working appears to have stalled, don’t panic. Often a gestation period is needed where no change is immediately visible. You may wish to relax a bit and begin planning any working you choose to do with full moon energy.

Timing: The moon rises at midafternoon and sets about 3 a.m. This is a wonderful time for workings around 10 or 11 p.m., if you are inclined. goddesses of the night, such as Nuit or Star goddesses, do well in this phase.

Conjuring: The moon is 101⁄2 to 14 days after the new moon. Work for:

Patience

Meditation: Continue your mind movie to bring both small and large goals closer to you. Mentally prepare yourself for the full moon energy yet to come.

Full Moon Magick

(The moon is 180–225 degrees ahead of the sun. At this point, the moon is directly opposite the sun. Here, you can create an arch of energy between the moon and sun.) All rituals of balance in life or a situation are done at this time. Full moon magick is like a white candle—all-purpose. If you follow lunar phases for most of your magick, you know that prophecy and protection are the biggies here. Totems like the raven are called to bestow their gifts of divination. goddesses like Isis, Ashera, and Selene are called, as well as the Sisters of the Wyrrd, the Norns, and other goddesses and gods of fate. Short-term projects may have concluded now and it is time to give thanks for the blessings that have come your way. The full moon is also the time of legends—reading them, studying them, and making your own. You are a legend and have wonderful lessons and memories to offer. Individuals talented in the arts (dance, music, painting, pottery, metal work, etc.) find the full moon a most auspicious time for creativity. Power, of course, is generated, regenerated, and used by the working Witch. Any working that needs a major punch—such as a divorce case, help in finding a satisfactory job, healings for major conditions—can all be done now with excellent chances of success.

Timing: The moon rises at sunset and sets at dawn, therefore, a midnight working (or when the moon is directly overhead) is best.

Conjuring: The moon is from 14 to 171⁄2 days after the new moon. Work for:

Artistic endeavors

Beauty, health, and fitness

Change and decisions

Children

Competition

Dreams

Families

Health and healing

Knowledge

Legal undertakings

Love and romance

Money

Motivation

Protection

Psychism

Self-improvement

Meditation: Meditations involving prophecy and power in occult skills should be done now. Dream work is at its height. Don’t forget to keep that notebook by your bed to record those important messages.

Disseminating Moon Magick

(Moon is 225–270 degrees ahead of the sun.) Banishing work starts now. If you want to get rid of a bad habit or banish illness or negativity, this is the time to begin. A good time to take things apart, whether it is old modes of thought or that radio you wanted to fix six months ago. This is the time of the goddesses Bast, Kore, Ceres, Demeter, or other Earth Mothers.

Timing: The moon rises at midevening and sets at midmorning. The time of souls (3 a.m.) would be the midpoint here. Check planetary correspondences if you aren’t inclined to wakefulness in the wee hours of the morning.

Conjuring: The moon is 31⁄2 to 7 days after the full moon. Workings should focus upon:

Addiction

Decisions

Divorce

Emotions

Stress

Protection

Meditation: Meditations involve removal of outmoded thoughts, bad habits, or anything that bothers you. Continue to work on thoughts of abundance and joy in your life. Keep working on that mind movie for short- and long-term goals.

Last Quarter (Waning Moon) Magick

(Moon is 270–315 degrees ahead of the sun. The crescent shape here turns eastward, opening her arms toward the rising sun.) This is the time of releasing negativity around us, and continuing banishing work or minor magicks to support a banishing ritual begun during the disseminating moon. Continue banishing in the realm of healing (especially cancers and tumors, and other things that grow but aren’t supposed to).

Timing: The moon rises at midnight and sets at noon.

Conjuring: The moon is 7 to 101⁄2 days after the full moon. Work involves:

Addictions

Divorce

Health and healing (banishing disease)

Stress

Protection

Meditation: Practice meditations to disentangle yourself from sticky situations, bad interpersonal affairs, healing (with regard to banishing illness), and removing bad habits. Again, keep working on the mind movie for short- and long-term goals. Reaffirm the positive things in your life.

Dark Moon Magick

(The moon is 315–360 degrees ahead of the sun.) Most famously known, of course, for cursing, chaos magick, and bringing justice to bear. goddesses here are Kali, the Morrigan, the Cailleach, Lilith, and Hecate. It is also a time to move within self, to explore our darkest recesses and understand our angers and passions, steering them to work for us in a positive way. Dealing with attackers is best begun during the dark moon.

Timing: The moon rises at 3 a.m. and sets at midafternoon. Despite the oddity, around 10 a.m. is the strongest pull of the dark moon. Close the drapes or use room-darkening blinds and meet the Dark goddesses face to face. Check planetary hours for evening workings.

Conjuring: Moon is 101⁄2 to 14 days after the full moon. Workings involve:

Addictions

Change

Divorce

Enemies

Justice

Obstacles

Quarrels

Removal

Separation

Stopping stalkers and theft

Meditations: Reach within yourself to pull out unwanted thoughts or desires. Examine them and dismiss them. Pathwork with the Dark goddesses to receive their most exquisite gifts. Continue the mind movie for positive workings in your life.

Lunar Eclipses

There are two types of lunar eclipse:

1. Partial eclipse

2. Penumbral eclipse of the moon

You will need your Planetary Guide to check dates and times during the year when these two occur. Choose long-term goals you wish to work on well ahead of these events. Eclipses represent the perfect union of sun and moon, therefore, practically any type of magick is acceptable. Many working Witches prefer to work with the Dark goddesses during this time, correcting long-standing problems. Others lean toward the Shining Ones and faery magick.

Moon Void-of-Course

The rule of thumb is to avoid doing anything important while the moon is void-of-course. If what you have done during this period works, consider yourself lucky. Call me stupid, it took me a long time to understand the concept of void-of-course. I don’t know why. It was one of those “thangs” that wouldn’t gel in my mind. In fact, it wasn’t until I was studying horary astrology that I finally got the point. In horary astrology, the chart is not considered readable if certain circumstances are present. The chart has to be thrown out, and the question asked at another time. If the moon is void-of-course on the chart, the whole thing should be pitched.

Before the moon enters a new sign (Leo, Virgo, Cancer, etc.), there is a sort of dead space. The best way I can explain it is through Wiccan terms. The moon is between the worlds, in a time that is not a time, in a space that is not a space—it is in a celestial void where neither positive or negative energies behave as they normally do. To make this circumstance more irritating, it never lasts the same length of time. For example, it could last only ten minutes, or as much as a day and a half. It isn’t a phenomenon you can set your watch by, so you need to check either your planetary datebook or pocket astrologer.

The effects of the void moon vary. Some people manifest scattered energy, or that “I don’t feel like myself today” position. Decisions have a habit of bordering on the illogical. Individuals under psychological counseling or drug therapy swing toward the irrational. Of course, those who need counseling and refuse to get it move toward more violent behaviors. The general rule during this time revolves around stuff you shouldn’t do:

Don’t do magick

Don’t make major decisions

Don’t make major purchases

Don’t begin or complete any magickal operations

Don’t make any major repairs

The void-of-course moon is a good time for relaxation and more spiritual pursuits, such as studying or taking a walk in the woods. It is like a cosmic time-out and can be very advantageous if used properly.

Your Work

Project 1: Learn the phases of the moon. Write down each phase; beside the phase, explain, in detail, how you feel the phase could be used in the life of any working Witch.

Project 2: Compare each phase to your life. What sort of phase are you living in right now?

Project 3: With both spell outlines, sit down and design a spell to match each of the phases of the moon. Perform all of them throughout the next three lunar cycles.

Those Magickal Days

The next thing a working Witch checks are the magickal days. Which day would be most auspicious to perform the working? The days are equated with the sun and six of the planets.

Sunday (Sun—yellow, gold, orange): Health, success, career, goals, ambition, personal finances, advancement, drama, fun, authority figures, law, fairs, crops, totem animals, volunteer and civic services, promotion, the god, men’s Mysteries, children, buying, selling, speculating.

Monday (Moon—white, silver, grey, pearl): Psychic pursuits, psychology, dreams/astral travel, imagination, women’s Mysteries, reincarnation, short trips, women, children, the public, domestic concerns, emotions, fluids, magick, spirituality, nursing, all things pertaining to water and bodies of water, antiques, trip planning, household activities, initiation, astrology, new-age pursuits, archetypes, totem animals, shapeshifting, religious experience.

Tuesday (Mars—red, pink, orange): Passion, partnerships, courage, swift movement, action, energy, strife, aggression, sex, physical energy, sports, muscular activity, guns, tools, metals, cutting, surgery, police, soldiers, combat, confrontation, business, buying and selling animals, mechanical things, repair, gardening, woodworking, hunting, beginnings.

Wednesday (Mercury—purple, magenta, silver): Wisdom, healing, communication, intelligence, memory, education, correspondence, phone calls, computers, messages, students, merchants, editing, writing, advertising, signing contracts, siblings, neighbors, kin, accounting, clerks, critics, music, editors, journalists, visual arts, hiring employees, learning languages, placing ads, telephone calls, visiting friends, legal appointments, astrology.

Thursday (Jupiter—blue, metallic colors): Business, logic, gambling, social matters, political power, material wealth, publishing, college education, long-distance travel, foreign interests, religion, philosophy, forecasting, broadcasting, publicity, expansion, luck, growth, sports, horses, the law, doctors, guardians, merchants, psychologists, charity, correspondence courses, self-improvement, researching, reading, studying.

Friday (Venus—green, pink, white): Romantic love, friendships, beauty, soulmates, artistic ability, harmony, affection, relationships, partners, alliances, grace, beauty, luxury, social activity, marriage, decorating, cosmetics, gifts, income, growth, gardening, architects, artists, beauticians, chiropractors, dancers, designers, engineers, entertainers, fashion, music, painting, poetry, courtship, dating, decorating homes, household improvements, planning parties, shopping.

Saturday (Saturn—black, grey, red, white): Binding, protection, neutralization, karma, death, manifestation, structure, reality, the laws of society, limits, obstacles, tests, hard work, endurance, real estate, dentists, bones, teeth, farm workers, sacrifice, separation, stalkers, murderers, criminals in general, civil servants, justice, math, plumbing, real estate, wills, debts, financing, joint money matters, discovery, transformation, death, relations with older people.

Now that I’ve given you all this information, what is the point of knowing it? Take the most important aspect of the purpose of your working and check through the days. Which day would be most appropriate? Can you do your working on that day? Does it match your moon phase chosen? Which is the most convenient for you to use, the day or the moon phase? Can you possibly wait (like in long-range goal planning), or is this an emergency?

Planetary Hours

Finally, planetary hours can be beneficial, especially if you can’t make it to the right moon phase or even the right day, though you can wait for both the appropriate day and planetary hour.

Planetary hours are divided into two parts:

Sunrise to sunset

Sunset to sunrise

Each hour of the day and night is matched to a planetary influence. Because only the sun and six planets are used as correspondences, you have a chance to use those influences either during the day or during the evening. The influences can either help or dissolve magickal efforts. Planetary hours are calculated with reference to the rising sun, so each time you wish to use a planetary hour, you must first know precisely when the sun rises where you are living.

Here is how the working Witch discerns the planetary hour:

1. Find out what time the sun rises in your locality. This is not difficult. Use a weather channel on television, check the daily newspaper, or look in an almanac.

2. Get out the sunrise/sunset planetary hour charts provided at the end of this chapter.

3. Check the type of working you wish to do, and consider which planetary influence is best suited for your work. Write that down.

4. Choose which chart to use. Do you prefer working during the day or after sunset? On the chart, find the appropriate day you wish to use. If it is an emergency, it would be today, of course.

5. Divide the number of minutes of daylight by twelve. For example, if the sun rises at 7:00 a.m. and sets at 4:00 p.m., you would divide the nine hours of daylight by twelve to calculate when the hours fall. That means that although we call them “planetary hours,” the planetary hours will equal more or less than the normal 60 minutes we associate with one hour. In this example, the nine hours of daylight equals 540 minutes; 540 divided by twelve means each hour equals 45 minutes. Therefore, hour one would be from 7:00 a.m. to 7:45 am. Hour two would be from 7:45 am to 8:30 am, and so on until sunset.

6. In Step 3, you wrote down the planetary influence you needed for the working. Find that planet under the day you chose. Run your finger over to the hour column; what hour does it fall under? In Step 5, you determined when the hours fell today, by using the sunrise (or sunset) of the day. What does the planetary hour you chose in the first column equate to today? This is the most auspicious time for you to do your working.

Let’s say the first time chosen is impossible for you. You’ll be at work. Go back to your chart to the correct day, and look for that planetary influence again. Run your finger back to the hour column, and calculate in today’s time. Is this better? No?

Let’s take this example further. If you can’t perform magick during the daylight hours, you will probably prefer to take your time and plan the working at night. Use the table for the sunset planetary hours. Sunset is at 4:00 p.m. and the sun rises the next morning at 7:00 a.m. The planetary hour calculations you did for the daylight hours would not be accurate here, since you have fifteen hours of darkness (as opposed to nine hours of daylight). Fifteen hours equals nine hundred minutes, which means that each hour equals seventy-five minutes (nine hundred divided by twelve). Therefore, each hour one would be from 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Hour two would be from 5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and so on.

Finally, if none of these hours will work for you, either wait until the next available correct day and time or find another planetary influence that is close to what you need. You will find there are duplicates on many of the lists, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

Why all the fuss and bother, anyway? Calculating planetary influences puts you one step closer to a successful working, especially if other things can’t, don’t, or won’t fall into line for you. It adds extra punch to the minor magicks explained earlier in this chapter and could give you success if you are feeling under the weather but must perform anyway. The hours are excellent for planning rituals as well.

Your Work

Project 1: Take ten of your favorite spells and calculate the appropriate lunar phase and magickal day. Perform at least three of these spells during the correct phase, and record the result.

Project 2: Take the same ten spells and add the planetary hour calculations. Perform three of these spells using the new data, and record the results.

Advanced Celestial Workings

When you are considering the celestial correspondences, you must also be aware of not only the phase of the moon, but the placement of it in relationship to the other planets in the heavens at the time of the proposed working, and what astrological sign the moon can be, will be, or should be in.

The moon is empathic. It can pick up the influences of the astrological signs as it travels through them. If this is not believable to you, think about yourself. Have you ever picked up bad or good habits when spending a great deal of time with another person who has those habits? I can remember going to camp when I was fourteen years old. My bunkmate was a girl from Georgia. Naturally, she had a thick southern accent that dripped images of southern belles, white parasols, and pink lemonades. I was entranced. By the end of our two-week stay I subconsciously picked up a great deal of her accent, incorporating it into my own speech patterns. Upon my homecoming, my mother thought I might be a changeling. (Well, you never know.)

The moon, then, getting back to the topic at hand, is much like an open vessel. Of course, she has qualities and energies of her own, but she is quite capable of reflecting the energies of the other bodies in the heavens around her as well as picking up on whether or not various planets agree with each other. Here is where your little pocket astrologer comes in. When planning magick, check to see where the moon is around the time you wish to do a working. What sign is she in? What planets are socializing with her at the time, and what sort of conversation are they having (called aspects)? In your pocket astrologer, the definitions of the aspects are given. It will only take you a few moments to figure it out. The following list will be of assistance to you.

Moon in Aries: Beginning of things, matters of self and your personality.

Moon in Taurus: Financial matters of a personal nature, vehicles, benefits, possessions.

Moon in Gemini: Relatives, communication, studies, writing, street smarts.

Moon in Cancer: Home environment, mothers, end of life, family.

Moon in Leo: Pleasures, hobbies, love affairs, entertainment, sports, your pets.

Moon in Virgo: Working environment, health, service extended, clothing.

Moon in Libra: Marriage, partnerships, legal matters, small animals.

Moon in Scorpio: Death, sex, taxes, inheritances, transformation.

Moon in Sagittarius: Religion, metaphysics, long-distance travel, in-laws, higher learning.

Moon in Capricorn: Business, career, reputation, father, honors.

Moon in Aquarius: Friendship, acquaintances, hopes and dreams, groups and organizations.

Moon in Pisces: Inner development, karma, restrictions, secrets revealed.

Planetary Aspects

Aspects are the socialization of planets with each other. By this time, you know what a planet is (if you do not, we are both in serious trouble). Some of the heavenly bodies get along, others don’t—like people. Sometimes they can tolerate each other better than others (again, like us good old humans). Other times, the planets have absolutely no patience and would prefer spitting at each other.

What happens in the heavens, say the experts, is a direct mirror of what is happening on the earth. Both movements, on heaven and earth, occur simultaneously. The working Witch needs to be aware of the big picture. Remember? The big picture here includes heavenly events and earthly events.

For years I had no interest in astrology. This doesn’t mean I didn’t believe in it. I simply didn’t have the time or inclination to deal with it. Besides, I’m lousy at math. I would spend hours to get that correct slice of time and later find out my slice was soggy with errors. With the advent of the computer in my home, I got my little Witchie paws on a cheap chart-casting program. My life changed forever. While I was ferreting out the meanings of my own natal chart, I was also in the process of converting from eclecticism to an old Wiccan tradition. There was a great deal of work involved in it and I found myself talking to several elder Crafters for insights, suggestions, and ideas.

I happened to mention to one of these individuals about my new, great, marvelous, wonderful discovery of astrology and how, if used properly, it could be an asset to every being on the planet and should certainly be used by group leaders and elders, right? My acquaintance snorted in contempt, “Well, I don’t use minor magicks and I certainly don’t get involved in that astrology stuff. It’s an excuse for people to behave badly.”

Well, bust my bustle, I was a bit surprised at this outburst. It was obvious to me this person was condemning an entire mystical study because of something that had happened in the past. I was right.

In the next breath my acquaintance began a tirade of the ills of individuals who follow astrology. The largest complaint was one I’d seen myself. People who blame their shortcomings and bad behavior on the aspects of planets, glitches in their natal chart, or what sign the moon happens to be in at the time of their inexcusable behavior, have a problem that has nothing to do with astrology or the practice thereof. People who rationalize their bad behavior on the movement of the heavens are like anyone else who is trying not to take the blame for their own actions. In this case, the scapegoat is astrology. It isn’t fair, especially when we understand that the heavens reflect earthly movements. Responsibility lies with the human who creates the action, not the heavens that reflect it. No matter what celestial energy is floating around at any given time, all humans have free will and can choose to behave badly or not.

Because I am associated with a lot of card readers and astrologers, I know of one client who used to call an astrologer now and then and tell her, “This isn’t a good day for me. The moon is in Cancer and I’m always such a bitch.” Then she would proceed to act like an utter, nasty idiot. My friend didn’t buy it, and I agreed with her.

I was also disappointed in the acquaintance, because she prejudged an entire system of study for one silly reason. I would have respected this person more had she said, “I don’t understand astrology. The concept escapes me, but I am sure there are many people who benefit from it.” As it was, it made me wonder about her judgment on other matters, and I eventually distanced myself from that person.

Back to checking out the aspects when contemplating magickal operations. Use your pocket astrologer to see which planets are having a pleasant conversation on the day in question and which ones have declared all-out war. The following will help you in your determinations with moon energy and assist you in understanding how aspects can be read.

Moon Conjunctions

Moon conjunct the sun: Good. This happens during the new moon. Lots of growth, harmony, and intellectual stimulation.

Moon conjunct Mercury: Good. High level of intellectual activity. Both the head and heart are working together rather than fighting with each other. High level of communication as well as intuitive strength.

Moon conjunct Venus: Good. A great time for romance. Emotions are balanced. There is heightened sensitivity in anything creative. Social activities are in full swing here and will be a success.

Moon conjunct Mars: Challenging. A high level of aggressiveness. Impulses range from violent to merely moody. Outbursts of temper tantrums to all-out knock-down-dragout fights. A good aspect for courage.

Moon conjunct Jupiter: Good. Generosity is the keynote here. Health is revitalized and individuals normally have a good outlook on life.

Moon conjunct Saturn: In between. Although opportunities present themselves and hard work will be rewarded, there is a strong predilection toward stinginess, timidity, and inadequacy. Self-esteem is not at its high point.

Moon conjunct Uranus: In between. Impulsiveness is sailing here. Sudden changes and unexpected events may rock or right the boat. Emotional tension could be high, as well as a need to step out and do something different.

Moon conjunct Neptune: Good. Excellent psychism here; religious revelations, harmony, but may lead to gullibility.

Moon conjunct Pluto: In between. Another line of impulsiveness, though perhaps more subtle. A need, perhaps, to build walls.

Moon Sextiles and Trines

Moon sextile/trine the sun: Good. Harmony and a sense of floating through the Universe. Strong desires do not occur here.

Moon sextile/trine Mercury: Good. Down-to-earth communication. Horse-sense is most evident. Excellent timing for media, sports, business, etc.

Moon sextile/trine Venus: Good. Harmonious energies afoot. Increased interest in romance and the arts.

Moon sextile/trine Mars: Good. Lots of get-up-and-go. High energy and much activity. Opportunities both in business and home.

Moon sextile/trine Jupiter: Good. Nice, peaceful energies both in business and at home.

Moon sextile/trine Saturn: In between. Benefits available, but duties must be fulfilled and promises kept. Gains made through keeping things in order.

Moon sextile/trine Uranus: Good. Excellent time for psychism, spirituality, religion, and power. Ambition is strong. Inventiveness is high. New friends are now available.

Moon sextile/trine Neptune: Good. An imaginative time, sort of dreamy. Good time for pathworking meditations, dream recall, using the imagination in the arts, and problem solving.

Moon sextile/trine Pluto: In between. Strong emotional conflicts will bring better results.

Moon Square or Opposite

Moon square/opposite the sun: In between. Full moon. How you handled yourself in the new moon phase determines how this aspect will affect you or your magick. You could be on the ultimate high or wading through the epitome of low.

Moon square/opposite Mercury: Challenging. Poor time for matters of communication. People’s brains aren’t connected with their logic. Reasoning is poor and emotional whims will become more important than they should.

Moon square/opposite Venus: Challenging. Domestic difficulties may arise. Moodiness, tendency to hold things inside rather than communicate. Possible difficulties with material things and purchases. Not a time to socialize.

Moon square/opposite Mars: Challenging. Tempers flare to violence. People are nasty, picky, and stingy.

Moon square/opposite Jupiter: Challenging. Overspending is likely. Stealing, poor financial investments made. Possibility of spiritual doubts and overindulgence in food, drink, or prescription drugs.

Moon square/opposite Saturn: Challenging. Depression possible. Bad judgment possible. Lack of flexibility.

Moon square/opposite Uranus: Challenging. Obsessions surface now, both odd and unusual. Possible accidents. Restless, uncommunicative energy afoot.

Moon square/opposite Neptune: Challenging. Deceptive energy weaving here. A tendency to run away from problems and be emotionally willful and stubborn—to be a pain.

Moon square/opposite Pluto: Challenging. Secrets abound when the moon hangs with Pluto. Jealousy is prominent and a sense of uneasiness prevails.

The Minor Magicks

Now that you know all this great stuff about the moon, let’s begin with the little magickal procedures, which aren’t really so little. The actual performance of minor magicks can take as little as thirty seconds, once you gain strength, ability, and confidence. Like any good procedure, however, even minor magicks require some type of careful planning at some time. For example, although I can usually stop a bloody nose in less than thirty seconds (see HexCraft, retitled American Folk Magick in 1998), it did take study and practice on my part. I worked up to this level of skill through a series of steps. And that’s the point here. One of the major complaints I’ve heard is that modern magickal books do not carry advanced workings. What many fail to realize is that it is not the complication of the procedure, but the finesse with which it is done that makes it advanced or beginner in application.

I listed the minor magicks earlier in this book, but for sake of clarity, let’s go over them, one at a time. As a reminder, before any magicks are performed, the working Witch checks his or her chosen divination system to inquire as to the results of the working and the extent of the situation.

petition magick

This is by far the easiest of the minor magicks. It requires, of course, a piece of paper, a sacred space, and your altar or altar stone. (You know, that big flat stone I keep telling you to drag around.) Petition magick is used alone for a minor magickal application and as an added procedure in full rituals. Petition magick can be used for a little problem or a whopper. The size of the difficulty has nothing to do with the ease of the spell. You can do this type of magick in sacred space or a magick circle, depending upon the severity of the problem or size of the need.

To Perform

Go to your altar and write down the problem or the needed result on a piece of paper. Burn appropriate incense to get your magickal self revved. Play some soft music, if you like. Verbally ask for guidance or the result you desire. Burn the paper. Wait for the result. Third-degree Witches use this procedure when asking to be blessed with the Eyes of the Spirit when dealing with clerical problems. Another variation is to place the paper on the altar in a spell box or jar until the desired result manifests. Then the paper is burned to seal and stabilize the result.

Petition magick is good for problems in which you do not feel the need, or do not choose to use any other type of magick. You may feel that throwing magick at a problem will not solve it, and seek the correct way to move. Sometimes we are so close to a situation that not even our divination skills serve us well due to our emotional involvement. Many working Witches forget the punch petition magick carries. Unlike other deities who are too busy to worry about their children, the Mother always listens. She may not give the expected answer, but she always cares for her Shining Ones.

Your Work

Project 1: With the spell outline, perform a petition magick application. Record your results.

Project 2: Plug your work into a conjuration that includes your altar devotion, a circle casting, and quarter calls designed by yourself.

The Eight Gates of Light and Dark

The Gates were covered in the last chapter. Included also in this category are simple mind-programming techniques, neuro-linguistic programming, and hypnosis (both self- and guide-induced). Chants, too, are found in this arena, as is verbalizing to use the throat chakra. Pow Wow artists use this type of magick, as well as the technique of sacred breath. Although you may snort, many packages on the market, such as the Silva program, are helpful to the working Witch. Valley of the Sun Publishing also carries an array of helpful tapes on topics from healing to past-life recall. My children and I have used them with success. My father, an alternative Christian, worked with me through the Silva tapes, and we have both enjoyed better lifestyles because of them.

Candle Magick

Working with candles is a simple or complex minor magick, depending upon the rite or ritual you perform along with it. Candle magicks can be used alone, in sacred space, or combined with folk magicks for practically any type of human situation. Candle magick works on the following principles:

The color of the candle

The type of oil you use to dress it

The sigils you carve (or do not carve) upon it

The sort of Divinity you call as you light it

You can make candle magick complicated, if you like. This involves the array of colors, deities, oils, and the use of timing. There are five-day candle spells, seven-day candle spells, nine-day candle spells, tarot candle spells, astrological candle spells, and planetary candle spells. Timed spells require a specific number of candles to be burned on a specific day or number of days, at the same time each day for a set period of time. A whole ritual can be written around a candle spell. In short, there is no end to your ingenuity in working with candle magick. It is fun, inexpensive, and it works.

Candle spells usually involve chanting or a poem-like charm, as well as raising energy. Most Wiccan students are taught candle magick early in their training in order to give them confidence when they continue to the more difficult aspects of various magickal operations.

Candle magick is versatile and is used by adepts to center and focus. Black, red, and white are the primary candle colors, and you will find that Witches who have been working for many years stick with these colors and don’t worry about the others. Part of this is due to practicality and their excellent visualization skills, while still using the magickal colors of their ancestors.

In all fairness to the magickal community, I know a few working Witches who do not use candles at all and scoff at the interesting things you can do with them. What you believe is entirely your business. Remember that the Wiccan way is not to rain on someone else’s magickal parade. If someone is tied to candles and their magick and you are not, so be it.

I’ve got another story for you. I pulled a fast one on my students. At the end of their first year, I gave them two massive tests—one on our traditional studies, and one on general Wicca 101. They had to pass both examinations with a 96 percent. If they failed, they had to do the whole year over again. To say the least, terror ran high in my dining room.

The Wicca 101 test takes four to five hours to complete, depending upon the individual. I spent a great deal of time grading the tests. When I gave them back, of course they compared their tests with each other, at which point I was greeted with a chorus of questions on the candle correspondence section. No one got any wrong, but many had different answers, which was supposed to be an impossibility since that part of the test was to match the candle color to what it stands for in magick. A set number of colors with a set number of correspondences were given.

“You all got them right,” I said, “because you need to experiment and find what works best for you.” As an example, Bats may use orange for money because she sees money as something to earn, therefore it comes to her through tasks she performs, and not through a gift or a break in her taxes. Orange, then, to Bats, is the color of money. Black Isis sees healing as blue, because to her, all illness begins by an attack on the spirit. Blue is the spirit color.

The moral of this story is another Wiccan mystery: To each person, the world of mundane and magick alike are singular in personal association. Because each person is different, things in books or teachings from others may not apply or work well for everyone. Uniqueness is the foundation of our religious belief and our magickal practices—to be different is an exalted state. If we all served alike, we all would not need to be on this plane at this time. Each must follow his or her own path and carve his or her own destinies. We are individuals, who in wisdom, learn to meld our differences into the One.

Unlike other Wiccan and magickal books, this one does not contain a color correspondence chart for you to refer to. It is time you experiment on your own and discover how and why each color vibrates for you, your needs, and your desires.

Your Work

Project 1: With the spell outline, perform an application of candle magick. Record your results.

Project 2: Plug your work into a conjuration that includes your altar devotion, a circle casting, and quarter calls designed by yourself.

a candle spell for psychic attack

(by Diane McDonough)

My first instinct is to just charge and burn lots of black candles to absorb negativity and burn all trash-can energies away. My other choice is the “if Momma ain’t happy” spell. Grab a red candle, a black candle, and a white candle (or any three things that burn). Caress these, chanting “if Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, so make Momma happy all the time.” This is best performed alone or with people of similar understanding, because it seems to need that foot-stompin’ wild-woman energy to really get the spell moving. While at first glance this may seem blatantly manipulative, it is a form of shielding, blocking negativity, and making the performer a focus for positive energy. Besides, it is fun to do. When this entertainment pales, put the candles someplace where they can burn undisturbed to send the energy out and about. Friday morning is a great time to do this spell, as it sets the framework for a great weekend under the astrological energies of Venus. The full moon also works well, if you would like to wait for a special moon phase. For longest effect, make this exercise a seven-day full moon spell. It will build a strong, positive shield of energy around you.

Cord Magick

Magick with cords is another simple magickal operation that can be used together with the Gates, candle magick, and petitioning. Cord magick entails the following:

Choice of cord color

Choice of cord length

Choice of a disposable cord or one you use over and over again

Choice of Divinity

Standard cord magick uses a red, white, or black cord thirteen inches in length, with the intention of giving it away or disposing of it when you are finished. Of course, you can certainly work with every color of the rainbow or something in between—that is your choice and depends upon your own experimentation.

Cord magick requires the magickal operation of charging. Each knot is charged as a charm or chant is recited. Disposal of the cord depends upon the purpose of the spell. If it is to banish negativity, you would bury it immediately. If it is for healing or drawing something toward you, keep the cord until the job is done, then release the magick and burn the cord.

The knots are done in the following manner:

1------6------4------7------3------8------5------9------2

An example:

By knot of one, this spell’s begun

by knot of two, my words are true

by knot of three, it comes to be

by knot of four, power in store

by knot of five, this spell’s alive

by knot of six, this spell is fixed

by knot of seven, the answer’s given

by knot of eight, I meld with fate

by knot of nine, the thing is mine!

There are three types of cord magick. The thirteen-inch cord is explained above.

The second type of cord magick is used by traditional Witches. The Witch takes his or her cord of measure (which was given to him or her at the time of initiation—though sometimes it is kept by the High Priestess at the Hearthstone Coven) and uses it to access the group mind of the coven and tradition. This group mind can include lineage, ancestry, or the present group of people who make up the tradition or coven. The initiation cord is used to draw more power to assist the Witch in the task he or she is performing. This cord of measure is extremely important, as it is marked with the initiate’s blood. When the initiate dies, the cord is to be buried with him or her. If this is not possible, the initiate is expected to have covered this in a will, stating that the cord should be sent back to the original High Priestess, who is then to ritually bury the cord. This cord of measure is white and slender in thickness (1⁄4” to 1⁄8”).

The third type of cord magick is also employed by the traditional Witch; however, a solitary Witch can use this type of magick, as I will explain in a moment. First, let’s get the general information out of the way. When one enters a tradition with a degree system, often nine-foot cords in various colors are given to the initiates according to their station. For example, a first-degree Witch may wear a white cord, a second-degree wears a white cord and a red cord, and the third-degree wears the white cord, the red cord, and a black cord. Some third-degree Witches only wear the black cord. This is a matter of preference within the tradition.

The degree cords are knotted at three feet, six feet, and nine feet (at the end). A loop is then tied to the opposite end of the cord. If you were outside and needed to measure a three-foot circle, you would place your athame in the ground through the loop, making it easy to measure a perfect three-foot circle. The procedure is similar for making a six-foot (some traditions say seven-foot) or nine-foot circle. (The three-foot circle is for solitary work; the six- or seven-foot circle is for two to four people; the nine-foot circle is for larger groups.) As one moves through the stations (or degrees), the new cords are tied together at the three-foot, six- or seven-foot, and nine-foot marks, as well as wound together to make the loop for measuring. These cords are much thicker than the cord of measure, and are worn at all traditional and open functions, unless clan law dictates otherwise.

Some traditional Witches link these initiation or station cords together in a ritual setting to manifest a desired end, as an asset for either the group as a whole or for a group member who is ill or needs special attention. When the result has been achieved or the rite done, the cords are taken apart and returned to their respective owners. This means that each cord must be marked before the technique is employed. Many traditional Witches mark their cords with amulets, talismans, or gifts from other magickal people. I have seen skull beads, animal claws, silver bells, equal-armed crosses, and Pagan rosaries used in this way, to give a few examples.

These station cords can also be used individually. To work with the Gates of the Underworld, only second- or third-degree station cords would be used, to access the properties that those stations represent. As another example, a third-degree Witch can use cord and knot magick to employ the eyes of the Spirit with the third-degree cord. If it is a process of inversion, then the second-degree cords would be used. If it is an application of learning and study, the first-degree cord would be employed.

Can a solitary work this final type of cord magick? Yes. I would, however, be very careful here as your cord will not denote a station in training or a degree level, but a link between yourself and the Universe. This cord should be nine feet long and fashioned by your own hand. It can be plain, multicolored, have thingies hanging on it—it doesn’t matter, because it is your cord. Before using the cord, like any other tool, it should be cleansed, consecrated, and blessed. If you don’t know how to do this, again, find a Wicca 101 book to show you how. This out of the way, what do you do with the cord? For starters, I would work with this cord for personal fulfillment and self-esteem matters. The number of knots you employ should be an uneven number for banishing unwanted influences (or habits) in yourself, and an even number of knots to pull desired traits toward you. Remove the knots when the desired result is obtained, or leave them there to remind yourself that you have completed something wonderful.

The Triskele

Your Work

Project 1: With the spell outline, perform an application of cord magick. Design a rhyme. This makes the spell personal. Perform the magickal application and record your results.

Project 2: Plug your work into a conjuration that includes an altar devotion, a circle casting, and quarter calls you design.

Gem Magick

Very popular in the eighties; the use of gem magick seems to have simmered down a bit with many working Witches today. Gem properties are easy for a beginner to master and help build both self-confidence and self-esteem. Gem magick includes work with crystals, gems, and precious stones. It can be used in conjunction with any of the aforementioned magickal operations, or alone in the form of jewelry for a variety of purposes.

Gem magick entails the following:

Choice of a stone to match the operation

Charging and programming the stone33

Experimentation is the key to gem magick, and this type of magickal operation is usually light. Workings for protection, continued health, self-esteem, confidence, ease in thinking, and gifts of refined speech and ideas are all small but good, solid foundations needed by the working Witch. Examples include creating a good environment (rose quartz); getting rid of negativity (amethyst); protection (smoky quartz); etc. You will have to study and experiment to determine what gems work best with your energies, which meld with you, and which are not in sync with your energy pattern. Certain gems can be mixed to make a tuned operation. For example, you could carry rose quartz and amethyst together. Be careful which stones you mix. They are like anything, people and animals alike, in that their energies may simply not attune to a need or desire.

Gem magick can be used with any of the previously listed magickal operations. Gems can have a mind of their own. If they feel they have no more to give to you, they will disappear. If they only needed a rest, they will come back. If they want to go to someone else, they will tell you.

Every working Witch should carry two lodestones: One to manifest the things he or she needs (or to draw things toward you), and one to dispel psychic attacks, break negative shields, and ward off unpleasant energies.

Your Work

Project 1: With the spell outline, perform an application of gem magick. Record your results.

Project 2: Plug your work into a conjuration that includes your altar devotion, a circle casting, and quarters calls designed by yourself.

Element Magick

This magick uses the five elements, as working Witches understand them: earth, air, fire, water, and Spirit. The pentacle is used here as the sacred symbol of commanding the elements and should appear prominently, either in your mind or on your altar when working with any (or all) of the elements. The magick of body, mind, and spirit are tied to both the pentacle and the energies it commands. All must be pure and working in unison for the operation to succeed.

Element magick can be physical or mental. For example, in Pow Wow, the element of fire is represented by a healing stone you acquire yourself. Once cleansed, consecrated, and empowered, the candle flame and the energies it represents are instilled into the stone. No actual fire need be available when you are working with the Divinity stone (which is what the healing stone is called). It is now the divine representation of the element of fire in its healing form.

Some working Witches argue that the pentacle is ceremonial in nature, and is not needed in the art of the Craft. The use of the star, however, dates back beyond Christianity, to the time of the stellar cults. Stars were also prominent in Egyptian magick (the goddess Nuit). Stars symbolize sacred or celestial fire, and can be associated with the Craft needfires and balefires (the representation of stars on earth—therefore melding the energies of earth and heaven together: heaven being the fire, earth being the wood used to feed the fire and sacred breath, oxygen, to grant continuance to both).

If you are uncomfortable with the star, it is okay. Try the triskele instead (see illustration), which has a compendium of meanings, including the three faces of the Mother, the three faces of the Father, or the three stars that collided to create our Universe. There are many more associations. Do some research and discover them for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

the black forest clan ritual of the elements

Supplies: Your altar; an item representing each of the four elements (for example: salt, water, incense, a candle); illuminator candles (or simply use daylight); the center stone (a flat stone in the center of your circle); a small cauldron or bowl to contain the needfire; oil for self-anointing.

Setup

Before the ritual, check all your props and supplies. Place the flat stone in the center of where your circle will be. Set the cauldron on the stone. Light the needfire, saying:

O creature of fire

wake this night/day

to my needs.

Shine forth through the Universe in protection and strength.

By the essence of your eternal flame

link me to the power of my lineage.

Ritual

Perform an altar devotion, a salute, and cast the circle with your athame. Say:

Elemental powers hear my call

I pull in positive vibrations

for protection and unity.

North, east, south, west

come ye now

at my bequest

Circle round

this sacred place

by Witch’s blade

this circle’s made.

Call the quarters: set all the quarter items on the altar. Begin either in the north or the east (it is your choice). Pick up one item at a time. Go to the appropriate quarter, intone the call, raise the item before you, then move to the center of the circle and place the item on your center stone. Repeat the procedure until you have called all the quarters.

I, ______________, son/daughter of the Shining Ones

raise this creature of earth

to bring forth the stability and strength of my ancestors.

I, ______________, son/daughter of the Shining Ones

raise this creature of air

to bring forth the wisdom and knowledge of my ancestors.

I, ______________, son/daughter of the Shining Ones

raise this creature of fire

to bring forth the power and passion of my ancestors.

I, ______________, son/daughter of the Shining Ones

raise this creature of water

to bring forth the love and intuition of my ancestors.

I, ____________, son/daughter of the Shining Ones

raise my arms to the essence of Spirit

to bring forth communion with the positive forces of the Universe.

Attunement: Sit in the center of your circle, next to your representation of the elements. Pick up the element representing the north (in this ritual, we chose salt). Shut your eyes and taste the salt. Allow your mind to wander into the realms of the north. Say the following:

I open myself to the power of the north

the enchantments earth

I become one with the earth.

I become one with the north.

Concentrate on the presence of the element of earth in your circle. How do you feel? Anoint yourself with the element.

Move to the next element (east, air). Pick up the representative of the element and shut your eyes. Breathe in the incense, imagining that as it enters your body, it is transmuted into the divine essence of that element. If it helps, think of a corresponding color. Say the following:

I open myself to the power of the east

the enchantments of air

I become one with the air.

I become one with the east.

Concentrate on the presence of air in your circle. Anoint yourself with the element by passing the incense around your body. How do you feel?

Move to the next element (south, fire). Move your hand close to the candle flame (no accidents here, please). Shut your eyes and try to hold the image of the flame as long as possible. Say the following:

I open myself to the power of the south

the enchantments of fire

I become one with the fire.

I become one with the south.

Concentrate on the presence of fire in your circle. Anoint yourself with the element by passing the candle around your body. (Be careful.)

Move to the next element (west, water). Imagine the god and goddess touching the bowl, infusing it with their divine energies. Shut your eyes. Touch the water with your hand. Put a little of it on your tongue. Imagine you are the divine essence of the element. Say the following:

I open myself to the power of the west

The enchantments of water

I become one with the water.

I become one with the west.

Concentrate on the presence of water in your circle. Anoint yourself with the water. How do you feel?

The last element, Spirit, does not need a prop. Sit quietly, shut your eyes, and envision the positive essence of the Universe descending slowly to the top of your head, then drifting down to your shoulders, covering you to your toes.

I open myself to the power of Spirit.

The enchantment of divine love.

I am one with love.

I am one with the Spirit.

Concentrate on the presence of Divinity in your circle. Anoint yourself with oil. How do you feel?

Conclude the ritual. Thank the elements for their participation. Do a closing salute, close the quarters, and draw up the circle. Clean up, and carefully record your experiences.

Trance and Magick

Throughout this text we have talked about trance, altered states of consciousness, self-hypnosis, and meditation in little swallows. I did this on purpose as these subjects do not go down easily all in one gulp. Let’s plow away any confusion on the levels of the mind right now and be done with it.

Level number one is often called beta. (Beta is the name for a type of brain wave.) You are in beta during normal, daily functioning. This is the turf of the conscious mind. You have normal motor control over your body when you are in beta.

Level number two is called alpha. Everybody talks about alpha, to the point where you think it is a pet rather than a brain wave. Many occultists tell you that the best magick is done in alpha; what they don’t bother to tell you is what alpha is and when alpha occurs. They also don’t tell you there are different levels of alpha. When you are closer to beta, you, of course, are more aware of your surroundings. When you are closer to theta (the next level after alpha, or level three), you are less aware of your surroundings.

When are you in alpha? When you are daydreaming, when you are watching television, and get this one—when you are eating. That’s right, your brain often slips into the alpha state when you are eating. See, all this time you thought you had to be half-dead to reach the alpha state or so magickally adept you don’t even cast a shadow.

The alpha state occurs when the following conditions are met:

The body is relaxed

The mind is relaxed

The spirit is relaxed

Most ritual magick is done in high-level alpha (very close to beta) because you need to walk around and do things. Most meditation and pathworking is done at the lower end of alpha and even into theta.34 (Theta is the state you experience right before you slip off to sleep. The sleep state is called delta, for those of you who can’t resist knowing that detail.) Theta, according to some experts, is where psychic activity is most prevalent. Many occultists believe that with practice, one can reach theta as quickly as one reaches alpha. I agree, but that is a discussion for another book.

Now, before a wonderful reader writes me a letter: Yes, I know that in hypnotherapy the levels of the conscious mind are alertness, daydreaming, moderate trance, and deep trance, moving into the sleep cycle. Those labels, however, are for hypnotherapy, not for magick.

Alpha is the turf of both the conscious and subconscious mind. The further down in alpha you go, the more the territory is claimed by the subconscious mind. In theta, the ground belongs purely to the subconscious, so it is logical that psychism would be at its height here.

It is true that the best performance of a magickal application is when you are in the alpha or theta states, but I wouldn’t have an anxiety attack wondering what state you are in during a magickal application. The levels of the mind are natural—simply relax and let your higher mind be your guide.

Major Magickal Applications

Major magickal applications are called such because you must first know how to perform many minor magickal operations to mix with them or you must have attained some degree of expertise in study related to the application. Each application requires a lesson. Some of the applications require months of study; others (such as Pow Wow, herbal, tarot, and runic magick) are best performed with at least a year’s study and experimentation or when you are comfortable with your knowledge of that particular art.

Tarot Magick

Requirements: A tarot deck; knowledge of the tarot. Beginners should refer to Janina Renee’s Tarot Spells, Llewellyn Publications. Advanced practitioners should develop their own correspondences.

The cards are used to create visual representations at various points in the spell. Although the energies of only one card can be employed, it is common to use from three to seven cards to draw a particular path to a desired outcome. Minor magicks employed are usually candles, chants, charms, petitions, and gems. Tarot magick is versatile. Everything from finding lost pets to getting money paid that is rightfully due you falls under the realm of this major magick. It can be done either in sacred space or employed in a ritual. The choice is yours.

Herbal Magick

Requirements: A working knowledge of both the medicinal and magickal applications of plants; a supply of herbs, both fresh and dried. Beginners should refer to Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Llewellyn Publications. Advanced practitioners should develop their own correspondences as well as build a sizable library on the medicinal value of plants, for medicinal information lays the foundation for magickal applications.

A few interesting books on the subject are:

The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers by Timothy Coffey, Facts on File

Garden Flower Folklore by Laura C. Martin, The Globe Pequot Press

Aromatherapy for Common Ailments by Shirley Price, Fireside

Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, Rodale Press

Culpeper’s Color Herbal, Sterling Publishing Company

The Healing Herbs by Michael Castleman, Rodale Press

The Complete Aromatherapy Handbook by Susanne Fischer-Rizzi, Sterling Publishing Company

Herbs are used in conjuring bags, poppets, dream pillows, loose, in incense, and medicinally, in both fresh and dried forms. Knowledge of correct medicinal applications is extremely important and lays a framework for magickal work. Equipment such as storage containers, a mortar and pestle, and bags are necessary. Herbal magicks are used in conjunction with minor magicks, such as candleburning, chants, charms, and petitions. Plant application is a major magick because of the compendium of knowledge needed to use all resources available.

herbal invocation/spell

(by Autumn Raindancer)

Earth-born stone

of brilliant hue

such energy makes

dreams come true.

Blend and grow

with human desire

amidst candles that

throb with radiant fire.

Herbs of life

planted with passion

mesh with these

and begin to fashion

realities just and

understood.

My magick

for the highest good.

And if my Goddess

does agree,

then manifest!

So mote it be!

Talismanic Magick

Requirements: A working knowledge of any magickal system, which may include Wicca, Druidism, ceremonial magick, etc. Any 101 book on the above subjects should have a short section on talismans for beginners. Advanced practitioners should see The Lesser Seals of Solomon, published by Samuel Weiser.

Talismanic magick, especially where ceremonial applications are used, is a definite art in and of itself. It takes patience and a mind for the meticulous. Knowledge of magickal alphabets, planetary correspondences, and angelic forces are needed, as well as familiarity with various sigils. Study is required to learn when, why, and how to create a talisman. Many minor magickal applications are often included as well, including colors, candles, elements, moon magick, drumming, and chanting.

Magickal Alphabets

Requirements: Knowledge of a particular magickal alphabet. Beginners should choose one alphabet and learn it thoroughly before advancing to others. Try Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft, Llewellyn Publications. Advanced practitioners should be able to write anything in their chosen alphabet, but don’t expect to have your letters read by the recipient, should you be so adventurous as to write to someone in your magickal language to show what you know. Your letter will most likely find itself trashed in quick order or burned, if the recipient is wary of its contents. In some Craft traditions, first-level students are required to learn one complete magickal alphabet and be able to translate their entire Book of Shadows into a secret, magickal tome.

Although magickal alphabets could be considered a minor magick, systems such as the runes (whether you are using the Witches’ Runes or the German/Norman/British ones) can delve quite deeply into magickal applications and require a great deal of study. Magickal alphabets are used with minor magicks like petitions, candles, mental programming, and moon magick. (A small selection of these alphabets can be found at the end of this chapter.)

Sympathetic Magick

Requirements: Knowledge of the signature system. Beginners should check any Wicca 101 book or information on folk magick. Advanced practitioners should know at a glance what signature is to be used for any situation. Practice and study separates the beginners from the advanced practitioners here.

Many Witches these days overlook the value of sympathetic magick and become involved in ceremonial machinations, believing that because the latter contains more steps and length of time to conduct than the former, it makes it better. This is a mistake. Most situations that a working Witch faces, for good or ill, can be dealt with through sympathetic magick. Pow Wow is a course in sympathetic magickal study, and takes time to learn.

It is an ancient idea that Providence has provided in the natural world, all the cures for man’s and woman’s ills. And the cure, usually a plant, but sometimes employed by other methods, can be recognized by its signature whether this be in color, shape, size, or smell . . . 35

We can thank individuals like Albertus Magnus (fifteenth century) and Nicholas Culpeper (sixteenth century) and their interests in magick, astrological correspondences, and plant relations for keeping such folklore alive and kicking right into the twenty-first century.

Ritual Magick

Of course, both beginners and advanced practitioners are involved in ritual magick. Here, the advanced practitioner is not considered adept because he or she has more toys or steps, or a volume of words memorized to spring from his or her mouth at every moment. Not true. Advanced practitioners are well aware of the amount of advanced planning that is required. The actual performance may last five minutes, perhaps even less, but all the movements, timing, and whatever else is needed are accurate, with no mistakes (most of the time). Use minor magicks in ritual.

Cauldron Magick

This type is more a mixture of minor magicks and the knowledge of signatures rather than an application in itself. There are several types of cauldron magick:

Ategenos (regeneration)

Wisdom

Chaos

Plenty

Each type has its own deity attributes and signatures. We will discuss cauldron magicks further on in the text. Why? Because it’s my favorite and I’m writing the book.

Now, I know what you are thinking. Can Silver do all these things she has written about? To paraphrase an author by the name of Sidney Hook: “Many challenges confront the working Witch, and I am confident I have not successfully met them all.” No Witch worth his or her broomstick can claim to excel at each and every one of the minor and major magicks listed, though I’ve known a few who come pretty darn close.

Choosing the Right Spell for the Job

Let’s face it, there are about as many spells and techniques for performing acts of magick as there are Witches. That’s the fun and interesting part of magick, after all. There is a variety of means to meet an end and you need not be exceptional in every variety available—only a few will do. Your first consideration when gearing up for any type of magick is determining the size and particulars of the situation. Then you can decide what type of magick to use and how strong it has to be.

Unfortunately, most people, including Witches, are not very observant. One skill working Witches must practice is the willingness to watch what is going on around them—to take the time to see the big picture, rather than a close-up view. If you decide to be as closed as a clam, be prepared to be sideswiped by the biggest ocean liner in your sea. (Yes, I’ve gotten creamed on occasion.) In the mundane world, be more observant. Use all your senses. Be aware of global, national, and local news, as well as what is going on with your friends and family. Don’t, of course, believe everything you hear, but do be aware. Whether you like it or not, you are a part of the human condition. You can contribute either positively or negatively, but you can’t contribute at all if you don’t know what the heck is going on. Listen to people. Keys to life and spirituality are everywhere around you.

All adept working Witches I have met use some type of divination system as a prelude to magick and ritual or to keep tabs on what is happening around them. There is nothing wrong with throwing the bones to find out why your sister has left her normal prim and proper lifestyle and has ditched her kids and nice husband in favor of a long-haired, double-tattooed, triple-nose-pierced dude in leathers. Especially since now you’ve got the kids. This is not poking into someone else’s business. My motto is: If it affects you, find out what the heck is going on. Don’t hide behind an ethical argument that doesn’t exist.

Let’s look at another outline. This one is for choosing and performing the right spell or working with the situation at hand.

A. Phase One

1. Outline the problem on a piece of paper.

2. Read it to yourself several times.

3. Clarify, if necessary.

B. Phase Two

1. Determine if this is a long-term or short-term situation.

2. Throw the bones (cards, runes, peek into your crystal ball, whatever).

3. Record the results.

4. Do you need more clarification to continue? Probably, if the answer was negative.

5. Throw the bones again if there was any doubt.

C. Phase Three

1. What mundane work can be done in lieu of or in conjunction with magickal work?

2. Write a list so you don’t forget.

D. Phase Four

1. Choose the appropriate magickal operation (minor or major).

2. List other minor applications.

3. Determine the correct phase and aspects of the moon.

4. Determine the correct day of the week.

5. Determine the correct hour of the day.

6. Determine the correct deity energy.

7. With all of these chosen, check how many of these can you employ together given the time you have available (is this an emergency?).

8. Will you perform the working in sacred space, or cast a circle?

9. Will you do a simple rite or a full ritual?

a. What circle casting will you use?

b. What quarter calls will you use?

c. What sacred energies will you invoke?

F. Phase Five

1. Gather all necessary tools.

2. Ground and center.

3. Perform the altar devotion.

4. Move into the sacred space, ritual, or rite procedure.

5. Perform the magickal operation.

6. Close the operation.

G. Phase Six

1. Ground and center.

2. Clean up.

3. Record what you did in your magickal journal.

4. Wait for results (if this is a time spell, repeat if it is not successful).

5. Deactivate (see chapter eight) any magickal items with honor once the spell has come to fruition.

Let’s put it all together. I’ll use a real example so you can follow what I did and understand the outcome.

Your Work

Project 1: Employ the outline above in your work. Keep records of both your achievements and your failures.

Project 2: Perform the Black Forest Clan Ritual of the Elements. Record your experience.

Project 3: Choose a magickal application in which to excel. Go for it! Each full moon, note your advancements or difficulties. Do a small ceremony each month to enhance your progress. Write the ceremony yourself; make each one different. For example, the ceremony for the first month could be entitled “Beginning Gifts.” In this ritual, you would ask for the appropriate knowledge to get you started—stamina, determination, intuition, and so forth.

The Case of the Questionable Boyfriend

“This is Naomi,” burbled my answering machine at midnight. “We have a major problem here. I need to talk to you as soon as possible. Call me in the morning. My number is—”

I rolled my eyes at the answering machine, but did not move my lazy behind off the sofa. Lots of people call me at strange hours because I’m hard to get hold of. Although Naomi sounded stressed, I did not detect panic. It could wait until morning.

At 8:00 a.m., I brewed a cup of chamomile tea—my all-time favorite stress reducer. I had a big day scheduled with several tarot readings and appointments. Besides, the children were home for the summer and four balls of human energy are hard to take on any given day. I called Naomi and scheduled an appointment for 8:00 p.m. (yes, my days are very long). Rather than listening to an explanation on the phone, I told her to wait until her appointment. It would give me a chance to do a reading without Naomi’s emotions present.

Naomi and her sister, Jessie, are regular tarot clients of mine. Along the way, I’ve taught them various Pow Wow techniques that have worked well for them. If they presently had a major problem, I knew they’d already done everything I’d taught them. (I like people like Naomi and Jessie; they aren’t afraid to help themselves.)

The reading indicated general strife within Jessie’s home brought about by a younger man. There was the possibility of drugs and bad mojo involved, as well as a connection to her daughter, who was planning a move soon. Deception webbed its way through the entire reading. That was enough to go on. I would let Naomi tell me the details when I saw her.

Precisely at 8:00 p.m., the drama began to unfold. As I read in the cards, there was a disturbance in Jessie’s home in the form of a twenty-six-year-old boyfriend, unfortunately attached to Jessie’s daughter. This young male was indeed unique. He had four protection-from-abuse orders out on him from four different women. Jessie’s daughter knew about this, but she didn’t care. She was in love. Personally, I thought there must not be a denser human being on the planet.

Once I picked my jaw up from the table, I began to throw the cards. We took a look at Jessie and how this relationship was affecting her in the present and what the future might have in store. As the young man had taken up residence in Jessie’s home, we had more leverage for magick.

Then we looked at our young buck. My, what a peach he wasn’t. Psychologically unstable, bordering on dangerous for everyone in the home. He was also playing with negative magick, the little bugger.

Even Witches are capable of hatred, and I am no exception. Point me in the direction of an abuser or an idiot who tries to harm others through magick, and I’m the Dark Goddess incarnate, no aspecting necessary. I know this about myself, and have learned to corral my emotions before they get out of hand.

To double check, I threw the cards again to determine where the little devil was aiming his magicks. Enchantments were the name of his game, spun toward any family member he could get. My first order of business was to deactivate the enchantment.

Here’s how I did it:

The day: As luck would have it, it was a Mars day. That was fine. I would have preferred a Saturn day, but Mars would do. Mars, of course, is aggressive, full of action, strength, and courage, all the things needed to break an enchantment.

The moon phase: Again, I lucked out. We were midpoint in the disseminating moon. Perfect timing for banishing.

The moon was in Pisces: Karma and the revelation of secrets were definitely in place here.

The moon was opposite Saturn: Ah, this was tricky. Obsessions, especially weird ones, are revealed in this aspect. An opposition shows there is a need to balance forces. Energies need to be pushed and pulled. Attack, on the part of the Witch, was not the key. Positive magick was called for. The fact that the moon was trine the sun pushed a speedy resolution. Harmony was possible, but this particular trine was not as strong as I would have liked.

The moon was not void-of-course: This was good.

Sunset was at 8:30 p.m. Hour one on Tuesday was Saturn.

I work a great deal with herbs. While my clients were present, I chose the following tools:

1 empty bottle

2 oz. vinegar

1 teaspoon aseyfatida (stinky stuff to break hexes and bust enchantments)

1 teaspoon nightshade (a poisonous garden creeper)

1 teaspoon vervain (to make it go)

1 teaspoon dragon’s blood (more power)

A small piece of paper with the fellow’s name on it

1 black candle to drive away negativity

1 pin

1 nail

1 screw

1 rattle

My clients were most familiar with Pow Wow magick, therefore, I worked within that system while they were watching. In my mind, I cast a personal circle around myself, then I put all the ingredients in the bottle, finishing by saying:

A pin to prick your conscience

a nail to nail you with justice

a screw to screw you with your own evil

may you not harm another soul.

I left the bottle uncapped and took it, the black candle, and the rattle over to my altar.

My clients would be in attendance for the first magickal operation. Therefore, I carefully chose a circle casting that was not a part of my tradition.

Altar devotion

Salute

MorningStar’s earth circle casting

Calling the four quarters to guard and participate

Invocation to the goddess Ana

Charging the Witches’ bottle to aid in breaking the enchantment and dispelling evil

Offering the bottle to the quarters for their assistance in expelling evil from Jessie’s life

Capping the bottle and sealing it with black wax

Raising energy

Directing/expelling energy

Offering thanks to the goddess

Dismissing the quarters

Winding up the circle

I knew the working was successful before it was finished. During the direction of energy, I felt a big pop. The minor enchantment was broken. After the ritual, Jessie remarked that she felt much better, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Jessie agreed to take the bottle and bury it at a crossroads in the name of Ana that very night.

Before I go any further, let me assure you that people throwing black magick around (who are good at it) are a rarity. Even sickies who think they are good at it, usually aren’t. This guy was a dabbler. He was playing at magick, nothing more. Like a flea on a dog, he was an irritation. It was his physical actions, his predilection toward violence, that worried me the most.

By now you are wondering, “Well, what about free will?” Yes, this was tricky here. Jessie’s daughter, for whatever misguided reasons, did not give permission for this yo-yo to be removed from her life. Perhaps there was a lesson here for her to learn. On the other hand, any elder of the Craft can intervene when magick is used irresponsibly; that’s one of the reasons they are elders. Finally, Jessie had given her permission to work for herself and her husband (who was aware of her appointment with me). They wanted the young man out of their house. That, we could certainly do.

I encouraged both Jessie and Naomi to continue their own Pow Wow workings on the situation and agreed to do something about the unwelcome house guest. Now you are probably saying, “Why didn’t she kick him out?” Because the daughter would trail along after this scumbag and Jessie feared for the girl’s life. Jessie thought that as long as the guy was under her roof, she could keep an eye on him until the girl lost interest or saw him for what he really was.

It took three months for this drama to come to a close. Jessie’s daughter and the boyfriend moved out within twenty-four hours of the spell; however, she returned home one moon cycle later, disgusted and disgruntled. The boyfriend was accosted by some unfriendly motorcycle types and disappeared, exactly three months to the day the spell was cast.

The key here, then, was revelation of the truth.

Your Work

Project 1: Apply the information in this chapter. Before attempting to put all the information together for a project of your own, consider carefully the spell outlines, the lunar phases, the magickal days, etc. Do a few dry runs by thinking of situations at random, considering what you could or could not do in a magickal working.

Project 2: Put it all together, complete with circle conjuration and quarter calls. Design a ritual using all the lessons learned in this chapter. Perform the magickal application. Record your results.

Magickal Alphabets36

English	Daggers	Passing the River	Celestial	Writing of the Magi	Old Persian Cuneiform
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Planetary Hours

Sunrise

Hour	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn
2	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter
3	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars
4	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun
5	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus
6	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury
7	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon
8	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn
9	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter
10	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars
11	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun
12	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus

Planetary Hours

Sunset

Hour	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
1	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury
2	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon
3	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn
4	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter
5	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars
6	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun
7	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus
8	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury
9	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon
10	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn
11	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars	Mercury	Jupiter
12	Mercury	Jupiter	Venus	Saturn	Sun	Moon	Mars

[contents]

29. The Holy Book of Women’s Mysteries by Zsuzanna Budapest, Wingbow Press, 1980. Page 17.

30. Available from Quicksilver Productions, P.O. Box 340, Dept. PAK94, Ashland, Oregon 97520. Phone: (503) 482-5343.

31. See Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications, 1995 and 2000.

32. It is thought that many medieval cathedrals were dedicated to Mary Magdalene and not the Virgin Mary at all. The Magdalens were not street hookers as many would like us to believe, but temple priestesses to the goddess in matrifocal worship. The Magdalen, then, was the Holy Grail herself. It was not a mundane cup tossed from fortune hunter to fortune hunter. In this phase of the moon, the crescent represents the Grail, who is indeed, the goddess in her form of the Magdalen priestesses and elders. See The Moon Beneath Her Feet, published by Harper Collins, for more details on the Magdalens.

33. If you do not know how to charge and program a stone, please refer to any Wicca 101 text that covers gem magick.

34. If you find yourself “disappearing” when in meditation, then coming back and wondering where you went and what happened to you, don’t have heart failure. You were not abducted by aliens; rather your higher mind took a trip to gather information for you. This information is often cataloged in your subconscious mind, ready for you to access when you need it by the use of your intuition or feelings.

35. The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers by Timothy Coffey, Facts on File, Inc., 1993. Page 17.

36. This is not meant to be a definitive list of these magickal alphabets. Interpretations may vary.