The full moon rises up over the tall, pale birch trees on the side of a cliff, dark ocean waves crashing against jagged rocks far below. Thirteen mystical, otherworldly cloaked figures dance maniacally around a roaring bonfire on the cliff’s peak, throwing herbs into a bubbling cauldron and chanting their spell in a long-dead language. The scent of burning oak wood and their magical brew drift into the night air … sound fanciful? Over the top, you say? It is. Mostly, but this is what so many of us were conditioned to view as the type of scenario in which magic exists: an outrageous, overly complicated, irrational, stereotypical production.
As a child, this was what I believed it took to work magic. I was very focused on fantasy stories about witches and magic. No matter how much my mother (who is magically minded herself) tried to point out reality, I was captivated by the overly dramatic notion of magical practice. Unfortunately, I did not have either the means or the interested friends needed to perform such feats. When I got older and began to study real magic, I read about complex group rituals, which discouraged me. When I attempted to make these rites work in my own way, I became disheartened by my failure to do so. Luckily, my mother was there to give me a little guidance. With her help and a better class of books, I was able to grow and progress both spiritually and magically.
The good news is that true magic doesn’t need to be overwhelmingly complex. It took me a while to realize that rituals and spells must be simple and direct in order to be the most effective. In fact, the most important “ingredient” in any work of magic is the training and knowledge of the practitioner. That being said, it is still possible to have enjoyable, theatrical, suitably “witchy” rites as long as the meaning behind the process of the ritual is fully understood. There are basic requirements for every worker of magic to study, learn, understand, and master in order for rituals and spells to be successful. Fortunately, a witch’s training can be both an enjoyable and an enlightening experience.
This book is written from the perspective of a witch, and the training and magic found herein is part of the magical heritage of the craft. This knowledge may be used by anyone, as long as slight alterations are made to suit personal faith and one takes the time to thoroughly master the training materials. No one who wants to learn these secrets should be denied the opportunity. In this book, you will learn how to properly meditate for magic; how to prepare for rituals; all the details of what, when, why, and how to work magic; and, of course, spells—lots and lots of spells. In fact, there are over fifty spells and rituals in this book covering candle magic, charms, crystals, witch bottles, poppets, and much more. I hope that you will find this to be a thorough training manual and useful grimoire (spell book). Included are a wide range of magical intentions and tips on creating your own spells. This book has been arranged so that one may first undergo the training and then learn traditionally based spells and recipes in order to work true magic.