Wicca for One

Magic (Specific)

In our modern, subjective world, it is difficult to trust our natural instincts and reawaken powers we possessed in the early phases of our development. By accepting that spirit, body and mind are linked, and harnessing the energy of the mind, we can use magic as a way of enhancing and taking control of our own destinies.

—Nicola de Pulford, The Book of Spells

Candle Magic

Of the dozens of different classifications of magic, one of the most common is that termed sympathetic or imitative magic. Candle-burning is of this type. This is where an object, such as a candle, is taken to represent a person. If a magical act is then done to establish a link between that person and the candle, then whatever is done to the candle will, in effect, be done to the person. A candle can also represent a quality; for example, attraction. By performing a ritual where the attraction candle was brought into contact with the person candle, then that person represented could be made more attractive as a result of the sympathetic magic. Based on the above, many rituals have been written and performed for a wide variety of purposes. Remember that any Witch doing such rituals must bear in mind the Wiccan Rede: An it harm none, do what thou wilt.

Candles . . . give a soft, natural light, and help to create the right ambience for focusing your mind. Fire is an important spiritual element.

—Nicola de Pulford, The Book of Spells

Whole books have been written on candle-burning magic.8 It certainly is a popular way of working, and one which can be done with little expenditure and no risk of harm, since nothing is being conjured. It can be done almost anywhere and is especially popular when there is lack of space for a full ritual circle. The top of a bedroom chest of drawers, a coffee table, a box, or a small space on the ground can all be utilized as a candle-burning altar. I’ve even seen the top of the lid on a toilet water-tank used.

Let’s take a look at some typical candle-burning rituals in their entirety. Ritual candles are used and recognized by their color, so first of all you need to familiarize yourself with the traditional meanings of the colors, and their association with birth signs and days of the week. You will be dealing with altar candles, astral candles, offertory candles, and day candles. I’ll explain each of these.

Colors are used to specify a particular person. They are based on that person’s birth date/astrological sign. There are two possible colors: a primary and a secondary. You can use the secondary color if you can’t find a candle in the primary color. It is also useful if you are working with two people and they are both of the same sign; use the primary color for one and the secondary color for the other. For three people, get another candle with both colors on it. (As a last resort, if you can’t find a candle in either color but need to do the ritual, then use a white candle for the person.) These, then, are the colors for the astral candles:

ASTRAL CANDLE COLORS

Next, there are the offertory candles. These are the ones used to represent qualities and states, depending upon the work being done:

OFFERTORY CANDLE COLOR ASSOCIATIONS

red	courage; health; sexual love; strength; vigor
pink	honor; love; morality
orange	adaptability; attraction; encouragement, stimulation
yellow (gold)	attraction; charm; confidence; persuasion; protection
white	purity; sincerity; truth
green-yellow	anger; cowardice; discord; jealousy; sickness
green	fertility; finance; healing; luck
brown	hesitation; neutrality; uncertainty
blue, light	health; patience; tranquillity; understanding
blue, dark	changeability; depression; impulsiveness; sincerity
violet	healing; peace; spirituality
purple	ambition; business progress; power; tension
silver (gray)	cancellation; neutrality; stalemate; brilliance; reflection
black	confusion; discord; negativity; loss; neutrality; indecision

When I talked about the timing of magic in chapter 13, I gave a list of attributes connected with the different days of the week. I’ll repeat that information here but also add the colors associated with the days of the week. The following are the day candles:

DAY-OF-THE-WEEK CANDLE ASSOCIATIONS

Day	Color	Association
Monday	white	ancestors; childbearing; dreams; healing; instinct; memory; merchandise; purity; theft; virginity
Tuesday	red	enemies; initiation; loyalty; matrimony; prison; protection; war; wealth
Wednesday	purple	business; communication; debt; fear; loss; travel
Thursday	blue	clothing; desires; harvests; honor; marriage; oaths; riches; treaties
Friday	green	beauty; family life; friendship; fruitfulness; growth; harmony; love; nature; pleasures; sexuality; strangers; waters
Saturday	black	building; doctrine; freedom; gifts; life; protection; real estate; sowing; strength; tenacity
Sunday	yellow	agriculture; beauty; creativity; fortune; hope; money; self-expression; victory

Now to look at actual candle-burning rituals. I’ll start by taking it one step at a time. It may seem a lengthy process but, once I’ve explained all the details, you’ll see that this is actually a very simple, straightforward type of ritual that anyone could do. As a first example, let’s take the case of a woman who would like to have a child but has so far been unsuccessful. Let’s say her name is Mary and she was born on April 28 (the year is not important). Since you know that the best person to do magic is the one most affected by it, we’ll presume that Mary is Wiccan and is doing this ritual herself. She is a Taurus so the colors for her astral candle would be red and yellow. If you can find a candle that is both red and yellow, that would be perfect. If not, then just a red one will do. Looking at the color associations for the offertory candles, you will see that green is the color of fertility. Mary will need one of those. And in order to attract that fertility to her, she will also need an orange candle (for attraction). On her altar she should have an altar candle, which is usually white but could be a color to suit the season. (Since Mary is Wiccan, she might also like to have deity figures on her altar.) To complete the necessary “tools” she should have a small dish of anointing oil and some incense. Also there should be something with which to mark the candles (see below). A traditional instrument for this is the burin, which is a small, pointed instrument. [Note: Try to find small candle-holders, so that when candles are supposed to be touching one another, they are as close as possible, even though the candles themselves may not actually touch.]

First Mary needs to determine the best day to work her magic. Studying the “Days of the Week” table, Mary would see that Monday is good for magic connected with childbearing, therefore that would be the best day for working her magic. So, the day candle will need to be white, which is the color for Monday.

The basic idea behind this particular instance of sympathetic magic is that a candle representing attraction will draw a candle representing the quality of fertility forward to meet with the candle representing Mary. As these candles are manipulated—the one gradually getting closer to the other two—so they will affect who and what they represent. This is a ritual that must, obviously, be done over a period of time. A moon’s span—that is, one month—is usually regarded as an appropriate length of time for magic to work. Mary will therefore set up her altar, and first light her candles, on a Monday. In the ritual, she will gradually move the green fertility candle toward her astral candle, seeing it drawn there by the attraction candle so that the three finally touch one another in the final ritual on the Monday four weeks after the start. Ideally, that final touching will occur on a Monday that is closest to (just before) the full moon. This may mean that the ritual has to be started in the waning cycle of the moon, to allow the necessary time to end at the full moon. Mary needs to study her calendar and plan her ritual accordingly. I’d suggest doing the ritual on each of the Mondays, from first to last. She can see what distance has to be covered in those four weeks and move the green candle an appropriate distance forward during each ritual.

Now to the specifics. To start with, the attraction candle is right alongside Mary’s candle, on one side of the altar. The fertility candle is across the other side of the altar. Here is a suggested altar setup:

Suggested Altar Setup (I)

Having set the scene, as it were, I’ll now give the ritual as Mary should do it.

For Fertility

Light the incense and the altar candle, as well as the day candle. In your own words, call upon the Lord and the Lady to witness the rite you are about to perform. You do not have to cast a circle about the altar, but I recommend it if possible. It doesn’t have to be the full ritual circle, with quarter candles, but can be a simple, even an irregular one (if you have to walk around odd pieces of furniture!), drawn only with the wand. But if you’re doing this sitting on the edge of a bed, in a cramped apartment, with the altar setup on top of a dresser in front of you, don’t worry about casting the circle. Do, however, do the breathing preparation that I gave in chapter 13, “Magic—Preparations” section. This will serve as sufficient protection for any candle-burning magic you do.

Having invited the gods to witness the rite, state the purpose of it:

“I am here to bring fertility to myself; to make myself fertile and able to bear a child.”

Anointing the Candle

Take up the astral candle and, with the burin, inscribe your name along its length. You can do this in one of the magical alphabets if you wish, though regular letters will do. Then consecrate the candle: rub it with the oil, outward from the center toward the ends, slowly turning it so that the entire candle gets oiled. Then hold it in the smoke of the incense, again turning it so that all of it gets censed.

As you do this, say words to the effect:

“Here is myself, [Your name]. It is me in every detail. All that I do to this representation, I do to me. So Mote It Be.”

Stand the candle in its place. Take up the orange candle. Do the same thing, but inscribing it with the word “attraction.” Consecrate it and then say:

“Here is Attraction. It has the power to draw, both directly to it and to whatever is beside it. So Mote It Be.”

Stand the candle beside the astral candle. Take up the green one. Inscribe it with the word “fertility.” Consecrate it and say:

“Here is Fertility. Wherever this candle moves it takes with it the power of fertility, passing that power to whomever it encounters. So Mote It Be.”

Stand that candle in its place.

Now spend some time concentrating on seeing yourself pregnant, or actually with a child of your own. See, and know, that this is you in the future, as a result of this ritual. Light first the astral candle, then the attraction candle, and finally the fertility candle. After a few moments, move the fertility candle a short distance across the altar toward the other two. Let the three candles burn for at least thirty minutes before extinguishing them. (You should do this with a candlesnuffer or by pinching them out. Do not blow them out.) If at all possible, leave the altar setup as it is until the following Monday, when you will repeat the above ritual. If you must dismantle the altar between rituals, carefully note the respective positions of the three main candles so that you can set them back in the same spots to start the next stage of the ritual.

On the last Monday, the final move will place the fertility candle against the astral and orange offertory candle. Again, see and know that you will become pregnant. Give thanks to the Lord and the Lady, in your own words, and close the circle.

* * *

I’ll give one more example of a candle-burning ritual. This is one that could be used for a variety of problems that might have developed in the home: general unhappiness, sibling rivalry, constant fighting, abuse of any sort, and so on.

For Peace in the Home

The altar is set up with six offertory candles close around your astral candle. First there are three—pink, light blue, and violet—and then three more gray (or silver) ones around those. All of these are static for the ritual; none of them will be moved. You will do this ritual on a Friday, for harmony, family life, and friendship, so the day candle will be green.

Light the altar candle, the incense, and the day candle. Sit for a few moments reviewing the situation in the home and how you would like it resolved, then concentrate on it being fully resolved; everyone concerned is now happy. In your own words, call upon the Lord and the Lady to witness the rite you are about to perform. Having invited the gods to witness the rite, state the purpose of it:

“I am here to bring peace and happiness to my home, to make it trouble free and a place of joy and contentment.”

Suggested Altar Setup (II)

Here is myself, [Your name]. It is me in every detail. All that I do to this representation, I do to me. So Mote It Be.”

Stand the candle in its place in the center of the altar. Take up the pink candle. Do the same thing; consecrate it and inscribe it with the word “love.” Then say:

“Here is Love. It is with me and all about me. So Mote It Be.”

Place the candle alongside your astral candle. Take up the light blue one; consecrate it and inscribe it with the word “understanding.” Say:

“Here is patience, tranquillity, and understanding. It is with me and all about me. So Mote It Be.”

Place the candle alongside the astral candle. Take up the violet candle; consecrate it and inscribe it with the word “peace.” Say:

“Here is peace and healing. It is with me and all about me. So Mote It Be.”

Place that candle alongside the astral candle.

One at a time, take up the three gray candles; consecrate them and inscribe each one with the word “neutrality.” Say:

“Here is neutrality. The past is gone and the future is now here. So Mote It Be.”

Now spend some time concentrating on seeing your home happy and peaceful as a result of this ritual. Light first the astral candle, then the pink, light blue, and violet candles, and finally the three gray candles. Sit with them and let them burn for at least thirty minutes before you leave. Give thanks to the Lord and the Lady, in your own words, and close the circle. Leave the candles burning until they have burned themselves out.

You may repeat this ritual on a weekly or monthly basis if you wish. If so, then rather than let the candles burn out, extinguish them after an hour and relight them at the next performance of the ritual.

From these two samples, you can see that any situation can be treated by candle-burning. Simply choose the necessary candles—astral, offertory, day—place them, and, if necessary, manipulate them to indicate what you want to achieve.

Poppets

Poppet magic is another form of imitative or sympathetic magic. It has been performed for thousands of years, with examples found in ancient Egyptian times and even as far back as Paleolithic times, 25,000 years ago. In this form of magic, rather than using ready-made (or even handmade) candles, actual figures are made to represent the people to be affected. These can be of wax, clay, cloth, straw, or just about any substance. It’s not necessary that they look exactly like the person they have been made to represent, though they are given a basic human shape, much like a gingerbread-man figure. Sometimes an object or objects belonging to the person, such as hair or fingernail clippings, are incorporated in the construction to provide a more direct magical connection, but that is certainly not essential.

As with candle-burning magic, colors might be used in the construction process, with colored cloth and colored clay or wax, following the traditional astral colors and color associations (see “Candle Magic” section). In addition, such things as astrological signs, or similar, may be drawn on the figure to help make the connection and exact identification. Cloth poppets are usually stuffed with appropriate herbs, whether for healing, or love, or whatever.

To make a poppet, take two pieces of cloth and, laying one on top of the other, cut out a rough gingerbread-man shape. Sew all around the figure but leave an opening at the top. (If you want to be especially neat, turn the figure inside out, so that the sewing edge is on the inside.) If you know the person’s birth date, then you can use pieces of cloth of two different colors to correspond with the primary and secondary colors for the astral sign. Use the primary color on the front of the figure and the secondary color on the back. Another possibility would be to use the primary color on the front of the figure and then a color associated with the purpose of the poppet for the back; for example, if doing a healing ritual you could give it a green back (green for healing). If you don’t know the birth date and astrological sign, then you can just make a white figure.

Stuff the figure with cotton, rags, or (best) any appropriate herbs (see Appendices: Magical Properties of Herbs). Think about the stuffing; it can add to the power of the figure; for example, if working to bring money why not stuff the doll with dollar bills, or cut-up Monopoly money? For love, with hopes of marriage, stuff it with confetti. There are many items such as these that could be appropriate for what you are trying to do. Come up with some of your own. When it has been stuffed, sew up the top of the figure and then mark it to show whom it represents. Embroider, paint, or use magic markers to put on a face and facial hair if there is any; add wool of an appropriate color for the hair. On the body mark the person’s name, if known, and their astrological sign, if known.

As an alternative you can make the figure of wax, clay, or similar, chopping the herb(s) finely and mixing into the clay. The personal details could then be scratched onto the figure using your burin. A straw man or woman could also be constructed. In simplest form you could just cut out a flat form from cardboard and mark/paint it to represent the person. But the more work you put into it, the more powerful will be the magic.

Poppets

The making of a figure, such as modeling or sewing and stuffing, puts more power into it for there is far more of your time and energy spent in making it. Once it’s made, as part of the ritual you would consecrate it and name it for the person it represents. As an example of poppet magic, here’s a suggested ritual for using a poppet to help someone recover from an illness (be sure to get the person’s permission to do this). In this instance we’ll use a cloth poppet. As in candle-burning magic, you can have a day candle on the altar. For this example it would be a white one and the ritual would be done on a Monday, for healing.

Make the poppet and write the person’s name on it. If you know the person, add his or her astrological sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign. Lay the poppet on the altar.

Light the altar candle, the incense, and the day candle. Sit for a few moments reviewing the situation: what the person has suffered from and how much you want him or her to recover. In your own words, call upon the Lord and the Lady to witness the rite you are about to perform. Having invited the gods to witness the rite, state the purpose of it:

“I am here to bring healing and happiness to [Name of person] and to fill him/her with joy and contentment.”

Pick up the poppet and sprinkle it with the salted water, then hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all of it gets censed. As you do this, say words to the effect:

“Here is [Name of person]. It is him/her in every detail. All that I do to this representation, I do to [Name of person]. So Mote It Be.”

Now lay the poppet on the altar and, taking up your wand, touch the tip of it to the figure while you concentrate on seeing that person fully healed, and happy and joyful, as a result of this ritual. Direct your healing energies into the figure, and ask that the gods also send their healing to the person it represents. Remember, in magic you should see the thing completed, rather than simply getting better. So see the person fully recovered; see him or her laughing and moving about, fully cured. When you feel you have done this for long enough, put aside the wand and give thanks to the Lord and the Lady, in your own words. Close the circle. You may repeat this ritual on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, if you wish. After closing the circle, carefully wrap the poppet in a piece of white linen and put it away somewhere where it will not be disturbed.

Such poppet magic is one of the best forms of creating love between two people, and we’ll look at that later, in the “Love Magic” section.

Plackets

Placket magic utilizes small pockets, or “plackets,” to assist in accomplishing the magic. (The word placket is an Old English word that means both “pocket” and “vagina”!) These are made of felt, or similar material, and in a color or colors appropriate to what is being sought. A photograph of the person, or something belonging to him or her, is placed inside the placket and kept there for a period of time. The placket is about three or four inches square, depending upon the size of the photographs that are to be inserted. In a sense, plackets are very similar to poppets but without the humanlike shape and not specific to any one particular person. If you plan to do much placket magic then make a series of these pockets to have on hand, in various colors, so that you can use an appropriate one according to the color associations and astral colors. Also make one with green on one side and red on the other, and one with green on one side and blue on the other. These will be very useful for healing magic, working with energizing (the red end of the spectrum) and soothing (blue end).

A photograph placed inside the placket is a good “connection” with the person you are trying to affect with your magic. (A letter or other writing could also be used.) It works like the nail clippings or hair that might be placed inside a poppet, in being a representation of the individual. Make certain that only the person you want to affect is in the photograph and no one else. The placket itself represents the healing, or other, force. By placing the photograph inside the placket, the individual is surrounded by the ritual energies necessary for the healing, love magic, or whatever is being worked.

Plackets

As an example of placket magic, here is the example I used for poppet magic, but this time using a placket. The aim is to help someone recover from an illness (be sure to get the person’s permission to do this). For this example, it would be a white day candle on the altar and the ritual would be done on a Monday, for healing. The placket should be green, for healing, or it could be green on one side and the person’s primary color on the other, if his or her birth date is known.

The placket lies on the altar, with a photograph of the person alongside it. Light the altar candle, the incense, and the day candle. Sit for a few moments reviewing the situation: what the person has suffered from and how much you want him or her to recover. In your own words, call upon the Lord and the Lady to witness the rite you are about to perform. Having invited the gods to witness the rite, state the purpose of it:

“I am here to bring healing and happiness to [Name of person] and to fill him/her with joy and contentment.”

Take up the photograph and hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all of it gets censed. As you do this, say words to the effect:

“Here is [Name of person]. It is him/her in every detail. All that I do to this representation, I do to [Name of person]. So Mote It Be.”

Pick up the placket and sprinkle it with the salted water, then hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all of it gets censed including the inside. As you do this, say words to the effect:

“Here is that which will cover and bring healing energies. So Mote It Be.”

Now slide the photograph into the placket and lay it on the altar. Taking up your wand, touch the tip of it to the placket while you concentrate on seeing that person fully healed, and happy and joyful, as a result of this ritual. Direct your healing energies into the placket, and ask that the gods also send their healing to the person represented. Remember, in magic you should see the thing completed, rather than simply getting better. So see the person fully recovered; see them laughing and moving about, fully cured. When you feel you have done this for long enough, put aside the wand and give thanks to the Lord and the Lady, in your own words. Close the circle. You may repeat this ritual on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, if you wish. Leave the photograph inside the placket for at least three days after the ritual.

Pink plackets can be used for love magic, green for finances, orange for attraction, and so on, as in the color associations.

Cord Magic

Witches have worked cord magic for centuries. There is a woodcut showing a Witch selling a knotted rope to some sailors, in Olaus Magnus’s Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (1555). This was a cord into which magic had been worked, to generate winds.

Sorcerer Selling Mariners the Winds tied up in Three Knots of a Rope Olaus Magnus, Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus.

If the sailor found himself becalmed he could untie one of the knots and a wind would come up. The more knots he untied, the fiercer the wind would become. According to Magnus, “When they had their price they knit three magical knots . . . bound up with a thong, and they gave them unto the merchant sailors, observing that rule, that when they unloosed the first, they should have a good gale of wind; when the second, a stronger wind; but when they untied the third, they should have such cruel tempests that they should not be able to look out of the forecastle to avoid the rocks.”

The best known Wiccan cord magic spell involves tying nine knots in your cord whilst building up the power and directing it into that cord. This power buildup can be done by dancing, chanting, or however you work best in building power. Holding the cord and concentrating the energy, the first knot is tied in the middle ————x————with the words “By knot of one, this spell’s begun.”

The next knot is tied at one end x————x————with the words, “By knot of two, this spell comes true.”

The next knot is at the other end x————x————x “By knot of three, so mote it be.”

Then a knot between the middle and one of the end ones x——x——x————x “By knot of four, this power I store.”

The same thing at the other end x——x——x——x——x between the end one and the middle one. “By knot of five, the spell’s alive.”

Next between the first two x—x—x——x——x——x with “By knot of six, this spell I fix.”

Then the same at the other end x—x—x——x——x—x—x with “By knot of seven, this spell I’ll leaven.”

The next knot should be next to the center x—x—x—x—x——x —x—x with “By knot of eight, I’ll cast the fate.”

Finally, the last knot x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x—x with “By knot of nine, what’s done is fine.”

All the energy is finally released into that last knot, seeing the finalizing of the work you are doing. If you are working sex magic (see “Sex Magic” section), this is where the knot is tied at the climax. All the raised power is now stored in that nine-knotted cord.

The release of that stored power is done at another, later, ritual. It can be done all at once, if necessary, or it can be done by untying one knot each day for nine days, building up to the best time. The knots should be released in the same order in which they were tied, not the reverse order. This way it’s the final knot, which absorbed the most energy, that is again untied at the climax.

There is another simple yet effective cord magic spell. This can be used for any magic you want to do that needs to come into effect in the near future. It utilizes three cords, each twenty-one inches in length. One is red in color, one white, and one green. In ritual, sprinkle them with the salted water and then hold them in the smoke of the incense. Sit and plait the three cords together while concentrating on the magic you want to take effect (remember to see it as having been successful). As you plait them, say:

“I bind these cords together as I would bind my spell.
I bind the cords; I bind the spell.
I bind my power—work it well!”

Carry the cords to the east and hold them up. Repeat to the south, west, and north, then return to the altar. Sit, stand, or kneel and concentrate on the aim of the spell—the intent. Build up the power and energy within yourself as you feel best. See the finished act. Then stand and, stamping out a rhythm, dance three times around the circle deosil. Tie a knot in the triple cord each time you pass the east, making three knots in all—one at each end and one in the middle—directing your power into the knots as you tie them. Tie the knot in the middle first, then the end ones. Return to the altar and lay the knotted cords on it. Touch your wand to it and say:

“Here is my power, deep in these cords. It is tied within so that it may not escape.”

Take the knotted cords to the east and hold them up, saying:

“The Air will carry this magic.”

Go to the south and say:

“The Fire will marry this magic.”

Go to the west and say:

“The Water will bear this magic.”

Go to the north and say:

“The Earth will wear this magic.”

Return to the altar and say:

“I bind these cords together as I would bind my spell.
I bind the cords; I bind the spell.
I bind my power—work it well!”

Lay the knotted cords on the altar, leaving them there till you have ended the circle. Afterward, keep the cords on your person for seven days, sleeping with them under your pillow at night. Then bury them beneath an oak tree or a thorn bush. The magic with which you have imbued them will continue to emerge from the buried cords over a long period of time, supplementing any further magic you do for that particular person or purpose.

Color Magic

Color can be used in all forms of magic to reinforce it and help make it especially effective. Previously you’ve seen how it can be utilized in candle magic, and in poppet and placket magic. It can be worked into many other forms of magic also, such as with talismans. Basically, whatever magic you are planning, consider whether or not it could be enhanced by the use of color. Burning additional color candles, using colored paper or other material, tying colored cords or ribbons to objects, shining colored lights—all these are ways to reinforce with color. Be guided by the table of color associations, and by the colors for the days of the week and zodiacal signs that have been discussed.

Love Magic

The main thing to remember with love magic is that you must never interfere with another’s free will. It is all too easy to think that by making someone else love you, you are not actually harming him or her. In a sense you are not, but the very fact that you are making the person do something that he or she would not normally do, is enough to classify that magic as negative. What, then, can be done to attract someone to you? There are two possibilities. The first is simply to work on yourself, to make yourself so attractive that others are naturally drawn to you. But if you’ve been working on that and it still seems you’re not getting anywhere, then there is some magic that you can do that will not be negative. Work a love spell to bring someone to you, rather than a specific person.

Let’s say that you are a young woman who is strongly drawn to a young man, whom we’ll call Tony, but the attraction does not go both ways. In other words, Tony doesn’t even seem to know you exist! Start by making a list of all the things you like about Tony: his hair color, height, eyes, physique, interests, musical taste, dress, and so on. If you know his birth date then add his sun sign to your list. This, then, is the ideal person, in your eyes. Now, for the purposes of the magic you’re about to do, forget the name Tony. Look at the list as just the “ingredients” of the person you want to fall for you. You can now work magic—candle-burning, poppet, placket, cord, or whatever—to draw to you someone who fits this description. Be sure to work the spell without Tony specifically in mind, just the “Tony type” you have detailed. When the magic works (as it will), if the gods feel it is right it may well turn out that it is Tony who comes running, after all. But it may also be an entirely different person you weren’t even aware of before, but who fits the detailed description you put together. You may then forget all about Tony! The point is that you will have done potent love magic without directing it specifically at Tony. You will not, therefore, have been working against his, or anyone else’s, free will. Below are a couple of ways of working love magic using this method.

Poppet Love Spell

Make a poppet to represent yourself, then make a second one to represent the type of person you want to attract. Do not put a name on that second doll. Stuff the dolls with such herbs as Adam & Eve root, elderflower, rosebuds, motherwort, yarrow, vervain, and the like (see Appendices: Magical Properties of Herbs). Concentrate on true love whilst you make the poppets. Lay them on the altar with your wand across them. Also on the altar have a twenty-one-inch length of red or pink ribbon. Light the altar candle, the incense, and the day candle. Sit for a few moments reviewing the situation: the type of person you want to bring to you (remember, no names!) and your desire for true love and happiness. In your own words, call upon the Lord and the Lady to witness the rite you are about to perform. Having invited the gods to witness the rite, state the purpose of it:

“I am here to bring lasting love and happiness to myself, [Your name], that I may be filled with joy and contentment.”

Take up the poppet of yourself and sprinkle it with the salted water, then hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all of it gets censed. As you do this, say words to the effect:

“Here am I, [Your name]. It is me in every detail. All that I do to this representation, I do to me, [Your name]. So Mote It Be.”

Return it to the altar, take up the second poppet, and sprinkle it with the salted water, then hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all of it gets censed. As you do this, say words to the effect:

“Here is he/she whom I would love. This represents all those qualities that I want and need; all that I desire in another. So Mote It Be.”

Now lay both poppets side by side on the altar and, holding your wand, lay it across the two figures while you concentrate on seeing yourself completely happy and fulfilled, as a result of this ritual. (It’s best to concentrate solely on yourself and your love and happiness, without picturing another with you.) Remember, in magic you should see the thing completed, rather than simply working, so see yourself completely happy and filled with love.

Now take up both poppets and hold them facing one another, one in each hand, slightly apart. Say:

“May these two individuals be drawn together and become one. Let the love so flow between them that they are inseparable.”

Slowly move your two hands together until the poppets are against each other, face to face. Then take up the silk ribbon and bind it around the two figures, saying:

“May they cling to one another and stay together as one. No more shall they be separate; no more alone. Each shall be fast together with the other. So Mote It Be.”

Tie the ribbon and lay the figures back on the altar. Lay your wand across them. For the next few minutes you may either sit and direct power into the figures or dance around the circle to build the power and then direct it into them. When you feel you have done this for long enough, give thanks to the Lord and the Lady, in your own words. Close the circle. You may repeat this ritual on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, if you wish. After closing the circle, carefully wrap the poppets in a piece of white linen and put them away somewhere where they will not be disturbed.

Love Poppets

Candle Love Spell

Set up the altar with an astral candle for yourself on one side and an orange candle (for attraction) beside it. On the other side of the altar have a white candle to represent the unknown lover, with a pink candle (for love) beside it. The day candle should be a green one and this ritual should be done on a Friday, just prior to the full moon.

Light the altar candle, the incense, and the day candle. Sit for a few moments concentrating on seeing yourself completely happy and fulfilled, as a result of this ritual. (It’s best to concentrate solely on yourself and your love and happiness, without picturing another with you.) Remember, in magic you should see the thing completed, rather than simply working, so see yourself completely happy and filled with love. In your own words, call upon the Lord and the Lady to witness the rite you are about to perform. Having invited the gods to witness the rite, state the purpose of it:

“I am here to bring lasting love and happiness to myself, [Your name] that I may be filled with joy and contentment.”

“Here is myself, [Your name]. It is me in every detail. All that I do to this representation, I do to me. So Mote It Be.”

Stand the candle in its place on the altar. Take up the orange candle. Do the same thing; consecrate it and inscribe it with the word “attraction.” Then say:

“Here is Attraction. It is with me and all about me. So Mote It Be.”

Place the candle alongside your astral candle. Take up the white one on the other side of the altar; consecrate it and inscribe it with the words “true love.” Say:

“Here is the true love I seek; the other half that makes me whole. So Mote It Be.”

Take up the pink candle; consecrate it and inscribe it with the word “love.” Say:

“Here is the love that is brought to us, filling our lives with all that we desire. So Mote It Be.”

Place that candle alongside the white candle.

Now spend some time concentrating on seeing yourself happy, joyful, and filled with love, as a result of this ritual. Light first your astral candle, then the orange one. Let them burn for a few moments then light the white candle and the pink candle. Sit with them all burning for a few more moments. Take the white and the pink candles and move them slowly across the surface of the altar, toward your astral candle and its attendant orange one. You can do this either in stages or, very slowly, in one long movement. As the candles move across, be aware of love coming into your life, of a sense of completeness. When the four candles are all together, know that you have now caught the attention of another and that the wheels of love are in motion. Give thanks to the Lord and the Lady, in your own words, and close the circle. You may leave the candles burning until they have burned themselves out, or you may repeat this ritual on a weekly or monthly basis. If on a weekly basis, extinguish the candles after an hour and relight them at the next performance of the ritual, timing things so that the candles all come together close to, and just before, the full moon. If on a monthly basis, repeat the ritual in its entirety each time, moving the white and pink candles from their starting positions across to the other two. You can keep this up repeatedly, doing the ritual every month using the same candles, until they have burned down.

Both of the above spells can also be done to deepen a love that is already there, to cement a marriage, to help a family bond. Don’t be afraid of experimenting. Write your own rituals, which can be based on those I have given. So long as you keep the Wiccan Rede in mind, you will do all right.

Remembering and reliving can raise power. Raise more by drumming, chanting, clapping, pounding, breathing, singing, dancing, or any other active method you favor. Let the feelings flow free; let the power surge through you.

—Amber K, True Magick

Sex Magic

As you have seen, the main ingredient in working magic is the power that you raise. Without this power, no magic can be performed. In such forms as candle-burning, this power-raising may be low-key, but it’s there in the concentration of inscribing the candles, for example. There are many ways to raise power: chanting, dancing, awakening the kundalini (see below), drumming, scourging, and through sex. Sex magic is the art of using the sexual experience, and especially the orgasm, for magical purposes. According to Dr. Jonn Mumford (Sexual Occultism), the most important psycho-physiological event in the life of a human is the orgasm. That orgasm is achieved following much the same pattern as is found in magical working and power raising—it starts slowly and very gradually builds to a climax. The literal climax of sex magic is the orgasm. Just how that is achieved is unimportant, so sex magic can be done by the Solitary just as effectively as by a couple or by a whole coven. All that matters is that the orgasm be the time of directing the power generated to the target selected.

During the excitement of sex, all of your senses become heightened, attuning you to the psychic realm much more sharply than is the case in your normal state. Just before, during, and immediately after the sexual climax, the mind is in a state of hypersensitivity, and this can be especially useful for working magic. (Many people have experienced timelessness, accompanied by subjective sensations of being “absorbed” by a sex partner during orgasm.) Successful sex magic involves interplay of all of these factors. When working sex magic, the magical process can be broken down into the following steps. First is the planning stage, when you settle upon the exact details of how to proceed. This includes the “goal” to aim at, the methods of arousal you will use, what to visualize during the act and, especially at the climax, what to set your sights on at the release of the power. Then comes the actual practice—the magical, sensual, and sexual foreplay that develops into the serious buildup of that power. Finally, there is the “explosion” of the power generated—the orgasm that sends the magical force to its target.

Perhaps with eyes closed, start by gently caressing your body, not especially trying for arousal but with gentle thoughts that will lead in that direction. At this point, the breasts and genitals are best avoided; concentrate more on the hair, face, arms, and legs instead. Thoughts can be on anyone or anything that helps with sexual direction at this time, since arousal will eventually need to come about. Gradually include breasts and genitals in your caressing, with the aim of becoming totally aroused, eventually concentrating primarily on the genital area. At some point, it will be necessary to shift the focus of your mind to the object of the magic. You should have become sufficiently aroused, by that point, that shifting this focus will not lose you the sexual stimulation.

Proceed by gently rocking back and forth, if that helps, and focusing on the person to whom the power will be directed; as always in magic, see in your mind’s eye a successful result. Try to hold off the orgasm as long as possible while working on the visualization. When you can no longer hold off, at the moment of orgasm see the power shooting out from you to the target like a bolt of lightning. One Witch has described the release as a force “that pulses from my lower chakras, surging up through the others before blasting out of my crown chakra, at the top of my head.”9

As I’ve said, the method of achieving orgasm is unimportant. For this reason any variety of sexual stimulation methods may be employed. This type of magic has been performed by Solitary Witches for generations; probably the majority induced the power release with their hands and fingers but some Witches certainly used such magical items as Priapic (phallic) wands. These days, such seemingly non-magical items as dildos and vibrators are also used. Sex magic is simply one method of doing magic out of many, though it’s certainly not for everyone.

I have mentioned the chakras (pronounced sharkrers) and raising the kundalini. The chakras—a Sanskrit word—are psychic centers of the body that coincide with various glands. There are seven of them, following the line of the spine from its base up to the head and then on to the top of the head. They also correspond to the seven colors of the light spectrum. Ancient wisdom teaches that these psychic centers can be opened, in order, to produce a force known as the kundalini, which surges upward. This is also known as the “serpent power.” Essentially, it is power-raising within your body.

The base chakra is at the perineum, midway between the anus and the genitals. Its color is red. The next chakra comes at the fifth lumbar, at the suprarenal glands, which is equated with orange. Then there is the solar plexus at the lyden, which is yellow. The heart at the thymus is green. The throat at the thyroid is blue. The position of the third eye (between and slightly above the eyebrows) is the pineal gland and is indigo. And the “crown chakra” is at the pituitary and is violet in color. One way of raising energy is to meditate and concentrate on these seven centers. They can be activated by causing them to rotate, in order. During sexual activity, the gradual buildup toward the orgasm is automatically accompanied by (perhaps caused by) this chakra activity.

To energize the chakras, whether as an adjunct to the performing of sexual magic or for raising power for other forms of magic, sit quietly and relax. Do your light-building exercise. From the culmination of doing this white-light building, see that light become red and focus it onto the first chakra point. See, in your mind, that chakra become a vibrant red and start to spin, in a clockwise direction. (I find it helps to imagine it like one of the swirling wheels of light and sparks seen at fireworks displays.) See and feel the red light flowing into the perineum area. When you feel you have absorbed a sufficient amount of this energy, let the light move up to the next chakra area, changing color from red to orange as it does. See and feel the orange light now swirling at the position of that second chakra; at the suprarenal. Again, as you breathe deeply feel the orange light energizing that section of your body. Continue in this fashion, gradually moving the energy and changing the light color, so that it moves up to all seven chakra points. When you’ve done them all, let the light change back to white and again spread out to envelop the whole cone of power about you.

All force is vibration . . . Then we see the evolution of force in vibration brought up to the point wherein man becomes one with the Creative Energy, or the Godhead.

—Edgar Cayce, Reading No. 900-422

Protection

Under the “Preparations” and “Precautions” sections in chapter 13, I have given things you should do before working magic. Now let’s look at some specifics of protection in various circumstances. However, first let me emphasize the necessity of doing the deep breathing and white-light building as a protective measure, to the point where you should do this at the start of every morning, if you feel you are in any situation where you need constant protection. The cone of power you build will not only protect you from psychic attack but also from physical harm, turning away hurtful intentions and potential evil.

A talisman can be a useful and effective tool of protection, and I will detail the making of those in the next section. Similarly, amulets, such as protective herbs and roots, can work well. Mirrors have been used for centuries as a magical means of reflecting away negative energies. They are used in the ancient Chinese art of feng shui (pronounced fung shway). They are also an essential ingredient in the Witch’s bottle, which is detailed below. Used by themselves, flat mirrors are effective while concave mirrors will “turn enemies upside down.” Convex mirrors, on the other hand, can be far-reaching. If you know the direction from which harm or animosity will be coming, then hang the mirror facing that way. If you don’t know, then hang four mirrors about your home—one facing outward in each direction. A number of small mirrors hanging in a bush or tree close to the house entrance makes a good protection.

Wind chimes can also be protective, as can bells. The idea originated with the belief that the sound of the chimes would frighten away harmful spirits, but there is more to it than that. Sound is vibration and vibration has an effect on everything. Positive vibrations, from such as wind chimes, can affect negative things, thus serving to protect. Incense also can serve as a protective measure. Again, the burning of incense and its resultant smoke can cause positive vibrations and well-being.

One way to cleanse a house or apartment, ensuring protection for all who live there, is to sprinkle the corner of every room and every closet with salted water and to cense it with burning incense. I’d suggest calling on the Lord and the Lady to protect while doing this. Magical baths and washes can also be used for protection. Bathing in water into which herbs have been put to soak is a good way of protecting yourself. Look at the Magical Properties of Herbs list in the appendices and see which ones are connected with protection (such as basil, bay, dill, fennel, and rosemary). The herbs can either be thrown directly into the bath or they can be collected in a muslin bag and allowed to hang into the water.

There are numerous spells for protection. You can construct your own, based on the examples of candle-burning magic and similar, previously described. One suggestion would be to place an astral candle for yourself in the center of the altar and surround it with a number of yellow or gold candles for protection. In Wicca For Life (Citadel) I give some specifics, both for personal protection and for protection of the house.

The pentagram—the traditional symbol of Witchcraft—is a protective sign in itself. Wearing a pentagram serves as a talismanic protection. It represents the life force and, as such, wards against negativity. Wear a pentagram either in the form of a pendant or a ring. I have even known some Witches who have obtained a pentagram tattoo.

All Witches should make a Witch’s bottle, which has been the primary protection used by Witches for hundreds of years. The idea behind it is to not only protect the maker from any negativity directed at him or her, but to actually send back that negativity. The more the sender tries to harm you, the more he (or she) will harm himself. Take a small jar with a screw-type lid. Fill it at least half full with broken glass, broken mirror, rusty nails, pins, needles, screws, old razor blades, and so on—in effect, anything sharp. Then urinate into the jar to fill it, thus personalizing the jar and its contents. A woman can make it an especially effective bottle by including some menstrual blood. Screw on the lid and seal it with tape or wax. It should then be buried in the ground at least twelve inches deep (so that it is below any frost line). This should be done in some isolated spot where it will not be disturbed. So long as it stays there it will work for you. I recommend doing a new Witch bottle once a year, just in case the old one somehow gets cracked or broken. If you live in the city, it is worth making a special trip out to the country to bury your bottle.

Talismans and Amulets

A talisman is a human-made tool designed for magical purposes such as protection and an amulet is a natural object used for similar magical purposes; both are consecrated for use, imbuing them with magical power. Talismans and amulets are used mostly for protection but can also be used for a variety of other things, such as to bring luck, love, and money, as an aid to healing, and so on. Let’s look at talismans first, since they have to be made from scratch.

Talismans can be made from virtually any material. The easiest to work with is paper (or parchment), but they can also be made of wood, metal, bone, ivory, and so on. Many occult stores and catalogs advertise ready-made, commercial talismans for various purposes. Remember, however, that the most effective (and powerful) magic is that done by the person most connected to the need. Any talisman that you make yourself, however crude it may seem, will therefore be far more powerful than one bought from a store or made for you by someone else.