Once upon this ancient land lived the cunning folk. They were known by different names such as a spae-wife, wiseman, or wise woman, even faery doctor. They worked their magick, prepared herbal remedies, created charms and spells, and foretold the future. They knew how to remove curses and evil spirits and banish witches. It was seen by the common people that the cunning folk and midwives were practical and that the witches were destructive. But King Henry VIII changed all that when he introduced the Witchcraft Act of 1542. Both the cunning folk and the witches were classed as one, with the death penalty enforced for both, so during the different reigns of kings and queens that followed, the magickal practices of the cunning folk hung in the balance.
Many were protected by the villagers, for they knew if the cunning folk were put to death they would not have their healers and midwives. Cunning folk came from a hereditary line of wise men and women who passed down the knowledge of herbs, charms, and spells from mother to daughter or father to son. They were the glue that held the communities together. Nearly every village or town had a charmer. Without them the village would fall apart. As one village in Perthshire found out, when they removed their cunning woman, due to her dementia, and stated she was a witch, there was nobody left to help them. Not a clever thing to do when the next village was fifty miles away. These men and women were also employed to cast love, money, and bewitchment spells and create specific charms for the nobility. These charms were worn in secret, left in the home sometimes, sewn into curtains or clothing, all to ensure that the charm could not be found and incriminate a person for practicing witchcraft. Cunning folk were also known for locating lost property, animals, or jewellery. Before the introduction of judges and the courts, cunning folk were sought after to divine whether a person was guilty or not.
They were experts in the workings of plant medicine, known to some as “wort cunning.” They worked with the crops and weather. They were highly regarded as wisdom keepers working with nature, the seasons, the moon, and the cycles of life. Back in those days their job was to fight witchcraft, heal sickness caused by the witches, and remove curses and spells placed upon good folk. This basically demonstrates the difference between a white witch, as they were sometimes known, and a black witch, who worked against the good of the people and the whole community. When we look at the history of witches in the Highlands of Scotland there is hardly any reference to the terrible things their English counterparts were accused of. Those deemed “black witches,” who plied their gifts more like an unscrupulous trade (and there were some), had a knowledge of charms, rhymes, and spells and how to put the fear of death into people. They used their knowledge for ill gain, and for the most part they were self-serving, jealous, and bitter of others’ wealth. In those days, if you claimed to have supernatural powers and could control outcomes, many believed it. Many witches who were killed did not care what they said or did even though the threat of persecution hung over them. They did not work for the good of the community and ostracised themselves away from the villagers, causing great harm along the way to those who got in their way. The spae-wife, on the other hand, practiced white or good magick. They worked with the second sight, divination, healing, and plant lore with integrity of wisdom and the flow of nature working through them. They had spent years and years of hard work refining and learning their craft. They worked in the university of nature, ensuring that they listened well to the people, the land, and the elements all around.
The wise man or woman in past times had the connection with the spirits. They were in fact very much like a shaman is today. Their gifts were handed down from generation to generation. They travelled to the other worlds and connected with the spirits and otherworldly beings. They travelled to the other worlds to retrieve children and people taken by the unseen forces and returned them home. They were able to diagnose otherworldly illnesses and effect a cure. They were able to track into an illness and diagnose a cure for those who were ill. They helped locate lost items and cure animals.
They were and are the multitaskers of yesterday and today. It’s interesting to note that back in those times that they were paid! The townspeople knew that it was important to ensure that these wise men and women were sustained within the local villages by paying them with money or goods. Today, many people question why people charge for the gifts of healing, but our ancestors were respected and accepted that it was important to do so, as an exchange of energy and so they could survive. The ancestral cunning folk, like today’s descendants, worked and learned hard their craft. If anyone ever questions why you charge for healings, if you’re a professional healer, simply say, “You are paying for my experience.”
Like many of us today, they multitasked in their chosen field. They were eclectic by their very nature, weaving what they had learned from their teachers and other sources available to them at the time. The wise woman or man’s philosophies were different across the lands of Great Britain. Today remains the same, although there is a far greater store of knowledge learned throughout the world. This is not something you can buy off the internet and learn in a weekend. The wise ones are solitary by nature, fine tuning their skills, forever learning something new. They live by the code of the land by harming none and doing what they will to ensure the good of all. This craft is in every bone of your body, all the blood that flows through you, and all the wisdom of your heart that calls you home.
When looking back into the ancient past, we find that great healers and scholars such as Hippocrates took a holistic approach to well-being. They looked at the whole aspect of the mind, the body, and the soul. They had a deep understanding of herbs and medicines and how they interacted with all levels of a person’s being. Delving deeper still, in Mesopotamia in the thirteenth century BC, women were the chemists. In these ancient cultures from Egypt, Greece, and Rome, the women were the healers created by the goddesses. The queens and princesses of these ancient cultures had to know all about the deities, prayers, invocations, and herbs; it was their sacred duty. The priestesses of the temples were the healers and the midwives and the oracles. They were known as “she who knows the inside.” Then everything changed and slowly but surely, they were demoted, hidden, scorned as one religion, one medicine, one god replaced the goddesses of old. This ancient wisdom, once revered as sacred and gifted from the gods, was stripped from the women and disappeared underground. Many laws were passed. The curing of sickness by occult magick was in some cases punishable by death. The history of women healers has gone from the goddess to the sorceresses to the witches.
What was it that put such great fear into mankind that stopped women being healers? It spread all through the planet and women were forced into backstreet alleys to do their work. But the tide has turned and now the craft is returning, authentic, and pure of intent. And perhaps the part of the craft that appeals and confuses, in equal measure these days, is spellwork. The time has come to look at the spellwork that sits at the heart of Scottish witchcraft.
The Art of Spellcasting
Across the globe and from our first breath, wise men and women have been using their personal power and their profound connection to the ancestors, elementals, deities, spirits of place, and all living things to create a cone of power that held and sustained both themselves and their communities. The history of magick and spells between cultures, belief systems, and religions is varied depending on location (the environment plays a huge part) and the tools available. Traditionally in most cultures, spellcasting was handed down from mother to daughter orally. Spells that were written down were always hidden or coded. Magickal manifestation work was reverently honoured, but through the ages the safe practice of spellcasting changed dramatically; monastic religion and medieval superstition played their part. The use of magick and spellcasting had to be hidden as fear, doubt, ridicule, and death overshadowed the once-favoured healing craft of spellwork.
But today, as the accusations of yesteryear are healed, a magickal resonance surges throughout our very modern world, invoking all those with a natural magick and curiosity in their hearts and souls to awaken to the Old Ways. By magickally working with the mystical forces and cycles of nature, in conjunction with ancient wisdom, knowing, and honour, we have the power to create and manifest a positive life of love, happiness, and prosperity for ourselves and the world around us. Now you have the ability to carry on the work of your ancestors. What an exciting challenge to undertake—a trip into the unknown that very few walk upon. I know you have the ability to do so. You have the passion of your spirit linked to the ancient ones. You will never fall off the green path. You have all the tools, all the abilities, within you. Now it is time to put it to practice.
So, let us start with charms. Charms are generally associated with magickal objects, but it is a term that actually can be used to refer to all magickal words, invocations, or songs, that have been recited for protection or spellwork. You may wish to use charms (the object type) in your spells, like a coin, pentagram, pendant, or a four-leaf clover. There is always a direct relationship to the spell you are creating and the charm. Once you have created your spell, a charm is then empowered through the magickal process. You can also wear the charm on your person or place it on your altar.
Charms have been used since ancient times as amulets and talismans. The first known people to wear charms were the Babylonians, Persians, and Hittites. In Egypt charms were worn to identify a person to the gods in the afterlife. The Romans and Greeks wore charm bracelets with little rolls of paper tied on to protect them. On many battlefields in Scotland and Ireland when the warriors were close to death and nothing could be done, charms and incantations were said, and amulets placed on them to help them transition to the other worlds. Today many people wear charms on their person without realising the meaning, magick, and history behind them. It is a tool, much like a staff or dirk, that can be used for spellwork.
A spell on the other hand is a powerful and sacred ritual of action that combines the ingredients of the use of magickal tools, symbols, elements, and recipes with positive thoughts or words of intent to create a powerful effect. Once your focus is honed fully, it is possible to use the power of creating and manifesting by thought and visualisation alone. Magickal spells are powered by personal positive energy, desire, belief, faith, emotion, and an awareness to change and cast a desired effect. With unwavering focus and intent, spellwork harnesses and manipulates energy and the magickal forces needed to bring about anything from healing and prosperity to walking toward one’s destiny.
Before casting a spell, you must decide on what the purpose of the spell is and be extremely clear about what it is you want. As you make a statement of intent, you are instructing the universe that you wish to effect change for yourself, and for the good of all. Or use your imagination, your visualisation abilities, to picture clearly in your mind all that you wish to magickally manifest. Ensure that you leave any problems, doubts, insecurities, or negativity at your front door before you start. Magick needs personal and powerful energy in order to work. So, stand confidently in your power as you invoke the divine spark, to ignite the magick of your spells. Consider now, what sacred work do you wish to undertake? Do you wish to combine all the gifts given to us and work as the ancients once did? What follows now are the basic considerations for spellcasting—get to know them well until they become second nature. You would do well to make a note of them in you Book of Shadows too …
Tips for Spellcasting
• Control is the first step to spellcasting, so practice energy raising, meditation, shielding, purification, changing, and enchanting objects. And never do spells if you are feeling tired or rundown. You need to be confident in what you are doing.
• Determine your goal and focus. Your state of mind needs to be clear. Speak your words with positive intentions; never use negative words. Follow directions carefully.
• Ensure your spell is realistic and that you have the right ingredients ready.
• Timing is key. Learn about the moon cycles and their influences, the days of the week, and the seasons (all listed in your BOS). So, choose your magickal time purposefully, depending on which type of spell you wish to cast.
• Allow enough time for the spell to work. Spellcasting takes time, sometimes a whole moon cycle.
• Take responsibility for your spells. What you give out does come back to you. Remember magick takes the path of least resistance.
• Remember the Threefold Law—whatever you give out comes back to you threefold. This ancient rule of the Old Ways is based on the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. So, your magickal intention must always be done “with harm to none,” including yourself.
• Believe, believe, believe!
Preparing Your Spell
Working with, and adhering to, specific times, moon phases, directions, and elements for your chosen spell will enhance your magickal work. However, if you desperately need to cast a spell and can’t wait for a certain moon phase, weekday, etc., you can still work your magick as long as you gather all your ingredients and tools, cast your circle, and wholly focus your intention on what it is you need to achieve. It may not be as powerful right away, but will work nonetheless, depending on your intentions and energy.
The moon is considered to be one of the most powerful forces when working with spells. It affects the tides, weather, animal behaviour, plants, and even our own moods and feelings. We too are ruled by the phases of the moon, particularly women, who reflect the cycles during their “moon time.” It’s important to create your own unique way of spellcasting to find out what works best for you. Once you understand each moon phase, weekday, and direction, you will intuitively know when to do your spell. When you live in tune with the moon cycles, your deep connection will naturally guide you as you feel and sense what is required, and when, to work your spells.
Focus on what you want and remember to not leave anything out. You need to be focused with positive words and actions. You already have the emotions within you to fuel the spell you wish to work with. Prepare yourself on the day before working with your spell. You may want to mediate first and ground and centre yourself by imagining roots growing from your feet into the ground. Once you are focused on your intent for your spell and have gathered your ingredients and tools, you should draw the rest of the energy from external sources such as the elements, deities, and powers of the weekdays, directions, and the moon. The energy should be built up slowly as you work on raising a cone of power for the spell. At this point, direct and release it, keeping focused on your intent for the spell to work. Next you need to set the scene, so to speak.
Creating Sacred Space to Cast Your Spell
Create a place that is safe, private, and away from prying eyes. Make sure you will not be interrupted. A small room or even a shed is a perfect place to create a magickal circle (see chapter two for details). If you have a garden, you might want to create a space to cast your spells under the moon. To purify your magickal space, use sage, mugwort, or herbs or incense of your choice. If you cannot burn anything in your space, you can procure sprays that have space-clearing properties.
It is important to determine the boundaries of your magick circle. To do this, you can either visualise a circle around you, sprinkle salt in a circle, or place a ring of candles around you physically or symbolically. A magick circle gives you protection and also contains the energy conjured and created within the circle itself. This magnifies and intensifies your ritual. Make sure all your tools and ingredients for the specific spell you want to cast are within the circle before you start, plus any items to represent the elements, seasons, and directions you are working with, as per the list presented here:
• Earth—pot plant, rock, crystal, sage, bowl of earth, salt, brown candle
• Air—feather, bell, incense, yellow candle
• Fire—red candle, staff
• Water—sea shell, bowl of water, mirror, blue candle
Casting a Simple Finding Spell
Now we will look at casting a spell, specifically the finding spell as an example, within the sacred space you have just created. This spell is an aid to finding something that is lost to you. It could be an item of some sort or something more intangible like inspiration to write or create, the drive to see something through, or the will to stick to a healthy diet or take up exercise.
You will need:
• A candle (either black or brown) to represent earth
• Sheet of paper and pen
• Somewhere to bury the paper outside
Light the candle and face the direction of north. Take a piece of paper and write upon it the name of that you are looking for. Hold the image of the item in your mind as you recite the following:
Direction of north, magick of earth,
honour me with your powers of birth.
There’s something I’m missing and just cannot find;
I picture now within my clear mind.
To find and retrieve from the picture you see,
I ask it’s returned for safe keeping to me.
Buried deep within your womb,
I ask of earth to open its tomb.
Release and free that which is mine
so I can reclaim it, all in good time.
As above, so below,
weave this spell and let it flow.
Guardians, gatekeepers, may you bestow
magickal ingredients charged, released, let go.
I work with your magick with harm to none,
so mote it be, and it is done.
Now blow out the candle, fold the piece of paper four ways and bury it in the earth if you are outside, or put it in a pocket to take outside as soon as you have finished the spell, and bury it. Your lost item will be returned in an unexpected and magickal way.
Now that you have completed the spell, close the circle by thanking the guardians and gatekeepers at each direction, starting with the west and working anticlockwise to finish with the north. Use your own words to close the circle, something like “Hail, farewell, thank you, for assisting me with my work.” When you have finished, step out of the circle or visualise a doorway to step out of. Seal the spell, choose one of the four elements to suit the seal, depending on your magickal ingredient as listed below (on this occasion it would be “earth”):
• Earth—gather your ingredients and place them in a cloth bag or tin and then bury it in the earth. This way they are contained, together, grounded, and protected.
• Fire—burn your ingredients (if permitable)
• Air—let the winds take any natural ingredients
• Water—submerge into flowing water or a deep body of water
Another way to seal the spell is to again take all the ingredients, place them in a bag or container, and then use a wax seal on the tin, box, or cloth bag. You can then place it on your altar for the spell to be fused with the energy of your focused intent until your spell is fully manifested and give thanks.
I would now like to share my top four magickal herbs that I use in weaving spells for protection, allurement, healing, and prosperity. Remember that when working with spells, make them your own; that way you are adding your personal thoughts and connections with the herb not from someone’s else’s spells. It makes a big difference in spellcasting when it’s yours. I am providing you with information about the herbs and how they have been used in both ancient times and in today’s world; however, you should not take any of the following as medical advice. If you wish to use any of the herbs internally, please consult with your medical professionals. Also remember if using in cooking, be extremely careful and do not exceed normal food seasoning quantities.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
This witches’ herb weaves its magick throughout folklore and herbalism. It has been used since the early Iron Age as, then, farmers used it to bulk up their grain-based foods. It was spoken about and used throughout European folklore for protection against fatigue and poisons and was worn as a wreath on the body to keep evil spirits away. The native people rubbed mugwort leaves on the body at their ghost dances to protect them from ghosts. Many people used it as a substitute for tobacco. It was, and still is, used as poultice, incense, for smudging, and of course in spellwork. Mugwort is considered a sacred herb of Artemisia, the Greek goddess of the moon. You can also have it in teas and use it as an inhalation. I love to have a bath with mugwort if I am focused on divination or dreaming or if I wish to have visions.
Tips for Working with Mugwort
Create a mugwort wash by taking a handful of dried mugwort and adding it to a small pot of water (ideally stream or spring water), about a pint per 500 mls. Bring to the boil, then turn off and let cool. Once cooled, you can use it to wash down areas needed for spellwork. You can also use the wash for cleansing your crystals, stones, or other tools. Store in a large jar and keep in a dark place until needed. You can hang a bundle of mugwort over your bed to guide you when you are having out-of-body experiences and astral projection. Hang a wreath of mugwort over or beside your front door to ward off negative energy entering your home or house. Make sachets of mugwort of the dried leaves and hide them near doorways and also windows and in corners of your house to shift stagnant energy. Plant mugwort in your garden as it attracts nature spirits. Burn grounded mugwort on charcoal as a purifier. You can also make bundles of mugwort, like sage bundles, and use for saining. Cleanse ritual tools and crystals by steeping mugwort in hot, not boiling, water and cleansing tools in the steam. Fill a little gauze bag with mugwort and place under your pillow to add protection when dreaming. After using the mugwort for spells, any leftover branches can be used on fires. Weave mugwort into your broomstick and place at your front door for protection. Be careful if buying mugwort from online suppliers, as sometimes they pass off wormwood, which is very similar.
Mugwort Protection Spell
You will need:
• Grounded mugwort
• Grounded rock salt
• Mortar and pestle
• A black candle
• A besom (or broom) to sweep your doorway or your circle
• Mugwort wash
• Mugwort bundle or charcoal in a fireproof dish
• Hover or brush to clean up after you have finished
• Dish to seal the spell
• Paper and pen
Prepare your sacred space within your sacred room, kitchen, or outdoor ritual space. Make sure you will not be disturbed. Switch off your phone. First grind together your rock salt and mugwort in your mortar and pestle, then cleanse the space you are about to do your spellwork in with the mugwort; wash the floors and the tools. Now take your bundle of mugwort or the dried mugwort in a container and sain the area. Once done and you feel the spaced cleansed and clear of any negative energies, it’s time to cast the circle. Place in the middle of your circle the black candle. Starting in the north, take the salt and mugwort mixture and create a circle around you.
Now stand in the middle of the circle. Facing north, light the black candle then place it in your right hand, with the bundle of mugwort in your left hand, and say:
Star of protection, a circle of mugwort and salt,
surround and safeguard me from any default.
Guard me from danger, gossip, and hurt
from those who may curse me and dish out the dirt.
I call upon the elements five,
preserve my intentions so I can survive.
Standing within, I lift up my arms,
black candle, salt, and mugwort now banishes harm.
Keep safe and defend my energy flow,
as I raise my vibration, allow me to grow.
Now out of danger, protection in place,
magickal work now safe to embrace.
Now stand in the centre of the circle and visualise your personal energy field being energised and reinforced with protection. Once this is done, put out your black candle and, making a doorway out of the circle in the north by using your besom, step carefully out of the circle, and say:
Gratefully, I accept the magick of you,
of protection, to assist in all that I do.
Lend me the courage, build power in me,
assist my transcendence, so mote it be.
Once this is complete, sweep or pick up the salt and mugwort mixture and place into the tin to seal the spell. Write the spell on the paper and place in the tin with the mixture. Light your black candle again and seal the written spell and the mixture with the candle wax. Now, if possible, place the tin in the earth near your front door. If you don’t have a garden in front of your door, then hide it inside and near your front door. With the remaining mixture left in the mortar and pestle, scatter at the front and back doors of your home and/or workplace. It’s also good to place on windowsills as well. You can also put it in little gauze bags and put in your pockets, purses, and handbags.
Seaweed/Kelp (Laminaria digitate)
One of the first mentions of seaweed occurs in stories of early Greek priestesses whipping up the wind by whirling a strand of seaweed above their heads while singing to call on the undines for beguilement spells. It was known in the Isles of Scotland that if you offered a piece of seaweed on a full moon it would call forth the undines to do your bidding. It was known as the herb of the sea, and by placing it on ships, it would ensure safe passage and assistance from the water spirits. Braids of seaweed representing mermaids’ braided hair was placed on the ships’ bow again for safe passage. Seaweed has been used as a healing herb and for food for over twenty thousand years. If you want to predict the weather, hang a dried piece of seaweed over your doorway or porch or barn, ensuring that the seaweed is not in direct contact with the elements. If the seaweed becomes wet, it shows that a storm or heavy rains will come. If it goes very dry, it means a dry, hot period of weather is coming.
Tips for Working with Seaweed
Place a piece of dried seaweed into your suitcase before going on holidays on a plane or on a cruise to attract romantic interest on holiday. Keep it sealed in a small container to prevent everything from smelling of it when not in use. You can sleep with a sachet of seaweed in a bag under your pillow to dream of your true love. Place over your mirror in the bathroom to call on the undines to heighten your allurement abilities. Place in the garden soil as a fertiliser, then plant herbs for love such as calendula, basil, and chamomile to aid you in fertility and beguilement.
Seaweed Allurement Spell
You will need:
• A day off to go to the sea, ideally, but another natural body of water like a river, or lake, will also work
• A large handheld mirror
• A hairbrush
• A couple of handfuls of dried seaweed
• Three or four pictures of mermaids (drawn yourself or cut out from a magazine, etc.)
• A handful of shells from the sea
Pack a bag with all the items above and get yourself to a beach, lakeside, or riverside of your choosing. Find a place near the water’s edge where you can sit without being disturbed. Take the contents out of your bag and begin by placing the mirror carefully in front of you. Surround the mirror with the seaweed. Next place the pictures of the mermaids and the shells around the mirror to complete this beautiful frame of your making. Now gaze into your magick mirror as you look at the seaweed, the pictures, and the shells; visualise yourself as a mermaid.
Now pick up your hair brush and brush your hair with purposeful strokes and say:
Magick mirror, help me see
the truth of whom I long to be.
Unlock the siren from deep within me
to reveal the mermaid and set me free.
Mermaids of allurement, bring me the one,
invoking a love spell that can’t be undone.
I ask of the mirror, please show me the ways,
an image I see in the glass as I gaze.
I draw on the essence full into my heart,
wishing for love that is way off the chart.
Mermaids of beguilement, I call upon you
to fill me with magick in all that I do.
I see the beauty that oceans abound;
it fills me with awe of the love I have found.
Continue to brush your hair as you visualise what you would like to bring about. You may wish to hum a simple tune as you do so; singing enhances the charm and strengthens it. Feel the siren within you stirring. Once you feel the spell is complete, take the shells and the seaweed and walk into the sea or lake so your feet are totally immersed (if you are by a river, you could just dangle your feet in). Feel your connection to the undines and your siren within. Let all your worries and fears sink to the bottom of the sea. As you do so, feel the magick of allurement within you. Now take the seaweed in your hands, tie three knots in it, and say:
By the power of three times three,
by these three knots, so mote it be.
My wish is done with harm to none;
allurement and love, I bid you come.
To receive my gifts so you may see
my invocation. So mote it be.
Now throw the seaweed into the water along with your gifts. Stand and feel the rhythm of the sea surrounding you. As you leave the shores, pick up a stone (a white one if possible) and once you get home, place it on your dressing table or beside your mirror. This is to remind you of who you are. Anytime you need to enhance your spell, just pick up the stone and say the words of this spell, but starting with, “Enjoy the magick of allurement in all you do.”
This magickal plant has been used for healing wound and burns and to reduce inflammation since ancient times. Its botanical name refers to Achilles the Greek, who was said to have used this herb to heal his warriors, claiming to have been taught how to do this by Chiron the centaur. The name means “sacred” and it was used in ancient temples in ritual magick. It’s also known as “soldier’s woundwort” because it has healed many on the battlefield. It is one of the world’s oldest medicinal herbs, found in a Neanderthal burial site in the Middle East, dating back 60,000 BC, within an amulet used for protection and healing. Elspeth Reoch from Orkney was tried for witchcraft for using yarrow back in 1616. She claimed to have magickal healing and clairvoyant abilities and spoke with the fae. She also stated that she used yarrow while chanting to heal sick people. She was found guilty, was strangled, and then burnt.
Tips for Working with Yarrow
Making a yarrow tea is wonderful for reducing a fever. It’s also great for insect repellent when rubbed on your skin if out in nature. If you have painful periods it helps to ease the pain. Also good for reducing high blood pressure. Makes wonderful tea—add honey and lemon. Great for curing colds and flu. Place a sprig of yarrow under your pillow on the night of the full moon to heal yourself. Wonderful as a tincture to heal piles. Use steeped leaves to apply to wounds and boils as a poultice. Also known to heal cramps when taking as a tea. Use sachets of yarrow to ward off illness. Wonderful when added to a bath as it protects you from hexes and negativity. Place yarrow flowers across your threshold for healing and protection. Carry as an amulet to banish illness and ward off psychic attack.
Yarrow Healing Spell
You will need:
• Bunches of yarrow with flowers on
• Cloth of green natural material cut into several strips
• A green table cloth
• A green candle
• Paper and pen
• Picture of those who need healing, or items belonging to those who need healing
• Visit to a healing well or faery tree or well
Take time out to collect your yarrow from nature, freshly harvested. Then bring it back to your home. Now cut up your green cloth into strips for tying. Then create a living altar on your living room or kitchen table. Cover it with the green table cloth. Now place the green candle in the middle of the table. Now place the fresh bunches of yarrow across the table, spreading evenly. Once this is done, place the photos of those needing healing onto the table along with their personal items. Place the green strips of cloth, one beside each picture or item for each person. Now light your candle and focus your attention on those needing healing. Hold up, one by one, the photo or item of the person needing healing in your left hand and the green strip of material in your right hand and say:
Disorders to treat, ailments to cure,
healing magickal poultices shall endure.
Sacred yarrow from ancient times,
healed the wounds of battles’ crimes.
Look deep within, sickness revealed,
blessed with yarrow, healing sealed.
Magick to mend as the green candle burn,
illness now leave, for health to return.
Next put the photo or item back on the table, then write the name on a piece of paper of who you are healing and attach with a green thread to the green strip of cloth. Then say the following:
Gratefully, I ask for healing to be sent
to assist [name of person] with advice and consent,
to open the doors for healing to take place,
so that [name of person] receives this herb of grace
with harm to none. So mote it be.
Pass the strip of cloth through the flame and place to one side. Now repeat for any other people you wish to send healing to, including yourself. Once finished, take the candle and drip wax on each piece of paper attached to the strip of cloth. When you are ready, take the green bag full of the spells and go to either a healing well, clootie well, or faery tree. When you arrive, tie each one individual onto the tree nearby. Once complete, say what feels right for you, maybe a healing sound or charm. If it is not possible to go to a well or faery tree, you can pass the illness into a hill, stone, or sea.
Peat Moss (Sphagnum)
In Scotland peat moss is also known as red moss. This moss is an algae. Wonderful as food thickeners or as a gelatine substitute. Winnie used to make teas from it to use as a digestive aid for her dad. I was always picking up this moss at the doors. As I child I thought it was bits of rubbish and would throw the moss away. Winnie could never understand why the moss always vanished. Then one day I saw her putting the moss under the door mat at the back door. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m bringing customers to my doorstep to buy my goods. See that green bag hanging from the washing line? Well that’s my money bag; it brings me good luck and a flow of money,” was her reply.
I learned never to throw away anything I found because even the littlest things could bring magick and good luck into the house. Winnie would tell me the story of how in World War I they used moss to pack the wounds of the soldiers. Two Scottish men, one a surgeon and one a botanist, used the moss when they had exhausted supplies of all other materials. This ancient healing remedy saved the lives of many on the battlefield. It was first noted to have been used at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014 in Ireland. This amazing little moss has saved thousands of lives. Interestingly, the Germans were already using moss to staunch bleeding and heal wounds with a great saying: “It is right to be taught, even by the enemy.”
Tips for Working with Peat Moss
I love adding moss to incenses as it gives that deep earthy smell when found on the land or, if from the sea, a connection with the sylphs. Placed in potpourri, it fills up spaces beautifully. Place in your pocket to carry it around with you for good luck. Put under your front or back door to your home or workplace to increase customers and a money flow. Buy a green flannel bag and place in the bag and hang from your windows or even your car. You can also place the moss in small little jars and tie a green ribbon around it for luck. Grow moss in a shady area of your garden where grass does not grow. I love working with a living, breathing spell that is continuous and growing. By feeding your spell with water, earth, air, and fire (the sun) you are in effect keeping your spell alive. When working with a money spell, you need to feed it continually. I have a money plant with different ribbons on it for money, health, and relationships.
Peat Moss Prosperity Spell
• Handful of moss (any type) taken from your garden or from the moors or forests
• Handful of earth or soil from your garden or a source you trust like a woodland or garden centre
• One terrarium, preferably with an opening to maintain the moss
• One large glass bowl with bottle top to tie a ribbon, with an opening on the side
• One four-leaf clover (if you can find one), otherwise regular clover will do
• One rock and a handful of pebbles
• A green ribbon
• Buttermilk
• One green candle
• Small note papers and green string
• Coins and lucky charms of your choosing
Place your terrarium on your table along with your other items. Light a candle beside you. Now place in the bottom of the terrarium your small pebbles and stones. Then on top place either any old silver coins, penny pieces, or cents you have found (you know the saying, “See a penny, pick it up, all day you will have good luck”). Now you know what to do with that lucky coin you have found! Now take the pen and paper and write on the note what prosperity you wish in your life. Be mindful what you wish for. Once you have done this, tie with the green string, seal the string with the green candle wax, and place in the centre of the stones and coins and charms. Now cover with earth then place small rocks in to make a miniature rock garden.
Once this is done you can either transplant your moss around the terrarium or you can spread the moss around. To do this, put the moss, some buttermilk, and a cup of water into a blender and mix to a mossy slurry. Now pour over the rocks or in-between chunks of moss already transplanted. Ensure you feed and nurture the moss, keeping it moist as possible. You can at this point add either your regular clover to grow or your lucky four-leaf clover inside the terrarium. Once everything is in place, tie the green ribbon around the top of the terrarium or large glass container and seal the tie with wax.
Once you have finished, take a lucky coin in your left receiving hand and in your right hand hold the green candle, and say:
Fae of abundance, I ask for new peace;
from poverty, debt, I wish for release.
Please bring me prosperity and all that I need;
adorn me with riches and the chance to succeed.
In all that I do, I ask you to bless
myself and my life with your vast treasure chest.
For all that is good, I ask with a kiss,
magickal leprechauns, grant me my wish.
I work with magick with harm to none.
So mote it be, there it is done.
Now bury the coin in the side of the terrarium so you can see the coin for prosperity and abundance to grow in your life. Remember to feed the terrarium with little affirmations and notes, water, and love. Have a wonderful time creating. Blessings.
It’s time now to combine everything you have learned in this book and focus on what it is that you wish to become. What follows is your journey to reveal your calling. Though this is not to be taken lightly, it is an experience that should be enjoyed, not feared. You can either read through this invocation a few times to familiarize yourself with the process, and/or take this book with you as a guide. Note, the journey must take place in nature, somewhere where you will have direct contact with the elements, in particular, access to water (stream, lake, pond, river, or the sea) that will not allow you to be disturbed for a couple of hours. You may want to set some time aside to think of such a place, even to visit beforehand and ensure everything that you will need to do can be facilitated there safely.
Journey Invocation—
Awakening the Witch Within
You will need:
• A suitable spot in nature
• Appropriate clothing and a blanket to sit or lie on
• A bottle of water
• Small towel (dry off hands and feet)
• Offerings (for the guardians of the threshold and for Mother Nature)
When you feel you are ready for this undertaking, prepare yourself to go outdoors for a couple of hours. If at all possible, leave your phone at home or switch it off for the duration of the invocation. The best time to do this is either at dawn, dusk, or midnight; however, if this is not possible, then choose a time that suits you and a moon phase that resonates with you too. Once you arrive, place some offerings at the threshold and ask permission to cross it. When permission has been given, go to your chosen spot and spread your blanket mindfully, being careful not disturb any creatures or plants. I always ask permission before placing the blanket on the ground too. This way any creatures, animals, or plants or trees hear my words. Once you are settled on your blanket, either lie down or sit upright in a comfortable position. Now observe: what surrounds you? How does Mother Nature speak to you? Do you hear the whispering winds calling to you? Now close your eyes and feel her, touch the earth, feel the winds, feel the sun on you, listen to the water. Imagine they are your closest friends. What are they saying to you? Take it all in.
Next it is time to connect with the ancestors. Call on them now to assist you in the work you are about to undertake. Place your hands on the earth and make a pledge and oath to take care of Mother Nature, to take from her only what is needed and ensure your gift back to her is entirely natural. Now stand up and feel the wind embrace you (it might be very windy or just the slightest breeze—just feel it in that moment). Pledge to yourself to always listen to spirit and nature when they speak to you. Trust that what they say is always for your highest good.
Next raise your hands upward to the sun (or where the sun might be if cloudy or you are doing this at night). With eyes closed, thank the sun for life, for heat, for all the foods and herbs that you ingest. If you have gone out at night, thank the moon and the reflection of the sun upon her. Open your eyes and make your way to the water. Either sit with your feet in the water or, if you can, stand in the water. Connect with the flowing water, connect with your emotions and feelings, and let go of what no longer serves you. Now place water on your hands then on your third eye (middle of your forehead), asking for the visions to be shown to you.
Stepping out of the water, onto dry land, face north and with arms outstretched say:
The earth, the water, the fire, the air,
return, return, return, return.
Repeat this facing each direction. Once back in the north direction, kneel down on your knees and once again touch the earth. Now is the time to make your invocation to nature, to yourself, to the spirits, the deities, the spirits in all things. Then to the elements, trees, stones, plants, herbs, animals, and all of nature. Let the words flow out naturally from your heart, your heartfelt feelings and thoughts. Give thanks for everything you have, for you are a child of Mother Nature and she loves you. Feel the spirit in all things and allow your wise knowing to return as you awaken. Remember that the witch lies within you. So mote it be.
Finding Your Teacher—The Journey Begins
When I started writing this book, I did not know where the journey would take me. Being dyslexic, the only way I have been able to learn is through oral traditions. I sat and prayed to my ancestors for help in writing this book. They have guided me, pushed me, shown me that within each and every one of us lives a wisdom keeper, one who has walked and lived their experiences so they can share with others.
It’s not been an easy path, having to trust and completely surrender to the powers that be. I remember travelling all over the whole world looking for my teacher, only to find that my best teacher was within me. I learned how to be and how not to be from other people. My greatest teachers have been the sacred plant medicine teachers, nature, my drum, my staff, my seer’s stone. We tend to think that the person we are looking for has all the answers. Many people give away their personal power to a teacher. That is not correct. Each and every person can be the high priest/priestess of their own lives and the teacher is there to support them and cultivate their inner witch, the wise one who lives within.
We have covered many different aspects in this book. Solid foundations are the building blocks of life. Know yourself first, then the rest naturally falls into place. Don’t worry about the whys and wherefores. Place your trust in something much older, much deeper in time—yourself! The you without the supports, stripped of all fears and pains, is the you forged from the stars. So become the shining star within the stone, and to help and support you, look for someone that gives you a good feeling in your heart and fills you with excitement about the next part of the journey. Don’t judge them on appearances; some of the best teachers I have met have been sitting on roadsides begging. Remember teachers come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. Look for someone who respects life and has a love of nature. Your teachers will respect the past, make the most of the present, and welcome the future in a positive manner.
Good teachers will own personal power and have a healthy relationship with the material world. Ask about their story—who taught them, what challenges they overcame, and what sacrifices they have made. Remember a good teacher will never ask you to do something they would not do themselves. And when you hear them speak of themselves and their ways, do they teach or preach? Are they good listeners, compassionate and empathetic? Do they try to change your belief systems or allow you to have free thought? A teacher’s responsibility is not to interfere in the life path of one who comes into their lives. They can offer suggestions, show them many paths they can take, but ultimately, they cannot change the course of destiny for the seeker. It is your choice, your decision. Teachers have a duty of care in what and how they impart their wisdom, but they are not responsible for anyone but themselves, and that is the same for the seeker. Only by learning from our mistakes can we know the path to the source within. I have found that the greatest teachers of all are the ones who push your buttons, get you to react, to show you by reacting that you still have within you that which needs sorting and healing. When you stop reacting and focus on positive future outcomes, your journey will change course from one of recovery to one of infinite discovery.
Chapter Tips
Since the dawn of time, wise women and men have cast spells and charms on ancient lands for the good of the clans and tribes. Their beliefs and total trust in nature and the powerful forces of the supernatural and the gods have weaved an incredible legacy of witchcraft. You may now choose to take on this mantle; it may be that you are one of a line of witches, or you may be the first to walk this path. Either way you would be wise to consider the following:
• It’s very important that before you start engaging with spellwork you get to grips with inner magick (your personal power, balancing emotions and intellect, and honing your intuition), before focusing on outer magick and casting.
• It’s not about impressing your will onto universal energy as some witches believe happens. It’s about you, knowing your craft, and merging your wisdom and personal power that you have learned, worked with, and contained in the knowledge of how the ancestors, spirits, elementals, and nature work. Once you apply this into your day-to-day life, everything changes.
• Always follow your “gut feeling” (intuition) first and foremost. If something doesn’t feel right when casting spells, then don’t do it! Have you ever done a spell that has not felt right or has backfired on you?
• Learn to create a cone of power; weave together your connection with the ancestors, elementals, deities, spirits of place, and all living things so that you have access to a storehouse of power that can hold and sustain both yourself and your community.
• By working with the mystical forces and cycles of nature in conjunction with ancient wisdom, knowing, and honour, you have the power to manifest a positive life of love, happiness, and prosperity for yourself and the world around you.
• With unwavering focus and intent, spellwork harnesses and manipulates energy and the magickal forces needed to bring about anything from healing and prosperity to walking toward one’s destiny.
• Ancient wisdom and magick awaken within when one follows and works with the mystical phases of the moon. The moon is one of the most powerful forces when working with, spells and magick. It affects the tides, weather, animal behaviour, plants, and even our own moods and feelings. We too are ruled by the phases of the moon, particularly women who reflect the cycles during their “moon time.”
• It’s important to create your own unique way of spellcasting to find out what works best for you. Never use a spell to harm another, as it will come back to you. What you give out comes back to you!
• Have you looked all over the world for a teacher only to find your most significant teacher is within you? Teachers are there to support a person, to help them achieve the best they can be. A teacher’s responsibility is not to interfere in the life path of another. They are your mirror helping you to walk the path of the wise.
You have a choice now to heal yourself, others, and this beautiful planet. You have been tasked with being a wise woman or wise man of the craft. Let nothing or no one ever get in your way. Until we meet again. Blessed Be.