This chapter offers a resource base for creating your own spells and rituals that lie at the heart of Wicca. Since each color, fragrance, time of day, moon phase, and even day of the week has its own magickal significance, you can craft precisely the energies you need in your magick by mixing and matching the materials and quantities.
The following are associations that have worked well for me for more than forty years and are based on accepted magickal principles. However, you may come across equally valid alternatives. See what works best for you and through your Book of Shadows create the form of Wicca that is right for you.
Attracting or Sympathetic Magick
Add a coin to a pot daily to encourage the steady accumulation of material resources, or keep a tiny doll in a cradle next to your bed in order to help you conceive. Deosil (clockwise) movements signify attracting energies.
Banishing Magick
Banishing magick removes or returns any negativity, psychic attacks, or physical threats to you, your home, or loved ones and takes away bad habits and fears. Light a candle, tie a knot in a strong thread, and hold the knot in the candle flame. When it breaks, say I cut the ties that bind me, blow out the candle, and bury the thread in soil. Banishing magick generally involves widdershins (anti-clockwise) movements.
Binding Magick
Bind a person from harming you or your loved ones by making a featureless clay image of the perpetrator, tie the figure with knotted thread or a ribbon, and declare what behavior is to be bound. Then wrap the figure in soft cloth, and put it in a closed drawer until the problem resolves or the figure crumbles. Alternatively, write the name of the perpetrator in red ink on a piece of paper, put a cross through the name, and keep it for three months in the coldest part of your freezer.
Engrave an unlit candle with your astrological glyph, words, names, or wishes, using a paper knife. Or you can invisibly draw symbols on the wax with your index finger of your dominant hand. Then light the candle, releasing the power of the message or zodiac sign as the wax melts and banishes what you wish to remove from your life by allowing the candle to burn and then extinguishing it, saying May [what you wish to remove] be gone with the dimming of this light.
Astrological Symbols and Candle Magick
Etch the glyph of the current zodiac period or any zodiac period at any time in the year whose energies you need on a candle. For example, etch the Leo glyph on a gold-colored candle for leadership or fame. The power is strongest during your own birth sign period.
ARIES
the Ram | March 21–April 20 | Red
For all matters of self and identity, innovation, assertiveness, courage, and action.
TAURUS
the Bull | April 21–May 21 | Pink or green
For beauty, harmony, all material matters and security, for patience, and persistence.
the Heavenly Twins | May 22–June 21 | Yellow or pale gray
For communication, learning, choices, versatility, short-distance travel, and speculation.
Cancer
the Crab | June 22–July 22 | Silver
For home and family, fertility, mothering, protection, gentle love, friendship, and wishes.
Leo
the Lion | July 23–August 23 | Gold
For fame and fortune, leadership, sensual pleasures, the arts, and love affairs.
Virgo
the Maiden | August 24–September 22 | Green
For efficiency, bringing order to chaos, self-improvement, attention to detail, health, and healing.
Libra
the scales | September 23–October 23 | Blue
For justice and the law, balancing options and priorities, harmony and reconciliation, and charisma.
the Scorpion | October 24–November 22 | Indigo or burgundy
For increasing second sight, passion and sex, keeping secrets, burning ambition, and claiming what is rightfully yours in any area of life.
Sagittarius
the Archer | November 23–December 21 | Orange or turquoise
For optimism, fresh perspectives, long-distance travel and moving, creative ventures, and expanding horizons.
Capricorn
the Goat | December 22–January 20 | Brown or black
For wise caution, achieving ambitions through perseverance, authority, loyalty, acquisition and preservation of money and property.
Aquarius
the Water Carrier | January 21–February 18 | Purple or dark blue
For independence, friendship, ingenuity, original perspectives, detachment from emotional pressures, and altruism.
Pisces
the Fish | February 19–March 20 | Soft white or mauve
For increased spiritual awareness and intuition, imagination, spiritual gifts, and fulfilling hidden dreams.
A series of three, seven, or nine knots tied can be used for attracting magick where each knot is empowered by words said while tying it. The knots act as a storage cell for energies that can be released by untying one knot every day. For love use a red knot cord to tie two images together face-to-face.
Weather Magick
Use rain to wash away words of loss or pain written in chalk outdoors. Use wind to blow free paper wish messages tied to a tree on a hill or dying leaves on a dead branch, each named for a sorrow.
Colors
Colors can be used magickally with candles, flowers, and crystals. You can even use colored purses containing herbs and crystals.
White for multi-purpose, attracting rituals, and workplace magick.
Red for passion, strength, change, action, and overcoming obstacles.
Orange for happiness, creativity, independence, and fertility.
Yellow for anti-spite, short-term travel and moving, learning new things, speculation, loans, credit, and business.
Green for commitment in love, twin souls, good luck, environment, beauty, and harmony.
Blue for leadership, justice, career, marriage, riches, long-term or long-distance travel, moving, interviews, and tests.
Purple for spiritual development, healing, psychic protection, imaginative ventures, anti-addiction, and overcoming fears and phobias.
Pink for reconciliation, children, healing of abuse, home, and family.
Brown for property and DIY, official organizations, banks and finances, animals, accumulation of resources, stability, and for older people.
Silver for intuition and hidden potential; fertility; sea, moon, and star magick; and slow-growing prosperity.
Gold for fame and fortune, aiming high, wishes coming true, major ambitions, all sun magick, and good fortune.
Black for endings, protection against evil, banishing, and binding.
MAGICKAL TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Crystals
Start a personal collection of crystals for magick and healing. Crystals, when worn as jewelry or carried in a small bag, can be used as an amulet of protection or as a lucky talisman to attract a particular result.
Green amazonite protects against others taking advantage, attracts business, money spells, brings good luck when gambling or speculating (as does green aventurine), and anti-bullying against women.
Purple amethyst is known as the All-Healer. It removes negative earth energies from a home, brings balance to people and situations, and is used for older women’s power, Wise Woman ceremonies, and anti-addiction.
Orange carnelian protects against fire, accidents, storms, malevolence of all kinds and psychic intrusion, for mature love, sex, and fertility.
Yellow citrine guards against negative people, bad atmospheres, and unfriendly ghosts, and brings prosperity, especially in business. Also, good for ventures, learning new things, travel, and healing.
Clear crystal quartz transforms negativity into rays of light and positivity, calls angels and spirit guides, for any attracting or energizing purpose, and for sun magick. This can be used as a substitute for any other crystal.
Jet stabilizes finances, anti-debt, property matters, protection, for older people, overcoming grief, and psychic invisibility in danger.
Rose Quartz peaceful sleep, heals abuse of any kind, romance, young or new love, fertility, rebuilding of trust, and twin souls (as with green jade).
Sodalite overcomes fears of flying, justice, relocation, tests, examinations, and interviews. This can be used during older women or wise women rituals.
MAGICKAL HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS
Use herbs in a pouch, or while cooking, and stir the mix or infusions to empower the spell to protect the home, any possessions, your workplace, and property. Use incense in sticks, cones, or as a powder incense and burn it on heated charcoal blocks and use a lighted incense stick like a smoke pen to write empowerments or symbols.
Allspice for money, passion, swift-moving, or urgent matters.
Basil for fidelity, prosperity, protection, and fear of flying.
Chamomile (Roman) and chamomile (German) for healing, babies, children, animals, and reversing bad luck. It also helps to attract money and is helpful in family matters.
Cedar/cedarwood for healing, cleansing bad influences, negative thoughts, and harmony.
Cinnamon for passion, regaining money after loss, urgently needing money, and psychic awareness.
Dragon’s blood for fierce protection, anti-curse, any major enterprise, and male potency.
Fennel for travel, house sales, and moves. It helps to banish and keep harm away from people, animals, and places.
Frankincense for wealth, courage, joy, career, success, and travel. Also used in formal rituals.
Hyssop for making a love commitment; healing; spirituality; all forms of protection, especially from psychic attack; and as an infusion to cleanse artifacts.
Juniper purifies homes; protects against accidents, thieves, and illness; and male potency.
Lemongrass/lemon repels spite, malice, and gossip. It also helps with psychic awareness and travel.
Lemon verbena for breaking a run of bad luck, protection against negativity, the Evil Eye, and ill-wishing.
Mint and peppermint drives negativity from objects and places, and brings money, health, love, and success.
Myrtle for a lasting marriage, mature love, domestic happiness, property, and security.
Myrrh for healing, peace, purification, overcoming grief, and protection against evil. Can be used in formal rituals and in moon magick.
Pine drives away harm from the home and family, especially newborn infants, cleansing negativity and malice, guarding property, and premises.
Rosemary for learning, love, fidelity, prosperity, and banishing malevolence.
Sage for longevity, good health, examinations, interviews, tests, protection of the home and family, slow-growing prosperity, and wisdom.
Sandalwood for spiritual awareness and healing, leadership, justice, compensation, and sexuality. Can be used in formal rituals.
Tarragon the dragon herb, courage, and anti-bullying, and the shedding of old burdens, guilt, fears, and destructive relationships.
Thyme psychically cleanses the home, possessions, vehicles and land, health, memory of past worlds, and drives away nightmares and phantoms of the night.
Vetivert for love, breaks a run of bad luck, protects against theft and negativity.
MAGICKAL FLOWERS
Use potted flowers, petals, fresh or dried, as potpourri mixes, essential oils, or flower essences.
Geranium heals domestic conflict and trouble in the workplace, for first or new love, and money.
Hyacinth for self-esteem, rebuilding trust after betrayal, domestic happiness, increasing radiance, and attracting beautiful things into your life.
Jasmine for powerful love, sacred sex, and optimism. Used for all moon and night magick.
Lavender for love, especially self-love, fertility, happiness, health, guards against cruelty and spite, reduces anti-stress and addiction, and is all-healing.
Marigold increases positive energies in a room or buildings, protects during the night and in domestic matters, for resolution of legal problems and justice, increase of love and commitment.
Rose is the ultimate gentle flower of love and reconciliation. Used for self-esteem; healing the young, the very old, and anyone who has suffered abuse; attracting money; and used in fertility magick. Pink is for new love, red for commitment, yellow for love in later years, and white for secret love.
MAGICKAL TIMES
Where possible, time your spells and rituals so they flow with the prevailing energies.
The Moon
The Waxing Moon
From day three or four in the monthly moon cycle, when you see the crescent moon in the sky until the night before the full moon. The closer to the full moon, the more intense the energies.
Used magickally for attracting or increasing anything from love to prosperity.
The day of the full moon represents full power, but also instability. Astrologically, the moon is in opposition (or in the opposite side of the sky) to the sun. The night of a full moon is also called the night of esbat.
Used magickally for urgent needs, power, changing luck, fertility, and justice.
The Waning Moon
From the day after the full moon until the waning moon crescent disappears.
Used magickally for banishing what is no longer wanted, such as pain, negative people, and situations.
The New Moon, also called the Dark of the Moon
The new moon appears three days after the waning moon and before the new crescent moon appears in the sky.
Used magickally for binding others from harm, secrets, removing bad habits, and for transformation.
The Sun
There are four main sun times used in spell-casting and rituals. Sun magick is faster and more intense than moon magick, and is used for rapidly moving and ongoing matters.
The time of dawn varies each day.
Used magickally for new beginnings, initiating projects, improving health, career prospects, and bringing good fortune.
Dawn represents the east and the spring season in the northern hemisphere.
Noon
Similar to the full moon energy, but more instantaneous and concentrated.
Used magickally for a sudden burst of power, confidence, strength, passion, a fast or urgent infusion of money, and sending absent healing for serious or acute conditions.
Noon represents the south and the summer season in the northern hemisphere.
Dusk
The time of dusk also varies from day to day.
Used magickally for letting go of regrets, anger, or sorrow, and reducing pain, illness, and debt.
Dusk represents the west and the autumn season in the northern hemisphere.
Corresponds with the beginning of a new day, but its energies last until dawn.
Used magickally for endings leading to beginnings, contacting wise ancestors, binding and banishing of all kinds, psychic protection, and reversing curses.
Midnight represents the north and the winter season in the northern hemisphere.
The Planets and the Days of the Week
Each of the planets rules a day of the week. Use its associated metals, crystals, incense, and other elements to strengthen a spell or ritual worked on that day.
In addition, the associations with the sun can be used not only on Sunday but with all sun magick, and the Monday associations can be used in all magick.
If you are calling a particular archangel, apply the associations of its planet or weekday.
SUNDAY
Planet: Sun
Archangel: Michael
Color(s): Gold
Element: Fire
Crystals: Amber, carnelian, diamond, clear crystal quartz, tigereye, or golden topaz
Incense: Cloves, cinnamon, or frankincense
Trees: Bay, birch, or laurel
Herbs and Oils: Chamomile, juniper, rosemary, saffron, or St. John’s wort
Metal: Gold
Astrological Rulership: Leo
For ambition, power, and success; for fathers; improving health; prosperity; self-confidence; and overcoming bad luck.
Planet: Moon
Archangel: Gabriel
Color(s): Silver or translucent white
Element: Water
Crystals: Moonstone, mother of pearl, pearl, selenite, or opal
Incense: Jasmine, myrrh, mimosa, or lemon
Trees: Willow or alder
Herbs and Oils: Lotus, poppy, or wintergreen
Metal: Silver
Astrological Rulership: Cancer
For home and family matters, for women (especially mothers and grandmothers), children, animals, fertility, secrets, and psychic gifts.
TUESDAY
Planet: Mars
Archangel: Samael or Camael
Color(s): Red
Crystals: Garnet, bloodstone, ruby, or red jasper
Incense: Dragon’s blood, all spices, ginger, mint, or thyme
Trees: Cypress, holly, or pine
Herbs and Oils: Basil, cinnamon, coriander, garlic, pepper, or tarragon
Metal: Iron or steel
Astrological Rulership: Aries (co-ruler of Scorpio)
For courage, change, independence, overcoming seemingly impossible odds and bullies, energy, passion, strength, perfection, principles, and fierce defense of the vulnerable.
WEDNESDAY
Planet: Mercury
Archangel: Raphael
Color(s): Yellow
Element: Air
Crystals: Yellow agate, citrine, falcon’s eye, yellow jasper, malachite, or onyx
Incense: Lavender, lemongrass, or mace
Trees: Hazel or ash
Herbs and Oils: Dill, fennel, parsley, or valerian
Astrological Rulership: Gemini or Virgo
For money making, examinations and tests, learning new things, short-distance travel, moving, short holidays, repelling envy, malice, spite, and deceit.
THURSDAY
Planet: Jupiter
Archangel: Sachiel
Color(s): Blue or purple
Element: Air
Crystals: Azurite, lapis lazuli, sodalite, or turquoise
Incense: Agrimony, cedar, sandalwood, or sage
Tree: Beech, oak, or ash
Herbs and Oils: Borage, cinquefoil, coltsfoot, hyssop, or mistletoe
Metal: Tin
Astrological Rulership: Sagittarius (co-ruler of Pisces)
For expansion, career, leadership, long distance travel, moving, justice, marriage, self-employment, loyalty, male potency, and banishing excesses.
Planet: Venus
Archangel: Anael
Color(s): Green or pink
Element: Earth
Crystals: Amethyst (also mercury), emerald, jade, moss agate, or rose quartz
Incense: Geranium, rose, strawberry, or vervain
Trees: Almond, apple, or birch
Herbs and Oils: Feverfew, mugwort, pennyroyal, verbena, or yarrow
Metal: Copper
Astrological Rulership: Taurus or Libra
For all love magick, fidelity, sacred sex, mending quarrels, environment, fertility, women’s health, gradual growth in all matters, beauty, friendship, reducing the influence of destructive lovers, and possessiveness.
Planet: Saturn
Archangel: Cassiel
Color(s): Brown, black, or grey
Element: Earth
Crystals: Haematite, jet, lodestone, obsidian, or smoky quartz
Incense: Aconite, cypress, or patchouli
Trees: Blackthorn or yew
Herbs: Aspen, bistort, comfrey, horsetail, or Solomon’s seal
Metals: Lead and pewter
Astrological Rulership: Capricorn (co-ruler of Aquarius)
For unfinished business, endings, slow-moving official matters, locating lost objects, animals, anti-addiction and debt, lifting depression, pain and illness, long-term psychic protection, locating lost objects (as well as animals and people), and establishing boundaries.