Whenever we deal with a medical problem, we must first research the background of the illness. According to the experts, eating too much chocolate doesn’t cause acne. Our bodies produce hormones (called androgens) that make our skin oily. That oil can lead to acne in some people. Acne may also run in families, although dermatologists aren’t sure exactly what the connection is yet.1 The following spell is to show you how medical science and magick can work together, and how Witches in particular watch the changes in medical theory over time and adapt to those shifts in knowledge. When I was a teen, we were told that acne came from eating junk food or foods with a high grease and fatty oil content. If you wanted clear skin, you stayed away from those foods. This wasn’t exactly inaccurate, but today they’ve discovered more about acne, including that there are several kinds of acne.
To rid your body of the teenage plague, begin by realizing that acne (as well as many other conditions) is linked to stress. Therefore, the first thing we might review is determining what is causing this stressful outbreak. Grades? Family problems? If we want to be healthy, we simply cannot retreat into denial. Something in your life is stressful. If you can’t come up with anything, it’s probably because you’ve repressed it, or you’ve lived with it for so long that you didn’t realize that those ugly bumps you have now are caused by an energy that you’ve put up with since the sun first rose in the east. By mentally reviewing what is going on in your life, you are actively beginning the healing process. By recognizing the stress, you are another step ahead. And not only do we want to remove the symptom (the acne), we also want to remove the cause. If we just do magick for the symptom, then the cause may lie dormant for a while, but sooner or later, the symptom (or some other medical malady) will emerge again. Are there any adjustments that you can physically make in your daily life that will help to reduce the stress? Think about it.
Next, we want to eliminate those stressful feelings, so, at least once a day, go through the Body of Light Meditation (on page 293) or one you have designed for yourself. Granted, you won’t get rid of an acne problem overnight with meditation, but this is a good, healthy practice that you should be doing daily anyway.
Now we’re going to look at the physical causes of acne, which we have researched by looking on the Internet or talking to a dermatologist. The advice on this score is to keep your skin clean. Our local dermatologist recommends a mild soap rather than all those nifty-neaty ones on the market. A pharmacist can help you choose the one that is right for you. Wash the afflicted area often, especially if you are involved in sports, but try to avoid scrubbing, which only inflames and irritates your skin. Applying cool water right after strenuous activity helps to remove the oil and dirt. A benzoyl peroxide lotion from the pharmacy can help to dry the skin and reduce bacteria.
For girls, stay away from pounds of makeup, which clogs the pores. I realize that cosmetic companies won’t be too thrilled with this advice, but in the case of acne, the foundation especially creates a vicious circle. You wear it to cover up the acne, which results in more acne because you are continually clogging the pores, which forces you to apply more foundation.
As an observer of four teens, I’ve found that the biggest enemy of healthy teen skin is time. Teens are so active they find any regular cleansing routine irritating and consequently put it off, not realizing that every time they forget to wash the skin gives that acne a firm foothold on their face, back, and chest.
Mild cases of acne can usually be conquered in about three months with a daily regime of stress reduction and proper skin care. If after three months nothing works for you, then it’s time to see a dermatologist. You can find one located in your area by looking in the phone book or visiting http://www.aad.org (American Aca-demy of Dermatologists) online (you’ll also find information on acne, rashes, and insect bites under the kid’s page).
Acne Removal Spell
Okay, so we’ve done the research. We’ve looked squarely at our lives and tried to pinpoint where that stress might be coming from, and we’ve taken the steps we think are necessary to remove that stress. We’ve also set our daily meditation into motion, and we’ve begun to do the physical things (like cleansing the skin often) in order to accomplish our healing goal: the complete removal of acne.
What’s next?
I want you to draw a really horrible, awful, ugly monster on a piece of paper, and I want you to name it “My Acne.” I’m not kidding (and yes, this has been known to work). Have a great time making your monster. Use colored pencils, markers, whatever. Don’t worry, we’re going to get rid of it, so have a blast with your creativity. However, don’t put it into form until you are immediately ready to get rid of it right after you finish the drawing.
When you are done with the drawing, clearly state, while looking at the paper, “You represent my acne!”
You are now going to perform the adjuration or banishment sequence by using an Anglo-Saxon spell that is 900 years old. Light the illuminator candles on the altar. Cast the circle and call the quarters (general wording will do), then ask deity to help you banish your acne. Place the acne monster drawing on the center of your altar. Hold your hands over the paper, and say (with lots of feeling and conviction):
May you now be consumed as a coal upon the hearth. May you shrink as dung upon a wall. And may you dry up as water in a pail. May you become as small as a linseed grain, and much smaller than the hipbone of an itch-mite, and may you become so small that you become nothing, never to abide in me again!2
With a flourish, burn the paper in a fire-safe container, saying: “By the power of the Lord and Lady, I banish thee from my life-force!” If you are not allowed to burn things in the house, then tear the picture into teeny-tiny pieces, repeating the words “I banish thee” as you work.
Now let’s concentrate on healing your skin. Place an empowered quartz crystal in a bowl of clear water. Hold your hands over the water, and say:
I conjure thee, O holy liquid of earth and water, by the moon, sun, and stars, in the name of the Lord and Lady, to transmute into healing energy, so that as this water touches my body, my skin will recover and heal. So mote it be.
In your mind, see the water filling with brilliant white light. With a clean, white cloth, dab the water on the afflicted area. As you do this, envision your skin covered with the pure white light of healing energy. Take your time. There’s no rush. When you are finished, close your eyes and visualize yourself without acne. I know it’s hard. Try anyway.
You have just fulfilled the magickal portion of the healing process. Let’s move on to the blessing part. Light a white candle (often used for blessings of any type). Then sit back, and say:
O my mother, Great Goddess of the Heavens
She who is found in the primordial waters
of the midnight sky
Who gives birth each day to the glowing sun
And lights the path before me
with the shimmering light of the moon,
stretch your protective arms over me
and enfold me with thy healing energy.
At whose feet lies eternity
and whose hand contains the Always
bless me, thy daughter/son, in thy name.
So mote it be.3
Take a deep breath. Ground and center. Thank deity. Release the quarters and release the circle. Throw the ashes of the defunct acne monster to the winds out-of-doors. Allow the white candle to continue burning, or put the candle out and light each night, repeating the blessing until either the acne is gone or the candle has been completely burned.
Follow through with positive self-thought. Reject any negative thoughts about yourself or your skin condition.
What happens if your acne gets worse? Shudder the thought, but let’s deal with it. Review that stress level. Have you been doing your daily meditations and self-talk? Did you at least try to remove some of the stress in your life? If not, then you are still feeding the acne monster with your negative emotions. Let’s say it was going great, then whap! the acne starts up again. Did you remember to keep your skin clean? If you’ve done everything by the magickal numbers, and you are still having a problem, then it’s time to see a dermatologist (if you haven’t already). He or she will most likely prescribe a cleansing cream and perhaps pills for you to take. You can’t be sloppy about this, like take a pill today and then forget for a week, or lose the cream at the bottom of your dresser drawer and come up with it a month later. If you’re going to tackle this beast and win, then you have to see it through.