Spellwork Through Poetry, Lesson 1
Heather Obrien July 1st, 2010
What are spells?
Objective: define spells; what constitutes a spell; why have a spell
Lesson:
According to the dictionary, a spell is “a word, phrase, or form of words supposed to have magic power”. If we look at the definition, we learn something interesting about spells: they really are not all that complex. They are actually quite simple. “A word or phrase…supposed to have magic power”. Any word or phrase which you give power to becomes a spell: a wish before taking a test, a hope that the meeting with your boss is positive, a curse to someone who just cut you off on the highway. They are all spells because when you say them, you give power to them. Anything, everything, you do can be considered magickal. So, if life is magick, daily living is the spells that make the magick happen.
Based on this definition, everything is a spell. But, we are going to get more specific. Spells are our intentions, given life with our words. We use them to manipulate energy around us to change for our benefit. Many pagan scholars group the spells together into categories labeled with colors: white, red, green, purple, and black. White magick includes healing, protecting, unhexing, and blessing. Red magick is anything involving love, fidelity, and marriage. Green magick involves money and luck including gambling, prosperity and wealth. Purple magick is to change the will of others to gain the outcome that you want. By now, we can all see where the thoughts of Black magick being evil and White magick being good. Each of the color classifications goes with intent, which we will be discussing with the next lesson.
When you go searching for spells, many of the ones you will find both on websites and in spell books will list important things to include in you spellcasting environment: colors, oils/incense/herbs, stones, time of day, day of the week, moon phase, candle burning time, rune stone, zodiac phase. Each of these environmental enhancers are nothing more than ways to help you set the energy, center yourself to get ready to use powerful magicks. These are nothing more than recommendations; use the ones you are comfortable with and don’t waste time worrying about the ones you aren’t. If you know a lot about color, use color. Or stones. Or astrology. Stick with what you know; using things you don’t know may give you unwanted results or tap into things you are not capable of handling. The most important part is not necessarily the tools you use to assist you in manipulating energies, but the intent behind it. Again, we will be focusing on intent next month.
Some spells which are not categorized and are very hard to locate are spells of gratitude. Walking through a park on a beautiful day, taking in the scenery and feeling the elements surround you. It can be a very magickal experience if you allow it to be. A common practice in the East, but one that has been all but lost in the West, is charging food. This is a simple act of gratitude to the Gods of your choosing for the sustenance you receive. When you charge your food, you are sending energy back to the farmers who grew your food and to the spirits of the plants and animals who gave themselves so you can continue to live. A daily spell to have a good day each morning, and gratitude for the chance to live and breathe another day, can set energy right through your day. Before you go to bed, a spell to sleep peacefully through the night, followed by the gratitude spell in the morning, makes for a great cycle of life.
The need for spells is quite simple. Spells are why a painter paints and a musician plays. They are manifestations of what is in your heart. They are words from deep in your soul, which you express to the divine.
Activity: After reading this lesson, please write a reflection about what spells mean to you. What do you/would you use spells for (money, health, love, healing, friendship gratitude, etc)? What experience do you have with spells?
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Hi everyone. Spells mean freedom, responsibility and creativity to me. The best way to describe what I mean by that is to say, that you are able to create/manifest what you feel you need/want at that particular time in your life. Yes you are bound by the Wiccan Rede, but as long as you are loving in your intent, and harm none, anything is possible.
Sorry. This is the second part to my answer. The most experience I have had with spells (used on myself and on friends by their request) are spells to stop gossip and to break bonds. These spells are very easy, very powerful and very fast; usually working overnight.
Spells are, in my observation, a method of harnessing energy and directing it. A way to touch the power that inhabits the universe and infuse yourself and your intention with it. You can’t create something from nothing. Only the truly divine have that ability. In our corporeal state, we are not privy to full creation, only the manipulation of what we are given. Our control of this world is limited and limitless. It is limited in our resources are only what we have. It is limitless in our ability to ultimately use those resources in any way.
To my mind, the best use of spells is mnemonic and key. Like an object in a lucid dream, a spell is a trigger that provides a pathway to energies. It is the doorway through which you travel to obtain a desired outcome by moving the energies in the direction that best suits your needs.
What I would use it for. Clarity, assistance of others, protection, empowerment (strength for a particularly difficult task), and similar uses.
for me spells are a tool or way of directing energy in the way I want it to go. for example….. if I was sending happy energy to a friend… I would use a spell to explain what and where the energy should go….
I haven’t registered for any of the courses. I hope it’s okay if I join in now. I’m interested in 3 courses. I’ve been solitary a long time, most inquiries in shamanic branch. If I need to pay for the courses, let me know how much. If this is a free service, then the following is my response:
Spell casting is a focusing of thought and intention. When used with regular meditation, the results can be rather spectacular, and sometimes dangerous. I nearly burned out invoking weasel energy into my life to get a large amount of things done in the physical world, in a short period of time. In that period, I spelled for abundant physical energy and strength, and courage; for info and teachers to aid my shamanic quest; for new skills and support to aid my physical endeavors.
What do spells mean to me?
Spells are all about intent. One should know what to do, dare to cast the spell, put it into practice and remain silent?
There are many ground rules (for me personally) prior to the casting of a spell, some of which, I am listing here below:
o Intending to harm is a big NO-NO (“An ye harm none, do what ye will”). No animal, plant or person may be harmed whatsoever – for example, should you wish for a colleague to leave your place of employ; place the intent of them receiving a fantastic job offer that they do not want to refuse, opposed to telling the Universe to arrange for their demise;
.
o Spells should either be a last resort, or, be in sync with physical effort on the Earth plane in order to reach one’s goal;
o Personally, I prefer to work with the cycle of the Moon, regardless of whatever I am using in my spell; i.e. herbs, Totem Animals, crystals, Tarot Cards, colours, Runes, Essential Oils, etc.;
o I ensure that the spells I cast are for the greatest good of all concerned; and
o I do not do spells for others, as it is all about one’s intension; half the power is removed when somebody else is conjuring up the Magick.
I do not always cast spells in circle, yet, I always work by my altar. They have worked, yet, Goddess and Universal timing is not my timing ? Aaah, the virtue of patience and the knowledge that I am exactly where I am meant to be at this precise moment in time … yikes ?
I have cast spells for friendship, dispute resolution and healing.
Spells to me are everything that I am. They are always a part of what I do and how I live. My mother always told me that Magick is everywhere all we have to do is look.
I agree with Colleen about not doing spells for others and do find that my timing and the timing of the Goddess might not always agree with each other.
I do cast with the cycle of the moon and either in a circle or by my altar with my familiar.
The Naamah Evocation
LEPACA NAAMAH AMA RUACH MASKIM ROSARAN
Naamah, daughter of the heart of darkness, come forth from the womb of the night.
Come in Your flaming robes and open our eyes to what is hidden.
Open Your night and bring forth the shadows that lurk in the unknown.
May Your black fires flow over the border, and may we taste Your power and beauty.
O NAAMAH AGAB HAROMBRUB
NAAMAH BACARON LILITH
MARAG NAAMAH ARIOTH DEBAM
O NAAMAH PACHID LABISI
In the splendour of Your shimmering power, the spirit of the world is reflected.
Let us pass through the mirror and become united with Your abundance.
O Naamah, let the pillars of existence fall apart and make way for the darkness that You breed.
NAAMAH TURITEL MALKUTH ORGOSIL
KIPOKIS RAUCH MEHKELBEC
Naamah, bring back again the primordial and let the wilderness come alive.
You are the clear wind that can cleanse our soul from lies.
Through You the true power can flow freely.
O Naamah awaken the Dragon that rests in Your womb so that the world may be reborn by its power.
LEPACA NAAMAH AMA RUCH THELI
HO DRAKON HO MEGAS