Natural Witchery (12 page)

Witchery tip: don't go crazy on the oil. You can always add more. The first time I tried it, I added several drops of essential oil to the water, and it was very strong. My entire house was scented in only twenty-five minutes from one little aroma lamp. I was surprised at how powerful the scent was when it heated through. So I blew out the candle, let the ceramic dish cool off, and dumped out the water and oil. My second attempt was much better, as I just added two drops of essential oil to the water.

Directions

To begin, set the aroma lamp in a safe place away from small children or curious pets. Slip the tealight candle into the bottom section and then add two tablespoons of water to the dish. Choose the essential oil that coordinates with the season and the goal, and add a drop or two to the water.

As the oil hits the water, begin the spell by saying,

Now this natural oil so fair

Adds psychic power to the air.

Recap the vial of the essential oil and set aside. Light the tealight candle. While you put the essential oil away, allow the water to heat up and the scent to start diffusing within the room. It takes about three to five minutes. Once you can smell the aroma and know that it is indeed releasing its fragrance into your environment, then repeat the spell verse. Afterwards you can meditate for a while, or relax and take notes in the journal space that is provided in the back of this book. Jot down what your intuition tells you and what your feelings were. Lastly, note how your intuitive spells manifested.

Winter: Intuitive Spell for Introspection

Scent—sandalwood or frankincense. These scents encourage spirituality and meditation, which are perfect for this season's theme of introspection.

As the cold winter winds do blow and spin,

I now focus my attention within.

Introspection is the key at this time of the year;

My future aspirations will become bright and clear.

Spring: Intuitive Spell for Motivation

Scent—neroli or sweet orange. These sweet fragrances promote purification, energy, and joy. These fragrances should help get you revitalized and ready for all the growth and change spring can bring.

During this season of rebirth and the spring,

Motivation and courage to me now bring.

I call for the powers of growth and success,

May my magickal workings be truly blessed.

Summer: Intuitive Spell for Passion for Your Path

Scent—ylang ylang or rose. These heady and luscious summertime scents promote loving vibrations and passion for your personal development, and can soothe and calm any atmosphere. They are just the thing for a sultry summer day or night.

I call on the strength and energy of the sun

To light my way clearly, bringing passion and fun.

I will travel this old path with strength, truth, and grace,

May purpose and honor walk with me all my days.

Fall: Intuitive Spell for Harvesting Knowledge

Scent—patchouli or oak moss. These autumn scents are earthy and musky. They promote prosperity, abundance, and higher personal energy.

During the harvesttide, the autumn leaves will turn.

I offer thanks for the many lessons I've learned.

May I use this power in wise and wonderful ways.

With wisdom and knowledge, I face the darkening days.

Closing the Intuitive Seasonal Spells

Allow the tealight to burn until it is gone or until the water has evaporated. When that happens, you may close the spell by saying:

For inner knowledge true, bringing harm to none,

By fire and scent, this psychic spell is done.

Once the lamp has cooled to the touch, carefully wipe out the oil dish so your lamp is ready to go for the next spell.

Remember to focus on and to enjoy the seasons every day, no matter what zone you live in. Stay connected to the natural world as the year turns, and you will discover a new level of perception. Now use this knowledge wisely, and add it to your own personal magickal traditions; for the more we work with and empathize with the seasons and cycles of nature, the more we develop spiritually.

Sensing Your Own Magick

Occasionally someone will toss a question my way about sensing or seeing the manifestations of their own magick. A good example of this is when folks cast a magickal circle and then wonder why they don't see a blue circle of flame along the ground. All the books say that they are supposed to visualize a circle of light, so they start to wonder where in the world it is. It's a fair question, and I think that many times we all sort of hold our breath and wait for some type of movie special effect when it comes to magick and spellcasting.

Nope, your candle flames aren't going to spontaneously combust into light, and objects won't float about the room while you cast your spells and charms. So how do you really know when your magick is taking hold? You will know by paying attention to your intuition and by noticing the physical sensations your body gives you.

It's a very rare Witch indeed that can see visual manifestations of their magick every time. I am sure that someone who is, let's say, talented in seeing auras could probably make out a circle of light on the ground, but for many of us, that's not going to happen. This does not mean that there is anything wrong with you, nor are you doing anything incorrectly. It's all about your perception level and how the individual Witch experiences their own magick, which ties right back to our opening chapters and your psychic perception levels. (You just knew I was going to link this all back together, didn't you?)

For example, when you cast a circle, you'll need to experiment and see what works best for you and how your own body reacts to the energy that is present. You may have to visualize or imagine that circle of light, seeing it in your mind's eye, for instance. In the physical world, things may not look any different, but on the astral plane—the level where magick lives—that circle is really there. So don't be disappointed in what you experience. Instead, use this fact as an exercise in which you can develop, understand, and appreciate your own magickal perception levels.

It's far more likely that you are a Witch who physically senses their magick. Next time you cast your circle, walk the perimeter. Then purposely step out of your circle—across the boundary, wait a moment—and then step back in. Did you feel anything different? How did your solar plexus feel? I know that for myself I feel a tightening and a tug at that region when I cross the boundary of a magickal circle. (Which doesn't surprise me, as this is the seat of the empath's power.) I have had circle mates describe a sensation of a mild tightening of the chest or throat, accompanied by a little shift in their emotions. It's not uncomfortable, but they do notice it. (Which links back into a psychic intuitive's reactions to energy and magick.) Do you imagine that a Witch who senses a physical reaction to a circle is less attuned to their surroundings than, say, someone who can “see” the energy? Absolutely not. These types of perceptions are only different, and one is not better than the other.

So you'll need to experiment and ask yourself, while inside of your cast circle, do you feel warmer—or cooler? How about when you stepped back and forth over the boundary of your circle? Did it give you a tingle, or did your stomach flip? Did crossing back and forth raise goose bumps? All of these sensations and about a dozen more are possible. Whip out your notebook, and write down what you physically feel. What are those psychic senses telling you? How did your body react? Pay attention and see what those reactions can teach you about your own perception levels.

Remember that magick is as individual as a fingerprint, and so too are your physical reactions to it. You can truly do anything you set your mind to. There is a reason we say, “As you will it, then so shall it be.” Don't focus on what you
think
you don't know—
instead, focus on what you are discovering!

Ethics: A Personal Decision

As you are increasing your skills and comprehension of magick, ethics takes on a more important role than ever before. A good mental image to keep in mind is that the magickal universe is like the shimmering strands of a spider's web. It is beautiful, intricate, and interwoven in a fascinating pattern. As everything in nature is interconnected, if you should happen to touch one part of this cosmic web, the whole web of life vibrates. Performing affirmative magick and casting spells and charms to bring about positive change is one way to weave a new design into the spiritual web. For Witches and Wiccans, this is an important visualization, because working any magick is a lesson in cause and effect.

So you should consider how your wishes will affect the overall design. Is your magick a wise use of your personal power? Does it honor the connection that all living things share? Magick at its most basic level is performed to transform situations into the best possible outcome for all those involved. Affirmative magick does not stir up chaos, bring heartache to others, or coerce; this goes against the very nature of positive change. Free will is vital, and magickal manipulation can be considered a negative use of your personal power.

Manipulation:
What It Is and How to Avoid It

Manipulation may be defined as “to control or play upon another by an artful or insidious means to one's own advantage.” In other words: tampering with another person's free will. A classic example would be a love spell cast on an unknowing target. However, manipulation typically occurs in magick by accident, even by practitioners who start out with good intentions.

Healing spells cast without the intended's permission are a common and unknowing example of magickal manipulation. Yes, of course you want to help, and healing is indeed a positive magick. However, working without permission means that you are manipulating the situation and person for what
you
want. This, unfortunately, may not be the best thing for the patient. The easiest fix for this scenario? Speak up. Inquire if you can send some energy to them or just ask bluntly if you could perform a spell to help the individual regain their health. Problem solved.

Manipulation can also easily occur when casting to fix a problem with your job or when going for a promotion at work. Think before you start casting. When in doubt, work magick on yourself only, not that so-and-so is seen for the numbskull they are. I have heard all sorts of war stories over the years about this. Recently I sat in dismay as an individual bragged to a large mixed magickal-tradition group about a job-related spell they had once cast.

This storyteller had cast their spell so an annoying coworker would be seen for who they really were. Supposedly the other person was a thorn in the side of the whole office. Seems they were always running around and overseeing everyone else, but in reality they themselves did very little. Once the magick was cast (and the caster had mixed their deities and techniques with all the subtlety of a high-speed blender), the target of the spell began having major problems at work. Their job performance was called into question within a week. Eventually the victim of the spell became such an emotional wreck that they were reprimanded for poor performance, suffered an emotional breakdown, and were ultimately fired.

The caster, now enjoying a better position since that other employee was gone, didn't seem to clue in that they had just indulged in manipulative and cruel magick. They had indeed caused emotional harm, just because they wanted to.

But the other folks who were listening in dove on the topic as soon as the storyteller was out of earshot. The general take on it by the Witches, Pagans, and Wiccans all present was that it was a nasty and exploitative spell, full of abuse, cruelty, and spite. Plus it fit the classic definition of manipulation, which is playing upon another by insidious means to one's own advantage. And isn't it interesting that everyone present was horrified, no matter what their beliefs and practices?

Maybe we—as Wiccans and Witches, traditionalists and eclectics—have much more in common than we realize. Here's a thought: as a community of conscientious practitioners, we should celebrate our similarities, honors, and strengths, and not pick at each other quite so much.

Nobody ever said that expanding your magickal skills was going to be quick and easy. It takes a lot of commitment and practice. But guess what? Magick requires effort. Remember that your magick should create harmony and a positive change within the overall spiritual design of your life.

You need to be both careful and conscientious if you're going to cast spells and perform magick. Just because you carry power doesn't mean you should be zapping the bejesus out of every little situation that comes along. Self-defense is one thing; however, try to use some discretion. A sense of humor is a good idea too. Laugh at yourself and ridiculous situations in general. Look beyond the melodrama of the moment, and attempt to see the big picture. Have a little chat with the God and Goddess, and ask for their help in showing you the right course of action. Witchcraft is considered to be the Craft of the Wise, so use a bit of wisdom and your common sense, and think before you start casting. Consider that spiritual web and how your actions will affect it.

Magick works because you send out personal power loaded full of intention. It does and will return even stronger, because magick is cause and effect. You will have to take responsibility for your magickal actions. Do you want to bring happiness, harmony, and prosperity into your life? Then you must treat all other living creatures in the same manner that you wish to be treated: fairly, ethically, and with respect and compassion. In effect, you vow to be conscientious with your personal magickal power.

Tradition simply means that we need to end what began well, and continue what is worth continuing.

Jose Bergamin