Ethics in Spellwork By Synginsmajik   The subject you're most interested in - casting spells. I've given you some good reasons for not harming anyone or anything and for considering your will carefully. I've also suggested that you consider the possible consequences of your actions for your future. While these are good rules to live by, they are essential in casting spells. In your day-to-day life, you may briefly put out some negative energy or momentarily wish harm to someone. This is not good, of course, but it is unlikely to cause any significant effect. However, when you cast a spell you are directing energy or power to a specific goal with much more intensity than in such fleeting thoughts. Since there is a very good chance that you will achieve your goal, you'd better be sure it's what you want!   Assuming you more or less agree with the ethical guidelines above, you don't want to harm anyone. Many spells are worked to affect some relationship with another person.   Here's the problem. Manipulating another person to act against his will is harmful. Even if your intentions are good and you believe you are doing what is best for that person, he or she still has the right to act according to his or her own will. The best way to see this is to turn it around. Would you want someone to take away your will, to control your actions or thoughts, in short, to take away your power? I doubt it. We all want our independence, including our right to make mistakes. The most common spell requests are for love spells. Everyone wants love. However, manipulating another person into loving you (if that's even possible) is a huge mistake. That person has the right to make his own choices. Even if you were successful in such a spell, would you really want someone to care about you only because he was coerced by magick? In the end, he'd probably hate you for it. Now this doesn't mean we can't do love spells, even those in which we have a particular person in mind. Do a spell to make yourself more attractive to that person or do one to create more situations in which you would be together, thereby giving the other person a better chance to get to know you. If you really feel like you have to be more direct, do a spell to get him to notice you, so long as the choice to "love" you remains his own.   The best love spells are those that are done to bring the right lover to you for the present time. That is, you use magick and whatever forces you call on to help you to bring love into your life, but without being specific about who the other person will be. Other love spells that are ethical (again, in my opinion) are those that are meant to strengthen or protect an existing relationship, especially a marriage or other long-term partnership.   In any spell, try to see all the possible consequences of a successful spell. For example, in money spells, you should be careful to say how you want to receive the money.If Both of my parents are were alive and well,  I would be careful to say that I do not want money to come from an inheritance. If I want money to come from increased business, I say that I do not want the increased business to significantly increase the stress in my life and that I want to still have leisure time for friends and family. Always think of the consequences.   Some Witches say that you should never do spells for other people unless they request it. In general, that's a good rule to have, but there are exceptions. Healing spells in particular come to mind. You may not be able to ask a seriously ill person if they want a healing spell, though you may want to do something to help the person. Even in these cases, there are a lot of potential variables, most of which are not for you to decide. I am more inclined to do a healing spell for someone who is relatively young, has an illness or injury from which complete recovery is possible, and who would not be offended by witchcraft.   Protection spells also are done on other people at times. Again, be sure you aren't trying to manipulate that person. I have a friend who loves motorcycles and mountain bikes and seems to have a lot of accidents. I wouldn't want to do anything to prevent him from participating in these risky sports, but I have used protection spells on him. He knows I do this and approves. Witches often cast protection spells for their own children, just as they would use any other means to protect them. However, children must be allowed to make their own decisions eventually and protection should not include taking away their will, even when we think their choices are somewhat dangerous. This doesn't mean you won't try to talk your son or daughter out of doing something, just don't put spells on them to prevent them from doing it!   While you will probably do many spells for yourself and those closest to you, do a few for the Earth and its inhabitants as well. Go to your local Humane Society and cast protection spells on the dogs and cats there. (Talk to them too...they get lonely.) Go to a landfill and cast a spell to protect the Earth. Ask the gods (forces of nature, the Universe, etc.) to help homeless people or hungry children. If you can't go to these places, you can still do the spells. Put some energy and power into making the world a better place. Many Witches believe that in any ritual in which magick is performed, there should be three spells: one for the Earth, one for another person, and one for yourself.   I could go on about all the different kinds of spells, but really it's simple. Don't do anything you wouldn't want someone to do to you. Think about the consequences of your actions. Take a little responsibility for all the Earth and its inhabitants. And most of all, live a magickal life!