Magic fascinates most of us, whether or not we are Witches. The idea is intriguing that you light a candle, drink a potion, or anoint yourself with special balm and as a result, you make some real change in your life. Though it seems easy and simple, it can take a lifetime to master. Occultist Dion Fortune said that magic is the ability to change consciousness. This means if you can change your mind about aspects of your life, then you can alter your approach and experience tangible changes. A spell is one way that Witches spark the process of changing consciousness.

Weaving a spell is both art and technology. It is a skill that anyone can learn. The technology part is associated with learning about correspondences, symbolism, and timing. It also is associated with taking appropriate physical action. For example, the appropriate actions you might take to obtain a new car would be to get a job, save money, and then go to a car dealership. Granted, this might sound a bit mundane, but it is a component in making magic.

The art of spellweaving is associated with meditating, daily self-observation, and learning how to make subtle changes in that self. Using the car example again, if you want a new car, you might observe what it is about yourself that keeps you with the old car. Or you might explore what stops you from taking appropriate action. Once you know what makes you tick, then you have a better chance of making change. If you practice either the art or the technology independent of one another, it is unlikely that you will achieve the desired results.

MAGICAL ETHICS

This is a topic that is of vital importance to any spellweaver. It is wise to familiarize yourself with the following two ethical codes:

1) The WICCAN REDE, or code, states, "An it harm none, do as ye wilt." Ask yourself how your magic will affect your own life, the lives of others and the life/resources of the planet. If your spell harms anything or anyone, don't do it.

2) The law of threefold return is a warning about the karmic repercussions of spellweaving. Whatever you do magically will come back to you with three times the potency. Therefore, it is wise to weave only positive, healing spells.

I don't believe in using the terms "black" and "White" in relation to magic. Black is supposed to mean baneful and white means beneficial. Black is the color of the universe, so if black means baneful, then the universe is baneful. The brightest, white light can come from an atomic bomb. So these terms are misleading and outdated. It is better to find some other, more creative way to describe your magic.

MAGICAL SYMBOLS

Magic works on the principle of "like attracts like." In other words, if you create something symbolically, you will attract that thing in reality. When you weave a spell, you build a symbolic language. The language of symbol is the language of your unconscious mind, where you store vast reservoirs of psychic energy. The key to magic is unlocking the unconscious' many doors with the right symbolic keys. The way spellweavers do this is by selecting multiple symbols that correspond to their magical workings. Through this, they create a magical, symbolic language that tells the unconscious just what to do.

There are many books that discuss this topic and provide correspondence tables. For your convenience I've included an extremely abbreviated list of magical correspondences to help you get started with your initial spellweaving.

MAGICAL CORRESPONDENCES

Color - Element - Stone - Scent - Herb - Planet

Silver - Water - Moonstone - Camphor - Orris Root - Moon

Red - Fire - Ruby - Cinnamon - Broom - Mars

Yellow - Air - Opal - Bayberry - Mandrake - Mercury

Blue - Earth - Amethyst - Sage - Hyssop - Jupiter

Green - Water - Pink - Emerald - Hibiscus - Venus

Black - Earth - Onyx - Patchouli - Cypress - Saturn

Gold - Fire - Gold - Orange - Frankincense - Sun

The Moon's phase, days of the week, and planetary influences all have a role in spellweaving.

MOON SYMBOLS

Moon - Phase - What It Rules

Wax - Build - Creating, healing, outward changes

Wane - Destroy - Ending, diminishing, inward changes

DAY SYMBOLS

Day - Planet - What It Rules

Mon. - Moon - Psychic ability, home, memory, business, cycles, women's power, intuition, politics, instincts

Tues. - Mars - Physical energy, healing, passion, sex, desire, ambition, force, power, work, competition

Wed. - Mercury - Rapid change, magical ability, speech, writing, knowledge, rational thought, intellect

Thurs. - Jupiter - Growth, expansion, luck, abundance, career, leisure time, optimism, prosperity, aspirations

Fri. - Venus - Arts, beauty, fertility, fruition, grace, love, adjustment, security, marriage, harmony, money

Sat. - Saturn - Karma, past lives, reincarnation, work, responsibilities, hardships, bad luck, patience, reality

Sun. - Sun - Joy, happiness, completion, health, men's power, leadership, pleasure, success, rank, authority

WEAVING A SPELL

The reason that I stress the word WEAVE in reference to spells is because through this type of work, you become interwoven with the fabric of the universe. Spellweaving allows you to become one with the creative force, the Goddess and God that pervade all. When you weave a spell, it is beneficial to open yourself to the creative energy that flows through each of us. That is the basis of effective magic.

The spell I will discuss is a simple candle spell. To begin, write down the goal you wish to achieve. Be clear and precise about this. Don't give dates and times of when you would like your spell to manifest. A spell is like a flower. It grows at its own pace. Instead of forcing, simply know that by weaving the spell, you have begun the process of change.

After you have written down your goal, begin to choose appropriate correspondences. For example, if I wanted to create the conditions in my life so that I could be married, then I might choose the planet Venus, the color green, and the herb hibiscus as components to the spell. I would also know to cast my spell on Friday during a waxing Moon. Be creative with this process. There are no real "set" rules to spellweaving other than matching up correspondences.

Next, choose a candle based on the color you've selected. In this case I have selected a green candle. On the day that corresponds to your magic (in this case Friday, during a waxing Moon), cast a magic circle.

Once you are within your sacred space, use a sharp knife to inscribe your goal onto the candle. Surround it with the corresponding herbs and stones. Next, it is important to raise magical energy. Some people use ecstatic dance or drumming. Other people create chants that are associated with their goal and incrementally increase the speed at which they chant. Choose a method that works for you.

While you are raising energy, close your eyes and visualize your achievement of the goal. Again, there is now set rule for how much time it may take to raise and direct the psychic energy. Use your intuition to guide you. At some point you will know that you have raised sufficient energy. When you have, focus intently on the goal, touch your candle with both hands, and release that energy into the candle. Light the candle and know that your goal will manifest.

The information above was taken from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 1999