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While it can take the spontaneity out of a ritual or spell, you definitely need to put effort into preparing for one. The right kind of preparation shields you from negative energies and blocks out interference from those that might interrupt your spellwork.
Preparation also gives you the strength you need to perform the spell or ritual. Building your energy is essential if you want to succeed in casting the spell or making the magic happen.
The best process of preparing for spells varies by the witch or practitioner. However, the goal is the same: to awaken the practitioner’s intuitive sense and to prepare him or her to direct the mental energies the spell requires. Spells can be prepared days or even weeks ahead. How much you choose to prepare depends on the importance of the spell and the limits of your schedule.
The Early Stage Preparation
Early-stage preparation is similar to preparation for any life-changing event.
Learn the Spell
Ingrain the spell and the steps involved within your mind: mentally run through the instructions associated with the ritual, whether it requires a chant or some other form of mental direction. Also, pay attention to all the items necessary for your spell. Ensure you have everything on hand; if not, make a list of everything you will need.
Build up Confidence
Every so often during the course of the days, promise yourself that you will successfully carry out the spell. The idea is to bolster your confidence without actually going through with the ritual.
Spell Timing
Pick the date of the spell in accordance with the corresponding phases of the moon and the days best suited for your intentions and goals. Finally, on a more mundane level, try to clear your schedule for the day of the spell if that spell is of high importance. While there is no harm in going to work and otherwise going about your everyday life, unnecessary distractions can impede your concentration and, therefore, your spellcasting, especially for a beginner. You want to strive for a steady state of emotion and a stable mind.
Creating Sacred Space
If you are new to spell-casting and have not yet created a sacred space, now is the time to start. The reason for creating sacred space is to offer yourself a dedicated area where you can perform your magic, rituals, meditate, worship, and cast spells.
This can be a permanent or temporary space, depending on your needs, intentions, living situation, and circumstances.
Cleansing your Sacred Space
After you have decided on the location of your sacred space, it’s essential that you properly cleanse, dedicate, and protect the space.
Begin by sweeping the area with a broom and clearing away dirt, clutter, and dust. Once you have thoroughly cleansed the space, start with cleansing the psychic and spiritual space. You will need to remove all negative and unwanted energies or influences. Take the broom and sweep the air. Begin on the floor and sweep as high as you can reach. Consciously sweep away all the bad vibes and negative energies by beginning in the East and sweeping the space in a counterclockwise fashion.
Alternatively, you can also smudge the area. You will need a sage bundle, sage incense, or a sage stick and smudge the area with smoke. After you have lit the sage, begin in the East and walk in a counterclockwise fashion through the space. Make sure the smoke reaches the entire area.
If you are cleansing the space for the very first time, you may also want to sprinkle salt around the space and ring a bell three times. After the last chime, imagine the space cleansed from all impurities, negative energy, negative spirits, and bad vibes.
Dedicating your Sacred Space
Once you have thoroughly cleansed your sacred space, it’s time to dedicate it. Remember that this is your space; it is personal and unique to you. There are different ways how you can dedicate the space.
The most common way of dedicating the space is by verbally telling the spirit that you are dedicating this space and anointing the corners of your space with Myrrh Oil and Frankincense Oil.
Easy Sacred Space Dedication Ritual
You can also perform a dedication ritual, especially if it’s not a permanent space.
What you will need:
- One white candle
- Myrrh oil
- Frankincense oil
Anoint your candle with the Myrrh oil and the Frankincense oil, then light it. Take it into your hands. Start in the West and walk around your space in a clockwise fashion. Let the candle burn out within the space.
Additional Dedication Techniques
There are many other things you can do to dedicate the space. What is most important is that this becomes your space, a space where you feel good to perform magic. Therefore choose the items that mean something to you, and put you into the right state of mind.
- Using Oil – Anoint the corners of your sacred space with Myrrh Oil and Frankincense Oil.
- Crystals – Place your favorite Stones or Crystals at each of the compass directions.
- Tools – If you do not have an altar, you may want to display tools to represent the elements
- Deities – You can display pictures or statues of your favorite deities to harness their energy into the space.
Protecting your Sacred Space
You have the following options to protect your sacred space from negative and intrusive energies.
- Mirrors – To reflect positive energy and reflect negative energy.
- Protective Symbols – such as a pentagram or the symbol of the Algiz Rune.
- Protective Stones and Crystals – such as Agate, Amethyst, Aventurine, Beryl, Blood Stone, Cat’s Eye, Emerald, Epidote, Flint, Holey Stones, Iolite, Jasper, Jet, Obsidian, Onyx, Ruby, Sapphire, Sunstone, Tiger’s Eye, or Zircon.
- Dried Basil – Hang some dried basil in the area or lay it in your sacred space.
- Sea Salt – Sprinkle Sea salt around your sacred space.
Spell Preparations on the Days Leading up to the Ritual
In the days leading up to your ritual, make changes to your regular routine. Some practitioners choose to cleanse themselves with a particular preparation ritual.
Spiritual Cleansing of Self
It is recommended to cleanse yourself spiritually before engaging in any magical practice.
What you will need
- Bathtub*
- White candle
- Cedar Essential Oil
- Hyssop Essential Oil
- Sandalwood Essential Oil
- Sage or Frankincense Incense
How to Cleanse yourself Spiritually
Anoint the candle with some hyssop oil and light it along with the incense. Take a bath and add a few drops of cedar oil, hyssop oil, and sandalwood oil to the water. Submerge yourself in the water and consciously cleanse yourself. Focus on how all the spiritual impurities and dirt are washed off.
Once you have completed the bath, anoint yourself with the Sandalwood oil. Put tiny amounts on your forehead, heart, wrists, above the genitals, knees, and feet.
* Alternatively, if you do not have a bathtub, draw warm water into your sink or a bucket, add the oils, and thoroughly cleanse yourself with a washcloth.
Prepare Yourself for the Spell Work
Others vary their eating schedule or cook a favorite food for dinner. Anything that puts you in the right mood and state of mind is helpful. When going to bed, run over the spell’s instructions in your head and visualize the intended result. If you live with others, instruct them not to disturb you while sleeping or mentally preparing.
Ensure you get a total of eight hours (at minimum) of rest on the night before the ritual is to be done. Sleep deprivation saps you of the vital energy you need to cast the spell successfully. Even after you have awakened the next morning, refrain from moving or talking for at least fifteen minutes. Please focus on the spell itself and not let your mind wander. Some practitioners leave the spell instructions close to or under their pillow to charge them with their energy in advance.
Preparing the Tools and Supplies for the Spell Work
Ensure that you have all your tools, materials, and ingredients ready for the spell work. If you have not done so, cleanse all your tools to remove all the impurities and residual energy from past spell work. The same applies to crystals and other items. Make sure all materials are properly cleansed, then charge them towards your goals and intentions.
You can also start cleansing and anointing candles or preparing your ritual space for the spell. You want everything properly prepared to avoid any problems on the day of the spell. Conserve all the energy for the magic, and do not waste it on stressful last-minute preparations.
Preparations On the Day of the Ritual
Before the spell itself, you must clear your mind of everything except your desire to cast the spell and your image of the spell taking effect.
Ambiance and Meditation
If you know yoga or have experience with meditative exercises, these tend to yield reliable results. The more you practice spells, the easier it becomes to do. Next, create an atmosphere that facilitates your spellcasting. This can involve music or incense or the burning of a candle designed to improve one’s spellcasting prowess.
If the ritual involves multiple people working together on the spell, the group should partake of a harmonizing activity—whether playing a game together, chanting a familiar song, or donning the same perfume or oil—to align the energies of the participants.
Remember Physical Safeguards
Keep in mind the particulars of the physical safeguards you want to put into place. If you live with others, tell them you cannot be disturbed or make sure they aren’t at home when you are doing the spell. Even if you live alone, you need to consider locking all the doors, shutting off the television, the cell phone, the landline, and any radios that might be playing. The only noise you want to have in the house or your room is the sound of any music you might play to make the spell work better. Most spells are done in silence, but you might find that specific music triggers the spells to be more active.
Spiritual Safeguards
It would be best if you considered spiritual safeguards as well. These are just as vital as the physical preparations you need to make. Always take a bath or a shower. If you take a bath, use some essential oil in the bathtub to help the spell work better. Cleaning yourself takes away the negative energy that has built up during the day. Such energies can become an interference to the performance of the spell. Put on different clothing to get rid of negative energy built up during the day. If you have a robe or something that helps you perform a spell, go ahead and put it on. Anoint your forehead and the area over your heart with sandalwood oil. This protects you from psychic attacks during the performance of the spell. Think about using salt. Sprinkle a pinch of regular or sea salt in the corners of the room where you will be doing the magic. It will protect you during the time of the spell’s workings.
The Importance of Protection
Protection can come in the form of a white light. You need to visualize the presence of a white light hovering over you and protecting you. Step into the white light and be bathed in its energy. It will protect you from negative spirits or negative energy and works as well as salt and sandalwood oil. If it is a particularly dangerous or tricky spell, do all three things to protect yourself. If you can, try to fill the entire space you are in within the white light. See the idea of a bright white light floating directly in front of where you are standing or sitting. Allow the ball of light to increase in size and intensity until it fills the entire space you are in.
You can also do a visualization with a circle of white light. Use a wand or index finger and draw the circle of light around you. Allow it to grow and surround you from top to bottom and let it encompass the working area of your ritual or spell. You can also “see” a bubble of light that surrounds you from top to bottom. You are protected in your entirety, and nothing can block you from doing the spell.
You need to take all these precautions to prevent negative energy from blocking the activity of the spell or ritual. You also need to take these precautions so that everyday life doesn’t interfere with the spell. There is nothing worse than being interrupted in doing a spell by the ringing of the phone or a knock at the door.
Coven Tips for Spell Preparations
The underlying thread in all spellcasting or ritual preparation is to mentally divide the spell you will cast from unpredictable outside influences. Preparation does not guarantee results. The spell itself could be bad, or the circumstances may be wrong. Please don’t overdo it; don’t try harder than you feel you need, and for each spell, give a proportional amount of preparation. This article only outlines what is possible.
