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Magic is alluring. Since time immemorial, magic has always been a part of every era and age. If it were merely a fantasized art, it wouldn’t have endured through so many centuries to today. Even if we refuse to believe its existence and power, it is there and has an impact on our lives. Magic is practiced by witches, Wiccans, shamans, pagans, and many more, and magic spells are their way of creating change in accordance with their will.
Is magic real? The first question to deal with is whether magic is real. It will always be as real as you believe it to be. Working magic involves using the energy within yourself in combination with that found in natural elements. If you are skeptical, you may block energies that have the power to bring about positive results.
Magic is mysterious to some, so mysterious that they shy away, thinking magic is too powerful for their concerns. But magic spells aren’t just for witches. The everyday person can use spells to draw the things they want in their life into being. By learning about what a magic spell is, how it works, and how these spells have helped others, you can see that you too may be someone for whom a spell might be the answer to your needs and your problems in life.
The History of Magic
The beginnings of magic are simple. When life wasn’t filled with concrete and technology, people were much more connected to the rhythms of life and nature’s energy. The mysteries of nature surrounded them and they simply focused on these energies and saw their lives change. Magic wasn’t something that people ‘did,’ it was something that was simply a part of life and everyday tasks. As the world began to change, people were separated from nature and its inherent energy. People had to work harder to connect with magic and natural energies, and that’s when rituals became more elaborate and ritualized. This is not a bad thing. In fact, there is much that we can learn from the idea that spell working takes more energy in order to be effective.
What is a Spell?
A spell is something you do with the will, the intent, and the awareness to generate a specific result. It is a ritual, a set of thoughts, or an incantation carried out in the mundane world to create change on a higher and spiritual level. By casting a spell, energies are released into the universe. They start working on your goals, whatever they may be. The changes first take place on the higher and spiritual level, but they will start to materialize in the earthly world through manifestation.
Spells can have many different forms, and they can be of any nature, in that they could be mild or could be extremely powerful. When you cast a spell, a situation is changed because you add new energy to it, and you manipulate the existing energy that is already there. This is how change materializes.
This energy is first and foremost your very own energy, but you also create energy from using the right tools and ingredients. By choosing the right candles, herbs, oils, incense, and crystals, new and additional energy is created and released into the universe to work on your goals. You can even request assistance from higher powers in the form of Gods, Goddesses, deities, or spirit guides. There are many different ways to create new energy and increase your own energy. The more you learn about magic, spells, and spellcasting, the more you will understand what you can do to make your spells extremely powerful and potent.
How to Cast a Spell
While the exact steps can vary from spell to spell, from practitioner to practitioner, and the magical system utilized, the following list outlines the basic components of a spell.
Purification
If time permits, purify yourself with a dedicated purification and cleansing bath. It will remove any impurities and negative energy and can be highly beneficial if you do a lot of spell work. Alternatively, you can also take a bath with some betony, cinquefoil, or hyssop floating in it. After the purification, wear clean clothing; this can be a dedicated long rope or something simple like a t-shirt. Choose whatever gets you in the right mood for the spellcasting. Relax, meditate and clear your mind.
Creating and Cleansing Ritual Space
Cleanse and consecrate the area where the spellcasting will take place. You can either follow the steps outlined in our article about creating ritual space or smudging the area with vervain. To do so, light the vervain smudge wand and walk in a counterclockwise fashion around the ritual space, making sure that the smoke reaches the entire area. Once completed, surround the area with a few pieces of clear quartz.
Setup the Altar
Collect all the items and ingredients needed for the spell. Make sure all items are properly cleansed. If they are not, just wash them down with mild soap or smudge them with a bundle of sage. Next, set up the altar and place all the items needed for the spell, such as the candles, incense, your cauldron, and tools, on it.
Ground and Center
The purpose of Ground and Center is to release your internal static energies into the earth. This way, you avoid depleting your personal energy during the spellcasting. Ground and Center can be done through the feet or hands and by focusing on the calm center within.
Grounding
You can either do the grounding indoors or outdoors, but if you can do this on bare earth, please do so. Stand barefoot on the floor. Allow yourself to feel the energy moving from deep down the earth through the soles of your feet into your body. Feel it flow through your legs, all the way up to your head. Once it reaches the head, push the energy back down, through your body, down your legs, and back into the earth.
Centering
Stand with your feet about 2 feet apart and bend your knees slightly. Focus on your calm center within and rock forward and back. Allow the rocking to get smaller until you balance and stop. Once you stop, start rocking from side to side. Again, let the rocking get smaller until you balance and stop.
Casting the Circle
Casting the circle also means creating sacred space. Within this warded space, you will cast your spell. There are many different ways of casting the circle. You can either physically mark the circle by using chalk or salt or simply envision the area surrounded by a wall of pure white light.
Calling the Quarters
Call the quarters by facing each cardinal point of the compass and invite the elemental powers to attend. Start in the East and say:
I call on all the powers of the East to protect this space and to lend your powers to my work.
Turn to the South and say:
I call on all the powers of the South to protect this space and to lend your powers to my work.
Turn to the West and say:
I call on all the powers of the West to protect this space and to lend your powers to my work.
Turn to the North and say:
I call on all the powers of the North to protect this space and to lend your powers to my work.
Calling the quarters serves two purposes. It should remind you that you need to be present and engaged. In addition, it calls the spirits of the elements to the edge of the circle to empower your magic spells.
Invoking the Deity
If you choose to invoke a deity for your spellwork, you will need to do so at this point. Your deity may be a general deity such as a spirit guide, angel, or patron. You can simply invite them verbally or through more elaborate rituals that include dance, chants, or prayer. More experienced and advanced practitioners may invite the deity to enter the witch’s body and incarnate.
State the Purpose
Choose and define the results that you want. It helps to focus energy when you speak your purpose aloud. You may also prepare a declaration of purpose in advance and read it out loud.
Cast the Spell
Now is the time to cast your spell. Shift your consciousness towards the spell. Light your candles, the incense, and follow the instructions of your ritual. While doing so, focus on the spiritual world, not the mundane. Don’t allow outside noise or distractions to shift your focus. Make an effort to stay in your elevated mental state and focus on your intent, the purpose, and the results.
Raise Energy
Raise as much energy as you can, whether through chanting, dancing, drumming, or focus. Draw up energy from the earth through the soles of your feet into your body and from the universe above through the tips of your fingers. Envision how your own personal energy merges with the energy that you are raising, as well as the energy created by your spellcasting. Stay in an elevated mental state until you have completed the spell according to your plan.
Cake and Wine
Eat! Not only does it help you ground and transition you back into the earthly world, but sharing food also enables us to give thanks to the earth’s gifts.
Giving Thanks
Make sure to thank any deities you have asked for assistance verbally. Kindly ask them to guide the energy you have raised towards your goals. You can leave an offering or just bow your head in gratitude.
Release the Quarters
In a similar way, release the quarters by thanking them for their help and presence during your ritual.
Open the Circle
Opening the circle is a symbolic act that symbolizes the end of your spellwork. Open the circle and release all the energy you have raised during the spellwork towards your intentions and goals. Now step back into the ordinary world.
Clean-up
Clean up your magical space. Bury or burn all ingredients that are leftover from cleansing negative energy. Also, cleanse all tools that you used to clear negative energy. Store all the other items in a safe place until you need to work with them again.
Manifestation
This is the time period when the energies are working towards your goal.
What should I do after a spell has been cast?
As spells are formed with energy, will, and emotion, you can see the power that these elements have. It is incredible to think of the power you can add to your spells by just thinking positively. Instead of stressing and worrying about your situation, having positive thoughts can actually make spells work faster and better in the long run. Your entire life can be changed for the better by incorporating this practice into your life.
Take time to do positive things and work towards your goals. For example, when casting a love spell, don’t sit back and wait for someone to walk into your life. It would be best if you went out, socialize so that your spell can work. If you have cast a spell to find a job, you will need to send resumes and apply for jobs, not wait for them to appear on your doorsteps magically.
After a spell has been cast, you need to invest positive thoughts, emotions, energy, and behavior that brings you closer to your goal.
What can Magic Spells do?
Simply put, magic spells encompass every activity, every chapter, and route that life can take. They can be performed for love, wealth, prosperity, luck, health, protection, happiness, and divination. A spell can be as unique as the individual that casts it or asks for it. Spellcasting is powerful and gives you a way to take control of a situation. You can actively do something and interfere instead of passively accepting whatever you may be facing.
Magic is a vast and infinite aspect that is primarily influenced by people, their beliefs, religion, psychology, and so many other factors. That is why magic varies vastly in different parts of the world and among people of different ethnicities. Magic spells also, thus, vary with the type of magic. A Voodoo spell looks different than a Wiccan spell, and a Santeria priest will use magic differently than a white magic witch.
You can use spells to improve yourself, improve your own life, the life of another, or honor nature, a deity, the universe, or a spirit. On the other hand, you can also use magic to hurt others, cause misfortune, and cast spells with negative intentions. But keep in mind that you will never get rewarded by choosing the black magic path and may even have to face negative spiritual consequences. This is also the reason why most people falsely assume that all magic is only black or dark in nature. The truth is, most practitioners of magic practice white magic, which is only meant for everything good like curing, healing, bringing good fortune, conferring love, and so on.
As you can see, spells can be used to help, heal, and protect, but can also be used to harm and for evil and selfish purposes. Your magical path or spiritual belief system, as well as your intention, is the deciding factor of what a spell can ultimately do or can’t do.
How long does it take for a spell to work?
The first two questions beginners of magic ask are “Does spell casting actually work?” and “How long will it take to see results?”.
As you have already learned in this article, there are unfortunately no guarantees in magic, and you may not always get what you want. However, like many other things in life, it does work sometimes, while it may not at other times. It is all about how you use magic to help achieve a goal.
Spells manifest differently for different people. Some practitioners may see results within a few days, others in several months, or even longer. No one can predict how long the manifestation process will take. It all depends on your individual situation, the intent, your energy build-up, the energy raised during the spellcasting, your goals, as well as the condition of your spiritual path, the will of the universe, and ultimately your belief in the magic. Just as people are affected differently by their aura or karma, they are also affected differently by spells.
Do not underestimate the importance of belief. How well the world of magic works for you may be different from another because your beliefs and level of believing are different.
That’s why spells can take any amount of time to become effective. Usually, you should look for results within four weeks, but it may also take months to see improvements. However, you must be aware and keep in mind that spells may not work every time and sometimes do not turn out the way you expected.
Are Spells Dangerous?
There is absolutely no danger in casting spells with good intentions and without harming anyone.
However, magic spells are not something one should try just out of curiosity or for the fun of it because they can, in fact, be dangerous if you have the wrong intentions. You might have heard of jinxes, hexes, and curses. They are nothing but spells of vindictive and malevolent nature meant to bring harm and distress to a particular person. The use of harmful spells, also known as black magic spells, is not recommended.
Remember the Threefold Law, whatever you send out, will come back to you three times stronger.
Spellcasting Advice for Beginners
If you are an individual who is not well-versed in magic and how spells work, you need to spend as much time as it takes to become familiar with spellcasting and its many uses. While one type of magic might work great for a particular situation, another may work even better or not at all. You really just have to take your time getting to know what magic is used for and continue to learn. In order to do this, spending time reading and learning all that you can, will be of great importance. You may even be able to locate an individual who is experienced in spellcasting and does not mind working closely with you and mentoring and guiding you.
In addition, you don’t have to belong to a pagan religion or be a Wiccan to master the art of spellcasting. You can still perform any spell or ritual as long as you do so with the right intentions and follow the steps as described. Once you have more experience, you will be able to venture out and will be able to write your own spells.
There are many aspects to magic and its many forms; it can take a lifetime to become well acquainted with and fully understand what magic is and how spells work. It is like learning anything else; you need determination, dedication, and faith. Magic works best when the individual truly believes in the magic they are performing.
When Spells Fail
It is important to conduct the proper rituals to achieve success in spell casting. Don’t discourage yourself if things don’t turn out right in the first few attempts. Witchcraft is a tool that will eventually bring positive results when used with the right intentions. It is all about believing in yourself, your powers, the powers of nature, and the universe. With more experience, casting spells that work will become easier.
If you have not received results within six months, it is recommended to re-cast the spell.
1 comment
Loved all your information – great