Herbal Magick A Witchs Guide To Herbal Enchantments Folklore And Divinations

Book: Herbal Magick A Witchs Guide To Herbal Enchantments Folklore And Divinations by Gerina Dunwich

Herbs can be used to cure or to curse, as well as to conjure or to banish Supernatural entities. They can enchant our gardens and our homes, and guide us on the path to Transformation and self-improvement. But, most importantly, Herbal Magick can open the door to spiritual realms and other worlds, and serve to connect a human being with Mother Nature and the Divine.

There probably exists no plant or tree that hasn’t at one time, in some part of the world, been used in a spell or potion, or utilized as an amulet. And it is said that all parts of a plant, whether they be roots, buds, flowers, stems, or bark, are magickally significant.

Herbs are Mother Nature’s gifts to all of humankind, regardless of spiritual beliefs, magickal tradition, or culture. And whether you pride yourself as a country Witch or an urban Pagan, herbs can reward you with a wealth of enchantment,
divination, and folklore. Blessed be!

Buy Gerina Dunwich's book: Herbal Magick A Witchs Guide To Herbal Enchantments Folklore And Divinations

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Richard Alan Miller - The Magical And Ritual Use Of Herbs
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition
William Eliot Woodward - Records Of Salem Witchcraft Copied From The Original Documents Vol 2
Harriet Beecher Stowe - The Salem Witchcraft The Planchette Mystery And Modern Spiritualism
Gerina Dunwich - Herbal Magick A Witchs Guide To Herbal Enchantments Folklore And Divinations

Black Mirrors

"Mirror mirror on the wall... who's the fairest of them all?"
Remember that line from the "Evil Queen" in the Disney classic Snow White?

Since the earliest of times Sorcerers, Witches, Soothsayers and so on have used Black Mirrors for Scrying.
Even in the Disney classic "Snow White"... the Evil Queen would Scry looking into the mirror and asking questions concerning her vanity and her rivals.
What is Scrying? It is the divination of future or past events or talking with spirits from another plane of existence by gazing into an object such as the Black Mirror. Now the Black Mirror is not the only thing that can be used for scrying. It can be a puddle of water or a crystal ball or a piece of shiny metal.... even a regular mirror will work. One old favorite is to use a bowl of water and part black ink, which creates a very good black reflection. It can actual be almost any type of object that will allow you to stare into it for long periods of time and gain visions from doing so. The two most popular are the Crystal Ball and the Black Mirror. For me the crystal ball is too bright, although I do also have a solid black crystal ball.
The Black Mirror is my choice for the art of scrying. All in all the items are all used as a focal point. They have no real Super Magical power.... they do have magical energy after they have been consecrated for use and after they have been used a few times they will gather your own magical energies, but all in all it is the Sorcerer/Scryer who has the Power.... the Power to see within the mirror.
The Black Mirror then becomes the window to the Universe and to the Spirit world. It can bring you visions of past lives or things that are to come. It can show you answers to questions you may have or show you your spirit guides for it is a doorway to the other side.
You must understand that Scrying takes quite a bit of practice to develop ones Astral Vision. What is Astral Vision?.... it is the ability to see onto the Astral Planes. For some people who are more psychic inclined it may come naturally easy... for other it may take weeks or months to master. Clearing the mind and concentration without stray thoughts is hard to master just as in meditation.
So as I have stated it can be used for may different things in Magical Divination. For those of you who are interested in studying High Magic... then you know that the Black Mirror is used in the "Triangle of Solomon" for conjuring the Demon or Celestial being into the mirror. The Spirit does not manifest into the physical form.... it manifests as a vision in the mirror by the magician being able to see onto the Astral Plane via the Black Mirror. The Mirror is also surround by 3 sacred names of God and Archangel Michael to help control the spirit.

Now, back to regular Black Mirrors...
Now there are a few places online where you can buy some really nice fancy Black Mirrors. You can get them as fancy as your heart desires. But for those of you who don't want to spend allot of money and would like to get started quickly in the Art of Scrying.... you can simply make your own for about five-seven dollars. Simply go to Wal-mart or Wallgreens and buy a small 5x7 picture frame (you can buy an oval shaped one if you so choose) and a can of flat black spray paint. When you get it home take the glass out and make sure it is clean.... no finger prints. Then paint the back side of it with the flat black paint and let it dry for about a half hour. Then put it all back together making sure that the painted side is facing the back and you now have your Black Mirror ready for you to consecrate and put on your alter for Scrying.

Ok now that I have given you some history and facts about Black Mirrors. It is time to teach you how to Scry. This is going to be a short lesson because there is not much to teach and there is no secret method to make it work instantly for you. It will be a matter of practice makes perfect.
He who is patient and continually works at this will have success in the art.

Hopefully by now you have a small alter set up to do all your Magic Rituals. This is where you want to set up your Black Mirror.
Mine sits dead center towards the back of one of my alters. Below is a picture of one of my smaller alters that is set up in my office.
You will want to arrange your candles on your alter so they are not seen in the reflection of the mirror and that they do not distract you in any way.
The first thing you need to do before starting is decide what you will be Scrying for.
You will want to do the LBRP... but do the invoking version to start with... at the end of your Scrying you should do the normal Banishing LBRP to get rid of any spirits that may be still hanging around. If you have your own protection type of Rituals then you may use them instead.
Ok now that you have done the invoking LBRP you should sit on a comfortable stool that is the proper height of your Alter. You don't want to be standing for a long period of time.... that is why I myself use a stool or chair. Sit and gaze (stare) into the Black Mirror. Ask the universe to bring you a vision or call upon a spirit guide to show you what you want or need to know. You will need to sit there and gaze into the mirror for a good period of time.... you will know when it is starting to work when you own reflection vanishes and all you see is black. That is the key to knowing that you are getting close to success. From that point on is when your visions will begin to appear. the first few times you may not even see all black... you will probably get bored and quit. This is not the way of the Magician. Patience is a virtue with magic. So it may take a few times to get the total black out effect. From then on you must strive to keep gazing into the mirror. You may only get a glimpse of a unfamiliar face or an unknown landscape. But as the weeks progress you will have success. One of the other most important things besides practice is for you to communicate to the universe or to your spirit guides as to your desires when Scrying. Some of you will find this very easy and many others will simply say this does not work and you may never do it again. Like all magic nothing comes instantly or without true dedication and practicing the art. And all and all it takes an altered state of consciousness.... however you so choose to get into that state of mind.
I will say no more about that.

You also may enjoy this free books:

Carroll Runyon - The Secret Of The Dark Mirror
Hermes Trismegistus - Book Xii His Crater Or Monas
Aleister Crowley - Magick Without Tears
Meshafi Resh - The Black Book
Stephen Flowers - Black Runa

Religious Propaganda And Celtic Traditions

The main aim of religious propaganda…has been to tell us that Below is Bad, Above is Good. Celtic tradition tells us something different.

The main aim of religious propaganda in our culture has been to turn humanity away from the Earth, telling us that Below is Bad, Above is Good. Why ? Well, historically, this was to get customers away from the pagan religions and sacro-magical practices, and into those early and poorly funded churches. Such outer evangelizing hides a more subtle inner campaign, for power at a spiritual level. Ancient pagan practices were substantially based upon Earth powers, prophecy, healing, and the widespread worship of goddesses whose divine attributes were founded in the land, the ocean, the Earth . The evidence for this in Ireland is widespread, and central to many ancient Irish manuscripts, and permeates many aspects of folkloric tradition. To the early Christians, any masculine deity became a deo falsus, a false god. Deo falsus has often been proposed as the origin of diabolus or “devil”.

“Let no man indulge in that most filthy habit of dressing up as a stag” thundered St Augustine : but he did not reveal the real reasons why. Animal/human magic, horned deities such as Pan or Cern, are manifestations of UnderWorld power, and drawing that power up to the surface was central to the old ceremonies. Likewise, the goddess powers of wells, streams, rivers, and sacred mounds, were repudiated and often transformed into semi-historical figures or amalgamated with saints.

To this day a most potent figure in Irish legend is the feminine Sovereignty or goddess or fairy queen of the Land.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Richard Roy - 13 Questions On Paganism And Wicca
Al Selden Leif - Pagan Incense Information Pages
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition

Paganism And Magical Traditions

One of the most fascinating discoveries of my life has been that most of what we are accustomed to call spirituality would have been meaningless to our ancestors. By spirituality I mean the entire range, orthodox religion, New Age alternatives, and revival paganism and magical arts. This conclusion did not come easily, nor was it a sudden revelation: it crept up on me over the years, as a result of research, study, and inner experience. Many of my suspicions have been confirmed through long talks with elders from tribal cultures around the world, with whom it was possible to compare contemporary ethnic practices and shamanism to the modern artificial substitutes so widely sold . In Ireland, it seems clear that the traditional wisdom of the elders, handed down by word of mouth, through songs and stories, is often radically different to “Celtic revival” modern spirituality.

Most recently I have been impressed (though not always convinced) by the writing of Ronald Hutton, a British academic who has explored many aspects of both historical and revival paganism. Hutton challenges some of the basic modern assumptions about ancient paganism and old religions in a thought provoking manner. Thus he also challenges many of the foundations of revival paganism (His books include: The pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles : Their Nature and Legacy and The Triumph of the Moon : A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft).

In some my own books over the last 20 years or so, I have explored the practical, transformative, magical effect of working with the UnderWorld, the older spiritual traditions of the sacred Earth, and how to make such traditions vivid and contemporary for us today (These include:The UnderWorld Initiation; Earth Light; Power Within the Land; The Living World of Faery). In many ways I consider historic accuracy to be essential, but it need not be the ultimate goal. Historical accuracy in restoring old spiritual traditions is less important than effective inner transformation: if it works, well and good; if it don’t work, don’t do it.

Remember that some of the material in older traditions is totally unworkable and inappropriate; we do not have mate with a mare (as reported in the 12th century by Giraldus Cambrensis) to tap into an ancient Irish tradition of sacred kingship and fertility. We do not need to sacrifice a bull and wrap ourselves in the skin in order to gain prophetic visions (another ritual reported in the Middle Ages) . These old practices are historically significant, but invalid or inappropriate for 21st century people. I merely cite these dramatic examples as obvious methods that are historically reported, but not necessary today. Many other lesser examples could be discussed, but we do not have the space in a short article of this sort.

Yet we do need a consistent accuracy in our understanding of ancestral history, mythology, legends. If we do not do our homework, we can easily become lost in a morass of trivia and wishful thinking. What has happened, of course, is a series of fakes, fads, and fashions, from the 18th century to the present day. Today there is so much fantasy, falsehood, and fakery in publication on ancestral magic and pagan practices that we need rigorous application and research more than ever.

In my lifetime, and during my own career working and recording with Irish musicians, Celtic tradition and music has become ruthlessly emasculated and utterly pulverized by commercial interests. Finding accurate information is not an easy task, but the solid basics are defined in a small number of trustworthy reference sources…the rest is down to common sense and inspiration (in that order).

I should add one mildly uncomfortable fact about Celtic tradition (as the examples I quoted above come from Ireland and Scotland): there are many hundreds of ancient manuscripts, especially in Ireland, that have not been translated. There are far more medieval Irish and Latin Texts unassessed untranslated and unpublished than there are in print. A strong voice on this subject is the Irish writer John Minahane (The Christian Druids, on the filid or philosopher- poets of Ireland ), who, like Ronald Hutton, takes a fresh look at old material, and scoffs at many of the assumptions that we have inherited. Like most modern writers, I have used the trusted translations and sources, with a lot of individual research, retranslation, and so forth. But on dark storm tossed nights, I awaken suddenly and scream “ What if…what if…all those other Irish, Welsh, and European source materials, actually tell us something different ? What if they all say that the UnderWorld was the propaganda of only a few druids in a remote part of Kerry ?” I suppose we can always assert that these new translations are forgeries, or suppress them somehow. That’s the usual method.

Some of my own inspirations and insights have come through visions while living on a powerful sacred site: others came through my early teachers at a time when esoteric training was still hidden and secretive in Britain. And, as must always be the case, I have developed my understanding through long study, research, consideration and comparison. But ultimately, in spiritual arts or disciplines, it is only the doing that counts, not the reading about, writing about, or thinking about.

We do not have to accept everything in a religion or in an old tradition to respect its inner truths.

Like many other people in Western culture, I absorbed certain typical ideas in childhood: mostly of the kind that tell us that spirit is elevated, up there, in the light. Later I found that these ideas, so ingrained in our culture, were the decadent end of a propaganda program, started by political religions, by the various branches of Christianity, but also found in Judaism, and in Islam.

Now I am not going to waste your precious reading time bashing these religions, as many people have done this, often with justification. I think that there are truths and insights in all orthodox religions, Western or Eastern, and that these truths are good, valid, and trustworthy. But… and this is the big one, we do not have to accept everything in a religion in order to respect its deep inner truths. Indeed the deep truths are often in conflict with the politicized dogma, for the deep truths are eternal, unbound by time and history, and have no connection to human power plays or politics.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Konstantinos - Summoning Spirits The Art Of Magical Evocation
Malcolm Mcgrath - Practical Magickal Evocation
Jeffrey Spier - Medieval Byzantine Magical Amulets And Their Tradition
Marcus Bottomley - Nine Proven Magical Rites
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition

Celtic Traditions In The 19th Century

Back to the idea of elevated spirit, and UnderWorld spirit. We now leap forward in time a thousand years or more . This is a crucial period, for it was when many old manuscripts, especially those of Ireland and Wales, were translated for the first time with some measure of accuracy, and given serious study and publication.

In the 19th century anthropologists, the newly burgeoning Theosophists, and professors of comparative religion in the West, ingrained with Christian conditioning, suddenly discovered (wait for it) “sun gods”. The spiritual idea of elevated light was associated, by a kind of Christianized reductionism, with the notion of pagan “sun worship”. Every ancient religion, every pagan motif of the past, every folk tradition just had to relate to solar worship and the Wheel of the Year.

When modern writers in revival paganism took up this Wheel idea, they merely copied it from Victorian sources, and developed it. But it is not ancient: it is a romantic fabrication with a traceable literary history. And yet, we find its basis in the annual cycle of the seasons , and the fourfold glyphs, mandalas, and yantras of our worldwide spiritual traditions, so it contains a powerful pattern of truth.

I am not suggesting that there were no sun gods : that would be absurd, given the widely varied evidence from the ancient world. What happened in 19th century literature, in both academic and esoteric studies, was something subtle and pernicious : all ancient magic and religion was examined, discussed, and interpreted in a solar (usually male) context. Thus the 20th century inherited an imbalanced set of ideas on ancestral religion, magic, and metaphysics. Much of our revival paganism and new spirituality has an invisible Christianized foundation that has to be excavated, considered, and rebuilt in a new way without letting the edifice above it collapse altogether.

Despite all the solar phallic wheel twirling, there is ample evidence to show that the ancestors in Ireland, Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, all believed, knew would be a better word , that life is regenerated beneath the Earth, in the UnderWorld. (As a small aside: I coined this spelling of UnderWorld back in the late 1970’s in my early book The UnderWorld Initiation: I wanted the publisher to grasp that it was not a book about the Mafia). Only in the late 20th and early 21st centuries have we started to reconsider the profound implications of this enduring idea that Life comes Up from Below, and not Down from Above.

What do the Romans tell us ?

Paradoxically, the Romans, who destroyed so much as they homogenized Europe, have left us some evidence of UnderWorld magic, in typical crass Roman style. Roman images of Celtic horned gods, in the conquered territories of Gaul (homeland of Getafix the Druid, and shame on you if you do not know who he is ), sometimes hold a pot of coins….to symbolize the wealth of power in the UnderWorld. We still call a wealthy man a “plutocrat”…. from the classical god Pluto, lord of hidden wealth in the UnderWorld. This concept is far more than one of mineral wealth…it is about power, fecundity, and regeneration. No wonder the developing and controlling new religions wanted people to stay away from goddesses and gods of a realm that granted independent power ! When religion and politics, temple and state, march hand in hand, their marriage is about control of power , not love and compassion, and certainly not freedom of thought, vision, worship or inspiration.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Michael Ford - The Witch Cult Of Zos Vel Thanatos
Yacki Raizizun - The Secret Of Dreams
Thomas Muldoon - Numerology For The 21st Century

Celtic Tradition Gives Us A Model Of Underworld Religion And Magic

Celtic tradition gives us a fine model of UnderWorld sacro-magical understanding and practices . It is not a coherent model or a “complete system”, as this notion of completeness is entirely modern; instead it is diffuse, organic, prolific, protean. The Celtic model serves as an example to demonstrate traditions which are found world wide; all spiritual and magical traditions begin with the UnderWorld. All entrances to, and passages within, the earth were sacred: caves, wells, springs, gorges, chasms, volcanic craters. Each had its story, myth, or spiritual presence. (Classic reference sources are Dr Ann Ross: pagan Celtic Britain ; Alwyn and Brinley Ress: Celtic Heritage) We find such traditions worldwide, at the root of every religion, dating from older times before that religion was founded and formalized. Often they are disguised, as in the typical examples of local saints at ancient sacred sites, who were once gods and goddesses of the shrines. Ireland, most of all, still lives and breathes her own version of this ancient wisdom.

The legends that have been handed down in ancient texts, and in oral traditions, all relate to themes of transformation and growth through the powers of the UnderWorld, and not through the influence of the sun and sky. Sometimes such themes are on a large scale, the appearances of races, orders of life, mountains, rivers, oceans and so forth. Sometimes they are embodied in the life story of one individual…or of a group of people on a journey. After certain mythic characters have traveled through the UnderWorld, they often find a resting place among the stars: but the UnderWorld of Earth comes first. (Many examples are found in Robert Graves, Greek Myths)

The Cauldron of Regeneration, so central to Irish and Celtic legends is nothing less than the regenerative power of the Land, of the Planet Earth herself. Nothing could be more important for us today than a sense that the Earth is sacred, and a source of spiritual power. Indeed, we must return to this: it is our greatest and most redemptive truth. The time for either materialist indifference or ethereal escapism is over and the time for realization is upon us. Kill the earth, and we kill ourselves.

So what about the Light ? In the pagan myths and legends, and in folk tales that persisted well into historical times, the UnderWorld which includes but is not limited to the Faery Realm, is a Place of Light. To reach this Light, we pass first through essential nourishing darkness, sacred to the Dark Goddess who is known by many names. As the Qabalistic writer Dion Fortune said : we can only come to the White Isis by way of the Black Isis.

This process of finding light within the Earth, after passing through darkness, is also one of inner regeneration for the individual. When the spiritual consciousness is told that divinity, that the Source, is “up there” and a long way away, we become closed to the nearest source of light, grace, healing, regeneration, which is just beneath our feet. This source of Earth light rises through the body, and energizes our inner meditations, our vitality, our own individual UnderWorld of consciousness, imagination, spirit. If only we pay attention to it.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Robert Ellwood - The Encyclopedia Of World Religions
Eliphas Levi - The Ritual Of Transcendental Magic
Parker Torrence - The Craft Grimoire Of Eclectic Magic

Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells

Book: Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells by Al Selden Leif

Spells are simply Rituals used to perform magic. As discussed in Using Magic, the particular ritual is only part of what makes magic work. It can, however, be a very important part. rituals help to focus your mind on your goals. Certain items can help to focus the mind in particular directions. By combining particular Rituals with particular objects, you can virtually force your mind to focus in the direction you desire.

Buy Al Selden Leif's book: Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Al Selden Leif - Pagan Spells Bath Spells
Al Selden Leif - Pagan Spells Life Spells
Al Selden Leif - Pagan Spells Mix Of Spells 2

Spell To Change The Weather As It Is Happening

A Spell TO CHANGE Weather AS IT IS HAPPENING
by Keith Parker



Rain* subside, rain abate,
For this weather I do hate.

*I used rain, but sun, snow, or any Other weather condition may be used.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Tobias Johansson - The Crucible And The Reasons For The Salem Witch Hunt
Hesketh Bell - Obeah Witchcraft In The West Indies Ocr Version
Wim Van Den Dungen - Enoch And The Day Of The End

Personal Development With Help Of Magic

"Spiritual progress" is an important concept to me but I find its meaning elusive.

I am not drawn to traditional ideas of initiation. In systematized magic or mysticism spiritual progress is divided into initiatic levels, or numbered stages of progress. I can't accept these scales of development, including the binary scale of enlightenment or non-enlightenment. People are not numbers and if you tell me "so-and-so is a third degree" you have told me exactly nothing about them. These systems and distinctions are too impersonal, and too many people seem to be hurt by them rather than helped. No one is more unenlightened than those who are convinced of their enlightenment.

A similar scale is that of salvation, where a person is saved (1) or unsaved (0). To me there is entirely too much emphasis on redemption in traditional scales of progress whether they use the words "redemption" and "salvation" or not. The "first matter" or non-initiate in traditional magic is held to be utterly worthless: blind, fettered, desperately in need of the system to show him or her the light. Obviously this is insulting and serves the purpose of maintaining hierarchical social structures. Just as obviously, though, there is some metaphorical truth to it. Relative to the later and developed state, the earlier and undeveloped person is burdened by blinders that look like glasses, and hobbled by chains that feel like shoes. More than how we look at others, this is how we look back at ourselves.

The problems for me in the black-and-white version of the metaphor are that this conflates different people's relative states, and requires self-loathing on the part of the initiatory candidate. If we had a way to measure someone's illumination - which we don't - I think we would find that many perfectly ordinary uninitiated people are less deluded than many seekers who have been strenuously applying themselves to the mystical path for years. A confident and healthy person would find little appeal in being superior to everyone else because of initiatory ceremonies, but among "initiates" one constantly encounters just this demeaning attitude. Similarly, a healthy person who found that a system demanded abject self-abasement to questionable "superiors" would probably select themselves out in short order. These hierarchical formulae appeal most strongly to people who - to be blunt - already hate themselves, find their negative self-image confirmed by being treated as the worthless "first matter" of the art, and achieve comfort in having the onus of their low self-esteem displaced onto "uninitiates."

I find better company in people who are not plagued with unreasonable self-doubt and who recognize and work with their strengths. I wish our spiritual systems selected for them instead of weeding them out. American hatha yoga instruction has gone in this direction, though once one moves on to more spiritual limbs of yoga the old demeaning hierarchies tend to reassert themselves. More needs to be done in reforming the teaching of meditative practices.

I am only describing a general trend and not tarring all initiates with this brush. I am an initiate myself, though once again it is not the axis of my life. I simply want to express that I would be more comfortable with spiritual systems that start with the basic strength and insight the person already has and develop that, rather than starting with the need for redemption. A better metaphor than removing a blindfold would be teaching the initiate how to make binoculars. I think groups starting without the "original sin" of the "first matter" would be less likely to attract neurotics and exagerrate their neuroses, and so less prone to the infighting that wracks magical groups.

So I will move on to my personal idea of my progress. Although it is tangible to me, I have a hard time saying exactly what it is. I know it has resulted from psychotherapy, from yoga, and from re-examining and redefining my assumptions, especially assumptions about relationships with others and with the external world in general. There is an aspect of self-knowledge and self-acceptance, a willingness to express myself spontaneously and embrace my feelings rather than trying to manipulate myself, an emergence of a mental quiet space, a recognition of personal patterns which previously were unconscious or denied, and a number of specific personal advances that result from being freed from unexamined patterns and from a distaste for myself. There's a long way to go and there may not be any end to the path, or it may be that the path is longer than I could walk in this one lifetime (so far as I know, the only one I have), but I know I am on this path and have come a certain way so far.

Magic in the sense of ritual has not been all that useful to me in this kind of progress and I have come to distrust it as affording a scope for acting out and for compensatory ego-inflation. That is, the intentional nature of ritual may unconsciously enact a neurotic pattern while rewarding limiting patterns I would do better to transcend. When I do ritual now, on the other hand, erosion of my mental blocks and acceptance of my aspirations have made ritual more effective in transforming my consciousness than it used to be. So Ritual Magic is related in some way to spiritual progress and may at some future time become more of a vehicle of my development than it is for me now.

I am attracted to an exercise model of development, in contrast with grandiose conceptions of redemption and ascension through spiritual degrees. Concentration, imagination, steadiness, even power are useful things to have. My analogy to physical exercise is deliberate: there is value to "spiritual bodybuilding" so long as it doesn't degenerate into vain self-admiration. Where a traditional conception would hold, for instance, that "by ascending the Ladder of Lights the devout seeker may be admitted into the innermost Mystery that maketh man God," under the exercise model one would say "by practicing mental disciplines one strengthens, balances and cleanses mental faculties." Yoga obviously fits this model, even in its highest limbs; classical yoga scripture depicts the ultimate goal pragmatically as the stilling of thought-waves. Psychotherapy is also a fairly good match, where the faculty exercised is spontaneous introspection. Ritual magic exercises the abilities of concentration and visualization, as well as the ability to transform perceptions of space, and a host of others. This too is a kind of progress.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Samuel Croxall - The Secret History Of Pythagoras
Robin Artisson - Reclaiming The Pagan Worldview The Heart Of Mysticism
Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - Living With The Lama
Terry Findlay - Phronesis The Development Of Practical Wisdom
John Dee - The Calls Of Enoch

Italian Passion Spell

ITALIAN PASSION SPELL




Use this spell to affect someone who desires you, yet is shy in expressing their
feelings. Start by melting some red Candle wax and molding it in the shape of a
phallus if you are female, or a womb if you are male. Once the wax has dried,
sensuously anoint the candle with olive oil, as if you were attending your
lover, thinking hard on the intimacy you desire as you do so. Light the candle.
Now, write your lovers name three Times on a piece of White paper, and burn it
in the flaming wick, praying that your lover will come to you. While the paper
burns, recite your lovers name out loud three times, then blow out the candle.
Try to wait patiently for your lover to respond to your magic.

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Anonymous - Babylonian And Assyrian Literature
Anonymous - White Magic Spells
Leo Ruickbie - Halloween Spells
Kathryn Paulsen - Witches Potions And Spells

Everyday Magic Spells And Rituals For Modern Living

Book: Everyday Magic Spells And Rituals For Modern Living by Dorothy Morrison

Is it time for a change? Is it time to improve your life with a better job, a happier home, or more romance? Then you need Everyday Magic by Dorothy Morrison! This is magic for modern Wiccans, and for everyone regardless of their religious affiliation. It is filled with hundreds of spells, chants, rituals, charms and formulas for incenses and oils. Every one is tested and powerful yet easy to use.

Everyday Magic is a well written book and it fit into my everyday living just as if it had been written for me personally. The modern day methods of dealing with the "old ways" of the craft amazed me. To go to a thrift store and pick up a cheap blender instead of trying to do so many herbal blends with the mortar. I was so mermerized with so many of Dorothy's modern gimmicks. Being able to improvise has always been big with me, Dorothy seems to do the same in her book.

Sure, there are spells for romance and prosperity. Those are as important today as they were a thousand years ago. But this book also presents magic that deals with today's problems. Speed up your computer's modem. Make sure your luggage arrives safely; ease labor pains; free yourself from anger; find a parking spot. These are all things we need and that you can do by following the simple instructions in this book!

One of the roadblocks to successful magical workings that many people face is finding the proper oils and incenses. Morrison's solution: Make them yourself! But don't use the old techniques that take hours, days, or even weeks to accomplish. Instead, you'll learn how to use common appliances such as a drip coffee maker, a blender, and a crock pot to create your own powerful incenses, oils, washes, brews, and more. What a practical timesaver!

And saving time in today's world is what this book is all about. Of course, if the spells, charms, rituals and techniques weren't practical and effective, saving time would be meaningless. Well, what you'll learn here is powerful -- and is presented by a woman who has been a Witch for more than 20 years and taught on two continents!

Dorothy Morrison has a daring point of view that magic is not just compatible with technology--the two can actually help one another. Since technology has made our lives more productive, surely it can enhance our magic too. (Have you ever thought of making your herbal infusions in an automatic-drip coffeemaker?) Technological assistance with magic is only part of the story. Morrison has filled a grimoire with charms that protect from car trouble and ensure the safe and timely arrival of luggage while traveling, and spells to keep a computer from crashing, which makes life in the 20th century a little less harrowing. Rather than fighting the progress of the electronic age, Morrison has tapped into the wealth it has to offer, and she shares her discoveries with anyone adventurous enough to try them.

The spells and rituals in here are all based on today's available materials. Trying to find something called dragon's blood was not easy for me. In this book, Dorothy makes it all so simple and still so effective. Spells of interest to the modern twentieth century housemate and businessperson. Spells and rituals that make so much sense and are so easily adaptable for my and others active lives.

I recommend, as I have many times, reading this book. I have read many and find this one to my liking on a high rating of "Way to go, Dorothy Morrison"
Excellent book and will keep an eye and ear open of reports of others from D. Morrison. Age, gender, and type of path are not even a stoppage point here. For all and then some.

Find Dorothy Morrison's book in amazon.com:
Everyday Magic Spells And Rituals For Modern Living

Suggested free e-books to read:

Lady Sabrina - Exploring Wicca The Beliefs Rites And Rituals Of The Wiccan Religion
Richard Alan Miller - The Magical And Ritual Use Of Herbs
Talismagick - Love Spells And Rituals For Love And Relationships

Basic Spell Construction

BASIC SPELL CONSTRUCTION

Because of the very nature of Magick, each working should be highly
individualized and personal. Even if following a traditional spell, it should be
tailored to your specific needs to be most effective for you. Understanding the
basics of Spell Construction will enable you to formulate your own specific,
effective spells for any purpose you desire.

Preliminary planning is necessary. The very first step is to decide precisely
what your desired end result is to be. Before you can start, you must decide
where you are going. You must be very explicit.
It is important, also, that you choose your time carefully. You should take into
consideration all Astrological implications, energy currents and Moon phases.

The Moon is the astronomical body closest to us and, therefore, has a profound
influence upon us, it is very important to choose a time when the Moon is in an
astrological sign which is appropriate for your working. For example:
Aries/Action - Enthusiasm, Taurus/ Renewal - Sensuality, Gemini/Communication -
Curiosity, Cancer/ Emotion - Nurturing, Leo/Vitality - Determined,
Virgo/Organizing - Studious, Libra/Balance - Cooperation, Scorpio/Sexual -
Philosophical, Capricorn/Authority - Ambitious, Aquarius/Innovation - Social,
Pisces/Sensitivity - Idealistic.

Bear in mind that magickal workings for gain, increase or bringing things to
you, should be initiated when the Moon is Waxing (from Dark to Full); when the
Moon is Waning (from Full to Dark), it is time for magickal workings of decrease
or sending away.
The highest energy occurs at the Full Moon and, therefore, this is the most
powerful time for magickal workings. The New Moon is the next Most Powerful time
for Magick.

Whenever possible, follow Nature's natural Energy Currents. There is a natural
time for starting things (a planting time), for maturing things (a growing
time), for reaping things ( a harvest time) and, of course, a time for rest and
planning.

Flowing with these currents will make your magickal work much easier. Remember
to plan your project for a time of uninterrupted privacy. It is important that
you have no distractions. Generally speaking, it is best to work as late at
night as possible. A time when there is less frantic energy is most appropriate.
You might consider Midnight or later.

In choosing a place to do your magickal working pay particular attention to your
needs, for you must be comfortable. Your place should be private, quiet and
secure. If at all possible, set aside a special place for this purpose only. An
unused room, a special corner of your bedroom, a quiet, secluded spot in your
garden. A place that is yours. A place that you can come to whenever need arises
and that is as free from intrusion of others as possible.

Prior to the night of your magickal working, gather together the things that you
will need. All of the things used are tools. They have no inherent magick. They
are to help you create a mood. If correctly made and used, they will trigger
primitive responses from deep within you. They should be chosen with care.
Consider the purpose of your ritual and choose your tools accordingly. If your
magick is to be sexual, your candles, oils, incenses and so forth, should bring
forth a sexual response. If the desired result of your Magick is Tranquillity,
then the tools should make you feel calm, peaceful and serene. Any candles you
might use should not have commercially added fragrances as these may not be
appropriate for your working.

Prior to your ritual, prepare yourself and your equipment by any means necessary
to clean and purify. Historically, people have fasted, followed meticulous and
detailed bathing practices, practiced chastity and used many other methods.

Most often a Ritual Bath is the preferred method. A bath frequently utilizing
candlelight, fragrant herbs, bath salts or sensuous oils. A sumptuous hot bath,
special bathing preparations and appropriate lighting, combined, can create the
soothing effect which will help in the very important step of relaxing and
clearing the mind completely of all mundane thoughts and experiences of the day.
Your ritual Bath should, also, begin to set the specific vibrations conducive to
your purpose into motion. You must not only cleanse and purify but must, also,
begin to create the type of energy necessary. Once your purification process has
been accomplished, you are now ready to begin. Proceed to the special place you
have previously chosen in which to perform your magick. If at all possible, you
should make use of the primitive responses set into motion by a well-chosen
piece of music. Your music should start slowly and build to a rousing climax.

As you use your oils, light your candle or incense (or utilize any other tool
you have chosen), you should begin to further intensify the energy that you have
set into motion around you. A high degree of intensity is vitally important.

The Altered State of Consciousness that you must reach is not a meditative
state. Anything that interferes with your ability to concentrate upon, reach
and control the high energy state necessary to perform magick should be avoided.
Such as, screaming children, a sink full of dirty dishes, use of alcohol or
drugs, etc.

Do not scatter your energy by attempting to do more than one magickal working at
a time.

Remember that Magick is the manipulation of energy, a thought is a form of
energy and a Visualization is an even stronger form of energy. Your
visualization can be a method used to intensify further and direct your will.
Your visualization can be the method by which you control the magickal energy
you have produced. You must know what you want. You must see it. You must feel
the high-energy flow. You must direct it.

One of the most important elements in the practice of any form of Magick is the
Universal Law of Cause and Effect. This means that whatever you do (or don't do)
you cause something to happen.

The most important consideration is the Universal Law of Retribution. This means
that no matter what you do, it comes back to you in like kind.

It is the nature of things that as you send something out it gains momentum, so
that, by the time it comes back to you, it is three times stronger. If you do
something nice for someone, someone will do something nicer for you.

"As you weave and
spin your spell,
Three fold return
the tale will tell."

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Raymond Buckland - Bucklands Book For Spirit Communications
Greg Wotton - Basic Theories On Sex Magic
Richard Johnson - The Zodiac Stellar Stories
Robert Bruce - Treatise On Astral Projection
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition

Frabato The Magician

Book: Frabato The Magician by Franz Bardon

Though cast in the form of a novel, Frabato the Magician is in fact the spiritual autobiography of Franz Bardon, one of the 20th century's greatest Hermetic adepts.

Frabato was the author's stage name during his career as a performing magician, and it is Frabato who occupies center stage in the novel as well. Set in Dresdent, Germany, in the early 1930s, the story Chronicles Frabato's magical battles with the members of a powerful and dangerous black lodge, his escape from Germany during the final desperate days of the Weimar Republic, and the beginning of the spiritual mission which was to culminate in Franz Bardon's classic books on Hermetic magic.

More than an occult novel, Frabato the Magician is itself a work of magic which illuminates Bardon's other books as well as providing a revealing look into the dark occult forces which lay behind the rise of the Third Reich.

The four Bardon books can be considered unsurpassed classics. You will find more Information in one Bardon book than in a hundred other books on this subject. The reader will be pleasantly surprised that nothing is hidden behind the veil of incompetence or arrogance. Everything is out in the open and nothing is omitted. These books have enjoyed a world-wide acceptance since 1958, which we feel will continue to grow. We feel that everyone is entitled to this knowledge and not just a select few, since this was the intention of Divine Providence.

Evidence regarding the events related in this book will be reserved for people trained and developed in magic. Humankind will have to resign itself to the fact that a great deal of evidence Concerning the workings of our cosmos can only be furnished through spiritual means.

Buy Franz Bardon's book: Frabato The Magician

Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):

Greg Wotton - Basic Theories On Sex Magic
Jarl Fossum - Seth In The Magical Texts
Aubrey Bell - The Magic Of Spain
Julius Evola - Against The Neopagans
Franz Bardon - Frabato The Magician

Did We Invent The Gods

Yes. Or have they always been there? Yes. Are they reflections of us, or are we a mirror of them? Yes. Are our Gods external to us, or an internal representation of our own essence. Yes. Do we worship the Gods, or recognize that they are but a complex anthropomorphization we use to give meaning to our lives? Yes. All of the above. Every race of humankind views God/dess in their own image; racial features, social behaviors, etc.. And each race chooses how they will view the Gods. Those who must analyze their world into component parts will find more technical answers. Those who are content to enjoy the mysteries in our lives, simply use the magick inherent in the belief system. There is no conflict in saying that we worship the Gods, even though we are also scientifically based in our world. A rational individual can choose what they intend to do, even if that chosen behavior is irrational. So long as you know it, you acknowledge it and you accept the consequences, there is no conflict. The ability to explore your world rationally, only provides greater meaning to the method you implement in its exploration. There is always a structure, a paradigm through which we make decisions. And the pagan paradigm, which honors each individual as their own best authority, brings honor to all of us, and provides a base culture which works by recognizing everything and everyone's potential: everything and everyone's right to their own path and decisions.

d. Physiological changes based on magick use. Use of magick has other effects besides those not tangible or measurable by the average person. Training in magick has high demands on our mental and intellectual capacities. Earlier I mentioned that magick is weak unless your goal, ritual, and behavior all reinforce each other. That internal consistency is the product of a mind that has learned to examine itself and make rational, reasoned decisions on what its thoughts and behaviors will be. Recent scientific studies have shown that not only is this considered a plus for your in your social interactions, but it also has a physical effect on how your physical mind works. They did studies of individuals involved in Rational Emotive Therapy - a branch of psychology which teaches this internal decision making and consistency - and discovered that with time (three months, I think) the chemical makeup of the brain changed. There was more efficiency and different brain functions were enhance in information takeup. So magick is not only a great way to express your interaction with the divine, but it will literally change you.

e. Psychological changes based on magick use. The way you choose to view your world also has monumental effects on how successful and happy you will be within it. I worked for a very nice lady, named Rose. She had an odd tendency to go from an isolated negative incident to an assumption that everything was bad. If one person was five minutes late to work, she would dress us all down at staff meetings, cautioning everyone to be on time. Any isolated misbehavior became the model and assumption for future speeches. I tried to talk to her about it a couple time, but she just did not seem to understand, that it was only one person, one time. To her each incident was everyone, all the time. She - as I later discovered - was Catholic. The Catholic belief system is based on the idea that we are all horrible sinners, and without direct and frequent intervention and supervision, we would all tumble down that long hill to indulge in the very worst of our natures. With those beliefs as a starting place, it was a normal progression to believe that someone else was just about to demonstrate even worse behavior unless she was responsible enough to intercede now.

My view was very different. With a belief that each of us is a mirror of the Gods and much as they are a reflections of us, I believed the best of each person, unless it became necessary and obvious that their behavior was going to effect others. So, I might mention to the single offending individual that their behavior was not acceptable in this environment, but it would never occur to me to offend everyone else by assuming their behavior would also be negative.

How does this effect our daily lives? I like to illustrate it this way: if you were expecting your significant other to show up, and they not only don't show, but they don't call - ALL NIGHT! - you would very likely go past unhappy, concerned and worried, and proceed over to becoming really angry! If your view of the world is that we are all just bad behaviors waiting to get loose on the world, then it is not hard to see how you would easily assume that your significant other was rude, thoughtless and probably not worth your time.

Now, what if the next morning, you discovered that your SO's mother had a heart attack, your SO had to go to the hospital with her, and was the only family member available to give blood - since Mom had a rare blood type - so your SO had to stay overnight, and was tanked out on drugs to increase blood production and not coherent.

Now, what would your assumption be? Most of us would understand under those circumstances. Now let's look at the Pagan paradigm and review this incident. Same instigating factors, of course. No SO, no call. Now you are worried and concerned. But since you know that your SO is a responsible person, who would not deliberately inflict harm, and who values you as a person innately divine, there has to be something else going on. See, with an assumption that this person is innately divine and a reflection of the Gods, it takes more for you to assume that they are rude and scummy people. It would take actual proof.

So, from the wiccan paradigm, you are more likely to treat others, their decisions, and behaviors with respect. And you will incur that level of respect in their reactions to you. A definite Win-Win situation.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Sir William Stirling Maxwell - The Canon
Aleister Crowley - The Book Of Lies
Max Heindel - The Message Of The Stars
Phil Hine - Oven Ready Chaos
Ea Wallis Budge - Legends Of The Gods

There Are No Restrictions For Magic And Miracles

Most people turn to wicca because they love nature and they feel drawn to this peaceful earth religion. But a few seem to seek the Craft in hopes to find a magical solution for the challenges in their life. Some have spent years jumping from one path to another, looking for the one that will finally help them get their life in order.

This brings to mind a line from the movie Six Days and Seven Nights, where Harrison Ford was telling Anne Heche that people often came to the island looking for love, but as far as he was concerned, "If they don't bring it with, they ain't gonna find it!" The power of the Divine can be like that too. If we keep hoping to find it through a specific group or organization, we may have a long journey ahead of us.

The truth is, the Divine is within us, and will be with us no matter what path we choose to take. We don't have to be a member of a certain group to experience magic or miracles in our life. We bring the power of the Divine with us on every path we journey down and can tap into it whenever we need to. There are no restrictions!

Books You Might Enjoy:

Sepharial - Astrology And Marriage
John Dee - Enochian Magic Spanish Translation
Anonymous - Meditation Of The Four Magickal Weapons
Peter De Abano - Heptameron Or Magical Elements

Magic It Is All In Your Head

Whenever I'm asked if magic is real, I feel the need to determine what is meant by "magic." More often than not, those who ask are referring to the magic they've seen in Harry Potter or Charmed ... the type where magic words and a magic wand or amulet give a person the power to fly or transform someone into something outrageous. While words and objects can certainly have power, for the most part, it's the user giving these things their power, and not the other way around.


There is real magic in everything around you, and you already have within you the ability to create a magical life for yourself. Wands, amulets, and especially words, are simply used to help you focus your thoughts. One of the best definitions of magic I found, was in "The 21 Lessons of Merlyn" by Douglas Monroe. The training of the WILL seemed to be the very heart of Merlyn's teachings. He tells his young student "The true definition of Magic, little one, does not center around spells or incantations, or the mysterious waving of arms... no. As is recorded in the Blue Book of our forefathers, true Magic is 'The art and science of changing states of mind at will.' And as we have learned by experience, action follows thought."


The bottom line is that YOU make it happen. Use tools such as relaxing sounds and music, fragrance or aromatherapy, and candles, stones, pendants or even wands, to help you focus your thoughts. But always remember, these are ONLY tools, and not the true source of magic. Real magic is all in your head!

Books You Might Enjoy:

Solomonic Grimoires - The Emerald Tablets Of Hermes
Thomas Voxfire - What Was Aleister Crowley
Michael Prescott - Darklore
Marian Green - A Witch Alone

Spring Flower Magic

As spring arrives, our gardens begin to bud and eventually bloom. For hundreds of years, the plants that we grow have been used in magic. Flowers in particular are often connected with a variety of magical uses. Now that spring is here, keep an eye out for some of these flowers around you, and consider the different magical applications they might have.

* Crocus: This flower is one of the first you'll see in the spring, and it's often associated with newly blooming love. The crocus is also known to enhance visions and bring about intuitive dreams.
* Daffodil: The bright petals of the daffodil are typically found in shades of white, yellow or even pale orange. This flower is associated with love and fertility -- place fresh ones in your home to bring about abundance. Wear this flower close to your heart to draw love and luck.
* Dandelion: The leaf of the dandelion is used for healing, purificaiton, and ritual cleansing. To bring positive change about, plant dandelions in the northwest corner of your property. The bright yellow flowers can be used in divination, or placed in a sachet to draw good energy your way.
* Echinacea: Also called purple coneflower, this garden mainstay adds a little bit of magical "oomph" to charmes and sachets. Use it for prosperity related workings. Burn the dried flowers in incense, and use on your altar during ritual as an offering to deities.
* Goldenseal: This sunny yellow flower is often found growing in the wild, alongside roads and in fields. Use it in money spells, or for business dealings. Work it into charms connected to matters of financial gain or legal issues.
* Hibiscus: This lusty flower incites passion -- use it to attract love or lust, or for prophetic dreams about your lover. Burn in incense, or carry in a sachet to bring love your way.
* Hyacinth: This flower was named for Hyakinthos, a Greek divine hero who was beloved by Apollo, so it's sometimes considered the patron herb of homosexual men. Hyacinth is also known to promote peaceful sleep, and guards against nightmares. Carry in an amulet to help heal a broken heart or to ease grief when a loved one dies.
* Lily: The Easter lily or Tiger lily is associated with all kinds of Spring connections -- fertility, rebirth, renewal and abundance.
* Narcissus: Named for another Greek figure, the Narcissus helps promote polarity and harmony. Its calming vibrations bring about tranquility and inner peace.
* Tulip: The tulip appears in many different colors and varieties, but is typically connected to prosperity. You can use the different colored variations in color magic -- use a dark strain such as Queen of the Night for full moon rituals, or bright red flowers for love magic.
* Violet: In Roman myth, the first violet sprung from the spilled blood of the god Attis, who killed himself for Cybele, the mother goddess. However, today the violet is associated with tranquility and peace. The leaf offers protection from evil, and can be sewn into a pillow or sachet for a new baby. Carry the petals with you to bring about luck and enhance nighttime magic.

Important: Remember that some plants can be toxic to pets. Before you plant or pick any of these, be sure to check to make sure it won't be harmful to your furry companions. A great resource to check is on the ASPCA website at Toxic & Non-Toxic Plants.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love
Nathaniel Harris - Liber Satangelica
Sepharial - Astrology And Marriage
Dion Fortune - Ceremonial Magic Unveiled
Aleister Crowley - Magick

Magick Mirrors

The black scrying mirror, or magick mirror, is a powerful psychic tool. It can bring the user hidden knowledge and clairvoyant ability and can act as a portal to other planes of existence. History shows its use in many of the traditional mystery schools and oracular temples. Today the serious student of magickal arts can rediscover the ancient rites of the magick mirror, for these techniques are again coming to light.

Scrying can be defined as the mantic art of gazing into or upon a crystal or dark mirror, allowing the physical eyes to relax, thus letting the inner psychic eyes begin to open and receive desired visions or information. The use of the black mirror is one of the best methods of achieving the state of mind required for entering trance and for scrying work. It not only acts as a focal point for visualization but can become a doorway into the astral plane. It allows communication with higher realms and the subconscious and access to Akashic records. The traditional crystal ball is also a wonderful tool, but it is more difficult to scry with and is extremely expensive. The mirror is a more efficient way to begin to learn to scry and journey in other realms.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Thomas Moore - Candle Magick For Love
Roger Bacon - The Mirror Of Alchemy
Medieval Grimoires - The Grimoire Of Honorius
Margaret Alice Murray - God Of The Whitches
Aleister Crowley - Magick Without Tears

Magical Ethics

There's a saying among the contemporary pagan community that "black magic is whatever works, White Magic is anything else." This stems in part from a misconception that black equals bad, white equals good, and that there are no gray areas at all. However, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Let's look at the word black itself, and figure out why it connotates evil. A big part of that is thanks to pop culture -- after all, in popular shows like Charmed or Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the good guys are the "white light" people. The bad guys are surrounded by darkness. Another part of the whole black = bad concept is because of people who can't let go of their Christian upbringing, in which those who are righteous are surrounded by the light of God, and those who are damned will dwell in darkness.

The problem with this logic is that darkness in and of itself doesn't have to be bad at all. After all, how beautiful is a quiet night out in the country, miles away from the lights of a city? Have you ever walked in the woods at midnight, embracing the comfort of the shadows? Darkness is what lies in the soil, below the earth, before a plant grows in the spring. It is the long nights of winter, when we are drawn into our homes to embrace our families and count our good fortune. It is the inside of the womb, warm and nurturing. Even the darkness of the grave, of death itself, may be seen as welcoming.

Once we accept that dark isn't all that bad, it's a lot easier to look at the concept of "black magic" vs. "white magic." Even if we replace the words "black" with "negative" and "white" with "positive", we're still in a bit of a pickle, and here's why: because it is the intent that matters as much as the action. In other words, if someone performs magic that others might see as "negative," but does it for what they believe is an honest and just reason, then is it really negative magic?

To do magic is to say that you want to bring about change in the Universe -- after all, if everything were perfect, there'd be no need for magic at all. Any magic capable of causing change is also magic that can harm, simply by its very nature. Magic isn't some Super Spooky Power that we have -- it's a tool we can use to precipitate changes. Any tool can be used for helping or harming -- if I have a hammer, I can use it to build a house. I can also use it to whack people in the head. It's not the hammer that's "negative", but what I choose to do with it.

Case in point: in the early nineties, a serial rapist was terrorizing the women of a coastal city in the Carolinas. His reported victims, over two years, numbered at least two dozen, including a teenage girl who later committed suicide. A group of witches got together one night, and did a working calling for this man to be stopped by the Universe. A couple of weeks later, the prime suspect -- who was later convicted -- led police on a high-speed chase and wrecked his car, nearly dying from his injuries. He has lived since then severely handicapped, but he never raped another woman.

Negative magic, or no?

There are people within the wiccan and Pagan community who feel that any magic that affects other people at all is unethical, and they have the right to not perform any magic on, against, or for others. However, there are an equal amount of people who believe that change brought about by magic is acceptable, just as change brought about by mundane methods is acceptable. Chances are, the two camps will never agree, but what you can do, as an individual, is respect the beliefs of those who may disagree with you, whichever side you may happen to fall on.

Look at magic as a way to improve your life. You can use it to bring love to you, to gain financial abundance, to eliminate problems from your life. You can use it as a method of growth and self-empowerment. It can be used to help you fulfill your dreams, desires and goals. Can you use magic to help other people? Sure -- if they ask you to. If they haven't asked -- or if they've specifically told you NOT to do anything on their behalf, then don't.

Ultimately, only you can decide which forms of magic fall into your personal system of ethics. If you feel a particular course of action is wrong, then avoid it. If you feel it is ethically acceptable, and you're willing to accept the results of your actions, then so be it.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Jarl Fossum - Seth In The Magical Texts
Margaret Alice Murray - God Of The Whitches
Kenneth Grant - Magical Revival

Magic Wands

Cliched as it may sound, the wand is one of the most popular magical tools in Wicca, as well as in some Ceremonial Magic traditions. It has a number of magical purposes. A wand is used for the directing of energy during a ritual. Because it’s a phallic symbol it is used to represent male energy, power, and virility. Representative of the element of Air (although in a few traditions it symbolizes Fire), the wand can be used to consecrate a sacred space, or invoke deity.

A wand is a thin, straight, hand-held stick of wood, stone, ivory, or metal. Generally, in modern language, wands are ceremonial and/or have associations with magic but there have been other uses, all stemming from the original meaning as a synonym of rod and virge, both of which had a similar development.

The Great Book of Saint Cyprian gives step-by-step instructions on how to make a magic wand.

In Pharaonic Egypt, toilette articles, weapons against possible enemies, amulets against serpents, were also left in the tomb, together with magic Texts and a magic wand which enabled the ka (soul) to use them. The rod of Moses was a hazel wand (Genesis 30:37) as depicted in catacomb frescoes of the third and fourth centuries.

In classical Greco-Roman mythology, the god Hermes/Mercury has a special wand called a caduceus.

Six to eight foot long staves with metal tips adorning them are carried traditionally in Freemasonry during rituals of the Craft. Ceremonial uses may have several wands for different purposes, such as the Fire Wand and the Lotus Wand in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. In Zoroastrianism, there is a similar ritual implement called a barsom. In wicca and Ceremonial magic, practitioners use several magical tools including wands for the channeling of energy—they serve a similar purpose to the athame although the two have their distinct uses. While an athame is generally used to command, a wand is seen as more gentle and is used to invite or encourage. Though traditionally made of wood, they can also consist of metal or crystal. Practitioners usually prune a branch from an Oak, Hazel, or other tree, or may even buy wood from a hardware store, and then carve it and add decorations to personalize it; however, one can also purchase ready-made wands. In Wicca the wand usually represents the element air, or sometimes fire, although contemporary wand makers also create wands for the elements of earth and water as well. The wand is most often used by modern Pagans, witches, Shamans and others in rituals, healing and spell casting.

There is some scholarly opinion that the magic wand may have its roots as a symbol of the phallus. It may also have originated as the drumming stick of a shaman, especially in Central Asia and Siberia, as when using it to bang on his drum or point, to perform religious, healing, and magical ceremonies.



Books You Might Enjoy:

Kenneth Grant - Magical Revival
Ro Winstedt - Shaman Saiva And Sufi
Matthew Ikonen - Warlocks Handbook
Anonymous - Pagan Stones And Gems
Aleister Crowley - White Stains