The Witch's Heart
Page 12
Sweet Pea—Sweet pea is a plant of friendship, luck, chastity, and protection, particularly associated with the Moon, Mars, and Mercury. Sweet pea flowers have an alluring scent yet are self-pollinating, so they make the scent simply for the joy and beauty of doing so, not for reproduction like other plants, so sweet pea can be used in beauty magick and spells to simply feel good and attractive. Though it is strongly scented, no natural essential oil is available as of yet, but sweet pea bouquets, combinations of other scents to mimic sweet pea, can be used.
Tansy—Tansy is traditionally known as a Venus herb but most strongly associated with death, funeral rites, immortality, and transformation. Its scent is said to lead the dead to the otherworld. It can be used in magick honoring the dark aspects of Aphrodite and the Dark Goddess in general. It can also be used in magick to end relationships or to protect yourself from past lovers who wish you ill.
Thyme—Thyme is sacred to the planets Mercury and Venus, and is used in incense, powders, and food magick. Thyme promotes not only love but also fidelity, happiness, friendship, and self-improvement. The scent of thyme is considered an aphrodisiac, but it is also used in dream pillows and journey magick.
Tomato—Tomato is traditionally used in love magick, which always struck me as strange until I realized that it is part of a very powerful magickal family of plants, including mandrake, tobacco, and belladonna, the beautiful lady of the plant world. As a flower essence, the tomato is used to remove energetic blockages, and in love magick, as flower or fruit, it can remove blocks to a successful relationship.
Tonka Bean—While the vanilla-like scent of tonka is used in money and prosperity magick, other traditions and systems of herbal magick use it for love and romance. The hard bean can be used in the “heart” of an herbal charm pouch instead of a stone.
Vanilla—Vanilla is a power herb used to catalyze magick and bring potency. The sweetness of it associates it with love and attraction—romance, sweetness, and happiness.
Vervain—Vervain is the Witch’s multipurpose herb. Traditionally ruled by Venus, it can be used for protection, blessing, healing, money, and love. Most historic mentions of vervain mean common vervain, Verbena officinalis, while most American supplies of vervain are blue vervain, Verbena hastata.
Walnut—The walnut tree’s lore is rich in love and faeries. The wood, nutshell, and nut itself can be used in all forms of love magick.
Yarrow—Yarrow is another faery herb with associations of love and enchantment. Like damiana, different sources give it rulership by Mars and others by Venus. Yarrow medicinally aids the flow of blood and staunches wounds. Magickally, it aids in the appropriate uses of boundaries and can aid healing the heart when we feel wounded by our relationships, romantic or otherwise. In love magick, yarrow is said to give seven years of happy marriage.
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seven
Love Spells, Charms, and Potions
While ethics, theories, and self-improvement are all an important part of love magick, most people looking for aid in romance and sex are really looking for the spells. If you’ve skipped ahead to this chapter, I highly suggest you go back and read everything in the previous chapters to give you the proper context. Then you’ll have the best understanding of how to apply the knowledge in this chapter for your highest good.
I think the best love spells are the ones you create yourself, as each of our romantic needs are unique. But looking at what has been used before and what is traditional helps us craft our spells in a manner that is more successful. Learning the traditional correspondences for love and how they are applied are important parts of preparing yourself for successful love magick.
Love magick is multifaceted, and there is no one-size-fits-all set of rules. They really are determined by the type of relationship you are seeking, so while a love spell that is successful for one person can technically work for another, it may not bring the second person what they truly wanted or needed. Learn techniques to manifest the relationship that is right for you and your potential partner.
This chapter reviews the basics of ritual in modern Witchcraft and shows you how to put the correspondences of the last chapter into greater use through effective spells, charms, and potions. Once you understand the basic formation and execution of spells, you will be better equipped to create your own for your own unique circumstances.
Circle Magick
Most modern Witches conduct their spells in the sacred space of a magick circle. The magick circle is a ritual space constructed through ceremony, marking the boundary of the circle and calling upon the four powers of the elements to guard and aid the magick. Magick done in the circle is said to be “between the worlds,” and many of us find its results more effective, as if we have a more direct line to the universe and all the powers available to us than other forms of simple magick. The ritual itself elevates your magick to a form of theurgy, or god magick, for you are asking to work with the divine powers as a part of the ritual, a step that is not always taken in other forms of magick. The cleansing and preparation for the magick circle also helps you focus so you will be in the right magickal state of mind to cast your spell.
While the spells, charms, and potions in this book can be done anywhere, you might find them more effective when done in a magick circle. Here are simple instructions on how to create your magick circle through a very basic ritual.
There are many different ways to cast a magick circle, and different Witchcraft and magick traditions use a basic formula and embellish the ritual with their own mythology and symbolism. The instructions outlined here are based upon my own circles, in particular on my own methods, but are not immersed in any specific mythology or mainstream tradition. If you already know how to cast a magick circle, feel free to use your own method or adapt the instructions in this book to suit your own style when working the love magick of this book.
To cast the circle, defining the boundary of the sacred space, most Witches use a tool like a magick wand or the ritual knife known as the athame. Such tools are usually ritually cleansed and blessed prior to use. If you do not have these tools, you can do what many Witches do: cast the circle with your finger. Most Witchcraft traditions will have an altar set up as a magickal workspace, with candles, a chalice, stones, bowls, oils, and incense readily available, along with the wand and blade. If you are just starting out, you don’t need a full altar. Just make sure you have all the tools you need for the specific spell you are doing.
First, start in the direction of the north and hold your casting tool or point your finger toward magnetic north. (Witches in the Southern Hemisphere can start facing south and moving counterclockwise.) Imagine a beam of light coming out of the tool/finger, creating a ring of light as you slowly move clockwise, reciting the words below to consecrate your circle. Traditionally the light is blue, though it can be of any color, with white and violet being popular colors to visualize. The circle is traditionally nine feet in diameter, but you can make it fit your room space if indoors. Cast the circle three times around you clockwise, reciting one line for each cast circle.
I cast this circle to protect me from all harm.
I cast this circle to attract only the most balanced, perfect energies for my work.
I cast this circle to create a temple between the worlds.
Second, face the north again, as you began, and invite the elements from each direction, moving clockwise (these are known as quarter calls). Different traditions associate the elements with different directions and specific beings, but these are standard quarter calls that can work for anybody. (If you have relationships with specific elemental beings or deities aligned with the elements, you could call upon them. For multicultural love magick, you might want to call upon Aphrodite for earth, Inanna for air, Freya for fire, and Hathor for water.)
To the north, I call upon the guardians of the element of earth. Guard and guid
e me. Hail and welcome.
To the east, I call upon the guardians of the element of air. Guard and guide me. Hail and welcome.
To the south, I call upon the guardians of the element of fire. Guard and guide me. Hail and welcome.
To the west, I call upon the guardians of the element of water. Guard and guide me. Hail and welcome.
Third, invite the Divine to manifest as Goddess, God, and Great Spirit, or in any forms you recognize, as well as your own spiritual guides and protective guardians, ancestors, angels, and animals. Witches traditionally see the Divine as both male and female and recognize a whole host of spirits from the otherworlds, as well as the spirit of nature all around you. As you learn about specific gods and goddesses associated with love (see chapter 5), you might decide to call upon them specifically at this point in the ritual. If you have any other candles, incense, or tools that need to be lit, sprinkled, or scattered, such as salt, water, or oil, do so now. A black candle is usually lit for the Goddess and placed on the left side of the altar, while a white candle is lit for the God and put on the right side of the altar. A central candle can be used for Spirit—black, white, gray, or a color specific to the ritual at hand such as green or pink, as these are the colors of love magick.
Fourth, a traditional blessing of protection is done before any magick. Usually a protection potion is used, anointed on the wrists and sometimes the brow or other chakra points. If you have The Witch’s Shield or The Outer Temple of Witchcraft, you will have the formula for a protection potion, but many Witches simply use a pinch of sea salt in clear spring water as their protection/blessing potion. For tradition- specific magick circles, other religious elements would be added at this point, such as the Great Rite, offerings to the gods, or the blessing of cakes and ale. Since this is a simple outline, I’ve omitted those parts, but you can add and extend the ritual based on your own guidance, tradition, and previous experience.
The fifth step is called the work of the circle, and at this point you would perform any spellwork, meditation, or any other work to be done in the circle. This is the point you would cast the love magick spells in the rest of this chapter.
Sixth, if you are doing simple spellwork, such as reading a petition spell that you’ve written out, raise the cone of power to send out your intention. If you are empowering a physical charm or potion, raising the cone of power is not always necessary and is up to your discretion. Empowering an object (also called charging, blessing, hallowing, or consecrating) simply means holding it in your hands, thereby directing energy via your hands or third eye into it with a specific magickal intention. I visualize the energy that would have gone into the cone of power going into the object to be empowered. If you do raise the cone of power, raise your arms up and sweep the energy out the top of the circle in what is called the Goddess position. When you bring your arms down, cross them over the heart in the God position, mimicking the position of an Egyptian mummy, to reflect on your work. Then ground yourself as necessary.
Seventh, start to release the circle as you built it. Some traditions release the spirits first, then the quarters, while others release the quarters first, then the spirits. As long as you release both, it works. For this version, thank and release the powers and spirits who have gathered with you, including the Goddess, God, and Great Spirit. Any entities you have called by name, thank and release by name.
Eighth, release the quarters, starting in the north and going around counterclockwise to dismantle the circle. (If you called on specific guardians, make them a part of your release of the quarters.)
To the north, I thank and release the guardians of the element of earth. Hail and farewell.
To the west, I thank and release the guardians of the element of water. Hail and farewell.
To the south, I thank and release the guardians of the element of fire. Hail and farewell.
To the east, I thank and release the guardians of the element of air. Hail and farewell.
Ninth, release the circle. Starting in the north and moving counterclockwise once, with your casting tool facing north, say:
I release this circle out into the universe as a sign of my magick. The circle is undone but not broken.
While these abbreviated instructions are complete by themselves, if you desire a more detailed lesson on casting a magick circle and a deeper spiritual understanding of each step, review the lessons in my book The Outer Temple of Witchcraft. You can use the basic ritual outlined here for all the spells listed in this chapter.
Petition Spells
Petition spells are simply written statements that are burned in a cauldron or other flameproof vessel in the magick circle. They are petitions to the gods and the universe in clear and concise words for exactly what you desire. Here is where your previously created list of qualities will come in handy for clarity in your spellcasting.
Generally, petitions announce the spellcaster (you) and petition either specific deities or a more universal form of the Goddess and God. You state exactly what you desire in the clearest terms possible. You thank the gods and put in any conditions you have for the spell. I suggest “for the highest good, harming none” as your most important condition. With the words “so mote it be” you affirm it, and then after speaking it one to three times in the circle, you burn the spell. Smudging the paper in a Venusian incense or anointing the paper with a Venusian oil can certainly help. A commercially available ink known as dove’s blood is best for love and sex magick. Many believe the root of this ink was actually the blood of a dove, the animal sacred to Aphrodite. Today, many commercial magickal inks are just red ink, though the formula of dove’s blood ink should contain dragon’s blood resin and rose oil. You can add your own to red ink.
Here is an example of a clear love petition:
I, (state your name), ask in the name of the Goddess, God,
and Great Spirit to immediately grant me a girlfriend who
is correct and good for me, between the ages of twenty-five
and forty, who is intelligent, attractive, and spiritual.
I thank the Goddess, God, and Great Spirit and ask this be for the highest good, harming none. So mote it be.
Love Potions
Love potions are the most famous form of love magick. A potion is an herbal preparation that stores a magickal charge, and it can be a spell in and of itself, with a specific intention for a specific user, or a tool made with an open intention—love in a general sense, love in a romantic sense, or even plain old lust and sexual attraction. The potion, worn like a perfume, can then be used when one wants to use that energy. It can be used to cast a specific spell, enhancing your energy by infusing it with the vibration of the potion. The potion can be used in the ritual, anointed on petitions, candles, statues, talismans, and other tools to enhance their vibration and align them with your intention. A well-crafted potion can last for years, allowing a Witch to “capture” an auspicious time for love magick (see chapter 9) and then use the energy of that moment at a later date.
Potions can be made in a variety of ways. Those with the best scent are made from essential oils in a base oil to dilute their chemical intensity. Base oils include olive oil (the most likely to go rancid quickly) to the more stable almond, grapeseed, or apricot kernel oil. Jojoba oil is the most expensive and the one with the longest shelf life, theoretically never spoiling as it is technically a liquid wax, not an oil.
Potions can also be made in water. Those that are meant only for anointing are preserved with sea salt or a measure of high-proof alcohol added to the base. Those meant to be consumed are brewed and drunk like teas, and great care must be taken to ensure no toxic herbs or those that would interfere with the drinker’s health or prescription medication would be used. Alcoholic potions can be made to be consumed with a longer shelf life than a tea, from the medicinal-tasting tincture to the sweeter cordial liqueur. Dry potions, such a
s powders and incenses, can be made to be burned in ritual, scattered in the area where they are to take effect, or even traditionally slipped into food and drink. Again, consumed powders should be made with only nontoxic herbs. Check with a good medicinal herbal for toxicity levels and potential medicinal interactions.
potion} Venus Oil
14 drops almond oil base
3 drops myrtle oil
2 drops yarrow oil
2 drops rose geranium oil
2 drops palmarosa oil
2 drops ylang-ylang oil
1 drop bergamot mint oil
1 drop rose absolute (can substitute rosewood or a diluted rose absolute if the cost of undiluted true rose is prohibitive; simply add more than one drop until the scent is suitable to you)
potion} Venus Incense
3 tablespoons orris root
2 tablespoons red sandalwood
2 tablespoons apple wood, powdered
1 tablespoon rose petals
½ tablespoon vervain
½ tablespoon lady’s mantle
½ tablespoon tansy
½ tablespoon raspberry leaf
1 tablespoon honey
5 drops rose geranium oil
3 drops yarrow oil
Store in an airtight container and let the scents mingle for at least a month.
potion} Love Potion No. 13
This is a formula I created for my friend Rowan (see chapter 2), who was recovering from a series of difficult relationships. Its purpose is to bring back into your life the feeling of love and, when you are ready, an actual relationship.
The base of the potion is water, and this particular batch was made from spring water, melted snow, and well water from the red well at Glastonbury Tor. That’s not available to most of us, so you can start with two cups of fresh spring water and add three tablespoons of sea salt.
Add to the water a copper ingot, wire, or coin while it simmers on a low heat to infuse the metallic power of copper, Venus’s metal, to it. Grind each of the herbs, ideally in a mortar and pestle to add your energy and intention to the herb, even if you cannot grind it to a fine powder. The beans in particular would be difficult to grind by hand, but bruising them helps release their power and scent. Add one at a time to the potion, stirring in each one thirteen times: