Preparing for Magick and People (Again)

I am lucky to get to do magick in person this year.

(I am also a human with a touch of hypervigilance and social awkwardness who has quit smoking so I don’t have that to fall back on.)

You might not resonate with my particular situation, but I imagine being with people and in magickal spaces might be bringing up some feelings for some folks. It’s been a minute for a lot of us. And people are a lot sometimes, even if you miss them and want to tackle them with consensual hugs.

(Again, that might just be me.)

Let’s talk about how to prepare for magick and the people who often come with it. I imagine that while this is written in the time of the pandemic (THE ONLY ONE YOU HEAR ME UNIVERSE), I’m also sharing things I do and have done on the regular to get ready for ritual magick.

Grounding for Magick

One of the lessons I’ve come to in my solitary practice these past few years is that I need to know how to come back to myself — whoever she is now. I need to be able to recognize what I feel like and what it feels like to be off-balance.

The best practice here is to start NOW. I like to tap into this work when I’m calm and unhurried. During these times, slow down and notice what your body feels like. What does your breath feel like? How do you move your body? How do you interact with others? How do you respond when something goes unexpectedly?

Notice all of this and how it feels emotionally to be in this place. This is the place of groundedness for you. By establishing a baseline, you’ll know when you’re off course. And when you need to bring yourself back.

• Bring yourself back with a breath or 10.
• Touch your heart or neck while breathing.
• Lightly caress the back of your hand or tap the tops of your thighs.
• Straighten your posture.
• Shake your body if you feel excess energy.
• Tense your muscles and then relax if you feel dull or stuck.

You can also follow a grounding practice from your magickal tradition. Or make one up at the moment.

Ground first. And then ground again. Grounding is dynamic.

Cleanse & Protect Your Magick

One of the things I forget to do is to cleanse for magick. I certainly take a shower and often wash my outfit after a ritual, but I forget about myself. I forget about washing my face and the top of my head. I forget about taking an extra sip (or 13) of water.

• Drink water
• Cleanse your face and head, as well as your hands and feet. Behind the ears is smart too.
• Using a non-appropriative herb to cleanse with smoke. Or a hydrosol. Or the wind. Or the rain. Or candle flame.
• Collect any lingering energy in your body with the wisdom of your mind. Let it curl into a ball and then forcefully blow it out of your body.

And I said protect too. This looks like wearing an N-95 mask these days. But also keeping space around me.

In addition, and likely before I step out the door, I will cast a circle around myself, one that will follow me and move as needed.

• Apply a small drop of oil to my skin. If scents are problematic, I will use something unscented.
• Draw a pentacle over my chest or entire body.
• Run Iron Pentacle energy.
• Picture placing a cloth or robe over my whole being as a boundary that understands what is safe and what needs to be kept out.
• Wear a piece of jewelry that feels protective.
• Ask a beloved deity to watch over me.
• Decide what boundaries I need for this time. Do I need to have a set cutoff time for being somewhere? Do I only want to talk to certain people? Do I need to be clear about what I will and won’t do in ritual? Where is my energy on this day and how can I support my needs?

And even with all of this, more cleansing. More grounding. More protecting.

The magick of caring for yourself is ongoing. It is vital. And it is your work.

And you can use this if you’re staying home too. Grounding, cleansing, and protecting are foundational.

Magick is everywhere, after all.

***

Note as of June 2022: The pandemic is still happening. It’s still a thing. I am aware of the risks I am taking as someone with an autoimmune disease. My protective measures are more than what is on this list, for myself and others.

Further note: I still will mask, keep socially distant, and continue to vaccinate as recommended. I encourage others to do the same. Remember, not everyone can vaccinate and vaccines do not prevent things entirely. Long haul COVID is real. People dying from COVID is real. People getting very sick from COVID is real. I encourage taking all precautions — and listening to those who ask you to mask up or step back.