Making It So: Seven Steps to Effective Spells

Spellcraft is a powerful component of any magickal practice. Is it prayer? Yes.  Is it art?  Yes. Is it wishful thinking? That often starts it. Is it like “The Secret”, based on the “law” of “attraction”? Okay, maybe a tiny bit.

Mostly, spellcraft is a way of organizing our desires, finding and resolving roadblocks, eliciting the cooperation of those entities who can help us, all with the purpose of bringing our world into alignment with our vision. If you have ever managed a project in your life, you already understand the basics. Making it so is making it so, at work, at home, in circle. Same skills apply.

1. Self-reflection is the start of it all. Think about what is missing, how that space might be filled. Consider why you want the things you want. How do you expect your life to change when your magick comes to fruition? Is that realistic? Work and pray for clarity.
2. Once you have a good idea of what you want, think about why you don’t already have that thing. Do you feel unworthy of Love or Money or whatever? Have you been taught that your desires are unnatural, or inappropriate? Work and pray to cleanse yourself of unhelpful beliefs.
3. Make a plan. What do you need to do? Use your skills and understanding to decide whether this is a one-candle-overnight spell or a 3-moons-oil-mojo-talisman spell.  Work and pray for creativity.
4. Think about who can help you. Who is good at Love or Money or Steady Work? Invite your allies, friends and teachers, human and non-: herbs, roots, stones, bones, mother, friends, priest. Tell them what you want and how you think they can help you. If they say ‘yes’, bring them along. Work and pray for cooperation.
5. Act. Wait for the right time of moon or sun. Ride the wave of the earth’s energy and your own. Listen closely to the voice that says, “no plastic” or “under the candle” or “this feather wants to be there”. Bring things together and spark the change. Breathe. Work and pray for courage.
6. Do a small something toward your desire each day, for a pre-determined amount of time: candle lit, a phrase spoken to yourself in the mirror, a penny for the spirits, a bowl of milk. Work and pray for consistency.
7. Be thoughtful and respectful. Feel silly or somber, but instill each part with at least the possibility of success. You don’t have to believe that it *will* happen, only that it *can* happen.

Spellwork is fun and difficult and beautiful. It helps us to know ourselves and our world better. Using our magick to shape our lives brings into play more of our potential. Let’s live large, full of love and power, and work and pray to grow in our Craft.

I will be teaching Ethical Spellcraft, an online class, beginning 11/18.  For more info, contact me at jenyatb.loves@gmail.com.