Free Spells - New Year's Eve Spell

Although my Yule spell was essentially a New Year's spell - based on New Beginnings - I still like to do a little something for New Year's Eve so thought I'd share it with you.

I'm a big fan of writing things down, probably because I love writing! But also because it's such a cathartic activity and can be very personal too. This is why I very often include a statement of intent in my spells.

So, for a little New Year's Eve Spell I like to write down a small list of things I want to leave behind. I then hold it over my cauldron and light it, place it in the cauldron until it is fully burned and gather the ashes.

At midnight, or as close to as is possible, I then take a handful of the ashes and walk into the garden and saying:

Away
Without delay
Make room for the new day

Blow the ashes into the night air and pat your hands clean.

Fran xx

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Christmas - hope you're having a lovely time! :)

Blessing to all!

Fran xxx

The Yule Spell Tarot Reading

You may or may not be interested in the tarot, but in case you are I thought I’d include the tarot reading I did on Sunday to give you an idea of how readings can contribute to your spells. Very briefly, the cards I pulled were:

Card 1 - What this year has taught me - The page of swords. To be careful of others, observe them closely if you don’t know them well. Dealing with them will need grace, goodwill and manners.

Card 2 - My weaknesses - 8 of wands. Not acting quickly enough and procrastinating instead of doing!

Card 3 - Next year in general - 4 of swords. A more peaceful year, not as fraught as last year (Music to my ears!!!) This time of rest will allow me to build strength.

Card 4 - 1st quarter of 2010 - 5 of wands. Shows inner struggles. I would expect this actually as it’s hard to make yourself change. We’re often set in our ways for a reason, it brings comfort on some level even if it is not good for you.

Card 5 - 2nd quarter - Ace of cups. Being creative and resourceful.

Card 6 - 3rd quarter - 7 of pentacles. Success will be around me by this time but I am not to start relaxing too early or resting on my laurels.

Card 7 - 4th quarter - Knight of pentacles. Determination but not stubbornness.

Card 8 - Where my strengths will grow - 9 of pentacles. Getting more organised, seeing success financially.

Card 9 - Where the hurdles will be - 4 of cups. Being too quick to give up when inevitable problems arise. Look for the positive signs of the situation however small.

Card 10 - How to overcome the hurdles - Hermit. Think it through, reflect, don’t just mope.

Card 11 - What new energies should I be prepared for - Judgement. Clarity when making decisions and increased speed of thought. New beginnings too - woohoo!!

Card 12 - Conclusion - 8 of pentacles. Work at it, it’s not all going to come at once.

This reading gave me some very helpful pointers. I wrote my statement of intent around sustained determination, increasing my output and not worrying about what can go wrong - not necessarily areas that I would have thought to include had I not done the reading. I’m now feeling extra excited and raring to go!

Fran xx

Yule Blessings!

Just a quick one to wish you a Happy and a Blessed Yule! I'm hoping to post the results of my Yule tarot reading tomorrow and will let you know how my spell goes.

Have a great day/evening!!!!

Fran xx

Free Spell - Yule

I have finished my Yule spell! I’m really looking forward to it this year, I’ve got some high hopes and some interesting ideas I’d like try out. So, here we go - here’s how my week is going to pan out.

Tarot Reading
As mentioned here, I will be doing a tarot reading on the Sunday (20th). I will be using a 12 card spread to show the following:

1st card - what this past year has taught me.
2nd card - what my weaknesses are
3rd card - what next year holds for me in general
4th card - card for the 1st quarter of the new year
5th card - card for the 2nd quarter
6th card - card for the 3rd quarter
7th card - card for 4th quarter
8th card - where I will see my strengths grow
9th card - where I will find hurdles to my progression
10th card - how to overcome these hurdles
11th card - What new energies should I be ready for
12th card - conclusion and outcome

With this information I intend to write a statement of intent for my spell work the following day. This means writing down my hopes as well as some promises to myself that I will endeavour to work on.

Yule Altar
Around the room, I am hanging candles in jars. This has a soft but conscience altering affect on the room and builds some very warm, comforting energies. It is the perfect environment for working on change which can be unnerving in many ways. You will want to feel safe with the new path you are taking.

I will lay out my altar space with a barest minimum. My reason for this is to ensure that I do not carry over any energies from the past into my aims for the future. I am planning a 7 candle semi circle, I will complete the circle with my arms as I sit opposite, creating an intimate space between us. The candles will be 4 red and 3 green with tumblestones of red aventurine and malachite placed in between each one.

I am covering the altar with green velvet and will be placing bark, holly and pine in the middle, bound together in red ribbon to combine and strengthen the energies. I will also have a green apple which is going to be a central part of my spell. I’m really lucky in that a friend of mine is the actual apple grower! I have total faith therefore that it has been grown in a natural environment - and a trip out to the orchard is always lovely J The significance of the apple, in case you’re wondering, is that it is at the very last of its “life”, the harvest has finished. I will enjoy the season’s bounty but also prepare for a new one.

Yule Spell
First, light the semi circle of candles going from left to right. Say:

These brightest of flames
Lights the fire within
Its passion proclaims
A new life will begin

I will then read out my statement of intent from the previous day’s tarot reading (which I am going to write on red paper), focusing on building excitement as well as conviction!

Then taking the apple in my hand, I will say:
My apple is bounty
Ripened by the waning sun
My abilities are plenty
Growing and just begun

My aim is to discover
And to enhance all areas of my sphere
My potential I will uncover
The path ahead is to become clear

For the following 7 days I am going to light one of the candles for 5 minutes, repeating the first section of the spell. Then I will open up my mind to images, thoughts and any inspiration that comes to me to aid me in this new beginning.

As ever, there is so much that you can do to adjust this spell if you want. I always fully recommend the personal touch, never more so than when you are looking for new beginnings and self discovery.

Good luck and brightest blessings!!

Fran xx

Yule Diary 4

Ok next is psychic awareness in my Yule spells plans. I intended to focus a lot more on this than I actually am as I’ve decided to postpone much of it to the New Year. This is a time factor more than anything as psychic development is a matter of understanding yourself, the tools and methods you use to tune in with and how to develop some discipline so that you can do this at will - this all takes time.

So I’ve decided on a tarot reading and some pendulum work the day before Yule. With the tarot reading, I’m going to do this for myself with a general aim of seeing what next year has in store for me. Looking at the main areas, I will then ask the pendulum to draw me towards the most productive areas, the areas where I have most work to do etc. and see what comes up.

I’ll give you an example of how I did this before. In a previous reading, I got some great cards indicating success around me. However there was also some guidance showing me not to take this for granted and to continue to put in as much as effort when things started to go well. To get more clarity I used the pendulum to confirm the major weak areas asking ‘does this relate to the course I’m doing’ then ‘does this relate to my project at work’. Once I can see more precisely what I’m dealing with, I’m better placed to be more specific with my spell. I would strongly advise keeping notes throughout, it’s surprising how much information you get and consequently forget soon after!

Yule Diary 3 - Using Red & Green in my Yule Spell

I’ve been fleshing out the colours aspect of my Yule celebrations and I’m feeling happy that I’m starting to see some shape forming - good job as it‘s just around the corner. I’m also happy that I decided to do this instead of Christmas shopping :) Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

Using Red in a Yule Spell
Red can represent blood. This may sound a bit off-putting or icky but I like to use this symbolism from time to time to help me realise what the main driving forces in my life are - the lifeblood. It’s about recognising my strengths and realising what takes me forward. There is almost always something in everyone’s life that they can look back at with a sense of pride and excitement. It could be anything from winning a race, singing or discovering you’re really good at crosswords! It doesn’t matter what it is, it’s the fact that you realised that this is what gave you a buzz, made you feel alive and worthwhile.

So much of life seems designed to grind you down and there’s so much that we have to deal with that may not play to our strengths. Turn back to the ‘natural you’. You can achieve so much, and often so much more quickly, when you embrace your innate abilities rather than deny or belittle them. Spend some time thinking about what these memories and experiences are for you and write them down.

I’m going to be using some or all of: red paper, red candles (naturally), red ribbon, red aventurine. (Oh all right, maybe a little drop of red wine too!)

Using Green to Keep you Keen!
As for green, this gives staying power to the spell. Where red is a standing ovation on the night, green is your loyal fan! It helps you to remain hopeful and keep up your faith in those moments when you feel weak. This is why evergreens were bought into the homes of our ancestors during the bleak winter months - to remind them that more fruitful times were ahead. I don’t want my Yule spell to just be a feeling of elation on the night and a few weeks of feeling really productive. I want to see real change and continued growth.

For green, I’m thinking: green candles, holly, malachite, green apples (locally produced), green velvet.

Some Names of Famous Witches

Further to my ramblings on the Pendle Hill Witch Trials last week, I have since been dragged into an endless game of trying to remember the names of famous witches! It all came from the fact that despite witches having had a terrible press throughout history, most people would be hard pressed to name any really famous ones. So, without further ado, I will now waste 2 minutes of your time:

Names of famous witches - real
Granny Boswell - Cornish Witch
Tammy Blee - Cornish Witch
Pendle Hill Witches - 12 were accused - most famous are those from the 2 families of Demdike and Chattox
Elisabeth Sawyer - The Witch of Edmonton, hanged in 1621
Joan Wytte - Cornish witch known as the Fighting Fairy Woman of Bodmin
Dolly Pentreath - Cornish witch who cursed people in the old language of Cornish! (Which was her native tongue, incidentally)


Names of famous witches - fictional
Wicked witch of the East - Wizard of Oz
Hermione Granger - Harry Potter
Sabrina - Teenage Witch
The Three Witches - Macbeth
Samantha - Bewitched (although Endora deserves a mention too!)
Meg - Meg and Mog
Jealous Queen - Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Halliwell sisters - Charmed

As you can see, the real ones are somewhat less well known than the fictional ones! I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say I identify most with Meg.

For Kelli - How to Deal With an Obsessive Friend or Acquaintance

Kelli asked me the other day if there is anything that can be done to help distract the thoughts of someone who was becoming borderline obsessive with her. The answer to this is most certainly yes! I have worked on a few ideas and so there is a selection depending on how you want to approach this problem. The first few suggestions focus on building some necessary barriers and gaining some extra protection for yourself. The next approach is one of sending positive energies to the person in question, giving them the opportunity to feel better about themselves and need you less! There is nothing to stop you from combining the two and in fact, if time allows I recommend it.

First, I just want to say a quick few words on how to work with spells that involve other people, particularly when there are some negative energies around…

Notes on Dealing With Other People’s Energies
One factor that I feel is far too rarely taken into account with new spell casters is that you must always consider the power of the energies (or person) that you are ‘up against‘. Someone’s behaviour may be causing you to be upset but if they are convinced that they are in the right it will give them strength. You must acknowledge this in your bid to turn the situation round - determination is a powerful energy and you must match it. For this reason, don’t try to use witchcraft as a magik shield. It is not an external force but an internal one. Ingredients, tools and environment all play their part but their part is to build YOUR energies. You are the essential ingredient. Don’t approach spells when feeling the victim or when feeling weak. Work on yourself first if this is the case.

How to Build Inner Strength and Protection
So, with that said, onto how to start changing the situation!

Surround yourself with candles and meditate. Six is good number of candles for me - I don’t know why but I just feel comfortable - but you could also use your numerology number if you wish to. This is in order to re-establish your personal boundaries which can feel under attack when being surrounded by the energies of an obsessive person. They cross lines and fail to recognise your rights to be yourself and due to insecurities, will often get a power rush from trying to change you. Sitting in amongst the candles using meditation will allow you to do 2 things - reflect incoming energies back out again therefore giving you a break and a chance to revitalise. And once within your protective circle you can think about your strengths, positive friendships, personal thoughts and all the things that make you feel good about being you.

If you find meditation difficult and that your mind wanders, say:
I am safe within
I am strong without
Tied to my kin
My friends are devout

I am unshaken ,
Unchanged
And unique to the core

I bid you well wishes
I am closing the door

If you have any, keep some yellow aventurine with you, particularly when the negative person is around. This is perfect for power struggles in general and also helps to calm the nerves. With a clear head you are more likely to come across as someone she is not going to be able to get to! (You can take this into the candle circle above too.)

Perfect for this time of year! If a negative person comes to your house, place some mistletoe in the doorway or above you in the room where you’ll mainly be.

Wear a talisman - something that represents the Gods and Goddesses can help you feel you have an ally.

Sending Positive Energies
Kelli asked about distracting the problem acquaintance which is an excellent approach as it better for solving the issue in the long run and also lends itself to creating positive energies - which I’m always in favour of!

A pendulum can be very useful here. Mostly used for divination it can also send positive energies to people. Take a piece of paper and draw some basic images of what you feel she would benefit most from concentrating on, eg a heart for her relationship, a smiley face for self esteem. Ask the pendulum what its answer for ’yes’ is today. Establish the direction it moves in and then hold the pendulum over each individual picture you’ve drawn, asking it to send positive energies to her in the form of its ’yes’ direction.

You can also write a small list of all of her positive traits down, read them aloud and then smile to yourself. With these positive thoughts in mind, burn the paper in the flame of a white candle and place it in a bowl to burn completely (although don’t be worried about what it means if it goes out! Just light it again.) This releases these kind thoughts to her and enables her the opportunity to focus on herself and start fixing and problems she has. This may need to be repeated a few times.

If she comes to your home, burn cinnamon incense around her, preferably allowing the smoke to drift away through an open window - it‘s very cleansing. This can also be done in her absence using something personal to her to connect and re-establish your energies before sending them away again. However, don’t try this if you don’t feel strong enough or experienced enough as you could be bringing her even closer to you which defeats the object!

Lastly, but very importantly, you may find some changes in her behaviour in the weeks after your efforts. This can be a result of her feeling unsettled by changing feelings or being resistant to these changes. Remember that an individual’s free will is paramount and that it is up to them to accept what you send them. Try again if you find she reacts negatively with emphasis on your own protection and strength building.

To Kelli - I hope this helps to ease the problem and I will be thinking of you :) xx Love, light and blessings

Yule Diary 2

I’ve been trying to narrow down my main aims for my Yule/Christmas spell and I must tell you it hasn’t been easy. It’s a bit like trying to cut back on your list for Santa, there’s just too much temptation! Yule offers a huge array of opportunities for change - and change can cover just about anything. Therefore, it’s very important not to try and cover too much, thereby diluting your efforts and wasting such a fantastic chance to make a difference. Anyways, here’s what I’m planning on working with (or at least my thoughts so far):

• I’m using green and red for colour. This may be the obvious choice but it’s got just the right combination of energies so I’ve got no problem with that. Red is great for its ‘kick up the backside’ qualities and green as it has real staying power. It’ll ensure that this is not just a quick fix spell but more of a transition into a new way of life.

• Yule is a time for psychic awareness and so I’m going to try and use this as, seeing as I’m also a tarot reader, I need to be constantly working on improving myself in this area.

• For ingredients, I’m thinking of trying to include pine (because I have some), bark (because I don’t have an open log fire for a Yule log sadly), bay leaves (for prosperity and abundance) and holly (for the traditional evergreen). Talking of holly, this is something I have used for years due to having a neighbour that had a holly bush in their garden. I don’t live nearby any more but I’m keeping an eye out for another local source! But I recommend using any local available ingredients, it gives a sense of being at one with the earth and it‘s energising.

• Hanging candles and tea lights in jars - as much for decoration as well as to encourage some nice, bright energies. I bought them a few years ago from a cheap shop and have been in love with them ever since. They are in red and green as well as clear so are perfect for the job.

I mentioned above that I am thinking of using bay leaves because I already have some. Seeing as this is a time to welcome in the new, you might as well use up any of the old you have lying around! Don’t be afraid of being a little creative, you don’t need to stick to just traditional Yule items and ingredients.

So, I’ve got some ideas to work with and a few thoughts on the structure. Now I just need to fill in some details!

Pendle Hill Witches

As an English witch, I like to occasionally travel to places of historical relevance to witchcraft. Sometimes it makes me sad of course as it often unveils tales of persecution and hangings for these poor, often totally innocent women. Often I get a real buzz out of going somewhere so steeped in a history that is relevant and which feels personal to me. And most common of all, I come away frustrated at the lack of genuine, solid information.

The reason I mention this is because I was chatting to someone last night (originally talking about the article I posted the other day!) that I visited Pendle Hill with - erstwhile home to one of the most famous witch trials in the land. I’ve been a couple of times now and I can’t get enough of the atmosphere - dark, foreboding and gloomy it is also a place of great beauty and charm. A wonderful mix in other words. I fully recommend Witches Galore too - a shop I was totally LOATH to leave!!

The Pendle Hill Witches Trial is a fascinating tale and one that is worth reading up on if you’re the history buff type (which I am - shame my memory fails to allow me to be a clever clogs with it!). If you are a witch or Wiccan yourself, one thing that will strike you is that it is incredibly difficult to see any recognisable forms of witchcraft in any records or accounts from the time. All that comes through is prejudice and scapegoating.

What also amazes me is that it obvious that some of the accused were clearly not even witches at all. They were extorting money out of ignorant locals to make a living and in many ways perpetuating myth and stereotypes in order to frighten people into paying for their services.

So, the more I read and experience in my visits, the more I just see examples of the attitudes to witches that have remained throughout the centuries. Sadly, what I don’t see is hardly anything that I can learn from and include in my own work. There will have been witches at the time, maintaining the Pagan ways and focusing on the good and pure energies of the universe. It’s just a shame that so much of their wisdom has been lost and overshadowed.

Yule Diary

As mentioned before, Yule is a time for new beginnings and much of the traditional celebrations centre around this fresh, exciting energy. Many spells encourage change and try to open up opportunities. I often try to add something in my spells to help unblock energies also.

This is because there can be all sorts of underlying reasons why you may not be moving forwards in your life as you should be - a fear of leaving the past (with the associated memories) behind, worrying that you are not up to the challenges that lie ahead or you may simply be averse to change. It is always worthwhile spending a little time considering how you feel about your new plans. What makes you feel nervous and what are the obstacles. If you tackle these, your Yule/new beginnings spells are more likely to work for you.

Over the next few days I’m going to be thinking of the best Yule witchcraft ingredients, colours, wording etc. But in the meantime, I need to start being totally honest with myself!

Witchcraft interview

Hiya, just thought I'd share this nice interview with members of a coven in the north of England. I thought it was really positive and insightful - although I would like to add that some of us like pointy hats!

Yuletide Time!

Is Christmas on its way? I’d hardly noticed! ;)

To you and me of course this means the Winter Solstice - Yule! It doesn’t feel like 5 minutes since I was writing about my Samhain/Halloween plans but already there’s more to do. I’m certainly not complaining though, I absolutely love this time of year and I could do with working some more on my Samhain led focus!

I’m going to do the same thing again, posting all of my plans as I go along, sharing the final spell when I’ve completed it. I’ll also include some of the Yule traditions celebrated by others so this may give you some ideas or inspiration for your own merry making :)

In the meantime, here’s some little nuggets of Yule info to warm the cockles:

• Winter Solstice for 2009 is 21st December. (I’m planning to spread out my spells, rituals and honouring between the 21st and the 25th, for convenience sake as much as anything. Don’t want to be a stick in the mud on Christmas Day either!)

• This is the longest night of the year - it’s all uphill from then on! The sun will be returning to us (in the shape of longer days), bringing life, food and light back into our lives. The fire of the traditional burning of the Yule log represents the sun.

• Mistletoe, holly and ivy were all brought into Pagan homes due to them being evergreen and therefore representatives of the greenery that was to return in the coming months.

• In many Pagan traditions, the winter solstice is the new year.

• This is the time in the Wheel of Life when the God is reborn to the Goddess so birth and regeneration is celebrated.

• Oh, and apparently there’s also always been a tradition of exchanging gifts. Don’t know what happened to that one, eh?!

Happy Shopping Blessings! x

Very Simple Free Love Spell

Another free spell for you! This is mostly a love and passion one but actually can be used for any occasion when you want to bring someone closer to you. It is a candle spell and I personally like to use 1 black and 1 white spell candle to represent yin and yang. Equally you could also use 1 red and 1 green as I find these very effective also - depends what you‘ve got handy!

It’s a very simple love spell. (I wrote an article on the candle craft of Wicca and witch spell casters and in it there is some info on how to anoint and prepare candles for spells.) Take the candle you’re using to represent you and carve your initial into it. Then do the same for the other person involved with the other candle. It needn’t be big lettering or deeply carved, it’s more there as a symbol and the process of carving it in is building energies within you.

All you need do now is heat the wax at the bottom of the candles and then press them together, so they’re side by side and sealed - and light them! You can prepare some wording for this, a declaration of your feelings, but I do not always do this. I am content with the power of the light, heat and wax melting together and becoming one.

Most candles today do not leave any wax behind of course but if yours do, keep it for a few days to prolong the energies around you.

As ever, I feel obliged to point out that love spells are not about bending the free will of others. Love is a special feeling, one to be cherished. So always work with its beauty rather than trying to force your feelings onto another.

Blessings as ever,

Fran xx

The Tao of Witchcraft?

Do you have an idea in your mind of what witchcraft means to you? It’s a surprisingly difficult one to answer isn’t it? While there is history behind it, a religion in the shape of Wicca and stereotypes that abound it’s very difficult to pinpoint what it means, both as a way of life to the thousands who make this choice and also on a personal level. Each and every witch will practise in his/her own unique way. To most witchcraft is love, energy, respect, the divine universe, giving and receiving, change and acceptance - spell casting encompasses all or some of these at any one time.

I cannot help by find myself reminded of Taoism - which I sometimes feel possibly alone in, there's not too many others that seem to mention it! But bear with me as I find it helps my spell work immensely, gives an added dimension to what witchcraft can bring to my life and generally makes my life more fun and sometimes effortless. Got your attention now?!

For those who are not familiar, Taoism is a set of ancient Chinese philosophies. The most relevant principles to me are:

Tao - means the flow of the universe, the way, that which keeps the natural order and maintains balance.
Te - power without ego
P’U - the uncarved block, simplicity
Wu Wei - without action, allowing the flow to make things happen.

I use these principles all the time to enhance my spell work. Having trouble getting a spell to work? Maybe it’s not meant to be. Writing an important spell but find it’s so complex I can hardly understand it any more?? Go back to the uncarved block. And always, ALWAYS, work with the universe - go with the flow. The principles complement witchcraft perfectly and I love that witchcraft is flexible and inclusive enough for me to work with the two together.

Life means work, your rewards are a sense of purpose. But witchcraft and spell casting gives you the perfect chance to explore beauty, play and draw to you what you wish for in life without having to scratch around and scramble in the rat race to do so.

For those that want an easily accessible introduction by the way, try these 2 ADORABLE books, which is another surprising combination - Taoism and Winnie the Pooh! Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet
- and in fact I’ve just discovered they come together (wish I’d known that!) Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet Boxed Set

I cannot recommend a better boost to your mood!

Smudging Your Home

I’ve got quite a big project coming up soon and so I am planning to do some cleansing of the house this weekend. Not cleaning (although unfortunately this needs doing to) but more specifically smudging to clear and ‘reset’ the energies around me. I have a little ritual of my own for this so thought I would share it.

I prefer to put the focus on safety and feeling comfortable as I’m of the opinion that if you feel your home is your haven then you can pretty much do anything there!

I use the traditional sage smudge stick, incense such as frankincense or good old lavender, which goes so well with sage, and also some blue crystals, such as blue lace agate (why is explained below). I use the sage in order to open up the energies and it’s actually the incense that I’m using for cleansing and protection. Light the incense first and let it burn in the heart of your home. Then light the smudge stick and quickly cleanse yourself by letting the smoke surround you. Then walk slowly (don’t waft the smoke too much, let it carry itself and follow its own route) around the house saying:

Safe and sound
My home is bound
By energies strong and pure

Within is purified
Renewed and restored
My heart, my spirit is secure

You can say this once or repeat it in every room, it’s up to you. As I go, I like to place a crystal by a window or any doors to the outside. The reason I pick a light blue is that once I’m done, I place the smudge stick in a shell bowl and then meditate next to it. While I do this I picture my home with a light blue protective field around it. Having cleansed it, I now want to ensure that negative energies are kept at bay.

After that, the success of my project is up to me!!

Destiny Charms

Just a quick one. You may have noticed that I put some links through to Destiny Charms from time to time, or more specifically when I list items needed for a spell. It’s a little web project - selling witchcraft ingredients, altar supplies and other related items - that me and a few friends have set up and we’re absolutely loving it! And I’ve managed grab some space of my own :)

All the spells that I put on here have their own section on the site now and the complete spell kits for each spell has kindly been granted a discount. So take a butchers here if you are interested.

Familiar Tail

Ok, so Pyewacket has already made his mark. To my absolute delight, he and I have bonded really well. To my annoyance at times, it means he won’t leave me alone! I have a new shadow and its cat shaped.

What it does mean is that he wants to be around my altar the whole time and has taken a great interest in my spell work (which has got to be a good thing for a witch’s familiar). But unless I can find a way of developing a spell that’s main action is cat cuddling I’d say so his contribution maybe a little limited!

A Reflective Spell for Beating the Bullies

Much as I like to try and see the good in people as much as is possible, it is a sad fact that not everyone you know brings enhancement to your life. They may have reasons for their issues, ranging from low self esteem to personal ambition but this does not mean that you have to accept their destructive, bullying ways. You have a right to feel good about yourself.

I’m aware that some people want to try curses when they feel bullied or upset. There are a couple of reasons why this is not a good idea. First, it will make you feel bad afterwards - if you act like your enemy you become your enemy so try to always be true to yourself and resist the temptation to get nasty. Another is the Wiccan 3-fold law. This states that all energies projected will come back to you but 3 times as powerful so much nicer to make it an act of kindness.

But you should defend yourself as you would defend a friend in a similar predicament. The best way to go about this is to send their negativity back to them rather than unleashing some of your own.

For this spell, all you’ll need is a reflective surface. It could be a mirror that you place on your desk, a shiny broach, you could use a the glass on a picture frame or a crystal such as hematite. I’ve even used the screen on my mobile phone before! It doesn’t need to be pointed at the problem individual, it’s more about making sure that the energies are bounced back so it’s not a physical thing as such. These are the words I choose:

My aura is my sanctuary
I bid you to retreat
I’m shielded from your harmful ways
My spirit will not be beat!

You can repeat this once a day (to yourself so as not to draw their attention of course!) when they are nearby to build the protection. If you can get away with it, repeat it to yourself when they are talking to you, putting you down or generally trying to hurt you. The benefits are two-fold. Firstly, you get the protection of the spell, secondly you drown out their meaningless words :)

Go get ‘em!

This is DEFINITELY a good idea!

Ok, I have given in! A little while before Halloween I was musing over whether to get a cat as I’ve always fancied a ‘familiar’. It now gives me great pleasure to introduce you to the newest member of the household, who of course is named Pyewacket (for those unaware of the reference, here’s why).


To be frank I’m not sure how helpful he’s going to be but he’s so cute, who cares! That said, he’s pretty good at whipping up a frenzy of energy so as long as he doesn’t knock everything on my altar over (and he will) I’m hoping he’ll create a buzz around me and my spell work. Or am I just trying to talk myself into this being a good idea!?

Are There Such Things as Spells to Become a Witch?

If there is one question that I get from people that I meet who take an interest in witchcraft it’s this - ‘can you give me some spells to become a witch!?’

The simple answer is I’m afraid no. But that said, it’s not really a simple matter and I understand the confusion. After all, witchcraft is about spells isn’t it? Why not just cast a spell and become a witch - broomstick and all! I’d just like to ask you to consider one thing. If you’re not a witch, what makes you think the spell is going to work? ;)

But onto a more serious look at what’s involved, this isn’t really a yes or no matter. While there is no one spell I could give you to inject special powers into your system, and I certainly can’t wave a magic wand, it is also true that spells are the path to becoming a witch for many. It’s just that their path is more complex than you may think.

I have said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s called the craft for a reason! It takes practice, hard work and dedication to become a witch and it takes skill, solid faith and a respect for nature to cast effective spells. There are no shortcuts.

So if you want a spell to become a witch, this is what I recommend. Take a very simple spell, something that is important to you. Work with this spell over a week and rather than concentrating on the effects, instead focus on how it makes you feel. Start up a book of shadows and write down observations and thoughts. Give yourself a break and time to reflect. Then try again with another simple spell and see how this one goes. Again, observations are important. So in this sense, the all important spell to become a witch becomes ANY simple spell that you can work with.

For me, learning to cast spells was a bit like learning to ride a bike. You may think you’re never going to get it, but then something just clicks! Perseverance is key.

Blessings and good luck!

Follow on from my Samhain Spell!

If you read my blog earlier on, you will know that over Samhain my aim was to try and get more focus into my life and wrote a spell to help with this. I’ve been working on a follow up so that I ensure this doesn’t slide. This is something that I like to do regularly for major spells or rituals and I can recommend it. It only need be something simple but it can keep things fresh.

As I prefer to work intuitively, this is a method that works well for me. By no means feel that you need to emulate this at all. Go with what feels right for you!

So, this is my simple ‘top up’. I don’t want it to be too complex as I have already put a lot into this at Halloween and in fact asked for a lot of positive energies to come my way so I don’t want to ask for too much! I am using clear quartz crystals, astragalus (the herb) and yellow candles as all of these represent clarity and confidence. I have written a list of some of the goals I want to focus on in the coming months also so this will be in my mind as I work.

I place the astragalus into the cauldron (a bowl will do) and then light 4 yellow candles around it. I place the clear quartz in my hands and say the following 5 times:

My mind is my rock
On its strength I rely

I pour a little water into the cauldron with the herb and then repeat the above once. Then place the stone into the middle of the cauldron and take the time to think over all of the things I need to achieve.

I then like to keep the charged quartz by my bedside overnight as it helps me get me invigorated raring to go for the next day!

A bit of Blurb on Free White Magic Spells

I recently wrote a piece on free white magic spells and though I would include it here as it may help you if you are an absolute beginner and looking for some pointers:

Free white magic spells can be easily found online. However, finding spells and knowing how to use them are two different things and it can help to have some instructions! So in order to help you find the right free white magic spell for you and maximise its potential I have out together some tips to get you started.

1) Firstly, go for the free white magic spell you’re drawn to. It may not be the one that you were originally searching for but listen to your instincts as they may be telling you something important about what you really need!

2) Spells are not easy to cast and you should not expect to be able to choose something advanced and succeed at your first attempt. Witches spend years perfecting their craft - it is called this for a reason. So if this your first attempt at spell work go for something basic and don’t worry if it takes you a few attempts to see a difference.

3) If you find a free white magic spell that you like but don’t feel it is totally right for you what you want, it is actually possible to make some simple adjustments. In fact, a personal touch to a spell can make it all the more potent. It’s best not to tamper too much with the structure and wording of the spell, but it is fine to use something personal in place of another ingredient or item. It can also help if you write what is known as a written statement of intent to include at a convenient point of the spell. Write out a small piece on what you hope to achieve from your spell or any thoughts and dreams. Then read it out during your spell casting.

4) The power of a spell comes not from the spell itself but from within you. Therefore, you need to make sure that you are fully prepared and in the right frame of mind. Do not attempt a spell when you are tired or stressed. First make sure that you are open and that your energies are flowing so try some meditation beforehand or maybe a scented bath. Make sure that your mind is clear before starting.

5) Give your free white magic spell time. Even though you may want something to happen immediately, the universal wisdom of the earth that you are working with may have a different plan for you! It may be that more work is needed or that there is a better time for this to happen for you. So try to be patient and look for signs that the changes you desire are starting to happen.

6) Give something back. Wicca and witchcraft are based on principles of universal energies and so if you are wanting something it is reasonable that you should ‘top up’ the energies by returning the favour! So give something to charity or say something kind or comforting to someone. Anything to make sure that the positive energies stay circulating

How To Spot Natural Witch Characteristics

Natural witch characteristics are by no means set in stone and because of this, it’s a topic that causes a lot of disagreements! However, it is an area that interests me as I was aware of some of the signs from an early age so I thought I would put together a small, but by no means complete, list of some of the most popular giveaways.

1) Psychic dreams. This of course will link in with those with psychic abilities, which takes us in a different direction to witchcraft but this is very common with natural witches because of their intuitive personalities.

2) An affinity with nature. A natural witch characteristic that runs through just about all natural witches is that they feel at one with the world around them. They are not good at being cooped up and tend to be fond of all outdoor pursuits from walking to gardening.

3) A close understanding of animals. The natural witch will often be able to understand animals and themselves have quite an animalistic approach to life in some ways. What this means is that they are flexible, able to adapt to the changing environment including the seasons, often highly attuned to danger signs around them and also are affected by moon cycles.

4) Natural witch characteristics will often run in families. But this doesn’t mean that it has to be a parent. You may discover that an ancestor way back was a witch!

5) An aptitude for divination. Again we crossover with the psychic realm but this can also make the natural witch much more adept at using witchcraft tools in general. There is an instinctive ability to work with them.

Having said all of the above it is important to also recognise that nothing will be achieved without hard work and practise. But if you have found that you have one or more of the above, you may find that witchcraft is your true calling :)

Under the Weather?

Swine flu has hit my family :( Fortunately so far everyone has been fine, albeit pretty poorly and feeling grotty. From what I’ve read, it could be a lot worse.

So I wanted to include a spell here for all of you who are also suffering but first, I must make it clear that there are no spells that can cure illness. This spell is more about trying to cleanse your energies, to allow your inner strength to build and to make the path clear for fresh, positive energies.

All you will need is a black candle, a red candle, two pieces of clear quartz and a container of water. The black candle represents the low, clouded energies within you, the red is for bringing vibrancy back and the clear quartz will be reflecting you between your two states of being. And don’t worry if you are not feeling up to much, it’s very simple and quick to do!

Place the black candle to the left, the clear quartz in the middle and the red candle on the right. Light the black candle first and say:
My energy is depleted
My spirit is low

Pick up one piece of clear quartz, place in the palm of your hand but with your hand flat. Look at it to see the reflections of the flame in the stone. Watch and conjure the image of your low energies - both from the candle and emanating from yourself - being absorbed into the stone. Then place the crystal into the water to both hold and surround your depressed energies. Put it to one side and extinguish the black candle.

Now light the red candle, saying:
My energy restored
My spirit as new

Again, take the second piece of clear quartz in the palm of your hand and allow the vital energies to both reflect and combine. Try to feel it embrace and encompass you. It helps to have the visual sign of the candle flame reflecting I always feel. You will then want to hold on to the crystal in order to absorb the positive energies you’ve just created. So keep it with you, be it putting the crystal in your pocket or taking it back to bed with you!

When you are done, make sure that you pour the water away down the sink to wash it away and take it from your life. This simple spell can be done over the number of days that you are ill as it only need take 5 minutes at a time.

Hope this helps to life you and your loved ones!

I just want to add that originally I tried doing this with only the one piece of quartz and tried to have all of the changes in the energies happening in one crystal. I soon gave up on this and recommend using 2 pieces if you can.

Samhain Spell

Ok, I’ve finally managed to put together my spell for Samhain!! If you have read any of my other posts on what I was intending to focus on this year (to stop doing too many things at once), you will know that it’s ironic that the reason I have taken so long is I got distracted trying to do other things :(

Anyways, I have now got a plan! Here is what I generally do for festivals combined with some of the specifics I’ll be doing for Samhain:

1) In the morning I will light some resin incense - I’m going for resign rock copal as this will help to cleanse my energies for the day. I will then repeat the following 5 times:
To start afresh
Is my wish
I’ll change my ways
And enrich my days!

2) At about 7pm, when it’s nice and dark, I’m going to be doing some scrying to fit in with the theme of the festival. However, I will be using this in order to see what guidance comes to me rather than making a connection directly with spirit. Before hand I like to meditate in order to open up my senses and will be focusing on bringing forth insight into my potential and aptitudes. For me, scrying tends to project quick flashes of thoughts into my head. You may experience something different. I keep a notebook handy to jot anything down immediately afterwards. It’s not a good idea to write anything at the time as you will disrupt the flow.

3) Celebrate! I’m having a meal with a few friends to just be able to relax and feel in high spirits. I’ll be lighting my black and orange candles, burning incense and will be arranging a few orange and red flowers which hopefully I’ll have been able to pick up earlier in the day without too many problems!

4) Getting close to midnight I will be doing my spell. I have gone for a blue colour scheme for my altar as it helps me to relax and be fluid in my thinking. These are the energies that I want to encourage with the spell. I’ll be burning guggul to help bring about change and will have some fallen leaves to symbolise the time has come for me to enter a new cycle of life - a more productive one hopefully! I also have a small bell placed on my altar as this will help me ‘ring the changes’ in. You’ll see where it fits in. And lastly, I have placed a medal that I won years ago at the centre, to remind me that success and focus is within my reach. Personally, I always like a small personal touch to help things along. So, start with:

The time has now come
To break with old habits
To proceed with what’s worthy
Or else call it quits!

*Ring the bell once*

I value my virtues
I value my time
I seek guidance and knowledge
To begin with this chime

*Ring the bell*

Here I have prepared a hand-written statement of intent that’s a little too personal to include here. But I have composed a short, 200 or so word piece on what I feel my weaknesses are in not letting go of projects that aren’t benefiting me and also how I try to do too many things at once so can hardly tell what is likely to be successful given the chance! I will read it out at this point. Then:

I take pride in my strengths
And pray that they’re fruitful
With clarity and purpose
I’m gainful, not wasteful!

*Ring the bell three times to signify the end*

5) After the spell? Cleaning! I find it incredibly lifting to start a little symbolic sweeping and cleaning at Samhain. Seeing as my focus is getting rid of mental clutter I’m going to particularly focus on a drawer of junk that I need to sort through.

Hope you have fun celebrating in your own way - I know I'm looking forward to it!!

Tips For Spells

I’m onto writing the spells for my Samhain celebration but thought I’d put some general tips for spells together for you so that you can see where I was coming from when I post some of the results of my labour!

So, without further ado, 5 tips for spells:

1) They don’t have to rhyme - but it’s nice when they do! The words are a powerful part of your spell but this is more to do with what they mean to you. The power and the magik lies within so always go for a method that you find works best, and this will only be discovered with experience. Personally, I always go for rhymes as I love the feel of the words as I say them; I think it helps to build momentum and energies and also it builds the right atmosphere. But please feel free to do it your own way.

2) Always prepare yourself so that you get into the right state of mind for performing your spell. You can incorporate some of this into the spell or ritual if you wish but otherwise spend some time meditating, listening to relaxing music or even finding clothes that always seem to charge you up with the right energy!

3) Consecrate your work space and tools. Restoring clean energies to your equipment and ridding the area you have designated to work in from negativity will mean your spell work is more efficient and you will feel more comfortable. A very simple but powerful way of doing this is smudging.

4) Don’t write your spell with an aim to getting immediate results as this will often only lead to disappointment. Try to write them so that you can see things happen over a month - eg. Don’t aim for Mr X to fall in love with you right now, go for a man with such and such a qualities to come to you within 3 months. Work with nature and the natural flow, don’t try to bend it.

5) This possibly belongs more in tips for spells for absolute beginners so forgive me if you’re more advanced than this but I found that keeping something familiar to me nearby was extremely helpful. So it may be a favourite piece of jewellery or a photo, but go for something that you find brings you comfort and makes you feel safe. Spells can feel a bit ‘weird’ to start with and this can help it to feel more part of you.

There you go, some very basic tips for spells. Hope they help give you some ideas!

Blessings
Fran xxx

How To Plan Your Witch's Festivals

I wanted to post something today on the processes of creating your own ritual/spell for an occasion or festival. This can seem bit overwhelming at first and I can remember how much I worried initially about getting it right. However, it really couldn’t be more fun!! Here are some important points to get you started:

1) Read up on the festival to look at the traditions. Is it a Pagan Fire Festival for example? Then you will want to include candles, fire spells or even a bonfire in your spell/ritual.

2) What has been happening in your life over the last few months? Have things been going well? If so, give something back and centre your spell on something general such as peace and goodwill, prepare a gift for someone or even plant something in your garden. It’s nice to top up the energies once in a while!

3) Have things not been going so well? Then you may need a little extra help from the universal elements and there’s nothing wrong with that! But don’t try to cram everything into one spell. Work out where you need the help most (ie. love) and make that your focal point.

4) After 2 and 3, decide how you incorporate your general direction back into the main themes of the festival. I find it’s worth it to do this every so often in my planning to make sure I don’t veer to far from the traditions.

5) Most Pagan festivals will of course be based on the seasons already but think about the colours you can include, ingredients for your spells that are relevant to the time of year (leaves, acorns, petals etc.) or how to use the light of darkness of the evenings.

6) It is a large part of many Wiccan traditions to focus celebrations around honouring a God or Goddess so for example, at Samhain you can focus on the horned God or at Imbolc, the Goddess Brigid.

7) It is also ok to break things down time wise if you don’t feel you’re going to be able to do something for the whole evening. I very often decide to split up my day with a 5 minute incantation in the morning, taking a walk at lunch to collect ingredients and then a simple spell with a specially laid out altar in the evening. It doesn’t always have to be a big affair!

8) Last but not least, every festival has a feast at the heart of it. If you are able to, invite friends or family over and just have a great time!

So, what’s stopping you - go get started!

Samhain - Time to Reflect and Get Focused!

Ok, starting to formulate a plan now for my Samhain celebrations! I mentioned before that I wanted to focus particularly on reflection this year and this is actually more traditionally a part of the festival than you may think. In the Wheel of Life, this is the time of the year when the Horned God/Sun God dies - to be reborn at Yule. So it’s a time of rest and recuperation. Not too much of a stretch of the imagination to link this with nature’s time of hibernation!

So I am determined to make this a time to really focus on my weaknesses, to challenge them and to incorporate self improvement into my spell casting. I’ve found over the last few months that I’ve really lacked focus and have tried to do way too many things at once. The consequence of course is that I’ve not completed things and I’ve wound up stressed. So clear minded thinking and prioritising are my aims!

Of course, Samhain is also the time when the veil between the living and the dead are at their thinnest and therefore scrying is often used for this occasion. If you’re not familiar with this method, the crystal ball is actually a form of scrying - you use a reflective surface in order to see images, messages or connect with spirits. Mirrors and water are also used and in fact, a scrying bowl is my preferred mode. I usually opt for simplicity :)

I’m going to be doing this earlier on in the evening, likely around 7pm as it’s already dark but I will have plenty of time to think on the guidance and messages that I pick up on and bring them into my work later in the evening if I need to.

Of course, it’s important that you work on something that is personal to you, but I am going to be putting together a few points on how to take your ideas and structure them into a spell, ritual or rite for an occasion so hope this will be helpful to you!!

Blessings
Francesca xxx

Free Witchcraft Spells Article

Hi, still working away on my Samhain celebrations (yay!) and will post my progress on this tomorrow. But in the meantime, I was thinking of posting something on choosing a free spell, for if you are scanning the net for one, and remembered I wrote an article on this a while back. Pre-written spells can be the perfect solution if you're not yet confident enough to write your own or need something quick. So here's a few tips on how to go about getting the right free witchcraft spell for you! Some of it may not be relevant for Samhain but I think there's some salient points still. Hope it's useful xx

Are You Familiar With the Power of the Mind?

I am currently working on my Samhain celebration ritual and am, I’m afraid to say not for the first time, getting carried away with the idea of getting a cat. I don’t know why I always get more of an urge this time of year but I guess it’s something to do with all of the stereotypical images of the black familiar you see everywhere!

It turns out, my idle thoughts may have brought me more than I bargained for. Seeing as I figured I was unlikely to be organised enough, or have enough free time, to go and buy one I commented that I was going to have to just befriend one while out. Since then, I have been inundated! Cats have followed me home, a favourite of mine amongst them has been hanging around my front door - I‘ve got more feline friends than you can shake a stick at!

Another reminder for me to be careful what you wish for :)

My Samhain Article

Hi, just a quickie to say here is my Samhain/Halloween article as promised!

Samhain (Halloween) Diary 2

I’ve been giving some more thought to my Samhain celebrations and I have decided to use a particular element of the festival that I have not used before - thoughtful reflection.

For the Celts, Samhain is the New Year and this oftens brings with it a focus on new beginnings. But outside of this tradition, the period between Samhain and Yule is known a ‘time out of time‘. In the Wiccan Wheel of Life, the God dies at Samhain and is reborn at Yule so these months represent recuperation or stillness.

To be honest it’s been a bit of a crazy year for me and the last 3 months have been particularly eventful so I have decided that now is just the right time to have a think about what has past and how I would like to move forwards in my life.

In order to start creating the right energies and buzz for this I am splitting some of my decorations for the next few weeks. I am going to go with the more traditional orange and black colours - orange candles for health and prosperity and black candles for depth. But I will be making my altar predominantly blue to encourage contemplation and to help me find the inner wisdom I need to see my way ahead. This will also be accompanied by some divination :)

Ok, enough talking about what I’m going to do, I’m off to go and actually do it! I’ll be working on some spells over the next few days so will post some suggestions soon.

Take care and blessings
Fran xx

Samhain = Halloween!

Oops, forgot to say - for all of you absolute beginners out there - that the festival of Samhain is what is more popularly known as Halloween! A witch's special night no less ;)

I will be putting up an article with all the basics soon so check back over the next few days.

And if you are an absolute beginner by the way, it just remains to say Merry Meet and Blessings to you!

Fran xx

Day 1 of my Samhain Diary

Hello! I meant to post last week to start off a proper lead up to Samhain but didn’t get the chance - but better late than never eh?! On the 1st of October I generally like to change over my altar to mark the beginning a the new season but to be honest it’s as much to do with Samhain as autumn if I‘m honest! I get pretty excited :)

I have now got everything orange, gold and a little green so I feel that the mood has changed in my spells and general work - and as ever I love it.

But you may be wondering if there is anything you need to be doing to prepare yourself for Samhain over the next coming weeks and the answer is YES. This is the perfect time to start collecting leaves and twigs for spells and rituals, get in your candles and start to think of what you will do with your altar on the day. Of course anything collected nearer the time is just as good but I personally think that building excitement is as big a part of the fun and the energies of the night as anything.

I’m going to be working on my preparations from now on and thought I would share them with you to give you some ideas of what to try so be prepared for some diary style ramblings from me.

Giving Something Back

I was having a discussion with a friend the other day and we were talking about the fact that giving something back to the cosmos is far too often forgotten by spell casters. The excitement of having a successful spell tends to distract you from the forces that were working behind it all for you. I would like to send out a little reminder that if you draw from the universe it is courteous to put something back. It may be a kind word to a stranger, calling someone you know needs their spirits lifted or just putting a little more in the charity box than normal.

Much like the bank, if you keep taking from the cosmos but not making the odd deposit you never know when it’s going to run dry! And I think we all know that feeling ;)

Spells and the Freedom to Make Mistakes

In case you hadn’t guessed, I bungled a spell the other day! I was feeling a bit tired and it was one of those days when everything you say comes out as gobbledegook. And yet I felt really good about my spell afterwards and the energies around me really picked up after my error. Why? Because I laughed my way through! :)

This may seem a bit bizarre if you are a beginner or if you are just getting into spell casting as you will inevitably be concentrating really hard on getting the words right or building up atmosphere. But I’m going to share a secret with you - atmosphere can be built up from just about any emotion! If you laugh at yourself then you are creating one of the most powerful energies both around and within yourself.

For me the other evening, I doubt I would have got too much further forward with my spell on account of me feeling pretty flat; I was just not connecting enough. By making a silly mistake I suddenly got the rush of joy and I was back on track!

So my advice to you is don’t be too precious with your spells or rituals. As nature changes and flows so do your emotions so go with them and enjoy the unexpected results they can bring.

A Spell for Contented Love

Free Love Spell

This is a strange time of year weather wise (for those of us living in the UK anyway!). One minute you’ve got wind and rain and a chill in the air that feels like winter, the next you have a day like today that felt like a glorious, warm summer’s day. For those who like to be seasonal with their spells it can pose a bit of a challenge - you don’t know what spells to choose any more than you know what to wear!

Personally I love it. I get a real buzz from the constant changes and love to try and go with the flow as I like the reminder that we need to be constantly changing - embrace the earth around us. This is a real basic spell for you and something you might like to try now as the evenings are still light for a while. Right now I find about 7pm to be the best time. It’s also best on an evening when there’s no rain but there is a slight breeze, preferably rustling the trees. It’s a love spell, but one dedicated to contentment and stability - the excitement may have died down, but your searching is over and you want to keep this love close to you. But it’s not a serious spell; consider it be the same tone as a happy sigh! Enjoy.

You will need a yellow candle, cut down and placed in something that will protect it from blowing out. A jam jar will do.

Find a quiet place to sit outside and light your candle. Look upwards to any clouds in the sky and note the patterns and movements - this is about appreciating this precise moment in time, soaking it in. Then say:

Gentle breeze
Let time freeze
This precious moment of mine.

This moment that holds
The truth of my heart
Bind us forever in time.

Now breath in, think of the object of your affections and smile!

Elemental Magic Spells

Free Spells - Elemental Magic Spells

I haven’t been able to update the blog for ages, lots of things going on at the moment. Some good, some troublesome! But I’ve really missed writing so I’m keen to get back to posting as often as possible :)

Anyways! Recently I have been writing a lot about fire spells and so have been thinking quite a bit about elemental magic spells in general and how much of a staple type of spell they are. I think all witches should have some handy and know how to use them. They are great for testing your skills and helping you learn how to really feel the forces of nature that we work with all the time.

If you are a beginner and not familiar with elemental magic spells, they are spells or rituals that gain their energy and power from the main universal elements of air, fire, water and earth. Each element has a unique gift to offer and can be incorporated into your spell work or can also be the core aspect.

Here are some simple suggestions to get you thinking on how you can use them:

Fire Spells

Fire is a destructive and yet beautiful energy that frightens and beguiles us in equal measure. Fire spells can therefore be great for banishing spell work as you can enjoy literally watching the negativity in your life go up in flames!

Air Spells

Gentle and cleansing, air spells can also make excellent banishing spells as you can blow away your problems in the wind. Take some herbs and as part of your spell, simply blow them from the palm of your hand.

Water Spells

These spells can be flexible and calming. They are great for unblocking any obstacles in your life and development by allowing things to go with the flow once more.

Earth Spells

Great for ‘down to earth’ matters such as money. Use natural ingredients such as herbs, flowers or even twigs that you find on the ground.

I hope to be able to focus more on each type of spell over the next few weeks so hope this gets you thinking and catch up soon!

Blessings

Fran x

Free Spells - A Spell for a Full Moon

Seeing as we’re coming up for a full moon soon (June 7th), I thought I would give you a few tips on how to make the best of this exciting and powerful time for magic. It is often reserved for major rituals and also for group work seeing as the moon has a very binding energy at this special time.

However, not everyone is in a position to work with others and you should not feel precluded from the fun if this is the case for you! I have included a basic spell to help you harness the moon’s power to help you fulfil a wish.

There are a few ingredients needed with this spell but you can be flexible. I find that anything white or silver works best. You will also need to check the weather in order for this spell to work as you will need a clear night with plenty of moonlight so in theory, this being summer, it is a good time of year for this to work - theory!

You will need a globe to represent the moon so a crystal ball is perfect for this. However, if this isn’t practical then you can use a crystal tumblestone. Something like snow quartz is absolutely perfect for this due to it’s lovely, pure white colour. You will also need some mineral water and a bowl, cauldron or chalice big enough to hold the globe or crystal. Fill this with the mineral water.

Take the globe in the palm of your hand and say:
I seek to hold the power of the moon in my hand
And draw its energy to me.

Place the globe in the water and say:
I see you within the water, both in representation and in reflection
I ask that you share your benevolent power with me tonight
And grant my wish.

Take a moment to see the moon’s reflection.

With the gift of your power granted and placed within the water
I accept and thank you for the honour of your visit tonight

Now sprinkle the moon water around you while visualising your wish:
I am surrounded and blessed by your gift to me
And ask that my wish is fulfilled.

Now speak your wish out loud and once again, thank the moon for sharing such a precious gift with you.

Good luck and let’s hope June 7th is a good night for witchery!

Free Spells - Spells From the Real Book of Shadows

I have been researching the concept of spells from the real book of shadows recently. This has got me thinking of how important it is to get the balance right between learning from others and creating and forging your own path in your quest to become the best witch you can be.

To briefly cover what I mean by spells from the real book of shadows - it is believed that there is an ancient text that contains old and powerful spells that can be used to great effect by the modern witch. Rather than relying on their own training and expertise, some people believe they can dip into this book and glean enough material to become powerful. Others are simply interested in finding a rich source of new ideas. So - hence the interest in spells from the real book of shadows!

Of course, it is not as cut and dried as all that. For starters, such a book does not exist in one single opus. But while such a book cannot be found, there are undoubtedly ancient spells and, very importantly, spells handed down through the generations. So the wisdom of our forbearers most definitely lives on.

So where does the balance lie? I believe it is in the meticulous use of your own, personal book of shadows. Keeping a record of the spells you perform and any effects and observations is absolutely critical and should not ever be underestimated. You can write the spells yourself or you can use another’s spell (one from my blog here is fine!) - but you should always ultimately be relying on your inner powers and instincts to adapt and learn. Note everything down in your book of shadows for future reference. If we all work together and share, one day future generations may be using spells from the real book of shadows - as written by US!

Loving blessings!

Fran x

Free Spells - Summer Air Spell

Typical - I was going to start doing some spell work outside (and then writing about it!) but the weather hasn’t been very nice the last few days so I’m having to put this off. Never mind, there’s still lots you can do inside even if that short bout of warmth the other week has given you the urge to get into the fresh air!

I thought I would include a love spell that has a summery feel to it ( the summer is great for ‘air‘ spells) but it can be used at any time of year and therefore the ingredients can be found any season. However, one of the reasons I wanted to include it here is because it is lovely at sunset so it’s a bit easier to fit into your day when the days are long. It’s really simple and a favourite of mine but will require you to try to tune into your psychic senses J

Free Love Spell

Take 4 floral incense sticks -lavender, rose & ylang ylang are good.
A holder or ash collector for each one.
4 rose quartz tumble stones.

Line your incense sticks in front of you. Light the 1st one and recite the following:

“I whisper into the air, to open up the path to my future”

Light the 2nd and say:

“I whisper into the air, to bring forth my one true love to me”

Light the 3rd:

“I whisper into the air, to now open my heart to believe”.

Light the 4th stick:

“I whisper into the air, and ask his/her name be whispered back”.

Concentrate for a while and observe swirling of the smoke before you. Focus hard, using it as a divination tool much the same as you’d use a crystal ball or scrying mirror. Look beyond the smoke and then allow any images, noises or signs to filter through to you. Gather all the information in your mind in order to put together an image or general sense of your future special someone.

Now line up the crystals one by one alongside your lit incense sticks. Imagine each one to be creating the path to your door and to your heart. Now you have opened the connection to him or her, you are now calling them to you and inviting them into your life.

You may find that you dream of someone later on that evening so it can help to keep notes of any extra details that you pick up!

Free Spells - Wicca Symbols

Wicca symbols can bring more meaning to your spells than you possibly realise. There is certainly so much history behind them, but the importance goes beyond that. The Wicca symbols represent all that you should be aiming to connect with and understanding as a witch or as someone wanting to perform spells.

There are many to go through and I will likely go into more detail about the others as they crop up in following posts. But today I’d like to go into the Wiccan pentacle as it is the core symbol and will give you a good grounding.

Used in so many rituals, the pentacle is the 5 pointed Wiccan symbol to represent earth, air, fire, water and spirit. It brings you together with the universal elements around you and calls on their power to aid you in your spell work, also asking you to give back your own spiritual energies as an offering. You are at one with the world around you and it flows back and forth; giving and receiving.


As it represents the universe around you it is often used to give protection so you can keep a pentacle on your altar as a permanent fixture, constantly providing you with assurance that you are perfectly safe. The pentacle can also be part of a spell ritual and you can include the drawing on the pentacle in the air using an wand or your athame.


One example of how to use a pentacle is in a banishing spell to rid yourself of a negative person or to stop them affecting you. Imagine a pentacle over their body or across their forehead. Imagine the pentacle with a blue, glowing radiance about it (blue also offers psychic protection) and imagine them being distanced or taken back away from you. You will feel their impact diminish.



Fran
Free Spells and lots of blessings! :)

Free Spells - Free Love Spell For Spring

It is the time of year that thoughts turn to love (in fact that might well have happened to you a few weeks ago!) so I thought a fresh, vibrant love based free spell made for spring was in order. This is best performed on a sunny day when the air feels clear and charged. The sort of day where you can’t help but smile. This will bring all the energy you need to you in order to channel it into your spell.

You will need:
Spring flowers such as daffodils. Small bunch and preferably freshly picked.
White Candle
Lovers Tarot Card
Lavender Incense

This is is a very simple free spell and will not take much experience to perform but obviously it will become more powerful as your skills develop.

So, what you need to do is:

Arrange the flowers in water and place on your workspace and say:
“Blossom of spring
I pray that you bring
Love to make my heart joyful”

Now light your lavender incense and say:
“Air of life
You know who he be
Whisper his presence to me”

Now you need to place your tarot card in front on you and focus on the image of the lovers and visualise this happiness that love will bring to you. Light the candle in honour of the Goddess of love, Aphrodite.

Say:
“O Gods and Goddesses of eternal wisdom
I come to you to ask of your powers
That you can send me a love of special worth and joy
Let him be known to me that I might make this happen

Aphrodite I pray to you to make him true and loving
And bless him with all the temperaments that you know to be right for me
Mote it be!”

Let these thoughts and desires fill your head as you watch the candle and can smell the incense. Let this sense of occasion and excitement surround you channel this energy through to the universe. When you feel that you are at one, you may hand over your trust and allow the higher powers to do your bidding!

Good luck with this week’s free spell! See you soon.
Fran xx

Free Spells - Writing Witch Spells

It occurred to me that, seeing as I had written an article on how to write your own witch spells on another site, I may as well include it here! So click here if you want to know more :)

But if you want a condensed version, here’s a few bullet points on where to start and what to do if attempting your own witch spells:

• 
  Do not write curses or ‘black’ spells. This will come back to you threefold.
• 
  You can use rhyme to build rhythm and energy during your spell but it is not essential.
  Keep spells basic until you know what works and what doesn’t.
• 
  Allow some leeway for the higher powers to give you something better than what you *think* you want, eg. Don’t ask to win money on the lottery and miss out on a cash prize elsewhere!
• 
  However, do be specific when it comes to the aim of your spell. This will help to guide the powers in exactly the right direction.
• 
  Include rose quartz, pink candles or the herb basil in your ingredients for love spells
  Ask a Wiccan God or Goddess of your choice to bless you with what you desire. It helps to focus you.

There’s much, much more info in the article so feel free to check it out :)

Fran
Fran's Free Spells

Free Spells - Psychic Development & How It Helps Witch Spells

Not a free spell as such, but I thought it would be a good time to include how psychic powers can assist you in your spell making.

Many people keep witchcraft and psychic abilities completely separate but I feel that this is a waste of, what combined, can be a very potent force. You can, in my mind, double the impact of your spells by tuning into your extrasensory side.

Undoubtedly psychic development is a course in itself so I will not attempt to go into that here. But if you feel that you have a gift or are interested in using instincts or imagery to power up your spells, here’s a few starting points to get you thinking.

1) Firstly, let your intuition guide you towards the direction your spells should be taking. Has someone been in your thoughts a lot lately? Maybe a spell to send them increased luck or comforting would be good.

2) When writing and casting your spells, add that you would like the subject of the spell to visit your dreams. For example, if you want love you can ask that you increase the connection by dreaming of your heart’s desire. :)

3) Use relevant tarot cards in your rituals. Seeking a good marriage? Try including the 4 of Wands in your spell. Could do with some good luck? Bring in the Wheel of Fortune!

4) Ask your guides to join forces with you and send you their love and energy to assist you in making your spell a success. Don’t forget to thank them afterwards.

5) Use clairvoyant powers to adapt your spells. Dedication to your spell is great, but being too rigid is not. Do not ignore your inner voice if it is telling you that the outcome will not be as you want it to be. Meaning? I have often seen people try to use spell craft to get someone to change, eg. A wayward boyfriend or cheating spouse. Deep down we often know that this is impossible but wishful thinking spurs us on nevertheless. Don’t fall into that trap. Let your intuition guide you and instead redirect the spell to bring the love you deserve into your life.

Hope this helps you to bring something extra into your spell work.

Fran
Fran's Free Spells :)