How to Do Magic Spells
Rituals are made up of human moments - here I am struggling to get my paper to catch fire while my friend Patsy looks thoughtfully out at the trees during our group Equinox Ritual.
Recently I was talking to a new friend about why I use my particular coaching framework, which is a blend of parts work, witchcraft, and organizational support. The short answer is, these are all things I did for myself for a long time before using them to help others. Today I want to talk in particular about spellcraft, AKA ritual.
In thinking back to why I started with ritual, the short answer is “I needed something in addition to therapy.” I have a therapist I trust and have seen for eight years, and she has helped me grow and mature significantly. And also, I am a spiritual person with a need for meaning-making and change-making structures in my life beyond therapy. I need witchcraft.
Without explanation or experiencing them, it’s hard to know what ritual and spellcraft are. I define spellcraft roughly as “intentionally engaging with energy and materials in order to create a specific change.” When I write about “tiny spells” in the Village Witch’s Corner, those are my loosest definition of “spell,” in that anything, done intentionally, can be a “spell.”
Most spells I create are more specific containers for change. I started initially by using a spellbook for solitary witches given to me by a friend, and while it was the origin of my early spell shapes, eventually I found the instructions too prescriptive. I wanted to use materials I had in my home and choose the words that felt right to me intuitively. I took cues from spell-creators Sarah Faith Gottesdiener and the gifted energy workers who contribute to her Many Moons Planner, which I think is a great resource and way to learn about new perspectives and badass practitioners (and experience the lunar year). Eventually, though the same thing happened: I was frustrated by the specificity of the spell instructions. By this time, I was writing spells for others, too, and I wanted adaptable spells that I and my clients could hone based on our own intuition. I wanted my spells to build self-trust and self-regard.
My spells have always started with the same question: “What is the shift I want to experience?” Some examples:
I want to let go of an old narrative I have about myself
I want to manifest a house / job / relationship
I want to stop holding back and express myself openly
I know what I want but not how to get there, and I want clarity
Sometimes my spell purposes is as simple as “I want to clear my energetic field” or “I want to connect with the earth.” These basic spells are valuable, but they’re not the ones that motivate me the most. Motivation, for me and my clients, comes from “I want thinks to be different. Help me change things.”
And this is where spellcraft paired well with therapy, for me. As a nature lover who finds my spiritual guidance from the earth and the elements, I looked to those teachers for structure and materials. Here is an outline I made to use with myself and my clients:
This kind of material is part of the “organizational support” I offer as a coach: spreadsheets, infographics, worksheets, and the accountability for completing them and implementing the understanding we get from them. Most materials I share with clients I made for myself first, and it’s no different with spells.
A ritual takes a desired shift and gives it material essence: your wish to move on from your breakup is embodied by a piece of paper with all the things you’ll miss and not miss burning in a fire; your longing for a more aligned job is embodied by an altar of objects that symbolize the way you’ll feel in the new job, and a daily altar visit to amplify that energy in your life. A desire for a clean slate leads to an epsom salt and sage bath surrounded by crystals and candles.
I believe in the value of a strong vision, a clear plan, but I am also a hands-on person. I love the moment when intention becomes tangible shift in my body and my energy field. This is how I have changed my life, moment by moment, over the years.
If you have more questions about witchcraft and what it is, I’m here for ‘em! Just reply to this email.
My paper caught fire eventually.
Village Witch’s Corner
My intention this week :
Have my own back. When something challenging comes up, deal with it with exactly the amount of energy I’m willing to expend, then be done.
Question(s) I'm asking this week:
Did you really do something that bad? Or is self judgment just a default?
What I’m Watching:
At my mom’s recommendation (hi Mom), I’ve started watching a procedural called Death in Paradise. I’m very into silly British mysteries right now and have a long list I plan to watch.
Spell of the Week:
Put it down. Go outside. Touch grass. Repeat.
Wheel of the year:
We’re just past the Autumnal Equinox, where the light and dark are equal, and we’re moving towards Samhain and the Winter Solstice, so the light is waning. To find my materials about the Equinox and keep an eye out for Samhain spells, sign up for my Patreon (free and paid options available).
