Magickal Exercises — Directing Your Own Energy

The body of energy, comprising primarily of the aura and the chakras, can be used for many things, such as the casting of spells and the performing of rituals. In simple terms, this is done by simply releasing the energy of the body toward a specific goal However, before you can begin working true magick, you must first learn to consciously direct your own energy.

Work With a Friend to Develop Your Magickal Skills

If you have a friend to help you, this exercise can be easy and enjoyable. You can both take turns practicing, and help to monitor each other’s progress. However, you’ll have to be honest with each other during this exercise. Center and ground your own energy before you begin.

Start this exercise by having your friend sit down, back to you, stripped to the waist (or removing as many layers as you’re both comfortable with). With your palm down and fingers together, extend your arm, straight out, and point it as your friend’s back. Keep your fingers at least an inch away from his or her back, or your friend will be able to physically feel what you’re doing.

Slowly move your hand up and down the line of his or her spine. Keep your arm straight and focus on sending your energy down your arm, out your fingers, and into your friend’s back. If you have difficulty doing this, focus on the flow of your breath. This isn’t as hard a technique as it may sound.

Imagine that you’re breathing in colored fog (I use purple, but you can visualize whatever color you like). Breathe this fog deep into your belly, about an inch below your navel. Exhale, but instead of breathing the fog out through your mouth or nose, see it flow down your arm and out your fingers, making contact with your friend’s back.

Have your friend tell you if he or she feels anything. This might be a tingling sensation, or the feeling of hot or cold. Everyone feels energy differently, so your energies might be interpreted in any number of ways. In time, your friend might be able to tell you where your hand is. Keep records on this exercise, and practice often.

Practice Magickal Skills on Your Animal Friends

Not everyone has a friend who will submit to this exercise. If you’re one of those people who simply does not have anyone to practice with, consider a pet. Cats and dogs work best for this exercise, and a patient pet is a better candidate. For cats and smaller dogs, rest them on your lap. For larger dogs, you’ll have to sit them in front of you. The principle is the same. Focus on sending energy into your pet, but without physical contact.

Your pet probably can’t talk, so you’ll have to watch your pet for evidence that they feel something. Signs can be as subtle as falling asleep or as obvious as jumping unexpectedly. You’ll have to keep a record of any signs you suspect might be significant, as Fido may keep you guessing for a while. This method takes a little longer, because of the reduced feedback you may receive, but it does work.

If you want to expand and increase your command of your own energies, you have to work at it. There are many various exercises that can help you do this. All of them have value. Experiment, practice, and have fun as you develop your psychic abilities.

Beach Spells for Spring and Summer

As the Spring Equinox approaches and the sun begins to warm the earth, our thoughts turn inevitably toward the beach. The beach is a destination, a place to feel the hot sand beneath our fee, the cool water upon our skin, and the powerful sun upon our backs. But it can also be a place to case some simple spells.

The Magick of the Beach

It is difficult to find a more magickal place than a sunny beach. It is one of the few places on earth where all four elements — earth, air, fire, and water — are present at the same time. Earth is the sand beneath your feet. Air is the wind blowing across your cheeks. Fire is the blazing sun. And water is the cool lap of the ocean or lake against your skin.

On land, only a lightning storm combines the four elements in such a natural way. But a lightning storm is harsh and distracting. The beach is gentle and soothing. The perfect place to work some magick.

Simple Spells for the Beach

Simplicity is often the core of powerful magicks. This is especially true of magick at the beach. You can honor the Goddess and the God, in their aspects as water deities, by tossing bread crumbs into the water while your feet are buried in the sand. Do this at sunset or sunrise to invoke Their blessings. It really doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.

Find a flat area of sand that will remain fairly undisturbed and draw a symbol to represent something you desire. This may be a career, love, a new home, or anything else you can think of. Draw your chosen symbol with a stick, your finger, or environmentally-safe paint that dissolves in water. Infuse the symbol with your intent as you do this. Allow the symbol to wear away naturally as your spell manifests.

The spot where the water meets the sand has great magickal potential and is symbolic of being between two worlds. Take a seat in the sand where the water washes over the shore and meditate. As you do so, visualize your desires flowing back and forth between these two worlds, passing through you to get to each other. This will help your desires to manifest in your life.

If you’re looking for a talisman or ritual tool, sit at the shoreline and ask the deities of the water to send you a gift. Close your eyes, and if you wait long enough, you might find your request granted. You’ll have to be patient and dedicated for this to work.

Alternatively, you can actively seek out things such as natural ritual tools and talismans. Search along the beach for shells, stones, fossils, or anything else you might find useful. You might even find a hagstone, a stone with a whole worn through the center by the eroding action of water and sand. These are symbols of the Goddess, and can be worn about the neck as talismans of protection and fertility.

There are many other ways you can use the beach as a place of power. You might choose to immerse yourself in the water as an act of purification. You could bury your feet in the sand to fully center and ground yourself. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

The Basics of Pagan Sex Magick

Sex has incredible power, both in Paganism and life in general. Sexual release can be a very potent catalyst for spells and rituals. The act of controlling this release can raise powerful energy that can be sent toward a specific goal. This is where sex becomes sacred sex.

Though the true study of sex magick can take years, even a lifetime, the very basics can be mastered with a little practice. All it takes is a willing partner and the desire to experiment with combining magick and sex.

Preparing for Sex Magick

Speak to your partner and decide on a precise goal for the spell. It is very important for you both to be in complete agreement. Not only is it polite to discuss the spell with your partner, but it gives the spell more power and focus.

Decide on a symbol to represent your goal. It can be simple or elaborate, colored or black and white, a symbol universally accepted to mean a certain thing or something you’ve created yourself. With your partner, make at least five copies of this symbol; more is better. Don’t use a photocopier. Take the time to place as much of your own personal energy into the symbol as possible.

You and your partner should spend several nights meditating over the symbol you have created. Do this together, linking your chosen symbol to the deepest parts of your subconscious mind. Discuss your thoughts and feelings with your partner. It is essential that your vision of the spell and its intent match your partner’s vision. This may take some time, so be prepared to work on this for several days.

Place your symbols in various spots around the room where you will engage in sacred sex. Take some time to consider the space. You’ll want to ensure that a symbol will always be within easy view. Place symbols on the ceiling, walls, headboard, or anywhere you like. Remember that you’ll probably change positions during your spell, so you may need to make additional copies of your symbol.

Engaging in Sacred Sex

Immediately before you begin your sex magick, refocus your mind on your goal and the symbol you’ve chosen to represent that goal. Then let it go. Don’t consciously try to focus on your spell while you have sex. It is incredibly difficult to experience good sex while focusing on something else, though some advanced tantric masters can do so. Tantra could be described as controlled sacred sex. However, unless you’re a tantric master, just enjoy yourself.

If both you and your partner have properly prepared yourselves, your subconscious minds will already know what to do. The symbols placed around the room will serve as a key to your inner self. As you approach release, gaze at one of these symbols. As both you and your partner achieve sexual release, the energy you have raised will be channelled by your subconscious and begin to move toward your goal.

Sex magick is a fun and vibrant way to cast a spell. However, it is important that you observe magickal ethics at all times. If you do this, you can use sacred sex as a powerful source of energy.

Knowing Magick — The Styles of Magick

Not everyone practices magick in exactly the same way, even if they come from the same spiritual belief system. Practitioners within a particular magickal-religious sect (Wicca, for example) will actually span an entire range of styles.

There are four basic styles of magick:

• ceremonial magick;
• nature magick;
• kitchen magick; and
• intrinsic magick.

The Art of Ceremonial Magick

Ceremonial magick requires dedication and patience. In some ways, it is the most complicated form of magick. This style involves the use of symbols, colors, perfumes, music, and other cues in its practice. These things are usually used to assist in connecting with the divine, which is usually seen in a precisely defined aspect. The tools of a ceremonial magician are well-crafted and beautiful.

Ceremonial magicians enjoy dressing up in their special robes, using their ritual tools, and practicing by candlelight. They are also prone to calling upon spirit guides or angels, consulting astrological correspondences, and they tend to use recorded music during their rituals. The true ceremonial magician appreciates beautiful costumes and ritual tools, meaningful symbolism, and the power to lift their thoughts into a higher spiritual realm.

The Harmony of Nature Magick

The ease of use of nature magick attracts many practitioners. It is practiced outdoors when possible, and encourages a spiritual attunement with the elements — earth, air, fire, and water — as well as to various plant and animal spirits. The nature magician practices their magick in accordance with the cycles of the moon and the seasons, and their ritual tools tend to be simple, sometimes even rough, such as a simple stick for a wand.

Nature magicians enjoy practicing their craft outdoors, in whatever clothes they happen to be wearing. Usually barefoot and working under the light of the sun, moon, or stars, they tend to use whatever is available for ritual tools. A pocketknife makes a decent athame, a discarded branch can be used as a wand. They prefer to commune with plant and animal allies, and time their rituals according to the phases of the moon and the time of day.

The Warmth of Kitchen Magick

A magician of this stamp uses the magick of hearth and home to keep a household up and running. Magick for protection and healing is very common, and the tools of this style of magick are the tools of everyday life – paring knives, spices, herbs, and whatever else is close at hand. Rituals are simple in appearance, almost to the point of being casual.

Those who practice kitchen magick tend to avoid dressing up. They are comfortable practicing indoors under the electric lights, and often invoke the spirits of hearth and home. They enjoy a clean and attractive home, and their family’s health, happiness, and harmony is upmost importance.

The Simplicity of Intrinsic Magick

Practitioners of intrinsic magick are generally opposed to using tools, robes, and other props for their magick, for theirs is the magick of the mind. They achieve their results by the mental, psychic, and spiritual power that they already have, for their tool is the body of energy.

They tend to work skyclad, meaning naked, without donning ritual robes. They do not feel the need for light, since their rituals happen solely in their minds, and they invoke the Higher Self, rather than outside forces. Their own biorhythms guide the timing of their rituals, and they enjoy the feeling that they can wield the power of their own energy to change the world.

These styles can easily be blended into whatever form works best for you. Most people will have a style that they are most drawn to, and will augment that with whatever feels right. Try all of these styles, then choose the style, or combination of styles, that empowers the magick within.

Readying Yourself for Magick — Dedicating Yourself to a Deity

Dedicating yourself to a deity should not be done lightly. When you commit yourself to a god or goddess, you are embracing all that they are. Most gods and goddesses have more than one aspect. For example, Brigit is a goddess of healing, but she is also a goddess of creativity and smithcraft. She should not be chosen as a patron goddess unless you are willing to embrace her in all her aspects.

How to Dedicate Yourself to a Deity

If you are sure that you would like to dedicate yourself to your chosen deity, then you must create a ceremony to express this desire. This ritual can be short or long, elaborate or simple, but it must come from the heart. This ceremony should be unique to you, but there are some common steps that can be incorporated. A general outline for this type of ritual might be:

• Prepare your body and mind by meditating, ritual bathing, fasting, or any other activity that will clear your mind and cleanse the body;
• Dress appropriately, in robes or other ritual garb, or perhaps consider going skyclad;
• Create an altar specifically for your patron goddess or god, separate from your working altar;
• Create sacred space by casting a circle;
• Invite your patron god or goddess to join you in your circle, and introduce yourself;
• Swear an oath of dedication, explaining how you plan to be of service to your patron;
• Thank your patron for his or her presence; and
• Dismiss the circle.

How to Serve Your Patron Deity

Once the ritual is complete and you have dedicated yourself to your patron goddess or god, you may find yourself wondering how you can now fulfill your oath. How can you be of service to your patron? Any action that shows respect and love can be considered a service. Here are a few ideas.

• Create a permanent shrine or altar for your deity.
• Write a poem, song, or story about your deity.
• Invoke your deity during rituals. Perhaps even create an entire ritual simply to honor your patron.
• Create a unique piece of jewelry that symbolizes your deity, and carry it with you.
• Teach a class to the public about your deity, sharing his or her knowledge with others.
• Dance purely for your deity, expressing in dance the personality of your patron.
• Create clothing that is specific to your deity. Maybe this clothing will become your ritual garb.
• Create an astral temple for your patron.
• Go out into the world and do the work of your patron. If he or she is a healer, then heal. If your deity is an artist, then create.

Continue to increase your relationship with your patron goddess or god, for this will strengthen the magick within. Truly exploring the depths of a relationship with the divine can take a lifetime, and choosing to become the disciple of a god or goddess is a personal decision. The closer you are to the divine, the more powerful your magick will be, and the more wisely you will use it.

Readying Yourself for Magick: Connecting to the Divine

A connection to deity is essential to the full practice of magick. This is not to say that one has to follow any particular religion. Any religion or spiritual path can offer a wondrous connection to the divine. However, this connection must be of a personal nature in order for it to benefit magickal practice.

A personal relationship to the divine is one where either you have chosen a particular deity, or that deity has chosen you. Most people have an easier time establishing this connection if they visualize the deity in human form, complete with a name, history, and bursting personality.

How is the Divine Visualized?

No two people share the exact same worldview. This means that no two people see the divine in exactly the same manner, though there are usually similarities between people who share a similar religious background. Often, personal views of the divine change over time. There are many ways in which the divine is visualized today.

• Imaginary beings created by ancient peoples as a way of coping with and explaining the unknown in the natural world.
• Beings that started as imaginary, but because of the energy directed toward them by worshippers, have now become real and taken on a life of their own.
• Beings that existed prior to any humans, and are supernatural and immortal in nature.
• Aspects of the original deity who created the universe.
• Aspects of the psyche of the individual, and not external at all.
• Human beings who were so influential in their time and culture that they became deified after death.
• Imaginary beings created by the priestly class as a way of controlling the masses.
• Unknowable entities that fill a psychological need in the human psyche.
• The unifying force of the universe.

These are only some of the ways in which the divine can be visualized. It is impossible to get into specifics and describe each aspect of the divine, since no two people will see the divine in the same way. For example, not all Christians see God as an elderly gentleman with a flowing white beard. Not all Wiccans see the Goddess in her Triple form – Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

How Can I Connect to the Divine?

The divine is such an all-encompassing idea that it is best if you are able to connect to a more familiar aspect of the divine, such as Isis, Diana, Lugh, or Odin. Choosing an aspect, instead of focusing on a form that is somewhere ‘out there’ and whose nature is uncertain, allows the mind to grasp the idea of the divine with greater ease. This increases the likelihood that you will make a lasting connection to this deity.

Perhaps you already feel the call of a particular deity. If not, feel free to choose a deity from any time or place in history that you feel can help you on your spiritual journey. There are hundreds to choose from, so take your time, do your research, and choose carefully.

Once you have settled on a particular aspect, there are many things that can be done to encourage a connection with this deity. Remember, these are only suggestions. Anything that will enhance your relationship to your chosen god or goddess will suffice.

• Read a book (or many books) about your chosen deity.
• Perform online research to learn as much about your deity as possible.
• Meditate, focusing on your deity and its personality.
• Use your dreams to further connect with your deity.
• Find, buy, or make a statue for your deity.
• Make a painting or collage or your chosen deity.

Building a relationship with a particular deity may happen in an instant, or it may take many years. You may or may not choose to dedicate yourself to your deity, but either way, the personal relationship that is developed with a particular aspect of the divine is powerful and fulfilling.

Readying Yourself for Magick: An Internal Elemental Balance

The practice of magick is a mysterious and complex art. There are many tools and accessories that can be used to enhance its practice, including athames, wands, cauldrons, and ritual robes. However, all of these are useless without the most important tool of magick – you.

The Elements Within

Most people, including most magicians, are elementally imbalanced. There are five elements, and each of these corresponds to a point on the pentagram and certain human qualities. The elements are:

Earth – physical and practical concerns;

• Air – intellect and imagination;
• Fire – passion and will;
• Water – emotion and intuition; and
• Spirit – relationship with the divine.

If you want to be at your best as a magician, then your own five elements must be balanced within you. Very few people are truly balanced, and if you look at your life, you’ll probably see that you are actually lacking balance.

Perhaps you’re obsessed with earning money, but have difficulty with relationships. Maybe you have a hard time getting passionate about anything, but you’re incredibly smart. Whatever the combination, it is important to rebalance yourself for your magick to be at its most effective.

Achieving an Elemental Balance

Finding an elemental balance isn’t as hard as is might sound. With some meditation and personal exploration, identifying imbalances should occur quite quickly. After this, rectifying them is simple enough, though it usually takes quite a bit of time and energy.

Select one elemental area of your life at a time. Don’t try to tackle too much at once, or you might become overwhelmed.Once you have selected one particular area of you life, try the following steps:

• Be very clear about your goal. Write it down.
• Chart your progress using a diary or journal, otherwise you won’t know when you’ve achieved your goal
• Break down your goal into simple, attainable, steps. This will help to keep you motivated.
• Think about what obstacles you might encounter and decide how best to remove them.
• Evaluate the resources you already have, including friends, family, spiritual counselors, etc.
• Set dates for progress, and keep them.
• Look at your list of steps every day, and try to accomplish something, even if it’s only a small thing.
• When you finally achieve your goal, have a celebration to acknowledge your achievement.

Repeat these steps for each area of your life, until you’re satisfied that you are more elementally balanced that you were previously. This balance will enhance the effectiveness of your spells and rituals. Revisit the idea of finding your balance one a year, and you will truly empower the magick within.

Magick and Health: Fresh Air, Light, Exercise, and Magick

One of the greatest sources of energy for magick is the physical body. It produces and expends vast quantities of energy every day, and the intelligent magician will both realize and utilize this. There are some things that can increase this source of energy, including sunlight, fresh air, and exercise.

The Magickal Effect of Fresh Air

It is common knowledge that air free of pollutants is healthier for the body. From a magickal standpoint, avoiding pollutants such as smog, smoke, or fumes is almost a necessity for healthy magick. Part of the energy used during magick will always be personal power. This personal power comes from many sources, including the air around you. If this air is polluted, then your magick will be as well.

The ideal situation is fresh, outdoor air. If possible, go outside about an hour before starting a spell or ritual and breathe in the clean, fresh air; work your magick outdoors as well, weather permitting. If you live in a large metropolitan area, this may not be possible, as the air indoors might actually be of a better quality. In this case, consider purchasing an air cleaner for inside your home, and place it where you work magick. On days when smog is really a problem, close the windows.

If you smoke, try to avoid doing so during the two hour period before practicing magick. If you typically smoke indoors, consider working your magick outside to take advantage of the cleaner air. Obviously, it would be best if you could breathe clean air all the time, but in today’s world of city living, that’s not always feasible.

Is Sunlight Necessary to the Practice of Magick?

The short answer to this question is no, it’s not necessary. After all, many spells and rituals are performed under the light of the moon, or even under the cover of total darkness. However, sunlight is necessary to keep the energy resources of the body high, presuming that you’re not allergic to it.

The body absorbs energy from the sun. This energy can be used to fuel spells and rituals. Spend time in the sun, and you will find that you feel energized. This is easiest during the summer months, when the sun is high in the sky, but can also be arranged in the winter with a little creativity.

If you are the type of person who spends almost all your time indoors, natural light might feel strange, perhaps even uncomfortable at first. It will take some getting used to, but the extra energy is worth the effort.

Energy is also absorbed from moonlight, just as with sunlight. However, people in general tend to get less exposure to moonlight, simply because most people are asleep when the moon is high in the sky.

Exercise and its Effect on Magick

Exercise generates energy. So, it makes a certain amount of sense to use exercise to raise power for magick. While it is best to exercise consistently, thereby maximizing the amount of available energy, a little extra exercise in the last few hours before a spell or ritual will also make a difference.

There are certain types of physical activity that increase the circulation of energy throughout the body, including:

• Yoga;
• Tai Chi; and
• Aikido.

Dance is also an excellent choice, especially when one feels passion for a certain type of dance. For example, many women find that belly dance resonates with them. Dance is one of the many ways of raising power in ritual, and can be used before ritual to begin to raise power.

The physical body is an incredibly rich source of energy for magickal workings. Its power can be accessed quite easily by those things that are done anyway, such as physical activity and ensuring you have access to fresh air and sunlight. Being properly rested and eating certain foods will help as well. Embracing some of these ideas is said to enhance the magick within.

Magick and Health: Food for Magick

Many believe in a strong connection between the physical body and the magick within. When the physical body is strong, everything in magick — from casting spells and working rituals, to meditation and visualization — will be easier. Food is one way to increase the energy of the physical body.

The Link Between Food and Magick

There is no perfect magickal food. Some practitioners like to eat exotic fruits that are sacred in different parts of the world. Others, usually those who follow a specific tradition, consume entire meals from certain regions. However, it doesn’t have to be that complicated.

For the purpose of discussing food, there are two types of magickal workings:

• Those that take a short amount of time and use little energy; and
• Those that take a longer amount of time and use much more energy.

Food is one source of energy, not just physically, but magickally. When it comes to choosing foods to eat right before practicing magick, even if that magick is small, it is best to choose foods that release their energy in the manner which will most benefit you.

Selecting Foods for Magickal Work

When performing magicks that will only take short while, such as most simple spells, choose foods that release their energy fairly quickly, but steadily. This does not mean chocolate. Yes, it releases energy quickly, but in an extremely short burst, and will leave you feeling drained rather than energized. Instead, choose fresh fruits. Some good choices are:

• Apples – are a powerful magickal fruit, as they reveal a pentacle when sliced open;
• Apricots – are said to be a fruit of love;
• Bananas – are helpful for prosperity;
• Blueberries – are excellent for protection spells;
• Oranges – have the power of divination and luck; and
• Pomegranate – work well for wishes, wealth, and fertility.

Magicks that take longer, such as most rituals, need a more sustainable source of energy. Generally, if you’ll be engaged in your magicks for more that approximately ninety continuous minutes, it is a good idea to pick foods higher in carbohydrates. Some good choices include:

• Pasta;
• Rice; and
• Potatoes.

Foods to Avoid During the Practice of Magick

There are some foods that impede the practice of magick. These should be avoided in the last four hours before a spell or ritual. This does not mean that you have to give up these foods all the time, but to maximize the effectiveness of your magick, their consumption should be limited during spells and rituals.

Some foods to avoid include:

• Red meat;
• Alcohol;
• Salt (though sea salt is acceptable);
• Refined sugars;
• MSG;
• Caffeine; and
• Soda pop.

Organically grown fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates are probably the best for working magick, but that certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy your favorite foods. As long as they are consumed in moderation, and not immediately before a spell or ritual, they should not have a completely adverse effect on your magicks. It's believed that by combining the consumption of food with exercise, fresh air, and light will enhance your magick even more.

Preparing for Magick: How to Cast Spells

Spells are really just the manipulation of energy. This energy must then be sent towards a specific goal, and any excess energy should be released into the earth. This process can seem rather complicated, but as long as you’re centered and grounded correctly, the manipulation of energy can be fairly simple.

The Energy Within — Personal Power

Every living thing is full of power. The magick within is incredibly strong, and ready to be used. All the strength and power you will ever need is within you, including the strength to draw upon outside energies when necessary. However, for most people, these skills have never been used, or were used so long ago that they have forgotten them completely.

Personal power is like a muscle. It strengthens with use, and will atrophy with neglect. Start small, and practice frequently to encourage your personal power to become stronger; there are many exercises you might use to help learn to direct your own energy. Eventually, your own personal power will be strong enough to accomplish what might seem to be impossible.

Using personal power requires intense emotion. It is best to focus on a goal you can feel passionate about for maximum effectiveness. The modern world teaches that strong passions must be repressed and controlled, so you will have to break through these years of conditioning, finding the flame that will fuel your own magick.

Raising Magickal Energy From Outside Sources

Raising energy can be done in many different ways. Some common methods of raising energy are:

• Chanting
• Drumming
• Stomping
• Clapping
• Breathing
• Singing
• Dancing
• Visualization
• Meditation

Many Pagans and Wiccans use ritual to raise energy. This allows for the combination of many methods mentioned above. When raising energy, let the feeling that has been awakened using personal power permeate your entire body; feel the power surge through you.

Remember to draw energy from the earth, the same way you do when you’re grounding. Channel energy from the sun, the moon, a lake, or whatever natural sources are nearby. Open yourself to nature, or you will only have access to your own personal power, and this will quickly leave you exhausted.

One must see the desired goal as real and already accomplished. Experience the feeling of achievement that will accompany success. You will know instinctively when the energy is at its peak. In that instant, it is time to send it towards its goal.

Sending Magickal Energy Towards Its Goal

Raising energy does no good if it’s not eventually sent out to accomplish its goal. To do this, visualize the energy streaming from you into either the object of the goal itself, or a visualization of this goal. For example, for healing, you would visualize the energy entering the person to be healed (following all magickal ethics, of course).

If the person is not sitting directly in front of you, try using a photograph, or perhaps a lock of hair. Even picturing the person sitting in front of you will do. Imagine them as hale and healthy, raise the power, and channel it into them. Keep the vision of them fully healed in your mind for the duration. Avoid distractions during this process.

Some visualizations are not as easy as this. For example, if you’re casting a spell for increased concentration, you may have to visualize yourself studying, or working, or whatever image works for you. See yourself participating in an activity that is associated with your goal.

Releasing Excess Energy Into the Earth

After the energy has been raised and sent towards its goal, you will probably still feel as if you’re vibrating, too keyed up to sleep. This means that there is still excess energy circulating throughout your system. This energy is fine in the short term, but it will eventually begin to have adverse effects such as:

• Headaches;
• Inability to sleep;
• Too much tension; and
• Hyperactivity.

There is no need for this, as the excess energy can be sent into the earth. Simply place your hands upon the ground (preferably the earth itself, but it’s not strictly necessary). Allow the excess energy to drain through your hands and into the earth. As an alternative, you could try sitting on the ground and allowing the energy to drain though your ‘roots’ into the earth. This is the reverse of most common grounding exercises.

Many rituals, especially Wiccan rituals, involve ‘cakes and wine.’ This is a more mundane method of releasing excess energy. When your body has to digest physical food, it can return to its normal state much more quickly. Releasing excess energy is highly important, no matter which method is used, so if simply having a meal after spells and rituals is easiest for you, then do so.

Casting spells is not necessarily an easy process at first. However, with time, patience, practice, and an internal elemental balance, it does become easier, and eventually second nature. Some spells have a long list of ingredients and tools, and while these may enhance the working of a spell, they are not strictly necessary.

Preparing for Magick: Centering and Grounding

The art of grounding and centering is necessary to the successful practice of magick. Before approaching this task, it is important to properly cleanse the aura and the chakras. After this has been accomplished, you should center and ground before attempting any magickal work.

How Do You Know if You Need to Center and Ground?

The easy answer to this question is that you always need to center and ground before working magick. But there are signs that centering is especially necessary. If you pay close attention to how you feel on an internal level, you will notice when you begin to feel off-balance, confused, uncertain, or weak. To successfully practice magick, you must be aware of your own inner state.

If you notice that you feel somehow ‘off center,’ take the time to ground and center, even if you will not be performing magick. You’ll both feel and function better as a result.

How to Center the Spiritual Self

The art of centering is really very simple. Start by taking a deep breath and turning your focus inward until you are acutely aware of your inner state of being. Close your eyes and visualize a point of light approximately two inches below your navel. Feel how solid this point is, and the sense of calm that emanates from it.

This point is the center of your own internal universe, the seat of your body’s energy. If you are truly seated in this point, nothing can move you from it. As long as you remain focused on this center, you and your energy are untouchable. Take a deep breath and relax into your center, allowing its peace to fill you. Remain in this state as you open your eyes and proceed with grounding your spiritual self.

How to Ground the Spiritual Self

Grounding your energies takes a little more visualization to accomplish successfully. If you can, take a seat upon the earth. If not, a comfortable position anywhere will suffice. Visualize the root chakra at the very base of your spine. See your backbone as the trunk of a tree, and allow your root chakra to stretch out as ‘roots’ reaching deep into the earth. Feel them as they penetrate the soil.

Inhale and draw the earth’s energy up into yourself. Allow its energy to flow up the roots, into the trunk that is your spine, and permeate your entire body. Feel the earth’s stability, strength, and wisdom fill you. When you are ready, draw you roots back into yourself, sit quietly for a moment, and then proceed with your magickal work.

Grounding and centering, which are really just a form of meditation, are necessary steps for working any magick, Wiccan or otherwise. When done correctly, you should feel energized, calm, and at peace all at the same time. Once centered and grounded, spell casting and rituals can be performed.

Preparing for Magick: The Body of Energy

Energy exists within you and around you. It is everywhere. Every living thing both generates energy and uses it. This constant generation and use of energy creates an energy field. This energy field should be strong, bright, and clear for your magick to be at its best.

The Aura of the Physical Body

The energy that powers the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies forms a kind of ethereal body. This energy, sometimes called chi or mana, permeates the entire physical body, and even extends out from the skin. It manifests itself as a glow that is usually invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen by most magicians.

This glow is commonly called the aura. Most people can learn to see it, with just a little training and practice. Some people will see it in black and white, and others have the privilege of seeing it in full color. There are a few who cannot see this aura at all, but these are few and far between. Usually, these people can sense it, rather than see it directly.

The aura reflects both your energy level and your general health, including physical health.

The Energy Centers of the Physical Body

Within the aura are several centers of energy, commonly called chakras. While there are likely hundreds of these scattered throughout the body, most traditions agree that there are seven major chakras.

• Crown chakra – Represented by the color purple, located at the top of the head, and is the center of divine connection.
• Third Eye Chakra – Represented by the color dark blue, located between the eyebrows, and is the center of psychic sensitivity.
• Throat Chakra – Represented by the color light blue, located at the base of the throat, and is the center of communication.
• Heart Chakra – Represented by the color green, located at the heart, and is the center of emotion.
• Solar Plexus Chakra – Represented by the color yellow, located beneath the rib cage, and is the center of vitality.
• Sacral Chakra – Represented by the color orange, located near the navel, and is the center of sexuality and creative energies.
• Root Chakra – Represented by the color red, located at the base of the spine, and is the center of survival and basic life functions.

The chakras are points of energy located within the body where certain types of energy are concentrated. They can be visualized as spheres of colored light, and reflect the general health of their respective qualities, as indicated above. When an individual is trained to visualize chakras, it's said that you can locate energy imbalances within each point. For example, a dim or murky heart chakra could mean weak or damaging relationships. However, a clear and bright throat chakra may symbolize strong and healthy communication skills.

All magicians should monitor and maintain both their aura and their chakras. If your body of energy becomes dim, weak, or debilitated in some way, you may become both physically and emotionally ill. There are many ways to maintain the body of energy, such as meditation, adherence to the Witches’ Pyramid, and practicing magick ethically. There are also methods for cleansing the body of energy, once it has become contaminated. All of these should be used when necessary.

Preparing for Magick: The Witches' Pyramid

Most rituals and spells would fail dismally if the mind, will, body of energy, and physical body were not properly prepared. One of the ways in which this can be done is with the Witches’ Pyramid. There are several versions of this, but essentially, the Witches’ Pyramid has a base, four sides, and an interior. The base of the Witches’ Pyramid is knowledge; its interior is love. The four sides are:

• imagination;
• will;
• faith; and
• silence.

The Base of the Witches’ Pyramid – Knowledge

Magickal knowledge can come from so many places. It can come from books. However, books on magick and related topics must be selected carefully. Any book that promises to teach the control or manipulation of others should be discarded. Many books are full of spells and rituals, but some fail to address topics like how magick works, the ethics or hazards of magick, or the principles of magick. It's best to search for books that have detailed information on how to perform magick, and not simply a list of ingredients and steps for spells.

Knowledge can be gained from talented teachers. Look for someone who has used magick to enhance their own life and the lives of others. An ethical teacher will offer spiritual guidance, but will not dominate or control. He or she will never ask for sexual favors, but will expect their students to work hard for what they want. Most ethical teachers will not charge money for apprenticeship, but it is common to charge for public seminars or workshops. It is also not unreasonable for a teacher to expect to be compensated for materials and possibly their time.

The greatest teacher in magick is nature. There is an infinite amount of wisdom to be found on the highest mountains, the bluest oceans, and the greenest glades. For the magician who is open to receiving its message, nature can be the greatest of spiritual teachers.

The First Side of the Witches’ Pyramid – Imagination

In order to manifest something in magick, you must be able to imagine it first, to clearly visualize the end goal with clarity. You must be able to see, taste, smell, hear, and feel all the details of the intended spell or ritual. Moreover, you must be able to see all the steps necessary in completing the spell, both magickally and mundanely.

Being able to do this will require skills in the art of visualization. These can be developed in many ways. Meditation is effective, but it can be even simpler than that. Read a book, and practice visualizing every bit of what is described. Take moments from the past day and recreate them using only visualization. For the creative magician, developing the powers of the imagination presents no problem at all.

The Second Side of the Witches’ Pyramid – Will

When discussing the power of will in a magickal sense, it does not refer to desires or whims. Instead, it is the True Will, what really matters to the Higher Self. It is easier to raise power for something that you feel passionate about, and this is what True Will can identify, for it is fire, heart, and passion. Before true magick can be created, you must know what it is you truly want.

The other side of this coin is what is called the Focused Will. Once the True Will has identified the goal, and it has been visualized to its fullest extent, the Focused Will must pursue it. All of the energy that the Focused Will can muster, which is considerable, must be channeled to this one thing alone. This focus will allow true magick to happen.

The Third Side of the Witches’ Pyramid – Faith

Faith in yourself, in your magick is crucial. For the Focused Will to truly pursue a goal, there must be a foundation of belief that it is possible to work magick in the first place. This belief takes both time and experience to build. Start small, setting goals that are easily accomplished. As these things become a reality, confidence and belief will start to bloom.

The Fourth Side of the Witches’ Pyramid – Silence

The idea of silence in magick can have several meanings. Keeping silent about magickal workings does help avoid needless disbelief and even harassment from others; the true magician has no need to boast about their spells and rituals anyway. Silence, both within and without, is also necessary to become still enough to both sense and use the currents of psychic power that move around you everyday. So silence is an important part of the Witches’ Pyramid in more than one sense.

The Interior of the Witches’ Pyramid – Love

Magick that flows from love is simply more effective than that which flows from hatred. All things are connected, and love honors and cherishes these connections; hatred refuses them. Most everything in magick can be approached from a feeling of love and generosity, if you are simply willing to do so. Setting aside anger and fear is never an easy thing to do, but it will enhance the power and quality of your magicks.

These six things — knowledge, imagination, will, faith, silence, and love — comprise the Witches’ Pyramid. Master these principles and the power of the Pyramid and its qualities will answer to the magick within.

Foundations of Magick: The Dangers of Magick

Magick is not any more or less dangerous than anything else in life. Though there are many dangers relating to magick, and almost all of them are located within the mind of the practitioner. It is so easy to fall into certain dangerous traits, but with a little knowledge and foresight, and an understanding of magickal ethics, these can be avoided.

The Psychological Dangers of Magick

Almost all dangers, at least those relating to magick, are psychological in nature. The most common danger comes with the realization that magick is an extremely powerful tool, one with limitless possibilities. It is not uncommon for the green magician to feel a rush of power than can lead to a sense of omnipotence. When it comes to the practice of magick, believing that you’re infallible can lead to a great many problems.

Some people are prone to paranoia, and magicians are not immune to this. Occasionally, a magician will decide that they are being spied on or even attacked by some black magician who’s out to get them; this is simply not the case. Paranoia has no place in the practice of true magick.

There are also those people who get so wrapped up in something new that they lose touch with reality. This can also happen to magicians. They become enraptured with the possibilities that magick presents, and they lose sight of the necessity of the physical world. Perhaps they even begin to deceive themselves into believing that everything they think is reality. This can be avoided by keeping in touch with the real world, not losing touch with friends and family, and continuing with the more mundane activities of life. Even the most powerful magician needs to remember to cook dinner.

Becoming dependent on magick also happens to a few practitioners. Some people just want to find a magickal solution to everything. While magick may be able to help, it isn’t always the only, or even the best, answer to every problem. This is easily avoidable by simply using magick as a compliment to mundane activities, rather than a possible substitute.

Other Dangers of Magick

The earth will not open up and swallow you whole, but there are some real dangers of magick that every potential magician should be aware of. The most common is an imbalance of energy caused by one of two things: using up too much energy, or having an excess of magickal energy circulating the body.

Using too much of one’s own personal energy reserves can easily leave one feeling drained and exhausted. This should not be an issue, because there is energy everywhere, in every blade of grass and every breath of air. Draw what is needed and ground the excess. If the excess energy from a spell or ritual is not grounded, it remains in the body, and can have some interesting effects. If you feel as if you’ve had too much coffee, you can’t fall asleep, or have an unexplainable headache after a spell or ritual, it’s likely that you have too much excess energy. This can usually be solved by meditation.

Magick, like any other activity, has its risks. However, most agree that these risks are easily minimized and controlled though the application of correct magickal ethics. One should never let the potential risks prevent them from exploring the magick within.

Foundations of Magick: Ethics and Magick

For the most part, those choosing to work magick want to work magick with some kind of ethical guideline, some type of balance. This is all to the good, because whatever is done always comes back to the practitioner. Realizing that there are ethics involved in the practice of magick is the first step in avoiding the dangers of magick.

Magickal Ethics and Responsibility

The greatest ethical principle concerning the practice of magick is taking responsibility for one’s own life. It is the acknowledgment that everything in that life is there because of a choice that has been made, usually by the practitioner himself. These choices may have been made subconsciously, but they have been made nonetheless.

These choices relate to every aspect of life. Every decision made regarding relationships, career, family, spirituality, thoughts, and material matters are a direct result of choice. You have made your own bed, so the saying goes.

The Wiccan Rede and Causing Harm

There is much more to magickal ethics than simply taking responsibility. There are certain laws and principles that govern the ethical practice of magick. There is the Wiccan Rede, as an example, which states, “An ye harm none, do as ye will.” In plain language, this means that whatever one does, it must not harm anyone, including yourself; the idea of harm includes the physical, emotional, and mental. Everyone and everything is connected. Harm to one does harm to all.

There are many forms of harm, and it can be difficult to avoid them all. However, one of the most difficult things to resist, and the thing that can sometimes do the most harm, is to interfere in the lives of others. As a result of this, most ethical practitioners will not perform magick for anyone without first obtaining their informed consent. If someone does not want the help that magick can offer, it would be wrong to force it upon another individual.

The Threefold Law and Magick

The Law of Return, sometimes called the Threefold Law, basically states that what is send out returns, or like for like, to phrase it another way. This means that if one were to send out a curse, then he or she would likely end up cursed as well. Send out love, and love returns. Acting out of love and compassion, no matter the situation, is much safer, in the long run, than acting out of anger or vengeance.

There are many models for ethics and magick, such as the Witches' Pyramid. The application of ethics to the practice of magick is an important factor when deciding to follow a magickal path. The connection that is made between the subconscious mind and the Higher Self will depend, at some point, on the moral compass of the magician. Truly embracing magickal ethics will only serve to enhance the magick within.

Foundations of Magick: A Magickal Connection

To really work true magick, a practitioner must form a connection between the three aspects of self – the conscious self, the subconscious self, and the Higher Self. Forging this magickal connection and discovering the magick within takes patience and discipline.

Creating the Connection Between the Conscious Self and the Subconscious Self

For the most part, the subconscious self is ignored by the conscious self. There are different reasons for this. Many people are uncomfortable wit the idea of this more sensual or emotional self. Some feel that the subconscious self is simply too childish to be bothered with. Either attitude can interfere with the process of forging a connection between the subconscious and conscious minds.

Reconnecting with the subconscious self is an incredibly simple process. It's believed that one need only be open to what the subconscious has to say. Listen to it, talk to it, and pay attention to what it has to offer. Remember that the subconscious is very like a small child or an animal. After being neglected for so long, it will not trust easily. The subconscious must be courted, gentled, and taught to trust. This takes time and patience.

A good method for building a relationship with the subconscious self is to use meditation. While in a meditative state, ask the subconscious self to reveal itself in the form of an animal. It may still be shy, and may not appear, and if it does, it may not be in its true animal form. If the animal spirit runs or hides, then it is not yet ready to reveal itself. With patience, the subconscious self will reveal its true animal form, and when it does, valuable insights can be gained into its personality.

There are other things that can be done to strengthen the bond with the subconscious self. This element of the mind is usually sensual, playful, and child-like, and thus, it will typically respond when these aspects of the self are explored and indulged. In time, the sensuality, spontaneity, and energy of the subconscious self will be added to the maturity, thoughtfulness, and intelligence of the conscious self.

Forging a Link Between the Subconscious Self and the Higher Self

The subconscious self has spent a great amount of time storing up old memories and emotions. Not all of these are positive. The negative memories and emotions are a block to any sort of connection to the Higher Self. Overcoming this is not always easy.

The negative emotions and memories must be identified and truly released. This can be done through meditation, hypnosis and divination, perhaps with the use of different tools, such as the Tarot. Some practitioners also find that simply discussing these things with a trusted friend helps to release them. Still others decide that professional therapy may be of assistance. Everyone will find different ways of doing this.

The idea here is to find balance that might have been lost. This means not just identifying the negative emotions that are blocking access to the Higher Self, but mending them. This is probably the most difficult part of connecting the subconscious self to the Higher Self. One a mundane level, this might mean making amends for some harm that you have done others, or offering forgiveness to those who have caused harm to you.

In a more magickal sense, this process might involve spiritual cleansing. Ritual baths, self blessings, aura cleansings, and smudging are just some ideas on how this might be accomplished. Over time, and with patience, the negative emotions and memories can be cleared, if not totally forgotten. Once this has happened, there can be a free exchange of energy between the subconscious self and the Higher Self.

Clearing a Path From the Conscious Self to the Higher Self

Once the Higher Self and the subconscious self are ready and able to communicate effectively, there is only one last path of communication left that must be established — the conscious self to the Higher Self. If this pathway can be forged, the Higher Self will shower the conscious self with wisdom, love, and power.

The one real block in establishing this communication is the conscious self. If it (and you) cannot be made to accept that all the gifts that flow from the Higher Self are both well-deserved and highly possible, then the path will remain blocked. It can be opened by a sense of faith and belief that the Higher Self exists and that anything is possible. But just as important is a high-regard for oneself. Not ego, but a healthy respect.

The Higher Self is much wiser than the conscious mind. When it comes to the working of magick, it will grant that which is asked for in its own way. Sometimes, this will be subtle, almost unnoticeable.

To fully explore the intricacies of magick, one has to be open to the messages that the Higher Self will reveal. This requires a level of awareness that can only be developed over time, and only by those who are determined to do so.