How To Write Your Own Spell in 5 Steps

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using other peoples’ spells — and in fact there is an entire industry devoted to publishing books full of them — there are times when you may wish to use your own. It may be that you can’t find what you’re looking for in a book, or you might just feel a need to use original material. Whatever your reasons, it’s not as hard as you may think to write your own spells if you follow this very simple formula.

1. FIGURE OUT THE GOAL/PURPOSE/INTENT OF THE WORKING.

What is it you wish to accomplish? Are you looking for prosperity? Hoping to get a better job? Trying to bring love into your life? What is the specific aim of the spell? Whatever it may be, make sure you’re clear on what it is you want — “I will get that promotion at work!”

2. DETERMINE WHAT MATERIAL COMPONENTS YOU’LL NEED TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.

Will the working require herbs, candles, or stones? Try to think outside the box when you’re composing a spell — and remember that magic relies heavily on symbolism. There’s nothing wrong with using unusual ingredients in a working — Hot Wheels cars, chess pieces, bits of hardware, sunglasses and even old DVDs are all fair game.

3. DECIDE IF TIMING IS IMPORTANT.

In some traditions, moon phase is crucial, while in others it’s not significant. Generally, positive magic, or workings that draw things to you, is performed during the waxing moon.

Negative or destructive magic is done during the waning phase. It may be that you feel a certain day of the week is best for the working, or even a certain hour of the day. Don’t feel obligated to drown yourself in the details, though. If you’re a person who feels confident doing magic on the fly without worrying about timing, then go for it.

Be sure to check our Magical Correspondence Tables if correspondences make a difference in your tradition.

4. FIGURE OUT YOUR WORDING.

What words or incantation — if any — will be verbalized during the working? Are you going to chant something formal and powerful, calling upon the gods for assistance? Will you simply mutter a poetic couplet under your breath? Or is it the sort of working where you can simply ponder the Universe in silence? Remember, there is power in words, so select them carefully.

5. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Put all of the above together into a workable form, and then, in the immortal words of the Nike commercial, Just Do It.

Llewellyn author Susan Pesznecker says of crafting a spell on your own, “When you build a spell yourself, from the ground up, you infuse it with your deliberateness, your preferences, your wishes, your thoughts, and your energies. This spell won’t simply be something you read from someone else’s pages—it will carry your own signature and resonate through your very core. It will be much more powerful and complete than any ready-made charm could ever be, making you an integral part of the magick from start to finish. When we practice spellcraft, we use magick as a way of altering reality.

We do this by working with as many of the corresponding realities as possible—time, date, place, elemental correspondences, the support of deities, etc.—in hopes that we can shift reality in one direction or the other and alter the outcome. Nowhere is this more elegantly done than in handcrafting spells, charms, and rituals, because in these instances, we put our essence into the magick and make it our own.”

Tips:

Despite the above five-step method being a very bare-bones and simple way of looking at spell construction, it does work effectively. You may wish to keep a magical journal or make notes in your Book of Shadows during the spell construction phase, and then keep track of results as they begin to manifest.

If a working hasn’t begun to manifest within a few weeks — some traditions say within 28 days, a lunar month — you may want to stop and revisit the working. Figure out what variables may need to be changed.

The Universe has a quirky sense of humor, so make sure anything you cast a spell for is worded correctly. In other words, be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it!

Remember that magic is a tool and a skill set, but some common sense should prevail as well. You can cast all day to get yourself a job, but your chances of success are greatly reduced if you haven’t pounded the pavement and sent out copies of your resume!

Pagans & Witches – Becoming

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

People become Pagans or Wiccans for a variety of reasons. Most of those reasons are pretty good – sometimes it involves a connection to the divine, a sense of coming home, or even just a gradual transformation. However, there are plenty of reasons that aren’t so great. If yours appear on this list, you might want to rethink your whole spiritual journey and what you hope to get out of it.

1. I want to cast spells on people!

So there’s a really cute guy you like, and you figure the best way to get his attention is to start flinging some hot and sexy magical mojo his way. Or maybe you lost your job, and you’re thinking a spell aimed at your former boss is a great idea. Well, while both of these are things that you could do, that doesn’t mean that you should. Although the majority of Pagans do incorporate magic into their spiritual practice, it’s not generally the primary focus. If you’re only interested in spellwork, that’s fine – but keep in mind that the word work is a key component of that. There’s a reason that not everyone in the world practices magic.

Also, keep in mind that some traditions of modern Paganism have guidelines regarding spellwork aimed at other people. Be sure to read about the ethics of love spells before you start targeting the hottie in the next cubicle.

Be sure to read:

How to Write a Spell

How Does Magic Work?

2. I was raised Christian but now I hate going to church.

So for whatever reason, you’ve decided the Christian religion isn’t for you. That’s fine – everyone is allowed to evolve and grow and move on. However, if you’re seeking out Paganism simply as an act of rebellion against your upbringing, you may find yourself disappointed later on. Many Pagans say they feel more at home in their spiritual path once they realized they were running TO something, instead of trying to get away from something.

If you were raised Christian, and now you’re thinking about becoming Pagan, it’s important to ask yourself why. Switching religions isn’t like trying on a new pair of shoes, and often involves some degree of commitment on your part. Be sure you’re exploring Paganism because it feels right to you – not because it seems wrong to your family.

3.I want to conjure up spirits! They’re cool.

So you read about some guy who conjured up a spirit to do his bidding, and he got all kinds of cool powers, and blah blah blah. Well, while working with the spirit world is something that some Pagans do, it’s not something everyone does. And if you do decide to work with the spirit world, it’s important to remember that they’re not pets or playthings – just because you invoke a spirit doesn’t mean it’s interested in doing you bidding.

Many people do have spirit guides that visit them periodically – and there are a number of different types. However, if you’re going to call upon otherworldly beings, make sure you do so safely. They can be hard to get rid of if you change your mind later on about having them as guests.

4. I’m a seventeenth-generation hereditary Wiccan.

Many people believe that they’re descended from a long line of witches – and indeed, some people do have a few witchy branches in their family tree. However, just because someone in your family was a witch or Pagan doesn’t automatically make you one by default. Also, it’s important to remember that Wicca itself is a fairly new religion, created by Gerald Gardner in the 1950’s. That means that your great-great-great-great-grandmother who lived in Salem wasn’t Wiccan. Also, that ancestor who lived in Appalachia and gathered herbs and was known as a cunning woman? Not Wiccan. However, she may well have been practising some form of folk magic – much of which co-existed happily with Christianity for centuries. But she still wasn’t Wiccan.

5. Everyone knows Pagans are really kinky and open about sex.

If you’re thinking about becoming Pagan because it’s going to increase your opportunities to get laid, think again. While many Pagans are pretty open about sex – and there are a lot of polyamorous Pagans – that doesn’t mean we all want to sleep with you. Open-mindedness and tolerance of different sexual preferences isn’t the same as promiscuity. Also, although some Pagan groups include ritual sex as part of practice, if ritual sex is performed, it is nearly always between two individuals who are part of an existing relationship already, and who are of equal levels of power within the dynamic of the coven.

If you want to have kinky sex, go have it. But don’t use Paganism or other beliefs as an excuse or justification.

6. I want to be part of a religion that lets me do what I want.

Some people mistakenly believe that Pagan religions, specifically Wicca, are “do whatever you want” belief systems. While there’s a lot of room for leeway in how people practice and what they believe, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can do things that defy the laws of logic and common sense. For instance, if you want to worship Hecate, go right ahead — but don’t proclaim to everyone that you honor her as a goddess of love and beauty instead of one of sorcery and destruction.

Also, some established traditions do have guidelines in place. Many Wiccan groups follow the Wiccan Rede, and other Pagan belief systems may have their own set of rules. If you’re joining one of these established groups, you’ll be expected to follow their tenets. If you’re starting your own tradition, or practising as a solitary, you can create your own system – but make sure you establish some consistency in things.

7. People are mean to me, and if I’m a witch, they’ll be scared to pick on me.

Um, no. If people are mean to you, they’re going to continue being mean even if you’re a witch. If you’re interested in becoming Pagan just because it sounds spooky and scary, that’s not a great reason. In fact, you could find yourself having even more problems if you walk around telling the people who are harassing you that you’re now Pagan. If you’re a student and you’re being picked on – for whatever reason – you need to let an adult know so they can intervene. If you’re an adult and you’re being harassed by others, there are a number of ways to resolve the problem – call the police if it’s your neighbor, speak to your boss if it’s a co-worker.

Mean people are mean no matter what religion you are. Being Pagan isn’t going to change that.

8. All Pagans are peaceful and loving, so I want to be one.

Many people enter into the Pagan community thinking that every event they attend will be full of sunshine and rainbows, with happy Wiccans frolicking in fields, hugging trees and singing Kumbayah. Then, unfortunately, they get a rude awakening when someone at the potluck dinner says something snarky about someone else, one of the Druids makes a comment about the Heathens, and the drum circle erupts into a brawl because the High Priestess’ boyfriend drank too much.

Look, Pagans are people just like everyone else. We’re not all sparkles and light, and it’s unreasonable to expect everyone to be like that. Also, there are so many different sets of beliefs that you can’t just assume everyone’s going to be hugging it out in a giant gooey love-fest. Some Pagans are peaceful, others are not. But it’s a bad idea to expect every single one of us to be exactly the same – you’ll be sorely disappointed if you’re operating under these misconceptions.

9. I have psychic powers. That makes me a witch.

No. It makes you someone who’s psychically gifted. That doesn’t necessarily make you witchy or Pagan. There are many people who have varying degrees of psychic abilities – and there are a number of ways you can develop these skills so you can use them in a positive way. Witchcraft, on the other hand, is a matter of practice. In other words, practising witchcraft makes you a witch, while using your psychic abilities makes you a psychic.

10. I want to be like the girls on Charmed!

Charmed is a television show – you can’t use magic to change your eye colour, levitate, resurrect the dead, or any of the other amazing things that Phoebe and her sisters do. Likewise, The Craft and Harry Potter are make-believe too. While television and movies might have you believe that practising witches do all this fantastic stuff, most of the time we’re just hanging around trying to balance our check books, prepare dinner for our families, get to work on time, and walk the dog.

Witchcraft – Learning the Basics

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Magic power is inherent on Earth. By various means, we have learned how to use it. We hold the complete, pure energy of the All – of the Goddess and the God – most high. As witches, we know that we are a minute part of the universe. Yet we are connected to every other part of the universe. Everything affects us, and what we do affects everything.

If you do magic, it can truly change things. As a witch, you must respect this. You have the power to change things, and you can have a major impact on people and their lives. With this power comes great responsibility – to other people, animals, the Earth and to yourself.

Practitioners of magic understand that what is perceived to be the difference between the physical and the non-physical is due to our limitations as materially based entities. Some of the tools used in the practice of magic are indeed non-physical. Three of the most effective of these are music, dance and gestures. Writing and creating art can help to free your conscious mind and focus your concentration for working magic.

Techniques used to raise power, alter consciousness and to unite with the Goddess and the God often are part of ritual. In fact, effective, even powerful rites can be achieved using mere gestures. We honor dance and music as being among the earliest magical and religious acts. From the earliest of times, practitioners of magic have employed color, rhythm, hand gestures and bodily postures in their craft.

I define ritual as specific movements, manipulation of objects (tools) or a series of inner processes, which are designed to produce desired effects. For Wiccans, rituals are ceremonies that celebrate and strengthen the relationships with the Goddess, the God and the Earth. A simple rite may consist of a lone celebrant lighting a fire and chanting sacred names as she or he watches the moon rise. Conversely, a Wiccan rite may involve a number of people, each with specific roles, speeches and offerings in honour of Deity. Rites may be ancient, newly written or spontaneous.

A Spell Against Spite and Gossip

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan


In life we often deal with not so nice people. I want to share spell, that probably will be useful to many of us.

Traditionally, witch bottles filled with rusty nails, sour red wine (or even urine) and sprigs of rosemary were buried under the doorstep of a house as an age-old method of keeping away spite.

Here’s a contemporary update on this practice.

Tools: A dark bottle with a cork, sour milk, old red wine

and dried rosemary

Technique: Into the bottle pour the sour milk, wine and dried rosemary. As you do so, say:

Viciousness and venom,

malevolence and malice,

feelings turned sour,

envy and spiked tongues,

begone!

Close the bottle with the cork and shake it over your sink. As you do so, say:

Curdle and coil,

serpents of spite,

hiss and miss me,

spit where you will

do no harm.

Uncork the bottle and run it under the cold tap until the mixture has flowed away and the bottle and sink are clean. As you do so, envision all of the harmful words and the negativity associated with them, swirling down the drain.

Add a few drops of tea tree oil to the bottle, give it a good swirl, pour some into the sink drain and rinse the bottle again. As you do so, say:

Anger cease,

go in peace.

Notes: Observe that you have neither attacked anyone nor returned the spite. You will probably find that the other person may be more positive on the next encounter. If you are suffering from an emotional vampire who drains you emotionally, add powdered garlic to the mix.

Verbena Bath

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan


Vervain, sometimes called verbena and lemon verbena, are often and easily confused. The two can complement one another: lemon verbena provides purification while vervain offers magical protection.
Make a strong infusion by pouring boiling water over the combined botanicals. Add the water to your bath, together with a splash of vinegar and slices of lemon.

A black cat crossing your path

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

The most common American myth is that a black cat crossing your path is a catastrophic symbol of bad luck, on par with walking under a ladder or stepping on a crack.

Every myth – good or bad – about black cats has been imposed on them by humans. They are the last to get adopted and the first chosen for euthanasia in shelters because of the difficulty in finding them proper homes.

Black Cats Are the Familiars of Witches

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

In most of Europe a black cat arriving at one’s home is actually considered good luck. Somewhere along the line as the separatists fled to America for religious freedom, they became associated with evil and witchcraft. Many early settlers believed that witches could take the form of black cats in order to sneak around in the darkness and wreak havoc.

The association with witchcraft is also how the myth that cats have nine lives began. It was rumoured that a witch had the ability to shape-shift into a cat nine times.

Black Cats Are Incarnations of Satan

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan


In the Middle Ages, black cats became associated with black magic and the devil. The 1233 document “Vox in Rama” – which translates as “To Deal With the Topic of Devil Worship” – Pope Gregory XI claimed that Satan could take the form of a black cat when walking the earth. The result was panic and slaughter of thousands of black cats over the following century.

Black Cats Are Omens of Death

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

According to Greek mythology, a slave named Galinthias was turned into a black cat by Zeus’ wife, Hera as punishment for trying to prevent the birth of Heracles. Galinthias was sent to the underworld in her feline form to become a priestess of Hecate, Goddess of Death and Queen of the Witches. This association with Hecate led many to see a black cat as a bad omen indicating impending death.