Associative Charms & Warding

As and Associative Charms Master and someone who knows the effect popculture has had on the craft of charms and wards I figured I might as well put out a good blog on the basics

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Ray Bradbury, my favorite authors and one of the worlds greatest word smiths died three days ago on June 6th at the age of 91.

Why am I posting this here? Well. It's partly because Ray Bradbury always has been and always will be one of my idols. And it's partly because of the power of words and the gift he had for using them.

The Associative craft doesn't often use words. Almost no incantations, invocations, or prayers exist for us. I have often been asked why this is, why do we rely on the malleability of intent and ingredients when we could lay our meaning out with words? It's not a hard question to answer, though complex to understand. Words once said can never be taken back, never changed, once a phrase leave the safe harbor of your lips it can never truly be with drawn or changed. And it's meaning my be different from your intent when it falls upon the ears of others. A word is alive and will grow and change with the times. The language you speak can control how well you understand others and how well you can be understood. The rise and fall of your voice as it rolls of your tongue and the way you use your words is more distinct then any finger print.

Words have power.

And by not using words to guide your power you can remove it from your self, separate it from you so that it can't backlash. A word brings your intent closer to home. So if you do use words it's best to use a language that you weren't raised speaking. This is why dead language are a favorite. But another warning in the use of words is naming. Everyone has three names. Given, Taken, and True. Your Given is the name your parents gave you. Your legal name. But this also includes nicknames and things you pick up. Your Taken is a name you pick for your self. And it can't just be anything. This name MUST fit you and mean something to you. Then there's your True name. This is a collection of sounds that defines you and encompasses you. The art of finding one's true name is mostly lost a few remember even the language in which they are spoken. Which in some ways a blessing.

The reason it is important to be aware of your names and words is because your Given name can be used against you. There is no better way to bring ill upon someone then to mix their given name into the mix of intent for something. And the Given name from someone's own lips is most powerful of all. If you can get someone to tell you their full name and remember how they say it you can get a direct link to them when ever you wan't. From where ever and for what ever you wish. Which is why many who practice take a name. A Taken name is a name you make for you self that means something to you and fits you. It has to be at least as long as your given name but not exact. A Taken Name cancels the power over you that a Given Name has. Rendering it unusable. But the last of the three names, the True name, is the most dangerous. These are totally unique and can be used to completely gain control of someone, which is why they are so hard to obtain. But they also tell who you are fundamentally as a person, and so can be disconcerting. Do you really know your self as well as you think?

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In Light of the Fluffy Bunnies...

I recently have been in my day to day life bombarded by incidents that make me want to feed some people to sharks. Most of them occurred when walking past the new age section in book stores. And I have a few points to make.

#1: Yes, Liliana is an actually goddess/deity/spirit. She has a great many names and among them are Lillian, The Huntress, Woman of the Hounds, Moon Huntress, Mother of the Beastkin, Kinmother, and many more that I don't care to name right now. No she doesn't google well because she is of a secretive nature and has thousands of names. She's not talked about often but crops up the most in Celtic and Norse myth. Her beasts are the war or hunter's horse, the wolf, the hound, the raven, and the humming bird. Though sometimes hens, bears, and great cats (or any other wild creature) are mentioned on that list. She is associated with the moon particularly the full moon (sometimes called the hunter's moon) and harvest moon. Lillian her self most often appears as a predatory but beautiful looking young woman with dark red/brown hair, light skin, and green and copper eyes. Her weapons are the sword, knife, and bow and her plants are catnip, hops, stinging nettle, horsetail, rowan, wild rose, wolfsbane, and anything else associated with the wild places, the hunt, the moon, and the poisonous night. She does share a lot of qualities with both Morragin and Hekate. Particularly her closeness to the moon, night, poisons, and violence, also her mothering side is well. But she is considered much wilder then the other two and is more closely associated with beasts then humans. Lillian's stones and gems are anything earthy, black, red and/or anything attached to protection, the moon, night, or to water. And her symbols are the intertwined pentacle and the white raven with a wild rose in it's beak and a bow in it's claws.

#2: Hekate is said HEK-i-Te. Not Hek-ate.

#3: Morrigan, Lillian, and Hekate are not the same thing.

#4: No, I'm not going to hex you. I can "hex" but it's a pain in the ass, takes forever, and really doesn't do that much, and you're not worth the trouble. This doesn't mean that if you insult me or call me a witch I won't stand there and recite the recipe for old Irish soda bread in Latin until you scare your self silly.

#5: Druid, Pagan, Wicca, and Associative are different things.

#6: Google it, Satanism was made up by Hollywood and the Catholic Church. So no, I don't 'worship Satan'.

#7: Yes that is a pentacle. Not it's not a sign of evil. The pentacle is the European equivalent to the Asian Ying & Yang. Four points stand for the elements and the fith for the mind and the energy of life.

#8: Yes I have read the bible, I study religion and religious symbolism in my spare time. And no, I don't burst into flame is I walk into a church. I visit the bigger, older ones for their art and architecture.

#9: Those new age books you're reading there with the 'love spells' and 'life as a teenage witch' sections are bullshit.

#10: Tell me one more time that you are a vampire but you're good and don't eat people even though it's so hard not too and it makes you so depressed and I'm going to have to take away your Twilight books.

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Charming & Warding Tip of the Day

Anchored wards vs. circle wards. That is the question.

What are they exactly? Well, and anchored ward is like a candle ward. It is anchored in a central spot and that's all it takes, like the center point that creates the whole circle. Anchored wards can be done with anything but most often candles are used since they only need to be burned for about and hour every day or two to up keep. Pros of the anchored ward is that the are very strong and subtle, deflecting almost everything and doing so in a ways that is hard to notice. They even work on humans to some extent, making someone how has malicious intent towards you less likely to come near. And the trap and diffuse energy like a threshold would. Cons are that they are fiddly as all get out and require a lot of aging, upkeep, and work to keep in place. Be it daily candle burning or aging circles of willow for months on end they are a lot of work and require a certain amount of patience to make and use.

On the other hand there are also circle wards. Circle wards are things like salt circles, four point wards, and so on. Physical things creating a circle. Pros of these wards are that they require next to no upkeep and are very goods at deflecting just about anything, they also will make it very clear to you when someone presses on them, where, and how. Circle wards also have a far better range then anchored wards and can cover acres rather them square feet with out fading. Cons are that they are much easier to break and don't effect people and don't act as much like thresholds. And they are less subtle.

So what does one do? I personally use wards that combine qualities of both. These bastardized wards take some of the best qualities form both and mash them together to create highly effective wards that only require you to have one or two at all times to cover all your bases. Even for the nastier things out there. 

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Candle magic is a staple in every form of the craft and is often misinterpreted. Candles can be used to create circles, represent the elements of fire or light, honor and call on spirits and patron gods and goddesses, and so much more. It all depends on the contense of the candle and it's qualities. The candle pictured here is a Hekate Liminal Rites candle containing Wolfsbane, Yew, Mandrake-Mandragora, Garlic, Oak, Saffron, Mugwort, Myrrh and Black Onyx. All things that dedicate it to Hekate.

Thought patron candles like this are rarely used by by-the-book Associatives (because they rarely openly take patrons due to the easily concealed and quiet nature of Associative craft. Though the modern area of acceptance and the distinctive lack of witch burnings has made it much more common) similar candles are used to makes charms. A charm candle left burning in the house when only a single person is home will protect them even after the candle has been put out. I'm not suggesting that you leave burning candles unattended all day, just that a charm candle can be used to anchor or seal a ward a easily as a stone, sometime easier.

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Salt is another indispensable staple of Associative charms and wards. But Hawaiian black salt is wonderfully useful. Even more potent then standard Hawaiian rock or sea salt it can be used to make wards that won't fade over time and charms that actually behave actively. It can also be sprinkled lightly on Tarot deck to rejuvenate them from time to time and give them a little R&R with out altering the energies they've obtained. Good for helping them out of a bad temper.

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When it comes to getting herbs you can buy them almost anywhere. But for your own charms and wards if you can it;s best to grow your own. Then you can keep them and grow them just the way you want and having been so involved in getting your herbs and drying them self not only lends you a sense of accomplishment but makes then all the more potent when you try to use them, and it's greener and gardening is fun. I understand if you don't have the time, money, space, or climate. But even a window box is a start and homegrown herbs always seem to give charms and wards that they're used in a little extra kick. 

Linked is a good basic herb gardening website to get you started.

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One of my favorite sources for herbs, teas, oils and recipes. I discovered them when I saw their both at the Mother Earth News fair a few years ago and they have been a wonderful source since then. Totally worth checking out.

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The under appreciated little glass bottle.

Why do I say that? Well. I personally with I had hundreds of these things. Little neutral glass bottle are and exceedingly easy way to sort, label, keep track off, and organize everything you use for whatever mystic craft you my be involved in. Be it tiny bottles like these or jars I can almost put my whole head in it makes storing herbs, oils, salts, extraneous mixtures, and teas so much easier and keeps them far fresher then any other method I found. When the bottles are stored right of course. And by stored correctly I mean somewhere dark and cool and out of the sun. A cool closet will even work if it doesn't heat up to much in the summer or cool off to much in the winter.

They can also be used to hold actual herb based or loose charms or ones that focus on wax-sealed words in a bottle.

Really. If you don't have some of these little buggers, invest in some.

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Everyone has probably seen one of these somewhere, some might even know a bit about them. But in truth the 'Evil Eye Bead' or 'Turkish Evil Eye' has a long and interesting history and is very relevant to charms and wards of the modern day. I personally have two different evil eye charms, both were gifts from a Turkish friend, that I wear from time to time when one of my charms is broken or something such.

The whole concept of the evil eye is based around the idea that one could be harmed by the evil intents or glares of others, something that is very much part of Associative craft. These evil eyes were originally made of metals, stones, and salt crafted into and eye but have also come to be made of glass and wood as well. These eye supposedly draw the evil intents in and repeal them away leveing you unharmed.

If you would like to read more about the idea of the 'Evil Eye' I have linked the very accurate Wikipedia article on the subject. Just click on the picture.

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Really, this is going to eat most of my paycheck and my time. I'm like a kid in a candy store here.

I have a feeling I'll be linking back to this place often...

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Tips on Tea

People forget how much can be done over a cup of tea, or by one for that matter. Tea is a wonderful vector for herbs and a good habit builder.

But what does this have to do with charms and wards?

Well, one of the most important factors in making these thing is that you should never make them when you're off balance or scared/angry. You don't have to meditate or anything but being scared shit less or raging will make your charms or wards less then helpful, possibly even dangerous. So if you're about to embark on some project that requires you to be nicely settled, a good cup of tea can do wonderful things to get you there. Also, if you're feeling intrepid, you can mix your own teas that will actually act like charms themselves. The different herbs and their combinations can be used to create different effects both through natural medicinal properties and mystical qualities. Mind, you do have to watch what herbs you use since some have some not so friendly effects. But for things like focus, calming, luck, healing, romance, and even amplification of energies or sight tea can be used rather then more complex charms or, in the case of the amplification ones, to even help you make those charms. the trick is getting the herbs and the flavor to where you like it, but that's just trial and error until you find the perfect mix.

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Quartz is a staple of Associative craft. As and amplifier, healing and protective stone clear, rose, and white quartz are used in everything. Rose quartz to bring charms and wards close to home and close to the heart. White quartz to amplify intentions and to protect. And clear quartz to open ones eyes and clear your vision from what ever may be fogging it or to aid in healing and meditation.

It is used powdered in mixtures, placed in the bottom of charming bowls, or added to jewelry where it can be discreetly tucked away and go unnoticed as it anchors or hold a charm of protection, luck, and/or love.

Moral of the story kids? Don't leave home with out your quartz.

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Charming & Warding Tip of the Day

When making a charm for someone in particular it is best set it up so that it can ‘sync’ to that person by using something in it that reminds you heavily of them. Be it blasting a song that makes you think of them while making it or adding a bit of perfume/scent, and image of a favorite animal or plant, or even just using their favorite color in the charm it’s self will allow the charm to become very attached to the person you give it too so it will grow in strength over time rather then fading. 

It, on the other hand, is best NOT to use a piece of someone’s hair or their birth name as these things hold power over their very nature and can actually cause harm when used in charming. There are a few types of charms that require a name but they are very complex and shouldn’t be attempted lightly. And hair should NEVER be used in charms. Nor should blood or any other direct connection to someone.

Remember, safety and sense first and foremost!