When it comes down to spellcasting, Iâve seen a vast number of ways. There are as many types of witchcraft as there are witches, and there are twice as many ways to cast a spell as there are types of witchcraft. Which means a lot.Â
So when I wanted to write it down into my Book, I knew I had to find some common ground. I am not going to write a book on it, I just want a note in my journal! That is how I came down to the very basics behind building spells, the very fundaments, the bare bones. The anatomy of a spell.
It does not only help those who write their own spells, but also those who use shared spells - you will be able to know exactly what to expect, what you can alter, and most importantly, how to alter it so it meets your needs.
Because a spell is made out of three things: the what, the how and the who.
What you need to figure out before even starting to think about a spell is what you need it for. Just a âprosperity spellâ doesnât mean too much, does it? Yes, you can make general spells, but the more general it is, the more fuzzy the effect will be.
The what is the intent, and it will determine the ingredients. Thatâs where correspondences come in, because correspondences are like spirit pictograms, metaphysical sign language. By pulling out cinnamon, basil and pennies, youâre telling the world âIâm going to be talking about prosperity, wealth and success hereâ. Be mindful that many ingredients have a certain feel next to their correspondence. Both black pepper and eggshells are corresponding with protection, but black pepper is also used in banishings and energy spells - itâs more of a âIâm punching you so go awayâ protection, while eggshells are more like saying âstay awayâ. Keep in mind what exactly  you want the world to hear when you communicate in witch-speak.
Then you need to know how you want it to happen. What is it that needs to be done, what kind of spell itâs gonna be. âProsperity spellâ usually means âdragging in prosperityâ, but you could also drive prosperity away and the âwhatâ of the spell would still be prosperity.
Thatâs where you choose how youâre going to speak about things, because just as a question mark at the end of a sentence and intonation can make or break communication (âYouâre sure.â vs âYouâre sure?â) , so can the way you deal with a spell. Hereâs some witchy punctation Iâve gathered so far:
candles-> invoking, releasing (activating/setting free), banishing
jars-> containing/restraining, prolonging and keeping, attracting continuoesly (better for things that run out and you need to replenish them)
charms/enchantments-> invoking, conjuring, keeping (better as gifts, because portable)
sigils-> marking as/with, attracting, invoking
knots-> binding and uncrossing, attracting and keeping (better for things that are stable and donât need ârechargingâ)
potions/oils-> (type of charm, really)Â invoking, conjuring, keeping
Then there is the who, meaning the target. usually spells are either general in target (to whoever stumbles upon the spell), personal, or targeted - thatâs where taglocks like poppets, photos or belongings.Â
So, back to the example I made. After re-inspecting, itâs not a âprosperity spellâ that I need, itâs a âspell to attract money to my home". You choose a jar spell, because you need to attract and keep attracting, because money runs out, and gather the proper ingredients: pennies, green aventurine and some cedar. The spell will be in your home, so no need for a taglock. But how do you put it together now?
Actions that make a spell out of all the parts are also important, because theyâre the tonation of the witch speak, and they go hand-in-hand with the type of the spell.
To ADD what you speak of-> carve, bathe in, mix, rub, fill
To REMOVE-> cut, rip, burn, throw away, sweep
To KEEP-> bury, hide, seal, burn (activate), use as intended
So since I want to âADD AND KEEPâ money in my house, I can mix the ingredients, fill the jar with the ingredients, and then seal it and hide in a cabinet. Or I could anoint a candle with cedar oil (rub) and carve a prosperity sigil on it, then burn it to activate the intention, then bury the remains in my yard (keep). Or maybe I could make a potion out of the ingredients (mix), and then drink it (use as intended).Â
Doesnât this make spell-writing hella easier? Because for me, getting a crash-course in witch-speak explained a couple things.Â
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