Low-Spoons Record-Keeping: Practicing Spells & Techniques
While record keeping has benefits, it is not necessary or required to progress in your path. While low-spoons record keeping is right for some, please do not feel pressured that you "should" be able to keep records. It is still a burden and a time and energy consuming task, even if you have found ways to simplify it.
Fact: Writing down a spell or exercise each time you do it is the worst.
Fact: Casting lots of different spells introduces lots of different variables and makes it all the more difficult to track progress and see what works for you.
Fact: Fix both of these problems at once by writing down one spell or exercise and just annotating the page with the date every time you perform it.
> Spell/exercise written in shorthand. If I already know how to seal a spell, if I already know how to do a saltwater cleansing, I don't need to explain that to myself every time I write down the spell.
> Symbols let me quickly reference aspects of the spell.
> No optional steps. I think ahead and really consider what I'm willing to do every time I cast the spell. The more variables and inconsistencies I allow, the harder it will be for me to know what is really working and what really isn't.
Now, each time I perform the spell, I'm going to follow those steps exactly.
This eliminates the need to take notes when I actually cast the spell.
This keeps my practice consistent.
This lets me know if the spell, as I have written it, actually works for me or not.
I write down the date every time I perform the spell/exercise.
> All I do is add the date.
If the spell/exercise delivers the expected results, I add a second notation to indicate that I achieved manifestation.
> For spells that manifest days or weeks later, I strive to mark down the exact date I noticed manifestation, even in hindsight.
> I might add symbols to indicate the date of manifestation is approximate.
> For an energy work or "instant magic" exercise, I might mark down how many hours or minutes it took before I noticed results.
> For an energy work or instant magic exercise, I might simply make a check mark (especially if I am updating records after the fact and only remember that it worked, but not exactly when)
> By looking at how often I add a second notation, I can see at a glance if I am making progress or not.
> I can see that as I practice this candle spell over the months, manifestation becomes more consistent, and days to manifestation get shorter.
> I can see that I am not getting better at this energy exercise as time goes on.
As I work with one technique over a period of time, I will likely notice things about it that weren't apparent to me at the beginning. I may choose to add notes.
> These notes will help me decide how to build/adjust the next techniques I work on.
To practice general ritual formats, extra notes may be helpful to track success with intents and correspondences.
Let us imagine for example that I have chosen to experiment with basil, chamomile, and rosemary. I'm only using those three herbs right now no matter what spell I cast.
To keep track of this, I need to add a few extra notes, but I can still keep them to a minimum:
(I apologize for the unlined visual clutter, hell if I know where my nice dotted paper went).
> Now, looking back, I can see that chamomile doesn't work for me when I want to banish, and basil doesn't work for me when I want money; but if I swap their roles, success seems likely.
> If I am consistent with my technique, I don't need to write everything down. If my statements of intent are always present-tense simple sentences, like "I have cash now," or "I fall asleep quickly," I don't need to write down the exact wording.
The time may come when you're done with a specific technique.
Noting down an "exit interview" may be helpful so you remember what happened or why you're moving on.
Apparently only 10 images allowed per post ^-^;
If you're done with a technique, consider writing why in the remaining blank space.
"2/20/22: Stopped practicing, waste of time," is a very helpful note for me. Yes, I will forget why I stopped and question going back to it in the future.
"8/8/20: Updated spell to include spirit offering, see 'Candle Spell Spirit Honoring'," is useful for me, because it creates a link in the narrative. Two years from now, I will have forgotten why I stopped using this specific spell. "I updated my technique and I'm trying something new, look for a page with this label" is going to keep me on track in the future.
By writing down a specific technique and practicing it over and over, you not only give yourself the benefit of consistent practice with limited variables, but you significantly reduce the burden of updating your records each time you practice.
While this technique can be expanded to add extra notes for each iteration, at its core, only the date is required to mark down when practice occurred. Everything after that, including whether or not to track manifestations, is optional.
