#paper spells

[hrere]

Personal Kemetic Magic

Spellwork is a large part of my practice. I wanted to share some of the things that I do for my spells to make them a little bit more Kemetic in nature. My spells are a religious affair as Kemetic magic and religion are not separate. In order to have either I need to have both, but this is my personal gnosis.

I am going to be writing different lists as time goes on, but I have some processes, some spells, and some things that I use below!

My information on how to do spellwork mostly comes from Magic in Ancient Egypt by Geraldine Pinch and The Mechanics of Ancient Egyptian Magical Practice by Robert Kriech Ritner.

Spittle - for Creation

I use spit in practically every spell I do. I know it's a little gross, but I think it really helps seal the spell. Spittle has associations with Atum, and thus creation. In some versions of the myth, Atum's spittle creates the Divine couple Shu and Tefnut, who then give birth to the world. Atum creates only from himself. When using spittle in my spellwork, I liken myself to Atum, and then my spell is charged and created to give me it's desired intent.

There are also baneful ways to use spittle but I usually use it for Creation rather than destruction.

Paper - a method of spellwork

Ancient Egyptian magicians used papyrus often for spells. We know of them using strips of papyrus with a magical spell to wrap around a specific part of the body to help heal that area. They also used papyrus rolls as short-term amulets and writing on amulets of varying shapes as spells for healing or protection. The written word has magical properties. I like to use this kind of magic because it's applicable to the world that I live in. I work with Tehuti often when I do this form of magic, likening my pen, paper, and words, to the pen, paper, and words which Tehuti writes. Sometimes I simply write prayers for the spell. Sometimes it's instructions on how the spell should behave, especially if it's a more long-term spell. It varies because I don't have a set thing that I write since every spell is different.

Your creativity is the limit for paper. I like to keep bowls of prayer to add bunches of paper spells to. I like to burn my paper spells like a bayleaf. Sometimes I like to write on edible things with edible things and then consume it. I write written spells for sleep and dreams and put them under my pillow. There's a spell in Ritner's work where you write and burn the paper. After you burn it, you pour the ashes in cool water and drink it. I'm not saying that you should necessarily do that (trust me it's absolutely horrid) but there are lots of ways that you can use paper!

Destruction - baneful magic

There are lots of instances of Ancient Egyptians using destruction as a way to get rid of things. There's spells to ward of all kinds of psychic attacks, attacks from angry deceased, from Wesir's creatures, from disease, from injury, etc.. King Tutankhamun had sandals with enemies on the bottom of them so he would always be stomping on them. There are a lot of spells to get rid of one's enemy. One spell in Geraldine Pinch's book outline how to get rid of enemies by creating a meatloaf shaped like a penis. After you shape the meat and cook it, you surround it with bread and cook it. Then, you feed the penis to a cat. A roundabout way to destroy, but still a means of creating an enemy up just so you can tear it down. True baneful magic here. You can do this to release energy you don't want, to banish spirits, and most importantly, to help in slaying Apep. Often when I do this kind of work, I align myself with Ma'at, Sekhmet, and Set, who I see as fierce protectors of Ra.

[bibliophilicwitch-archive]

I want to get into magic or witchcraft with writing and literature. Pretty much: how can I perform that kind of magic, what does it revolve around, what materials does it include, and what are some basic spells? Sorry if it seems like a lot.

Paper magic, like so many other forms of magic, is very loose and easy to conform to your needs. If it uses the written word, paper, books, or ink. Paper magic can be written spells, a word written onto a slip of paper and used in a larger spell, written sigils, words, lines, paragraphs, or pages used from a book for spells. You can soak paper in a herb infusion (or tea). You can use handmade inks made from nature. You can fold paper into shapes. These are just methods/ideas that are in my mind and that I’ve used. There are SO MANY possibilities just like with any other potential methods of magic. You can use paper, pens, books, whatever in you practice however you wish. Call yourself a paper witch (or whatever similar term you prefer). That easy.

I do recommend being careful with spells. Words are tricksy. Working with them shouldn’t be taken too lightly. Think of stories where the character makes a wish only to have the wish backfire on them because they didn’t word their wish right. Words have a habit of running away from you, so keep an eye on them. Yet, words are freeing and can carry your intent in your spells in ways you’d never imagine. Words are known to express deep, strong emotions – imagine channeling that into your spells. Imagine taking a popular book charged with specific emotions to channel into your spells. Make that even more specific to you and take a favorite book that inspires emotions to channel into your spells.

Possibilities.

Alright, let me think up some fun spells with inspiration from my paper magic/spells tag. :3

I start all paper spells, basically, the same way. I gather the herbs I need for whatever the intention of my spell would be and make an infusion. More often than not, this means I find a tea packet that includes the right herbs. I soak my paper in the infusion or tea and then let the paper dry. I then use a charged pen that is basically my wand (and is now my fountain pen! :3) to write whatever on the slip of paper – sometimes it is a full spell, sometimes  a wish, sometimes a sigil. I’ve also used my dip pen with with poke berry ink given to me as a witchy wishlist gift and am hoping to try it out with my fountain pen. Depending on what I am going to be doing with the paper in my spell I may fold into into a shape using origami.

All-Purpose Paper Spell

After soaking your paper in an infusion for your intent and writing your intent on it you can burn the paper with an appropriately colored candle for banishment, bury it for curses or warding or whatever, stuff it in a witch bottle for a deity devotion, for general spells, or curses, or fold it into a specific shape ad place somewhere to catch your eye and remind you of the spell and keep charging said spell. Bam. Paper magic.

Paper Chime Ward (x)

Soak your paper in herbs of protection and safety. Write words, sigils, or such on the paper. Roll the pieces of paper into tight cylinders and use glue to hold the roll closed. Punch a hole through one side to the other at the top of the paper roll and thread string through the holes. Repeat with each roll. Use a small hoop to hang each roll from. Add decoration such as stones and crystals. Hang your ward within your home as decoration.

You could also use a variant of this for a mobile for a baby for sweet dreams, protection, safety, health, et cetera. Also, you can fold some or all of the pieces of paper. I’m mainly thinking of the baby mobile; can you imagine critters of protection and comfort hanging about baby? O.o

Blackout Book Page Spell (x)

Use a favorite, damaged book for positive spells and damaged (terribly written) books for negative spells. Find words from the page(s) to create a line(s) for the intention of a spell and blackout the rest of the words. You could frame the page and use as decor if it is a spell of warding, protection, safety, good will, and the like or fold the paper into a shape to keep somewhere in your sight. Or destroy the paper for curses.

These are just basic spell ideas that you can easily adjust and use for your own inspiration.