Often times people ask me if I have spells. I don't know if I'd call what I have spells at all. I think it is more of a reaching within myself and from without and opening myself to that that is already there.
What any pagan or future witch must keep in mind is that what works for me, may not work for another such as you. Keep in mind also that what we call 'spells' is just a channeling of our own positive beliefs and the natural energies about us. It is a meditative state where we reach for the sacredness of nature. Magick, natural energies and life-force, is within everything. How it is perceived is different from person to person.
I have never actually practiced the use of anything other than candles....but from others, I have heard that the components are used to help the witch and/or pagan focus on what he or she wants to do with his or her use of the natural energies in and around themselves. One of the wonders of paganism is that there is wide variety of methods for pagans to use to reach any one desired result. And its important to know that SOME pagans do not do spells or believe in them.
Remember, spell components are not always necessary to perform these rituals. Do what feels right for you. It is a very natural process, thus does not need spell components or any thing other than yourself, focus, and a specific result for the energies to perform known by you beforehand. Its more of a meditative process to bring you into sync with the whole of nature and the bounty of it. Know what you want to do, and remember harm none in what you concentrate upon during your own seeking of it, concentrate upon it and learn to always incorporate harm none into it somehow as a precaution. Natural energies can be channeled directly through you as nature is natural and we are part of nature.
I prefer to meditate almost on my concentration on nature elements..the wind, the rain, the sun, the feel of water against my skin, the smell of the air. More of opening my mind, and body to nature to let it course in me. If I must use something to promote the meditative state or concentration, I prefer to use candles. When I use a candle, I carefully choose an appropriate color for the candle that feels right to me.
Ability to Meditate
This is the art of clearing the mind of all thoughts and feelings. It is a state of relaxation and peace, the goal to reach a state of non-thought. This is not easy and can pose problems even for everyone regardless of experience level. Do the best that you can. Your mind must be at peace so that you can focus on what you're trying to accomplish when you open yourself to the energies and forces around you.
Ability to Visualize
The ability is to visualize the outcome. You can use all your senses here. Close your eyes, and within your mind's eye, see a tree-whatever type of tree you are familiar with oak, pine, aspen..it does not matter what type. Just visualize a tree. Let your mind see its limbs, its leaves or needles (depending on the type of tree), the trunk, etceteras. Let your mind feel the bark. Is it smooth, rough, spongy? Does the tree have a fragrance? Let your mind smell that fragrance. Let your mind hear the wind as it rustles the leaves.
Visualization is not easy for some, but with practice you can visualize anything. (Taste also falls into this category, but I do not think that you would like to taste a tree!) During any active practical usage of your will on the rivers of energies about you, you will have to visualize your goal specifically and in detail. Again, as I said above, you really do need to make sure that you know absolutely, positively what outcome you are trying to achieve. You must be specific, and detailed so that at this stage you can be turning the energies within you and without you to the right purpose.
Ability to Direct Energy
This is the ability to harness the energies in about you and your own life energy to actually put what you visualize into effect. You can visualize a bright light, maybe white or a color that corresponds with your goal, forming within yourself centered between your chest and stomach. Visualize the light flowing into you from outside also. Let that light grow and expand. Then direct that light up through your body, down your projective arm, out your fingertips into whatever your trying to charge. Let it flow naturally. Like a river through you. While you direct the light, those natural energies need to be guided to your goal. Thus, it is here that you specifically think about what your goal.
It is important to realize that what some call magick is really natural energy flowing through you and the world around you. It is not power. You open yourself to the myriad of energies, forces, and spirits about you when you do things...sometimes this is instinctive and automatic and other times it has to be done with the careful process above. When doing anything, be specific, but be careful! Remember Harm None always. Keep the energies and waves you create in doing what you do positive, for what YOU do will effect others. When you drop a stone into a pond it ripples outwards in every growing circles, so remember when you do something it can effect others profoundly.
A few words about magick and ethics.
Most meditations and focusing, at least initially, is done for yourself. There will be times when such things will be used to benefit other people. Any ethical man or woman WILL NOT do a anything that will affect someone else specifically without that person's permission. You must respect anothers beliefs. What if you can't ask them (i.e. you can't reach them, the person is unable to communicate, etceteras)? Then you must honestly consider if that person would object. You must TRY to respect her choices and her soul path.
No person in their right mind will perform any action or focusing that is intended to manipulate, control or harm another. Remember, whether your action is positive or negative, it comes back to you stronger than before. Also, remember always many wiccan's main crede, Harm None.
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