The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft

The Real Witches’ Craft
Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Graft
Kate West

This book is dedicated to my readers, without whom there would be no point, and also to all those who really do watch, listen, think, learn and grow in the ways of the Old Ones.

May you shine and grow, may you live in harmony with the land, and be at peace with yourselves. May you find love in those you love, and receive care from those you care for. May your wants be few and your rewards be many. And may you be ever free.

Blessed Be Kate

MAKING MAGIC WORK

The path of the Graft is as much a journey of self-exploration as it is a journey into other worlds, if not more so. To understand what lies around us we have to develop and refine our own self-knowledge and awareness. We need to put aside the limitations we learned through our formative years so that we can appreciate the skills and talents we truly have. It is only through a process of self-development that we can become who we’re really capable of being, and thereby truly able to realize the magic we know we’re capable of working to help ourselves and the world around us.

In the letters written to me by readers, and in conversations with those who come to hear me speak, I am often asked how to learn and develop the abilities which go to make magic and spells really effective; how to learn to meditate, visualize and so forth. I’m also asked why some spells never seem to come together or to actually work. These are the things which cannot just be read about; they have to be practised, over and again in order to develop our skills, even by experienced Witches. In a Coven, these are the skills which the High Priestess endeavours to develop in her Covenors, but many Witches today do not belong to a Coven, so this book is a guide to developing the techniques to make magic work.

Magic, as I have so often been heard to say, is not cookery. It is not simply assembling a series of ingredients and following a recipe from a book. Nor is it something which can be bought: no matter how much money you spend on books, tools, equipment, candles, crystals or whatever, it still will not enable you to create magical change. Neither is it a question of discovering special ‘words of power’, incantations, chants and so on, which will summon invisible aid to do your bidding. There is no quick route to learning how to create effective magic. Magic and, for that matter, the other aspects of Witchcraft, depend upon learning and practising certain skills and techniques. The good news is, however, that these skills are present to a lesser or greater extent in everyone, and the techniques to learn them are available to all; it just needs guidance, application, repetition and effort.

There are several keys to effective magic: The ability to control and balance the energies of the five Elements of Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit that are within each of us. The ability to harness those energies as they are in the world around us and to focus and direct them in order to create the intended change. Knowledge and understanding of the ways those Elements manifest themselves in others. The ability to fully use the senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, to enable the development of the sixth, or psychic, sense. The knowledge this brings makes it possible to make magical change without unwanted side effects. The ability to develop and maintain focus and control in order to minimize the effort required. The ability to visualize, for it is true seeing of the magical intent which makes the magic happen. The ability to use one or more methods of divination which not only give the opportunity to see what might otherwise be hidden, but which also help to determine the potential consequences of our magical actions, and indeed whether they are necessary. An understanding of ways in which magic works and why it sometimes does not. Correctly identifying magical needs. The best use of the different tools and equipment to enhance magical intent. Ways of designing the spells you cannot find in books. Creation of the Sacred Space for the working of magic at any time or place. Knowledge of the divine, the Goddess and the God, which is a key part of our Craft. Use of the Moon’s phases to enhance magic and ways of turning the spell around when it cannot wait for the ‘right’ time. Ways of stopping and undoing spells, as well as methods of protection and defence. How to use the energies of the seasons to enhance magical work throughout the wheel of the Year.

This book examines all these aspects of the Craft, explaining how they contribute to the creation of magic, and giving techniques for developing and enhancing the required skills. Each chapter explores a skill and gives exercises to enhance your abilities. Some of these may appear simplistic, and some may appear to have little to do with the practice of Witchcraft, but when practised and mastered they come together to provide the techniques necessary to create effective magic and spell-craft. If you were working within a Coven, these would be the skills you would learn and practise in training sessions, enabling you to become an effective member of the magical team. To get the most out of these, take your time and go through them carefully.

Some you may have to repeat a few times, as these are skills you probably have not practised before. Think of it as being like exercising a new set of magical muscles. Most experienced Witches have their own versions of these kinds of exercises and practise them regularly, no matter how long they have been in the Craft. There is no reason why you should not continue your existing magical practices alongside these areas of study. If you do, you will notice an increasing effectiveness in the magic you work, as each of the abilities starts to take effect. A few of the exercises require certain conditions: phases of the Moon, a particular type of weather, and so on. It is up to you whether you pause in your study and wait for the appropriate conditions or whether you carry on and return to them at a later date. But do try to ensure that you cover them all.

Be aware that everyone is different and learns at a different rate. You may well find that some skills are easier or harder to master than others, and it may take several months to master a technique; if so, persevere, it will be worth it in the long run. You may also find that there are periods when you cannot devote as much time as you would like, or when you are tired, worried or just find it hard to focus. At these times you may want to pause and reflect on how far you have come, rather than pushing yourself further. You can always take a break and come back to your studies a few days or weeks later. The Craft will still be there when you are ready to go back to it.

I strongly recommend that you keep a record, or journal, of your magical practice, often called a Book of Shadows. Make notes of what you did, what you hoped would happen, and what the actual results were. Remember to include information on the phase of the Moon, and on your feelings before, during and after your workings. Not only will this provide you with a record of your progress and help you to determine what works for you and what doesn’t, but later you will find it an invaluable record of which spells are most effective in themselves.

Whilst this book is written in chapters which allow you to practise each technique separately, there is an element whereby you may find that it is only after you have worked through the whole that you can really appreciate the individual components and the contribution they make to your practice of the Craft.

We are so used to the promised quick-fix solutions to the problems of life, from TV instant makeovers to self-help books which promise to turn our lives around in a week, that we have forgotten that it takes time and effort to achieve really worthwhile skills. Some people ask me why I don’t just write down the ‘hidden secrets’ of Witchcraft. The problem with this is that such ‘secrets’ are those same skills which take time and practice to learn. The Craft is not, and will never be, a quick-fix. Just as the ‘inner secrets’ of the Craft are the achievement of balance and control over ourselves, which enable us to utilize the energies within and without, there is no such thing as ‘advanced spells’; there are only advanced Witches whose spells really work.

Of course, Witchcraft is not just about spells and magic, although these factors are the most obvious difference between this and other belief systems. Throughout this book I have also endeavoured to touch upon the other elements of the Craft which all go towards the making of a Witch.

One of the things I have noticed as I write books on the Craft is that each layer of questions I answer reveals yet another layer of questions. Not that this is unexpected, for it’s an inherent part of the Craft that the more you know, the more you find that there is to know. But it does indicate that whilst, by the time you get to the end of this book, it will have answered some of your questions it will also, if it does its job, give you another set of things to think about and more questions to ask.

So, if you would seek some answers, and some new, better and far more interesting questions, read on.

Blessed Be Kate

Table of Contents

Cover Page

Title Page

Dedication

Making Magic Work

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Index

Acknowledgements

Copyright

About The Publisher

Chapter One
ELEMENTS:

The CoRneRstones of MaGic

Knowledge and understanding of the Elements underlies the whole of the Craft and is essential to the creation of effective magic. Almost every aspect of the Craft relates back to the Elements in one way or another. Whilst it is possible to work some spells without a thorough understanding of them, such spells are generally less effective and often do not work accurately, or even at all.

The Elements we refer to in the Craft are not those of the periodic table but the basic attributes or forces of nature and the land. They are Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit. In their various forms these are the aspects of nature from which all life comes and which affect all aspects of our whole existence.

Air is the wind, from the gentlest summer breeze to hurricanes and tornados which can devastate the earth. All living things need air, in one form or another, to breathe. Fire is the heat and light of the Sun, as well as the flames which can be sparked to bring light into our homes, or to run wild and burn all in their path as in the forest fire. All life needs light and heat, to a greater or lesser degree, to survive. Water is everything from a gentle shower to the heavy rain, as well as streams, rivers, oceans and seas, whether still or in the grip of a great storm. At its most savage it is the tsunami or tidal wave which sweeps all before it. Again all life forms require water for survival. Earth is the rocks, stones, pebbles and crystals as well as the soil from which things grow; it is also the earthquake which can erase all life. It is the medium in which the plants grow, which form the basis of the food chain. Spirit is the mysterious and divine spark of life, the difference between something which lives, grows and reproduces, or which lies still and inert.

This chapter will focus primarily on the four Elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth. To ancient mankind these Elements were the things which influenced and controlled every aspect of daily life, which determined whether there was enough to eat and whether the people prospered or not. These Elements could bring plenty or famine, give or take life. Indeed they still can and do, you only have to watch the news to see the effects of hurricanes, forest fires, drought, famine, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and other results of too much or too little of any of the Elements. The fifth Element, Spirit, is the difference between things living and things not, and is also the Divine, the Goddess and the God. The chapter on Spirit focuses on the Goddesses and Gods and on ways of developing your understanding of them. In the meantime, when called upon to do so, visualize them in whichever way feels most comfortable to you.

In the Craft, and some other belief systems, the Elements are not only physical forces in nature, they are also a part of us. Air is our thoughts, that part of us which thinks; it is also our breathing and the sense of smell. Fire is our passions and enthusiasms, those strong feelings which can take over and make us act or react. It is the beat of the heart and the sense of sight. Water is our emotions, joy and laughter, sorrow and tears. It is the blood that runs through our veins and the sense of taste. Earth is our physical form, the body, and the sense of touch. Spirit is that intangible part of us which can be called the sense of self or soul.

The Elements are also present in, and linked to, other aspects of life; time of day, season of year, age of a person, and direction of the compass. Air, which should always come first, both represents and is represented by morning, spring, youth, and the East. Fire is the afternoon, summer, adulthood and the South. Water is evening, autumn, middle age and the West. Earth is night, winter, age and the North. Spirit encompasses them all. The Elements are also a part of everything we do in ordinary life. Air is the idea and thinking process. This is the reason why Air is first, for thought should always precede and lead to any action. Fire is the enthusiasm which makes us want to put thought into action. Water is our emotional involvement. Earth is the actual physical making it happen. Spirit is the spark which brings it all to life, the part of our inner self which we give to make it special and ‘our own’.

The Elements are also the foundation of the Witches’ Circle. Each is called, invoked or summoned to attend, and each is assigned the quarter which relates to its compass point; i.e. Air in the East, Fire in the South, Water in the West and Earth in the North. Spirit is both the Goddess and the God, and the self, it is also both the centre of the Circle and its whole. We also use colours to represent the Elements: yellow for Air; red for Fire; blue for Water, and green for Earth. However, other colour combinations are sometimes used. To craft an effective spell we must firstly have the idea (Air), we need to be enthusiastic about it (Fire), we become emotionally involved with it (Water), and then we put it into action (Earth), but we must also add a bit of our inner self (Spirit) to make it happen.

These attributes of the Elements show how important they are in both life and the Craft, for not only are they powerful forces of nature but they also pervade every part of our lives and our inner being. To create effective magic it is essential that we get to know and understand the Elements and everything they link to. To make that magic work the way we want it to, we have to be able to harness their energies both from inside us and from outside. The first step towards this is to actually experience the Elements in nature.

PRACTICAL WORK 1

Take time out to experience each of the Elements in its natural state in turn. Be prepared to spend a little time on each; at least 15 minutes, preferably more. Do not be tempted to try to deal with more than one Element on any one day. As these exercises really must take place outdoors, please make sure that you pay attention to your personal safety. If you can, remove your footwear so that you are in direct contact with the earth. Also experiment with having your eyes open and closed. Try to use all of your senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. In the case of the latter, you may find it better to inhale through your mouth rather than, for example, actually placing soil into it. Pay attention to how each Element makes you feel both physically and emotionally.

Air – On a windy day, go to a high point, preferably one which is not sheltered by trees or buildings, where you can experience the Element of Air. If it is cold, make sure you wrap up well. Feel the air blowing through your hair, moving your clothes and trying to buffet you. Take with you a few leaves or flower petals and cast them into the wind, watching how it takes them, lifts them and moves them. As you stand there, give thought to other types of winds, both stronger and gentler.

Fire – On a hot and/or sunny day go to somewhere which is sheltered from the wind, where you can lie down in the sunlight. Absorb the heat and light of the Sun, feeling also the warmth of the land you are lying on. Take your time to think about all the things which depend upon heat and light, but do not risk sunburn or look at the Sun itself. Imagine what life might feel like with much less, or much more, Sun.

Water – Here are two ways of experiencing Water; do both if you possibly can so that you can compare the experiences. First, go out in the rain, lift your head up and catch some drops in your mouth. Allow the rain to wash over you, look at the ways it lands upon trees and plants and the way it soaks into the earth. Also observe the way it behaves when it lands on the pathway or road, and look at the effects it has on the things around. Whilst you are there, consider the benefits of the rain. Secondly, go to a stream, river, pond or lake which is not too dirty or polluted. Put your naked feet into the water, and use your hands to splash a little onto your face. Again, give thought to life with much less or more water, and consider those parts of the world where all the water is frozen as well as those where water is scarce. If you live near the coast, then also do the second part of the exercise in the sea, perhaps even going right into the water and submerging yourself completely if it is safe to do so.

Earth – The first part of this exercise is best undertaken in your own garden, or in that of someone who is prepared to let you actually dig the earth. If neither is possible then you can use a tub or container of earth as an interim measure, but do try to return to the Element at some point. Dig a hole wide enough for you to place both hands in it, and deep enough that you actually go beneath the top 2-3 inches. As you dig, look carefully at the things within the soil, both living and inanimate. Use your hands to feel the texture, both on the surface and further down. If you can, place your feet into the earth too. The second part may be something you have to defer until you go on a trip to somewhere suitable. Find some rock formations – they don’t need to be huge or particularly impressive. Place your hands flat on the rock surface. Look

at the stone to see what is growing there, noting colour, texture and the direction of any lines and cracks. Consider the forces and energies that resulted in their being. If you have the chance, try also to visit a cave so that you can also experience being surrounded by the earth.

When you return home after each experience, make sure that you write it up, including all the thoughts and feelings that came to you whilst experiencing each Element.

You may find it helpful to start a new page or section of your journal for each Element, as this is only the first of several exercises on the Elements and you may wish to group all those relating to each Element together. As you go to sleep on the night of your experience, make a real effort to recall all those thoughts and feelings. If you dream of the Element you might also like to write this up.

Once you have given yourself the chance to really feel the Elements in nature you may find that you begin to feel differently about them. For example, attempting to appreciate the part that Air and Water play in the cycle of life makes it easier to understand the need for rain and storms and hence make it easier to accept ‘bad’ weather. You may also find that you enjoy being out in the Elements in a more meaningful way. Many Witches make a point of regularly taking the time to enjoy the experience of the Elements as they can actually draw energy from them.

Following on from the experience of the Elements in nature you need to get to really know them within. As mentioned before, each Element has its counterpart in ourselves: Air is thought, Fire is passion, Water is emotion and Earth is our physical being. It is important that we get to know how the Elements are working within us as this colours our feelings, the way we behave in life and react to others. If Air, or thought, is dominant, then we may spend too much time in abstract thought and nothing will get done. If Fire, or passion, is emphasized then we may find that we react without considering the consequences; anger or passionate love, for example, can make us do things which we subsequently regret! When Water, our emotions, dominate then we can be easily moved to tears or laughter, even though it may not be a good time or place. And being overly focused on the physical realm, or Earth, can easily result in not being able to focus or concentrate on anything else, in the same way that a bad toothache can make it impossible to attend to almost anything else.

Because the energies of the Elements are the key to working magic then it is important that we really understand our internal Elemental balance. Any imbalance will have to be addressed before we can work magic, otherwise the results may not be what we intended. Working magic when Air is dominant can result in spending all your energy on going over the problem but little personal involvement. Of course, if Air is absent, then the spell will not be thought through or may be misdirected. If Fire is dominant then there is the risk that a spell may be fired off in anger, and regretted later! If Fire is absent then you are unlikely to have the strength of feeling to actually put the magic into action. Where emotions are high, and Water is dominant, it is hard to focus on anything and your spell will almost certainly come to nothing, if indeed you actually complete it. Where the emotions are not involved then there will be no feeling. When Earth is over-emphasized then there is a tendency to expend all your energy on the physical bits and bobs which come with magic, like the tools, candles, etc rather than actually making the magic work. Without Earth then it is unlikely you will even get around to doing anything. This understanding of the way we really feel would be a lot easier if we were all truly in touch with ourselves all of the time. However, once we leave early childhood we are all taught to reign in our feelings, not to show anger or weep open tears. We even learn to suppress some of our physical needs; not eating because it is not the ‘right’ time, concealing discomfort to wear fashionable or ‘correct’ clothing, etc. For these reasons it is important to spend time learning how to get to know our inner feelings as they really are, rather than the way we hope they are.