A spell is a deliberate, symbolic act performed with a clear purpose. Every spell, from a candle lit at the kitchen table to a full ritual in a cast circle, is built from the same few parts. Once you understand the parts, you can follow any spell with judgment and write your own.
The seven parts of a spell
- Intention. A single, clear statement of what you want. Everything else serves this.
- Correspondences. Materials chosen because their traditional meanings match the intention: a color, an herb, a stone, a symbol. The library has tables of them.
- Timing. The phase of the moon, the day of the week, or the season. Timing helps, and it is never essential. A spell that is needed today should be done today.
- Preparation. Cleanse the space, gather your materials, and ground and center. Cast a circle if the work calls for one.
- Raising energy. Build feeling and focus toward the intention through breath, chanting, movement, or steady concentration, while you perform the symbolic act.
- Release. At the peak, let the energy go toward its goal. Say a closing phrase such as "So mote it be," which means so must it be.
- Grounding and follow-through. Return to ordinary awareness, eat something, and then take practical steps toward the same goal.
How to word an intention
The intention is the part that most often goes wrong. A good one has four qualities.
- It is positive. State what you want, not what you fear. "I am calm and prepared for my interview" is better than "I will not be nervous."
- It is specific about the goal. "A steady job that pays my bills and uses my skills" is better than "more money."
- It is open about the route. Name the result, and leave room for it to arrive in ways you have not thought of.
- It concerns you. Work on your own life and circumstances. Do not direct spells at other people without their consent. See the Wiccan Rede.
Write the intention down and read it aloud. If it takes more than one sentence, you may have two spells.
The main kinds of spell
| Kind | How it works |
|---|---|
| Candle spell | An intention is fixed in a candle, which releases it as it burns. See candle magick. |
| Charm bag or jar | Herbs, stones, and written words are gathered in a small bag or jar that is kept or carried. |
| Knot spell | An intention is tied into a cord, knot by knot. |
| Written spell | A petition or wish is written out and then burned, buried, or kept. |
| Bath or wash | Herbs and salt are added to water to cleanse or to draw something in. |
| Kitchen spell | An intention is cooked into food or stirred into drink. See kitchen witchcraft. |
| Sigil | A statement of intent is reduced to a single drawn symbol. |
A first spell
Three knots for a steady intention
Knot magick is very old, needs almost nothing, and is completely safe. This spell is for holding to a purpose: finishing a project, keeping a new habit, or staying calm through a difficult month.
You will need
- A piece of cord, string, or ribbon about as long as your forearm. Choose a color that suits the intention if you can.
- Your intention, written in one sentence
What to do
- Sit quietly, ground and center, and read your intention aloud.
- Hold the cord in both hands. Picture, as vividly as you can, how it will feel when the intention has come true.
- Tie a knot in the middle of the cord and say: "With this knot, I begin."
- Tie a knot at one end and say: "With this knot, I continue."
- Tie a knot at the other end and say: "With this knot, it is done."
- Hold the cord for a moment longer, then let the picture go. Say: "So mote it be."
- Keep the cord in your pocket or on your altar. Each time you touch it, do one small thing toward your goal.
- When the goal is reached, untie the knots with thanks, or bury the cord if it is made of natural fiber.
Keep a record
Write up every spell in your Book of Shadows: the date, the moon phase, the intention in its exact words, what you used, what you did, and how it felt. Come back a month later and write down what happened. This record is how you find out what works for you.
When a spell does not work
Every witch has spells that come to nothing. The usual reasons are ordinary ones.
- The intention was vague, or it was really two intentions pulling in different directions.
- Part of you did not want the result.
- There was no practical follow-through.
- It needed more time. Give a working at least one full cycle of the moon.
- It depended on changing another person, who has a will of their own.
Sometimes a spell works in a way you did not expect, and sometimes the honest answer is simply no. Review, adjust, and try again.
Safety and good sense
Take care with flames and with anything you burn. Do not eat or drink anything from a spell unless every ingredient is food. And remember that magick supports practical action and professional help. It does not replace them.