The Modern Guide to Witchcraft: Your Complete Guide to Witches, Covens, and Spells (Modern Witchcraft Magic, Spells, Rituals)

by Skye Alexander

At least for the time being, you’ll have to live with being constantly offended by the ignorance of people who would never think of insulting blacks, Jews, or other folks so outrageously as they do witches.

Just to be on the safe side, you might want to end a spell or ritual with a phrase such as “This is done for the greatest good of all and may it harm none.” In essence, this turns over responsibility for the outcome to higher (and wiser) powers who have a better understanding of how to bring about the best possible outcome.

Your best bet is to follow your practice in private.

Simply put, magick is the act of consciously creating circumstances using methods that defy scientific logic.

Aleister Crowley said, “Every intentional act is a Magickal Act.”

Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish and stating your intention with absolute clarity is essential whenever you perform a spell. Otherwise, your spell could backfire.

Underlying all magick is a simple principle of physics: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Remember that old computer axiom, garbage in, garbage out? Magick is like that, too: If you put bad thoughts and feelings in, you’ll get bad stuff back and vice versa. So, be careful what you ask for!

When you do magick, you must believe in yourself and your ability to produce the result you seek.

Magick is ethically neutral, just like electricity is neutral. Both magick and electricity can be used to help or to harm. Magick is simply the intentional use of energy.

Not everyone agrees about the evolution of witchcraft in Europe. Some historians believe it developed out of the old fertility cults that worshipped a mother goddess. Others think that the idea of witchcraft was all superstition—when people could not explain an unpleasant event, they blamed it on someone whom they labeled a witch. Still other researchers say witchcraft stemmed from a wide variety of practices and customs including Paganism, Hebrew mysticism, Celtic tradition, and ancient Greek folklore.

Bill Gates said, “Often you have to rely on intuition.”

Albert Einstein believed “the only real valuable thing is intuition.”

“Evidence of Moon worship is found in such widely varied cultures as those of the Anasazi Indians of New Mexico, the Greeks, Romans, Chinese, pre-Columbian Peruvians, Burmese, Phoenicians, and Egyptians. In the Craft, when we refer to the great god by the Hebrew names El or Elohim, we borrow terms that entered Hebrew from Arabic, where the god name ‘Ilah’ derives from a word that means ‘moon.’” —MORWYN, SECRETS OF A WITCH’S COVEN

The new moon, as you might expect, encourages beginnings.

The waxing moon—the two weeks after the new moon and leading up to the full moon—supports growth and expansion.

The full moon marks a time of culmination.

The waning moon—the two weeks after the full moon and before the new moon—encourages decrease.

When two new moons occur in the same month, the second one is called the black moon. It is considerably more powerful than a regular new moon, so any seeding spells you do under a black moon might manifest more quickly.

When two full moons occur in the same month, the second is dubbed a blue moon. During the blue moon, you may find you get bigger or better results than on an ordinary full moon, or that you experience a lot more activity or vitality.

Raphael guards the east. Michael watches over the south. Gabriel presides over the west. Uriel governs the north.

Air relates to the east. Fire is associated with the south. Water corresponds to the west. Earth is linked with the north.

Yellow relates to the east. Red is associated with the south. Blue corresponds to the west. Green is linked with the north.

Above, refers to the heavenly realm and all the beings that live there: God, Goddess, angels, spirit guides, ancestors, and so on.

Below, corresponds to Mother Earth, the foundation of physical existence.

Within means your own i...

The term animism refers to this belief. The consciousness within even seemingly inanimate objects enables witches to use them in spellworking.

The term pantheism is sometimes used to describe Neopagan paths. Often the term is misunderstood as meaning the worship of nature, but it actually means to recognize the Divine in all places, or to identify the Divine with the universe.

Zodiac Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn Tarot Suit: Pentacles/Coins/Discs Magickal Tools: Pentagram, Salt, Stones Colors: Brown, Green, Gray Stones: Opaque Stones (such as hematite, onyx, and agate)

Zodiac Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius Tarot Suit: Swords/Daggers Magickal Tools: Athame, Incense Colors: Yellow, Pale Blue, White Stones: Transparent Stones (such as aquamarine, diamond, and clear quartz)

Zodiac Signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius Tarot Suit: Wands/Rods/Staves Magickal Tools: Wand, Candles Colors: Red, Orange Stones: Stones that contain sparks of light or rutiles, such as fire opals, star sapphires, and red phantom quartz

Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Tarot Suit: Cups/Chalices Magickal Tools: Chalice, Cauldron Colors: Blue, Aqua, Indigo, Purple Stones: Translucent stones and gems such as pearls, opals, moonstones, and rose quartz