The Real Witches’ Book of Spells and Rituals

Element

An Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Element is a trademark of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

Published by Element 2003

Copyright © Kate West, 2003

Kate West asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

Text illustrations by Chris Down

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBN: 9780007151110

Ebook Edition © FEBRUARY 2016 ISBN: 9780007374403 Version: 2015-12-14

This book is dedicated toSteve and Taliesin,with all my love.

‘Now we are together once more, let it always be so.Blessed Be.’

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

ONE: Witchcraft and Magic

TWO: Rites and Rituals, Spells and Magic

THREE: Casting the Circle, and Other Frequent Rites

FOUR: Moon Workings

FIVE: Spells and Magics

SIX: Magical Resources

SEVEN: Sabbat Ritual

EIGHT: Rites of Passage

NINE: Rituals of Initiation

TEN: Writing Rituals and Creating Spells

APPENDIX ONE: What Witchcraft Really Is

APPENDIX TWO: Terms and Definitions

APPENDIX THREE: Further Reading and Points of Contact

KEEP READING

Index

Thank Yous

About the Publisher

Merry Meet, welcome to The Real Witches’ Book of Spells and Rituals!

Magic really does work. It’s not a myth or imagination. It may not yet be scientifically proven, but it does work. Magic is all around us and is practised by almost everyone, even though they may not realize it! Crossing fingers, touching wood, ‘kissing it better’, wearing a Saint Christopher for safe travel, making a friendship band, blowing out the candles on a cake or dropping a coin into a well and making a wish are all acts of magic. The practitioner may not really believe in it, and so it may not fully work, but it’s still magic. The difference between these magics and the magic of Witchcraft lies in the fact that Witches do it with intent, focus and balance – they believe it will work and it does.

But why does anyone want to use magic? Everyone seeks control of their lives; from the youngest toddler to the oldest wise woman, we all want a say in what happens to us. Magic was more common in times past when we were still close to our native beliefs. It may have been driven underground and turned into superstition for a while, but now it is returning. In a world where just about everything is overlooked or controlled, by laws and people outside our personal influence, we are now remembering and returning to the old ways of taking personal control of our lives and our world, and of making the changes we seek in them. The Craft gives us the ability to do the former and the skills to work the magic to do the latter.

In the Craft we learn:

* Self-development and understanding.

* Personal responsibility and control.

* To live with nature and the elements, in balance and harmony.

* The cycles of the seasons and how they relate to us today.

* To comprehend the energies created by the phases of the Moon and the Sun.

* How the elements relate to us, our lives and our personal balance.

* To use the energies both within and outside of us.

* How to personally communicate with the Divine.

* To live as a part of the real world whilst enhancing our inner lives.

* To focus our will and direct our intent.

* When and how to use the above to create magic to change our world and our lives.

* How to structure our magic through Rites and Rituals to make it work.

In the Craft we use magic and spells to:

* Understand ourselves and those around us.

* Make personal change.

* Understand the world and our place in it.

* Bring inner peace and harmony.

* Bring about physical, emotional and spiritual healing, for ourselves, our near and dear, and for those who seek it for themselves and others.

* Ease communication and aid understanding.

* Aid in study, tests and exams.

* Find work, do well at it and achieve our potential.

* Protect ourselves, our homes and our near and dear.

* Find and nurture friendship, romance, love and partnership.

* Work towards healing the land and protecting the life that grows from it.

* Help us in all aspects of our lives, and the lives of those we care for.

Many people think that magic is a question of saying the right words, in the right way, at a specified time. They’ve seen it on TV so it must be true! Others think that it is a question of mixing the right ingredients in the right way. But magic isn’t cookery and you need to do more! Some think it requires you to step back from real life, to insulate yourself from normal activities such as work, to isolate yourself from normal people by dressing strangely or behaving oddly. But a Witch must live as a part of the real world, not apart from it, to maintain her/his connection with life. A few still believe that magic involves selling your soul to some mythical devil and invoking hypothetical demons to do your bidding! Magic requires none of these, most especially the latter. Magic will only happen by working with, not against, nature to bring about natural change in life and the world. For magic to work it does not require special ingredients and words, but knowledge, effort, energy and understanding.