S2 E18  Q & A Spells, Beliefs, Etc...

How do I de-Christianize my mind?

Examine your own beliefs and try to figure out whether they are something you believe or something you were taught. I’ve had to do this myself and it’s been a very long process reprogramming my mind.

Go through other cultures, religions and myths to find what feels like home (feels right) then research the history of where it began and where Christianity converted it over time.

How do you make yourself believe? Does belief even matter?

I believe because throughout my life I’ve had many unusual experiences that could not be explained in traditional religion. When I came upon Wicca I found that it coincided with all of those things and more. It felt like home and natural so I chose to follow that path. I felt like it was already within me. Belief is everything, without it there’s little way to attach to the energy you wish to use to affect change.

Sometimes I choose to believe, sometimes it feels like the belief has always been there. As far as spells and intentions though, belief is everything. If you don’t believe and see the outcome of your spell, then the energy put into it will be less and muddled with doubt.

Vetting your sources, being careful about who you follow and why.

I’d say it goes without saying but obviously we’re going to say it. Vet your sources. Wikipedia is a nice place to start but it’s not dependable. Start with some well known authors; Silver Raven Wolf, Starhawk, Scott Cunningham, Buckland but also look to the history of any given magical interest. Background can be everything and naturally context is a factor. Also you can research well known covens and then glean information from them. Today it’s hard to know what a good source is so if you get multiple places referring to the same area then it’s a fair chance it’s a good source.

Please, please, please, don’t just do what someone tells you to just because they’re popular or well known. That does not necessarily mean they’re knowledgeable. It means they’re entertaining. Tatjana already listed some good authors, Learnreligions.com is good as well as Pathos.com. Cross reference whatever spell(s) you’re doing.

What can I use witchcraft for? (What not to use witchcraft for?)

It’s much easier to ask what you shouldn’t use it for. I’d suggest not using it for ill will as the big one. It’s unlikely to help with things like gambling since that’s not how witchcraft works. Witchcraft is using energy to affect a change you desire within the constructs of some basic laws, one of which is “be it in the will of the Universe”. I feel that we don’t get the final say in other words. Also witchcraft is about setting an intention and goal to create change which requires you to be an ongoing participant. So what can it be used for? Things that you desire FOR YOURSELF that you are willing to put your energy towards and work on.

Witchcraft is for changing the world in accordance with your will. I would say that free will is sacred and to never do anything that impinges on someone’s free will. “And ye harm none, do what ye will” is a good way to go about it. Also there are more powerful forces at work so, you might not always get what you want. As for what it can do, it can help heal your heart and mind, it can give lessons in self sufficiency, and yes it can change the world around you in a way that you desire.

How important are the elements and directions; are they different energies/entities?

Wicca bases much on the elements and directions, but not all pagans do. For me they are very important and very much intertwined. I do believe they are separate however. They are associated, but not the same thing, at least to me.

The elements are one of the foundations from which we work. It's part of how we pull our energy together cohesively and in a balanced manner to direct our energy into our magic. I feel they are separate entities that overlap each other. Each element is unto its own a source of a particular type of power. We pull upon the ones we need to affect change. The best magic is when you can balance them all together. I’m of a Wiccan tradition so it’s difficult for me to see doing magic without them but I’m sure there are those who can and do.

Can you have multiple Matrons and Patrons? (Not counting triple goddesses)(Can you frequently communicate with a deity that isn’t your Matron or Patron)

Can’t really speak to this one as I do not have a matron or patron.

Yes. It is good to find the main deities you connect with first and create a strong relationship with them but once that's done it is important that you realize they may not be the best one for every job. Deities have their own specialties and it’s like using water to light a match,  you want to use the right one for the job. I contend that your main deity is most powerful for general uses and things that are their strong points. They make excellent consultants too. You can go to them for advice on most topics including asking about a use of another deity. Do you have to have a Matron or Patron, no. But it can be helpful.

The practices of collecting things from nature. How, what, where, when, leave offerings, etc… (storm)

There are many differing  beliefs on this. When collecting I think almost everyone can agree that you must ask for permission from the item first. Then listen with your heart to hear the answer and truly listen. Collecting items from anywhere you can get permission is a safe bet but nature is optimal. It’s important to consider the surroundings if it’s not out in nature. A highly trafficked area is not something I’d recommend. Timing might be based on the type of magic you are doing correlating to the seasons, time of day or moon phases. Always leave offerings or bring some back if you’ve forgotten them. This has happened to me on more occasion. I suggest offerings that won’t hurt the environment. One could argue anything might be hurtful but things like honey, milk, herbs, birdseed, other things from nature or things that disintegrate are best. Now on one occasion, due to the type of magic, I left a crystal hanging on a branch in order to give back to humanity. The idea was that the right person would find it to gain joy in it or it would drop and be there for the Fae.

Collecting from nature is a big privilege. Remember to give back and keep things sustainable. When you gather keep in mind the timing, after a big storm might be a great time to find a branch good for a wand, it would be charged with lots of extra energy.

How precise do you need to be with the timing of an event? (Moon phases, holidays)

With spells it’s as precise as you wish to be, but keep in mind the less precise you are with it the less energy the timing will provide. As far as holidays, about a week leading up to and after, but keep in mind again the less precise, the less energy.

The closer you are to an appropriate timing the better but it doesn't have to be exact. We used to do rituals celebrating the moon or holidays on the weekends during class time but as close to the event as possible. If it fell on a Thursday then we’d celebrate it that coming weekend. I’m often asked about the full moon magic etc and you usually have 3 days before and after the actual official date.

Is it possible to do other things while casting a spell? (ADHD etc…)

Having ADHD myself I can understand this question. One thought is a coloring page to the theme of the spell, that way you keep busy, while still keeping in mind the spell. Now if you’ve closed circle already and are waiting for a candle to burn down, take all due precautions for fire, but I think it’s fine to do other things.

It all depends on what can keep you focused. My initial reaction is you should be focused on the deed at hand exclusively since doing other things at the same time can lessen the amount of energy you put into the actual magic. However, as Sylvia pointed out to me, some people can focus better if they are doing more than one thing at a time. Spells are tricky though, every thought that passes through the mind  is adding its energy to the spell so be VERY careful of how you split your focus. At the very least try working on only magic while doing a spell. Coloring and doing a spell might actually add power to what you are doing for example.

How can I create a mobile altar?

An easy way is to get an Altoids tin and put a tea light in it with a little something to represent each element. There are many ways of doing this though.

One way is to have a shoebox that contains elemental candles and holders OR different items to represent the elements like - a feather - for east, a match or lighter - for south, a vile of water - for west, and a stone - for earth, then add a couple electric tealights to represent the god and goddess (different colored ones would be nice if they’re real tealights), some sage, incense, a small double edged knife if you can, a small dish for ashes (the bottom of a very small flower pot will do great). You can open your box and set the items up and have your ritual then put it all back together again. I’ve done a similar one for myself. But always practice fire safety!

How do spell jars work?

Condensed energy that can be carried with you. VS sachet. Vessels of protection capturing energy.

In the sense of witch jars or also called protection jars, the negative energy gets trapped in the jar with the other nasty things in there. With other jars people will shake them up every so often to get the energy going again.

What does it mean when spells go awry? Spell jar breaks, candle explodes, water spills, etc..

Depending on the effect, it could be any number of things. The spell could be done, it could need more energy spent on it, or it could be that it got a sudden burst of energy.

I have had this happen and I chose to believe that it meant the spell had reached its max capacity and was done. But some have mentioned water turning a different color or a candle being blown out etc… In these cases it may be that an entity has found its way in and you may wish to deconstruct the magic and start again. If you do this I suggest adding to the spell some form of protection whether by ingredient or by chant.

How to get back into witchcraft after being a few years away?

Can’t speak to this as I have not yet left the craft.

I’ve been “gone” from the craft for over 12 years in being actually active. I’ve never stopped believing though. I started my practice officially back in the 90’s before much of anything was available. Things were still on the down low. I then taught for 10 years. After that came to an end I ended up as a solitary practitioner. That’s when I lost touch. The internet had just started opening its doors more publicly to the craft. Skip forward 13 years and here I am trying to become active again. It’s very hard. I don’t know where to turn or how to reconnect. I think it’s important to know if you practice better alone or with a group to start off with. Solitaries need only start researching on the web, reading and practicing doing those things that call to them as magic. Others have it a little harder because finding a group or like minded people is very difficult. Finding a group locally is optimal for me but not so easy these days. So I turned to the net and happened upon a group that I cautiously had started partaking in. I’m now very invested in them (I mean that both literally and metaphorically) and I am starting to pick up the pieces. They aren’t a perfect match but they are the best I’ve found so far. I currently still feel disconnected but that will just take actual doing of magic and time.