The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire Read online

  Libra: Love, legal matters, peace, artistic endeavors, social situations, balance within and without

  Scorpio: Power, sexuality, psychic pursuits, overcoming obstacles and fears, banishing, transformation

  Sagittarius: Travel, spiritual growth, knowledge, expansion, creating opportunities, good luck

  Capricorn: Firm foundations, self-control, financial stability, career success, public image, manifesting goals, binding or banishing

  Aquarius: Change, new opportunities, adventure, liberation, friendship, group endeavors

  Pisces: Creativity, emotional healing, spiritual pursuits, developing psychic awareness

  Let’s say, for example, you want to find a better job. Virgo is most closely linked with work and work relationships. But if your main concern is to make more money, do magick while the waxing moon is in Taurus. If financial stability and status are more important, cast your spell while the moon is in Capricorn. If you’re seeking fame or recognition, a Leo moon will support your intention. Study the unique properties of each sign to help you choose the right one for your purpose.

  Moon Magick Communication Oil

  Use this versatile oil to anoint candles, gemstones, ritual tools, and other spell components. It aids all forms of communication, with human beings and nonphysical entities. You can also use it as a massage oil or add it to a ritual bath.

  TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS

  3 ounces of olive or grape seed oil

  A glass jar

  3 drops of essential oil of sandalwood

  A pinch of cinnamon

  3 marigold (calendula) petals

  A small quartz crystal

  Pour the vegetable oil into the jar.

  Add the essential oil, cinnamon, and marigold petals.

  Add the quartz crystal.

  Put a top on the jar and shake it 3 times to charge the mixture.

  Massage your palms and the soles of your feet with the oil. Put a drop of oil on your throat chakra (the center of communication).

  Record the results of your spell in your book of shadows. Also note your experiences, feelings, insights, and sensations while doing the spell, as well as anything that you believe to be relevant.

  ECLIPSES

  The ancients regarded eclipses with awe and even fear. Astrologers witness the powerful energies produced during eclipses and how these celestial events affect human affairs. Often you’ll notice a series of related events occur in connection with a series of eclipses; each eclipse brings further development on what happened at the previous eclipse. You can tap the high-octane energy of solar and lunar eclipses in your magick work too; however, eclipses can sometimes spark unpredictable results, so proceed with caution.

  Solar Eclipses

  A solar eclipse occurs when the moon is new. At this time, both the sun and moon occupy the same sign and degree in the zodiac. The moon passes between the sun and earth, blocking our vision of the sun. In her book Lunar Shadows, Dietrech J. Pessin writes, “This time is filled with a mystery and unseen influences are yet to be developed in our lives . . . it is a time to observe, dream and plan—not to initiate action.” Because the moon shadows the sun now, emotion and intuition—things we associate with the moon—tend to take precedence over the solar activities of logic, intellect, and outer world endeavors. Focus on inner growth, dreamwork, and psychic practices during a solar eclipse.

  Lunar Eclipses

  A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon is full, and the sun and moon are in opposite signs of the zodiac. The earth passes between the two heavenly bodies, blocking the sun’s light to the moon. Because the moon is overshadowed, things we associate with the sun—such as logic and intellectual activities—become highlighted. A lunar eclipse brings matters to light that may have lain hidden for some time, but with more force than an ordinary full moon. Pessin calls this a time when “all the cards are on the table.” During a lunar eclipse, do magick to bring projects to fruition or to conclude situations in your life.

  Familiarizing yourself with the energies of the celestial bodies and their shifting relationships to our earth will benefit not only your spellwork but also your understanding of your place in the cosmos. You’ll develop a richer connection with nature and her cycles. You’ll witness the meaning of the old axiom “as above, so below” in action. And by studying this information, as recorded in your grimoire, you’ll come to a deeper appreciation of the physical expression of the Goddess and the God, as symbolized by the moon and the sun that light up our world.

  Chapter 10

  SPELLS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

  Many cookbooks organize recipes according to types of food: meat, fish, vegetables, bread, pasta, and so on. In a similar way, many witches find it convenient to arrange their grimoires according to the types of spells they do: love, money, health, protection, etc. This method makes it easy to locate the spell you want when you want it. It also lets you see what spells you do most frequently and select some favorite “go-to” spells that you can turn to with confidence.

  FIND IT FAST

  If you decide to configure your book of shadows in this way, you may want to insert tabs or dividers to mark the various sections of your book. Some people like to “color code” their books, using colored paper to indicate different categories of spells: pink for love spells, green for money, and so on. This works especially well if you’re using a book that allows you to shift the pages around, such as a three-ring binder.

  If your grimoire has a fixed binding that won’t let you add pages, you can demarcate the various “chapters” of your book with bookmarks. Do you have an artsy nature? You may enjoy handcrafting pretty bookmarks to designate the sections of your grimoire. The more personal you make your book and the more imagination you put into it, the better. Try these suggestions:

  Cut strips of posterboard or heavy construction paper, each about 2" wide by 7" long. Onto the strips glue pictures from magazines that represent the topics you’ve included in your grimoire: happy couples or hearts for love, dollar signs or diamonds for prosperity, airplanes or cruise ships for travel, and so on.

  Dry flowers, herbs, or other botanicals that have magickal connections to the categories you’ve chosen for your book: roses for love, mint for money spells, etc. (Refer to the charts in Chapter 16 for more information.) Then affix these botanicals to strips of posterboard or heavy construction paper.

  Select posterboard or heavy construction paper in various colors that correspond to the topics in your book. Cut the paper into strips, then draw symbols or other images on the strips to represent the subjects of the spells. You could decorate these strips with magick sigils, which are spells in themselves (see Chapter 12), to mark sections in your grimoire.

  Purchase ribbons in colors that symbolize the topics you’ve chosen to include in your book. Lay the ribbon markers between the pages to define the different sections. Or, if you opt to craft your own grimoire from scratch, fasten the ribbons in place when you bind your book (see Chapter 2 for instructions). Attach tiny charms, gemstone beads, or other symbolic adornments to the ribbons, if you like.

  INVITE DIVINE ASSISTANCE

  When you prepare yourself to enact a ritual or cast a spell or a charm, you agree to suspend reality for a time to get in touch with energies greater than your own limited scope of individual perception. By entering the space and time “between the worlds” you make a pact with yourself and with the myriad spirits who share the cosmos with us. You acknowledge their presence by inviting them into your sacred space. You accept them as manifestations of the Divine.

  Whether you choose to interact only with the forces of the Divine Feminine and/or the Divine Masculine or to invite assistance from other deities, spirits, and nonphysical beings is up to you. Later in this book, we’ll talk more about some of the entities who may assist you in your magickal work.

  Devote Each Section of Your Grimoire to a Goddess

  Ancient cultures revered certain qualities and characteristics in
each goddess, and saw her as having dominion over specific areas of life on earth. Today, many witches and Neopagans continue to honor a pantheon of deities and call upon these deities to aid us in our magickal practice.

  As you go about compiling your grimoire, think of the goddesses traditionally associated with the many and diverse parts of your life. Think about the types of spells you intend to perform. Most likely, you’ll feel a special attraction to certain goddesses, perhaps based on your own heritage or personal affinities. You may want to dedicate each section of your grimoire to a different goddess and then invoke her power and assistance when you perform spells and rituals in the areas she governs.

  Many deities play a number of roles and can be called upon to assist you in numerous areas of your magickal practice. The following list suggests some to consider, but you can find a wealth of additional information online and in other books.

  Love: Venus, Aphrodite, Freya, Hathor, Hera, Juno

  Protection: Tara, Artemis, Tiamat, Frigg, Beset

  Prosperity/Abundance: Venus, Lakshmi, Gaia, Demeter, Ceres, Epona, Renenet

  Healing: Brigid, Isis, Ceres, Freya, Kuan Yin

  Creativity: Brigid, Isis, Venus, Selena

  Wisdom: Sophia, Cerridwen, Hecate, Hestia, Morgan, Saraswati

  Success: Nike, Isis, Cybele, Amaterasu, Cerridwen

  Home: Brigid, Cerridwen, Coatlicue, Beset

  Children/Fertility: Yemaja, Axo Mama, Cybele, Oshun, Demeter, Frigg, Heket

  Happiness: Bast, Hathor, Lilith, Freya

  Strength/Power: Inanna, Artemis, Sekhmet, Tiamat, Pele, Kali, Persephone, Selket

  Working with Goddess Energy

  Begin by researching various goddesses. Learn all you can about the goddesses with whom you might like to work and to whom you plan to dedicate the different sections of your grimoire. Familiarize yourself with ancient rites of worship and decide how these relate to your modern-day experience. How might you adapt early ideas to your present-day practice?

  Next, dedicate each section of your book of shadows to a particular goddess who will help you by lending her powers to your magickal workings. On the first page of each section, write a blessing to the deity who will preside over that portion of your book and the spells and rituals you perform. Let’s say, for example, you’ve devoted the love section of your book of shadows to Venus. Write the following blessing or one of your own creation:

  “Most beautiful Venus, whose light shines brightest in the night sky, and whose loving energy embraces all humankind, I dedicate the spells and rituals I perform for love and relationships to you. Fill me with the power and perfection of your love, so that I may channel your divine energy into the magick I do. I ask your guidance as I seek to bring more love to myself, other people, and the manifest world. May I and all beings know the blessedness of your divine love that transcends all worldly love, and may it sustain us, uplift us, and bring us joy.”

  If you like, add pictures of the deity as you interpret her and other symbols or objects that you attribute to her.

  Before you perform a spell or ritual, invite the goddess with humility. Explain your reasons for calling upon her. What, exactly, do you hope to accomplish? Whether you are seeking love, knowledge, protection, or abundance, your invocation must include your statement of intent.

  When the Goddess is effectively evoked, she does not merely announce “Here I am!” She will make her true self known to you through images, inspiration, insights, emotions—and often she will have a message to impart. When she speaks through you, you may find that words and visions flow as freely as a wild river, carrying you to places unimaginable heretofore. Remain open to this energy and try to retain the experience of receiving her communication. Record as many details in your grimoire as you can, in order to deepen your understanding of what has transpired.

  LOVE SPELLS

  Love makes the world go ’round, as the saying goes, and witches cast more spells for matters of the heart than for any other purpose. Therefore, you’ll probably want to dedicate a section in your grimoire for love spells. Because emotion is one of the key ingredients in magick, it’s logical that love spells would be among the most powerful of all. Usually the best times to perform love spells are during the waxing moon, when the sun or moon is in Libra, or on Fridays––unless you intend to block someone’s attention or end an unwanted relationship. In that case, do your spell while the moon is waning, when the sun or moon is in Scorpio or Capricorn, or on Saturday.

  Before you begin the spell, cleanse your space, and cast a circle (see Chapter 13 for details on how to cast and open circles). Call upon the goddess who presides over your love spells and ask her to assist you.

  Here’s a sample love spell you can use if you like:

  Light My Fire

  Use this spell to spark a new love affair or to fan the flames in an existing romance. You can cast it for yourself or someone else.

  TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS

  A ballpoint pen

  A red candle

  Essential oil of jasmine, rose, or patchouli

  A ring large enough to slide over the candle

  A candleholder

  Matches or a lighter

  With the ballpoint pen, carve the two individuals’ names on the candle, so that the letters are alternated and interspersed. For example, you’d write Bill and Sue this way: B S I U L E L.

  Rub some essential oil on the candle, then slide the ring onto it—the symbolism is obvious.

  Place the candle in the holder and light it. As you stare into the flame, chant the word created by your joint names (don’t worry if it doesn’t make any sense or sounds discordant). Envision a union between you and your partner.

  When you can no longer concentrate on this spell, snuff out the candle and open the circle.

  Repeat each day until the candle has burned down to the ring.

  Remove the ring and place it on your altar, or give it to the person for whom you did the spell, to “fire up” a romance.

  Thank the goddess of love for her assistance.

  Be sure to include the date(s) when you performed the spell and record the results. Each time you cast this spell, add more details and experiences in your grimoire, including any changes you may have made from the original.

  PROSPERITY AND ABUNDANCE SPELLS

  Spells for abundance are probably the second most popular among witches. Of course, prosperity and abundance mean different things to different people, but usually spellcasters perform these spells to attract money and/or material goods. Enact prosperity spells during the waxing moon, when the sun or moon is in Taurus, on a Thursday or Friday––unless your goal is to stabilize finances or cut your expenses. In that case, do your spell when the moon is waning, when the sun or moon is in Capricorn, or on a Saturday.

  Before you begin the spell, cleanse your space, and cast a circle. Call upon the goddess who presides over your prosperity spells and ask her to assist you. Here’s a sample spell you can use to draw money to you:

  Buried Treasure Spell

  This spell offers a new twist on the old legends about buried treasure. Instead of hunting for that pirate’s hidden chest of gold doubloons or a leprechaun’s pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, you symbolically stash treasure in order to “prime the pump” so greater riches can flow to you.

  TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS

  A small mirror

  A tin box with a lid

  9 coins (any denomination)

  A magnet

  A shovel

  Place the mirror in the bottom of the tin box, with the reflective side up.

  Lay the coins, one at a time, on top of the mirror while you envision each one multiplying exponentially.

  Attach the magnet to the inside of the box (on the lid or on a side) and visualize it attracting a multitude of coins to you.

  Put the lid on the box and open the circle.

  Take your “treasure chest” and the shovel outside and dig a hole beneath a la
rge tree. Bury the box in the ground near the tree’s roots.

  When you’ve finished, say this incantation aloud: “By the luck of three times three

  This spell now brings great wealth to me.

  The magnet draws prosperity.

  The mirror doubles all it sees.

  My fortune grows as does this tree

  And I shall ever blessed be.”

  Thank the goddess for her assistance.

  Be sure to include the date(s) when you performed the spell and record the results. Each time you cast this spell, add more details and experiences in your grimoire, including any changes you made from the original.

  Louise Hay’s Prescription for Prosperity

  In order to become prosperous, bestselling author and publisher Louise Hay in her book You Can Heal Your Life says you must:

  Feel deserving.

  Make room for the new.

  Be happy for other people’s prosperity.

  Be grateful.

  She also explains that “true prosperity begins with feeling good about yourself . . . It is never an amount of money; it is a state of mind. Prosperity or lack of it is an outer expression of the ideas in your head.”

  PROTECTION SPELLS

  Early grimoires contained lots and lots of spells for protection—some of them incredibly complex, and many of which invoked the assistance of spirits. Early spellcasters frequently called upon deities of all sorts to safeguard them, their homes, and their loved ones from both physical and psychic harm. People in many cultures have used evil eyes and hex signs since ancient times and still do today. As in earlier eras, the world presents many dangers today—as a quick glance at the nightly news will confirm—so you’ll most likely want to devote a section in your grimoire to protection spells. Usually the best times to perform protection spells are during the waning moon, when the sun or moon is in Capricorn, and/or on a Saturday.