Alternative Practices for Magickal People: Substitutes for Subtle Ritual

 

There are a lot of practitioners that are not able to openly practice their magic. Whether it is from living with others that will judge and possibly defile the tools, or living in a place that doesn’t allow certain tools like candles, there are alternatives. This is great news, right? This article will give a few different ways to still hold a successful ritual with alternative tools.

No incense? No problem!

Sometimes it is not feasible to use incense. It is banned in some rentals, or the people you’re living with are a different religion and it’s not safe.

There are other ways to replace incense. My favorite is through an oil diffuser. These machines require water and drops of essential oils. I love using them for cleansing rituals and it can replace incense, too. There are a few ways to use this. For more info go HERE.

Incense and tobacco are frequently used as offerings to deities and entities that show up in the ritual. What if you can’t give an offering of that, or food and drink? Well, many places still allow vaping, depending on where you live.

I find that entities like different blends of vape juice, similar to essential oil. They can easily accept these offerings, similar to incense smoke. Some even prefer vape smoke to incense. My theory is it depends on the nicotine amount within the juice.

Candles: Flame off!

Some places, especially apartments, do not allow candles of any kind. This included college dorms. This can be a bit of a conundrum if you need candles for ritual.

For a normal ritual, where the candle isn’t required to burn all the way down, consider LED candles or lights. They come in a variety of colors, which can be used to correspond to your working.

There is really no substitute for candles that need to be burned down. However, if you are doing a binding, you may use thread/yarn instead. If you need to banish something consider a diffuser instead. For meditation, use either an LED light, or an object, to focus your attention on.

No Weapons Allowed!

While it is fun and cool to take your sword or athame every where you go, it may be illegal where you live. You may also live in an environment where weapons are not allowed. There are two simple solutions for this.

The first solution is to replace your athame/sword with a wand or stick. This is a bit of a break from tradition, but both tools are used for focusing energy. You will have to dedicate and find the right wood for a substitute sword/athame. The intent is in the tool and your focus.

The second idea is to use a finger/s to focus your power. This is a versatile way to create a circle, add protection, or attack if needed. I prefer using my pointer and middle finger to focus my power. You will find a way that is comfortable for you.

As you become more proficient, you can even use your mind to focus and do the tasks that require athames or swords. This takes more concentration, but is quite possible.

Hidden Altars

Another common problem I hear from other practitioners is that they can’t have their altars out due to house regulations and rules. Here are some ideas to create an altar that blends in.

1. Lamps. Lamps can represent whatever deity you work with. There are many that have designs, or colors, that are compatible for worshiping/honoring. For example, owls (Athena; Lilith), antlers (Cernunnos; Dionysis; horned-gods), skulls (Cthonic gods such as Hekate; Samael/Satan), etc. You can take any design and use it for the corresponding god/desses.
2. Crystals. Crystals have many uses, and I use them on my altars or put them in bowls as part of the altar on my dresser.
3. Statues. Even though you may not be able to set out a specific idol, you may substitute with correspondences or something that reminds you of the deity. There was a statue that was titled Gabriel that I used for Samael, because it reminded me of Him. Also animals and symbols (wings, feathers, geometrical shapes, numbers, etc.) corresponding to the deity, or working you are doing, are good displays for your altar.
4. Tapestries and Pictures. Pictures that can represent the deity you work with, is another way to create your sacred space without raising suspicion. You can even use a tapestry or cloth to decorate a table for your altar.
5. Offerings. Not every place allows for incense and food. One way you can add a permanent way of feeding is purchasing something that looks like food, and imbuing it with energy for feeding. Some people use stones for this. This should be done as needed.
6. Physical Circle. A physical circle is sometimes used by practitioners. This can be salt, dirt, a rug with symbols, etc. If you prefer to do this, you can buy a circular rug, towel, or tapestry and enchant it. It’s easy to store, too. If you use a rug with a design, no one is going to have a second thought. Geometrical shapes and mandalas are great designs for ritual rugs.

As you can see it is unlimited on how to substitute tools. Try some of these suggestions, or make up your own. Feel free to comment on ways you have successfully use substitutes.

-Arachnia Stoneskull

Photo Credit: “Diffuser and Crystals” by Emily Anne Chamberlain

Golems, Tulpas, and Egregores, Oh My! (Thought Form types)

 

“We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality.”

Iris Murdoch

Thought forms are an interesting concept and manifestation. Some are living representations of ideas or beings, and others tease our subconscious into creating our own reality. Some of these representations are made in the form of a humanoid and function as their own being, and others are simply thoughts themselves.

This is a brief overview of a few different types of thought forms.

1. Golem. Golems are thought forms that are brought to life and usually are programmed with only one command. These beings are very useful until their programming is completed. A golem, may become destructive after it finishes its purpose. Usually, you give a golem a name, and say the name backwards to undo it, or traditionally by removing a letter that equals to a word of uncreation. They are also usually tied to a clay vessel. Some people believe that if you break the vessel, you will “kill” or free the golem.
2. Servitor. These types of thought forms are created with sigils, and are either fed directly on the sigil or housed in a box or tiny home. These beings, unlike golems, can be programmed for more than one task, and sometimes can even gain their own sentience. They still do not have free will, even as a sentient being. Like a small child, they have the ability to become destructive if they have no boundaries. You can destroy them by burning the sigil and burying the ashes, breaking the vessel (if you used other material than paper), or burying the sigil after covering it in black wax with binding sigils.
3. Tulpas. This is a thought form originally described in Buddhist doctrine. It is a being created from the power of your own mind. In Buddhism, it wasn’t just about the creation, but also was used as a a type of spiritual body for astral travel. Some people even use them as a companion. Many people believe that tulpas have a more material form, like ‘real’ beings. These beings can gain their own sentience and essentially become it’s own soul and being. They are independent of the creator, but are connected and share experiences with the creator. They still serve its creator in this state, though a few stories say that they can become their own independent entity. It is good to remember that any time we share a direct bond with any entity, even a thought form, anything traumatic it experiences – even death – can be directed to the person whom it is attached.
4. Egregores. These are actually quite similar to tulpas. The difference is this is made by a group of people and is program for various tasks. These thought forms are meant to be a way to influence people and events, versus actually changing events itself. This takes a group to maintain. Some egregores, while they may develop a type of sentience close to artificial intelligence, are still controlled by the original group of people that created it. Egregores can be created both consciously and subconsciously. For example, when people begin to believe in a folk legend, an egregore may develop. This is because people are feeding their energy and beliefs into a single idea.
5. Poppets. These are also known as sympathy puppets. These are usually a representation of an actual person. These can be used for curses or healing, including on yourself. Poppets are usually filled with a personal belonging of the person that they are using the doll on. Some people even place a picture of the target on the face to direct the spells. When you want to get rid of the poppet, you can take the essence out of it, pick it apart, then burn it. If you are planning to curse the target, you may leave it as is and put it in a box and/or bury it.
6. Actual Thoughts. These are the most common of thought forms. Your thoughts shape your world, and errant thoughts can also effect others. You may notice you can influence people with ‘negative’ thoughts and ‘good’ thoughts. An errant thought is when you think something, but don’t direct the intention and it goes where it may. Some of these thoughts will sit in one place, and will effect how the location feels. Usually these are described as negative or positive energy – which are caused by thoughts and actions of those that have been there previously. These are relatively easy to banish. There are times when an exorcism versus a banishing is needed. I find that the former seems to be needed more commonly when you live in an apartment complex or with lots of people. The energy will stay, because it is still being perpetuated by other residents. It should be noted that most thoughts do not carry enough energy to perpetuate their existence and quickly dissipate.
7. Unconscious Thought Forms. Unconscious thought forms are inanimate objects and ideas that are given power through belief. These are also frequently called correspondences when using them in rituals. These can be sigils of ideas, candle colors, incense correlations to beings or ideas, symbols, etc. These have gained power because people believed that these objects and ideas represented a certain idea. An example is the idea that frankincense is connected to angels because it is mentioned as one the gifts Jesus receives in the New Testament. Another example is that certain sounds correlate with the chakras, or mantras that can manifest a single idea.
8. Meme Thought Forms. These are ideas that people latch on to, then give them power through belief. The main requirement is that these are ideas that spread like wildfire and influence a large group of people. This could be any idea or concept, true or not, such as believing the Earth is flat. It also happens when meshing various ideas, such as mixing pantheons together or assigning other gods from different pantheons to your own beliefs. As long as others pick up on it and carry the idea, like a virus, then it would be considered a ‘meme’.
9. Created Gods, Demons, Angels, and entities. Creation of deities and entities is nothing new. It has been going on since man conceived that there were beings that controlled the weather and hunt. ALL known Gods are a thought form; a facade. There are real beings behind the gods, but the idea of that particular god is a thought that correlates to the time, place, and ideals of the people worshiping it. The same with Goetic demons. Some of these thought forms do have actual entities possess them, like a costume. I always describe these types of thought forms like Batman; Bruce Wayne is Batman, but Batman is not Bruce Wayne.

These are some of the basic and most common thought forms. Knowing what they are, and their abilities can be advantageous when doing ritual or spellwork. Though some of the thought forms are non-sentient and do not have the ability to think for itself, ethics should be considered when creating a being of any sentient level. I was taught ethics regarding golems by the high priest in the first temple I joined. It was a decision we had to make ourself. It is a big decision, and required we also had the capability to take care of one. Consider carefully when creating thought forms.

Lastly, remember you are the creator and destroyer of these beings, and as such you are a god. By treating them as you wish to be treated is a great way to understand leadership and how souls operate.

-Arachnia Stoneskull

Art Credit: “Schizophrenia” by Erik Baumann

Empaths: Love, Lies, and Empathy

 

There is a trend now where people who are into magic are now claiming to be empaths and psychics. These people usually define their ’empathic’ skills in a way attaches value and bias to the emotions they claim to feel, feeding into the Positivity Culture Machine. Most people who claim to be an empath “feel” and “see” their version of good and positive values for people they like or who admire them, while placing negative values on events and people they don’t like. This article is going to discuss the difference between empathy and being empathic, and should clear away any confusion.

The community, especially in the last five years, has been flooded with many people that think they have special talents and gifts they do not actually possess. Many of the newer practitioners especially like to brag about being able to do everything. I can tell you now, even after discipline and training, there are still things I can’t do or that I am not good at. The biggest trend that most practitioners have grabbed onto is being an empath.

I think what people don’t understand is that showing empathy, which is the ability to understand what a person is experiencing, is much different than an empath. An empath directly experiences what the other person is currently going through – as if they were that person. It’s not “knowing” someone is in pain or their emotional state, but “feeling” it as they do. You are essentially transferring their emotions and physical pain into yourself. This is why I place true empaths under the category of a psychic vampire – they are taking in the person’s energy, whether it is consensual or not.

Also, empathy is usually learned. Being empathic is not learned; it is a direct connection to another person, being, or object. It is not understanding, it is knowing through direct experience.

For example, since I can remember, I have been able to feel what others felt. I generally know when someone is having a bad day, even if they are laughing and smiling. Many times I can tell who is an abuser, even if everyone else loves the person and there are no outward signs (usually it comes to light later). I can sit next to someone and know where they have pain, and what type. This transference of emotion and mental states is tiring and does acerbate my own problems. It’s not fun. I have had to developed shields in order to keep most of it from distracting me, because of it’s intensity. Unless I am invested in a relationship with a person, I won’t go out of my way to use my gifts. This is because it would mean that I would have to be open to real mental and physical anguish while working. This is also why I don’t “sell” my services regarding healing – it creates a link to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual anguish. Also, anytime an empath uses their gifts, they make a connection, and we have a bad habit of getting entangled in people’s personal lives thereafter.

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Empathy Does Not Equate to Love

The biggest falsity regarding being empathic is the idea that a true empath loves everything. The reasoning behind this is the premise if you understand it, then you cannot judge it. This cultivates the thought that everyone and everything needs to be loved the way the “empath” views love. This may lead to shaming of others who understand that the world is not made of Love and Light. It is good to have hope and do what you can to be happy – it is detrimental to deny events and feelings that are uncomfortable.

I also think one of the greatest disservices that Positivity Culture has created is the falsity that love is the answer to everything – and true enlightenment means that you must love and understand everything. This is not true. Once you experience what most people think and feel, and how it’s effected everything around them, you may understand them. However, that doesn’t mean that you love them – or that you even want to be around them. Most people have emotions that are shallow and completely uncontrolled. I have rarely met an actual person that loves other people, for example.

Let me explain by what I mean people rarely feel love. As an empath, this is how I experienced other people’s self-proclaimed love; possession, admiration, greed, wanting to be the ‘number one’ person in everyone’s lives, narcissism, longing to be loved and important, loyalty, friendship, desperation, lust, etc. Rarely have I felt people truly love. Those that cry out that love is the universal law have a deep longing to fit in and want others to admire and love them. Many are parroting the words, and I feel their disgust towards the people they direct the phrase towards. It’s why I get a stomachache when I hear people give any type of blessing or ‘positivity’ phrase – being an empath I can physically feel lies and the emotions behind it.

This may be a big reason why people who directly experience others are actually more likely to be grumpy and want to be secluded. When you can directly know the feelings and motives of people, the world becomes tiresome and sickening. You may even be able to feel the sickness, not only in humans, but the Earth itself. It doesn’t go away; it is all the time and bleeds into dreams and waking life.

Empaths also have their own systems for knowing truth, and it always involves physical feelings. This is not a “knowing”, or an observation of body language, or even “feeling energy”; it is a direct experience. For me, I have a spectrum of pain when experiencing another person lying. Here is an example of what I mean by having a direct experience of emotion and intent. If someone is knowingly lying, especially for manipulation, to me it feels like a constant stabbing in my heart or solar plexus (depending on what they are lying about). If someone is lying about how they feel about another person, I will either feel emptiness or whatever real emotion that person has towards the one they claim to have positive feelings for. If a person is lying, but isn’t aware, I usually feel a dull ache in my heart. It is different for every empath, but it is a physical feeling versus mental knowing.

This is also how I know if a person is lying about what they are, or can do. I also know which people really believe it; and which ones know they are charlatans, but are looking to profit or be famous.

It is benevolent to have empathy and try to understand people. It is a great goal to want to make the world a better place based on your own personal experience. However, unless you actually experience others as you would your own self, you are not a empath.

Stay true to yourself, and Hail Self!

Arachnia Stoneskull

Photo Credit: alphacoders.com/835/835418.jpg

Intention is Not Everything; Manifestation Gone Awry

 

“The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

-Old Proverb

Modern magic and religious practitioners have taken on a new attitude and view regarding moralism; that is to say what is moral and right. In order to be more inclusive, they propound falsities that everyone is equal in skill, everyone is ‘right’, everyone has the ability to create world wide change, and everyone has wisdom residing in them. These are widely distributed ideas that have harmed and undermined the work of true adepts. The truth is not everyone has the same skills, opinion is not fact, most people lead insignificant lives on a world-wide scale, and there are some people that don’t contain an ounce of common sense in them. This leads to one of the most destructive thoughts in magic – “Intention is everything”.

I’ve practiced awhile, and take note of how my curses and blessings effect others. I have also discussed this subject with several professional and knowledgeable practitioners. The conclusion is this – intention does not effect the result or consequence of your magic. Sometimes our best intentions have caused ourselves, or others, great harm.

Intentions are toted as the great panacea of avoiding ‘bad karma’ or ‘black magic’, even if the magic itself is actually creating opportunity to harm another, or control their Will. A lot of people practicing ‘white magic’ will hold the same rituals as those practicing ‘black magic’, only changing the name of the deity and some of the wording. Changing a deity’s name, or the intention of something already possessed of an egregorian power, doesn’t change what you’re doing or trying to accomplish. If you do a love spell to bind a specific person to you, despite changing the name Lilith to Aphrodite, and calling on Light versus Darkness – you are still influencing another’s will, which is still considered ‘black magic’. Your intention does not change that.

Intention can also be seen as a ‘wish’. It is a wish about a specific and successful outcome. This is a great start to inspire and organize a ritual. However, it is only a wish and not the reality of what may happen.

It should also be noted that your actions are your own; and if you cause harm, you are the perpetrator and at fault despite your original intent.

Intention versus Consequence

Inspiration and ideas are everywhere we look. One of the greatest things about the human mind is that it has the ability to make connections and create new ideas. This is a great gift. Most humans have the ability of imagination and invention, which plays a large part in successful rituals.

Intention is how you view or imagine an idea to be based on your personal experiences and worldview. It is the Will being formed versus the Will in action. It is the idea forming and preparing to come into existence. It is a wish; a desire; a passion. It is our imagination coming out to play. It is a beginning.

Intention, however, is not as powerful as when these ideas and creations are implemented and put into action. We can intend to do anything all we want, but it is inert without action. This holds true in magic, too. This is why curses and blessings don’t always work – they are a ‘wish’ that loses inertia.

Intention is also colored and biased. We think of what we desire, and even if we contemplate it for awhile, we are asserting our own Will and current beliefs in our ritual and magic. For instance, if you view everything as Dark, you may think your intention to harm others is only successful if the person suffers. Say you decide that you want to curse someone to lose their job and monetary savings. It happens and you are satisfied at first. Then you noticed it did more good than harm – the person gets a better job, learns a new skill, gets their act together, or even thrives off the chaos and becomes a successful business owner or lecturer. The results may have nothing do with your expectations or intention.

Another example is the spell where some witches tried to bind President Trump. The current United States President is a volatile and aggressive speaker, and his actions offend many people. The intention of the spell was good – to prevent him from saying and doing harmful things to the citizens of the U.S. However, their intention has actually facilitated harm. Through use of incorrect correspondences, not reprogramming the egregore already set in place through cultural values and magic in the color orange, and improper naming, they didn’t bind his body and spirit from doing harm. Rather they bound his ability to be creative, have proper communication, practice good leadership skills, joy, and warmth (compassion). They activated the egregore already attached to the color orange, and bound him through the current programming of that egregore. This is because the actual spell does not contain a way to properly bind intention to candle, despite the color. Because of this, their spells have caused more harm than good. In fact, it may have been better to bestow, rather than bind, these values through the color orange (which they chose for his ‘skin’ color versus actual color correspondence). That way he would perhaps have exhibited, rather than suppressed, those qualities. As you can see, intention had nothing to do with the actual outcome of the spell – and the consequence was actually the opposite intended.

This also goes along with the best of intentions, not just harming and binding. I have seen healers accidentally curse people. I have seen people encourage others to proceed with the false vision of ‘Light’ as protection that led to complete destruction of several people that believe them. I have seen people have good intentions in preaching their religion, or even praying for people, that have caused curse-like effects.

These are just a few examples of intention going awry.

A New Approach

Armed with this knowledge and reading the experiences of others, this may lead to a bit of conundrum. How do you set your intention and focus your Will to create a successful ritual with the intended outcome?

I propose that instead of having ‘intention’, which is colored by bias and emotion, to actually decide what you wish to accomplish without an emotional attachment. Next, you will create and release the energy by strictly programming in parameters of the spell. Then accept the consequences of the results – for better or worse. Being a true adept isn’t strictly about success – it is about learning from your failures and building a better system. This includes taking responsibility for your own actions, and not displacing blame on ‘intention’ or ‘doing the right thing’. These are perceptions and only have value in the human world, not Universe Law.

Going by the adage, “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,” is a good guideline. It’s not karma, it’s not the Rule of Three, it’s not Fate – it is just consequence, which can be unpredictable and highly volatile. This doesn’t mean that the consequence you receive will always be malevolent or beneficial based on your motives, just that all actions have results. The Universe will eventually right itself, whether through creation or destruction. You can see this when an abundance of ‘good’ actions can lead to great ‘evil’. We see this even now in our world, because instead of trying to find balance and compromise, people choose sides based on emotion and opinion. This has led to a halt in progress in our world. These ‘good’ intentions caused harm by creating a vast dichotomy between opposing views of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ based on self-righteousness.

Knowing the truth about intention, opinion, and worldview gives the practitioner tools to opens up to more possibilities. It can help one to evaluate their self and find underlying meaning to their current actions. This also allows more freedom, as you realize there is no color or moral meaning attached to energy and magic. You’ll be able to operate based on your goals versus decisions made from guilt and shame. Your limitations will only be those you put on yourself.

Stay informed, and Hail Self!

-Arachnia Stoneskull

Photo Credit: “A Burning Heart” Artist Unknown

Angelic Scents for Incense and Oils

Angels are very versatile beings to call on. For example, you may call for protection, emotional regulation, and favors. Some of these scents are traditional, while others are requests I’ve had through various angels. These are general scents for all angels, including Archangels and the Fallen. You may create them through incense, oils, and herbs. You may use the oils for anointing, or use in a diffuser instead of incense. Regarding herbs, you may boil them or burn them in an incense bowl. There are various ways to use these scents, too. You may use them to summon angels, as an offering, a healing ointment, etc. If you are applying oils to your skin, use high quality oils and check to make sure the oil is safe to use as a topical ointment. They prefer almond oil as a carrier, but if you are allergic to a carrier oil, use one that works for you. I’ve also used alcohol with herbs and oils to make anointing oils.

Remember when dealing with angels, they deserve respect, and don’t answer to your demands if it is against their nature.

-Arachnia Stoneskull

 

Magickal Backlash: Prevention and Tips (Part 2)

 

The previous article that I wrote, Magickal Backlash: What Causes It , addressed the different types of backlash that one may experience. This piece will focus on how you can prevent backlashes.

How to Prevent Backlash

One of the necessary techniques in your workings is going to be preventing the magical backlash that may occur. Here are some things you can do to prevent backlash, or chaos.

1. Circle. The purpose of creating a circle is threefold; protection, amplification, and creating a bridge between worlds. There are some practitioners that don’t use circles when summoning. I think that this should only be attempted by adepts that deeply understand how summoning works, and has experience with the beings they are calling. Without this experience, you may have problems such as infestation of entities, or even a possession. Some people can deal with reversing this, while others actually make peace with it.
2. Breaking the Circle. Once, in a spiritual group, we decided not to release our circle just to see what would happen. We didn’t meet for about three weeks, and everyone’s life was messed up. We had the worst luck. When we released the circle at our next meeting, everything returned back to normal. This happened too when I watched a video on a ritual for Lucifer and the magician did not open the circle; the video just stopped at the end of the body of the ritual. I had to release the circle myself, but I had mistaken a deity that I called in before watching the video as the same one in the actual ritual. I had the other deity cause trouble for me for about a year until I figure out who They were.
3. Correct Titles. Titles, which are type of correspondence, can be very tricky – especially if there are many deities/entities that share the same title. For example, there are many Ba’als, Lucifers, Esophorous’s, Satans, and Queens of the Dead. It is better to call on a specific deity, or learn the proper correspondence for a particular deity/entity. You don’t want to call on the wrong deity and have different results than you expect. You can also make clear your intentions and ask that They forward your request to the correct deity/entity if necessary.
4. Linguistics. Knowing the root and history of a word can be vital for your ritual to work well. Some deities/entities use the original meaning of a word, instead of the current evolution or slang of the word. These entities do usually know what they are doing, so they get the better end of the bargain. It also helps if you know more archaic words that have more specific meaning than current vocabulary. There are some deities and entities that are in the know about slang and will still be cooperative when called in vernacular language. However, there are some that have a more serious personality and prefer archaic words. I think this is why original material and texts for research on a being are important. I also think it is important to word things carefully, as some words have evolved to have opposite meanings and an entity/deity will take advantage of that. I would suggest www.dictionary.com, which also includes a link to a thesaurus.
5. Naming the Right Target. Naming a target can be crucial in some spellwork, especially in healing. However, there are times, even when we’re absolutely sure that someone sent a curse, or did us wrong – it is not them. I always advise that in situations where the backlash will be especially painful, to just set the parameters of a spell for anyone that hits it. I also suggest if you do this, to ask for a sign that someone has done something against you. This way you know the truth. I have found out people I wouldn’t ever suspect of hurting me were not true friends, and were actually working against me.
6. Judge the Target’s Magick Ability. I can not stress this enough, but THERE ARE BIGGER FISH IN THE SEA THAN YOU. It’s why I try not get involved in witch wars or drama. I have seen a lot of people say they can command an army of demons, or are the most powerful beings in the universe, but are braggarts and liars. It is not a contest to see who is stronger, though many witches try that tactic to see how powerful you are. I would assess the person by their knowledge, who they know, and looking at their third-eye. You would be surprised how many people don’t actually have an ounce of magick in them, but people believe they do. Usually those that are powerful do not brag about it, and usually prefer to avoid drama. They also tend to put up a shield that renders their abilities nearly invisible. You may also want to consider if the person belongs in a coven, then get to know how powerful each member is. They may or may not be more powerful than you, but they can still cause inconveniences for some practitioners when a coven brings their talents together.
7. Personal Shields. This is very useful. In doing this, you are taking the initiative in preventing anything from hurting you. Personally I prefer a neutralizing shield that completely stops any energy or spells thrown at me. You can learn more HERE.
8. Neutralizing Circle. I like to shield my house, too. I treat my house as a temple, as such I don’t want anything dirty or negative in it – but especially, I do not want anything working against me in my house. I would suggest that you try a neutralizing circle around your house (though technically it is a sphere). This way the energy does not effect anyone else. If you like, you may “capture” the energy for later use after it has been neutralized.
9. Set Parameters in Workings. You may use this technique to draw something or someone to you. You may also use it as protection both defensively and offensively. What you may do is only limited by your imagination. Setting spells with a set of instructions will prevent and protect you and those you care about.
10. Learn Correct Correspondences. In the other article I touched on this and gave some examples. This is important. If you use the wrong correspondence your working may not be as powerful, or it may not happen at all. Some entities and deities get offended by the wrong correspondence, too. There are many correspondence books out there. Beware that some are not good, and others are outstanding. You may ask for recommendations from other practitioners, as more experienced practitioners know which books are good for ritual.
11. Learn Your Deity. There are a lot of people that mix up deities, or try to stretch the similarities of a word or foreign deity to fit in their way of thinking. I warn against this. There are some deities that seem similar, but are two different beings. An example would be Babalon and Lilith – they are two very different beings. I also found that the Greek gods that are mashed together with foreign deities are very testy and not very cooperative. They sometimes tend to cause problems. I have surmised that this may be because the original deities were two very different beings, such as Athena-Neith. I would also find out which deities get along, and which ones don’t. It’s not going to be productive if the two deities are warring. To find more mythology from the original source try www.sacred-texts.com.
12. Consider Alternatives. Instead of cursing, maybe bind or consider a Magickal No Contact Order. You may also consider healing what is making the person toxic, versus doing a karmic spell. It’s thinking outside the box  that prevents any nasty backlash.
13. Don’t Start Drama. This is one that I see a lot. We’ve all been in a situation where we start drama. In fact, I would say our magick community sometimes thrives on drama. This drama seems to escalate and curses are thrown. Instead of taking the bait just ignore or find a way to cut off the person/s. By not getting involved, you don’t have to worry about the instability of many practitioners.
14. Ignoring. The best way to avoid situations and taking the bait is to ignore a person. Many people are looking for admiration or competition. I find that ignoring such people diminishes their power and vampirism. In this case, as in the case of drama, I would see about getting protection through a law oriented deity. You just have to keep your nose clean and not start anything that isn’t deserved. It’s some of the best protection that you can get.
15. Remember Your Obligations. When you have an obligation to a deity or entity, they tend to get annoyed when you don’t fulfill it. Whether it is keeping altars, or honoring them on their days, there are many ways that we are asked to fulfill our obligations. There is usually some understanding when there is illness or an emergency, but they will collect their energy exchange regarding obligations.This also includes obligations to a coven, another witch, or anyone that you have made a promise to in some fashion.

This general overview should help when making decisions and going forward with your workings. Critical thinking is always the most important aspect of our practices, along with careful review. I am leaving some resources that have helped when casting spells. Hail Thyself and Thy Intelligence.

Resources:

www.dictionary.com

www.thesaurus.com

www.sacred-texts.com

www.wikipedia.com (You can usually find sources at the bottom of the page for more in depth research)

-Arachnia Stoneskull

Photo Credit: Seeking credit

Magickal Backlash: What Causes It? (Part 1)

 

Magickal backlash is a common event for many practitioners, and can cause problems in one’s daily life.

Sometimes it needs to happen in order for us to get what we need, other times it is something that can be avoided with the right techniques. This article will focus on what is necessary blowback and what is not. I will give you some tips for better rituals to help with backlashes in the next article.

Necessary Backlash

There are times that we have unexpected events from ritual. It may be good or bad. I don’t believe that Karma and the Rule of Three is applied at these times. I believe in action and consequences, and feel that a practitioner must accept the consequences of whatever magic, summoning, or energy that is sent out during a ritual. We can’t always know what the action of these consequences are until they happen. For example, you may send out a spell to destroy a person – it may work, but in the end the person cursed may become better for it, and eventually thrive.

Here’s a list of things that can count as necessary or typical backlash that may happen when doing ritual.

1. Justice. There are certain beings that their price to work with you is to do a type of cleansing. This may require that if you did similar things as the person you are asking for retribution against, then you may experience the same curse until your “karma” has burned off. The curse may not work if you have the wrong person, or they are found innocent. One being who will do this is Hekate. The deities/entities that are representatives of Eternal Law must follow it, in return you must accept this.
2. Growth. Many practitioners ask for a better life, a better partner, a better job, etc. Sometimes when we ask for things to be better, we are introduced to troubles and mayhem in our life. Usually this feels like a curse. Some people lose their job, home, or even their family. This is to help your growth, and usually your life will right it self for the better. If you resist though, there is a possibility that things may go wrong until you allow for certain events to happen and you take control of your life and situation.
3. Making Room. Similar to growth, it may cause chaos in your life until you accept it.  It’s similar to clearing junk out of your house. This may happen if you banish, bind, or cut cords with a person – chaos in your life is going to rearrange your relationships before settling down.
4. Payment. Despite the belief that many people don’t owe anything to the deities or entities that they work with, there is always an energy exchange of some kind. While incense, cakes, wine, even blood may entice a deity/entity to be summoned, this is not the final payment. They may require more worship by working with them more often, have you tell others of them (spreading their “fame”), but more likely than not they want you to do a favor for them. These are all types of an energy exchange. I have learned that it is easier to find out the details before agreeing on a payment. They all require an equal exchange of what you are asking. Whoever you are working with will acquire their payment, even if it is later on. Your life may be in chaos until the payment is made.
5. Wording – You Get What You Asked For. This is a difficult one, because it is similar to a preventable backlash – except you do get what you ask for. For example, I told Hekate that I didn’t want Her help, because I wanted to stand on my own two feet and didn’t want to use Her. This did not sit well with Her. I lost my friends, family, and community – even my Guardians were not allowed to help in a lot of areas in my life. I have since then apologized, and told Her I do need community and help. I meant well, and received exactly what I wanted, but it was not the intended outcome. It taught me a lesson in humility and the need for community – but it also taught me my strengths and weaknesses. This was an unexpected outcome, but I did get what I asked for.
6. A Deity/Entity/Energy is Already Involved in the Situation. There are situations where a person either asked for something, or has cast a spell, and wants it reversed. While there are safe ways to reverse certain spells, some need to run their course. When we interfere with workings that need to run their course, we can sometimes receive a backlash . This especially happens if we cast another spell that is doing the opposite of the original ritual without reversing or dispersing the first working. Be aware that some people have cursed themselves, or are cursed from another person, or even a deity. This is a lesson for everyone involved, and is something that is not preventable. If you become involved and make a decision to do whatever it takes to reverse a spell that needs to run its course, you need to accept the consequences. It is possible to reverse these types of spells, but to do it prematurely can take great sacrifice. From personal experience, I can tell you it is rarely worth it. This is because the person didn’t learn their lesson; they will be ungrateful and even start blaming you for all their woes. My best advice is once you realize what is going on to walk away, even if it is friends or family. The spell will run its course, and when the specifications are met the spell then it will disperse.

Preventable Backlash

There is backlash that can be avoided. Here are some types of backlash that may be avoided.

1. Wording. Wording is very important. Sometimes how you word a spell will effect it differently than you expected. For example, you may ask for a car that runs and will be low maintenance. What you may end up getting may not be a new car, but a junky looking car with all the specifications. The same goes for love spells; if you ask for a handsome lover that has passion and money, you may get a man that has other women on the side. Or it may be short lived. You just never know, so I would suggest being more specific.

   Also, there are some words that mean something different in the past than what we use now. You may want to look in a dictionary or thesaurus for the history of a word. The linguistics of a word can make all the difference in your spell, especially if the deity/entity was from a certain time period.

2. Romantic/Sexual Spells. This one can be tricky, and why I don’t do sex and love spells on a specific person. There are many things that can happen. It can be successful and both parties are satisfied with each other, or it may end in disaster where one party doesn’t want to be in a relationship any more and the other partner does. It can be either the spellcaster or the other person that does not want to break off the relationship. There is a possibility that it may lead to stalking or abuse on the partner that doesn’t want the relationship. When you cast a love spell, you may cast it on yourself – especially if it something you strongly desire. We all can cast the spell of love on ourself when we really want it.
3. Wrong Target. Sometimes you may use the wrong target in your ritual. Depending on if you called a being related of law, or a justice, they may not choose to help and even collect retribution on the practitioner calling them. Also, some people have such beings working with them, so they have protection or warnings from these beings. This has happened to me when a coven asked Samael for unwarranted retribution, and they ended up with the consequences. This is also why I would check out a person’s motive, and consult with my guides, before joining in on a spell.
4. Return to Sender. There are people that know there is a curse put on them, or they may do regular banishing. One way to banish things is to return it to the person that sent the curse or the entity. It is unfortunate that many people mistake a return to sender as an attack on them, when it is an actual an attack on theirself. One way you can identify a return to sender is that like events that you have placed on another person begin happening to you. Some people can detect another’s personal signature, and may mistakenly believe that the other person has cursed them in return. There is a possibility that both parties do a return to sender to each other multiple times, and may end up building up and creating backlash for not just the practitioners involved, but also those around them.
5. Using the Wrong Correspondence. There are certain correspondences that have gained power through belief. Depending on what tradition you belong to, or what type of spells you are doing, there are correspondences that work better than others for whatever you are doing. A popular correspondence is candle colors. For example, the color black is traditionally seen as evil, but black itself is the absence of color. Because it is absent of color, it makes for a great candle color to banish or exorcise entities. However, black in the Western philosophies is evil and denotes death (note that death is white in Eastern philosophy). If you are using Western magick , then black candles can be used to open gates to Cthonic planes, including the Underworld and the Abyss. This is also a popular candle color for general summoning of Cthonic deities (like Hekate, Samael, Azrael), demons (Asmodeus, Beelzebub, and Ba’al), and the dead. (Note: These deities and entities do have specific colors, but that is for you to find out. Black, while used for summoning, is a basic color and is a lot more effective with other specific colors to the deity/entity.)

   Sometimes we do the wrong the correspondences. For example, I found that even using the wrong incense can call up different deities if they share titles. One such mistake is the calling on the Archangel/Deity of Lucifer with Jupiter incense. This will bring a whole another entity that I call Jupiter-Lucifer – the god Jupiter/Zeus. If you want to call in the rebel Archangel Lucifer, you would use Frankincense. I have also seen many people describe Lucifer with long white hair, blue eyes, and even a lightening bolt on the forehead, come to them as a lover or guide – this is actually Jupiter/Zeus (remember He loves to trick people into loving him, or for sex). Here is the only mention I have seen of Jupiter being called Lucifer before Venus (I am still looking for more substantial evidence), which helped me when I dealt with the wrong entity that created chaos on in my life: https://gnosticwarrior.com/morning-star.html

6. Unexpected Results from Intentions. Intention is very important. Like wording and details, it directs our Will in ritual and life. However, sometimes the result of our intentions, even if they are well meaning, may backfire. For example, I helped a woman send a healing spell to her son in prison. He was not receiving the healthcare he needed for an infection. After the spell, both of us were very ill for a few days. I knew that she had asked Hekate for justice and to punish whoever had set up her son for being charged with a felony. I found out later that even though she did not believe her son did it, that he was in reality guilty. The backlash came because she asked Hekate to punish whoever did the crime, and we were essentially going against the spell she cast by trying to heal him. This is also why I interview people now that want a curse removed, an entity banished, or an exorcism. Sometimes people get what they deserve, and it is not our place to help them, but let them learn.

I cannot express enough that no matter the outcome, we must take responsibility for our own actions. I have tried to reverse spells that I set with very strong parameters, or I have seen my curses actually benefit people that I despise. I have since then learned to accept the consequences of my actions. However, it has been a good learning experience. As the saying goes, “Practice safe hex!”

-Arachnia Stoneskull

Photo Credit: https://thewallpaper.co/artistic-d-contrast-fracture-explosion-digital-shine-broken-comics-psychedeliccg-light-silhouette-dark-widescreen-backgroundstock-images-art/

Curses, Hexes, and Jinxes: How to Prevent Them and Protect Yourself

 

I admit that I am pretty amused when I see hexes and curses thrown around on the internet like confetti. Most people have no real power in sustaining a decent curse and it starves itself. Occasionally, there is the all out witch war. These are worrisome, and can spill over onto people that have nothing to do with the argument, but even then these wars seems to dissipate pretty quickly.

I have done several things to protect myself from these things. I won’t be discussing my more advanced magical practices, but thought I would share a few tips when it comes to curses and hexes.

What is a curse? It is something that is created to destabilize a person’s well-being magically and physically. Curses can come from anywhere, including our self. Yes, we can curse our self. This is why I don’t always recommend a “return to sender”. Double cursing one’s self is very unpleasant.

Here are some very simple ways to deflect and banish curses, jinxes, and hexes.

1. Black Candle. When banishing energies that are created not only by emotions, but thought forms, I like to use the black candle method. You may dress the candle with anointing oils/herbs and scratch wards/sigils into the candle. If you are not that advanced, hold the candle in your hand, imagining the type of energy and intention you wish to instill in the candle. I like to place the candle in a central room with a lot of traffic, such as a living or dining room. After blessing the candle with intention, light it stating its purpose to banish. Then allow for it to burn completely out. Small candles work just as well as large ones, depending on how much negative energy has accrued in the house.
2. Saging, Incense, Diffuser. Certain scents can “chase” away negative energy. Using any of these tools will help with neutralizing energy, but will not rid your house of entities or some thought forms.
3. Sheilds and Grounding. The most useful techniques to know is how to shield and ground. Grounding helps with the emotional aspect of your body, while the sheilding protects you from being bombarded by thought forms and curses. My favorite types of shields include those that neutralize any energy that hit the shield, or those that have the curse roll off like teflon.
4. Tinctures. These are potions and drinks that you can make to either take internally, pour, or spray to protect your space. I have used Florida Water, Entity Mace, and other tinctures for protection on the body, too. You can also use tinctures to enhance wards.
5. Wards. These are symbols and sigils that can be used as protection and defense. There are many kinds of wards. There are wards for banishing, exorcisms, to keep away bad health, etc. I suggest doing wards on all portals. This includes doors, windows, toilets, drains, doorjambs/doorways, etc.
6. Blessing. Blessing yourself, your house, and those you love can be a powerful protector against the common magician/witch. When you do a blessing, name the qualities you wish to bring into the blessing.
7. Magical/Blessed/Consecrated Items. Many witches and magicians use consecrated and blessed jewelry or clothing for protection. This can include pendants, brooches, rings, bracelets, jackets, piercings, etc. Even tattoos can be consecrated for protection.
8. Incantations/Rhymes/Mantras. This can be a very effective way to rid one’s self of curses and hexes, especially one’s we put on our self. I’ve known people that have had silly rhymes that were just as effective as a large ritual. This is because it is based on belief, will, and intent.

Armed with these basic techniques, you should be able to ward and defend yourself from curses and most other attacks. It is often said, where I come from, that the best offense is a good defense. This holds true even in magic. Remember to use magic responsibly and stay safe.

-Arachnia Stoneskull

 

Photo Credit: Seeking credit for artist.