Do You Really Need a Spell? Learn Your Pagan ABC

Do you REALLY need a spell to play with? DO you even know what you're asking for? For if you're not sure, you might open the door to a world that could send you straight into a nightmare. It may sound kind of attractive to the young seeker, oh, well, lets cast a spell and all is taken care of. Sounds too good to be true? Dear, that's because it IS. Nothing is that simple. In fact, spells, just like magick, is what we study to NOT use. There are other ways. Safer, and easier. Only when we are sure we know what we're doing do we dare to consider spellwork. Imagine, you ask for your house being protected from falling trees during a tornado. Well your house was. The tree fell on the neighbor. Whoops? You forgot to include the loophole of 'harm none'. Young one, there is no spell I can hand over to you, not to make you happy, or prettier, or to make that boy like you. It is YOU, and you alone who make things happen. It is a standing joke in the pagan community: How do you recognize a wannabe witch? She asks for a spell. So don't be a wannabe, be a true seeker, study, listen, and learn. Just to explain what spells are in the first place, and to get you off the notion of changing your eyecolor, or attempting to have someones hair fall out, my dear sis Lady Vestalin here shares what we believe in. Listen to her, it might safe you embarrassment and harm :) Sorcy SummerWind

Spells are something that is done, by everyone, every day of their lives. Although many don't realize it as such, a simple wish is probably one of the most intense and common type of spell. How many times have you wished for something, and gotten it? As I grow older (I'm now 34), I am very careful about wishing. Time, and time again, things happen, and upon reflection, I often realize that it was something I wished for. The problem is HOW and exactly WHAT you are wishing for. (laughing out loud)... I remember one of my very first, somewhat selfish, spells - at the age of 12, I wished my hair would be curly, instead of so damned straight. Well, when I turned 21, I realized that my hair was turning curly. I remember thinking, "I should have been more specific about what kind of curl I wanted!" I wanted big, wavy curls, but instead, I now have a head of long, wild, corkscrew curls. Several times I wished for a man to come into my life. My wish came true, and I got exactly what I asked for. Unfortunately, I realized, too late, that he wasn't what I wanted. My mother used to say, "Watch what you wish for; it may come true." She was so right! One note, however: the only *wishes* for me, that usually come true are those that I "absent-mindedly" ask for. Consciously wishing for something, (like winning the lottery)doesn't come to be. It is the careless wish, when I'm stuck in traffic, hoping that @$$ would stay out of my way, then watching in horror, when he runs his car off the road... and realizing that my wish came true... so be careful! I'm one to live my life with the understanding of karma, and believe that much more can be gained by simply being and doing your best. Sure, spells can be very involved, taking research and time to develop. They can be elaborately cast in a ritual with others, or meditated upon alone. Am I being vague? Well... spells are very personal. It's (almost) unheard of to find me offering spells to people. Or, on people, for that matter. :-) My advice to you is this: if you want something to come to be, than be sure you know what you want, and the reprocussions of your desires. Do not harm another, physically or otherwise, and be ever mindful of the 3-fold law (that is, that which you send out comes back to thee, baneful or blessing, it returns times 3). I also know, from experience, that spells must be worked in the mundane world, as well as within the spiritual realm. When I broke my toe, I visualized it healing (another common type of spell); but, I also stopped walking on it, allowing it time to heal. I believe that the spiritual and the physical/mundane walk hand-in-hand. This probably isn't the information you wanted, but may, instead, be the information you needed... :-) Blessings to you, Vestalin

© Sorceress SummerWind (for Vesty), November 1998

And here is a splendid tidbit from a gifted teacher breidfox@aol.com

To learn your letters you must start
With a clever mind and a willing heart
Each one is special, just like you
And you will learn them all by the time we are through!

A is Athame, the knife that we use
B is for Beltaine, when partners we choose
C is for Circle where we all are one.
D is for Deosil, path of the Sun.
E is for Esbat, when we gather round
F is for Fire and its crackling sound
G is the Goddess in beauty and love.
H is the Horned One, our Father above.
I is for Imbolg, candles light the way,
J is for June when it's Midsummer's Day
K is for Karma, the things that we do
L is for Lammas, harvest's almost through!
M is for Moon, riding way up so high,
N is for Nighttime, which darkens the sky
O is for Ostara, when we hunt for eggs,
P is for Pan, with hairy goat legs
Q is the Quarters and there are just four,
R for the Rites when we open the Door
S is for Samhain, end of the year,
T is for Tarot cards, futures to hear
U is Undines from the watery West
V is Vervain for protection and rest
W is Widdershins, the path of the moon.
X is the sign that's the sign of the God
Y is for Yule and the sun's return
Z is the Zodiac, 12 signs to learn

To learn them all you will have to try
And now it is time to say goodbye
Merry have we met, and Merry have we been
Merry shall we part and Merry meet again!


Copyright 1989, Breid Foxsong