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The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft
The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft
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The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft


This chapter will focus primarily on the four Elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth. To ancient mankind these Elements were the things which influenced and controlled every aspect of daily life, which determined whether there was enough to eat and whether the people prospered or not. These Elements could bring plenty or famine, give or take life. Indeed they still can and do, you only have to watch the news to see the effects of hurricanes, forest fires, drought, famine, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and other results of too much or too little of any of the Elements. The fifth Element, Spirit, is the difference between things living and things not, and is also the Divine, the Goddess and the God. The chapter on Spirit focuses on the Goddesses and Gods and on ways of developing your understanding of them. In the meantime, when called upon to do so, visualize them in whichever way feels most comfortable to you.

In the Craft, and some other belief systems, the Elements are not only physical forces in nature, they are also a part of us. Air is our thoughts, that part of us which thinks; it is also our breathing and the sense of smell. Fire is our passions and enthusiasms, those strong feelings which can take over and make us act or react. It is the beat of the heart and the sense of sight. Water is our emotions, joy and laughter, sorrow and tears. It is the blood that runs through our veins and the sense of taste. Earth is our physical form, the body, and the sense of touch. Spirit is that intangible part of us which can be called the sense of self or soul.

The Elements are also present in, and linked to, other aspects of life; time of day, season of year, age of a person, and direction of the compass. Air, which should always come first, both represents and is represented by morning, spring, youth, and the East. Fire is the afternoon, summer, adulthood and the South. Water is evening, autumn, middle age and the West. Earth is night, winter, age and the North. Spirit encompasses them all. The Elements are also a part of everything we do in ordinary life. Air is the idea and thinking process. This is the reason why Air is first, for thought should always precede and lead to any action. Fire is the enthusiasm which makes us want to put thought into action. Water is our emotional involvement. Earth is the actual physical making it happen. Spirit is the spark which brings it all to life, the part of our inner self which we give to make it special and ‘our own’.

The Elements are also the foundation of the Witches’ Circle. Each is called, invoked or summoned to attend, and each is assigned the quarter which relates to its compass point; i.e. Air in the East, Fire in the South, Water in the West and Earth in the North. Spirit is both the Goddess and the God, and the self, it is also both the centre of the Circle and its whole. We also use colours to represent the Elements: yellow for Air; red for Fire; blue for Water, and green for Earth. However, other colour combinations are sometimes used. To craft an effective spell we must firstly have the idea (Air), we need to be enthusiastic about it (Fire), we become emotionally involved with it (Water), and then we put it into action (Earth), but we must also add a bit of our inner self (Spirit) to make it happen.

These attributes of the Elements show how important they are in both life and the Craft, for not only are they powerful forces of nature but they also pervade every part of our lives and our inner being. To create effective magic it is essential that we get to know and understand the Elements and everything they link to. To make that magic work the way we want it to, we have to be able to harness their energies both from inside us and from outside. The first step towards this is to actually experience the Elements in nature.

PRACTICAL WORK 1

Take time out to experience each of the Elements in its natural state in turn. Be prepared to spend a little time on each; at least 15 minutes, preferably more. Do not be tempted to try to deal with more than one Element on any one day. As these exercises really must take place outdoors, please make sure that you pay attention to your personal safety. If you can, remove your footwear so that you are in direct contact with the earth. Also experiment with having your eyes open and closed. Try to use all of your senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. In the case of the latter, you may find it better to inhale through your mouth rather than, for example, actually placing soil into it. Pay attention to how each Element makes you feel both physically and emotionally.

Air – On a windy day, go to a high point, preferably one which is not sheltered by trees or buildings, where you can experience the Element of Air. If it is cold, make sure you wrap up well. Feel the air blowing through your hair, moving your clothes and trying to buffet you. Take with you a few leaves or flower petals and cast them into the wind, watching how it takes them, lifts them and moves them. As you stand there, give thought to other types of winds, both stronger and gentler.

Fire – On a hot and/or sunny day go to somewhere which is sheltered from the wind, where you can lie down in the sunlight. Absorb the heat and light of the Sun, feeling also the warmth of the land you are lying on. Take your time to think about all the things which depend upon heat and light, but do not risk sunburn or look at the Sun itself. Imagine what life might feel like with much less, or much more, Sun.

Water – Here are two ways of experiencing Water; do both if you possibly can so that you can compare the experiences. First, go out in the rain, lift your head up and catch some drops in your mouth. Allow the rain to wash over you, look at the ways it lands upon trees and plants and the way it soaks into the earth. Also observe the way it behaves when it lands on the pathway or road, and look at the effects it has on the things around. Whilst you are there, consider the benefits of the rain. Secondly, go to a stream, river, pond or lake which is not too dirty or polluted. Put your naked feet into the water, and use your hands to splash a little onto your face. Again, give thought to life with much less or more water, and consider those parts of the world where all the water is frozen as well as those where water is scarce. If you live near the coast, then also do the second part of the exercise in the sea, perhaps even going right into the water and submerging yourself completely if it is safe to do so.

Earth – The first part of this exercise is best undertaken in your own garden, or in that of someone who is prepared to let you actually dig the earth. If neither is possible then you can use a tub or container of earth as an interim measure, but do try to return to the Element at some point. Dig a hole wide enough for you to place both hands in it, and deep enough that you actually go beneath the top 2-3 inches. As you dig, look carefully at the things within the soil, both living and inanimate. Use your hands to feel the texture, both on the surface and further down. If you can, place your feet into the earth too. The second part may be something you have to defer until you go on a trip to somewhere suitable. Find some rock formations – they don’t need to be huge or particularly impressive. Place your hands flat on the rock surface. Look

at the stone to see what is growing there, noting colour, texture and the direction of any lines and cracks. Consider the forces and energies that resulted in their being. If you have the chance, try also to visit a cave so that you can also experience being surrounded by the earth.

When you return home after each experience, make sure that you write it up, including all the thoughts and feelings that came to you whilst experiencing each Element.

You may find it helpful to start a new page or section of your journal for each Element, as this is only the first of several exercises on the Elements and you may wish to group all those relating to each Element together. As you go to sleep on the night of your experience, make a real effort to recall all those thoughts and feelings. If you dream of the Element you might also like to write this up.

Once you have given yourself the chance to really feel the Elements in nature you may find that you begin to feel differently about them. For example, attempting to appreciate the part that Air and Water play in the cycle of life makes it easier to understand the need for rain and storms and hence make it easier to accept ‘bad’ weather. You may also find that you enjoy being out in the Elements in a more meaningful way. Many Witches make a point of regularly taking the time to enjoy the experience of the Elements as they can actually draw energy from them.

Following on from the experience of the Elements in nature you need to get to really know them within. As mentioned before, each Element has its counterpart in ourselves: Air is thought, Fire is passion, Water is emotion and Earth is our physical being. It is important that we get to know how the Elements are working within us as this colours our feelings, the way we behave in life and react to others. If Air, or thought, is dominant, then we may spend too much time in abstract thought and nothing will get done. If Fire, or passion, is emphasized then we may find that we react without considering the consequences; anger or passionate love, for example, can make us do things which we subsequently regret! When Water, our emotions, dominate then we can be easily moved to tears or laughter, even though it may not be a good time or place. And being overly focused on the physical realm, or Earth, can easily result in not being able to focus or concentrate on anything else, in the same way that a bad toothache can make it impossible to attend to almost anything else.

Because the energies of the Elements are the key to working magic then it is important that we really understand our internal Elemental balance. Any imbalance will have to be addressed before we can work magic, otherwise the results may not be what we intended. Working magic when Air is dominant can result in spending all your energy on going over the problem but little personal involvement. Of course, if Air is absent, then the spell will not be thought through or may be misdirected. If Fire is dominant then there is the risk that a spell may be fired off in anger, and regretted later! If Fire is absent then you are unlikely to have the strength of feeling to actually put the magic into action. Where emotions are high, and Water is dominant, it is hard to focus on anything and your spell will almost certainly come to nothing, if indeed you actually complete it. Where the emotions are not involved then there will be no feeling. When Earth is over-emphasized then there is a tendency to expend all your energy on the physical bits and bobs which come with magic, like the tools, candles, etc rather than actually making the magic work. Without Earth then it is unlikely you will even get around to doing anything. This understanding of the way we really feel would be a lot easier if we were all truly in touch with ourselves all of the time. However, once we leave early childhood we are all taught to reign in our feelings, not to show anger or weep open tears. We even learn to suppress some of our physical needs; not eating because it is not the ‘right’ time, concealing discomfort to wear fashionable or ‘correct’ clothing, etc. For these reasons it is important to spend time learning how to get to know our inner feelings as they really are, rather than the way we hope they are.

PRACTICAL WORK 2

During parts of the following exercises you may access some fairly strong feelings, so before you begin it is a good idea to make sure you are prepared to deal with these and are able to bring yourself back to ‘normal’. In the Craft we sometimes call this returning to ourselves ‘grounding’ or ‘earthing’, and it is something which should take place after any kind of meditation, as well as any form of magical working. Probably the best way to ground yourself is to have a warm drink and something to eat, preferably sweet, to replenish your physical energy as well. Alternatives include briskly rubbing your arms and legs with your hands, or fairly strenuous but tedious physical activity such as doing the vacuuming!

Dealing with strong emotions can be somewhat harder, and often it is best to allow them to work themselves through; if you feel like crying then do so, if you feel anger then go and pummel a pillow or cushion, and so on. Because these exercises can arouse strong feelings you may want to ensure that you will have privacy both during and afterwards. Part of the object is to learn how to handle your feelings, so please don’t try to suppress them. On the other hand, many people find that they have no residual effects after the experiences, and this, too, is perfectly normal. As with the preceding exercises only try to deal with one Element on any one day and write it up as soon as you can.

Air – In some respects, deliberately bringing the Element of Air, and thought, to the fore is the hardest to achieve; as it is hard to think, and think about how you are thinking, at the same time. Because of this here is a selection of exercises you can choose from:

Imagine you are going away for a few days. Try to choose somewhere particular but which you have not visited before. Take a pen and paper and make a list of everything you think you might need to take with you. Plan for every situation, event and weather you can sensibly imagine happening. Be as detailed and thorough as you possibly can. When your list is finished, make a second list, this time assuming you can only take one very small bag. When both are complete, compare the way you felt whilst compiling each.

In your head, calculate the number of seconds in a year or, if you find this easy, the number of seconds you have been alive.

Imagine a conversation with someone you know fairly well, but make it about a subject neither of you knows a lot about. Try to imagine what each of you will say, and make it last for at least ten minutes.

Afterwards, consider how it felt to be strictly focused on mental activity: were you at all aware of your body, or other aspects of yourself?

Fire – If you have a real fire then this is best, otherwise place several candles in front of a mirror so that you can see lots of flames. Do make sure that they are in secure holders and not likely to set the room on fire! Now recall a time when you were really very angry – anger is often the easiest passion to recall. Think through the whole situation from the first things that upset you until you can really feel the anger rising up inside of you. Once you are truly angry, stop for a moment and think about how your whole body and mind feel. You may find that you are shaking, sweating or have other physical symptoms. If another person was the cause of this anger, ask yourself how you would feel about working a healing spell for that person right now. Once you have explored the sensations, either work through the feeling or let it subside naturally. Make notes on the build-up of feelings, how you felt when they were at their most powerful and how you felt as they were released or subsided.

Water – To explore your emotions do both parts of this exercise: In the first part run yourself a deep, pleasantly warm bath. Make sure that you have a specially warm and fluffy towel to hand for afterwards, and a box of tissues within reach just in case. Once you are in the water think back to an event which was particularly sad; perhaps the loss of a pet, or the break-up of a relationship. Again, allow yourself to really experience the feelings that made up the emotion. Write this up fully as before.

Do the second part on a separate occasion: Choose a humorous book to read or film to watch, making sure it is something which will really make you laugh out loud; often this will be something you are already familiar with. Alternatively, recall a really funny situation that happened to you, or which you have heard about. Allow the humour to build, and afterwards give thought to how you felt. When you write this up, compare it with experiencing sadness and see what, if anything, you feel the build-up of the two emotions have in common, and what is different about each. Also compare the way they leave you feeling once they have subsided.

Earth – This exercise is one which may take several attempts to complete, as lots of people fall asleep when first trying. It is, however, something you might like to repeat many times as it is very relaxing. Prepare for bed in the usual way: if you are in a relationship you may need to have an early night when your partner will join you later. Lie on your back with no pillows under your head. Try to ensure you are lying

straight with your feet slightly apart and your arms beside you but not touching your sides. Focus on your breath until you are breathing slowly and evenly in through your nose and out through your mouth. Now, starting with one foot, move one toe at a time, then stretch and flex the foot. Do the same with the other foot. If you can’t actually move your toes one at a time, do your best. Now flex the ankles one at a time, then rotate them. Going slowly up your body, bend and flex each muscle group or joint as best you can. Continue right up to moving your neck, chin, mouth, eyes, eyelids and eyebrows. If you are still awake, repeat the process in reverse. When you have finished, your whole body should feel completely relaxed. Lie there for a few moments and think about how each part of your body felt before, during and after you moved it. Imagine your mind travelling through all the parts and try to see them in your imagination. Ask yourself how they really feel: are there any aches, pains or discomforts? Which parts feel good, which don’t? The following day, and only after you have written up the first part, stand naked in front of a mirror and make a point of looking at all the parts of your body. Compare how you feel about the way each looks, with how they actually felt in the movement exercise.

The above exercises allow you to explore your feelings in association with the Elements in an experimental way, but this is somewhat artificial as it relates to feelings you have deliberately summoned and, to a certain extent, controlled. In daily life things are not usually quite so straightforward. During the course of any one day you will go through a lot of different feelings; some quite mild, some stronger. You will also have mixes of feelings; for example, someone makes you a bit angry (Fire), but because you are not allowed to show that, you also feel frustrated (Water). It is important that you learn to recognize the more subtle feelings, and their different combinations, as this enables you to take the appropriate corrective action before starting magical work. To gain a better understanding of how the Elements affect you it is a good idea to keep a record of your feelings for a short while.

PRACTICAL WORK 3

The Element Diary – For at least one week, keep a detailed record of your feelings, linking them with their associated Elements. Make entries for first thing on waking, mid-morning, lunchtime, midafternoon, early evening, and last thing at night. You may also find it helpful to note any triggers you can identify which may have brought on these feelings.

After just a week of this you will already have a far greater understanding of the ways the Elements work in your life. You will also find that you start to have far more control over the ways you react to people and events around you. One of the effects of this is that you can begin to avoid situations, and sometimes even the people, which affect you badly. The next stage is to begin to find ways of effectively dealing with your feelings. Not by suppressing them but by balancing them.

The first step towards this is to find simple, easy to recall images which, for you, instantly identify each Element. For some people this means remembering the Elements as they actually experienced them in nature, for others it can be visualizing the colours. I have a series of mental ‘video clips’; time-lapse images of clouds rushing across the sky, a volcano erupting, waves crashing on the shore, and a cliff face I used to visit often. Whatever your personal triggers, when you recall them they should immediately invoke each Element totally; in terms of all the senses, as well as the internal feelings of each. If you don’t already have a series of memorable images then spend some time working on them. One Witch I know spent time creating abstract pictures of each. She made these pictures close to the Elements in nature; on a hill, in the sun, by a stream and in the garden surrounded by freshly turned earth. Whilst drawing her pictures she focused on all the aspects of each Element, revisiting the feelings, sights, sounds, smells, etc of each, and she dedicated them to each Element. The effort she put into these images was well worth it, as every time she wants to recall them they come easily to mind. Another, who is a singer, worked on finding musical tones which bring the Elements immediately to mind. Once you have decided which form is best for you, practise it regularly until you can recall each Element fully whenever you want.

After this you will need to identify ways of sending them away with equal ease. For a mental picture you might imagine a particular Element fading until it is no longer visible, or see it being covered by a coat of ‘paint’ which causes it to disappear. Sounds can be imagined as getting quieter, and so on.

PRACTICAL WORK 4

Find and develop mental images which bring to mind each of the Elements in turn. Keep practising until you can hold the images of all the Elements at the same time. Don’t expect to actually ‘see’ all four at the same time, but you should be able to maintain the feeling that they are all present. When you are able to bring them all to mind with ease, and hold them in your mind at the same time, then work on a way of sending each away, just as effectively.

Once you have mastered this, you can start to apply this technique to balance the Elements within. Continue using your Element Diary, but this time, every time you note a feeling, take a moment to recall each of your Elemental images in order. Whatever your feelings, bring to mind your images of Air, Fire, Water and Earth in that order. When you have all four in mind, revisit the images, but this time make each fade in your mind. Remember to note down how effective this was in reducing your feelings and balancing the Elements within.

It is very unusual for this technique to be effective straight away, and most Witches find that they have to practise over and over to achieve it fully. Moreover, there may well be times when your feelings are so strong that you find the exercise almost impossible to carry out. Don’t worry, this does not mean you have failed, but it does indicate that there are times when our feelings are so strong that it would not be a good idea to work magic. In fact, you should not attempt to work magic if you cannot achieve a balance in the Elements, as this will directly affect the results of your spell. If you are angry, even if it is unrelated to the spell you are working, then Fire will be in the ascendant and you may not give enough thought to constructing your spell. Likewise, if you are ill you may not be able to judge your Elemental balance accurately, let alone achieve focus and control.

Getting to grips with the Elements within can be used to give an insight into the ways others behave, and how they may react to life. If you observe those around you, you can often tell which Element(s) is (are) influencing their actions, and in some people which Elements they allow to control most of their lives. Some people are so Air-based that their life is all thinking and planning, with little actually getting done. These are the people you find need constant reminders and are not very practical. With others it may be Water, and they lurch from one emotional crisis to another. Fiery people are impulsive and often start many things, finishing few of them. Earth-based individuals are often practical but can seem cool and unemotional. This is one of the ways that those who are interested in Astrology use to guess the ‘star sign’ of people they meet, as all the signs are linked to the four Elements. Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are Air signs. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are Fire signs. Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are Water. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are Earth. However, in Astrology, as in the real world, few people are that uncomplicated, so they will often be influenced by more than one Element at a time, and can have different influences at different times. The observation and understanding of those around us is one of the key skills of the Witch, as it helps us to choose the best kinds of spell to achieve the desired effect.

PRACTICAL WORK 5

Give some thought to those around you. Which Elements are they most closely associated with? Try not to make it obvious that you are studying them; it will make them uncomfortable around you and is a good way to spoil relationships! Also, give some thought as to how this might affect the way you deal with them. For example, if you are seeking a favour from someone who is very Air-based, then it might be best to give a well thought out reason why they should help. But if they are Water-based then you could consider giving emotional reasons, and so on. If you experiment in this way, remember to make notes both before and after to see if your assessment of others is effective, and to help you develop your skills.

Of course, the effects of the Elements are not just limited to people; everything in the world is linked either to them or by them. Remember, they link to the times of day, the seasons, and even the ages of mankind. Hence, you can feel, and use, their influences in everything you do. If you need to plan something, then you might want to invoke Air. Conversely, if you are in need of rest, then you might want to bring Earth influences into your life.

In the Craft, the Elements are the corner-stones of the Circle, as well as of any magic or spells we may work. The Circle is on the one hand our Sacred Space, as a church or temple might be in other beliefs. But it is more than just a place to work. Its creation actually contributes directly to the actions which take place within it, as well as having specific purposes connected to the working of magic. It provides a protected area for all magical workings, where other, possibly negative energies, or just distractions, cannot enter. It contains the magical energy we raise to make the magic work, until the time when we release it to send it to its destination. Above all, it actually brings together the five Elements in such a way that we can add their energies from around us to those that we bring from within ourselves.

CREATING THE SACRED SPACE

Whether you are one person working alone, or a group, it is worth learning how to create the Sacred Space in a fairly formal way first, in order to understand how it works. First, an area, whether indoors or out, needs to be cleared, so that you can easily move around in it. It need not be large, but should have enough space to comfortably fit the person or people working within it, as well as any tools and equipment they may want or need to use. The traditional Circle is nine feet in diameter, but you may not have the luxury of that much room. The space will usually contain an Altar, which may be simply a table or surface onto which you put the things you will be using. If you are working indoors, this will include items to represent each of the Elements; incense for Air, a candle for Fire, a dish of water for Water and salt for Earth. The Goddess and the God may be represented by images, candles or other items. Visual links of this kind are more important in group working than they are when you work on your own, as everyone has to be focused on the same thing at the same time. If you are working magic which is going to centre around candles, a talisman or other physical objects, then these too should be on the Altar so that you do not later need to leave the Sacred Space to fetch anything. First, stand in the East of your area, facing the East, and holding firmly in your mind the image of Air that you developed earlier, call on the Element saying:

‘I call upon the Element of Air, to join with me here in the Circle.’When you can actually feel the presence of Air, say:‘Blessed Be.’

Now move to the South of the area and repeat the process and words for the Element of Fire. In the West call upon Water, and in the North call upon Earth. In many groups the words will be accompanied by drawing the invoking pentagram, the five-pointed star, of each Element in the Air. Remain facing the North and call upon the Goddess and the God saying:

‘I do call upon the Goddess and the God to join with me in these my Rites.’