Spell: A Loving Bell Spell by Scott Cunningham

Air is crucial to our planet, and all that reside or grow upon it. Consequently, air has been used in magick for eons. Air can be warming, cooling, refreshing, restorative and energising. It can be used to call in a storm, to blow away a storm, for divination and protection. Air is as unpredictable as it is powerful.

The winds of the four compass points bring their own magickal correspondences. For example an easterly wind can help in matters of communication, intellect and mental power. A wind from the west can be used for handling emotions, or matters of the heart.

When using air magick it is helpful to remember that the name of a wind refers to the direction it has travelled from. The following spell is ideally performed using a West Wind; a wind that has come from the West.

A LOVING BELL (West Wind)

Taken from Scott Cunningham’s Earth Power.

• Hang up a bell with a pleasant ring in a window which remains open for a good part of each day, and through which the wind blows (West Wind where possible). 

• As you hang the bell speak these words:
  “Little bell,of love, I hang you to whisper my need for love on the breezes and winds.
  Little bell of love, speak of my need for love to your brothers and sisters.
  Little bell of love, I ask you to speak softly and draw to me someone who listens.”

• Every time the bell rings it is ‘whispering’ of your need for love. Brothers and sisters is a reference to other bells, which will add their own power to the spell.
  
  NEXT - Spell: Cloutie Spell for Justice
  NEXT - Witchy Quotes: Scott Cunningham - Earth, Air, Fire, Water
  NEXT - Simple Magick: Cleansing the Home with the Element of Air
  NEXT - Personal Magick: Home Is Where The Heart Is? 

Simple Magick: 9 Types of Divination with Water

There are many types of water divination, and some have been around for hundreds of years.

Lecanomancy is a form of divination using a dish, and usually involves water. Some practitioners add oil to the water and divine messages from the oily patterns and bubbles; others use the water ripples and movement to glean information. Another example of Lecanomancy is the indigenous people from the Catawba Indian Nation placing a bowl of water by a deceased person’s head. On the third day, the whereabouts of the deceased person would become apparent according to the ripples of water.

Hydromancy is a similar method of water divination to Lecanomancy whereby pebbles are dropped into a pool, and the resulting ripples, colour, ebb and flow, are read.

American folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland describes the practice of Scyphomancy in his 1891 book Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling:

“...it may be observed that gypsies in Eastern Europe, as in India, often tell fortunes or answer questions by taking a goblet or glass, tapping it, and pretending to hear a voice in the ring which speaks to them. This method of divination is one of the few which may have occurred sporadically, or independently in different places, as there is so much in a ringing, vibrating sound which resembles a voice. The custom is very ancient and almost universal...”

Different Types of Water Divination:

Bletonomancy - method of divination using water current.

Ceromancy - method of divination by dropping wax into water.

Cyclicomancy - method of divination by swirling water in a cup.

Hydromancy - method of divination using pebbles dropped into a pool.

Lecanomacy - method of divination using a bowl and usually water.

Pegomancy - method of divination using fountains.

Phyllorhodomancy - method of divination using roses and usually water.

Plumbomancy - method of divination observing molten lead poured into water.

Scyphomancy - method of divination using a cop or goblet and water.

Do you use water divination in your craft?

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NEXT - Simple Magick: Using Water & Rainwater 

Fabulous Folklore: Storm Callers

Seidr, a form of pre-Christian Norse magic, was concerned with discerning the course of fate, to bring about change or to alter the path of destiny. Amongst other things, there were Seidr rituals for controlling the weather.

In medieval lore, Tempestarii were weather-making magicians. These people lived amongst the commoners in a village, but they were adept at raising or preventing storms. Some held the belief that the Tempestarii were in league with a mythical race of cloud-dwellers, who could sail the skies in storm clouds, whipping up storms over farmland, so that they could sweep down under the cover of cloud to cause trouble and to steal corn and other crops.

During the witch hunts, there was a strong belief that witches could cause all sorts of harm using the weather, but others argued that anyone who had control over the weather and could ‘raise a gale’ must have a belief in God to be able to do such things.

Today, Storm Magic is a favourite of many witches. It allows the practitioner to access thunderstorms using the storm as a battery from which to take energy, or to manipulate the air of blizzards and hurricanes. Clouds and cosmological events are used as divination tools, in a type of scrying known as Aeromancy. Under this umbrella, you have cloud divination (nephomancy), thunder and lightning divination (ceraunoscopy), meteor and shooting star divination (meteromancy), amongst others.

Any form of Air Magic is potent because Air is the element of movement, making it perfect for Seidr rituals and other forms of magic where change is sought. Air can be gentle or raging, it can extinguish fire or ignite it, give life (oxygen) or destroy; offering many nuances and possibilities for spell work. Divination of clouds is a great skill - they’re always at hand (especially if you live in the UK!), they’re free, and you just have to look up! 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Lesser Celandine

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Salt

Simple Magick: Cleansing the Home Using the Element of Air

The element of Air is said to represent life, purity, and harmony. It is connected to the mind, wisdom, spirits, and the soul. With these in mind, when I think of Air, I think of the home.

You can incorporate the element of Air in your home decor. Windows should be large and unobstructed, allowing air and light in. Colour schemes should include pale yellows and whites.

Plants associated with Air are traditionally Anise, Birch, Cedar (due to the aroma), Lemongrass, Pansy, Primrose and Violet. Whilst it’s not possible to grow many of these indoors, you could display paintings or sketches instead. Flags are also physical representations of the air - these can be a magical addition to any home. Crystals associated with Air are aesthetically pleasing, and create a beautiful energy - try Citrine, Labradorite, Topaz, and Moonstone.

Cleansing the Home Using the Element of Air

Smoke Cleansing:
Eucalyptus, Lavender, Cedar, Palo Santo, Rosemary and Mugwort are great herbs you can burn, and there are many mixed-herb smoking bundles available.

Incense:
There are many types of incense - stick, cone, dhoop, loose hand-blended, and more. They cleanse and change (or charge) the atmosphere and add fragrance.

Clapping:
The air caught between your hands causes a loud noise that cleanses. Stand in the middle of the room facing the window. Pull your arms back and pull the negative energy into the clap. Visualise any straggly bits of negative energy exiting through the window. Repeat until until the energy is clear, and shut the window if you have opened it.

Windchimes:
Windchimes or bells hung by an open window consistently cleanse the room with their soft chimes. Hang bells or windchimes in the garden to keep social or dining areas fresh.

Opening Doors and Windows:
My personal favourite. I open doors and windows throughout the whole of the house and allow the air to flow through, usually whilst I am cleaning.

NEXT - Simple Magick: Using Water & Rainwater 

Simple Magick: Using Water & Rainwater

In many Pagan traditions ~ as in other religions ~ water is considered holy and sacred.

Rain is cleansing and purifying, and readily available ~ especially in England! ~ making it perfect for rituals and spells. Rainwater can be enhanced by being left to charge under a Full Moon.

Different rains will bring different energies to your spell; rain from a warm summer rain may bring peace and tranquility, whereas rain from a thunderous storm may be used far more forcefully.

Rainwater Spell

Fill a bowl with rainwater. On a small piece of paper write down a bad habit you wish to be rid of, or something you’d like to let go of, in chalk. Immerse the paper in the water and imagine the bad habit washing away.

Alternatively, you can take the spell outside - and allow the rain to lash down upon you, washing the words away from the piece of paper.

NEXT - Simple Magick: Casting A Circle

Fabulous Folklore: Salt

“Salt! Salt! I put thee into the fire, and may the person who has bewitched me neither eat, drink, nor sleep, until the spell has been broken”.

In the 19th Century it was believed that the power of a witch could be destroyed by sprinkling salt into the fire nine mornings in succession. Quite how you protected yourself for the first eight days I do not know!

There are many superstitions surrounding salt. For example chucking it over your left shoulder, should you spill any, to avert bad luck.

You can create Black Witches Salt by combining sea salt, charcoal, incense ash and black pepper. Some witches use salt to represent the element of earth as it is a mineral, and some use it to represent water as it has come from the sea. 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Crystal Balls 

NEXT - Fabulous Folklore: Horseshoe Magick

Sacred Symbols: The Pentagram

The Pentagram was used in Babylonia and Ancient Greece, and is found in faiths and traditions around the world. Used by many Witches and Wiccans, the pentagram was banned in many US schools in the 1990s because of perceived associations with Satan. This was later found to be a violation of student rights, and they found their way onto pencil cases, bags and notebooks once more.

Despite being such a misunderstood symbol you can find it on several flags around the world; Morocco and Ethiopia’s national flag, and on city flags for Nagasaki (Japan) and Haaksbergen (Netherlands).

In the Chinese tradition the five points represent wood, fire, earth, metal, water; and for those of a Pagan persuasion it is usually earth, air, fire, water and Spirit.

I have both a pentagram and a pentacle (pentagram contained in a circle) tattooed on me; it is an honour to carry these symbols with me at all times.

NEXT - Sacred Symbols: The Om
NEXT - Simple Magick: 12 Tips For New Witches 

The Element of Earth

Day 10 #witchwithme – ELEMENT

We can use the element of Earth easily. We can gather soil, rocks, plants, crystals, and herbs for our magical practice; we can ingest the element of Earth when we eat our food, making us feel grounded and connected to source. We can take our shoes and socks off and feel the earth beneath our feet. We can visit ancient earthworks and Ley lines, and other natural places of wonder.

Earth energy is feminine, grounding, nurturing, strong, and life affirming; it is honest, raw, reassuring and productive. It is also fierce, wild, and raging.

Earth is the basis and foundation of all elements, which is why I love it so.

Simple Magick: Using Snow in Magick

I love the strange light quality when it snows, and the eerie silence. I love venturing outside and seeing the magical transformation,but being forced inside is also a blessing. The peace sharpens my focus, and this is the perfect time for spellwork and meditation.

You can incorporate snow into your spellwork in place of water; light fluffy snow can be used in a ritual for peace and tranquility, and imagine what you can do with full moon charged snowflakes!

Make snowmen into large poppets, form bad habits into snowballs, launching them away from you. Take a walk in the peace, and make intentions for the month ahead, visualising them being manifested as the snow melts away.

NEXT - Simple Magick: Folklore, Traditional Witchcraft & The Lincoln Imp