Spellcraft

A Manual To Creating Spells

Competently

(c) Veritas Feminae, 2015

Table of Contents
Foreword
The Pros & Cons of Writing Your Own Spells
Chapter 1 Getting Started
A New Definition of Literacy
The 2 Steps of Witchcraft
Chapter 2 Deconstructing Spells
The Sculptor Analogy
Examples of The Sculptor Analogy
Words
Ingredients
Goal
Method

The Pros & Cons of Writing Your Own Spells

My personal apprehensions for formula spells (spells made by other people) lie in the
idea of dependence. You come to the craft that is meant to free you by making you the sole
authority in your fate only to place yourself again in need of other people. Witchcraft is also an
essentially spiritual experience. True spiritual experience is personal as it is unique an d
individual. Your approach and disposition to the universe is as unique as the features on your
face and in your soul. Lastly, as an LHP Coven, we are supposed to foster creativity rooted in
independence and self-confidence. Self-sufficiency is a byproduct of progress, which is a
byproduct of excellence our ultimate goal as human beings, not only as witches.
It is however, always for the best to be impartial. As such, provided are objective reasons
to consider either creating your own magickal methods or taking from already available,
therefore formulaic sources.

A New Definition of Literacy

You may be illiterate. Even as you read this, that possibility could well be so. Literacy is,
in all technicality, the basic ability to read and write. Secondarily, it is the level of competence
one is in in a particular field or topic. The definition of literacy has, since then, expanded. Stuckey
states, Literacy is a system of oppression that works against entire societies as well as certain
groups within given populations and against individual people literacy oppresses, and it is less
important whether or not the oppression is systematic and intentional, though often it is both,
than that it works against freedom (64).
Literacy in the mainstream involves censorship and selective publication. We see this in
the inclination of gossip journalists to expound on and expand the issues of female celebrities
disproportionately to those of male celebrities. This sexism is by no means overt, and yet the
oppression clearly exists in the publication, and in the literacy of the common people.
Let's build on that idea of filtering and processing received information. Now we
understand that there is in fact a mechanism to delivering and receiving literature. In the
individual sphere, this translates to one's ability to process and receive information from
available sources. It is not enough to be able to read to be considered literate. There is that level
of comprehension and due application to verify literacy.
How this all, without bias, connects to spellcraft is quite simple. Whether you are inclined
to write your own spells or use spells made by other witches, literacy is of great concern. For the
competent spellcrafter, it is invaluable that one carefully studies resources on correspondences
(colors, herbs, methods, triggers, spirits, etc.), and thereafter apply that knowledge in creating
maximum-impact spells. For the dependent witch, it is essential to understand the methods and
correspondences present in a written spell to really know what you're doing both in the
conscious and unconscious. In both paths, literacy is of utmost need for effective magick.
What you need to do, then, is begin applying what you read. When you receive
information, really receive it through application. Learn to take in and process whatever you
might come across, and turn that knowledge into something that will fuel and push you in your
progress as an individual. A truly literate person can receive valuable information, and therefore
be inspired by something as commonplace as a cereal box. Maximize your mental capacities.

The 2 Steps of Witchcraft

All magick follows 2 steps at its core no matter what tradition or school of thought you
come from. These steps are essential to the identity of the magickal act. They distinguish the
magickal act from regular ones as well as empower regular acts into magickal ones.
Raise Energy
You need energy to manifest your will. Think of it as playing the violin. You cannot play a
violin if you don't have one. You have to make a violin or purchase one. This is a very basic
principle of work. Tools need to be present in order to do a job.
There are many different methods to raise energy. You can visualize energy
accumulating, light candles and harness the energy in the flames, draw in energy from heavenly
bodies, in/evocation of divine or otherwise spiritual forces, orgasm, and so on.
You may still achieve results if you skip this step, but you run the risk of unnecessarily,
and perhaps unhealthily, depleting your own personal reserves of power. Continuing this
dangerous practice will lead to burning out to the point of incompetence. Even the use of herbs,
crystals, candles and other physical props will gradually dry you up. All physical props need to
be imprinted with intention (the 2nd step), which entails focus and energy.
Working with added energy enriches the mind, soul and body. Remember that our being
necessarily expends energy in all its dimensions. It helps to understand magick as vomiting. You
cannot vomit without eating. If you vomit out the amount of food that your body needs to
thrive, your health suffers. It is therefore advisable to eat plenty if you have any intention of
puking out part of that energy I mean food.
Commanding Energy
So, now you have your violin. What do you do with it? You pick up a bow and you play.
You know the notes to the song you have in mind, so you play them. Commanding Energy entails
telling the energy what to do. It's very simple. You've raised an army, now you must give your
soldiers orders and objectives. This is done through affirmation and visualization.
Affirmation and visualization work together with raising energy for a very simple
reason: whatever you focus on, your mind exerts with whatever resources it has (therefore,
prana) to come into being. Think of it as moving your body. Your thought that you want to, say,
flip the page of a book brings you to move your fingers to flip a page. That effects a directly
physical outcome. In the same way, the mind and soul can effect mental and spiritual outcomes.
Commanding energy covers all adverbials: time, place, manner, and so on. Be specific.
Physical props (popets, charms, etc.) need to be enchanted or commanded. Matter is
energy, so you can also command matter to some extent. Herbs, and other physical ingredients
are useless unless you imbue your power and intention into them to activate and direct them.

Chapter 2

Deconstructing
Spells

Deconstructing Spells
Looking to already-written spells is a good way to know what works, and what one can
do without. The practical goal of this is to build comprehension of spells in order to foster the
ability to write them.
In this chapter, I will go through some example spells, evaluate what makes them
effective, and relate them to the 2 Steps and Keys. I will tackle the aspects of a spell that are
either essential or commonplace in the art of spellcraft through each example spell.

The Sculptor Analogy

A sculptor needs 5 things to complete a sculpture: hirself, a design, a chisel, a mallet, a
block of stone. A sculptor pounds into a chisel with a mallet to create designs on a block of stone.
Through the analogy of the sculptor, we can establish the 5 elementary aspects of an act: agent,
intent, method, intent, and target.

Agent
Who? The sculptor is the agent of sculpting. It is the sculptor who does the sculpting
uses the hammer to pound a chisel into intricate designs on a block of stone. Knowing the agent
of an act is necessary in determining the extent and range of the outcomes of an act. An
advanced machine, for example, may make more detailed sculptures in less time than a human
sculptor.

Intent
What? The design of a sculpture is what drives the sculptor to make careful carves into
the block of stone. Know exactly what you intend the block of stone to appear as after you're
done with it. This relates to your goals and desires. Thinking out your goals fully and clearly does
two things: it ensures that what you will accomplish is what you really want to manifest, and it
allows you to plan for the accomplishment of that goal effectively.

Method
How? The chisel is the implement used to make designs into a block of stone. It is through
the chisel that you apply your intent into the world. It's up to you if you want to sculpt from top
going down or from the bottom up. The motion of your carving is also involved in your use of
the chisel. You need to establish the means by which to accomplish something, and maximize
the effectiveness of your implement.

Force
How? The mallet's pounding into the chisel is necessary for the chisel to make any mark
on the block of stone. A chisel alone can barely affect a block of stone, unless a mallet is striking it
into the stone. Greater force isn't always best. Too hard, and you could break the stone in a way
that goes against your design. Too soft, and your pounding won't cause the needed carving.

Target
On what/who? The block of stone is where all of the above 4 culminate. Everything is
intended and planned for the block of stone on which you'll carve your designs. You have to
know who or what your target is. In magick, you could either curse a person or curse their
circumstances. That means either you permeate a person with negative energy or it them
surrounded by it. Another reason knowing the target is so important is it could help reduce the
time and effort, and bring about maximum impact. If you intend to tear down a rock dam, you
wouldn't go for the biggest rocks or pound into it, rather, you'd go for the smaller, more
vulnerable rocks. For a money spell, it would be much more effective to charm your boss into a
raise than to enchant your wallet to attract more money, for example.

Examples of The Sculptor Analogy

Opening A Door
Agent : person
Intent : an open door
Method : twist a doorknob to open the door
Force : not too hard or the doorknob will break; not too soft, or you won't fully open the
doorknob
Target : doorknob it will be easier to open a door by twisting the doorknob than to push on the
closed door
Love Spell
Agent : witch, or invoked spirits
Intent : target loves the agent
Method : popet magick, pink pins into the popet's heart area to incite feeling of love and
affection, or ask the spirits for help
Force : as powerful as possible, as much energy as can be mustered to work the spell since the
guy really isn't showing any signs of attraction towards the agent, or it depends on how willing
the spirits are to help and how powerful the invoked spirits are
Target : Nick Jonas/the agent could do a spell to make the agent attract the attention of the guy
Winning A Competition
Agent : witch, or invoked spirits
Intent : winning a competition
Method : either you make yourself better at what you do or you cause harm on the competitors
to make them worse than you (7 = 5+2 but 7 is also = 10-3)
Force : if you're working on improving yourself, you'll want to improve yourself as best as you
can in order to ensure that you'll be better than the competitors/if you're unsure how good the
competitors are, and intend to harm them, you'll disable them to the point that they're worse or
weaker than you, so that you can win.
Target : either yourself or your competitors

Words
As I bind these fruits of tree
Lover, never stray from me.
And let it be done, that it harm no one.
-A Spell To Keep A Lover Faithful, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Spells p.100

Let's take this line-by-line. The first line speaks of an action. You are declaring binding
fruits of tree. In regular circumstances, this would be a regular act. But, the declaration of this
act as being part of the magickal process appeals to the 2nd step-key of command-control. You
declare the act magickal, therefore you believe the act magickal, and thus the act will be
magickal because you've unconsciously asserted so. You've also declared the fruits of tree as
being objects part of the magickal process, and have therefore become magickal objects and
conduits of your power. You channel the power from these objects as well as effect your will
through them. There is one very important word in the first line that very importantly connects
it with the others as. Not only does this emphasize the physical act of binding as being
instrumental to the magickal process, it also defines what effect you're manifesting through the
physical acts within the spell (binding the fruits). It goes beyond declaring an act magickal, and
explains that there are effects this magickal act will manifest detailed in the lines that follow.
The second line is self-explanatory save for a few insights. The introduction of the word
lover means that you are doing the spell directly to a person rather than invoking intercession
from spirits or altering circumstances so that your goal is achieved. Addressing the target of your
spell is like going straight for the bullseye rather than moving the target or walking closer to it.
You are going right for the target. You are telling your target what to do with the belief that they
will be obedient. Your belief in their obedience does the work in this case.
Lastly, you have a safety clause that is a requirement compliant with the Wiccan Rede. In
the context of the original author of the spell, it makes perfect sense to invest a line in your spell
in making sure that you do what thou wilt lest it harm none. You are specifying the only
permitted methods, and invalidating all other courses of action. This is a specification of the
adverbial manner. Similar clauses can be implemented to specify other adverbials.
May business prosper,
May my dealings flow,
May my business be successful,
May my business grow.
-A Spell For The Businessperson, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Spells p. 177

This is an example of a spell that focuses on the circumstances surrounding the target
instead of the target hirself. Instead of making the spell about you, which would go something
like I am rich / like a bitch., you instead focus on your circumstances. The energy would then
focus on working on your environment rather than you yourself. It is very important to know
and understand the focus and direction of energy in order to be in complete control of a spell.

Ingredients
On a suitable day of the week, decorate your altar with things appropriate to your
problem. For example, if you have a problem in the office, green would be a suitable
theme and Friday a good day on which to work; some birch leaves or twigs (if you are
planning a new beginning), some nasturtium (if you have been struggling, no matter
how hard you have been working) and a crystal of tourmaline (the magic properties of
which include friendship, prosperity, business and protection) will all strengthen the
magic. And dont forget to burn a suitable essential oil in an oil burner and to lay your
favourite charm, talismans and the like on the altar.
-A Spell To Solve Problems, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Spells p. 187

The rationales behind using a particular ingredient in the spell are in bold. The
ingredients are underlined.
This spell shows the importance of focusing your ingredients on the task at hand. It is
always best to work with things that are most important for the goal to be achieved. There are
different correspondences and objects to be used for different spells. Optimizing the ingredients
in a spell allows for the ideal maximum-impact witchcraft.
This spell also emphasizes the need to fully know what your goals are (next page). There
are several realms above where problems are considered possible. After you define the scope of
your spellwork with things appropriate to your problem, you take this a step further by
incorporating ingredients concerned with your desire. Work problems entail the use of the color
green and Friday (Venus correspondences). If you have relationship troubles, the spell
prescribes using tourmaline to solve them. Evidently, even a formula spell requires some degree
of spellcraft still.
I also believe, however, that there are infinite creative/resourceful solutions to any
problem. In the case of inflicting harm on someone, you would typically use sharp, dangerous
objects (to appeal to the unconscious in the 2nd step-key). You would also use typically harmful
energies like the Thurisaz rune, Saturn, Saturday, Mars, Tuesday, and the tobacco plant
(Saturnine). But what if you use a rose (love) for a curse? Energy always takes the path of least
restriction, and so using a rose and loving energy with the intent of causing harm could make
the victim fall in love with someone who will inevitably break their heart, or cause a dangerous
person to fall in love with your victim.
While on the surface this bit of information might seem that this would excuse being
haphazard and reckless with ingredient choice, it actually warns against that. To be in complete
control of your spell, you have to know what your ingredients specialize in, and will therefore do
should they take effect. For example, in the love curse I mentioned earlier, the spell still has a
chance of not following through, and you may bring love into the life of someone you intended to
hurt.

Method
We came up with the idea of creating an entity out of Harry Potter that would essentially
take the negativity (the fear and hatred) of Christians and use that energy in an effort to
stimulate an interest in the occult for the readers of Harry Potter. The entity acted like a
viral entity in the sense that it would subvert the energy being used against it and convert
that energy into an idea that would then 'infect' readers of Harry Potter with an interest
exploring further the occult. The reports we received from the magi indicated success
and in one case showed the danger of working with a viral entity. The mage charged the
entity while listening to Christmas music on her portable CD player. Not only did the
batteries temporarily stop working, but also the person felt ill. The entity sensed the
Christian energy within the Christmas carols and drew from that energy to feed itself, and
because the person was listening to that music, the entity fed off the person as well.
-Michael Cunningham's Creating Magickal Entities Appendix E, written by Taylor Ellwood
The goal here was to convert Christian suspicion and bigotry into an interest in the
occult. The method for achieving such goal was the creation of an entity. Let's take a look at the
particularities in the entity that made it such a wide success.
The entity is viral. That means it will self-replicate and spread to many other targets until
the task is accomplished. This is great for the intention of spreading beliefs, and impacting
culture creating change in society. A viral entity would be best for effecting large groups of
people.
The entity feeds on Christian energy. This makes perfect sense, since the creators of the
entity intended to reduce Christian bigotry, and transform it into interest in the supernatural.
The sustenance of the entity doesn't only serve to sustain and empower the entity, but it also
accomplishes the very purpose of the goal. This makes the entity more effective in that no time
or energy is wasted, and all possible resources are maximized and expended. The entity will
come in contact with Christian energy anyway, so why not make the most of that potential
resource. But, this brilliant quality of the entity is also what caused it to inflict unintended harm.
The entity fed on Christian energy indiscriminately. It wasn't given a careful set of targets
to source energy from. This is yet another reason why it's not only smart, but necessary to be
careful in establishing scopes and limitations for entities it could cause harm where harm was
not intended.