The Law of Power 1.) The Power shall not be used to bring harm, to injure or control others. But if the need rises, the power shall be used to protect your life or the lives of others. 2.) The Power is used only as need dictates. 3.) The Power can be used for your own gain, as long as by doing so you harm none. 4.)It is unwise to accept money for use of the Power, for it quickly c controls its taker. Be not as those of other religions. 5.) Use not the Power for prideful gain, for such cheapens the mysteries of Wicca and Magick
6.) Ever remember that the power is the sacred gift of the Goddess and the God, and should never be misused or abused. 7.)This is the Law of Power. Warnings about Casting Spells! Here are a few warnings about casting spells. Why are there warnings? Well because spells can cause you a lot of problems. I'm not trying to scare you, but you must remember the following things. 1. Casting a spell that goes against the Wiccan Rede (e.g. harming someone) will be a lot more trouble than its worth. Sure you can cast these spells, but there will be consequences for you actions. Always remember to think before you cast. Karma can turn into an ugly thing if you do bad things in this life time. 2. Magick takes the path of least resistance. So casting spells that are unreasonable are just not going to happen. Let's say you cast a money spell... money isn't going to just drop out of the sky, nor are you going to hit the jackpot with the lottery. Be reasonable with the request... how about a money spell that will help you find a job? I think this one will work a lot better. But remember, you must be willing to work for the change that you wish to happen... the spell isn't going to do all the work. 3. You don't need to cast a spell for every little thing. Think about what it is you want. Can you make the change yourself, or do you need a little help? If you cast too many spells, you may end up feeling like your energy has been sucked out of you like some alien had abducted you. Why is this? Well, your energy goes into a spell, so don't wear yourself out. 4. Remember there is a such thing as good Karma. Do good things for others, you will get something back in return. This doesn't mean you can charge money to cast spells for people (unless it is money to cover supplies). That will not earn you any good Karma. ~Faded Here is another good one by Scott Cunningham Blood is not to be shed within the circle; no ritual animal sacrifices may be made. (This is a universal Wiccan tradition, whether or not it's explicitly stated in the laws.) Magick is not to be worked for pay, as it could lead to performing destructive rites. Magick is also never to be used to boost one's pride or to cause harm in any way. However, some sets of laws to allow Wiccans to use 'the Power' (i.e. Magick) to 'prevent or restrain' others from causing harm (this is generally known as binding). The Law of Power Restated (see how important it is) The Power shall not be used to bring harm, to injure or control others. But if the need arises, the Power shall be used to protect your life or the lives of others. The Power is used only as need dictates. The Power can be used for your gain, as long as by doing so you harm none, or are not greedy. For if you have a true need you can. (i.e. If you are running really low on money this month and its between being evicted and staying where you are living you can do a spell to draw money towards you. That is the only way.) It is unwise to accept money for use of the Power, for it quickly controls its taker. Be not as those of other religions. Don't charge money to teach people. Use not the Power of prideful gain, for such cheapens the mysteries of Wicca and Magick. Ever remember that the Power is the sacred gift of the Goddess and the God, and should never be misused or abused. Most Craft laws are secret, and can't be published in any form. However, the above examples included within this text should provide you with enough information to create your own laws. May you do so with wisdom and love. These are some rules from Wyndrose as you will see all these are alike but i mainly wanted to get it across that these are the rules. These rules were written by me and are how I view the Wiccan belief system. This is very similar to many other rules for magick lists out there as there are many common basic guidelines.
Wiccans do not perform sacrifices. We do not kill or otherwise harm animals as part of our rituals. We respect and revere ALL life. We also do not shed our own blood again this is harm. It is harming ourselves and i think the Goddess would be Disgusted if we shed any sort of blood in her name. Wiccans do not "curse" people. In following the Rede and the Law of Threefold we realize that in causing harm to others we are also causing harm to ourselves. We may however bind a harmful person from affecting us, but this is not a curse and wishes no ill to the person we are binding. Wiccans do not put love spells on specific people. The only acceptable type of love spell is one that draws a non-specific person to you. For example : It is wrong to put a spell on John Smith to make him fall in love with you but it is okay to do a spell asking the Goddess to send people of like mind and heart to you. Consider this: Would you want someone to put a love spell on you? Whenever possible ask permission before doing a spell for another person. It is not always possible to do so such as sending healing energy to victims of a natural disaster. Use good judgment. It is acceptable to do money spells so long as they are not greedy and or outrageous. Do not expect to win the lottery. Be careful of how you ask for money, you would not want to have someone you love die just so you could inherit money. Some Wiccans do partake of alcohol during rituals, however it is never for the purpose of getting drunk. It is usually a sip or a chalice full in honor of the ritual and/or deity. Drunkenness is usually considered bad behavior. Do not out fellow Wiccans, they may be in the closet for fear of discrimination in the workplace or in their neighborhood. If you are performing a ritual out of doors in a public place, be sure to obtain permission from whomever owns the land to avoid harassment and/or infringing on another's rights. Do NOT use illegal drugs in the circle. The use of any mind-altering drug can & will affect your magickal workings. But no one can stop you from using them out. That is your own choice. - Magick It's common knowledge even among the masses that Witches practice magick. They may have misguided ideas concerning the type of magick preformed, but the Witch is firmly linked in popular though with the magickal arts. Wicca is, as we have seen, a religion that embraces magick as one of its basic concepts. This isn't unusual. In fact, it is often difficult to discern where religion ends and magick begins in any faith. Still, magick plays a special role in Wicca. It allows us to improve our lives and return energy to our ravaged planet. Wiccans also develop special relationships with the Goddess and God through magick. This doesn’t mean that every spell is a prayer, nor are invocations differently worded spells. Through working with the powers which the Goddess and the God embody, we grow close to them. Calling upon their names and visualizing their presence during spells and rites creates a bond between Deity and human. Thus, in Wicca, magick is a religious practice. Magick defined is the projection of natural energies to produce needed effects. There are three main sources of this energy-personal power, Earth power, and divine power. Personal Power is the life force that sustains our earthly existences. It powers our bodies. We absorb energy from the Moon and Sun, from water and food. We release it during movement, exercise, sex, and childbirth. Even exhaling releases some power, though we recoup the loss through inhaling. Earth Power is that which resides within our planet and in its natural products. Stones, trees, wind, flames, water, crystals, and scents all possess unique, specific powers which can be used during magickal ritual. A Wiccan may dip a quartz crystal into salt water to cleanse it and then press it against an ailing person's body to send its healing energies within. Or, herbs may be sprinkled around a candle which is burned to produce a specific magickal effect. Oils are rubbed onto the body to effect internal changes. Both personal power and Earth power are manifestations of divine power. This is the energy that exists within the Goddess and God-the life force, the source of universal power within created everything in existence. Wiccans invoke the Goddess and God to bless their magick with power. During ritual they may direct personal power to the deities, asking that a specific need be met. This is truly religious magick. And so, magick is a process in which Wiccans work in harmony with the universal power source which we envision as the Goddess and God, as well as with personal and Earth energies, to improve our lives and to lend energy to the Earth. Magick is a method whereby individuals under none but self-determined predestination take control of their lives. Contrary to popular beliefs, magick isn’t supernatural. True, it is an occult (hidden) practice steeped in millennia of secrecy, slander and misinformation, but it is a natural practice utilizing genuine powers that haven’t yet been discovered or labeled by science. This doesn’t invalidate magick. Even scientists don’t claim to know everything about our universe. If they did, the field of scientific investigations wouldn’t exist. The powers of Wiccans use will eventually be documented and so lose their mystery. Such has already partially occurred to hypnotism and psychology, and may soon happen to extra-sensory perception. Magnetism, indeed, was a firmly established aspect of magick until it was "discovered" by science. But even today, magnets are used in spells and charms, and such forces as these call up strange old things. Play with two magnets. See the invisible forces resisting and attracting in seemingly supernatural ways. Magick is similar. Though it appears to be completely nonsensical, with no basic in fact, it operates along its own rules and logic. Simply because it isn’t fully understood doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Magick is effective in causing manifestations of needed change. This isn’t self-deception. Correctly performed magick works, and no amount of explaining away alters this fact. Here's a description of a typical candle ritual. I'll use myself as an example. Say i need to pay a hundred-dollar phone bill but don’t have the money. My magickal goal: the means to pay the bill. I decide to use a ritual to help focus my concentration and visualization. Checking my magickal supplies. i discover that i have green dandles, patchouli oil, a good selection of money-drawing herbs, parchment paper and green ink. At my altar, i light the candles representing the Goddess and the God while silently invoking their presence. Next, i ignite a charcoal block and sprinkle cinnamon and save on the block as a magickal prosperity incense. I draw a picture of the phone bill on the paper, clearly marking the amount in numerals. While drawing, i visualize that the paper is no longer just a piece of paper; it is the bill itself. Then i sketch a square around the bill, symbolizing my control over it, and mark a large "x" through it, effectively canceling out its existence (as will occur when it is paid). I now starting to visualize the bill being paid in full. I might write this over the picture, making it appear to have been stamped with these words. I visualize myself looking in my checkbook, seeing that the balance will cover the check, and then writing the check itself. Next, i rub a green candle with patchouli oil, from each end to the middle, while saying something like the following: I call upon the powers of the Mother Goddess and the Father God; I call upon the forces of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water; I call upon the Sun, Moon, and Stars to bring me the funds to pay this bill. Still visualizing, i place the candle in the holder directly over the picture of the bill. I sprinkle herbs around the candle's base, starting (and visualizing) that each is lending its energy towards my goal: Sage, herb of Juniper, send your power to my spell. Cinnamon, Herb of the Sun, send your power to my spell. Once this is done, still visualizing my bill as paid in full, I light the candle and, as its flame shines, release the energy I've build up into the picture. I let the candle burn for ten, fifteen minutes or longer, depending on my ability to retain the visualization. I see the candle absorbing the energy I’ve put into the picture. I see the herbs streaming their energies into the candle flame, and then combined energies of the herbs, candle, patchouli oil, and the picture-coupled with my personal power-pouring from the flame and out to bring my magickal goal towards manifestation. When i can do no more, i remove the picture, light it in the candle, hold it as it burns for a few seconds, and then throw it into the small cauldron that sits beside my altar. Finished, i allow the candle to burn itself out, know that the ritual will take effect. Within a day or two, perhaps a week, I’ll either receive unexpected (or delayed) money, or will satisfy other financial obligations in a manner which frees me to pay the bill. How does it work? From the time i decided to do an act of magick, I’m doing it. Thinking about it sets personal power into motion. Throughout the whole process-gathering supplies, drawing the bill, lighting the candle, visualizing- I'm rousing and infusing personal power with the magickal need. During the rite itself, i release this power into the candle. When i finally burn the picture, the last of the energies are released and free, set to work to arrange for me to pay the bill. I may not be able to tell you exactly how magick works, only that it does work. Fortunately, we don’t have to know this; all we must know is how to make it work. I'm no expert in electricity, but i can plug my toaster into a wall socket and burn my whole wheat bread. Similarly, in magick we "plug into" energies that stretch, cris-cross and zip around and through us. There are so many ways to practice magick. Wiccans generally chose simple, natural forms, though some enjoy heavy ceremony, borrowing from the classical grimoires such as the Key of Solomon. Usually, however, it involves herbs, crystals, and rock; the use of symbols and colors; magickal gestures, music, voice, dance and trance; astral projection, meditation, concentration, and visualization. There are literally thousands of magickal systems, even among Wiccans themselves. for instance, numerous magickal ways exist to use crystals, herbs, or symbols, and by combining them more systems are created. Many, many books have been published outlining magickal systems. Such systems aren’t necessary to the successful practice of magick. Performing magickal rituals simply by manipulating tools such as herbs and crystals will be ineffective, for the true power of magick lies within ourselves-the gif to Deity. So no matter the magickal system, personal power must be infused with the need and then released. In Wiccan magick, personal power is recognized as our direct link with the Goddess and God. Magick, therefore, is a religious act in which the Wiccans unite with their deities to better themselves and their world. This is important- Magick is a positive practice. Wiccans don’t perform destructive, manipulative, or exploiting magick. Because they recognize that the power at work is magick is, ultimately, derived from the Goddess and God, negative workings are absolutely taboo. "Evil" magick is an insult to themselves, to the human race, to the Earth, the Goddess and the God, and the universe itself. The repercussions can be imagined. The energies of magick are the energies of life itself Anyone can practice magick-within a religious context or not. If certain words or gestures pop into your mind while performing a spell, and they seem right, by all means use them. If you cant find a ritual to your liking or that fits your needs, create one. You needn't write fancy poetry or choreography for thirty singing incense bearers and thirteen singing priestesses. If nothing else, light a candle, settle down before it, and concentrate on your magickal need. Trust yourself. If you truly desire to know the nature of magick, practice it! Many are afraid of magick. They've been taught (by non-practitioners) that it's dangerous. Don’t feel scared. Crossing the street is dangerous too. But if you do it properly, your fine. Of course, the only way you'll find this out is to cross that street. If your magick is infused with love you'll be in no danger whatsoever. Call upon the Goddess and God to protect you and teach you the secrets of magick. Ask stones and plants to reveal their powers-and listen. Read as much as you can, discarding negative or disturbing information. Learn by doing, and the Goddess and God will bless you with all that you truly need. Scott Cunningham Some Techniques from Scott Cunningham - Breathing Breathing is usually an unconscious act which we perform continuously throughout our lives. In magick and Wicca, however, breath can also be a tool for disciplining our bodies and entering into alternate states of consciousness. In order to meditate correctly, you must breathe correctly. This is the most basic of exercises and, fortunately, is also the easiest. Deep breathing techniques require the full use of the lungs as well as the diaphragm. The diaphragm is located about 2 finger-widths below the rib cage. As you breath in, bush out with this region. Notice how much more air you can intake. For berating exercises, assume a comfortable position, either sitting or laying down (although deep breathing is possible in nearly every position). Relax your body slightly. Inhale through your nose to a slow count 3,4,5-whatever is comfortable. Remember the air, the exhale to the same slow count. Repeat this several times, gradually slow your breath rate. Never hold your breath past the level of comfort. the inhalation, retaining and exhalation should be controlled, calm, free of tension. Concentrate on you’re breathing process while doing this. As you inhale, breath in love, health, tranquility, perhaps visualize these positive energies as golden flecked air. In exhaling, breath out hate, disease, anger, maybe visualizing black smoke exiting your lungs. Oxygen is the breath of life and is necessary to our existence. Breathe properly and you'll be a better person and a better Wiccan. Deep breathing is usually before every act of worship or magick, and is a part of concentration and visualization exercises. Breathe deeply when you feel anger exploding within you. Exhale the fury and inhale peace. It works every time-if you allow it to. Practice deep berating exercises daily, and gradually increase your capacity to retain air. It is wise, if possible. to occasionally practice near the sea or in a forest, far from the polluted air of our cities. Deep breathing in these natural settings is not only more peaceful- us also healthier. - Meditation Meditation is an important art for inducing total relaxation Too few of us find a moment of freedom from tension and worries, so meditation is a welcome relief from the cares and frustration of everyday living. More importantly, it's a quiet time in which we commune with the Goddess and God and ourselves, relaxing the conscious mind's hold on our psychic awareness. Meditation usually precedes every magickal act and rite of worship. Sitting is the ideal position for meditation, especially for those who tend to fall asleep during this practice. Sit in a straight-backed chair, supporting your lower back with a pillow if necessary. Your chin should be level with the floor, eyes closed, back straight, hands resting on your knees, palms up and fingers relaxed. In this position you should be comfortable and relaxed, the spine straight and the torso erect. if you have poor posture, it may be some time before this position becomes comfortable. Persevere. Breathe deeply for several minutes. Relax. Forget. Visualize the multitudes of tension and worries of your everyday life exiting your body with your breath. Relax into the chair. Now open your consciousness. Allow your conscious mind to be receptive and alert. Commune and talk with the deities. Toss around symbols in your head. If you wish, chant one of the names of the Goddess or God, or a group of them. This is an excellent tool for slipping into the twilight world. Select your time and place for meditation with care. Light should be subdued; candlelight is excellent. Burning white or blue candles if you wish. A bit of incense is fine too, but too much smoke can (obviously) cause problems during deep breathing. Immediately after each meditation, record all images, thoughts, and sensations in a notebook. - Visualization This is the most basic and yet advanced technique called for in magick and Wicca. The art of using our brains to "see" what is not physically present is a powerful magickal tool used in many Wiccan rituals. For instance, the forming of the magick circle relies in part on the Wiccan's ability to visualize personal power flowing out to form a sphere of glowing light around the ritual area. This visualization, then, directs the power that actually creates the circle; it doesn’t create it alone. Because of its usefulness in changing our attitudes and lives, many books are being written on visualization today. Each book promises to show the secrets of visualization. Fortunately, nearly all of us already possess this ability. It may not be fine-tuned, but practice makes perfect. Can you, at this moment, see in your mind your best friend's face, or at least your favorite actor? What about the piece of clothing you most often wear, the exterior of your home, your car or your bathroom? That's visualization. Visualization is the act of seeing with the mind, not the eyes. Magickal visualization is seeing something which is presently non-existent. It may be a magick circle, a healed friend, an empowered talisman. We can raise energy from our bodies, visualize it streaming out from our palms, and then form it into a small glowing sphere, fashioning it physically as if into a snowball, and mentally by seeing it as we desire. In magick, i might raise energy and, while doing this, hold an image in my mind of something i need-a new car, for example. I visualize the car, see myself signing the contract to buy it, driving it on the road, pumping gas into its tank and making payments on it. Then i direct energy to empower the visualization-to bring it into manifestation. in other words. visualization "programs" the power. This could be explained as a form of mental sympathetic magick. Instead of creating a physical image, we create pictures in our heads. Thoughts are definitely things. Our thoughts affect the quality of our loves. If we constantly moan about being broke, then do a fifteen-minute visualization to bring money into our lives, that fifteen minutes of energy will have to counteract 23 hours and 45 minutes of daily, self-induced, negative programming. Thus we must keep our thoughts in order and in line with our desire and need. Visualization can help here To hone this took, try this sample exercise, widely known within Wicca. Sit or lie comfortably with your eyes shut. Relax your body. Breathe deeply and still your mind. Pictures will continue to pop into your head. Chose one of these and stick with it. Let no images intrude other than the one you've chosen. Keep all thoughts revolving around the image. Retain this picture for as long as you can, then let it go and end the exercise. When you can retain one picture for more then a few minutes, move on to the next step. When you have perfected this exercise, you're well on your way. - Energy Play The energy and magickal powers at work in Wicca are real. They aren’t of some astral plane. They're within the Earth and ourselves. They maintain life. We daily deplete our store of energy and replenish it through the air we breath, the food we eat, and the powers that stream down from the Sun and the Moon. Know that this power is physical. Yes, it's mysterious, but only because so few investigate it in magickal ways. Following are some exercises to help you do just that.
