Magic

"Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The allure of magic is in its mystique. Hidden knowledge, secret words, spells and potions. My own version is less robes and circles and more candles and herbs. I'm a kitchen witch; I seek the magic of the natural world, of herbs and plants and stones. I plant my vegetables during the waning moon with a prayer to Freyr and an offering of beer.

Magic is about intention, the focus of energy. Complex spellwork may be good for formal ceremonies and holidays, but for the everyday, I look to the energy of natural things, and use them as a vehicle. In that sense, I don't really consider what I'm doing "magic." It's more a matter of channeling the natural world into my thoughts, and using the power in those objects to assist my own will. My spells are extremely simple. Writing down something I want to cease or change, and burning during the night of a full moon. Selecting a yellow candle and burning it with a prayer to Athena for wisdom in my meeting today.

I suppose these could just be called superstitions, and perhaps they are. But perhaps there's something more to superstition than paranoid nonsense. Perhaps it's the recognition that the world around us has much to show us, if only we'll open our eyes to see.

Magic is a fascinating concept and practice, and I wish to explore it even more deeply than I have. Such is another of my goals for the coming year.

 

Spell for a Peaceful Home

Gather freshly cut parsley and place it in a pan of water. Let soak for nine minutes, and then sprinkle throughout the house while visualizing a calm environment.