Spell Casting Basics

Are you drawn to spell casting but unclear about how or where to start? It can be overwhelming to create your sacred practice from scratch.

Luckily you’ve got The Good Witch on your side and I’m going to give you the ABC’s of spell casting. I packaged the 8 basics of spell work right into this post and after reading this I think you’ll feel confident enough to cast your first spell as early as today!

In truth, we unintentionally cast spells all day long with beliefs we hold and words we speak.

We are creative creatures by design; calling forth our world is our natural state. Now…when you deliberately take control over your thoughts and words in order to create a certain outcome; you are casting a spell.

When you’re taking time to raise layers of energy then casting that energy out – this is called a ritual. A ritual is a dedicated amount of sacred time to call forth that of which you desire – it can be for peace, love, happiness, prosperity, anything you want. It can be as elaborate or as basic as you want it to be! You can cast a spell with your mind only or you can add tools to strengthen yourself. Spell casting is more commonly known as manifesting…we are manifesting our reality whenever we’re awake!! It’s always happening whether you know it or not.

Here are the 8 main spell-crafting steps that pull your spell together:

Purify Your Mind
Purify Your Space
Set-up Your Altar & Correspondences (optional)
Call in Greater Energies
Focus Your Energy
Recite Incantation
Seal Your Spell
Thank and Release Greater Energies

Here’s how and why…

1. Before your spell, you first need to purify your mind

Purify your mind of unwanted thoughts that weaken your focus by downloading my guide on how to cleanse your energetic field and make sure to wear clothing you feel good in. Unfortunately this blog platform won’t let me attach a .pdf so you’ll need to enter your email address and the guide will immediately auto-send to your email. (I will never send you spam)

2. Next you’ll need to purify your space

Everything is energy even our thoughts. Thoughts are matter, they are real, they vibrate and carry weight! Thoughts linger in the air based on what the area was exposed to, air for the most part carries memories of the past and present. You are not your thoughts, your thoughts are energy streams of which you tap into based on what you’re vibrating at. When you are vibing low you tap into negative thinking, when you’re vibing high, you’re tapping into better feeling thinking. Whew! I know that was a lot to take in if this is the first time you are hearing about what your thoughts are. Here is a deeper breakdown of how your energy body works if you want to learn more:-)

When you clear the air around you using elements of earth, it literally clears most of the dense energy that you’re vulnerable to picking up. So cleansing your energetic space before ritual is like cleaning up your house before company visits as you’ll be inviting the greater energies of the universe to support you with your Spell. All it takes is a little smudge and command to do this. Once you’ve smudged you’ll use a wand or your finger to create a circle of protected energy around you.

3. Setting up your altar

Photo credit Sage Goddess

This is your sacred space to raise energy. We are pure energy and our brains are extremely powerful generators.

You technically do not need anything but your focus to cast a spell but keep in mind, energy builds on energy and the more energetic elements you have the stronger your intention will be and the quicker you’ll see results. The Law of Correspondence will explain more about how energy builds. You want to have at least a candle and a couple herbs to get your altar started. We set up altars as a sacred reminder that all around us is beauty and well. When you see your sacred space, your energy instantly grounds, you come into present time, and begin to hear and perceive things in a different way. This process builds and strongly holds the energy you raise. You can have altars in every room holding different intentions or just one single altar. Here’s a beautifully detailed breakdown of how to Create Your Sacred Altar for Magical Practice.

You can also use your altar space to meditate and create…

If you’re an artist or writer this space will help your creativity flow like water! You can use colors to build on the energy too. Here is a color energy guide from Witchipedia you can refer to when raising specifics like money, lovers, well-being etc.

4. Call in greater energies

Once you and your space are cleansed and your altar is exactly as you want it, you’ll invoke greater energies such as your higher self (great for beginners), angels, the elements of earth and cardinal directions and/or mythical gods and goddesses. It depends on what you’re calling forth and how much you know about each. As you grow your practice you may want to expand and call on specific energies that directly align with your intention. But for now, calling on your higher self or an angel you are familiar with is perfectly fine:-)

Note: You’re calling in greater earth energies (earth, air, fire, water) when you arrange crystals, smudge, candles, flowers, and perfume/oil onto your altar. These four elements are sacred because they are essential for life.

5. Focus your energy

After you call in a greater energy of your choice, the fun begins:-) Take a few breaths, choose a crystal to hold and focus strongly on what you want for a minimum of 60 seconds. Are you calling in money? Are you banishing a bad habit? Do you want to speak to a special someone who departed? Quietly feel what you want for a moment.

6. Recite your incantation

After you’ve gathered your energy and clearly know your intention it’s time to speak it aloud with conviction! (If you want to follow spells instead of create your own, you can find specific incantations in spell books – you can find tons online or at your nearest metaphysical shop).

7. Seal your spell, cast off your intention

Sealing your Spell is like wrapping up your desire and handing it to the Universe to deliver when the time is right. You can seal your Spell by blowing out a candle, or you can use your breath to release to the universe, you can burn a list of an item you want to banish, or throw away an object that carries the energy of something you’re banishing. For example, if you’re casting a spell to remove heartbreak from a past relationship you’d throw out something that reminds you of your ex to seal your spell.

8. Thank and release greater energies

You may or may not feel the thickness of the greater energies surrounding you during your ritual but they showed up regardless. By you calling on them, they always come. And they go when you release them. All you do is thank them for assisting you, and then open your sacred space back up.

Let’s try casting a tiny spell now! I’ll show you how simple it can be done:-)

Breathe in and out a few times to quiet your mind and visualize a swirling bright white light coming down from the sky, filling your entire body up with light. Once you’re full of light, send it down to the core of the earth…and slowly bring it back up to your feet through your body through your head back up to the sky. Then grab some herbs or sage if you have it, light it up and will any energy that doesn’t serve you away with the smoke. (We’ll skip the altar as that step is optional). Once you’re relaxed call on your higher self and think about something what you want to call forth and focus on it for at least 60 seconds. Then state firmly to yourself or out loud what you desire. Breathe in and out then thank your higher self. Seal your spell by gently blowing your desire to the Universe and say out loud “So It Is.”

Your word is power and you saying those 3 simple words sets your desire in motion.

That’s it!!

You’ll find more elaborate spells that include crystals and herbs, candles, deities and so on in any metaphysical store near you. If you have questions ask me in the comments or find immediate answers by going to my 8 Most Commonly Asked Questions About Ritual and Spell-casting.

Join my free (and small) Facebook group to incorporate moon energy, spell casting and simple daily rituals that enrich your life! This is THE community for people wanting to craft beauty into their lives. Would love to see you there<3