Sabbats, Seasons, and Tarot Spreads

First things first. Yes, I tend to spell magick with a “k”. I do this to distinguish it from the more generic use of the word — magic being something mysterious, of course, but something that exists outside of ourselves. Magick, on the other hand, comes from within. It’s who we are, what we believe, what we create in our lives. Magic is mystery, but magick is both mystery and power.

For many people who embark upon a magickal path, the way forward seems confusing and complicated. They read about herbs and crystals and the power of flowers. They look at correspondence charts for fragrances and colors. They read about the phases of the moon and when and where and how to “work” spells. It gets overwhelming.

What if I don’t have copal resin? What if it’s 20 degrees outside and I can’t go cast a spell in the middle of the night? What if I absolutely hate the color purple? What if I forget all those “magick words” I’m supposed to chant?

Questions like these are commonplace. Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there. We’ve all wondered about substitutions of ingredients, using different colors, changing the words of a ritual or chant. And in doing so, we’ve often worried that we’ve somehow lost the magick, that our efforts certainly can’t work if we don’t follow the instructions to the letter!

Experienced witches and magickal practitioners will tell you that it’s all right to make changes. They’ll remind you that the true power of magick lies in INTENTION — but those consoling words don’t always provide much comfort. When we’re starting out on our magickal journey, it can be hard to summon our intentions while we’re still doubting ourselves and still asking “will my magick work?”

Some time ago I read a magick spell written to create a harmonious home. The world in which we live can often be chaotic. We have busy schedules, problems to deal with at work or school, and even our most loving relationships can bring a torrent of emotions to deal with.

We need sacred spaces, places where we can sit quietly and see the beauty of the world around us, a place where we can pause, take a deep breath, and feel a sense of peacefulness and harmony surrounding us.

When I found this SACRED SPACE SPELL, I was eager to begin. Our family was dealing with myriad issues, life was hectic, I definitely needed a sacred space. How to create it?

The spell instructions included essential oils, and flower petals, and a glass dish — and I probably could have found the “precise ingredients”, but as I looked at the spell notes, I realized that those particular oils and flowers didn’t really represent peace and harmony for me. As lovely as the spell sounded, it didn’t truly reflect who I was and what “peace and harmony” meant to me.

Could I change the spell? Could I use different ingredients? Could I — in some way — create my own SACRED SPACE SPELL? Yes, of course.

In a flash of insight, I realized then that working magick didn’t mean following someone else’s directions. It’s good to have guidance and suggestions, good to know what other magickal workers have done. Yet in the end, our magick is our own. What makes magick work is the love, the intention, and the REALNESS of who we are and what we’re doing.

So, I changed the spell. Realizing that it wasn’t the oils, the petals, the dish that made the spell work, I was free to really think about what a “sacred space” meant to me. I wanted it to be beautiful, to reflect things that I loved.

I could use anything! I could use pretty rocks I’d found. I could use silk flowers. I could use ribbons or lace or anything else I wanted! It didn’t matter if I said certain words. It didn’t matter what colors I chose. All that mattered was my inner knowing, my understanding and INTENTION to create a meaningful “sacred space” — a vase or bowl or dish to set on a table that truly represented my desire for a harmonious home.

Instead of rushing ahead in a heedless manner, my new understanding of “magick” allowed me to take a little time, to truly THINK about what I wanted. Every decision added to the meaningfulness of my little “SACRED SPACE” spell.

From that day forward, I realized where MAGICK begins. Not in a spellbook or Book of Shadows, not in certain specific oils or herbs or magickal tools. Those things are important, but not for the reasons we sometimes believe. Those tools don’t hold the magick. The magick is within us, and the tools are just ways in which we can express our magick.

Today I invite you to create your own SACRED SPACE — in whatever way works for you. Choose a bowl, a vase, a tin container, a decorative box. Add flowers, flower petals, crystals, glass beads, or anything you love. Add fragrance in you like. Add ribbons or buttons. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as it makes you feel good.

Once you’ve worked this spell, you’ll understand what true INTENTION is. You’ll understand that YOU are the MAGICK, that YOU have the POWER. You’ll stop worrying about having all the right ingredients or working spells at the right time. You’ll understand that magick is personal. It’s beautiful. It’s powerful. It’s YOU.

Now, go make some magick!