How do you come up with spells?

[casnarl]

Hiya,

So I am a believer that anything that comes from me will be the most beneficial to me, as why I refuse to pay for any spells and why I decided to get into casting myself. There's a little bit of ego in that, but mostly belief that if it comes from my own heart it's the most real and genuine.

With this logic, I am also interested in coming up with a few spells for the areas of my life that need work and to bring about "all of my wishes and desires" and generally just to make my life everything that I hope for it to be.

I have bookmarked Basic Spell Construction and How to Make A Spell/How to Cast a Spell to read when I have more time...but I am curious those of you who come up with your own spells how do you do it? How do you know what works? I'm sure a lot of it is borrowing from tradition and of course a bunch of trial and error, but I mean like what sort of things to say, what tools/ingredients to use, etc?

[SpiritTalker]

I share your belief that I want to write my own spells. It's personal. Some years ago I'd whittled my supplies list down to what i could sanely manage & afford, and easily find. I started working with just a few multi-purpose herbs I liked the smell of, with properties for what I call the 3-Ps: protection, prosperity, & power. Protection covers all banishing and cleansing, prosperity covers attracting abundance, health, & love. Power sustains & ups the amps. I singled out a few herbs that covered the bases and worked mostly with these.

When I'm designing a spell I determine which of the 5 elements best relates to the goal. Then
I choose a element-related form to use. If it's water the form it takes can be liquid, ice, steam. The easiest liquid is a potion. i usually use tap water for convenience. So, to make a potion i decide which of the 3 Ps applies to the goal & use the herb/stone that matches. Fire is easily done in the form of a candle or cooking. Air usually turns out to be rhythmic sound making, chants or a drawn sigil or mandala. Earth let's me use stones to make grids. The element determines the form. So now ive got the element, form and ingredients figured out.

Then I need a container to hold the spell. Water elements use cup, cauldron, bottle or jar obviously works for liquids, but so does a potion soaked petition paper with a sigil. So that adds more options if consuming the spell isn't the "right" feel. I can carry or display a sigil. I can draw a sigil on rice paper and dissolve it in the potion and consume or cook with it. Cuppa tea is easiest, with some quiet time in a circle to visualize the outcome as already done.

When I release the circle, I might instruct the energy it contains as the cone of power to carry the spell to the etherial realm and let it go do it's job. I send the cone only If I had a good bright circle. I know I can count on it. The "duds" just get grounded, thankyouverymuch. It's always flexible.

My circle ritual is pretty basic so I don't need to worry about tools. The basic 4 are on hand. If I'm going to brew something, I use either an iron teapot on the stove or I use my regular pots and pans. These are things I have anyway just as household equipment.

I have only ever used my own spells, but I borrow concepts and inspiration from everywhere. I have some difficulties concentrating so I have to simplify and dumb things down. I'm also handicapped so frenzied dancing is out of the question.

If it's candles I'm using I mostly buy white one's. All-purpose, y'know. Occasionally I hit a sale & add a bit of color for something special. I mentioned I love stones, so crystal grids work well for manifesting an earth element desire. And I've been playing with drawn and colored mandalas, using kids art templates. It's like the power of a sigil and a grid together. The only ingredients & tools are the templates, paper and colored pencils. Drawings & sigils work well with air, and they can be fumigated with smoke from herbs.

Ak! Too much info.

[casnarl]

That all was very informative, thank you!

I currently have a bag in my room with some stuff I bought myself and then the rest of the things like the herbs/spices and lighter (I'm terrified of matches) are in the kitchen, and if I need scissors/paper in the office, and so forth but I've amassed I'd say about $70-80 collecting potential goodies in the last month so I think it's in my interest to work with what I've got for now instead of seeing a spell online that needs some unheard-of herb or plant that I'd have to get. For example flowers are out of the question because it's A- it's February and the ground is frozen and B- I live at home still while in college and if I were to plant anything in our flowerbeds my mom would be mad not to mention suspicious

The spells I have tried so far have been small, like "get a text" type of spells from random websites just to see if I have it in me to do bigger, more detailed spells but I do plan to create my own from here on out as I feel they're more likely to work if I come up with them on my own rather than just reciting from a webpage on my phone. That's why I am also glad I found this forum as now I am able to get input from real people who know (for the most part) what they're doing

[SpiritTalker]

I think it helps to figure out why the author chose their ingredients. Usually it's for a goal-related property. Then all you need is to match their property with another of the same property & substitute. It's like cooking: if you want a touch of lemony flavor you can use lemon slices or grated rind, lemon juice, lemon balm, or coriander seed. Flavor is to cooking what a magical property is to a spell, and effects the final result.

[casnarl]

Then all you need is to match their property with another of the same property & substitute. It's like cooking:

Yeah, I did this with one that needed dill. I couldn't find any in the cabinet so I used fennel because Google told me that was a substitute for it in cooking, so I figured the Universe would understand and treat it the same. I then later found dill in the very back of the cabinet when I was looking for some thyme, so now I know where it is if I need it again. I think it certainly is in my favor that my mom loves to cook

[EveningWithAstaroth]

Hiya,

So I am a believer that anything that comes from me will be the most beneficial to me, as why I refuse to pay for any spells and why I decided to get into casting myself. There's a little bit of ego in that, but mostly belief that if it comes from my own heart it's the most real and genuine.

With this logic, I am also interested in coming up with a few spells for the areas of my life that need work and to bring about "all of my wishes and desires" and generally just to make my life everything that I hope for it to be.

I have bookmarked Basic Spell Construction and How to Make A Spell/How to Cast a Spell to read when I have more time...but I am curious those of you who come up with your own spells how do you do it? How do you know what works? I'm sure a lot of it is borrowing from tradition and of course a bunch of trial and error, but I mean like what sort of things to say, what tools/ingredients to use, etc?

I have not worked with large spells in quite some time.

I have recently in fact returned to witchcraft type magic, and am starting from scratch so to speak.

I have been attempting sigil work again for the most part, but have begun the starting again process of spell work- more elaborate work- recently as well.

How I do it- some of my spells are very simplified and require nothing more than a single intent, and action for said intent. I can accomplish some things with the only action being a thought- usually something I want, or feel perhaps could use in near future. The thought is had one moment, the next moment the thing is at my door. This took years of practice, I am of course still practicing. The point is to focus to bring something about. Sometimes all I do is write it in a sentence in a journal, and continue living. After a while, of writing what it is I want in a journal, if I go back through a months worth of pages, I will realize it has unfolded. Some things happen instant- or close to instant, quick. I will think of something, it could show up the same day.

That is one type of simple spell I practice often, simple in intent, but I do have a system. I do follow my own set of rules. If something comes about, I have gratitude rituals I practice. It is the principle, I get something, I show gratitude to my God, when I can, I give to others, if I am able I share.

How I come up with my own spells, well I try something. I think of intent, I write the intent out in the form of symbolizing the intent with an action, then I perform the action, simple, I use no words. I do not need them. I do not write rhyme, I do not use so mote it be, or as above or so below or fire earth air ice, bring to me luck at no price. For good of all, and good for me, get to work so mote it be (hold on -Rolling eyes at both rhyme, and my own writing ). I write intent, symbolically use an action- a sigil in a petition box- leave it for however long it takes to manifest- discard in time and manner I feel best when manifested to my will. Or another example Chaos magic I have first read of here may use a color coded magic- or the eight colors of magic- yellow is ego magic. For a self reflection spell I used this method this morning. Used rose water I made and prepared and a single white candle lit and set to float. I am feeling calmer tonight than I have in three days, due to high stress levels (other people).

I said nothing during the self reflection ritual, only played some of my own ritual music I made through my tablet and recording and mp3 applications.

That is my process. Thought- Intent- Action. I set the flare aside for now, but am not opposed to incorporating it later.

How I know what works and what does not is for me again simple. I try it first, if it works great, if it doesn't why? That is where it becomes complicated for me. If it does not work I have to find out why. Try something else, did it work? Well no, again try something new, take what I have and re work it. Trial and error my friend.

You can not know with absolute knowing if something is going to work for you without first trying it.

For me tools and ingredients are usually what I have on hand, and what I decide on. If I want to use a sigil, paper, pen, my imagination. If I want a candle spell I'd use a small white tea light candle, I prefer these, if I do not have white- I will use any other color- I will not focus on what the color means to the magical community, I will intend what the color means as per the spell I am casting or the ritual I am performing.

I do though have preference for small white tea-light candles. Simply they are practical and economic, nearby stores stock them frequently and in multitude, affordable, practical. But I also have been known to also purchase different colored candles, I often use these however for another purpose- I find I use the colors around me, and therefore do not intend for these candles to be used in work.... you know? To be lit. They signify something else to me...

Yes I am particular.

So for me personally I have a system that I find for me works most often which is thought- Intent- Action- Then Rest- Let it work itself out. It is no longer my concern. If it works great, if it doesn't wonderful, I'll keep at it until it does.

Tools, words, ingredients. I usually use what I have available, I will write more elaborate spells and rituals out first- I will write them with consideration of tool usage and ingredient usage in mind. On hand, practical, not going to burn my wallet.

For me, no words are necessary.

Hope you find this helpful.

I too intend to read the threads you've mentioned, no harm taking a refresher.

Blessings.

[corvidus]

Movement most beautiful,
Resigning in the company
Of One Mind.

A movement most useful,
Calculated skillfully,
And with time.

[blue_moon]

Look into this post for reference klick the List is great! And something you should have on hand.

When i first started the craft i was a teenager. I had no money for supplies and for some stupid reason i was scared to Substitute and rather didn't do magic.

I remember spending more then 100 back then for supplies and tools. The supplies were used up so fast it was scary and i just didn't have the money to replace things.

Just like Spirit suggests i today keep it basic. Sage and rosemary even grow in my garden all year round.

I will pick up things on walks like rosehips, some black sand, a stone, a stick, a shell.

Written spells online or in books can give you an idea! You can adapt and switch parts.

Believe me! You'll get a good feel for this!

[casnarl]

Thank you all for your stories, I am very excited to begin planning out a spell or two of my own, and I feel I'm in very good hands!

[SpiritTalker]

EWA reminded me of a practice I do in circle or when I feel like I'm pumped up & fully charged. I imagine a blue mist spiraling upward from the earth around me. Then I think it, feel it, say it, let it go. Give a thank you.

When it think it, i hold the general intent of attract, repel or hold-in-place in my gut. Feeling it is the emotional satisfaction of the ah-ha moment when I know the specific goal is met. When i say it I use three positive, present-tense affirmations of the accomplished goal. Letting it go is releasing the blue mist, just like releasing a cone of power. I forget about it and get on with daily activities.

Another way is to mentally travel to my place of power, an astral construction where I go to meet my guide and rejuvenate. From the POP I can do the think-feel-say-release as I'm already within the realm where it takes effect.

There are as many ways to spell work as there are Crafters to invent them.