Welcome back, cosmic warriors. I’m Aliza Kelly Faragher, your resident astrologer, and this is Allure Astrology, a column dedicated to astrology, esotericism, and all things magic. Get ready to heat up the cauldron and join me as we explore the basics of at-home spell-making.
Have you ever made a wish over birthday candles, tossed a lucky penny into a fountain, or doodled your crush’s name on a piece of paper? If so, then you’ve already cast a spell. Though such actions may seem mundane, these practices all have a place in the time-honored tradition of spellcraft.
For generations, people across cultures have explored their innate magic through various manifestation techniques such as manifestation candles, (“magic,” it’s worth noting, is different from magic, which is about entertainment rather than spiritual growth). In 1533, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa of Nettersheim, a young German nobleman, wrote a groundbreaking work on different approaches to esotericism. His book, Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De occulta philosophia), detailed three types of magickal practices: ceremonial, celestial, and natural.
Ceremonial magic comes from religious traditions and often involves a spiritual leader, like a priest, priestess, or shaman. Celestial magic deals with both the earth and the stars, with astrology being a great example. Natural magic uses things like herbs, candles, crystals, and stones to direct energy in spells.
But what exactly is spellwork? What does it mean to direct energy, and how do you get started? Don’t worry, cosmic warriors. The best part of spellwork is that it’s truly for everyone. Here’s what every beginner should know when starting a magickal practice, along with tips and tricks for cultivating your at-home craft.
What Is Spellwork?
The concept of a flowing life force has been explored worldwide. It has been referred to as qi in traditional Chinese medicine, prana in Hindu philosophy, and ka in ancient Egyptian religion. These names describe the essence of existence, a powerful current that animates all natural things.
In all divination practices, spellwork is based on the belief that within each individual is an entire universe that mirrors the vastness of the cosmos — the microcosm symbolizes the macrocosm. Fundamentally, spell-making is the art of identifying, raising, and directing your energy. It requires no specific creed, book of rules, or special privilege. While many practitioners enjoy using ingredients and tools in their spells, the only required tool is your magickal intention.
Spell-making is the art of identifying, raising, and directing your energy.
A spell is anything performed with magickal intention. An incantation, meanwhile, is a spell created using words. The only difference between tossing a coin, brewing an infusion, or raising a cone of power — that’s cultivating energy by gradually increasing the speed of dancing, chanting, or instrument-playing — is your connection to the action. Remember, cosmic warriors, objects and rituals are just conduits for our innate power. Objects themselves are not inherently magickal; they simply help us channel our own energy.
The Principles That Distinguish Different Types of Spells
The most successful spells are those that originate with purpose. In other words, your pursuit of a magickal manifestation should be a response to a burning desire or need. Your incantation can be a reaction to an event (such as a timely professional opportunity) or an idea (for example, your newfound interest in spell-making), but it’s best to avoid crafting under extreme emotional stress. The outcome of your manifestations will always reflect your temperament at the time of creation. If you fuel your spell with frenzy, expect erratic results. To create positive and meaningful outcomes, channel your magickal energy with focus, wisdom, and empathy.
Correspondences
Correspondences are links between the intangible and the physical, which you can form with the tools you use to make your spell, the time you choose to cast it, and more. For instance, each planet represents a distinctive concept or action: Mercury symbolizes communication, Venus symbolizes romance, and Mars symbolizes determination. Likewise, each “traditional” planet (those celestial bodies discovered with the naked eye) is associated with a different day of the week. If you intend to cast a love spell, it’s best to create your incantation on a Friday, Venus’s day.
Many correspondences (like those detailed in the above example) have been honored for centuries. Others are more contemporary; for example, mirrors are now sometimes used as vessels for incantation, like when you say “Bloody Mary” in the mirror three times. There are plenty of resources that explore this concept, so you can always find a bond that matches your interests or desired outcome.
Sympathy and Antipathy
Sympathy is when forces pull towards each other, while antipathy is when they push away from each other. Sympathy suggests that if two things are connected in one way, they will always connect in another way too. In simple terms, “like attracts like.” For example, a common sympathy spell to bring lovers together involves moving two candles closer bit by bit. When the candles touch, it means the lovers are united, and tying the candles with honeysuckle vine symbolizes a sweet relationship.
Another love spell involves carving the name and birthday (or astrological sign) of your romantic interest into a red seven-day candle. Set your intention out loud and with confidence, light the candle, and let it burn entirely. (If it’s not safe to keep your candle burning, repeat your intention each time you relight the wick.) Note the flame: Is it robust? Dim? Moving erratically? These are indications of how your desired romance is unfolding. When the candle is finished, your spell is complete.
Antipathy, on the other hand, repels forces. To permanently remove someone from your life, place a candle (bound tightly with twine or wire) in the freezer to “put them on ice.” Alternatively, you can also send someone away forever by writing their name on a piece of paper and mailing it to an undeliverable location — just be sure not to include your return address.
Contagion
When you gift a loved one with a special charm, it can come to symbolize your closeness and become a representation of your connection. Contagion spells are based on the idea that once in contact, always in contact: Entities that have been in contact before will remain in contact in some way even if physically separated.
To perform contagious magic, you must obtain something that previously belonged to the target entity (for instance, a lock of hair, piece of clothing, or even a used napkin). Since there is already a cosmic link between the individual and object, your magickal intentions will be magnified through contagion.
Inversion
If you believe you are a victim of a psychic attack, jinx, or simply “bad vibes,” inversion spells are used to stimulate magickal defenses. Inversion spells work like vaccines: small doses of symbolic toxins to produce spiritual antibodies and build strength. Evil eye talismans or enchanted mirrors can be used to reflect ill wishes back on the spell-caster, while cayenne pepper — a primary ingredient in banishing oils (used for anointing candles, not for consuming) — symbolizes the antagonistic energy of the target entity.
Repetition
Magickal connections are created and strengthened through repetition. Not only does creating a rhythm help focus intention, but the cyclical quality of repetition also builds a powerful energy that charges any incantation. Writing your crush’s name repeatedly, reciting a chant, or even creating a spell-based habit (such as using a broom to sweep your home of negative energy) strengthens your enchanted bonds, creating a strong link between the physical and magickal. Another way you can incorporate repetition into your spells is through rhymes, which leave deep psychological impressions. When you structure your incantation in a rhyme, you effectively double the strength of your spell.
How to Get Started Making Spells
Though it can be intimidating to create your first spell, don’t be afraid to begin your practice. Because the only required ingredient is magickal intention, any object can become energetically charged. You don’t need to buy expensive “healing crystals” to perform effective incantations. Sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne pepper are powerful spices that can be used in a variety of oils, potions, and infusions. Your cooking pots can become cauldrons, and almost any candle can be transformed into a magickal device (although that “Bahama Breeze” Yankee Candle may not be your first choice).
The most important thing to remember is that once you repurpose an object and deem it enchanted, it will always be magickal. For example, a wine glass cannot be used both for concocting potions and entertaining guests — unless entertaining guests is part of your spell. Tools maintain energy, so always keep track of your mystical devices.
When choosing a location to perform your incantation, note that physical thresholds serve as cosmic entrances. Doorways, window sills, and cracks in the floorboards can become magical portals, symbolizing the space between worlds. These are excellent places to practice or direct your spells. Similarly, casting your incantation at the intersection of day and night (dawn or dusk), as well as during seasonal equinoxes, can strengthen its potency. No matter where you choose to craft your magic, always close any door you open by signaling the spell’s completion (this can be through a formal ritual or simply by saying, “goodbye”).
The only true rule of spell-making is that you should never cast a spell out of malice or with the intention to cause harm to yourself or others. The law of threefold return is the karmic principle of magic: Whatever energy you direct will be returned to you with three times more power. If you’re not sure whether you should cast a particular spell, don’t. Your magickal intentions define your spirit, so always fuel your curiosities with love and kindness.
Spell-making is empowering, mystifying, and perhaps most importantly, extremely fun. Enjoy, cosmic warriors.
