The How and Whys of Spells in Witchcraft

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Deborah Blake, author of several books, including Llewellyn’s Little Book of Witchcraft and the new Llewellyn’s Little Book of Spellcraft.

If you ask most witches if they use spells, they will probably say, “Of course!” For most of us, it is simply a part of The Craft we learned once we decided to follow that path, whether from books, or other witches, or perhaps a coven leader. But for those people who don’t know much about the practice of Witchcraft, casting spells can seem scary or confusing or even silly.

We know that spells aren’t any of those, but it can be hard to explain to others exactly what they actually are. Most of us may not have given it much thought, other than to accept them as a component of the magic that is so integral to Witchcraft.

When someone asks me what a spell is, my answer might vary a bit, depending on who is asking and why, but in general, I usually say that it is much like a prayer (something more people are familiar and comfortable with). When we cast a spell, we are essentially sending a request out into the universe, to God and Goddess or whatever power it is we call upon.

We start with an intention (our goal, whatever that is), and then focus our energy (sometimes aided by tools such as candles, crystals, herbs and the like, which help to hone that focus), so that we can send the force of our will out using the words of our spell. Most spells are words, whether written or spoken or both, which are specifically aimed at achieving that combination of goal, focus, and will when we use them.

Another thing non-witches, or those new to The Craft, ask me often is, “Do spells really work?” To which I answer, “Absolutely.” But then I often add, “Some of the time, under the right circumstances.” After all, not all prayers are answered, and sometimes when they are, the answer is “no,” but there have been plenty of times when I have used a spell and it clearly did what I wanted it to, even if the end result took longer than I expected, or showed up in a form that was different from what I had in mind.

Spells are a powerful tool, because they really can work. You want to use them cautiously, and only when they are really needed (after all, there are plenty of problems that can be solved by simple mundane approaches). But they are also a wonderful way to tap into the power of magic that almost every Witch I know believes in, and create positive change in our lives. If you have been dealing with something that hasn’t responded to all your best efforts, maybe it is time to cast a spell!

Our thanks to Deborah for her guest post! For more from Deborah Blake, read her article “How and Why to Create Your Own Spellbook.”