Basic Spell Construction
Because of the very nature of Magick, each 
working should be highly 
individualized and personal. Even if following a 
traditional spell, 
it should be tailored to your specific needs to 
be most effective 
for you. Understanding the basics of Spell 
Construction will enable 
you to formulate your own specific, effective 
spells for any purpose 
you desire.

Preliminary planning is necessary. The very first 
step is to decide 
precisely what your desired end result is to be. 
Before you can 
start, you must decide where you are going. You 
must be very 
explicit.

It is important, also, that you choose your time 
carefully. You 
should take into consideration all Astrological 
implications, energy 
currents and Moon phases.

The Moon is the astronomical body closest to us 
and, therefore, has 
a profound influence upon us, it is very 
important to choose a time 
when the Moon is in an astrological sign which is 
appropriate for 
your working. For example: Aries/Action - 
Enthusiasm, Taurus/ 
Renewal - Sensuality, Gemini/Communication - 
Curiosity, Cancer/ 
Emotion - Nurturing, Leo/Vitality - Determined, 
Virgo/Organizing - 
Studious, Libra/Balance - Cooperation, 
Scorpio/Sexual - 
Philosophical, Capricorn/Authority - Ambitious, 
Aquarius/Innovation -
 Social, Pisces/Sensitivity - Idealistic.

Bear in mind that magickal workings for gain, 
increase or bringing 
things to you, should be initiated when the Moon 
is Waxing (from 
Dark to Full); when the Moon is Waning (from Full 
to Dark), it is 
time for magickal workings of decrease or sending 
away. 

The highest energy occurs at the Full Moon and, 
therefore, this is 
the most powerful time for magickal workings. The 
New Moon is the 
next most powerful time for Magick.

Whenever possible, follow Nature's natural Energy 
Currents. There is 
a natural time for starting things (a planting 
time), for maturing 
things (a growing time), for reaping things ( a 
harvest time) and, 
of course, a time for rest and planning.

Flowing with these currents will make your 
magickal work much 
easier. Remember to plan your project for a time 
of uninterrupted 
privacy. It is important that you have no 
distractions. Generally 
speaking, it is best to work as late at night as 
possible. A time 
when there is less frantic energy is most 
appropriate. You might 
consider Midnight or later. 

In choosing a place to do your magickal working 
pay particular 
attention to your needs, for you must be 
comfortable. Your place 
should be private, quiet and secure. If at all 
possible, set aside 
Ša special place for this purpose only. An unused 
room, a special 
corner of your bedroom, a quiet, secluded spot in 
your garden. A 
place that is yours. A place that you can come to 
whenever need 
arises and that is as free from intrusion of 
others as possible.

Prior to the night of your magickal working, 
gather together the 
things that you will need. All of the things used 
are tools. They 
have no inherent magick. They are to help you 
create a mood. If 
correctly made and used, they will trigger 
primitive responses from 
deep within you. They should be chosen with care. 
Consider the 
purpose of your ritual and choose your tools 
accordingly. If your 
magick is to be sexual, your candles, oils, 
incenses and so forth, 
should bring forth a sexual response. If the 
desired result of your 
Magick is Tranquillity, then the tools should 
make you feel calm, 
peaceful and serene. Any candles you might use 
should not have 
commercially added fragrances as these may not be 
appropriate for 
your working.

Prior to your ritual, prepare yourself and your 
equipment by any 
means necessary to clean and purify. 
Historically, people have 
fasted, followed meticulous and detailed bathing 
practices, 
practiced chastity and used many other methods.

Most often a Ritual Bath is the preferred method. 
A bath frequently 
utilizing candlelight, fragrant herbs, bath salts 
or sensuous oils. 
A sumptuous hot bath, special bathing 
preparations and appropriate 
lighting, combined, can create the soothing 
effect which will help 
in the very important step of relaxing and 
clearing the mind 
completely of all mundane thoughts and 
experiences of the day. Your 
ritual Bath should, also, begin to set the 
specific vibrations 
conducive to your purpose into motion. You must 
not only cleanse and 
purify but must, also, begin to create the type 
of energy necessary.

Once your purification process has been 
accomplished, you are now 
ready to begin. Proceed to the special place you 
have previously 
chosen in which to perform your magick. If at all 
possible, you 
should make use of the primitive responses set 
into motion by a well 
chosen piece of music. Your music should start 
slowly and build to a 
rousing climax. 

As you use your oils, light your candle or 
incense (or utilize any 
other tool you have chosen), you should begin to 
further intensify 
the energy that you have set into motion around 
you. A high degree 
of intensity is vitally important.

The Altered State of Consciousness that you must 
reach is not a 
meditative state. Anything that interferes with 
your ability to 
concentrate upon, reach and control the high 
energy state necessary 
to perform magick should be avoided. Such as 
screaming children, a 
sink full of dirty dishes, use of alcohol or 
drugs, etc.

Do not scatter your energy by attempting to do 
more than one 
Magickal working at a time.

Remember that Magick is the manipulation of 
energy, a thought is a 
form of energy and a visualization is an even 
stronger form of 
energy. Your visualization can be a method used 
to intensify further 
and direct your will. Your visualization can be 
the method by which 
you control the magickal energy you have 
produced. You must know 
what you want. You must see it. You must feel the 
high energy flow. 
You must direct it.

One of the most important elements in the 
practice of any form of 
Magick is the Universal Law of Cause and Effect. 
This means that 
whatever you do (or don't do) you cause something 
to happen.

The most important consideration is the Universal 
Law of 
Retribution. This means that no matter what you 
do, it comes back to 
you in like kind.

It is the nature of things that as you send 
something out it gains 
momentum, so that, by the time it comes back to 
you, it is three 
times stronger. If you do something nice for 
someone, someone will 
do something nicer for you.

"As you weave and 
spin your spell,
Three fold return
the tale will tell."

Hence the Wiccan Rede: "An it harm none, do what 
thou wilt."

But of course, the actual amount of the 
multiplier of the return is 
arrived at by tradition. The "three-fold" amount 
is the usual 
number, although some set it as high as 
nine-fold, whilst others 
maintain that it varies (similar to income tax 
percentages, Hee Hee).

Such is the nature of the Craft... extremely 
flexible. It is what 
one makes of it.

A final note: if you'll notice, the above 
procedure is/was intended 
for solitary works of Magick. While all the same 
rules and 
principles apply to Group Workings of Magick, 
there are a few 
differences. For instance, the amount of power 
(energy) which can be 
generated by a group varies with the number of 
people involved. This 
is NOT a linear function, rather, a square of the 
number of people. 
However, this assumes that all of the personnel 
gathered are there 
acting harmoniously, in concert. Simply having a 
large group of 
people does not assure the ability to raise a 
large amount of power. 
Generally, a small, closely knit group is the 
most effective. This 
is why the older covens usually set a limit on 
the number of members 
(traditionally 13).

--Author Unknown, found on Mysteria BBS, 1990.

1. Clearly understand and define your magickal goal. Write it 
down or state
it out loud to help form it solidly in your mind. By doing this 
you begin to
invest the spell and the desired outcome with your emotions and 
energy. If
you have more than one need, you may wish to spread them out. 
You can work
more than one spell at a session, but doing so will dissipate 
and scatter
your energies, leaving less for each spell. If you feel you 
must do multiple
spells, limit them to three and try to relate them in some way, 
so that the
energy you raise remains as focused as possible.

2. Be sure of the ethics of your hoped-for outcome. Approach 
the spell from
all angles to satisfy yourself that you are not violating 
anyone else's free
will or being manipulative. Many witches like to do a 
divination first, to
be doubly sure that their spell will not have any unforeseen 
ramifications.
If
the results of the divination are negative, try rethinking your 
intent to
see if you can circumvent the problem. Then do another 
divination and see
what comes up.

3. If you wish to use a specific element as a focus for your 
magick, decide
which one is most appropriate and collect items to represent 
that energy.

4. Plan how you will visualize your goal and believe in what 
you see. The
powers of the mind are only just now beginning to be explored 
by science. We
have all heard stories of terminal patients who have healed 
themselves, and
of faith healers who use belief to manifest miracle cures. 
Visualization
uses that power to form mental pictures that are invested with 
personal
energy and emotion. It is the soul that breathes life onto all 
magick, and
the soul that is the most important element in its outcome. The 
moment you
start visualizing the resolution of a magickal need is the 
moment you begin
to create the changes in your deep mind necessary for the 
magick to
manifest.

5. If you are working with advanced magic, you will need to 
prepare a
long-range plan in accordance with the above guidelines. This 
will entail
checking moon phases, laying in enough supplies for the 
duration of the
spell, and planning how the energy can be sustained through 
each day.

6. Gather candles, stones, or whatever else you intend to use 
as a catalyst
for your focus or to direct the energy you will raise. Empower 
those items
with your personal energy by projecting into them the energy of 
your
goal.Keep in mind that these tools, including your cherished 
ritual tools,
have no power in and of themselves. The power is not in the 
tools, but
inside the Witch trained to use them. Without you, they are 
useless. They
merely provide a way to focus your energy and a means for 
directing it
towards its goal.

7. Decide upon your words of power, the words or chants you 
will use to help
focus and raise energy. You may write them out, or simply 
remember key
phrases you wish to use as you improvise. Some Witches like to 
create simple
poems so they will be easier to remember.

8. If you wish to use a special deity or mythic figure in your 
magick,
decide on which one or ones, and how you will evoke, invoke, 
and/or honor
them. You may wish to write out special prayers or blessings 
and memorize
them.

9. Decide when you want to do the spell. This can be any time 
you personally
need the magick, at the time when you coven regularly meets, or 
you may wish
to take into consideration moon phases and/or other 
astrological influences.
If your life is as busy as most people's today, you may have to 
choose the
only night when you will be free and alone. The timing is much 
less
important than the energy you bring to the spell.

10. At the appropriate time, gather what you will be using and 
go to the
place where you will perform the spell. This can be at your 
altar, indoors,
or outdoors, at your coven meeting site, or anywhere else that 
feels
appropriate, comfortable, and private.

11. Cast your circle and, if you like, call the quarters, or do 
as you would
when opening up any other ritual. If you are using advanced 
magickal
techniques you will definitely need to employ these 
visualizations to be
effective.

12. Your magick is now beginning in earnest. Invite whatever 
elementals,
faeries, spirits, or deities you wish to have present as you 
work. They
should always be welcome, but they are not necessary for 
spellwork.

13. Clear your mind and begin visualizing your goal. This is 
probably the
most important step in the spell-casting process and you should 
invest the
mental image with as much energy as you can muster. Recall your 
need and
make your emotional connection with it as deep as you can, on 
as many levels
as possible.

14. Raise energy within yourself and pour it into the magickal 
object(s) in
whatever way feels right to you. This can be done as a mental 
projection,
through dance or song, or intense visualization.

15. Do whatever physical actions your spell requires. Some need 
no special
actions, but many require some basic movement, even if it is 
only lighting a
candle. Use your words of power, light your candles, bury your 
herbs,
mentally charge your stones, and/or raise your cone of power.

16. Take advantage of natural phenomena that can help you raise 
energy. A
storm, for instance, is an excellent source of energy that any 
Witch can
draw upon to help feed a spell. Allow yourself to become part 
of the storm
and
feel yourself physically drawing on its vast stores of energy 
as you seek to
raise your own energies or cone of power.

17. When you feel you have put as much energy into the spell as 
you possibly
can, send the energy out to do your will. You can visualize 
this as a cone
of power being sent out, or use any other mental image you 
like. Body
language
helps, too. Relax, throw up your arms, raise a tool, kneel, 
send out a cone
of power, or do whatever else makes you feel the energy go 
forth. Be sure to
direct it out from you visually as well.

18. You should finish your spell with words such as the 
traditional So Mote
It Be. Mote is an obsolete word for must. The phrase is 
synonymous with
Amen,  So It Is, and It Is Done.  It is a statement of 
completion and an
affirmation that you know your magick is successful. All magick 
is worked
from the point of view that the desired goal is already 
manifest - it will
not come to be, but IT IS. Always phrase your magickal desires 
in the
present tense; for example, I have love in my life now, or My 
bills are now
paid in full.  Talking of magick happening in the future will 
keep it
forever in the future, always just out of reach.

19. Meditate briefly on your goal. Again, visualize it as 
already manifest.
Smile, breathe a sigh of relief, and know the magick is already 
at work for
you.

20. Thank and dismiss all faeries, spirits, and deities who 
have come to
witness or aid in your magick.

21. Ground your excess energy into the earth and open your 
circle. Excess
energy, raised during your spell work but not full sent away 
from you when
you sent it to do its job, lingers on and around you. The best 
way to ground
this excess is to place your hands, palms side down on the 
earth, into a
bowl of soil, or on the floor of your home. Physically and 
psychically feel
the excess energy draining out of you. Know that it is being 
absorbed and
dispersed into mother earth.

22. If you have ritualized your spell, dismiss your quarters or 
do whatever
other endings your rituals traditionally require. If you are 
working your
magick with a coven this is standard practice.

23. Record your spell in your Magickal Diary or Book Of Shadows 
with the
date, time, weather conditions, and any astrological data you 
wish to
include. This will be useful later when you have done enough 
spells to look
for patterns. For example, you may see that your most 
efficacious spells
were done on Sundays or when it was cloudy or snowing, or when 
you had
faeries present, worked with a particular deity, burned green 
candles, or
when the moon was full. Everyone has different affinities, 
These patterns
will help
you pick the best times for your spellwork.

24. Back up your desire on the physical plane. This is a must. 
For example,
if you have done a spell for healing don't avoid seeing your 
doctor. You
will need all the help at your disposal to overcome your 
illness, and magick
and
medical science make great partners.Until you achieve your 
magickal goal you
should spend some time each day
focusing on it by clearly visualizing it as a fait accompli. 
These added
boosts of daily energy can often mean the difference between 
success and
failure.

Lady of the Night
Edain McCoy