The Witches’ Ladder

        The Witches’ Ladder is an ancient technique for
working a spell, and
quite simple to do.
        What you will need:  a length of cord.
        Silk cord is nice, but anything will do -such as a
piece of string, a
shoelace, a scarf or tie, etc...
        Before you make your Witches’ Ladder you must first
be clear on what
it is you wish to accomplish.  The Witches’ Ladder can
be used for any
purpose, but it is best used to bring about something
which is accomplished
through an on-going process -such as increasing
prosperity, learning a
particular skill, losing weight, etc- rather than
something which is
accomplished in a single event.
        As always remember the Wiccan Rede “Do As You Will,
But Harm None,”
and start out with reasonable goals -skill is built
through practice.
        Begin by placing yourself in a comfortable position,
then clear and
release.
        Now imagine a ball of golden light in your Heart
Chakra.
        Say to yourself “Behold, I am One with the powers of
the Universe,”
and imagine that ball of light growing larger and
brighter, radiating out in
all directions like a sun inside you.  Let the ball of
light grow to fill
your chest, growing stronger and stronger as it does
so.
        Now take your cord (and any other items you may be
using, if you are
doing either of the variations given for this spell)
and place it before you.
        Make three Tuathail, or counter-clockwise, circles
above the cord
with your hand.  Say something to the effect of
“Behold, I cleanse and purify
you, sending out for you any impurities which may lie
within.”
Imagine the cord surrounded by a golden light.
Imagine it shining brightly,
then let the image fade.
        Now make three Deosil, or clockwise, circles above
the cord and say
something like: “Behold, I bless and consecrate you to
this purpose!”
Imagine the cord surrounded by a blue-white light,
shining brightly.  Again
hold the image for a moment, then let it fade.
        Now take the cord in your two hands, or hold your
hands to either
side of it (palms facing it).
Imagine a ball of white light between your hands,
surrounding the cord.
Concentrate on the goal you wish to bring about
through this spell -focus as
hard as you can on the goal for several minutes.
Imagine the goal inside the
ball of light, or some image that represents the goal.
 See the goal as you
want it to be when it is already accomplished and
complete -if your goal is
to gain a skill for example, imagine yourself already
proficient in it.  As
you imagine this, know that this goal is already
accomplished and only needs
to be drawn into physical manifestation.
        Now let the image of the goal and the ball of light
fade, and take up
your cord.  Continue to focus on your goal, seeing it
already accomplished.
        Still concentrating on the goal, take the cord and
tie a knot near
one end of it.  Say:
        “By Knot of One, the spells begun.”
        Imagine yourself one step closer to having your goal.
        Now tie a second knot a short distance from the
first, and say:
        “By knot of Two, no power undo.”
        Focus even more strongly on the goal, knowing that
each knot draws it
closer.
        Tie a third knot, and say:
        “By knot of Three, so mote it be.”
        With each knot know that your goal comes closer to
you, imagine it
more strongly and know that it is truly yours.
         Tie the fourth knot, saying:
        “By knot of Four, open the door.”
        Then the fifth:
        “By knot of Five, it comes alive.”
        The sixth:
        “By knot of Six, the spell is fixed.”
        The seventh:
        “By knot of Seven, the boon is given.”
        The eighth:
        “By knot of Eight, decreed by Fate.”
        And lastly tie the ninth knot:
        “By knot of Nine, now it is mine!”
        Now once again imagine white light all around the
knotted cord, and
place your hands above or beside the cord with palms
facing it.  Again
imagine the image of your goal very strongly.  Then
release all of your
focused energy and concentration directly into the
cord -do this just as you
do when you clear and release before or after any
working:  imagine the
energy flowing out of you in the form of light or
water.
        When all of the energy has flowed from you into the
knotted cord,
take it and seal it in a safe place.  It is best to
bury it in the Earth, and
especially good if you can bury it at the foot of a
tree.  This symbolizes
the physical manifestation of the goal.
        In some cases you may wish to keep the Witches’
Ladder in your house,
rather than burying it out of doors.  You can do this
by placing it in an
Earth pot -a pot filled with soil and kept on the
altar or a special place.
Or you could make a special box or bottle for it.  In
any of these instances
you will fill the receptical with soil, then bury the
completed Witches’
ladder in it.

VARIATIONS ON THE WITCHES’ LADDER
        The simple technique used to make the Witches’ Ladder
has many
variations.  These can add to the efficacy of the
spell by deepening your
connection to it.  This deepening is accomplished by
appealing to the Higher
Self through symbolic means or “Keys.”  We discussed
Keys in LESSON I -Keys
are aesthetic or symbolic elements which help you to
make the Shift in
Consciousness and access your Higher Self, thus
facilitating magical work.
Anything which appeals to you creativity or your
sub-conscious, and puts you
in a more “magical” mood can be a Key.

VARIATION I
        Make your Witches’ Ladder using not one but several
cords of
differing color.  For example to do a prosprity spell
you might combine a
green cord, for fertility and abundance, with a yellow
cord, for success.  Or
for psychic development you might select a dark blue
cord, for psychic
ability, a pale blue cord, for communication and
learning, and a violet cord,
for spiritual guidence.

VARIATION 2
        Instead of simply tying a knot, tie something into
the knot.  You
might use beads, or twigs, or feathers -to give just a
few examples.  Then
tie one into each knot as you work the spell.  The use
of feathers is a
particularly ancient version o fthis spell, and
examples have been found
dating back hundreds
of years.

Rev Don Lewis, HP