Real Witches

Let’s get this out of the way right now: there are no white magic spells.

In an effort to confront the many myths and misconceptions about witchcraft, you’ll hear a lot of talk about “white magic spells” or “white witches”. People who are uncomfortable with witchcraft seem to visibly relax when they hear the term “white” associated with anything. If you find that you have to use these terms to smooth over someone’s nervousness, that’s fine, but it’s important that you are well aware of the truth. There’s no fooling yourself here.

A spell is a tool, and like any tool, it can be used in a positive way, or a negative way. A hammer can be used to build a home for a family, or it can be used to bust an ex-boyfriend’s windshield. Like the hammer, how you use the spell is what counts. Someone can call herself a white witch, but if she uses her spell in the wrong way or with the wrong focus and it inadvertently ends up harming someone (and not from their own actions), then wouldn’t that make it anything but a white magic spell?

Let’s say someone you love is a heavy smoker. You’d really like her to stop. You could do a “white magic spell” to make her stop smoking. It wouldn’t harm her, right? Actually, it would be a white magic spell because if she stopped smoking she’d be more healthy, right? The spell has a good intention!

Wrong. A spell to make someone stop doing something is actively interfering with their will. That takes it from the realm of “white” and into the area of “grey” or even “black”. Even if you were to focus your spell on something as simple as making the smoker get an uncomfortable feeling whenever they’re about to light up a cigarette, that is interfering with their will. A better solution would be to realize what’s making your loved one smoke, and try to address that underlying problem in a positive way. Is it stress? Anxiety? Loneliness? Addiction? Try a spell to bring peace and happiness to your loved one, and visualize that person happy and smoke-free. Perhaps a spell during the waning moon to remove your loved one’s addictions. Better yet, involve your loved one in the spellcasting; have them there helping you.

Also, an unfocused spell can be just as dangerous as a curse, whether the witch calls it a “white magic spell” or not. Magic makes use of energy, and energy takes the easiest path, or the path of least resistance – just like electricity. If you are unfocused when asking for money or wealth, the easiest way for that money to come to you might be for a dear relative to die and you gain the inheritance. This is certainly something you don’t want, and would definitely not land in the realm of “white magic spells”, no matter what your unfocused intent was. This is why it’s important for you to learn to visualize the outcome you want, and to carefully consider any spellcasting you intend to do from all of the possible angles.

Remember that witchcraft is working with energy, and energy is neutral. It’s not black or white, it’s not good or bad. It’s a tool, and how you use the tool is important.

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Spells and potions work is best done during certain phases of the moon, according to what type of spell you’re doing. During the waxing moon (the time leading up to a Full moon, when the moon is getting fatter) you’ll want to do “attracting to you” spells, such as love spells, money spells, and healing spells – things that you would want to attract to you. You’ll also want to do your cleansing spells during this time. During the waning moon (the time leading up to a New moon, when the moon is getting slimmer) you’ll want to do spells of a more “repulsing from you” nature; defensive spells, warding, releasing stress, chasing away illness (which is much like healing, but with a different focus).

Of course the strongest time to do either of these types of spells and potions is during either New moon itself (attracting, as the New moon begins the waxing phase) or the Full moon itself (repulsing, as the Full moon begins the waning phase).

An easy way to think of it is this: as the moon is coming in (waxing), it brings things with it. As the moon is leaving (waning), it takes things away.

Here’s a list of all of the moon phases for 2010 (this is a good thing to copy down or print out and post in a prominent place!):

Of course, any spell can be done at any time of the month, as long as you have the right focus.
For example, to bring more money into your life, during a waxing moon you’d want to attract money.
During a waning moon you’d want to banish poverty.
See? Same end result, just a different focus.

Paying attention to the moon phases is also helpful in daily life, not just when working white magic spells and potions. During a waning moon, for example, you’ll find that it’s much easier to declutter your garage, stop smoking, trim your rosebushes. These are all things that fit in perfectly with the “taking away” aspect of the waning moon. Think of things you could do, then, during a waxing moon (“bringing in”). You could bring home a new pet. Move into a new home. Plant your garden (but serious long-time garden witches tell me to only plant above-ground plants during the waxing moon; save the below-ground plants/roots/tubers like carrots and potatoes for the waning moon). Start that new project you’ve been thinking about.

White magic spells are heavily dependent on the moon, and many pagans follow the path of the Goddess as a religion. The Goddess is the moon; her consort, the God, is the sun. Women who pay attention to their bodies will find that physically, the phases of the moon affect them as well. Of course there is our menstrual cycle, which is based entirely on a 28-day lunar cycle. Then there’s the fact that women have more water in their bodies than men – and the moon affects all water on the planet with her pull. We may find ourselves more stressed out or cranky during a full moon. As for myself, I’m a nocturnal creature; I stay up until the dawn and then sleep in a couple of short snatches during the day. Even while working a “normal” job, my sleep cycle refused to cooperate with society’s 9-5 mindset, which of course made working extra hard for me. However, it made working spells and potions just dandy!

So, if you are a woman, tune yourself into the moon. If you’re a witch who is turning to paganism spiritually, the moon is going to become very important to you. And of course, for working spells and potions, you should always know what phase the moon is in and attune your work to it.

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