Emotional Alchemy

See if this scenario sounds familiar. You're under a lot of stress. You feel irritable, angry, or depressed, and you wish with all your heart that you could "snap out of it" but you just seem to be attracting more of the same. Every attempt to jolly yourself out of the blues just seems to frustrate you more ...  nothing changes, your emotional state is like a snowball rolling downhill and everyone is walking on eggshells around you.

If that scenario rings a bell, then you might need some emotional alchemy. Originally, alchemy was the art and science of transforming base metals like lead into the precious metal gold. Today in magic, alchemy is the art of transforming anything from a lower to a higher state. So if your emotions are hanging out in the lower tones and you can't get any relief, try some alchemy.

Surprisingly, emotional alchemy doesn't require candles, sage, wands, or firebowls. It's much simpler than that. All you have to do is reprogram one single part of yourself. One of my good friends has a saying, "What wires together fires together." In terms of magic, this means that your body, mind, and Spirit are wired together in certain ways, and under stress these three parts tend to respond in the same way all the time.

To see how this works just look for a stress indicator. This could be a fidget, a facial expression, the need to eat, fast talking, waving your hands, smoking a cigarette, or drinking a Coke. These are all responses that occur when you're under stress. Let's take one example - drinking a
Coke - and see how mind, body, and Spirit wire together. If you tend to drink Coke when you're under stress, here's the sequence of what might be happening:

• Mind: Has the thought "I can't do this."
• Body: Automatically reaches for a Coke with the right hand and takes a drink.
• Spirit: Checks out and leaves body.
• Result: Feelings of anger, depression, irritability

Mind's thought automatically causes the body to grab the Coke with the right hand and causes Spirit to leave. Every time you are under stress the same sequence "fires together" over and over again - and Spirit, the part of you that guides you through life toward your birth vision, is constantly absent. Since Mind is like a computer, it can't change its program. Only Spirit can do that. You end up with a broken record, with mind repeating "I can't do this" and body drinking lots of Coke. It's becomes a cycle that is almost impossible to snap out of unless you bring Spirit back into the equation.

So how do you rewire this strange sequence so you can transform your emotional responses? Just change one small part of the wiring. In the example above, you might notice when body reaches for the Coke with the right hand. Stop. Switch hands. Reach for the Coke with your left hand. This automatically causes Spirit to stay in body and be present - it forces you, Spirit, to be present. Only Spirit can make those kinds of changes. And when Spirit is present, you are able to handle the stressful situation differently.

In fact, just bringing Spirit into a stressful situation changes things - automatically. This is the alchemy at work. Suddenly, even if just for a moment, you feel lighter, less burdened, and even happy. Now if you pause in that moment and notice the difference, the change will become more permanent. You, all three parts, will develop a memory about this new feeling and a new set of wiring will be created. Now when you find yourself in a stressful situation, you'll have a choice. You can do the same old response of feeling depressed or angry (right hand reaching for the Coke) or you can change the game plan and reach for the Coke with the left hand.

Emotional alchemy doesn't mean you'll choose the happier path every time. It just gives you a choice. So if you want to expand the number of choices you have in your life, look at the situations where you get in trouble and figure out what's wiring and firing together. Then unwire and rewire just one piece of that equation and you'll have a new choice. Imagine what would happen if you did this in every area of your life. Hmmm ...!

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Magic: Practice So You Don't Panic

by Stephanie Yeh

I recently had an experience that showed me why I practice magical techniques any chance I get. One of my horses choked on her food (a chunk of it was stuck in her throat so she could breathe but not swallow). She was panicked, sweating, and running around in small circles. She also had saliva pouring out of her mouth and nose. I suffered a moment of panic myself before all of my magical training kicked in. I took a deep breath and began doing energy handling with the four elements. Specifically I:

1. Pulled red orange and yellow orange fire energy from her entire body to reduce her panic and movement. I dumped all that excess fire energy into a nearby power transformer. She calmed down enough so I could begin to locate the source of the choke.

2. Ran my hand along the bottom of her neck (about an inch away from her neck) until I felt the "hot spot" where the food was stuck in her throat.

3. Began flowing water energy into the area to move the stuck food along. Within about 5 minutes of flowing water energy, she really calmed down and almost went to sleep. I continued this process for another 15 minutes.

Within an hour, my horse was up and grazing calmly as if nothing had happened. I was delighted! It definitely showed how energy could move matter (the stuck food).

Even more important, this experience showed me why I had spent all those hours practicing my magical techniques, such as throwing bolts of fire energy to make a candle flame jump. The repetitive practice allowed me to act without thinking in an emergency situation, and to resolve the potentially life-and-death problem quickly.

That same practice has stood me in good stead when it comes to self-defense. I was once verbally attacked at a picnic by a drunken man on a tirade. He was advancing on me quickly, yelling all sorts of insults. I backed up against a drinking fountain, which makes an excellent electrical ground, and began pulling fire energy, the energy of rage and drunkenness. I didn't have time to think, I just did it.

Luckily angry people radiate fire energy at an immense rate and I was able to pull and ground most of his excess energy. By the time he got within 2 feet of me he had lost steam. He looked confused for a moment, and then wandered off while muttering under his breath. Had I taken the time to think, he might have started in with the physical abuse.

I admit that I used to get very bored and twitchy when it came to the repetitive practice with air, fire, water, and earth energies. The practice seemed so remote from any use that I might eventually have for it that my mind would just wander off to other topics. But events like these really bring it on home for me. Practice, boring though it may be, keeps me from panicking when I need to act quickly. It's a realization I'm supremely grateful for because it keeps the practice of magic real for me. Magic then emerges from the land of strange "out there" stuff and into the practical nitty-gritty of my everyday life. You can get on board with using real magic to help with everyday problems and issues in your life with our Complete Guide of Witchcraft for Beginners.



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Are You Gellin'? How Magic Can Help You Start Gellin'

We always crack up when we see those Dr. Scholl's commercials on TV because those people are so mellow and happy - they seem to have everything that we strive to achieve in magic with the help of a little gel insole! If only it were that simple. We get so many emails everyday from people who tell us that they are definitely NOT gellin' and ask us for magical help. So what can you do if you're not gellin'?

Here's what's really happening when we're not gellin' - we're coming under what's called "The Law of Accident." The Law of Accident specifies that unless we specifically create our experience with intention and intentional acts, we're basically little balls bouncing around the giant pinball machine of life at random. That often means we get into fender-benders or arguments, or suddenly face unexpected events and expenses.

One of our clients, Joanna, asked us for some general help because she seemed to be experiencing a lot of "static" in her life. She couldn't really put her finger on anything specific, things just didn't seem to gel. She seemed to have a number of run-ins with her coworkers, her car insurance took an unexpected climb so she couldn't meet all of her bills one month, the lock on her back door broke, several lunch appointments cancelled on her ... a bunch of little events that went wrong with no specific cause. And no amount of magical fixing on her part seemed to work.

We did several Tarot readings on Joanna and discovered that she was suffering from an accumulation of psychic lines from various sources - we didn't exactly know why and didn't feel the need to dig any deeper since we could easily clear it up. We did a long distance clearing and cut all the messy, sticky psychic lines that were attached to her. These lines didn't have anything to do with the many healthy relationships in Joanna's life - just to events and relationships that weren't working. We also had her do some four element cleansing of herself and her personal space. Finally, we had her program and wear a psychic shield of the seven-pointed faery star to keep herself free from any future psychic lines.

The results? We heard from Joanna several months later and she reported feeling "free and light." No more static and she was back to gellin' in life. She describes the change as a change in the "tone" of her life - life as viewed through a sunny kaleidoscope rather than a cloudy one. Everything just works better.

And that's really how it works. We are bombarded by psychic impressions and lines everywhere we go. When someone has an argument in your house, your walls absorb that discordant psychic energy. If you then bump into that wall, you also absorb that energy. That's why it's so important, especially to shamans and magicians, to keep clear sacred space around you. Whether you clear your space with a pendulum, firebowl, meditation, or other ritual, just do it! It will keep you free and clear to attract the things you really want in your life.

Ready to put magic to work in your life so you too can be gellin'? A great place to start is with our Kindle Witchcraft Spell Books series.

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Got Icky Yucky Stuff in Your Life? Clear Your Life with Magical Fire and the Firebowl

A magical Firebowl is a great tool for using the Fire element and the Air element to clear negative yucky stuff out of your life. The Firebowl can be used to cleanse an area or house with a two element cleansing, cleanse objects and people, or use in meditation to clear out your mind. So no matter where you feel the junky energies are: on you, around you, in your mind..., you can use the magical Firebowl to clear them out.

About the Magical Firebowl
The Firebowl does not need to be keyed like other magical tools do. It keys itself every time you light it. And not all procedures will need a charged Firebowl, but cleansings do. Charging the Firebowl programs it for a specific purpose by stating the intended purpose and programming it into the Firebowl tool. For instructions on making your own Firebowl and charging it click HERE. Or you can find this information and other uses for the Firebowl in our Magical Tool: Firebowl ebook. If you burn yellow and yellow-orange pine, sage, sweet grass, juniper, pinion, or copal in the Firebowl, they will act as natural cleansers when burned even if you don't charge them. These are good incense to burn periodically in your home just to keep junky energies cleared up on a regular basis.

Cleansing Objects With the Magical Firebowl
Besides cleansing an area or your house or apartment, you can use the magical Firebowl to cleanse objects or people. If you thrift shop, garage sale or buy antiques, you may acquire objects that have negative energies attached to them from other people. You also may collect negative energies directed at you in some types of jewelry that you are wearing at the time. You can easily clear these energies with the Firebowl. Just change the charge verse to use the phrase "cleanse these objects". Then hold the object in the smoke from the Firebowl until the smoke clings to the object.

Cleansing People With the Magical Firebowl
You can cleanse yourself or other people using the Firebowl. This is especially useful if someone has a lingering illness or condition that appears to come from mysterious origin or cause, but can be done anytime you feel like you have negative or junky energies weighing you down. Before attending a formal ritual or ceremony is another time to cleanse others and yourself. In cleansing people, use the phrase "Cleanse this person and cleanse his/her space" in the basic charge verse. When cleansing someone else, hold the Firebowl close to the person starting at their feet and let the smoke drift towards them. Some people also use a feather to fan the smoke towards another person or themselves. Begin moving the Firebowl around the other person in a clockwise direction (to the left) making an upward spiral as you circle around them and move up the body. Continue until you go up over the head. As you go past the face, the person can inhale the smoke which cleanses the lining of the throat and lungs which are a continuation of the outer skin.

To use the Firebowl to cleanse yourself:
Place the smoking Firebowl on the floor with enough incense burning to make a lot of smoke. Stand over the Firebowl with one foot on either side of it. Weave slightly back and forth in order for the smoke to go up the front and back of you.

Meditating with the Magical Firebowl
If you find yourself stressed or having a lot of negative thoughts or emotions, you may find meditating with the Firebowl in front of you helpful to clear out those junky thoughts and feelings. You don't need to charge the Firebowl for meditation and the incense you choose to burn will vary according to what you are dealing with. Here are some guidelines:
- Burn air incense for consciousness or mind-oriented meditations
- Burn water incense for emotion, Spirit, or intuition-based meditations
- Burn earth incense for meditations focused on the physical body, daily practicalities or mechanics

Click Here for some guidelines on telling what element an incense is.

That's it, you're all set now to make a Firebowl, choose an incense, charge the Firebowl and start getting all the yucky energies cleared out of your home, your space, yourself and your mind. To learn more about this great magical tool be sure to check out the ebook.

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Magically Tame Your Temper

Even if you have a long fuse and are known for being level-headed, you most likely have fits of temper. It's rare to find a person who doesn't get frustrated or angry enough to lose their temper from time to time, and in fact blowing off a little steam (safely) is actually rather healthy in many respects.

But if you have a hot temper (and that explosive nature gets you in trouble more often than you would like), you can try these three magickal fixes for reducing your rage before it explodes. These three simple methods can be done as a part of your everyday life, and most people won't even realize you're doing magick. People may simply notice that you are more even-tempered with each passing day.

Magick Tip #1 Start Your Day or End Your Day Cool and Collected
Whether you tend to shower or bathe at the beginning or end of your day, water is a great way to reduce your temper. Magickally speaking, the element Water can be an effective method for dumping Fire energy (Fire energy is the fuel behind anger and hot tempers). If you take showers, stand so that the shower water hits you right at the base of your neck and flows down to cover most of your body. Then say the litany below, out loud and in a voice of command. If you take baths, wait until you are done with your bath and use the same litany as the bath water drains from the tub (remaining seated and allowing the water to swirl around you). With either method, envision the colors yellow orange and red orange flowing out of your body and being carried down the drain by the water. Below is the litany to use:

"All the tension and all the pain
All the anger and all the flame
Now flow with water down the drain!"

If the first round of the litany does not seem to rid you all your tension, pain, or anger, feel free to repeat litany as many times as you like. This litany works even better if you stand or sit in cool or cold water as you say the litany.

Magick Tip #2 Avoid Fire Color Clothing
Another simple magickal way to avoid heating up your temper is to dress cool... that is, avoid Fire colors. Magically speaking, the Fire colors to avoid are yellow-orange, red-orange, bright red, deep red, and purple. Sun Yellow (a bright yellow with no orange or red undertones) is the only "safe" Fire color that will not heat up your temper. However, note that some people tend to absorb and downgrade Sun Yellow to red or yellow orange, which can worsen one's temper. Experiment with Sun Yellow clothing and take note of the level of your temper.

Great colors to wear to reduce and cool a bad temper include sky blue, white, light water blue, and grass green. Avoid deep blues as this is the magickal color of deep-seated often negative issues. Stay with light water blue colors to be safe.


Magick Tip #3 Dump the Fire
If you find yourself about to lose your temper, despite using the two magickal tips above, try this simple magickal technique. Find an electrical outlet or light switch or large appliance (such as a refrigerator in the break room at work) and place your dominant hand (the one with which you point) on any of these objects. Then simply flow all the unwanted Fire energy (most likely yellow orange or red orange... think construction colors) into the outlet, switch or large appliance. Do not flow this type of energy into small electronic devices or surge protectors, as this could result in an electrical short.

If you have difficulty envisioning the Fire colors flowing down your arm and into the outlet or switch or appliance, simply think of all the things that make you angry, and push that energy down your arm. You may be surprised to feel the outlet or appliance or switch actually "pulling" the energy through your arm. In fact, Fire energy is easy to push, and is easily pulled into electrical grounds such as outlets and appliances.

When you feel the flow of Fire energy stop, or if you start to get tired or feel cold, stop flowing the energy first. Then remove your hand. Flowing too much Fire energy can result in tiredness, hunger, or chills later. When in doubt, stop flowing and remove your hand from the electrical ground. You can always try again later if you find you still have an excess of Fire energy.

For lots of other great magickal solutions to your everyday problems get our Witchcraft Spellbook series of Kindle books. A fantastic and easy way to bring more magic to your life!

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Life Magic is Simple (and Secret)!

There's definitely magic in the beauty and pageantry of ritual. I love the rhythmic chant and flow of putting up a full-cast circle. But not all life magic has to be so complicated, nor is it practical to do a full-cast circle for everyone or at any time. And most of us don't have the time to commit to performing a formal ritual for every little thing.

That's where life magic comes in. Life magic is magic for life. It is magic that can be done during the flow of life, without anyone actually noticing. There is, indeed, magic in secrecy.

Life magic is the practice of conducting magic while appearing to do everyday activities. You get the effect of the magic without the weird stares from other people!

Life Magic--Some Definitions
Before we dive into how you can create life magic rituals that fit perfectly into your life, we first need to discuss a couple of definitions, or magical principles.

1. All magical acts are intentional acts, and all intentional acts are magical acts.

2. Any magical ritual you create has the significance that you empower it with.

3. Secrecy, or the shielding of your magical ritual from others, has its own magical power.

So now you know the three principles necessary for you to create your own life magic rituals.

Life Magic--Some Examples
As you think about what might make a good life magic ritual for your life, let's work our way through the three principles discussed above.

The first one says that all magical acts are intentional acts, and vice versa. This means that each time you perform your life magic ritual, you need to pause (at least internally) and put the majority of your intention and attention on your ritual. For instance, if your life magic ritual is clasp your hands together, with your right thumb crossed over your left thumb, you need to put your attention on your hands. You may still be walking or talking or do other activities, but your attention and intention need to be focused on your hands. It's kind of like walking and chewing gum.

Next, your magical ritual has the significance you assign it. Suppose you tell yourself and the Universe that when you clasp your hands in this particular way that you are connecting with your guides and angels. This then becomes the magical power of this ritual. You may want to make this significance more clear by writing down the meaning of this gesture, or doing some ritual in which you communicate the significance of this life ritual. You may also want to have a word of power you think or say when you clasp your hands, such as "Connect" or "Guide Me." Choose what works for you.

Finally, secrecy can add an element of magical power to your ritual. It is tempting to get all excited about your life magic ritual and want to tell everyone about it. Don't. Be silent. Be secret. Be magical. If you are able to practice your life magic ritual for at least 40 days in a row without talking about or having it noticed by others, you will feel an extra burst of magical force with your ritual. Try it and see. Chefs like to say that the secret is in the sauce, but magical practitioners like to say that the secret is in the secrecy! For more simple daily rituals you can add to your magical repertoire get our Daily Rituals for Attracting What You Want in Life ebook.


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The Magic of the Long Moment

Time travel, or the manipulation of time, has long been a shaman's tool for healing or research. For instance, a shaman might take a person back into a past life event so that person can understand what happened, or a shaman might travel into the future to explore possible what-ifs. For shamans and magicians time is elastic: it can be stretched like taffy, compressed like cotton or frozen like ice.

One of the simplest ways to begin playing with time magically is to practice the art of the long moment. The art of the long moment is simply the ability to slow our perception of certain events so that we can really see what is happening in present time. It's called the Cortothalamic Pause. Why do we need such a pause? Because we normally rush headlong through life events at the speed of sound, which doesn't give us optimum time to respond appropriately.

Here's the 3 step process that normally happens in any life event:

1. We receive an incoming perception: A person speaks loudly to us

2. The perception is immediately routed by our flow of associations to a certain place in our memory: In this or a past life, we have memories of loud voices and anger.

3. The perception is assigned a meaning: The person is angry with us.

These three steps happen in less than a second. Less than one second after we receive an incoming impression, we have assigned a meaning to the perception and are already beginning to react. We will assume that the person is angry with us regardless of what the person is actually feeling.

In the regular course of things, our time is compressed in this way. There's no time to really evaluate the incoming perception and respond appropriately. Do you ever overreact in the heat of the moment and wonder why? It's because you had no Cortothalamic Pause. You reacted based on memory. In other words, most of us are interacting with life using mechanical reactions from memory - we are hardly ever in the "now."

That's where the long moment comes in. If you can slow yourself at the moment you receive an incoming piece of data then you can stretch time. In this long moment you give yourself the power to evaluate the information you have received and give a true response.

How can you practice the art of the long moment? It's not hard. Twice a day practice the Cortothalamic Pause. When someone asks you a question or asks you to do something, stop everything inside yourself for 2 seconds. Stop all thought and consideration. Get quiet. Then respond to the person. For a long time you won't actually be able to stop your internal thoughts, but you will be able to see all the mechanical reactions and thoughts that immediately spring up. You'll be truly surprised at the massive and often chaotic activity that happens inside yourself. It will give you true insight into the way you interact with life.

To enhance the probability of having a long moment, you can include these flower essences as part of your daily regimen:

• Lavender and Chamomile for calming
• White Chestnut for reducing repetitive thoughts
• Thyme for helping to manipulate Time

For more study on living consciously with magic and escaping your mechanical reactions to life, check out our Witchcraft Spell Book: The Complete Guide of Witchcraft Rituals & Spells for Beginners Kindle book.

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Truth, Justice, and the Magical Way

Jesus called it the Golden Rule and shamans says "As above, so below." More commonly, this ancient truth has been expressed as "What goes around comes around." Heard any of these before?

If you've ever fought against injustice or untruths in your life, here's something for you to chew on: We create the truth and justice in our lives (or lack of them) in the way that we treat others. In other words, what goes around really does come around.

Now if you've ever thought about this little truth, you can probably come up with several examples of how it has worked in your own life. For instance, if you mistreated a friend in a fit of anger chances are that you got mistreated the same way a little later. If you lie, cheat or steal, then expect other people to lie, cheat, and steal from you. If you are kind, sweet and gentle in your actions and in your heart, then others will do the same for you.

But let's get a little deeper here. Let's dig down to the level of our beliefs and see what's really there. Instead of looking at single instances let's look at the overall pattern of how we perceive the world. In general, do we expect an eye for an eye? Do we feel that people owe us something? Do we expect others to be perfect? If we do, then we'd better be ready to give up an eye for an eye, be indebted to others, and live the perfect life.

This isn't a judgment or moral issue at all - it's simply the manifestation of the "As above, so below" law, which can also be stated as "As within, so without." So think about it this way. Living in an "eye for an eye" world can be very tedious. You have to keep track of who owes what to whom. You have to work very hard to make sure you get paid every last penny of what is owed to you. You have to chase people down all the time to make sure they appreciate and thank you. It's a lot of internal bookkeeping. From a magical standpoint, this is living in a very heavy, physical reality that has little opportunity for magic to do its work.

On the other hand, if you relaxed your grip on life a little and allowed more slack to enter your interpretation of other people's actions, then the Universe gives you the same benefits. Here's the perfect example. Say you observe a rebellious child who is flunking out of school. If you judge this child harshly and say, "You'll never amount to anything unless you straighten up and fly right. You are no good," you are judging that child according to a very conventional view of the world - a view in which no magic can happen. It's all about hard work and elbow grease. There's no magic. And no magic in his world equals no magic in your world.

But if you can find something, anything, to appreciate in that child then you're home free. If you can even imagine a story in which he magically blooms into the person he wants to be then you've seen the magic. If you can see a possible transformation for that child that has nothing to do with logic or reasoning, then you see the magic. And then you've opened the door to magic in your own life. How you see him (and anyone else) is how the Universe sees you. It always comes back around.

When you hold people to a very strict moral or behavioral code then you have to follow that same code. When you appreciate something in everyone you meet and when you can see the magic in their lives, then you have magic in your life too. Allowing the rebellious child his rebellion and not forcing him (in your mind) to "straighten up and fly right" means that you don't have to pay so much for your own "mistakes" as you experiment with spiritual growth. In fact, it gives you the freedom to experiment with less pain and more magical joy.

When you can, take a light touch in dealing with the world and the Universe will always return the favor!

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Neutralize That Negativity!

If you've got something that's really been bothering you and you can't quite seem to let go of it, just relax! You can use this simple neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) technique to neutralize your negativity. It's so simple that you can do it during a fifteen minute break at work! Here's what you do:

STEP 1
Focus on the negative event that's really bothering you. Keep your attention on this event until you can feel the feelings, think the thoughts, and almost taste everything associated with this event. Now touch the tips of your thumb and index finger on your left hand together for a few moments. Then move your fingers apart.

STEP 2
Now focus your attention on a truly happy event from any time in your life. Again hold your focus until the event becomes very clear in your mind and then touch the tips of your right index finger and thumb together. Hold the contact for a few moments, and then move your fingers apart.

STEP 3
Finally, think about the negative event again. Focus on it until you can hold it clearly in your attention. Now touch the thumb and index finger of your left hand together at the same time as you touch the thumb and index finger of your right hand together. Check in with how you feel. The sensation of negativity is instantly neutralized. Now that's magic!

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Basic Magic: Tribal Traditions for a Modern World

From before the written history of this incarnation of Planet Earth, magick has been taught as a tribal tradition, a dialog of learning. Only in this way is true magick passed from one planetary citizen to another--as a thing alive with power, force, and access to all that is within the Universe and its Laws.

To be sure magick can be learned from books and online courses. Many do so every day through our books, ebooks, and online courses. But true advancement in magick comes from verbal dialog, feedback from others on the same path, and the experience of magick as a tradition full of life, change, and the miraculous.

Magick, Miracles, and the Modern World
For magick to be a thing alive as a powerful force in the world, it must be adaptable to every change in modern society. In a world where the "thumb tribe" texts incessantly, where there is never enough time to slow down and "be"... how and where can magick and the miraculous exist?

Magick has always been a force that exists in the "in between"--in the small cracks and spaces in our lives, flowing silently into our lives when we least expect it, in the small lucid period between wakefulness and sleep.

And so magick and the miraculous easily slip into the "in betweens" in the modern world. Despite all the smart phones and game boxes and inability to "unplug" in today's society, magick always finds a way. Magick still exists as a tribal tradition filled with learning of how to use and play with the miraculous. Magick is still a lively tradition of discussion and experimentation and social dialog. Magick is still an oral tradition, but adapted to the modern world.

In today's world, magick must meet the needs of the digital tribe. Still taught as a tribal tradition, the modern version of this tradition combines high tech with high touch. Magick in the modern world still brings the miraculous down to Earth, and raises our levels of being to higher planes.

Magick as a Living Tradition
Taught as a tribal tradition, magick cannot be fully experienced for the ardent student by books and self-study alone. Thus we have created a modern tribal tradition where magick is a living thing, and the knowledge is transmitted through a mix of online self-study and regular lively dialog and feedback, in the best tribal tradition of oral teaching.

Join the Tribe
How can you learn magick as a living tradition, adapted to modern life? Simple. Join the modern tribe of magick and experience the miraculous for yourself. The modern tribe of practicing magicians is spread across the globe, connected by invisible yet powerful computerized and networked lines. The magickal knowledge lives in the cloud, accessed anytime and anywhere by members of the tribe. The tribe gathers weekly via teleconference to discuss, bounce ideas, exchange experiences, and learn through the oral tradition of teaching.

The Mechanics of the Tribe
To be a member of the tribe is simple. Anyone is welcome into the tribe who agrees to abide by the Rules of the Road, as inspired by our teacher, Reverend George Dew. To become a member of the tribe is simple:

• Access full multimedia course materials from the 30 week Basic Magic course online
• Study and learn at your own pace
• Bring your experiences, questions, ideas, and thirst for magickal knowledge to a weekly teleconference, Skype session, and online chat. It does not matter where you are in the course. Join the teleconferences and/or chats from day one or anytime you wish. Some students will be further along in the course material, while you may be ahead of others in your learning. It does not matter. Sharing amongst the members of the tribe, as guided by oral teachings, enriches everyone.
• Exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn via the oral tribal tradition from G. Alan Joel, co-founder of the Esoteric School. Alan will guide you through the course material, wherever you are, at whatever step you need help.
• Access teleconference sessions from the past via recorded audio files posted in the Tribe's cloud storage system
• Pay US$69 per month to access materials and participate in the chats and teleconference weekly. A minimum commitment of three months is required up front. After that, you may come and go from the Tribe as your life allows, stopping and starting your membership as needed, and simply paying US$69 each month that you are active in the Tribe.

Extra or Customized Help

• If you need specific help with a specific problem, such as writing and designing a spell beyond the scope of the materials offered online, special services are available for spellwork, Tarot readings, divinations, and other customized help.
• Most one-on-one work of this kind is offered at the rate of US$90 per hour, but is flexible depending on need, scope of work, etc.

Special Offer
Be among the first 11 members to join the Tribe and receive three months of access to all online materials, teleconferences, and chats for the price of two months (US$138).  You will also receive a free paperback copy of G. Alan Joel's book Witchcraft Spell Book: The Complete Guide of Witchcraft Rituals & Spells for Beginners.

Join the Tribe by Clicking Here to fill out the registration form and then by going HERE to make registration payment.


Be sure to provide your mailing address to receive your paperback book, provide a valid email address, and use the coupon code chfree at checkout to get your first 3 months for the price of 2 months (discount will show up after applying coupon at checkout). After the first 11 members signup the code will no longer work, so signup now. You will then receive an email within 48 hours with instructions on how to access the online portion, teleconference, and chats for the course. Join us by continuing the tribal tradition of magical practice and discover all the wonders real magic can bring to your life.

Magically Reaching for Inspiration

Do you ever wonder why inspiration sometimes just comes to you but other times you can't find it on a bet? And do you ever notice how when you are inspired everything is easier? Work is easier, play is more fun, and magic is more accessible. The question then becomes, "How can we be more inspired more of the time?" Are there magical means for reaching the muses of inspiration?

To ferret out the answers to these questions we first have to know something about inspiration. What is it? We can sometimes identify the situations in which inspiration strikes us -- like during a red-hot brainstorming session or the runner's high after a good long jog or even while singing in the shower. Inspiration and solutions to life problems simply come to us in these situations.

What these situations share in common is the level of our energetic vibration. At times like these our energy is buzzing at a very high and very refined level. The vibration of inspiration is also a high frequency, so when we get that "runner's high" we are a match for the energy of inspiration. In other words, the key to getting inspired is to get happy or energetically high.

Dianetics founder L. Ron Hubbard cataloged our various emotions into what he called the Tone Scale. From this scale you can see how different emotional states are ranked in terms of energetic vibration, from Apathy to Enthusiasm, with Enthusiasm being at the top end of the scale. Here is a partial list that you can use as a reference:

4.0 ENTHUSIASM (Cheerfulness) A lighthearted soul with a free mind. Flexible. A winner.
3.5 INTEREST (Amusement) Actively interested in subjects related to survival. Doing well.
3.0 CONSERVATISM (Contentment) The conformist. Don't rock the boat. Resists change. Not too many problems.
2.5 BOREDOM The spectator. All the world is a stage and he's the audience. Neither contented nor discontented. He endures things. Purposeless. Careless. Not threatening. Not helpful.
1.8 PAIN Touchy, irritable, scattered. Striking at source of pain.
1.5 ANGER Chronic distemper. Blames. Holds grudges. Threatens. Demands obedience.
0.5 GRIEF The whiner. Collects grievances and old mementos. Dwells in the past. Feels betrayed. Everything painful.
0.05 APATHY Given up. Turned off. Suicidal. Addict, alcohol, gambler. Fatalistic. May pretend he's found "peace."

You can see how tones like Pain and Anger would be far from the high pure energy of inspiration while tones like Enthusiasm and Interest would be a match. Now that we know something about the energetic vibration of inspiration, the aim becomes getting ourselves into the tones of Interest or Enthusiasm.

Too hard, you say? Rest easy. Here are simple ways for raising the level of your vibration:

– EAT IT: For those on the run, sometimes ingesting high vibration foods is the best way to get your energy to that high fast rate because you are what you eat. Organic foods or foods prepared with loving care have higher vibrations than ordinary food. AFA bluegreen algae is one of purest foods with very high vibrations. Learn more or order online here:
http://www.prosperity-abounds.com/order.html

– COLOR IT: Wearing Sky Blue or Water Blue can help you more easily access the energy of inspiration. These colors nourish the Spirit and the emotions and can support a high emotional state throughout the day.

– LISTEN TO IT: Listening to inspiring music or a great speaker can help. We recommend the monthly CD program from Abraham-Hicks. Get a free sample by going to their website (http://www.abraham-hicks.com).

– BREATHE IT IN: Our experience shows that breathing deeply and consciously can help you feel good. That's one of the reasons that esoteric teachings have long recommended breathing exercises.

Enjoy these simple methods for helping yourself feel good. Remember, with magic it's never too late to have a happy childhood no matter what age you are!


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Magick to The Rescue Part 2: When Life Isn't Fair

See Part 1 of Magick to the Rescue HERE.
 

Have you ever had an experience that made you stomp your foot and say, "Life's not fair!"? Most people have, and the fact of the matter is that often life isn't fair.

So what can you do when life has dealt you an unfair event, and it appears that you have painted yourself into a corner with no way out? How about when you find yourself in a situation where there seem to be no options, no recourse?

Look to magick, of course! One of the best things about magick is that there are very few situations that magick cannot fix. There are some situations, of course, where magick is not recommended because of karmic debt, life lessons, and certain other specific situations. For the most part, though, magick can create wonderful and surprising outcomes out of situations that are downright unfair. When you find yourself stuck in an unfair situation, consider the ritual outlined below as a possible option. You may have to do a little creative adjustment to the steps since this writeup is short, so it is not possible to cover every unfair situation in life.

Step #1: Divine the Players and Factors
While you may already know who is involved in putting you into this unfair situation, doing a divination to discover all the possible players and factors contributing to your situation is always a good idea. When you know all the players and factors involved in your situation, you will more easily be able to handle the situation thoroughly in the following steps.

A question circle is one of the best ways to gather as much information about your situation as possible. Question circles empower you to ask for help and information from the four directions, as well as Sky and Earth. There are many forms of question circles, but in this case all you need to use is a simple circle. Gather a notebook, pen, and bright yellow sun candle plus wooden or paper matches. You will also need a fairly open area for the circle, a space at least seven feet across. Finally, you will need to know the four cardinal directions of East, South, West, and North. If you are unsure, take a compass outside to figure out which direction is which. Do not attempt to use the compass inside as there is too much electromagnetic energy that interferes with a compass reading.

Now you are ready to start your question circle. Enter your circle from the East and sit in the center of your circle, sitting in the South facing North with your Sun Candle in front of you. Light your candle with wooden or paper matches, and wait until the flame is tall and strong. Then cup your hands around the flame and say in a voice of command:

"Child of Wonder
Child of Flame
Nourish My Spirit
And Protect My Aim!"

Now focus on the candle flame and become very curious about and interested in discovering all the players and factors involved in your situation, along with possible solutions or loopholes. Sit in meditation about this for two to three minutes. Then leave the Sun Candle in the middle of the circle (perhaps surrounded by glass or on a plate for safety), and walk clockwise around the circle until you reach the East.

Seat yourself comfortably in the East, facing East (the outside of the circle), and take a moment to breathe slowly and relax. Focus on the problem at hand. Then, with your pen and pad ready. say in the voice of command, "Winds of the East, Bearers of Knowledge, I request your help with [briefly describe your situation here]. Please tell me all the factors, players, and other issues related to my situation in a way that I can clearly understand. I thank you in advance for your help." Then be prepared to write like crazy. The Winds tend to deliver information in bulk and with speed. Sometimes you may have to simply jot down keywords and fill in the blanks later. Once the flow of information has stopped, you may do two things. If there are items on your list that are unclear, you may ask the winds to clarify by saying, "Winds of the East, Bearers of Knowledge, I thank you for this information. I ask if you could clarify [name the item here]." Then write more until the flow of information stops. You may ask for clarification up the three times. When you are done, say, "Winds of the East, Bearers of Knowledge, I give great thanks for the information you have given me today." Wait a few moments and see if you feel the Winds acknowledging you. Some people do, some people don't. Either way, waiting for a response is polite. Take the time now to fill in your notes before moving clockwise to sit in the South.

Repeat the same procedure for the remaining three directions, using the following forms of address:
"Winds of the South, Bearers of Power..."
"Winds of the West, Bearers of Feeling... "
"Winds of the North, Bearers of the Strength... "

Once you have completed those three directions, walk clockwise around the circle and seat yourself in the center, facing East. Now put your attention first up toward the Sky and perform the same sequence of steps as you did with each direction. Then put your attention down into the Earth, again following the same steps. Use the following forms of address:
"Sky Beings Above, ..."
"Earth Beings Below... "

Finally, sit in the center of your circle and sort through your notes. Jot down and highlight the most pertinent points. Then move on to Step #2.

Step#2: The Effect of Others and Your Own Effects
From the copious amounts of information, you should be able to identify which people are affecting your situation, as well as which of your actions are negatively affecting you situation. Your job is now to write a list of all the people and factors (aside from yourself) that are causing your unfair life situation. Make a second list of all of your own actions and habits and behaviors that are affecting the situation.

You will deal with the people and factors on the first list in the next step. In this step, think about how you can change the way you behave and think about the unfair life situation. Is there any way to think about the situation differently? Could you reframe the situation to say that it is certainly not fair but it is equal? After all, not all of us are dealt the same hand of cards. If you simply carry a lot of negative energy with you, consider carrying a hematite or Apache Tear obsidian stone with you. Every time you feel negative, hold the stone in your dominant hand and flow all of that energy down your arm and into the stone. The stone will send the energy to the half world, never to return again. If you decide to change one small aspect of your behavior, perhaps create a keepsake to remind you of your commitment. For instance, if you decide not to engage with a particularly obnoxious co-worker, carry a small angel charm or wear a ring to signify your commitment to change this one small thing. Hold the charm or ring in your dominant hand and flow your conviction to keep this commitment into the object. Once done, carry this item around with you always. When you feel the need to tangle with this particular co-worker, hold your talisman and remember your promise to yourself. You will find your commitment easier to keep.

Now that we have addressed your effects on your situation, move on to the next step to learn how to deal with the other people and factors that make your situation so unfair.

Step #3: Magickally Handling Outside People and Factors
To deal with outside people and factors affecting you situation, return to your question circle. Light and charge the Sun Candle as you did before, using the same charge verse "Child of Wonder..." Now look at your list. Take the first person or factor on your list. See the person standing just outside your circle, trying to get in. Point your finger at that person and say in a voice of command:

"I am neither your creature nor your get
To be ruled by your whim or your let
I go my own way by night or by day
To serve my own purposes yet!"

As you say the verses, see the person melt away or fade away or run away. Then move on to the next factor or person. When dealing with factors, use the best image that represents that factor. For instance, if you are dealing with a law, then see a law book or a scroll on which the law is written. Use your imagination. This is your protection circle so use the imagery that is most meaningful to you.

At the End of the Day
Most of the time doing this ritual once takes care of most situations. However, if your situation is complicated or changes constantly, then you may want to repeat this ritual as much as possible. The good news is that the more magic you use in your life, the more force you will gain in your level of being. The more force you have in your level of being, the less unfair situations will be foisted up you! It's magick to the rescue every time you find yourself stuck in a seemingly hopeless situation! You can get more magic rituals to work on issues in your daily life in our ebook Daily Rituals for Attracting What You Want in Life or in our Kindle book Witchcraft Spell Book: The Complete Guide of Witchcraft Rituals & Spells for Beginners.

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Have No Fear of Fear

"Fear is the emotion that comes forth when you are choosing a thought that is not up to speed with the desire that you hold. You're going to feel it and you're going to feel it stronger. It is the reason that the word "terror" or "terrorist", or "terrorizing" is such an appropriate word. It is not only in the action that you witness, or that you hear about, it is in the speculation that begins to run rampant. The power of the terrorists is much greater in things that never come to be than it ever is in the things that do come to be."

---Abraham

Fear comes in all shapes and sizes, just as people come in all shapes and sizes. We all have fear, although many of us are unwilling to face our fears, or even admit that we have fears. Most people consider fear to be a sign of weakness, a vulnerability to be covered up as much as possible. But you have probably noticed that fear is one of those emotions that you can run from... yet you can never truly hide from fear.

Fear shows up in those pre-dawn hours as nightmares. Fear shows up in specific phobias. Fear is the driving force whenever we avoid anything in our lives, whether we avoid social situations or the entanglements of certain types of relationships.

The good news is that fear is a useful sort of beacon in our lives. Fear shows us where we are "stuck" in our lives and gives us a chance to face the factors that keep us from moving forward to the next phase of our lives.

Magickally, fear can be faced, addressed, and released in many different ways. One of the best and most satisfying methods is to use the "Big Burn" ritual. The Big Burn ritual is great for literally "burning away" anything unwanted, including negativity, fear, and other factors in life that are no longer useful. Here's what you will need to do this ritual, along with how to conduct the ritual.

The Firebowl
A Firebowl is just what it sounds like--a large bowl made of a sturdy material. Brass, cast iron, and ceramic are best. Hardwood, like iron wood, also works. Although Firebowls can vary in size, the most convenient size seems to be 4-6 inches wide and 4-6 inches deep. This size can easily be carried from place to place as you do this ritual. One important consideration is to choose a Firebowl that has a slight curve inward at the top, and then a slight outward flare above that. This shape allows the smoke from the Firebowl to rise upwards in a nice column. In addition to your Firebowl, you will also need:

• Self-starting charcoal discs (can be found in many religious or New Age stores)
• Wood chips to insulate the charcoal from resin or incense and facilitate burning
• Pine resin
• Unscented kitty litter or gravel or fire clay
• Finely ground or rubbed sage
• Sun Candle (any candle of bright yellow will do)
• Pen and plenty of blank paper
• Optional: set of prongs to hold the charcoal discs during lighting (prongs used in ice buckets are ideal)

 Preparing for the Ritual
Once you have gathered all of your materials, find a quiet place in your house to do this ritual. You will need to sit in the South facing North with all of your materials in front of you. If you don't know which direction is South, you may need to use a compass to locate that direction. Use your compass outside for best results and least interference from electrical and other power-related sources inside your house.

Once you are comfortably seated in the South facing North, sit down and write a list of all the fears you are ready to release from your life. You can write a comprehensive list and do this ritual once, or you can write a shorter list first to see what happens. You can always repeat this ritual at any time, so don't worry if you leave anything off the list. In addition, we often recommend that people do this ritual multiple times even with a complete list. Fears take many years to settle into our lives, so it may take some repetition to truly remove those fears from their entrenched places.

Once your list is complete, your next step is to prepare your firebowl by putting the kitty litter (or gravel or fire clay) at the bottom of the firebowl. Add at least two inches to prevent the Firebowl from getting too hot at the bottom.

Next, use paper or wooden matches to light and charge your Sun Candle with the following verse:

"Child of Wonder,
Child of Flame,
Nourish My Spirit,
And Protect My Aim!"

Charging the Sun Candle is the equivalent of telling the Sun Candle what you want it to do for you.

The Big Burn Ritual
The following directions will take you through the rest of the Big Burn ritual.
1. Wait for the Sun Candle flame to settle into a nice tall "working flame". A "working flame" is tall, steady, and strong.

2. Use a wooden or paper match to light the charcoal, using the flame of the charged Sun Candle. Alternately, you can also hold the charcoal in a set of prongs and light the charcoal directly from the Sun Candle flame. The charcoal should begin sparking and growing warm immediately.

3. Once you are sure the charcoal is lit, place it in the center of the Firebowl. Blow Sun Yellow energy pulled from the Sun Candle onto the disc until the charcoal is burning strongly. Don't think about "how" to pull energy from the Sun Candle and blow it at the disc. Your body and higher self already know how to do this. Simply feel the energy radiating from the Sun Candle, allow it enter your body, and then feel the same energy going out with each breath as you breathe Sun Yellow onto the charcoal.

4. Once the charcoal is burning well (you will see areas of orange and yellow), add wood shavings to the charcoal. Once the wood shavings have started to burn, add the pine resin and the rubbed or powdered sage until the Firebowl is producing a strong column of smoke.

5. Use the verse below to charge the Firebowl (to program the Firebowl for a specific purpose). Blow Sun Yellow energy from the Sun Candle into the Firebowl before and after each verse:

"Fire and Air where you are cast,
Let no spell nor adverse purpose last,
Not in accord with me!
Clear from my life these unwanted matters,
Send far from my life these negative factors!
Thus my will, so it be!"

Now you are ready for the Big Burn part of the ritual. Place your Firebowl in front of you (be sure your Firebowl is large enough to accommodate the burning of the paper on which you have written your list – if not, move the entire operation to the sink or some other place that is safe for burning).

6. Hold the list of fears you want to release in both hands. Take a moment to focus on the list, and focus on the fact that you are ready to release these fears. To assist you in this process, feel free to call upon angels, spirit guides, or any other spiritual helpers who might assist you in releasing your fears. Once you feel your intent is clear, and you have asked for any assistance you feel may be helpful, you are ready to move to the next step.

7. Light your list from the flame of the Sun Candle. If you have more than one sheet, start with the first sheet and burn only one sheet at a time. Once the sheet has caught flame, put the burning list in the Firebowl and watch it burn. Say a mantra if it feels right to you, or just visualize your fears going up in smoke. Repeat the process for each page of your list of fears.

If the fears on your list have been in your life for a long time, or if you simply feel right in doing so, repeat this ritual for 40 days in a row. You can write a new daily list of fears or you can burn the same list for 40 days in a row. The act of repeatedly releasing fears through this process for 40 days is based on the fact that 40 is a spiritual number, and we have witnessed the power of repeating a ritual for 40 days in a row.

The next time you find yourself "stuck" in life, held in place by fears, simply do a Big Burn and magickally clear those fears out of your life. You may want to keep a journal to track the appearance of disappearance of those fears from your life. Many people find the Big Burn to be a very satisfying magickal way of releasing anything that is no longer needed in their lives. The Big Burn is a great magickal ritual to use any time you are ready to move into the next phase of your life and need to release the old.

For more great rituals using magickal tools check out our Kindle book - Learn How to Do Witchcraft Rituals and Spells with Magical Tools.

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 Image courtesy of   pigdevilphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My Magic Spell Didn't Work -- Now What?

You did all the right things. You did divination before you launched your magic spell to see if it would produce the right results. You gathered the right symbols for the spell. You cleansed your space prior to the launch. Then you launched it ... and nothing's happening.

Now what?

Good question. There are quite a few reasons that magic spells don't work for people, and I've listed the three biggest reasons I see below. Check them out and see if they are true for your spell. If so, you might want to take down the existing one and start over.

1. You Are Trying to Accomplish Too Many Things
A lot of people believe that if they must go to the trouble to design, write, test, and launch a spell, they might as well put all their life's desire into the spell. Spellwork does take a lot of time and energy, so people don't want to waste it. Consequently, they pack it with everything they have ever wanted, from a dream trip to Europe to winning the lottery.

While I can certainly understand the motivation of not wanting to waste effort, I know that this is also the reason that a lot of spells don't work. A spell isn't like a menu, where you can pack in a bunch of different choices. The principle of a spell is more like the main principle followed by military snipers: "One shot. One kill." For a spell, the principle is "One spell. One aim."

If your spell didn't produce the intended results, look it over, especially your list of Directors and Limiters, and see if you packed your spell with too many demands. That might be the reason it isn't performing.

2. You Used Someone Else's Spell
There are a lot of books out there on spell work, and a lot of good spells that you can use to achieve some aim. If you just want to achieve something small, like a better mindset for studying or attracting a small chunk of money owed to you, using someone else's pre-written spell often works very well.

Where I see this approach fail is when people use a pre-written spell to try to create a major change in their lives. For instance, to transform yourself from a poor country mouse to an instant millionaire isn't going to happen if you use someone else's pre-written spell. It also probably won't work if you have someone else launch their pre-written spell for you. If you want to create this kind of change, plan on writing and designing your own spell.

3. You Haven't Waited Long Enough
This one is a biggie. We teach people to specify date ranges in their spells. This gives your spells some freedom in which to work. For instance, you might specify in your Directors and Limiters that you want to your magic spell to produce results between 3 and 6 months from the date of launch. This allows your spell to find that time of least resistance in which to create the desired change.

Having said that, I've seen big spells that don't work in the specified time period, but do eventually work. I launched a big one once to stop a bill from passing in Congress. The bill passed (which meant my spell didn't have the desired effect at that time) but was later over-ridden by another bill. Another example is a big spell my wife wrote to get a farm. She specified that the spell should produce a certain type of farm plus the needed income to buy the farm within one year. We didn't get the farm in one year. Instead, we ended up with a better farm three years later, with more income than was needed to buy the farm.

If you've launched a big spell, by which I mean a multiple-candle or Tarot-style spell, sometimes the results do not happen in the time period you specify, especially if the spell has to overcome a lot of resistance. Be patient. If you want to check whether you magic spell is still working, once your specified date range has passed, do Tarot readings to find out.

The Art and Craft of Spellwork
Spellwork is one of the high arts of magic, and it takes time, practice, and dedication to master, especially if you want to create change on a large scale. It does work. I've seen spells work over and over with good consistency.

Spellwork is also one of my favorite magical arts to teach because the people who are interested in this art are generally talented, interesting, and fabulous to work with. If this sounds like you, and if you are interested in learning the craft of spellwork, you may want to consider the online Basic Magic course. It will give you the deep knowledge to become a competent spell-caster in your own right.

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Why You Should Never Trust Magic Without an Explanation

Some of the top rated books in the magic, wicca, and similar categories are those that have the reader dive straight into rituals with no explanations, no explanation of the universal rules of magical practice, and no word on precautions. Thumbs down to that because it is one of the best ways to get into trouble. You could break a magical universal rule and have a magical side effect without ever knowing why or how to take it down. We always offer Rules of the Road and explain what the topic is, how to maximize the knowledge, and how to prevent trouble in our ebooks, courses, and Kindle books. If you read any book that doesn't offer you that, beware for your own sake!

Magical Trouble
Here are some examples of the type of trouble we have known people to get into by either not having the right foundation to perform the magical operation they undertook or by not having a good understanding of how the Universe works and its laws. In some cases the operation just didn't seem to bring any results and in other cases results were achieved, but not in a way that was acceptable.

A Financial Disaster
One of our students used a free online money spell and the results were both great and tragic. She got the money she wanted. The only problem was that the money came from her husband's life insurance policy, and he died three weeks after she cast the spell. Powerful spells without limitations (specifying, for instance, that no one die as a result of this spell) can often lead to disaster.

Let It Rain
A man trying to help his community that was suffering from drought set up a spell for it to rain. Unfortunately no rain came to his area. Upon examining his spell we found that there was nothing built into the matrix to specify where and when the rain should happen. It probably did rain somewhere as a result of his spell or it may rain in his area in the future as a result, but without these specifics included in the spell we'll never know and his community did not get the relief he hoped for.

Love Spells
We often hear from people asking about casting a love spell to make a particular man or woman fall in love with them. This is something we never recommend anyone do. This type of love spell has a good chance of backfiring. Love spells of this nature break one of the fundamental rules of magical practice, rule #2 in Rules of the Road, which says:

Don't bind another being unless you are willing to be likewise bound. This applies to many love spells and some kinds of healing rituals.

The good news is that you can cast a love spell that will work to bring you the partner you seek. You just can't name a specific person. If you set the spell up with a list of characteristics you want in a partner, then the Universe will deliver that relationship. It may or may not be the person that you had in mind. It might be someone even better and more perfect for you.

As you can see there can be catastrophic consequences, inconveniences, and loading of karmic debt to yourself by not taking the proper safety precautions in magic. Magic can help you achieve wondrous things in your life, just be sure you understand the operation you are performing and have the basic knowledge you need to perform it safely.


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 Image courtesy of   Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Want a Tarot Reading But Don't Want to Learn the Tarot?

You can certainly learn tarot and do your own tarot spreads anytime you want. We have an online course that walks you through how to learn Tarot and there are a lot of advantages to being able to do your own readings whenever you want. But if you don't want to take the time and effort to learn Tarot yourself, but have a particular issue a reading could help with, we have a trained Tarot reader available to help you with that. With this option you can get one or more readings done on the topic of your choice and just pay per reading. Readings also include any progression or regression readings needed to get to the root of the issue and you can also follow-up with questions by email if you come up needing more clarification on any point later.

What Tarot Can Do For You
Doing Tarot readings gives you a look at possible futures for any situation you can find yourself in. Relationships, where to live, career choices, health issues, travel plans, just about anything you can think of can be guided by a tarot spread. Since the future is not pre-destined, the Tarot shows you various flow lines going from past to present to future possibilities of what can happen if you continue on the same path. To change those future possibilities all you have to do is make a small change in the present to what you are currently doing and you can change the outcome. You can see how useful a magical tool this is in avoiding pitfalls and catastrophe in a variety of situations. The Tarot can point out influences affecting your situation, energies and probability lines that are active in your life and help you make important decisions from seeing the future probable outcomes. With all this you can direct your own fate and leave nothing to chance. 

So the next time you need help determining which path to take, finding out what the future may hold for you, or in making a big decision think Tarot. Learn it yourself or hire one of our Tarot reader experts to help you out. Since cost for individual readings are based on the number of readings needed for a specific situation, email info@shamanschool.com for an estimate. Either way, the Tarot is a tool that can use real magic in a real way in your life. 

Image courtesy of  Stuart Miles  / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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How Do You Study Magic? Here's How

We get this question all the time from people all over the world. They are ready to dip their toes into the magical pool but are not sure how to get started. Check out this online tutorial to get an idea; here's what's covered.

This tutorial starts you out with an explanation of what real magic is and the universal laws that specifically govern magical practice. It then moves on to the topics you need to learn to begin a magical practice starting with mastering the four elements of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. It then goes through how to use those elements with handwork, magical tools, and in magical operations such as divination, spellwork, and self-defense and then how to add the Tarot to your magical practice.

Since the four elements are the foundation of a magical practice, our students spend a lot of time experimenting with each of the elements with each of the colors and characteristics; increasing each of those and decreasing each of those. That allows you to feel for yourself what each element in all its variations is like and become personally involved with them. This will pay off as you progress in your magical skills and practice. For example, let's look at all that is involved with just the Air element in terms of colors and characteristics our Basic Magic students experience and experiment with.

Air Colors
Clear: breathing, physical reactions, physical sensations, seeing
White: mental processes, thinking, planning, communicating
Sky Blue: spiritual enlightenment, wisdom, understanding

Air Characteristics
Transparency or clarity – can see through it
Carrier – carries fire energy and light objects
Reflectivity – can be mirror like or silvery under some conditions
Compressible and Expandable – able to occupy less space or more space
Easy Flow – flows readily
Reactive – reacts quickly to energy input
Shape Malleable – changes shape easily
Mutable – can be changed into other elements under some conditions
Insulator – can insulate or separate from conditions
Inherently Stable – doesn't move unless acted on by an outside force
Direct Mediator for Fire – mediates fire so it can be applied to water and earth
Lightweight – very light, almost weightless
Masculine – outgoing or forceful

Did you have any idea this one element has so many characteristics? By gaining an in-depth understanding of how these work, you have a wide selection of characteristics to add in when using the Air element for unlimited operations. If you aren't sure how to get started on your magical learning, begin with the tutorial and get an overview of what your magical path can look like. From there you'll be able to find your interests and how involved you want your magical learning experience to be. Then we have a full selection of online courses, ebooks, and Kindle books as well as our free blog and articles library to choose from and really get going on your magical journey.

Image courtesy of   sirikul  / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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3 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Tarot

If you are familiar at all with Tarot, then you probably know it offers you a form of divination to foresee future obstacles if you continue on your present path in a situation. By making a change however in your present, you can change the future outcome. It gives you a direct method of obtaining information not available to the physical five senses. But here are three things you may be surprised to find out about the Tarot. 

1. A properly keyed tarot deck is an actual model and reflection of the Universe. Taking the time to key each of the cards attunes it to your own personal energies which will make your Tarot spreads personal and create a connection between you and the cards. During 12-card readings your tarot spread will show you the past and present for any situation you are reading that you will recognize from your own past conditions and where you are at presently. Then flow lines will show you what future conditions you can expect if you continue in the same manner or what changes can occur if you make changes in the present. The success of these type readings depends on picking signifiers for the person and situation being read.

2. Since your deck is keyed to represent a model of the Universe you can change the universe by changing a tarot reading using a tarot spell. Once you have the tarot spread laid out that you have decided needs a change in the present to change the future, you can set up a spell matrix using candles and spell verses around the spread. Making the card changes in the tarot spread within a spell matrix creates that change in real life.

3. The proper interpretation of the cards has to be done through keying and studying the cards of certain decks, such as the Thoth deck and Waite-Ryder (other decks have their purpose, but truly useful tarot decks reflect their true meanings with their images and thus lead to proper interpretation). Just memorizing meanings of cards or going by standard book definitions is really restricting. By keying the cards and "wearing" them around to get the feel of each, you become personally connected and are able to see enhanced meanings of them.

Find any surprises there? If you are interested in becoming adept at using the Tarot and learning to do tarot spreads and readings, our online Tarot Couse is for you. It will take you through how to key your deck, how to pick appropriate signifiers for people and situations and how to do Celtic Cross and 12-card readings. Make the Tarot come alive for you and help you use magic to get the results you want in your life.

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