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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Magick to the Rescue Part 1: Breaking Down Brick Walls

Does it sometimes seem like no matter how hard you try to achieve some goal in your life, that you keep bashing your head into a brick wall? If so, then you know how frustrating it is to throw every ounce of energy into creating something or achieving something, only to run into a seemingly insurmountable obstacle at every turn.

Don't worry. You are in good company. The "brick wall syndrome" has happened to almost everyone on the planet. Just look around you and you'll see a bunch of people with bashed in heads and headaches that won't go away.

Luckily, for those who stop banging on that brick wall long enough to consider their options, there is always a wonderful solution: solve the problem at a higher level.

Albert Einstein was right when he said, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

What's that higher level? Magick is certainly one of the easiest ways to solve your brick wall problem from a higher level.

Using Magick to Break Down Brick Walls
There is a simple three step magickal ritual outlined in the following section that will help you understand the nature of your brick wall, and also help you break through that wall (or at least go around the brick wall, which may be a smarter option!). For this ritual, you will need a cold cup of black coffee, a journal and pen, a hematite or Apache Tear stone, and a pendulum (which can be purchased online or in stores that sell magickal items).

Step #1: Release Your Frustration
Nothing clouds your judgment like frustration. If you have been beating your head against your personal brick wall for a while then chances are good that you feel frustrated every time you think about the brick wall problem. So the first thing to do is to clear yourself on all levels of that frustration. The easiest magickal way to do this is to flow your frustration into a magickal stone. The stones that most easily pull negative energies out of your chakras, energy field, mind, body, and Spirit are hematite and Apache tears (a form of obsidian). You can find both of these easily online or in any good rock shop.

Choose your stone carefully. Pick one that sits easily in your hand and has enough heft to feel significant. At the same time, you want to choose your stone so that it is small and light enough to carry with you in your pocket. Some online stores sell these stones attached to a chain, so you can easily wear it around your neck under your shirt.

Once you have your stone, find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Hold the stone in your dominant hand (the hand with which you write or point). Now think about and feel every negative aspect of your "brick wall problem." As these thoughts and emotions and physical sensations arise in you, flow those into the stone. Since these stones are magnetized to pull energy, you don't need to think about the process of flowing those energies into the stone. Just allow those negative energies to travel down your arm and into the stone. Keep flowing those energies into the stone without allowing your mind to interfere with stray thoughts. When the stone feels heavy, hot, charged, or otherwise energized, you have flowed enough negative energies into the stone for the moment.

For the next seven days, flow energies into the stone at least once a day. Also flow energies into the stone whenever you feel frustrated. Keeping the stone in your pocket is a good idea so that you can unobtrusively flow energies into the stone simply by sticking your hand in your pocket and holding the stone. With this method you can flow negative energies into the stone anywhere and anytime in public without anyone being the wiser. People who practice this technique become so proficient at it that they can flow negative energies even when conversing with another person. This can be a useful skill when you are talking to a person who is part of your "brick wall syndrome" since that person is likely to be a source of frustration.

Once you have practiced this technique consistently for seven days, move on to the next step. However, keep the stone with you at all times, and continue to flow energy into the stone whenever you experience negative energies. These stones channel the energies into the half worlds so you don't have to worry about the stone becoming too full of negative energies. Some people like to change to a fresh stone every lunar cycle or so. If you choose to change to a new stone every lunar cycle, bury the old stone in your garden for a full moon cycle. This allows the earth to cleanse the stone so it will be ready to use again after one moon cycle.

Step #2: Discover the Root of the Problem
Now that you have cleared yourself on all levels of negative energy, the next step is to discover the root of the "brick wall" problem. One of the easiest ways to discover the root of any problem is by using the magickal technique of scrying. While there are many complex magickal rituals for scyring, by far the easiest method involves using a cup of cold black coffee. Simply make some coffee (any kind will do -- filtered or instant) and wait for the coffee to cool down to room temperature. Put the coffee in any cup or mug that suits.

Once your cup of coffee has cooled down to room temperature, sit in the South facing North with the cup of coffee in front of you. If you are unsure of the cardinal directions, use a compass outside to figure out the directions. Do not use the compass inside as most houses tend to have too many electrical and magnetic energies that can distort a compass reading. Once you are sure of the directions, seat yourself in the South facing North with the cup of coffee in front of you. You may want to set the cup of coffee on a small stool or table to keep the surface calm and quiet. Be sure you will not be disturbed for at least 30 minutes since scrying requires concentration and a quiet space.

Once you are comfortably settled, gently place both hands around the cup of coffee. Flow some energy from your dominant hand through the cup of coffee into your non-dominant hand. Continue to flow that energy up the arm and shoulder of your non-dominant hand, then across your back, then down the arm of your dominant hand. Keep flowing energies in this circle for a minute or so until the coffee cup feels charged or energized. You are now ready to scry.

Scrying is nothing more than asking the Universe to provide you with the information you seek. Since you are asking for information that pertains to you personally, there is no need to worry that you are invading anyone else's privacy. Before you begin, you may wish to invite angels, spiritual guides, or other higher beings to help. Or simply ask the Universe to provide answers. Thank all beings or the Universe for the help they are about to provide before you begin scrying.

To obtain information about the root of your problem, calmly and quietly look into the surface of the coffee. Softly unfocus your eyes while still looking into the surface of the coffee. Next become very curious about the roadblock that keeps getting in your way. Allow questions about the brick wall to float softly through your mind as you continue to look into the coffee cup. Ask questions such as:

• What is at the root of this brick wall?
• What could help me get over or around this problem?
• What am I not seeing that is preventing me from moving forward?
• Is there a reason I should not take this path? Could the brick wall be a sign that another path is better for me?
• What thoughts or beliefs are keeping me from moving forward?

Use the questions that come naturally. The list of questions above are generic. You may want to use these questions in addition to queries that are specific to your problem. Keep asking these questions softly in your mind, allowing your eyes to remain unfocused and allowing answers to drift into your consciousness.

Be prepared for answers to arrive in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes you will see images from your past. Other times you will experience feelings and sensations that call up memories. You may also receive short phrases, images, ideas, physical jolts, or long strings of information. Do not worry about writing these down. This information will remain in your consciousness long after you stop scrying.

Once you have enough information--or the flow of information stops--thank the spirit beings, guides, angels, or the Universe for the information that you have received. Now take the time to jot down all the information you received. Don't worry if the information doesn't make sense right now. You will find that the pieces of information you received will form a cohesive picture in the days to come. If the information makes sense to you, move on to the next magickal ritual. If the bits of information are not clear to you, simply read the notes you jotted down each day and ask a higher being to help you clarify the information you received (always thanking them in advance for the help you are about to receive). Keep asking for help and guidance. Within seven days you should have clarity about the root of your problem. Thank the higher beings for their help and move on to the last step.

Step #3: Unwind Your Problem
This last step is one of the most carefree and fun magickal rituals that you can do. You will need a pendulum for this step. You can easily purchase one online or in most stores that sell spiritual or magickal items. Once you have your pendulum, hold it in your dominant hand and flow energy into it. When the pendulum feels charged, then you can use it to perform this last step in your ritual.

Hold the pendulum in your dominant hand and begin spinning it in a counter-clockwise direction. Now invite higher beings to help you unwind the root of your problem. As you spin the pendulum, see it unwinding the root of your problem so that you can move forward on your journey. If the problem is with a co-worker at your job, see the disharmony between you and your co-worker unwind and dissipate. If the root of your problem is an old belief system or habit, see the pendulum unwinding those beliefs and watch those beliefs float away. If the root of your problem is that you are taking the wrong path, which means the brick wall was put up to prevent you from walking this path, see the pendulum unwinding your desire to walk this path. Whatever your problem, the pendulum has the power to unwind it.

Once you have clearly unwound your problem (you will know when the problem is unwound when you see the problem melt or float away), stop swinging the pendulum. Now begin to swing the pendulum in a clockwise direction. Ask higher beings to help you use the force generated by the pendulum to move you forward on your path. This forward progress might take you through or around the brick wall, or it may take you on a completely separate journey. See the force of the pendulum taking you where you want to go. When you feel that the force of the pendulum has moved you from "stuck" to "striding forth," stop swinging the pendulum.

Wash, Rinse, and Repeat
Feel free to use any or all of the three steps of this magickal ritual anytime you feel that you are running into a brick wall--either the same brick wall or a new one. Just as you may need to use your chosen magickal stone to rid yourself of frustration, you may also need to use scrying and the pendulum to learn more about your path and the blockages that exist. This ritual is a very useful one to have in your magickal toolkit because it can help you learn about, understand, and solve just about any brick wall that appears on your journey through life!

Be sure to follow the rest of this 7 part series as it comes out on our blog  over the next few weeks or even better subscribe to the blog to get the articles posted there direct to your email. You'll also find a variety of pendulums, journals, and other magical necessities in our online magic store at www.shamanschool.com.

The X Factor in Magickal Healing

If you have tried your hand at magickal healing, you have probably discovered that sometimes the healing works, and other times it doesn't. Or sometimes the person is healed for a period of time, and then "relapses" back into the same illness or discomfort. When faced with a mix of success, failure, and partial success, any magickal healer can become somewhat confused, and even discouraged.

Not to worry. One way to get around this problem is to understand the X Factor of Magickal Healing.

The X Factor in Magickal Healing
What is the X Factor in Magickal Healing that can explain why a healing session (or even a series of healing sessions) produces total success, while at other times the same techniques end up in relapses, partial relief, or even total failure (that is, no change in the person's health condition).

What could you be doing wrong that would cause these kinds of mixed results? NOTHING. If you have done a magickal healing to the best of your ability and with the utmost concentration and sincerity, then you have done nothing that would cause poor results.

Many factors play into the success or failure of a magickal healing. For instance:

• the recipient of the healing may not actually want to be healed
• the magickal healing resolved the symptoms but was not able to address the cause, leading to relapses
• the recipient has history in this or past lives that could interfere with your healing
• the recipient of your healing "needs" their illness to learn some lesson this lifetime

The list could go on forever as to the factors that affect the success of a magickal healing. So what is a healer to do? After all, seeing mixed results all the time can cause a healer to question whether their skills at magickal healing are "up to snuff."

The one way to escape the burden of success or failure is to understand the X Factor of magickal healing. The X Factor was explained to us by a wonderful and talented dowser named Harold McCoy. Harold started the Ozark Research Institute, and while he is no longer with us, his teachings live on. The most important thing that Harold taught us was the X Factor, although he never called it the X Factor. He said:

"As healers, we do what we do, and what happens happens."

That's it. If we follow this doctrine in our magickal healings, then we are relieved of the burden of responsibility when it comes to success or failure. We acknowledge that we have done the best we can. We acknowledge that we are not privy to all the factors in a person's life--both this lifetime and past lifetimes. We acknowledge that the person is ill so that he or she can learn some valuable spiritual lesson. In other words, we acknowledge that we are not omniscient or omnipotent. We simply apply the healing tools and techniques as we see fit, and then release ourselves from the result. To have offered a healing to someone is a form of giving. What the recipient chooses to do with that healing energy is up to him or her. We are not responsible. We are only responsible for doing the best we can with the greatest sincerity and compassion we can offer.

If you are able to abide by the X Factor of magickal healing, then you will find yourself much more light hearted as you apply your healing to others. As a result, your healing forces will become much more focused and powerful because you are no longer concerned about whether the person will receive a complete healing or not. You will know only that you have done the best you could, and that is a gift that is sufficient unto itself. We can no more bind people in healing than we can bind others with any magickal work. We simply offer what we have, and allow people to take what they like. In this way, each gets what they need and want. We call that a magickal win-win situation!

If you are looking for a wide range of healing techniques to add to your magic toolbox, our Energy Healing for Self and Others ebook can help you either get started on a healing path or add to the techniques you already have.

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 Image courtesy of    hyena reality / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The Power of Magickal Tools

If you have watched any television shows or movies about magick, then no doubt you have seen characters do all kinds of wild and wonderful things with Wands, potions, herbs, Athames (magickal knives), Chalices, and more. But since these tools are being used in a fictional setting, you may wonder what magickal tools really can and cannot do.

For instance, you may wonder:

• Can you really throw a lightning bolt with a Wand? (Nope)
• Do magickal potions really exist and do they work effectively? (Yes, if created correctly)
• Can you ride a broomstick to the moon? (Nope)
• Does telekinesis, the ability to move things with the mind, really exist? (Absolutely)
• Is it really possible to read someone's mind? (Yup)

Magickal tools do have immense power if formed and used correctly. In fact, most magickal tools are simply extensions of the self. For instance, any well-trained magickal practitioner can throw lightning bolts using only his or her bare hands. However, if you add an Athame, or magickal knife, into the mix, a practitioner can throw a lightning bolt much further and with greater power than by using only bare hands. The same with the Chalice, a tool that allows a practitioner to see into the future or the past.

But for magickal tools to have power, they must: 

1. Be correctly formed or "keyed"
2. Be used properly

While many magickal tools could serve double duty as ordinary objects -- such as a Chalice that resembles a wine glass or an Athame that looks like a hunting knife -- the difference between an ordinary household object and a magickal tool is the process of "keying."

Keying a tool so it becomes a magickal tool accomplishes three tasks: 

1. Cleans the tool of any junky or unwanted energies
2. Aligns the energy of the tool correctly so it can be used magickally
3. Personalizes the tool to your specific energies so others cannot use your magickal tools without your consent

Once a magickal tool has been keyed, it is ready for use. To maximize its power, the practitioner has to use it as it was intended and "keyed." For instance, although Harry Potters sends lightning bolts through his Wand with no trouble, in the real world sending Fire energies such as lightning bolts through a Wand would cause the Wand to catch on fire or explode. Wands are meant to handle Air energies, which are associated with communication, planning, breathing, seeing, enlightenment, and understanding to name a few. If you want to throw lightning bolts, then you need to use an Athame, the metal of which is designed to handle Fire energies without catching on fire. So choosing the right magickal tool to do a specific ritual or spell is as important as properly keying a tool.

Here's a sneak peek at what magickal tools can do: 

• Firebowl: Send a message to higher beings and Spirit guides by burning your written request and letting your wish ride the currents of smoke upward until they reach the higher beings

• Wand: Create communication between two people who refuse to speak to each other by using the Wand to create a "communications link" (the Wand uses Air energies, which govern communication)

• Athame: Banish any unfriendly beings from your sacred space in five minutes or less

• Chalice: See into the future or past by putting a dark liquid into your Chalice, giving the Chalice a command, such as "Show me .." and then watching the show play out on the surface (this technique is also called scrying)

• Pantacle (plate): Heal broken bones or soft-tissue injuries far ahead of any doctor's predictions by focusing and gathering the power of the Earth element into a cone of energy projected by the Pantacle

• Pendulum: Got trouble? Swing your pendulum counter-clockwise to "undo" your troubles

These are just a few of the things that a properly keyed magickal tool can do when used in an appropriate manner. If you want to learn more about magickal tools, delve into our tools ebooks. Read more about those ebooks HERE.

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Don't Know How to Get What You Want? Just Engage!

One of our favorite lines from the sci-fi show "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is Captain Jean-Luc Picard saying,

"Engage!"

While Captain Picard uses the term to send his ship into to explore new dimensions, we spiritual travelers can use the term to explore new dimensions of consciousness and life.

Here's a simple way you can borrow Captain Picard's command to make your own life easier: the next time you don't know how to do something, just tell yourself, "Engage!" In other words, just start engaging with the process in any way you can. Don't worry about whether you know what you're doing. Just do something!

Most of have been taught by society to decide what we want, figure out to achieve it, and then start the process. But according to most ancient creation sequences this three step process is somewhat backward. To create anything, from a cake to a business, the process really looks like this:

1. We want something.
2. We engage with the process and find out more about it.
3. We decide whether we really want it.
4. We figure out how to create it.

In other words, figuring out how to "make it happen" comes after we decide that we really want it. The key to creation sequence is to do just enough poking around (or engaging) to decide whether you really want it, then making a conscious decision that you want it. The "how" never enters the picture until you have made the conscious decision to pursue it.

So the next time you want to achieve or create something, don't worry about how you will do it. First engage with the process and do some research. Figure out if you really want to pursue the project. If so, the answers will come to you. Your desire must and always will bring you exactly what you need to achieve what you desire.

Your job in the creation sequence is to engage with the process, stay open to what comes to you, and most of all to enjoy the engagement with the Universe. We're all on this planet for a certain period of time-it's more fun if we enjoy it!

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67156567@N00/3100297012/