A Witch's World of Magick (4 page)

As a fish without water, as a babe without its mother, without its mother’s milk, cannot live, so may he, without me, not be able to live, nor to be, nor to eat, nor to drink; neither by the morning dawn, nor by the evening glow; neither every day, not at mid-day, nor under the many stars, nor together with the stormy winds. Neither under the sun by day, nor under the moon by night.

Plunge thyself, O longing I gnaw thy way, O longing, into his breast, into his heart; grow and increase in all his veins, in all his bones, with pain and thirst for me!
¹⁶

The assertion of the spellcaster being a “servant of god” who is “uttering a blessing” provides the necessary belief in the power of the magick, and the confidence and intention of the petitioner is further expressed in the line “O longing I gnaw thy way.” Repetition here comes in the lines asserting that it will not be possible for the target of the spell to “live, nor to be, nor to eat, nor to drink; neither by the morning dawn, nor by the evening glow.”

This charm also shares another point common to many word charms—the build-up. We have in the second repetition an extension: “ … neither by the morning dawn, nor by the evening glow; neither every day, not at mid-day, nor under the many stars, nor together with the stormy winds. Neither under the sun by day, nor under the moon by night,” while the first repetition of the phrase ends after “evening glow.” With each additional command, the energy rises and the charm is fortified and “set,” just as a bit of magick might depend on a build-up and release of energy when casting a spell using tools other than words.

Magick in Movement

Sometimes a mere movement or action is enough to cast a charm. The Irish Druids, for instance, had a method of detecting deception or expelling evil through a simple motion of the thumb. James Bonwick writes of the practice in his 1894 work
Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions
, referencing a legend surrounding the hero Fionn:

… the chewing of one’s thumb was sometimes as effectual a disenchanter as the elevation or marking of the cross in subsequent centuries. Thus, when Fionn was once invited to take a seat beside a fair lady on her way to a palace, he, having some suspicion, put his thumb between his teeth, and she immediately changed into an ugly old hag with evil in her heart. That was a simple mode of detection, but may have been efficacious only in the case of such a hero as Fionn. Certainly, many a bad spirit would be expelled, in a rising quarrel, if one party were wise enough to put his thumb between his teeth.
¹⁷

In the same work, Bonwick offers another rather unusual example of body movement magick performed by the Irish:

The poet chews a piece of the flesh of a red pig, or of a dog or cat, and brings it afterwards on a flag behind the door, and chants an incantation upon it, and offers it to idol gods; and his idol gods are brought to him, but he finds them not on the morrow. And he pronounces incantations on his two palms; and his idol gods are also brought to him, in order that his sleep may not be interrupted. And he lays his two palms on his two cheeks, and thus falls asleep. And he is watched in order that no one may disturb or interrupt him, until everything about which he is engaged is revealed to him, which may be a minute, or two, or three, or as long as the ceremony requires—one palm over the other across his cheeks.
¹⁸

Though we see in this example the use of flesh and idols, these are but an accompaniment to the heart of the ritual, intended to help assure the magicians uninterrupted sleep while the primary magical work is completed. The core of the magick, the connection forged between this realm and the other, is ultimately brought about not through pig’s flesh or idols, but through the prophetic and mystical sleep manifested by the simple yet odd positioning of enchanted palms upon the face of the dreamer.

Body movement magick was practiced in ancient Egypt, as well. A text found on the east wall of the antechamber of the Pyramid of Unas, a structure that was built around 2375 BCE during Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty, offers this charm for deterring robbers:

Utterance 283.
Indeed I dart this left thumbnail of mine against you, I strike a blow with it on behalf of Min and the ikiw. O you, who are wont to rob, do not rob.
¹⁹

Here, the simple act of making a jabbing motion with the left thumbnail is enough to call down the wrath of the great sky god Min, a sufficient threat for deterring potential thieves.

What stands out about the body magick of the Druids and the Egyptians is their oddness—we wouldn’t typically bite our thumb or jab at the air with it; sleeping with our palms on our cheeks is far out of the ordinary. It’s in the bizarreness of these magickal motions that their power resides.

Magickal movement doesn’t always have an odd or peculiar quality, though. Sometimes, the actions are very straightforward. Throughout Europe, for instance, mimetic motion was widely used to achieve corresponding magickal goals. In
Ancient Art and Ritual
, Jane Harrison highlights some of the most common practices:

In Swabia and among the Transylvanian Saxons it is a common custom … for a man who has some hemp to leap high in the field in the belief that this will make the hemp grow tall. In many parts of Germany and Austria the peasant thinks he can make the flax grow tall by dancing or leaping high or by jumping backwards from a table; the higher the leap the taller will be the flax that year … In some parts of Eastern Russia the girls dance one by one in a large hoop at midnight on Shrove Tuesday. The hoop is decked with leaves, flowers and ribbons, and attached to it are a small bell and some flax. While dancing within the hoop each girl has to wave her arms vigorously and cry, “Flax, grow,” or words to that effect. When she has done she leaps out of the hoop or is lifted out of it by her partner.
²⁰

Whether leaping high or dancing wildly, the movement of the people instructs the earth to respond in kind, and through these simple imitative actions, crops were made to grow. A high leap equals tall hemp; an energetic dance makes for vivacious flax plants. The magician has only to imitate through body movement the desired outcome, and a powerful spell is cast.

The Hindu
mudras
are another example of body magick worth noting.
Mudras
are specific hand shapes and body postures used in Hindu religion and yogic practice to intentionally control and activate the flow of energy throughout the body.
Mudras
can involve just the hands or the entire body, and they’re typically used alongside conscious breathing techniques. It’s believed that making a
mudra
makes connections in the energetic circuitry or channels within our bodies, an effect that can be used for achieving healing, greater energy, trance states, and more.

One
mudra
is called the
prana mudra
, formed by touching the tips of the pinkies and ring fingers to the thumbs. The
prana mudra
is believed to activate life energy and improve overall health and vitality. In
The Healing Power of Mudras
, Rajendar Menen cites an increase in the life force, improved vision, improved circulation, and better immune function among the benefits of activating the
prana mudra.
²¹

While the magick of movement can operate on a variety of principles, be it through oddity, mimicry, or conscious design, one thing common to all these techniques is the ingredient of intent. The magician
knows
that their movements and body positions will have a specific effect, and in this belief, the magick is wrought and the spell is cast.

Common Threads and New Perspectives

In this chapter, we’ve explored many means for making magick without herbs, stones, elaborate rituals, or other aids. You know the power of will, the power of intention, and the power of our own bodies can be used to cast effective magick without a single tool or prop. You know that the eyes are an effective instrument of magick, able to project emotionally charged thoughts capable of affecting humans, animals, crops, and even machinery, with or without the conscious intention of the spellcaster. You’ve seen how magicians around the world have used their own voices to cast magick to deter enemies, heal burns, stop bleeding, and more, and you know that word charms operate primarily through the projection of will. You know also that intention is required to transform the voice into a tool for magick, and you’re familiar with several techniques for making word charms more powerful, be it through figurative language, repetition, alliteration, or a build-up of energy. You’re familiar with many different ways magick workers have used movement to achieve their spellcasting ends, and you understand how the magick of motion might be based on oddity, mimicry, or conscious design.

Magick is a personal art, functioning ultimately through no greater medium than the person who casts it. Whether our spells are very complex, involving lots of tools and trappings, or really quite simple, cast with nothing more than the self alone, the more we put into our magick energetically, the greater the effect that results. Get to know the power of your own body, and discover how mastering no-tools magick can make your spellwork more precise, more effective, more spontaneous, and more integral to your daily life as a witch.

No-Tools Magick Spells

When you’re used to working magick with tools and other trappings, casting a simple spell using the mind and body alone can seem a bit bland—that is, until you
really
try it! Focus on precisely executing each step in the process (however brief); make each thought, each word, each movement count. Here are a few exercises in no-tools magick to try. If you’re a practicing witch, most likely you have performed similar magick countless times. This time, however, pay careful attention to everything going on within,
and as a result of
, each step of the magick.

Casting the Good Eye

The Good Eye is the opposite of the Evil Eye—instead of causing misfortune, the Good Eye sends to the receiver a feeling of love and compassion. To cast the Good Eye on a friend, foe, or stranger, try this. Open your eyes wide and think of a cool air flowing through your irises. Conjure a vision of light and a feeling of love in your heart, and project this energy out through your eyes as you gaze upon the one you wish to thus bless, just as you would send energy out of your fingertips or through a wand. Eye contact is essential; don’t break it while casting the charm. Like the Evil Eye, the Good Eye is cast in a matter of seconds and typically sets to work straight away. The eyes are powerful vehicles for conveying magickal energy, and aren’t limited to the specific applications here discussed. For variation, try developing techniques for casting the Prosperous Eye, the Chill Out Eye, and other unique innovations of your very own.

Your Own Words of Power

Need a boost of luck to get that new job, or could you use some extra protection against that gossipy neighbor? Why not create your own simple word charm just right for the situation at hand? Your word charm could be a song, a mantra, a poem, a chant. Perhaps a one-word charm suits you best. Experiment, and go with what feels right. We tend to put much stock in the formulas of magicians past without realizing that someone just like us, somewhere along the line, created these magickal recipes. As experienced magicians and intuitive, conscious, creative, thinking beings, our own ideas are just as valid. Let traditional elements such as intent, repetition, alliteration, the build-up, and figurative language inspire and guide you when crafting your word charm, and consider also making use of words with inherent magickal properties. Ultimately though, let your personal taste, creativity, and psychic insight have full reign. Once you’ve decided on a word charm, whenever you need it, simply utter the word or words out loud as you project your will and intention. If you communicate through a visual language such as American Sign Language, just move your hands with precision and deliberation as you express each portion of the magickal phrase.

Magickal Motion Charms

From waking to bedtime, take notice of how your energy flows throughout your body during your daily routine. Do any movements seem to produce energetic effects within your body that might be useful for magick? For example, might you be able to cast a spell by adding intent to your workout, to your cooking, to your kicking back and relaxing? Observe your energies while engaging in various movements, various postures, hand positions,
etc.
Try jumping, laying down, dancing, or sitting in a meditative pose. Perform odd motions, and pretend like you’re carrying out various actions, from flying an airplane to opening a locked door. Make a note of anything that strikes you, then try some experimental movement charms to test your discoveries. For instance, if you notice you feel a little more cheerful anytime you raise your fingertips above your head, try using the motion as a charm to consciously bring joy into your spirit whenever you’re feeling low.