Kate West - The Real Witches’ Craft - Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft

Find a picture or photograph of the Earth as seen from space; if you can find a selection of views you may find it helpful. Next find an image of a dragon; one which looks powerful, but is also attractive to you. If you can, make the dragon picture very nearly as large as the Earth image. Then superimpose the dragon over the image of the Earth. Place this composite picture somewhere you can see it and spend a few minutes each day contemplating it. As you do so, try to visualize the dragon actually blending into the planet.

Once you can do this, then move on to visualizing the dragon uncoiling from the Earth and flying, deosil, around the planet. Practise these visualizations, without trying to work any magic with them, until you feel that you can really see the dragon in your mind’s eye. At this point you may find that the dragon in your mind is not the same as the one in the picture, but this is quite usual. Many of us find that the visualized Earth Dragon becomes quite ‘real’ to us with practice, and takes on a life of its own. As with other exercises, make a point of noting down your thoughts and feelings after each session, and this way you should be able to see your progress.

In addition to raising energy we also need to direct it effectively, which we do by focusing on the object of the magic, not only at the point of releasing the energy, but also whilst we are raising it. For this we use visualization and various magical tools and aids, such as images and candles, etc. Both tools and visualization will be covered in detail later in this book.

After every act of magic, spell, rite or ritual we should also ‘ground’ or ‘earth’ ourselves. Working magic of any kind invariably means accessing a state of altered consciousness and we need to ensure that we return fully to the ‘here and now’. Otherwise, you may find that you do not function as well in your daily life as you normally do – it can be quite dangerous say crossing the road, or driving a car, to be even partially on an ethereal plane! Also, when we have raised power for an act of magic, we may not have fully discharged this energy, and this can interfere with daily functioning. It is just as important to ground yourself after meditation, or even a period of intense concentration which may not be associated with Craft.

There are several ways of grounding or earthing ourselves:

Probably the simplest is to have a warm or sweet drink and something to eat. This not only goes some way towards replenishing the energy you have put in, but also gets the body’s physical systems working on a basic level.

If you are outside, earthing can be achieved by placing the hands and bare feet onto the land itself and allowing excess energy to pass into the land.

Another technique is to vigorously rub your arms and legs.

In all cases you should easily recognize the difference in feeling between your magical self and the normal ‘you’.

Choose a time when you are certain you will not be disturbed, or required to perform any daily activity for at least an hour. Before you start, make a hot or sweet drink and a light snack. Place these somewhere safe in the room you are working in. Also have to hand a simple activity unrelated to the Craft, possibly the TVlistings page to read or a simple manual puzzle. Avoid anything which is related to fire, electrical equipment, or is otherwise likely to be risky if you cannot focus your full attention on it!

Cast the Circle in your usual way and raise energy, using whichever of the techniques you find most effective. However, instead of working a spell, just move straight on to removing the Circle. Now attempt your activity. Notice how you feel and how easy or difficult you find it to concentrate on your task.

Next, rub your arms and legs vigorously as well as having your drink and snack. Do both because you are performing a fairly extreme experiment; usually you would not raise energy just to ‘see how it feels’. Perform your task again and notice the differences between your first and second attempts.

If you are still working on developing your ability to raise energy and don’t feel confident that you will be successful, try the following instead: Prepare the food and drink as before, but instead of casting the Circle and raising power, spin around for a full minute before attempting the task. Then earth yourself as described in the previous paragraph and try it again. This is not quite the same, but will give you a rough idea of the need for grounding and earthing. Again make notes on your experiences.

Another way of raising energy is the rite called Drawing Down the Moon, which takes place at the Full Moon. In the modern Craft this has become quite formalized, with a Priest invoking the spirit of the Goddess into a Priestess who then proclaims the Charge of the Goddess to the rest of the Coven. Drawing Down the Moon, when performed successfully, channels the spirit of the Goddess through the Priestess, and the Charge then becomes the words of the Goddess addressed to Her followers. However, this format for Drawing Down the Moon, as given in most ‘modern’ books on the Craft, implies that the Rite is only for those who work in groups or Covens, but this does not have to be the case. There are techniques for Drawing Down the Moon which can be an effective way of raising energy for the solitary Witch.

For the sake of completeness I have included the group, or Coven, form of Drawing Down the Moon, and also a Full Moon Ritual which can be used by the Solitary Witch.

The Priestess stands with her back to the Altar, preferably facing the Moon. The Priest commences by giving her the Five-fold Kiss. The Priestess now allows her hands to move slightly away from her sides with her palms facing forward. Whilst he continues she should look over his head at the full Moon and focus on allowing the spirit of the Goddess to enter her.

With the forefinger of his strong hand the Priest then touches the Priestess in the sigil of the First Degree: right breast, left breast, womb and right breast, whilst saying:

‘I invoke thee and call upon thee Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness, by seed and root, by stem and bud, by flower and fruit do I invoke thee, to descend upon this the body of thy servant and Priestess.’

He then kneels and, spreading his arms outwards and downwards, says:

‘Hail Aradia, from the Amalthean Horn. Pour forth thy store of love. I lowly bend before thee, I adore thee to the end. With loving sacrifice thy shrine adorn. Thy foot is to my lip.’

He kisses her feet and continues:

‘My prayer, upon the rising incense upborne. Then spend thine ancient love O Mighty One, descend to aid me, for without thee I am forlorn.’

The Priest then rises and faces the group and says:

‘Listen to the words of the Great Mother, she who, of old, was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Ceridwyn, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride and many other names.’

He then steps to the side and the Priestess, facing the group, raises her arms and delivers the Charge.

There are two key components to this Rite. The first is the ability of an experienced Priest to invoke the Goddess, which can help even the least experienced Priestess to become the vessel of the Goddess. However, the second component, the ability of the Priestess to open her mind to the Goddess, will enhance the Rite, or can help an inexperienced Priest to learn the technique. Obviously, for a Solitary Witch, the latter is essential, as she will be on her own.