The Black Cauldron

     I laughed when my hubby posed that very question to me this morning...and then I realized that it wasn't so silly of a question.  The only limitations on magic other than what you impose upon it, are that you can not create love, money magic has some limitations, and that you can not bring back a person exactly as there were from the dead.  Those are the only three limitations that I know of!      There is the art of necromancy, in which case, you can reanimate a dead body, BUT, it would be more like a vampire, than the person you once knew.  People have found old grimoires with instructions on how to raise the dead.  Now some of them actually contain how to do it, BUT, they usually leave out a few details.  Like how to protect your self from the vampiric dead person, when you do reanimate them.      There is a story about a few necromancers, who successfully raised a dead guy in England. ...

     The Most Important rule for doing spell work is to remember NOT to talk about what you have done!  It is the hardest rule to follow.  The reason one does not discuss with anyone (not your significant other, brother or best friend), is that it diminishes the effectiveness of the spell work!  I even have trouble with this rule, but I try to stick to it.      It is a common human trait, to want to brag, or even tell someone about our accomplishments.  When spell work goes well, people tend to like to talk about their success!  One might feel that after the spell has had it's effect that it is ok to talk about it, but it is not.  Spells are an ongoing process, and to talk about it at any time diminishes the long term effects.  Long after the fact, if you happen to mention it, it will probably be ok, unless the spell is meant to have a long term affect.      Especially, when doing enemy wo...

Ok, first off I don't cast a circle in the so called "traditional way"!  I don't invoke the watchtowers, or the elements with invoking pentagrams or banish them either.  I don't use my Athame to cast a circle either.  I cast a bubble of protection over my entire house, so that I can walk freely in it, while still being protected.  To draw and define a circle would limit my ability to move around.  And cutting your self in and out of a circle, weakens the power of the circle to protect you.  Therefore defeating it's purpose.  Sometimes I do draw a circle with my staff, but most times I just raise a defensive barrier around the property.  Besides, if one invokes the Spirits/Deities properly, they will protect you just fine and better than the elements, or a circle will.  Which that is just my opinion and how I do things.      I don't call the watchtowers because I'm also Catholic, ( I know ironic but whatever) and in Catho...

     This is my personal ritual as an example of how one can write one.  I do not call the watchtowers, but if you were to ...one should say something like: All hail the watchtowers of the (insert direction...north..etc), powers of (insert powers of direction like for north powers of earth and body..etc).  I call upon you to attend this rite and guard this circle. Then you could say for example for North, "For with out the Earth I would have no home."  Some kinda compliment about the element's powers or associations would do nicely.  And follow that procedure for the four corners.  Anyways My ritual for Ostara: After I have swept away all negativity I would say: The time has come to start thinking about putting away our hats, scarves, and gloves.  To sing and dream of prettier days, than gloomy, slushy, snow!  Come on, let's dance and play, and coax the Sun to warm up her rays.  And the flowers to break the soils crust....

     Writing your own ritual can be as simple or complicated as you make it.  One may choose to do things different from me or not.  This is ONLY an example of how it is done.  Rituals are personal dedication of space to a Spirit or the God/Goddess you are working with.  It should be done out of reverence and respect.  You can do spell work or just honor them.  The choice is up to you.      The first step is cleansing your self!  Number One and most important.  Say you were going to go meet your date for the first time, you wouldn't go meet them with out taking a shower first, now would you?  So don't go meet the divine without, showering, and taking a spiritual bath first.  I'm not going to go into how to do this on this blog post but I'll save that for another one.      Second, one would cleanse their ritual space.  This clears away the ordinary, negative energies, to...

     Now I am Not suggesting that you go out and buy a pet just for protection.  Pets are sentient beings, and they do have souls, and feelings too!  But, pets will take magical hits for you, depending on your relationship with them.  One could go out and pick out a fish, by asking it if it would take hits for you before buying it.  If it acts favorably, then it agrees to this task.      But in no way are you to mistreat or not treat well a pet just cause it will take hits for you.  I bought a fish with the intentions of it taking a hit for me, her name was Wednesday!  I cried bucket-loads when she died!  She was a beautiful, blue, Japanese fighting fish!      Pets even without being asked to, will take hits for you, if you have a good relationship with them and they like you.  They just naturally do it.  They are an excellent source of companionship, love and protection.  T...

For some, this maybe a rudimentary blog, or down right obvious.  But stick with me...I wrote this for those who ask questions, and are just starting out!       The point of even bothering to set up an altar is to have a focal point to honor your deities with.  All most all humans need something physical to focus their intentions and prayers, so that they can concentrate on whom they are sending said prayers to.  The catholics have the cross, the pagans their statues, for some it's a scroll, a word, or an image on paper.  Whatever path you are on, all most all religions have an altar of some sort, even the Catholics.  Think about when you go (if you do go) to church, the priest stands behind an altar.  They call it an altar, a spade is still a spade.      It is a meeting place for the Divine to descend to and speak with you freely.  It is a private space set aside that sits between the worlds, dedicated t...

     I hope everyone finds a Great teacher first....but it doesn't always happen that way!  I had two bad ones and then I was lucky to find the third Good teacher!  Third time is the charm!  I know he's a great teacher because: 1.  He has talked me out of asking him for readings and trying to hire him when it was clearly unnecessary and I was over reacting. 2.  He Actually teaches me about real magic, and doesn't try to thwart me by giving me bunk knowledge or half of the recipe. 3.  He has many students, who are capable, knowledgeable, and listen to him.  You can always tell a bad teacher by how little students he has and what kind of students he has.  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 4.  He doesn't get involved with drama. 5.  He actually practices what he preaches. 6.  He keeps up with his practice.  My last teacher left his offering cups to mold...just saying.    ...