What Is Magick, really?

Before we talk about spellwork, let’s talk about magick for a second, because that’s crucial in understanding how all of this works. When we talk about magick - and that’s at least my understanding of all of that - what we’re really talking about is the manipulation or direction of energy towards a certain outcome. Because everything in the universe is made up of energy And even though a tree or a rock seems solid, it is energy. Thanks to Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc², we know that mass is just a form of energy.

When we do a spell, we’re not trying to force physical matter to change instantly. We're working with the energy beneath the surface. Spellwork is about directing that energy to bring about a specific outcome. And sometimes this manipulation is very straight forward like shooting an arrow. But it can also be really gentle - for example, when doing a wind spell and you whisper your intentions into the seeds and let the wind carry them away. It may take time for your magick to grow roots but small causes, like a single whispered intention, can ripple outward and create massive effects over time.

Now I think when you are practicing a lot you can do spells that are straight forward on purpose because you know what works for you and you are able to focus your intention better. But you could also choose to do a spell or a ritual that is intended to grow roots first and not be so sharp and pointed.

But both are magick. And both are meant to create change.

Spell or Ritual?

So… is it a spell or a ritual? Both are magickal workings, but they’re not quite the same. And of course, there are different views on this, but here’s my understanding:

🔮 Spell

One origin of the word 'spell' traces back to a Germanic root that means 'to speak.' So in my own practice, a spell must be spoken aloud because power of spoken words carries so much more energy than thoughts alone.

A spell is primarily centered around your words and intention.
You don’t need any magickal tools or ingredients. The magick isn’t in the objects, but in the focused energy you're directing toward a specific outcome.
Sometimes a spell is accompanied by a symbolic action, like lighting a candle.
A spell could be blowing out the candles on your birthday and making a wish or speaking your intention into your morning tea while stirring.

🌙 Ritual

A ritual on the other hand is a structured sequence of actions performed with intention. It’s multiple magickal workings stacked on top of each other, like cleansing the space first, then casting a protective circle, then grounding and then invoking spirits or deities.

Rituals are also used to honor deities, celebrate the Sabbats, or also carry out religious ceremonies and I found that rituals are often done at a specific time (full moon ritual, new moon ritual, …) and may even repeat with ritualistic actions in other rituals.

So spells & rituals are both magickal workings. But you could also take a bath that is neither a spell nor a ritual but still a magickal working.

Spells may or may not be part of a ritual. And rituals may include spells, but are not limited to them.

What a spell can NOT do

You can’t change the fundamental laws of nature. No spell is going to cancel out gravity or break the laws of physics. That’s not how magick works. Magick isn’t about bending reality to your will per se … it’s about tapping into the flow of energy that’s already there and guiding it with intention.

Is Intention enough?

You’ve probably heard “intention is everything” in witchcraft. And … I don’t think that’s true.

Intention is an important ingredient in a spell, but without the release of energy you will not get any magickal response from your workings.

So as witches what we do is setting an intention, and focusing our will power on an end goal. We leave no doubt that our magickal workings will do their job, so intention is the first step that we (throughout the spell or ritual) then transform into will. We charge a magickal practice with energy and then release it to get a magickal response and therefore a change in our physical reality. We’re working with energy we manipulate our energy or energy around us to create changes in our lives and actively participate in shaping our reality rather than being passive observers.

We don’t want to do wishcraft, we want to do witchcraft and for that, intention simply is not enough.

How to manipulate energy

Reading words from someone else’s grimoire can be inspiring, but it won’t always bring the magickal results you’re hoping for. For that you need to learn how to manipulate energy. Learning to manipulate energy is not something that you can do overnight. It will take practice and patience. But with time, you’ll start to feel it, like a magnetic pull in your hands, or a tingling between your fingers.

And I recorded a short meditation for you that will guide you through an exercise to manipulate energy. This is kind of the first step to learn energy manipulation and it really is so so so important, because remember, only having an intention is not enough and after putting hours or even days into your spells or rituals, you will probably think “why did my spell not work?” when nothing changes in your reality.

Power up your spells!

Beyond your own personal power, you can also work with external energies to amplify your spellwork. My practice is highly influenced by Celtic shamanism and so I truly believe that everything is inhabited by a spirit. Yes, even stones, but so many people forgot that everything is connected with each other.

And you can work with these other energies to power up your spells and to not use use too much of your own personal energy. Because using too much of your personal magick is a thing, it’s not only in books, and that’s why a lot of people feel drained after doing spellwork in the beginning, because they didn’t learn how to manipulate energy and how to control it, how to ground and center. This really is crucial. And when you practice energy manipulation, you will start to get a sense of the different energies as well. You will start to get a feeling what tree can support your spell or ritual best, what moon phase what spirit or plant.

I love to work with the elements because they to me are so powerful. I love the earth for grounding and centering or spells about protection, water for cleansing and transformation, air when I need a fast messenger and fire if I need to let go to just give you some examples.

Remember to treat every single spirit with respect and create a trustworthy bond with them first before asking them for favors. Like you would probably feel offended if someone you don’t know asks you to get you out of your job and find a better one out of the blue, right? And keep in mind that especially if you choose to work with spirits like the Good People that more often than not an exchange is required or they want you to do something in return!

Prewritten or homemade spells?

Now before we dive into the recipe for spellmaking, I just wanted to talk about prewritten spells for a sec. Because don’t get me wrong, this can be a really good starting point, to get a feeling of spells and how other more experienced practitioners do them. Because if they took the time to write them down in a book, they are probably working … for them.

But when you create your own spell, you can infuse it with your preferences, your intentions & wishes and thoughts. And it will carry your unique energies kind of your signature and resonate with you most.

Even when I share a spell that totally worked for me, does not mean it has to work for you, maybe what I include in my spell or ritual does not even resonate with you.

I really hope this was helpful for you if you want to learn more about Spellwork :) Next time I will share step by step how I create my own spells & rituals that actually work.

See you then,
Bebea

Beginner’s Guide to Spellwork: Everything You Need to Know about Spells & Rituals