by Snow Phoenix

Spell crafting is merely a tool to invoke the power within you. The symbols, elements, ritual steps and time are used to focus your power to attain a goal. Many spell crafters will not give away their spells because they believe that there is a problem with ethics. I tend not to agree. No one can give you power that doesn�t already exist within you. Intent is the power that fuels a spell and it must come from within your own realm. By practice, adjustment and gaining confidence in your own abilities, a spell gains power. No one can hand you systematic set of instructions to unlock what may dwell within. Everyone has a unique combination.

The Moon
When I was young, my grandmother told me that a woman�s power is invoked by the moon. A full moon and a (new) dark moon are peak points of power. A waning moon is the power of decreasing and this is the time to invoke things to become less. A waxing moon is a time of gaining and to invoke things to increase. A day moon is as powerful as a night moon and affects you as well.

Full and Dark Moon
The times of the Full and Dark moon are when I make talismans, mix oils, �initiate� new items (stones, knifes, herbs) and prepare candles. The properties are different. This is a learning process. Things become powerful for you after you give them meaning. Use books and info as general guides, but note what it really does do for you. Different items give different people �different� powers.

Waning Moon
Things becoming less. You want less bills, less worries, less arguments from others, etc. This is the time to ask for it. It is a good time to start a diet but don�t cut your hair during this time, it will grow back slower.

Waxing Moon
Things becoming more. More securely money- wise, more beauty, more attraction, more outstanding to another, etc. Don�t start any diet during this time, - it will be more difficult. It is a good time to sew a bag to keep tarot cards or runes inside. You want them to gain energy.

Day Moon
One of the best times for psychic spells and protection because the sun and the moon are in the sky. I do more gardening, cleaning and arranging areas of my life under a day moon. I find that I am more active and can create more and I use this time to reflect and improve various aspects concerning my projects.

The elements within the spell it self are guidelines; you have to modify it to invoke your power. Some times, you will be reading a spell and say to your self, �A red candle would work so much better, and the incantation doesn�t need to be that long.� And you are right. For the spell to work for you, that is what you need to change. Learn to listen to your inner guide. Your inner guide will let you know what you need to change to invoke and raise your power within.

Misdirected Spells
There are things that do go wrong when spell crafting. I have not had a problem with spells coming directly back on me, per say, but the result was not what I intended.

Most of the love spells I cast turned into disasters. The first spell/disaster I cast was for a guy to fall in love with me when I was fourteen. He didn�t ask me out, instead he told everyone that I slept with him. No harm was ultimately done, and I became popular with the bad girls without having to do a thing!

Another love spell I cast around 20. I wanted this shy, good- looking, successful guy to become infatuated with me. I figured that through this infatuation, I could get to know him and the relationship could slowly grow into love. This didn�t quite go as planned. It worked within the fact that he was infatuated, but he kept a distance and just stalked me for nearly a year. He was there in the distance, sitting in his car. I thought that maybe this was suppose to happen and the next move was to be mine, I decided to approach him and take the initiative. When I came up to his car, he looked at me and I looked at him. It could have gone somewhere had he not have been whacking his Willie at the time. My romantic image of his perfection was crushed. I just am no good at love spells. The only way it works for me is to cast an enchantment on myself to make those already interested notice me more. If love develops out of it, great, we go from there. If it fades, then I cut my losses and move on. I am not so picky about men as I used to be, I don�t care if the guy is a little over weight or homely, my primary requirement is that the man has natural black hair and is intelligent.

The Hexes
It is best to try all the conventional ways of solving your problem before resorting to this kind of Magick. A hex can affect someone that you are unaware of being your rival and you may hurt those you didn�t intend to along the way. Just be careful with how you direct your power. Some hexes will go after even those who are going along with the pack just to fit in. A hex identifies them as traders to your trust whether you personally forgive them or not. Destructive people who gossip and try to ruin you don�t really deserve to be forgiven by trying to manipulate your kind nature. My kind and forgiving nature was unappreciated and my rivals didn�t respect me for being able to rise above this behavior. Instead, they just said I was mousy and stupid. I learned not to be so generous with my kindness. You need balance in your life and you can�t be the good fairy whom brings happiness to all. If you give away all your happiness, all you will have is misery. Don�t find excuses for your abusers. Your hex will find them, don�t feel too sorry for them, they didn�t for you.

Different items give different people �different� powers.
I don�t seem to have much power with crystals. Snowflake obsidian is much more effective to me than a crystal. Perhaps it has something to do with the past or the path of my life - I am not sure, I do know what tends to work for me and when I focus on that aspect, it becomes more effective and grows stronger. You need to learn to ignore some pop culture recommendations and follow your path to invoke your power. Just because it says so in a book doesn�t make it so in your case. A few years ago, a 19 yr old wanted to argue to the death with me about lavender oil. She was dead set that according to the book, it can only be used for relaxing, and nothing else. If it was written in a book, it had to be true. The only thing I have to say about this is, if you want to throw enough energy to make a light bulb short out, you can�t be this gullible, and until you break free of following someone else�s intended path, your power will not reach its potential.

When writing spells keep it simple and focused. Don�t try to do too many things at once.

Have a Purpose. Don�t cast just for the sake of casting. That is like fishing with no bait. It is a waste of resources and time.

Pay attention to what Moon phase you are in and the time. The hour, Day of the Week/ year might be significant to your spell. What is logically the best time?

What is the Element (air, fire, water, earth) or direction that you use? What applies to what you want?

Color, Incense/oils, Gems (stones or crystals) help you focus. Get a note book and decide what means what to you. Don�t panic if it is different than what a book tells you. Use them according to the power they reveal to you.

Herbs/plants � this you will have to follow the book. You don�t want to poison yourself.

Other associations: Pen/ink, paper notes, a focus couplet or poem that applies to what to do.

Remember to record your spells and what you tried to do and what happened instead. Note anything that went wrong, and find the detail you missed.

Happy Spell crafting and casting!

Snow Phoenix (nick name)
AKA
Bracken Reed Gray (magick name)