For those of us who practice a magical path, often we find ourselves standing in front of our altars or within our sacred space, calling down energies to help us perform the work. Its a moment that for many of us are cauterized into our memory. The moment you feel the energy start to fall in and you can feel the rush of it run down your spine, perhaps even reach across your altar and infuse your workings. This moment really separates the magical from the mundane. Something about it lets you know that what your doing is both valid and ready to be sent into the world. The kicker is each of us have a different trigger for getting to this moment. Some of us its a kind of music, perhaps chant, perhaps even a spoken set of words. Regardless of what it is, it achieves the same status, that near overwhelming, skin tingling, rush of raw power.

I wanted to speak today on a few ideas that perhaps you haven’t thought about. I hope that through this you will be able to achieve that same state with a bit more ease and be able to call up the energy you need to get what you want from your magic. I realize that a large part of this is personal preference and even more so that some of us feel this to different degrees. I firmly believe that each of us can come to the same place with simple instructions that we may have over looked.

First, we need to establish what it is to want something. There is a reason that within Wiccan/Pagan circles, the idea of love spells are so taboo. To have a burning desire for something, to literally have it consume your thoughts and your dreams lends to a great deal of desire and desire is the fuel to Will. That is to say that if you want something bad enough you can make it manifest. I see this as a driving obsession that magicians have, but that’s a topic for another day. What you need to understand from this point is that, if you can’t focus on what it would be to have such a thing. You more than likely don’t want it enough. If your desire is lacking your results will be lacking as well. You have to want the success with a fervent desire. This is often why many workers who are working for mothers for their children will allow the mother to fuel the work. They connection and their pure desire to have their children succeed just can’t be met from someone from the outside. Those who can are professionals for that reason, among many others. Imagine that though, trying to match the desire of a parent to see their child protected, healthy and happy. That is a large order to fill.

Next is the mental head space required. You have more than likely read in books about people establishing sacred space. This idea I believe is two fold. One is the simpler idea of having a space where you can work unabashed. I feel that people who aren’t in what they believe to be a “safe” place to be truly open just can’t call it up like those who aren’t. Most of the time this has all to do with feeling secure with those who can see/hear what is going on. Either in public space, private space that isn’t ‘secure’ (Such as an apartment where neighbors may over hear or a room where a roommates may come in) or being uncomfortable with what your doing. Comfort it turns out has a great deal to do with establishing this sacred space. So either keep working until your comfortable with what your doing for any and all to hear or find yourself some seclusion. This brings to mind images of my youth, trudging through the woods with my backpack full of supplies to try and find a place where no one could find me. A much different scenario than today, were I am often asked to perform ritual or spell work before coven members and clients which are a lot less like family. The second half of head space is focus. I have used this word often but I want to give it special attention here. Focus is again, brought up often in your witchy 101 books as well as really any book that teaches you a system of magic. There is something that falls of you when you’ve narrowed your focus to a pinpoint. The best examples I can give of watching or listening someone who is in that state are Palero/a’s and Santero/a’s chanting their linage and evocations before they read. I believe this practice was both designed to call on those helpful and powerful energies but also to bring the practitioner to a razor focus through a long series of incantations and homages give to their respected spirits. Another from the pagan podcast circle is Cory from New World Witchery‘s sudden change when he intones Braucheri workings. I wish I could remember the exact episode for you to have the audio example, but if you’ve heard it you know exactly what I mean. For just a moment, Cory seems to disappear and Cory’s Will seems to come forward. It’s a very powerful and sudden change when he enters that head space to me. This brings me to my final point.

When a magician gets himself into that head space a kind of change falls over him. His (or Her) voice may change, there is a serious tone to it. The words seem to spill from his lips in a way that gives you a true glimpse into his desire. That is a huge sticking point for me. Often I’ll be in public ritual where you’ll have someone reading from a page. They stumble through it because the words aren’t their own. They may not understand all of the words and more importantly the meanings behind the words. If at all possible, disregard how others phrase things. Those words aren’t your own, they won’t have the same feelings attached to them. Find your own words or if you really like what someone has to say, spend the time to memorize what is going to be said. There is something special about something you’ve taken the time to memorize. Most root workers have memorized a few psalms after the first few years of practicing. I believe this lends a great deal of strength to their workings because it gives them a special kind of confidence. One, I think if you spend the time truly absorbing what your going to use in a spell, you will come to appreciate. But I digress, Let me get back to my point.

Each time you step before your altar take a moment to gather yourself. Before you speak, stop to realize what your about to do. Ask for your higher power to come stand with you and dig down deep for that fire that burns within you. Each of us was born with an inner power many of us have touched once or twice in our life. Most of us touch this fire first when we were angry. So angry that our words came without thought, without that part of our brain that stops us and makes us analyze whats being said. There was that rush that came with it. A release of that anger that perhaps now that your reading this begins to remind of you of how you felt when you really let go of whatever spell you felt had the biggest baddest punch you’ve thrown. That fire is in you all the time and you may have unconsciously grabbed it before, but its there always. Step before your altar with that knowledge and reach down and grab it. Once you have started it will be unmistakable. Bring that inner fire into focus. If you’ve gotten the above squared away you won’t have much else to do. Let the words come to you. Keep refining them over and over, building within you until you feel you’ve shaped it to your desire and then release it. It should feel as though a great burden has been lifted from your shoulders. You should feel elated and relieved at the same time. Its a glorious thing to give it your all and I truly believe if you’ve tapped into it once. You’ll never go without again.

-SS