Just as there are different types of Pagans and magick, there are also various types of spells. Although not all magick spells will fall into a specific category, some spells can be characterized by the method used to work them.
Some witches will have better magickal outcomes when working certain spell types, while others may not. As such, the spells found on GreenWitch have the spell type in its title, when applicable, as this can help you decide if a particular spell is for you. For example, if you regularly achieve good magickal outcomes working knot spells, you’ll know that a spell called Get Over Someone Knot Spell might be for you, should the need arise for such a spell.
In any event, it’s beneficial and practical to learn different ways to work spells because in magick, one size absolutely does not fit all. So, below are some common spell types with tips to help you work them.
AFFIRMATION SPELLS
These spells are the act of using an affirmation – positive thoughts put into words – which is repeated often to yourself to bring about a positive magickal outcome in your life. Affirmations are especially effective in happiness, magickal ability improvement, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-love, and other self positivity magick. Remember:
Thoughts are energy. Energy is magick.
That said, though, it’s equally important to remember that the magickal energy in affirmation spells builds up over time so don’t expect immediate results.
Affirmation Spell Tips:
- It’s important to work out your affirmation ahead of time. Don’t just wing it! Your affirmation should be meaningful to you.
- You affirmation will work best if it is naturally and easily spoken. As such, a simple rhyme or a rhythmic chant, such as in this Magickal Confidence Affirmation Spell, will typically work well.
- If you’re using a spell that was written by someone else, don’t hesitate to change the wording of the affirmation so that it is relevant to you.
- Once you have your affirmation, write it down and place it in a location where you’ll see it often, such as your bathroom mirror and/or computer monitor. This serves as a visual reminder to repeat it regularly and often. Sticky notes are popular for this but they don’t always stick well so a piece of paper and scotch-tape may work best.
- If you need to keep your spell private, you could write out your affirmation in a journal or notebook several times daily. Setting a timer on your phone will remind you to work your affirmation spell daily, as a journal may not give you the visual reminder of a note on your mirror.
- Don’t hesitate to use coloured pencils, markers, stickers, etc. and embellish your affirmation spell with colours and symbols that represent your magickal intention. For instance, if you’re working a self-love affirmation, you could draw hearts and use heart stickers. This puts more of yourself and your magick into it.
AMULET, CHARM & TALISMAN SPELLS
These powerful spells are worked by magickally charging objects as amulets, charms, and talismans. Although the words amulet, charm, and talisman are used interchangeably, each one serves a different magickal purpose:
- An amulet is a magickally-charged object worn or carried for healing or protection as well as for repelling negative energy, people, etc. Contrary to popular belief, an amulet does not have to be a pendant, although it may be one. In actuality, an amulet can be crafted from almost anything such as buttons, coins, crystals & stones, jewelry, religious medals, etc.
- A charm is a small magickally-charged object that can be worn or carried to attract good luck, good fortune, or another positive outcome to the carrier. Charms can be crafted from almost anything such as buttons, coins, crystals & stones, jewelry, religious medals, etc. Magickally, a charm is also a simple spoken spell.
- A talisman is a magickally-charged item that can be worn or carried to attract or provide a specific ability, benefit, energy, or power to the wearer. Talismans can be crafted from almost anything such as animal parts, clothes, hats, metal, paper, and more.
Amulet, Charm & Talisman Spell Tips:
- Magickal intentions for amulets, charms, or talismans may either be non-specific such as to attract good luck in general or specific such as to help you pass an exam or ace a job interview.
- Coins and other metals are often used in amulets and charms. It’s important that a metal’s magick properties corresponds with your magickal intentions. For instance, copper would be appropriate for a good luck charm while gold would befit a protection amulet or prosperity charm. Learn more about the magickal properties of metals.
- Crystals and stones have their own age-old inherent magickal energies plus they will also hold and direct other energies as well. As such, they have long been used to craft amulets, charms, and talismans. When using a stone, it’s important to choose one whose energies correspond with your magickal intentions. Learn more about the magickal properties of crystals and stones.
- All colours have magickal properties so if you’re charging a fabric, button, or something else that comes in different colours, it’s a good idea to choose a colour whose properties correspond with your magickal focus. For example, a green button would work as a good luck charm whereas a medium-blue hat would be useful as a talisman to help you pass an exam. Learn more about the magickal properties of colours.
- Religious medals are often used to craft healing or protective amulets. To create one of these, make sure that the religious figure is suitable. For example, for a pet protection amulet, a St. Francis of Assisi medal would be appropriate as he is the patron saint of animals.
- Some Pagans may use animal parts to craft talismans as they are believed to magically impart the characteristics or powers of the animal they came from. In green magick, it’s important to source these animal parts ethically. Ethical sourcing typically refers to an animal having freely and naturally given up the part, such as a shark losing a tooth, a deer shedding an antler, or a bird moulting its feathers. These may sometimes be found during walks on a beach or through a forest.
- When charging your amulet, it’s a good idea to do so during the moon phase that corresponds with your magickal focus. For good luck, this would be during the waxing moon. For protection, this would be during the new moon or the full moon. Learn more about moon phases.
BATH SPELLS
These spells are exactly as advertised: baths, albeit magickal baths. Using the powerful magickal energies of water along with other ingredients and/or tools, these baths are particularly potent when used for cleansing, healing, love, prosperity, and protection magick. However, they can be used to work any magickal intention or focus.
In addition, a ritual cleansing bath is commonly taken prior to working a “big” magick spell or ritual and, for some witches, prior to casting circles as well. This is to ensure that you are cleansed of any non-inherent energies beforehand and ready to work your magick.
Bath Spell Tips:
- Make certain that you have enough time to work your bath spell as magick can’t be rushed. In addition to your pre-bath preparations, you’ll need to soak in your tub for at least 10 minutes.
- Make sure that you won’t be interrupted by your phone, partner, children, pets, etc.
- Have all of your tools and ingredients ready beforehand, including a white cotton towel and/or white cotton bathrobe that you use only for magickal baths.
- Prior to taking a magickal bath, take a shower or quick bath. It may seem counter-intuitive to do so since you’re already going to be taking a magickal bath but it’s important to wash off the day before working a magickal bath. Take care to thoroughly rinse off any soap or shampoo.
- During the magickal bath, do not use any soap, shampoo, etc. as it is a spell that you’re working and not intended for physically cleaning yourself.
- Some bath spells call for one or more ingredients to be pre-steeped and then added to the bathwater. With other spells, the ingredients are added directly to the bathwater, either loosely or in a pouch. Either way, with these bath spells, you would soak for a period of time in your tub to complete the spell.
- Infused water or charged water may be used as a magickal ingredient in bath spells.
- However, some bath spells require you to perform additional steps once you’re in the tub. In that case, bath shelf – the type that sits across the tub – can be very helpful. You can either buy a bath shelf from any retailer that sells them or craft your own bath altar with an appropriately-sized wood board.
- If you choose to make your own bath altar, make sure that the wood is well-sanded and then sealed to protect it from both the bath water and the ingredients used in your spellwork. Prior to sealing it, you could personalize with paint, permanent markers, and/or a wood burner. Lastly, felt pads on the underside of the board will protect your tub from being scratched.
BOTTLE & JAR SPELLS
Jar or bottle spells are worked by combining magickal ingredients and items in a bottle or jar and then, typically capping or sealing it. This allows magick to quickly build up but then be released at a steady rate over a prolonged period of time. These spells typically remain active as long as the jar or bottle isn’t broken. Of course, this will depend on the spell and how it was written. Bottle and jar spells are very effective in spells where sustained magick is required such as in protection, healing or money magick. However, they can be worked for virtually any magickal intention.
Jar or bottle spells are similar to pouch spells, except that magickal ingredients and items are placed in a bottle or jar rather than a pouch and the bottle or jar isn’t typically carried on oneself. The spell is usually activated once the jar is lidded and/or sealed. Some spells, however, may require the jar or bottle to be charged with moonlight or by a fire or candlelight in order to activate it. Yet other spells become activated once a jar is buried or otherwise placed in an outdoor location.
Bottle & Jar Spell Tips:
- Mason jars or hinged-lid jars work well in jar spells as they come in multiple sizes, seal well, and are readily available. You may already use these jars to store your dried herbs & flowers, resins, incenses, etc. The mouth of even the smallest mason jar or hinged-lid jar will allow you to easily place your magickal ingredients inside it.
- Glass bottles or tubes with aluminum screw caps, cork stoppers, or hinged-stoppers work well in bottle spells. Smaller ones are typically available at craft stores or dollar stores, in the craft section. Larger ones can be found a wine-making supply stores.
- If you need to carry your spell with you, consider working a pouch spell instead. Although there are tiny attractive pendant-style bottles available, the amount of ingredients they can carry may not be enough to generate enough magick to give you good magickal results. An exception to this, however, would be if a very powerful ingredient such as hair and/or nail clippings or high-quality Witch’s Black Salt is being used to work the spell.
- Plastic bottles or jars with plastic lids/caps aren’t recommended for jar or bottle magick, especially if you need to bury your spell, as they are not ecofriendly.
- Not every bottle or jar spell calls for it to be sealed – for instance, this Money Jar Spell. However, if it does need to be sealed, a beeswax sheet cut into 1” wide strips works well. Simply wrap one or two strips around the side of the jar lid and use the heat of your hands to soften the wax to form a seal. It’s much easier and safer than using hot melted wax to dip the jar lid into.
- Alternatively, a natural fibre ribbon, such as jute, can be used to seal your jar or bottle, especially if it will need to be reopened at some point during the spell.
- Unless a spell specifies otherwise, start by placing the heaviest ingredient or object in the jar or bottle first, working your way down to the lightest one(s) to avoid crushing the more delicate items.
- If your jar or bottle spell doesn’t need to be buried or placed outdoors, place it in the area of the home that is either going to be affected by the spell or that is representative of the spell. For example, an money jar spell should be placed where work on your household finances; a home protection bottle spell, by the most-used entrance door; and an aphrodisiac under your bed or close to it.
FLOOR WASH SPELLS
These spells are the ritual washing of a floor with a magickal infusion. This is an old traditional form of magick still practiced in many different Pagan traditions. Floor washes are commonly used to clear a space of negative energies or to protect it. However, they can also used for any magickal intention or focus, such as healing, love, good luck, and prosperity magick.
Floor Wash Spell Tips:
- The floor should already be physically clean – swept and mopped – prior to applying the magickal floor wash.
- Steep your ingredients such as herbs, flowers, and lemon slices in boiling water for 30 minutes and then strain them before adding them to your bucket or bowl, unless your spell specifies otherwise.
- Infused water or charged water may be used as magickal floor washes or as an ingredient in floor wash spells.
- Use a clean white cotton cloth to apply your floor wash that you use only for applying magickal floor washes. Otherwise, use a clean cotton mop that is used only to apply magickal floor washes, not for regular day-to-day cleaning.
- If you are raising energy, such as in attraction magick, work clockwise around your space. If you are dispelling energy, such as in clearing and cleansing magick, work counterclockwise.
- Although it is called a “floor wash,” it is also be used to clean other items such as doors, windows, furniture, etc. These items should also be physically clean prior to applying the magickal wash.
KNOT SPELLS
Also called cord magick, these spells involve the rhythmic tying of knots, usually while reciting a simple chant at each knot. Knot spells are often used in love or binding magick, as well as handfastings. However, knot magick may be worked for any magickal focus or intention.
Knot Spell Tips:
- Cord, hair, ribbon, rope, string, thread, twine, and more can be used to work knot magick.
- For best magickal results, use a natural fiber product such as jute, wool yarn, raffia, etc.
- Depending on the spell, you could also use something meaningful to you such as a hair ribbon you’re no longer using or an opened gift ribbon or even a long thread from a favourite sweater.
- An uneven length of cord and knots is typical for these spells so if you’re writing your own spell, you may want to follow this custom even though it’s not a hard and fast rule.
- In simple spells, the knots may be simply tied onto the cord itself. In other spells, the cord may also be wrapped around a separate item, such as a photo, a candle, or herbs, as knots are tied.
- The act of tying the knot activates and binds the magick indefinitely, unless the spell is broken. Some knot spells are broken by untying the knots or by snipping the cord. In other spells, the tied cord is kept in a container such as a box, jar, or pouch and these spells are broken by releasing the cord from the container.
POUCH SPELLS
These spells, sometimes called charm bags, are worked by combining magickal ingredients and items in a small pouch, allowing magick to build up and then be released at a steady rate over a prolonged period of time. Pouch spells are effective for any magickal intention or focus where any sustained magick is needed, including protection and healing spells. Some witches call these pouches mojo bags or conjure bags, but those terms more accurately apply to Hoodoo, rather than green witchcraft.
Pouch Spell Tips:
- It’s always best to use natural fabrics such as cotton, linen, and wool for your magickal pouches. This is doubly important if you will be burying your pouch at any point in time. In addition, the magickal properties of your pouch material should correspond with your magickal intentions. Linen is effective in prosperity magick while wool is well-suited for protection magick.
- As colours have their own magickal properties, the colour of your pouch should correspond with your magickal intentions. For example, if you are crafting your pouch to help you pass an exam, a medium-blue pouch would work best. Learn more about the magickal properties of colours.
- Your pouch needs to be large enough to easily hold your ingredients and tools but not so large as to be cumbersome to carry or wear.
- Magickal ingredients and items used can include: amulets; bark; charms; coins; crystals & stones; flowers; hair & nail clippings; herbs & spices; metals; other plants & plant parts; resin; runes; salt; and more.
- Unless a spell specifies otherwise, use dry ingredients – for example, dried herbs rather than fresh ones. Otherwise, you run the risk having your spell rot, becoming mouldy and smelly, which can be very unpleasant when you’re wearing or carrying it.
- Some faiths such as Hoodoo use bones and animal parts in their mojo bags but this is something that’s specific to their spirituality.
- Once your pouch has been crafted, it should then be smudged and/or dressed with essential oils, carrier oils, bodily fluids, infused water, or charged water to activate the spell. This process needs to be repeated monthly for as long as you carry your pouch and should be done during a moon phase that corresponds with your magickal intention.
- Once you have achieved your desired magickal result, you may no longer need your magick pouch. So, instead of recharging it, burn it in a bonfire or wood-burning fireplace, if it’s safe to do so, or bury it outside, close to your front door.
RECIPE SPELLS
Baking, cooking or otherwise preparing food for magickal purposes is recipe magick. Recipe spells can be used for any magickal focus or intention but are very effective in healing and love magick.
Recipe Spell Tips:
- These spells use the preparation of foods to build up and then release magick. The spell is activated when the recipe is completed and the food is consumed.
- This type of spell is no less potent than any other spellwork. As such, it’s very important to prepare your recipe spells mindfully, focusing on your magickal intentions during each and every step.
- While all prepared recipes and meals are magickal in their own way, not all recipes qualify as recipe spells. Bear in mind that magickal intentions play a very large part in spellcasting. Therefore, cooking and serving your family a delicious aspèrges gratinées for your family dinner is not the same as serving your lover Grilled Asparagus as a magickally-crafted aphrodisiac.
- With a recipe spell, it’s essential to use ingredients that correspond with your magickal intentions. Otherwise, you might have one ingredient that cancels out the magickal properties of another one. For example, basil is effective in attraction magick while black pepper is effective in repelling magick. So, while basil and black pepper are delicious when used together in your evening meal, if you are working an attraction recipe spell, black pepper’s repelling properties can counteract the attraction properties of basil. In this case, omitting black pepper would be essential.
ZAP SPELLS
A spell doesn’t need to be complex to be effective. Zaps are spontaneous mini-spells that are performed in just a few seconds or minutes, releasing a quick zap of magick, whenever you need a bit of magickal fix right away. A zap is worked via a brief chant or action, which immediately activates the spell and the possibilities are endless.
Zap Spell Tips:
- Zap spells can include: sprinkling some basil across a door threshold to keep harmony between your guests; chewing on some whole cloves before meeting with someone to encourage them to repay a debt; or simply lighting a brown candle before gardening to encourage your plants to grow well.
- Keep your desired magickal outcome realistic when working a zap. These spells are for working uncomplicated fast-acting magick, such as making you more noticeable when hailing a taxi. If you need stronger and/or longer acting magick, it would be best to work a more appropriate spell.
- It takes time to develop the magickal skills needed to work zaps. If you don’t get the magickal results you were expecting when you work a zap, continue developing your magickal abilities and powers.
Photos: images-free.net · CC0 1.0 / Gerd Altman · Pixabay · license / monicore · Pixabay · license / Wonjae Lee · Pixabay · license · adapted / nanairo7clover · Pixabay · license / Alexander Klink · Wikimedia · CC BY 4.0 · adapted / congerdesign · Pixabay · license / congerdesign · Pixabay · license / Steve Buissinne · Pixabay · license