FOR EXAMPLE

„Goddess, let my talents shine, where hard work and faith combine, this promotion will be mine.‟

This spell can be used for finding work and to find peace with a work placement. It is best cast when the Moon is in Virgo. Spring and Summer when foliage is lush and green. Sunday afternoons. The month of April.

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Find job advertisements that are interesting to you and that you are truly qualified to perform. Take notes from them and anoint the newspaper with

patchouli oil. Place the paper in a heat-safe container and ignite it as you say:

Keep the ashes as a charm, or bury them with a blossoming plant so the energy grows. This spell aids you in improving your employment prospects, but is not a replacement for effort. It instills the most self-confidence when cast in Spring and Summer, with the Moon in Virgo. Repeat the steps before interviews.

QU E STIO N

IS I T P O S S I B L E T O C H A N T A F F I R M A T I O N S A N D S P E L L E N E R G Y W A L K I N G A R O U N D A S Y O U P E R F O R M daily activities without having to cast a circle and, if

so, is it safe to do so like that?

ANSWE R:

You can attempt to use chants as you go about your daily activities, but clearing your mind and cleansing the space would seem necessary to get the desired effects.

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ST E P 1 GR O U N D A N D P U R I F Y

Use salt and water, or incense, to cleanse spiritually and mentally, and rid yourself of any thoughts or feelings that could interfere with our participation in the ritual. Meditate together to feel secure and rooted to the earth. Remember we are all connected.

ST E P 2 CA S T I N G A C I R C L E

Draw an imaginary circle where we are doing a ritual, creating a sacred space. Draw a pentacle within the circle to let in the spirits and powers we will invoke.

One person walks the boundary of the Circle, clockwise, beginning in the North or in the East. Use an athame to „draw‟ a pentacle in the four cardinal Directions and a line to connect them, ending at the same point where she or he began, then walk to the center of the Circle and point the athame towards the sky and then the ground. All participants remain attentive and focused, using their own vision and imagination to aid the process of encircling the space with a magical cord. Follow the traditional words for casting the circle, each part spoken in the appropriate direction:

„By the Air that is Her breath, By the Fire of her spirit,

By the Waters of Her living womb, And by the Earth that is Her body.‟

In the center: „The Circle is cast and we are between the worlds. The ritual has begun.‟

Once the Circle has been cast, participants enter (or leave) and „cut‟ themselves into (or out of) the Circle by carefully opening a space to pass through and closing it after they have crossed the boundary. This can be done by miming cutting out a door shape, passing through a „door‟ as in a tent, or parting curtains. This prevents a „tear‟ in the circle boundary which would disrupt the focus and dissipate the energy of the Circle. The circle can be permeated by animals and young children who don t need cut to enter or leave.

ST E P 3 CA L L I N G D I R E C T I O N S

Use words, song, chanting, and/or movement, to call the powers of the four directions, and the elements associated with them. East air; South fire; West water; North earth. In the Center, we invoke the spirit.

ST E P 4 IN V O K I N G T H E D E I T Y

A deity is invoked to witness and assist magical work, and to empower those working the magic. Choose a deity who is known for particular powers or qualities. Often an invocation is composed in advance, and it may be accomplished with poetry, song, sounding or music of any kind, movement or dance. One person may take the role of invoking, or all participants may do it together.

ST E P 5 MA G I C K A L W O R K I N G

This is the heart of the ritual. We might try to heal ourselves, or something in the world. We might try to raise energy and send it out into the world. We might seek guidance, or power within ourselves. We might build a vision of a more peaceful world. We might be very quiet, and meditative, or we might make a lot of noise. We might sing, or dance, or make something out of sewing or other arts and crafts materials. We might be very serious, and some of us might cry. Or we might be very joyous and have a lot of fun, laughing and joking. We try to work in harmony with the forces of nature. We might also harmonize our work with the seasons of the year, the phases of the tides, etc.

ST E P 6 SH A R I N G F O O D& D R I N K

Sharing food and drink we bless something to eat and something to drink by

acknowledging them as gifts of the Goddess, and share them. This is sometimes called „cakes and wine‟ or „cookies and juice.‟ As the food or drink is passed around the circle, the giver may say to the recipient,

‘MA Y Y O U N E V E R H U N G E R,’ A N D ‘MA Y Y O U N E V E R T H I R S T.’ ST E P 7 OP E N I N G T H E C I R C L E

At the end of a ritual, the participants thank the deities that were invoked, and then the spirits of the Directions, this time going counterclockwise. Whoever invoked the directions or deities, thanks and dismisses them. Then we imagine the circle we cast being erased, dissolved, and unwrapped. Often, people say together:

„By the Earth that is Her body, by the Waters of her living womb, by the Fire of Her bright spirit, and by the Air that is her breath, the Circle is open, but unbroken;

may the peace of the Goddess stay in our hearts; merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.‟

FINAL WORDS OF WISDOM