Perchance To Spell 

The Wiccan Rede reminds us to not cause harm in our choices.  But does that same principle apply to situations where someone's health, their very life, is in danger? Yes.

Many non-pagans are terrified of spells.  Some think that the spell will require payment of a portion of their soul to the devil.  Others feel that it is a violation of letting things remain in God's hands.

I've been questioned about the sacrifice of animals in spell casting; about naked orgiastic rituals.  You know the type of misinformation that Hollywood has been so good at putting out.  I usually start correcting those assumptions with a heavy sigh.

In many ways, a spell is similar to prayer.  But the primary difference is that prayer offers up energy to be used as God wills it while magick directs the energy to a specific target for a specific intent, such as healing.

But having the ability to work magick doesn't mean that we can do so indiscriminately.  You must also respect the wishes and will of the others involved.  If they don't want a spell cast for them, you can't do it.  Period.

So, what can you do?  You can pray.  As I said, prayer directs energy to be used as the divine wills it.  There is nothing wrong with asking the divine to assist someone who is ill.  You have violated nothing through prayer since you yourself will have done nothing directly in the healing.

Healing spells are the predominate types of spell work done.  But, lest we forget, there are those who will ask for a love spell to be cast without realizing the consequences.  It's one thing to cast a spell asking for qualities in yourself to be enhanced so that another will notice, but it's something entirely different to cast a spell to force one person to focus their love and desire upon you.

Ultimately, there is only one way to look at this. If you were the person to be the target of the spell, knowing their reaction and/or knowing the intent of the spell, would you want it done to you?  If the answer is "no," then you shouldn't do it.

Notice, I'm not saying you can't do it.  Each of us must make our own decisions.  Each is responsible for the consequences of their actions.  Again, sometimes prayers are better than nothing.

To illustrate this, I'm going to tell you about my youngest sister.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.  When I first came out of the proverbial broom closet, each of my sisters told me that I was not allowed, ever, to cast spells for their benefit.

But this is my youngest sister.  Our uncle had died recently from brain cancer brought on originally by skin cancer.  I told her bedtime stories and sang lullabies to her when she was young.  She is my youngest sister; I was devastated.

So I asked her, in light of this, could I do a healing spell.  "No."  No; what a cruel word.  So I asked her if I could pray for her.  After questioning me about what that entailed, she consented.

Yes, I set up a ritual for the prayer.  But I prayed to the Lady (luckily for me she is the patron Goddess of my mother's lineage.)  That night in my home I prayed while my other Catholic sisters prayed in their homes.

The next morning, the youngest awoke to find a red-tailed hawk perched on the railing of her deck.  Hawks aren't normally seen in that area.  She said she felt the presence of our mother and grandmother with her as she looked at the hawk and it gazed at her.  After a few minutes, the hawk flew away.  And she knew then that she'd be okay.

So, do I think it was my prayers that did this?  No.  But I do think it was the prayers of everyone that helped her.  For the record, she is doing well and will finish up her chemo treatments shortly.  And she's beautiful bald.

Again, respect the wishes of the recipient of any spell work.  And if nothing else can be done, never underestimate the power of prayer.
 

 
© 2001 Mother, April 6th