Basics of magic. Theory and practice of magic Self-awareness and magical memory

What magical practices were known to the Russian Rosicrucians? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to understand what theoretical premises lay at the basis of their understanding of magic.

The starting point of the Masonic doctrine of magic is the central idea for Freemasons about man as a microcosm and the Hermetic principle of the unity of the higher and lower worlds. It is as the center of the universe, as a mediator between Nature and God, reflecting and containing all the higher and lower worlds, that man gains magical power over nature. “Everything in him and by him is produced that only exists in the great world, everything, I say, since it is a small world and the concentrated, so to speak, essence of all the seeds scattered in the vast vastness of heaven and earth, but this is not enough. Actions produced by man’s own will and within himself pour out onto the incomprehensible space of all appearance, and onto all creatures living and moving in the depths of nature.”

What is the essence of this power? On the one hand, that man is able to contribute to nature in its productive activity: “Everything is produced from man and by man, according to the unlimited power contained in his heart, to the discovery of such actions not only inside, but also outside himself, in relation to the entire nature of things ; That’s why I said above that we assist Nature in carrying out her actions, pure and impure, good and evil.” It is precisely as assistance to natural processes and their acceleration that the essence of alchemical practices is understood: “To work alchemically means to give movement to Nature. When placed in a flask, putrefaction is first produced by heat, then thickening or coagulation by cold, and then elevation by dryness. This is indicated in a student’s degree.”

On the other hand, man possesses even greater power, as the image and likeness of God, the power of creating the world: “Any power of imagination can produce beings outside of us and they will seem clothed, since they are clothed in the Elements. Man himself is the world: and as the Divine imagination creates, so does the human imagination create.” The power of man is limitless, like the power of God: “This comparison proves to us the majesty of man, as a small world, which not only contains concentrated all the essences of the great universe, but even the secret springs of its control, and the very source of freedom by which everything can in itself and outside itself, and by which the real and only free being in the sunflower is named and is.”

What is the source of human magical power that allows him to both help nature in its actions and create something that does not exist in nature? The Russian Rosicrucians gave an unequivocal answer to this - the source of magical power is the will: “always and everywhere a person is accompanied and surrounded by various kinds of spirits, of which those directly acting on him are those whose corresponding magnet is discovered by the invisible, but strong magic of the human will.” The idea of ​​will as a magical force is connected with the idea of ​​the universal animation of things and the world as a whole: will is a manifestation of the spirit in a person, and it is capable of interacting with the so-called. “magnets” - imprints of the spirit in all things. A single spirit, manifesting itself in the world and man, binds them together and allows them to influence each other. The source of the will itself, its focus is the heart: “man, as a friend of Nature and the same blood and flesh with her, does not live and act mechanically, but an inscrutable power is found within him, which, in accordance with the unlimited power of Nature, controls all the movements of his heart... Man “, freely controlling all actions within and outside of himself, clearly shows us the place of this strong advantage, the will of his heart.” The heart generally played a huge role in the philosophy of the Russian Rosicrucians. It was understood as an organ of mystical knowledge, as a reflection in man of the infinite and omnipotent Divine will, as the Son of God in man, as a reflection in man of the divine Ein-Soph (the apophatic aspect of divine existence) and the original Chaos, from which everything arises and to which everything returns . The symbol of the heart was a dot in a circle, which also symbolized the Sun, Gold, Trinity, 10 Sephiroth, and, most importantly, was a symbol of the Order as such. In other words, the heart is a kind of mystical focus of human existence, in which the divine and cosmic centers are reflected, which makes it a source of special magical power. This power can be discovered in the heart only by entering the internal degrees of the Order, which lead a person into the “Holy of Holies” of the temple of Nature, the temple of Grace and the temple of the human soul itself.

Since the source of magical power is the heart, this power can be identified not only with will, but also with faith and love: “Our soul has its own lips, which have no connection with animal bodily lips, and which can be opened when they are closed. . These lips are a magical desire, the attractive power of the soul, hunger and thirst for the Bread of Heaven and the water of life... This most magical desire, combined with hope and love, is called living faith, with which everything is possible and without which Jesus himself could not perform miracles.”

In general, the will in its unity with faith and love was understood by Russian Freemasons as a magical “magnet”; from the point of view of the Freemasons, it was the heart that was the point of connection between the microcosm and the macrocosm, and various influences passed through it in both directions. Hungry, thirsting for something, a person is able to attract to himself certain elements, elements, certain spirits and even divine Light. Thus, such Christian practices as prayer and communion acquire a magical meaning - by turning to God with love, directing all his desires and thoughts towards him, a person attracts the divine light to himself. By surrendering to the power of this light, man, in turn, gains power over fallen nature: “But heavenly men trample nature underfoot and, abandoning everything else, imagine in the Spirit Jesus, their Divine Lover, attract him with the magnetism of their souls, keep him in faith, and allow him to essentially possess them.” Having acquired power over nature, he also gains freedom as one of the goals of the Free Masons: man “like a small world...contains...even the secret springs of control of it and the very source of freedom, by which everything can be done in itself and outside itself, and by which the real and only free being in the sunflower is named and is.”

However, the Masons were familiar not only with Christian magical practices, but also with some others. In particular, in the discussion about the way to open the vision of spirits, natural and violent methods are distinguished. For example, the natural way is animal magnetism. In principle, love and faith, as well as the prayer and communion associated with them, can also be classified as natural methods. On the other hand, the means for opening spiritual vision can be violent and are then called magic or ceremonial magic. Namely, this includes: 1) preparing the body through exhaustion and cleansing, 2) smoking and generally using substances that “stimulate vital spirits, irritate the nerves, strain the powers of imagination” (opium, camphor and strong drinks are mentioned). However, as the author of this text emphasizes, the type of spirits with which a person enters into communication does not depend on the type of smoking or on the rituals of white magic or divine magic, but only on the type of will (good or evil) and heart (pure or unclean) of the person who performs these rituals, i.e. and the basis of ritual magic is the natural magic of the human will, based on the mutual correspondence of the attraction of the micro- and macro-cosm. We see the same idea in another text, where it is said that pure and unclean actions are, respectively, actions “consistent with the order of the highest will of God and contrary to it.” The coordination of the magical will of man with the will of God occurs through Conscience as a force, concentrated, again, in the heart of man and reminding him of his true divine destiny.

To summarize, we note that Russian Freemasons were not only familiar with the Western magical tradition from original and translated sources, but also tried to independently comprehend it, introducing Christian elements into it and connecting it with the system of Masonic initiation. At the same time, ideas about magic organically fit into the teachings of Russian Freemasons, their picture of the world, their metaphysics, connecting with each other ideas about Nature, Man, God and Freemasonry as a way to comprehend their unity.

Semeka A.V. Russian Freemasonry in the 18th century // Freemasonry in its past and present. T. 1 – M.: SP “IKPA”, 1991. - p. 161

There - s. 166

Vernadsky G.V. Russian Freemasonry during the reign of Catherine - p. 72-73

Pypin A. N. Russian Freemasonry. XVIII and first quarter of the XIX century. – Petrograd: Lights, 1916 – p. 230-231.

Arsenyev V. S. Memoirs//Arsenyev V. S. Memoirs. Diary - St. Petersburg: Publishing house named after. N. I. Novikova, 2005 – p. 53

Philosophical-Kabalistic Judgment on the 4 figures of the great Amphitheater of Doctor Kunrath, attributed to John Arndt // NIOR RSL. F. 14.e.x. No. 1331. Collection. – l. 3.

Conversations by I. A. P. part 2.//NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 616 – l. 95

From the notes of I. G. Sh.//NIOR RSL. F. 147.e.x. No. 182.– l. 1.

There - l. 2 vol.

There - l. 3 vol.

There - l. 1

There - l. 1.

Ibid – l.3 vol.

There - l. 3

NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 616 – l. 95

Selected speeches on the theoretical degree // NIOR RSL. F. 147.e.x. No. 97. – l. 30 rev.

NIOR RSL. F. 147.e.x. No. 182 – l. 1

There - l. 2 vol.

Ibid – l 3. Ob.

Materials for free masons // NIOR RSL. F.147.e.x. No. 138 – l. 25 rev.

There - l. 26 rev.

There - l. 27

There - l. 27 rev.

There - l. 28 rev.

NIOR RSL. F. 147.e.x. No. 138 – l. 104

There - l. 104 l. 104 rev.

There - l. 104 rev.

Abstracts from conversations of I. A. P. part 1 // NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 615– l. 45

NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 616 – l. 100

There - s. 98

NIOR RSL. F.147.e.x. No. 138. – l. 29

We are talking about the subject of free masonry//NIOR RSL. F. 14.e.x. No. 270 – l. 6 rev.

NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 616 – p. 31

See: Bielfeld's discussion of the vain sciences and arts // The resting hardworker. Part 2 – M, 1784, - p. 85-87

See: Yates F.A. Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic - M.: New Literary Review, 2000. - 528 p.

Bacon F. New Organon//Bacon F. Works in two volumes. T. 2 – M.: Mysl, 1978 - p. 87

Collection of Kabbalah, magic and alchemy. // NIOR RSL. F. 14.e.x. No. 1501.– l.19.

Abstracts from conversations of I. A. P. part 3//NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 617 – l. 90

NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 616 – p. 160.

Explanation of the allegorical picture representing the temple of nature and grace//NIOR RSL. F 14. e.x.518 – l. 5

Filosofov A. A. Religious and mystical records 19 in the series (extracts of the late A. A. Filosofov on Kabala) // NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 676.– l. 71-72. Further reference will be given only to the fund and storage unit

Speech belonging to the X [Andreev] degree//NIOR RSL.F. 14, ex. No. 301 – l. 6

There - l. 7

NIOR RSL. F. 147, ex. No. 617 – l. 89

Public lectures by Professor John Georg Schwartz, recorded from his words//NIOR RSL. F. 147, ex. No. 142 – l. 19

NIOR RSL.F. 14, ex. No. 301 – l. 8

Selection from conversations of T.G.S.K. // NIOR RSL. F.14.e.x. No. 247 – l. 35 rev.

NIOR RSL.F. 14, ex. No. 301 – l. 7.

Speech about the sacrament of the Eucharist//NIOR RSL. F. 14. e.x. 316 – l. 14 rev.

There - l. 15

NIOR RSL. F. 14. e.x. 301 – l. 8

NIOR RSL. F. 14. e.x. 247 – l. 37

PREFACE

In our daily lives, we are accustomed to relying completely on official science. We are usually always sure that most of our worst fears and nightmares are just fantasy. But as soon as the usual course of things is disrupted, when the unknown weighs heavily on us in the presence of death, insanity or insurmountable disaster, we again instinctively feel how science is losing ground and we are again experiencing old childhood horrors.
We are still helpless in the face of an all-subjugating fate. Science suffers a complete defeat in the battle with this outer darkness, far from the flickering circle of light. However, in all ages there have been intrepid souls who believe that only with weapons forged from the darkness itself and with the help of knowledge accumulated by generations of those who have found ways of entering and exiting the invisible world, each person can subjugate to his will the indifferent fate that... and the case reminds us of dark forces.
The path of witchcraft was paved by those for whom the unknown became clear.
They voluntarily crossed the line, went beyond the light circle of objects and phenomena known and understandable to us, and explored all the dark, unexplored paths.
Now that Aquarius is above us, the gates have opened slightly, revealing as never before the secret workings of those who practice the Black Art. Social laws no longer force us to hide our deeds; the post and the noose are things of the past and we can once again choose our own gods, light or dark.
The time of the weak Galileo passes and the restrictions imposed by his saints lose their power over the public consciousness, allowing people to freely return again to the old teachings of joy and knowledge of the arts, once forbidden.
Our Lady Habondia and her horned husband are once again gathering their retinue. If you wish to take the dark path of witchcraft, the path is now open for you.
Either you worship Christian gods and are afraid to sell your soul to the devil, or, like us, you deliberately choose to gamble.

The purpose of this book is to teach you the first steps of witchcraft.
But remember that the choice was yours. We take no responsibility for the results you may achieve, good or bad. Witchcraft is witchcraft. The seeds of success or failure depend only on you.
The night is jealous of its secrets and guards them in many ways, but the one who manages to master them will be fully rewarded.
On the other hand, those who fearfully guard against the darkness gain only a temporary reprieve. The time will come when the darkness itself will overtake and capture them when they are least armed.

Chapter I

POWERS AND METHOD OF OBTAINING THEM
After reading the previous pages, you may have decided to take your first step on the path of practical witchcraft.
For your first step, it will be enough to make a symbolic gesture. We offer traditional rites of passage in Chapter 7; it is entitled: "The Sabbath of Witches. How to organize it."
Now you must make a symbolic gesture by which you will demonstrate the ceremony of your break with the old limitations and obstacles that in the past were the main obstacles to the development of your powers. Basically these restrictions can be symbolized as a yoke imposed by such established systems of irrational thought as organized religion, be it Christianity, Judaism or Buddhism. I emphasize: organized religion.
Of course, there are many other dogmatic systems, teachings without occult foundations, which are imposed from time to time on the public mind, such as communism, fascism, capitalism, and others, but they are created more to serve the material than the good of the soul.
The scope of witchcraft is an invisible area that influences the human psyche. And this is precisely the area that various churches have tried to dirty. We witches disagree with them on principle. Ironically, you can find out that all the innovators and founders of these religions were revolutionaries in their time. They came into conflict with the religions preached at that time to which they belonged, and were declared heretics.
So, enough of all hypocrisies: religious, political, nationalistic, whatever. Let's end them; it's time to make a ritual gesture. No, we are not going to invite you to burn blueprints, maps, or the American flag. All you have to do is recite the traditional Lord's Prayer backwards. Whoever you are; and whatever faith they profess: Christian, Buddhist, Mohammedan, Jewish, Parsi, Hindu, etc. - it does not matter. And if you live in a “Christian” country, then the gesture will be most effective. These are echoes of the days of the great witchcraft persecutions, and although witches were not specifically anti-Christians, many of them became so not naturally, but with the advent of this tide of religiously motivated oppression and bloodshed.
This prayer is a symbol of invocation of the dead letter, said in opposition to organized religion. Here's what you should do:
If you are absolutely sure that you want to take this first step, then three nights in a row, before going to bed, make sure that you are not being watched, light a candle and say the Lord's Prayer "in reverse." It is a little difficult to pronounce, but try to get the best pronunciation possible. It's no more confusing than some of the special power words you'll encounter later, and will be good practice for you. You will see that with each subsequent repetition it becomes easier to read; the third time it will flow freely.
I have written in a phonetically convenient form, therefore with a slight difference from the usual reverse reading.

Nima! Ogawakul to san iwabzi,

As you pronounce the words, direct your imagination to visualize large iron shackles falling from your hands and feet under dazzling flashes of lightning and disintegrating into molten fragments on both sides of you, hear the howl and crackling of scorching flashes accompanying the work on liberation, and consciously try to feel the burden of all your “complexes”, all those “dos” and “don’ts”, all this vast structure of idle talk and crackling phrases falling from your shoulders. When you are finished, blow out the candle, saying the words “So be it.” If you feel a chill of fear creeping up your spine during an activity that may seem blasphemous to you, know that everything will be fine. It is a process of redemption and purification and often reflects childhood fears. Don't worry; cold trepidation only heralds the fact that your subconscious is already ready and beginning to react. It is through the subconscious that you will develop your own powers, and with this ritual you have cleared the subconscious of the garbage and rubbish that usually cluttered it. On each of the next three days, when you wake up in the morning, you must try to remember that you are a Witch, what you did the night before and why.

WITCH PYRAMID
Acquiring basic witchcraft power is based on following four simple rules, sometimes called the witchcraft pyramid. These are the four cornerstones of magic, from which rises the mysterious edifice of the art of witchcraft. Each rule individually is not magical, and only the application of all four together gives a magical effect. You must apply them diligently, knowing that in order to get the desired return, you must put in all your will.
The four cornerstones of the witchcraft pyramid are: strong evil imagination, fiery will, unshakable faith and observance of secrecy. Imagination is capable of creating images and scenes in your brain, delighting feelings and feeding fantasy, it is a brilliant tool for the artist, inventor and inveterate onanist. The greatest and most famous figures in human history have possessed this power to a great extent, and I suspect that you, the reader, have too. Otherwise, you may not read this book. The ability to indulge in flights of fancy is of the highest value to a witch, because through this dark glass she sends her enchantments and with her spells sets the world on fire.
Therefore, if you are a witch, cultivate your imagination, value your imagination highly. As a witch, you will find great use for it.
The more emotionally and deeply connected the roots of your secret visions, the stronger the effect of your spell. The success of all your spells will depend only on how much emotional power of the mind you can connect to it. The more intense the emotion, the higher the chances of success. You must really be prepared to roll on the ground and gnash your teeth in ecstasy or hate everything when you enter your witch circle.
To achieve better results, many modern witches use the sensory memory technique used by actors. This method involves recharging your depleted emotionality to the utmost intensity. This is called by different names: the process of mental identification, the assignment of symbols in the process of magical action, or entering into a role. In order to turn on your imagination, you can use any significant memories: aromas, sounds, play of light, crazy dance, sex, prayers, hymns and so on, everything that you are predisposed to. Anything can be used to bridle your imagination and send cold shivers down your spine. This technique, of course, can be rationally used after traditional methods of witchcraft - completely independent of the use of paraphysics rituals.
A convenient place for your magical actions is necessary as one of the main incentives for your witchcraft imagination. You need a suitable place to perform magical actions. A living room or a small office is the most suitable room for this, and it is here that inspiration comes to you and envelops the place of work with the mystery, mysticism and horror necessary for your black juices to begin to flow. Any grotesque figurine or fancy engraving will suffice. But after a certain time, you will actually be forced to surround yourself with a whole set of witchcraft trinkets. They do not have to be genuine things - real skulls or goat hoof candlesticks, which are difficult to obtain and at the same time expensive. But, knowing that the setting in which witchcraft is performed is so important, in a worst-case scenario, a ten-cent Pacific Island devil mask or a reproduction of a medieval astrological chart will do. Perhaps over time it will turn into a passion. In order to save money, you will have to restrain yourself from the temptation of thrift stores and antique stores. So, cherish your imagination. A controlled trance is one of the main keys to a witch's success. Really, fantasize! The richer and more fantastic, the better.
The second side of the witchcraft pyramid is a force called “will”. It almost goes without saying that developing a strong will is one of the most important goals of practitioners of the Black Arts. Will is a requirement of magic. But even within the framework of everyday life, you can find a magnificent example of extravagant self-centeredness or even delusions of grandeur.
This is the will of a child who cannot stand objections and brazenly, with the gaze of a Basilisk, stares intently at any attempt to resist his will.
This will is activated during real magical actions and functions together with the boiling of emotions awakened to seething by your excited imagination. The will has the effect of a lens through which burning emotions are focused. In order to sharpen your will to the sharpness of a needle, you can optionally use one or two auxiliary means. There are simple exercises to help promote concentration. Meditation exercises from eastern disciplines, such as some yoga, can be used. They are very tedious, but give lasting results.
Meditating on a candle flame is as good an exercise as holding your attention directed at a dot drawn inside a circle for half an hour. Fixing your gaze on the second hand of a watch, which circles for one minute, while keeping your attention on the hand is also a very effective exercise for developing willpower and is often used by witches to train their will. Your attention will become manageable. You should practice self-hypnosis; it doesn’t matter what exactly, but in general. You must begin to practice small things, no matter what, and then one day you will begin to feel the intoxication of the powerful will growing within you.
The best start is to concentrate your attention on things that are indifferent to you and unrelated to each other, to which you have not paid attention before. Before focusing on them, convince yourself that now you are connecting your witchcraft will. The more you practice this, the better.
Moreover, the most important thing is persistence, and not the use of brute force.
Every day will provide many small opportunities to sharpen your will; they are all grist to your mill. The main thing here is persistence.
A great many hackneyed phrases spring to mind to illustrate this point, and they are all equally true:
“If you don’t succeed right away, try, try, try again.”
"Persistence brings success."
And so on.
However, an important caveat. Do not try to take on anything that, in your deep conviction, is impossible. If something is not completed, it will deal a big blow to your confidence in your abilities. Start with small tasks that you are sure can be done. Leave the idea of ​​extinguishing candles by mental influence or astral levitation to the experts. Everything has its time.
Remember, to “conquer” the world, you need to conquer your will. In addition, you are striving to become a witch, not God, you need to be wise and remember this constantly. The first is to develop your magical will, but the most important thing is that you must know what you want, then you will have the opportunity to narrow the scope of your attention and be able to direct it completely to something specific. Remember that you must be confident in yourself at all times. Then you will start and achieve your goal. Remember this and stick to it.
This tenacity and the consciousness it engenders must be part of your witchcraft personality during the magical work.
"Such is my will, so be it!"
These are the magical words that lead me to the third side of the witchcraft pyramid, on which the word “FAITH” is inscribed in sparkling gold letters. Now it may seem strange to you to be so interested in yourself. But we quite rightly assert that all magical power depends to a great extent on faith.
It doesn’t matter who professes this faith - a saint or a witch. Whether you cast a spell for the benefit of the church yourself, or whether someone else does it, does not matter in the slightest. A spell is a spell, regardless of whether it sounds like a prayer or a magic spell.
Paracelsus expressed this in “a nutshell” when he wrote: “... Through Faith the imagination is strengthened and perfected, and any doubt undermines it...”
Unless you have an unshakable faith in your own powers and in the effectiveness of your spell, you will not achieve the seething intensity of will and imagination that is necessary to perform magical acts. Faith is a vice that supports your will, into which you will pour the molten metal of your frantic imagination, as if into a melting crucible. If you think about it, you will see that in reality imagination and faith are very closely related to will. Faith is what discards everything else and clears the field for immediate action. It is one of those valuable supports that supports you temporarily during your magical work and allows you to believe in the inevitability of success, which is its servant.
This is another means of achieving a special state of instilling in oneself temporary delusions of grandeur, without which witchcraft is impossible.
You must be absolutely sure of the enormous importance of faith when dealing with those people who are struggling in one way or another with the secret influence of fate. The healer of the spirit or the master of gambling will not live up to the patient's expectations or will lose if he is not warmed by the flame of faith in his own abilities. If you didn't have faith that you could do it, you wouldn't even be able to cross the road you cross every day and you wouldn't be able to do even what a two-month-old baby can do. In magic, faith is mandatory and therefore the whole side of the witchcraft pyramid belongs to it.
While we are on the topic of faith, it would be appropriate to mention that you, as a witch, should never break your word. If you are not sure that you are able to fulfill a promise, do not make it, even if there is even the slightest doubt about the possibility of fulfillment. This follows from everything that has already been said about the meaning of magical will and faith. You should try to develop a state of mind into which you can enter if you wish, when whatever you say becomes true, and this is completely natural and completely consistent with the nature of things. Every time you break your word, regardless of whether the cause of failure is beyond your control or not, you destroy the faith in yourself, the faith that you tirelessly built before. This is all. This is not a matter of morals or ethics. A witch's word is a witch's word, and it never comes easy.
Secrecy is the fourth side of the pyramid that we are looking at and is extremely important for a witch. The art of witchcraft is based on knowledge, and knowledge brings power.
Power shared with someone is wasted power. Although we have entered the Age of Aquarius, with its accompanying freedom and the abolition of restrictions, it is in your own witchcraft interests to shroud your actions in certain cases with a veil of secrecy. This will enhance your charms and bring more pleasure.
In addition, there are purely practical reasons for maintaining a certain kind of secrecy. If someone indirectly hears that you, a witch, are performing magical actions for or against him, regardless of whether he believes or does not believe in your powers, his subconscious mind will connect and take note of this.
This means half the battle is won. Nothing arouses the attention of the subconscious so much as something that is called out of the darkness, mysterious and enigmatic. The dark calls to the dark. There is a natural kinship of all human souls in that which is half-hidden in the twilight world, and if you have already achieved the attention of the subconscious of the individual, you can proceed to work with it, using your own subconscious as a broadcasting channel.
Thus, any half-hint that the spells you can cast work wonders will sufficiently prepare the ground for your sacrifice, even before the action is actually performed. Consequently, many of the secrets of witches are half-hidden.
This is not just fun or prank, although it undoubtedly becomes a game too.
Secrecy. Through it we can get wonderful results. Nothing achieves the goal like a secret, no matter how childish or meaningless, when you are trying to attract attention. Once you have captured this attention, you can begin your magic on
prepared soil.
Consequently, the practiced drops of random meaningful hints about your magic are never, of course, too accurate, but always capable of arousing human curiosity without excessive skepticism. Of course, you must choose what to say to whom. Not everyone is equally impressionable. With some, after you have tried in vain to get them to talk, you can resort to a witty solution by saying: “Okay, don’t tell if you don’t want to; see for yourself, it’s up to you. But we know everything!” And this raises their interest so much that they spend energy on the emotion of impatience. The worst answers to your well-thought-out mystery could be something like: “Did I tell you about yesterday’s film?” Be picky. Analyze your audience or target before whispering in their ears.
There is another, more secular reason for maintaining some secrecy. Although the days of being burned at the stake are gone, you must be careful not to run into trouble with the law for one or two reasons. For example, if one of your shamanic wax dolls is brought into court and shown as actual evidence that you are psychologically intimidating your intended victim, you may be sued for damages.
Simple witchcraft may no longer be illegal in Western non-Catholic countries, but you, as a practicing witch, can get into trouble if you are not careful enough. As a witch, you must adapt to the situation, follow the laws in force in the area. For example, in some American states, accepting money for any form of occult work, including witchcraft, may be considered a criminal offense under certain circumstances.
In England, since 1951, when the old laws regarding witchcraft were finally repealed, there is now a law which states that persons who take money for fraudulent activities, deliberate appeals to supernatural powers, can and do in fact still be brought to justice and prosecution, according to law, but only for fraud, and not for heresy. This is the price of risk.
No matter how strong the temptation may be, try not to take money if a friend asks you as a witch for help. Allow your friend to buy the necessary materials for the spells. He will pay back later. And no cash if you're wise. In addition to the possibility of official punishment, a direct financial transaction is also contrary to a very ancient magical law. Money affects the power of magic. Try it if you don't believe me. I know that most witches have found this out in practice. In all likelihood, you will be able to carry on your practice quietly without police interference until you begin to take money or incite the police with blatant, anti-social acts such as blackmail, extortion, intimidation or scandalous sexual practices that the state cannot condone.
Having finished these secular discussions, we can now! return to our study of the last cornerstone of the magical pyramid, namely magical secrecy.
When you cast a spell, you inevitably put some very delicate "mechanism" into play. The "mechanism" is made up of the stuff dreams are made of, and the "electricity" that flows through it will be your own pulsating emotions and desires. In order to put this mechanism in order and then make it move, you must use your burning will, unshakable faith and wild imagination in equal proportions. You must cause intense work of the mind and mind, then the success of witchcraft is guaranteed.
Now suppose that at this very moment the door to your workplace opens and your husband or perhaps your mother-in-law finds herself face to face with you and says with effect: “Audrey! What are you doing here, dressed up like that? And why?” Why don't you turn on the light? You'll strain your eyes... And what does this terrible smoke mean? Are you trying to light a fire here?.."
Complete failure. And probably the end of your witchcraft this time. You can successfully try to apply your Basilisk gaze in this situation. But if your magical will is not yet sufficiently developed, then most likely this will not help you.
No, all possibilities of free invasion must be excluded. This is tantamount to the destruction of your newly accumulated and developing witchcraft personal “I”.
A disaster like this can undo months of hard work.
So, keeping these considerations in mind, wrap yourself in a cloak of reasonable secrecy, especially regarding the time and place of your magical actions. Of course, a rival witch or coven of witches interested in discovering your magical workings will be able to calculate the time of your magical activity if they know the nature of your magical influence (for example, during the new moon).
If they do a good job, they will even be able to describe the place using fortune telling.
In this case, the witch who is stronger will win; magic vs countermagic. But that's a topic for chapters 5 and 6, which deal with countermagic and attack. Here I will limit myself to prudent advice regarding a simple method of protection. I mean a certain amount of secrecy regarding your personal magical activities. You don't have to become paranoid, just avoid getting yourself into trouble.
Here we have briefly met the four cornerstones of magical practice, which speak for themselves. They always give a magical effect when performed and trained correctly. You can burn your cabalistic books and abandon your yoga sutras - they will be of no more use to you in your quest for power if you have not understood and mastered the ideas contained in the witchcraft pyramid - the four great rules of magic, which are the keys to all practical actions in the world of the invisible.

SENDING YOUR CHARMS
Every time you wish to perform something from the arsenal of witchcraft, it will be best if you tie your supercharged will, faith, imagination into a single, energetic knot with the help of specifically related words.
Witches, like poets, artists and creative people, always take a little from everywhere to better practice their art, so much that in many cases the original, original wisdom is almost completely hidden. Anything that has inner strength and anything that evokes strong emotions is used in magic. The best works of folklore, religion, myths and herbal knowledge - all of this together should be used to strengthen your powers, regardless of styles and cultures. All these things have a cumulative effect on you and your subconscious.
Speaking of the religious components of witchcraft, "words of power", cabalistic names of God and the like, here is the advice of wise witches: "You will always get the best results if you manage to rely on the religion from which you borrow your words of power if you are dealing with cabal , Judaism or perhaps heterodox Christianity." Always remember that it is this reverence, the thrill of emotional excitement raised by a name or quote, that is the main magical value. If you can achieve this with an Arabic name for God, a Roman Catholic saint, a Tibetan demon - so much the better. Try these names, as well as the name of your husband, wife, lover, favorite politician, movie star or most hated dictator - all will be equally powerful aids in witchcraft, as long as they give you that extra little push to awaken your subconscious mind from its usual lazy sleep. So it is not only barbaric cabalistic words that help to summon a demon.
Typically you will prefer to cast your own spells, as most witches do. Of course, there are traditional spells that you will meet in subsequent chapters. They have accumulated their own magical power over the years and will of course give the best results when used. Some of them contain cabalistic words.
A spell is considered ideal if it is rhythmic. Some practicing witches insist on rhyme as well as rhythm. I would say that rhythmic rhyming couplets are their favorite style and the one that has the most impact on the subconscious. They are, of course, the simplest in design. A verse, no matter how bad it is, is always a powerful means of stimulating the subconscious, especially when it contains a certain number of repetitions that lead to fanatical ecstasy.
In terms of this particular attitude towards spells, most of the processes of medieval witchcraft, which are now accessible to many, are considered extremely clumsy and therefore awkward to perform by the average witch. Not only are they closely associated with Judeo-Christianity, but they also always get sucked into the quagmire of endless preaching that diminishes power. You will see this if you try to use ancient spells yourself. They are unlikely to awaken the witchcraft subconscious, and most likely will cause you an irresistible craving for sleep.
Speaking of religious beliefs; the modern witch generally has a tendency to "choose her gods"; there are those who devote themselves entirely to serving the cult of the fertile Habondia and her horned husband. However, it is not necessary to resort to the help of the same gods. You can contact them whenever you need them. More about this in the last chapter. As a witch, you are not obligated to worship any particular hierarchy of supernatural beings unless you want to. There are simply different forces: some to do good, others to do devilish. Both have surprisingly similar concepts. You will learn from the last chapter, which is devoted to traditional witchcraft rituals, that there are certain beings who will help you in your spells.
We cannot say what these creatures are, whether they appeared before man or whether man himself created them. You can call these beings gods, spirits, or guardians.
You can depersonalize them and perceive them as forces or energy objects, but you must realize that they are also dependent on you, just as you are dependent on them for your spells. However, no matter what relationship you enter into with them, you are the master of the situation. But still you must treat them with respect.
Some of these forces may be useful for one type of influence, for example, for love games. But they are useless for others, for example - for revenge. To what rank they belong or in what state they exist, we cannot say, but can only guess. The only classification we have is the following:
Above all are the Great Beings known as the Guardians, the Ancient Witchcraft Gods, or Gods, as they are often called by classically minded witches. These include the so-called witchcraft deities Habondia and Cernunnos, whom we will meet later. They are forces that exist within the subconscious of each of us, concentrated prototypes of the Jungian Indian gods (if you like), which can also be used to give a certain power to your rituals.
Then come the spirits or demons, half-people - demigods in their guise, who, according to tradition, usually surpass us in their development, however, in action they lag behind the Niphilim.
Vassago, which you will also meet in the last chapter, is one of them. And finally, the spirits or shadows of the dead, which you will meet in the necromaniac rituals in chapters 3 and 4.
Gods, demons, shadows are the main inhabitants of the witchcraft pantheon. Of course, there are many more elemental spirits that you will deal with during your activities, but they will mainly be created by you yourself. Any talisman, image or mandrake you can make will already be an elemental spirit. They are invisible versions of the homunculus of alchemical legend, servants of your will, created by your witchcraft energy to perform a specific task. And if so, then they need to be treated firmly, commandingly, in contrast to how you behave with respect and humility towards gods and demons. Never, under any circumstances, will they leave the subordination of their creator - the witch. Mickey Mouse's broom handles in Fantasia are based on a very old magical legend included in Lucian's Philopsendes and later in The Revelation of St. Duncan, which graphically illustrate what can happen if you allow your primary servants to get out of control.

TIMES AND SEASONS FOR WITCHCRAFT
As an aspiring witch or warlock, you need to know the times and seasons of the witching year. This is the time when you can recharge your magical batteries and call upon yourself new flows of elemental energy for your spells. Elemental tides of energy from the universe are marked by the movement of the stars, the sun, the moon, but mainly the last two. While not all of these celestial bodies serve as sources of witchcraft energy, they are major indicators of the ebb and flow of energy from the universe. Whenever you wish to perform a magical action, you must work by taking into account the tides of energy in the same way that rowers use the tides of the sea to their advantage. Of course, you can work against the tide, but since you are a beginner, all your attempts will be doomed to failure, and it is best to postpone such attempts until such time as you have achieved a degree of complete confidence in your abilities, or in case of emergency. The sun and moon are the two great hands of our cosmic clock. The sun or hour hand indicates the seasons, the moon or minute hand indicates the tides and the hidden workings of the subconscious. Thus, this celestial body, more than the sun, is of interest to witches. In European mythology, the sun is always shown as a symbol of a male deity, the moon - a female one.
However, the worship of the moon as the highest deity arose much earlier than the sun. Among witches it is believed that, at least in England, the cult of the lunar deity preceded the Druidic religion of the sun and that it is from this early Prytanic religion that the four annual witchcraft festivals have their origin.
They are celebrated on the night of October 31 (Halloween), February 2 (Candlemas), April 30 (Beltane),
1 August (Lammas). Of these, Beltane and Hallowen are the most important. The four solar fire festivals of the Druids are also observed, although less strictly. It is the midwinter, spring, midsummer and autumn, marked by the solstices and equinoxes, constituting with the preceding four to eight Sabbats (festivities of the witchcraft year).
The practical meaning of Sabbat is as follows: Halloween, Candlemas, Beltane and Lammas mark the beginning of each quarter of the tide cycle. The first tide of destruction and the beginning of winter, opens Hallowen - the holiday of the dead, the first day of the witchcraft year.
The dark tide of destruction reaches its highest level at midwinter - the winter solstice.
Candlemas marks the end of the reign of the King of Winter, Lord Misrulli and the first movements of the bright tide of summer. During the spring equinox, the light and dark tides are equally balanced and the light tide tends to increase; Beltane marks the start of the highest tide, which reaches its highest point around the summer solstice.
From here it starts to decrease. The first movement of the dark tide is felt at Lammas - the time of fruits and harvest, when the crops are harvested and the fruits begin to sing. At the autumn equinox, the two tides are again balanced, the light tide is decreasing, the dark tide is increasing. On Halloween, the tide of darkness reaches its fullest again and so the cycle repeats. For farmers and those whose work is seasonal, the waxing and waning of the solar tide is second nature. The ebb and flow of the tides affect the entire life cycle of everything living on earth. For a witch this is important mainly in connection with the activities of the coven to create a common group energy originating from their Sabbat. It is obvious that the collective mind of the coven needs to be periodically recharged with energy.
At the same time, witches celebrate their ritual holidays. The beliefs of members of a witches' coven are the same as those of other organized religious cults. This is why witchcraft holidays often coincide with Christian or Druid holy days.
When you organize your own coven, you must be quite aware of the importance of the various ritual celebrations. This will be explained in the last chapter of this book. In order not to miss the time of a particular holiday, you must know when they should take place and mark them on your calendar. For all practical magical actions, the phases of the moon are the most important and must be observed. The method of using them is extremely simple.
The Moon has two characteristics: when the moon is waxing, it is light; when it is waning, it is dark.
All spells of a creative nature must be performed when the moon is bright, waxing, and approaching full. These charms include love magic of various kinds, spells intended to bring good luck or success, fertility charms, protection, countermagic and, of course, divination.
The old witchcraft verse goes like this:

"Pray to the moon when it's round

Once the full moon passes, we enter the dark moon phase as the light moon wanes and the nights become darker.

Chapter II

YOUR WITCH NAME
When embarking on the path of a practitioner of the Black Art, you must take for yourself a new witchcraft name in addition to the old, worldly one. Unkind rumors call him nom du Diable (devilish). Nothing like this. At least not in the sense that they mean. The witch name is a very important part of your witch personality and from now on you will be known by this name to your companions who practice the Black Art.
Many witches or wizards choose a name that is closely associated with magic and the supernatural. They often settle on the names of famous beings or legendary practitioners of Black Magic.
For example, if you are male, you can choose a legendary sorcerer name such as: Zyto, Balaam, Elymas or Cyprian; or an alternative such as: Merlin, Althotas, Vergilius or Vandermast.
For a witch, Morgana, Armida, Vivienne or Melusina, Brisen, Nimue, Hellawes or Fredegonda, Nocticula, Bensozia, Sidonia or even Urganda are good choices. Or you could choose a more classical name like Apollonius, Medea or Circe, or an ancient Egyptian like Nectanebo or Arnuphis, or maybe something really complex: Diancecht, Osmandine or Ansuperomin.
Your right to choose. You must find what suits you, what awakens the strength of your senses to the unseen world, gives you a feeling of nervous trembling and makes you feel very powerful and no less sinister. If you don't want to choose a name from legends, try to play on the names of gods and demigods from mythologies: Greek, Roman, Scandinavian, Celtic, whatever you want. In that
In this case, finding out your zodiac sign and planet and the legends associated with them can be a very good clue. For example, if you are an artist or artisan and were born under the sign of Taurus, then you can choose the name Daedalus, meaning that through the sorcerer of the artisan King Minoz, the leader of the Cretan cult of the Buffalo, we thus connect the Buffalo with Taurus. Or else, if you are a female witch and born under the sign of Taurus, ruled by Venus, you may decide that the name "Ariadne" - daughter of King Minos and bride of Theseus - would be suitable especially since it comes from Aradia - one of the main spiritual forces in the witch world.
The third method that can give results is numerological. Add up all the numbers that make up the name you know best, using this chart to link letters to numbers:

Add the resulting numbers together until they give a single digit as follows:

Now, using numerological numbers, we have the following traditional planetary distribution:

For John Smith the corresponding planet is named Uranus. The next step should be to consult a book of classical myths and legends to find everything related to Uranus. You will find extensive material for the name, especially if you use a book on comparative mythology that shows the connection between legends of different cultures.

WITCH RUNIC ALPHABET

These are the letters of your witchcraft alphabet. You should always use these letters when writing your name. They are very easy to learn and with a little practice you will be able to write them quickly. They are variously called practitioners of the Black Craft: Runes of Honorious or The Ban Script. This last name has nothing to do with Greek or Egyptian myths. Some witches believe that they are a relic of the times of Atlantis, others think that they have a connection with the cabalistic "Enochian Script" of the Elizabethan astrologer and magician - Dr. John Dee.

MARKS OF EXCELLENCE
All witches and wizards usually possess a number of items, which are often known to occult ministers as jewelry; witches wear these items as a set of jewelry, denoting membership in Black Magic. Often, jewelry in runic writing is engraved with the witch's name, the symbol adopted by the coven (showing her affiliation with it) and the witch's rank in the coven, if she occupies some position in the witchcraft hierarchy. Jewels generally serve three purposes: as a means of recognition between members of different covens; provide a talismanic connection to the collective mind of their own group, through which they connect to the elemental forces that flow during the Sabbaths; and third, sometimes as a means of "sending" spells. In this case, they serve as a surface to reflect the spell.
The same reflective surface is often used by hypnotists when they wish to put their subjects into a state of trance. The ring and keychain, which often contain gemstones, are basically the only jewelry worn these days.
However, one gem that does not fall into this latter category is hidden and displayed only at Sabbaths in the form of a garter.
I will consider this stone and the encircling cord last.

WITCH JEWELS
Necklace, bracelet, ring and pendant, cord and garter.
Necklace: The necklace is usually worn by female members of witchcraft groups only on Sabbat and Esbat. It has in all likelihood the same origin as the pendant and garter. Some witches claim that this has a connection with the eleven Brismgamen necklaces that belonged to Freya, the Norse goddess of love.
Others argue, based on the use of acorns in the necklace as beads, that the tradition originates from the worship of Dione of Ephesus, whose worshipers represent their deity with a cap of hair in the shape of an acorn. The number of beads for a necklace is often a multiple of nine or thirteen. However, in addition, beads can be made from any material that you like best: metal, stone, wood, under the only condition: that they be large enough and graceful. Amber is the same favorite material as turquoise and agate. Many witches like to string the beads themselves, after first purifying the beads with fire and water, and charging them with their own witch's name, just as other magical remedies are done when they are made. The main methods of cleansing with fire and water and magical “charging” are given in this chapter below.
Bracelet: This is usually made of copper or silver and is worn by both witches and wizards as a badge of identification. However, unlike the necklace, along with the witch's name, it is engraved with the symbol of the coven (which often depicts an animal; such as an owl, cat, or snake) and her rank in the coven. Usually only two ranks are distinguished - triangle and the highest rank - pentagram. If the leader of the coven is a man, then he is called a master or master, if a woman is a high priestess. These are mainly honorary ranks
and titles. In most cases, this is simply an indicator of seniority in the group. Sometimes they indicate the power of the witch (see chapter 7) "The Sabbath of Witches. How to organize it." Sometimes coven members may wear bracelets to represent the rank of the triangle and a pendant to represent the rank of the pentagram. If you do not belong to a coven, then a name written in witchcraft runic writing will be sufficient. In addition, you can choose any amulet symbols of good luck, such as the signs of your zodiac and planet.
The ring and pendant are also witchcraft jewelry. They usually serve as the only witchcraft jewels other than the necklace, which itself has gems. These are the main "charming" jewelry, and the more obscure and unusual the jewelry, the better it serves its purpose. As for appearance and cost, this is entirely a matter of individual taste and economy. According to tradition, the best magical witchcraft stones are sapphire and opal. However, the most precious and semi-precious stones are also suitable, especially those that traditionally have the effect of protection against the evil eye and witchcraft. They really are excellent accumulators of witchcraft energy, and even if earlier you wore your jewelry simply as an amulet for good luck, now thanks to them you have a means of influencing other people, they help you send spells, the evil eye, and they protect you. According to the principle: fight fire with fire!
Here is an alphabetical list of some of those witchcraft gemstones that you can use to adorn your ring or pendant:

Amber Diamond Onyx Beryllium Emerald Peridot Heliotrope Jade Sardonyx Carbuncle Jasper Andalusite Carnelian Agate Ruby Coral Lapis lazuli Turquoise

You can engrave your witch name on the back of the ring or pendant, or around the stone itself.

Gold - energy and overall success;

Sometimes an alloy is made from all or a few of them, depending on the orientation required. The resulting alloy is called magical. But this is a matter for a specialist. Gold, silver or copper are a common set of metals used in our craft.

MANNER OF DRESSING
This is something that is a controversial issue in the witchcraft world. Many practitioners claim that the best way to perform magic is the traditional method: completely naked.
Others, equally traditional, argue that this is not necessary and that ritual clothing or capes should be worn. The argument for nudity is that clothing interferes with the manifestation of your witchcraft powers.
I never thought it made any sense at all. Witchcraft energy is not delayed by simple clothing. She walks through walls and across vast distances quite freely, so why would a few light clothes be such a barrier to her? No, the main reason for nudity is psychological.
Nudity bestows a state of liberation from the tension of worldly concerns, sexual inhibition - this is the goal that is achieved by this.
Therefore, if you feel that it is the lack of clothing that can set you up to work in a state of mind where your magical will will work better, then you should definitely do the following: close the door. Caution comes first! Remember the peeping mother-in-law.
However, for those who live in cooler climates or who aren't keen on the idea of ​​naked frolics, a cover-up may be an alternative.
In its simplest form, it is a long piece of fabulous heavy black material, folded in half, with a hole for the head cut out at the top. The sides are stitched at the top, within nine inches of the top, leaving an opening for the arms. The cape should hang almost to the ground. It is girded with a cord. However, many witches and wizards prefer more elaborate or beautiful cloaks in various colors. The cape may be blue, purple, red, gray or white, often with the addition of a hood or hooded robe draped over the head for added impersonality during the ritual. You can wear special sandals or leave your feet bare.
However, let me give you some advice: “When you form a coven, a certain uniformity of clothing is desirable. Often diligent witches have two sets of clothing for the following reason: one uniform clothing for the ritual holidays of Sabbat and Esbat, and another, more individual one for personal use ( private practice).
Your witch name and corresponding insignia can be embroidered on the scar or chest of the cape if you wish, but this is not required. Indeed, the cape itself is not so necessary. It serves only as psychological support in order to adjust your subconscious to the appropriate state for magic. All rituals and witchcraft actions can be freely performed in ordinary, everyday clothes. The disadvantage of ordinary clothes is that you cannot fall and thrash on the ground in them.

YOUR WITCHING TOOL
In order to successfully perform any witchcraft ritual, you must have your own set of basic traditional working tools.
Without them, even the most powerful natural witches and warlocks are powerless while working at a distance from their victims.
They are tools of your craft, just like an artist's easel and brushes.
The magical effect is cumulative. You start by cleaning newly acquired substances and objects. You cleanse or demagnetize them with salt water and fumigate them with incense, and then charge them with your own concentrated witchcraft energy.
From these charged substances and objects you then make your witchcraft instruments, with the help of which you send your spells.
There are five main witchcraft tools; full set - eight. There are even smaller tools that deserve attention more than regular household tools. For example: sewing needles, cutting scissors, white-handled knife, etc.
Keep them separately if you use them for witchcraft.
A list of the most necessary items that you will need and that you should collect in your witchcraft closet is given at the end of this chapter in the list of other useful things.

YOUR BASIC WORK TOOL:
- witch knife - also known as Athame or Bolline,
- witchcraft cord - already mentioned, known in different ways: as a girdle cord or belt,
- witchcraft censer - incense or censer, also known as censer,
- witch's cup - also known as a magic cup,
- witchcraft book of spells - known by various names: witchcraft bible, workbook, or book of shadows.

With these simple, but at the same time basic, tools you will be able to make all the other magical items that will be mentioned on the following pages: a wand, a magic mirror or crystal, candlesticks, a pentagram, a mandrake, a rowan talisman and all the talismans, love potions, incense, images, amulets, everything you need in this craft. The methods and means of making these items will be discussed in the book under the appropriate headings.
To make your working tool, you must learn how to cleanse and consecrate all your raw materials through salt, water and incense. Theoretically, salt, water and incense symbolize the four basic elements of wisdom - earth, water, fire, which in the language of alchemy and witchcraft, together with air, symbolically form the basis for the material universe. Before charging objects with your own will and concentrated witchcraft energy, you must cleanse them, symbolically using these four main components to “wash” the object from all external vibrations. This should be done in order to turn him into a servant to perform the assigned magical task. In the following pages this purification process will be called "purifying something with fire and water."

RECIPE FOR CLEANSING WITH SALT, WATER, INCENSE
Basically, any words can be used to purify anything, from long church-sounding Latin invocations of force to simple alliteration. Witches generally prefer the latter. Here are two spells that can be used for cleansing, which are partly based on the principle of alliteration:
Taking a small handful of fresh salt and throwing it into a cup of fresh water, exhale these words onto the surface of the water, mentally conjuring up a figurative picture - (and this is the most important point) with all the faith, will, imagination that you can summon. A slightly bluish light begins to hover over the water as you do this. Water and land where you are thrown. There are no more spells or bad intentions.
Now it is not simple salt and water, but charged salt and cleansing water that you will use to prepare your working tools. Likewise, while throwing a few grains of good quality church incense into the glowing charcoals in the ashtray, chant with your hand outstretched above:

Creation of fire, I charge you

CASE
Again a simple process. Buy a new metal ashtray or censer, preferably one with small legs or a stand, to raise its base off the tabletop and prevent fires.
The censer is prepared only during the waxing moon. Fill it one inch with sand to insulate it from burning coals. Then cleanse the censer with charged fire and water of purification, as you did with the goblet. Draw the necessary symbols around it, chanting the following symbols (words) and again charging them with light. "Blessed be you, creature of fire!" You can mix some dragon tree resin with your paint for added strength.
Write your witch name around the base, repeating the letters and charging them as you have already done. Finish writing the letters with the words “So be it!” Your censer is now ready. With her and the cup you will henceforth perform all purifications with water and fire.
Now that we have all our main tools of consecration, let's look at one of the most important witchcraft tools.

RITUAL KNIFE WITH BLACK HANDLE ATHAME
Inscriptions on the working tool.
The Athame or black-handled witch's knife is the tool we use to draw magic circles and other designs associated with many of the spells we cast. Some witches, following the cabalistic tradition from the old magical grimoire (French), using the key of Solomon, also use a knife with a white handle, using it first to make a circle, and then for everything that is to be ritually buried, engraved, cut , punctured. Most modern witches, however, classify the white-handled knife as a utility tool and rely solely on the Athame for their operations.
Buy a steel knife with a black handle; the blade should be about 5-6 inches long. When the moon is waxing, make a decoction of any Martian herbs from the list at the end of Chapter 6 in distilled water. Pour a few into this decoction
drops of blood, either your own or according to tradition: a black cat, fresh steak, chicken or chopped lamb from the nearest supermarket. However, the best thing is your own blood.
Make a cleansing of the knife with water from your goblet and incense mixed with some of the above herbs burned in your censer: then heat the blade of the knife on the coals of the brazier until its temperature reaches its maximum. To do this you must maintain a good temperature. When the blade is hot, immerse it in the decoction you have prepared, at the same time conjuring up in front of you the image of a knife blazing with energy after each immersion and chanting the following words:

Steel blade - I conjure you

This process of tempering or hardening as it is commonly called must be repeated three times.

CORD
Also known as girdle, cingulum or tow rope. The latter name comes from its use in various initiation rituals, some of which will be explained in Chapter 7.
Cord is mainly used for measuring the radius of your circle, for tying objects and for tying yourself. (For this, see the section in Chapter 6 entitled "Binding".)
Ideally, you should weave your own flax or collect river reeds with your own hands. However, don't worry. Most city witches buy a roll of red ribbon and you will do the same. Make three pieces of this tape, each six feet long.
When the moon is waxing, cleanse the ribbons with water and fire and, tying the three ends together, begin to braid them, sending spells and magical light with each weaving of the ribbon, chanting the following:

Made to measure

When you finish weaving, make a large strong knot at the free end of the ribbon so that it does not come undone and repeat your fastening words: “So be it!”

This will be the size of triple the radius when you need to use the cord to build the magic circle. Using a measuring cord, you can make two different triple circles: with larger radii - for the simultaneous work of a large group of witches, with smaller radii - for single spells or for the work of small groups.

WORKBOOK
This is your last main working tool.
In it you should write down all your magical recipes, spells and rituals before you use them.
Write everything down in good, clear handwriting that is easy to read by candlelight.
Our old friend the traditionally minded witch will strive to make her own workbook from parchment, sewing it together herself and attaching a binding to it.
However, if this seems too difficult for you, buy a thick sketchbook with good quality paper in the size of a large book.
Wait for the moon to wax, make the cover and bind the book with any material of your choice. Many Black Art practitioners prefer velvet or silk. Some prefer leather or skin, often that of a reptile. The cover color can be black, white, red, green, and if possible, the binding can be silver or gold. Then you must do a cleansing of the book with water and fire.

Then, using a pen and ink specially purchased for this purpose, draw a pentagram and its runic signs on the front page of the first sheet.

Magic is the ability of a person, by the power of his will, thoughts and desires, to change the future and the present in the right direction. But the very thought of the desired changes means little in our physical world. Only when your desire is supported by word and action is it possible to translate it into reality. So, in everyday life, in order to acquire any benefits, it is necessary to perform certain actions and actions. Magic implies the imitation of these actions, combined with work on the astral and mental plane. For example, you dream of the love of some person, then you mentally imagine your closeness, how your hearts burn with love, at the same time you connect two candles, symbolizing your bodies, and light the fires that are symbols of your passion. In other words, you create thoughts and images of the events you desire (use your will, faith and imagination), reinforce them on the physical plane with special actions that repeat the supposed reality (manipulates the energy of natural elements), thereby building an astral model, like a three-dimensional form , filling which, various events and circumstances ultimately acquire the dimension of the reality you need. Thus, magic is the connection of two worlds, spiritual and material space, when thought can influence physical reality and vice versa.

The magic of words

In the beginning there was a word. And the word was magic. Yes, the creation of matter from nothing, using only the verbal expression of will, is a magical work. The word is energy and power. A word can kill or give new life. In the real world, states are governed through words, laws are approved, troops are sent, peace agreements are concluded, marriage promises are made, and feelings are expressed. In our world we can receive various benefits, for this we ask for them from our patrons or order those who are under our control to provide them to us. But here we must remember that the powers that be on Earth are not the most important in the Universe and that there are more significant figures - the Forces of Nature and Divinity, who are capable of giving us what we want or taking away what we already have. Direct verbal contact with these forces is the most ancient type of magic. But of course, using ordinary words and expressions is unlikely to help you establish contact with the center of the universe. Here you need to use special verbal formulas, which we call witchcraft conspiracies and magic spells.

In the magical sense, the word spell has multiple meanings: to command, persistently ask or belittle something in the name of something, as well as to subjugate something by the power of magical words. The simplest type of spell is direct appeal to the object that needs to be influenced. This influence can be directed at people, at current or future events, at objects of the other world, at natural phenomena that are personified - that is, they are addressed as living beings. As a rule, such appeals take the form of a command, demand, order; they are distinguished by an imperative tone and often contain a mention of punishment in case of failure to comply with the demand. The basic formula for such spells is: “I order you to do this and that... but if you don’t do it, death and destruction await you.”

Another form of spells is spells that are addressed not to the object of influence, but to an intermediary - Higher powers, from whom help is expected. They are addressed to the ancient gods, to the sun, moon, stars, to various natural elements, to the spirits of ancestors or to various astral entities in whose power to resolve this or that issue. Often such spells are accompanied by real or symbolic sacrifices. In this case, the spells are constructed as a two-term formula: “Here you go... and you for me”.

Also, a distinctive feature of any spells is the mention of a third more powerful force, to which the object of the spell is indirectly or directly “subordinated”, whose wrath this object may “fear” or a force that is “authority” both in the world of people and in the world of shadows. “I conjure you in the name of the Most High... I conjure you with the power of the West Wind... In the name and glory of the Angel of light and darkness, I conjure you to fulfill... etc.”

The original meaning of the words conspiracy and slander is “to speak on” - traditionally, conspiracies are pronounced directly on things and objects, so that the breath touches their surface. Essentially, it is the direct transfer of magical power and energy to a material object. Typically, conspiracies are cast on fire, earth, water and air (in the wind), on drink, food and spices (salt, sugar, pepper), on a sore spot of a sick person or animal, on things belonging to a person who needs to be influenced in some way , or for items the use of which is necessary to realize the desired.

There are conspiracies, the idea of ​​which is to compare or liken two phenomena - the actual and the desired. Such conspiracies are built according to the formula: “How... so”, “When... then” and are very often associated in time with natural processes. For example: “When all the leaves fall from this tree, then the disease will pass.” Thus, the forces of nature responsible for any process are called upon to help in another matter.

Let us note here that “likening conspiracies” are usually pronounced at the moment of performing actions that imitate what should happen in reality. They seem to describe and explain imitative actions and thereby determine their true direction. For example, a magician lights a candle and says: “I don’t light a candle, I kindle love. Just as a flame is bright and light, so love will be bright and light.”

At the same time, there are a huge number of conspiracies that are pronounced without any action and in the complete absence of any material objects. In this case, conspiracy is seen as replacing real action with a mental representation of the events being described.

So, the power of the spell word is limitless. It can control the elements, prevent or cause rain, thunder, and storms, ensure an unprecedented harvest or cause barrenness in gardens and fields, increase herds or destroy them with plague, give a person success and happiness or send disasters and misfortunes to him, drive away illnesses or transfer them to a healthy one, kindle love in the heart or cool passion, awaken in judges and leaders a feeling of mercy and meekness or bitterness and anger, give weapons accuracy and make a warrior invulnerable, stop blood, turn people into animals, and animals into trees and stones Thus, the magic word can influence any events, change the essence of things and subordinate to the will of the caster all the influence of deified nature.

Action magic

As we have already defined, magical work or a magical ritual is the construction of astral spiritual forms - matrices of future events, where the building material for these forms is the energy of the natural elements of Earth, Fire, Water and Air, and the tool for their construction is your Will, Faith and Imagination.

When starting a magical ritual, enter a special spiritual state, move away from everyday moods and thoughts. Use your will, faith and imagination. During the ritual, mentally imagine the events that will cause your actions. Be completely confident that you are right and that you are doing what you are doing. You must believe that the events you need will definitely happen in your life. Treat the future as the present that is already happening.

When performing witchcraft, you must “see” what consequences they will lead to. Surround yourself for the entire duration of witchcraft with images and visions of the forces you evoke and the events you desire. If you use the forces of Fire, Water, Moon, Space or other earthly and higher spheres, then their images, taking forms familiar to you or emerging from your subconscious in the form of symbols and vague visions, must be visibly present in your witchcraft space.

Your Will should help your Faith and Imagination, direct your (and other) energy in the right direction, create tension or discharge of space, move objects and move the clock hands to the time you need. The Witchcraft Will, like a lens, focuses your emotions and powers at one point, helps you achieve your chosen goal and achieve your plans.

By making magical changes in real space, you will use not only your internal, but also external forces and energies. Just as in the physical world, different materials are needed to produce different things and objects, so on the spiritual plane, energies of different qualities are used. It is generally accepted that the basic materials from which all objects of the physical world are created are the four elements of nature: Earth, Water, Fire and Air. Aspects of these main forces of nature (their energy) are present in all manifestations of our reality and constantly have various influences on any area of ​​our life. Therefore, the correct identification and use of the energy of the four elements of nature will be extremely necessary for those who decide to change the world and themselves.

The world around us is fraught with other spatial influences and energies that can be useful in creating the reality you desire. First of all, this is the energy of the stars and planets closest to us - the Moon, Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Mercury. All these planets, like the gods in whose honor they were named, patronize certain human activities and therefore their influences are used in specific cases and under certain circumstances. You will also need the protection of the Higher Powers in order to have reliable protection and a greater opportunity to dominate what is happening.

Once you've finished the magic, don't stop there. Continue the magic on other days of your life. Remember that these are not only ritual ritual actions, but also everyday magic in reality. Do not be afraid of possible small failures and difficulties; when going towards a big goal, you cannot avoid them. If something doesn’t work out the first time, persistent repetition or approaching the problem from a different angle will definitely lead you to success. Remember that a lot depends on you, on the decisions you make and the promises you make to yourself. Feel the secret connection within yourself with everything living on the planet and existing in the infinite Cosmos, make your own choice and learn not only the everyday visible world, but also its hidden possibilities.

The magic of talismans and amulets

Every physical object has internal energy that was given to it by nature or that it received as a result of some action. This energy has a constant impact on space and other objects. We can say that we live in a world of constant interactions and energy exchanges. And our physical and spiritual state, our abilities and qualities, our external and internal attractiveness, and much more, which precisely determines our role and position, largely depend on what objects we communicate with every day and what energy we receive from them. on the physical plane. Thus, by choosing certain objects for our environment, we can influence our destiny in one way or another - and this is magic.

Undoubtedly, different objects have different energy, we also notice that different objects have it in different quantities and have a greater or lesser ability to influence their environment. Therefore, for the fastest and most effective results, your choice should fall on the most active objects intended for magical transformations by nature itself or created for this purpose by human hands. Such energetic valuable items are called talismans or amulets. It should be noted that in different countries and at different times the terms talisman and amulet had different interpretations and meanings.

The word talisman comes from the Arabic tilism or tilsam, which translates as “magic image” or “magic letter” - originally this was the name for special objects with secret inscriptions and magical symbols. Talismans were made of stone, metal, wood, but most often it was an ordinary piece of parchment covered with letters and images in the form of magical formulas that were supposed to protect the owner of the talisman from various disasters or fulfill his wishes. The most famous of the ancient talismans is the so-called “Abracadabra” - a word that is read the same from the end and from the beginning. Over time, the word talisman began to denote other objects of the material world that carry the properties of ancient parchments.

The word amulet comes from the Latin amuletum, which is translated as a talisman, a reflection of witchcraft, protection from disease, poison, wounds and other disasters. That is, an amulet is a thing that gives protection. It is also believed that the Arabic hamala (translated as to wear) became the basis for this term - as a rule, amulets are worn suspended around the neck. The most ancient amulets are images of totemic creatures, sacred animals and parts of the human body - the Egyptian scarab beetle, the all-seeing eye, splayed fingers, etc. T.

It is generally accepted that the talisman supports and enhances the personal abilities and qualities given to a person by nature. It creates internal harmony between the individual and the world around him, helps to resist troubles and difficulties. So, if you use a talisman to acquire wealth, then you yourself become more dexterous and dynamic, feel what can bring you profit, and avoid unnecessary expenses and risks. In this case, you have everything due to your intuition and new business qualities given to you by nature and strengthened by the influence of the talisman. As such a talisman, parts of the body of various animals are often used, the qualities of which must be conveyed to a person; these could be shark teeth, wolf fangs, a tiger or bear claw, an eagle owl or eagle feather.

The main influence of the amulet is designed for external influence, that is, for external protection and the acquisition of benefits from the world around you. In this case, everything happens not due to your personal abilities and skills, but thanks to the secret movement of the common astral space, due to the work of external forces. If you use an amulet instead of a talisman to acquire wealth, then your desires will be fulfilled at the expense of the space around you. Money can come to you by itself, without your active participation. But at the same time, if you do not have professional qualities and skills in handling money, you can easily part with all your achievements.

It should be noted here that often the difference between a talisman and an amulet is very arbitrary. The fact is that it is impossible to consider a person as an isolated object. Any internal change you make leads to an external change, and vice versa - the world changing around you will change you. Therefore, by using something as a talisman, you end up getting what an amulet could give you. The development of your internal qualities will set in motion external forces, and the change in external movements will provide a new stimulus for the emergence of personal traits. This is why in many cases the words talisman and amulet are considered synonymous.

In conclusion, we must say that there are natural and artificial talismans and amulets. Natural are objects that, by their very nature, have considerable magical power, necessary for a certain situation or specific task, and do not require any special additional actions for their effective operation. First of all, these are stones, minerals, metals, herbs, sacred relics, and things taken from the “vengeance saints” - gold, silver, diamonds, rubies, stones with holes or unusual natural patterns, fossils, sea shells, mandrake root, holy water etc.

Artificial talismans and amulets are objects that have undergone certain transformations - through a witchcraft ritual, pronouncing magical formulas or applying secret symbols, the thing chosen as an amulet or talisman is charged with magical power, as a result of which its own natural properties are enhanced or a new functional one is transferred to it meaning, new meaning and content. These are no longer ordinary objects of the physical world, but a magical device capable of transforming space and time around itself - changing the fate of other things and objects found in its zone of influence. Among artificial objects of magical influence, graphic talismans occupy a separate place, so we will consider them in a separate article.

Secret signs and magical symbols

The parallel astral world is inaccessible to our ordinary understanding; the language of spirits and angels cannot be described in simple words. The world of shadows communicates with us through images and unclear signs that appear in our subconscious. In other words, in order for us to understand the astral world, it tries to speak to us in our language. And in order for our words to be accessible to parallel space, we must use symbols known to it.

All these symbols and signs are like the names of those forces that are necessary to support your aspirations and desires. When these “names” are united by one goal and are in constant tension, then they become not just writing, but a very real action - the forces behind these names create those conditions and situations that can change our world.

But for changes to really begin to occur in our lives, it is not enough to simply depict secret signs on paper. It is necessary that these symbols be able to perceive your words and actions, become a container of your energy and desire, so that their reading makes not only your lips move, but also sets in motion the hidden laws of the universe. This requires rituals of revival and embodiment, which you can learn about on this site.

Individual training in magic

INidentifying and developing your hidden abilities

Pdirect transmission of witchcraft and magical power

Magic is the ability of a person, by the power of his will, thoughts and desires, to change the future and the present in the right direction. But the thought of the desired changes in itself means little in our physical world, only when your desire is supported by magical