Many witches get overwhelmed by the thought of creating spells – there is so much to consider and remember! But spell crafting is not as complicated as many new witches think. In fact, we have been performing spells all our lives, touching wood to prevent something bad from happening, making a wish when blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, or crossing our fingers for luck.

Let’s take blowing the candles out on a birthday cake as an example of a magic spell. You have a magical ritual based on a specific day, you take a magical action – blowing all the candles out –  and you make a wish. You can use this template to create a simple spell of your own. Light a candle, blow it out and make a wish.

So if it is this simple, why do we use crystals and herbs and chants and moon water? Well, the energy of these tools and ingredients can add to our energy when creating spells. In addition, using these ‘props’ can reinforce our sense of power and help us focus our energy. A witch who had no doubts, no lack of faith and no limiting beliefs, could probably make a wish and watch it come true. But those of us who are a little less confident sometimes need a little extra help when making magic. Many people say the magic is within  – which is true – but sometimes we need a little help to bring it out.

Creating intentions for spells

Spells and rituals are intended to change something so, before you begin, you need to know what you want to change and why. This is your intention. It could be, ‘I want to change from being a person who struggles to make ends meet to one who lives in abundance’, or it could be, ‘I want to change my inner belief to be one of knowing my self-worth so that I can create the life of my dreams’, it could be, ‘I want my boss to be nicer to me’.

It can be an inner change or an outer change (FYI, it’s always at least partly an inner change). Often, magic changes you so that you can successfully change the circumstances that you no longer want in your life.

Having said that, magic is not just self-help. You can call on immense powers and reserves of energy to help you make that change. I do believe that magic can be used to affect change in the world, but change starts with a thought a new idea a new way of thinking. Magic can plant the seed that grows and blossoms into actions that change the outer world.

Working through blocks

Sometimes, our spells and manifestations don’t work because we struggle to truly believe in the possibility of magic or our ability to create magic. Growing up with a focus on rational thinking can make it hard to take that leap of faith. We might follow all the steps, say the right words, and light the correct candle, yet still see no results. This can lead to frustration and giving up.

If you feel this might be true for you, you might want to spend some time addressing what is blocking your magic. Often there may be an internal block or a negative belief that is making it difficult for you to manifest what you desire. This could be because you struggle with self-worth or with what might be possible for you. You could try journaling around the subject or doing some shadow work to uncover hidden beliefs that are preventing you from achieving what you truly desire.

Once you have set your intention and worked on your inner beliefs you are ready to begin your spell.

It is good practice to cleanse, ground and protect yourself before beginning spellwork. If you are unfamiliar with these practices, check out this post Witchcraft Basics: Grounding, Cleansing and Protection

Step-by-step guide to creating your own spells

Creating spells is a very personal practice and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Feel free to create spells in any way that suits you. However, if you are a bit lost on how to begin, here is a list of things you might like to consider. You do not necessarily need to do every item on the list. You do you, witch!

The spell purpose

Decide on the intention or purpose of the spell, such as self-love, success, feeling more confident, protection, prosperity, justice, fertility, doing well at a test or interview etc…

Type of spell

Decide on the type of spell you would like to use. This is often down to personal preference and the way you like to work, though some spell types are more suited to certain intentions. You may want to do a spell jar, herbal spells, crystal spells, incantation spells, sigil magic, knot magic, mirror magic, potion making, bath rituals, charm bags, meditation and visualisation, divination, moon magic, dream magic, nature magic, music and sound magic, art and craft magic or writing and scripting spells.

Time and date

Decide when you are going to do the spell, including the day of the week and the lunar phase if this is significant for you. You can look up the magical correspondences of the days of the week and the lunar phases online, or check out this post 4 Powerful Moon Spells and Rituals if you are interested in learning more about Moon Magic. Also, consider the practicalities of when you are going to do the spell so you won’t be distracted or disturbed.

Location

Decide where you are going to do your spell such as at your altar or in a sacred city space or locked in the bathroom if that is the only place you can get some peace and privacy!

Supernatural help

You may also decide on what deities, spirits or elements you would like to invoke, if any. Perhaps you would like to ask for the help of an ancestor, a local spirit or a god or goddess.

Tools and Ingredients

Plan which tools and ingredients you may need for your spell. This could be as simple as a pen and paper for sigil magic, or you may want various ingredients to add to a spell jar. If you are using candle magic, check out what colour may be most suitable. You can look up candle and herbal correspondences online or pick up a book such as “Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Correspondences”. You may also want to use other items such as a pentagram or items to represent the elements, depending on the way you practice.

However, remember that you do not need to use lots of tool ingredients to create a spell. Sometimes simplicity is best, especially for beginners. I have completed some of my most successful spells with nothing more than a pen, paper and a box of matches.

I have a post on creating your own simple spell kit if you would like a simple list of super-versatile tools and ingredients

Planning the Spell

Next plan how you will actually complete the spell. You might wish to write a detailed plan, or just a few bullet points on what you might do or say. The plan may include:

• What items you may want to use to set up your sacred space, such as candles, music, or casting a circle
• Any grounding, cleansing and protection practices you plan to do
• How you plan to open the spell and whether you will invite any deities or elements
• Whether you will set aside time for meditating on your intention
• The physical elements of the spell, such as lighting the candle, adding items to a spell jar or creating a sigil
• Any words or chants you plan to say during the spell
• How you plan to raise energy for your spell
• Closing the spell, final meditation and thanking any deities or elements

I hope you have found this a helpful guide to creating your own spells. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below. If you have found this post helpful, please consider sharing it. It really does help me out!

Blessed be

Eva