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Spellcasting 101

Casting spells is a powerful way to effect change in yourself, your life, and the world in which we all live. As with most powerful tools, there are any number of ways in which a spellcasting can go wrong, and saying "oops, sorry" afterward is seldom sufficient. So be careful what spells you cast and how you cast them.

This section covers many aspects of the do's and don't's of Spellcasting. We've even included some spells you can try for yourself, but before you run off to cast some spells there's something else you should know: In just normal, everyday life everything you do will come back to you threefold. When you get into casting spells, your intent and magical actions tend to amplify this natural effect significantly. Which means that a poorly thought out spell can result in some really *nasty* repercussions for both yourself and those you care about (since, as far as the universe is concerned, they are connected to you). So think very carefully before every spellcasting.

It was really hard to figure out some of the rules of spellcasting when I first started out. And I remember what it was like to not have anyone I could ask about these things. So I have compiled a list of basic guidelines to "safe" spellcasting for beginners. These guidelines absolutely must all be used together, and must be used every single time you cast. Using some but not others, or following them only some of the time is almost guaranteed to end in disaster. Anyway, here they are:

• Make sure you know what *exactly* what you want the result of the spell to be, but try to state it in a way that is both specific and vague. For example: Your brother is having trouble finding and keeping a job that pays enough to live on, and tomorrow he has an interview for a job he really wants. Rather than casting a spell for him to get the job he's interviewing for, it is usually best to cast a spell where the intent is for your brother to "get a good job where he will be prosperous and happy" or "get the job that is right for him at this time". This works because it allows the universe some flexibility as to *how* your intent is manifested. If the job he's interviewing for is actually the job that is right for him at the time then the spell is free to act upon that, but if it is not, then you have not condemned him to yet another unhappy failure. It has been my experience that when you use this method of intent distillation the end results of spellcastings are much more accurate and useful.
  
  
• Write the standard "do no harm" or "an it harm none" clause into your intent, and make sure you mean it. If you don't mean it, don't cast the spell.
  
  
• Don't just say "give me money", because you'll probably get it in the form of insurance money (after being badly injured in an accident) or through the death of someone you love (inheritance or insurance money). Sadly, this has been proven again and again. Don't go there -- ask for prosperity instead of cash.
  
  
• Always phrase your magical intent in a positive way. "I want to stop being fat, poor, and ugly" should be phrased more along the lines of "I want to be prosperous and happy with myself". "I'm tired of being sick and dating people who aren't right for me" can be more effectively said as "I want to be physically healthy and desire to attract a romantic love into my life that will be right for me and make me happy". Get the idea?
  
  
• Examine the structure, props, words, energies, and emotions you will be using to cast your spell very carefully. Do they match your intent? If they don't, the end result of the spellcasting could be something very unexpected and bad
  
  
• Casting spells that may manipulate circumstances in order to obtain your magical goal is okay as long as you remember to include the "do no harm" clause in your intent. Casting spells to control yourself is fine; just be careful how you pose your intent. Casting spells to control other people is a bad idea that should be avoided at all costs.
  
  
• Always follow-up a casting with actions consistent with your intent. If you did a casting to get a better job, then you need to put together a pretty version of your resume, start circulating it, and going to interviews. Think of the time & effort you spend doing that as a sacrifice that will help feed the spell's power, or whatever you need to do to make yourself do it, but never forget that magical energy is almost never enough all by itself. I'm pretty sure we'll eventually have an article on this in this section somewhere, but for now just take my word for it.

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