Do you want to practise witchcraft but don't know where to start? Do you find it all too confusing? Maybe you've been practising for a while and want to go back to basics. Or perhaps you're a seasoned witch and want to explore more ways of practisin...
Your magickal journal is your essential record-keeping tool. You should write down the list of ingredients and steps of a spell whenever you cast one. This will not only help with setting a clear goal, but will also assist in any post-mortem analysis should your spell fail or manifest unexpectedly. In addition to writing down the ingredients and steps, it's also useful to note down the date, time, moon phase, how you felt before the spellcasting, and how you felt after the spellcasting.
I also like to write down additional notes later after the spell manifests, noting if there were any side effects or improvements that could be made. These notes really help if I ever need to re-cast a spell.
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Keeping all of these records in your magickal journal will help you to work out what kind of spellwork works best for you. You'll be able to find a rhythm and reuse aspects of spells that really resonate with you. You might start to notice patterns between dates, times, moon phases, or moods that correlate with how successful your spellcasting turns out.
Finally, keeping these records is essential for if your spells ever fail or backfire. Being able to look back on exactly what you did will help to figure out the source of the problem. If you need to reverse the spell, knowing what you did in the original spell will help a lot.
Disposing of Spell Remnants
After a lot of spells, when all is said and done, you're left with some remnants that need disposing of, e.g. ashes, jars, stones, food, burnt candles, etc.
To keep the entire spellcasting process sacred -and to practise individual responsibility- spell remnants need to be disposed of respectfully and sensibly.
🏺 Disposal of non-biodegradable items (jars, stones, paraffin wax candles, etc): First pray over the items to neutralise them, e.g. "Release my will from this [object] and let no magick be left within it." Then, where applicable, do one of the following: > Wash, cleanse, and store for reuse (ideal for jars, crystals, ceramics) > Give away or donate coins/cash > Prep for recycling (paper, card, metal, etc. Melt down and reuse leftover candle wax) > Wrap neatly in paper or cloth and throw out with regular household waste (this is a last resort for things like paraffin candles, salt, essential oils, etc - or any non-biodegradables used for baneful magick)
🌿 Disposal of biodegradable items (foodstuffs, herbs, natural fabrics, etc): Where applicable, dispose of biodegradable items by doing the following: > Composting (this is by far the best option for all non-baneful magick) > Burying > Burning (if safe to do so) > Tossing in moving water Keep in mind that nature is not your trashcan. Be very mindful of what you choose to leave behind. Keep waste in nature to an absolute minimum, ensure none of the ingredients are toxic to animals or damaging to soil/water. (Salt damages soil and some essential oils are incredibly toxic. Most animals have wheat and milk intolerances).
