The Anatomy of a Great Spell
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Do you want to learn how to write spells?
Do you have a specific need that no spell has ever been written to address?
Whether you’re trying to learn how to make a spell for love or how to write magick spells to make an original book of shadows, there are some easy templates you can follow.
Do you know what ingredients should go into a spell?
What phase of the moon to do a love spell in?
You can improve your magickal practice with spells that fit your needs, desires, and your unique symbolic library.
Learning magick is all about doing magick, so let’s figure out how to write a great spell.
Decide your purpose
When you’re writing a magick spell, you need to know what your ultimate intention is.
You’ll want to decide how detailed your spell should be as well as what your goal is.
You should think about the different ways a spell affects the material world, the magical and mundane.
- What does the spell do to the world?
- How does it work?
- What is the spell’s impact on yourself?
This last question may seem silly; however, it’s one of the key ingredients of magick.
If you get right down to it, magick is about how things work.
Magick is the art of controlling our actions and perception in a powerful way.
Magic works best when you apply that control in a subtle way to your everyday life and to the world around us.
So, if you want a simple magick spell for beginners, you probably only want two or three ingredients and maybe a simple rhyme to set your intention.
You can even go as simple as reciting your incantation over the flame of a candle.
If you want something more elaborate, you may be mixing oils and herbs, finding the right candle color, deciding the right phase of the moon and time of day for your spell, and setting up a specific choreography of movements and incantations.
Spell components
Spells are made up of many components that hold intentions, release energy, give your spell power, or hold power.
What you choose to include in your spell will ultimately change how that spell behaves.
The basic spell components are these:
- An intention
- Moon phase
- Time of year
- Day of the week
- Time of day
- Herbs
- Crystals
- Essential oils
- Carrier oils
- Candles
- Color themes
- Deities to call
- Symbols to use
- Something to create power
- Something to hold power
You can use as many of those components as you like in your spell, based on your intention and how elaborate you want your ritual to be.
An intention
This is the purpose of your spell. Intentions can be anything from finding love to manifesting money.
You want to be as specific as you can, because magickal energy can tend to spread too thin to be of any use if you go for something general.
For instance, it’s better to ask for a raise at your job than just to ask for more money.
Asking to heal your liver is better than asking to feel better.
Boil your intention down until it’s as strong as specific as you can manage.
Moon phase
The phase of the moon directly effects how powerful your spell will be. Here are the general meanings:
New moon: This is the time for new beginnings. Magick to take advantage of the clean slate is best now. Start new projects, start a new exercise program, gather your thoughts, execute plans.
Waxing crescent moon: Set your intentions now. Send out your hopes and desires. This is a good time to start law of attraction magick.
First quarter moon: Kick down obstacles. Now is the time to take action and push forward.
Waxing gibbous moon: This is a time to reexamine the intentions you’ve set and realign them with the universe. This is also when you want to work to bring in money and prosperity.
Full moon: This is the time to reap the rewards of the spells you did in the previous cycle or previous months. This is also the time to do charging spells, and to enhance your psychic energy.
Waning gibbous moon: This is a time of introspection and giving thanks. It’s also the right time to expel negative energy and banish curses.
Third quarter moon: Release and let go of bad habits. Clear out junk and focus on self care spells.
Waning crescent: The time for cleansing. Cleanse the house with holy water or sage. Recuperate and rest. Feel and enjoy the coming emptiness. Release things in your life that aren’t helpful.
Time of year
Each month has its own energy, and that energy can empower or dampen the power of your magick.
January: This is the month to work on the root chakra, sexuality, basic physical needs. It’s also a time for new beginnings and fertility.
February: This is the month to cast spells for divination, ambition, aspirations, and balancing communication with emotion.
Reveal the truth with clarity spells. Work on the crown chakra.
March: This is the month for spells of reconciliation, anger management, and unresolved issues.
It’s also a good time for spells that make you more aggressive in the right areas, such as if you’re angling for a promotion.
Protection spells, dark magick, and retribution are also more powerful in March. Focus on the throat chakra.
April: This is a time of transformation, a time to take passion and turn it into manifestation.
Cast spells to banish stubbornness or to strengthen your backbone as you deal with difficult people.
May: May is the time for personal growth, illumination and wisdom.
You may be at risk for some neuroticism in May, so cast magick to unite logic with your emotions.
Magick to banish bad habits and strengthen your self esteem are called for. Focus on the heart chakra.
June: Fairy magick is powerful now. Work on magick that improves communication and movement, transformation, and spells that increase or decrease things in your life.
Focus on the solar plexus chakra.
July: Now is the time to find balance between your ego and your perseverence and organization.
Manifest leadership, banish indecisiveness. Cast spells for long term goals.
August: Reap the harvest of the magick you cast earlier this summer. Powerful, assertive magick should be cast now.
Cleanse yourself and your home before the coming winter. Clear out unwanted emotions and habits.
September: this is a time of feminine energy. Cast magick that draws inward, and magick to draw things to you. Magick that benefits women and female issues are very strong now.
Fertility and protection magick especially so. Cast spells to find lovers and soul mates. Focus on the third eye chakra.
October: This is the time for ancestral and spirit magick. Communicate with your ancestors, or the ancestors of the land that you are living on.
Cast spells for justice, balance, and political issues now. Cast spells to increase and strengthen your ambition.
November: Destroy all things that bind and hinder you at this time. Find freedom with your magick.
Cast spells for release, relief, emanicipation, individuality, and protection.
December: Cast magick to seek knowledge from spirits. This is also the time to reveal true feelings and shed light on dark situations.
As we transition to the new year, work magick that transitions you into your new, and improved, self.
Day of the week
The correspondences of the day of the week can change the outcome of your spell.
Choosing to do your spell on the right day could make it even more powerful!
Sunday
Color: yellow, gold
Element: Fire
Planet: Sun
Stones: citrine, amber, tiger eye
Astrological Sign: Leo
Energies: Healing, spirituality, male issues, work/employment, power, strength
Monday
Color: blue, white
Element: water
Planet: Moon
Stones: moonstone
Astrological Sign: Cancer
Energies: Emotions, dreams, clairvoyance, the goddess, feminine issues
Tuesday
Color: red, orange
Element: Fire
Planet: Mars
Stones: carnelian
Astrological Sign: Scorpio
Energies: Aggression, marriage, courage, dominance, power
Wednesday
Color: silver, shades of blue
Element: Air
Planet: Mercury
Stones: clear quartz crystal, malachite
Astrological Sign: Gemini, Virgo
Energies: Communication, writing, art, creativity, mental activities
Thursday
Color: purple, indigo
Element: Fire
Planet: Jupiter
Stones: aventurine, moss agate
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius, Pisces
Energies: Expansion, money, legal issues
Friday
Color: pink, red
Element: Air, Water
Planet: Venus
Stones: pink rose quartz, jade
Astrological Sign: Libra, Taurus
Energies: Love, friendship, emotions, beauty, sex
Saturday
Color: black, gray
Element: Earth
Planet: Saturn
Stones: black onyx, apache tears, obsidian
Astrological Sign: Capricorn
Energies: Retribution, banishment, protection
Time of day
Morning: Matters of the conscious mind, leadership, intelligence, cognitive functions.
Dawn: Beginnings, refreshing situations, warmth, renewing hope.
Dusk: Closings, endings, finishing projects, self reflection, and death rites.
Night: Intuitiveness, emotions, maternal tasks, healing, fertility, moon magick, wishing on stars, dream magick, spirit magick, and peacefulness.
Midnight and noon: The in-between hours. Communicate with elemental creatures like fairies. Spells for positive changes in life, endings and beginnings.
Herbs
Herbs and plants have elemental and magickal correspondences that help direct your energy and manifest desires.
If you’d like to learn more about these correspondences, see my blog posts on them here: Elemental correspondences for herbs and plants
Crystals
Crystals hold vibrational properties and the history of our world.
They are not just beautiful, but can be useful for manifestation, cleansing, blessing, healing, and dreams.
You can find out more about crystal magick, or shop our healing crystals.
Essential oils
The scents of essential oils and the magickal meaning of the plants they come from can enhance your spells.
Abundance: Allspice, Bergamot, Birch, Chamomile, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon, Lime, Litsea, Mandarin, nutmeg, opopanax, orange, Pepper, Pine, Star Anise, Yarrow.
Aphrodisiac: Cardamom, Ginger, Jasmine, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Ylang Ylang.
Astral Realm: Cinnamon, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Mugwort, Sandalwood.
Attraction: Allspice, Angelica, Basil, Catnip, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Hops, Hyssop, Jasmine, Lavender, Marjoram, Mugwort, Neroli, Oregano, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Spearmint, Spikenard, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang.
Banishing: Angelica, Anise, Basil, Bay, Camphor, Cedarwood, Clove, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Juniper, Mugwort, Myrrh, Opopanax, Palo Santo, Patchouli, Pepper, Pine, Rose, Sandalwood, Star Anise, Yarrow.
Beginnings: Angelica, Anise, Birch, Cardamom, Carrot, Clove, Coriander, Fennel, Fir, Geranium, Juniper, Mugwort, Nutmeg, Pine, Rose, Yarrow.
Binding: Angelica, Clove, Cypress, Frankincense(breaks binds), Jasmine, Pepper, Pine, Rose, Rosemary.
Blessing / Consecrate: Allspice, Angelica, Anise, Basil, Bay, Benzoin, Birch, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cistus, Coriander, Cypress, Fennel, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Jasmine, Lavender, Lime, Mugwort, Myrrh, Myrtle, Oponanax, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Pepper, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Star Anise, Thyme, Valerian, Yarrow.
Clairvoyance: Anise, Basil, Bay, Cedarwoo, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Clove, Coriander, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemongrass, Mugwort, Nutmeg, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Rose, Sage, Sandalwood, Star Anise, Thyme, Yarrow.
Clarity: Basil, Birch, Camphor, Cardamom, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cypress, Frankincense, Helichrysum, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Nutmeg, Orange, Oregano, Palmarosa, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Spruce.
Communication: Allspice, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Citronella, Fennel, Fir, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Myrtle, Rosemary, Spikenard, Valerian.
Confidence: Basil, Bergamot, Cardamom, Cedarwood, Geranium, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin, Neroli, Orange, ine, Rose, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Thyme, Turmeric, Yarrow.
Courage: Black Pepper, Clove, Fennel, Ginger, Thyme, Yarrow.
Creativity: Bay, Birch, Cajeput, Cardamom, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Fennel, Fir, Geranium, Helichrysum, Jasmine, Lavender, Myrtle, Neroli, Nutmeg, Orange, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Tea Tree, Valerian, Ylang Ylang.
Depression: Basil, Clary Sage, Jasmine, Lemon, Ylang Ylang
Fertility: Anise, Basil, Birch, Carrot, Catnip, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Clove, Coriander, Fennel, Geranium, Helichrysum, Jasmine, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Mugwort, Neroli, Orange, Oregano, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Sage, Spearmint, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang.
Grounding: Angelica, Chamomile, Cistus, Citronella, Cypress, Fir, Ginger, Helichrysum, Juniper, Lavender, Lemongrass, Litsea, Myrrh, Oakmoss, Opopanax, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Pine, Sage, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Spruce, Turmeric, Valerian, Vetiver, Yarrow.
Happiness / Joy: Basil, Bergamot, Orange, Neroli
Healing: Allspice, Angelica, Basil, Bay, Birch, Cajeput, Camphor, Cardamom, Carrot, Catnip, Cedarwoo, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clove, Coriander, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Fir, Frankincense, Lavender, Lime, Marjoram, Mugwort, Myrrh, Opopanax, Oregano, Palmarosa, Pepper, Peppermint, Pine, Rose, Sage, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Turmeric, Valerian, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang.
Longevity: Fennel, Rosemary
Love: Allspice, Anise, Basil, Bergamot, Birch, Cardamom, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clove, Coriander, Frankincense, Ginger, Honey, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon Verbena, Neroli, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Tuberose, Vanilla, Vetiver, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang.
Luck: Allspice, Anise, Basil, Bergamot, Catnip, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clove, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Spikenard, Star Anise, Thyme, Vetiver, Yarrow.
Magical Energy: Bay, Ginger, Nutmeg, Orange, Pine, Vanilla
Meditation: Chamomile, Frankincense, Myrrh, Sandalwood
Memory: Clove, Coriander, Peppermint, Rosemary, Spearmint, Sage
Money: Basil, Ginger, Lemon Balm, Nutmeg, Patchouli, Sage, Tonka, Vetiver
Negativity: Angelica, Anise, Basil, Bay, Birch, Camphor, Carrot, Cedarwoo, Cinnamon, Citronella, Clove, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Juniper, Lavender, Lime, Mandarin, Marjoram, Myrrh, Opopanax, Palo Santo, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Sage, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Star Anise, Thyme, Yarrow.
Passion: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Coriander, Ginger, Lemongrass, Myrtle, Patchouli, Rose, Turmeric.
Peace: Bergamot, Chamomile, Ginger, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Rose, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang
Physical Energy: Bergamot, Black Pepper, Camphor, Cinnamon, Ginger, Lemon, Lime, Nutmeg, Orange
Prosperity: Allspice, Basil, Bay, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove, Fir, Ginger, Jasmine, Juniper, Lavender, Mandarin, Marjoram, Myrrh, Myrtle, Nutmeg, Opopanax, Oregano, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Sage, Spearmint, Vetiver.
Protection (Spiritual & Psychic): Angelica, Basil, Bay, Black Pepper, Clove, Cinnamon, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Fir, Geranium, Juniper, Lavender, Lime, Mugwort, Nutmeg, Opopanax, Peppermint, Pennyroyal, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Rue, Sandalwood, Spruce, Tea Tree, Thyme, Turmeric, Valerian, Vetiver, Western Red Cedar, Yarrow
Psychic Awareness: Bay, Cinnamon, Lemongrass, Mugwort, Nutmeg, Star Anise, Yarrow
Purification: Angelica, Bay, Camphor, Copal, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Hyssop, Juniper, Lemon, Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, Lemon Verbena, Lime, Neroli, Orange, Palo Santo, Pine, Western Red Cedar
Success: Allspice, Angelica, Basil, Bay, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clove, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Juniper, Lemon, Lime, Litsea, Mandarin, Myrrh, Opopanax, Orange, Patchouli, Pepper, Sandalwood, Star Anise, Yarrow.
Vitality: Cedarwood, Cistus, Citronella, Fir, Frankincense, Ginger, Lemongrass, Lime, Myrrh, Opopanax, Rosemary, Valerian, Basil, Catnip, Clary Sage, Marjoram, Oregano, Patchouli, Peppermint, Sage, Spearmint.
Carrier oils
Carrier oils are used with essential oils and sometimes herbs so that they are safe to get on your skin.
They also spread out the essential oil so that you can cover a whole candle without wasting your expensive essential oils.
An ancient carrier oil that was used in magick was olive oil, and it is still one of the best options around.
Candles
Colors play a really important role in our lives and our magick.
The colors lend a distinctive vibration and focus that can aid our intentions as we burn the candles.
I already have a blog post on the candle color meanings. I hope they will work positively within your witchcraft.
| Candle Color | Candle Color Meaning |
| White candles | White candles, first and foremost, can be used for all magick. They are the blank sheet you can use when no other candle seems right, or you’re out of another candle color. |
| Black candles | Black candles are perfect for banishing, absorbing negativity, protection, binding, destruction, cursing, chaos magick, and creating confusion. |
| Brown candles | Choose brown candles for home protection, animal spells, stability, family, material goods, grounding, emotional stability, balance, and trust. |
| Red candles | Red is a great choice for love spells, lust, vital energy, strength, passion, courage, charisma, energy, vigor, anger, eliminating pessimism, revenge, and determination. |
| Pink candles | Use pink candles for romantic love, emotional healing, friendship, caring, nurturing, self love, beauty, glamor spells, sensuality, compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation. |
| Orange candles | With orange candles you can invoke ambition, creativity, and positivity and it is a great color for career spells or spells to assert your strength and individuality. |
| Yellow candles | Yellow candles are the choice for spells for intelligence, success at school, communication, focus, and intuition. |
| Green candles | Green candles are the perfect choice for money spells, but they can be used for spells of growth, health, luck, and nature too. |
| Blue candles | Use blue candles for peace, patience, emotional healing, manipulation, truth, justice, and to hide the truth from others. |
| Purple candles | Purple candles are great for psychic powers, divination, astral travel, wishes, ambition, power, and authority. |
| Silver candles | Silver candles are associated with the moon, and can be used for spells for psychic receptivity, love, rest, dreaming, healing, and represents goddesses. |
| Gold candles | Gold candles are associated with the sun and are useful for spells of confidence, willpower, optimism, generosity, and this candle can be used to represent gods. |
Color themes
Color correspondences don’t only have to be used through candles.
You can choose to mark your protective circle in a specific color, use specifically colored herbs, wrap your tools in a specific color cloth.
They can give an immensely powerful boost to your spells.
Here are a few different colors and their correspondences:
Red: Love, physical energy, health, power, anger
Pink: Romance, spiritual awakening, partnerships, children’s magic
Orange: Adaptability to sudden changes, encouragement, power
Yellow: Communication, confidence, divination, study, friendship
Green: Prosperity, employment, fertility, health, good luck, creativity
Blue: Healing, psychic ability, harmony in the home, understanding
Indigo: Meditation, clarity of purpose, spiritual healing, self-mastery
Purple: Divination, enhancing nurturing qualities, balancing sensitivity
White: Cleansing, clarity, establishing order, spiritual growth, understanding
Black: Banishing and releasing negative energies, transformation, enlightenment
Silver: Spiritual development, psychic development, meditation, warding off negativity
Gold: Success, health, ambition, finances, good fortune, divination
Brown: Balance, concentration, material gain, home, companion animals
Gray: Complex decisions, binding negative influences, reaching compromise
Deities to call
The different gods and goddesses one might interact with all have different areas of life and magick that they rule over.
Ares rules over power, anger, and war. Aphrodite rules over love and lust.
Eris rules over chaos.
Appealing to a specific deity during a spell could lend you their favor, putting their power behind your intention as well.
It’s worth it to find a deity you like to work with for spells that matter a lot to you.
Symbols to use
When you’re doing a protection spell, a pentacle can increase the protective properties of your magick.
A dollar sign symbolizes wealth and is great to use in abundance spells.
Finding symbols that universally represent a concept is a great start, but what is even more powerful is discovering and utilizing what those symbols represent to you.
When you see a triangle, what emotions or thoughts does that bring up?
When you see a simply drawn bird, what concept does that make you think of?
The most powerful symbol is the one that represents a powerful emotion or memory for you.
Something to create power
Often, this is fire or an incantation.
This is something that helps to bring out and use the energy within you to enact your will on the universe.
It’s not technically creating power but digging deep within you and harnessing the power you have within yourself.
Something to hold power
This one isn’t always necessary, but this is where amulets, knots for knot magick, and things like potions come in.
These are the things that hold onto the spell you’ve created until you’re ready to use that magick.
If you’re creating a long term or timed release spell, you’ll want something to hold that power until you’re ready to release it, or indefinitely.
What spell will you be making?
I hope this information has helped you on your path to being a master spell crafter.
Spells that you made yourself tend to be more powerful than those found in books or online, so this is a worthy endeavor for any intermediate to advanced witch looking for a new challenge.
I hope this has also helped you to gain an understanding and appreciation of various spell categories and the different types of spells.
If you use this information to make a spell,
I hope you’ll share what you made and the results down below! I’d love to know how it all worked out.
And if you want to learn more about witchcraft and spell crafting, I have a long blog post about the best and most cost-effective way to read books about the occult.
You don’t have to break your budget to become a more learned witch!
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