Elements of Witchcraft: Natural Magick for Teens - Softcover

Dugan, Ellen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0738703931 ISBN 13: 9780738703930

Publisher: Llewellyn Publications, 2003

Synopsis

Study and work with the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water and learn many different forms of real magick, including crystal, herb, stone, color, and candle magick. It might not be as flashy as the movies make it seem, but real Witches work magick every day-the magick of the natural world, the magick of the Craft, and especially the magick of the heart and mind.

About this title

About the Author

Ellen Dugan, the "Garden Witch," is an award-winning author, a psychic-clairvoyant and a regular contributor to Llewellyn's almanacs, datebooks, and calendars. A practicing Witch for over twenty-nine years, she is also a certified Master Gardener.
Ellen has written several books, including Garden Witchery, Elements of Witchcraft:Natural Magick for Teens, 7 Days of Magic, Cottage Witchery, Autumn Equinox, The Enchanted Cat, Herb Magic for Beginners, Natural Witchery, How to Enchant a Man, Garden Witch's Herbal, Book of Witchery, Practical Protection Magick, Seasons of Witchery, and Witches Tarot.
When not keeping up with her family, Ellen unwinds by working in her perennial gardens at home with her husband. She wholeheartedly encourages everyone to personalize their green spellcraft by getting their hands dirty, discovering the wonder and magic of the natural world, and connecting with the spiritual side of nature. To find out more, visit her website at ellendugan.com or check out her blog at ellendugan.blogspot.com

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

I am sure there is Magic in everything.

―Frances Hodgson Burnett

Hello, Teen Witch. So, you've decided you want to learn about Witchcraft and natural magick? Perhaps you've searched the Internet and looked through a book or two on the topic of Witchcraft, and you're curious. I bet that you have lots of questions. What is magick, anyway? you may be thinking. Will a book really help me understand how magick works? More importantly, can I actually become a Witch all by myself?

The mere title of this book alone may be causing you some confusion and raising even more questions. Magick is natural? I thought magick was supernatural... you know, graveyard dirt, chanting mysterious charms by the dark of the moon, mystical bubbling potions that boil in glowing cauldrons, fighting off supernatural bad guys, that sort of thing.

Gee, how very mysterious and gothic. That sounds like an episode of Charmed to me. Forget all the silliness you have seen on television or read in a trashy book. Would you care for a little dose of reality instead?

I thought you might. Let me start out by answering a few of those questions and addressing those concerns right now. Magick is natural and it is very real. Who could doubt the reality of magick? Magick is as elementary as wishing upon a star, a baby's first laugh, and falling in love. There is magick in a snowstorm and enchantment to be found as you quietly watch the sun set on a balmy summer evening. For magick is in all things at all times.

Natural magick is both a way of life and an art. With natural magick, you don't use magick. You simply work with the natural energies of the Earth that are already swirling around you. Yes, that's right, the natural energies of the Earth. The physical world is made up of four basic, natural elements; these are earth, air, fire, and water. It is these four magickal elements that a Witch will tap into. Magickal energy can be found in everything in nature, such as plants, rocks, and crystals. There is enchantment to be discovered in the towering trees and colorful, scented flowers. There are also lessons to be learned from the waters of the lakes and the mighty rivers.

Guess what that means? That means we are going to be working outside quite often. Natural magick will require you to get up and go outdoors. Why, you may ask? Well, because outside is generally where nature is. If you are outdoors and you close your eyes in delight as you feel the breeze streaming through your hair and lifting your spirits, you can embrace firsthand the idea of air being a magickal element of change.

This experience is much more profound for you as a novice Witch than if you try to imagine that breeze indoors, cooped up in your room. Go outside and get your hands dirty! Feel the soil beneath your fingers. Plant some flowers in your yard or in a container. Water your new plant and take care of it. See what your plant friend has to teach you. Dangle your toes in a pond or lake on a hot summer's day. Run around outside and try to catch falling leaves before they hit the ground on a crisp fall afternoon. Experiencing nature in all her glory will help you learn to first sense and then to work with the magickal powers of nature.

Let's head outdoors for a moment. Look around you and answer these questions. What do you see and feel? Is the sun or the moon in the sky above you? Is it hot or cold, wet or dry outside? Do you live in the city, in the suburbs, or on a farm? Are you living in the desert, the mountains, or the plains? Do you live near the woods or by a river? Are you alongside a lake or perched at the seashore? What sorts of animals are native to your area? What kinds of birds show up at the backyard bird feeder?

How do the seasons inspire you where you live? Do you have bitter cold winters with snow or do you have mild winters and rain? A breeze could be blowing past you. What scents are carried along with it? What sounds do you hear? Wind chimes, or perhaps the sounds of the neighbor's dog barking? Do you hear birdsong? What kind of bird is it? Is it a cardinal or the squawk of a blue jay? Did you know that blue jays symbolize tenacity? To see blue jays flying around you is a sign to be a little more assertive and to stand your ground.

Natural magick is a process in which you tune into the rhythms, the tides, and the energies of the seasons, the elements, and nature. That's why I fired so many questions at you right off the bat-to make you more aware of your natural surroundings and how they can magickally affect your life. Get all your five-plus senses involved. Start paying closer attention to the signs of nature. You'll most likely be amazed at what they have to teach you.

As you begin to learn natural magick, you will work with the tides of the seasons and in harmony with the four elements. Natural magick is usually performed in a practical, quiet, and low-profile way, just as the young Witch performed her spell in the Introduction. The story in the Introduction was true, not a work of fiction. That was a prime example of a Teen Witch working with a belief in the Goddess, the magick of nature, and the love for her pet. She called on the natural powers of the ice storm and then focused on the element of fire, symbolized by the candle flame. She combined all of these components into a spell to bring about her desired result, the return of her kitten.

How well do I know this Teen Witch? Very well-the girl in the Introduction is my daughter.

How did my daughter learn magick? Well, she learned it from me. I am a Witch myself. As of this writing, I have been a practicing Witch for about seventeen years. How did I learn magick? Well, the truth is that I taught myself. I don't claim to be secretly trained by a long-dead family member. There are no long-lost magickal relatives hiding in my family tree, just Irish, Danish, and German ancestors. That's right, I read books and researched Witchcraft and the religion of Wicca all on my own. I talked to other Witches, memorized my basics, and made my own decisions about what variety of magick I liked. For me, that was herbalism (the use of herbs and plants in magick) and natural magick. I worked hard and practiced my butt off...just as you're going to do.

The Tradition of Witchcraft
Many teens, and adults for that matter, wonder where Witchcraft really comes from. Was all this fabulous occult information hiding somewhere in a secret magickal library over in England or somewhere? Who discovered it? How did it all begin? What are its origins? Well, probably the truest answer that I can give you is that Witchcraft is a tradition. Modern Witchcraft, or Wicca, is based on the older folk wisdom or tradition of innocent spells, herb and moon lore, divination techniques, and ways of natural healing. This ancient tradition was handed down orally throughout the years from mother to daughter and father to son. In the Middle Ages, very few people could read or write, let alone had access to books. So what we know of the older traditions of Witchcraft has been transformed into country charms, weather lore, legends, and folktales. The keepers of this legacy were the wisewomen and the cunning men. They were the midwives, healers, and the wise folk of their communities or villages.

"Wicca" is an Anglo-Saxon word that has several meanings, the first being from the root word wicce, which means "wise." (Get it...wisewomen.) To be a Wiccan is to be one of the Wise Ones. Some other folks will point out that the word also means "to shape or to bend," and either definition is correct. You bend reality with your magick and shape the future to your wishes. In modern times, the word "Wicca" is the name for the religion of the Witch.

Wicca also incorporates the mythologies and traditions of numerous other cultures as well. This includes a smattering of various old earth religions, such as the ancient Norse and Celtic mythologies and beliefs. Wiccans hold to the theory, as did many ancient cultures before us, that the land is sacred and that the Earth is a holy place. Wicca is a polytheistic religion, meaning we believe in the existence of more than one God. Our religion is based on the belief of a God and a Goddess.

These feminine and masculine energies are two parts of a whole, just as in nature. You can't have one without the other.

The God and the Goddess―Who Are They?
Okay, so who are this Goddess and God that I have been referring to? They are the basis of the religion of Wicca. Witchcraft, which is a part of Wicca, is a religious thing-so is life. Recently one of my teenage nephews approached me and nervously began to ask me questions about Witchcraft and God.

"Aunt Ellen, I have a friend who is interested in Wicca," he began.

"Now I know that you aren't evil or anything...but in my youth Bible class, they taught us that Witchcraft is wrong." He smiled nervously at me and waited to hear my reply.

"Why did they say that it's wrong?" I asked him.

He shuffled his feet and looked down at the ground. "Well, they keep warning us to stay away from it, like it's going to get us or something. You know, the whole devil thing."

"Witches don't believe in the devil. And we certainly don't work with him," I answered him firmly, and watched to see what his reaction would be.

His face lit up. "Really? You know, I thought that you said something to me before about a Goddess or God. You believe in God, right?"

"Yes, I do. Witches believe in a God and a Goddess. I think of them as two equal halves of the whole-a masculine and a feminine side of divinity."

"So how come you don't go to church with us?" he asked me.

"This is my church," I told him, gesturing beyond the backyard where we were standing. "For Witches, nature is sacred."

"Oh, you mean Witchcraft is all about nature?"

"Yes," I explained. "It is about seeing the divine in everything. Being a Witch means that you work hard to be a good, moral, and ethical person. I know that the God and the Goddess are watching over me, and they help me out when I ask them to."

"Okay, I get it." He thought about that for a moment, plainly relieved. He looked at me, slung his arm around my shoulder, and gave me a hug. "So, who is this God and Goddess of yours? Tell me about them."

To many ancient cultures, the Goddess was a symbol of the oceans, the earth, and the moon. The Goddess was directly responsible for not only the fertility of the land, but the animals and the people as well. The God was her other half and consort. He was often represented as the sun that brightened the sky and brought life to the land. We have known the God and Goddess by many different names for centuries.

Here are just a few you are probably familiar with.

To the ancient Greeks, they were known as Helios the sun god and Selene the moon goddess. The Romans called the god of the sun Apollo, and his twin sister was Diana, the goddess of the moon. To the indigenous people of America, they are Earth Mother and Sky Father.

See what I mean about that nature theme? The truth is that you can call them by any name you wish. Go with whatever you're most comfortable with: God and Goddess, Lord and Lady, Earth Mother and Sky Father, or Goddess of the moon and God of the sun.

It is important to know that we do not worship the moon and the sun; they are merely natural symbols or representations of the Goddess and the God. We see them as kind and loving deities, similar to a mother and a father. They watch over us, advise us, and help us through the tough times. They also expect the best out of us personally, like real parents.

The easiest way to get to know the God and Goddess is through meditation. Meditation isn't difficult to learn. Basically you find a quiet, safe spot in nature or at home, and settle in and get comfy. Ideally, this should be someplace where you will not be disturbed for a short time. Relax, take a few deep, cleansing breaths, and clear your mind. Now imagine yourself somewhere in nature. When I prepare to meditate, I like to imagine myself walking into a secret garden. Try this and see how it works for you.

Visualize or imagine yourself standing at the base of ten stone steps. As you begin to climb up, step by step, count silently backwards from ten to one. When you count back to the number one, you have reached the top of the steps. Now, see before you an ivy-covered garden gate.

Open the gate and imagine you are entering a secret garden. Once you are in the secret garden, let your imagination go and your subconscious can take over. At this point of the meditation you could ask to meet the God and Goddess; let your mind drift and use your imagination. See where this leads you and what they have to say. When you feel that you're ready to end the meditation, go back to the garden entrance, step out and close the gate behind you. Now count down those ten garden steps as you descend them, starting at the top with number one. When you reach step number ten, take a deep breath, blow it out, and open your eyes. Take a moment and jot down your impressions. What did you see and hear? What did you learn?

How did that make you feel?

Another type of meditation used by Witches is called "pathworking." Pathworking is a guided meditation and this is sort of like going on an imaginary trip. With a guided meditation, you follow a story line that leads you through a lesson. This story teaches you a magickal lesson or introduces you to a nature spirit or even a deity. There are several guided meditations in this book. Some of these will direct you through the lesson from beginning to end, while others allow you to follow your own mind's imaginary path.

Whether you use meditation or simply sit on the grass and pray, take the time to introduce yourself to the Lord and Lady; they are waiting for you. The God and Goddess are real and they are a fundamental part of Witchcraft and magick. And if you call on them, they will hear you.

How Do I Get Started?
If you want to be a Witch and practice natural magick, you are probably going to have to learn your craft the hard way, just like I did―through study, experimentation, trial and error, and on your own. But you know what? Your solitary training can be every bit as effective and true as those who claim a formal type of training. And don't you ever let anyone tell you differently.

How do you start your own training, you may wonder? There may be so many questions buzzing around inside of your head that it makes it hard to know exactly where to begin. So, let's kick this off with something simple: a little healing exercise for you to try your hand at, and an introduction into natural magick.

A healing spell for yourself might involve taking an early morning barefoot stroll in the backyard (pick a nice day for this), a little meditating, and then sitting on the dewy grass to watch the sunrise. Surprised?

Don't be. Natural magick works in harmony with the laws of nature.

Dawn Healing Ritual
As the first rays of the sun brighten up the eastern sky, place your hands on the ground. Feel the dew and the grass beneath your fingers.

Then close your eyes and imagine the stabilizing influence of the earth and the cleansing properties of the water are giving you strength and helping to wash away any sadness or illness that you carry. Open your eyes and tip up your head to watch the sunrise. Feel the breeze stir your hair and the strength of the sun begin to wash over you. Make a quiet request to the Lord and Lady. Ask for their help in starting a new day...

Edition details

• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0738703931
• ISBN 13: 9780738703930
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288