The question submitted here was lengthy and contained a lot of personal information. In a nutshell the person asking the question had performed a love spell which had worked rather too well and now they regret casting to influence free will. The spell had also influenced the younger sister of the person it was meant to target.
 
Love Spells are quite tricky to perform as they are easily muddled up due to how complicated they actually are. There are many factors to take into account when thinking of casting a love spell and you might find that not many witches will perform them because there are so many things that could go wrong with them no matter how well you try to make sure you have covered all angles.
 
The main issue people have with love spells is that they go against Free Will (because let’s face it, if you have to cast a spell to make somebody love you then there is a problem even before you have done any spells.) However from what you have said about your issue I think it is clearly a case of a casting gone askew as not only has it made the recipient of your affections a little 'full on' with you, it has also made his little sister become a bit obsessed with you too. So this is not a good situation.
 
While it is clear you never intended to hurt anybody, casting a love spell, especially if the person you are casting it upon is already involved with somebody else, means that the other person is undoubtedly going to end up being hurt.
 
This is another reason not many witches like to use love spells, as although not all witches are Wiccan and many do not follow the law of free will it is pretty much a universal morality that causing harm isn’t a positive thing to do.
 
Unfortunately there isn't much I can suggest in regards to the other girl this boy was previously with, as it’s not like you can just rock up to her and explain that you cast a love spell on him which resulted in him leaving her! But in regards to things between you and him, I would personally suggest reversing the spell.
 
If you reverse the magick it should stop all of the 'full on' behaviour from him and then that way you can build your relationship up naturally. It will also help to straighten out the issue of his sister being obsessed with you too, as the effects on her are from the same spell. (Which does make me wonder - when you did the casting, did you specifically cast it on him only or did you use a generic love spell? I am inclined to think that it was the latter since his sister is also showing signs of being affected after handling your pendulum which you dipped into the drink that you created as the spell.)
 
Alongside the drink and the pendulum...were there any other workings that you used? Any words, herbs, crystals etc. that you could use again but to reverse it? If not, you could just do a general reversal spell (it doesn't have to be anything intricate or fancy as after all magick is pretty much all about your intent).
 
I use a simple reversal casting where I light a black candle inscribed with what I want to reverse. In your case  I would suggest you inscribe the affliction and the names of those involved. Once lit you can ask the Universe (or whatever you choose to use) to help reverse the effects of the spell and to take away any affection created by the spell. Once the working is reversed then if you guys are destined to be together you will do so in your own time and pace and it will be true, not the result of any castings.
 
If you want to use magick to aid your relationship perhaps perform a promise casting, where you put it out into the Universe that you want to be together and the direction you both want the relationship to take. Try both lighting a white and a red candle (white to symbolise the universe, red for love) and then holding these in each hand while speaking out loud your feelings and wishes for each other and the relationship. Allow the candles to burn down and then either tie them together with red ribbon or cord and keep your own sets with you (or swap so he has yours and you have his), or bury them together in a place that is special to you both. If you don't feel comfortable saying those things out loud then you could write it down and burn it using the candles (don't forget to keep yourself and your surroundings safe if you burn anything...and don't forget about your fingers!)
 
As with any magick I always suggest that you go with your gut! Your intuition will lead you to what you know is the right thing to do. But if this doesn't sit with you right or make you feel happy then you should reverse it, not only for the other people involved but also for yourself too!
 
I hope this helps you, and I really hope you manage to figure out this situation with yourself and this boy (and not forgetting his little sister). If you ever need to ask anything else, then feel free to contact me again and I will be happy to help in any way I can.
 
Barb

Hi there....thank you for your question, as this one really got me thinking. 
Can other people tell we are witches, even before we tell them? And how? How do they know...? 

Now somebody who isnt a witch, has recognised you as one. This raises a few questions of my own which may change the context of your question.

Firstly, how do you know that they aren't a witch? For all you
know they could be just like you, not showing the world their gifts or beliefs, for many reasons. Did they tell you they are not a practising witch or have you assumed that they are not? 

Who told you about this non witch knowing about your magickal side? as you say in your full question "I was told that a 'non' person knew I was a witch'. How does the person who told you, know this other person is a 'non' witch? Do they know them? Could they have mentioned something in a conversation 
about yourself, not in a gossipy way of course, but I myself know how easily things can slip into conversations that don't seem too important, but can be. Could this 
'non' witch have heard in passing about you, maybe within the witchy community, or possiby seen you at a witchy event/gathering, which would all point towards you 
havin an interest of some kind in this path? There are lots of ways that they could have found out. But as you have asked, lets look at the possibility of somebody 
who isn't a witch...'knowing' that you are one, without being told so.
Last night I asked a very close friend of mine what it is about me that makes it obvious that I am a witch? (aside from my pentagram hanging at my throat) and their 
answer floored me! they told me that they had always known, that even when I kept it all a secret and didnt tell anybody about any of it, that it was obvious. They
said that there had always been 'something' about me that was different to other people they knew. that I always seemed to know when things werent right with them 
or when they needed help, and I always knew what to do or say. they said I 'felt' different to them than other people, that when they are around me they feel calmer,
happier and more positive about things that are happening within their lives. they also said sometimes being around me is like having a shot of energy drink! because 
they could be in a mood and not feel very good about themselves, but then when I get there, they said its like everything gets brighter and they lose all the moodyness
and begin to feel like they could take on anything! this all shocked me, as I had no idea that just by being around my friend, I was effecting them like this. (but at
least it was all positive). After speaking to my friend I decided to ask some fellow witches what their take on this was. what did they think about other people who
might not be witches, being able to figure them out without anything being said. most of the people I spoke with all said the same things....our Energy is different to
people who don't practice magick often, that as we are more intune with the gifts we have, we kind of outwardly project this 'intunement' without realisinng we are 
doing so. That we give off this 'Aura' of otherworldlyness, of being wiser than we appear and pretty much giving off a magickal feeling. it i hard to put it all into
words, as describing a feeling is not easy at all...but they all said pretty much the same things....that people have just been able to 'sense' that we are different 
or sometimes the things that wew have done, have pointed it out a little. kind of like knowing who will call before they do or getting those 'gut' feelings that there
is something wrong with what you or friends are doing so you tell them to go somewhere else or do smethning else, which leads to them missing being caught in a traffic 
accident, or hurting themselves in a freak accident! all these things point towards us being a teeny bit witchy....and as witchcraft has become more accepted within
the world now, and is mentioned all over books and magazines and the internet, it is easy for somebody to look at us and 'connect the dots'. 
if you are not ready for other people to know about you being a witch then maybe you could speak with this person and politely ask them not to mention it to anybody
(well, thats if you have confirmed your witchy status to them that is) also I would suggest speakingh with the person who it was that told youu about it also, so that 
you can be fully sure of what was said within the conversation and also that this person isnt going to tell other people without your knowledge or consent too.
But...from speaking with others....it is apparently not what we say or do particularly that kind of gives us away as witches.....its the Energies and Aura that we give
off! so we are pretty much unable to fully hide who we are, even when we try to! 
I hope this helps! and feel free to contact me again if you need any more help/advise!

​










Image https://www.deviantart.com/art/Witch-571798257

QUESTION - I am 30 years old and have always been interested in magick. I am from a very conservative christian background that always felt different from my family. Due to this I have no one to seek information or ask how to start my journey. I did read Barbs intro and I do relate to her path. I would consider myself an eclectic spiritual witch. Can you please direct me on good books or courses for starting out?


ANSWER - Thank you for reading my intro and its nice to hear that you can relate also. witchcraft/spirituality has always been something I have been drawn to myself from a very young age and as a grew up I spent many hours researching online or reading books about all the different types of paths there are out there (the list is endless).

In regards to starting out, I wouldn't really say there is any set way as to how you should start out, as magick is personal to each of us, so all I would suggest is pretty much what I did.....research on google (google is amazing for finding things out) all the different things involved. I literally typed in things like ' how to write spells', 'how to perform spells', 'the basics of being a witch', ' witchcraft for beginners'. Anything I could think of or that I heard of I typed it in. I also went out and bought as many books on witchcraft, Paganism, Spirituality and occultism as I could get my hands on. I even went to my local library and found that they surprisingly stocked quite a few spiritual books. (ebay is also a really good source for either brand new or second hand books on all sorts of different subjects). I found that when I had first started to really get into witchcraft, I was a little overwhelmed as to where to begin. especially with the books as there are literally thousands out there that all claim to be for beginners or people interested in becoming a witch.

I found books by authors such as 'Silver RavenWolf', 'Silja', 'Raymond Buckland' and 'Kate West', were all very easy to read and follow. plus all the things they wrote about were actually already things that I related to or felt that could be parts of my life (the rituals/spells/practices etc). I also spoke to as many people as I could, either in person or online. I met lots of lovely people in witchcraft shops too, who always made me feel so welcomed and didn't make me feel inferior or anything for not knowing much about it all. Witchy people always understand that we all start somewhere and that we all have to learn in our own ways and at our own paces. they will always help you out or point you in the right direction if they cant help you themselves. (one of the many things I love about the witchcraft community both online and in my local community). I have also found over time that there are lots of different groups/pages on Facebook (I myself have one I personally run) that are really helpful with lots of information on and they also have ways for you to connect with other like minded people (Facebook has fast become one of my favorite ways of interacting with people and sharing information etc) the internet is easily one of the simplest and fastest ways to find out information and also the most convenient as we can use it on our phones, tablets or laptops and while we are out and about (commuting to work etc). I spend a lot of time researching on the internet now, almost as much as I did when I first got really interested in witchcraft, and I found some really useful webpages.

Here are some of the webpages I have used and still use that I find really useful, as some of them also have online courses for free etc that you can study for further information:

www.molochsorcery.com (information aswell as 20 online lessons for free)
www.thewitchescollective.com (needs an account creating for this one)
www.silvermooncrow.com (seven lessons)
www.magicka-school.com
www.witchesofthecraft.com
www.witccalessons.wordpress.com (download avalonia lessons pdf for free...I have this and its really good!)
www.themagicalcircle.net (online lessons but have to create an account)

As I mentioned, when we are starting out on our paths, it can be very overwhelming and sometimes can feel like an information overload! I have always found that whilst researching or reading books about witchcraft it helps to have a notebook and pen handy to jot down topics that interest me or things that I would like to research further. All I can suggest is read read read...and nosy online as much as you can!

You will also find that as you go along you will probably mix and match all the different parts of witchcraft paths etc to make something that is perfect for you and your life. but also...dont forget to have some fun! its not supposed to be all stuffy and boring! Magick is fun and exciting! 

I hope this helps and I wish you all the best on finding your way in this magickal world of ours! if you need any further information or would like to talk about anything else then please dont hesitate to contact me.

Bright Blessings!

Barb x

Image ​https://www.deviantart.com/art/spell-673328250

​QUESTION - I need help to unbind my magic. I am a 19 year old male witch. To my knowledge I’m a fourth generation witch. I have a strong gift of empathy. I came into the craft when I was about eight years old my mother was supportive. When I turned 11 I had serious anger issues and in one of my “fits” there was a tornado. I think my mom believes that my magic had something to do with it, so she bound my magic. The thing is my magic is slowly breaking through the spell but it’s driving me crazy because I have no control over my gifts! I either have to have full control of my gift or bind my powers completely! 

ANSWER -  Without knowing what it is you actually want to do in regards to either binding your powers fully or learning to control them…it is slightly difficult to answer your question, but I will go ahead and just answer it as if we are looking at both scenarios.

So…if we look at wanting to fully bind your gifts first, there are lots of different ways that this can be done. But more importantly it raises the question as to “why?”. Why did your mother not only feel the need to bind your powers or gifts but also in a pretty permanent way (if they are only slowly beginning to show again through the binding after so many years then her castings must have been pretty powerful & precise). If as you say at 11 years old you had “anger” issues, how bad did these get? Were there any other incidents as you grew up that gave your mother any reason to think or believe that your powers were harmful? Without fully knowing the reasons as to why your mother chose to cast a binding against you, it is pretty hard to fully answer this part. However I will quickly mention a few bits about Bindings and how they can be cast if that’s what you chose to do.

Binding spells usually take something away, usually someone’s ability to do something. People usually cast a binding spell against somebody who is hurting or bothering them to make them stop. You can also cast a binding spell on yourself to help you break a bad habit or negative behaviour.

Binding spells can also cause physical problems for you like feeling “stuck” but not knowing why, feeling like you are being ‘restricted’ by something unseen and lots of other afflictions that you cant really explain.  Binding spells can be used for lots of different purposes- can bind forces of nature, spirits and even people. They can also be used to reduce someone’s influence upon you. They aren’t the same as curses, where you inflict harm on another person. They are also similar to protection spells which are meant to protect you from bad things occurring. Binding spells are typically used on people who are acting abusive towards others.

Here is a basic Binding Spell that can be used by yourself if you wish to bind your gifts instead of wishing to learn to control them. I was given this by a very close witch friend of mine and I find that it works really well. For the binding spell which is pretty much a basic, all round type ( which can be used for almost any binding purpose) you will need

• Pieces of lightweight cardboard/paper
• Black pen/pencil
• Black candle (used for Banishing)
• Black yarn/string
• Fireproof dish (or a saucepan if your anything like me and you don’t have any fancy cauldron etc)

Cast a strong protective circle around yourself and all participants before you begin. Take the pieces of cardboard/paper and write words on it to represent what you are wishing to banish. For your situation maybe write things like “my gifts/powers” etc. take a piece of black yarn/thread and wind it around the pieces of cardboard/paper 9 times, whilst saying out loud what it is that you wish to banish, with each time you wrap it around. Tie off the ends of the yarn with 3 sturdy knots to seal the spell. When you have done this with all the pieces, burn them and say these words until they have burned away to ashes “Goddess of darkest night, send my troubles all to flight, burn them in your sacred fires and replace them with my hearts desires.”. Once they are all burnt, do a positive visualization of yourself without the situation, you have banished, to replace the negative of what you have removed.

I think that before you decided to do a banishment to keep your powers at bay for good, you would have to seriously think about whether or not this something you want to do, as it would affect your life in lots of different ways, spiritual and physical, so that would be something you would have to be fully sure of (but you can always reverse the binding if you chose to do so later down the line).

In regards to having full control over your gifts, as an Empath, there are ways that you can learn to control this or build upon what you already know. Meditations can help you find out the extent of your gifts and ways that you can work with them, there are lots of guided meditations available online or you could just get yourself into a meditative state and do some guided writing after asking for guidance on your gifts etc. you can research into Empathy and how to live with the gifts in your everyday life (this is something I have personally done and found it very useful, in terms of blocking whilst out in public and also for ways of coping with all the emotions/moods I was picking up from other people, as this can also be a very difficult situation to cope with as sometimes it can get very overwhelming). Grounding techniques are very useful for empaths, as this helps to keep your ‘head’ whilst dealing with having these gifts. (again these can be found online).
I personally, as a fellow witch, would rather try to control my gifts and learn to use and cope with them in my everyday life rather than bind my gifts, but it is obviously your own personal choice as to which way you would like to go. But I would suggest maybe journaling the pro’s and con’s of each choice, to work out which you would rather do and why. As witchcraft and our gifts are after all our own personal paths and ways that we chose to live. Then one you have done that you could maybe make a better judgement on what you want to do.

I hope this helps you, please feel free to contact me again if you would like any further information or would like to discuss this further.
 
Bright Blessings
Barb

Image https://www.deviantart.com/art/Cold-Spell-434015893

QUESTION - I had a lucid dream of 2 Ravens circling overhead dropping a feather, then a very old Raven brought me a white feather in its beak. Do you have any general meaning for this?
 
ANSWER - I have always found dreams such a tricky thing to try to interpret…as there are literally hundreds of different ways that a dream could mean totally different things! But I will go ahead and give as general a meaning for your dream as I possibly can (although it doesn’t mean what I say is gospel!)
So….in your question you mention that it was a Lucid dream….which as you are already aware is where you are dreaming but you yourself have some level of control over your dream and the things that happen during them (like the scenery, clothes people wear…the reactions you make to things etc)  as this was a Lucid dream it gives the impression that the things you dreamt were possibly things that you are needing to pay attention to, possibly more than seeing them in a ‘regular’ dream rather than a Lucid one. You could have been given this dream because the Universe or your Guides/Angels/Spirits etc knew that you would pay more attention to it this way!

With the Ravens in your dream…there could be lots of different reasons as to why there were Ravens and not say, Eagles or Owls or Swans etc (to name but a few of the widely dreamt about birds), Ravens typically symbolize two different things…in some Pantheons/traditions Ravens are considered ‘Bad Omens’  or bad luck, whilst in some they are symbols of transformation and wisdom! So its all a matter of the way you look at the dream….what were the situations when they appeared to you? What were you doing at the time? How did you feel? How did your surrounding area appear, bleak, bright, stormy etc.

Here is a little basic information on Ravens and what they symbolize…..A Raven is a dark and shiny black crow that symbolizes Misfortune and failures in a dream. However to see a Raven in a dream is not always a bad omen. When appearing in a dream, Ravens can also mean Misfortune AND wisdom at the same time, so possibly a negative experience is on its way but you will know exactly how to handle it without it getting to far out of hand. So it’s a negative and positive meaning to the dream. It all depends on how you can relate your dream and its contents to the current situations in your life. Ravens are dark coloured birds, so they depict the darker side of life. These birds also represent a person’s ‘dark side’ too and the darker fantasies that we hide away from the world and possibly from ourselves. Its mentioned that seeing a Raven flying in your dream is a sign that there will be some bad luck in your life, but only temporary, this isn’t something that will last! But flipped across to the positive side, This bird is revered as sharp and wise birds (lots of traditions worship them for how intelligent they are), so this dream could be signifying your own clever nature and your sharp mind in handling challenging situations within your life.

Ravens are the masters of flying between light and dark, through the veils of illusion it is said,  and they remind you that those around you only reflect to you the lessons you most need to learn. You already know what to do in regards of situations and possibly people in your life, so the Ravens are showing you that you can do whatever it takes to manage the situation. Ravens bring perfect timing, your life will soon be blessed with synchronicity, your life will become magickal as Raven shows you how to move through the changes and to accept through the fears, joys, love, uncertainty and change that is coming. This is a time where you will move through changing emotions and new cycles with ease. Everything falls into place. These changes may be in the way you see. You may change your perspective and discard old, negative habits. Watch out for opportunities that can take you where you want to be.

Most of the places where dreams are including Ravens are describes, state that seeing just Raven feathers on the ground or floating from the sky, or being surrounded by Ravens mainly means that you are surrounded by negativity/betrayal. So stop, look and listen! It will be difficult to discern who this is as they may be very close to you and beyond you doubting the trust between you there is no acutal evidence as to who it actually is. So you are being told to watch out! Put up extra protection to keep the negativity out. Feathers are also a symbol of giving thanks and appreciation. They are also a sign of fertility. There wasn’t too much to find on Raven feathers and what it could mean is an older bird passed you a white feather,  but whilst writing this I have been getting the message that the white feather is a symbol of protection and love (the joys of being a medium as well as an empath, even writing something also brings all the connections and messages through)…that the Older Raven was known to you, maybe not by you personally, but I got the feeling that it has always been there in the background of your life, either in reality or in your dreams. I got the feeling that it was a male Raven, so possibly the Raven could represent a strong male figure within your life  who you always seek guidance and comfort from when you are unsure of the path your life is heading towards. The white feather kept standing out to me…like anytime I was shown a raven, with slightly greying feathers (compared to the sleek and glossy ones of the other Ravens I was shown) the white feather looked like it was lit up almost! Like it was glowing….hard to explain other than when you see images of Angels and their wings are glowing with that ethereal glow.

The feather is a symbol that you have all the support and love beside you that you need to get through whatever hard time it is that you are facing or currently already going through. And the message from the Raven which I heard clear as day as soon as I begun to focus on the white feather was this “ Breathe my child! You have all the power you need to get through this. Do not worry, for you are never really alone. Even when you look around you and see nobody, do not fear…there are more people standing with you than you know and we are all here, right beside you, giving you love and courage and the support you need and crave right now! Stand tall, you can get through anything. You have been through worse and this will all pass in time and you will see you never had anything to fear! We love you my child and are always with you!”…….what a lovely uplifting message…I got slightly teary eyed as I typed that as I could feel all the love and support within that message! It felt like I was being wrapped up in a huge fluffy warm blanket! Ravens are  a big part of your life, even is just under the surface within dreams etc and I feel like this dream was to show you that they will always ‘have your back’ so to speak. Maybe you could look into the symbology of Ravens some more and see if there is anything that speaks to you, or maybe do a meditation to see if they will come to your during that time too.

I hope this helps you and if you need anything else please do not hesitate to contact me.
 
Bright Blessings
Barb x

Image ​https://www.deviantart.com/art/raven-80501239

'QUESTION - I know there are many different types of witches, like the ones you have listed on your site, however my family has a very Pagan and Hedge witch, Wiccan roots that I have grown up in, but Ive always leaned more towards crystals and stone healing. But I cant find anything that talks about a stone witch path. Is a stone witch a thing? Or would that fall under eclectic witch because it’s a personal preference?

ANSWER - As you have mentioned,  you are more drawn to crystal/stone healing than the Pagan and Hedge witch path your family follows, and that is totally ok, as not everybody follows or believes in the same paths as others do. Crystal healing is a very big subject within lots of different paths of witchcraft, as we all use crystals within ort castings or healings etc…so it's not a totally ‘out there’ choice to want to work solely within this bracket so to speak. I have a very close friend of mine who is a witch but he also only works with crystals and healing (reiki) and that works for him. He doesn’t do any casting etc like I do or anything but is a still a witch.

There are lots that can be done with crystals and stones. I use them pretty much every day within my life and some of the times without even realising it! As for wondering what ‘path’ you would come under if you only worked with crystals and stones….does it really matter? I mean, not wanting to cause any offence or anything…but a witch is still a witch no matter what he or she uses or what tradition they say they follow!

Being a witch is NOT determined by the tools we use, or the spells we cast, or the clothes we wear etc….being a witch is inside of us.it is our choice. It is our path to travel down in life, and nobody else. Just because your family may all follow one path…that doesn’t mean you have to. You can just as easily walk down the path beside theirs and still be happy. I don’t follow any set path…I do what feels right for me.

Witchcraft is quite personal when you think about it. It uses our energy. It uses our inner intentions, our inner dreams, desires etc. so for me, I would say don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about putting a label on it. If you want to work with crystals and stones only…you go right ahead! Your ‘calling’ as it were could be just that….being different isn’t always something bad, and clearly the fact that you don’t feel the same about your families path as they do, is testament that you are heading towards the path you are meant to be on.
Research as much as you can about crystal healing and ways to incorporate them into your life. Read as many books as you can get your hand on. And most importantly…get out there and start using crystals! Buy as many as you can….visit witchcraft shops and spend time with the crystals and see which ones call to you (this is a fun way of finding what crystals you need to use at that time. I do this with my boys and they love it! Is so much fun!). Crystal magick is very powerful and very important, as there is literally a crystal for everything! So this is a very exciting and interesting path to head down (I have been practicing since I was a little girl and I am still learning about all the different crystals out there and their uses).

Just enjoy learning about your gifts and how to use them….also…what more of an excuse could a girl need to buy herself some more pretty crystals? Lol.

​I hope this helps you some. Please don’t hesitate to email again if you need anything else.

Bright Blessings
Barb

https://www.deviantart.com/art/Crystal-80999770

​QUESTION - Can a witch's power be sealed? By sealed I mean put into a dormant state. I used to be able to control weather and see spirits, but now I can't do anything. They only ability I've retained is empathy, which I can't seem to gain control of which makes me miserable most days. I know I have much more potential inside me but it's as if someone locked it up inside me. I'm new to all of this so any guidance is appreciated.

ANSWER - As with any talent or skill the desire and ability to practise witchcraft will peak and wane. This may be on a cycilic basis (some witches feel their power more at various times of the year), it may be a relation to a life event that creates a mental state of mind which is not suited to practise of the craft or it may simply be that life gets in the way.
It is also important to note that as we travel through the different aging periods of our lives our abilities change. Many children, for example,  have the ability to interact with spirits but in most cases this ceases before adolescence or adulthood.

As a witch goes through his/her life there are periods of time that are less suited to the craft that others. Feeling miserable and depressed will certainly have an impact on your ability. If you are channelling all your mental strength into functioning then it is no surprise you do not have enough left over to fuel your other abilities. I’d suggest not pushing it, we all need to take a break sometimes.

The counter position to this however is you use your craft to get yourself out of this low ebb. Rather than waiting for your specific powers to return get yourself into a good head space spiritually. Regular meditation, interaction with nature, returning to good basic practises like grounding and shielding will help you become more focused and create a better head space for the return of your abilities.

A witch’s power could theoretically be sealed by another witch. It isn’t something I have personally come across but I can see no reason why a more experienced witch would not be able to cast a binding that would limit the efficacy of another. However I think this unlikely. A witch would only cast such a spell if the intended individual was a threat to him/her and it follows that if the target was a threat they would either have too more power for the binding spell t work or it would inflame further animosity between the witches.

​As with most things in life the simplest explanation is probably the best. You are working through a low ebb and will get back your abilities when you have worked through this period in your life and also taken steps to improve your spiritual strength.

QUESTION  Do you have any tips on how to attract my familiar? Everyone in my family has one (other than the children) and they say that I just have to wait but I feel like I'm in a place where it would be very beneficial to have mine with me. Any ideas would be appreciated.


ANSWER - It very much depends what you mean by the term ‘familiar’ as the word is commonly used for different purposes these days. Historically a familiar would be an animal that a witch would occupy (possess if you like) which would allow the witch to leave her body and use that of the animal for journeying.

Influences from Shamanism have led to the term being used as a synonym for spirit animal. This is an animal which can be summoned to the individual in a vision or trance and who may have wisdom to impart to the caller.

A more generic interpretation of a spirit animal is an animal which has characteristics a witch strongly identifies with. Searching for this animal can be a positive meditation exercise as it encourages us to be introspective and to understand our own personality traits as we relate them to different animals.
The term familiar is sometimes used in a modern and colloquial sense to refer to the pet of a witch. This doesn’t have much historical precedence but seems to be widely used, particularly among the younger community. (Which is a good thing, language and definitions should change and evolve with each generation, it helps keep our craft relevant.) I’d argue that a pet who is going to be referred to as a familiar should have a close spiritual bond. Not every animal owned by a witch is going to qualify. I have four cats, all of whom I am very fond of but none of whom I have bonded with to the extent that I would consider them a familiar. Beware of trying to push your own hopes onto a pet. Even the most beloved animals in the home may never have this kind of relationship with you.

​In terms of attracting a familiar I think it is very much about which definition you mean. Think about what the term means to you. If you believe it to be a physical tangible creature then start looking at the type of animal you may be comfortable having in your home. If you are looking for a more ethereal relationship then start to put some time aside for meditation and open yourself up to the possibility of being called by the animal who chooses you.

QUESTION - Can a person do weather magic and love spells without trying? When I was in grade school I used to "play" with the wind all the time. I would ask it to wiggle trees or cool me off, I quite frequently asked it to shut doors for me.  I used to spend a lot of time outdoors and at the time I thought the wind listened to me because it was my friend but I just recently learned that witches can "whistle a wind" and influence the weather. I also used to wish very hard that it would rain when I was sad because the rain calmed me... and there has almost never been a time where it hasn't rained when I'm sad. I also used to use, what I now know is a pendulum, quite frequently... so I was just wondering how I did these things? Or better how I KNEW to do these things...

I'm 90% sure my great grandmother and my mother are witches... or empaths? They never told me but they always just knew things. I'm not sure if these things just came naturally to me because they are witches? I don't know. I thought I was crazy so I looked up if it was possible to "play with the wind" and that's how I stumbled deeper into the world of witchcraft. So if I could do these things without being fully aware/having any knowledge of what I was doing could I have also cast a love spell? I fell in love with this boy in middle school and he had no interest in me. Every night I prayed or wished really hard that he would like me. After about 2 weeks he just randomly told me he loved me? We hardly spoke or were even friends... but flash forward 6 years and we're happily married with two babies... I know he loves me from his own heart now but is it possible I could have accidentally sparked his love for me? I told him how I was learning more about witchcraft and how I had unknowingly done some witchy things and his only words "is THAT why I randomly fell in love with you one day!?" Like he's been trying to figure it out for years XD bless his heart.

ANSWER - Yes, you can sometimes control/manipulate the weather. In certain Witchcraft Traditions there is also mention of Elemental Magic, where witches work with the elements within their castings/rituals. The most popular Elements seem to be Water, Air and Fire (not so much of Earth, which is a shame as I love working with the Earth Element when planting/burying my castings) there are also quite a few accounts floating around on the internet very similar to yours, where people mentioned they were able to manipulate the weather when they were younger, mainly when they were upset, angry  or scared, so it got me thinking that perhaps weather magic is closely tied in with emotions .

One of the accounts I encountered in reading round this subject was about a lady who recalled being a teenager, and very upset over something that had happened with a family member. She told of how she was staring into the flames of the fireplace as they were starting to die down, thinking about everything that had happened when, all of sudden, the flames got bigger, as if somebody had put more firelighters onto the blaze. She also recalled how immediately after this happened that she felt calmer, as if all the emotions she had been feeling had just gone.

This makes me wonder if all this manipulating of the weather/Elements is indeed tied in with peoples emotions and is somehow a release of those emotions. Pretty much all the information I could find onthe subject of weather magic was about people who were emotional at the time of the incidents yet who all stated that after their manipulation of weather they felt so much more calm and grounded. 

To answer your first part of your question, yes it is totally viable that you can work with the Air element as and when you choose to. I would seriously suggest researching into working with Elements (if you haven't already), to see what you can find and also to see if there are ways that you can control it instead of it just happening, so to speak. I have also found this subject fascinating so I will also be having a good nosy into it to see what I can find to add to my Elements part of my Book of Shadows.

With regards to the Love spell part, I don't actively practice Love spells as I personally believe they go against a person's free will, as the spell 'makes' somebody fall in love with another person,. With your partner, I honestly believe that this is a different matter to a love spell....as you say you didn't actually cast any spells or anything, you just 'prayed or wished really hard' for him to love you etc. This, to me, sounds more along the lines of Manifestation than an actual love spell. You were clearly putting it out into the Universe that you wanted to be with your partner and for it to happen...without you casting ANY spell or ritual. To me that is nothing to do with magic and everything to do with Fate/Destiny. If your partner wasn't supposed to fall in love with you, he wouldn't have. Maybe when you were wishing for it to happen, you just gave the universe the green light to make it happen, and then the universe also gave him a little nudge at his end to realise he wanted to be with you too. Like that whole scenario of 'right person right timing' where the Universe saw it was all lining up perfectly and helped to make it happen! (you cant beat a good old bit of serendipity in your life)

I am so happy that it has all worked out for you the way that it has and I hope you manage to find out more about your gifts (which you evidently have) and ways to learn to use them within your everyday life.
If there is ever anything you need or would like to ask/discuss then please don't hestitate to get in touch with me and I will help as best as I can.
 
Blessings!
VintageWitch x

QUESTION - I’ve been searching for a place where I can intuitively find my way through my own life by harnessing the forces around us and within me, I just don’t know where to start. How do I perform a spell? How do I learn or retrieve these herbs? I just need a starting point. I can do oracle cards and dowsing, I can feel spirits around me and sometimes I can communicate with them.  I‘m very intuitive and slightly clairvoyant. I just don’t know how to take the next step, can you help me?

The starting point is confidence. There is no right or wrong way to perform a spell. A spell is simply an actualisation of your own will. Instead of thinking ‘How do I cast a spell…” Start to think: “What do I want to achieve and what resources do I have that will enable me to cast a spell...” I am not a big fan of just doing magic for the sake of it and I find that it is far easier to cast when you have a decisive purpose and a genuine desire to achieve your end goal.

So start with introspection. What kind of things are you looking to change with the use of magic? What are your goals? What spells would you like to perform? What is the end result you are after?
Then think about what resources you already have. Yes you can buy herbs that are solely for magical purposes but you will undoubtedly already have a stock of herbs used for culinary purposes. I don’t think there is any herb I use more in my own craft practise than Basil. It may also be a good idea to grow some herbs on your windowsill as a nurturing relationship with the plant can also bring positives to your magic.
Basic correspondence tables are all over the internet and published on this site too - here – but I would always advise that you use these as a guideline rather than a definitive. Rather than buy the ingredients for a spell, tailor your spell to ingredients you already have. This really gets you thinking as a witch. Think about what you have and how it could be used. To give you some basic ideas from how I’ve used my own kitchen - I’ve glued together egg shells to keep secrets, frozen wax poppets to slow people down, used kitchen salt to make salt water for cleansing and recycled polystyrene packaging for protection workings. (I was also rather delighted the other day when my husband exploded the glass door of the oven as those pressure shattered fragments will definitely come in useful for something one day!)

We used to play a game on a witch forum I’m on where we would give one another three ingredients and an end goal and challenge one another on how we would use those ingredients and tools to work the spell. Do this as you walk around your home. See everything you possess as an object with new possibilities for your craft. I promise you this will help get you thinking in a way that will start to establish good foundations for spell work.

​Don’t be afraid to take the plunge and get hands on. Too many witches spend their time worrying about how to cast and never pluck up the confidence to get on with it. Yes you’ll make a few mistakes along the way and certainly everything won’t always turn out exactly how you expect but witchcraft is like anything else, you do get better at it with practise.