QUESTION - What is the most powerful spell you can cast and the one that works best when you do magic with it?

ANSWER - For me this is a classic case of practise makes perfect. The spell I do the most frequently is the one I am really good at. And its a strange skill. I spend a lot of time on public transport and I loathe and detest people intruding on my personal space. So I envelope myself in an invisible shield to prevent people sitting next to me or near me. Now I have to be really concentrating to make it work and I get cross when I forget and someone plonks themselves down next to me. But when I work at it the results are spectacular, the entire bus can be full except the seat next to me and people will choose to stand up rather than sit down next to me. (Lol, I do sometimes wonder if being somewhat of a wide witch there isn't that much space next to me and that plays a part in it....) 
And I'm pretty good at sending out subliminal suggestions as to where people should sit, I amuse myself by mentally directing them to the seat I want them to sit in. So I'm sorry my most powerful spell isn't something a bit more glamorous but you know what, I don't think I'd swap it, its far too useful to me when trying to avoid people with their headphones up loud or those annoying people who use their mobile phone on the train. (I'm working on a spell to turn their phones off, I haven't got anywhere yet but my dream spell is to remotely explode other people's mobiles. I'll let you know if I ever get any success with it!)

Image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1329547 (Mzacha)

No.

And even if I had (which I very definitely haven't) I'd have to be a bit of a berk to admit it on a public website.


Image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/165816 (windchime)

QUESTION - I’m a witch and I’m interested in your views on dressing up or dressing down as a witch. Do you wear special clothes for ritual work? Do you promote what you do with jewellery or “witchy” clothes. Would I know you were a witch if I bumped into you on the street?


ANSWER - You’d probably mistake me for a bag lady. I’m one of those people who manage to give scruffy a bad name and I could make a Chanel suit look untidy.

I’m just naturally scruffy - and both my stockings and my knickers are always falling down. (I was even given 50p once when I was sitting in one of the London train stations with a hangover.)

I suppose I do dress differently to other people but I don’t follow a style or particular trend. I don’t even wear what suits me. I wear what I like to wear. Practically everything I own trails on the floor (except my one smart work skirt that I manage to split every week and have to persuade my friend to sew up for me). I don’t dress so much witchy as floaty. I ‘m too old to do the whole Goth thing and to be honest the witchy look is by no means an indicator that a person is a witch. As you’ll know yourself, more often than not the layers of black chiffon are a teenager style thing. Real witches shop at Marks and Spencers!

I do wear a pentacle pretty much all of the time. I was a bit sceptical about wearing it to work but practically nobody knows what it means. All the customers think I’m Jewish. This does lead to the odd awkward conversation but most people are quite interested and ask a few questions. I’ve wondered what I would do if ever asked to take it off. In principle I wouldn’t have much of an issue but I think I would be annoyed if the rules didn’t apply to all religious symbols.

I have special ceremonial robes set aside for ritual work. These present the usual fire hazard. My robes have the dubious distinction of being chewed at the bottom by degus. So even my ritual robes are scruffy!

I think another witch would probably recognise me, I’ve spotted a couple myself who don’t make it obvious. Really, really long hair on old ladies is always a dead giveaway. But I blend in ok walking down the street. I get the odd snooty look from the designer label brigade especially when I’m trogging along with my charity shop bags but I’m every bit as scathing back about their Pandora bracelets so I suppose I can’t talk.

PIC NOT ME Image http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=410875 (ceara)

The bad news is that there are a lot of ways that magic can go wrong. Probably the most common is where you do not focus your intent clearly enough. For example you might do a spell to increase your wealth but fail to be specific and find that the magic works by turning up a grubby 2p down the back of your sofa. (Probably serves you right for wording your spell: “Bring more money my way….”!) Or you might cast a spell for a windfall, fall on a crack in the pavement and get your bag of cash through those pesky win no fee accident lawyers. The danger with using magic is that your magic may work but you may not get the result you want. I always think the best illustration of magic going wrong is the WW Jacobs story of The Monkey’s Paw).  You’ve probably heard it – basically, a couple acquire a lucky talisman in the form of a monkey’s paw which is said to grant three wishes. They are told that the last owner used his final wish to wish for death itself. The couple take the lucky monkey’s paw and wish for a payment to pay off their mortgage. They get the money but unfortunately it is in the form of compensation for their son who dies in an accident….. Kind of reminds you of the old adage Be Careful What You Wish For….. doesn’t it….

Now I am not, repeat NOT saying that if you do a little magic spell for some extra money and your Great Aunt Gertrude drops dead and leaves you an inheritance then you are to blame. Read that sentence again….slowly…. Its remarkable how many novice witches seem to think they are the cause of every calamity on the planet! Trust me, you would need a hell of a lot of specific intent to pull something like that off and you really don’t need to worry about doing it by accident. But the warning is valid – be too vague with your intent and likely as not your magic won’t work the way you want it to.

The best way to work magic is to really think through the implications of what you want to achieve. Then translate that intention to a specific wording. Magic works on an interpretation of your meaning. Vague and random wording may get the wrong result but literal and immediate attempts to work magic will probably get very little results at all. No matter how hard you try to visualise a stack of £50 notes appearing on your kitchen table, it’s not going to happen!

The spells that really work focus your specific intent into a general purpose. Complicated? Nobody said being a witch was easy…..


Image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1163994 (Topsoft)

Following the Craft encompasses many different skills and each witch chooses to follow her craft in a slightly different way. If you think back to your school days, very few people came out with the coveted A* in every subject. They had different strengths and weaknesses, people excelled in one thing and often failed spectacularly in another. Its the same with Witchcraft. One witch may have in depth herbal knowledge and everything she plants may flourish in abundance but she might not know one end of a wand from another. She also may not be all that interested in any part of the craft that doesn't involve her greenhouse. Just because you are a witch doesn't mean that you have to be involved in anything and everything that falls under the very broad umbrella of witchcraft. Some things appeal to some witches, some don't.
But there are a few very general types or specialisations that we can apply to witches and I will go through a few here. But be aware that most witches will be a blend of different skills and elements. There is no such thing as a typical witch.
The herbal or green witch will have herbs and plants as her main focus. She will have an extensive knowledge of herbs and an ability to grow difficult plants. A Wiccan witch will adhere to the Wiccan rede and seek to harm none in her workings. She will also likely believe in the threefold law that her magic will return to her three times strengthened. A solitary witch will often follow an eclectic path and not be constrained by a single tradition. She will practise alone rather than belong to a coven. A kitchen witch will often reject the formal use of specific tools set aside for magic and use whatever is at hand in her hearth. A hedge witch will be concerned with nature and will use what she can find in woods or meadows to bring magic to her work. A traditional witch will broadly follow the path of her ancestors, traditional witchcraft works with a balance of light and dark and is likely as comfortable with hexing as she is with healing. A psychic witch will be interested in divination and use tarot the runes and different scrying methods to help her gain a perspectibe on the future. A religious witch will invoke the Gods (either multiple from a specific or blend of pantheons) or simply invite the God and Goddess to oversee her rituals. A non religious witch may invoke the elements of air, earth, water and fire or call upon her deceased ancestors for assistance. Most witches will involve themselves in magic to some degree or other.

Image http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=1330588 (photoshu)

It is a misconception that magic is intrinsically black or white. Magic is a neutral force dependent on the will of the person using it. It follows from this that there is no such thing as ”black magic” (except those lovely dark chocolate boxes around in the eighties - yummy! See my pic!!)
Magic can be used for the advancement of good or the advancement of evil. Chances are that as no person is entirely good or evil, magic is used for a blend of positive and negative intentions, dependent on the desire of the person casting the spell.
Individual practitioners of magic will each have their own personal rules for how they work. A Wiccan who subscribes to the Wiccan Rede (“An it harm non, do what ye will…) will be unlikely to use a spell that causes harm. A non Wiccan witch may use a broader range of spells including those popularly termed “black magic” such as curses, hexes and binding spells. All witches will be guided by their intention, their own view on morality and their comfort level for each type of magic.
Speaking personally, as a non Wiccan witch I would employ magic for whatever need suits my purpose at the time. I would however adhere to my own personal moral code (“Do what you believe to be the right thing and trust yourself”) to ensure I believed what action I was taking through my magic was the right action.

Image - unable to credit photographer

The whole coven issue can be a bit of a minefield. If you are lucky enough to find a group of people who live near enough to meet up and who share your beliefs and want the same as you do from a coven then great, go for it. But there are a few pitfalls involved in joining a coven so lets look at some of those first.
Firstly, finding a coven can be hard work. A lot of covens are private and so likely not to advertise. Many more will be closed to new members. You may choose to find like minded people and start your own coven but be aware that such a group may not have within it the knowledge and the teaching experience needed to make it work successfully.
Covens can sometimes be a bit of an ego trip for someone who has a desire to see themselves as a High Priestess or coven leader. Don’t invest your energy into the ego of another person. Make sure that a coven benefits all its members and is not solely there to advance the wishes of the coven leader. The ethos of a coven should be to share and grow together.
The other issue with joining a coven is that it can be hard to find people on the same path as you. The danger is that you will end up having to compromise some of your beliefs/practices in order to fit comfortably into the group.  Its ok to make some practical concessions for the good of the group but if you find yourself having to change your fundamental path then that coven isn’t right for you.
Many witches, including myself, prefer to practice as a solitary. You can do the work you want when it suits you, you can work with your own inspirations and create your own practices and your own way of being a witch.
The golden rule - if a coven works for you, great, if it doesn’t - get out!

Image http://www.sxc.hu/photo/212249 (Vale)

Probably the best networking site for witches on the web in my opinion anyway is Witchvox. Witches, Pagans, covens and groups are listed worldwide. This is a great starting point for getting to know like minded souls. A witches social meeting (often at the pub…) is called a “moot.” Witchvox will provde you with info for local moots in your area.
There are other quality internet sites out there as well (see my links page the Web and Beyond) - why not join a few and get to know some of the communities to see which one would be right for you?

Image http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=908180 (ciscopa)

QUESTION - What do you see for my future?
I have seen my name as the hidden a.k.a of Harry Houdini in the Ripleys Book of Lies in the Ripley's Museum
What can you tell me? is this a droid trick?
Sometimes I believe life is a BTL better than life game.
my past is a blur now I have recollected events through my totem animal.
I have been told unseen past lives are a sign of a sorceror.
what can you also tell me about my past?
I have trouble leaving this world for the shadow world because of nonsense day people how should I approach the portal?

ANSWER - I'm not sure how much you are going to like this answer but here goes..... Ok, this is hands down the strangest question I have ever been asked. Also you have asked about five different questions and you seem a little confused about what you actually want to know.

Firstly, I see nothing for your future. I don't know you, I know nothing about you and only a complete charletan would presume to give you information on your past or your future. What I suggest with regard to understanding your past lives is that you consult a respectable past life regression hypnotherapist who will be able to guide you through the lives you have lived and help you make sense of them.

I have never heard that unseen past lives are a sign of a sorcerer. I strongly suspect that whoever told you this is talking rubbish. As most people do not remember their past lives, such a theory would make most people sorcerers and that is obviously untrue.

In terms of understanding your future, you are best consulting a tarot reader. I do occasionally do tarot readings over the net but I think you would gain a lot more benefit from seeing somebody local face to face. Try looking at the Witchvox website to see if there is a practitioner near your area.

With regard to the Ripley's book of lies - I believe you will find these books are fictional. It is therefore unlikely that they can offer you any insight as to whether or not you were Harry Houdini in a previous life. I can tell you with a certain degree of confidence that you probably weren't. Statistically, based on probability, it is far more likely that you were not somebody famous in a previous life.

With regard to your question whether you were subject to a droid trick. Do you mean droid or do you mean druid? No matter really, both are equally unlikely. From my knowledge of druidism I can assure you that druids do not go round magically making people's names appear in random books. If you mean droid then I am afraid you have been watching too much Star Wars.....

If you have trouble leaving this world for the shadow world, are you referring to astral projection? I will be answering a question on this soon so look out for that. In the meantime, here is some excellent information on how to achieve astral projection. Spiritual Forums.

Image http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=view&id=730831 (coralsea)

QUESTION - I performed a reversal spell a few months ago and the flame was intense and at the end I heard 3 knocks and was not scared but embraced it. Recently I performed another reversal spell and again, the flame was intense and an hour candle burned out in 20 min. At the end I heard one loud knock and fear ran through me. I didn't turn around for something told me not to.  I went inside and calmed down. When I went back outside, the fear was gone and I disposed properly of the remains. What was the first 3 knocks and why did I hear only one knock the second time that scared me? I was never scared before? Was it acknowledgement ?

ANSWER - There are a couple of different ways to answer this question. Firstly there is the question of your own sub conscious mind. It is possible that in the relaxed and magical head space generated by spell work, you imagined the knocks. It is also possible that you made the link between knocks caused by an innocuous external source (neighbour using a hammer for example, that sort of thing) and believed it to be the result of your workings. If this was the case in the second incident where you heard a single knock, you may have panicked as the link had established itself in your mind and you believed you had made a contact with a spirit.

But the second explanation is just as likely and this is that your workings were genuinely overlooked by a spirit. In the first case you felt the spirit was benign and safe to be around and in the second instance you were warier and did not feel a positive connection with the spirit. This would explain why you felt such fear the second time but no fear on the first occasion. Now the important thing about this explanation is that it is crucial that you understand you have not summoned a spirit or invited it into your home. The spirit is not a permanent entity and presents no threat to you. It was likely just a passing entity, attracted to the energies of your magical workings.

I see no significance in the number of knocks, often a spirit will respond to a question as instructed - you may say knock once for yes or twice for no but as you were not intentionally making contact I do not think you can attach much significance to the number of knocks. If I am right and your workings were observed by two separate entities then it is not surprising that they both have different ways of making themselves known to you.

So in answer to your question, was it acknowledgement, very possibly it was. You could have been getting a little encouragement or a thumbs up from your spirit friend. If you had any uncertainty about what you were reversing, it could have been a little nudge by a passing spirit to say you were doing the right thing.

It is never right or wrong  to feel fear and I would never presume to tell another person how to feel. I do however strongly suggest that you consider the fear you felt and think about ways to minimise it in future. Are you casting your spells in a protective circle? Are you ensuring your own energies are grounded first? Are you aware of how to protect yourself from malign spirits? If you have doubts about what you are doing, these doubts make it easy for your fears to be played upon.  When conducting magic, be confident in what you are doing and in what you are hoping to achieve and if you are uncertain, don't do the spell until you are certain.

I actually think you dealt properly with the circumstances on both occasions. You did the right thing to remove yourself from the situation when you felt uncomfortable, it enabled you to gather your strength, see the situation in perspective and go back to conclude your work properly. This is always the best thing to do if you make contact with anything you don't have a good feeling about. Be polite, be decisive and walk away.

Image http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Fire_g343-Yellow_Candle_lit_p87976.html (bulldogza)