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Author Topic: Writing spells...help?  (Read 4522 times)

Rahni

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Writing spells...help?
« on: August 09, 2011, 08:35:40 pm »
Okay.
Here's the question that will make you facepalm yourself.

Writing a spell.

Does it have to rhyme?
What are the basics to a successful spell?
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?

Is it like writing a chorus to a song? I can do song lyrics...

Burning things makes me feel like its worked a little better...

Spells. Does wishing firmly during the spell help?

Break it down for me, someone?
Thank you!

SatSekhem

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2011, 08:46:41 pm »
Quote from: Rahni;11838
Okay.
Here's the question that will make you facepalm yourself.

Writing a spell.

Does it have to rhyme?
What are the basics to a successful spell?
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?

Is it like writing a chorus to a song? I can do song lyrics...

Burning things makes me feel like its worked a little better...

Spells. Does wishing firmly during the spell help?

Break it down for me, someone?
Thank you!

 
It's whatever you want them to be. Some spells rhyme (and mine tend to) and follow iambic pentameter. Some spells are lyrical and long-winded. Some are just a few words muttered under your breath. A spell is a spell is a spell.

When you're writing a spell, go with what feels natural and right. Your first instinct is usually the correct one. If you're going for a Wicca bend to your spells, you may want to mention that you're casting the spell with harm to none. (If you want rhymes, I tend to go with: "With harm to none, as I will, so shall it be done.")
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In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move. - Douglas Adams

Rahni

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2011, 08:50:34 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;11846
It's whatever you want them to be. Some spells rhyme (and mine tend to) and follow iambic pentameter. Some spells are lyrical and long-winded. Some are just a few words muttered under your breath. A spell is a spell is a spell.

When you're writing a spell, go with what feels natural and right. Your first instinct is usually the correct one. If you're going for a Wicca bend to your spells, you may want to mention that you're casting the spell with harm to none. (If you want rhymes, I tend to go with: "With harm to none, as I will, so shall it be done.")

 

I see.
How about for a confidence spell, or a spell to gum up the nerve to tell someone something, but you don't want to offend or freak them out?

Harm to none, includes myself. : 3

Rahni

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2011, 08:51:19 pm »
Quote from: Rahni;11850
I see.
How about for a confidence spell, or a spell to gum up the nerve to tell someone something, but you don't want to offend or freak them out?

Harm to none, includes myself. : 3

 
So anything I mutter under my breath to myself to stop being a chicken is a spell?

SatSekhem

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2011, 08:58:05 pm »
Quote from: Rahni;11851
So anything I mutter under my breath to myself to stop being a chicken is a spell?

 
If it brings you strength, then, yes. Hell, you can make anything you want into a spell. F'ex:

The rubber duck on my keys
Is fun to bounce upon my knees
This helps me to concentrate
And keeps my work from being late
Help me concentrate some more
Without the reliance of this chore
With harm to none,
As I will so shall it be done.
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In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move. - Douglas Adams

AthenaiiseSofia

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2011, 10:51:16 am »
Quote from: Rahni;11838
Okay.
Here's the question that will make you facepalm yourself.

Writing a spell.

Does it have to rhyme?
What are the basics to a successful spell?
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?

Is it like writing a chorus to a song? I can do song lyrics...

Burning things makes me feel like its worked a little better...

Spells. Does wishing firmly during the spell help?

Break it down for me, someone?
Thank you!

 
Like SatSekem said, a homemade spell is best made how you see fit. I first started finding spells and copying them into my book of shadows before I was even brave enough to do them! I don't like rhyming myself, because I'm lazy and I usually just make it up in my head.

As far as effectiveness goes, it's quite alright to recite things three times. Of course, this is easier with a short chant as opposed to a long monologue! The most important part of any spell is your desire or will. If you want to perform a spell about something that is not that important to you, then don't waste your time. If you put a lot of energy into your spell, it works much better. And once again, as SatSekem said, I would recommend saying "With harm to none." I always do, because I don't want anything I do to hurt someone. Plus, there's karma to deal with.

But essentially, go with your gut. If you feel the need to perform your spell in pig latin, then by all means do so! Don't be intimidated. People have been writing and making up spells for a long time. =)
"Go then and make of the world something beautiful, set up a light in the darkness." - from Awakening Osiris by Normandi Ellis

Livia Indica

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2011, 11:26:57 pm »
Quote from: Rahni;11838
Okay.
Here's the question that will make you facepalm yourself.

Writing a spell.

Does it have to rhyme?
What are the basics to a successful spell?
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?

Is it like writing a chorus to a song? I can do song lyrics...

Burning things makes me feel like its worked a little better...

Spells. Does wishing firmly during the spell help?

Break it down for me, someone?
Thank you!

 

Rhyming, to me, is almost essential. I do usually chants of four phrases that I repeat and I do it a lot more than 3 times but maybe that's just me. Rhyming helps get the flow going, gets you into a rhythm, seems to get the energy flowing more easily than the alternative.  I've always thought of a spell like a poem or song but with a magical intent behind it. Speaking of burning things, I've been known to write my intent on a piece of paper, do my chants and full spell then when I'm nearing the end I burn the piece of paper in my cauldron, feels good! Is that what you meant? A spell is kinda a wish, but more of directed, power packed wish IMO.

Liadine (dragonflyeyes)

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2011, 01:01:00 am »
Quote from: Rahni;11838
Okay.
Does it have to rhyme?
What are the basics to a successful spell?
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?

 
For various reasons (finding the wording of most spells awkward, being distracted by speaking out loud, etc), I tend not to base my spells around saying anything. I work a lot with herbs/oils/etc, as well as physical representations (writing things on paper, candles, poppets, and so on). When I speak, it tends to be spontaneous - no rhyming, just saying things as they come to me. After a while, what I'm saying starts to turn into something coherent - repeated lines, spontaneous rhymes, etc.

I'm not sure any of that is helpful, except to illustrate that spells don't 'have' to rhyme, nothing has to be repeated, they don't even have to have words. Good luck, and hopefully other people will have more useful advice :)
We owe it to each other to tell stories [Neil Gaiman]
night's a good herd [my religious tumblr]

Rahni

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2011, 12:35:04 pm »
Quote from: SatSekhem;11854
If it brings you strength, then, yes. Hell, you can make anything you want into a spell. F'ex:

The rubber duck on my keys
Is fun to bounce upon my knees
This helps me to concentrate
And keeps my work from being late
Help me concentrate some more
Without the reliance of this chore
With harm to none,
As I will so shall it be done.

 Thats cute. Rubber ducky!

I guess practice makes perfect.

Yes, power packed wish!

Thanks everyone!

SkySamuelle

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #9 on: August 29, 2011, 05:05:26 am »
Quote from: Rahni;11838
Okay.
Here's the question that will make you facepalm yourself.

Writing a spell.

Does it have to rhyme?
What are the basics to a successful spell?
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?

Is it like writing a chorus to a song? I can do song lyrics...

Burning things makes me feel like its worked a little better...

Spells. Does wishing firmly during the spell help?

Break it down for me, someone?
Thank you!

 
Even if everyone else already lended excellent advice, I feel I should point out to you this small but useful book :

http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Essentials-Witches-Spellcasters-Mya/dp/0738715506

I find that the difference between a successful spell and an half-successfull spell is not so much the formula or the ritual, but 'energy battery' sustaining it.

Mya Om book, despite the mislleading title, is a clever and simple guide to write your spells, adapt another' spells to your necessities, and understand the basic workings of spellcasting. I can say it helped me to see what was wrong with my practice and how improve it.
“Sometimes you wake up. Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you fly.” ― Neil Gaiman *
Currently blogging at: http://seastruckbythecrossroads.wordpress.com/
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Lecia Hale

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Re: Writing spells...help?
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2011, 01:21:51 am »
Quote from: Rahni;11838

Does it have to rhyme?
....
Do you say it three times? Mention 3x3x3?


Not to ignore the rest of your questions, but to answer a particular part.

I think that the words of a spell need to have descriptive, evocative language. Yes, rhyme helps. The power of repeated sound is extremely effective, and I believe it transfers meaning into the spirit realms in ways that non-rhyming words do not.  You could accomplish much the same thing by shouting into a chasm and having your words echo around a bit. That's all a rhyme is, an echo of the sound of the previous phrase. You could also repeat one line over and over. I use alliteration quite a bit. HAVE TO?  No. But if you are good at turning a phrase, why not give it an extra jolt?

If you aren't that great, or even if you are, and you want to be better at it, a thesaurus and a rhyming dictionary are helpful. If you don't have a knack for it, look into literature for quotes that convey the meaning of your spell. In Hoodoo, they use the Bible a lot for their spoken part of the spell. You could use Shakespeare, movie quotes, or song lyrics, if they describe your intent and bring that emotional power out of you.

Speak your words passionately, with conviction. Let your words ring out from you to the edges of the Universe. Be confident and clear.

Know the meaning of your words. Even if you're reasonably sure you know what a key word means, research its etymology.  
 
Some common words are connected to deities literally and figuratively.  Consider Sunset and the god Set, the murderer of the Sun and enemy of the Son (of Isis and Osiris). Consider Lucre and lucrative. Brighid and bright, bridge, bride, etc. Abundance and Habondia. Ops and opulent, opportunity, and opal. Libertas and liberty (as more obvious examples). Using words that are connected to deities in a purposeful way invokes their power.

Of course, some of these things may be unpractical if you are trying to whip up a spell in a hurry. But while you are studying, it's always a good idea to prepare in advance and have some carefully prepared phrases to attach to your specific intent when the situation arises.  

However, any words spoken simply with great passion will work wonders. "Get me out of this F-ing situation, NOW!"  (accompanied by stomping foot) to no one in particular has worked for me exceptionally well in certain cases where stuff has happened beyond my control.
Bedazzlecat who sucks at signatures...

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