The idea of the ambient spell isnât so uncommon. My use of the word âambientâ may throw you for a bit of a loop. An ambient spell is any spell that permeates a space in an unobtrusive way. They affect the area surrounding their vessel and require little to no maintenance or upkeep. Theyâre long-term workings that require varying levels of effort to put together and cast. Depending on what exactly you need, they can be as simple as setting out a bowl of salt or as complex as crafting a home decor piece from scratch.
I always recommend making ambient spells that are self-fueling. I often refer to them also as âset it and forget itâ spells. Theyâre the crockpot of spellwork â work up front for a slow burn output.
Chances are that youâre already aware of or even know how to create ambient spells. Any spell that affects the vibe of a room, for example, would count as an ambient spell. Lighting incense specifically to invite in positive energy counts. A ward that sucks up baneful magic and transforms it into blessings also counts. The primary idea of an ambient spell is that itâs making a change to your environment in the background. Itâs the cool breeze in summertime, the subtle piano at a fancy restaurant, the scent of fresh-baked cookies fading as the day goes by. Positive, but not overt.
When to Use (or Not Use) an Ambient Spell
By their nature, ambient spells are fairly general workings. They can be quite powerful, of course, just like any other spell. The thing to keep in mind is that theyâre not ideal for targeted magic.
For example, I wouldnât create an ambient spell to banish someone from my life. I might make an ambient spell to make an area unwelcoming to them, or to anyone who would do me harm. The unwelcoming vibe might discourage them from coming around, sure. But it may not work outside of the area the spell lives in; and it may not get rid of them for good.
Similarly, an ambient spell might make a good general ward for keeping out loud, unwelcome spirits, but it wouldnât specifically cast out the one particular spirit whoâs been causing problems. It might discourage their behavior, but it wouldnât necessarily get rid of them. A concentrated, single-use banishing spell would work significantly better for that purpose. Afterwards, an ambient spell can keep the area clear of that spiritâs influence.
I also wouldnât use an ambient spell to draw in specific success. General success or money, absolutely â whatever wants to come my way is welcome, via a basic money bowl set up next to my wallet. But if I specifically want a promotion or a particular amount of money, Iâm not going to leave that to the ambient money spell. I would craft a spell specifically for what Iâm looking for.
When deciding what kind of spell to cast, keep this idea in mind. An ambient spell is best for behind-the-scenes results that happen without your concentrated effort. When you want something specific, a more targeted spell will work better nine times out of ten.
Creating an Ambient Spell
Itâs possible to create an ambient spell with nothing but energy work. However, I often find that these fade quickly and donât lend themselves well to self-fueling. They tend to need more active upkeep than I prefer for a spell thatâs meant to be set and let go. I recommend choosing an appropriate vessel of some kind to contain the spell to help it last longer.
How do you decide whatâs an appropriate vessel, though? And how do you set one up? How do you make a spell self-fueling? Letâs start from the top and go in order.
Decide what the spell will do. This is going to define the components and the way youâre going to cast the spell.
In my experience, ambient spells work best when theyâre given a single purpose. For example, I wouldnât make a spell thatâs a ward and a cleanser and a spirit welcome mat. It dilutes the purpose. Choose a single, clear motive for the spell.
Now that you know what your spell will do, itâs time to decide what itâs going to look like. The vessel you choose should reflect the spellâs purpose in some way.
An open bowl works well for absorbing energy. Why? Itâs open. The face of it is open to the room, ready to take in whatever kind of energy you assign to its contents.
A closed jar, on the other hand, would be good for repelling. Itâs closed off and sealed â a one-way road going out of the jar and into the room to clear it.
A wreath hung at the door could serve a lot of purposes, depending on what itâs made with. I would use a wreath as an agent of transformation or as an energy emitter to release a certain energy into the space.
A stone makes a solid vessel for protection or grounding. I have one on my working altar to help keep me in the moment and create a good environment for working magic.
When youâre choosing your spell vessel, keep in mind how visible you want it to be. Certain vessels are going to naturally be more obvious than others. A wreath, for example, is hard to miss â but it also just looks like nice home decor. A jar full of herbs and things would be more obviously a spell, but they can be small and easily hidden.
I have both obvious and hidden ambient spells peppered around my home for varying purposes. If youâre keeping your practice a secret, youâll likely want to keep your spells more obscure or hidden. But if you arenât, and you can make the choice of whether you want the spell to be in plain sight or not, consider the effect you want the spell to have.
If you want the spell to absorb bad vibes, baneful magics, the evil eye, or other negativity, a hidden spell might serve you well. Hiding the vessel somewhere means that whoeverâs casting against you may not expect the resistance. On the other hand, if you want a vessel that allows friendly spirits to visit you during the holidays, a beautiful centerpiece on your dining table thatâs charmed with spirit-friendly magic might serve the purpose.
Ambient spells need to draw energy from somewhere. Think of it like a battery. The ingredients you put into the spell may provide a temporary charge, but if you want the spell to be long-term, it needs an input. How will your spell recharge itself?
If you want the spell to be shorter-term, only a few days or so, then you can skip this step. But if you want an ambient spell to last a while, like a ward or vibe-adjuster, youâll need to think about this carefully.
Like when choosing the vessel, the energy source should match the purpose of the spell. For example, I have a simple room refresher spell set on a table thatâs central to my home. The purpose of it is to take anxiety and negative thoughts to turn them into positivity. I set it up so that the act of walking past the bowl swirls the air around it, and therefore also the energy around it. That kinetic energy fuels the bowlâs magic and keeps it going. I donât have to actively recharge the bowl or its contents, because we walk past it constantly.
Another example would be an ambient spell to help you do the dishes. (Whether thatâs remembering to do them or finding the motivation for it is up to you.) The fuel for the spell could be the act of walking into or past the kitchen, running water elsewhere in the home, or even cooking or eating.
The energy source could also be something like lighting a candle next to or over the vessel on a schedule, if you prefer. This would add an upkeep step, of course, and wouldnât be my first choice. The only ambient spell I do this with is my money bowl, and thatâs because itâs tuned to be able to shift focus from day to day depending on what exactly I need (commissions versus tips versus discounts, etc.).
Setting Up an Ambient Spell
Decide where you want to place your spellâs vessel ahead of time. If you have pets or kids, make sure you put whatever it is out of their reach. If the vessel is something like an uncovered bowl, youâll want to be sure that it isnât going to get knocked over. Similarly, if itâs made of glass, you donât want it to fall and shatter. If your vessel needs to be hidden somehow, determine where youâll keep it. It would be smart to make note of where the spell is and what it looks like in your grimoire or spell notebook just so that if you forget about it, you can identify it later on down the road.
After you know where you want to put it, itâs time to choose ingredients and fill your vessel. The components you decide on should, obviously, match your goals.
Casting an ambient spell is much the same as casting a regular spell. The only thing to keep in mind is that an ambient spell has a sort of prolonged release.
Upkeep and Care of an Ambient Spell
For the most part, ambient spells should require little to no upkeep. With that said, you should still do routine check-ups on them. I include them in my regular rounds when I check on my wards and various protections, but you could do yours whenever it makes the most sense to you.
Depending on how you decided to fuel your spell, you may need to do a bit of feeding. Whether thatâs lighting a new candle, refilling a cup of water, mixing around a pile of herbs, or giving the vessel a little shake, do so anytime it feels like the spellâs energy is flagging. It may take some practice in sensing energy to know exactly when a spell needs refueling. This is partly why I suggest creating a schedule to check in on the spell; ambient spells are a great type to practice sensing spell energy, since theyâre typically long-lasting and may wax or wane depending on the day.
If your spell is fully self-fueling and it doesnât seem to be working anymore (or at all, even from the start), itâs time to take it apart. Discard disposable components according to your practiceâs tenets. Cleanse the rest for future use. I would suggest washing your spell vessel alongside magical cleansing.
Hereâs an extremely simple example of an ambient spell I use in my home to keep the main living area light, fresh, and conducive to getting work done. Since both my partner and I work from home, itâs important that our areas have an aura of focus.
- A small bowl, preferably green or brown
- Enough salt to fill the bowl halfway
- A few pinches of dried rosemary
1. Ensure the bowl is clean and dry. Pour salt into the bowl until itâs halfway full.
2. Sprinkle dried rosemary into the salt and stir.
3. Instruct the spell, in whatever way makes sense to you, to exude focused but calm energy into the space.
4. Place the bowl in an area that is frequently trafficked.
5. Leave the bowl in place until it no longer provides a fresh, focused energy to the space. Dispose of the contents, clean the bowl, and reset the spell.
Notes:
- This spell is powered by movement specifically, because both my partner and I work from home, and we pace when weâre having a hard time focusing. The spell draws in the energy from our pacing and the frustration weâre putting out to fuel itself. It then transforms and releases the energy as calm, focus, and productivity.
- I suggest a green or brown bowl because this spell is meant to work for our jobs. Green for success, brown for grounding. Personally, my bowl has both colors.
- When instructing the spell, you can speak to the bowl, write a petition, do an incantation, or whatever else you like. This is the most personal part of the spell, and itâs what makes the thing Go. Itâs up to you to decide how itâs going to work.
I would hesitate to call ambient spells âlow energyâ spellwork. While they can be low-energy-friendly in the long run, and they can be extremely simple to set up (such as the one I described above), they arenât always. Ambient spells do require an up-front energy cost. Even so, I find them very rewarding and useful.
Folks who visit my home often comment that itâs an inviting, friendly, good-natured space where they can leave their worries and anxieties behind. Thatâs on purpose. Iâve got ambient spells in place that eat up anxiety and spit out positivity. Iâve got ones that repel hexes and are charged by sunlight. All of these spells are long-lasting and well worth the effort it took to create them.
I hope this little guide is useful to you! If youâve got questions, feel free to send me an ask. Iâm happy to ramble about ambient spells or other types of magic as much as youâd like.
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