Aliceo035

With the advent of social media and witchcraft becoming increasingly popular within recent years, spiritual bypassing is a highly important topic of discussion.

For those new to the craft and just starting out, researching and cross referencing topics is sometimes a daunting task. Leading them to look up to those with more experience as beacons of information and wisdom, which unfortunately can lead to spiritual bypassing.

However, this isn't the only instance we see spiritual bypassing appear- many people often promote incredibly dangerous and sometimes deadly tips or information which can lead to all sorts of harm and damage to individuals and communities.

-------------------------------------

What is spiritual bypassing?

Spiritual bypassing is the "tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks" (John Welwood,. 1980). In other words, to avoid or ignore issues in favour of using spiritual practices to "heal" them. A very common example of this is, "stop taking your medication it lowers your vibration".

-------------------------------------

We commonly see this in the new age 'love n light' community, however, no spiritual community is exempt from this. You will often see people recommend the use of crystals and spellwork to "cure" mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. Or telling others that their medical treatments such as medications will lower their vibration and recommend an alternative (and highly dangerous) treatment instead.

While witchcraft and spirituality can be an important aspect of a person's life, it should not replace a medical professionals advice or medical treatment in any way. Not only is spiritual bypassing dangerous, but it often veers into eugenics (an example being, "I'm not autistic, I'm a starseed).

-------------------------------------

So, if you're a beginner what should you look out for?

Well, here's a small list-

- telling you that medical treatment effects your 'vibration'

- that your medical/mental conditions can be 'cured' by cleansing

- telling you that things should be "positive vibes only"

- using concepts such as starseeds and indigo children as a justification for neurodivergency (starseeds and indigo children stem from ableism)

- xxxxx is a substitute for therapy

- that your disability is because you are "out of alignment"

- that traumatic experiences are because they are a "learning experience" from God

- that negative experiences are due to "karma"

- promoting toxic positivity to overcome negative feels

Hi! Firstly, please accept my sincerest apologies for the huge wait in response!

Spells are a form of energy manipulation, when you are casting spells you are manipulating and directing energy in order to fulfill the intent of the spell. Without this, a spell jar just becomes a jar filled with herbs and wax to seal it.

Energy manipulation is directing your own energy or the energy of things around you (such as herbs, crystals, planetary energy) in order to fulfill a purpose. Be this casting spells, charging amulets, performing energy healing etc.

There are loads of different ways to manipulate energy within spellwork and this will differ from practice to practice. But a good way to do so through this visualisation exercise:

- take the object you wish to place your energy into your hands

- visualise your energy going into the object (this could be visualised as a light flowing from your hands into the object)

- speak your intention with said object (for example, "this will protect me from..."

- add the object to your spellwork

So what to do when your spell doesnt feel "spelly" enough!

I've had it a few times where I've created a jar or bag and feel like it doesnt feel like a spell, it just feels like a jar filled with herbs, crystals and the like. So here are some tips for when your spells dont feel complete!

So one of the first things I do when this happens is go back on my process, I reflect on what I have done and try to find the reasoning why this has happened. Theresant reasons as to why a spell doesnt feel like its complete or doesnt even feel like a spell at all. I ask myself questions; Was there a problem with the ingredients?, Was focused enough on the intention of my spell?. Any question as to why this might be happening. Of course, if there is an exact reason as to why this might be happening I would go back and remake the spell (as stated below). However if there isnt a particular reason I would do these:

So one thing you can do is just remake the spell- however this can be wasteful when it comes to certain ingredients which cant be reused such as herbs or sigil ashes. However the option is always there for those who have plenty resources at thier disposal!

Another thing you can do is give the spell some energy- shake the jar while visualizing your energy flowing into the spell. You can leave it out on a windowsill to soak up energy from celestial bodies such as the moon or sun , leave it to "charge" like you would a crystal etc. The ideas are endless with this option.

You also have to remember that some spells take time to work and you need to work with the spell to achieve your desired result (for example, if I wanted to do a self love spell, I would work to improve the views on myself with the spell giving me an extra boost) . So it might not feel like a spell right away but it might work given enough time!

Of course if these options dont work then you need to investigate into why the spell didn't work. So was there a problem with any of the ingredients you've used? Have you made a mistake while doing the spell? Is there a particular reason as to why said spell didn't work? Etc.

You would find this out using your preferred divination method or by reflecting on your experience while doing the spell. Ask yourself questions as to why it didnt work and see what answers resonate with you the most.

Creating your first spell can sometimes be difficult and overwhelming when it's hard to find reliable resources on the creation of spells and types of spells you can do as a novice. I'll cover the ways you can create a spell and give you some ideas which you can do as a beginner. In terms of spells, nothing is closed to a novice so long as you do the research for it. Here we go!

Ways to create a spell

There are loads of ways of creating spells from quick ways such as jars, dressed candles, cauldron spells, sigils to long complex rituals, theres no right or wrong way to create a spell. I'll cover some of the simplest ways to do one here.

Jars- jars are one of the simplest ways to do a spell. They usually involve filling a jar with ingredients and sealing them in some way- usually with coloured wax corresponding to the spell (E.g. black for protection, red for strength etc) Ingredients for these usually include; herbs, petition papers, ashes of a sigil, crystals, precious metals, glass etc. Simply choose what corresponds with your intention and add it to the jar. These jars can be worn as jewellery, placed around your home, buried in your yard, placed on your altar, carried on your person. This also applied to bags and poppet magick.

Dressed candles- dressed candles are another very simple way to do a spell. Dressed candles involve dressing a candle with herbs which correspond to your intention and burning the candle down. Ways to get your ingredients to stick are; melting with wax or using an oil (eg olive oil).

Sigils- sigil magick is a very common form of magick used to create a spell. And ways to create a sigil are endless. They can be little elaborate pieces of work or simply just a few lines drawn and programmed with intention. These sigils are usually burned to activate, however non fire alternatives include: ripping them up, using an oil to activate, sticking them up around your home etc.

Enchanting- enchanting deserves a spot on it's own and if you scroll further down my page, there will be a post I have reblogged explaining some of the ways to do enchanting.

Creating oils and sprays- using oils in your spells is a great way yo add more to your spells. Creating an oil usually involves infusing a base oil such as olive oil with ingredients according to your intention. The same applies to sprays here. Sprays can be used in your room for a variety of different purposes. Whether they be cleansing, banishing, adding a layer of protection etc.

Kitchen magick- kitchen magick is a great way to create a spell without it being too obvious. This makes it perfect for witches who are closeted for whatever reason. You can add intention into the food you cook or bake to create some great spells. This also applies to teas.

There are multiple things used in a spell aside from the method of doing them, this usually will depend on the witch and thier practice. Some use colour magick, cosmic magick, use days of the week and magical hours, some might involve the deities they work with or might ask a deity for help in a spell (this also applies to other entities) and much more.

The ways a practitioner will do a spell will change and develop according to thi6er practice. You might find that some ways of creating a spell dont work for you compared to other ways. The ways to do a spell are infinite and the ways listed above are just some simple and easy ways to do them.

Spells you could do as a beginner

This list isnt an exhaustive list. There are loads of spells out ther which you can complete and do. Any spell can be done with enough research into what you're doing. Here will be a list of ideas for you to take away from this. You can use the ways above to do this. It's best to do further research into the ways of doing a spell first, you might find none of the ways above will work for you and will need a different way.

Here are some examples of what you can do!

Protection

Warding

Banishing

Self love

Confidence

Healing

Luck

Prosperity

Abundance

Sleep

Anxiety aid

Academic achievement

Success

Strength

Courage

Divination aid

Astral projection aid (Research about astral projection before attempting)

Psychic enhancement

Banishing is another important part of a witches practice. Banishing is far more specific and direct than warding, often targeted towards a specific spirit, energy or a specific person. Banishing comes on many different forms, these can be candle spells, jars, the use of sound, visualisation, smoke etc.

I will cover some of the most common ways to banish and how to do them!

Banishing jars

With all jar spells, they include a jar which contains ingredients such as herbs (I'll include a list of banishing herbs below), salt, bodily fluids, a petition paper, ashes of a sigil programmed with the intention of banishing, glass shards, nails etc. When encountered with a time you need to banish, simply fill the jar up with ingredients and seal with a black or white wax.

Some practitioners like to create a banishing jar and then shake the jar each time they feel the need to banish negativity or a person.

Spells

They're are hundreds of ways to create a spell, the aforementioned jar is one of them. Spells can range from long elaborate rituals to small candle spells which only take a few minutes to do.

The ingredients for a spell will range from practitioner to practitioner, some of the most common include the use of herbs, fungi, plants, sigils, petition papers, crystals, precious metals, water, oils, moon phases and days of the week.

Smoke

Any form of smoke can be used to banish. Some of the most common ways to banish usually include bundles of herbs, resins, woods, incense etc.

Simply light your way of banishing and let the smoke flow and banish the negativity in the area.

Please be careful when using any form of fire, practice fire safety and always keep an eye on your bundle while it burns. Put it on a fireproof dish or plate so you dont burn your hands.

Sound

Anything that produces sound can be used as a way of banishing. This can be using a singing bowl, singing, an instrument, hitting pots and pans together etc. Anything used with the intent of banishing can be used to banish negativity.

A good idea would be to pick a song which bring you happiness when listening and use that as a form of banishing.

Herbs

There are thousands of herbs out there which can be used to banish. Here are a few you can use!

Some examples are; Dragons blood, Lavender, Garden Sage, Chilli flakes, Rosemary, Garlic ,Thorns, Black pepper, Cedar, Angelica, Basil, Broom, Cumin, Fleabane, Mandrake, Lilac, Hot pepper, Pine, Onion, Rowan, Salt, Black Salt, Wolfsbane (please be VERY careful handling wolfsbane), Yarrow, Rue etc.

I've covered warding recently in my protection post. But here I will go into more detail on what warding is, the most popular ways to ward and how to create them as well as when to know when a ward is no longer useful or has been broken. I will also go into baneful warding and what it is.

What is warding?

Warding is a form of defensive magick which acts as your first line of defense against negativity. Be this baneful magick from another practitioner or negative entities and general negative energy. There are multiple ways to ward with each practitioner warding differently to the other. Wards come in all shapes and forms, and there is no limit as to how much warding you should do, you protect yourself as you see fit.

What is baneful warding?

Baneful warding is a form of warding in which the negative that hits a ward gets sent back to its source. Baneful warding is seen as a more "advanced" form of magick, however not too advanced for a novice to do with the appropriate amount of research. Baneful warding can come in the same forms as normal warding would.

Warding jars

Perhaps one of the most common wardings on this post, warding jats usually contain ingredients charged with the intention of warding. These ingredients usually range from herbs to bodily fluids such as saliva or blood. These jars are either buried on the practitioners property, left above entryway, left on an altar, or are carried with the practitioner when they want protection on the go.

A warding jar might contain: ashes of a warding sigil, bodily fluids, herbs and plants, crystals, bones, warding or protection oils, spices, metals, glass shards etc. These jars are then sealed with black or white wax (or are sealed in any other way, with glue, tape or simply just with intention).

When a warding jar is broken, you might find the contents of the jar to become moldy, the jar shatters, the seal might break or the contents of the jar to go off, you also might feel that the jar no longer has its power. When this happens, if the jar is intact, break the seal and empty the contents into the bin/trash or return them back to the earth. You can then cleanse the jar with your preferred method of cleansing and reuse the jar for another ward or spell.

Talismans and symbols

Talismans are objects which are charged with the intention fo protection or warding. A well known example would be the Nazar, known to ward off the evil eye.

Symbols are used to represent something or represent an intention example would be the pentacle/pentagram, a well known protection symbol. Another example could by the Eye of Horus, a symbol used by the Ancient Egyptians for protection, health and restoration.

You can create your own talismans and symbols to aid in warding. These might be used to ward against a specific thing, or can be used as a general ward to all negativity.

A talisman or symbol might break or feel like they're no longer useful once theyve done thier job. If this time comes, you can simply dispose of the old one and create a new one.

Sigils

Sigils are created and can be programmed with any purpose necessary. May this be warding ot cursing, they can be used for almost any working.

Sigils can be burnt to activate them, with the ashes being used in spells to add extra power. Sigils can be put up around your house or around your room for warding. These sigils can look like anything, simply draw them with the intention of warding.

Crystals

Crystals can be placed above entryways or in windows to act as a ward. Crystals can also be added to spells to give a desired effect or worn as jewellery to act as warding or protection on the go.

Some examples are: black obsidian, black tourmaline, clear quartz, amethyst, hematite.

When a crystal ward has been broken, the crystal might shatter, or go missing. Or you may feel the crystals energy feels different than usual. With crystals you cam simply cleanse and recharge the crystals to be used again!

Spells

Warding spells can be as simple as a dressed candle, or can be a complex ritual. Warding spells differ from practitioner to practitioner. Similar to warding jars, these spells might include the use of herbs, bodily fluids, crystals, plants etc. The methods of creating a warding spell vary, as there is no one way to create one.

When a ward breaks down, you might feel the ward break, or if it does what is intended, you might feel something bounce off the ward. Depending on the negativity sent your way, the ways in which you might feel a warding spell break down vary, this could range from feeling sluggish or nauseous to downright feeling psychic attack. (Whenever this happens, please consult a doctor, mundane before magical. What you may feel is a magical occurrence could be explained by illness, so please consult a doctor of you feel this way constantly)

I've done a separate research list for occultism as it's such a huge topic within witchcraft. Here I'll be covering some things for you to research about occultism and will be posting about in the near future!

This list will also include research topics for baneful magick so I dont have to create a separate list in the future. As always, remember to cross reference anything you come across (yes even this!), even the greatest witch makes mistakes, we are only human after all! Enjoy!

Alchemy

Aleister Crowley (a big name in the world of occultism, hes credited with creating the religion of Thelema as well as much more!)

Baneful warding (this will be covered in my next post about warding)

Blood magick

Ceremonial magick

Curses

Daemonolatry

Daemonology

Enochian magick

Gematria

Goetic magick

Hexes

History of Occultism (it's great to find local history of occultism as well as general history of the topic)

Jinxes

Kameas

Luciferianism

Misconceptions about occultism

Necromancy

Satanism (both theistic and atheistic)

Solomonic magick