Feeding Spells: DIY and Theory (long text)
[[Unlike my normal stuff that tries to be a lot more general, I'm going to speak primarily just about my spirit-working witchcraft paradigm; this post may not be applicable to you.]]
I believe that all magic takes energy to work. Often, when I assist people with troubleshooting spellwork, the only problem that person is having is that they are either not ever powering their spells, or they are failing to provide the spells with more energy when the batteries have run dry.
Typically, these people are aware that spells need power to go. They just don't have a grasp on how they can do it within their unique belief structure.
Common problems I see:
Imagination/desire is falsely equated to energy work. As in, "I visualize that the spell is filled with power." But no actual movement of energies takes place.
In the way I do energy work, visualization may be conceived of as a hollow vessel or empty skin which will shape and form power that is poured into it - but you've got to pour the power, or else the skin will rapidly wither away.
A charm or action is performed, but it fails to correctly evoke power.
E.g., the practitioner has read that "offerings don't need to be physical, singing, dancing, and devotional acts are powerful offerings," and has taken this to mean that doing their homework with the intent of recharging their spells is sufficient.
The practitioner has bought into the "whatever you want to do will work because your witchcraft is under your control" thing and is basically just having fun with the vibes.
E.g., in the charm, "Sun and Moon watch over you, by the Stars you're Cleansed," the practitioner may certainly be evoking power, but the power is not a revitalizing one; it is a cleansing or purifying one.
A practitioner defending their choices to use this charm may say that it makes their space feel lovely, or vibrate with power, and that - just like putting an object under the full moon to charge it - their enchanted objects are naturally just supposed to soak up this power.
Which they may well be doing - to become cleansed. Not necessarily to become saturated with the vital power required to function magically.
Below are things about charging which may assist you if you think you struggle with properly feeding your spellwork after it has been cast.
Feeding or charging?
Same thing. I find the imagery inspired by feeding to be closer to the magical reality of the operation: the spell must consume. It must take in energy, chew it up, swallow it, and digest it.
It will likely work more weakly when it is hungry, and - just like an electronic device shutting itself off at 2% to save your user data - when it becomes too starved for power, it will cease to function until you feed it again.
What to feed?
In all cases, unless you are a trained energy worker, avoid only imagining or believing that any magical object has regained a charge.
Generally, you will want to sacrifice a physical substance (food, specially prepared feeding substances).
What you do with remnants of an offering after it has been given is up to you.
Exactly what you feed your magic with does matter - but for general purposes, almost anything will do. Your own intuition and spirits will advise on the details if special circumstances arise.
Generally speaking, we might say that if a spell is constructed with certain powers, it is best to mimic those powers in charging. If you cast a candle spell, candles may be best to charge it; if your spell is one of special waters, then mixing in empowered water may be your best choice, and so forth.
When in doubt, share some of your meal, if you can spare it.
When to feed?
For spells that are expected to function on an ongoing basis, but currently aren't carrying a heavy load (e.g., a happy job spell while your job environment is already basically fine and there are no big issues to deal with), try feeding once a month. The full moon makes a good reminder.
For spells that are carrying a heavy load (e.g., a happy job spell but they just promoted the Worst Woman Ever to supervisor), feed weekly - or more often.
For spells that are on bed rest, in hibernation, or are active but rarely used, quarterly (on equinoxes or solstices) may more than suffice.
It's a good idea to try and develop a sense for whether or not an object is charged or not - this is not a terribly advanced psychic operation. A pendulum board with the numbers 1-10 to gauge a charge level is ideal to bridge the gap.
If a spell stops working, try feeding it. A lack of energy is not the only reason spells fail, but this is a good first step to troubleshooting.
Prepare a Feeding Charm
This charm, in and of itself, does not need to deliver metaphysical power. Rather, you are instructing the magical object to come and feed.
Conceptually, we may imagine that if the spell is a hound dog out chasing rabbits, we are whistling for it to come back to the cabin and eat. Without our instructions, it may not find the food, or may neglect to eat it at all.
This charm may be as simple as "come and eat," spoken with special focus over the object. Or, it may be a hand sign. If you like, you can visualize - perhaps a hungry mouth bursting into appearance atop the object.
A simple Feeding Charm ("come and eat") may be supplemented by whatever special instructions you have in that moment. E.g., "and once you're doing eating, go right away and keep performing your duties." Or, "...then hibernate, and reserve all this energy for yourself; rest and grow strong, and I'll get you next when I need you."
Intuition may advise that for special objects, unique preparation methods must be undertaken. You can't snap your fingers at every kind of magic, after all. But for the kind over which you are lord and master, I recommend keeping your Feeding Charm very easy to carry out.
Combine the Feeding Charm with any sacrifice of digestible energy
Over any object to be fed, perform your Feeding Charm.
Then, provide energy directly to the object. This may take many forms depending on the object:
Incense and candles may be burned nearby; ideally, hold object in heat or smoke
Food may be placed in front of
Special oils or waters may be daubed on
Energy work may be performed to pour in power
Prayers may be performed, requesting that some entity or force directly donate their power to the object
If the offering must be "activated" in any sense (lighting a candle, etc), do so.
In circumstances where a spell still has some energy and is just due for a meal, let the energy "settle" for perhaps fifteen to thirty minutes, or even an hour or so.
Then, perform a closing or sealing charm to end the feeding. Proceed to direct your spell back to its task. ("Now that you've eaten, go back to do your work.")
After this point, dispose of any offering remnants in any method which you prefer.
In the case that a spell has run completely dry and is now a withered husk, more work is required
In fact, it may be easier to just cast a whole new spell, but in case you don't want to:
Experiment with a variety of offerings and energy sources; not just different kinds of food, but food combined with prayers, etc.
Instead of telling your magic to eat and get back to work, use your Feeding Charm to instruct the object to consume as much energy as it needs to grow strong and return to its former strength.
If possible, carry the object with you and allow it to feed off of your personal energy, like a leech.
You may need to place the object in a special container, such as a cauldron or coffin, to represent an embryonic or gestational state of rebirth. While the object is interred within, feed and care for as usual.
There is a maximum amount of metaphysical energy that spells can absorb at once. Like an underweight puppy, one feeding might not do; you may have to carefully feed the charm over multiple days before it begins to wake up again.
Your life may be made easier if you can get a spirit to watch over this process for you.
If strange, hungry creatures appear in your dreams, feed them.
Recharging a spell with no physical vessel
Generally, if you expect to use a spell over and over again in the long term, you should tie it to a physical vessel. This makes maintenance (such as feeding) easier.
However, you may still be able to feed a spell with no physical vessel.
Provide the spell with a clear quartz crystal, or other specially prepared temporary vessel, and call the spell down into it in order for it to feed.
When the feeding is done, seal the feeding dismiss the spell as you normally would.
If the spell can't be "called down" away from its post, take a candle and carve into it the name or mark of your spell, work over the candle until it is metaphysically relevant, and burn it with the instructions that its power goes to your spell.
You may be saying that your spell does not have a name or mark with which to identify it (and no, I do not mean the name of the recipe; I mean the name of the individual spell). If that is the case, in the future, refrain from casting spells with no vessels and no names and sending them out into the world, only to later on realize you need to call it back and mess with it.
If this is, however, the case for you currently, consider the following stopgap solutions:
Use your spell notes as an information taglock ("this power goes to the Red Pepper Spellbreaker cast on [date] for [purpose]")
Create a custom sigil specifically identifying the spell cast prior
Re-create the original spell and consecrate the reconstruction as being the body of the original, then recast it to empower the original
Just pretty much focus on the fact that the energy is going to reach the spell that you cast that one time (it will probably work)
Make your life easier by preparing metaphysically enriched offerings ahead of time
By preparing batch substances with which to feed your magic, you will save frustration and be more easily able to feed your magic when you're too tired to do energy work or full charms.
The lunar oil below is a basic example of how to enchant a feeding substance.
There are many recipes for preparing general-purpose feeding substances. Powders are a common one. Although I've shared an oil below, my favorite formula is based in water - it makes for easier cleanup.
General purpose charging oil for the Lunar Witch
Obtain a small container of palatable oil - perhaps olive oil. Transfer it into a new container if you like.
Emphasis on the small - you will use drops at a time, so even a couple of ounces can last a year.
On the container (using a masking tape foundation and permanent marker, if necessary), draw the planetary seal of the Moon (the one that looks like four bananas), and if you are able to manage it, the lunar planetary square.
On the full moon, and if you must a waxing moon, but never on the waning or dark moons, take this container of oil as near as possible to the moonlight.
Prepare to speak over the oil a hymn. Before or during the recitation, perform a charm or action which indicates the oil should capture, contain, and/or be infused with the energy you will call down.
Consider speaking the hymn to be an act of creating a road or highway to lunar power, through which lunar power spills down.
Perform your Feeding Charm.
Speak over the oil the Orphic hymn to Selene (this, or any preferred translation).
Perform a sealing or completion charm ("So Mote It Be," etc).
The oil is now charged in a basic way. Repeat the hymn every full moon and it can be used as a serviceable feeding oil.
Now that the oil has been prepared in a basic way, the real work may begin.
Put the container of oil in a special and magical place. Petition and request that you may receive special signs for what other ingredients to add to the oil.
Be specific that you seek to make a feeding oil for the purposes of revitalizing any magical object. (You never know what the spirits will try to have you craft if you're not specific).
Attempt your best efforts of omen-reading, dreamwork, and other methods of receiving spirit messages. You may find that you need to pray and petition daily, or engage in other strenuous spirit work. Be prepared to deal with sorcerous, lunar, and other emissaries during this time.
With luck and extended effort (spanning, most likely, weeks or months or longer - this is not a weekend operation), you will receive confirmation of some special ingredient, object, technique, or other thing, to include in this recipe to make it uniquely your own.
