Stormcalling is a very old category of weather magic which is used with the intent of creating, summoning and controlling storms. There are many methods for carrying out this act, but one of the simplest forms of Stormcalling is to simply whistle. One long whistled note imitates the sound of the wind itself, and the witch can visualize the blowing winds and coming storms while producing the sound in order to enact their will on the weather. 

      As someone who is both a witch and a gamer, I have noticed an inherent potential of some videogames as tools of the craft. In witchcraft, it is very common for spells to involve visualization of the desired effects, imagining the outcome of the spell as though it is happening in real time before your eyes. For this purpose, a lot of spells will use fetishes and foci to help the witch focus and visualize. This is what Image Magic is all about- using things to represent other things for spell work.  In much the same way, videogames can be used to represent the real world, more visually representing the changes you wish to make. Some games seem almost tailor-made to represent our real world, in fact. There are many ways that Minecraft, for example, could be used in spell work.  Consider the following ideas:

     -Use a nametag to name a Villager after someone who bullies you, use a lead to tie the villager to a post, then encase the whole thing in bedrock to restrict your aggressor’s actions in an unbreakable binding.

     -Surround your Minecraft home with a circle of pillars made of Gold and Emerald blocks to draw money and prosperity into your real-world home.

     -Use a block of Iron above the door of your Minecraft house to ward unwanted energies from your life outside the game.

      This methodology can easily be applied to other games as well, including The Sims. For example, make a Sim that looks like you and shares your name, then give that Sim traits that represent ways you’d like for your own personality to grow. Create Sims representing people who would like to be in a relationship, then use the game to help them along. The possibilities are nearly endless. This is also incredibly helpful for witches who wish to keep their practice a secret, giving them a way to engage in spell work in a powerful and tangible way without anyone raising any eyebrows. Someone walks in and sees you playing a videogame, they won’t bat an eyelash or pry into it. If they ask what you’re doing, you could even be completely honest with them and they would never even question that you’re just talking about your goals in the game.

 Just Some Minecraft Correspondence Ideas

     Bedrock- Impermeable, Unbreakable, Containment.

     Wool, Stained Clay- Associated Color Correspondences. Wool for softness, gentleness. Clay for firmness, strength, sturdiness.

     Lead/Leash- Binding, Drawing, Containment.

     Slime/ Slime Block- Sticky, but also repellant and bouncy.

     Lava, Fire, Netherrack- Heat, Burning, Destruction, Pain, Light.

     Torch, Glowstone- Illumination, Guidance, Safety.

     Glass/ Glass Pane- Clarity, Separation, Vision.

     Redstone/ Redstone Block- Speed, Time, Power, Energy.

     Gold- Money, Magic, Solar energy

     Emerald- Money

     Books/Bookshelves- Wisdom, Knowledge, Mystery, Secrets.

         Liminal Spaces are locations that are in a state of liminality. Liminality can be defined as a state of transition between one thing and another; a state in which something has ceased to be what it used to be, but has not yet become what it will be. Another way to think about this, in terms of a physical space, can be to think of Liminal Spaces as being boundaries. A doorway, for example, is both inside and outside, but at the same time is neither; It is in a permanent state of liminality. Another example would be hedgerows around a property, as they mark the boundary between properties. Old magic was often worked along hedgerows, and it is because of this that the word Hedge can be used to refer to any Liminal Space in the context of witchcraft (Not to be confused with the terms Hedge Witch/ Hedge Witchcraft, which are largely unrelated.)

        Liminal Spaces can be very important in practices of witchcraft, as it is said that any Liminal Space has its own power and can be treated as a place where the veil between worlds is thin. Because of this, Liminal Spaces are not only considered places where powerful magic can be worked, but also places of potential danger where demons and spirits from other worlds can more easily manifest and work their way into our world.

        Because of this, many witches choose to focus their magical protections around the Hedges of the space they occupy. Protective charms and wards are often hung from window sills, nailed around doorframes and placed at the corners of rooms. However, this concept can be taken even further and you will quickly realize that doorways, windows and property lines are only the beginning of the Hedges you encounter in your life.

        One such space that is sometimes forgotten when warding and protecting Hedges is the bed. A witch’s bed is actually a very potent Hedge, as it represents a boundary or vehicle by which one transitions from one day to another. On another level, the bed also represents a physical boundary between the waking world and that of dreams or even, in a sense, a gateway between the physical world and the astral realm. Some witches believe that it is possible for spirits to piggyback on the consciousness of the living in dreams in order to hop that boundary and emerge in the physical world when we wake. Because of this, it can be very important to safeguard our dreams and sleeping areas as we would any other Hedge.

        Along the same vein, mirrors are also an age-old form of Hedge, and one that is fiercely protected and often feared by witches. They are very often considered to be a literal window into other worlds, the glass of the mirror separating us from the worlds of the unreal. You often hear tales of mirrors being used to trap demons and children summoning malicious spirits by candlelight in a dark bathroom. Perhaps these fears harken back to an instinctual truth, similar to the childhood fear of the monster hiding in the darkness beyond the closet door.

        In this modern age, many witches have taken to using modern technology on a daily, and in some cases, minutely basis. This presents a unique situation in which new forms of Hedges are being created, and in some cases, carried with us. In much the same way that beds and mirrors are windows and gateways between this world and nonphysical ones, so too can screens be seen in this light. Computers, televisions and even cellphones are metaphorical windows through which we view and are separated from the outside world, and as such, they can be viewed as Hedges that carry great magical potential, but can also be points of entry for all manner of spirits, and thus should be warded like any other.