A Witch Forging her Way

These are magical spells and rituals that bind a victim in pain or suffering, usually used by someone who feels their opponent has an unfair advantage and wants to level the playing field.

Bound Dolls

Ancient Greek cursing uses bound dolls often as effigies of the victim.

Material

These dolls can be made of pottery, wax, limestone, wood, wool, or lead.

Torture

Once the effigy is formed, it is either pierced, bound, or burnt and an incantation likens the pain of the effigy to the person.

If it is pierced, bronze or iron nails are hammered into relevant places. For example, the mouth of someone who will be debating or the genitals of one’s sexual rival. “I bind the mouth of N.N. so that he shall not speak.”

If it is bound, again, bind the relevant. For example, the arms of someone who will be boxing. “I bind the arms of N.N. in order that they will be neither powerful nor strong.”

It is burnt and melted to transfer the pain to the victim. “May N.N. melt away and dissolve like this image, himself, his seed, and his property.”

Coffin

Once the doll is pierced or bound, it is sometimes placed in a coffin and buried. These coffins may be inscribed as well.

κατάδεσμος (curse tablets)

κατάδεσμος are Ancient Greek curse tablets on which an inscription is written to curse someone.

Flattening

Take a thin, malleable piece of lead or wax and flatten it. Using a bronze or iron stylus or nail, write an inscription.

Inscription

There are many types of inscriptions, but they generally follow these forms.

Simply the words “I bind N.N.” or only the person’s name is inscribed. These are accompanied by more elaborate incantations.

Comparisons are used. For example, if buried with a corpse, “Just as this corpse is stiff and lifeless, so shall N.N. be stiff and lifeless.” Or, if written on lead, “Just as this lead is cold an useless, so shall N.N.’s words be cold and useless.” Sometimes, too, the words are written backwards so that the victim’s words would be backwards.

Tablets are addressed to nekydaimons, aka spirits (especially those untimely dead). The spirit is compelled to torture or attack the victim of the curse through threats, magical words, or promises of offerings. Make sure that the inscription is written in a language of the spirit addressed. “I conjure you, daemon, whoever you may be, and order you, to torture and kill, from this hour, this day, this moment, the horses of the Green and the White teams; kill and smash the charioteers Clarus, Felix, Primulus, Romanus; do not leave a breath in them. I conjure you. Iao, Iasdao, Oorio, Aeia.” The name of the addressed spirit should also be written on the outside of the rolled up tablet.

Piercing

Once the inscription is written, roll the κατάδεσμος. Pierce it with a bronze or iron nail.

Placement

Place this into the sea, in an underground well, bath, or fountain, with a corpse, near a tomb, or in an area relevant to those being cursed (a curse against a racer under the starting line).

Reversing

To reverse this curse, remove the nails from the κατάδεσμος.

Animals

Mutilated animals can accompany and amplify the power of these spells. Small animals such as roosters, puppies, chameleons, and fish are often used. They are twisted, bound, and even have their mouths sewn shut. Place them with the tablet or dolls nearby and include them in the incantation and/or inscriptions.

beauty requires openness. it asks you to let things reach you, to soften enough to be moved. it’s not naive to see beauty everywhere—it’s a skill, a form of intelligence, a kind of quiet bravery. because it is so much easier to critique than to create, to detach than to engage, to dismiss than to love.

Roi invisible, qui avez pris la terre pour appui et qui en avez creusé les abîmes pour les remplir de votre toute puissance; vous dont le nom fait trembler les voûtes du monde, vous qui faites couler les sept métaux dans les veines de la pierre, monarque des sept lumières, rémunérateur des ouvriers souterrains, amenez-nous à l'air désirable et au royaume de la clarté. Nous veillons et nous travaillons sans relâche, nous cherchons et nous espérons, par les douze pierres de la cité sainte, par les talismans qui sont enfouis, par le clou d'aimant qui traverse le centre du monde. Seigneur, Seigneur, Seigneur, ayez pitié de ceux qui souffrent, élargissez nos poitrines, dégagez et élevez nos têtes, agrandissez-nous. Ô stabilité et mouvement, ô jour enveloppé de nuit, ô obscurité voilée de lumière! Ô maître, qui ne retenez jamais par devers vous le salaire de vos travailleurs! Ô blancheur argentine, ô splendeur dorée! Ô couronne de diamants vivants et mélodieux! Vous qui portez le ciel à votre doigt comme une bague de saphir, vous qui cachez sous la terre dans le royaume des pierreries la semence merveilleuse des étoiles, vivez, régnez et soyez l'éternel dispensateur des richesses dont vous nous avez fait les gardiens. Amen.

O Invisible King who, taking the earth for foundation, didst hollow its depths to fill them with Thy almighty power. Thou whose name shaketh the arches of the world! Thou who causest the Seven Metals to flow through the veins of the rocks! King of the Seven Lights! Rewarder of the subterranean workers! Lead us into the desirable Air and into the Realm of Splendor. We watch and we labor unceasingly, we seek and we hope, by the twelve stones of the Holy City, by the buried talismans, by the Axis of the Lodestone which passes through the center of the Earth. O Lord, O Lord, O Lord! Have pity upon those who suffer. Expand our hearts, detach and upraise our minds, enlarge our natures. O stability and motion! O darkness veiled in brilliance! O day clothed in night! O Master who never dost withhold the wages of Thy workmen! O silver whiteness! O golden splendor! O crown of living and melodious diamond! Thou who wearest the Heavens on Thy finger like a ring of sapphire! Thou who hidest beneath the Earth in the Kingdom of Gems, the marvelous seed of the stars! Live, reign, and be Thou the eternal dispenser of the treasures whereof Thou hast made us the warders! Amen.

Source: PGM VII 215-18

Difficulty: Easy

Materials Needed: Aluminum foil, a dull pencil, rose petals (preferably fresh), a coin or metal charm that embodies friendship, optionally rose water or rose oil

Here is the promised talisman! From my experience with it, the charm makes you a friend in the eyes of everyone, so to speak. When I carried it, I felt more included, listened to, and well-received by people. It helped ease my transition into my summer job.

Here’s my materials. As you can see, I have two four-leaf and one five-leaf clover I will be using instead of rose petals. If you have a magical plant that brings positivity or you work with Aphrodite and she instructs you to use a different plant, feel free to substitute it for the rose petals. The plant component is included purely for magical layering.

Begin by folding your aluminum foil at least three times, running your finger on the edges to give crisp folds.

Here’s a size comparison from the start of how big I’m making my talisman. You may want to practice writing on aluminum foil before making your final product

Next, draw the talisman on one side. Here’s the design:

The idea is to “engrave” it into the aluminum foil using a pencil. I included a picture of my pencil to demonstrate how I truly am using a dull pencil.

I “engraved” it by applying pressure to my pencil and moving slowly. If you folded your foil at least three times, it shouldn’t tear. You can see how there’s an indent in the foil where my pencil was, as if I carved it.

My talisman next to the book design. It’s not a perfect replica, but all of the components are there in the proper places.

Carefully unfold your talisman and put your plant component and coin or charm on the inside. Do not put the coin in the segment that will be the front of your charm, as it will press against your engraving and mess it up.

Here’s the coin that I’m using: one of the special quarters. My logic was the British Surrender was an end to fighting and the beginning of friendly relations between America and Britain, and the picture looks peaceful to me. Clearly there’s nothing sacred to this coin.

A coin or charm that “embodies friendship” includes anything gifted to you by a friend that you associate with your friendship. Again, the idea here is to add layering and literally and metaphorically give the talisman more weight.

Refold your talisman. Then, turn it over and fold in the edges to seal it.

Now it is time to perform the incantation over it to consecrate it. This incantation was not included in the PGM, so I heavily based it on PGM IV 1596-1715, another spell in the same papyrus, and used Aphrodite’s magical names and titles in IV 1265-74, IV 2891-2942, and IV 3209-54.

Speak the following four times over the talisman: I invoke you, O foam-born Kythereia, mother of both gods and men, ethereal and chthonic, all-mother nature, goddess unsubdued. I call upon your holy and great and hidden names. You keep the ever-moving BARZA in her unbroken course, you accomplish everything from head to toes. You move holy desire into the souls of humans and render women desirable. In this way, give beauty and favor and success and friendship to this talisman, which I consecrate today for me, [name]. I invoke you, ILAOCH OBRIЕ̄ LOUCH TLOR, mother of the nymphs. Give friendship to this talisman and render me, [name], amicable in the eyes of all people. Your true name is NEPHERIЕ̄RI. Give favor to this talisman. Please, Mistress ARRО̄RIPHRASI GО̄THЕ̄TINI, Cypress-born, Lady SERTHENEBЕ̄Е̄I, I conjure you O Aphrodite, to accomplish for me everything done by use of this talisman.

When you finish, you can anoint the talisman with rose oil or rose water. I used rose water and find it helpful to refresh the energy with rose water once or twice a week. Carry this talisman with you to benefit from its effects. It doesn’t need to be physically contacting you; I keep it in my wallet.

Source: PGM V 304-69

Difficulty: Advanced

Materials Needed: Paper (preferably unlined), pen, key ring, black thread or cord, myrrh resin, your local graveyard or old well, food and drink for offerings

Is it time to work with angry spirits of the dead? I think it’s time to work with angry spirits of the dead. Yes, this is my first advanced spell where you could seriously harm yourself if you perform this carelessly or unprotected. Magically or mundanely, given it involves wandering around at night. 

This is one of the few serious binding spells that can be performed with household items and the effect lasts as long as the spell stays buried. The original spell calls for an iron ring, but I feel like a steel key ring is a good replacement because a) steel is mostly iron and b) a key ring is all about binding things together.

This is meant to be performed during the waning moon so if anyone’s interested there’s plenty of time to get materials together!

As always, I will caution to perform this spell such that its effect is justified. I personally performed this on someone with semi-arbitrary rules that are harshly enforced that he will not enforce them after he was intrusive and rude to me. This spell is not to be used with petty motivations.

Wear your phylactery (and maybe even other protective items) during the whole course of this spell, including and especially while burying it.

Here are the materials:

Begin by taking your key-ring and outlining it on your paper. You should use a bigger piece of paper than I’m using; I didn’t realize how much is meant to be written underneath.

You’ll see the area of the circle is a bit dark. The original spell says to tint the ring with myrrh ink–which you can definitely do if you have some–but I just took a piece of myrrh and used it like charcoal to color it in. Tint the ring however you wish.

Next, write this palindrome around the ring, starting at the top: IAĒOBAPHRENEMOUNOTHILARIKRIPHIAEUEAIPHIRKIRALITHONUOMENERPHABOĒAI

Remember that PH and TH are a single Greek letter, which is why they do not get reversed in the palindrome.

Add the symbols around the ring shown in the top image.

Underneath this symbols, write this spell:

ARCHOOL LAILAM SEMESILAMPH AMMOPHORIŌN IŌAĒ PHTHOUTH EŌ PHRĒ, the greatest daimon, IAŌ SABAŌTH ARBATHIAŌ LAILAM OSORNŌPHRI EM PHRĒ PHRĒ PHTHA CHRŌIŌ IAŌ BABOURĒ THIMAM EN PHRĒ RENOUSI SABAŌTH BARBARTHIAŌ THACHRA OUCHEETH ESORNŌPHRI [write the palindrome] BAKAXICHYCH MENEBAICHYCH ABRASAX AŌ prevent [goal].

Finally, write this spell inside the ring: (I didn’t take a picture because this is private)

AROAMATHRA ERESCHIGALCH EDANTA IABOU NĒ AKĒ IAŌ DARYKNŌ MANIĒL, let [goal] not be done so like as this ring is buried.

Fold the paper over the ring. (I folded the corners again after taking the picture below to make it more circular)

Using your pen, puncture the paper through the ring.

Finally, you must use your black thread/cord to bind the spell. I’d recommend making radial ties in several directions to ensure that the paper remains fastened to the ring. Make as many ties as feels right. As you tie it up, say the following incantation:

I bind [name] with regard to [goal]. Let him not speak, nor be contrary, nor oppose. Let him not be able to look me in the eyes nor speak against me. Let him be subjected to me, so long as this ring is buried. I bind his mind and his brain, his desire, his actions, so that [restate goal, add extra binding phrases as you want].

Change the pronouns to fit your target. Ensure that you speak the full incantation at least one and repeat it as many times as it takes you to finish tying it.

While not in the spell, I finished off my tie with seven knots and, with each knot, I said, “I bind [name] born of [mother’s name].”

This is your completed spell material. Now, you must bury it. The spell says to either bury it in the grave of one who died an untimely death (aka an angry spirit) or to throw it down an abandoned well. Either will work.

Wherever you choose to do it, ensure that you are wearing your protection against spirits the entire time you are there and that you bring offerings in exchange for the work you’re having them do. The goal is to pick items that the deceased would’ve had in life, so, if it’s your first time working with a spirit, go with staple items like water, milk, bread, fruit, etc. If you’re leaving offerings at an actual graveyard, I’d recommend doing liquid-only as it will absorb into the ground and not spoil or be cleaned away by staff.

Also, since you’re walking around at night, take all the usual street-smart precautions. Pay attention, keep to lit areas as much as you can, go with a friend if you can; you know the drill. And of course, I recommend that you don’t break into places, sneak past guards, or anything else that would invite legal trouble were you caught.

When you get to where you’re depositing it, greet the spirits and see if anyone’s willing to help you. It may help to bring a pendulum for dowsing or asking questions. When you find someone, deposit it and say, “Spirit of the dead, whoever you are, I give [name] over to you so that he/she/they may not [goal]. In exchange for your work, I give you these offerings.” Place/pour the offerings. If your binding has a certain time frame that it needs to work, you can also promise the spirit a greater reward should it complete the task for you. (and then give it if it does!) The spell is complete now, so walk home.

I adapted a spell from the PGM to 1, engage with a lunar eclipse and 2, leverage my devotional relationship with Selene. (And 3, not be quite so … PGM-y. Y’all know what I mean.) I don’t know that it would be effective without that preexisting relationship, but here it is for curiosity’s sake:

A Spell to Direct the Goddess’s Wrath Toward One Who Has Wronged You

As the eclipse perfects, burn frankincense as an offering to the goddess and create a name paper for the target NN, incorporating her full legal name, birthday, place of birth, natal signs, and as much detail as you wish.

Read the prayer to Selene for all purposes (PGM IV. 2785-2890).

When the goddess arrives, importune her: “Mighty Selene who traverses the underworld, visit your wrath upon NN as NN’s name is dissolved by this vinegar.” Lower the name paper into the dish of vinegar. “Likewise pour out your spite upon NN as this rust and water corrode NN’s name.” Pour water in which nails have rusted into the dish. “Likewise dig out what is good in NN’s life, gnawing away at everything NN enjoys.” Drop in each cherry pit. “Do not grant NN relief until she comes to me with an apology and sincere sorrow.”

Tell the goddess anything else relevant about the situation. Offer her frankincense and the cherries from which the pits were cut. End the rite in the usual way.

First we'll cover the Greek Magical Papyri, before moving onto Planetary Hours and Days as covered by Solomon.

As for the Misfortunes - these are Saturn and Mars For the Fortunes - these are Venus and Jupiter. A combust moon means that it is within 9 degrees of the Sun Something that is rising is generally near the Ascendant. A Conjunction is when two planets link up in the same sign or house Good aspects are sextile and trines Inauspicious Aspects are Oppositions and Squares (depending on the context) The Waxing Moon is suitable for works of increase The Waning Moon is suitable for decrease

Greek Magical Papyri

The Moon in Virgo is desirable as anything is obtainable and bowl divination can be performed at this time. The Moon in Cancer is useful for performing spells of reconciliation and air divination The Moon in Gemini is suited to spells of Binding The Moon in Libra is suited towards invocations, spells of release and necromancy The Moon in Pisces is suited to Love Charms The Moon in Sagittarius is suited to conducting business The Moon in Capricorn - do what is necessary

Key of Solomon

The Days and Hours of Saturn are suited towards works where one summons the spirits of those that died a natural death. One may also work to bring good or bad fortune to a building, have your familiar spirits attend you in your sleep, cause good or ill success to businessess, possessions, goods, seeds, fruits and similar things. Spells can be done to acquire learning and also to bring destruction and death, and to sow hatred and discord.

The Days and Hours of Jupiter are suited to obtaining honours, acquiring riches, contracting friendships, preserving health and arriving at all thou canst desire.

The Days and Hours of Mars are suited towards works regarding works, to arriving at military honour, acquiring courage, to overthrow enemies and further to cause ruin, slaughter, cruelty and discord, to wound and to give death.

The Days and Hours of the Sun are good at perfecting experiments regarding temporal health, hope, gain, fortune, divination, the favour of princes (or those high in power), to dissolve hostility and to make friends.

The Days and Hours of Venus are suited to forming friendships, for kindness and love, for joyous and pleasant undertakings, and for travelling.

The Days and Hours of Mercury are suited to works for eloquence and intelligence, promptitude in business, science and divination, wonders, apparitions and answers regarding the future, you can operate under this planet for thefts, writings, deceit and merchandise.

The Days and Hours of the Mon are good for embassies, voyages, envoys, mesages, navigations, reconciliation, love, acquisition of merchandise by water and dreams.

The Hours of Saturn, Mars and the Moon are good for speaking with Spirits and those of Mercury aid in the recovering of stolen goods by way of Spirits

The Hours of Mars serve to summon spirits of those slain in battle

The Hours of Venus, the Sun and Jupiter are adapted to any operations whatsoever of love, kindness and of invisibility.

The Hours of Saturn and Mars and the days where the moon is conjunct with them or when she receives their opposition or quartile aspect is suited for works to inspire hatred, enmity, quarrel and discord.

The Hours of Mercury are good for the undertaking of spells related to games, jests and the like.

The Hours of the Moon are suitable for making trial of experiments relating to the recovery of stolen goods, for obtaining nocturnal visions, for summoning spirits in sleep and for preparing anything in relation to water.

The Hours of the Sun, Jupiter and Venus, particularly on the days that they rule are suited for all extraordinary, uncommon or unknown operations.

The Hours of Venus are further useful for lots, poisons and all things of the Nature of Venus, for preparing powders provocative of madness and the like things.

For matters of necromancy, invocations of spirits and the recovery of stolen property - the moon is best in a Earth Sign - Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.

For Matters of love, grace and invisibility - let the moon be in a Fire Sign - Aries, Leo or Sagittarius

For Matters of hatred, discord or destruction - let the Moon be in a watery sign - Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces

For Matters of a peculiar nature - the Moon should be in an airy sign - Gemini, Libra or Aquarius.

The Waxing Moon is supportive of all constructions and operations of any matter. The Full moon is good for any experiment. The waning moon is good for war, disturbance and discord. The moon when she nears her new phase is suited for invisibility and death. No works should be done when the Moon is dark, however.