If we surrendered to the Earth’s intelligence
we’d rise up rooted like trees. – Rainer Maria Rilke
First step. Tune in. What is the prayer in your heart? Does this prayer need to be a practice? Is Mystery asking you to make this prayer? Is it about you? Is it about someone else? Is it about reconnecting with the sacred within and around you?
Be honest, and open to finding the threads of the prayer that leads you to yourself and also to others. Let this prayer be the spell that Mystery wants you to speak.
If you determine the prayer wants to be a practice, wants to be a teacher, wants to be an agent of change, then craft your intention.
What are you praying for?
Be careful with your words. Remember all the fairytales about poorly expressed wishes—the magical loopholes that bring calamity rather than blessing. Take heed of what you are asking, and how it needs to be asked. Who are you asking? Who will this prayer take from? Who will it give to? What is the debt of this prayer? Are you willing to obligated to this magic? Listen.
Much of the work of being a Witch is about ethics. A surprising amount, really.
Begin to form the words of power that will animate your spell. This is intention. This is the naming power of the Witch. Intention is a declaration of desire. It is also a contract. Words to stand by and be accountable for.
Play. Yes, play is part of a spell. This is where you gather together your symbols and toys to imagine how to activate your spell through associations and imagination. Pay attention to cultural appropriation. Are these symbols and associations for you? What does belong to you? Play is sacred and serious. Ask any child. This sacred play helps us practice, rehearse, and refine what we want from our spells. This play also activates intuition and creativity, which are doorways to manifestation. What will you gather to stand for the elements of this spell?
Things to play with.
I am an astrologer. I am biased. I always include these components in every spell:
The Moon. The Moon has long been associated with spellwork. Follow the Moon through phase, sign, and aspects it makes with other planets. What does this information tell you about your spell? How does it bring you deeper into your purpose?
The sky. The planets are the Godds who tell larger stories, both personal and collective. Which Godd governs your spell? Which Godd will best influence its outcome? Who is helping? Who isn’t? What guidance will you receive from these Godds?
The seasons. What is happening on the Earth where you live? Is it a planting time, a reaping time, or a resting time? What animals and plants are about? What are they teaching you? Can they be asked to join your spell?
Other possible components:
Sigils – Graphic representation of your spell based on symbols, words, glyphs, and any mark of power.
Talismans – An object created and imbued with magical intention.
Elemental objects – Representatives of the elements of air, fire, water, earth, and spirit.
Candles – To help focus; can be charged with intention.
Sensory objects – Bring in your senses. Imagine how each of them can help you with intention. Include things you can wear.
Chants/songs – Spoken and sung words that reflect or state intention.
Movement – A motion that can anchor the intention in your body and raise energy to feed the spell.
Artwork, craft, creation – What can you create that will support and deepen the spell? Use as a focal piece, a repetitive action, a magical contract.
Allies, Ancestors, and Godds – Who will help you? How will you maintain this relationship?
Altars – A place to help you focus, honor, and feed the spell.
Charging and tending the spell. Every spell needs to be charged and tended. Pick your moment to begin. Perform a ritual. Add energy through movement, sound, sex—anything that elevates energy in your body can be sent to charge your spell. Bind the spell with this energy. Tending a spell deepens the experience and potency of the spell when we back up our prayers with action. What are mundane and magical ways to support your spell? What is your key of rememberance—a way to remember the intention?
Timing and duration. Astrological wisdom suggests that beginnings are important. Timing your spell with a new Moon or other special moment (consult the stars!) adds strength to the intention. How long will you actively feed and tend this spell? A lunar cycle is a powerful framework for this work.
Putting the spell to rest. Remember to intentionally bring your spell to a conclusion. Even spells that feel permanent benefit from acknowledging when a season or year has passed. Check in with the intention. Does it still hold for you? For other spells, you may want to take down the altar, compost or dismantle objects, and release energy. Send gratitude to your helpers and teachers, reflect on what you learned and what you gained from the spell. For every blessing received, we are obligated to pass along the blessing. Honor the magic by sending it to others and continuing to tend relationships you have established. Magic is linked with the Earth’s intelligence. The direction that magic wants to take us is toward rooted relationship. And this relationship is everything.
I am available for personal consultations around timing and setting of intention. Go to: www.starsdanceastrology.com to book a consultation
I write a daily forecast, Follow the Moon, based on the lunar cycle. Use this information to time and align your intention with the sky’s cycles. Subscribe to this forecast at: www.patreon.com/teristar
Join Starsdance Mystery School to learn Queer astrology and practice magic in an online community. Find out more: https://starsdanceastrology.com/mystery-school/faqs/.
Our next class, Conjuring Signs, begins Aug. 30 2020. Registration is open now.
Starsdance Astrology 
You must be logged in to post a comment.