Magick on the Go – Instinctive and Immediate!

When most witches start to perform magick they will look at what has been done before, to give them an idea of what should be done and how to do it. After all, it has worked for others, so it must be right…

You can set up an altar. Collect herbs for incense or to brew a potion. Use candles of the correct colour, maybe even perform a ritual bath. Your words and incantations are carefully noted down so that you get them right. You may cast a circle if you feel the need. For many witches this is the only way they know and will be the only way they feel comfortable casting a spell or performing a rite.

But sometimes we are thrown a curve-ball and need to perform something quickly. You may not have the ingredients to hand or be anywhere near your sacred space when you receive news that something needs to be done. A friend or relative could be in danger, or taken sick. Sometimes your preferred ingredients are not available…what can you do? Should you ignore this need to help simply because it is inconvenient?

Many book-taught witches will fall flat on their face and not know what to do. A more experienced witch should have worked out that it is the focus and intent which matters, the tools are secondary and only there to aid focus. Magick can be performed just as effectively without them. A witch is not a ritual magician – the words, tools and timings are not vital to a successful spell.

This is where instinctive magick comes into its own. You may be in a public place and not able to use any tools at all, but you can still take a few moments in a quieter area to focus. Assess the need and the situation. Follow your gut. If it can wait until you get home, then do so, but even then you may wish to send an energy boost or raise a stronger shield until such time as you can perform something more substantial.

If you are out in the countryside, or even in a public park, you are close to nature already. There is no need to cleanse the space before use. It can be hard to find green spaces in the cities, but even the most congested of urban areas will have small green oasis to utilise.

You may not have a specific spell or chant which fits the need. This is no excuse for non-action. Speak words which fit the situation. Be specific about what action is required. It does not have to rhyme and is just as effective, sometimes even more so. Having to think about what you want to say focuses the mind much better than simply reading someone else’s words.

There are times when I have gone out for a quick walk in my local area to gather ingredients for a quick potion for protection. Even in the depths of winter you would be surprised what is out there. If your potion is not meant to be ingested, then your ingredients do not have to be measured out but should have some link to what your potion is for. You would not want to use a poison to heal, but may wish to include them to keep evil intent at bay, so you should not use random berries/flowers if you do not know what they are.

If you wish to brew a potion (whether from a book or a quick on-the-hop concoction) you should NEVER use a pan which you would use for cooking. Keep one or more pans specifically for this use so that there is no risk of cross-contamination. On the same note you should never ingest something unless you know exactly what is in there, the measurements and strengths used and the effects this may have. Even some incenses may give off a toxic smoke, so be cautious.

Incenses have to be dry when burned, so it is not always possible to gather and use straight away, but culinary herbs can be used too. See what is in your kitchen already – you may have something which fits the purpose.

Even if you do not have to perform any magick, it is a good idea to keep your eyes open when you go out. Some items can only be gathered at certain times of the year, such as flowers or berries, but if you gather some and dry them, they can be stored. Making use of what nature provides is how our ancestors would have worked and we should learn from this.

However it should be stated that any actions done on the hoof should be documented. You can note what was used, what was said and any effects. This is the basis of your personal book of shadows, which will be unique to you and far more powerful than anything you can pick up off the internet.

FFF Daeneb of Albion