Magical Power for Beginners

Deborah Lipp was initiated into a traditional Gardnerian coven of Witches in 1981, became a High Priestess in 1986, and has been teaching Wicca and running Pagan circles ever since. She has appeared in various media discussing Wicca, including the A and E documentary Ancient Mysteries: Witchcraft in America, on MSNBC, in The New York Times, and in many smaller TV and print sources. Deborah has been published in many Pagan publications, including The Llewellyn Magical Almanac, Pangaia, Green Egg, The Druid's Progress, Converging Paths, and The Hidden Path, as well as Mothering Magazine. She has lectured at numerous Pagan festivals on a variety of topics. Deborah is a technical writer with a variety of skills. She lives in Rockland County, NY, with her son, Arthur, who tap dances, and two cats. Deborah reads and teaches Tarot, designs wire-and-bead jewellery, solves and designs puzzles, watches old movies, hand-paints furniture, and dabbles in numerous handcrafts.

• ContentsExercises and Figures xiiiAcknowledgments xvIntroduction 1How This Book Came About 3Ritual and Magic 4What’s in This Book? 5Chapter 1: What Is Magic? 7What Does Magic Do? 13How Does Magic Work? 15What Is a Spell? 17Chapter 2: Everything Is Connected to Everything Else 21Experiencing Connection 22The Road Map of Interconnection 23Sympathetic Magic 31Chapter 3: Time and Space 37Time 37How Does Transcending Time Affect Magic? 40The Final Frontier 42Ritual Transcendence 44Chapter 4: Magical Intention 47Firm Desire 49Fixed and Conscious Focus 51Determination and Confidence 52Emotion 56Developing Mind Skills 57Meditation 58Grounding and Centering 71Visualization and Sensory Exercises 76Using Triggers 81Using Focal Objects 83Chapter 5: Raising Power, Part One: Power Sources, Deity, and Self 85Where Does Power Come From? 86Power from Deity 86Power from the Self 95Accessing Power from the Mind and Body Jointly 107Chapter 6: Raising Power, Part Two: Natural and Supernatural Sources, Accumulated Power, Magic Words, and Flavor 115Power from Natural and Supernatural Sources 115Saved, Accumulated, or Stored Power 134Magic Words 144Flavors of Power 151Chapter 7: Sending Power 159Target and Goal 160Splitting Focus 169Sending in a Burst: "Male" Power Sending 175Sending in Waves: "Female" Power Sending 178Sending Power into Storage 179Mass Sending 185Deciding How to Raise and Send Power 188Chapter 8: Spells 195Fine-Tuning a Spell 196The Components of a Spell 198Chapter 9: Constructing a Spell 229Brainstorming 230First Steps 233The Sample Spells 235Evocations/Invocations 264How to Dress a Candle 266All-Purpose Spells 267Some Spells Mentioned in This Book 271Finally … 283Appendix A: Tables of Correspondences 285Appendix B: Spell Basics 295Appendix C: Recommended Reading 299Bibliography 307Index 311 Chapter 10: Bag of Tricks 251 Stocking Your Magical Shelf 251 Consecrations 260