The Element Encyclopedia of 1000 Spells: A Concise Reference Book for the Magical Arts. Judika Illes
Magic spells take many forms, avail themselves of many powers, and depend upon various elements, tools, and components. Some of these elements, tools, and components occur naturally on Earth, while others are crafted by people. Sometimes these elements and components can be put neatly into categories and sometimes, magic being the unruly, disobedient force that it is, they overlap and merge in a surreal dream-like manner.
Some spells are object-driven; others are dependent upon the power of words. Some require dozens of unusual plants and minerals, while other spells, which rank among the most difficult to cast because you must do all the energy transformation independently, require nothing more than the force of your personal will. Some spells walk a razor’s edge between religion and magic on the one hand, and traditional healing and magic on the other. Partly this is because of magic’s tendency to appropriate any object, system, or method that demonstrates potential for power, and partly this is because, once upon a time, distinctions between various arts and sciences weren’t drawn as rigidly as they are today. Awareness of magic power and the desire to use it for one’s own benefit is the primordial human art and science. Religion, traditional medicine, astrology, alchemy, aromatherapy, perfumery, music, dance, visual art, and more are all rooted in magic and shamanism.
Before any spell is cast, the initial requirement is that you have a personal goal. What do you want to achieve? What do you wish to prevent? What are your secret desires, your deepest fears? Magic spells are always cast for a purpose, even if it’s a generic one like “personal happiness,” the proverbial “peace on Earth,” or obtaining vague “good fortune.” The more specific your desire, the more clearly articulated your vision, the deeper your passion, the more likely it is that your spell will work. There is not one type of spell that is inherently more powerful than another; there are only spells and styles of spell-casting that are more effective for a specific individual. Part of the fun and challenge of spell-casting is finding the spells that best suit you.
In this section we will examine various styles of spell-casting, the various elements of magic, and the tools and ingredients required to cast spells.
Spell-casting Using the Power of Animals
Spells are cast using the power of animal allies and familiars. Animal allies, familiars, and the magic power inherent in specific animal species can help you achieve your spell’s goals.
Notice that the above sentence reads “power of animals” not “parts of animals.” If this book included spells utilizing anatomical parts of animals, it could easily have been called The Element Encyclopedia of 10,000 Spells. It’s not necessary to point any fingers; more cultures than not have engaged in this practice. It’s not necessary to discuss whether those spells ever worked or not, either. If they did work, would that make them acceptable today? That discussion veers dangerously close to the opinion frequently expressed about how tragic it is that tigers may soon be extinct in the wild because poachers kill them for medicines and aphrodisiacs that don’t work. If the medicines did work, would the situation be any less tragic? Whether those old spells ever worked or not, we now live in an era where the balance of nature is terribly tipped. Those spells are no longer viable. Because spells that rely on any part of an animal, physical or otherwise, are ultimately dependent upon the good-will of its presiding Animal Spirit, those old anatomy-dependent spells will no longer work for us and may even backfire on the spell-caster. Magic is a living, evolutionary art, not a static situation; what worked once must be adapted to present needs.
Whether those old practices (rabbits’ feet for money spells, badgers’ feet for childbirth spells) were ever as prevalent as some would have us believe is subject to debate. The most sensational, lurid aspects of magic are inevitably emphasized by outsiders and story-tellers. The only thing many know about the vast, sophisticated magical system Hoodoo, for instance, is the infamous black cat bone. Spells using parts of animals are also taken out of context. Once upon a time, people were responsible for killing their own food. Nothing was wasted. What wasn’t eaten was utilized for other purposes, including magic. Out of context, a spell can sound terribly cruel. Thus, a Romany amulet called “eyes of the crayfish” implies that only the eyes are used, having been plucked out of the poor creature. In reality, “eyes of the crayfish” refers to scrapings from inside the shell, the crayfish itself having been served for dinner.
If you perceive power in this type of spell, however, they can be modernized, adapted, and improved. Candles, charms, and images, for instance, allow us to access the inherent energy of a specific animal species in a manner that retains magic power and is safe for both animal and practitioner. For example, hummingbirds are a frequent component of Central American love spells; a copper or gemstone hummingbird charm allows you to synchronize the inherent animal energy with a compatible material for enhanced spell-casting. For maximum effect, consecrate the charm to the animal spirit, which you would be unable to do if you were using actual body parts obtained through the animal’s suffering.
This should not be considered mere New Age fluffy-bunny adaptation. Since ancient days animal image magic has been among the most powerful. What-was the Biblical golden calf after all but a magic image? A living calf would have been far less trouble. It was the specific juncture of animal magical symbolism with metal’s inherent magical energy, guided by human fear and desire, that accurately and potently manipulated and directed magic power.
Animal sacrifice has no place in magic; it is religious ritual entirely and completely, without overlap. All religious traditions at one time or another conducted animal sacrifice, some just further back than others. Some continue these traditions while others do not. What is certain is that no religious tradition permits laypeople to conduct these sacrifices. Permission is granted only after strict training and initiation. Where magic approaches the border of religion, symbols are used rather than actual animals. Burn a dove-shaped candle to petition Aphrodite during a love spell or offer her the gift of a figurine, rather than killing her sacred bird. Again, this is not fluffy-bunny magic but ancient tradition. How can you reconcile the idea of a deity who accepts sacrificial offerings of a beloved, sacred creature in one context, but who angrily punishes anyone who harms a hair on the head of that creature in another? Over two thousand years ago, Hecate accepted sacrifices of dogs in her official temples, killed only by official priestesses in the context of very specific ritual. Even back then, individuals who preferred to make independent, private offerings, or who could not afford to pay the temple the cost of a dog, successfully offered tiny stone dog fetishes to Hecate instead.
There are magic spells contained in this book that require the participation of animals. It’s assumed that they’ll be treated with the respect one would pay human or spirit partners. It is also assumed that at the conclusion of the spell, the animal will be in as good a condition, if not better, as it was at the spell’s beginning.
Several spells require cuts of meat similar to those you might eat for dinner, assuming you are not a vegetarian. Meat for these spells should be purchased in the same manner that you would normally obtain meat for a meal. There are many spells that require eggs, honey, and milk. Vegans may choose not to perform these ones, and there are many more spells in the book that do not use animal products. Magic spells are not divorced from real life. If something offends you in any another context, then it’s likely to be inappropriate for you magically as well.
Manipulation of fragrance is an extremely important component of magic spells. As most fragrances derive from botanicals, the topic will be discussed in greater detail in that section. However, certain very famous fragrances have traditionally derived from animal sources, most notably civet, musk, ambergris, and castoreum. Castoreum, derived from beavers, is today only available in synthetic versions. One spell featuring one drop of civet is included in this book (it is the only ingredient in this sex-magic spell) because, in theory at least, the fragrance may be obtained without unduly harming the animal, and arguments have been made that this may be the only way to guarantee the seriously endangered civet’s survival.