SoM Survival Guide

Welcome to Spells of Magic,

This site is for people who are interested in magic and similar pagan and new age subjects of the mind, body, and spirit. This is a guide for those who are newcomers and for those who need a review or fresh outlook. I have created this guide Version 1.1 that will be updated periodically because I know that some people have a hard time getting started on here and a lot of people ask questions about the site, some of which answers can be found sporadically in FAQ's and throughout the site but I decided to put everything I could think of in one simple place.

Part. I The SoM Hierarchy

(Hierarchy and Member Labels/Status)

Newbie -You are considered a newbie when you first sign up for the Website. You will gain a more renowned status after you have participated and have shown who you are and what you know.

Regular Member -You are a regular member if you frequently login to the site and participate in discussions and make posts in the forums.

Contributor -is a member who has significantly put in their time and effort by adding posts in the forums, articles, spells etc. They have taken their time to be thorough and efficient, and have overall been helpful to the site. You must reach this status before you can be considered for Moderatorship etc.

Moderator - is a member of high status and regard who looks after the website mainly in the chatter and in forums seeing that rules are followed and that the site is kept in proper order. These members gain their status and authority by displaying their ability to maintain order and keep the peace, by being knowledgeable in their posts and in chatter, by being dedicated to the site and being a member for a period of significant time. They are selected by the site admin and other moderators although it ultimately comes down to being a responsible individual and doing well. Moderators are members just like everyone else and their actions are just as liable as other members and the same rules still apply to them.

Admin - are members who manage the site, they are very busy and do not like to be bothered unless there is a serious site issue that cannot be resolved by bringing it to the attention of a moderator or finding a solution within the FAQ's or forums.

Editors - are able to modify submitted content. These people are usually very knowledgeable in their own occult and magic topics. To become an editor you must have been a member of the site for a significant amount of time and have contributed to the site in such a way to show that you are qualified and responsible enough to handle the duties of an editor.

Publishers - are chosen from editors who have shown a mastery of editing content and are trusted to make any changes editors suggest live. In addition to the Editors listed here, all Moderators are also Editors.

Freeloader - is considered to be a member who lingers without significantly participating. Usually they read and take from the forums, spells, and articles without adding or posting little to no content themselves.

Fluffy - also known by many other names is the worst label a member can have, usually this behavior especially repeatedly can result in being gagged or banned. These members are classified as people who give the serious members who are here to learn and share the true meaning and values of what magic really is and what it can do a bad name. They do not necessarily do bad or objectionable things but rather they can frequently be conceited, overconfident, poorly informed, immature, and sometimes exhibit a sophomoric humor. They refuse to learn or accept other peoples opinions and beliefs, and they think there can never be a possibility that their ever wrong.

Some examples to this behavior are:

• Pretending to be the following- A Vampire, A Mermaid, A Werewolf, A Demon, A Fairy, A Half this and that Hybrid, or anything mythological or legendary in nature.
• By lacking the ability or willingness to understand and accept common and basic concepts, the resistance or ability to complete tasks or answer questions without credible or accepted sources, and by not using or listening to reason, logic, reality even when a multitude of people agree or have concluded the same result.
• By displaying excessive amounts of overconfidence, being blatantly annoying, exuding supremacy or acting like you are better than someone else (especially when you don't know each other beyond a certain limit considering this is cyberspace).

Part. II Understanding The Public Chatter

The Public Chatter-is a chat room for members to publicly discuss topics related to magic and questions and help regarding the site. Occasionally when the topic has stopped and no one has started another magical related topic people will discuss other topics that can be odd, weird, unique, and frequently entertaining and humorous. Sometimes things can get rocky and out of control. At other times the chat can be quiet or it can slow down, but it happens.

*Note* The chat can occasionally become sluggish or lagged where messages are delayed from being posted. Sometimes messages don't go through at all. This can be due to having two chat windows open the easiest way to fix that is close both of them then only open one chat window. The common ways to fix the problem are refreshing the page, logging out and then back in again, restarting your internet browser, clearing your cache, resetting your cookies, and/or restarting your computer. Petrarca has stated that People outside of the USA may experience more lag time in the chatter simply because of normal Internet latency issues; a solution to help with this issue is being worked on in a new version of the chatter.

Important Things To Avoid in Chat & On The Site in General:

(These things can result in becoming gagged by a moderator. Being gagged is an action that moderators can employ that essentially disables a member's ability to chat, post or reply to messages, post in the forums etc. Basically if you are gagged your ability to communicate on the site is disabled)

• Do not use Text Speak in the chat, forums, or elsewhere except in private messages and mail. Please spell out your words. Text speak is substituting abbreviations for words. Examples of this are: using u for you, plz for please, an1 for anyone, 4 for for, thx or thnx for thanks etc.
• Using* lol/LOL and Brb are allowed from what Petrarca has stated. The reason text speak is not allowed is because it is very confusing and it's not a recognized language, people who do not understand or speak English very well have a difficult time enough without deciphering cryptics.
• Do Not Use All Capital Letters such as "HEY GUYS, WHAT"S UP?" or even simple words like HELLO even using all caps to make a POINT or to EMPHASIZE is not allowed. Petrarca has stated that using all caps for Abbreviations like USA are allowed.
• Do not stretch out your words- an example is "Sssttreettcch".
• Do not Spam the chatter- spamming is when someone floods the chat with lyrics, repeating the same message more than once without allowing other people prompt time to reply. This also includes using excessive smileys and user actions (/me function).
• Do not Threaten or Harass members-this includes being rude, disrespectful, racist, and being aggressive etc.
• Do not argue with the moderators over rule enforcement or the quality of Moderation- you will easily find yourself getting gagged for arguing with a moderator. Arguing with other members is rude and a waste of everyone's time. Especially don't argue about who knows more about such and such, who is better at this and that, and my personal favorite; who is more powerful than who. Debates are okay as long as it is appropriate and respectful, using facts and sources to back up what you state and or claim.
• Do not Role-play or Exhibit symptoms or behaviors of Fluffiness- This means do not pretend to accomplish feats that defy the physical reams of possibility and the limitations of reality. Do not make claims or pretend to be Mythological or legendary creatures such as Vampires, Werewolves, Demons, Fairies, Mermaids, Elves, Hybrid Mixes, Half this and that etc. If you believe that you are that is your own prerogative and right however please keep it to yourself or keep it confined to private messages and/or private mail.
• Do not Boast or Be Overconfident- Acting like you are superior or better than others is annoying, rude, and arrogant. Speak freely but do not deny others their right to speak and share their beliefs and opinions. If you disagree with them then either debate the issue using facts to back up your statements or agree to disagree. Do not attack other peoples statements and posts etc.
• Do not Advertise or Post Links in the Public Chat- Only Moderators are privileged with being allowed to post links within the public chat. Advertising your services or website etc. is not allowed and is considered spam. There is a specific Forum category in the public forums to advertise or share information on services and websites.
• Do not ask questions such as- "How do I become a witch?", "How do I get magical powers?", "How do I become such and such? Most of the time you will be either ignored or may get replies such as you can't or learn the basics etc.
• Do not make romantic or sexual advances or suggestions in chat or anywhere on the site-Many youth visit the site daily, some people intentionally mislead their bio info etc. Do not use sexually explicit language, terms, or comments. This site is not intended to be a dating service either.
• Do not use any language but English in Chatter-This is to avoid confusion, misunderstanding etc. If you are discussing magical topics regarding the use of Latin or other tongues etc, keep it confined to the private messaging and mail system or within forums.
• Do not ask or request to become a Moderator- Do not harass or continually ask moderators their business and how to become one of them, they will simply tell you it's none of your business, read the forums, and/or they may gag you for not leaving them alone.

*Note* If you get gagged you may return to this website by signing up for a new account with a new username. As long as you don't continue to break the rules, you should be fine. If you want to know why your account got gagged you have the right to find out which moderator gagged you account and for what reason. However do not come into chat talking about it or demanding answers and especially do not be rude or disrespectful. Simply mail one of the moderators politely asking them if they know who gagged you or know what happened. If the moderator does not know then leave it at that and move on. If you find your answer you may mail that moderator and respectfully explain your situation and what happened and discuss it, However the word and decision of a moderator is final and not to be argued with.

In addition If you inquire about a gag you may get an explanation of why you where gagged and then again you may not. It really depends on the situation at hand. Which person you are asking about the gag and what the moderator has to say about it. Moderators get so many complaints and questions about gags that it is extremely difficult to keep up with all the constant mails about them. One suggestion if you have been gagged is politely, after it happens; wait for a response from the moderator who gagged you. If you do not receive one then ask another mod to inform you if they can help you about the gag. If you get no response do not bother that mod again about it. If you ask several mods about the situation and dont get any responses then move on from the situation. Sometimes they do not have the time to explain why you got gagged due to many reasons.

Part. III Understanding The Forums

There are two separate but distinctive types of forums. The Public forum, in which is the most popular and visited, which can be viewed by guest but only registered members of the site may participate in actively posting and replying to topics and threads. The second type of forum is very similar but is separate and unique for each Coven/Group on the site. The same rules generally apply when posting within the forums.

Each forum has a specific Topic that is listed and threads and posts must be placed in the appropriate forum category. Some forums have specific rules that are usually posted and stickied as the first thread within that particular forum.

Part. IV Understanding The Covens/Groups

Covens are groups of people that gather in a private place for a specific purpose and/or for people who share similar beliefs, views, paths, and goals. Each individual coven is led by a High Priestess and a High Priest, although gender is irrelevant as some covens are led by two priestesses or two priests. In most covens there are secondary but important positions called councilors who represent and act as leaders of the coven when the Priest or Priestess is not present etc. They may have various duties that the HP's may assign. Each coven is unique and has their own forum, spellbook in which spells can be added usually by the high priestess/priest and by councilors only. When in a coven it is respectful and proper to keep personal Coven business and issues within the coven itself and should not be publicly announced. Although informational/knowledgeable posts have been seen in both Coven and Public forums.

Many people ask or wonder about finding the right coven for them. As I have stated before they are all unique and are dedicated to a specific path, aspect or goal etc.

Tips on Finding and Choosing the Right Coven For You:

• Each coven has a homepage that describes the coven and its purpose and goals in detail. Many people overlook this and don't bother reading it, but by doing so you will get an idea of what the coven is like and about.
• Look at who you are, your path, associations, correspondences, aspects etc. and match those to a coven that is based to such similarities.
• Ask or Talk to the Coven Leaders or Councilors and even members who are willing to share about their coven.
• Use your intuition and Instincts to guide your choices and do or choose what you feel is right for you, do not be pressured or get stressed out, everything happens in its own time.

*Note* that when applying to a coven to follow their instructions for the application process. Usually by mailing both the high priestess and priest with you application questions. Note that also some covens do not have active leaders (High Priestess/High priest) and those covens function by members just posting within that coven's forum.

Currently no new covens can be created due to the fact that when users were freely able to create their own covens people took things like common sense for granted. People made ridiculous and un-serious covens. People could not spell or use proper grammar, and or there was no or little activity for the coven to be worthwhile.

Part. V Understanding The Spells on SoM

In addition to Coven's having their own spellbooks where they can add their own spells and rituals; there is a large section containing thousands of spells and rituals submitted by members. There are about a hundred spell categories to choose from.

However with the over abundance of spells to choose from, the lack of determining the spell's authenticity or effectiveness, and the lack of understanding on how spells are created, performed, and cast, and their true meaning and purpose, there is a lot of confusion and misrepresentation that further continues the cycle of ignorance or failure to accept that something are just not possible "Which is unfortunately a known hard cold fact of life".

There is an invasion of sorts of fluffy or ridiculous spells and rituals that are the results from a myriad of fictional sources such as the media "Hollywood" and very creative imaginations. There is a difference between a spell or ritual that has true potential and has a significant meaning and power within the confines of reality and possibility; and spells that are clearly the work of fictional dreams or wishes of misinformed or mentally and spiritually immature individuals.

My personal belief on using spells is to write your own, the spell you write and cast is for a specific goal and you are putting your desires, goals, and intent into the spell. I have to mention that spells do not have to be elaborate nor do they have to rhyme although some people prefer them that way and rhyming also gives a flow of resonant energy that vibrates, but again is not necessary. Spells can simply be stating your desire or goal, they can be complex and ritualistic in which you perform certain actions and using tools such as candles, incense, paper, wands etc. No matter what you decide to do it is the intent you put into the spell and ultimately the outcome is what matters most. Also think about the consequences of the spell whether they are positive or negative and think about how the spell will affect others. Somethings are unavoidable but use common sense. If you feel that you need to use someone else's spell that is okay too; as long as you think about the things stated above.

People need to understand two important things about magic and spells:

• First, Magic and/or spells are not the solution to every problem- in fact sometimes doing nothing is the best remedy. Magic is neither good nor evil, white or black or any color for that matter, at its core, but is rather defined by the wielder and his or her intentions, though intentions may be great it is the results that truly matter. *Note* that associating a color to symbolize different types of magic etc. is acceptable and many find it useful in discerning the differences. One can associate White Magic as Positive or Beneficial Magic and you can associate Black Magic as being Dark, Negative, or Selfish Magic, or another definition is that White Magic as Magic that is practiced without interfering or affecting the Free Will of others while Black Magic negates Free Will and the Practitioner does not discern consequences or how the magic affects other people.
• Secondly, magic and/or Spells cannot change your shape, weight, height, size, skin color, gender, sexual orientation etc. It cannot also change you into a mythological creature such as a vampire, demon, werewolf, mermaid, elf, angel, mixed hybrid etc, and it cannot help or make you fly or teleport.

Part. VI Learning and Understanding The Basics

Many people are new to the craft, magic, and pagan and occult traditions. Many people inquire about learning magic and the craft and have little to no knowledge of where to get started and frequently ask in the chatter and the forums what to do or where to start. It can often times be annoying for more experienced members to have to repeatedly explain things over and over to new members and practioners etc. There is also a plethora of books and resources containing vast amounts of information on magic and various pagan and occult subjects, all you need to do is look or search for them using strategic research methods such as being specific in your search terms etc.

(*Note* that not everyone believes or practices all of which is stated here but is rather here for an introduction, which may be interpreted or used at your own right.)

The First step of the basics is understanding and defining what magic is, and how you see and understand it.

Real Magic is not merely an assortment of skills and techniques. It's a blend of interest and dedication. Which allows each person to observe, to learn, to adapt, and to invent unique ways of changing identity and reality from within by manifesting your intentions into reality by a myriad of different means?

In my own personal opinion and belief, Magic is the force that weaves the very fabric of life, it holds together space and time and everything within. Magic nourishes nature and in turn nature nourishes us by supplying bounties of food, water, and air. It is a collective power that can be used as a powerful force to manifest ones will or desires to bring about specific changes in the world of the living or beyond. Using strong belief, concentrated energy, desire, and visualization one can achieve such an action. Magic can be manifested in many forms such as spells, rituals, chants, prayers, meditation, and even mere thought. It is the point in which the boundaries of reality and chaos unfold. Where sheer willpower meets a unifying force of power, which is the most supreme. It cannot be defined nor explained in its truest sincerity; although many great scholars and practioner's of magic have tried. The greatest of all forces is that of Love, it is unyielding and intoxicating; a constant force that drives the very essence of magic. It is the most important and necessary component and catalyst that harbors the conscious and unconscious mind to transform mere thought and desire into existence. Our world has many cultures and belief systems, though we may diversely differ in our beliefs; magic however, unravels its mysterious presence within all of them.

List of Commonly Accepted Concepts and Basic Skills of Magic:

• Meditation
• Visualization
• Alignment of Energy
• Centering & Balancing Energy
• Raising & Sending Magical Energy
• Charging & Empowering
• Grounding Energy
• Altering Consciousness
• Desire & Will
• Casting the Circle
• Love

Knowing your correspondences and associations-such as astrological signs, planets, moon phases, chakras, auras, candle colors, and their meanings etc.

Meditation -is a practice with many different methods and techniques that is used for many purposes such as clearing one's head of any distractions or thoughts to prepare for a spell or working, to communicate with the divine, to find inner peace or to relieve anger, stress, or anxiety; send and or receive messages from spirit guides etc. It is, however, not meant to just empty your head but rather focus on a specific goal or thought.

A simple meditation exercise, one of many-

Go to a quiet place and sit or lay down in a comfortable position, take a moment to breath and be. Slowly start to breath in and out counting your breaths. Inhale and Exhale 1 inhale and exhale 2 and so on. Do ten repetitions of this and take a break, then start over until you can do ten repetitions without having any thoughts, feeling, anxieties, or worries interrupt you.

Visualization -is the practice, oftentimes but not necessarily accompanied by meditation, of picturing or seeing in your mind your desire or goal. This helps aid you in your working and increases the universal energies to accomplish your task. An example of visualization is for instance you are trying to heal someone, there are many methods of doing such also, but here is one way. Think of the person you are trying to heal, see them in your mind as if they were right in front of you. Picture their wound or illness and focus on the point of the afflicted area. Imagine yourself reaching over the sick or injured person and you begin to hold your hands over them while concentrating. Then picture a light of any color, whichever you feel represents healing, coming forth from your hands and starts surrounding the person and their wound etc. See that you are connected to the universal collective and energy is flowing through you into the person as it heals there wound or sickness.

Alignment of Energy -is making sure that whatever task you are attempting or performing be done at the correct time and place keeping in mind that energies are aligned and harmonious for the proper effectiveness and outcome. This relies on you knowing the difference between receiving energies and sending/banishing energies and applying suck knowledge to its appropriate use thereof, among other things. Everything happens for a reason in its own time and place, by knowing how to recognize such things is important in the practice of magic and spellcasting.

Centering & Balancing Energy - is the practice similar to aligning your energy. You focus and concentrate your energy within you for a specific purpose. Centering is being in the present frame of mind and focused on the task or goal at hand. You make sure that you have a clear plan for what you are doing and how to achieve it. Do not let distractions and outside influences veer you from what you are doing. Do not think about mundane or trivial things like what you are planning to make for dinner and other related thoughts that tend to linger. It is important to have a firm foundation and a self awareness. This awareness will aid you in balancing and stabilizing your emotions, feelings, thoughts, and helps you express your desires and will more freely and clearly.

Raising & Sending Magical Energy - When working with magical or spiritual energies you should think about whether or not your Spell, Task, Desire, Goal etc. is powerful enough to manifest your intent. The most important part of raising and sending energy is your concentration and ability to project. Henceforth meditation is frequently used for this purpose, as all things must work harmoniously together for the outcome or results to be successful. Emotions are an important factor, because your emotions are directly linked to your energies, and they flow in Flex and Flux with what you project. Achieving an emotional balance, while also recognizing your emotional state should be aligned with the type of energy you are projecting and the spell or task that you are attempting, is important. Meditate as often as necessary in order to reach a consistency of energy flow.

Charging & Empowering - is the process of cleansing an object or tool of its previous inlayed energies, then empowering or imbuing it with the desired energy to match the specific purpose it is meant to be used for. This is usually done after consecration of the item, consecration is the dedication of an item for a specific purpose, to make sacred and pure, but is not necessary. Some people believe that Charging is Synonymous with Consecration but is not always the case. There are various methods of Charging an item, however the easiest example is by empowering it with ones own power or energy, usually done with a visualization technique.

Grounding - can be one of two practices that are both equally important one is becoming connected with the Earth and rooting yourself to the physical plane, allowing are roots to go deep within the rich soil of Earth. The other is the process of grounding excess or negative energies. This can be done in a variety of methods but the essential goal is to rid yourself of energies that are negative or inconsistent with the task or magic you are working at hand; and after you have done your work e.g. casting a spell or some sort of magic, you would ground or purge yourself of the excess energy you have gathered and release or give it back to the collective or the earth etc.

Altering Consciousness - is the process or altering your current state of mind to achieve a specific task or purpose, there are many ways to do this Meditation and Visualization are two of the most common methods. However, there are other ways to do this, such is altering your emotional state, altering your bodies biochemistry or your bioelectrical network, various herbs and mixtures can do this.

Desire & Will - Regardless of whether all people would include this as a basic concept that all practioners should follow, I thought that I would include it. Having a strong Will and the Desire is key which can be synonymous with Belief. If you believe something strong enough you could manifest it into being. I mention this because of opposing forces. Even in physics it is commonly know that particles or energy reacts differently to one another, an example is two magnets opposing each other etc. So if what you are trying to achieve has an opposition or force greater than itself, shouldnt you increase your will and desire to manifest past the barriers of the opposing force. Not to mention that the barrier between a thought/desire/will etc and a manifested outcome is extremely high to begin with, all the more reason to have a strong desire and will to accomplish your goal or get the intended results.

Casting The Circle - This is a practice that is not followed by all either and there are many various methods in which to conduct the practice, from saying a phrase, casting a spell, to an elaborate ritual or process. However casting the circle is meant to provide a circle of protection, a sacred space, a peaceful and safe environment deflect negative or opposing energies etc.

Love - I have mentioned before, in my definition of magic, that love is the most important and necessary component and catalyst to achieving your magical goal or purpose. I say this, when thinking of positive and healing magics, magics that are beneficial to others and even yourself. You should have a love for the person you are helping and you should love yourself. Obviously this cannot be said for someone casting or performing dark, negative, or selfish acts of magic. Though it can be argued that evil can love too, however this component of The Basics is added by my personal belief, I have never actually seen anyone else add it to a description or list of Basics.

Knowing Your Correspondences & Associations - It is in the best interest of a practioner to learn, understand, and recognize common and useful key elements that chart various aspects that are involved in the use and creation of magic and spells. Knowing and Understanding the different elements and their associations, astrological signs, planets, moon phases, candle colors, chakras, auras etc. is important for you as they will help or guide you create your own spells, know when and where to cast them, recognize patterns, sense energies etc. There are too many differing beliefs

Part. VII The Private Mailing System & Common Etiquette

The SoM Mail system is fairly easy to use, simply click on the profile of the person you want to mail, then click on the mail tab. From there is the mail application with simple enough editing features. Unread messages go to the unread mail box folder while read messages go to the read mail default box. However a great feature is you can create/add custom folders to help sort mail. I.e. A folder for questions about magic, one for friends, one for tarot readings, one for coven related business etc.

• It is usually rude and annoying when people get mails with no subject, some even regard mails with no subject as spam.
• It is annoying and rude when sending mail and you dont use spell check.
• It is also commonly annoying to mail people with a one liner.

Part. VIIEnd Notes

More will be added in newer versions after I do more research, gather and review comments and suggestions etc. I hope this helps everyone in whatever way it can.

If you have questions that haven't been included in this guide or suggestions or additions please mail me or reply with your comments so that I may review them and include them in the next edition. Also notify me if I have made any spelling or grammatical errors that I have missed thanks.

* Final Note * Everything written and expressed in this guide is to be for informational use only. It is a resource and utility for those new to Spells of Magic and to Magic or the Craft. The information contained here is to be interpreted and used at your own convenience and is not an official doctrine or manual. Please do not mail me regarding disagreements in beliefs and or practices as those stated here are examples or commonly accepted beliefs etc. I am well aware everyone has their own way of looking at things and everyones beliefs differ, it is your choice to believe or follow whatever you want.