How to Break a Spell
Some spells were just made to be broken! Spells using both of these types of magick are
designed to be easy to undo. To undo a poppet spell, just take the poppet apart. For a
cord magick spell, all you need to do is untie the knots in the reverse order that you tied them.
You can also write a spell that undoes itself. Here’s an example of a spell for enhancing karma that will break itself:
Listen to this spell I weave, take heed in what is told,
For your hatred and unkind deeds will return to thee threefold.
By the rise of the next full Moon a Witch will sit and weep,
For all the sorrow ye have sewn, thee will begin to reap.
It’s not too late to change your ways and break this painful spell,
Replace the hatred in your heart so only love may dwell.
So mote it be.
Once the person in question has stopped acting and feeling hateful, the spell will break itself. This is also an example of a spell that will influence someone else’s behavior. Notice that the spell itself does not mete out any punishment. It just serves as a reminder to the individual that there will be karmic payback for his or her negative actions.
Another way to undo magick is to send the spell back to the person who cast it. For a spell that does just that, see the section “Breaking Another Witch’s Spell” in the next chapter. If you want to break your own spell, you can try casting a new spell that will call the old spell back. When doing this, however, there are no guarantees. Your spell-breaking spell may not work, which is yet another reason to be absolutely sure of what you want and why you want it to begin with, before you decide to do magick to achieve it. One way to try to recall a spell that you have cast is to take a cord and a pair of scissors, consecrate them, and empower them with your intent. Cut the entire cord into little pieces. Hold all the pieces in one of your hands and don’t let them drop. As you cut up the cord, say the following chant:
Recall the magick of this spell,
The intent that I sent out,
From me to there and back again,
This time I have no doubt.
Break the spell and set it free,
This now is my command:
The energy cometh back to me,
Return it to my hand.
When you finish, take all the pieces and bury them in the Earth to ground the energy
that you sent out.
Potion Magick
Potions are probably among the first things that many people think of when they hear the word “witch.” When you hear the word “potion,” do you imagine a dark night, a bubbling cauldron of noxious brew, and three crones bent into the steam? Well, that sounds like a scene from Macbeth to us! But real witches do mix real potions. They usually make them in their kitchens, and the ingredients are rarely so exotic as to include eye of newt. Potions are infusions of magickal herbs that you can use to drink as a tea or to anoint an object, such as the mirror in the mirror magick spell discussed earlier in this chapter. Remember, never make a potion out of a poisonous plant if it is to be used for consumption.
Most potions are made by adding boiling water to magickally charged herbs and letting the herbs infuse for about 10 minutes, or by putting them into cold water and letting them sit in the sun all day to infuse naturally. If you heat your potion, it’s best to cover the herbs while they are infusing so that none of the vapor escapes. Another way to make a potion is to place a jar of water and herbs in the light of the full Moon and let it set over night. Then, empower the solution and place it in a dark closet, until the next full Moon when it will be ready. Until then, remember to shake your potion gently once or twice every other day while it’s brewing. When the potion is ready, strain out the herbs and your potion is all set to do its work. You could use a potion made from banishing herbs to clean your house of a negative influence. You could add a love potion to your bath. You could also rub it on your skin or spritz it on a poppet. You can also make love potions using a wine base instead of water.
Excerpts from The complete Idiots guide to Wicca and Witchcraft
