Monday, January 21, 2013

God's Eye (Ojo de Dios)


Chances are you’ve made one yourself as a youngster.  The God’s Eye is a very spiritual tool.  It can be used for protection from enemies, protection from evil or it could be used symbolically as God’s guidance, His presence, and His watching over you.

The God’s Eye can be either a simple woven design over two sticks or it can be a far more complex design woven over 3, 4, 5, or more sticks. It’s believed to have started with the Huichol Indians.  The Huichol call their hand crafted God’s Eyes “Sikuli”, which means “the power to see and understand things unknown”.

There is also a birthing ritual which takes 5 years to complete.  When a woman gives birth, the father weaves the central eye of a brand new God’s Eye.  The next year, on the child’s birthday, one more eye is added, and then every year another eye is added.  This goes on until the child’s 5th birthday.   The God’s Eye was then hung on the wall and used in ceremonies and prayer.

Waiting until the birth of the child and crafting only one section per year was a way to “personalize” the protective Eye especially for the baby.  It became a protective talisman which also served to bless the child with well being, and a long and healthy life.

The entire construction of the God’s Eye was carefully planned. Colors were chosen for specific purposes ..... RED symbolized life ..... YELLOW symbolized the sun, the moon, and the stars ..... BLUE symbolized the heavens and the bodies of water ..... BROWN symbolized the earth, the soil ..... GREEN symbolized vegetation ..... and BLACK symbolized death.

The finished God’s Eye is shaped like a cross.  The four points of the God’s Eye represent the four elements ..... fire, water, earth, and air.

Larger God’s Eyes can be crafted and placed on the altar.  These larger Eyes represent a large shield and symbolize the crafters strength or protection from evil forces.  The shield could also symbolize a blocking of temptations or a protective shield from spiritual distractions.

You can purchase beautiful God’s Eyes in just about any size you want but I’m a firm believer in crafting what you can yourself.  For those of you who have taken my Santa Muerte Course I talk about this over and over again, and I’m going to repeat myself here ...... Anything You Make Holds More Power Than Something You Can Purchase. Creating A Spiritual Tool Or Item With Your Own Two Hands Personalizes That Item With Your Own Essence, Intention, And Spirit. It’s An Extension Of Yourself ..... My suggestion? Make it yourself!

There are hundreds of instructional websites that will walk you step by step in creating your own God’s Eye, Some simple and others more elaborate.  Choose your colors according to what your God’s Eye will be used for and by all means personalize it with your own items such as beads, small squares of mirror, crystals, gemstones, feathers, shells, seals, sigils, symbols, berries, roots, herbs, dried flowers, and other materials.


Sunday, January 6, 2013

Tipping the scales to successful spellwork…


I'm often asked how effective a spell should be; what is the probability that a spell should work.  Before I answer that question, let’s talk a bit about what makes an effective spell and what components are necessary to increase the probability of success.

There are several parts to a spell.  The first part is the “active” spell itself.  Let us say that you want a spell to bring two individuals together, a love spell.  The active part is the bringing together under a mood of love and friendship.  The second part to this spell is just as important and is the part I call “timing”.  The last part of the spell is the “consequence” part that relates to what the end result should be.  This last part is sometimes elaborated in the spell itself or can be tied to the unspoken expectation of the spellcaster.  The “consequence” can also be omitted depending on the type of spell that is to be cast.

Let’s take each part and elaborate briefly…

The active part of a spell is the most easily intended part and what most people will concentrate upon most.  But, believe it or not, it is not the most important part of the spell.  The active part is simply the point of the spell.  It should be seen as a “point” to be driven home with the most amount of energy that you can muster.  Other than that, it is what it is… the action of the spell itself… nothing more.

The timing part of a spell is by far the most important aspect of spellwork and the most neglected part as well.  Timing is the correct or best period in which to start the active part of the spell.  It is discussed in more detail later in this paper.

The consequence part of a spell is a more complex definition of the direction the spell should take.  For instance, a love spell may need to end in a relationship pure and simple or maybe it should end in marriage.  A spell that divides individuals may just be that… a wedge between two people.  On the other hand, the consequence may be more complicated with one individual leaving for unknown parts after the division.  So the spellcaster should know what the short and long term consequences of the spell action should be.


Let us now concentrate more on timing…

Timing a spell can have many aspects but the most common types have to do with readings, moon phase and astrology.  There are actually many other features to timing, but I will save that for another time.  The three we will investigate here are by far the most important and the most used.

Before we get to readings and so we are all on the same page as far as what a reading may entail…

When I speak of a reading of the client and the circumstances, I will predominantly use the Tarot.  Sometimes when the circumstances are fairly evident, I will simply ask a series of questions utilizing a pendulum. Whichever tool you use to perform a reading is fine.  And, if you don’t know how to perform a reading of the client/circumstance, simply pick a more common device (such as the Thoth Tarot) and learn the ins and outs.  Over time you will develop the skill and energy to be very accurate.

Now where do readings come in…

Most spells oddly enough should start with a reading of the situation.  You are required to perform a love spell but what is the reason there is not already a relationship?  It could be that the person (client) simply destroys their relationships with negative energy to others, or that relationships do not evolve because the individual subconsciously avoids relating to others, or the person simply is too shy to create a bond with their prospective partner.

When casting a love spell for instance, it is commonly thought that the “other” person (from the one that wants the spell) is the point of the spell.  But in our previous discussion immediately above, the reading may have gleaned that the person wanting the spell is actually the problem.  The bottom line… Don’t be too eager to apply a spell on someone before you have determined what the working parts of the situation may be.  After a thorough reading (which your client may or may not think is necessary) and only after a reading can you be sure of what is needed and how the spell should be applied.

Moon Phases…

The next simple timing method involves the moon.  The moon is also a complex subject, but some aspects are very easy to incorporate.  The easiest methods involve full, new moons as wells as waxing and waning moons.  For instance, when attempting to bring two individuals together you would easily wait until the waxing moon (which is an increasing action).  There are other methods in utilizing the moon.  Study this subject in more detail and you will find some important timing methods that can be incorporated into your own spellwork.

Astrology…

Timing with Astrology is probably the hardest or most complicated method but easily is the best method.  The use of astrology can be as easy as utilizing birthdates (nativity) and as complicated as finding the most beneficial planetary events that will provide extra energy for your client or circumstance.  Astrology can be very complex and suffice it to say that you should study this method as a completely separate subject to spellwork and integrate it into your tools only when you are proficient enough to understand its nuances.

When spells don’t work…

Now you have done a complete reading on your client and their situation… applied the best timing at your disposal and for the current event… cast a well established spell… but things don’t seem to be working.  What is going on?  The easiest way to tell is by dissecting the events that have preceded, one by one.

First, your reading…

A reading can and usually is a personal event.  Some information can be interpreted in multiple ways.  It is possible that you have misinterpreted your own reading to “wish” for the best and most optimum results.  In this respect, you must be strong enough, centered enough, and objective enough to accept the reading for what it is… to be open enough to the way the client and circumstance is.  This takes many years of practice and problems from the reading are mostly found in a beginner spellcaster.  So be aware of this potential downfall as it will make the rest of the spellwork a waste of time and energy.

Second, your timing…

As I said earlier, timing is by far the most important part of the spell casting.  In as much, it is the most problematic part when you have failed spellwork.  If you feel your spell could be failing, look carefully at signs of progress or failure.  There should be certain points of either and sometime some points of both.  Make a list of progress and/or failures within your spell.  Which is more predominant? Successful events or failed events?  And, don’t be naive about success or failure.  Success cannot be denied and failure at a minimum is NO OBVIOUS SUCCESS.


This will give you a sense of which way the “wind” is blowing so to speak.  Now evaluate how your timing has affected these events of success and failure.  This will tell you if your timing is off.  When timing has affected the successful aspects of the spell, the spell has been generally successful… and when timing has mostly been correct for the aspects of failure… your timing is wrong.

Let’s take an example…

Through a reading, you have found that timing to your spell would be best during an upcoming birthdate for the client, but a future timing event is much better; some time in the distant future (possibly a clear/strong astrological event).  Because the client will be reluctant to wait for some future timing event and won’t even understand timing the spell to begin with, you choose to cast during the closer time slot of the birthdate.  There is some good outcome to the spell, but generally not the correct consequence you had anticipated.  When you acted on the spell (birthdate timing) no progress is evident (which is read as failure).  There is some small progress eventually but not what the client would like.  This spell even with some good progress is seen to be a failure for the consequence, the outcome.  The timing is most likely the problem. Wait for the next big timing event and try again.  It will most likely be successful at that point.

To be thorough and touch on the last part of the spellwork: consequence…

It is the consequence that actually governs the ultimate success or failure for your spell.  Even with some success in part, a failed consequence is a failed spell.  You can think of your focus on the consequence as keeping your eye on the ball so to speak.  It is this focused event that keeps the game alive.  Please remember here that there is no intent and consequently no energy without this focus.


Conclusion

Now to the probability that a spell should work.  Any particular spell that you have put your intent to the active part, objectively read the circumstance, and projected a clear consequence should be 95% to 99% effective.  That is, the spell cast properly will almost always find it mark.  When you have trouble, the problem will most likely be in the timing.

And that wraps another short discussion of spellwork, its parts and success.  I hope you gained a few ideas from it, Concha.