Questions You’ve Asked Me: NEW QYAM CONTEST, AND SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

Hey lovies,

I recently joined a few newbie groups because that helps me learn where people are stumbling or mis-learning or just not understanding. Believe me, some of the bad teaching in some of those groups (and let me tell you it was a lot of groups, lol, so it's probably not yours in particular,) has been enlightening. For example, cursing – people are using half methods (you're HALF right, and the rest I don't know where you got that idea, heh). People are using slow methods. People are putting THEMSELVES in the curse (NO DO NOT DO THAT.) Or love – again very slow methods. People are not establishing contact with their target. People are not being told about lust for results. People are, once again, casting on themselves and making themselves worse…

This is so educational for me. 90% of my business is return clients. I've had the same clients in many cases since the mid 00's. While I prefer that (it's easier to work with people I've worked with in the past,) it does mean I don't get to see how those new to magic are learning or what they need to know, and that doesn't help my writing. 

BUT, I have a few very cranky mods who just felt like I wasn't there to help but rather to "sell readings" (and I currently do not have that kind of space to even take on several readings, much less  many new clients) and so to you mods, here is what a few days have taught me…and to my loyal readers, it's totally gonna be a review in many places.

Q: What is the "fastest, and best" spell for x thing? 

A: If you're a beginner, you assume there is the "one best spell ever" for (name need.) This would be a lie. This is actually a very ANNOYING lie. It's like asking me out of all the cheeseburgers ever made, which is the best ever and every single person has to agree with my view, or at least a large majority. There are no categories like "best fast food," or "best five star restaurant" version, which is THE BEST OF ALL TIME. Now, your friend Bob is going to say he loves Red Robin cheeseburgers, and Bonnie will love Five Guys, and then George thinks McDonald's is the best, and Annie says Snooty O'Expensive makes the best ones if you can get to that little niche restaurant to begin with. And I bet you if I lined up all of them and had 100 people in my country taste them all, there would be a fair majority of Americans saying "None of the above is the best." Such is it because "the best" is really a misnomer. 

And it's also short sighted. One spell which is effective for one case will fall flat on another. It's the "gorilla glue" is best for this project, and "Elmer's Glue" best for the other without the person using the glue understanding the difference between the two. They see "glue" and assume all glues are created equal. I didn't get a bachelor in fine arts to tell you that all glues are entirely not created for the same types of projects and what works in one case will work in another. Try replacing "glue" with love spell, and now you're using "rubber cement" for a "super glue" problem. 

As for the "fastest," assuming your situation SHOULD have fast work and it will fix the situation permanently (as I've taught before, a fast-acting change does not mean a lasting result but rather a short lived one depending on the case,) then…I guess earth and water based techniques can act slower…um you can do things with a mercurial energy rather than jovial (jupiter) which would be for the same end but one hits faster and lasts shorter, whereas the other is slower acting but lasts much longer. It DEFINITELY isn't jar spells if you're looking for super fast acting, which apparently in three groups, jar spells are all the rage. ;) 

And remember, just having a spell and directions doesn't mean you will properly cast the spell. I'm not even trying to be a dick. It's the SPELLCASTER and NOT the spell that makes it strong. It's YOUR STRENGTH AND FOCUS OF WILL. If you go through all the motions, it could be a remarkable spell, but it won't gel because you didn't put that "oomph" behind it. Some beginners have some impressive strength in that regard. Being a beginner doesn't mean you can't do it. I've seen some really amazing results from beginners. I've also seen people need months and years to really start getting those strong results. Spellcasting well is a bit like working out. You get better the more you practice, and you get a lot stronger when you stick with it. 

Q: Should I cast a circle when spellcasting?

A: This is entirely dependent on tradition. I've not cast a circle for many years for basic spells. If I'm doing a sweet jar, I'm not going to cast a circle. I work with my spirits, I don't bar them from entering. I'm not a Wiccan and I know in Wicca, that's a very common thing – to cast a circle every time, – so another person may suggest you do. I am not telling you it's right or wrong. I'm telling you that if you were to ask me, nine times out of ten, if not more, I'd say no. I would instead strongly instruct you regularly clean your ritual area and altars after each working to prevent energies from cross contaminating, and tell you that there is nothing like a cleansing bath to help with energetic build up.

Q: Can I use (item) instead of (item)?

A: As someone who practices rootwork, I do have my moments of having a dislike for people who try to sanitize spells. For example I've used cremains in a few situations as a replacement for graveyard dirt, but most of the time even that would be inappropriate. Dirt from a specific place cannot be replaced by dirt you got outside in your front yard. So, no, you can't use front yard dirt as a replacement for say police dirt, or church dirt, or graveyard dirt, unless your front yard houses a police station, church, or graveyard. There is NO HERBAL REPLACEMENT for dirt. Throw out that mullien as it's not graveyard dirt. ;)  

OR trying to work without a personal item. Pictures are easy these days but that may or may not satisfy the lock to the target. You may NEED semen, or blood, or used clothing. 

And lastly there is not necessarily a "you can use this herb instead of this herb in all spells" substitution rule. No one wants to hear that but just because x herb can be used for love and y herb can be used for love…well salt and sugar look similar and both can be used for cooking. Interchange both in your recipies. Instead of three cups of sugar use three cups of salt. See how those cookies taste. Gross? That's because they are both used for different reasons. You can't just blindly replace an herb that is used for say healing in a reconciliation spell and replace it with one that triggers lust/passion and expect the results to be good. 

Q: How many times do I do a jar spell?

A: You work the jar three times a week, every week, until you are satisfied with results, and continue to work it at least once a week if you wish them to remain strong (assuming a full change will not be sustained.) 

Q: Is there such a thing as a "natural witch"?

A: No, not really. There IS such a thing as someone who is naturally more gifted in spellcraft than another. This is like…some people learn math faster than others, or another person can craft prose with more ease than his or her counterparts. However, if you told me you're a natural brain surgeon, but do not have education or degrees in medicine, with a focus on neurology, you sure as fuck may not do brain surgery on me. So, just having a better knack for learning magic does not mean that with absolutely no education, no years and years of study (which quite frankly, learning magic is a HELL OF A LOT OF STUDY AND READING,) or because you read like two whole books on the topic that you are a witch. You SHOULD NOT teach others magic until you reach an advanced stage of study anymore than you'd recommend that "natural born brain surgeon," start teaching college courses on the brain to people when they read a book about brains once. ;) 

I'm not saying some people don't have more of a gift than others for spellcraft, because of course people do, just like some people are naturally better at art, or at logic, or myriad other things. HOWEVER, there is a lot of study ahead of anyone wanting to learn spellcasting properly, and so telling others you're a natural at it might confuse other beginners. I've been studying and practicing for like thirty effing years now, and I mean hardcore PhD level difficulty stuff (not "how to do a simple candle or jar spell,) for quite a bit of that time, and I would not tell you that this knowledge just floated into my head because it was wired into my brain. Not at all. It's been a lot of work. And yet, I was born with a natural gift of being able to do this work and absorb how it works, so…me before I started studying trying to lead you on how to practice because I maybe read a book once would be terribly wrong of me, even if I was always drawn towards spellcasting, even as a small child. So, no, you cannot be a natural witch. You CAN have an easier time being good at spellcasting than others. However without a metric fuckton of study and practice, that's all you are…drawn to spellcasting and you have a better mind for it than others, but you know little about it. 

So…in light of this all, let's do a Questions You've Asked Me Contest. I will have the Prizes and forms up by March 27. Winners are chosen by me. The questions must be NEW (so check out the Questions You've Asked me) and the winner will get something awesome (like a physical prize, – and in the past we've had some pretty awesome stuff like rare occult books and amazon gift certificates and such.) There will be a runner up and a second prize. The best questions – even those which don't place, – will be up in an article for everyone to enjoy so you can even have those bragging rights. I need to create the form and and get the prizes so check back for this article to be updated. 

IF YOU WANT TO SEND QUESTIONS NOW (UP TO FIVE QUESTIONS PER PERSON, PLEASE CLEARLY SEPARATE QUESTIONS) PLEASE CONTACT ME USING THIS EMAIL. DO NOT TEXT THIS TO ME IF YOU ARE A CLIENT AS I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PUT THESE IN AN EASILY ORGANIZABLE FOLDER. 

And I'm really thankful to be in some of these groups. I rarely get to speak to beginners first hand these days in such large groups. :) 

~Cat