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How Witches Are Free From Guilt and Shame Ep. 84
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How Witches Are Free From Guilt and Shame Ep. 84

“I need to get the words just right for the spell—yes?” Jessica, a new acquaintance, asked me.
I replied that precision with words will help her accomplish her goal with the spell.
You probably agree that words are important.
I’ve noticed that Wiccans pay close attention to the words “supernatural” and “natural.”
An important point is made in the 3rd Principle of The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief as assembled by the American Council of Witches:
We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that is apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called “supernatural”, but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all. – 3rd Principle of The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief
Wiccans pay attention to the meaning of “supernatural.” They do not feel that magick and spellwork are “supernatural.”
Here is another example of how a definition is important. Recently, Ms. Kennedy Mitchum, 22 and a recent college graduate in Iowa, wrote to the editors at Merriam-Webster to propose that their dictionary reference to “racism” be revised to reflect how systemic racism is in society. The editors have agreed to revise the definition, which had not been changed in decades.
Alex Chambers, an editor at the dictionary, replied and wrote, “…we have concluded that omitting any mention of the systemic aspects of racism promotes a certain viewpoint in itself. … It also does a disservice to readers of all races.”
We, witches, know that words have power. Our words can hurt or heal. It depends on how we use them.
Our words can combine for creating or observing meaning. Our words can be part of a solution.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
Looking for gifts?
See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

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Check out my site MoonwaterSilverClaw.com for spells and more.
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How Witches Use the First of 13 Principles to Attune Themselves Ep. 83

“That’s it. I can’t watch broadcast news anymore. It beats me up emotionally,” my friend, John, said.
At this moment, it seems like it can’t get any worse, and then it does.
Numerous things on social media and in broadcast news stories are designed to trigger a big emotional reaction. My question is: What do we, witches, do as the next step?”
I have three insights for you:
You can pick a word that you say to yourself to help you calm down. Set up this word in your meditation sessions.
Here is the process:
Pick a word that does not rise in everyday conversations.
Tie 13 knots, spaced at even intervals, into a piece of cord. (You will use this cord or beads as shown in the photo above, during your meditation session.)
During a meditation session, invite the Gods to help you shift to calm and peace with that word.
Say the word one time per knot. You move your hand to a new knot each time you repeat the word. Repeat this process three times.
You have used this process to ask the Gods to support you in having a way to rise out of an emotional reaction.
Keep up your daily meditations. You’ll want to continue to do grounding, centering, and meditation sessions, so your word continues to have the power to help you shift to a calm response.
My first impression is that the Goddess may have a response of sadness. Goddess wants you and all her children to experience love on a deep level. She wants Her children to remember that love is one of her rituals. She invites us to remember that each person has some divinity within them. Each person is worthy of love and caring—even if, at the moment, the human being has strayed into negative behaviors.
Goddess also has an expansive view. She knows that incidents in our life can be a starting point for divine lessons.
Above we talked about using a selected word to help you shift to a higher level or higher frequency of energy.
Here I’ll share the process of recovering when you are triggered by an event.
a) Remove yourself from the negative triggering event
For example, if you saw a triggering meme on Facebook, you could close down Facebook. When you realize that some information is poisoning you, you can shut the door on it.
b) Read a spiritual text
Often, when a person reads a spiritual text, they can shift to an expansive perspective. If you have a Book of Shadows (BOS), read it. You could listen to an uplifting book on your audio player.
Reading something uplifting helps you combat Brain Sludge—the junk thoughts that accumulate in your mind. So, reading and meditation can help clear out Brain Sludge.
This ritual can help you eliminate negative energy. You could also cleanse yourself with sage before and after the ritual bath.
May these insights support your spiritual journey.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
Looking for gifts?
See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

P.S. To sign up for our E-Newsletter click here.
Check out my site MoonwaterSilverClaw.com for spells and more.

Have you experienced being bullied as a child?
What added more pain was that my parents ignored me when they were supposed to protect me … from my own brother.
As a child, I learned that I did not matter, and I learned that I could not change things.
Perhaps, this was part of my attraction to Wicca. The God and Goddess are the loving beings who I needed.
When you’re conditioned to think that you don’t count or that you can’t improve things, you’re vulnerable to Learned Helplessness.
Learned helplessness occurs when an individual continuously faces a negative, uncontrollable situation and stops trying to change their circumstances, even when they have the ability to do so. – from Psychology Today
In recent years, I think about how I want to be free from Learned Helplessness. Perhaps, you’re like me, and you want to unlearn what ultimately hurts you.
Recently, I was reading the 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief from The American Council of Witches.
“We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our health and well-being.” – The 13 Principles of Wiccan Belief from The American Council of Witches
My concern is that if we seek comfort or validation from “the outside” (including broadcast news and social media), we may fall into Learned Helplessness.
“Learned helplessness is the giving-up reaction, the quitting response that follows from the belief that whatever you do doesn’t matter.” – Martin E.P. Seligman
As witches, we can go to the God and Goddess for a true sense of self-worth. We can also enhance our perspective. Life is a classroom and a person is interacting with the Gods about the curriculum. Before we are incarnated, we set up a curriculum with the Gods. This curriculum is activated when we incarnate.
“While you can’t control your experiences, you can control your explanations.” – Martin E.P. Seligman
I can explain to myself that I have choices now. I can look upon the times when I was bullied as a child as possible training. I’ve learned to protect myself and my family members. I can even guide a vendor to treat myself or a family member in a fair manner. I learned as a child that some individuals hurt others. So, I learned that it is important to develop appropriate skills. This is in line with my thought that life is a classroom.
I return to my plan to look to the Gods for the truth. They are the Beings who love me and guide me.
I invite you to reexamine certain situations in life, and then ask yourself, “Is there something I am not seeing?” Perhaps, you’ll meditate or do ritual to connect with the Gods, so They expand your perspective.
May these insights support your life journey.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
Looking for gifts?
See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

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Check out my site MoonwaterSilverClaw.com for spells and more.

When I was going through the process to earn my Third-Degree Level of the Gardnerian Tradition, I got frustrated.
“Could I get an outline for what I need to learn next?” I asked.
“I can’t give you one,” my spiritual elder said.
“Why?” I asked. And, this led to a powerful conversation.
“I must see how you grow,” she said. “I need to see what you do naturally. If I give you an outline, you might try to simulate learning. Sometimes, students try to please their mentors. That’s not real learning.”
For example, if you were a mentor teaching a form of meditation, you’d realize a student may rush and step off the path.
A student may ask, “What is supposed to happen when I meditate? What am I supposed to see? What am I supposed to do?”
Then the student might try to strain and or even say something that might please you.
But as the mentor, you know the truth. The student must experience true growth and learning. You can’t rush this. It’s a personal process. The student has his or her own path and timing.
Students who seek to move forward fast can subconsciously sabotage themselves and the process without knowing it.
During my eight years of direct training in Wicca toward the Third-Degree Level, I had to let go and let my path include some mystery.
I know waiting can feel uncomfortable and even painful.
To go deep in your journey as a witch, take the slow and steady path. This makes a sturdier foundation from which to grow and rise.
May these insights support you on your journey.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
Looking for gifts?
See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

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A Brief Meditation: Let Goddess Guide You Through Money Decisions Ep. 80

“I don’t understand,” my friend, John, said.
“What specifically is not clear?” I asked.
“What’s the difference between somebody who is Wiccan or somebody who is a witch?” he asked.
“To start off … Wiccans are witches. But not all witches are Wiccan,” I said.
My mentors have shared the following material with me:
In the United Kingdom, a traditional witch, Robert Cochrane, did not like how Gerald B. Gardner was so open about his practices. Gardner communicated a lot to people outside the faith.
Those whom Gardner initiated were called witches.
Gardner, like others, saw so much derision with the term, witches. It’s reported that he originated the term Wica. It’s said that Gardner claimed to have learned the term during his initiation into the New Forest coven in 1939.
As the years went by, the letter “c” was added, and we, then, had Wicca. Certainly, this was a chance to get away from the trouble with the “W-word”—witch.
Wiccan became a generic term. But it still referred to someone who was Gardnerian—or steeped in the Alexandrian tradition.
Many people saw Wiccan as a term that was strictly used for the hidden children of the Goddess (related to Gardnerian or Alexandrian traditions).
Wicca was not originally seen as a complimentary term in the United Kingdom because it defined you as someone who followed Gardner.
A witch is someone who practices the Craft, which means they practice spells and magick.
One might see witch as the umbrella term, and a portion of witches are Wiccan.
Some Thoughts on Definitions
To me, having definitions can help us clearly communicate.
If we can agree upon definitions, it supports real communication.
I acknowledge that there are controversies. And, if we could just hear each other out—that might help.
May these ideas be helpful to you.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
Looking for gifts?
See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

P.S. To sign up for our E-Newsletter click here.
Check out my site MoonwaterSilverClaw.com for spells and more.
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A Brief Meditation: Goddess Help Me Find My Next Chapter of Life Ep. 79

Making your own spells and working with spells authored by others is both simple and complex.
Here is how magick works.
Intent
To do successful magick, you need to understand several things. First, you must have intent. You need to know what you want to manifest. I know this sounds simple, but many people just don’t think the intent through.
Let’s say you want a car. Okay, why do you want a car? Is it to take you to your job? Or is it something you want to have people envy? Hey, I don’t judge. But if you just say “I want a car” to the universe, you are likely to get that Pinto down the block.
Let’s say you just moved to a new area and you need a car to get you around. You want something nice but economical. You don’t want a piece of junk that will break down on you every chance it gets. I suggest you go shopping, perhaps, on the internet. Get to know what you want and like for your car.
When you pick out features, you’re attaching specific desires to the car. This will help manifest the car you want versus the junk heap down the block. Refine your image of the perfect car in your mind. Include other requirements you have like good gas mileage and inexpensive repair costs. The more specific you are with your intent, the less there will be unexpected results like getting the lemon down the lane.
Having a solid intent is your first step before you do any magick. Once you have that cornerstone set you can continue with the second thing which is concentration. During your spell, you will need lots of concentration and visualization.
Visualization
We’ll continue with the process of manifesting a particular car. You can use a toy car as a visualization focus object. As you stare at the toy car, you also use your mind to imagine getting into a real car and driving it. You can even take a number of steps further. For instance, if you desire a convertible car, you imagine the wind blowing through your hair as you drive with the top down.
Concentration
This is the process of focusing and then refocusing your mind on your visualization task. In essence, you concentrate on the object and on the images in your mind that are specific for your desired manifestation. It is natural for the mind to wander at times. When it does, you just consciously redirect your mind to focus on the visualization object once again.
Meditation
Some Wiccans begin with a meditation to clear the mind before using both concentration and visualization. Consider doing a simple meditation in which you focus on your breath.
Willpower
The Collins English Dictionary defines willpower as “the ability to control oneself and determine one’s actions.”
Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., author of The Willpower Instinct, wrote: “Willpower is about harnessing the three powers of I will, I won’t and I want to help you to achieve your goals (and stay out of trouble).”
When it comes to successfully performing magick, willpower, to me, means the driving force of desire for some form of change. So, I focus on the power of “I will.” This is an important distinction because many people think of willpower as only the ability to avoid temptation.
The compelling observation is that Wiccans, who become proficient at these three processes of visualization, concentration, and meditation, actually strengthen their will. How? Once you do the three processes, you actually enhance your belief, and you push through your doubt.
Realize, you need to will something into being. This includes confidence that what you are doing will work. If you don’t have that, your spell just won’t become a reality.
You need your will for your intent to be as strong as possible. This is why when we are desperate for something, we can usually manifest it. Using your will is deeply rooted in your desire. Lack of will just creates another belly flop.
I’ve now shared with you the five must-haves (intent, visualization, concentration, meditation, and willpower) for doing magick that works.
We use the natural energies around us to create change with Intent, Visualization, Concentration, and Will, helped by meditation.
Making your own spells
The Strongest Spells Are Ones You Create Personally
Reading books is a good start. But I suggest the strongest spells are ones you make yourself. Just because a spell is in a book doesn’t mean that it’s the right spell for the job at hand.
The Value of Customizing Your Spell
Here are the benefits you gain from customizing your spell:
Previously at my blog, I offered what I call “Moonwater’s Formula for Making a Spell”:
The following is a simplified way to create a spell.
5-Step Formula for Making a Spell
It comes down to these steps or what I call the “5 What’s”:
Seems simple enough, right? Still, many people hold the thought “I want more money.” That’s too vague. What do you want the money for? Some people have a job that pays well enough, but they hate that job. So what do they do? They buy expensive stuff and vacations. Perhaps, what they really want is a job that they feel good about.
Now, ask yourself: What do I want? Then ask yourself, No….What do I really want? Keep refining it until you have it. Finding the root of the need is important.
How do you pick the appropriate element? Think about your need. What element is connected to it?
Questions like these will help you pick what element is best suited for your problem or desire.
What object would make a good representation of your element? If it’s Fire, perhaps, a lit candle. If it’s water, you could use a sea shell because it comes from the sea.
With a list of objects that can represent your element, take a look, and see what you have on hand that would fit the bill. Perhaps your first thought was to use a shell as part of your spell. However, you do not have one in your home. You could simply grab a bowl and fill it with water.
The words you choose are important.
Here are three details to help you.
Here’s an example:
So make this happen nine days or less
Put in the protection phrases
Here is an example:
An it harm none.
I also include “This or better.” There are times with the God and Goddess know better than we do what would be good for our overall journey of life.
Additionally, give a time period for the spell to stop. You can say something like may it come to pass within three moons. (Spells usually come to pass within one moon cycle.)
May the above details help you in forming your spell. It’s true that one may add other details to a spell. Still, the above provides you with a good start.
The various parts of your spell are like the pieces you put together when sewing a quilted blanket.”
Doing spell work is truly work. And, fortunately, you can improve your spell work skills. Use the simple processes below to improve your success rate.
Moon Phase
Many Wiccans make a big mistake of failing to look at the moon phase before doing a spell. Because Sara didn’t look at the moon when she did her prosperity spell, she missed the vital detail that the moon was waning. That’s a problem because the waning moon is for decreasing work. She did not want her income to decrease!
What could Sara have done to have more money in her purse? She could have done a spell to decrease the size of her bills.
The truth is: You can do many spells at any time if you word the spell correctly.
As many Wiccans know, the waxing moon is for increase so it would have been better if Sara waited for the waxing moon if she wanted to stay with the original form of her prosperity spell.
Days of the Week
Another strategy for making your spell more potent is to use the correct day of the week. Plan to do your spell on the day that rules what you are seeking to accomplish. Supercharge your spell work by adding the correct moon phase, day, and planetary hour. Using these strategies adds energy to your spell.
And this helps your intention, through your spell work, find its mark.
What a Book of Shadows Is and How to Make One
Book of shadows or (BOS) for short is where you store all your magickal experiences, magickal recipes, Spells, etc.
They can be anything from leather-bound books to a three-ring binder.
Making one is simple and I prefer the three-ring binder so I can move pages around and organize easier. You can also have a different book for each subject too if you want. I would suggest these categories to start with.
You write down it all, your experiences, your actions, and results.
In this way, you can keep track of it all and see what works for you and what doesn’t.
Blessed Be,
Moonwater
Looking for gifts?
See my designs at Redbubble. For more of Moonwater SilverClaw, consider some of her books:
Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

Be a Wiccan Badass: Become More Confident and Unleash Your Inner Power
Goddess Reveals Your Enchanted Light: Peace, Prosperity, Possibility Along Your Wiccan Path

Goddess Has Your Back: How Wicca Can Help You Raise Your Self-Esteem and Make Your Life Magickal
The Hidden Children of the Goddess Embrace Wicca, Become Strong, Be at Peace with Yourself and the World Around You
Goddess Walks Beside You: How You Can Listen, Learn and Enjoy the Wiccan Path

Goddess Style Weight Loss: Wiccans — Happy, Healthy and Confident

P.S. To sign up for our E-Newsletter click here.
Check out my site MoonwaterSilverClaw.com for spells and more.