Now, what you've all been waiting for.

You've read everything linked to before this page, right? Because if you haven't, a lot of it won't make sense.

The first thing that any Witch needs to learn is meditation. You won't float around the room, but you will learn to slow down a little and think.

I had some rough times, in which I basically meditated every day after lunch for a year straight because no one would talk to me, so I know that one way to get very good at it is to practice.

To meditate, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Try to see in your mind's eye a circle or bubble of light around yourself. It should make you feel safe and protected, though if you're nervous, that's entirely natural. Keep trying.

When you feel safe, ask whatever power you feel like--God or faeries or the elements--to protect you, if it makes you feel better. Then, when you're completely comfortable, just sit like that for a while, breathing and thinking and listening to your heart beat. I feel a little tingly inside when I do that, like magic. When you've become comfortable with meditation--over a period of days or weeks or however long it takes--try thinking seriously about what you feel. What are your dreams like? Keep a dream journal, where you write down what you can remember of your dreams.

When you're meditating, try reaching outwards with your mind. Think about your willpower, what you feel about the magic inside you. It's a marvelous feeling for me now, but I can't really remember what it was originally like. Laurie Cabot's book, Power of the Witch, describes an excellent method of meditation, counting down your chakras (energy points along your body) until you reach a meditative state. I don't know how well I'm explaining this, but once you've learned to meditate, you can explore your other powers and learn more about yourself. Witches are always learning, about ourselves and about the world.

After a time, try to "see" the things going on around you in your mind's eye. This takes practice as well, lots and lots of practice, so don't be disappointed if you don't do well at first. Give yourself time.

When you can sense the things and people around you, try extending your consciousness. See if you can sense the things outside your immediate range. As always, practice with it. I find that I can generally let my mind roam relatively free.

Spells: let's start with candles. They're inexpensive, fairly easy and simple to work with, and you can find them anywhere--from fancy metaphysical stores to the local convenience store.

Candles primarily deal with the element of Fire, but they encompass all the elements: smoke for air, melted wax for water, solid wax for earth, flame for fire. They're a good starting point. Remember, do not try spells unless you have confidence in yourself. Have a definite goal in mind. And remember also that there is no set amount of people needed to perform magic. There are solitary Witches, who can cast a circle and do their spells quite nicely without any outside help (though solitary practitioners generally study quite a bit); there are small groups (this format is popular among teenagers, probably due in part to movies like The Craft and shows like Charmed) of a few people who find that they enjoy each others' company in the circle; and there are larger covens. Large covens can generally raise a phenomenal amount of energy compared to a solitary, but the coven environment is not for everyone. I, personally, am a solitary, but I occasionally join in rituals (particularly at the holidays) with other members of the local Pagan community. You don't need a coven to be a Witch. Some people like it, some people don't.

Part of magic is the wanting, the needing. I've told you enough times already that curses and manipulative love spells are out, haven't I? Threefold Law, the Wiccan Rede...no curses. Bad magic is out.

The need is part of what makes magic happen. If you don't have enough reason to will it to happen, it's either not going to happen or it's going to be weak.

Your willpower is what makes it happen. God can help, elements can help, a lot of things can help, but without your will, it isn't going to happen. That's part of why free will is so important to Wiccans. Free will is a gift. No human has the right to take it away from any other.

I'd suggest starting by cleansing the candle. Hold the candle, and visualize pure, good magic running through it, pushing any negative vibes aside. Fill it with your feelings, your goal, your need.

There are several things you can do to make candle magic more effective--colors (choose the color that feels right for your goal), herbs (many books have lists of herbs and their correspondences, as do many websites) sprinkled around the candle, rocks and crystals (same as with herbs), runes/symbols carved in the wax. For instance, a generic love spell with a candle might be as simple as watching a pink candle burn while concentrating on your goal. You could carve a heart or the rune for love on it, and wait until the candle burned below the place your carved the symbol at. You could place a rose quartz crystal near it, and sprinkle rose petals or lavendar or another herb or flower associated with love around it. You could rub an appropriate oil into it while thinking of your goal.

You get the picture.

Spells are a little like formulas. Once you know what you're doing, you can be creative and follow your heart.

Charms are a little different from candles. They, too, can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. You could sew herbs appropriate to your goal into a square of cloth, maybe embroider a rune or symbol onto it. You could use a stone, you might just visualize it filling with energy towards your goal, you might paint or even carve a symbol on it.

Magic is all about life, love, and liberty. Healing, love-spells that don't target any one person, wealth-spells, spells to get in touch with Nature and spells to help you understand God...there's a lot that I don't know yet. I'll always keep learning.

The world is beautiful. Life is beautiful. And you, reader, curious one, are beautiful as well. Love yourself and the love of others will flow more freely: and that's the very best love-spell there is.

In the Pagan community, people realize that it takes a while to really be sure that Pagan is what you want to be. Until you've been a Pagan for several years, expect to be treated like a newbie. Elders tend to be people who've been in the Craft for a decade or two. Respect other people and what they have to say, because one of the most important parts of being Pagan is to realize that you are always learning. Don't ever think that you know "enough" to stop learning. Even elders still learn. Knowledge is power.