[Guide] Hedge Wizard/Witch Magick

[SwirlingDark]

I would like to join your class, Silvanus. I would appreciate it if you called me Serena here. It is part of my craft name and I prefer it to my given name. I have used it here for my sigil.

{x}

Apologies for the scrappiness, it was done in MS Paint with a tablet.

Aparrently one of the Aesir needs sun for his/her horse ride.

Also, I have questions about the first couple of lessons.

I already have a shield up all the time, due to my current living circumstances. I will not go into details here, if you need to know, I shall PM you. Will the work I do for this class interfere with the shield(s) I already have up?

Also, do you reccommend grounding while performing this work?  

[xAikaNoKurayami]

I've performed the thorn shield several times, in just a few seconds each time. I'd never tried that variant on an "aggressively defensive" shield before, I usually simply modify it to absorb and redirect energy directed at it.

SwirlingDark; I like your sigil. 3nodding And as for the shields interfering with your own, they shouldn't in any way, you could simply modify them. I always recommend grounding before anything big or important, but not necessarily before shielding. Though it sounds like, in your environment, you might want to.  

[Morgan Tyrel]

you are welcome here, Serena. As for your Shielding, you can adapt them, or overlay them with the ones first described here, layering them, though I do not recommend that until you can become skilled with these. It eats up alot of energy, and becomes difficult to concentrate and keep them in place. As for the grounding, you can if you wish, I do for practice. But most of these Spells are made for "on the go" moments, so they're easily done without grounding. Practice will make them stronger, and allow you to cast them faster. And yes, I would like you to PM me on your situation. If something is going on with my students, then I need to know so that I can help them work around those difficulties, and shape my lessons as well.

Aiko, good work. Keep practicing those two for a while. Esperiment if you like, but PM me first. I would like to cross-reference and try out the new technique myself before deciding to put it in the class.  

[SwirlingDark]

All that we see or seem...

Unfortunately, I have got stuck on the first lesson. I'm not doing very well... I get to putting the shield up but I'm struggling to make it bounce my eye. I just go straight through it...

...is but a dream within a dream

 

[Morgan Tyrel]

Are you visualizing a perfect mirror on the outside, with no way of seeing in or through? If there is any transparency, then enough strength will push right through. If you have a small mirror that you can carry, insribe the back with your Sigil and carry it with you. It will help you focus on that mirror surface for the spell.

In the meantime, providing you're finished with the previous two, here is another spell that I call a Shroud. First, stand perfectly still, controlling your breathing. Visualize the energy within you, filling you. Continue to breath deeply and steadily. Now see this energy overflowing, turning into a fog or mist of energy around your body. Continue to make it thicker, until you can't even tell your body shape from the outside. Now keep this going in your mind, and you can move. This spell will "shroud" your presence from those that you would rather not sense you or see you, though those who would see you could find you more easily. Strangers and others who don't know you well will see you, but your presence will be shrouded, and the memory shoud drift away from them, causing you to go unnoticed.

Homework: Continue to practice with the Reflection and Thorn spells, as well as the Shrouding. Continue to shape them and cast them on personal objects, or in the air in front of you. Eventually in this class, I hope to aid you to the point of being able to keep several Protection spells up at the same time.  

[xAikaNoKurayami]

I'm not quite up to the point of casting multiple fields at once, but I have used a shroud before, and it works very well. I practice with them rather often, and I'm hoping to soon begin enchanting jewelry or stones with protective spells such as these, and programming them so that they will draw from the wearer's personal reserves to power their effects. Any advice on the subject is most appreciated. ^^  

[Morgan Tyrel]

Ah, now Crystal Magick is in a way more difficult, and less so. If you plan on charging crystals with the Protection spells here, then it is best to charge the right crystal with the right spell. All crystals have a unique energy of their own, and if you charge it with an energy that is not the same, the effects could be unpredictable at best. If you cannot find the stone you need, then just use a clear quartz crystal. These crystals are a magnificent tool, as they can channel, augment, and store energy. Simply visualize the spell filling the crystal, and when you need it, visualize your energy being drawn into the crystal, and being infused by the spell stored within. Then let it release the infused energy, but keep the spell in the crystal.  

[xAikaNoKurayami]

Nature Speaker

Ah, now Crystal Magick is in a way more difficult, and less so. If you plan on charging crystals with the Protection spells here, then it is best to charge the right crystal with the right spell. All crystals have a unique energy of their own, and if you charge it with an energy that is not the same, the effects could be unpredictable at best. If you cannot find the stone you need, then just use a clear quartz crystal. These crystals are a magnificent tool, as they can channel, augment, and store energy. Simply visualize the spell filling the crystal, and when you need it, visualize your energy being drawn into the crystal, and being infused by the spell stored within. Then let it release the infused energy, but keep the spell in the crystal.

I'm aware of all that, thank you much. ^^  

[SwirlingDark]

All that we see or see or seem...

I'm still stuck on the first lesson...

I must admit, I am struggling a lot with the mirror coat on the shield. Just when I think I've got it, it'll just sort of... dissolve from under me when I try to bounce off and I go right through.

I also seem to find the lesson very draining. I feel weary and dizzy after attempting it.

...is but a dream within a dream

 

[Morgan Tyrel]

Hmm...PM me Serena. I will give you a more detailed lesson, that way you don't feel like you're falling behind. Besides, I must speak with you on your circumstances.  

[Morgan Tyrel]

Well, I unfortunately have run out of basic Protection magick to teach you all, so we will now start on the basics of Healing. For your first lesson, it will be a basic visualization exercise to direct the Healing energies of your body to where you need it on yourself. this will help to establish a fine-tuned control, which will help you when you begin to learn to Heal others.

As always, visualize your body, nothing else in sight, is it helps. Now, "see" your energy flowing through you, constanly moving, never pausing. Now, shape that energy into a blue, cohesive mass at a certain point in your body that has been ailing you, and WILL it to Heal. Visualize this mass as a swirling cloud of the energy, with the used moving out into the rest of your body, and new flowing in to replace, like a pool of water on a small river's edge. Hold this in your mind until the pain fades, or is gone. Release, and have something to eat or drink, such as good fruit juice or a light yet filling meal, as this can and likely will leave you drained.

shaping and replacing the properties of your energy to this particualr form of magick will take a toll on you, both physically and mentally. It is best to practice in a calm, peaceful environment.

Homework: Continue to practice all previous spells, as normal. Practice this spell once per night, your energy permitting. If once per night is too much, then switch to once every other night. Report back with progress.  

[Morgan Tyrel]

Our next lesson will be a simple Healing spell, Healing Hands.

Visualize the hurt/injured area on your body, or your patient. Visualize the Healing blue energy swirling in your body, but create a path for it through your hands. Place your hands on the injured area, and WILL the energy to flow from your projective hand through the injury and back into your body through your reveptive hand.

This will take more concentration, and energy, but it is potent with practice.

Homework: As always, keep practicing the spells I taught you. Practice this on yourself whereever your hurt or on a willing friend. Do not push yourselves! You can become very sick doing so.  

[xAikaNoKurayami]

Mmm, yes. Love these techniques; the most basic are often the most effective. I've been using these for... a few years now, I'd say. I've been told by a friend of mine (who physically sees energy forms more often than I do) that it's almost like a bright blue (with light green wisps in int) not-quite-liquid pouring from my hands and entering the person, then spreading around the affected area.

I hope this doesn't sound arrogant, but; I seem to be naturally inclined to the healing/protective arts because I took to them the fastest and it's always easiest for me to pick up a new shielding trick or healing form than it is to do anything else.

 

[Morgan Tyrel]

You're not being arrogant. Certain Magicks come naturally to some, while others learn different Magicks easily.  

[Morgan Tyrel]

Our next lesson will be the Healing Aura. This is slightly weaker in effect than Healing Hands, but can cover a larger area as a trade.

Visualize the energy within you, as always. Now, have it expand out of your skin, and radiate around you, creating a field of blue for about 5 feet. visualize this energy flowing through others and back into you, replenishing itself in a continual flow.

This spell is useful if you are with a group of friends that all would require Healing at one time, say at a get-together when they all suddenly get massive headaches and pains. As always, please be careful. Too much use can deplete your own energies and leave you quite ill.

Homework: Continue practice with the other spells, as always. Practice this one once every other night.