Where people often get… Confused
When I first started out in witchcraft, I thought crafting a spell and casting a spell were basically the same thing. I’d light a candle, say a few words, and hope for the best. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. It took me years to realise they are two entirely different stages of a magical process, and each deserves its own intention, energy, and respect.
Crafting a spell is the planning. It’s the ingredients. The words. The colours. The moon phase. It’s a beautiful part of the process, like sketching out a painting. But casting the spell? That’s when you breathe life into it. That’s when you plug into your own energy field and send your intention shooting out into the universe like an arrow from a bow.
Understanding this changed everything for me. Suddenly, I wasn’t just going through the motions. I could feel when the spell was ready. I could sense the build-up and the release. I started working with my nervous system, not against it. And as someone who has Tourette’s, that’s no small thing. In fact, it’s how I know when my spell has landed. But more on that soon.
Crafting a spell: Building the bones
Crafting a spell is the intentional act of building something from scratch. You’re thinking through what you want to achieve and selecting every element with purpose. This could mean choosing herbs from your pantry, sketching a sigil on a scrap of paper, or writing a few lines that capture your intention.
The ingredients and the why
Everything you choose when crafting a spell should reflect your purpose. If I’m crafting a spell for protection, I might use garlic skins, black salt, or a bay leaf marked with protective runes. For a love spell, I might reach for apple, cinnamon, or a pink candle. None of this is for show. It’s about symbolism and resonance. These ingredients help your subconscious understand and believe the magic you’re about to perform.
Setting the scene
Crafting also includes deciding the best time and place to cast your spell. You might align it with a specific moon phase or day of the week. You might cleanse your space with incense or saining spray. You’re laying the groundwork, not only physically but energetically. You’re clearing out distractions and making space for the real work to begin.
Tools, but not necessities
You don’t need bougie tools to craft a spell. Most of my magic is done with pantry herbs, dollar-store candles, and handwritten notes. What matters is the intention behind each choice. If you’re reaching for rosemary because you saw it on a Pinterest post, but you don’t feel connected to it, then leave it out. The craft should reflect you. It’s personal. It’s purposeful.
Casting a spell: Breathing life into it
Casting a spell is energetic. This is where everything comes together. You’ve chosen your ingredients. You’ve set your intention. Now you’re charging it with your own energy and sending it out into the world.
Entering a spellcasting state
I think a lot of people picture spellcasting as something very performative. But in reality, it’s internal. It’s embodied. I often fall into a light trance when casting a spell. Not the kind where I’m unaware, but a deep focus where time feels stretchy. My breathing slows. My muscles tighten. My senses narrow. I’m holding a current inside me that gets stronger with every breath, every word, every gesture.
For some, this might look like dancing. For others, it’s chanting, swaying, or even moving rhythmically in a way that matches the energy being raised. Spellcasting is deeply personal. It’s about channelling your energy in a way that feels authentic to you. That might mean silent stillness or loud, synchronised movement. What matters is that you’re present in the moment and fully immersed in what you’re doing.
This is a nervous system experience. Spellcasting shifts you into a focused, energetic state. Your body might tingle. You might feel hot or cold. Some people cry. Others shake. For me, my body builds and builds until finally… it releases. That’s my signal the spell is done.
A personal truth: My Tourette’s and spellcasting
I have Tourette’s. And for me, that’s actually a huge gift when it comes to magic, and it’s how I know my spell has landed. When I’m casting, I can feel the energy build like a wave. My body tenses. My breathing changes. And then, like a dam breaking, I tic. It’s as if my nervous system lets go of the energy I’ve been building and sends it out into the universe. That’s when I know the spell has been cast.
It doesn’t happen when I’m crafting. Only when I’m casting. Only when the energy has reached a point where it’s ready to release. And, I’ve come to love that about my magic. It’s visceral. It’s embodied. It’s not all in my head or my tools. It’s in my body.
What casting is not
Casting a spell isn’t repeating a chant three times or lighting a candle and hoping. It’s not about speaking louder or being more dramatic. It’s about building energy and knowing how to release it. Whether you whisper your words or shout them into the void, what matters is the energy you’ve raised and your ability to let it go.
You can craft a spell perfectly and still have it fall flat if you don’t actually cast it. And you can cast a spell powerfully with only a few words and a quiet flame, if your energy is focused and intentional. This is the part where your own self-awareness and connection to your nervous system really matter.
Signs your spell has been cast
You don’t need Tourette’s to know your spell has been cast, that’s just my unique experience. But your body will still have some way of telling you. It might be a sudden sense of relief. A shiver. A yawn. A drop in tension. A tear. An exhale. Some part of your nervous system will let you know when the spell has been released.
This is why it’s so important to actually feel your spell, not just perform it. You’ll know. You’ll feel that moment when it shifts. When it leaves your hands and takes on a life of its own.
Why separating the two matters
Crafting and casting are both important. But they’re not the same. One is structure, the other is spirit. One is preparation, the other is action. And when you understand this difference, you stop wondering why your spells aren’t working. You stop looking for the next new ingredient or fancy ritual, and you start turning inward. You start feeling your magic.
You stop casting spells just because it’s a new moon. You stop grabbing tools you don’t connect with. You stop mimicking rituals from social media. And you start tuning into your own body. Your own energy. Your own knowing.
This is where your real power lives.
Final Thoughts
I know how easy it is to get swept up in the crafting side of things. It’s fun. It’s beautiful. And sometimes, it feels like enough. But I promise, the true shift happens when you start paying attention to the casting. When you feel the energy rise and move through you. When you recognise the spell has left your body. That’s when you realise how powerful you really are.
If you’ve ever felt like your spells weren’t working, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. It might be because you’re stopping at the crafting stage. Maybe no one ever told you that casting is something you feel, not just something you do. I’m telling you now. You are not behind. You are not broken. You just needed this piece.
So next time you craft a spell, take a moment before you cast. Breathe. Focus. Let the energy build. Don’t rush. And when you feel that shift, that release, that signal from your body that says it is done… trust it. That’s your magic speaking.
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