Faeries & Elementals for Beginners: Learn About & Communicate With Nature Spirits (17 page)

On the morning of the day of your confrontation, take

a shower or bath and then don each piece of jewelry as

the first thing that you wear before putting on any other

clothes. As you place each piece of jewelry, be mindful that you are also wearing each of those characteristics that you desired during your exercise. Go forth to have the difficult conversation that you need to have. Afterward, you can

keep the jewelry in a special place so you can use it during future confrontations. Be sure to label the jewelry with the characteristics of your intent, or you might forget in the future. Take it from me, it is annoying to have a box full of magic charms and not remember what each individual one

does, so you can’t throw them away but you can’t use them

either!

Exercise to get a promotion at work

Using fire to change your work situation can be tricky business, since fire destroys before it allows for something new to grow in its place. So, for example, if you were to wish very strongly for more time off from work, or for more

opportunities to work from home with your family, the

salamanders might just help you out by making sure you

get fired. As a result, you must take caution to only use this exercise when you are planning to burn bridges, so to speak, as when transitioning to a newer and better role. There will be no turning back. As with all fire meditations, make sure you have a clear goal in mind before you perform this exercise, rather than letting the salamanders come up with their
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own idea of what your career life should look like. Other-

wise, you could end up with nothing but scorched earth.

For this exercise, you will need an old article of cloth-

ing you wear to work at your soon-to-be outdated position.

Ideally, it will be representative of the position, such as a piece of a uniform or especially a hat, since a hat symbolizes a role. You will also need a brand new article of clothing you can wear in your new position, such as a new hat,

tie, or blouse. The new article of clothing should not have been worn before or used for any other purpose. This exercise is best performed on a Thursday on or just before a full moon. Thursday has strong leadership magic, while the full moon will lend extra power.

Cast your circle where it will be safe to burn your old

article of clothing, most likely outdoors. As with the ritual to create transformation that used a lock of your hair, first burn the article of clothing from your old job in its entirety.

Keep in mind that you will be ridding yourself entirely of that old role. When the clothing has been consumed by the

flames and the fire has died down, hold the new article of clothing and picture yourself in your new job role. Hold the vision clearly in your mind, and see yourself as happy and competent long after your promotion, instead of figuring

out how you are going to get there. Put on the new article of clothing and go to the southern quarter of your magic

circle. Introduce yourself using your name and your new

job title as if the promotion had already been given to you.

Thank the salamanders for their help. You may now close

your magic circle.

Salamanders—Elementals of Fire • 137

The exercise is done, so you need not wear the new

article of clothing until you begin your new job, if you like, or you can wear it for encouragement during meetings with

your boss or job interviews if you prefer. Since the article of clothing is magic, you shouldn’t simply donate or throw it away when it is worn out. Keep it for future magic if you are trying to get a new position in the same role, or burn it when you are ready for another promotion.

Exercise to put the fire back into a relationship

Fire is the element for passion. Please note that while other elements may be more suitable for some relationship rituals, such as air for communication, water for new love,

or earth for stability, fire is best suited for bringing the spark of chemistry if those other relationship blessings are already present. In fact, if your relationship lacks stability, this exercise is probably not the best one to perform. After all, remember that fire transforms. You may find yourself bringing in new obsessions to your relationship that

while exciting, might rattle the foundation of a blossoming romance. Instead, this exercise is ideal for a long-term relationship like a marriage that may have become a bit dull,

despite the fact that plenty of love still remains. This exercise is best performed during a waxing or full moon on a

Friday, to bring in romantic and sexual energies.

This exercise will demonstrate basic candle magic tech-

nique, so that those of you who wish to ask the salaman-

ders for help with other magic can simply vary the ritual

components. For example, in this exercise, you will need a
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red candle to represent passion, but if you were asking the salamanders to bring more fiery joy and sunshine into your life, you could use an orange candle, and if you were asking for more reverence and respect in your life, you could use a purple candle. These are just a few color correspondences that I find appropriate, but if you associate a color with a feeling, go with your personal choice rather than any list of correspondences. The tools of magic are simply aids to

your own magical mind.

In addition to a large red candle, you will need means

to carve letters onto your candle, so you can use a knife or a pen, if you don’t mind ruining the pen’s ability to write by getting wax gummed up in the tip as you press it into the

candle. You will also need cinnamon oil. You can buy cin-

namon essential oil, or you can make your own cinnamon

oil by adding cinnamon sticks or powder to a bit of grape-

seed oil and letting them soak for at least a month, from

one full moon to the next. You’ll also need a candle snuffer as a respectful way to put out the candle’s flame; you don’t want to blow it out and bring in the influence of the sylphs.

Your relationship partner needs to be in on the exercise,

so don’t perform it in secret. The last thing somebody you love needs is to be hit by the forceful power of salamanders without expecting it. The two of you together need to direct your positive energy into bringing the fire back into your relationship. Ideally, your partner will perform the exercise with you. However, if your partner supports your magic

but is bored or made uncomfortable by the idea of directly participating in the ritual, you can prepare the candle by yourself with his or her blessing.

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Cast your magic circle where it is safe to burn the can-

dle. Before lighting your candle, turn to the south and ask the salamanders for their help. If both partners are participating in the ritual, you should both hold the candle while visualizing what you want your relationship to look like

from now on. Then, decide on one word that epitomizes

the fiery element you want to invite into your bedroom:

passion, spice, excitement, spontaneity, et cetera. One

of you should carve the word into the candle. Afterward,

anoint the candle with the cinnamon oil, starting from the middle of the candle and rubbing outward in a clockwise

motion towards both ends, as if you were trying to unscrew the candle into two pieces from its center. After you have finished dressing the candle with oil, it has been properly prepared.

Light your candle to ignite the spark in your relation-

ship, and then try to start a little romantic interaction as soon as possible afterward. If your partner is up for it, you can make love inside the magic circle, or you can close your magic circle and wait for the right time. Light the candle daily when you and your partner are home until it is

entirely consumed. Whenever you extinguish the candle, do

so with a candle snuffer and silently thank the salamanders.

Ritual to Help Initiate an Exercise Program

Of course, you should talk with a health professional before starting any diet or exercise program. However, in my personal experience, the most difficult part about exercise is starting a routine you can stick with for a long time. The
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biggest mistake is not starting at all, but starting with too little motivation can either make your efforts fizzle out

without even really trying, or can make you overdo your

exercise right off the bat so that you never want to hit the gym again. Try this ritual to initiate personal transformation that can be sustained for the long haul.

Don’t rely on magic to make the perfect exercise rou-

tine fall into your lap. Before performing your ritual, do the leg work to figure out what you think will work for you,

and then perform the ritual to help motivate you to stick

with it. For example, start out before hand by carving out time in your morning to exercise, and make sure that you

have the necessary equipment, gym membership or knowl-

edge to add a safe level of activity to your days. Then, perform the ritual during a waxing or full moon on a Tuesday

to add maximum fire and strength to your conviction.

This ritual is not just for weight loss, but can be used

for any sort of physical health transformation made pos-

sible by a vigorous exercise routine. For this ritual, you will need a small food and drink offering for the salamanders. Be creative with your offering. If you are trying to lose weight, you might choose a very sugary food to offer

to represent the calories you will burn. If diet isn’t an issue for you, consider selecting a spicy or red food that can be associated with fire. For a drink, pick one with high alcohol content that will be easy to burn. If you are not old enough to have access to alcohol or don’t wish to be around it, you can toss just a few drops of any liquid on a fire without putting it out.

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Ground yourself, stretch out your muscles, and cast

your magic circle where it is safe to burn your offerings to the salamanders, preferably outside and private. Cast a very small offering of the food and drink onto the flames of a

fire and turn your mind to the transformation you wish to

make in your life and in your body. If you are working out for weight loss and tone, visualize your ideal body. If you are hoping for greater fitness and stamina, visualize yourself joyfully moving your body in a healthy way. When the

salamanders have consumed your offering in the flames,

you can begin to raise energy toward your goal.

If your exercise program is one you can begin practic-

ing inside your magic circle such as sit-ups, push-ups or

other basic workout routines, you can use these movements

to both generate energy toward your ritual, and also help

remind you of your ritual whenever you begin exercising.

If your chosen exercise program is impractical to per-

form inside your magic circle, you can also dance to raise energy, moving clockwise around the circle to stir it up

toward your goal. Select a fiery chant you can use in your magic circle and under your breath while you exercise to

motivate yourself. Since it will be repeated often, select one that is short and can be murmured as you breathe in and

out during heavy exercise. For example: “Dancing flames,

dynamic fire, move my will and my desire.”

When you feel the energy build to a peak, which may

mean that you break out in a sweat and feel warm or sense

a tension that can be released, relax and allow the energy of the salamanders to flow into you and through you. Ground

yourself thoroughly after such an energy intensive ritual,
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and allow yourself some time to relax and stretch your

muscles so that you don’t feel stiff and sore, which might sabotage your own efforts. After you close down your magic circle, take one more step toward your goal that very day, to get the ball rolling. For example, you can set your alarm an hour earlier to remind yourself to run in the morning, or

you can email a friend to suggest that you become exercise buddies.

If you did not perform your ritual outdoors, take the

ashes from the offering outdoors and scatter them to the

south. Take a walk, or a jog if you’re so inclined, and look for a gift from the salamanders to catch your eye. Perhaps you will spy a bright red leaf fallen from a tree or an igne-ous rock that sparkles and steals your attention. Whatever your eyes rest on is a gift you can accept from nature, pick it up and thank the salamanders for transforming the offering into a gift for you. Place the gift somewhere motivational, like an elemental altar where you can see it, or carry it with you daily to remind yourself to exercise. If every time you reach into your purse you run into a stone that the salamanders have given you, they may be reminding you of

your inner fire and determination to become more fit.

Ritual for Protection

Salamanders are excellent protectors, because nobody

wants the dangerous element of fire to be an enemy. After

all, fire can harm just as much as it can warm and provide delicious cooked food. Some common protection visualiza-tions include shielding oneself with a circle of fire in one’s
Salamanders—Elementals of Fire • 143

mind. Should you ever feel threatened, strongly picture a

circle of flame leaping up high around you to keep enemies at bay, and the energetic shield created will ward away negativity.

For a more involved ritual, however, that requires

another special offering to the salamanders, I suggest

attempting to obtain a cauldron. It can also be used for

any other ritual that requires a burnt sacrifice. You might associate a cauldron with a witch’s brew, but it also makes a handy crucible in which to kindle a fire. A cauldron can symbolically represent a hearth, the center of your home