(Painting by John William Waterhouse 1886)

Recently, on several occasions, I have been asked by students about the ethics of utilizing healing spell craft or distance energy healing to help others.

First off, I want to highlight the idea that the above mentioned practices are tapping into the same energy frequencies and fundamentally are not different in any way aside from application. The intent is essentially the same and within Wiccan practice, acting on intent is everything.

With the seemingly generous benefit to others when healing, should you act upon this intent or should you not?Should one enact healing upon ones’ self before extending it to another?Provided we’ve come to the conclusion to act, how best can we perform this service and what benefits can it potentially provide? And lastly, should we charge for such a service to others?Indeed, it is a good idea to think on these questions before offering it outwardly to others.

Always there is the risk that the purest intent can have the cruelest outcome. Most of us, at some point in time have experienced doing or saying something seemingly positive to/for another and have it back fire on us because the recipient perceived the act differently than how it was intended. A risk not only valid in the use of spell craft for another, but in everyday life. Knowing this, should we cower and remain silent and inactive? Absolutely not! Exercising the inspiration to be forthright and generous while consciously being aware of our intentions, allows us to better navigate those that we interact with in a meaningful way on a daily basis. Not without fault, but with practice we heighten our intuition in any given situation on how best to reach another, whether through hearing ones words our speaking our thoughts, receiving humbly or giving generously.

This being said, there is a difference in the performance of spell craft, to everyday interactions with others. Amongst practitioners, it is known that with the right timing and ingredients one does not need the recipient to be present to have a healing be successful, at least on a superficial level. But it brings up the point that then perhaps it is also not necessary that the recipient know of what is being done on their behalf.

In Wicca providing a spell crafting service on another’s behalf without their expressed permission is considered a violation of their free will and goes against our Rede of “An it Harm None, Do As Ye Will”. As Wiccan, It is our belief that as children of the God and Goddess, we come into this world with the gift of free will. A notion that even our makers do not manipulate. It isn’t for us to decide what is best for another, and so to blatantly disregard ones free will, can harm ones sense of refrain. Taking the power away from simply allowing. Which can be as powerful as doing when applied appropriately to self and others.Often, the best and humblest of spell crafters understand this fine balance and don’t extend energy that isn’t wanted.

One could question the validity of the healing spell too if it was to come against a recipient who was not open to receiving the energy offered. For various reasons such as: not having a sense of being worthy, not willing to let go of that which has fed the imbalance, or an uncomfortability fed by their perceived notions of the energy you are sourcing for the task, leaving them hostile or fearful, may all  go to work against your efforts. For these reasons, it is best to work honestly and openly with one another to implement positive, long-lasting results.This being said, one can always gift love or healing energy to another by affirming it as an offering rather than something forced upon the other. Ask your God, Goddess or spirit guides to take up your offering and give it provided it would be accepted and for the highest good of all.

Another thing to consider before working healing energy is whether you are fit to be its vessel. Meaning, do you feel that you are of a state of mind, emotional and physical wellness that you’re offering will pass through without giving the recipient a high dose of negative etheric debris or nothing being given at all perhaps, due to you absorbing the healing energy?This does not mean to say you need be perfect or without flaws. We are all works in progress to some degree, but if you yourself are experiencing a similar amount of unwellness, perhaps another would be more capable to perform your seekers request.

Provided you feel you are fit to act as a vessel of healing for others and you have your recipient on board to take what you can offer, than you are free to take advantage of the many ways one can work utilize healing energy for wellness.

Before accepting ones request for assistance the question will likely come up for you on whether it is appropriate to charge for your service.

During the times when our Pagan predecessors; the Cunning Folk utilized their magical and herbal knowledge on a regular basis for such things as healing for others, it was generally no question to the beneficiaries to bring some sort of remuneration to the healer for their time and energy. For someone to give in trade, an item of value, money or service, to receive back in return from the healer was considered a fair trade in energy and in certain groups believed it nullified any further spiritual debt by trading fairly during the initial agreement. Although times have changed in many ways, a fair trade in energy between recipient and giver is still considered a positive balanced equation. Setting aside societies idea that money is the root of all evil, we can see that it is a viable tool sourced from the above mentioned energy, actually devoid of either a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ distinction, but rather completely dependent on pure or corrupt intent and action. Ultimately, it’s a personal choice of the practitioner to accept payment for deeds done. A contract between two consenting parties that then hold the responsibility of their choice, hopefully devoid of outside judgments.

To assist in a persons need for healing, which includes cleansing and balancing, is to provide a much need service within a community. There are many that live unbalanced, stress filled lives or those that have entered a transitional period of their lives that who could benefit from vibrational healers and magical practitioners complimenting the traditional therapies utilized with a more spiritual, holistic approach.To have a seeker agree to spell craft for healing isn’t to have them give up on traditional treatments and hand the power over to the caster. It is to have them more fully embrace new possibilities for wellness by being shown how to align their desire with the energy of our universe to manifest and boost positive change.

To help, It really can be as simple as offering prayer to those in need on a regular basis. Make it part of your regular routine, add in a daily affirmation that works to help another and you by asking to be aligned to the right energy to help ‘so and so’ conquer this or release that. Continue until either you or they start to see a change within a reasonable amount of time, otherwise you might need to go in a bit stronger to hit home, at which time a spell designed for the task could be most beneficial.

Shamanic techniques are sources of powerful healing as well, but should be performed by someone with a trained background in this art. Same goes for Reiki or crystal healing techniques. Provided that you have been trained in these modalities, they can be a wonderful source to turn to for vibrational healing and are complementary to traditional forms of medical treatment.

Spells for healing can be as varied as the clouds in the sky and there are many wonderful examples given in countless Wicca and magick books. A few key ingredients are utilizing the right Moon phase for your work. Waxing for bringing in health, abundance, love, etc. and Waning for releasing illness, blocks, outdated perceptions, etc.

Before bringing in something, it’s important to focus on clearing away. For this reason cleansing yourself before spell craft is important, so that you and/or the intended recipient may more readily take up the incoming blessing of healing, growth and positive change. A cleansing can be as simple as smudging yourself with a stick of Sage and visualizing any blocks or negativity being cast away and grounded below your feet.

Spell Crafting Ingredients Known for Their Cleansing/Clearing Abilities

• Sage bundles (Herb, often burned, sachets, candle making)
• Palo Santo     (Wood, often burned)
• Cedar           (Wood, often burned, sachets, candle making)
• Holy Water. (for sprinkling, anointing, washing, offering)
• Salt               (for sprinkling, holy water, barrier making, soaking)
• Hyssop.       (for sprinkling, holy water, sachets, anointing, candle making)
• Lemon         (eating for internal cleanse, washing, incense)
• Garlic           (eating, sachets, burning)
• Balm of Gilead. (sachets, incense, offering)
• Rosemary. ( sachets, cooking(only herb), incense, washing, candle making)
• Mugwort     (incense, sachets, washing, candle making)
• Black Tourmaline crystals (grids, sachets, compliment to energy healing, meditation, potent at grounding)
• Black Obsidian. (grids, sachets, meditation, very potent for grounding, use sparingly!)
• Smoky Quartz Crystals (grids, sachets, compliment to energy healing, meditations)

Spell Crafting Ingredients for General Health and Wellness

• Rose. (sachets, candle making, incense, washing, garden)
• Frankincense. (sachets, candle making, incense )
• Mandrake. (sachets, grids, incense)
• Geranium (sachets, candle making, gardens, incense, display)
• Holy water (washing, anointing, sprinkling, offering)
• Rose Water (washing, anointing, sprinkling, offering, add in food)
• Flower Blossoms (sachets, incense, candle making, display, grids, baths, meditation, some types in food)
• Fern. (sachets, display, garden, incense, candle making)
• Thyme. (sachets, garden, incense, candle making, food)
• Clear Quartz Crystal. (sachets, grids, display, jewelry, complimentary in energy healing, meditation, gem elixirs)
• Rose Quartz Crystal (sachets, grids, display, jewelry, complimentary in energy healing, meditation, gem elixirs).
• Sodalite (sachets, grids, display, jewelry, complimentary in energy healing, meditation)

In the lists above it’s important to mention these suggestions are not comprehensive. There are many other herbs, oils, crystals, and tools that may be used in bringing health and wellness. Also, the more specific the issue targeted, the more beneficial it would be to use specific ingredients best used in that situation.          All tools must be met with the appropriate amount of intent charged into them in order for them to be adequately affective.

In the case of the herbs noted having essential oil counterparts. The oils should be used sparingly and with caution and never taking internally unless instructed by an expert.

As much as the spirit is associated with our wellness and our beliefs may inspire us to be healthy amongst practices that we resignate with, it’s important to understand that all practices and spiritual understanding stated above are meant to be complimentary to professional medical services and not to be used exclusively as an alternative from the advice of a doctor.

Many Blessings

H.P. Chrystal Raven Rowanwood

Copyright: 2015 Author: Chrystal Raven Rowanwood (Jinjoe)