Magic and Spells for Beltane: Spiraling Your Desire into the Beltane Fire

If you wish your desires be made manifest, this is a powerful spell that can help you accomplish it. It is meant to be done as a solitary spell; it just doesn't work within a coven setting. The best timing for this spell is on Beltane (May 1st) before sunset, but you can also do it on any full moon or on Midsummer Night (the summer solstice, on or around June 21st).

This spell can be done in conjunction within a formal circle if you so desire; if you're having a full-blown Beltane ritual, it can make a wonderful part of it, after worship and observance of the holiday. It can also stand alone, no circle, ritual or celebration required.

The goal is irrelevant; this Beltane spell is multi-purpose. Just take some time the days or weeks before the spell considering your specific intent.

You should cleanse yourself before your ritual or before casting the spell. One of the best ways to do this is to leave a clean, cotton cloth out on the night of April 30th, and retrieve it first thing in the morning on May 1st. Wash with the dew collected on the cloth. If you are lucky enough to live where there is lots of morning dew and can catch some, pour it into your bath water.

You will need a large space, preferably outdoors, for this spell. You will need a lighter, a candle, herbs, a ball of yarn, a pair of scissors, a candle holder, a heat-proof spoon or shovel of some kind, and a fire. The spell involves lighting a fire. If you cannot do this outdoors, or cannot light a fire, don't worry; you have several options, as I will explain, and in a pinch you can use simple incense charcoal. Because you are working with fire, it will also pay to have a bucket of water or fire extinguisher off to the side somewhere. Music is also a nice addition.

The color candle and yarn you choose should correspond with your intent. For example, if you are doing a spell for money, you might choose a green candle and a gold piece of yarn. For a spell to draw love, you may choose pink and red colors. There is no right or wrong; the important thing is that the color you choose have a meaning to you that connects it to your intent.

The herb you use, however, needs to be specific. The herb is going to be used to banish your obstacles. The absolute best you can use is knotweed (polygunum aviculare); if you cannot get knotweed, substitute boneset or fumitory. As a last but suitable resort, get some bay leaves, which are commonly found in kitchen cabinets or supermarket shelves. You'll need about a handful of crumbled, dried herbs.

After you have cleared your space and cleansed yourself, find the center of the area. There, you can set up the wood and kindling for a small bonfire. If you cannot can not make a bonfire on the ground, get a heat-proof pot, such as your cauldron or even a small table-top barbecue. You can set up for a small fire in there, even if it is only some crumpled newspaper and a few dried twigs. If you cannot set up this kind of fire, you can place a small cauldron, censer or heat-proof pot in place and put a single incense charcoal, unlit, into it.

Do not light your fire yet. This will be done later during the course of the spell.

Leaving a center clearing near the fire, start unwinding the yarn into a spiral formation that is big enough to create a path for you to walk through. When you walk it, you should be walking deosil (sun-wise, or clock-wise). The spiral path can go around as many times as you desire or have room for, but should lead you at least three times around before you reach the fire. Align the beginning and end of the spiral path in the direction of the South.

Play your music and get into magical consciousness by grounding and centering yourself, meditating, chanting or however you normally prepare mentally for spell work. You want to enter a relaxed but aware state of mind.

Sit at the beginning of the spiral path. Place the herbs in your non-dominant hand and think about the obstacles that may prevent you from your desire. Visualize the herb absorbing all the power these obstacles hold over you. Do this as long as you feel is necessary. Don't rush it; the visualizations are very important. When done, place the herbs in a pouch, or container, and keep them on your person.

Hold the candle and mentally pour the desires you have into it- this time visualize the thing you want. Place it in a candle holder, light it and hold it in your hands. Keep the lighter on you should it go out. If it is a windy day, don't bother to keep re-lighting it until you reach the center of the spiral. The intent is enough.

Begin walking the spiral very slowly. You can take a step and then wait a few seconds before taking another step. If you are going by music, choose a slower song with a steady beat and take steps forward to the beat.

Each step, visualize the thing you want. Imagine yourself actually getting it, having it, enjoying it. Focus that intent on your candle, envisioning the very flame as the desire. Walk the spiral, knowing that with each round, you are bringing your desire closer to you.

When you reach the center of the spiral, light the fire with your candle; or light the charcoal if you have that instead. Know that this is going to release the energy of the candle to make your desire manifest in the universe. Set the candle down beside the fire, and leave it burning if possible.

Take your herbs in your hand and throw them into the fire to eliminate your obstacles. You can shout or chant as you do, if you feel so inclined.

Pick up the end of the yarn and begin looping it like a rope. You can chant or dance as you are doing this. When you are done, tie a knot in it. Lay the knot of yarn on the ground.

Take a spoonful or a shovel full of the fire ash. Be really careful not to burn yourself or spill hot ash; you don't want live embers, you just want dead ash. Dribble some candle wax on the knot and sprinkle the ashes onto it. You have sealed your path to your desire and nothing can stop you.

Save the knotted yarn in a box or bag, stashed somewhere deep in your home, undisturbed. If ever comes a time that you intentionally do not want what you asked for, unknot the yarn and burn it. It may not eliminate the thing from your life entirely or immediately, but it will decrease the connection so you can begin moving on from it.