Blessings and protection magic may not seem to go together, but these are often the type of spells you would cast on yourself and also onto the people you care about.

In other words, you influence the fate of another through your own will.

Before we get into a discussion about whether blessing and protecting someone else is ethical, I want to talk about what they are.

Blessings

Let’s start with blessings. We talk about the blessings in our lives. We ask for blessings to come our way. We bless others when we meet them, but what does it really mean? We are probably in agreement that a blessing is a good thing, but what exactly is it?

Is it that things are going well, in the right direction? Does it mean we are prosperous in our health, wealth, and other things? Are we in the Universe’s favor?

One definition is that a blessing is the way the Universe gives power to someone, especially so that they can fulfill their purpose to do that which they are designed or intended to do. 

A blessing is the Universe granting you the power to pursue your purpose. They can come to you in the form of your power, what you are intended to do with your life, and also in the form of material possessions, health, relationships, success, etc.

So when you say “I am blessed,” you are acknowledging with gratitude the sources of your power, physical or immaterial.

So what about when we bless the Universe?

If you have ever blessed the Universe, you are simply recognizing this as the source of all blessing. You might have heard it in the form of “Blessed is the Lord.” Especially in religions like Christianity and Judaism. Whatever your beliefs circulate around, the Universe, God, Spirit, etc., the power you have and all that you have, and all that you are comes from somewhere.

It is also an acknowledgement that you are a co-creator of your destiny.

And what about blessing others?

When you bless someone else, you are in effect asking the Universe to send blessings to them. Phrases like “May you never go to bed hungry,” are the type of blessings you might share with another person.

When you bless another, it is a spell for that person to be blessed. 

Gratitude

It’s also important to remembered that when you are blessed, you ought to acknowledge your blessings with gratitude and pass them on to others whenever you are able.

In other words, don’t bogart the blessings.

Related: Three Core Methods of the Law of Attraction

Protection

Everyone feels vulnerable sometime in their life. That’s when it’s important to remember that you can empower yourself with magic. You can choose to fear harm to yourself and the negative energies of others, or you can overcome that fear by taking action. 

Later on, I’d like to discuss offensive spells like cursing and hexing, which often get a bit more attention. These forms of spells can be really powerful due to the strong emotions attached to performing them and there are some ethical arguments that crop up whenever talk turns to cursing.

Magic can also be defensive. Protection magic can prevent harm from coming your way or toward those you care about, even if you don’t know the source. 

Protection spells are a powerful form of spell and there are a huge variety of reasons for applying them. These spells can be a bit more complex and require a higher level of concentration then those used for offense, but they can be more rewarding.

If performed properly, they can work to keep you safe and avoid negative energies, making them perfect for most magical practitioners to use.

Related: Crystals for Protection

Ethics Discussion

So now that we understand what blessings and protective magic are, we have to ask, are they ethical? Why is it widely accepted to bless and protect the people we care about, but so many have misgivings about cursing and hexing?

Both can influence the life of another, and both can have unintended consequences. Is it because of the intention behind the magic?

Probably.

For blessing and protecting we are intending to help our loved ones, while cursing has a malicious intent to harm another.

But if you think about it, you can never be perfectly certain of the consequences of your actions. The Principle of Cause and Effect says that every cause has it’s effect and every effect has it’s cause. Even your well meaning protection spell or blessing could cause unintended consequences.

You might send someone a blessing for success at a job interview. They might get the job, but what about the other people who interviewed who also needed the job. What if because of your spell, another person became homeless? Or their spouse had issued an ultimatum for them to find a job or they were getting divorced? Or they were unable to pay for food or medication without this income?

Obviously, that’s all sad, and it may be enough to make you never want to cast spells for fear of the unintentional and unavoidable events that can occur because of your actions.

Your actions to help a friend can result in harming a stranger without your knowledge. But this isn’t just magical actions. Every single action you take, magical and mundane, has an effect. Are you going to stop participating in your life because of this? No. So there’s no reason to stop participating in your magic.

And that’s not the point anyway.

The perspective is important. What you perceive to be a blessing or defensive magick, from another perspective, may look different. Nothing is inherently good or bad.

It’s all about walking the center line and making the best choices you can based on the information you have and your physical and energetic capabilities.

How to cast a spell

Spell procedure will vary based on the intent but in general, you can follow these steps.

Step 1: Identify What you Want

Whether you want to bless someone or protect them, yourself included, go through the questions outlined in the Magical Purpose lesson of Witchcraft 101.

• Look at the situation and gather as much information as you can from reliable sources.

• Think about alternatives and run different scenarios through your mind.

• Consider your guidelines, values, and principles.

• Test your limits and don't discount your inner voice.

• Make your choice. You will have to live with it—right or wrong.

When it comes to protection, you’ll need to determine what you want to be protected from. Mental threats, curses, and emotional trauma all require a different type of protection spell to physical threats.

And for blessings you’d have to know what type of blessing you want to receive: money, success, love.

Step 2: Find a Taglock

A taglock is something that has been used in witchcraft for a very long time. Quite simply, it’s an object or substance that forges a strong link between your target and your magic.

Traditionally, taglocks are things such as blood, spit, hair or nail clippings, – direct DNA. The use of DNA creates a strong magical bond. 

Nowadays, however, snagging someone’s blood in their sleep is generally frowned upon and quite difficult, so suitable replacements include cigarette butts, used tissues, used plastic cutlery and other easily obtained things.

You can also use a picture, the full name, or other things that are a little less intrusive.

You will notice that taglocks are often used in curses and hexes. But they can be used for any spell that needs to be bound to a target in order to amplify the magick and ensures that it affects the intended person. 

Step 3: Find the Spell

It’s good to have a few go to spells that you are comfortable with, especially for protection. This way you don’t need to always be searching for something new. Once you find something that works, stick with it until it doesn’t work anymore, then find something new.

Step 4: Plan the Spell

Walk through the steps of the spell and be sure that you are happy with any consequences that result from it.

Be safe and smart.

Step 5: Conduct the Spell

Gather your materials, cleanse your tools, cleanse your space, cleanse yourself. Ground and center to clear and focus your mind on the task at hand. Use words that are empowering. Unbeneficial language may weaken the spell or make it unproductive.

Tips

The most important part of the spell is the first step, where you run different scenarios and decide if this is the best course of action. It doesn’t matter what kind of magic you are performing. This step is always the same.

Be careful with your thoughts, your words, and your actions because they determine your future.

Continue your journey and share your experiences on the Mumbles and Things Facebook page.

There is a group on Facebook, and it was made for you. It is a safe and supportive place for New Age* practitioners to gather and grow their personal power while encouraging one another.

If you are a newbie hoping to learn how to become a witch or are experienced and would like to learn from like-minded folks, this group is for you.

*Metaphysical, Pagan, New Age, Lightworkers, Energy Workers, Shamans, Wiccan, Neo-Pagan, Witches, Angel Workers, Healers, Psychics, Spiritualists, and so many others fall under the umbrella of "New Age."

Join the Community Group. 

Now it’s your turn! 

What is a blessing in your opinion? What is protective magic in your opinion? Do you think these types of spells work? How? Would you use them or have you used them?