What I think of as "quick and dirty" magic is a huge part of my life. I do love ceremony, but as much as I love crafting and performing an entire ritual, everyday life and even sometimes the specific outcome I want from a spell don't allow for a lot of ceremony. Magic is dependent on lifestyle and what you have on hand, most of the time.
On hand almost everywhere, when you think about it.
Lately I've been craving a more minimalist lifestyle, so from Valborg/Beltane until now I've been completely overhauling my loft and getting rid of things that don't make me happy any longer, or that no longer serve. There might actually be a longer post in that: purging belongings is cathartic, and the KonMari method that I've been using is supposed to be particularly effective. No storage area or personal belonging goes untouched, including your wallet.
While going through my wallet, I noticed something: I feel like I can never have enough silver change, but that I almost always have too many pennies. They clutter up my wallet, roll around on the floor of my car, and turn up in practically every single drawer or box in the house. And even though they have monetary value (okay, not a lot) I've gotten used to thinking of them just as an annoyance: money that's never going to be of any actual value to me. Then I started thinking like a witch.
My wish jar
I thought for a minute about what these tiny "annoyances" could symbolize: wealth and prosperity, ubiquitousness, returning to sender (seriously, no matter how many I ever dumped out of my purse and converted to quarters and dimes, I had tons of pennies again in a matter of days. They're right up there with cockroaches for sheer tenacity), and then of course I hit on it...wishes! Every fountain or pond I walk past is always glittering with coins on the bottom.
I took a small glass jar from my cabinet, and marked it with Fehu, the rune for wealth, and Gebo, for gifts and generosity. The coins themselves can be thrown into the jar with any intent at all, as long as you're attracting something to you (this probably would not be great as a banishing technique) but those particular runes were the first ones that came to mind for me. I set it on my altar, so that it's constantly charging. Now that it was marked with my enchantment, I had the beginnings of my wish jar. Now what?
Once it's made, take any little loose change you're not going to use and put it in the jar, along with your intent. The point isn't to spend these coins, so don't worry about actual monetary value. Add to the jar you like, and when it's full, release your wish. Take your wish jar to a fountain, pond, or other body of water (I happen to live by a beach, so that's where I'm taking mine!) and cast your coins, and your wishes, into the water.
There might be a couple of steps involve, but ultimately this spell is so simple and everyday that I think it qualifies as quick and dirty magic!
Do you have any "quick and dirty" spells you like to use often?
