Pagan Blog Project 2014
When it comes to magic, I hear people use the terms casting and crafting interchangeably but I personally see them as two very different energetic techniques. This is the first time I have attempted to verbalize the differences to others, so I would be very interested if you could share your thoughts with me in the comments section.
Although the terms are often used interchangeably, many practitioners will use the terms in different contexts – the word Spellcraft to describe the act of preparing, creating and designing a spell, and the word Spellcast to describe the completion, culmination or release of a spell. To me, crafting not only describes the act of actually preparing your spell or magical working, it is also the energetic act of creation or transformation. Casting is a little more like fishing, casting the energy out into the universe and reeling back in the desired result. Spellcrafting takes various elements, ingredients or techniques to create a result; Spellcasting takes various elements, ingredients or techniques to attract a result.
Since it is February and so many folks have love on their minds at the moment, let’s take a love working as an example. Love spells are commonly asked for, but are an ethical minefield for many. I for one will never support a persons desire to “make” someone fall in love with them, but I understand the importance of love in ones life and will support the search for love. There are several ways this can be done, and the techniques of crafting and casting can be easily highlighted with this example.
The first technique, using crafting, is to create the vibration of love within the practitioner. Love attracts love, so starting with the self is an important step. By creating an energetic shift within the practitioner, the likelihood of attracting love in all its forms increases. This technique also builds self-confidence, self-worth, and self-awareness.
The second technique, using casting, is to push the desire out into the universe with a clear path of return in an attempt to attract the right person (for highest good) into the practitioners life. This technique does make some internal changes to the practitioners mindest, especially if one combines this technique with mundane actions like preparing space for a new partner within your life.
Both techniques use attraction, but they work in different ways. One uses personal creation and transformation, manifesting your Will from the inside out, and one uses external attraction, manifesting your Will from the outside in.
I believe words have great power and I find it interesting to explore our emotional, psychological, physical and spiritual responses to terminology. Although many may not consider the difference between the terms casting and crafting as greatly important, I do wonder if a more conscious awareness of the terms will help us better define our magical workings and create a clear intent. What intention are you holding? Are you crafting, creating and transforming? Or are you casting, wishing, and seeking? Are you manifesting your Will from the inside out, or the outside in? What does crafting and casting mean to you?
The Poet Priestess 
I believe an effective spell begins with intent. Based in your definitions for crafting and casting, I do not see how the two can be separated because intent is established in what you define as the “crafting” stage and carries through the “casting” stage.
“The first technique, using crafting, is to create the vibration of love within the practitioner… The second technique, using casting, is to push the desire out into the universe…
I understand that you may be trying to explain something to your readers about spells in a manner they are more likely to understand, having been raised in a technological world that dissects and analyzes everything. However, I believe they will advance farther if they learn to look at the world from an organic and natural perspective first. If they cannot make this shift of perception, they are not likely to advance very far, regardless of how you try rephrase things.
Of course, this is a personal opinion that many may object to, but I am only honestly responding to your request for comment.
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Being a linguist, I found this topic quite interesting. Although this distinction isn’t as visible in my native language (Croatian), I find distinctions important when it comes to terms. I say this because our minds and the way we perceive things have great power over our actions, outcomes of situations and, in turn, magic and spells.
I have to agree with Mr. Tanner who wrote about the inability to divide crafting from casting in this context because they truly are tied together by intent. Still, I understand what you are saying because they really can be two separate actions that can even take place at different moments in time. For example, one can hold on to an intent, gather tools and so on, but decide to go through with the actual casting of a spell maybe a few years after all the “crafting” has been done. There can even be a break of intent in between (for instance, when a person forgets about the primary goal because of obligations or other worldly things), but they regain awareness of the importance of the subject, then regain the intent and simply continue where they left off.
In this sense, I can definitely understand where you are coming from. I am the logical type and also prefer to know what is what and why. In any case, thank you for the wonderful post! 🙂
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