The following magic rituals take as little as a couple of minutes to do, so they are perfect for those days when you don’t have the emotional or physical energy for complex magic rituals.

Sometimes, we want to do magic, but It seems too difficult. Maybe we are tired, sick or grieving. Maybe our energy feels scattered and we can’t settle or focus. We want to create magic, but everything seems too difficult. We want to shift our energy and raise our vibration but our exhaustion is all-consuming. We want to make a change but we are stuck in a rut that feels too big to dig ourselves out of.

While I don’t think we should strive to be positive all the time, neither should we stay mired in negativity for longer than necessary if we can help it. Sometimes we just need a little help moving towards the light.

On days like these, we need magic rituals that:

• don’t take much physical energy
• don’t take much emotional or mental energy
• don’t require lots of tools, ingredients or preparation
• can be done with items that we already have
• are easy to follow and simple to remember
• don’t require a lot of thinking or introspection

But we also want magic spells that

• make us feel better
• shift our energy effectively
• reconnect us with our inner magic
• are gentle and loving

The seven magic rituals

Here are seven magic rituals that are very simple but also quite powerful. They honour the way we feel while still reconnecting us to our magic. They take just a few moments but are powerful enough to shift our energy and make us feel better.

1. Light a candle

For me, the easiest of magic rituals to shift my energy is to light a candle. The energy of fire is about action, it’s about rekindling the flame within us, a flame of inspiration.

All you need to do this is a candle, an LED candle or a string of fairy lights. If you do not have any of these, lighting a lamp will work.

I like to light a white candle on my kitchen windowsill in the morning while I am making a cup of tea, but you can do it any time you need a little boost of energy and inspiration. I use a plain white tealight in a simple glass holder that cost me less than a pound from IKEA. You can use a pillar candle, a candle in a jar or tin or even a birthday candle. If using a birthday candle you can just melt the bottom and stick it to a fireproof plate to keep it upright.

Sit or stand looking at the candle for a few moments. You may like to say a few words as part of your magic ritual – a tiny incantation to help the magic flow back into your life. Use one of the examples below or one of your devising.

Fire please light my path and show me what my next step should be.

Fire please show me what needs to be burned away in my life and help me  to release it

Fire please inspire me with (a new idea or a solution to a problem)

Fire please comfort me with your light and warmth today

How this magic ritual works

The element of fire is associated with light, inspiration and action, this simple spell works because:

• Fire illuminates our path, helping us to see more clearly
• Fire can burn away that which is no longer needed
• Fire can transform and create (think cooking or metalwork)
• Fire is energy for growth (like the sun)
• Fire is the spark of magic and intuition that inspires us.

For more on candle magic, check out my post, Candle Magic 101

2. Wash your hands

Cleansing is an important part of many witch’s practices, as it is for many spiritual traditions and religions. Cleansing helps to remove stale or negative energies making space for more positive and creative ones. 

If you don’t have the time or energy for a full ritual cleanse, or you are at work or someone else’s house, the following magic ritual is a quick and simple way to cleanse yourself of negative energy. You can always excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, making this the perfect ritual for when you need a few moments away from a situation to reset.

You don’t need anything but a tap, a handwash basin and soap for this magic ritual. However, if I have time, I like to use some hand lotion as a little self-care act after completing it.

Turn on the tap and notice the pure, clear water. Feel gratitude that you have easy access to this precious resource. Wet your hands, turn off the tap and then lather your hands well with the soap, getting into all the nooks and crannies. If I am at home, I will lather up a nailbrush and clean my nails.

When your hands are good and soapy, turn on the tap and exhale as you put your hands under the flowing stream of water. As you watch the soap running down the plughole, visualise it taking negative energy with it and washing it away. Imagine your stresses, and fears being washed down the drain. You might like to say a short incantation such as:

I release all stress and negativity. 

Once your hands are clean you can say

I invite positive and creative energy into my life.

If I have time, I sometimes put on some hand lotion and give my hands a gentle massage saying: 

I deserve nourishment, care and kindness.

How this magic ritual works

The element of water is associated with emotions and spiritual cleansing and this makes it a perfect choice when we are struggling with our emotions or feeling overwhelmed. Water’s purifying action also gives us a symbolic fresh start helping us shift out of our current mindset and restart our day with more perspective.

3. Make a cup of tea

Herbal magic is as old as the hills and one of the simplest ways to use its power is in tea magic rituals. I like to keep a stock of herbal and fruit teas handy for this, but if you don’t have any, any tea will do, or you can use another beverage such as hot chocolate. If you have some lemons or fresh mint you can make your tea with just these and hot water.

Put your teabag, lemon slices, fresh mint or hot chocolate powder into a cup and pour on the hot water. Stir the tea clockwise to invite in positive energy or anti-clockwise if you have strong emotions you are struggling to release. Remove the tea bag, lemon or herbs and sip the tea slowly and mindfully. You might like to say:

I nourish myself with this tea and take a moment to find emotional balance

I feel safe and grounded in my body

How this magic spell works

Tea magic combines the elements of water and the earth of the herbs. Earth magic helps us to feel safe and grounded. When we are disconnected from the earth we can feel separate from our life force and our sense of safety in our bodies. We can tend to ‘live in our heads’ and find it difficult to take action in the world.

4. Space cleansing

Just as doing a ritual for personal cleansing can sometimes feel overwhelming, so can cleansing our space. But our environment can have a big effect on our mental and emotional wellbeing and it is quite simple to shift the energy of a space.

If possible, open a window in the space you want to cleanse. This will help to move the stagnant energy out. If you can’t open a window, don’t worry, the ritual will still work. Next, if you can, walk around the room in a clockwise direction clapping your hands. If you need to, you can simply sit while clapping your hands. 

Once you have finished the cleansing ritual, you can close the window if you have opened it. I also like to place a plant or crystal in the room to absorb and transmute negative energies. A smokey quartz and a peace lily are my favourites but any plant or crystal, or even a stone picked up from the garden or on a walk will work just fine.

How this magic ritual works

Clapping is a form of sound cleansing. The sound travels through the air in the space breaking up negative energy and dispersing it. Air is associated with thoughts and it is often with our thoughts that we hold on to what we need to let go of (though we also hold negative emotions in the body).

Peace lilies are known to purify the air in a space which is why they are my favourite plant choice. Smokey quartz is excellent at absorbing negative energies but obsidian and black tourmaline are very effective, too. A clear quartz can be used to amplify energies so can also be added after the cleansing ritual.

5. Sigil Magic

Sigil magic is a powerful form of magic that I love because it is so simple to do. All you need are a pen and some paper.

Write down your intention. This can be anything you would like to feel or manifest. I will use the example:

I invite prosperity

Now cross out all the vowels and repeating characters. In the above example, we would be left with:

Nvtprsy

Next, arrange these letters in any way you like. They can interlink or overlap in any way you choose. You can use capital or lowercase letters. You can use lines as part of one or more of the letters if you like. I usually sketch out a few ideas and choose the one that resonates most for me. There is no wrong way to do this, it’s all about creating an image that you like.

Once you have created your sigil, spend a few moments charging it by meditating on your intention. Then release the energy of the sigil by visualising the energy being released into the universe. You can then burn, bury or hide the sigil.

How this magic spell works

Sigil magic spells work because our subconscious minds interpret the world through symbolism. Sigil magic helps us translate our everyday words, thoughts and intentions so that our subconscious and energies of the universe can understand more easily.

6. Connect with higher powers

Often when we are feeling down and uninspired it is because we have lost touch with our inner magic, our intuition, our higher self and any other energies of the universe we work with. Now, sometimes it’s wise to avoid psychic work, divination and shadow work when we are not in the best place physically and emotionally. This is because these practices can be very draining and transformative and you need to be in a place where you can handle that. Only you can decide when these practices are right for you but if you aren’t sure, please err on the side of caution.

The following magic ritual is a gentle way to tune into the energies of the universe and our wisdom and intuition.

Take an image, it could be a tarot card or oracle card, or it could be a picture from a book or magazine. Sit with the image for a while and just take it all in. What do the images signify for you? What about the colours? How does the image make you feel?

Jot down your ideas about this image and what it might be telling you right now. You may find that you are drawn to certain aspects of the image and that particular colour or symbols intrigue you. These may be clues from your subconscious and can guide you towards creating a more spiritual and fulfilling life. Or they might just help you think of a solution to a mundane problem.

How this magic ritual works

As I have mentioned before, the universe and our unconscious work in symbols. It can be difficult to tune in to this way of thinking as we usually take in information in the form of words. This simple magic ritual will help you to develop this part of your consciousness, allowing you to tap into deeper sources of knowledge and wisdom. It will also help you get more from your psychic work or divination practices if and when you choose to use them.

For more on ways to tune in to your subconscious check out Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD’s excellent book Spellbound

7. Acts of service

Sometimes, when we are stuck in our heads, overthinking and ruminating, an act of service can shift our mental and emotional energy outwards giving us a little more perspective on life. A ritual act of service or gratitude can also help us to reconnect with the world around us, helping us to feel less isolated. Your act of service or gratitude doesn’t have to be a big thing. Take a look at the following list for some inspiration.

Water a plant
Cuddle a pet
Send a cheery text message
Notice (and appreciate?) the weather outside your window
Make someone a cup of tea or coffee
Say hello to a street tree or a plant in your garden
Leave a nice comment on a blog post (wink wink)
Spend a few moments thinking of something or someone you appreciate and really feel into the emotion of gratitude.

I hope you have enjoyed these 7 Easy Magic Rituals for Difficult Days.

I’d love to hear the magic rituals that help you through difficult days. Please share with us in the comments.