Read Online A Witch's World of Magick by Melanie Marquis - Free Book Online Page A

the willow knot in his or her mouth, the Roma forges a connection to be utilized once the knot is placed in the bed of the lover and begins to absorb and “pick up” the essence of the desired dreamer, thereby placing the dreamer within the will of the magician. We might infer from this example that knots used in knot magick can be pre-charmed beforehand, before being charged or filled with the energies which that knot is to bind.
    The Roma weren’t the only people to use knots for love magick. In a 1906 collection of European folklore, a knot charm to dream of one’s future lover is described:
Thus girls when in a strange bed would, in years past, tie their garters nine times round the bedpost, and knit as many knots in them, repeating these lines by way of incantation—
“This knot I knit, this knot I tie,
To see my lover as he goes by,
In his apparel and array,
As he walks in every day;”
there being various versions of this rhyme,
one of which runs thus:—
This knot I knit
To know the thing I know not yet:
That I may see
The man that shall my husband be;
How he goes and what he wears,
And what he does all days and years.” 58
    Here, we again find intentions stored in the twists and turns of a knot, this time in the form of a knotted garter. Both the intention and the method for achieving it is clearly stated: “This knot I knit To know the thing I know not yet.” By weaving one’s intentions to dream of a future lover into the knots, the charm is set. It’s then placed right where it’s needed, close to the dreamer who will need to keep the intentions of the magick firmly held nearby whilst she or he sleeps. Here, the knot provides a sturdy container for a charm that needs to hold up in the mysterious and unpredictable realms of the dreamworld.
    Another point to note is the choice of material in which to place the knots. A garter is a very personal item, often associated with sexuality and femininity. Variations of the charm are found in several nineteenth century collections of European folklore, and some versions call for a stocking to be knotted rather than a garter. In either case, the basic symbolism is the same. By using a personal item representative of intimacy, the intention of the knot charm is further expressed. We can learn from this custom that in knot magick, the wise witch will choose which strings to tie wisely. Perhaps certain colors of string or certain fabrics are ideal for particular forms of knot magick; perhaps using a personal item such as a piece of clothing or hair when doing a knot charm to bind an enemy would increase the charm’s potency. By choosing the materials to be tied in knot magick with symbolism and energetic attributes in mind, another layer of magickal power is added to an already powerful spell.

Common Threads and New Perspectives
    In this chapter, we’ve surveyed some ways in which magicians around the world have used knots to control, ensnare, reserve, restrain, harness, and restrict energy. We’ve seen that these actions can be applied against any number of forces, from the wind to a lover, from an intention to an enemy. We know that the magick encased in such a knot can be easily unleashed or undone through the simple expedient of untying, and we understand one advantage of the knot charm is in this flexibility. While materials used in knot magick may range from a naturally occurring willow knot to a simple piece of string, we’re aware of the potential benefits in choosing a material that relates in some way to its intended purpose. We’ve learned that multiple energies can be bound into single knots or multiple knots, and that singular energies can be bound in increments, with power and essence distributed equally among several knots. Though ultimately simple and straightforward, like all magickal arts, so too can knot magick become as complicated and complex as you wish. All magick is a way of forging connections, and the ties that bind a knot