I was reading Dancing with Dragons by D. J. Conway and she stated that the first part of the use of magick required that “A magician must sincerely desire what she/he is asking for in ritual”."
“The second part of the use of magick is that the magician must release the emotions and desire after the ritual is finished. To constantly think about what you want accomplished after the ritual is ended binds the energies to you and they cannot manifest. To constantly talk about your desires, or to talk about the rituals you are performing to get them, will surely keep them from manifestation. To want something so much you can taste it and yet not care if you get it is a very difficult mood to cultivate. I have never known any magician who reached perfection in this area, but getting as close to it as possible is what is important.”
I would be interested in what others think about this and how you conduct your practice. Do you leave spell jars, pouches, talismans and amulets in daily sight where they constantly remind you of the intention of your ritual? Do you tuck them away?
Hello lovely. This is the first time I’ve heard this so Thankyou for the new teaching. 
I have my Malphas Home Protection Ward jars in plain sight on my windowsills, N S E W of the house. It’s a reminder who protects us and to redo the spell and offer thanks each season ( I’m needing to do this in June 
). If I do a mojo bag for whatever reason, I carry this with me, until the spell is fulfilled. I may not be thinking of the spell, but the bag is with me, as that’s why a mojo bag (spell pouch) is created.
Talismans I wear, Amulets I wear and they are placed on Loki’s altar each night for him to imbue his energy into them. I will daily touch my amulet as a way to remind me who’s behind me, and I needn’t fear anything. I don’t feel this practice reduces the power of any of my spells, prayers etc for me anyway.
I guess, give this new method a try for a month and see if it’s better. 
Like @tracyS , I do have some that I keep around. Protection, healing, that sort of thing. I kind of just forget the fact that they are there. If I do happen to notice I just think “glad that is there to help me” and move on.
On the other hand, if I have done a spell that don’t require the jar or talisman, I do the spell and immediately put everything away. There are some that require the items be left on the altar or somewhere for a certain amount of time. When I do them, I leave them out until the time is up and then immediately put things away. When I see them I just think “that spell is working it’s power” and move on. I don’t think about what these spells are doing or worry about if they are working. I believe they are there doing there job, whatever the job may be. I will occasionally thank them, including jars and such for helping me.
I’ve heard this, and I’ve also heard the exact opposite: that spells require more work and energy over a period of time in order to manifest. My answer to this apparent paradox is that it’s situational- there are high-maintenance spells and there are low-maintenance spells 
In my experience, some spells (usually small and short-term things) can benefit from casting and then letting them go. Banish it, plant it, bury it, burn it - whatever you do as part of the spellwork to send it out into the universe. The universe will handle it from there.
But for large, complicated spells that manifest over a long period of time, I’ve found, at least for me, casting and then tossing it aside does not work. Some things require tending for them to nurture and grow.
It’s just like the garden - we have wildflower seeds we toss into the bed and let them be. They thrive on their own. But then there are more delicate seeds that require tending - if I left them alone, they would wither and die. It all depends on the seed (spell) 
Both! For things I’m actively working on, I’ll leave them on my altar space, on a bookshelf, or somewhere where they will remind me of the spell’s intention. Things like money bowls, glamour spells, or confidence spells work very well via reminders. But I also have things I tuck away - a talisman at the bottom of my bag, travel charms in my suitcase, or a money charm buried in my wallet. They are working without me needing to be aware of them.
This is a great question to explore, @bj1 - thank you for sharing it! 
Thanks BryWisteria!
I like the idea of high and low maintenance spells. I will definitely use this approach. 
Happy if I could help, @bj1! 
It was a great topic to think on - thanks again for bringing it up! 
My first piece of advice is to take things that DJ Conway writes with a grain of salt. There have been several people who have spoken about the incorrect information in their books, especially when it comes to deities and Celtic information.
As for keeping your spells a secret or not thinking about them afterward, I tend to err on the side of personal experience. I think most of this idea of releasing your emotions and desires after the ritual is finished comes from the historical necessity for secrecy. We don’t talk about our spells, we don’t think about them when we’re done, and we keep everything a secret because it used to be necessary for our survival, ya know?
In my experience, talking about a spell, thinking about a spell, or sharing a spell with someone else has never affected the outcome (that I’m aware of, of course) – I think this is especially true for spells and rituals that require more mundane action. For example, if you do a spell to get a job and then go out to do interviews and fill out applications, the knowledge that you’ve done a spell to help you is always going to be there in the back of your mind. Thinking about the spell isn’t going to stop you from getting a job, nor do I think it will stop the spell from working.
I think this is also a good way of looking at spells. There are some that will require constant work and energy. Then there are others that will require no outside effort after it’s done. It’s all based on the person casting and how they practice.
I don’t remember where I saw this, but in my youth I read that if you cast to get something, you have to keep casting in order to keep it. Once in a while, I notice that an object I cast for will leave if it isn’t in use; but as for other spells, cast and go with your instincts. That’s easier said than done when beginning, I admit; but starter advice given by others here will give some experience until you can get a good feel for things on your own.
Can you suggest a few more reliable sources for info on Celtic goddesses and gods?
Instinct and intuition and gut feelings are something to hone.
I often get an idea in my head to go shopping for an item I have been thinking about buying for some time. The location of the store is usually provided as well.
The other day I suddenly thought it was time to google local sources for a mortar and pestle that I had been contemplating. I found one on sale for $11.99! A nice granite 4.5 inch bowl and dual ended pestle. Two left in stock. I quickly drove and got it and did a gratitude ritual when I got home.
I have learned to wait for the right moment for the Universe to provide.
Now I just need to apply these thoughts to manifestations of my spellwork.
Absolutely! (and sorry this took so long!)
So, there’s a lot of not-good information out there about Celtic deities and Celtic paganism in general. The best places to start, in my opinion, are books and information by Lora O’Brien and Morgan Daimler. They both have websites and blogs, and Laura O’Brien runs the online Irish Pagan School which has both free and paid courses. There are also some wonderful resources in regard to Celtic Reconstructionist practices which, even if that’s not exactly what you’re looking for, it’s a good place for general information. Here are some links to check out!
- Living Liminally - Morgan Daimler’s Blog
- The Irish Pagan School
- The Irish Pagan School Blog
- A Celtic Reconstructionist Gateway
- The Celtic Reconstructionist FAQ
- The Celtic Reconstructionist Reading List
Another great option is to go right to the source material. Of course, this is going to depend on the region you’re looking at. For example, it’s much easier to find Irish mythology than it is to find Scottish mythology, for example. Irish mythology is spread out in multiple books and stories. Welsh mythology is also in many different stories, but several of them are collected in the Mabinogion.
Thanks! Bookmarked! This should keep me busy for quite a while.
You’re very welcome! And if you ever have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask. I’m not a Celtic Reconstructionist, but I am a Celtic Pagan. I will try to help as best I can