Weather Magick

To bring rain was easy. But knowing when to bring rain and when to leave it in the hands of the gods was another matter.
Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

Given the 'super storm' Hurricane Sandy, over a thousand miles wide, weather magick might be the most practical thing a Witch can do. Sandy wasn't a fluke or a freak of nature. Sadly, this is the new normal. We can't pretend global warming doesn't exist. We also shouldn't think we are beyond all hope- there is always room for change.

It won't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.

I have learned weather magick is really, really easy. In my experience, storms seem to want to connect with humans. I wouldn't call it a conscious energy- storms are much too primal and raw. But touching a storm with your mind does make an automatic effect, much like putting your hand under running water. The water must go around your hand. It cannot go through, it must go around. Just by being present, you have changed the flow. Remove your hand and the water surges on like you were never there.

One reason people think weather magick is difficult is because it requires something most of us are too lazy to do- pay attention. Do you know the weather patterns of your area? I can see your mental wheels spinning, you're thinking No one can predict the weather.

But the weather is predictable. If you read all the signs. You need the wind, the sky, the moon, the temperature. You need location, direction, elements. Forget maps, radar, and computers. GO OUTSIDE. Everyday. Several times a day. Then be still and LOOK.

I learned weather magick by starting with the sun. I stood in the sun every day and felt its heat. I noticed how the light fell around my house. I watched my dogs laying in sunbeams. I saw sunflowers turn toward the sun and follow it across the sky. I felt soft morning light, blazing mid-day heat, and dying, cooling evening. Without the sun nothing can live.

I learned the winds. Wind is more difficult to work with than rain. Wind will either help you or it won't. You can call the winds fairly easily but the wind might arrive on its own terms. To work with the winds you will either need a weather vane or a wind sock in order to tell which way the wind is blowing. Start by noticing which direction the wind comes from. Note how the air feels. The coldest wind is the North Wind. Make notes of what sort of events occur with each wind. You may have more romantic encounters during a South Wind. After learning what the winds will bring, you can begin calling the winds for spell work just as you call the Quarters during a ritual. I like to use something lightweight as a focus object. The first time I called the wind, I used a small paper butterfly. When the butterfly was blown out of my hand, I knew the wind had arrived. One of my friends tosses fine sand into the air. Feathers work very well.

Last I learned the rain. There are multitudes of rain- soft rain, mist, hard rain, sleet, fog, and thunderstorms. Observe first. If you can, the best thing to do is go out in the rain. Some rain is warm and some is ice cold. Some hurts as it pelts the skin and some rain is soft as kisses. I like to work with the rain on the porch so that I can reach a hand out to touch, but not get soaked. A covered porch is also helpful when doing candle magick or to have a dry note taking spot. Rain water can be collected for spells. Keep rain in clean bottles and label them accurately. Note the kind of rain, the date, and the location. For lasting beauty, was your face with rain from the first rainfall in May.

I did not learn snow because I live in the South where snow is rare. And I didn't learn hail storms because that's a dangerous rarity I'd rather not encounter. But I did learn storms because we have them often in Alabama.

You can push a storm almost anywhere. Don't want the tornado heading toward your home? Fine, redirect it. Just remember no matter where you send a storm, it still has the potential to be destructive. It is far safer to dispel a storm. This takes a lot of practice. You must touch the storm with your mind, be unyielding, be confident and assured, then see the storm dying down. While you are dispelling, the storm will probably surge up. Expect sudden gusts of wind or for the rain to fall harder. Don't back down. The storm is seeing how strong you are. The more you practice, the easier it is. This leads me to my second warning- eventually the weather will punish you. Every time you work weather magick, you are upsetting the balance of nature. You cannot play with the weather just because. Sometimes it just has to rain and you need to accept that.

Some people can create storms. These are usually the people who already have an affinity for the element of air. Have you ever been in a really angry mood and suddenly the rain started to pour down even though the forecast predicted clear skies all week? That's a weather mage in a snit.

Be mindful of your emotions.

Some ways to work with the weather without upsetting the balance:

1. Place a storm protection spell on your home. I use stones. I simply tell the stones what I want protected. I keep them in a pot on my porch. Google storm spells and see what comes up. There are a lot of spells involving runes and a good bit of information on hex signs.

2. On a windy day hang windchimes. Every time you hear the chime, say an affirmation. You can empower the windchimes and you can also hang banners or flags that match your intent.

3. Work with totem animals. Deer are very active before storms and cold fronts. They are feeding before they are forced to take shelter.

4. Plants also react to weather changes. Some leaves turn upward to catch more water.

5. Have an emergency plan. Will you have food, shelter, and medicine during a power outage? Is your area prone to flooding? Do you know alternate routes to home in case fallen trees block the road?

6. Last but not least- are you aware of how your life affects the earth? Do you waste water? Can you recycle more? Use less? Where does your water and electricity come from? Where does your trash go? Is pollution a problem in your town? What can you do about it?