A magic-worker chants as she writes furiously on a thin of lead. She folds it, hammers a nail through it, ties it to two wax figures with a piece of knotted thread, and hands it, with great ceremony, to her desperate customer. The woman hands over her hard-earned money, and then she throws the folded lead tablet, the thread, the figures, along with a handful of flowers, into an open grave.
Thousands of years later, an archaeologist excavating a Roman burial site from thousands of years ago unearths a a folded piece of lead with some wax figurines, all of them pierced over and over with nails. The tablet is unfolded, the lead smoothed a little to reveal the words written on the inside. The tablet could tell the excited archaeologists everything or nothing.
What had they found? Strange presents for the dead, with a letter of remembrance? Attempts to prevent the rising of some ancient vampire? They read the barely legible words with bated breath. With growing excitement, they realized just what they were reading. They had found evidence of an ancient love spell.
The magic of love and romance has a rich recorded and unrecorded history that spans millennia and continents. Today’s magic user has endless lore at their disposal, heritage traditions and modern innovations. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, here are some suggestions to invite more love into your life. Remember, love magic is a volatile and uncertain magic, so above all, make sure you’re staying open to what the universe has in store for you!
Crystals
Seeking to attract a lover? Wear carnelian, garnet, or moonstone, whichever feels right to you. All of these gems have been used as love stones, whether to induce fiery passion or gentle affection.
For a ritual to heal heartbreak, set up a crystal grid with rose quartz, a clear crystal generator, rhodonite, and golden healer quartz. Scatter rose petals among the crystals. (Rose quartz facilitates self-love, rhodonite releases blocked energies, and golden healer is the master healer connecting you to the divine and filling the darker places with light.) Burn a white candle or a rose-scented candle. Speak your intention to release and forgive what is no longer yours, and to remain open to the future.
If letting go of a toxic romance, create a grid of black obsidian for protection, amazonite for strength, rose quartz for self-love, and septarian for boundary-setting, and form a white salt circle around yourself and symbols of those you love. Place a black candle in the center of the grid. While the candle burns, write out the reasons you believe the romance to be toxic; burn the paper or parchment to symbolize severing the connection that brings you pain and releasing yourself from emotional bonds.
Herbal Magic
Rosemary, chamomile, and rose petals are a great place to start for the beginner! Each of these ingredients is a potent symbol of love, great for sachets, spell pouches, and placing strategically around the home. (If you want to know more about rose petals, be sure to check out our article on how to use them!)
Try myrtle in spellwork to draw pure love and partnership.
Spice up your romantic life with cinnamon, whether in food or in an herbal bundle.
Use hibiscus to give your tea an incredible floral flavor – or put it in a great-smelling spell pouch to invite romantic passion!
Divine Magic
Fruit, flowers, honey, and wine or mead are traditional offerings to love deities. The specifics depend on the deity in question and your relationship to them. Aphrodite might appreciate a lush apple, while a fine mead might be better fare for Freyja. The burning of traditional incenses such as frankincense or copal can be used to attract these deities to the altar.
Representation Magic
Inscribe your love’s name on an apple during the last few days of a waxing moon, and let it sit on your altar until the moon is full. (Then you may return it to nature however you see fit.)
Create a honey jar for you and your love.
Take wax, wooden, or clay figures representing you and your love. Wind thread around them, in a color of your choice – we suggest red for passion, pink for love, or silver for purity and fidelity. As you bind them together, speak your intention to create a lasting connection, free of obstacles. When you have finished, use wax from a red candle to seal the thread’s ends. Place it together with flowers on your altar.
These suggestions come from years of study and practice, incorporating ancient and modern magics that we are familiar with. What resonates best for any individual practitioner will depend on their own spirituality and their own cultural or personal traditions. We hope that we have sparked inspiration for you to work your own magic – your path, your way.