We all go through stretches where nothing flows. The motivation that used to come easily just stops showing up, and no matter how hard you try to push through, the tank is empty. It happens to everyone — the creative who can’t finish a single piece, the person with a big dream who keeps putting it off, the one who wakes up tired before the day even starts. There’s no shame in it. But there is something you can do about it.
People have been turning to magic for exactly this kind of thing for a very long time. Not as a shortcut, and not as a replacement for real effort — but as a way of getting back into alignment with themselves. A candle lit with purpose, a few words spoken out loud, a small ritual done with intention — these things work on you in ways that are hard to explain but easy to feel. They pull your focus inward, they remind you what you actually want, and they have a way of shaking something loose that nothing else quite reaches.
The 12 spells in this chapter are for anyone who needs a push. They use simple ingredients, they don’t require any special training, and every one of them is rooted in genuine magical tradition. Some will suit you better than others — trust that instinct and start there. Light something, say the words, mean them. That’s really all it takes to begin.
12 Spells for Inspiration and Motivation
1. The Spark Spell
Call in a sudden burst of creative energy when your mind has gone completely quiet and you need ideas to start moving again.
You’ll need:
- 1 orange candle
- A piece of paper and a pen
- A pinch of cinnamon
- A match or lighter
The Ritual:
Light your orange candle and sit quietly for a moment. Sprinkle the cinnamon in a small circle around the base of the candle — cinnamon heats things up, draws energy in, gets things moving. Take your paper and write down the one thing you’re trying to create or begin, even if it’s just a word or two.
Hold the paper near the flame (not too close) and speak:
“Fire bright and fire true, burn away what blocks my view. Spark the mind, ignite the soul, inspiration make me whole.”
Sit for a few minutes and let your mind wander freely. Don’t force anything. Write down whatever comes. Let the candle burn safely while you work.
2. The Golden Hour Ritual
A morning spell to call in energy, clarity, and drive before the day has a chance to pull you in every direction.
The best time to do this one is right after you wake up — before the phone, before the news, before anyone needs anything from you. That quiet window in the morning is genuinely magical on its own, and this ritual is built to work with it.
You’ll need:
- A yellow or gold candle
- A small glass of water
- A journal or any piece of paper
- Something gold or yellow you can wear or carry — a ring, a hair tie, even a yellow pen
The Ritual:
Start by sitting somewhere comfortable with your glass of water in front of you. Take three slow breaths and just arrive — let the sleep fog clear a little. Hold the glass in both hands for a moment and say quietly:
“I wake with purpose. I move with fire. Today I rise a little higher.”
Drink the water slowly and deliberately — you’re taking that intention into your body from the very first thing you consume.
Now light your golden candle. Open your journal and write one sentence — just one — that describes how you want to feel by the end of today. Not what you want to get done. How you want to feel. Energised, proud, clear, free — whatever it is, write it down like it’s already true.
Pick up your gold item and hold it near the flame for a moment (safely — just close enough to feel the warmth). Say:
“Gold of morning, gold of sun — by the time this day is done, I will have shown up, given all, answered every inner call.”
Put the item on. Wear it all day. Let the candle burn for at least ten minutes while you sit, breathe, and ease into the morning before anything else demands your attention.
3. The Unstuck Spell
For when you’re frozen, overthinking everything, and can’t seem to take a single step forward.
Here’s the truth about being stuck — it’s rarely about not knowing what to do. You probably know exactly what the next step is. What’s actually happening is that fear, doubt, and mental noise have piled up so high that moving feels impossible. This spell is about clearing that pile. Not thinking your way out of it. Actually clearing it.
Go to your sink and turn on the cold tap. Hold both hands under the water and just let it run over them for a full thirty seconds. While you do, let yourself actually think about everything that’s blocking you — don’t push it away, let it surface. The doubt, the fear, the ten reasons it might not work. Feel it, and then watch it go down the drain with the water. Dry your hands slowly and deliberately, like you’re closing a chapter.
Now go somewhere quiet, sit down, and take one deep breath. Say out loud — and mean it:
“What was stuck now moves. What was heavy now lifts. I know the next step and I take it — right now, without waiting for perfect.”
Then do the next step immediately. Don’t pause, don’t plan, don’t rethink. The spell only finishes when you actually move. That’s the whole point of it.
4. The Writer’s Flame
A spell built specifically for writers, artists, and anyone whose work lives in the creative imagination.
You’ll need:
- A purple candle
- A bay leaf and a pen
- A fireproof dish
- Lavender or rosemary (dried)
The Ritual:
Sprinkle a little lavender or rosemary around your workspace — these herbs open the mind and soften the walls we put up around our own creativity. On the bay leaf, write one word that represents what you want your work to feel like (bold, free, honest, vivid — whatever calls to you).
Light the purple candle and hold the bay leaf for a moment, really connecting with that word. Then carefully light the bay leaf from the candle flame and let it burn in your fireproof dish. As it burns, say:
“From this smoke, the stories rise. From this flame, the artist wakes. I claim my voice, I claim my craft — with every word the magic makes.”
Begin your creative work immediately after, while the energy is fresh.
5. The Mountain Mover
A spell for big goals that feel overwhelming — the kind that make you want to give up before you start.
You’ll need:
- A red candle
- A piece of paper
- Dragon’s blood incense (or any earthy incense)
- A small stone or pebble from outside
The Ritual:
Light your incense and your red candle. On the paper, write your big goal at the top. Below it, write just the very next step — not the whole journey, just the next step. Fold the paper and place your stone on top of it.
Put your hands flat on the table, feel grounded and solid, and say:
“Mountains move one stone at a time. I am strong, the path is mine. Not the peak — just the next step. I rise and rise and never rest.”
Keep the stone in your pocket on days when the goal feels biggest.
6. The Honey Jar Motivation Spell
Sweeten your relationship with a task or project you’ve been dreading or avoiding.
You’ll need:
- A small jar of honey
- A slip of paper and pen
- A yellow candle
- A clove of garlic (to break resistance) and a pinch of sugar
The Ritual:
Write the task or project on your slip of paper. Add the garlic and sugar to the honey jar, then fold your paper and push it gently into the honey. Seal the jar and hold it in your hands.
Light your candle beside it and say:
“What was bitter, now is sweet. What I’ve avoided, now I greet. I turn toward this work with ease — honey-heart and hands that please.”
Leave the jar on your desk while you work on that project. Each time you open a session, give the jar a little shake.
7. The New Moon Intention Spell
Work with the new moon’s fresh energy to plant powerful seeds of motivation and new beginnings.
You’ll need:
- A small pot of soil or a seed to plant
- A white or silver candle
- A piece of paper
- Moonwater (water left outside under the new moon) or plain water
The Ritual:
On the night of a new moon, write your intention on paper — what are you beginning, what do you want to grow? Fold the paper and place it at the bottom of your pot. Plant your seed on top of it (or simply press the paper into a pot of existing soil).
Water it with your moonwater and light your candle. Say:
“With the dark of the moon I begin again. I plant this seed, I tend this flame. What I water, grows toward light — my motivation blooms tonight.”
Care for the plant as you nurture your goal.
8. The Lion’s Courage Spell
A bold motivation spell for moments when fear is the thing standing between you and action.
You’ll need:
- A red or gold candle
- Ginger root (fresh or powdered)
- Tiger’s eye stone (or any golden stone)
- A mirror
The Ritual:
Place the mirror where you can see your own face. Put the ginger and tiger’s eye in front of it. Light your candle.
Look at yourself in the mirror — really look — and take three slow, deep breaths. Feel the ginger’s heat in the air around you (or hold a piece to warm in your hands). Then, still looking at your own reflection, say:
“I am not afraid of what I face. I step forward and I claim my place. The lion rises, bold and free — the courage that I need is me.”
Carry the tiger’s eye with you that day.
9. The Clarity Cord Spell
A knot magic ritual to bind your intention to your actions and keep you focused over time.
You’ll need:
- A length of cord or ribbon (any color that feels right for your goal)
- A quiet space
- Rosemary oil or any oil you have
The Ritual:
Rub a little oil along the cord. Sit quietly and think about your goal with real clarity. Then begin tying nine knots along the cord, slowly and with full attention. As you tie each one, say:
“By knot of one, the spell’s begun. By knot of two, the will rings true. By knot of three, the path I see. By knot of four, I open the door. By knot of five, this dream’s alive. By knot of six, the magic sticks. By knot of seven, I rise like leaven. By knot of eight, I claim my fate. By knot of nine, this goal is mine.”
Keep the cord somewhere visible, or wear it on your wrist until the goal is done.
10. The Ancestor’s Torch
Call on the strength and wisdom of those who came before you when you feel like you don’t have enough left in you.
You’ll need:
- A white candle
- A photograph or memento of an ancestor (or simply a piece of paper with a name written on it)
- A cup of something warm (tea, coffee, whatever feels right)
The Ritual:
Place the photo or paper beside your candle. Pour your warm drink and set it on the table as an offering. Light the candle and sit quietly for a moment, thinking about the people in your line who worked hard, who struggled, who kept going anyway.
Then say:
“Those who came before me knew the long road. I carry your strength, I share your load. Light the way for me tonight — I walk forward in your light.”
Drink your tea slowly and let yourself feel held. Then get to work.
11. The Crossroads Spell
For when you’re at a decision point and need the motivation to finally choose a direction and commit to it.
You’ll need:
- Two candles — one for each option or path
- A coin
- Crossroads dirt or regular dirt from outside your door
- A compass (even a phone app works)
The Ritual:
Set up your two candles side by side on a surface you’ve sprinkled with a little dirt. Light both. Sit with your coin in your hands and think clearly and honestly about each path — don’t rush it. When you feel ready, hold the coin over the dirt and say:
“I stand where the roads divide, no longer lost, no longer tied. I choose with courage, I choose with trust — one path forward, and forward I must.”
Flip the coin. Honor what it says. Blow out one candle. Let the other burn.
12. The Phoenix Rising Spell
A powerful motivation spell for rebuilding after failure, burnout, or a period where everything fell apart.
You’ll need:
- A red and an orange candle
- A piece of paper listing what you’re leaving behind
- A fireproof dish
- Ashes (from incense or wood) and fresh soil
The Ritual:
On your paper, write everything you’re letting go — the failures, the exhaustion, the shame, the story that you can’t do this. Be honest. Be thorough. Place a small amount of ash on the paper to acknowledge what has burned.
Light both candles. Read your list out loud, and then set it alight in your fireproof dish. Watch it burn completely. When only ash remains, cover it with fresh soil in the dish — death becomes earth, earth becomes new life.
Say:
“From the ash I rise again. Stronger now than I was then. What burned me down has cleared the ground — the phoenix rises, I am found.”
Sit with that feeling of beginning again. It’s real. You’re not starting from zero — you’re starting from experience.
