Capturing The Wind

I posted this week on using cord magick to 'capture the wind', and there was some interest in the process, so I thought a blog post would be most suitable!


I work a lot with water and sea magick, and a part of that is weather magick. Weather magick is not something I have much knowledge or experience in, so this was very much a first foray into the world of weather magick. The element of air is one that I work the least with, so I was also keen to find ways to incorporate it into my practice.


We are at the tail end of winter here, and not that long ago we had a few nights where it was blowing a bit of a gale, so I thought it would be an ideal time to try and capture the wind.


Capturing the wind through cord magick is a practice that has been recorded as being prominent back in the days when seafaring was at its peak. It was said that witches would use these knots to catch the wind, then sell or give them to sailors embarking on a voyage. If at any time there was not enough wind to fill the sails, they would release the knots to call on the wind to help them on their way. It was said not to anger a witch, for they could call on the wind to sink ships if they wanted.


I wanted to capture the wind, but more the 'energy' of the wind rather than the wind itself. I don't have any practical need for blustery days, but the properties of the energy of air can be a boon in our workings and every day life.


The first thing to decide is exactly what it is you want to capture this essence for. The element of air is associated with creativity, communication, inspiration, and progress for example. I also associated the wind with cleansing, 'clearing the cobwebs' as such. As someone who does a lot of writing, writers block or fatigue is always on the periphery, especially when you are working on a final manuscript and just want the thing finished! So I decided I wanted to use this energy to uplift and motivate me, or to clear blockages (not necessarily creative) when needed. You may decide you want to use it for another purpose, or you may decide you want to use it to bring additional power to your workings - the more ferocious the wind you capture, the more powerful it will be. Or maybe you want to try and capture the wind itself!


You don't need to wait for it to be blowing up a storm. Even a light breeze can be captured if you are looking for more subtle energies, but it might not be quite as powerful.


The process is very simple. All you will need is cord, or ribbon, long enough to tie several knots in. I personally used a blue ribbon - yellow would have been preferable as it is the colour most associated with air, but blue was all I had. I would caution against using wool or string, as it can be difficult to until the knots - I doubled up the ribbon to make it easier to untie, so you can always do the same if you are using a finer material.


It is best if you can sit outside and experience the wind itself when you perform this, but that isn't always possible. It was pretty dark and cold when I performed this, so I opted to stay inside. Outside is necessary if you are just working with a gentle breeze, but if you are working with a stronger wind, make sure you can at least here it blowing around if you decide to perform this inside.


Get comfortable, and hold the ribbon in your hand. If you want, you could place crystals associated with air around you, or burn some incense, but I'm personally pretty minimal - you don't need these things for this working to be effective.


Focus on the wind. If you are inside, imagine what it must feel like outside. Feel it blowing around you, against your skin, whipping up your hair. It's exhilarating, full of energy! Take a moment to just experience this wind, and how it makes you feel.


Now, focus on your intent, and what it is you want to use the power of the wind for. As I said, for me personally it was to clear any blocks and speed up progress, so I kept this in mind. Merge your intent with the wind, and feel your intent blowing around you. What do you imagine will happen when you release the knots you will create in a minute? For me, I visualised releasing the knots and seeing the energy of the wind rushing in, and blowing whatever was blocking me away in one large gust. Focus on pouring this intent out through your hands and into the ribbon.


When you feel ready, you can start tying the knots. In traditional knot magick, we often use something along the lines of the below:


"With knot of one, my spell begun
With knot of two, my words speak true
With knot of three, I will it be
With knot of four, this power I store
With knot of five, this spell contrive
With knot of six, this spell I fix
With knot of seven, twixt earth and heaven
With knot of eight, is willed by fate
With knot of nine, these powers are mine"


However, we want to be a bit more specific with our intention for this magick. You can include as many knots as you want; I personally went with five, which is considered a magick number.


There is also lots of different methods for the order in which you tie the knots. I decide to stick to one of the more traditional approaches below:


                                                                      2-----4-----5-----3-----1


As you tie each knot, focus on 'tying up' the wind in your knots. Tie them slowly, and then yank the ribbon hard to seal it, symbolising that the wind is now caught in the knot, and cannot escape until you release it. As you tie your knots, say something akin to the below:


"I tie, I knot, I capture the storm,
The power of wind to create and transform,
To blow away blockages, to bring clarity of mind
The energy of the winds to these knots I now bind!"


I prefer to repeat this for each knot, but you could spread this out as you tie all of the knots.


When you have finished, affirm what you have just done. For example;


"The wind is mine, captured in these knots
To be released when I desire,
And being me progress and clarity,
So mote it be!"



That's it! Store your cord somewhere safe. When you wish to use it, untie the knots in the reverse order you tied them (so in this example you would start with the middle knot (5), then 4, 3, etc. Revisit that visualisation we performed as to what would happen when you released the knots and see it happening - in my case, the energy of the wind being released and blowing through, removing all that blocks my path. You could say something along the lines of;


"The wind is release, and all that blocks me is now removed. Hail to the power of the wind! So mote it be."


Remember, the wind is a powerful force with the ability to destroy as well as create, so try to keep your intention positive and always thank it once it has done what you require.