The Witch's Pyramid Explained-Secrets to Powerful Spellcraft

There is this thing in witchcraft called “The Witch’s Pyramid.” If you listen long enough, you will begin to believe that it is some ancient, mystical secret to mastering spell craft and getting whatever you desire when you cast a spell. To know…to dare…to will…and…to keep silent; whispered with deep reverence from the Elders in the back corners of the room. It’s found mentioned in tons of witchcraft and spell craft books and some coven trained witches will smirk at it’s mention like it’s some great hidden secret. I’m here to tell you that it is basically a well-known hidden secret that anyone can use.

Honestly, it’s not even that ancient in the realm of witchcraft. Its origins may date back as far as Medieval alchemist texts, but it was first written about in 1854 in a 2-volumn book titled “Transcendental Magic: It’s Doctrine and Ritual.” This book was written by a Ceremonial magician named Eliphas Levi. As ceremonial magic evolved from alchemy, it is believed that the Witch’s Pyramid evolved from the traditions and workings of the alchemists. Levi referred to the idea as the “Four Words of the Magus.”

This concept caught on like fire through dusty drapes with the occultist early 20th Century. The book was originally written in French and was translated by A.E. Waite in 1910. Yes, the same A.E. Waite who was a member of the Golden Dawn and whose name is on the gold standard deck of Tarot cards, The Rider-Waite Deck. From Waite’s translations to the mind of one Aleister Crowly the Pyramid gained popularity. Crowly wrote about the Four Riddles of the Sphinx and even added a top to the Pyramid with the phrase IRE or “to go.” In a game of ritual telephone, the Witch’s Pyramid ended up in the Book of Shadows of one time Golden Dawn member and the founder of Wicca, Gerald Gardener.

The Witch’s Pyramid is a magical mantra that not only tells you in what order to do your magic but also tells you the secrets to powerful magic. The beauty of it lies in the simplicity of the four little phrases that make it up. “To Know, To Dare, To Will, To Keep Silent.” The true power comes from the deeper meaning of each phrase. With many things in witchcraft, it’s the deep meanings that come from learning and studying the craft that give the surface its power. One the surface the words are still powerful, but the more you learn about how to apply the words to your workings, the more powerful they can become.

To Know…You can know all the correspondence in the world but until you know what you truly desire, your magic is just for show. When you combine the knowledge of self and your goals with the knowledge of what ingredients will help you focus your spell, you can create some beautiful and powerful spells. Knowledge, wisdom, and awareness are the sources of power.

To Dare…You can know all your true desires and have the most powerful spell written, but do you have the guts to cast that spell and do the follow-up work. Spells are more than a pretty poem chanted under the correct moon phase while burning a special incense blend. To Dare is about swallowing your fears and taking the actions needed.

To Will… Do you have the inner strength to focus your life on what you want? It’s one thing to do the spell and set things in motion, but it is another to take the actions required to make your desires come to life. Will is different to Dare in that Dare is taking that first step and Will is doing the follow-up work to bring it to fruition. To Will is also about being aware of your true desires and how the spell is playing out in your life.

To Keep Silent…This is the hardest part. Once you cast your spell and are doing your work, you tell no one what you are doing. By talking about your spell, it is believed that you are calling the spell’s energy back to you and not allowing it to do its job. Also, by talking about your workings, you are allowing others to cast doubt on your workings, others could cast counter spells, or maliciously undo your work. To Dare and To Will are about being certain and focused, but even the most innocent of words from another can make you doubt yourself and disrupt that certainty and focus. It is best to just be quiet about what you do until your spell completes its work.

The Witch’s Pyramid is one of those concepts that has been proven to work over time, even if some modern practitioners of witchcraft feel that it’s an outdated philosophy. That is for each witch to decide on their own. There is nothing wrong with following the traditions of the past, especially those traditions and ideas that have been tested and worked. Witchcraft is a personal path; you can use what works for you and not use what doesn’t. With that being said, it never hurts to learn and contemplate some of the traditional ideas and find your truth in them. Knowledge is power and is acquired through learning what has worked in the path. I can personally attest that the Witch’s Pyramid works for me in my practice and there is no harm is learning about it.