Do Love Spells or ‘Amarres’ Really Work? We Asked an Expert

Love Spells BELatina Latinx
Photo courtesy of BELatina.

With love on the brain during February, we are touching upon different love themes that have always brought us curiosity. 

In search of ever-lasting love, some people think of love spells, or “amarres” (binding), being the solution to it all. Others think of love spells as the “quick result,” especially if the romance is going fast. 

Do they actually work? Are there any ways to practice these types of summons without any backlashes? Is there a love spell that we can use to find the most important love of all: self-love?

BELatina News asked a professional expert for some insight. Here’s how the detailed conversation went with Argentine-American Clinical hypnotherapist and founder of the School of The Healing Artes, Vanessa Codorniu, also known as the Biz Bruja.

When people think about “love spells,” what are they actually referring to? 

A love spell is tapping into magical practices to create sexual attraction, passion, or love by writing actual spells, candles, rituals, charms, potions, dolls, or amulets. These elements are part of what is called “sympathetic magic,” when we use elements that symbolize or resemble a person or relationship we are calling in. 

For example, lighting same-sex candles if we are attracting a mate of the same sex or male-female candles to attract a member of the opposite sex. Indigenous cultures around the world and ancient civilizations have used sympathetic magic to dance, paint or emulate the animal they sought to hunt before a hunt or fertility rituals and rites to bring forth children. 

In many ways, love spells are connected to ancient ways of being. We can prepare ourselves to receive what we manifest by practicing “love magic,” forgiveness, abundance magic, or success magic. The list is endless.

There are many schools of thought on love spells. I think collectively, many people think of love spells as some sort of entrapment, binding, or “amarres” that help you attract or keep a specific person.

Do they actually work? What are the repercussions? If any? Are they ‘bad’?

Do they work? Yes and no. In my experience, both the “amarres” and love spells have worked in their “own way.” They call in the highest good for us. I believe in our free will and the innate protection of our inner knowing (intuition), well ancestors, and our guides and Angels. In essence, we can be protected from “amarres” in general, especially if there is no connection there. Many clients have shared that they felt strange and not well and were able to clear themselves with a “limpia” or “baño.”

No amount of “magia” will get us out of doing the work. We are spiritual beings having an earthly experience to learn and grow. We actually do not grow if we are seeking shortcuts. When it comes to love, most of us need to look at the patterns within our own homes and our defense mechanisms created to survive our childhoods or introduction to love and relationship. The unpacking of the unspoken beliefs around love, relationship, romance, and marriage that we learned consciously or unconsciously takes time, and no powerful binding to someone is going to take that work away. 

In other words: doing the work, healing and learning to communicate, create boundaries, and breaking ancestral patterns will go farther than any binding you could ever do. 

What are ways to invite love in without these ‘amarres’?

Connect to the Power of the hummingbird: In Latin America and especially in Andean Shamanism, the colibri or hummingbird is a sacred energy that brings in joy lightheartedness restores hope and faith after tough times. Find a postcard or journal with hummingbirds on it and write a letter requesting the love you want in your life as if you already have it! Gracias colibri for this fun, amazing new friendship! I love feeling so confident and free, and I am excited for more! It’s important not to write in the future tense. [Instead of] I will feel loved more [try] thank you I feel so loved! Make sure to gift yourself or grow some flowers if you can! Beauty is part of hummingbird magic. Thank the hummingbird spirit and make sure to wear more color in your clothes, and if possible, set out a hummingbird feeder to thank the Spirit of Colibri! 

What do you recommend to do to prepare to invite love in? Whether it’s self-love, love in family/friends, and of course love in a partner

It’s important to explore our own beliefs and fears about love and relationships and what we hope to manifest! You’ll need red or pink flowers, your favorite cologne, a regular red/pink candle, a candle in a tall glass, a marker, a journal, pen, incense charcoal, lighter. I recommend taking some time for yourself and setting aside a journal and a red/pink or white candle of your choosing. Take a moment to ground and center yourself, meaning connecting to your breath and body. Saying a prayer, if you’re comfortable with praying, and if not, you can say something like this: “I call on Madre Tierra, my deepest knowing, my angels and guides to support me at this time. I call on the energy of healing, attraction, and love to support me in my exploration.” Light the candle and, while staring at it for a while, continue breathing and calling in all the love and support in the Universe. Begin to journal. Please don’t get too heady – just allow a stream of consciousness. 

For example, write: “I release the need to be motherly to my partner and do all the giving. I attract an independent and mature partner who knows how to give and receive love.”

Write down all you are releasing on pieces of paper that you will burn. Get a pot or an incense burner or mini-cauldron and light incense charcoal. Play some music that is about letting go, releasing, or reclaiming and say out loud,” I release the need to be motherly and responsible for my friends and partners! I release the belief that there are no good ones left! I release the idea that I am unlovable! I release the energy that “everyone” leaves!” Do this with energy and imagine that this burning paper is beginning to release these heavy beliefs and thoughts! Let yourself go and do this with intensity! You are willing this energia to leave NOW! You may even play a song and dance your heart out! Once done, sit and imagine that all these beliefs have left your mind, body, and spirit, and now is the time to bring in what you desire!

Draw a bath in a candle-lit room, and you may add a dash of honey to sweeten your life, a dash of cinnamon for attraction, some drops of your favorite cologne, and take the red or pink rose petals and place them around the tub and in the tub. Undress while listening to inspiring music, I love Indie Arie, “I am Light.” Gently step into the bath and say out loud,” I honor and love my uniqueness. I am beautiful. I am free. I break patterns and create healthy ones for a wonderful life filled with friendships, passion, and joy.” 

Continue singing or speaking your new beliefs and new patterns such as “I enjoy my time alone and learn to say no. Boundaries help me nurture my energy. I am open to receiving love in all its healthy forms.”

Anything else you’d like to add about love spells or love?

Preparing for love at home: 

  • Clearing your home of old relationship energy or stubbornly single energy. 
  • Another way to bring love in is to clear up clutter and notice what kind of art you have in your space. I once saw that I had paintings of lone witches under the full moon or statues of goddesses alone- no wonder I was always returning to singlehood! Subconsciously I was surrounded by images that reinforced my singleness and pride in my independence! While I kept my independence, I selected new art that included couples, had a pair of owls instead of one, and placed statues in two’s. I also moved my bed away from the wall, so there was space for another person to get in and out of bed.  

To Deepen and Sweeten A Relationship:

  • Honey Jar Spell: I personally love this spell, and it’s used with great success. This spell creates more sweetness and intimacy, and it also sets the mood for the person doing the spell to hold and attract this energy. Preferably done on a Friday, ruled by Venus, the planet of love.
    Write the other person’s name on a piece of grocery store brown bag paper three times. Turn the paper, so the name is perpendicular, and write your name three times, overlapping the other person’s name. Close your eyes and focus on what you want out of the spell. Next, feeling all the positive feelings around what you are manifesting, write the wish on the paper around both names. When you’re done, fold the paper like a fan and place it in a jar, then add honey. Remove your fingers from the jar, lick the honey off and say out loud: Honey flows, the sweetness between us grows. Close the jar with the paper inside, then light a candle on top of the jar. Choose accordingly. White: clarity; Red: passionate love; Pink: affectionate love.

If needed, light another candle and chant again next Friday! 

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