Being a public witch means getting any number of strange requests, usually having something to do with lotto numbers, intoxication, or love spells. A friend of my sister’s once wanted to know if I can make love potions. “I can”, I told her, “but it’s generally not something I would do.” I explained to her that I have made love ‘enhancing’ things and aphrodisiac type oils and powders, but I feel that a true love potion is binding the will of another and not ethical.
There was an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, where a young crew member discovers that she is a Q. In one scene, she uses her powers to force Cmdr. Riker to love her. She effectively bends his will, only to discover: “I thought it would be romantic…but it’s empty.” Similarly, making someone love you through magic is not truly love– it is an empty shell of what love can be.
Another problem with love spells, is that almost always, the spell casters motives are jumbled. Honest love does not require reciprocation, and most people who think they want person A to love them really just want to be loved, or don’t love themselves and are looking for a self-esteem crutch.
How many movies and stories have been made about the love spells that backfire? The character casts a love spell on the person he desires, only to find that he didn’t really desire that person, and now she won’t go away! Some love spells like this can be broken, but I think it is best to not bind them in the first place.
So do I think all love spells are bad? Of course not! I am an Aphrodisian after all. For the most part, it is the motives that need to be examined and questioned. There is nothing wrong with using magic to draw a loving aura to oneself, to reveal a person who loves you, or to learn to love oneself. The best love spells are those designed to increase the caster’s own sense of self-worth and improve self-image, for a little self-confidence can go a long long way to making a person attractive!