Does it have to rhyme?

I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of 'rhyming spells'. There are very few times that I actually will cast or work a spell and speak aloud at all, let alone rhyme. So, does that make me a bad witch or does that influence the outcome of my spells? No....what guides my magick is the intention and energy I put forth into my workings, not whether I found a good rhyme for 'wart'.... Let's explore this a little and I can explain where I differ.

Some witches believe that unless a spell is spoken aloud, you have not properly sent your magick out into the universe to work by giving it to the Element of Air. Well, each working I do may not be spoken aloud, but I will take a breath and blow gently across my altar and items as a way to bring in the Element of Air. I also use other symbolic items such as feathers, and such... I have heard that some witches feel you are not properly and intimately involved with your magick unless you speak rhyming words aloud. Again, I say...not true. I don't do magick willy-nilly. If I do any kind of spell-casting, it has been after much reflection and personal construction of the elements needed to do the working. It's all me, my feelings, my intentions....intimate as it can be..

I have heard most often that rhyming words are in the speech and pattern of our ancestors and therefore rhyming most connects us with the way they used to speak. That, is BS....
My ancestors were from Italy and Puerto Rico....and both sets of my more recent ancestors were born in New Jersey. So, which set of ancestors do I bond with by rhyming in their language? That bit of logic is born from the assumption that everyone follows a generic Celtic path that may have an English language base. Not everyone does, so we can't hold everyone to that particular, uh, rule... While my initial training was in the Celtic and Greek/Roman pantheons....it doesn't hold true today for many of us as we explore our own backgrounds, traditions, cultures and beliefs.

For some, rhyming is simply a way of focusing the will...no different than the tools you use, the robes you wear, etc...  Like chanting or singing, many feel that, especially in group work, rhyming words directs all that energy into one direction. (It also can help scattered group members remember what they are supposed to say if something rhymes) Although, if you are a strictly, devout Wiccan, you MUST rhyme because the Wiccan Rede says so. I will add that it wasn't even written until sometime before 1946, not medieval Europe. The Rede is a guideline, not dogma...

Rhyming spells are like poetry. They are lovely and often are worked like participating in open mic night at a Poetry Slam. There is passion and energy raised by rhyming aloud that feeds the intention of the working. Some rhyming is (dare I say it?) like chanting in church....deep, repetitive....with a resonance that is effective on a different level. I don't rhyme or speak at all....I focus my thoughts and feelings to the moment, to the purpose. To me, the silent working of a spell is incredibly intimate and another level of magickal energy altogether.

So, 'do what thou wilt...' in whatever language you care to work your magick. Just don't stress over whether or not you can find a rhyming word. Don't stress over whether or not to speak aloud, either. The God/dess knows your heart and your intentions. Focus your heart and mind on the magick you want to create....words are energy for a spell but not the only energy you are using. I really dislike using rhyming. I like being direct, not dancing around the purpose for the sake of making sure I get all my words to rhyme. It makes more sense to me to think and speak as I feel....and be direct and clear. I feel like trying to force rhyming dilutes the energy and intention or a magickal working, but others feel it enhances it. To each their own....
For me, I like rhyming in very small doses, otherwise, they drive me absolutely nuts! So, now more rhymes now, I mean it!