Witchcraft on a Budget

Believe it or not, practicing Witchcraft doesn't have to be expensive. Granted, yes, nearly every book on the subject seems to have endless lists of materials and tools that are essential to being a good Witch, but you really don't need any of it! 

Strip it down to the most basic aspect, and magick is the art of manipulating the energies present around us and within us as well: everything is energy. That's it. That's all it really is. All the fancy tools are just props to help you tap into this energy. And, like I said before, you really don't need any of them! All it takes to successfully work magick is focus and a strong will.

I firmly believe that two of the hallmark traits of any competent Witch are innovation and practicality. That means that when you don't have something you need for a particular spell, you can come up with an appropriate substitution with what you do have or simply work without that item without any problems.

Admittedly, being able to work magick takes practice, and working it without any tools at all takes even more. But, using what you have on hand is easy, and can add a lot of fun to your magickal practice. Excuse my kitchen witch, but everything you need for that perfect spell is right in your kitchen, either in your spice cabinet or junk drawer!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Pepper- Black, Cayenne, or whatever, Pepper is a powerful protective herb and is great for banishings or for lending you courage

Basil- great for when your confidence is lacking as it hands a bit of success to your working; also good for peace, protection, prosperity, and love magick

Parsley- eat it to induce lust, also useful for protection and purification

Garlic- great for all cleansings, banishings, exorcisms, or purification rites

Salt- a basic purifier and protector

String- useful for knot magick, making charms, can be laid on a flat surface in a particular shape to aid in meditation

Crayons- go ahead and steal them from your kids! they come in a plethora of colors and can be useful in crafting charms and wards

Glass Jars- save them from your pasta sauce, they're great for storing your herbs and finished herbcraft items in; useful for Witch Bottles as well

Pins/Needles- they correspond to Saturn and are great in Witch Bottles or for banishings and protective magick, pins with colored tops are especially useful

Sugar- it's fundamentally attractive, use it to draw things to yous, especially money

Yeast- a catalyst, it can be used to add that little "oomph" to your working