No matter how long you have been drawn to Witchcraft and magic, I am sure you have noticed the huge volume of consumerism attached to the subject these days.
Home decor, jewelry, incense, fancy candles and of course gorgeous ritual tools are everywhere.I have collected my fair share (and maybe more!) of witchy items for my home, my dining room, my kitchen. The decor makes me happy and creates an environment that reflects my personality. And I don't buy things I can't afford to buy. Some of it I make or refurbish, sometimes I just shop.
But it wasn't always like this, I remember very well being in a situation where I could simply not afford to buy anything other than food! So what if you can't afford ritual tools, or even incense? When I was new to the Craft, I can remember scraping up pennies to get the smallest supplies like candles or incense.
So if you can't afford to buy items for magic, what does that mean? The truth is that magic doesn't have to cost money. Magic is IN you.
Although my site does sell a lot of different spell materials and ritual tools and even decor, I will be the first to tell you that the only things you MUST have to practice Witchcraft are your mind, your will and to set aside the time to do it!
So this post is about separating what is "required for practice" from the many trappings we enjoy. What we want from what we need.
What IS Magic
At it's core, Magic is energy. Can you guess where that energy comes from? If you guessed YOU, you are 90% correct. The vast majority of the "power" in magic comes from you. Your intention, your focus. There is power in objects from nature...stones and crystals, herbs, spices and flowers, essential oils...and objects can be charged with power, e.g.ritual tools. But again, the majority of the power comes from you - and you don't cost you anything.There are ways to work around having objects of power in your life when you can't afford to buy them...
What is a Kitchen Witch
A Kitchen Witch is someone who practices magic using items we consider mundane or common in our households. Instead of using expensive, colored or shaped candles, the Kitchen Witch might just use tea lights or even "emergency candles" from the hardware store. Instead of buying specific incense, the Kitchen Witch would likely make her own, using the herbs and spices in her kitchen cupboard.
The tools of the Kitchen Witch could consist of a big old pot he/she's always felt drawn to, a special mug or wine glass they've had forever and a bowl that they found at a thrift shop or inherited from grandma.
The altar of the Kitchen Witch could actually be their kitchen. The handy broom in the corner may be used for more than crumbs!I think of Kitchen Witchery as more than a budget saver. This is a life approach for the practitioner who wants to weave magic into every element of their daily life. Think of including magic in every meal you prepare, in each morning coffee, every evening tea. This is about making the ordinary - sacred.
So, while it is not required that you be on a low budget to be a Kitchen Witch, it doesn't hurt to think of the Kitchen Witchery approach if you are on a low budget!
Options for Ingredients and Tools
Stones
Everyone has seen those gorgeous crystals in the metaphysical shops and at shows and on You Tube un-boxing videos. We love them, we are fascinated by the sparkle and the look of them. Over the years, I've collected a ridiculous number of stones! Thing is - many of the stones in my house are not from a store...When I walk on the beach, I almost always come home with a pocketful or stones (sometimes two!) and shells. I see stones that call me, and I pick them up. When I dig in my garden and find an unusual stone, it often makes its way to my altar or kitchen window sill. You'll know these stone "friends" because they will catch your eye, almost like they waved at you. Why are these any less sacred than their sparkly cousins?
Herbs & Incense
For most of us, this one is easy! Most of us have at least a few herbs and spices in our kitchen for cooking. And there is no reason you can't use those for magic! Use Bay Leaves in stews and soups, then grab a couple for your money bowl or for a protection spell. Use Rosemary in your Italian dish, then add it to a love spell. This is at the heart of Kitchen Witchery - using these lovely plant gifts for magic and to enrich our food and drink.
Tools
There are some paths of Witchcraft that demand specific tools, I do not profess to be an expert on those paths. I have always been a solitary practitioner and have always incorporated elements from many different sources in my Craft.I do use ritual tools, and I love my tools, they are an extension of me and handling them in circle is one of the great joys of my life. But I didn't collect them quickly! For many years I practiced without some items and the work was profound and meaningful anyway.You can make tools, or use items you have...give yourself time to collect the tools you will want "forever".
Examples:
My wand is made of brass pipe with quartz crystal "set" in the ends like a very large jewelry setting. I have had the wand for many years and love it, but my first wand was a fallen branch from the old oak in our yard when I was growing up. After a storm there was wood all over, and during clean up I found a piece that called to me. I dried it, sanded it, carved it and eventually oiled it and used it for many years. In the end it split (I probably dried it wrong), so I burned it in a ritual fire on Samhain when I got the wand I have today.
My offering bowl today is a copper bowl with brass fittings. I love the bowl and enjoy using it, but my first bowl was a ceramic bowl from my grandmother. It cracked after many years of use, so I retired it to a shelf in my kitchen where you can't really see the crack, but I can see my memories of the bowl.
The point is, be patient, whether you are new to the Craft, or have been practicing for years, the "perfect" tools will come. The purpose of the tools is to ignite and inspire your intention and will. Work on those visualizing skills until they work without any special trappings. Just imagine how powerful your visualizing will be once you incorporate those special tools in the future!I'd love to hear examples of your tools and ingredients, things you have substituted over the years. Join in below and leave a comment!
Bright blessings!
Alison