Items you need to do Magick.

 In reality I break this into two categories.  NEED & WANT.

NEED: A quiet place.  This can be any location within your dwelling.  If you have am enclose area about your home this can be come your “Sacred or Quiet” place.  It is nice to work out doors, but not mandatory.  You will also need a small altar.  A place to hold two candles, incense and a goblet of wine; even the wine is optional.

WANT:  Everything that looks like, smells like or tastes like Magick.   Can you do Magick without a robe?  Sure you can.  Do you need a sword to create a circle?  Not necessary.  Do I need an Athame to call the quarters?  Nope, a hand works well here.  In other word, resist the urge to go on a spending spree. 

Let’s deal with reality.  In my opinion, the most important “Witch Ware” one needs is a “Book of Shadows.”  This can be anything from a hand made, leather covered book to a ten cent spiral bound book.  The main purpose of the BOS is for your notes, visions, etc. 

Candles:  Gold for the Lord, Silver for the Lady and holders for each.  When using candles make sure to keep them in safe holders.  We do not want to reenact the Burning Times.

Compass:  Borrow one!  This is a one time shot to help align your circle to the 4 cardinal points; North, South, East and West.  It can get a little embarrassing when you are calling “Fire of the South” and are facing west.  Once you know your cardinal points, return the compass; Cost FREE.

Censer: A safe place to burn your incense.  Decide if you will be using stick or cone incense and get the appropriate holder.  A simple time is good for the cone while a small pot filled with sand is good for stick incense.

Pentagram:  This item will be used on the altar as an amulet for protection. 

Wand: Made of wood to help direct energies.

This list can go on for many pages, but at this time I believe you get the idea as how it can grow.  OK, so you have some coins in your pocket and are ready to part with them.  Where do you go to get the items you want.

Most people will run off to the local metaphysical shop.  Yes the Aura of magic is here, but lets face it, this is a business and the goal is to make money.  So where do you go?

First of, when you purchase your magical equipment, it should call to you.  You just don’t go out and buy one of these, two of those and one of them.  With that in mind, where do I shop?  If you can, make most of what you need.  By making your equipment you put your energies into them.  How difficult is it to carve a pentagram out of wood?

OK, so you’re craft challenged, a good source of Magical items are Flea Markets and garage sales.  There are also the “After Holiday” sales.  Imagine the material you can get after Halloween or Christmas.  I purchased 3” pentagrams for my coven for less than $1.00 each at an after Christmas sale.  Just because an item is not labeled “Made in Trollhatten by Trolls” does not make it bad.

I hope you get the point I am making, a home made broom is as good as a Nimbus 2000 (Harry Potter)  I hope I don’t discourage too many of you now, but we do not actually use the broom to fly.  A broom is, even in the craft, used for cleaning.  Strange concept.  What is cleansed may not necessarily be dust bunnies, but cleaning it is.  The broom, like the Athame, want or hand can also be used to direct energies.

Remember this:

Don’t go crazy buying Magical “STUFF.”

If it doesn’t call you – don’t buy it.  Do not get talked into buying “STUFF.”

Keep magickal “STUFF” separate from you mundane “STUFF.”

Try to make it before you buy it.