Weekly Witchy CHALLENGE - Tools of the Witch Trade
First of all, I want to thank Amethyst (My heart!) & Bry my blessed traveler for suggesting and presenting this challenge to us. We get so many questions about magical tools and their use, price, presentation, consecration, etc. This is an excellent opportunity to present many different ideas in which none, NONE are wrong.
Let me start with the concept of an altar. An altar is any structure upon which offerings are made for religious purposes. It can be a flat table, rock or any other flat surface. They can be found in a church, temple, forest, seashore your back yard or in your sacred space in your house.
Your altar is just that, yours.
I have a curio cabinet, the sides, door and shelves are glass. It is technically my altar. At the top is Michael the Archangel who guards my altar. I have several dragons and a dragon amulet.
A string of 4mm garnet beads. A rope of Cloisonné prayer Beads.
Then I have Gaia with a small globe of the earth for a belly. I have Bastet and Isis. A Pentagram and I made the glass in a glass candles(4). You put colored water in the bigger glass about 1/4” below the rim of the smaller. In the smaller, you put water about ½ full then ¼ of oil with a floating wick. And therefore you bypass the expensive candles and replacement there of. They represent the elements and I can call quarters with them, depending upon how large a circle I caste.
My chalice is about 4” tall, plastic (Goddess knows I’m a clutz). I also have an Aladdin style lamp to represent an oil lamp, it is not functional. My Athame is ceremonial, I bought it years ago, it’s about 6” long with a leather sheath. If anybody remembers my poem about my little blue glass bell, It has a place of honor on my altar.
There is a small bowl for offerings, salt and any other necessities. I don’t really have an altar Cauldon. What I make is on the stove, it’s safer that way and less chance of burning my house down.
I have a wand on my altar, It’s decorative, selenite but nothing as glamourous as Siofa’s beauty.
When I focus, I want my hands to be my focal point, not the wand. My goal is not to give my wand power, but my hands.
I also have a glorious gilt edged Nefertiti tarot deck in a box. I haven’t used her in a long time.
I do pray for others I’m ok, & I get by. I’m not greedy. I’ve a roof over my head, food enough to eat and most important AIR CONDITIONING. (Florida)Who could ask for more.
I have many…many spheres from a 50mm orange selenite to malachite, etc. I have quartz, jasper, opal…I really don’t know how much. One of these days I’m going to gather it all together and Rich is going to say, “It’s me or your junk!”
I’ll really miss that man.
How I create Magick.
- Magick begins in my head – what do I want to do.
- Magic requires thought and concentration – Why do I want to do this. (In #'s 1 &2 there really is a difference between what and why.)
- Magick filters through my heart – will I harm myself or anyone else.
- Sometimes I do my spells and don’t write them down first. Unfortunately the spell is sometimes lost forever.
- Going further, I do a lot of natural medicine. Salves for aching joints. Balm for sinus or dry nose with lavender, camphor and menthol. It can be combined with a petroleum gel or a gentle oil with a few wax pellets to thicken the balm. I used to make beauty products but that wasn’t Magick, just a knowledge of herbs and their effects.
I’m not sure what else to say. Each practitioner must decide what they believe in, how to practice. Choose you ethics. As I said earlier about your altar. It is your practice, what you do and use is your choice. You can learn about what others do, but that doesn’t me you must adhere to their practice. You are the master of your fate. (Thanks SilverBear)
Garnet
