Something super common about Paganism, Wicca and Witchcraft is how it sometimes seem so costly. Seeing practitioners with cauldrons, extravagant robes, visually rapturing wands, goblets and more, it can appear the price of entry and participation can appear way up there, somewhere past “college textbooks”. This meme submitted to Wiccan Cat Meme basically says it all:
Just as a reminder, I’m not Wiccan, just Pagan
I think such a paradox is ridiculous. I understand how someone can get sucked into it – I certainly did when I started and having a catalog of Avalon Moon as a teenager didn’t help – but for such a nature-based belief system, we can charge like Wall St. investors when it comes to our natural products.
It is very important for everyone to remember that you don’t have to pay out the wazoo to practice magick. It’s really cool to have that fancy candle holder and obsidian mirror with a robe that is as intricate as it is incredibly flammable but as nifty as it would be to be the prettiest fireball running down the block if you’re not careful, it’s not necessary. To do a money spell, for example, shouldn’t make you broker than you were when you came up with the idea. Yes, there’s the Western capitalist idea of “gotta spend money to make money” but when dealing with the universe and asking it for a solid, it’s probably better to think outside the box. Intent is there, physical substances are merely supplemental to the practice. Think of being a runner or simply an active person. You don’t have to be plastered from head to toe with Nike to simply jog, which only requires comfortable shoes and clothes as well as a water bottle. The extra stuff is certainly nice and can totally make running a lot more comfortable but not necessary.
Working magick can be done with birthday candles and some dirt from outside, it can be done just using only the salt and pepper shakers, it can be as simple as writing down a name and stuffing it into a short water bottle to freeze. Magick can be cheap, if not free. Magick can also be heavy meditation on a particular outcome. All these things require practice but they’re there. A smart witch is one that can work with little materials but still make it work. It’s not necessary to have the $300 crystal ball when a shiny glass or small orb of quartz is fine enough because the intuition comes from within, they’re just helper materials. Using table salt in circle casting (but not outdoor spellworking because that kills plants, try soil or protective herbs) is fine. Using the same chalk made for sidewalk art is fine in spellwork, too. Using a branch or incense stick instead of a wand or staff is ok as well. This is using nature to do natural magick.
Basically, while it can be great to use fancy materials in spellwork but what makes spellwork, well, work is the practitioner, mainly. To be informed of practices and spells via reading countless, substantial resources and to simply continue practice the basics such as energy manipulation and meditation, that’s what makes a great practitioner with successful spellwork that doesn’t break the bank. Because what’s the point of making a money spell that makes you more broke? That’s practically an accidental hex.
Next week is “The Arts!”:
– The Trendy Geek
– Z-Type
– Quinni
Black Witch 
Thank you for the enlightenment. I am happy you posted this information. I was believing the opposite.
Yes…. it costs money to work. But it costs money to be a xian or Muslim or Hindu or anything. Clothes cost money… food costs money… clubbing costs money. .. and so on. Folks need to get over it. People find money for what’s important to them. None of these people who buy… literally…. into the gospel of prosperity have a problem purchasing a $65 million plane for their pastor. Folks shouldn’t complain about a $30 athame
Thing is, not everything has to cost money, especially in spiritual works. Material things tend to cost money like food and clothes (clubbing isn’t a need but a want, but food and clothes are needs) but spiritual stuff shouldn’t have to be costly. Folks who bought a megaplane for their pastor (who is several shades of corrupt because, wow, talk about being greedy and taking advantage of people) do it because they’ve most likely been indoctrinated to think that “Sure, this is fine, I’m sure the pastor will put it to good use” and very few said, “Waaaaaaait a minute. Something doesn’t sound right.” However, that’s what happens when you get corruption and greed that uses religion as the vehicle because that, for certain, is not the same as tithing (which is supposed to keep a church afloat (not become a megachurch because wtf, blasphemy) because of community and yadda yadda yadda).
Thing is, not everyone can afford the $30 athame but are so convinced they need to get it that they may hold off of their actual metaphysical practices when a simple, designated knife could do the job. It’s important for folks to remember that, yes, having shiny stuff is nice but it’s not necessary, especially if you don’t have the sufficient means to get it.
I wasn’t saying that you SHOULD spend a grip on supplies. Most of mine come from the thrift store or have been given as gifts. though I will splurge on something I really want. I meant that there is a cost for what we do. There is a cost for everything in life. I’ve seen folks complain that they can’t afford dollar store candles while wearing a $800 grill in their mouths or a $1k weave on their scalps. And some point you gotta put up or shut up. Folks ain’t gonna work for you for free,
I always get my candles from the dollar store. 4 tapers for a buck, a bag of 100 tea lights for 3. Granted they aren’t the BEST candles in the world, but they work. Also can cleanse the wax and reuse it. Heck. sometimes I even take my kids busted up crayons and make candles out of them.
That’s a great idea. I would be iffy on cleansing the wax to reuse but I’m a stickler so don’t mind me. The crayons idea is a great one (as long as the kids get new crayons and you haven’t melted down any they were truly attached to).