In this Circle, Rightly Cast....

I've got a lot of Witchy Stuff. There's no denying it. In 25 years of practicing the Craft, I'm accumulated a fair bit of Witch Kitsch, Altar supplies, Sacred Tools, and SpellBits and Pieces. They have been purchased, gifted, made, acquired, inherited, and found.

They range from blown-glass chalices to pine cones, handpainted crystal inlaid wands to feathers, porcelain witch statues to a cast iron athame - hand-made incense to hand-carved stone candlesticks. I have cords for knotting, charcoals for burning, wax for sealing, fabric for bundling, twigs, stones, assorted plant and animal parts (claws, fur, teeth), little tiny bells, a magic mirror or two and a partridge in a pear tree. (mmm... one of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn't belong)

I got stuff. I need none of it to practice my Craft and live my faith, but at times, it does make it easier. I prefer to Craft my Prayers and symbolize my magical intentions, but I can pray just as well by myself alone with nothing but my intention and my Connection to Source.

If I was to do my Magical Aquiring all over again, I would do it differently. Of course, I'd have to "know then what I know now". So let me write a letter to my Younger Self - and see if I can help invest the flow of the Goddess' abundance a little more frugally than I have in my life journey.

Dear Baby Pagan,

You're going to read a lot of books that tell you a lot of things - some congruent and some contradictory about what you need to "have" to practice your Witchy Craft. Let me fill you in on a little secret. You can ignore them all. At least most of the time. And at least for the first 5 years of your faith practice.

Most of the time - the best way to empower your magic is to find the tools of the Craft, the props, the bling and the stuff that works best for YOU - not what a books says you need. Otherwise you'll invest a lot of money in acquiring a wide variety of things that you will use only occasionally - and you will have to keep and store your treasures as befits sacred things - which can be a pain in the broom bristles in today's highly mobile society.

Here's my best advice to you - "know thyself." Stop laughing. I'm serious. Learn what symbols speak most loudly to you for every concept in the Craft and acquire those things that have meaning - deep potent personal meaning for you - that connect you to the Goddess, the God, the Elmeents, the Directions, and to your intentions spiritually and magically.

The tools don't make your magic right or powerful - you make your magic right and powerful. You can take time to learn about yourself, and learn your Craft, and build a personal meaningful powerfully symbolic Magical Cabinet.

I'll write again with some ideas - I know how you hate long letters.

The Earth wastes nothing, and we should follow Her example,
The Frugal Pagan