#spellcasting altars 101

[this-is-me19]

Sharing

Setting up your altar is a personal manifestation of your soul and your personality in the way you practice your Magick. Each witch may have a unique set up that reflects who they are, what type of witchcraft they practice, and what is sentimental to them. As such, every altar may look a little different. There is no specific “correct way” to set up your altar. The right way to set up your altar is what feels right for you. Nevertheless, if you’re setting up your first altar and don’t know where to begin, here are a couple tips on how you can set yours up:

Where to set up your altar:

You can set up your altar anywhere! You can set it up in your home, in your garden, in your workspace (although the best place to set it up would be a more private space) but essentially an altar can exist anywhere you make the room for one. Typically the best place for an altar would be a bedroom, since its a space that most people are connected to spiritually and feel most at rest. My altar is set up in a corner of my walk in closet. It’s on the smaller side but its big enough for me to practice my craft. For those that need a much smaller space, you could set your altar up on a dresser, a nightstand, or even your windowsill. You could even get a portable altar that can be taken down and put up easily, which is good for those that live in smaller housing and those that like to travel.

Which direction should your altar face:

Again, this one is more of a personal decision. In Wiccan history, traditionally the altar is said to be facing North. However, you can face your altar in whatever direction feels right. Perhaps there is a beautiful view facing East that helps you meditate, or perhaps the area you want to set up your altar in only faces South. That is completely OK. As for me, I have my altar facing North-East, based on my preference on the elements I feel most connected to. I have two modes, I’m either completely grounded or completely in the clouds, so the elements I feel most connected to are earth and air; which is how I chose to position my altar. If you want to position your altar for the elements you feel most connected to, you would choose between North (earth), South (fire), East (air), and West (water). However you choose to position your altar should feel right to you.

What to put on your altar:

Your altar can consist of a few traditional things and personal things. You can have plants, crystals, candles, incense, and other traditional tools. You can also have personal items such as photographs, magazine clippings of something you want to manifest in your life, a homemade wreath or jewelry, or anything that feels personal to you such as a seashell or stone you picked yourself on your last hike or adventure. There’s a few things I personally believe every altar should have for spiritual protection purposes (this is my opinion only, not mandatory in any way) and those are:

an altar cloth

a candle

protective crystals (such as black tourmaline, smoky quartz, or amethyst)

incense or white sage

a fireproof bowl or cauldron

Additional things you may want to consider for your altar:

a wand (either premade or handmade) or athame

herbs or crystals for spells

a pendulum board or ouija board (if you wish to commune with spirits)

a chalice

something representing each of the elements

a compass

charms or small statues of things that you connect spiritually with

hand-picked items such as seashells, acorns, pine cones, leaves, feathers, or stones

Important things to remember about your altar:

I know I sound like a broken record saying this, but again, your altar should be personal. A reflection of YOU. If your altar feels right, then it’s right. If it feels like its missing something, add more to it. If it feels too cluttered or like too much, take stuff off. Your altar can change with you! You can switch things out as you feel your energy shift. Something that is very important to remember about your altar, is that it is a sacred place. Cleanse your altar if things start to not feel right after changing things up. Remember that things you find other places, may have picked up energy from that place/people, so be sure to cleanse any items you are bringing into your sacred space.

Blessed be

[windvexer]

disappointment anon, i didnt actually know you could create spirit doors i thought i just had to hope that the spirits heard me after i called them to me because i dont have clairsenses or good divination.. LOL but thank you for that post that was extremely helpful :)

Hi! In Traditional Witchcraft and other related practices, I think I especially want to say Fairy Faith, the idea that the practitioner has the ability to find, capitalize on, or simply create portals, gateways, and roads into the spirit world is a dominant theme.

The only time I ever see this referenced in 101 stuff is casting a circle! The concept in Traditional Witchcraft is more or less the same as a Wiccan circle, but we call it a compass. If a lot of your education is coming from online sources, you may be unaware that a primary function of a magic circle is to "join the worlds" and, as Kelden puts it,

On a deeper level, though, and most central to Traditional Witchcraft, the compass is a liminal place, a doorway through which we can enter into the Otherworld.

On one hand, the word compass is synonymous with the word circle, but it also denotes the well-known navigational tool used in travel. This second meaning makes a lot of sense in the context that Traditional Witches use the compass round to navigate and traverse the different realms.

Kelden, The Crooked Path, 2020 (emphasis my own)

For a spirit-working witch, the skill of learning where to find spirits and how to reliably call them is a skill which I believe is separate from brokering deals. I also believe that working with these gateways is probably a fundamental skill of witchcraft.

The witch has many tools at their disposal for creating gateways into the spirit world and walking back and forth between this world and the next, with new knowledge, allies, and powers.

Some of these gateways are physical locations, each of which may lead to a different place in the otherworld, or make it easier or more difficult to access certain powers.

A small, secluded cave half-filled with water at the bottom of a steep riverbank may be the ideal location to enter the Underworld, or commune with chthonic powers.

A tiny thicket formed by the arch of a rosemary bush where it tangles with the branches of a thorny rose may be an excellent location to leave tiny gifts for the Greenwood and commune with the green folk.

Much more accessible for many of us is indeed just the concept of crossroads, either a 4-way X or a 3-way T. These locations are long famed for being the meeting places of spirits, or ideal locations to leave offerings or broker spirit deals. The Devil Himself is often said to be haunting just such remote crossroads.

But these gateways don't just have to be found. The witch has the power to create them.

Exhibit A - casting a circle (or more accurately to say, laying a compass).

Also, I believe the creation of a spellcasting altar, if properly magicked and tended to, begins to become liminal in and of itself - it literally becomes a doorway to the otherworlds.

Certain human-made locations, like gas stations and grocery stores, are often considered to be gateways and have been used by some practitioners to fulfill spellwork.

Various charms and talismans can assist with creating doorways navigating the liminal, most famously the Holey or Hag stone.

Robin Artisson details several methods of understanding, discovering, creating, and working with such doorways, I believe in Witching Way of Hollow Hill, but especially in An Carow Gwyn, in the section called The Breaching Charms: The Gateways into Sorcerous Experience.

Daniel Schulke, at least in Viridarium Umbris, provides several sigils and charms for obtaining entrance into the otherworld.

Roger J Horne, in A Broom at Midnight, details thirteen "gateways" to spirit flight. While these are specifically methods of entering astral travel, any student of the concept of gateways and doors within witchcraft I think would benefit from studying the rituals within.

Speaking of astral travel, many common methods espoused include imagining that a person is climbing down the roots of a tree, or inside of the trunk of a tree and floating down like an elevator; or going down a well. All of these things are analogous to (or, the same thing as) mentally seeking out a gateway to the otherworld, searching in mental constructs of places in nature where gateways are commonly found or believed to be found.

Indeed, the concept of roads, gates, thresholds, and doors, is (I think) a vital contemplation to the understanding of Witchcraft itself, and it is upon these bedrocks that a great deal of witchcraft has been built.

[soulfulmetaphysics]

Spell Casting 101: Aligning with Cosmic Energies ✨🔮

Welcome to a journey into the mystical world of spell casting, where intention meets cosmic alignment! 🌌 🌌 Let me share a personal story that truly brought magic into my life.

Soulful Metaphysics

A Journey into Manifestation 🌟

During a challenging time, I felt a deep calling to align with the universe. With a full moon shining bright, I set up my altar with a white candle for purity and amethyst for insight. 🌕��💧 As I chanted my intention, a sense of peace enveloped me, and soon, opportunities aligned perfectly with my desires. This reaffirmed my belief in the power of spell casting. ✨

Aligning with Astrological Energies 🌠

Harness the cosmos with these steps:

Moon Phases: Use the full moon for empowerment and the new moon for new beginnings. 🌑🌕

Zodiac Influences: Align your spells with zodiac energies; Aries for courage, Pisces for depth. ♈️♓️

Planetary Days and Hours: Each day offers unique energies; Monday for emotions, Friday for love. 🪐

Creating Your Altar 🕯️

Set up your sacred space:

Sacred Space: Find a tranquil area. 🧘‍♀️

Magical Tools: Use crystals, incense, candles, and water. 🔥💧

Intentional Decor: Choose items that match your spell's purpose. 🖤💖

Personal Symbols: Add meaningful symbols. 🖼️

Steps to Casting a Spell 🪄

Set Your Intention: Focus on positive outcomes. 💰

Raise Your Energy: Meditate or chant. 🎶

Perform the Ritual: Light candles and speak your intention. 🕯️

Release and Trust: Let go and trust the universe. 🌌

Deepen Your Practice 📚

Explore our FREE eBook, "Hoodoo 101," for more mystical insights. 🌿 USE DISCOUNT CODE : MOST HIGH CLick here https://shorturl.at/kUTy

Embrace the ancient wisdom of spell casting. Share your experiences or ask questions below. We're here to support your spiritual journey! ✨🔮 #SpellCasting #Astrology #SpiritualJourney #Hoodoo #MagicManifestation

[tipsycad147]

Candle Magic 101: Total Baby Witch Guide

Written by Francisco Huanaco Posted on March 12, 2019

Spellcasting 101: Everything You Need to Know  Candle Magic 101: Total Baby Witch Guide

Since ancient times, candles have been used as a sacred element in countless rituals and ceremonies across continents and cultures. Read on to explore how candles are used in spells of Magic, their significance, symbolism in Witchcraft and Wicca, and find a Candle Colour Chart to guide you on your witchy works.

Introduction

You have probably been a part of many candle rituals by now. Have you ever made a wish before blowing the candles on your birthday cake? Ancient Greeks started the tradition¹ of decorating cakes with lit candles in honor of the Goddess Artemis. A round pie was meant to symbolize the moon, and the candles were the light radiating from it. This act was a sacred one, and still remains to be. Every year we gather with our friends and family to evoke Magic, strength and hope.

Since their earliest origins, candles have been used for ceremonial and religious practices that go from prayer to healing and transformation. The spiritual significance of the candle flame is well known.

Read also: Flickering Candle Flames and Meanings

Candles are used by almost every Witch, no matter what their belief system or Magical tradition (Wiccan, Hoodoo, Yoruba, or any other). While not everyone likes candles, you will soon realize why their use is so widely spread. Candles symbolize light and the Spirit being brought to life through the Element Fire, burning in the hearth, a symbol of home.

Candle Magic 101

1. Setting a Goal

Before lighting a candle or casting any candle spells, you should be aware of the reasons why you will be doing this ritual. That is, establish an intention for your spellwork. Candle Magic can be used as a way to protect yourself and others, as an aid to achieve a desired goal, to help with your meditation or simply to ask for guidance in your daily life.

If you are petitioning for something, the candle alone is not going to do the work. Everything depends on what you ask for and how you do it.

Clearly define whether this magical work is intended for yourself or for another person. If you are casting a spell for someone else, it is essential to first get their permission. Otherwise, you might be working against their free will, breaking one of the most basic Rules Every Witch Should Know.

2. Choosing a Candle

Choose the candle that best fits your need depending on the wish or the intention of your spell. Because colors have powerful effects on behavior, each color has a symbolism attached to it. There’s a Complete Candle Color Guide below. If you don’t have a candle of a certain color, you can always use a white one.

You can use taper candles, table candles and even tealight candles for your spells. Keep in mind that the size of the candle will affect the duration of your ritual.

Although some people use square-shaped, pyramidal or engraved candles, I can assure you that regular candles are as effective as any other type of candle, regardless of their manufacturing or external appearance.

Candles, however, need to be charged with a specific intention. For this, you can carve your petition/goal on it, or you can anoint the candle so it will embody your intention. See step 4 (Dressing your candle).

3. Preparing your Altar

You will need a place to practice your Candle Magic. It could be any room in your home where you can be alone and carry out all your spells without interruptions. Find a private and quiet place and set up your altar. This will be your sacred space.

4. Dressing your Candle

Candles can be purified and consecrated before their use in a ritual for any Magical purpose. By anointing the candles we are charging them with our intentions and willpower. This is also done to eliminate all residual energies from any person who handled the candles before you bought them.

Do I always have to dress my candles before a spell? No. This is a personal decision and a way to add intent and power to your spell. If you don’t have any oils to dress your candle, you can cast the spell without doing this step, or simply state your intention while holding the candle.

How to dress a candle

Choose a suitable oil. This will depend on what kind of ritual you are going to do and what your intentions are.

Hold the candle with one hand and wet your other hand’s index and middle fingers with the oil.

Rub the oil all over the candle without touching the wick. You can start from the bottom and work your way up or start from the top and go down. Note: There are as many opinions on this matter as there are Witches on earth. A common practice is to rub your fingers from the top down to attract something, or to rub them from the bottom up to banish or repel something.

As you are rubbing the oil, visualize your wish and how it’s going to manifest. Spend a minute or two focusing on this.

5. Cast your Spell

You are now ready to add any ritual acts that will be part of your spell. What follows are just a few examples of spells with candles you can cast at home. You will find many more spell recipes browsing our Spell Collections or the Library of Spells. Scroll further down on this page to find frequently asked questions and extra tips about working with Candle Magic.

[wildpriestess]

✨Spellcasting 101

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

🌞 🌸 🌿 🌙 ✨ 💐 🧝🏻‍♀️

Magic is not dependent on ingredients, deities, special timing, or fancy tools. It is drawn directly from nature and conjured intuitively with the mind through quiet self reflection and focused intent.

The only tools you need are mind and body. Other items and tools that resonate with you and put you in a magical state of mind can be used to enhance spell work but aren’t required for casting.

You can create a sacred space for yourself that provides comfort and aesthetics that induce positive energy flow. A spiritual altar to display personal items and symbols of your path can be beneficial but is not a requirement.

Spells can be performed through song, spoken word, or in complete meditative silence. Any ritual that feels right for you will be most effective.

Quiet meditation, self-care, journaling, making crafts for loved ones, preparing meals, and daily hygienic routines are all a form of discreet ritual magic that can be performed almost anywhere. ✨

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

“What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.”

— Buddha

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

[heatherwitch]

Hello, I've done some perusing around some witch blogs (sorry if that's not the correct term) and I have to say I'm fairly interested in learning about witchcraft (If that's the term) but as you can probably tell I have absolutely no beginner knowledge. Can you tell me where I might be able to start? Maybe some simple things to start out with to get a feel for it, possibly things that require just spoken word, meditation, and common material? I would very much appreciate any direction you have.

That’s the correct term! And welcome to the community! :)

I have an FAQ series that may give you a helpful starting point, but I’d love to hear if there are any burning questions you have that didn’t get answered, or if there are any main things that I’m missing. It’s always a work in progress!

Part one talks about spells, wards, sigils, cleansing, divination and more!

Part two talks about grimoires, crystals, wands, altars and more!

Part three talks about this vs. that for a lot of the common terms you hear!

Part four talks about types of witches, deities and more!

Part five is all about spellcasting!

Part six is slowly in the works as more questions arise!

I would also recommend browsing through these tags on tumblr:

#baby witch

#beginner witch / #new witch

#witchery 101

#secret witch / #closet witch

#spells basics

#sigils basics

#crystals basics

[circeknox]

Witches Guide for 2018! ✨📅

Stay Positive - Stay Powerful 

Happy New Year my lovelies!

  ✨📅 Sabbats  📅 ✨

The 8 Sabbats

Solstice, Equinox, and Sabbats.

Sabbat Altar and Celebration Ideas for the Solitary Witch

Holidays - Spring 2017 to Spring 2018

Laurel’s Easy Sabbat Planning Guide

cheap, easy ways to decorate your altar for the sabbats

Moons and Holidays 2018

Seasonal Herbs for Pagan Sabbats

Yule  & The Winter Solstice 101

Yule Resource Masterpost

🕯️Ways to Celebrate Imbolc 💐

Celebrating Imbolc! 🌿 💐

✨🌿Imbolc Tarot Spread for Goal Setting🌿🕯

Imbolc Practices

💖🥚Ostara Tips!🥚💖

Setting Up Your Altar: Ostara

CELEBRATE BELTANE

Beltane Correspondences

🌞 Ideas for Litha 🌞

Litha Practices

Celebrate Lammas

Lammas Masterpost

🥐Ways to Celebrate Mabon🍂

✨ Mabon Altar Tips ✨

Sabbat: Samhain

Samhain

✨📅 Astronomy / Astrology  📅 ✨

Moon Phases Chart 2018

2018 MAGICAL ASTRONOMY MASTERPOST FOR WITCHES

2018 Retrogrades

Full & New Moons for 2018

Blue Moon’s in 2018

🌑 New Moon Ritual 🌑

Simple Full Moon Ritual!

🌟planetary sign meanings

Celestial Bodies/Zodiacs Crash Course

Full Moons in a Year - By Hemispheres 🌜

🌛🌕full moons of the year🌕🌜

Lunar Phase Correspondences

✨📅 Witch Tips / Challenges / Spells  📅 ✨

2018 witch tip

A 2018 Witch Challenge

28 Day Witchy Challenge

New Year, New Year…

Beginner Witch Tips

100 Tips for the Secret Witch!

Witchcraft Challenge!

50 Simple Charms

20 Days of Back to School Magic Challenge

Witchy Reminder 💖

✨📅 Reference 📅 ✨

When Writing Spells

Myths, Creatures, and Folklore 

Beginner Witchery

Witch Bullet Journal Collection Ideas

Beginner masterlist 

Methods to Bond with Deities 

57 ways to use candle magick

witch self care masterpost!✌️🌿 

Marisol’s Magickal PDF Library Master Post(holy sh!t this is awesome)

10 Terms Every New Witch Should Know

Correspondences for Trees

🌟27 Ways to Develop Your Psychic Abilities🌟 

Long List of Ways to Spiritually Protect Yourself

Color Magick

Correspondence Masterpost

When to Cast a Spell - By Time of Day 

When to Cast a Spell - By Weekdays 

orriculum’s witchcraft masterpost ✨ 

✨ beginner polytheist tips✨ 

Book Recommendations for Witches, Spellcasters, and the Curious

Tarot Masterpost! 🃏✨ 

I will be updating this whenever I find anything new!

✨disclaimer // none of these belong to me! all credit goes to the creators! never listen to just one source, do you own research! ✨

[windvexer]

Practical Magic Tech: Spellcasting Altars (101)

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

This is a 101 theory post. Go to the masterpost to find actionable steps for altar building and consecration.

Loosely defined (remember, we aren't trying to label everyone, we just want to clear the weeds in our corner of the magical universe), an altar is a sacred space used to facilitate two-way communication and movement with the unseen worlds.

Altars are often built to house and honor gods and spirits. There is a fairly significant difference between someone building an altar or shrine to honor their god(s), and a spellcasting altar for witchcraft.

Our goal with a spellcasting altar is not really to honor anything. We can build a separate altar or shrine to honor a god if we would like to do so.

Instead, for the purposes of this series, a spellcasting altar is:

A hardwired connection to the otherworld,

Which makes gathering metaphysical energy easier, and

Drawing power out of the ethereal and grounding it into physical objects is easier, which means

Successful manifestation is easier.

Delivering targeted spells is easier.

Also, it's beacon that naturally accumulates and collects spiritual power (this is why people can put things on their altars to automatically charge them).

And it's powerful method of classical conditioning.

Classical Conditioning: It's Hella Useful

If you use a spellcasting altar for most of your spellwork, after a little while just being in its presence is going to click you into a magical headspace.

Yes, spellcasting altars are imbued with actual magical power and have very useful metaphysical properties. But their utility extends beyond the metaphysical.

Also they're a great place to store all your spellcasting stuff.

(By the way: try using a specific stimulus, such as an earthy grounding scent or wearing a headband, every time you practice grounding, centering, and exiting a magical headspace. It's a really really helpful tool)

Does it need to be a physical altar?

No. A physical altar is only one piece of spellcasting "tech". If that tech is not viable for you, you have many other techs to draw upon.

Digital altars can also hold metaphysical energy. True magic can be done through web pages. Ask anyone who's been in an occult server on the rough side of the web.

All that being said, you don't necessarily need any altar. They're a handy tool but no one tool is everything.

Let your path serve you, not the other way around.

What about size? What about shoebox or mint tin altars?

Oh boy, get ready for my favorite hill to die on!:

Spellcasting altars are nothing more than container spells.

In a jar spell you take, idk, some rosemary for sleep protection, some iron nails against nightmares, and some lavender for sweet dreams. You put them all together in a jar and consecrate them to your intent and those independent components come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts in order to effect magical change.

In a spellcasting altar, maybe you take a candle for connection to the otherworld, a crystal to accumulate energies, and little colorful stones to represent the Western buildingblock elements (fire, earth, air, water). You put them all together on a specially marked flat surface and consecrate them to your intent and those independent components come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts in order to effect magical change.

When you cast a container spell, you are linking up a variety of powers to work together in the long term. And nobody is out there telling you to get a gallon-sized glass jar. In fact it's popular to use the teeniest little jars possible.

Get yourself a mint tin if that's what you prefer. Hell, a matchbook with a sigil drawn inside. Make your altar into a notebook or a tumblr blog. All that is necessary is that you find it to be useful; that it gives you more back than what it takes to use it.

But I do have one thing to say in support of the classic on a shelf/flat surface altar: They're kind of like hypersigils, and that's really handy

What if you made a container spell for general prosperity, and then put that container spell inside a bigger container spell for general empowerment of everything placed inside of it?

That's what a spellcasting altar is!

It's a big cauldron of power designed to help you manifest your desires and link power to objects in the way that you choose. Start adding other finished spells back into it, and it's like a magical combo move that multiplies power and makes it easier for you to manage everything there.

Too much volatility and movement in your financial life? Take some of the prosperity stuff off of your altar - and just like that, the magic in your life has shifted.

All your spells are lagging and there's not much motion? Light a spicy, fiery candle on your altar to give everything there a tangy boost.

Feeling irritated by someone? Print out a picture of them and place it on your altar, facing away from you. No spellcasting, chanting, or ritual required - an act of magic was done because an action was taken in a magical place designed to manifest every intent you put within it.

The real benefit of spellcasting altars is that they do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.

You're probably not interested in practical magic because your life is great and you already have enough time, energy, interest, or ability to manage everything in a mundane way agreed upon by Society.

I actually think there's a pretty good chance that you're interested in practical magic because there's not enough of you to go around to deal with things in a mundane way.

Magic is real, and real things tend to take real work.

So how is it helpful to turn to a new methodology of managing your life, when it takes just as much time and energy as you were spending before?

Spellcasting altars, even small ones, even digital ones, help us out. They automatically collect power for us to use later on, so we don't have to drink our precious Get Stuff Done juice. They house doors to the otherworld you can just open and close, instead of having to create the door every time you need it. They help us automatically get into the spellcasting mindset through a hardwire connection to the otherworld and the magic of classical conditioning.

Spellcasting altars do specific things and fill specific needs. Therefore, they're not going to be necessary or even useful for everybody. Try them out and see if they're useful for you. If so; a tool has been added to your toolbox. If not; you have considered and discounted something unhelpful, and now you can move on to better things.

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

[windvexer]

Practical Magic Tech: Spellcasting Altars Are a Powerful Tool For Sticky Situations

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

In this other post, I was talking about two ways to think about spellwork: continuous magic, or one-shot magic. But our goal in this series is not to learn how to just cast single spells like a cook reading out of a recipe book. Our goal is to learn how to be a chef that can manage a kitchen and its staff.

So, real talk: Very often, aspects of our lives are not going to be solved with one spell.

Yes, it's really good to be able to cast a spell and have it manifest. But, more real talk: Getting spells to do something is actually pretty easy.

The real problem with practical spellwork doesn't lie in getting together some magic and causing stuff to happen. The real problem is situations resolving in the way you want, especially complex situations that are resistant to change or that require a lot of change.

In this other post, I talked about the virtue of a general spellcasting altar; one that you use to handle most any spell you need to sling.

In this post, let's talk about specific spellcasting altars, built to address one area of your life, or one important situation, that requires close monitoring and regular, active spellwork.

An Altar With a Goal

When I build a general spellcasting altar, I align it towards my method of spellcasting in general. I might invite a god or goddess of witchcraft to oversee the altar. I will probably store my tools and components near there that I use for spellcasting. It might be my good-vibes spiritual center that reflects my current path and progress.

In contrast, I build goal-oriented altars to very specifically reflect their purpose:

An altar to assist me in divinatory power might be dressed in indigo, silver, and violet; have figurines of mermaids or ravens, be decorated with mirrors, stuffed with amethyst, and drizzled with wormwood.

An altar to aid my finances and prosperity might be covered in green and gold, have stacks of fake money and dragon figurines, jars of coins, nuggets of jade, lodestone weighing down paper money, and just loads of chamomile and basil as far as the eye can see.

An altar to assist with bringing peace to my home might be decorated in soothing pale blue and white, filled with plates of cream and honey, decorated with a figurine of Hestia or Eirene, and sprinkled with aquamarine and blue chalcedony.

Most importantly for me, any such altar has space to hold one-shot and continuous spells as they work unto my needs. This may be in the form of a digital altar where spell cards are stored, or in a physical surface or container where components are held.

Goal-Oriented Altars Can be Like Hyperspells with Many Intents

I support limited, focused intent for individual spells. This means that any single situation may require a variety of spells to be cast upon it to achieve my goals.

Suppose I want to bring peace to my household. Depending on what's going on, I might need to cast a few different spells:

Reducing arguments

Increasing loving communication

Reducing feelings of anger

Increasing feelings of wellbeing

Keeping an instigator away from the home

Drawing enjoyable, healthy experiences into the home

If I build and consecrate an altar unto the purpose of peace in my home, that altar becomes like a hyperspell slowly storing and building up all these intents, until my purpose is finally achieved.

Certainly, one single spell might do - but we don't need to build altars for situations easily resolved with one spell. If your situation is being resistant to spellwork, or it's something you know will need ongoing maintenance, consider an altar instead of a series of independent spells.

Using Goal-Oriented Altars

Remember at the beginning of the post, when I was saying the real challenge to practical spellwork is resolving complex situations to your satisfaction?

Your situational altar is the command center for addressing a sticky, tough-to-manage situation.

Perform divination about this situation nearby

Store one-shot and continuous spells effecting that situation on this altar

Keep a detailed record of what you've tried so far

Use this altar as a platform for hosting complementary, simultaneously cast spells

Light candles or incense on the altar, or feed it with direct energy work, to charge all spells stored within it

As you continuously store spells and magics related to your situation in this one altar space, it will accumulate and gain power. That power will become more nuanced and more finely honed to your purposes with each spell you store in it.

With enough active focus and work, this altar will become a source of power in and of itself. Each successive spell will coast on the crest of the one before it, and amazing progress can be made in ways not as easily seen with spells individually and stored outside of an altar's nexus.

The types of spells you cast should be specially chosen based on how you need the energy to move in the situation.

A major benefit of a goal-oriented altar is that it lets you see your current, ongoing efforts - and past, completed efforts - all in one place. You can walk by your prosperity altar and see that your debt-banishing candle is nearly burned away, you have a whole pile of incense ashes for your cash-drawing petitions, and that you've already given the spirits an offering today. In a real way, it carves out space in your life to give important issues the attention you want to give them.

This also gives you a chance to consider the types of spells you're using and whether you need more or less variety, or more or less effort applied to a specific end.

Maybe the problem with your situation is a specific blockage that won't be overcome by more conjuration type spells; maybe you need a banishment-type spell to bust open the way forward.

The post that details that isn't in the queue yet, so if you don't see something like "spell categories #2" in the masterpost, remind me to write it. There's a ton of information to get down and sometimes stuff gets lost in the stampede.

Setting Up A Goal-Oriented Altar

Set up a goal-oriented altar with any methods used to consecrate a spellcasting altar (methods will be in the masterpost... if you're far enough into the future).

Keep a goal-oriented altar as long as you need it. For some people, altars for prosperity or protection might be kept indefinitely, as these issues are often ongoing for most.

Other altars might be extremely specific, like "help me get into a new housing situation with room mates I gel with," and will be relatively short term.

Take down the altar when you're done with it. It's not like you have to, keep that bad boy for as long as you want. But you don't need to keep the altar up once your purpose has been served.

This post is part of a series of animistic, spirit-oriented spellcasting for beginners. Go to the masterpost to see them all.

[windvexer]

Learn How To Craft & Cast Practical Magic

I support and promote practical witchcraft. I like deity worship and self work and cute journal spreads (@arcanas-grimoire taught me what journal spreads are the other day!), but you know what I like the most?

GETTING SHIT DONE

Hot, spicy, fiery, volcano take: Deities of witchcraft want us to do practical magic. They have set a banquet resplendent with dishes of personal agency, power, and stewardship of our own lives. They want us to feast, fingers dripping with nectar and butter. Spirits of the land miss us. They want to know us. They reach for us, yearning: what a wonderful world it would be if more humans would see them and learn from them.

Imagine, before you is a golden palace filled with tables creaking under the weight of treasures. The Goat-Footed Man has flung the doors open for you and beckons you. The indwellers of nature reach out for you.

The system & methodology of magic I am going to present to you is a lot of UPG, a lot of warbly British & American reconstruction stuff, and a heaping dose of "this is what I do and it works."

Please do not make a terrible mistake: this stuff I'm writing is NOT UNIVERSAL WITCHCRAFT BELIEFS (which don't exist). Many, many witches, with amazing and experienced practices, will probably totally disagree with me! If the stuff I'm writing makes you feel weird or uncomfortable, that is a great sign that the way I do things isn't the way you do things. Witchcraft is a galaxy and I present to you how to navigate one single island of one single planet. If the atmosphere curdles your blood, I encourage you to not dwell in this farm plot of the arcane; there is so much more out there, and something will be right for you.

The system I intend to present is inherently animistic, involves working with spirits, involves working with gods, and is suitable for beginners. Yeah, I said it. Get those spirits on the phone, let's party.

Sections

Methods of Understanding and Perceiving Magic

One-Shot vs Continuous Magic

Addition vs Subtraction

Divination Before Spellwork

Practical Magic Tech Theory

Spellcasting Altars 101

Spellcasting Altars Are a Powerful Tool For Sticky Situations

Microcosm Method of Altar Building

Cleansing Before Spellwork

An Intro into Powering Your Spells

Let's Talk Aboot Circles

DIY Charms and Spells

Saltwater Cleansing Charms

Introductory method of Circle Casting

Raising Power in Ritual and Tying It To Your Spells

Learn How To Craft & Cast Practical Magic Series

[tipsycad147]

Spellcasting Tools: What Do I Need to Get Started?

Spellcasting 101: Everything You Need to Know

Spellcasting Tools: What Do I Need to Get Started?

If you are new to the practice of Magic and Witchcraft, you are probably wondering: What tools do I need to cast spells? And the truth is: you don’t really need any special tools because the Magic is not in the wand, it’s in the Witch! That’s why we’ve included DIY options or homemade alternatives to each tool in this post.

Witchcraft is all about meanings. Your tools have a meaning and an identity that is uniquely linked to you as a Witch, and that’s what gives them power. By understanding the significance of each tool and ingredient, you will be able to create successful rituals and spells of Magic, and develop a path towards a more spiritual and meaningful life. In time, your tools will become a part of you, helping you define an identity as a Pagan and playing a major role in the journey to becoming a Real Witch.

In this lesson, you will learn:

The Baby Witch’s Toolkit

Traditional Spellcasting Tools

Candles & Supplies for Casting Spells

FAQ

Athame

Bell

Broom

Boline

Book of Shadows

Cauldron

Chalice

Compass

Magic Wand

The Baby Witch’s Toolkit

You’re about to put together your first Pagan altar. Here’s the best way to avoid unnecesary spending by only buying what you will actually use:

Beginner’s Shopping List:

Candles (pack with all colors)

Cauldron (for burning incense and herbs)

Chalice (for libation and potions)

Incense pack (for focus and inspiration)

Sage bundle (for cleansing and purifying)

That’s it! You will be able to cast most spells in our library of spells with these items. Scroll down to learn more about these and other Witchcraft tools, and learn how you can make your own tools for free.

Discussion: What are the Most Essential Tools?

On this Forum post, we discuss how to get started even if you don’t have tools. Sign up to participate!

Traditional Spellcasting Tools

These are the generally accepted Formal Witchcraft Tools. They will be your assistants when you are casting spells, if you can’t find them at your local esoteric shop, check our suggestions and shop online. Avoid cluttering your altar by finding a nice place for your tools to rest. Store them in a drawer, box, or shelf when you are not using them.

Let’s see a quick list of Wiccan tools and supplies.

Find spells and rituals on a Virtual Altar here.

Athame

An athame is a knife or dagger for ritual purposes. It’s not used to cut anything physically. Conventionally, it has a black handle and a double edge, and it is used to direct energies during the rituals. For example, to command and summon elementals and spirits. It is a projective tool that, within the system of classical elements, represents the Air, and should be placed on the East side of your altar.

Read: Do’s and Don’ts of your Athame »

Once you have decided what your athame will be, you can customize it with a symbol that means something to you or represents you. An example would be to inscribe your name or draw a pentagram. But it could be anything you want as long as it means something special for you.

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Athames Online

DIY

Bell

The Witchs’s bell is a very spiritual musical instrument that is played to evoke positive energies, to summon spirits or deities, or to indicate the beginning or end of different parts of a ritual. Its sound is very sacred and therefore useful when entering a ritual mental state. In the same way, there are those who use tibetan bowls or drums. The idea behind the use of these instruments is to create an action in your world that differs from your everyday actions.

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Broom

A ritual broom – also known as a besom – is mainly a tool of protection that is used for spiritual and Magical cleansing, and sweeping away all negativity before, during, or after a ritual act. The ritual broom should only gently sweep the floor, almost without even touching it. But it can also be used in warding or cleansing spells such as this elemental protection spell with salt.

The most important thing is to visualize clearly how negativity and distracting energies are being swept out. While sweeping, focus on removing all the astral excesses that typically arise where people live. This purifies the area, allowing you to focus on your ritual works. Since the broom is a purifier, it is associated with the Element Water. Traditionally, brooms were made of birch and willow, but any type of broom will work fine.

Shop for Brooms Online

Boline

A boline is a knife for practical use. Traditionally, it has a white handle and a curved blade. You will use it to harvest flowers, cut herbs, branches, thread, or to carve symbols on wood, wax or clay. Basically, to physically cut any materials before or during the casting of a spell.

Its white handle will help you distinguish it from your athame. Also, it’s usually smaller and with a single edge, which can be serrated or smooth depending on the owner. In this case, a kitchen knife can also turn out to be a great option. If you want to step up your candle-carving game, you could also get a candle carving toolkit.

For the consecration of the boline, Scott Cunningham recommends:

“Early in the morning, head to the forest (park, garden). Choose the most beautiful and vibrant plants. Touch them gently with the tip of the knife, forging a connection between the knife and the plants (and thus the Earth). Then sit on the ground. Making sure you are alone, make a pentagram on the ground with the tip of the knife. It’s ready.”

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Bolines Online

DIY

Book of Shadows

This will be your personal spellbook. It will also often be used to record important information about Witchcraft, as well as observations and thoughts. Some like to write down their personal observations and ideas in a separate “Book of Mirrors”, leaving their Book of Shadows for Magical recipes, invocations, spells, guides, etc.

To create your own book of shadows, find a notebook and decorate it with according to your personal taste. You can draw something on it or paste some flowers, leaves, anything you want! The design of the cover is left to the imagination of the Witch. The goal is to customize it so it will be unique and in harmony with you. Then simply write down all the rituals, spells, Magic invocations and instructions that you plan to use during your practice.

Read also: Book of Mirrors, the Witches’ Magickal Journal

Copy the spells and rituals step by step with their respective illustrations and decorations. Ideally, you should know all of these by memory, but at first you will need to read them, so make sure that the pages and text are readable. The book of shadows is also known under the term “Grimoire” (from French, alteration of grammaire, “grammar”).

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Books of Shadows Online

DIY

Cauldron

The cauldron is the tool of the Witch par excellence. It is an ancient culinary container, imbued with mystery and in many Magical traditions it is the vessel in which Magical transformations take place. Wiccans see the cauldron as a symbol of the Goddess, the manifest essence of femininity and fertility. It is also a symbol of the element Water, reincarnation, immortality and inspiration.

In contemporary Witchcraft, the cauldron is still used but not to create brews and potions. Think of the Cauldron as the belly of a pregnant woman. Inside of it, a new life is getting ready to exist. In your Cauldron, you could place candles, incenses, perfumes, offerings such as fruits, liquids, and all kinds of elements to be used during a ritual.

It can be filled with water and contemplated during divination, or filled with flowers or some other items related to the spellwork you are doing. You will see that many spells require making fire and burning things, herbs, etc.

For this, it is advisable to have a heat-resistant container as your cauldron. They come in many different sizes, but usually small ones are preferred. They are traditionally made of iron, with three legs (the three legs represent the triple Goddess: Maiden, Mother and Wise Woman, and it also alludes to the three levels of being: Physical, Mental and Spiritual).

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Cauldrons Online

DIY

Chalice

The chalice is a cup with a long stem that will be filled with various liquids during spellcasting and rituals. Often, it simply contains water, representing this element, which could be always present on your altar, but it can also be used for pouring wine during Sabbat offerings and ritual toasts, or even blood, and other liquids depending on the spell you are casting. You could also use a chalice to mix water and salt for tracing your protective circle and also for blessings and purifications.

It can be made of silver, brass, glass, stone, or ceramic. Some groups in the tradition of Wicca usually have two types of chalices, one for clean water and one for the wine and other liquids as described. In a coven, there is a main chalice that is carried on to the altar for consecrations. This cup is shared by all the members during the ceremony, and it is filled every time so that everyone can share the beverage (with or without alcohol). Some other covens prefer that each member have their own chalice and they pour from the main one.

Wiccans typically garnish their chalices with runes or other symbols to decorate it. Some paint it or they attach semiprecious stones, so that it will also contain and provide energy to the liquid inside.

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Chalices Online

DIY

Compass

A compass can be a beautiful decorative item in your sacred space, but it’s also a very useful tool to have near your altar. Many evocations require calling the Quarters while facing each of the four cardinal directions, and some spells involve placing various elements on specific directions, so for sailors and Witches alike, it’s vital to be able to find the North at all times.

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a outdoors shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Compasses Online

DIY

Magic Wand

The Wand is a prominent tool because it symbolizes the Will of the person who performs the Magic, and serves above all to direct the energy, and sometimes to cast the Circle of Protection. It is highly esteemed within most Witchcraft traditions.

The wand, like the athame, is used to direct energy. It is usually made of wood and can be decorated or inscribed with symbols. It is a projective tool that represents the Element Fire, although some consider it to be a tool ruled by Air.

Unlike Harry Potter books, the wand does not serve to banish negative influences or for defense, hence many Witches prefer to cast their circle using an athame instead of a wand.

Its function is to evoke and control certain beings to whom the athame and other tools should not summon, since it works by invitation, not by command.

For all this, it is often said that it is a more “peaceful” tool than the athame and the boline. The wand symbolizes evocation, fertility and enchantment.

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Find a metaphysical shop near you. Or explore these online alternatives:

Shop for Wands Online

DIY

Consecrate all your tools: Click here to Learn How to Consecrate Any Tool or Object

Candles & Supplies for Casting Spells

There are lots of different types of spells. Some of them require only your words and concentration, others require specific materials or supplies. Some are easy to find, others not so much. Let’s see a few examples:

Candles

Candles will play a major role in your rituals, in part because they help create an ideal state of mind. Their aroma, color and presence can put us in a good mood. You have probably used candles before when taking a relaxing bath or setting up a romantic dinner, so you are already aware of their power.

A well-chosen candle can promote feelings of health, prosperity and love. Stock up on candles of every color so you won’t have to worry about finding one before casting a spell.

Where to Buy?

Buy local! Support your nearby occult shop. Or check out these alternatives:

Shop for Candles Online

Interested in Candle Spells? In the next lesson we will learn How Candle Spells Work

Incense Charcoal

Charcoal is the easiest and safest way to burn incense. You can use it to cleanse the home and it’s perfect for palo santo, frankincense, copal and loose white sage. When done, you will have a cake of ash that is easily disposed of.

Compare Self Lighting Incense Charcoal on Amazon

Sachets

Small cloth bags or sachets are used to make good luck charms, such as mojo bags to attract love and positive energies on a daily basis. Fill them with your favorite herbal combinations or use them as tea bags for your daily potions. They also make great gifts, especially when using plants from your own magical garden.

Compare Sachets on Amazon

Compare Sachets on Etsy (US)

Thread

Strings, thread, and ribbons are the main ingredient for working with Knot Magic, which involves tying or binding together. Black thread is also used to make dolls in many traditions. Mojo bags used for creating amulets are often sewn by hand using threads.

Others

Here’s a list of other useful materials that are very often necessary to cast spells, sometimes even more so than the formal tools. In no particular order, you might want to pay a visit to your local Witchery shop and get:

Lighter or matches

Jars and bottles

Pen and paper

Herbs and flowers

Mortar and pestle

Crystals, stones

Mirrors

Shells

Feathers

Tarot and Oracle cards

Incense

Oils

Pendulum

Dolls

Salt

Sand

Aluminum foil

FAQ

What does it mean to “consecrate” a tool?

As you move further down your magickal path and welcome ritual and spell work into your life, you will find yourself using certain items, such as a wand, athame, or amulet that have meaning and significance only to you again and again.  Traditionally these items are place on the altar and are treated as sacred, thus they are set aside for magical purposes only.

In this way, an athame, for example, can absorb your Magical energies and positivity. This will increase the object’s power for use in future rituals and spells.  Additionally, using ritual tools solely during spell casting helps to denote the sacred space for your spells, clueing in your subconscious that the time you are about to spend should be focused on the divine.

Watch: Tool Consecration Ritual and Altar Blessing Ritual

I can’t afford these tools, what do I do?

There are many people who want to practice Witchcraft, but for various reasons they can’t get some of the necessary materials and tools. If this is your case, you should work on developing your visualization and concentration skills.

Learn to work with basic elements such as sand, rock or tap water, and transmit your intention so that they become the tools you need. A handful of rice loaded with the intention required for a spell or potion can be much more effective than a certain kind of super exotic herbs that is thrown into a bowl without thinking. Magic is, in essence, pure will and intention.

Can I make my own tools?

Actually, it’s preferable that you create your own tools by hand. Like everything in Witchcraft, you want empower yourself to create and manifest what happens in your own life. And that includes tools, candles, soaps, teas, food and more, so that you can transmit your unique Magical imprint to these objects. In Witchcraft, the most important thing is to believe in yourself and in the Power that resides in you. That’s the Power that you carry in your spirit as a Witch.

The tools, ingredients, and materials can help you connect on a physical level – by means of ritual acts – to materialize your Will. But they act just as training wheels on a bicycle, to give you extra confidence and guide you during your first steps. The truth is, you can cast 100% effective spells without anything other than your mind.

https://spells8.com/lessons/tools-altar-spellcasting/