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Discussion
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We all need money to live. I support my fellow witches putting their knowledge into books, setting up starting witch kits, or setting up teaching services, but if you are new to this, you must know that this is “nice to have” and not a necessity to do magic. As I was just making a video on the topic and had to scramble my mind to get some free ideas, I thought I’ll post them here.
So here is my list of suggestions on low cost to no cost workings. This list is by no means finished or confined to only these ideas, but hopefully will help on starting if you are new, broke and don’t know where to begin.
– being present in your work is key and an important skill to learn, so if you are going to start somewhere, start with meditation. Dedicate time out of your life to be still, relaxed, present in the moment. If you need someone to guide you, there are plenty of free guided meditation videos online, so you can follow the voice of the video. Some people like to focus on breathing, for others this causes a panic attack, so as everything in one’s craft, you’ll have to find a technique that is right for you and works for you. What you should be seeking here is the ability to completely relax by detaching yourself from your day to day worries and focusing on your presence in the now.
– this skill can be enhanced by learning to be attentive to detail. One of my acquaintances once passed me a pretty cool exercise, that I can pass on here as well. Turn on a music track, the more instruments that are playing at the same time, the better, but listen to something that you would enjoy and not pure noise. It is easier without a singer, but tracks with a singer will do just fine. Focus on one specific instrument until it feels like others quieten down and this one increases in volume. Track it over all the other instruments. When you achieve the desired effect, let go, let the sound return to normal and try a new instrument. You can also do this with any background noise, so if you are out and about, you can, for example, try to hear birds over people, or people over the sound of cars. A visual version of this exercise is to locate two very similar colours and forcing your mind to see them as the same colour, then forcing your mind to notice the specific difference between the two colours. Rinse and repeat. This forces you to focus on details that you would normally overlook and eventually you catch yourself noticing of more things around you.
– you can use both of these skills to commune with nature, for example, if you want to go the more natural witch route. Find yourself a lake, a forest, any kind of natural clearing and embrace the atmosphere. Be very mindful of what is around you. Let yourself stand still and settle in it, let everything else fade. When you really feel part of it all, talk to mother nature. You can ask it to wash away your stress and anxiety, thank it for the gifts that it brings, or ask for protection in a shape of a trinket (using the last suggestion here, you may just find yourself with a branch that falls right in front of you on your way back, or a rock that really stands out to you. Don’t rob mother nature, but taking an occasional gift, especially when it is offered to you is completely fine).
– you can use said skills to commute with dieties, demons or angels. An easy way to reach and establish contact when you don’t have an altar, or candles, or herbs is to sit, meditate, quieten your mind and really reach out to either the name of the entity that you are calling, or a symbol that represents them. You will either be ignored, feel a positive/negative emotion in the air that isn’t yours (if it is positive, feel free to speak your request. First request that I suggest making is just asking how to best work with them and to ask for permission to work with them), or a thought that you feel couldn’t have come from you.
– now lets imagine that you read a ritual that you really want to do, but it requires tools. You don’t have tools. I introduce you – imaginary altar! You can quieten your mind and then very vividly imagine you performing all the components of a ritual while speaking the lines out loud. This is a much harder thing to master, as now you are dedicating brain space to what you would normally not need to dedicate mind space to, but it is possible. Let’s say that I need to point to 4 cardinal directions with a wand, but I don’t have a wand. I can close my eyes and imagine the wand as I point to 4 cardinal directions. Now I need to suspend my disbelief that I don’t have the tool that I need while also remembering what I’m doing and focusing on it, so it is harder, but it is doable. You can also replace items. So, for example, your wand can be a stick. So on and so on.
Right, this is not all that there is, but hopefully someone finds this helpful. Bottom line – you don’t need money to be a witch.
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I have seen a lot of services targeting new folks, so I’m here to tell you that magic is free
updated 2 years, 5 months ago
2 Members
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Replies
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People will always chase the money. Witchcraft is trending – in many ways, it’s kind of cycling back to the 60s/70s as a feminist act of rebellion/power. It’s amazing and I love what I’m seeing happen but companies and some very savvy entrepreneurs are absolutely swooping in to capitalize on it. Stay strong everyone and research authors, tarot makers, crystal sellers, etc. to make sure they aren’t in it just tor the money.
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Most witches throughout history wouldn’t have had crystals mined and synthesized all over the world – if buying those aids your practice that’s great, but most witches through history have used cool rocks they found in a nearby stream and so can you!
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Mirta the MVP
I’m glad someone made more of a post about it. Anything materialistic is 100% optional. There’s always other options. Witchcraft has deep roots serving marginalized people. Things as simple as salt and mint mixed together can be created into a protective sleep powder sprinked in each corner, or around your bed, under your pillow, whatever works for you.
It’s all about your intent, direction, mindfulness… things like that. You know when you’re in the right zone. In part because you begin to see results.
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Tossing this out here:
While contemporary Western witchcraft emphasizes intention and energy, and have many materials readily available to people starting on their path, there are traditional forms of witchcraft do not incorporate intention or energy work into the practice.
These forms of witchcraft have very different cosmologies, and rely on closely following the traditional working. Often that means very specific components. If you’re in one of these traditions, follow the guidance of your teacher/mentor/etc
That said, these paths aren’t for everyone. You definitely don’t need objects to be a witch, though some traditions might require very specific objects all the same.
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> A visual version of this exercise is to locate two very similar colours and forcing your mind to see them as the same colour, then forcing your mind to notice the specific difference between the two colours. Rinse and repeat. This forces you to focus on details that you would normally overlook and eventually you catch yourself noticing of more things around you.
I’ve noticed that when I draw or paint, I end up noticing more details than I had before. I really enjoy this, it makes me feel calm and present, and now I understand why. Thank you for sharing your insight!
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Also, there’s always drawing sigils and either burning them or tearing them up or carving them onto a candle anointed with olive oil (there’s other methods, like you can draw them onto your skin and sweat them off or shower them off if water speaks more to you; there’s tons of methods and they’re all pretty discrete). Also burning bay leaves (with an intention written on them). Those are very cheap “rituals” that carry really good results
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Many things marketed to beginner witches are nice to have, but they are useless without the right self discipline and intent. That’s something no money can buy and it’s more important than anything set dressing, useful as it can be.
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Love this post and these comments. Personally I’m pretty frugal and hate to see newer witches feel pressured spend lots of money when there’s so much that can be done without expensive tools.
One thing I don’t see discussed that often is incorporating your practice into your existing hobbies. I’ve done this with knitting, gardening, and art. If you figure out a way to work witchcraft into your hobby that you already have supplies for, the additional expense should be low or nonexistent. Plus, it can make your practice more personal and it’s a lot more discreet than doing really “stereotypically witchy-looking” things.
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I do meditate regularly for mental health but is there a difference for a witch? Are there specific guided meditations that are designed for new witches? I am very involved in mindfulness and meditation from a mental health standpoint and I am trying to understand the difference between the two. I am very new to the craft and trying to gain an understanding.
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The biggest struggle I’ve been having while starting out is the focus/meditation side. Even before beginning down this spiritually, I’ve tried to work on my meditation for mental health reasons. For whatever reason, my very flighty, easily distracted mind cannot seem to do meditation deliberately. I’ve had a couple of moments, but they were…not while I was actually meditating or trying to (weird to explain).
I’m looking forward to trying some of these techniques though.
Would the OP or anyone else have additional suggestions for someone who can’t work with voices (like guided meditation) or much auditory input? My synesthesia is *really* picky when it comes to audio and the only time guided meditation works is if I’m using it for sleep hypnosis reasons (ie. I don’t plan to be awake at the end of it so it isn’t as vital where my mind is going/doing) and even then, only one person I’ve found works for that.
Edit: just a follow-up thought: I don’t really know what meditation mentally should be like (I’ve had it described many ways so I’m unsure what mentally the goal is: focusing the mind, letting it flow and following it, etc. so many different answers I’ve been given)? Is there maybe a way to utilize my synesthesia rather than avoid it? For the context: audio manifests visually for me, either as textured colours (for voices) or visual experiences that either overlay or override my surroundings.
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100 %
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Wanna say that you can totally find herbs and other ingredients at ethnic markets for real cheap. For instance, I found a giant bag of fennel, which is used to invoke protection, at Middle Eastern market for a few bucks. It has lasted me years. Don’t know if I would cook with it, but it serves me in spell work just fine. Blessings!
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