I hate to say that, as a newbie witch, I fell into the trap of having to have all the right “stuff”. It was the early 2000s, and I was super infatuated with the idea that witches had to have rustic cupboards full of things. Jars of unexplainable stuff, an arsenal of herbs, lots of expensive leather-bound notebooks, crystals, incense, felt bags, and lots of other things. What things exactly? I had no idea, but I knew I wanted them.
I had this idea in my head that to be a witch was to acquire all the right tools. Every modern magic book (at that time) was chalk full of all these ingredients that I had to have in order to practice witchcraft appropriately. And at that time, I was bound by my financial brokenness - so I was never able to acquire all these ingredients, and that resulted in me not feeling authentic in my practice for a really long time.
And of course, it’s not to say the right ingredients don’t make the spell. There are some cases where you absolutely have to find Deer Tongue herb or the whole thing isn’t going to work. But that’s some really specific cases, not just practicing witchcraft overall.
No tools, just magic
So what does it mean to practice without anything? It means bring yourself to the table. If you’re ready to start manifesting and moving your life in the direction you want, then you can begin now. You absolutely don’t need to wait to have a closet full of things to start practicing your craft.
I do think crystals are pretty, and I love a good oil, but tools are just tools. The real magic is you. And what you use is just an extension of yourself to help focus and shift the atmosphere so you can believe in what you’re doing. The whole point of ritual work is to set up the atmosphere so you can hack your mind into believing what you’re doing, and that belief is the real magic. Is it easier for your mind to believe that you’re performing a spell in a cemetery with a circle full of candles? Absolutely. That crazy scene heightens your emotions and helps you feel like you’re doing the real deal. But is it absolutely necessary? No.
My advice is to just begin where you are. If that’s with no crystals or candles in your bedroom with a notebook and pen or your phone, then start there. There’s no sense in wrapping up the start of your witchcraft journey based on whether you have all the things or not. If you’re ready, then you’re ready to begin.
No tools techniques
Cleansing and clearing -
You don’t really need anything when you’re just trying to create an atmosphere and clear the energy in the surrounding air. Just close your eyes, breathe, and meditate for a few minutes. Picture a bright white or gold (or whatever color you desire) light emitting from your chest, and push it out to the surrounding area. Anything that’s in that space will be pushed aside, and you’re ready to perform your magic ritual. Or just vibe in the cleansed space.
Protection -
For me, this is similar to cleansing and clearing. Except instead of pushing your light out - you are going to form a bubble around yourself. You can go a step further and crystallize it by imagining a shell hardening around yourself. Useful in scary situations - like walking to your car alone.
Grounding -
Grounding is usually for when you are feeling out of sorts and your mind is all over the place. If you’re feeling like you need to collect and plant yourself back on Earth,. Sitting on the floor (I like to do this barefoot, but you don’t have to), imagine tree roots sprouting out of your feet. And growing down deep into the Earth. Imagine them interlocking together and keeping your energy grounded, safe and secure.
Intention setting -
Intention setting is a little different from manifesting. It’s about creating mindful steps and directing your energy towards what you want. For instance, you can say, “I will have a good day at school today.” And even if you don’t like school, your focus for that day is to have a good day. So that outcome is more likely to follow you. You can set intentions for anything and everything you do. Some more examples are things like “I’m going to focus on my mental health today” or “I’m going to not smack this girl at work that is getting on my nerves.” (KIDDING!)
Manifesting -
Intention setting is like goal setting but different. You might want to write it down or my favorite way is to keep a note in my phone. Think about what you want. For example you want to “find an amazing, affordable apartment.” I know it’s crazy in this economy. But let's say it’s what you want. Reword that, so it’s in the past. “I found the perfect apartment.” You can spice up the intention with a location or something specific you want about the pricing, like it’s under a certain price or whatever. Then write out your intention. “I found the perfect apartment for under $1,000 in my neighborhood.” Word, it in the past tense. Now say it every damn day and every time you can remember.
These are obviously just a few techniques to get you started. Remember, no tools magic is just about you centering, clearing and grounding yourself and paving the way to manifest what you want. If you’re ready to begin your practice, don’t feel like you have to wait around to buy the right things. Start now, exactly where you’re meant to be.