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Keeping Consumerism out of Your Craft

Consumerism is a set of socioeconomic conditions and attitudes that encourage the continual acquisitions of goods and services. There is no “enough” in a consumerist society — members of the society are constantly pushed to buy new things, pay for new services, and keep up with the latest trends.

There are a few reasons consumerism is bad news. For one thing, it’s terrible for the environment — consumerist cultures usually have linear economies, where resources are extracted, consumed, then discarded, with no effort to replenish them. This is highly unsustainable, because at some point those limited resources are going to run out. Consumerism also has a human cost, as it often leads to the use of sweatshops, which violate basic labor laws. In many sweatshops, workers are not paid a livable wage, children are employed as workers, and working conditions are unsafe. Companies in countries like the United States get around labor laws by outsourcing labor to other (poorer) places. Consumerism also contributes to classism, as the acquisition of expensive items is often treated as a status symbol.

Consumerism is present in nearly every aspect of Western culture, and this includes spirituality and witchcraft. There are multiple “Beginner Witch Kits” for sale from Amazon and other online retailers which include candles, crystals, and incense — which is great, as long as that’s all stuff you’ll actually use in your practice. (I mean, do you really need twelve different varieties of incense?) Witchy authors and bloggers often treat magic like a matching game, where every problem requires a very specific herb or crystal. YouTube is full of “witch hauls,” videos solely dedicated to showing off new purchases. All of this contributes to a commercialized witchy aesthetic, which can only be achieved by buying the tools of the trade.

I get it. Shopping is fun, especially when you’re still learning about magic and magical items. It’s exciting to search for the perfect crystal or incense blend, especially if you have a local metaphysical store where you can shop in person. But owning the right stuff doesn’t make you a witch. All you need to practice magic is your will — everything else is optional.

I’m not saying every witch should be a hardcore minimalist, or that you can never buy new things. What I am saying is that all of us, witches or not, need to be more mindful of how we spend our money and the impact of our purchases on the world around us.

How to Avoid Consumerism

If you’re considering buying something, ask yourself if you’ll really get use out of it. For example, I don’t use a lot of tools in my practice because I prefer to work with my hands, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to buy an expensive wand or ritual knife. Don’t feel like you have to buy something just because another witch uses it — if you don’t think you’ll use it, don’t buy it.

Don’t buy multiples of the same tool. Instead of buying multiple different colored altar cloths for different times of year, buy one white altar cloth you can use year-round. Instead of buying multiple tarot decks, find one or two you really enjoy working with. You get the idea. (Obviously, there will be some items you need more than one of, like spell candles. This rule applies more to tools that can be reused.)

Replace things as they run out instead of buying them before you need them. Buying things in bulk can lead to unnecessary waste and drawers full of unused magical supplies. Buy things you know you’ll really use, and only buy one or two at a time. Use up the items you have before you buy more.

Invest in items that have multiple uses. For example, most kitchen spices can also be used in spells — search your spice cabinet before ordering special ingredients online. There are some items that have multiple magical uses, like rosemary and salt. Buy a couple of these multitaskers instead of a large collection of herbs with very specific uses.

Use the “two week” rule. This is something I do to keep myself from making impulse purchases. If I think I want to buy something online, I wait two weeks before I order it. If I still want it after two weeks, I take that as a sign that I’ll actually get some use from it.

Go “shopping” in your backyard. Familiarize yourself with the plants, animals, and minerals that are native to your area and go foraging for spell supplies instead of buying them. Items you can probably find near your home that could be used in ritual include leaves and flowers, pine cones, seed pods, tree branches, rocks, and naturally shed feathers. Just make sure you never harvest enough of a plant to hurt it, and make sure you properly disinfect any animal products you pick up.

If you can, make it yourself. Not only does making your own magic items save money, it also creates a much stronger personal link between you and that item. You can grow your own magical herbs in a garden or in indoor pots. Many common magical tools, like brooms and wands, are easy to make at home with some basic craft skills. Making your own items also means you can customize them, tailoring them to your own craft.

If you can’t make it yourself, but it used. There are some items you can’t reasonably make yourself, like incense burners, cauldrons, and books on the craft. But you can find most of these items used, either in thrift stores or online on websites like Ebay and Depop. Buying used almost always ends up being cheaper than buying new, and because you’re buying items already in circulation you aren’t contributing to a linear economy. Thrifting is also a great way to find unique items that won’t be like what anyone else has on their altar.

If you can’t find it used, support a small business. Sometimes, you can’t make what you need or find it in a thrift store. In that case, buying from a small business is preferable to buying from a big retailer like Amazon. When you support a small business, you’re supporting an individual rather than contributing to some CEO’s massive yearly bonus. A lot of small business owners make their items themselves, which avoids sweatshop labor. Pretty much everything I buy new for my craft comes from Etsy sellers — there are a LOT of witches on Etsy, so with a little digging you can easily find exactly what you’re looking for!

Don’t buy crystals. I know, I know. Thanks to social media, large crystal collections have become synonymous with witchcraft. But the crystal trade is highly unethical, with unsustainable mining techniques, dangerous working conditions, and child labor. Because of a lack of regulations, it’s virtually impossible to find crystals that are truly ethically sourced. Most sellers don’t know where their crystals come from and can’t guarantee that no workers were harmed in their extraction. No stone is worth the health and safety of other human beings, no matter how pretty.

Avoiding consumerism in your witchcraft means being less reliant on tools and set dressing. This will allow you to rely on your own energy and will, which will lead to a deeper and more meaningful spiritual practice.

Resources:

Revolutionary Witchcraft by Sarah Lyons

Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins

“11 Facts About Sweatshops” on dosomething.org

“Child labour in the fashion supply chain” from The Guardian

“Bangladesh factory collapse toll passes 1,000” from BBC News

“Are crystals the new blood diamonds?” from The Guardian

“Dark crystals: the brutal reality behind a booming wellness craze” from The Guardian

kitchen witch smoothie recipe!

i'm eclectic but today i wanted to do some kitchen witchcraft which i actually do pretty often so here's the recipe for the smoothie i made and what the ingredients mean

frozen strawberries- love, good luck

apple- love, good luck

orange juice- good luck, sweetness, positive energies, love

coconut water- protection, strengthens the influences of the other ingredients

almond milk- good luck, positivity, beauty, love

honey- sweetness, positivity, luck

ice- water element

i make smoothies often as a snack and i love how they taste so i wanted to make one that would bring good things to my life, remember to stir clockwise to attract things such as good luck in this case, the potency of your product can be enhanced by actually saying a spell or doing other things that you want to do like lighting candles or drawing sigils on it

i had a lot of fun and i'll be making more things soon, let me know if there's any recipes for certain things that anyone wants! blessed be :)

lammas

- 🥖🌾🌻🍂✨

lammas, or lughnasadh, is the first of our three annual harvests and is celebrated on august 1st; this holiday is centered around giving thanks for and reflecting on the abundance’s and opportunities given to us this year. this sabbat marks the time period in which we‘ll now begin to notice the whispers of autumn creeping in, though still plenty warm, the sun will soon set earlier and earlier and we may even notice just a few, small yellow leaves brushing by in the breeze~

[ recipes ]

• heart-warming potato soup

• vegetarian mushroom ravioli

• cheddar garlic biscuits

• gooey s’mores bars

[ activities ]

• making corn husk dolls

• lots of baking! drown the house in bread

• tend to plant life and make sure it’s strong & ready for the seasons coming

• picnics (wear sunscreen! bring/plan for shade! social distance!)

• camping (heavy shade is a must, be safe in the heat!)

• foraging

• good deep sweep of the house/your space

• deep dusting while you’re at it

[ spellwork ]

• protection & warding

• healing & restoration

• growth & prosperity

• gratuity & offerings

• reflection & planning

• intention setting & manifestation

[ crystals ]

• honey calcite

• howlite

• tigers eye

• peridot

• citrine

• pyrite

• clear quartz

• moss agate

• smokey quartz

• black tourmaline

• clear fluorite

• green aventurine

• sunstone

• hematite

[ herbs ]

• basil

• hops

• cinnamon

• valerian

• cayenne pepper

• bay laurel

• rosemary

• garlic

• thyme

• ginger

[ colours ]

• orange

• yellow

• white

• gold

• brown

• tans/beige

• richer greens

[ grains ]

• wheat

• rye

• wild rice

• brown rice

• oats

• grits

[ veggies ]

• sweet potato

• normal potatoes but especially russet, yukon golds, red potatoes, and those tricolour minis

• corn & sweet corns

• carrots

• any squash (summer, zucchini, pumpkin, etc)

• wild mushrooms (be f*cking.. oh my gods be f*cking careful here- just use these as offerings or in spells, please don’t even think about eating wild mushrooms unless you could consider yourself an expert on foraging and have done plenty of thorough research)

• earthy deep coloured mushrooms (the edible kinds; portobello, baby bella/cremini, shiitake)

• eggplant

• green peas

• spinach/rich greens

[ fruits ]

• grapes

• black currant

• raspberries

• apples

• lemon

• apricot

• elderberry

• fig

• peaches

• blackberries

• blueberries

• watermelon/other melons

• banana

[ nuts ]

• almond

• walnut

• pistachio

[ vegan & omnivore proteins ]

• tofu

• edamame

• turkey/‘turkey’

• chicken/‘chicken’

• salmon, mackerel

• scallops

• crab/imitation crab (snow, king crabs) **(imitation crab isn’t vegetarian/vegan, it’s just ground whitefish instead of crab meat, if you didn’t already know)

• mussels

[ cheeses ]

• white & sharp cheddars

• bleu cheese

• goat cheese

• feta

• marinated cheeses

• gouda

[ drinks ]

• tart, dry, medium bodied berry wines

• airy, crisp white whines

• light-medium brew beers, dryer and not too heavy bodied/bitter (samuel adams boston lager is perfect for lammas in my opinion if you wanna feel like you know what’s up or you’re just looking to try out new drinks, & miller/bud lite is also A1 if you’re a cheap date like me)

• any sort of spiked or nonspiked apple beverage (yes even just plain apple juice)

• ginger beer

• iced teas/coffee/matcha

• americanos/cold brew

[ decoration ]

• scythe

• corn husks

• dried sunflowers

• grain stalks

• iron

• cast iron

[ flowers ]

• sunflowers

• chamomile

• calendula

• marigolds

• yellow roses

-

this, whew, is just about everything i’d like to have on here i think. i’ll be adding recipes as the season goes on probablyyy, and i might add in more specific little notes like i did with the beer and stuff if i find anything else like that along the way, feel free to leave any questions or feedback, hope this was helpful!! wishing you all abundant health this harvest~

Pagan Pages: Baby Witchery 101

Starting out, witchcraft can seem overwhelming due to the vast amount of information out there. When I first began, I saw all these amazing witches on social media and was shunned by the same ones for asking questions they didn’t want to answer. As a whole, the witch and pagan communities are welcoming and open. However, there are always those few that feel the need to spread hate instead of information for those witches that are just starting out. Witchcraft is just that, a craft. While my craft may not be exactly the same as yours, it does not make either one “better” than the other. For those searching for information, I will list things I believe will help anyone starting out and looking for guidance.

Firstly, decide what kind of practitioner you want to be. I’m not referring to your “title” so much as figuring out which areas appease most to you. For myself, divination practices came naturally due to being a conduit, but the options are endless. Perhaps you love the beach, or cooking, or feel the pull of different dimensions and spirits. Your craft is meant to fit you, so explore the areas that call to you the most.

Secondly, read and read some more. In my opinion, knowledge is power. The better informed you are, the better you can adapt your craft to fit you. I recommend any book by Scott Cunningham or Arin Murphy-Hiscock for beginners. Their books are packed full of easy to comprehend information. They are good books to see what resonates with you.

Most importantly, DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. Just as with any other craft, it can take time to build up all the tools that you need/want. Get what you can, when you can, and the rest will come with time. You are your most important tool. Your intention and state of mind shape your reality, and witchcraft is nothing more than harnessing the abilities that lay dormant within you. Your tools simply amplify your intentions.

Lastly, welcome to the family. You will never be alone again because you are now part of an ancient, tight-knit community. We make mistakes and we learn together. Additionally, La Morte XIII understands how difficult and overwhelming it can be, so reach out anytime on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Tumblr. Let us know if you have a specific question or would like us to do a post pertaining to a topic you are learning.

Blessings to you all, SoloVVitch

Photography by: @solovvitch Pagan Pages by: @solovvitch

FOLLOW @lamortexiii

Mental clarity bottle

Salt - cleansing

Mint - refreshing

Ginkgo - memory

Lotus incense ash - purity

Sage - cleansing

Juniper - rejuvenating

Clear quartz - clarity

White candle - purity

Cleanse your space well and layer the ingredients in the bottle, focusing on the intent of each one. Now some of these are more personal and can vary for different people, e.g. I used desert sage because it grows wild here. Maybe you hate mint, if so then don't use it. Etc. Put the candle in the bottle and light it any time you need to clear your brain fog or make a tough decision.

I don't have an incantation for this one because I typically don't use them. Instead I use bells (pictured) or some other instrument to raise the energy and bring everything together. In this case I rang the bells over the bottle, focused on their ring, and let the sound gradually fade, then focused on the silence.

I feel like selenite works be a good addition, I just didn't have any extra on hand.

A tarot spread commissioned by @beetlepool​ during @technocoven​, for helping them find the source of their stress and how to achieve inner calm.

They asked:

“How can you achieve calm and stability only comparable to the biggest fish in the ocean?” 

And as a Marine Biologist, I was super hyped by the request and had a lot of fun with this spread! Thanks again, and welcome to your witch-y journey!

Keep reading

Almond crescent moon cookies recipe

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted Butter - Softened

¼ cup Sugar

2 cup Flour

1 cup Ground Almonds

1 tsp Vanilla

Confectioners Sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Mix all ingredients

Chill for 4 hours

Cut out in crescent shape

Place on ungreased cookie sheet

Bake for 35 minutes

While hot, roll in confectioners sugar

Nothing like a ritual healing bath to start the morning off right! Honey and milk bath poweder, rosemary, sage, and lavender.

Soups and Broths in Magick

I am rather new to the witch community on tumblr but I have been interested in witchcraft for years. I have come upon a reoccurring thing, many of my friends I wish to magically aid through teas and herbal brews, do not like the taste of tea. I have found that mixing herbal blends or herbs representing what you wish to occur into soups and broths work just as well! In fact if you choose the right soup you can get sometimes better results I have found. Soup mimics tea by being easily drank and can be served warm and hot, which I find very comforting.

First it is important to choose a soup or broth that goes well taste wise with the herbs you wish to use. You want it to taste pleasant for yourself or the one you are providing it to. Though, try to find a soup or stock or broth that corresponds with what you wish to achieve with the herbs to further strengthen and increase the outcome you wish. 

A short list of correspondences:

Chicken Broth/Stock: Uncrossing, new growth, fertility, sacrifice, New beginnings, rebirth

Turkey Broth/Stock: Close connections to Earth, generosity, inspiration, bounty, blessings

Beef Broth/Stock: New beginnings, femininity/female power, fertility, strength, balance

Pork Broth/Stock or Bacon: Intelligence, good luck, prosperity, curiousity, discovering new things

Fish Broth/Stock: Close connections to Water, health, improving oneself, the unconcious mind, awareness, fertility, good luck, wishes, change

Shellfish/Clam/Mussel Broth/Stock/Soup/Chowder: Protection, stopping lies/gossip/rumors, removal or treatment of stubbornness, honesty, truth, close connections to both Water and Earth, living a natural life

Shrimp Broth/Stock: love, abundance, fertility, trying new things, moving forward

Cheese base/Milk base soup/Chowder: Beauty, femininity, love, self-love, purification, rebirth

Tomato Soup: Protection, prosperity, love, uncrossing, femininity, romance and passion, negation of negativity and evil

Pumpkin Soup: Healing, prosperity, love, protection, granting wishes

Squash Soup: Psychic awareness, spiritual enlightenment

Corn Chowder: connections to the sun, luck, prosperity, abundance

Onion Soup: protection, keep evil away, healing, banishing, stability, exorcism, money, lust, and ends bad habits

Pea Soup: Kindness, connections with Air

Mushroom Soup: psychic enhancement, connections to Earth, longevity, strength, immortality

Curry/Curry Soups: banishing, healing, prosperity, protection from negativity

Soups with Noodles: Longevity, uncrossing

Soups with Rice: prosperity, blessing, money and wealth, security, good fortune to come

Soups with Barley: Love, Healing, Protection Hopefully this will be helpful for any witches who are not very big fans of the taste of teas or for anyone else for that matter. I would love to hear or see any other suggestions for tea replacements or other soups that could be used. This came straight out of my Grimoire and I hope to add more of it to this site soon. Blessed be everyone!

Midsummer

The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year, the night is shortest and it is the inverse of the cold, dark days of the winter solstice. If the winter solstice is a time for reflection and gathering in the safe warmth of one’s home, then the summer solstice is a time of outdoor celebration to honor the light, the warmth, the green, and all things that are vibrant and alive. You’ve spent the winter months planning, you’ve planted seeds of growth in spring, now at the height of the sun it is the time for action and for celebrating your activeness before you are able to reap the benefits come the autumn harvest. From this day forward the darkness will return slowly and the days will shorten once more and what you prepare in the light of summer will be what you enjoy in the darker months. Use this time to celebrate and to enjoy the process of working towards your goals, uncomfortable though it may be at times. Take pleasure in the living world around you and in those around you whom you care for. Happy Midsummer!