Edge & Altar

✨ Practical witchcraft for busy witches ☕ Kitchen witch | Psychology + ritual 🔮 Free spell library → edgeandaltar.com

[edgeandaltar]

so I've been quietly building a witchcraft app for the past eight months and I finally feel okay telling people about it. it started as a personal tool -> passion project -> and now it's a fully functional spell library. it's free to join. here's the link if that's your thing.

[edgeandaltar]

okay so.

there’s a spell for when your nervous system is fried and you have approximately 30 seconds and zero supplies.

you might already know it. i do this when I’m on the verge of a panic attack, i’m about to present at work, or when i realize i’ve been subconsciously holding my breath because i’m so tense.

THE SPELL:

breathe in through your nose. then take a second smaller inhale through your nose — like a sniff on top of the first breath. now exhale slowly through your mouth. all of it. until your lungs are empty.

as you exhale, say (in your head):

"I release what is not mine to carry right now."

do it twice. If you can’t remember the spoken intention, just do it without

WHY IT WORKS:

when you're anxious, carbon dioxide builds up in your bloodstream and tells your nervous system something is wrong. your brain hears that as threat. it starts spiraling. you start spiraling.

the double inhale fully inflates the small air sacs in your lungs that constrict when you're stressed. the long exhale dumps the CO2 faster than a normal breath can. your vagus nerve registers the change. your heart rate drops. your nervous system goes: oh. we're okay. we're safe.

It’s called the physiological sigh. it's the fastest acting stress relief method currently documented in peer-reviewed research.

WHEN TO USE IT:

when the intrusive thought won't stop. before you open that email. in the bathroom before a hard conversation. at 3am when your brain has decided to revisit every embarrassing thing you've ever done. when you need to come back to your body and you need to do it right now.

no candle required. no moon phase required. no special anything required.

just your lungs, which you already have.

[lost-at-thecrossroads]

I think for the longest time I've been getting told "Just do it". As in, "Don't leave something for too long. Just make a start"

But no one ever really explained what that meant and I think I'm finally starting to understand it now.

They don't mean literally just throw yourself in at the deep end and stop putting off the gigantic task. They just mean take steps to start it.

Something I've been doing lately:

I want to learn more about the local flora or how to use herbs and plants that are easy to get my hands on. So I've been keeping one of my grimoires (the "notes" one) next to my bed and every time I think of one I write it's name at the top of a new page. I don't need to do all the research for it then and there but now it has a place to go as and when I learn more about it.

I don't fully understand how to apply this method to everything in my life, nor do I expect it can be... but it's still something worth thinking about.

Hopefully, this advice will be useful to other ADHD witches (non-witches too tbf)

[edgeandaltar]

when anxiety is loud nothing is working

take your shoes off.

that's the first step and it's also most of the spell.

find somewhere outside — grass, dirt, sand, stone, it doesn't matter. stand with your feet flat on the ground. feel the temperature of it. the slight give of grass or the firmness of stone. the way the ground pushes back when you press into it.

that push back is the earth being solid under you. which it is. which it has been the entire time you were spiraling.

say out loud: "I am here. The ground is here. I am held."

stay for three minutes. don't fill the time. just feel the ground under your feet and breathe.

that's the whole spell. your nervous system was designed to regulate through contact with the earth. you're just letting it do its job.

the bare feet grounding ritual — edge & altar spell library

[edgeandaltar]

The simplest altar. Just a candle can be enough for most rituals.

[edgeandaltar]

let's stop judging others' witchcraft aesthetics

Seriously. This pisses me off so much. Someone told me a photo of my altar gave 'sad beige mom.' I'm Japanese. I tend to lean more toward neutrals and simple design. I grew up praying at my ancestors shrines that were simple and uncluttered. This resonates with me and my practice.

I think all altars are beautiful. I don't care if yours is a million different colors filled with random, unrelated things. That's YOUR altar and it speaks to you. And that makes it real, meaningful, and beautiful.

Just a reminder to practice your own way and not to care what anyway else says about it. Fuck other people's opinions.

[edgeandaltar]

A helplessness release spell for when the world is burning around you

I'm so pissed off. Aren't you? I'm so angry. I want to help those I can't reach and I want to hurt those I can't touch. I try to do my part. I cry. I'm so fucking frustrated and numb at the same time.

I use this spell for when I want to rip out my hair and scream into the void. When watching a video on my phone makes me want to vomit from the injustice.

This spell won't fix the world. But it will help you release the paralysis so you can actually DO something (or rest without guilt).

What you need:

Salt

A candle (any candle)

Paper + pen

Your breath

The spell:

1. Light the candle. Say: "I acknowledge what I cannot control."

2. Write down what's making you feel helpless. The news. The state of the world. The thing you can't fix. Whatever's crushing you. Be specific.

3. Read it out loud. Let yourself feel the weight of it. Don't rush past this part.

4. Say: "I cannot carry the entire world. But I can carry my part."

5. Pour salt in a circle around the candle. This is your boundary. Inside the circle: what you can actually do. Outside: what you have to release because it's not yours to fix.

6. Ask yourself: "What is ONE thing within my control right now?"

Not "save the world." Not "fix everything."

ONE thing. Text a friend. Donate $5. Rest so you can show up tomorrow. Make dinner. Don't look at your feed for an hour.

7. Write that one thing on the back of the paper.

8. Say: "I release what I cannot hold. I commit to what I can."

9. Fold the paper. Place it inside the salt circle next to the candle.

10. Sit with the candle for 3-5 minutes. Just breathe. Watch the flame. Let the helplessness drain out of you.

11. When you're ready, blow out the candle. Say: "I am not powerless. I am doing what I can."

12. Do the one thing you wrote down. Today or tomorrow. Doesn't matter when. Just do it.

13. Throw away the paper (or burn it if you can do it safely).

14. Sweep up the salt. Throw it away or pour it down the drain. You're releasing the boundary—you don't need to hold it anymore.

The point:

You can't fix everything. You're one person.

But helplessness makes you freeze. And freezing helps no one.

This spell breaks the freeze.

It reminds you: You have agency. You have choice. You can do SOMETHING, even if it's small.

And small things compound.

You don't have to save the world today.

You just have to do your part. And you're not alone.

[darknessthateatstheshadow]

Having doubts that your practice is “real”?

It makes you happy, that’s real.

[witchble]

Nature doesn’t ask you to be perfect. The tree outside your house is crooked and still grows. The river is messy and still flows. You’re allowed to be like that, too.

[edgeandaltar]

The simplest everyday coffee/tea grounding spell

I do this every morning. It makes my day feel intentional and starts me off centered. Try it. It might help you too 💕:

-Make your morning drink like normal

-Before the first sip, hold the cup in both hands. Feel the weight of the cup, take in the aroma of the drink

-Take three slow breaths

-Say (out loud or silently): "I am here. I am grounded. I am present in my body."

-Take the first sip slowly. Notice the taste of it, the temperature, how it feels going down your throat.

-Place your feet firmly on the floor. Slightly press into the ground.

-Say: "This day is manageable. I take it one step at a time. I am rooted."

-Take one more intentional sip. Really savor it. Then finish your coffee or tea like normal

[keysforthenight]

how to dispose of offerings (without a garden)

traditionally in the old times offerings were either burned or buried, poured outside into and onto the earth. today most people can't do that due to lack of a garden. here are some ways you can dispose of offerings safely in my experience.

important thing is that you should collect trash selectively always if you are able ! and also think about the already insane food waste we all generate !

incense / candle / anything you burn : make sure the fire is fully out and the item is cold before throwing it out into the trash.

libation (wine, water, milk etc.) : you can dispose of water (water only!!) through house plants. other liquids once accepted / not in use should be poured down the sink.

food / edible offering : make sure it doesnt mold or rot ! once accepted / not in use anymore it should go to the communal trash. [if you dont like "throwing away" food you can donate food / ingredients to homeless shelters from what you have and don't need. and try offering other things than food for the Gods :]] this way you are helping out everyone ! also helping the helpless and poor is devotional in itself and just a nice thing to do !]

cut flowers, plants : once accepted / not in use anymore you should either dry them out or press them flat to preserve them. (it can be a nice home decor/permanent altar item)

seeds, grains : if they are still usable either plant them inside or scatter them during your next walk to feed the birds.

do NOT bury anything in house plant pots if its not composted, because it can rot and damage the plant ! always research eco-friendly ways from trustable sources !

please regularly dust off and clean your altar ! its both about respect and a clean sacred space ! spiders love altars with many items :p

please reblog this so it reaches more people and those especially who are new to helpol !!

[witchble]

Your altar doesn’t have to look aesthetic. A chipped mug with flowers, a rock from your walk, or a photo that feels sacred to you is more powerful than anything in a witchy Pinterest board.

[edgeandaltar]

you don't need permission to be a witch

saw a post today that said "you can't be a REAL witch unless you study properly, know all the correspondences, have a proper altar, and keep a grimoire."

and I just.

no.

you know what makes you a witch? DECIDING YOU'RE A WITCH. that's it. that's the whole thing.

you don't need:

expensive crystals

a massive library

years of study

perfect moon phase timing

an outdoor space for ritual

any specific ancestry or bloodline

permission from anyone

you need:

intention

belief that you can influence your reality

willingness to try

I practice witchcraft in my tiny ass apartment. I use kitchen salt, not fancy Himalayan pink salt blessed under a full moon. I do spells in my bathroom because it's the only place that doesn’t have carpet. I've cast spells in my CAR.

and they work.

because magic isn't in the objects. it's in YOU.

the witch who does a 5-minute spell with tap water and a candle from Target is just as valid as the witch with a full outdoor altar and a library of grimoires.

if you're a baby witch, or a broke witch, or an apartment witch, or a closeted witch, or a witch who doesn't fit the aesthetic:

you belong here. your magic is real. you don't need anyone's permission.

When I started developing my practice, I was so incredibly overwhelmed. It almost put me off witchcraft completely. Most witchy spaces are very welcoming, but they are also SO prescriptive. You have to do it this way or it’s not real magic. 

so I built a spell library for this exact reason. no fancy supplies. no gatekeeping. just practical magic for real life.

100+ free spells. no credit card. no bullshit.

(yes this is self-promotion. I have rent. you understand.)

[edgeandaltar]

Unpopular opinion: You don't need to know the "traditional" way to practice witchcraft

There is no one traditional way.

Every culture, every region, every time period, every family lineage did magic differently.

The "you must do it this way or you're not a real witch" crowd? They're gatekeeping based on their own narrow experience or the one book they read.

Celtic witchcraft isn't more "authentic" than kitchen witchcraft.

Wicca isn't the default (it was literally invented in the 1950s).

You don't need to work with deities.

You don't need an altar.

You don't need to celebrate the sabbats.

You don't need to memorize correspondences.

You don't need to buy expensive tools.

You don't need to call yourself a witch if that word doesn't fit.

You need intention. That's it.

The rest is personal preference, cultural connection, aesthetic choices, or what makes your brain feel like magic is happening.

All valid. None required.

If your practice works for you, harms no one, and doesn't appropriate closed practices, you're doing it right.

There is no witch police. There is no cosmic authority checking if you're doing it "correctly."

Magic is older than any tradition trying to claim ownership of it.

Do what works. Ignore what doesn't.

End rant.

(If you want accessible, practical magic that doesn't require expensive supplies or gatekeeping knowledge, I have 100+ free spells at app.edgeandaltar.com. No "you're doing it wrong" energy. Just spells that work.)

[edgeandaltar]

10 Spells You Can Cast Right Now Using Absolutely Nothing

Because you shouldn't have to buy a single thing to practice magic.

No crystals. No candles. No herbs. No fancy tools.

Just you, your intention, and 60 seconds.

Here are 10 spells you can do right this second:

1. The Invisible Shield Breath Take three deep breaths. Visualize a protective bubble forming around you with each exhale. Say: "I am protected." Use before stressful situations.

2. The Threshold Protection Stand in a doorway. Place a hand on each side of the frame. Say: "This is the boundary. Only what serves me crosses this line." Step through with intention.

3. The Mirror Visualization Close your eyes. Imagine you're covered in tiny mirrors facing outward. Any negativity bounces off and returns to sender. Use when dealing with gossip or jealousy.

4. The Grounding Breath Count Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, hold for 4. Repeat 3 times. Imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth. Use for anxiety.

5. The Posture Spell Stand up straight. Roll shoulders back. Lift your chin. Say: "I am powerful. I take up space. I belong here." Hold for 30 seconds. Use before anything that scares you.

6. The Cord Cutting Visualization Imagine an energetic cord connecting you to someone draining. Visualize cutting it. Say: "I cut this connection. Your energy is yours, mine is mine." Use after toxic interactions.

7. The Open Hands Spell Hold hands out, palms up, like you're receiving something. Say: "I am open to receiving. Money flows to me easily. I have enough." Use for financial anxiety.

8. The Five Senses Grounding Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. This pulls you out of your anxious brain and into your body.

9. The "No" Practice Spell Say "no" out loud 10 times. Say it different ways: firmly, kindly, loudly, quietly. Feel how it sits in your mouth. You're practicing the spell of refusal.

10. The Crisis Mantra Say: "I have survived 100% of my worst days. I will survive this too." Repeat until you believe it. Use during panic or bad news.

These are just 10 of the 50+ no-supply spells I wrote about. Want the full guide? Read it here: https://www.edgeandaltar.com/post/no-supply-spells-magic-without-buying-anything

Or browse 100+ more spells (organized by intention, time, and what you have available) in my free spell library: app.edgeandaltar.com