#begining witch tips

[pinch-of-nettle]

This goes out to the witches who are just starting or who don't have the resources available to perform every spell/ritual exactly as written:

You don't need a ton of tools.

A Witches intent is the backbone of their magic. Tools can help focus that intent, but they are not required.

Complex does not equal strong.

A white candle can stand in for any other color as long as YOU know what color it is standing in for.

If all you have is a blade of grass, a spell can still work because you imbue that piece of grass with meaning.

Using the bare minimum does not mean a spell is less likely to succeed.

An offering does not need to be fancy. If all you have to offer is a splash of water from your bottle, it is still an offering.

Your alter does not need to be fancy or elaborate.

With magic, you get out what you put in. It is the quality of your intent, not the quality or quantity of the tools you have, that determines success.

[pinch-of-nettle]

I didn't expect you to respond to my request so quickly, but thank you. Do you have any tips for what to use for putting a sigil on your body?

Of course, anon. I'm always happy to be of service and I'm a bit of a night owl on Tumblr. I actually use this sigil myself, and I do not mind sharing it.

As for putting a sigil on your body, you have a few options. A ballpoint pen will work in a pinch if it's all you have, but I would recommend using either henna or body paint.

If you want a sigil that is long lasting, I would go with Henna. Henna takes longer to dry, but it will also last much longer then body paint especially when confronted with water (remember to take the henna off by hand and not to wash it off - to help the tattoo last- and don't get the area wet for at least a day if you can avoid it).

But if that's a little too long term and/or you don't have easy access to Henna, body paint is a good choice. I use water-based body paint (the same stuff cosplayers use) because it won't smear when dry, but it is also easy to wash off. If you want it to last a little longer/be water-resistant, you can use alcohol instead of water when you mix the paint. If you do use alcohol, then the color will only come off with an alcohol-based makeup remover.

Don't forget to charge the sigil, even (especially) one that is on your body.

Hope this helps!

[pinch-of-nettle]

If you have familiars or pets, then you most likely know that they have sensitive lungs and specific health need that sometimes clash with witchy practices. Certain essential oils are harmful to the health of different pets and smoke (especially from incense) is highly damaging to their lungs. They can be powerful tools to help a ritual, or as components of a spell. Especially incense, which is a great way to incorporate the element of air.

But you don't want to harm your pets by burning in the house.

It's a dilemma for sure, one that, as the owner of four dogs and a cat, I am very familiar with. So here are a few ways I have found to work around this.

1. Do the spell/ritual outside

This can get tricky, especially if the weather is inclement (windy, rain, windy and rain). But by performing the spell/ritual outside you increase the dispersion of the smoke/oils. You will still want to do this away from your animals, such as the front yard, or by bringing them into he house while the ritual is in process. Another draw back to this method is you might not have a space outdoors you feel comfortable/safe performing it in, or a space in general.

2. Use a fan

If you do the spell/ritual inside, position your incense/oil burner near an open window. Then perform the spell, and while the oil/incense is doing it's thing, take a fan and point it directly out the open window. This will limit the chances of inhalation.

3. Don't light it up

In the case of incense, this means I grind it up in my mortar and pestle and then use the grounds the same way I might use salt or grave dirt in a spell. For oils, instead of defusing them, I anoint my alter/cauldron/self with the oil. If you are using oils and choose to anoint yourself, make sure to dilute them first as pure essential oils are not good for the skin.