In the pagan community, I’ve heard many people state that absolutely nothing is a necessity when it comes to what we use in our practice. It’s the opinion, of most, that nature and our own minds are all that we need to live a fulfilled, spiritual life.
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For someone new to Wicca, or any other type of paganism, it may be hard to believe this idea. Most books written on the subject of witchcraft for beginners will have diagrams on how to set up an altar, using such items as candles, statues, athames, wands, chalices, cauldrons, altar cloths… The list goes on and on. But how much of this stuff do we actually need? In my opinion, the answer is different for each and everyone of us. I feel like none of us need any of these tools, but some of us make a much greater use of particular items, than the rest of us might. For example: incense is a commonly used tool in paganism. Many of us even use it on a daily basis, whether part of a ritual or not. Many people just like the smell of it, as well. For others, it may not “feel right”. Many pagans describe a sensation of just knowing whether something clicks for them, or not. Sometimes we feel no spiritual connection with something or a need to use it in our practices. It just depends on the person. We don’t absolutely need any physical tools, but for an individual, some may be much harder to live without than others.
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However, there are a couple of items that almost everyone in the pagan community would feel very lost without. Most of us enjoy reading books on witchcraft, or on other related topics. It would be very hard to consider yourself Wiccan without having read one single book on the topic. Books seem necessary to me to learn the principles of paganism/Wicca. Of course there’s always YouTube or blogs, like this, but they may not always fill the void for a good book!
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The second item many pagans use almost everyday is jewelry. It would be difficult to consider this item a tool, but it’s something that most of us seem to never be without. Many of us like to wear a pentacle necklace to display our faith. It shows others who we are. It’s a symbol of protection. It can aid in striking up a conversation with someone. They may be a fellow pagan, or know very little about our religion. They may have negative thoughts instilled in them towards what we believe, but we may be able to educate them, if they are reasonable.
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Another tool that would be almost impossible to do without are candles. Pagans and witches use candles for everything! They’re an important part of our daily lives. They’re used, in what seems like, almost every ritual. They can be used in simple ways, such as meditating, or just for having a comforting flame and scent nearby. Sometimes we must be resourceful and use something other than a candle because we may be living somewhere where in which we are not allowed to have an open flame. This is my point exactly! My advice is that we don’t need to buy anything to help us with our practices. It’s nice to have a few tools, but no one can have it all. Sometimes we have to use what we already have, substitute one tool with something else, or just be happy with nothing at all!
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Blessed Be! )O(
Witch of the Meadow 