Tips, Tricks and Information from one Witch's Home

...sacred space for meditation, ritual, journaling, shamanic journeying to meet my guides, divination, reading, listening to music or yoga, as well as most of my spell work. It's become an important space for me to find balance when life tries to throw me off course and a firm anchor from which I can nourish my growth, which can sometimes get side-lined. By allocating an area in your home as a sacred space, you create for yourself a place for quiet reflection, like a center point that is separate from all of the business of your normal day.

The foundation of the altar can be a plate, tray, scarf, slab of marble or wood, or just use the floor, table, or shelf that you have. In many traditions, photos of teachers, mentors, loved ones, or other inspirations are placed on the altar. Add rocks, crystals, gems, flowers, fruit, jewelry, totem animals, singing bowls, or anything that is special and meaningful for you.

So, you want to bring some crystals into your craft, but you're lost in the many lists of meanings and just want something simple. Many witches are the same way! Lets begin with the correspondences of five of the most "essential" stones for an aspiring crystal witch. This list is MY list- the ones I’ve found to be the most helpful in my practice, and the one I use the most. As you grow, you will find other stones and start working with those.

In any discussion about witchcraft, intention is bound to come up. How many of us actually understand what intention is? Do you know why it works ...

I may seem strange and somewhat out of place, but trust that I will be there if I’m ever needed. I do not judge harshly for I, too, am human. I do not hold grudges as they poison the soul. I do my best to be a better well rounded person every day.
However, do not mistake my kindness for weakness. I will protect my energy, my loved ones, my dwelling and my sense of peace. I will meet you toe-to-toe if I feel threatened. I will meet your gaze, unwavering and unafraid because I have seen what lies on the other side of this life.
It does not scare me.
I am a Witch.

In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. Lasting about a week, Saturnalia was characterized by feasting, debauchery and gift-giving. With Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity, many of these customs were later absorbed into Christmas celebrations. Let’s take a moment a review some of the ancient symbols and customs practiced today and their origins.

As a practicing Witch and Sensitive, I find energy takes pride of place in my mystical toolbox, along with tarot cards, alphabetized essential oils, and a massive collection of Herb jars. Going back to our middle school science class for a moment, energy is everywhere—from the device you’re looking at right now to the floor beneath you. It’s also that indescribable feeling you get when you walk into your home and are greeted with a heavy, weird vibe that renders you incapable of relaxing and getting comfortable on the sofa.

Many of the modern practices for Halloween date to 19th century England and North America. Fortune telling and divination played a part in celebrations. Games were played intending to divine one’s future. Nuts and fruit featured in the eating and drinking games, and soul cakes were prepared.

Globally, Serpents are represented as potent guardians of temples and other sacred spaces. This connection may be grounded in the observation that when threatened, some snakes (such as rattlesnake and cobras) frequently hold and defend their ground, first resorting to threatening display and then fighting, rather than retreat. Thus, they are natural guardians of treasures or sacred sites which cannot easily be moved out of harm's way.

If you wish to start a Grimoire, I suggest using something with removable pages. This way you can add and remove pages as you need them instead of taking your entire book into a ritual where it may be damaged. This also allows you to easily move pages around if you decide to reorganize it. Some people keep their BOS and Grimoires on their computer. I find this cumbersome when I wish to perform magic, but it may work for you.

Now that you are familiar with the types of items used in the creation of an altar, you can begin to assemble your own! With a little creativity an...