When I started down the woodland path of magic I bought a lot (a lot) of stuff.  After decades in mainstream Christianity I wasn’t feeling confident in my practice and I felt like to make it “proper” I needed things made by “genuine” witches.  It took me a while to realise that the moment I put my foot on the path I was a genuine witch too.

Over the past two years, though, as I’ve grown into my practice and, more confident in my craft, I’ve begun to seek my own resources.  This is firstly of necessity, my work-life has changed and the need to count pennies is greater, but, more importantly, something I create has more of my own magic in it.  For me this is the energy of baking for someone rather than a shop-bought cake.  I am the first person to admit there isn’t always time to bake, but when I can there is something of my love, my actual physical energy, in that cake that isn’t there with one I buy.

It’s the same with magical goods.  In the creative act – choosing materials, crafting magical tools or ingredients, writing a spell – part of myself enters into the process, an invisible added ingredient that isn’t in the things I buy from someone else.  Over the past few months I have made myself a small broom to clear energetic space from birch twigs gathered in the garden, wands from wood collected on walks, I am stocking my herb cupboard with the garden’s harvest and creating my own road-opener oil.  I’ve been searching through boxes and finding shreds of ribbon and string, buttons, shells, acorns to weave into spells and charms.  It has been a time of joy to re-connect myself to my practice in this way, and I find refreshment and pleasure through these acts of “sacred play”.

This spell is offered as a framework for you to try out.   It’s not a good idea from a safety perspective to leave candles burning long-term, so a jar candle is a long-term project, maybe even taking a few weeks to complete depending on the size of your candle!  Spend time with your candle when it is lit, pouring in your intention.

Suggested adaptations:

For a money spell – a coin, a bay leaf, tarot card copies of the Nine of Pentacles, the Empress, the Sun.

For love – a paper heart you colour and cut out, rose petal, tarot cards such as The Lovers and the Two of Cups

For healing – A paracetomol (!), lavender, The High Priestess, The Magician, Strength, The Queen of Pentacles.

This is the heart of everyday magic.  Grab what you can and get creative.  Watch your magic come to life with woven threads and garden stones.  It is yours to claim.