how to practice magic without supplies

Photo by Tiko Giorgadze on Unsplash

​There are times on my witchy path when I feel like I have to have all the things in order for a spell, ritual, or meditation to work. 
​

• 3 eyes of newt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• a moon-charged candle
• very specific group of crystals

Okay, maybe not eyes of newt (where would one even get that?!), but you know what I mean? Maybe I don't have some of those items and can't afford to purchase them at the moment. Or maybe I can't find the items. Or maybe I haven't had time to moon charge a candle. Or maybe I'm on the go and want to infuse a little magic while I travel.

It can all become quite complicated and I don't believe magic should be complicated. 

Although tools help us in creating magic, they aren't necessary. It's the intention behind what you do that makes it powerful.

You don't have to spend money, set aside lots of time, or be bound to your home to live a magical life. Whether you're strapped for cash, at the office, or just don't have the required supplies on hand, you can still work your magic!

Here are a few ways you can make magic without all the witchy tools.​

​shower meditation

The shower is a perfect place to work a little anxiety and stress-reducing magic. Since you're already there getting clean, you might as well use the time to wash off the day and any negative energy that you've accumulated throughout the day.

Stand beneath the water and close your eyes. As the water pours over you, imagine it washing away anxiety, stress, and negative thoughts. Imagine the water picking up the toxins and dripping down your body towards the drain. Notice how your body feels lighter as any sadness, anger, fear, and frustration washes off of you and disappears down the drain. 

Take a deep breath in and let it out slowly as you open your eyes.

Release any leftover negativity by shaking the water off your hands and into the shower before you dry off.  

​Grounding

I remember a time when I was living in the city and had very little contact with dirt, sand, rocks, or much of the natural world. It was all concrete and walls. I found that my body craved nature. I wanted to find patches of grass for my feet. I wanted to sit against trees. I wanted river water rushing over my body.

Have you ever felt like that?

I find that when I sit on a rock or walk through the grass barefoot or swim in the ocean I feel a lightness come over me. I feel refreshed and balanced.

You may have heard of grounding or earthing before, but if not, it's basically "getting back to nature" by putting the body in direct contact with the earth. Wellness Mama has an informative article on the science behind earthing, which I highly recommend reading if you're interested in the benefits, research, and evidence. She says:

From a scientific perspective, the idea is that the earth has a mild negative charge to it. Over time, especially in modern life, our bodies build up a positive charge. Direct contact with the earth can even out this positive charge and return the body to a neutral state.

Try grounding if you're feeling anxious, disconnected, or overwhelmed. Walk barefoot outside, sit on a rock, run your hands over a tree, go for a swim in a natural body of water. 

Our ancestors harnessed the power of grounding without even knowing it, and as witchy, magical people we should follow in their (bare) footsteps.
​

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

subconscious conditioning 

Subconscious conditioning is part brain programming, part visualization, and it uses the magic (power) of pre-slumber (going into theta) and sleep. 

Here's a bit I wrote about subconscious conditioning in Creating Your Magical Life. 

Here's the thing—sleep is when your conscious mind says goodnight and your subconscious awakes. In this state, your five senses don't matter, logic is defied, and anything is possible. So what better time to program your brain than when it is most open to everything?

By doing so, you program your brain to act on what it is that you want to manifest. The same rings true for negative thoughts. If you're worried, fearful or angry and focus on those things pre-slumber, your brain picks up those frequencies and ruminates on them all night.

Transformation happens in the subconscious mind. Think about it —years of training are programmed into your brain and you probably do most things on autopilot.

Changing these programs requires tinkering with the subconscious mind, and one way we can do that is by changing the thoughts we think right before sleep. So from now on, think of those moments before dreaming as sacred time. Think of your nightly pilgrimage from consciousness to subconsciousness as a journey and you need to pack all the positive thoughts and desires to aid you.

Try this:

​Each night before bed this week, meditate on positive thoughts before drifting off to sleep. Imagine what it is you hope for, dream of, desire. Live those dreams as if they were already real. Feel it. Let yourself move into sleep with these thoughts and work their way into your subconscious.

​energy work

This is a super simple magical practice and only requires your hands and imagination.

Let's say you want to make some changes to your abode, your home office for instance. You have lots of things in mind, but can't necessarily make the changes at the time. Maybe you want a new desk, a bookcase, a reading or meditation area. Perhaps you envision some plants in one corner and a string of faerie lights above the window.

Whatever it is, hold the vision in your mind and run your hand(s) over the area you want changed. Move your hand around the area you want the bookcase while envisioning the one you want. You can even say out loud, "This is where the bookcase will go." 

You can use this technique anywhere at anytime. Using the power of visualization in combination with an engaging movement provides more focus and energy towards your desires. 

As you can see, whether you're traveling without your beloved magical tools, don't have the required tools, or living on a shoestring budget, you can infuse magic into your day. Living magically is about intention and using what is available to you, even if it's just your thoughts. 

Supplies can aide us in you in your magical work, but they are no substitute for the power already within you.