What witches' altar would it be without jars of mysterious substances?
This altar in particular contains my collection of dried flowers and herbs. Some collected when the sun was in a particular position in the sky, others harvested simply because the flowers seemed to call out to be used in a particular way.
Most are medicinal, others just beautiful. All are extremely special to me because of their inherent enchantment rather than monetary value.
While I am greatly indebted to the online community of magickal practitioners out there, I am also disheartened by the consumerism we see online. I understand that everyone has to make money but ... far too many people are capitalizing on the popularity of spirituality by inventing schemes to sell frivolous tools at a high cost. Yes, crystals are beautiful, and getting a box of witchy gifts is quite fun. But, none of that is necessary for a meaningful witchcraft practice.
I say all this as a critique of not just the online community of witches we see on Instagram & TikTok but also as a critique of myself. I have been involved in this path for close to ten years. When I started out, however, all I had was borrowed books, herbs that I found in the garden & forest, stones and sticks collected on my walks. And that was enough to craft spells and feel the power of nature flow through my work.
When peeling back the layers of consumerism in modern esotericism, I think the key is to focus on the crafting aspect. I mean ... it isn't called witchCRAFT for nothing. And I myself play with this term in the title I have chosen for my online presence; Calendula Craft. As an herbalist working with safe, medicinal herbs or as a witch working with beautiful flowers, it is the act of collecting and crafting that produces the most enchantment.
I think that is what people most enjoy about the content that I share here in this Magickal community and others here on HIVE; the simplicity of my crafts. I am lucky to have been exposed to all kinds of art & cultures throughout my travels. Baskets woven with vines from the forest, a bouquet of flowers collected on a walk, a spell jar with soil, pebbles, and a heartfelt dream ... those are the items that inspire and (to me at least) are truly magickal!