Witches Don't Need Fancy Sh!t!

I grew this. Yes all of this, and so much more. In pots of dirt, and raised flower beds. All it took was a little bit of water and some sunlight. And I have herbs for years...

So I know this is a little controversial, but I made a comment on the Facebook post in a witches group today. Only because as a witchcraft educator, these kind of questions drive me nuts. The question itself was essentially this...a beautiful souls was asking where others get their magical herbs, spell herbs, or botanicals from? She wanted to order off Amazon but I din’t think it felt as authentic, and was worried if they would be the real items.

At the point that I answered, everyone was giving some lovely advice for witchy stores, and of course the basic suggestion as to grow or find your own. Me being me I couldn't help but elaborate on that a bit. This is my reply...

"Generational witch and educator chiming in here... Think of herb buying in this perspective, yes if you can grow them yourself, which often saves a lot of money in the long run, do so. If you can forge or wildcraft ethically, do so. If you are looking for a specific herb that you cannot get anywhere else, go to a authentic reputable witchy store. But if you are just learning, or on a bit of a budget, please go ahead and use any herbs that you can use for general cooking as ones you can use for magic. That way if you also happen to make magical teas from them you know that you are getting something that is safe to consume. Yes it is absolutely amazing to get fancy packaging and say you bought it from this store and that, but it's not necessary. Half of what you are putting in is intent. If you don't have a big stock, I would highly recommend that you get yourself a great magical herb book, along with one for edible herbs. See what is interchangeable. And then find what you actually prefer rather than what a specific online spell tells you to. Make your own spells. Your words are a far more powerful spell than any thrown together concoction of herbs ever will be. 😘"

I guess my beef is that people forget about their own power and are so glued to recipes they find on the internet and in trendy books that no one is focusing on tried and true magic. Maybe they are, but it doesn't feel like it's some days. Your magic is within you. Plain and simple. Fancy tools and herbs and pretty jars that come from expensive sources are great, but most people don't need or can even afford it right now.

If asked, I will always recommend some of the amazing stores that I have purchased from in Saskatoon to any of my students, tops being Nocturnus, simply because Tom and Marie grow forage and create ethically. And they are incredibly knowledgeable about the products that they have in their store. And it's just like a little witchy apothecary in the woods, in the middle of the city. Perfect aesthetic for a perfect little store.

And after that I hold to my statement. Grow your own, learn about substitutes, get what you can from the grocery store. Unless you are doing some fancy death and reincarnation spell which requires tools and herbs that are only found in the four corners of the earth, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

Mind you this is the time of year to do that, isn't it? 👻

Blessed be, and have a wonderful start to spooky month!