These are the tools I recommend when people are new to the path of modern witchcraft. 

1. Clear Quartz Points

Clear quartz points are excellent for meditation, to-point and direct energy. I used one to aid my connection with my spirit guides. Clear quartz can be used as a substitute for other crystals.

Quartz is one of the most versatile spell components in existence. Tumbled stones and points can be programmed for different purposes, and quartz is an excellent substitution for any crystal. In addition, quartz will amplify and magnify any energy you imbue it with, and quartz points are a perfect meditation tool and can be used to direct the energy you raise when you’re casting a spell. Clear quartz is also pretty common and easy to find, so you won’t have to go on a major quest or take out a second mortgage on your home to acquire it!  And your pieces don’t need to be perfectly formed or gigantic to work.

2. A Cauldron

Cauldrons are multipurpose. You can burn things in them. They hold water. You can make insenses, spell blends and bless and charge moon water.  Please make sure they are cast iron. Brass ones aren’t good for burning.

I know the word “cauldron” might conjure images of scary old hags dropping hair-raising ingredients like ‘eye of newt’ and ‘dead man’s toe’ into their giant people-cooking-sized cauldrons to empower their mischievous or murderous brews. But I am here to tell you all that cast iron is amazing! Of course, it can be expensive, but if you keep your eyes peeled at camping stores, army surplus stores, thrift stores, and yard sales, you’ll probably be able to find something affordable without too much trouble. In addition, you can often find small, inexpensive cauldrons in witchy shops or online.

Cauldrons are super helpful. You can fill them with sand and use them to hold charcoal blocks for burning incense. They can be used as fireproof containers for burning paper. You can use a cauldron to mix potions or fill it with water and use it as a scrying device.

3. Candle Snuffer

They ensure you don’t blow candle wax all over your workspace. Blowing out your candles blows the magic away.

These are handy, easy-to-find tools, and they make you feel fancy! Instead of blowing wax all over the place or burning your fingers pinching out the flame, use a candle snuffer to help you focus on keeping your magic in the candle. This technique is beneficial when you’re doing a spell that spans several days.

4. Book of Shadows and/or a Journal

Having a Book of Shadows and a Journal to document your craft is essential. You’ll want a place to track what you did when you did it and what worked and what didn’t in your BOS. Your Book of Shadows is where you can write down spells, correspondences, and observations about how the phase of the moon affects your magic – you get the idea. Three-ring binders are perfect for a Book of Shadows because you can easily rearrange, add, and remove things whenever the mood strikes. 

If you don’t have a lot of room to store a physical book or you prefer a digital journal, there are tons and tons of apps that you can use. Google Drive is a free, easily accessible tool where you can keep vlogs, photos, and documents. Canva’s free version is pretty robust and fun to play around with, too. So use your imagination, and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks of your system. Your Book of Shadows should reflect who you are and doesn’t need to fit into an idealized, Instagram-worthy mould. 

Your journal is a private place for self-reflection, goal setting, tracking dreams – whatever you want. Journaling is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to get to know yourself and work through your feelings. Getting clear on your thoughts and feelings is crucial to successful spell work and supports you in every facet of your life. In addition, knowing your mind makes it easier to make decisions and makes you less vulnerable to manipulation.

5. Your Favorite Divination Tool

You can use any divination tool you feel drawn to work with. You probably already know that tarot is my favourite divination tool, but it’s by no means the only divination tool! There are many to choose from – runes, pendulums, and oracle cards, to name just a few. You can even read tea leaves, melted wax, and the shapes in clouds. So if you’re stumped about where to start, just pick one and start learning. No rules are saying that once you start down a path, you must follow it to the end. So if you decide one tool isn’t your cup of tea, you can always try another one down the line. You’ll know you’ve found the right tool when you notice that you are calm and connected to your intuition while using it.

6. Moon Calendar or Farmers Almanac

Keeping track of which sign and phase the moon is in is witchcraft 101! But the modern world is also a bustling place, and our attention is often required to be on more than one thing at a time. There are so many moon-themed journals and apps. You can find the phase of the moon on many everyday mundane calendars, but they probably don’t show which sign the moon is moving through. There are many free apps that you can put on your phone that will help you keep track.

7. Cleansing Sprays or Herbs

There are many methods of cleansing the energy in your space. One of the most popular and easily accessible is using smoke. You can often find bundles of dried herbs at witchy shops, and you can make your own if you want to. There is also incense made with resins like frankincense and dragon’s blood that smell incredible and have the added benefit of scaring the hell out of any low-vibration nasties that might be lurking around your space. If you prefer to cleanse without smoke, you can use a cleansing spray that contains essential oils and makes things smell lovely without making you wheeze or giving your landlord or neighbours anything to complain about. Sound is also a fabulous space-cleansing tool – bells, drums, screaming. I’m just kidding. Please don’t stand in your sacred space and scream and then blame me for it when someone asks you what the hell you’re doing.

8. Candles 

Candle magic is adaptable and also easy to do.

ABC – always buy candles. Candles come in every shape and colour imaginable. Get as many colours as you like, but you will definitely want a good supply of white and black. You can substitute white candles for any colour, and Dollar Store tea lights are just as effective as an expensive candle.

My favourite candles to use are wish candles. They’re inexpensive, come in every colour, and are, in my opinion, the perfect size. They burn long enough to last an entire ritual or ceremony without a lot left over. You can make your own holders from the air- or oven-dry clay, which gives you even more opportunity to put your magical stamp on your work. They’re big enough to carve symbols and letters on, too. Plus, everyone and everything looks more magical by candlelight.

8. Basic Herbs

Get yourself some basil, cinnamon, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, oregano, lavender, rose, and salt.

I bet if you walk into your kitchen right now, make a list of all the herbs and spices you already have, and then head back to Google their magical uses, you’ll be astounded. Go now; I’ll wait…

You’re back! Was I right? I was right, wasn’t I? Basil is useful in spells for love and money and is even used in exorcisms and purification baths. Cinnamon raises the general vibe of any spellwork. It is helpful in healing, increasing psychic powers, lust, and protection. Bay leaves aren’t just for flavouring soups and sauces and then composting. They’re also a powerful magical ingredient in healing, protection, love, and prosperity spells. Rosemary can be substituted for any herb and is a powerfully protective herb all on its own. That’s just a short list of all the incredible magic you’ve probably already got at your fingertips, and I haven’t even mentioned salt! Or black pepper! Almost everyone has these two things in their house all the time. You won’t know because you’ll be using it all up in your kick-ass spellwork (you should probably put salt and pepper on your grocery list). Some snooty witches will tell you that table salt isn’t good enough, but I’m here to tell you that regular old table salt is 100% FINE for magical use. Also, next time you want to do a spell that just needs a small amount of a herb or spice that you don’t have on hand – check out the tea aisle in your local grocery store. You’ll find lavender, chamomile and lots of other ingredients in small amounts that you can get without breaking the bank or having to build an addition onto your house to store all of the herbs you’ve bought in bulk!

While these tools are important, your magical practice shouldn’t break the bank or make you anxious about money. You don’t need any complicated, specialized stuff to have a satisfying and effective witchcraft practice. The most critical ingredient in any spell or magical work is your intention, so if you’re not fully invested in and focused on what you’re doing, the spell will fizzle and fail no matter how much time, energy, or money you put into finding the right tools. Of course, you can do witchcraft with just your little old self and the lint in your belly button! But, I think having physical tools to work with makes staying focused easier.