BY ERIN MARIE HALL
Not long ago, the spectacular Archita Mittra wrote a stellar article on simple, low-maintenance ways to make magic part of your daily life, even when you’re low on time, money, or energy. Though I think we’d all like to spend our evenings casting complex spells over a Tumblr-worthy altar or invoking the guardians of the watchtowers of the east on a stormy beach, that’s not always realistic. And that’s okay! The beauty of witchcraft is that it is inherently personal, and yet there is a community full of resources and inspiration upon which to draw. In that spirit, here are a few more ideas to help manifest your magic day-to-day.
Sit with your altar, if you have one.
Even if it’s a simple one! When I can't muster the energy to do anything active, I just sit on my bed (my altar runs just alongside it because my room is small), light some incense, and listen to some music that touches my heart. It makes me feel recharged and filled with calm.
Spend time with your tarot deck, if you use one.
I love my tarot deck to pieces, and feel like it was made specifically for me (especially because I've never met another person in the wild who has it - it's rather rare). Anyway, it makes me feel very at peace to shuffle my deck and do simple readings about personal situations, or even just turn over a few cards and spend time examining them and exploring what they mean to me. I think it helps create a stronger bond between the deck and its owner.
Immerse yourself in nature, or in places that energize you.
For me, this means sitting outside on my porch under the moon and stars, often with incense, a lantern, and my tarot deck. Are you an urban witch? Sit in a bustling cafe downtown and read a book on witchcraft or write in your journal/grimoire. Feel deeply connected to the sun? Go lay in the sunshine in your back yard or sit in an open field under its warm light. If it's raining and you have a connection there, take a walk in the rain or actively listen to its patter through your window as you meditate.
RELATED: Approaching Witchcraft as a Recovering Atheist
If you have the funds, invest in a small token or symbol of your practice.
I love having a reminder of my devotion that I can keep with me at all times. Be it a favorite stone in your pocket or a moon amulet like the one I wear, I think having a reminder throughout the day is a really lovely, discreet way of keeping witchcraft close to your heart.
Put together a soundtrack of songs that make you feel alive.
I have two separate ones - one for old celtic hymns and more ancient-sounding ritual music, and one with more modern songs that just give me that feeling of witchy power and electric light. If you have Spotify, try different search terms like "Wicca," "witchcraft," "witchy," or something like "goddess" to find all sorts of sources of inspiration. When I’m not playing Beyonce, I’m blasting these playlists at work to keep me centered.
I have a lot going on in my life - applying to MFA programs, writing, playing roller derby - and I know so many other witches who have similarly busy schedules, or chronic illnesses that make even getting out of bed a difficulty, or who are unable to practice openly due to family situations. But we don’t have to let those things stop us from reveling in our magic, and the tips of above help me feel like the witch I know I am.
Erin Marie Hall is a poet, musician, pagan witch, BDSM and polyamory evangelist, and moon goddess from the exciting land of South Bend, Indiana. She holds a BA in English (Creative Writing & Literary Criticism) from Indiana University, where she became obsessed with Tristram Shandy, T.S. Eliot, and post-structuralism. She is now enduring the arduous process of applying to MFA programs.
A Best of the Net 2017 nominee, Erin is currently looking for a home for her first chapbook, "A Tattoo of the Slaughter," which may become a full-length collection. Her work explores suffering, religion, the occult, the apocalyptic, and the relationship between the body and the self. You can find her poems and artwork in Rust + Moth, Rogue Agent, After the Pause, Moonchild Magazine, and other publications. She posts memes and poetry talk @erinmariehall on Twitter and serious stuff at erinmariehall.com.