Earlier in the month, Morgan Daimler wrote a post called Irish-American Witchcraft: Emergency Magic on the Go – The Magic Kit. A post inspired by another author who wrote about the topic the previous month.
The idea of an Emergency Magickal Go-Bag or Kit is not a new concept for me. A year ago, I attended a class where the teacher also had a “magickal go-bag.” This teacher’s bag held items focused on banishing and exorcism. Overall, I find the idea of having a Magickal Go-Bag or Witch Kit appealing and have decided to create a little something for myself.
Why would a Witch, or other magickal person, need/want a “go-bag” of magickal or ritual items? You might be asking: Are you one of those weird Disaster Preppers? Is this an end of the world, the zombies (or Christians) are coming to get us kind of thing?
Nope, but there are those who say they and their magickal communities have been experiencing an influx of strange happenings or a kind of “bleeding through” of the unseen world into ours. I’ve also noticed a greater influx of spiritual activity in recent years.
For instance, the other day the man who works for my husband (and knows I’m a Witch) asked if I’d sensed anything “weird” or “heavy” on the other side of our residential community. Truth be told, I had not experienced the energy which had disturbed the man (a Christian, btw). But my family and I did perform a divination and ritual to honor the land spirits of our property when we moved in.
Our street is pretty peaceful as a result of this established relationship. So, I decided to ask the land spirits for guidance, and they confirmed a spirit being(s) had moved into the other side of the community. They weren’t a problem, per se, but I did perform a short ritual in cooperation with the land spirits to ask the presence(s) to cross back to the Otherside.
Here’s a couple more examples.
A woman came into the Pagan store where I do spiritual readings, desperate for crystals and sage because she’d heard these items can help cleanse a house of unwanted spirits. The owners were busy with other customers and I didn’t have a reading, so I assisted her with picking out what she needed. A week ago, another woman contacted me because she is a reluctant psychic medium experiencing unwanted, active intrusion in her home. I gave the woman advice on how to cleanse her home and set up protective wards.
These are examples of the heightened spiritual or Otherworld activity which people seem to be experiencing these days. Did I need a Magickal Go-Bag at the time of these incidents? No. But there have been plenty of times where I have wished for a bit of black or white salt, anointing oil, or even a spritz of cleansing wash or Florida Water on hand to rid a place of negative energy or perform a spell away from home.
Now, I’m a strong believer in energetic magick and the concept that one does not have to have specific items (or any at all) to perform a strong spell. This does not mean, however, that I do not appreciate and desire to work with the spirits of those items (plants, stones, etc) or the corresponding energies which come from a particular day of the week, the lunar cycle, color, etc.
Because I do appreciate all those spirits/energies as allies in spellcraft. This is why I have come to believe having a “Magickal Go-Bag” or even a mini “Witch Kit” in my purse can be a true benefit in any given situation. Also, if something happens where I am called upon to do a little space clearing, cast a spell on the fly (for myself or others – oh hey, be sure you read my post on Performing Magick for Others), it’s nice to have a bit of magickal corresponding backup.
So, what kind of magickal bag or kit do I carry?
Technically, the bag I carry is for spirit communication and divination because it’s the one I use every week at our local Pagan store or at events where I’m performing spiritual readings as a Psychic Medium. I have added a couple of items which can be of assistance in clearing a space should the necessity arise:
- A candle which has been anointed and blessed for spirit communication
- Tarot Cards
- Labradorite scrying sphere
- A pendulum
- Florida Water spray
- Rosemary
- White Sage bundle
- Lighter
- Snack bars (for grounding)
The above items stay in the bag, so I will always have what I need at an event or when I’m at the Pagan store as they are not really for personal use. I have other pendulums and Tarot/Lenormand for my own divinatory readings. I don’t know about you, but I’m a magpie when it comes to collecting pendulums.
I cannot have just one.
Because my bag is more Psychic Medium and divination oriented, I’ve created a Mini Witch Kit, using an Altoids Tin, to carry in my purse for magickal emergencies. Obviously, this hearkens back to the “Altar in a Tin” concept which is handy for people who are still in the broom closet, travel a lot, or need/want to be stealthy in their practice. Having this little kit makes it easy to pull out what I need for a spell in a variety of situations.
What I love about using the Altoids Tin is how much can actually fit in the thing! Here’s what is in mine (obviously the quantities are small):
- Black Salt
- White Salt
- Magickal Enhancement Herb Blend
- Dried African Violet Petals
- Cleansing Wash
- Anointing Oil
- Quartz Crystal
- Amethyst Crystal
- Frankincense Cone Incense
- Oklahoma Selenite Shard
- A nub of a Beeswax Candle
- Matches
With this little kit I am able to deal with a variety of situations which might occur (especially when I’m traveling or with my extended Christian family). I also wear a pendulum every day which gives me access to divination whenever and wherever I desire to use it.
One of the Girl Scout mottos which is still ingrained in me from childhood is to “be prepared.” For this reason, I have extra water and canned food in my cupboard and a radio which can be charged with a hand crank. Having quick access to a few herbs and items, even in small quantities, which allow us to tap into our witchery skills when not in front of a home apothecary or altar makes sense to me.
So I encourage you to take a long look at what you have in your cabinet, maybe invest in a couple of small vials, and save that Altoids tin. You never know when next you might need a little lavender to throw into a fire or avert the Evil Eye.
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