A user on a Q&A continuously asks for Pagan Supply store recommendations to buy her tools and other materials. This got me thinking. Why must people insist that the only place to obtain materials for practice is "metaphysical" or related type stores?
I've been practicing for coming on 12 years. Not once have I purchased something from a "metaphysical" store. I've entered one, thought it was nice, but never bought anything. Every item I use regularly I got from other places. I thought I would offer some suggestions as to where you might purchase tools and other materials OTHER than "metaphysical" Pagan stores. It might save some bucks in the pocketbook.
Candles
Just about every store carries candles. Dollar stores carry a wide variety of different colored candles...from pillar to votive, tea lights to birthday candles. You can purchase a package of 10 tea lights at many dollar stores for $1. Department stores are also good places to get candles. During Halloween, I will go to department stores and stock up on my black candles. I have no need to go to specialized stores to buy my black candles (I also don't need to wait weeks for delivery if I order online). Candles are so readily available, I highly doubt there is a house without at least one candle.
On the flip side, if you prefer not to burn candles, be it for health reasons, safety reasons or just the rules of the house, there ARE battery operated candles out there, also in tea light form AND pillar form you can use that can be just as effective (aside from being able to burn items...for that you can just go outside). Because of the health concerns in my house, I use battery operated candles during prayer time. If I need to burn something, I go outside on my porch so that the smoke doesn't linger in the house. Specialty stores are not the only places that stock candles.
Athame
Thrift stores, Army Surplus, hunting stores or sections of other stores are good places to buy athames. I "borrowed" my husband's work knife to use as my athame. He hasn't needed it in 10 years. It's entirely black, double-edged and I fell in love with it from the first time I saw it. I didn't spend one penny on it. Again, if you're not picky on if it's single edged or double edged, you can also get knives from dollar stores, and department stores.
OR...you can craft your own. I gave instructions on how to make your own on my other blog: Ma'iingan's Crafts: Athame.
Chalice
A chalice is nothing more than a cup. It doesn't have to be fancy...any cup you have in your house can be used as a chalice. OR...if you're determined to buy a stemmed glass...again, dollar stores are your friend. I have three silver plated chalices I bought from a thrift store for about $5 (together). They're ornately designed and serve their purpose. I also have another type of chalice...a glass one I bought from my local dollar store. Depending on how I feel, I will use either.
Wand
Most people believe the only place to obtain a wand would be from a specialty store. Sooo not true. Again, on my crafting blog, I have given a couple of suggestions on how to make your own! You don't even need to purchase anything...just go outside and find a long thick stick of your choosing and decorate it...FREE!!!
Wand Instructions 1
Wand Instructions 2
Herbs
Again, specialty stores are not the only place you can purchase "magical" herbs. Great places to buy herbs are bulk stores. I have bought numerous herbs from these places, however some items are not available at the ones closest to me, so I have had to hunt around my local grocery store. The spice aisle possesses a plethora of herbs you can use for magical purposes, sometimes at a fraction of the price of specialty stores or even online ones (and online ones only give you a small baggie...you can buy bigger ones for less money at a grocery store...or even Walmart).
You can even go outside and "harvest" herbs growing in your very own backyard or local natural area. Be sure to research what you have in your yard to ensure you're not picking something that can be irritating (and please do not ingest anything you are unfamiliar with, or is growing in an area heavily using pesticides. I cannot stress this enough!!)
Besome
I went to my dollar store and bought some plastic plant fans...I believe they were supposed to be a type of fern or palm, I'm not sure. BUT...it suited my purpose. I tied them together with fancy ribbon and voila, a homemade besome. You can also go to a craft store and buy one of those decorative "brooms" use in craft making OR...buy a "Witch's Broom" in the seasonal section of Walmart during halloween. They all work great.
Statuary
You don't need a literal statue of "Aphrodite" to have a shrine dedicated to her. You can print off a picture of her and put it in a pretty frame and place it on your altar OR hang it on your wall. You could also just find a pretty statuette from places like Walmart or Dollarstores. My "Hecate" statue is a black angel I found at my dollar store a few years ago. I didn't buy an actual statue of Hecate, because it's my own perception of her that matters, not what the literal statue looks like.
Altar Tile
Altar tiles can be hand made. I give instructions for a few designs on my other blog:
Altar Pentacle
More tool making ideas
The point of all this is that not once did I put on here that you NEED to go to a metaphysical store to buy anything. Most of which can be bought at a dollar store, or found outside. If you need something that a dollar store doesn't carry, by all means check out other stores.
Ma’iingan
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