Altar Food

I don't know much about altar food but I'm assuming it's something similar to communion for Christians
(eating of the body and the blood of Christ), but in this case it's an offering to the gods that you consume half and burn or 'sacrifice' the other. by sacrifice I hear a lot of witches return it to the earth like compost it every week and keep it in a can. Some instead of food use flowers that they switch out when they decompose or jewelry. I don't think it matters what you put up there as long as it's an offering. I, when I get one, will probably use food seeing as I want to be a baker, and I'll eat half and leave the other for the creatures (so it'll also probably be sugar-free or diabetic). An in the case that you do want to leave the offering out for the creatures make it sugar-free we don't want to kill the animals, MAKE SURE IT'S ANIMAL FRIENDLY!

Mine, mine MINE! My wand, how I did it, because yes I did it!

A lot of witches worry about their wands, everyone wants this nice expensive wand but I hear it's preferable you don't because it's not your energy in the wand. So it's not as strong as if you were to have...can you guess?... made it! I made my wand and there are rules to this and their pretty basic ones.

1. You CAN NOT rip branches from trees without asking the tree for its branch and giving it an offering and then a thank you gift
2. Grabbing a branch from the ground is okay, you don't have to ask but it's still nice to leave a 'thank you' gift which in turn calls for more reiteration  at a later point sorry...
3. Don't not leave a gift, it's rudeeee.

And that's pretty much it, I found the stick I used for my wand on a camping trip I took this year (2013) to the VW bus festival. It was on the path to the other side of the mountain and I felt like I couldn't leave it. And I was already on the search for a wand anyway. I have no idea what kind of wood it is but it is my wind wand, I plan to make 4 others for the other 4 elements so I thought that white would be the perfect color for wind so I was really happy when I found it. I blessed it in fire, wind, earth, water, and spirit even though it's just for wind but I was afraid to not be extra about it. I basically shaped it with a carving knife and attached my energy-directing stone (I'll reiterate later) on the end with normal black twine and white thread. It was pretty easy and fun, I recommend it because my energy is in it everything I'll do will be pure with my energy. So yeah, I'll post pictures...

What's a Book of Shadows?

Just an example from Google images, it could be a compound notebook or ringed notebook 

What's a book of shadows, you ask? Ever seen Charmed, well it's almost exactly like that, the potion and spell part. The monster part not so much unless you log the Gods and Goddesses and deities things like that. I myself believe in vampires and the such but that's just me.

Everyone is always worried about how expensive and nice-looking their book is, and that's okay. But your book can just be a notebook or like mine (only temporarily) a virtual Book of Shadows meaning its on the net. Others make scrapbooks and I think mostly because a Book of Shadows is something you pass along your family. For instance you can have a personal Book of Shadows and a family Book of Shadows and a coven Book of Shadows (if you're in one).Or you could just have a personal book you later on decide to pass on to your family. Which I plan to do along with a cookbook (wink!) things I've seen to be consistent is the following

• wiccan rede/creed 
• (they are two different things!)
• spells/rituals
• (categorized by subjects i.e, love, wealth)
• candle colour charts
• herb list 
• (explaining each of the purposes and benefits of said herb)
• tools/altar setup for different occassions
• depending on what you believe in exactly you could have a list of gods 
• (detailing some legends of them, what you do to celebrate them such as holiday)
• rules of your coven or expected of yourself

Now remember all of these are optional you could easily go without one of these. only ones ive seen are required are the wiccan reed and creed those are out anthems of sorts.
Otherwise knock yourself out with what you wanna do with it.
Just make it 'you'.

My Non-existent Altar

 just another Google image

Every young or starting witch is always worried about the altar. I'm not going to lie, I'm worried about my altar too, because it doesn't exist! Altars are an important and fundamental part of the Craft, but if you don't have one yet, don't fret. If you don't have room for one don't worry. But if you're trying to get all of that together here is what I've gathered people generally have or is traditionally put on the Altar. They usually consist of the following:

Ritual/Worship/Element Candles

Candles

A Bell

Athame (small black handled knife)

Book of Shadows (I'll reiterate later)

Chalice or cup/bowl of Salt Water ( for cleansing things)

Wand (reiteration required)

Broom (pretty optional from what I've heard)
Pictures or symbols of your Gods
Runes if you are into divinity(I'll reiterate later)
Chalice (for drinking)
A cake or sweet, food basically (Reiterate I shall!)
Cauldron
Herbs and Oils (can be kept there but usually there in the kitchen)

That pretty much sums it up for what's on it, in different posts most likely I'll reiterate on what was specified as what would be reiterated upon later, in separate posts. If it bothers you too much I'll mash it with this post but I think it'll be less confusing to have it somewhere else.

But for this post I just want to breathe on the subjects not specified for reiteration. Candles although unspecified is an extensive subject and I'll probably have a post for them because herbs, colors, and meanings depend on where you got it from, if it's handmade, and what you're going for. An athame (pronounced a-thuh-may) has many different purposes, some dip it into the salt water and bless people or the corners of there pentagram or circle. It's what you want to do with it which is why I won't go into it it's a matter of preference. The bowl of salt is just for purification of the circle the altar, people, yourself. Once again is a matter of preference. Comment with questions if you want suggestions or are completely confused. Brooms are just another way of purifying your circle, sweeping away negative energy and bad spirits. The Gods you worship if any are important to display this in a way honors them and informs them you are with them. If you can't get some of these things like the picture of your gods, a symbol or something they are known by or you think of while thinking of them. I've never seen a cauldron in use but people do use them for making potions. I haven't made any as of yet, but I'll look it up for you and post it later.

Coming out of the 'Broom Closet' :How I Did It and How They Took It

So if you've seen my first post I have indeed come out of the closet to the people I personally thought needed to know. Your Craft can be a secret for as long as you deem it. You don't have to tell everyone or anyone unless you want to. I only told my friends, siblings, close cousins, and my parents.

FRIENDS

My friends didn't care, it didn't change me or how they felt about me, we talked awhile and that's the way I think it should be with friends. If they do care, if it does bother them and that ends the relationship I think that that is someone you could live without. You're religion shouldn't bother the people you hang with if it does, you need to talk it out and come to terms. Because something like that can mess with how close you are with someone and it shouldn't. Lucky for me some of my friends aren't even Christian so it didn't affect much.

SIBLINGS

I have 10 or so siblings. I have one older sister, seven younger sisters not all by blood (4 biologically), and six younger brothers once again not all biological (only 2), I told all of them old enough to understand, so really my older sister. My younger siblings, all available, were there but if they understood or grasped it is of their own knowing. If you're siblings don't speak to you after you tell them, don't convert back to conform to their needs. You're religion is for you and what you believe in. If in their eyes you are damned to eternal hell-fire, then so be it! Tell them to not let it get in the way of your familial bond, don't let it change the way you both are together.

CLOSE COUSINS

I have 4 close cousins from 12 to 16, all who have been with me all our lives who are devout Christians, and wen I say devout they like going to Church, they enjoy the words of Jesus Christ their savior. When I told them obviously I was a devil worship-er because everyone who doesn't believe in God is a devil worship-er, but slowly we overcame it. As of now, because of difficulties with my father I live with them, and we do so in harmony. For already they've bent for my oldest cousin who has recently come out the closet as bisexual. It took work but they got used to the idea I don't believe the same way they do, some family members however will not take it so well. Some may disown or never speak to you. And because I didn't want to burn bridges I didn't tell my entire family, if I ever get married then of course it will show up but they will have to DEAL!

PARENTS

I told my parents second, after my friends. My father and I got into an argument especially since I used to be active in Church and 'liked' it so he didn't understand why. But I told him to deal with it, because it was what it was, his fiancee told me not to perform in her home because she didn't want ghosts and I tried to calmly explain to her that's not what I did. I went into painful detail about what I believed and why I didn't care that they didn't like that I wasn't Christian. My biological mom threatened to throw her shoe at me, but I told her it had nothing to do with her, that maybe under her roof she could pretend I was Christianity but that didn't make me so. So all-in-all I'm not talking to my father, not for that but for personal reasons, and my step-mother promises she misses me. My mother and I talk casually as if we were friends, because really that's all that we are. I never want to look at her as my mother ever again, that wasn't nor will ever be the greatest part of my life. But we speak.

So that's how I feel about all that, that's how it happened, I hoped I helped if not ask away. Hope it goes well. Don't get discouraged, and don't give up stick to what you believe in no matter how they react. In truth, all you need in life is you.

Hi, my name is Takkari and I'm new!

I was raised a Christian and all my life I struggled with believing in everything they occasionally tossed at me. With all the bad I went through all the bad I saw, it was hard, nearly impossible. Praying was hard as well when results never came, and in a family of devout Christian lawyers, businessmen, and preachers. I admit I am a novice at the Craft, but I really believe in this for the first time I am at terms and peace with the Craft. SO this is my journey that I'd love for you, whoever you are, to join me in and help me along if you have more knowledge. Which you probably do. Soon I'll post how I came out of the broom closet and my parent's reactions.

But before that a little on who you're about to start rolling with:
As of this first post I'm 15 and I am black. I won't bother going into of what descent because can one really say exactly where they come from? Well, I am a sophomore in high school, I attend Isaac Bear Early College partnered with UNCW in Wilmington. As a child I was bullied and abused at home by my mother until I left for my father's when I was 14. I have been down a bumpy road but I'm getting somewhere, even though this road is quite treacherous. If you really want to know more about me, feel free to ask, I'll answer everything and anything. ASK AWAY! Until next time, readers!