Some may dispute over which to use in your witchcraft endeavors and a lot of times, someone can look less credible to me if they make a material suggestion in regards to being "natural". Want the easy answer to solve it?.. Good, I'll give you mine.
If you are wanting to connect with nature during spells or rituals, it would make sense that you would use things found in nature, ie stone, sand, wood, twigs, etc. But those items only hold the meanings they do because we BELIEVE they do and quite admittedly, it is easy to see a wooden bowl and connect trees and earth with it.
But alas, what are they made of? Compounds, molecules.. which are made of ... atoms!!!
Yup! I said it! I went there!
Those stones and branches are made of atoms. Ya know, little combinations of protons (positive), neutrons (neutral) and electrons (negative).. In fact! The whole universe is made of atoms. Biotic (living or once-living) and Abiotic (without life) factors of the universe are made of atoms we have perfectly aligned in a periodic table. We, our Carbon-driven selves, are just a bunch of atoms bonded together to form molecules and compounds that function together as life. Remarkable! Even the precious Moonstone is made out of potassium, aluminum (ohnoes not a metal!) and silicon!!!!!! KAlSi3O8
But what then makes up plastics? ziploc baggies? water bottles? gallon jugs? metal flatware? screwdrivers? Sewing machines? *GASP* No.. don't say it..
.. really?..
YES, IT'S ATOMS!!!! In fact, the very same atoms that exist NATURALLY in the universe. So I ask you.. how is anything, man-made? Even those pesky unstable atoms at the bottom of the periodic table are not TRULY man-made. Man did not create the protons and electrons, combining them with man-made neutrons to form these elements.
So why do some say not to use certain metals with herbs? or to store things in glass instead of plastic?
Plastic should not be banned from your witchy cabinet just because it was molded by man. To make a clay pot, one must gather different materials, mix them and mold them. Plastic should be considered for it's qualities -- the fact that it's NOT very biodegradable, if disposed wastes landfill space and is quite porous, allowing qualities of the plastic to break down or seep into your precious oils or herbs, makes it undesirable SOME of the times. But there can definitely be a time and place for them when it makes it easier on your modern witch life.
Metals are not man-made. They account for more than 2/3rds of the periodic table, occurring naturally in the universe. However, they can react when in contact with other elements and harm the result. It grates my nerves to see witches turn away from metal simply because it's metal.
Personally, I can't understand anyone using a wooden mortar/pestle set. All of my bags for tarot, ogham, etc were made out of 100% cotton on an electric sewing machine. My grimoire was made with double-sided sticky tape for scrapbooking and none of my crafts are any less sacred.
So, the next time someone says you can't store your herbs in a plastic bag or you can't stir your cauldron with a plastic spoon, think again. Would it be wise to use something else, not because it is man-made but because of the nature of the project? Would the material harm the product? Or simply, does it not hold the same meaning to you as something else would?
The answer is: use what makes sense to you.
The secret to magick is what you put into it and if you think your spells are just as powerful no matter the nature of the materials used.. then so be it and stop feeling guilty about it.
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