Green Spirituality and Magic Practices

It’s no secret that climate change is very real. From raging fires to devastating floods, Mother Earth is showing us that change must happen immediately all over the globe. As spiritual practitioners, we know that our connection to Mother Earth is vital. We also know that it is a blessing to do what we can to show Mother Earth how much we care. However, some practices may be causing harm or damage, even if totally unintentional. Green spirituality and magic adds even greater power to your rituals, as you will be truly honouring Gaia. Here are a few ways to keep your practice as green as possible to help honour and heal the environment!

Green Spirituality to help Mother Earth

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Eco-Friendly Magic and DIY

Making our own products can save a great deal on waste, particularly if less must be shipped. Not only that, but DIY magical projects can use a great deal of what we have around the house, making it greener and more affordable. To top it off, the magical tools that we make have a stronger connection to our practice, since our energy and intention was infused into the creation of them. Here are some suggestions for DIY magic.

Egg Shells

These are not only good for your garden, but they are also good for protection magic, abundance magic, and fertility magic! Crushed eggshells (also known as cascarilla) can be crushed by themselves or with herbs and then placed around your space for protection. You can also add crushed eggshells to your charm bags for fertility magic, creativity magic, and abundance magic.

Kitchen Herbs and Spices

You don’t often need to go out and buy rare, fancy herbs when you have a lot of magic in your own spice rack. Look up the magical properties of the herbs that you already have in your kitchen. Cinnamon is great for success and raising your vibration, cloves are good for money and protection, allspice is good for abundance, salt is good for cleansing, basil is good for protection and abundance, mint is good for prosperity… you get the point! You don’t need to purchase more (aka more wasted packaging) when you already have a kitchen full of magic and spice!

Make your own Runes

While there are a lot of beautiful runes out there, they are easy to make yourself and this is a very magical and meaningful practice. You can collect rocks from outside and paint the symbols on them. Once the paint chips off, they are done, and you can wash them and return them to the land. You can also draw them onto pieces of wood, carve them onto wood, or wood-burn them. The wood doesn’t have to be treated, and you can give them back to the land once they’ve served their purpose.

Glitter (Eliminating Microplastics)

Most of us love some sparkle and shine, especially when making candles, spell jars, witch bottles, magical ritual items, setting up an altar, or dusting a little sparkle on ourselves. However, most glitter is nothing more than microplastics which are wreaking havoc on our water systems and Mother Earth. Luckily, there are biodegradable options for glitter that are made from plant materials.

Wands

Your wand does not have to be anything more than a special branch that you bless. You can either find one that calls to you on a walk, or you can ask a tree permission and cut a branch off the tree. Thank the tree and consider leaving a small offering (see offering section later in the article).

Reuse your Bottles and Jars

We all know that every magical practitioner loves themselves a good jar! And for good reason! You can re-use mason jars for a multitude of purposes. Besides that, wash out and reuse the jars and containers from your previous purchases. I keep all the bottles from spell oils and sprays that I’ve purchased so that I can make my own abundance oils, protection oils, etc. Most of these can be made with oil and herbs that you find in your own kitchen. You can support your fellow magical practitioners and reuse the bottles, too!

Grow your own Herbs

While not everyone has access to a garden, you may be able to have a potted herb or two from which you can collect your herbs for cooking and magic. This means less packaging, less waste of herbs gone bad (we have all been there), and more money in your pocket, as you don’t need to purchase this herb whenever you need it for cooking or magic.

Plant Flowers

Again, this will depend on your access to a backyard, community garden, or balcony. If possible, planting flowers not only helps the pollinators (you can look up which flowers are best for pollinators in your area) but you can also use flowers for your spells. For example, planting roses in your garden is said to protect your home.

Offerings

Many practices call for food and drink to be left as offerings. This will depend on your spiritual practice. If using these as offerings, consider making sure that whatever you are leaving isn’t poisonous to the wildlife that may stumble upon it. You may also consider donating to environmental charities as an offering, as this gives back to Mother Earth and helps her children. You can also write poetry, sing, dance, or clean up your environment by picking up garbage. All of these are zero waste offerings that are equally meaningful.

Green Ceremony and Ritual Practices

Besides making sure we are reusing, limiting waste, and being good to Mother Earth, we can also honour her through our rituals. Green spirituality will empower your magic and life with an incredible energy. Here are a few simple ways to build rituals around honouring, loving, and healing Mother Earth.

Rituals for each Element

You can honour each or all elements through ritual.

Fire Ritual

Light a candle and thank fire for warming us, cooking our food, and transforming forests. Ask fire to show you what you can do to prevent wildfires. Pray for fire and send it love.

Water Ritual

Water is life. Pour a glass of water and place it on your alter. Think of all the ways that water helps you live. It literally keeps you alive as you drink it, it cleans you and your home, cools down the planet, feeds the plants and animals, keeps our world clean, and cools us down when we are warm. Pray for water and thank it, asking water what you can do to help protect and honour it.

Air Ritual

Without clean air, we know that we are toast. Think of the way the wind carries temperature changes, cools us down, carries seeds for pollination, changes the landscape, and its myriad of other functions. Pray to air and ask how you can honour it in your life.

Earth Ritual

No healthy soil, no food! We know that there is so much richness and abundance to be had from the earth. Think of your favourite flower, the shade from trees, the herbs and veggies that you grow, the sweetness of fruit, and all of the other richness that comes from the earth. Pray to earth and ask how you can honour the earth.

Animals

We often think that only big, rare animals can be guides, but this is not the case. The squirrel that visits your yard may be advising you to save your resources. The magpie may be showing up to help you make the most of your occult knowledge. The moth may be letting you know that a message is coming in soon. The butterfly may be letting you know that you are on the brink of transformation. Learn about the animals that you see daily by researching their spiritual meaning. Different cultures have different associations with animals, so look into your ancestry to see what your culture(s) have to say about different animals.

Environmentally Friendly Magical Spending Choices

Though making our own tools, oils, sprays, and charms is awesome and meaningful, most of us do not have the time to make all our own magical supplies. Here are a few tips to spend your money wisely and greenly!

Shop Local

Buying local food is a great way to offset the pollution that results from shipping our food in from all over the world. Not only that, but supporting our local farmers is a great way to honour mother earth and those who tend her. Plus, if you find farmers who sell their wares from their home, it’s often cheaper!

Besides that, purchasing from local magical practitioners and artists in your area limits shipping and travel pollution. It also keeps your money in your local area, which strengthens the local economy. In addition, talk to creators of any items you are purchasing to learn more about their ethos and how their products and processes are helping to protect the environment.

What are my intentions?

Before making a purchase, ask yourself the landfill question: “Will this end up in a landfill in a year from now?” If the answer is yes, you may want to reconsider your purchase, especially if it made of plastics and non-environmentally friendly resources and processes. Not only will this save you money, it will also help limit extra stuff in your place and limit how much waste is in the landfill. Your magic doesn’t need a lot of small, plastic figurines or disposable tokens to be powerful. Your intent and energy are always the most powerful.

Community Matters

If you do want to order something online (as this is also a great way to support small businesses) you could ask your friends who else wishes to order from this shop. If a few of you order, this is less packaging, less packages shipped, and less shipped fees for each of you.

Shop Preloved

There are so many fabulous vintage and reused shops online right now. I follow quite a few on Instagram myself! This can be a great place to purchase chalices, candlesticks, offering plates, or anything else that speaks to you. And this is a great way to reduce new waste and to save money on both your craft and in your home.

Many artists are also starting to use storied and reused items as part of their creative process. Not only are you purchasing an item with history, but you are helping to keep materials from entering the landfill.

Environmental Fashion

Limit or cut out fast fashion. We all love us some witchy clothes, but many of these are now made with materials that will never break down. Not only that, but many major shopping stores do not donate their damaged material. Because of loosey-goosey return policies, they don’t want to give clothes away to a charity since someone could purchase it there and then bring it back for a refund. Instead any returned items are thrown away! So very wasteful!

As spiritual people, we know that we are all connected, and that what is good for others is often good for everyone. There are more and more local shops using green materials and dyes for their clothes, and it’s getting more and more affordable. Consider supporting these shops for your witchy fashion items, or shopping at consignment stores.

Like our earlier question about the landfill, ask yourself the same question when buying clothes. How often will you actually wear the piece? Will it be something you wear once or twice, then never wear again? It is made of durable, high quality materials? Or is it worth spending a bit more to get quality pieces you can wear for years and years?

Green Magic – The First Steps

One of the best things I’ve ever read about how we can help is from Anne Marie Bonneau who said, “we don’t need a handful of people doing Zero Waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” Your job is not to get an A+ and honours with distinction in the class of being green. Our job, together, is to support each other and the earth in whatever ways are available to us. Imperfectly, honestly, together… and with a bit of magic.

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