I was having a discussion with some other magic workers about using tools in magic. We were talking about what we do when we set up an altar for a specific magical purpose and then, after the event has occurred, want to take the altar down again. The suggestions were pretty much what you’d expect: thank the items, smudge, store or dispose properly of the items, etc.
It reminded me that I once worked with a group that had members save all those bits of candle wax that Witches seem to naturally acquire. Once a year, we’d bring those bits together, melt them, and make ritual candles from the wax. It’s a more ecologically sound way to deal with the wax than throwing it away and the new candles tend to be imbued with the magic of he group. The supplies were pretty simple: a crock pot devoted to this use, some paper cups for candle molds, and some candle wicks from a craft store.
How do you take down your altars and what do you do with the items?
Picture found here.
Tiny nubs of tapers used for spells go into a fireside cauldron. At Samhain I use them to start the final blaze of the year. Bigger pillars I do save and recycle by adding additional fresh beeswax and making new tapers.
I’m an altar minimalist – other than candles and bits of incense, I’ve little else to take down or re-cycle.
I do the exact same thing with the wax…Make candles with paper cups and wicks!
Repurpose, reuse, as often as we can. 🙂