Wild Witchcraft

​When practicing one’s craft, any number of tools can be utilized. There is, however, sometimes a moral dilemma when it comes to using once living things. This in my opinion, comes down to personal preference. As long as it is done ethically I see nothing wrong with incorporating once living things, or even living things in your practice. Whether you practice herbal or kitchen witchery, grow your own plants for medicine, have a familiar, or any number of other tools commonly ascribed to witchcraft you are incorporating living things into your craft. If you believe in animism; that every natural thing has a soul, this expands out to crystals, metals, the landscape, and even the weather (like rain, thunder, and lightning).
 
So what do we mean by “ethically done”. Well, it could mean that you use sustainable practices when you harvest or wildcraft herbs and other plant material. Maybe you only take that which has already fallen from the tree or plant. Perhaps you research where your crystals and other materials come from before purchasing to make sure they were ethically mined/harvested/sourced. Whatever your practice, it is generally accepted as customary to ask the plant or land spirit for its permission first, and leave an offering such as tobacco, some water, or a small gift when you are done, if you are collecting it yourself. 
 
That said, what about more controversial items such as bones, and animal skins? Some may say this is not ethical, while some work very closely with animal spirits/essences and use these items to create a closer connection to them. This ties in closely with a previous post I made about magical otherkin practices/beliefs. There are some shamanic practices that use animal parts as well. There are many people whom practice this type of craft. The author Lupa has, in her many books on the subject, talked about her experiences with animal skulls and the spirits she has met (and worked with) that were still attached to them. If you are interested in this topic I highly recommend picking up any of her books, many of which can be found on Amazon. While I would not recommend that anyone go out and kill an animal for their skull or skin to use in magical practices, if you hunt for food, or you find them from ethically sourced places locally or online*, these items can be used, once properly cleaned and cleansed. My first personal experience with animal furs kind of creeped me out, though I am unsure how ethically harvested it was (it was a gift), since I have not had that experience since then. It may have been some residual negative energy from when it was killed, I could not say for certain.
 
This phenomenon is also found with crystal skulls. There are many stories of spirits that were housed in, or housed themselves in crystal skulls that were purchased by people who were not necessarily aware of it at the time. A spiritual consciousness is not limited to crystal skulls either. Many objects can be used to house spirits or other types of consciousness.
 
This topic could also extend to blood magic. This can be a very touchy subject indeed, because blood carries the essence of life. Regardless of whose blood it is, it is generally considered a very potent magical tool/ingredient. There are many people who would never use even their own; fearing the consequences of doing so. Spilling blood was a once a ritual act used in cultures around the world including Aztec, Mayan, Ancient Egyptian, and Greco-Roman cultures. Though perhaps not as prevalent or dramatic as tv/movies have made it out to be. There are even some cultures today that still sacrifice animals like lambs or roosters. Not all blood sacrifice has to do with animals, or even spilling a lot of blood. Sometimes a single drop is all that is used. A small vial of drawn and preserved blood given as a symbolic gift would be considered an act of deep trust. I would consider this to be a very personal act of magic, and not likely widely practiced.
 
As you can see, there are many ways to incorporate living or once living things into ones practice. The question is if and where you draw the moral line. Where do you draw that line? Would you use animal skins/blood/body parts? Would you use your own? Is this an ethical quandary for you?
 
 
*There are places that provide ethically sourced furs and other animal parts online (in Canada) such as https://medievalfur.ca/ that works with local indigenous people, and https://loosemoosetradingpost.ca/ that also donate to the conservation of wildlife with each purchase.