I get messages every day about not know where to start, where to begin. Witchcraft in general has so many paths, and so many people get easily overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information out there! Who can blame you? So start small. And remember that you don’t need to have some hyper aesthetic altar in the first week.
I know this blog has some negative elements, so with the negative I have tried to counter it with tangible advice. I hope you find some use in this!
Step One: Let go of the idea of witches you’ve seen in pop culture and the media.
Just let it go. Seriously. I love movies and television as much as the next person. But if one more person comes to me asking about werewolves or asking who the Supreme is, I may flip my shit.
Witchcraft is not like TV, and although some shows have correct correspondences, like Sabrina for example, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be fighting Satan to save humanity. Is it fun? Totally, but it’s not real life, and holding a candle for that expectation will not only lead to disappointment but a craft that goes nowhere.
There is a lot of visualization, imagination, and creativity that comes from magick. You can use those as a reference point for your visualization, which is helpful and creative! However, don’t expect movie results, instead use it as a place for your visualizations. And if someone is telling you that their results DO look like a movie, that’s a RED FLAG.
Step Two: Vet your Sources
Tiktok and Tumblr are both super fun sites, but they have also opened the door to the rapid spread of misinformation and toxicity. TikTok and Tumblr are a plague to our community in my honest opinion. Although there are many fantastic “witchtok” sources out there, the overwhelming majority are elitists that are coming from a place of no valid standing to be so up themselves. It’s high school bullies and its ridiculous. Or the other spectrum, uneducated individuals who are bored out of their mind making us look ridiculous to the world. Why tolerate that?
Vet. Your. Sources. If a minor on Tik Tok gives you information, although it may be perfectly valid information, consider your source. Is there any potential here that someone is just making something up, and saying it as though it’s a fact for internet attention? As myself and Temperance Alden were discussing; don’t take advice from a 14-year-old white kid, on hoodoo. That’s never appropriate. Just ever. Avoid TikTok at all costs for a source of reliable information.
I am by NO means trying to suggest that just because someone is young that they know nothing, there are so many talented and dedicated teenagers out there. But just because they exist doesn’t mean that everything fed to you should be swallowed with a honey-coated spoon.
Now that being said, there are a bunch of amazing FREE and LEGAL resources to get your feet wet with magick. I do not condone stealing from authors. Instead, use legal ways to support their work at an affordable rate. If you have a library card (that is if you are a US citizen) there are hundreds of ebooks you can check out. Start with well known or popular occult and witchcraft authors. Goodreads is a great source to vet that, before checking any books out! Everywhere you will hear, “do your research.” And that’s true! But that doesn’t mean you need to go blow the bank right away! Start small, then start picking up books here and there. There are also great book share websites where you can buy books second hand! Stealing with pdfs hurts the very people you are trying to learn from, it’s not hot.
Step Three: Don’t get caught up in labels or paths titles
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a dedicated craft path. But this is something, that my followers at least, seem to get hung up on early and then overwhelmed. They will all say they are green witches because that is an easy label, which is FINE. But then you’ve put yourself in a box, right away. And for a lot of witches, its hard to leave that box, because you’ve declared yourself x or y. Stop worrying about labels, and just worry about the act of doing, not the fantastical titles that can come with it.
If you are more interested in different aspects, explore that! There is nothing wrong with researching any specific craft topic that you feel drawn to. But being quick to label yourself, because of your interests, is also a quick way to get burnt out and never reach any full potential.
I personally am very anti path titles. And there is a title for everything now, yoga witches, divination witches, goth witches. It’s all well and good if that makes you feel more comfortable in your path, but by NO means is that something you need to do to make your craft any more or less valid.
Step Four: Start Small
If the only reason you have looked into witchcraft is that you want to hex the ex, who treated you so poorly, that is well and good, but it’s not going to go anywhere. I saw an expression the other day “x couldn’t hex their way out of a paper bag.” And that is true for a LOT of witches. And that is not a dig at anyone, to properly hex anyone takes years of education and trial and error. There is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING wrong with not knowing how to summon a demon on week one. HAHA!
Instead, start with simple magick. Protection spells, grounding, beginning a spirit guide meditation journey. Protection magick is not only simple but where I recommend everyone begins. Learning correspondence, and simply focusing on protecting your home and yourself. Even this will take some trial and error. Be patient with yourself.
