Getting Started

Witchcraft

• finding your witchcraft
• what type of books reading material do you suggest
• welcome to witchcraft a post for beginners
• how to do witchcraft research for newbies
• reading list for non-wiccan witchcraft, paganism, and more

Energy Manipulation

• lets talk basics directing energy
• sensing energy exercise
• grounding

Q&A

Hello, (I hate to ask really, it seems like you get these so much but) I've become interested in becoming a witch but do not plan on practicing Wicca- and I'm afraid that I may end up doing something wrong or incorrectly and searching hasn't done me very much good. Is there anything I am suppose to know so I wont mess up along the way?

Anonymous

hi! take a deep breath and relax — I don’t think you should worry too much about doing something “wrong.” witchcraft is a practice and it’s a learning process. there is usually trial and error involved. it’s okay to make mistakes (we all learn from them), so try not to be afraid of messing up.
here are some things I’d suggest in general for a beginner:

• RESEARCH! this is one of your most important tools when approaching witchcraft. never stop studying! there is always something new to learn or a new perspective to consider. The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes and Witchcraft: a History by D.G. Maxwell-Stuart are excellent books to start with. you can click here for a list of non-Wiccan related witchcraft books. here are some more book recommendations that you might find useful, categorized by topic.
• go at your own pace. try not to rush, but don’t be afraid to jump in, either — do what feels right for you; trust your intuition and instincts.
• it’s a good idea to research correspondences (herbal, mineral, lunar, etc), though there’s nothing wrong with coming up with your own correspondences and associations for materials. here’s a helpful post to start you off: How to Use Your Stuff.
• this one is important: research materials before using them. for example, certain herbs should be handled with caution because they’re poisonous and/or may cause skin irritation, while others may interact negatively with certain medications. certain minerals should not be used in gem elixirs due to toxicity (here’s a list).
• work on practicing meditation (see tips on my FAQ) and visualization (click for tips).
• work on grounding and centering. click for an introduction article.
• remember that tools are just that — tools. you don’t need a fancy altar, an athame, a wand, tons of herbs and crystals, or even candles to practice witchcraft. these are items that help you focus, but don’t sweat it if you don’t have everything on hand. it’s also fine to use substitutes. for example, white candles may be used in place of other colors, rosemary is a good substitute for most herbs and olive oil can be used to anoint items if you do not have any essential oils.
• prior to performing any spellwork, it’s a good idea to cleanse the area (some people like to cast a circle). there are a number of ways you can do this - smoke cleansing (here’s how I do it), sound cleansing (bells, music, clapping, chanting, etc), steam, salt water, and/or sweeping with a besom (traditional broom).
• be clear when stating, focusing on and/or directing your intent/energy when doing spellwork.
• generally, it’s not a good idea to invoke any deities or other entities if you are not familiar with them. you do not have to call upon any gods or goddesses for help during a ritual or spell, unless you are comfortable with doing so.
• I advise against performing spells that influence other people’s free will (mainly love spells to “make” someone fall for you).

take it a day at a time and I think you’ll be fine :) also, please visit my FAQ.
substitutions for common materials (for spells, not for ingestion):

• rose petals in place of any flower petal
• rosemary in place of any herb
• tobacco in place of any poisonous herb
• frankincense in place of any resin

Please mentor me and teach how to start becoming a witch!!!

That’s…That’s a TALL order, honey. Seriously, there are entire volumes written on the subject, and I can only speak from my own experience.
What I can do is offer you the advice I’d give to any new witch, direct you to my website (I’m trying to add as much resource material as I can), and let you know that my inbox is open for any questions you might have. (I made a post here about my specialties and the subjects on which I can answer questions.)
The best thing to do when you’re starting is to do lots of research. Look into the different philosophies and religions under the pagan umbrella. Talk to witches here on tumblr, get a first-hand account of their practices if they’ll allow it.
Read blogs and articles and field guides about herbs and trees. Become aware of the social issues facing the pagan community. Discover why there is no such thing as “black” magic and why there are some formerly common words (g*psy, spirit animal, smudging, totem, chakra, karma, etc.) which you should never use improperly again. Learn about cultural appropriation and why you should never, ever do it. Make yourself socially aware and socially responsible.
Learn about yourself. Discover what speaks to you. Develop your own set of beliefs, your own set of practices. Understand and accept that these can and will change as you continue to learn. Understand that witchcraft is a practice, not a religion, but that you can apply religion to it, if that is your wish.
Be aware when you look for book sources that a lot of authors in pagan literature are coming from a Wiccan or Neo-Wiccan viewpoint. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to know, and it’s important to read critically. Steer clear of books by D.J. Conway, Laurie Cabot, Margaret Murray, Edain McCoy, Silver RavenWolf, Ana Riva, and most theory-based books by Scott Cunningham and Kate West. These have been known to be problematic and rife with incorrect information.
And remember: Not all witches follow the Wiccan Rede.
My website has a page of source material that I refer to frequently, and a page of online resources for supplies, e-texts, and witch-owned etsy shops. There are also downloadable spreadsheets listing the magical uses of several hundred types of herbs, flowers, and other plants on the Plant Magic page. (I don’t claim to be an expert, I’m just sharing what I’ve learned.)
Respect your fellow practitioners, no matter what deities they do or do not follow. That includes the Satanists, the Luciferians, the Lokeans, the Christopagans, the secular witches, and the atheists too. Do not knock it because you don’t understand it. Expect that as a new practitioner you’re going to catch some flack if you make a mistake. Don’t take it personally. Consider your mistakes to be valuable learning opportunities. If you’re in the wrong and an apology is called for, make one. Learn from that too.
There is no one right way of being a witch or practicing witchcraft. There are only three hard and fast rules:

1. Be respectful of the beliefs and practices of others, even when you don’t agree with them. (That includes not forcing your beliefs on others.)
2. Never stop learning, always seek more knowledge and experience than you had yesterday.
3. Don’t be an asshole.

Discovering your area of expertise may not happen right away; some specialties only come with time. There are three things you can do to help yourself along the way:

1. EXPLORE - Read. Network. Talk to people. Find out about all kinds of shit you can do with magic. Find out what types of magic interest you. Find out which types of magic are appropriate for you to be practicing (be careful not to take things from closed cultures or religions).
2. LEARN - Make a list of magical things that pique your interest. Study up on those things. Talk to people who include those things in their practices and see if they’re willing to give you some advice. Build up a knowledge base.
3. PRACTICE - If it holds your interest through all the studying, give it a try. Start with the basics and hone your skills. See if it feels right. If it does, keep at it. If not, move on to the next thing.

If you’re going to work with herbs, definitely get your hands on some medical books and field guides. It helps to be able to identify the plants and also to be aware of any health risks associated with using or handling them. Here are a few that I recommend:

• The Complete Guide to Herbal Medicines (Fetrow & Avila)
• Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs (Rodale Press)
• Western Medicinal Plants & Herbs (Peterson Field Guides)

*surveys post* Yeah, that should be good to get you started.
One last thing: family situations.
While it’s important to have pride in yourself and to not be ashamed of being a witch, it’s also important to maintain your personal safety. If you are in a situation where you honestly feel that you could be harmed or evicted for openly practicing witchcraft, then either find a safe space elsewhere for your physical practices, restrict yourself to non-physical practices (i.e. meditation and studying), or don’t practice until you’re in a place where it’s safe to do so. I don’t generally encourage lying, but if lying, even by omission, if going to keep your skin whole, then do it.
Stay safe and good luck, witchling!

Advice to Baby Witches

Here’s some things I wish someone told me when I was first starting out

• You’re gonna find a lot of sources that are Wiccan. So if you don’t want to follow Wicca, it might be harder to find things that talk from a non- Wiccan perspective. This is not the only perspective. I encourage you even if you are wanting to follow Wicca to seek out specifically non-Wiccan sources to get a different view point. (nothing against Wicca here; I just think it’s healthy to get differing opinions)

• It’s still witchcraft even if it doesn’t look like what books/Internets witchcraft looks like. Remember that:

1. Everyone has a different way of doing things and your craft will never ever be the same as anyone else’s.
2. The people posting about what witchcraft they’ve done are most of the time showing a perfected version of it. You are just starting out. You should not hold yourself up to the standards of people who have had more time and practice.
3. It’s actually good that it doesn’t look like anyone else’s because that means that it’s entirely your own.

• I know it can feel very daunting first getting involved in witchcraft because there is so much to learn. Trust me, you cannot learn everything, and that is okay.

• Take things step by step. Find something that really excites you. For example, say you are really interested in deity worship. Focus on just that first. Research different deities and meditate on the ones that interest you. Once you feel like you’ve learned enough (you don’t have to be an expert by any means, just to a point where you feel like you have your foot in the door) then you can move on to something else. You don’t have to do it this way, but I found it helped me narrow things down.

• The idea that “if you don’t know what your doing with witchcraft it can backfire” is a myth. Don’t be afraid to explore, learn new things. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend doing anything outside your skill level either. Maybe save the big deal curses for when you have a good grasp on them. Listen to your intuition on this one, if you feel like something you’re doing is too much for you, don’t do it right away, but work your way up. Don’t give up on it, either. Like I said, if you feel like you don’t have the ability to do something, get to a point where you do.

• You will have thoughts like “this won’t work” “you’re being stupid” “it’s just some *conventionally useless item*, that can’t do ANYTHING” this is okay. Any intrusive thoughts that tell you it’s not going to work are fine, especially if you are mentally ill. It does not mean your magic looses it’s power because you had an intrusive thought. Yes, the best way to make your magic work is to believe it will work, but intrusive thoughts will not automatically stop the magic from working. Just try your best to overcome them, whatever technique you have for that will work fine. I always use my inner voice to talk back to my intrusive thoughts and say something like “What? That doesn’t even make sense! You’re being ridiculous, random voice in my head that has no attachment to me.” and try to ignore it. Your mental illness does not make you a less powerful of a witch, remember that.

• You are much more powerful than you realize. Own this. Be empowered by it.

• You don’t have to have a whole bunch of extravagant altars and read your tarot cards and meditate every day to be considered a ‘real’ witch. You do magic without even realizing it sometimes. It’s sometimes hard to do anything big because of busy schedules/low spoons/being closeted or whatever. Try and incorporate little things in your daily routine. I did this by Stirring my tea clockwise and focusing on the cup, while repeating “this tea will improve my day” in my head. It works great for practicing putting your intent in things, focusing your energy, and it can even work if you live in an unfriendly witch household! Get creative with the little things you can do everyday. And even if you can’t do those things sometimes, don’t worry about it!

• Be very careful about cultural appropriation in your practice. It can get very dicey as to what is offensive to include in your practice and what is not. I can tell you straight up right now that anything taken from a Native American culture is not okay to incorporate in your practice. A very popular thing that’s taken from Native American culture is smudging. Don’t smudge. There are many alternatives to this. That being said, some things are ok to take from other cultures because those cultures aren’t practiced by living people/are part of a culture or religion that is open to outsiders taking it. Don’t bat yourself up for doing something then finding out it was offensive, because when you recognize it then take necessary steps to fix it, that’s you growing as a person and is a positive change. If you aren’t sure if what your doing is cultural appropriation, ask yourself:

1. Is what I’m doing practiced by a group of people today? if yes, you’re in the danger zone, but it does not  necessarily mean it is appropriation
2. Is the religion that it comes from a closed or open religion? (this means is it ok for outsiders, people who do not follow the religion, to practice it. example-Judaism=closed, wicca=open) If closed, it’s probably appropriation.
3. Am I apart of a race that has a history of oppressing this group of people? If yes, you might want to be cautious about it.
4. If it is deity related- Do the deities in question give me permission? if no, then definitely do not do it.
5. What would a person from that religion/culture think if they saw me doing this? If they would not like it, it might not be okay.
6. Is this from my heritage/ancestral background? Don’t worry too much if the answer is no but you passed most of the other questions, This one is mostly because if you grew up in a Jewish/Catholic/Muslim/other closed religion household, wanting to incorporate that in your practice is ok.

• You do not have to be religious to practice witchcraft. Your craft can exclude deity work of any kind.

• Don’t be afraid to ask what you feel are stupid questions. If your really scared, google is a very handy tool and most blogs have that anon option for a reason. :p

Mmk, spoons are low. Feel free to add any advice you think I’m missing. I really hope this helps someone!

How do I begin to do magic or learn about?

How do i begin to do magic or learn about? I mean, i do not believe in goddess, so where does magic come from? How do i learn? What can i do or not be able to do? Are there rules or something? By the way, thank you, your blog is awesome ~

---

Hello! I am going to try to break this down into sections, to answer a bit easier.
Please note, a lot of this is my own opinion, and others may agree / disagree, and that is okay. However, you did ask me, so this is what I have to say, and I hope it proves useful to you. If you don’t agree with something I say, or you feel differently, that’s okay, because magic is full of things like that. (I talk a little more about that further on).
How do I begin to do magic?
Well, you decide you want to do magic, you pick out some spells or methods you want to try, and you try them. :p That may seem really broad and not specific, but that is really it. Firstly, you will need to do some research (and I will talk about that below) on a branch of magic you are interested in (and there are many, but I won’t bring that up here just now). Once you’ve done your research, and you have an idea of where you want to begin, try some spells / methods, experiment if you feel comfortable enough doing so (though it can always wait until when you have more experience), and go from there.
[How to Do Magic]
How do I begin to learn about magic?
Research. And lots of it. Look for as many resources as you can find, online as well as in the physical world. Books, guides, tutorials, blogs, web pages. Cross check anything you find with other sources, no matter where you see it - you will find conflicting information, because magic is such a personal thing and therefore varies from person to person. This is okay. Try out one thing, see if it works, and if not try it out another way. Magic is a lot of research, testing and experimentation, then making note of what works for you, and trying something else.
Here are some lists of book recommendations:

• [Books and Resources (Paganism, Witchcraft and More)]
• [Book Recommendations for Witches]
• [A Few Recommended Witchcraft Books]
• [Magical Book Recommendations]
• [Recommended Books - Updated]
• [Recommended Reading]
• [Resources or Book Recommendations for Witchcraft Outside of Wicca]
• [Witchcraft Resources Galore]

[Here] is a list of authors you should try to avoid - trigger warning for mention of various disturbing topics. [Here] is a post that talks about why your book on witchcraft might be full of it; if you have any questions as to why that might be, feel free to ask the OP or even myself. [Here] is a post that explains using discretion and critical reading in regards to witchcraft books.
I do not believe in deities, so where does magic come from?
Everywhere. The way a lot of us see magic is the manipulation of energy. Therefore, anything that has energy can be used in magic. Therefore, there is magical potential in anything. Mostly people get magic from the earth and the elements, or themselves; people also get the energy to fuel magic from objects that are known to carry potent energy for specific purposes - herbs, crystals, candles, etc.
What can I do? What am I not able to do?
Do whatever you want - try whatever you want. Not everything will work for everyone, so I can’t say what may work for you or what may not. For instance, sigils work for me, but they may not for you, for various reasons. So, it’s a matter of playing around with different methods and seeing what you like and what works for you.
There are some things I find magic can’t really affect - such as changing physical appearance or form in this plane, or completely removing illness from the body, just as a few examples. Magic is more useful for increasing the odds or likeliness of a thing to happen, but it cannot permanently guarantee a thing to happen.
Are there rules?
Well, there can be, if you want to set them for yourself. There aren’t really any universal rules for being a magic user. There isn’t any set dogma or list of things you can or cannot do to be classified as a magic user.
Some people will talk about cursing or whatever here, but that is still a matter of personal choice and individual morals. If you want to, cool, if you don’t want to, also cool. What isn’t cool is trying to tell other people how they should practice. (Also why I’m not really talking about rules here, because that’s up to you to decide how you wanna practice.)
Besides that, the only thing I can think of would be the limits of physics, but that isn’t so much a rule as boundaries of the practice, things it just can’t do at this time.
By the way, thank you, your blog is awesome ~
Haha well thank you! I hope this helps you. I would also recommend checking out the [Advice for Witchlings] page on my blog, or [this post full of advice and tips for a beginner witch]. They have more information that may be helpful to you as well. :) If you still have any more questions, you know where to find me. Best of luck on your path! :D

For Witchlings

+ What book should i read? Everything’s kinda confuse right now… do you have any advices? Or ideas of how can I start? Thank you so much anyway ♡ (it was a bit long, hope you can read it, sorry xx)

It wasn’t too long, and I can read it just fine. :)
But, this is going to be a long ass post. So, yeah, be warned.
First of all, you don’t really need to buy anything if you don’t want to. (Check this post: [“Do I Need a ________ to Be a Witch?”]. The answer: no.) There are some branches of magic that don’t really require any physical components - energy work or sigil magic being the ones that jump to mind first. There are also many average household items that have their own energies that can be used in magic. Sometimes people already have some witchy supplies in their homes that can be used - many people have spice racks and candles and jars from other food, and those are pretty common tools in the craft.
It also highly depends on the sort of magic you want to do. Do you want to work with candles, crystals, herbs, all of the above? Then you’ll want to look into places to find those. (I get my herbs from the grocery store and candles from the dollar store, honestly.) Do you plan on grinding herbs into powders? Then you’ll probably need a mortar and pestle, or something similar. Plan on making poppets or sachets? You’ll need fabric, thread, and sewing needles, though poppets can be made out of paper instead, and you can buy little baggies that can work for sachets. Want to make magical jars? Hit up the dollar store for bottles and containers. Do you want a wand? Do you want a ritual space / altar? Tarot decks / other methods of divination? It seriously comes down to what you want, and what you might plan on doing.
Here is a list of some things that might be useful in your magic, more as a jumping off point of ideas, and in no way absolute or complete:

• candles
• crystals
• herbs
• jars
• sachets / tiny pouches
• sewing needles, thread and fabric
• thicker string / ribbon
• paper and writing utensils

You can use almost anything in your magic, though, and many things you can just find outside, like:

• leaves
• nuts
• rocks
• water from streams or rain
• feathers (some places have laws about picking up feathers, be sure to check out where you live and if that will be an issue)

Everything has magical potential. You can even enchant regular objects like jewelry to bring about magical effects. This is also good if you have to be super discreet. The options are literally endless.
Here are a couple of posts, [The Beginner Witch’s Starter Spell Kit] and [New Witch’s Shopping Guide], that I think you should check out as well. Some other useful posts:

• [Basic Herb Collection] (an ask)
• [Beginner Crystals]
• [Essential Crystal List]
• [Getting Stuff for Spells] (an ask)
• [Herb Suggestions for Starting Off] (an ask)
• [9 Easy-to-Find Ingredients Every Aspiring Witch Needs]
• [Properties of 14 Common Crystals]
• [Top 10 Herbs for the Lazy Witch]
• [Top Ten Magical Herbs] (tw: music autoplay)
• [20 Household Herbs and their Magical Uses]

If you are on a budget…

• [Accumulating Witch Stuff on a Budget]
• [Being a Witch on a Budget]
• Dollar Store Magic: [Part 01]; [Part 02]
• [Limited Witchcraft Masterpost]
• [A Low Budget List of Altar Supplies]
• [Magic on a Budget]
• [A Poor Witch’s Guide]
• [Practices for a Beginner Witch on a Budget]
• [Thrifting for Witchy Supplies]
• [Tips and Tricks for the Frugal (or broke) Wiccan]
• [Witchy Supplies for Nomadic, Poor, Homeless, Parochial, and Anti-Consumerist Witches]
• [Witchy Tips and Tricks]

If you need to be discreet…

• [Acquiring Discreet Supplies] (an ask)
• [Apps for Witches Masterpost Pt 1]
• [Big Broom Closet Post Part 1] *
• [Big Broom Closet Post Part 2] *
• [Covert Witchcraft 101]
• [Discreet and Low Budget Witchcraft Resource List]
• [Enchantments for the Subtle Witch]
• [Master List of Low-Key Spells]
• [Little Things For Witches Who Keep Quiet About Their Craft]
• [Subtle Magical Practice]
• [Thriving in the Broom Closet] *
• [Tips for a Beginner Witch Who Needs to be Discreet] (an ask)
• [Tips for Discreet Witchcraft]
• [Tips for Life in the Broom Closet] *
• [Witchy Uses for Your Phone for the Frugal or Secret Witch]

* not my choice of title
And just because something might be useful, doesn’t mean you have to use it. For example, I find blood to be very useful in magic - it is super potent with energies - but some people aren’t comfortable using it. And that’s fine. If you don’t want to utilize something, you don’t have to.
Notebooks are almost vital as a witch, in my opinion. You’ll want a place to store all the information you’ve learned to access later. It’ll be a place to keep all your spells and correspondences, and notes on any magical workings you do as well.
However, you can go completely digital and forego a physical book - using programs like OneNote, Google Drive and the like can be another way for you to store your info discreetly, password protected, and have access to it anywhere you have internet and your mobile device.
As to finding out what you want to do with magic, where you should start, I generally give people this list of questions that will hopefully help them narrow their focus and figure out where it is they want to go:

• Why were you drawn to the craft in the first place? What got you interested in studying / practicing it?
• What sorts of expectations do you have, if any, about what you can do with magic?
• Is magic something you just want to experiment with, or do you want to practice long-term?
• Are there any things in particular you hope to achieve by doing magic? Do you have any end goals for yourself or your craft? Any expectations?
• What sorts of things would you like to do (in regards to different varieties of spellwork [candle magic, sachet magic, etc.], divination, etc.)?
• Do you feel an attraction / affinity to any particular branch of magic (chaos magic, green magic, spirit work, hedgework, etc.)? Why? What in particular makes it appealing to you?
• Are there things you don’t want to go near no matter what? Why? What bothers you about those things?

Ultimately that’s what matters - what you want, where you want to go. Here is my advice on that front: pick something to start with, and go with it - learn what you can from it, play with it, and when you think you’ve got it covered, try something else, while still keeping in mind what you’ve already learned.
Witchcraft is such a personal practice and area of study - it allows you to experiment and find out what works for you, while also not enforcing anything that you may not be comfortable with. Don’t wanna do this thing? You don’t have to. Maybe you would prefer to focus on this thing? Go right ahead. Oh, wait, you changed your mind, and now you wanna do this? Yep, go for it. It is a beautiful thing.
Here is a list I ended up throwing together of some common branches of magic. You are not bound or excluded to only one - you can practice many of these at any one time, and you are not stuck with it of you happen to pick it up but decide you don’t like it. This list is also not exclusive, but a way to give you an idea of some of the things you can do.

• energy work
• candle magic
• crystal magic
• crystal grids
• sachet magic
• knot magic
• poppet magic
• kitchen magic
• tea magic
• bath magic
• traditional magic
• urban magic
• chaos magic
• sigil magic
• pop culture magic
• green magic
• cottage magic
• hedgework
• spirit work
• shadow work
• blood magic
• sex magic
• death magic
• necromancy

There are so man different veins of magic, and they can blend and mix in such cool ways. Most spells have components of different varieties of magic - you might see a spell call for candles and crystals, or jars and poppets.
It takes some time to build up witchy supplies, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t have 20 different herbs in the span of a week. It’s taken me two years to build u the supplies I have, just picking up bits and pieces here and there. A good idea to start would be pick one spell then buy the ingredients for that, and do that spell. Then, decide on a spell you want to do next - you’ll find you might already have some of the ingredients left over from the first one, then you just need to pick up what you’re missing. It is also good to keep lists of substitutions for various herbs if you decide to use them. Not everything has a substitution, but if you can find things with similar correspondences as to what is being used in that spell and why, you should be okay.
Learning to write your own spells is also a great way to ensure you’ll have the ingredients you need (by basing it off what you have), but that can be a bit daunting, and is in no way necessary, just a handy skill to have.
I am not so sure on the books you should buy - I tend to get my witchcraft resources from online, and this whole blog is my resource compilation. I use Tumblr as my main source of info, along with my discretion of course. I know other witches have lists of book recommendations, and I can give you those:

• [Books and Resources (Paganism, Witchcraft and More)]
• [Book Recommendations for Witches]
• [A Few Recommended Witchcraft Books]
• [Magical Book Recommendations]
• [Recommended Books - Updated]
• [Recommended Reading]
• [Resources or Book Recommendations for Witchcraft Outside of Wicca]
• [Witchcraft Resources Galore]

[Here] is a list of authors you should try to avoid - trigger warning for mention of various disturbing topics. [Here] is a post that talks about why your book on witchcraft might be full of it; if you have any questions as to why that might be, feel free to ask the OP or even myself. [Here] is a post that explains using discretion and critical reading in regards to witchcraft books.
I have a page on my blog, [Advice for Witchlings], that has more advice that can help you out. I also made it into two rebloggable posts if that is easier for you to access: [part 01] and [part 02].
I am also going to toss a huge list of posts here. You don’t need to read them all immediately, but they do all contain various points of interest and things to note, as well as useful information (and sometimes even more links). Witchcraft is a practice of study and learning, after all.

• [Advice for Navigating the Witchcraft / Pagan Community] (an ask)
• [Advice to Baby Witches]
• [Becoming a Witch] (an ask)
• [Beginner Witchcraft]
• [Beginner Witchcraft Resources Masterpost]
• [A Comprehensive “How to”]
• [Finding Out What Kind of Witch You Are]
• [For a Beginner] (an ask)
• [FAQ]
• [Finding Your Witchcraft]
• [Frequently Asked Questions]
• [Getting Started]
• [Good Things to Research When You Don’t Know What to Research] (tw: gif)
• [Greetings New Witches!]
• [How Do You Even Begin?] (tw: gif)
• [How to Do Witchcraft Research for Newbies]
• [“I’m Interested in Witchcraft, Where Do I Start?”]
• [Masterpost of Masterposts]
• [New Witch Resources]
• [The Newbie Witch - What Others Often Don’t Tell You About Beginning the Practice]
• [9 Practical Tips for New Witches]
• [St.’s Short and Sweet Guide to (Not Asking Her) How to Get Started in Witchcraft and Magic]
• [Theory and Practice] (a masterpost)
• [Tips for Beginner Witches] (an ask)
• [Tips for Beginners] (an ask)
• [Tips for Extremely New Witches] (an ask)
• [Tips For Those Who Are Considering Witchcraft]
• [Top Witch Tips]
• [Welcome to Witchcraft - A Post for Beginners]
• [What’s Next?]
• [“Where Do I Start?”]
• [Where to Start] (an ask)
• [Witchcraft 101]
• [Witchcraft 101]
• [Witchcraft Resources Galore]
• [Witchcraft, Where to Start?]
• [Witchling Tips]
• [Witchtips’ Rebloggable “Frequently Asked Questions” - Part I]

Oh dear gods, okay, I am done with this. Not only because it’s way too long, but because my fingers hurt. xD

Advice for Witchlings, Part 02

I’ve decided to rewrite and update the list of things I think it’s good for a new witch to know and have. It got so long, however, that it now needs to be divided up into multiple posts to make it easy on the dashboard!
This post is still just advice, my opinion and thoughts; as such, isn’t meant as a “you have to do this, no matter what” type of thing. I personally feel that all of these things are useful to at least ponder when starting out, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them. No matter what I say here, your path and your craft are your own, and it is up to you to decide ultimately where you want to go and what you want to do. I only hope that this post will inspire you, and give you an idea of what may suit or benefit you.
Now that all that is out of the way, I’ll jump right in…

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Keeping a Magical Book, Gathering Supplies, & Budget / Discreet Magic

I highly recommend you keep a book (or even series of books) to write down all that you’ve learned and spells that you wish to use within your craft. Not only will this help you to keep organized to find things when you need them, but writing things down helps solidify them in your memory (as discussed in [this article]). Another use for writings things down comes into play when you write your own spells and practice casting them. Writing down exactly how you did it, why you used what you did, etc., can help you not only determine how spell mechanics work, but can also help shed some light on what may not have worked if a spell doesn’t fire exactly as planned. There is a lot more I have to say in regards to keeping a Book of Shadows / grimoire / spellbook - I actually made a post series about it!

• [Part 01: Introduction]
• [Part 02: Styles of Grimoires]
• [Part 03: What Should I Write?]
• [Part 04: Organization]
• [Part 05: Decoration]

One thing you see a lot of (or, at least, I do) is people talking about practicing every day, what you can do to cast spells every day, and are you a “Real witch” if you don’t. I’m here to tell you, you are, and you don’t *have* to practice every day to consider yourself a magic user. (P.S. I don’t.) It is your practice to do with as you will, do whatever you want, whenever you want. Life happens, we get caught up in other things, and this may cause us to not do as much magic as we may like. And that’s perfectly okay! Sometimes we get low on energy, or even just forget, and that’s still okay too. Do what you need to to get your life back settled - magic will be waiting for you when you return.
It is also important to say this - as awesome as magic is, it shouldn’t be all-encompassing in your life. Yes, it’s great, and it can do amazing things, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you end up doing, or the only thing you rely on to solve your problems. Magic is meant more as a bolster or a boost to mundane methods, to help tips the scales in favor of something happening - it doesn’t guarantee it to happen 100%. Magic is also more likely to fail if it doesn’t have a solid foundation of effort to work off of. A job spell won’t do much if you’re not seeking employment or handing out resumes, you know? Don’t lose yourself to magic - your other hobbies and interests are just as important and awesome too.
Sometimes, however, magic won’t be waiting for us when we come back from long breaks, or we find we are blocked when it comes to trying to cast spells - the energy doesn’t feel like it’s flowing as it should, it’s hard to access, etc. These things happen. With any other skill, your “magic muscles” can get rusty from lack of use. Do what you can to get yourself integrated into your practice again, however that may be; meditate, gather supplies, write out some spells, even cast a few small ones. It may take some time, but that is perfectly okay - just keep trying, try not to get discouraged or self doubt.
Speaking of gathering supplies… Don’t be concerned that, as a new witch, you don’t have as much as other witches do, or access to the same materials. Something I have learned is that these arsenal of supplies gets gathered over time. All the herbs and crystals I have, I didn’t acquire overnight. It’s been two years of purchases here and there, slowly filling in the gaps. Most of the herbs I have - no, wait, all of the herbs I have - were obtained from the spices aisle in the grocery store. It’s about what you *can* do, not about what you *have to do.* Start out by gathering the “base supplies” - this list will vary depending on who you ask. A good jumping off point would be this post on [Top 10 Herbs for the Lazy Witch]; another is [Witch Supplies Masterpost].
It can be hard to gather witchcraft supplies on a budget. It can seem discouraging when you search online and see these expensive herbs or crystals. Let me be honest with you - those expensive supplies you see online or in specialized stores, can all be replaced by more commonly found items! Not only that, but there are ways to gather supplies when your funds are tight.

• [Accumulating Witch Stuff on a Budget]
• Dollar Store Magic: [Part 01]; [Part 02]
• [Limited Witchcraft Masterpost]
• [A Low Budget List of Altar Supplies] (more on altars later)
• [Magic on a Budget]
• [A Poor Witch’s Guide]
• [Practices for a Beginner Witch on a Budget]
• [Thrifting for Witchy Supplies]
• [Tips and Tricks for the Frugal (or broke) Wiccan]
• [Witchy Supplies for Nomadic, Poor, Homeless, Parochial, and Anti-Consumerist Witches]
• [Witchy Tips and Tricks]

(If you want more tips for this, I really suggest following low-budget-witches, a great blog that posts tips as well as submissions from others about how to practice magic while on a low budget.)
Another good point to make, is you don’t *need* supplies. Seriously. There are many things you can do with magic that do not require any sorts of crystals or herbs. The first, and most prominent, is energy work - energy work focuses on channeling energy from within yourself and the world around you toward a focus point (which doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical object). I have compiled a [masterpost of energy work resources], though it is a bit old and some of the links are broken (I’m working on it). Sigil work is great for being low on supplies as well - you just need a piece of paper and a writing utensil, and your intent. I have made a [Sigils FAQ] as well, where I answer a lot of questions about working with sigils, and provide more resources for further research.
I was very fortunate in being able to wear my witchcraft on my sleeve - my mom even nabs my crystals when I bring them over. Some magic users, however, are not so lucky. For whatever reason - accepting families, religious conflicts, etc. - there are cases where magic needs to be kept on the down low. There are ways to disguise your magical practice.

• [Acquiring Discreet Supplies] (an ask)
• [Apps for Witches Masterpost Pt 1]
• [Big Broom Closet Post Part 1] *
• [Big Broom Closet Post Part 2] *
• [Covert Witchcraft 101]
• [Discreet and Low Budget Witchcraft Resource List]
• [Enchantments for the Subtle Witch]
• [Limited Witchcraft Masterpost]
• [Master List of Low-Key Spells]
• [Little Things For Witches Who Keep Quiet About Their Craft]
• [Subtle Magical Practice]
• [Thriving in the Broom Closet] *
• [Tips for a Beginner Witch Who Needs to be Discreet] (an ask)
• [Tips for Discreet Witchcraft]
• [Tips for Life in the Broom Closet] *
• [Witchy Uses for Your Phone for the Frugal or Secret Witch]

* not my choice of title

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Advice for Witchlings, Part 01

I’ve decided to rewrite and update the list of things I think it’s good for a new witch to know and have. It got so long, however, that it now needs to be divided up into multiple posts to make it easy on the dashboard!
This post is still just advice, my opinion and thoughts; as such, isn’t meant as a “you have to do this, no matter what” type of thing. I personally feel that all of these things are useful to at least ponder when starting out, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them. No matter what I say here, your path and your craft are your own, and it is up to you to decide ultimately where you want to go and what you want to do. I only hope that this post will inspire you, and give you an idea of what may suit or benefit you.
Now that all that is out of the way, I’ll begin…

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Where to Start & Research

I am often asked “where should I start?” in regards to witchcraft, and the answer is super simple - where do you want to start? I generally reply to those sorts of questions with questions of my own. I do this in the hopes that, by answering these questions for yourself, you can draw your own conclusions and figure out a direction you’d like to go, hopefully one that best suits you and your preferences / desires. Some of the things I tend to ask are:

• Why were you drawn to the craft in the first place? What got you interested in studying / practicing it?
• What sorts of expectations do you have, if any, about what you can do with magic?
• Is magic something you just want to experiment with, or do you want to practice long-term?
• Are there any things in particular you hope to achieve by doing magic? Do you have any end goals for yourself or your craft? Any expectations?
• What sorts of things would you like to do (in regards to different varieties of spellwork [candle magic, sachet magic, etc.], divination, etc.)?
• Do you feel an attraction / affinity to any particular branch of magic (chaos magic, green magic, spirit work, hedgework, etc.)? Why? What in particular makes it appealing to you?
• Are there things you don’t want to go near no matter what? Why? What bothers you about those things?

Ideally, once those kinds of questions have been answered, it leaves one with a sense of direction, and an ideal place to begin looking and studying. Once you know what you want from magic, and what you like about it, you can then set yourself on the right path to get there and do those things. Since I don’t know you, or what you like or dislike, I can’t set you on an exact path on my own; that is up to you to decide where you want to go with magic and what you’d like to do with it. The best thing I think I can offer from a third party perspective, is things that can help you narrow down your path for yourself - no one knows best what you want or like or can do than you.
At this point begins a degree of studying. Yes, you need to do research, though how much research is entirely up to you and what you’re comfortable / capable doing. Like any new subject or craft (not just the magic kind), it is best to learn about what you’re doing. One can’t drive a car successfully without knowing how the car works, or how to control it. A scientist wouldn’t mix together chemicals without knowing how to do so properly, or what the chemicals even are. At least, a safe scientist wouldn’t. Knowing what you’re getting into and what you might be doing, and why, will allow you to proceed safely, and make sure you can avoid any accidents or mistakes. This will also provide you with knowledge that can be used to develop your craft particularly to your own tastes - writing your own spells, creating your own methods, etc. What you learn in this time of study will be like a foundation that you can then use to build the rest of your craft off of.
A lot of my information on witchcraft has been gathered on Tumblr, and I’ve made blogs to compile what I find and learn, so you may just be in the right place for learning! Tumblr isn’t extensive, however, nor should it be relied on completely for all your information. There are many other resources to be found on the internet, including blogs, other websites, and, if you know where to look, entire books in digital format. (This also depends on how comfortable you are pirating - I myself have no issues with it, clearly. Someone recently came into my ask box telling me that downloading books for free like that was wrong, actually, and I just had to chuckle. At this point nothing is going to stop me from downloading stuff the way I do, because I honestly can’t afford otherwise. I am also of the mind frame that knowledge should be free to all people, but that’s not the point here.)
The internet does not hold all there is to learn, so seeking out physical books is not a bad idea. I know it can be hard to find books, depending on your location and whether or not you can be open about your craft, but it shouldn’t be completely ruled out if you have access to them. The library has actually proved to be pretty beneficial for my own research - the selection was limited, but still far more than I expected for the small city I live in. Here are some posts of recommended reading that are a good place to start; however, don’t be afraid to try any book that appeals to you and form your own opinion on them. Also, these books are recommended based off each individual’s personal preferences and opinions, your own may vary.

• [Books and Resources (Paganism, Witchcraft and More)]
• [Book Recommendations for Witches]
• [A Few Recommended Witchcraft Books]
• [Recommended Books - Updated]
• [Recommended Reading]
• [Resources or Book Recommendations for Witchcraft Outside of Wicca]
• [Witchcraft Resources Galore]

The following book lists are pages that can be found on various Tumblr blogs; they are not rebloggable, and apparently not accessible from the mobile app.

• [Book Recommendations]
• [Book Recommendations]
• [Suggested Reading List]

[Here] is a list of authors you should try to avoid - trigger warning for mention of various disturbing topics. [Here] is a post that talks about why your book on witchcraft might be full of it; if you have any questions as to why that might be, feel free to ask the OP or even myself.
When it comes to studying, it is very important that you take what you read with a grain of salt. There are many problematic authors within the witchcraft community, and not just on Tumblr. Misinformation and cultural appropriation are everywhere, even among well known or renowned authors. It is highly recommended that you use discretion, criticize what you read, and fact check what you learn, if you can; sometimes I use as many as six or seven sources when checking the properties of a single herb. [Here] is a post that explains using discretion and critical reading in regards to witchcraft books.
You are not going to agree with or connect with everything you read. There may be cases where you pick up a book that you have high expectations for, and you read through the whole thing, and pick up nothing from it. It isn’t that you didn’t gain knowledge, but sometimes it doesn’t apply to you or where you wish to take your magic. That is fine. Just because you have the knowledge, doesn’t mean you must use it. And having knowledge without using it isn’t a negative thing either - some day you may want to use that knowledge after all, or it may come in handy when applied with other branches of magic, or it may help you inspire your own path…
With all that being said, there is also nothing wrong with not completing a book if you really aren’t feeling it. Again, it all comes down to you and your preferences, what you want to learn and what you plan to do with that knowledge. If there is anything that you read that makes you uncomfortable, don’t bother incorporating it at all. It is your path, your magic; do with it as you will, and only what you will.

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Okay, so this first section just ended up being all about research and stuff. xD The NEXT post will talk more about keeping a grimoire, gathering supplies, and being frugal / discreet. :D
I hope this helps, or gives you something to think about!

For the Baby Witches

Hi there!
You find out what kind of witch you are, by deciding what kind of witchcraft you want to practice. Most people just choose what they want to be, based off what they like, what they feel drawn to, or just what they want to do.  What you choose you aren’t stuck with forever - you can try other things, combine things, whatever you want to do! Witchcraft is super personal, and it’s all for you, by you. You also don’t need to confine your magic to any singular label; you can choose more than one to work with.
I picked sigil magic to start with, for example, because it seemed easy, and I knew I could draw; it also required very little supplies, and it also honestly seemed the least likely to backfire. xD My craft eventually evolved into eclectic magic, because I began using a bit of everything else (crystals, herbs, candles, etc.) in my magic to get what I needed.
As for room decor, that’s up to you. You don’t need it, though. You don’t need to *look* witchy to *be* witchy. If you need to be on the down low about your magic, you don’t have to draw huge pentacles on your walls or wear all black or anything like that to still have magic work. What makes you a witch or magic user is what’s inside you, not around you (it can help but, you know, not required). But, if you want to make your room look “witchy,” whatever that means to you, go right for it. But I don’t think it will impact your magic in any way. (I don’t view altars / magical work spaces as decor - they are more than just decorations.)
In regards to plants, it’s another case of if you want to. All my herbs I get pre-dried in grocery stores and bulk stores, because I can’t grow plants worth squat. I’ve taken fresh herbs from grocery stores, actually, that’s a lie, but they were already grown, and I just hung them in my window to dry them. If you want to try growing your own herbs, feel free, but it isn’t necessary - pre-dried and store bought have worked perfectly for me for the last two years. (I also don’t know anything about growing herbs or gardening, so you’d need to go elsewhere for those answers.)
Working with crystals and sigils are optional - they can prove beneficial, but if you don’t want to do that, you don’t need to.
Working with *anything* is optional, when you get right down to it - all these things, candles, herbs, crystals, are just amplifiers and focuses for magic. You can perform witchcraft with just your own body, energy, and intent. You just need to know how. (P.S. [energy work] is how.)
Doing your own research will never go amiss, let me tell you that right now. I know it can seem daunting, and you don’t know where to start, but seriously, just a Google search of “witchcraft crystal magic” or “witchcraft sigil magic” can pull up a lot of information and give you more ideas of where to go that you can follow on your own. (I really recommend specifying “witchcraft” when searching on the internet, because you might get a lot of pop culture links that just aren’t relevant, or a variety of other articles that might not be applicable.)
You start being a witch by deciding you want to be a witch. Boom, congratulations, welcome to witchcraft! :D From there, it’s going to be a lot of research. Research will help you determine more about witchcraft in general, and from there you can decide what you want to do with it. Once you have an idea of things you might want to try - working with crystals, herbs, sea magic, etc. - you can do more focused research on those topics.
Once you have an idea of what you want to do, try it out. Give some things a shot and practice. Write down what you try, so if it doesn’t work or things go wrong, you can look back and think “what if I try this instead?.” and then try it. It really is all about experimentation. You will make mistakes, spell may not work - it is something that has happened to us all, and likely will again. Nothing is perfect and neither is magic. Don’t be daunted, though - you are new to it, it will take some time to get the hang of and build your confidence up. Just stay positive, and remember that mistakes are learning experiences, and help define you more as witch. Never give up. The magic is inside you, you just need to find the right way to work with it.

(SOME) Types of Spellwork / Magick

Each term below includes a link to a resource of that specific type ~
∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆
Candle
Herb
Crystal
Knot / Chord
Color
Energy Manipulation
Bottle / Jar
Vocal (Chanting)
(Physical) Binding
Poppet
Glamour

Types of Witches (UPDATED)

…A complete masterpost!

Read about the Updates/Notes:

Hello everyone! Here is the updated version of the WITCH TYPES list, including types that were missed and recommended. Please be respectful if there is some form of misinformation or typo on here; I tried my very best and took a lot of my own time and energy to do as thorough research as I could with what I have available, which is a very difficult and long task for somebody with low motivation. I am very in favor of constructive and polite criticism, but I will not tolerate people leaving rude comments without even trying to help me fix and provide the best information possible! Thank you so much to everyone who so kindly informed me of what needed to be polished up and fixed, you are all very lovely people for handling it with patience ~ And keep in mind, beginner witches:

• You do not NEED to identify yourself as a type

• You can choose to identify yourself as NO type at all

• You can choose to identify with as many as you like!

Anyway, enjoy! ➺ Rainy
Each type includes a simplified description (for those who haven’t heard of the type, just to get a generalized idea. The shortened description is in no way meant to be discriminative or disrespectful), a few examples, and almost every bolded term includes a link to a (hand-picked) useful post/website for that type of practice.

Types of Witches

(Some may also fit into the second category)
∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆

• Solitary - Practicing by ones’ self; not included in a group

• Secular - Non-religious / Not connecting with deity(s)

• Eclectic - An individual’s practice that has bits and pieces pulled from different magickal and/or spiritual practices, respectfully

• (Theistic) Satanic - Witchcraft that is often centered around honoring and/or working with satan in spellwork and prayer

• Athiest/Laveyan Satanic - Witchcraft worked with the idea that satan is a concept, rather than a real person or entity (loosely put; it’s a very detailed concept). Also known as Satanic witches who fit the secular description. 

• Hereditary/Blood - Including oneself in the practice of witchcraft on the grounds of having been born into a family who also practices. Knowledge and practice may also be passed down through generations, and honor old ways of magick

• Traditional - One who practices witchcraft by honoring and using old and ‘traditional’ ways of magick; this type of witch might be one to practice modern methods of magick, but they might also stick to traditional concepts or techniques

• Christian - Witchcraft that is performed to honor / or is performed in conjunction with the Christian God as the primary and only deity

• Hellenic - A form of non-witchcraft practice in which the practicer follows Greek ideals/culture and honors the Greek pantheon 

• Celtic - Magickal practice that is based from the Celtic culture, including its’ mythology, deities, old ways, and (occasionally) language / symbols. May also describe those who only worship Celtic gods 

• Science - A form of magick in which both metaphysical ideas and scientific facts/theories are mixed in together by the individual practicer

Types of Witchcraft

Keep in mind that each term’s explaination is the basic description of that type of witchcraft/magick; each individual witch might be a certain type but define it differently, as their practice may be different from the next witch
∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆∴.*☆

• Green - Utilizing greenery/plants/herbs/flowers in herbal and natural magick, such as creating blends of different plants or using primarily herbs in spellwork

• Hedge - Also known as an astral title, a type of magick that is oriented around more spiritual work; astral travel/projection, lucid dreaming, spirit-work, healing, and out-of-body experiences are all practices included in this magick

• Dream - (A possible variation of Hedge) Mindful and internal magickal practice mainly based from interpreting dreams and/or engaging in lucid dreaming. Those who intensify as this may “de-code” symbols and messages in the dream world similar to how one would use a divination technique.

• Sea - A type of magick derived from materials and abstract ideas involving the ocean and oceanic world. Sea/Ocean magick can be worked using seashells and bones, sea weed, beach sand, driftwood, ocean water, etc. and a sea witch might draw their energy from that of the sea!

• Storm/Weather - Magick that is worked by combining one’s energy with the energy of the weather, and most commonly rain. Weather witches will do things like collect rain/snow water, absorb the energy of a lightning storm, “whistle up” or manipulate wind, predict the weather, etc.

• Cottage / Hearth - (A slight variation from kitchen) Magick that is weaved, worked, or embued into mundane tasks around the house or for loved ones. Cottage/Hearth magick may be worked into daily tasks such as cleaning, cooking, or any hobbies

• Kitchen - Magick that is worked specifically through “kitchen craft” such as herbal mixtures, brewing, baking, and cooking, and honors many aspects of the natural world: including herbs, crystals, fey, and the elements

• Tea - Those who drink tea, make tea, use tea-leaf divination, or enjoy blending herbal remedies! A variant of Kitchen/Cottage witch

• Tech - Magick that is skillfully worked through technology! A tech witch will most likely have at least a few magickal apps on their phone, digital sigils, or an online/digital BoS and/or Grimoire

• Garden - While having a garden and/or working in any type of garden; magick that is mostly (if not all) herbal and botanical-related! Garden witches take pride and find it calming or invigorating to work the earth, harvest that which they have planted, and are closely related to Green type

• Elemental - Magick that is worked by honoring/acknowledging the 4 or all 5 elements: Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and Spirit. Commonly an Elementalist will dedicate different areas of their altars to each element, call upon them during spells and rituals, and use symbols to represent each

• Water - Specifically centered on the element of Water; water scrying, collecting sea/storm/snow/river/spring water, swimming/bath spells and other water-related actives, creating and using symbols associated with water

• Earth - Specifically centered on the element of Earth; grounding exercises, rock/soil collecting, strong appreciation of the natural world, creating and using symbols associated with earth

• Air - Specifically centered on the element of Air; working with wind, using air-related tools (such as the wand), creating and using symbols associated with air

• Fire - Specifically centered on the element of Fire; Using anything fire-related (bonfires, candles, burning objects) in most spellwork, creating and using symbols associated with fire

• Flora - Much like a Green or Garden witch, those who work majorily with floral materials and flowers in their practice and in their spellwork! Their grimoire may be heavily associated with flowers rather than herbs, and likewise, one might use flower properties in spell or craft work.

• Urban Primative/City - For those who live or prefer the urban/city lifestyle; magick that can be worked without the seemingly “traditional” ways of witchcraft

• Faery/Fey - Magick for those who communicate and work with the fey during spells and rituals. Usually, those who work with the fey may also leave offerings regularly, as thanks for the assistance of a faery in their spellwork.

• Spirit Working - A practice in which the person will perform spellwork in conjunction with or with the help of any manner of spirit. This includes Ouija, (sometimes) demon spirits, spiritual contact, etc.

• Draconian - Refers to type of magick for those who call upon or work with dragons and dragon imagery in their practice; whether it be through astral matters or in spells and rituals

• Seasonal - Witches who utilize and draw energy from the specific times of year for their magick, sort of how a person might have a strong love or connection to a certain time of year! This can also be spread out into Winter, Autumn, Spring and Summer witches

• Embroidery / Sewing / Knit - One who embues magick into household “stitching” or “string” hobbies such as embroidery, sewing, knitting, stringing, and knotting ~ Basically, one who identifies with using knot or chord magick in many different skills

• Paper - Magick that is worked with, essentially, paper! Burning paper written with sigils, chants, symbols or spells, creating magickal offerings, items, or sachels from paper, etc.

• Music - Magick that is worked with music, musical chimes, or rhythm! Humming/singing, clapping, singing chants during spells, playing instruments (even simple ones, like the triangle or bells), or even just simply playing music during spellwork, magick, or during energy exercises are a few common things a music witch might fancy

• Chaos/Chaotic - A type of magick utilizing new, non-traditional, and unorthodox methods. It is a new and highly individualistic practice, while still drawing from other common forms of magick.

• Animal - (A variant of Green) Magick that is strongly tied to the animal kingdom, which includes a deep appreciation for all animals, and most often: usage of animal materials in spellwork. An animal witch will most likely be one who loves animals, a person who animals are immediently “drawn” to, and those who appreciate the natural world. Some animal witches might also use bones, wings, feathers, fur, skin, scales, (etc). from deceased animals in their magick, if they choose to do so. 

• Sanguine - Meaning “blood” or “blood red color” in Latin, a type of magick that deals with blood or other life giving fluid; life blood can also be represented through things such as water, or nutrients. A term for those who work with blood and life-oriented magick!

• Sigil - A witchcraft working majorly with sigils, and the intent that can be put into them to active their power

• Art/Craft - Witchcraft that can be worked through arts and crafts, simply put! One may embue macgick in creative activities such as painting, drawing, building, cutting, creating, etc.

• Grey - A neutral witch, who practices magick that neither benefits or harms others. Grey magick may also both harm and benefit at the same time, balancing and neutralizing.

• Bone - Witches who commonly collect, clean, and use animal bones in their magickal practice, and for things like altar decoration or magick-infused charms/jewelry. Materials used by those who identify as Bone witches are usually collected peacefully or after the being has passed on naturally!

• Lunar - One who works magick with / honors the moon and it’s energy and phases. This type of witch is also one to favor casting magick during the night hours rather than during the day

• Astronomy/Space - (A wider variant of lunar) Those who practice magick and correlate their beliefs in conjunction with the planets and stars! These witches may focus their magick with the properties of each planet, regularly read a horoscope or study astrology, and have a love of the stars and the night.

• Energy - Those who prefer to do magick through energy exercises and manipulation rather than with many physical tools or materials; using the enhanced power of the mind and the body’s natural energies to bring about a magickal result or feeling. (Also may include aura work)

• Crystal - Magick that is worked commonly with stones and crystals, such as during spellwork or for crystal healing techniques. This may also include chakra balance, crystal meditation… anything that uses crystals, really! A crystal witch may also have an extensive knowledge of stones, including how to identify them and using their properties.

• Literary - Those who practice magick through books and literature; a literary witch may do thing such as using book divination, often study witchcraft/magick even after the “beginner” phase of learning, etc. Also a term used to describe witches in stories, books, or movies.

The following information was kindly given by lovely bedaelia! Her descriptions were so well-written, I decided to simply use her own)

• Heathenry - a practice in which the individual follows, works with, and/or worships the Norse deities

• Lokean - Someone who works with/worships Loki and/or any of his relations (Hel, Jormugandr, Sigyn, Angrboda, etc) ; does not exclude other deities.

• Odinism - A faith that works mostly with Odin, Thor, Freyjr, Freyja, Frigga, and Heimdall.

• Asatru - Literally “Faith in the [Old] Gods” it is a more specific branch of Heathenry that worships the major Nordic pantheon, minus Loki, Fenrir, or other “adversary” gods.

• Gaulish - A practice that involves worshipping Gaulish gods

• Kemetic - Worshipping and working with Egyptian deities

• Death/Necromancy - A practice that may combine Bone, Animal, Spirit work, occasionally also Blood. Using spirits to empower one self, hoarding bones, using graveyards, graves, the spirits of them, as well as the dirt (or even plants) that are found in them. May also honor the dead and/or gods who work with the dead. 

• Pop Culture - Uses pop culture as a main focus or inspiration for the craft. Using lyrics or movie lines in spells, worshipping and honoring pop culture icons or idols, use of fandom, and more. It is a very wide practice. Examples may include drawing from Harry Potter spells or using invented sigils from shows like Supernatural. 

• “Poison Path” - Working with plants, herbs, other items that may be poisonous, deadly, cause hallucinogenic effects, or affect the mind or body in some way (sometimes aphrodisiacs are included [?])

• Desert - Using and utilizing the desert environment. Lots of work with hardier plants such as Cacti or Tumbleweeds. Use of the moon, desert earth, fire, rare water (especially rainwater), wind, local plants and herbs, as well as animals/creatures of the desert such as snakes, spiders, scorpions, and so on.

• Swamp/Bog - Heavy use of water and moisture, rich we soil/mud, sometimes incorporates the use of bones, animals, and insects, especially the local plants of the Swamp

Spell jar for happiness and protection

Ingredients:
Sea salt for protection and emotional cleansing
Dried daffodils for happiness
Dried sunflower petals for joy
Dried rose petals for love and affection
Eggshells (powdered or in pieces) for protection
Cinnamon for energy and power
Citrine chips for happiness, confidence and good fortune
White, yellow or pink candle
Combine as you please and activate by burning your candle on top of the sealed jar. When you feel it needs recharging simply burn another candle on top while focusing on your intention.

Perks of Moons

Perks of Taurus Moon

• senses are everything to you: you do not believe something you can’t touch, or see with your own eyes
• you do not commit super fast, but when you do, it lasts for long!
• you have a calm energy that makes people feel comfortable around you
• you are very romantic and sentimental; you love to show your love to someone
• you are very loyal and ready to invest a lot to make a relationship work!

Perks of Pisces Moon

• you have one of the best intuition in all the Zodiac
• your empathy is very strong, allowing you to be very compassionate of the people around you, but also to take any role you want. Theater can be easy for you (if it was not for your introvert part)
• you laugh very easily
• you are unconventional, and you see the world with more shades than most people
• you are very open minded, and you will welcome in your life all kind of people, heart ready to love them!
• you are a believer, and you bring hope <3

 Perks of a Moon in Capricorn

• you are a very productive person, and usually, you learn fast about something, and become quite good at it. It can be anything, from mechanics to cooking or gardening
• you like to feel useful and keep your hands and mind busy
• you do not lose your head under pressure
• you always plan for the future

Cons of Moon in Capricorn

• you can be a bit control freak
• you may feel insecure when you are out of your routine
• OCD might happen with that placement
• you can seem cold as expressing your emotions is really hard for you

Perks of Libra Moon

• you always look for harmony in your life and work on making your environment healthy and peaceful
• yoga, meditation, mindfulness are all perfect for you!
• you support your friends when they have hard decisions to take, with a genuine concern
• when you work in a team, you’re at your best!
• you like to flirt, but in a gentle way, and your charm is hard to resist. You’ll be the one smiling and laughing sweetly, bringing a gentle light in the room
• you always win your arguments, can’t help it ;)

Perks of Cancer Moon

• you live to help others, and your empathy and your best weapon for that. You catch up easily with their feelings and emotions
• you have a huge memory, able to say what you felt 13 years and 2 days ago
• you always love people for their soul and give everybody a chance to reveal who they are behind the cover they give to the world. 
• you can have a great sense of humor, always finding a funny thing to say
• once your friend, always your friend

Perks of Aquarius Moon

• you love to learn and to observe, to study
• you analyze your environment all the time, you can’t help it
• you like to feel unique and special and will cultivate your differences
• with that comes your strong independence
• you are a very faithful friend, considerate even if sometimes you can seem distant. You really do care.

Perks of Aries Moon

• you live for the moment and are not afraid of challenges
• you have strong pride, inner passion and fire burning within you
• you do not wait to act when something needs to be done
• when you have problems, you do not hide them away, you face them, and solve them
• you are brutally honest

Perks of Scorpio Moon

• you thrive for emotional intensity
• you can see immediately the secret heart and passions of anyone
• you see what others can, what is hidden in the shadows
• you are never afraid of a challenge
• when you get into something, you do it completely, you go 100% into it
• when you put your faith in someone, it is forever
• what people see of you are strength and a special glow

Perks of Sagittarius Moon

• you are a cheerful and happy person
• you are optimistic and believe in luck, that everything will be sorted out
• no one can stay mad at you for long
• you love to go outside, to be in the wild space
• you live for the unexpected, things that will break your routine

Perks of Virgo Moon

• being practical and organized is natural to you
• and you are not afraid to do that for others, you are always ready to help
• you appreciate the simplicity and do not crave for victory, or being the best
• you find that the little things are the ones that matter the most
• you are one of the most reliable and trustworthy placements of the signs
• you have a good skeptical mind, and are not made a fool

Perks of Leo Moon

• it takes you some time to warm up, but after that, you quite like being the center of attention
• you like entertaining others, make jokes
• you have this inner will to bring justice and equality to all
• you love nothing more than to be LOVED
• you are honest and fair