Late Nights Spell

Many people have erratic sleep schedules due to work or other factors. This spell has been particularly helpful for me in the past when I was working ten hour night shifts almost every night. It’s a herbal working grounded in celestial magick, and eases transitions from day to night. It also helped me fall asleep properly during the day, and even in those instances where my schedule changed, it helped me sleep well and not feel fatigued or unnatural. Mostly, it’s a spell for situations when you have to be awake at night and asleep during the day!
For this spell, gather the following ingredients:

• Dried chamomile blossoms
• Dried jasmine blossoms
• A small sachet to fill with them

Since chamomile holds a scent better than jasmine, it is best to use about two parts of chamomile and three parts of jasmine. In any case, you need enough to fill the small sachet.
The sachet can be made of any material, though an neutral color will work best. Small cloth bags with drawstrings work well, or you can sew something more elaborate.
Grind the flowers together as finely as possible. You want to get them evenly mixed an intermingled You can do this with a normal mortar and pestle, with a spoon in a regular bowl, or just by running your fingers through the mixture and crunching it into fine bits. Make sure each of the flowers is evenly distributed within the other.
Then, as mentioned earlier, fill the sachet with the mixture and empower it, reciting this incantation:

“Moon-loving jasmine help me thrive in the night.
Bright chamomile let me flourish in sunlight.
Grant me rest beneath any sky I may see.
As I will it, so it will be.”

Tuck the sachet somewhere close to your bed before going to sleep. Alternatively, and if you do not have access to actual jasmine (or chamomile) blossoms, try putting a few drops of each’s essential oil in a diffuser prior to bed. Some folks like to substitute ylang-ylang for jasmine - I’ve tried that, and it works well for this.
Please be mindful of potential allergies and sensitivities, as well as how these plants might affect any conditions you may have. Know your body, and know what it needs. Do research these plants a bit before using them!
 This spell worked for me, and hopefully you’ll find it helpful, too!

Spell Loopholes

Wording a spell correctly is extremely important! We’ve all heard the stories of someone who cast a spell and technically had it come true, but in a way that wasn’t what they actually wanted at all! Here’s a list of common “loopholes” spells will take to get the job done, and how to make sure you get what you want!
🕯Taking its time- “I want money,” you tell the Universe, hoping to get some help with rent. Well, rent comes and there’s no extra cash in sight! Then, two weeks later, a surprise wad of cash all but lands in your lap. The spell came true, but not in time for when it mattered. This is easily fixed by adding “…by the end of the month,” or specifying what the money is for, which in this case was this month’s rent.
🕯No help needed- “I want money,” you say again. Magic will often take the path of least resistance, so if you’ve already got a paycheck on the way, the spell might not do much besides make sure it doesn’t get lost. There. Money. It can be good to specify that you want your spell to work in addition to everything you’re already doing!
🕯 Bare minimum- This time from your money spell, it arrives on time from an unexpected source! But it’s a quarter you found on the ground. Maybe three quarters. Not much help! If your intent would require the money to be close to a certain amount or any other specific like that, let it be known! The universe isn’t there to make assumptions.
🕯 For the worst- Let’s say you have two friends that have been flirting, so you cast a nice little spell to let any mutual interest between them blossom into a relationship and save them some trouble. It happens, but it turns out they do NOT work well with each other. They are interested in each other, but argue constantly and bring out the worst in each other. The relationship is hurting them both. You had the absolute best of intentions, but there was no way of knowing that would happen! This is why a lot of witches include the phrase, “for the highest good” in their spells, as a failsafe for any unexpected pitfalls like this that may be lurking. The universe will see them but doesn’t know to care unless you specify.
🕯Another layer- Once I made a dream bear to bring me more dreams. Well, I had lots more dreams, but couldn’t remember any of them! I didn’t think that was something I needed to specify. Make sure you hit every point you need to be satisfied with a result.
As a general rule, if my spell includes a prayer or petition of any sort, I take a few minutes and comb through it for stuff like this beforehand. What am I specifying? What am I leaving up to interpretation? Could any of that manifest in a way I would be unhappy with? Take a little time before you start casting to smooth out all those wrinkles! Best of wishes!

✨🌙 Sailor Moon Glamour 🌙 ✨

inspired by sailor moon, a glamour to feel confident and beautiful, even when nervous and self-conscious

🌙  gather: quartz, a white candle, a pink ribbon, a flower, orange, thyme
✨   tie the ribbon around the candle
🌙   dress the candle with the flower, orange peel, and thyme
✨   burn the candle, chant, “in the name of the moon”
🌙   blow out the candle, pass the quartz through the smoke
✨   tie the quartz with the ribbon and keep on your person as a charm
🌙   use charm as needed

Confidence In Speaking Spell Jar

A spell jar for people who are shy like me, to help you say what you want to say and have better conversations. :)

Ingredients:

• Small Jar (there are these cool ones you can put on necklaces. They have them at arts and crafts stores in the jewelry section.)
• Tiger Eye (for communication and confidence)
• Agate (for confidence)
• Dried Basil (for confidence)
• A small drawing of a megaphone
• Sweet pea (confidence)
• Salt (for purification)
• Glue or wax

Gather all the ingredients, ground yourself, and charge and purify them however you’d like to.
Place them in the jar while stating your intent repeatedly “I wish to have confidence in speaking”.

Seal the jar with the glue or wax. (I just used Elmer’s glue, since I have a pet bird and can’t burn any candles because the smoke is bad for her.) You can play an encouraging song like “Brave” by Sara Bareilles , or “Roar” by Katy Perry” while you do this. Focus on your intent.

You’re done! You can carry this in your pocket or wear it as a necklace to help remind yourself to be brave and say what you want without worrying too much about what other people think, just remember not to say anything mean and you’ll be alright.  :)
Note: This is my first spell jar and I haven’t tested it yet so I don’t know if it works. Please let me know if I did something wrong. Thanks and have a wonderful day!

Maintaining Focus Spell

📖👁🌟💡✨🕯✨💡🌟👁📖
to help obtain a healthy state of attentiveness.
“when you connect to the silence within you, that is when you can make sense of the disturbance going on around you.”

Witchy Reminder 💖

remember, you can channel your energy into anything. even if you are not doing something that necessarily feels “witchy,” you are incorporating your own unique energies into so many things! while taking notes, cleaning your room, humming a song… it all comes from you. this is your spirit, and nobody else’s.

Witchcraft 101

 And here are some links for beginners to witchcraft and paganism! 

Ideas for altar in a small space and hiding altars by singingmountainwitch

Apartment Witchcraft by nieceoftheserpent

Magic on a budget tips by low-budget-witches

Being a Witch on a Budget by borrowednebula

Getting started tips by bibliophilicwitch 

Casting a circle by natural-magics

Energy Manipulation and Grounding 101 by stsathyre

Herbs by skinnybitchwitch

Newbie Pagan Resources and Advice by vaporwitch

Good advice by vaporwitch 

Advice to a Beginner by stormsorceress and knotted-vines

Free witchy apps by belladonnaswitchblog 

Magic Users DIrectory by pomegranateandivy 

Witch Jars 101 by nieceoftheserpent

Cleansing 101 by nieceoftheserpent

101 Articles by merkavahpartyvan

Downloadable Resources by thelivingwiccan

Pagan PDFs by wiccanwonders

Q&A Witchlings

Anonymous:
Any tips for beginners?

• Read materials that pertain to your personal interests, without relying on other peoples opinions.
• Take most information with a grain of salt until you are comfortable enough with determining fact from misinformation.
• Take notes whenever you can. 
• Keep a diary or notebook with you to jot down ideas when you’re out and about.
• Keep a well stocked spice/herb rack and pantry, as most ingredients for spellwork and ritual can be found in your kitchen.
• Collect bits and pieces from outdoors - but always be aware of feathers, flowers and herbs that may be illegal to obtain. Be respectful of other people’s property.
• Baths and teas are good beginner spells.
• Witch bottles and charms for protection are great for beginners too.
• Don’t go spending a large amount of money on altar/ritual tools at first, if you are not sure whether you really need it.
• Keep jars from pasta sauce bottles and condiments.
• Search for community groups that may be able to help you along your way.
• Don’t be discouraged during your first few months of study.

Q&A

Anonymous
sent a message

do you any tips for extremely new witches who have no idea where to start?

I do!

• Don’t feel like you need a witchy label, you don’t
• Don’t feel like you need to worship a god or goddess to be a witch, you don’t
• practise what feels natural, if something doesn’t click then don’t force it
• spend time outside, talk to the wind, feel the energy in the trees, let the moon fill you with magic
• your mind is your best tool; you don’t need every herb or crystal under the sky to practise
• meditation will help you find yourself
• make friends, join witchy chat groups but keep in mind that no one views one subject the same and there is a good chance they might be doing something either incorrect or harmful depending on what you end up believing in
• Wicca is not the same thing as witchcraft, though many authors and blogs use the terms interchangeably when they mean different things
• Keeping that in mind, Wicca books are still amazing reads for witches because of the use of witchcraft in Wicca
• If anyone tells you that Wicca is an old religion they have no idea what they are talking about
• Stay away from silver ravenwolf books, don’t practise ‘smudging’, don’t use a dreamcatcher (they won’t actually work unless you buy from a native which some people say is ok and some people say is wrong, but explaining why will take too long and this is a touchy subject in the community)
• don’t take practises from cultures that don’t want to share them
• have fun
• make spells up as you go along
• don’t worry when they fail
• age does not equal knowledge; there are many older witches who aren’t as well informed as they seem
• Stay away from the drama, it’s not worth it and will only make you mad

witchy masterposts are your best friend. Here is a masterpost of masterposts. This is a lot of information to take in so I suggest just going super slow with it, maybe focusing on one subject per week. I’m just dumping all this info here so you can keep coming back to it for reference, don’t look at it all at once!

• Tari’s Tips For Those Considering Witchcraft
• Cunning Celt’s Beginner Guide Glossary Of Common Terms
• The Master Post To Rule All Masterposts; Has SO MUCH STUFF
• A Sigil Witch’s Beginner Witchcraft Resources Masterpost
• Natural Magic’s Books And Resources
• Tari’s Spellbook Masterpost
• Crystal Prescriptions
• Green Kitchen Witch’s Crash Course On Fake Gemstones
• Element Information
• Commonly Used Materials Of The Craft
• Limited Witchcraft Masterpost
• Necromancy
• Masterlist of Ways To Tell Fortunes
• Types Of Witchcraft

I could go on forever but you get the point. DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!!!! <3

Tips For Those Who Are Considering Witchcraft

Deciding to practice witchcraft and magick can be equally daunting and exciting.  Here are some tips about what to do if you are thinking about becoming a witch!
—————————————————————-
First, a few things that you should NOT do:
1.    Do not do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, period.  Trust your intuition, and always stay true to yourself.
2.    Do not do anything that puts you in danger.  This includes casting a spell without protection, or opening yourself to spirits before you know what you are doing.  This also includes running out in the middle of a storm to collect rain water, or agreeing to meet a witch that you met online, alone.  Use common sense in all matters of your craft; your safety and health, both physical and mental, must come first.
3.    Do not do anything that contradicts your own personal, spiritual, moral, ethical, or other beliefs.  Unless you plan on changing what you believe, just don’t do it.  It doesn’t matter if everybody and their familiar is doing something; if it doesn’t agree with you, walk away from it.
4.    Do not start actually practicing anything witchcraft-related until you have researched it.  Do not do a spell until you have a working understanding of magick, as well as all of the ingredients involved in the spell – even ones you intend to substitute (especially the ingredients that you intent to substitute, actually).
5.    Don’t take witchcraft lightly. Your craft doesn’t need to be all serious spells and spiderwebs, but you do need to have a healthy respect for the energies and powers that you will be working with.  You shouldn’t fear them - never work with anything that makes you afraid - but you should respect them.
6.    Don’t take your studies lightly. Put yourself through witch school. Research everything; ask yourself questions and give yourself homework.  Ask others questions and ask them to give you homework!  Be creative in your studies, but still take them seriously.  You don’t have to be hunched over spellbooks all day, but you should make an effort to at least mentally review your existing knowledge, on days that you can’t find the time for more.
7.    Do not be afraid to ask questions or for help – but do not automatically assume that everybody actually knows the answer.  Most witches around here will do their best to answer your questions, but they’ll also usually straight tell you if they don’t know something themselves; you should respect that, whether or not they point you in the direction of somebody else.  On the other hand, if something sounds wrong, trust yourself and double check.  Get a second opinion, if need be.
—————————————————————-
Next, a few things that you should know before you enter the world of witchcraft:
1.    Witchcraft is real, and magick is real.  Whether or not you believe in it, it believes in you (as the saying goes).  Approaching magick as if you were cosplaying Harry Potter is an attractive but ultimately unwise idea.  Approaching magick as if you were learning to operate a highly beneficial but potentially dangerous piece of machinery – now, that is a wise idea.
2.    Witchcraft isn’t inherently evil, but neither is it inherently pure good.  Witchcraft is power, plain and simple.  It is what one chooses to do with that power that gives it such meaning, and even then, the concept of good and evil is an ethical and spiritual one, and thereby tends to vary from person to person, and from witch to witch.  You have to use your own morals to guide you.  The only type of magick that should be in your witchcraft is the magick you intentionally choose to put there.  On a related note: I personally don’t agree with classifying magick as ‘black magick’ or ‘white magick’, period – not because magick can’t have precise descriptors, but because there’s no need to use terms that have such negative racial undertones.  Light can be harmful and ‘evil’, while darkness can be protective and ‘good’. Your intentions aren’t “to do dark” or “to do light”, anyway.  Your intentions are “to do harm” or “to do healing”; your intentions are “to take away” or “to give”.
3.    Witchcraft is a personal practice. You do not need to follow any one specific path, spiritual or otherwise, in order to practice witchcraft.  There are many different types of witches, and many different types of magick.  If there is not one specific path that you feel is absolutely perfect for you, don’t choose one that feels ‘close enough’ – walk your own path and mold your witchcraft into something that is uniquely yours.
4.    Witches worship in varying ways.  Some do not worship at all, and are purely secular witches.  Some are simply spiritual and do not follow one set path. Some are polytheists and worship many gods; some are monotheists and worship one.  Some are atheists and worship none!   Some are Wiccan.  Some are Christian.  Some are Satanists.  Some worship ancestors.  Some worship the stars.  Witchcraft is a personal practice, and should co-exist with all other aspects of your life.
5.    You don’t need a whole lot to get started.  Twigs can be used as wands; rock quartz can be used as a crystal.  Tea mixes contain herbs, and your spice cabinet is basically a magick cabinet.  Most of what is in your house can be used for magick, for that matter.  While it is definitely helpful to have the proper tools and ingredients when performing magick, it is possible to DIY your way through witchcraft until you can afford otherwise.  Also, it is probably smarter to wait a second before you run out and purchase anything, anyway.  As you learn more, you’ll start to see which tools you really need, which ingredients you’ll likely be using the most, which items really call out to you.  If you run out and buy everything that you see right away, you risk wasting money on things that just don’t work for you, or that you don’t even need.
—————————————————————-
Lastly, here are the things that you DO need to do, no matter what:
o    Be true to yourself.  Do not compromise yourself or your beliefs.
o    Be safe.  Don’t do or use anything that you do not have a working knowledge of.
o    Be educated.  Never stop seeking out new knowledge; try to learn something new daily.
o    Use common sense.  Don’t get caught up in things; think before you take action.
o    Trust your intuition and instinct.  We often know more than we consciously realize.
o    Be creative.  Write the spell that you’ve been looking for.  See what is laying around the house that you can use for your witchcraft.  Be inventive!
o    Have patience.  Learning takes time; magick takes time; developing your craft takes time.
That’s it for the moment!  Tune in tomorrow for a post regarding more tips and information on what to do when you do decide to go ahead enter the world of witchcraft ^_^

Anonymous asked: What are your top witch tips?

Anonymous asked: What are your top witch tips?

My short top ten tips:

1. Trust your gut.
2. Do copious amounts of reading a research.
3. Stay out of closed religions and away from their deities.  Respect the cultures of others and don’t take things that aren’t yours to take.
4. The witchcraft and pagan community is not immune to homophobia, racism, transphobia, ableism, classism, and so on.  Take responsibility for your actions, when you are called out on something–listen and self-educate instead of argue.  It’s not about being “politically correct”–its about being respectful toward your fellow human being.
5. There is magic in the mundane.  Cleaning the floor is magic, cooking breakfast is magic, showers are magic, drinking a cup of tea is magic.
6. All “special” herbs in spells can be replaced with literally anything you have on hand. Or in your own backyard.  Take the time to learn about your local flora.
7. All “special” tools can be replaced by your average kitchen essentials (as long as you’re not eating out of things that have come in contact with inedible stuff, or if you’re REALLY confident in your washing skills) Potion bottles = tupperware, mortar and pestle = coffee bean grinder, cauldron = pots/pans.  Be creative!
8. You can make your own Tarot deck out of a deck of cards.  As pretty as the $25-$40 decks are–this is a great low-budget option.
9. Cleansing tools quick tip:  stick them in the freezer overnight or as long as it takes until it feels like they are clean.
10. Food jars make great spell jars.  Recycling them is great, but reusing them is better.

Poppets, Voodoo Dolls, Doll Babies

Dolls in Hoodoo
Dolls or Doll Babies are often seen as the stereotypical “Voodoo Doll" In which an angry practitioner stabs the doll with pins and needles to cause suffering and injury to their opponent. However, dolls were used to draw love, empower people, heal, all in addition to punishing one’s enemies.
Types of Dolls
There are various types of dolls, and it’s good to know the different types of dolls, because each has it’s own use.

• Spirit Dolls - Dolls that are often used as vessels for spirits to enter. These spirits can be petitioned for various reasons. Spirits that enter can be Ancestral spirits, familiar spirits, Divine entities, A spirit of divination, or even entities who have never had an earthly incarnation. These dolls are commonly seen on altars, where they are objects of devotion. The can be petitioned with offerings of water, candy, cigarettes, coffee, etc. To invoke their power on the life of the individual.
• Helper Dolls - These dolls are comparable to mojo bags. They are personifications of energies or concepts that the individual wishes to draw into their life. Similar to how the mojo bag has a spirit/luck that is alive inside and draws a certain energy to you. The Helper dolls are usually made for one purpose [Love, money-drawing, protection, etc.] They are put together much like a mojo bag, sewn in the color that corresponds to intent or goal, and stuffed with other herbs and curious that match your goal. A Money doll, for example, may be sewn from green cloth and thread, and stuffed with cinnamon, mint, clove, patchouli, and other money drawing herbs. These dolls should be wrapped in a white cloth and placed in a special box when not in use. It is best to think that these dolls are working with you, not for you.
• Doll Babies - These dolls are made to represent one specific person. They are usually made out of the person’s clothing when possible. They may also contain their personal concerns, and if none of that is obtainable, their name paper. They can be made from wax, plastic, cloth, or even twigs. They may be made in the color that matches your goal. Some practitioners even glue/sew on a photo of the person’s face the doll is supposed to resemble. Other times, a practitioner will make a doll that resembles the person as closely as possible [Buttons same color as eyes, fabric their skin color, style of dress, etc.]
• Mini Me Dolls - These dolls represent a smaller version of yourself [hence the name] . They are crafted with your personal concerns. These dolls can be used for virtually any purpose. For example if you want confidence, point out all of the wonderful things about yourself on the doll. If not in use, it should be put away the same way as a helper doll. Don’t leave it too long, think of your doll as a child, and give it love and attention.

Baptizing the Doll
When you baptize a doll baby, you draw a portion of the person the doll is made for’s spirit into the doll. After the baptism, the doll and the person will be spiritually connected, so whatever happens to the doll happens to the individual. It is ideal to name the doll after the person you modeled the doll after.
To Baptize your doll, sprinkle the doll with some Holy Water or Whiskey, and say:
“In the name of God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit [You may substitute your higher power here] I baptize you as [Name of Individual you made the doll for] . All that I do to this doll, I do to him/her. Amen.“
To release the spirit, simply make the cross sign over the doll, and say:
“Let my words which bound you, now set you free that you may return from whence you came. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit [You may substitute Higher Power here] . Amen.”
Disposal
There are many means of disposal for a Doll. Most of the time, you can simply release the spirit, remove any personal concerns, and throw the doll away. If you are inclined to it, it may be burned, buried with honor, thrown in running water, or left at the crossroads.
If you want to keep the doll, you can simply release the spirit, remove any personal concerns, and then you can display your doll as a work of art.
The manner of disposal should be in the same manner as you made the doll. If you made it for something positive, do not throw it in the fire, or throw it in running water, but bury it with honor. If you are unsure, ask the spirits for an answer.

Bottle Spells in Hoodoo

Bottle Spells in Hoodoo
These are commonly seen in many practices. This magick type consists of spells that have been sealed inside bottles or jars. The containers may be plain, or painted/decorated to the liking and reasoning of the practitioner. The same would go for what Herbs, Personal Concerns, Roots, Curios, etc are placed inside the container may also vary by the caster.
A common form of a Bottle Spell is the Witch’s Bottle Spell. These generally contain pins, needles, tacks, broken glass, or other sharp instruments. Sometimes you may see that practitioners may fill the bottle with herbs before putting their own urine in the bottle, and sealed. Though this that common with more popular methods, and even less popular is the burying of the bottle on the property of who made it. It is said that the bottle will then drive away/destroy any negativity directed at them.
What a practitioner does with the jar varies by intent. Some may be kept on an altar and worked continuously, buried, or thrown into running water. Some may even be left at the Crossroads.
Honey Jars
Another type of common Bottle Spell is the Honey Jar. Honey Jars are a type of Bottle Spell which Sweeteners [Honey, Sugar, Molasses, etc] are used combined with burning a fixed candle for the purpose of “Sweetening” or Compelling an individual to favor your petition in business, love, or court cases. They may also be used to Sweeten your relations with someone.
According to tradition, a honey jar is generally made from a small jar [baby food jars work great] filled with honey, along with other herbs/curios, and at least a written petition in the jar as well. Then one would attach a fixed candle, and burn it until it goes out. The following day, and each successive day for seven days should a new candle be affixed to the jar. After the first seven days, a new candle is burned three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Vinegar Jars
Vinegar Jars are a type of harmful Bottle Spell used to sour someone’s life. They are created usually by placing the individuals personal concerns in a jar with your specific herbs, roots, curios, etc. and filling the jar ¾ of the way with vinegar. Similar to a Doll baby, you call the person’s spirit into the jar, and shake it everyday, or on certain days, calling their name and affirming that their life will become “As Sour as Vinegar”.
*Vinegar Jars must be stored safely, as the gases have been known to buildup and cause the jars to explode. A good way to safely store them is to place them in a minimum of three ziplock bags and store them in a very safe place*
Hot Foot Jars
Mainly used to drive away enemies or unwanted individuals. Traditionally they are made from bottles of hot sauce. You would generally insert a piece of paper with the individuals name on it, and shake it several times calling them by name and affirming them to get out of your life.
Break up Bottles
These are used to break up a relationship. Even though commonly used to break up romantic relationships, they have also been used to break up friends. These types of bottles usually contain personal concerns belonging to the couple, and herbs/curios to make them fight. Examples would be Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Black cat/Dog hair. Similar to the Hot Foot Jars, you would shake the bottle several times calling on the individuals to fight and argue until they break up.

Candle Magick in Hoodoo

Candle Magick in Hoodoo
Candle burning has been a very spiritual thing for many many years. It has evolved into a form of magick as well. There are many factors one must look at when practicing candle magick. These are:

• Candle Color
• Size and Shape
• Candle Flipping
• Marking and Dressing
• Measuring
• Charging
• Lighting and Extinguishing

Candle Color
Often times you will find that Candle magick often uses color correspondence. Colors have an impact on our emotions, behavior, and feelings. Therefore, there are now correspondences that have been assigned to each color for candles.
Now, the color of the candle should match your goal and intent. The colors should only act as a mere guide when picking your candles, because the impact of colors and meaning to each and every one of us will either be the same, or differ slightly. Here are the basic Correspondences:

• White -Cleansing, Protection, Purification, All Purpose
• Yellow -Creativity, Communication, Compelling
• Pink -Romance, Friendship, Happiness
• Orange - Employment, Activation, Stimulation
• Red -Health, Passion, Lust, Strength, Love
• Purple -Power, Success, Independence, Spirits
• Brown -Friendship, Law, Stability, Order
• Blue -Truth, Justice, Mental Health, Wisdom, Wishes
• Green -Abundance, Physical Health, Luck, Prosperity
• Black -Banishing, Binding, Protection, Cursing

Candle Size and Shape
Candles come in a plethora of sizes and shapes. They can be seperated into the categories of Vigil, Household, and Votive. Votives are smaller, burn hotter and faster. These are most often used when fast results are needed. They are sometimes burned around honey jars, or taper/vigil candles to speed up results.
Many candle magick spells are done with tapers, but not all. The tapers will usually be 6 to 12 inches long, and come in all the colors of the rainbow. The thickness of these candles will vary.
Vigil candles are candles encased in class with an image that usually states their purpose. They burn anywhere from 7 to 9 days. Pillar candles are very similar to Vigils, except they are not encased in glass. Pillars can be used as alternatives to Vigil candles. They may be marked with a wish, dressed with oil placed on an overturned saucer, under which a petition should be placed. For long term goals, pillars can be prepared on the day that corresponds to your goal which falls closest to the full moon. The candle is the burned on the same day every week until your goal is manifested. If your goal has yet to manifest, and you candle has been spent, prepare a new one, lighting it from the flame of the old one, and repeat.
Candle Flipping
Candle flipping is quite old. Some say this orginated from Gypsies, who would burn their candles ‘upside down’ to ensure they would not be incarcerated.
To flip a candle, you cut off a portion where the exposed wick was, and then cut away the wax at the bottom of the candle to expose the wick at the bottom. Candles burned upright, or not flipped, are meant to draw things towards you, while flipped candles are meant to move things away from you.
Marking and Dressing Candles
Marking a candle is inscribing or carving something into the wax of the candle. Candles are usually marked with two things

1. Who the candle is to affect
2. The goal of the spell.

The name of the individual can be written in your native language, or in a magickal lettering [runes, for instance] . Your goal can be written in the form of a phrase, or by using runes, astrological symbols, or even a symbol of your creation. Either way, candles are usually marked from top to bottom. The name on one side, the goal on the other.
Dressing a candle means an act of anointing the candle with oil. Candles are anointed to spiritually cleanse the candle and seal the magick inside until burning the candle. Candles are either anointed to draw something to you [money, love, etc.] or to drive things away from you [negativity, someone, etc.]
To anoint a candle, hold it’s base to your abdomen. To draw something to you, dip your finger in the oil and stroke the candle from tip to base three times and call the essence of you desire using a keyword or phrase. To drive something away, anoint it from base to tip.
After dressing a candle, you can choose to roll your candle in a mixture of 10 to 13 herbs, but never more than 13. Herbs chosen should match your goal.
Measuring
In most cases, a candle is allowed to burn until it extinguishes itself. However, some workings will require you to burn the candle at certain intervals. The method of dividing candles into to accomodate the intervals is called measuring.
Candles are measured two ways, Timing, and Pinning. In timing, the candle is only allowed to burn for a certain number of minutes each day for a number of days [usually 7 to 9] . In Pinning, a candle is divided into a certain number of sections by sticking a needle/pin in the candle. The candle is then burned for a certain amount of time until the pin drops.
In the case of a candle that is measured and pinned for nine days, 8 pins go into the candle and the ninth goes through the wick. If a petition is written, and is underneath the candle, the pins will be placed in the petition until the spell is completed and ritually disposed of. If no petition is present, the pins can be cleansed and reused, or disposed of with any leftover wax.
Charging
After your candle is prepared, you will need to charge it. Charging is filling the candle with energy. Charging your candle will fill your candle with energy to send to the universe once the candle is burned.
To charge your candle, hold your hands over the candle in a triangle shape with your forefingers and thumbs. Position the candle in the center of your triangle, visualize what you desire as you make your prayer or petition. When done, tap the candle three times to signal that your intent is sealed.
Lighting and Extinguishing
When it comes to this, it’s pretty much up to you. Some say you should use matches, others say you should use the flame of another candle. To extinguish, some say you must pinch out the flame, but they believe it’s pinching out your wish, others will say to just blow out your candle, but then you might blow away your wish. Go with what you feel you should do on this one.
More Types of Candles
There are other candles that are used for a very specific purpose. There are Specialty Candles and Figure Candles.
Specialty Candles
These candles are quite different from the others I’ve mentioned earlier. They may come in a drastically different size, shape, or have two different colors of wax.

• Jumbo Candles - These are nine inch long candles that may come in one or more colors, and are typically used in 7 day candle type spells.
• Double Action Candles - Candles that have been made from two different colors of wax. They are usually red, white, or green on their top half, and black on the bottom half. They are believed to get rid of negativity and draw positivity to you.
• Reversing Candles - Jumbo candles which consist of a red candle covered with a layer of black wax. They’re used to reverse negativity back to it’s source.

Figure Candles
These are candles that are carved in a specific shape to represent someone, something, or an idea. They come in a huge variety in which the practitioner can choose from.

• Human Figure Candles - These candles usually are in the shape of a naked man [Adam Candle] or woman [Eve Candle] . They’re often used to represent a specific person. The name of the person is usually scratched across the chest of the candle. Personal Concerns [if any are provided] are loaded into the base of the candle. Sometimes these candles aren’t burned at all, some practitioners will prepare the candle as shown above, and use them in the same way as they would with a doll-baby.
• Skull Candles - These are usually shaped like a human skull. These are used to penetrate the mind of another, or in some cases, to bring illness to another, or even to bring health to the sick.
• Cross Candles - These candles are shaped like a cross and are embossed with a bible and crossed keys. They are often used when praying Psalms for specific goals.
• Lover’s Candles - Shaped like a heterosexual couple embracing and are used to enhance the romantic/sexual aspect of one’s relationship.
• Cat Candle - Shaped like a cat sitting on it’s hind legs. Comes in Red, Green, or Black. Used to draw Good Luck.
• Genital Candles - Represent the genitals of a male and female. Used to manipulate one’s sexual prowess/nature. Also used to attract a new lover, ensure sexual fidelity, and curse an individual’s sexuality.
• Pyramid Candle - Shaped like a pyramid with an eye in the center. Used to draw money quickly when burned with a sincere prayer.
• Mummy Candles - Shaped like a mummy and are used to bind an individual. Can also be used to lift cross conditions/empower an individual.
• Praying Hands - Shaped like praying hands. Used when praying for the sick/injured.
• Witch Candle - Shaped like the stereotypical witch. Used to cast hexes or bring love.
• Devil Candle - Molded in the likeness of the Devil. It is not Satan of Christianity, but and amalgam of Pagan/African/Christian deities into a powerful ally of magick. Depending on color, used to incite passion, bring in money, or hex your enemy.
• 7 Knob Candle - Created to have 7 knobs. Used by carving one’s wish on each of the 7 knobs, anointing each knob with oil, then burning one knob each day.

What I Wish I knew Starting Out

Being A Magical Practitioner:
1. Question everything you are told and read.
2. Hell even question this post. Only YOU can decide what is right and what works for you.
3. What may work for someone else may not work for you. What may work for you may not work for someone else.
4. Your practices are YOUR practices.
Support:
1. Ancestral veneration is so important.
2. Communicate with your ancestors daily.
3. They will help and guide you on your journey more than you will ever know.
4. You have several guardian angels and guardian spirits built into your existence, get to know them.
5. There is magic within you. Embrace your own power.
6. Mind your own magic. You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. You don’t have to explain your practices to anyone else. Do you. 
Tools:
1. White candles are fantastic for every single purpose.
2. You can print your own labels for glass candles and glue them on plain glass candles.  You will save money this way in the long run.
3. You don’t need every single tool to start off with.
4. Water is life. Water keeps the flow of your magic, filters and is a conduit to you and spirit. Keep clear glasses of water in your home. Change them often.
5. Your altar space doesn’t need to be fancy.
6. You do not need expensive herbs.
7. Mirrors and Magnets are the best tools closest to crystals to magnify and amplify your magic.
8. The bible is a book full of spells and divination.
Herbs:
1. You can get most of the herbs you need from your local super market and dollar store.
2. Salt: Protection or cursing. Various Powdered Peppers: Protection and Cursing. Cinnamon: Money and Lust work. Basil: Money and Luck. Bay Leaves: Protection and Granted Wishes. Rosemary: Protection. Chamomile: Peaceful Home Workings. Cloves: Protection, Love, Control and Bindings. Eucalyptus: Cleansing. Thyme: Purification, Healing.
Floor Washes:
1. Do Floor Washes in odd numbers. One series to remove the negativity and one series to bring in good energy.
2. Curse Killer Floor Wash: Hot Water, Ammonia, Lemon, Salt (optional)
Open Roads Floor Wash: Cold Water, Florida Water, Parsley, Mint Leaves, Coconut Water (Strained of pulp)
Various Cleansings:
1. Cigar or tobacco smoke is a great alternative to sage sticks.
2.  You can cleanse yourself with an egg and a glass of water.
3. You can cleanse yourself with lemons, limes and oranges.
4. When cleansing your home make sure to open your windows and doors.
5. Start from the back of the home towards the front and then to various rooms to confuse the negative energy.
6. A can of beer and salt will cleanse your aura.
7. When you cleanse yourself, make sure to replace what you removed with good energy.
Powders:
1. You do not need to purchase branded powders from metaphysical shops.
Money/luck powder:  Bank dirt, Shredded currency and corn starch.
Love/Passion powder: Rose petals, Cinnamon and corn starch.
Open Roads powder: Dirt from four corners of a crossroads and corn starch. Add three dimes to bottom of container.
Cursing Powder: Graveyard dirt from criminals grave, black pepper, red pepper, cayenne pepper.
Protection Powder: Church Dirt, Psalm 91 passage from bible, Psalm 23 from the bible grinded into a powder.

Oils:
1. Do not buy oils from the botanicas and metaphysical shops. Most are made with mineral oil, a synthetic fragrance and colorant. If you want that, Get yourself some baby oil, food coloring and scented fragrance oil of your choosing. I wouldn’t recommend it though.
2. Get yourself some Olive oil, Sunflower oil, Grapeseed oil and Vegetable oil at the supermarket along with some Vitamin E oil for preservative. You can make your own charged oils with herbs and a few glass bottles.
3. My favorite simple oils:
Lust Oil: Sunflower oil base, Vitamin E,  Cinnamon stick, red rose petals, and Vanilla Bean
Money Oil: Grapeseed oil base, Vitamin E, Cinnamon stick, nutmeg, basil and thyme.
Protection Oil: Olive Oil base, Vitamin E, Rosemary, Basil, Eucalyptus
Life Force Oil: For when you need extra power in your magic. Olive oil base, 3 drops of blood.
Blessing Oil: Olive Oil, Vitamin E and Psalm 91 torn from the bible.
Deities:
1. You do not have to have a deity in your practice.
2. You can practice secular magic. Secular magic is a practice that does not refer to, venerate and otherwise “work with” any deities (or, in some cases, any supernatural beings at all). This is perfectly okay.
3. If working with deity, never promise what you can’t provide.
4. Feed your spirits and deities. This can be with food, alcohol, energy, light, darkness, anything.
5. Know the spirits and deities you are working with.
6. Listen to your intuitive pulls when it concerns your deity.
7. No one can tell you the right or wrong way to worship and work with your deity BUT you should learn their mythos and their base wants, needs and what offends them.

Misc Magic Info:
1. Your magic will not punish you because you can’t practice every single day. We are human, and sometimes life gets the best of us. It is okay.
2. Magic should never ever replace mental and physical health diagnosis and services from healthcare professionals.
3. “Black magic” is a racist term used to demonize the practices of people of color that are seen as “barbaric” or “uncivilized” to Europeans. Therefore “White magic” is considered good and “black magic” is considered bad. Energy is energy. Do not allow anyone to dictate your practice. That racist term is bullshit. Our melanin is magic. Our cultures and our roots are power.
4. You can purchase a Tarot deck from Amazon. You don’t need it gifted to you.
5. ALWAYS have a fire extinguisher in your home.
6. NEVER leave candles unattended in your home.
7. Coffee grounds speed up work.
8. Meditate. Leave the fuckery of the day at the end of the day. You will thank yourself in the long run.
9. Keep info to yourself. Not everyone needs to know what you are doing or all your secrets.
10. Do not bring your shoes into your home.

“Where do I start?”

The question I receive the most in regards to witchcraft is, “Where do I start?” so I decided to make a quick guide on the most helpful areas to me as a beginner.
Visualization - Learn to use and work with your imagination. Visualization is used in pretty much every aspect of witchcraft.
Intent - Learn how to formulate a well-constructed goal for your spell work.
Grounding and Centering - Learn to ground to release energy; Center to focus and bring yourself back to reality.
Channeling - Learn the various energies you can channel or draw from and how they can correspond with your intent.
Protection - Learn about shields and wards, from putting them up and taking them down to the different methods of protection - this can involve the use of various magickal components such as herbs or crystals. A method of protection should be employed before all acts of spell work, in my opinion. 
Different types of magick - Learn about the different types of magick and make note of what your interests are - there are SO many paths to choose from.
Divination - If it’s something you’re interested in, research different methods of divination: some good starter methods IMO include scrying, pendulum, runes, and tarot cards.
After you’ve got some idea of your witchy interests, do some further research! See what path is right for you, and expand on it.

Anonymous asked:

Anonymous asked:

I have been interested in being a witch for years but never have been able to figure out what type of research to do or even were to start. For awhile no one would help me because I was under 18. But now I'm 19 and still can't seem to find help (1/2)

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Would you be willing to help me out? Or anyone that would be? I feel so lost I don’t know what to do (2/2)
Yes, of course! This is going to be a long post, so just be prepared! I’m going to start off with three things you should consider before deciding to be a witch. These are not necessary, but are suggestions.

One - What is your primary goal or what you want to achieve from becoming a witch? If you are just interested in it for the aesthetic, or because you think it will make you look cool, I would reconsider the reason behind your interest. This isn’t to say that people haven’t come to witchcraft this way and have been successful, but it may take you longer to grow into. Something else to consider is that having this identity can be dangerous depending on your location and situation. Those that dress as witches for the aesthetic are probably not trying to be harmful, but can sometimes cause a false sense of belonging to those that are practicing witches. (I asked a girl once if she was a witch because she wore a pentacle and I was looking for a local friend and she laughed at me.) Being a witch is often lonely and kept as a personal identification.
Two - Witchcraft can be happy and sunshine and rainbows, but at it’s base it is not something to laugh about. Witchcraft is about using the world around you and bending it to your will. That is a huge responsibility to have on your shoulders, as what you do can often affect others around you, whether you mean it or not. You have to be able to accept that witchcraft means work, responsibility and dedication. It is not a toy.
Three - Not everything you see is up for grabs when it comes to magical practices. There is (yes, there is) such a thing as Cultural Appropriation and it is a harmful thing to spread and practice. I’ll leave you more information on this later, but the point is that not all practices and paths are open for you to explore. You need to be able to look at everything objectively and do research and ask questions. Where does this practice come from? Who started it? What culture is it from? More often than not, when you engage in these types of practices, you are not even getting the original information. Why would you want to so something that is just a half-assed version? It’s disrespectful and harmful to the actual, living people of color (POC) that still practice the original forms of magic or ideology that so easily gets passed off as “ancient and mystical” when it is really just a white-washed version.

Some other tidbits to keep in mind.

Magic is not black and/or white. It is a neutral force that you bend to your intentions. Calling “good” magic white, and “bad” magic black only propagates racial inequality and the subliminal message that POC are evil.
You don’t have to be Wiccan to be a witch. Wicca is a religion/cult/practice where members worship the god and goddess, revere nature and often use magic in order to supplement worship. They follow The Rede and the Three-Fold Law. Most of what you will see on Tumblr is actually Neo-Wicca, which does not require a practitioner to be initiated into a group by way of a Priestess or otherwise. Wicca is an initiatory cult. Neo-Wicca is based off of Wiccan teachings, and often allows the practitioner to be solitary.
You can follow a religion (any) or you can not follow a religion. Witchcraft can be viewed as a religion on its own, but generally speaking it is a practice that can be blended with religion or not.
Witchcraft does not equal Satanism - as Satanism has many forms and ideologies it branches to as well, some not even involving magic.
You don’t have to be pagan or worship any deities to be a witch.
You don’t need to be white to be a witch. (I’ve been asked this!!!)
You don’t need to be straight to be a witch.
You don’t need to be able-bodied to be a witch.
You don’t need crystals.
You don’t need fancy tools.
You don’t need to read Tarot.
You don’t need an Ouija board.
You don’t need to communicate with spirits.
You don’t need a familiar.
You don’t have a spirit animal unless you are Native American and studying in a tribe. (Please read this post)
Smudging is also NA, see above. Please refer to it as smoke cleansing.
You can curse.
You can choose not to curse.
You don’t have to practice every day.
You can take extended breaks.
You don’t even have to call yourself a witch! Witch is a gender neutral term, but some feel uncomfortable using it because of its feminine history. You could use Wix, sorcerer(ess), magician, practitioner, cunning man/woman, etc. You don’t even need a title at all.
You don’t need a magical name unless you want one.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something along the way, but the bottom line is that whatever you choose to do, you are valid. All you need is yourself and the drive to learn and practice, whatever that may mean to you. There is no right or wrong way to be a witch, unless you are doing something that is harmful to oppressed cultures and people.
Reading Material 
Mostly, I’ll be using my tags for this, so that you can peruse as you wish!
Beginner Witch Masterpost - via @magic-for-the-masses
Witchy Masterposts - everything you’ll ever need, especially for beginner ideas like energy work and visualization.
Types of Witches Masterpost - to help you narrow down your focus on your path if you feel necessary!
Cultural Appropriation in Witchcraft - can get a bit heated, so take that into consideration.
Deities - offerings and masterposts of pantheons
Witch Tips - beginner friendly tips
Spoonie Witchcraft - beginner friendly and good for low energy work
Books - PDFs and book references for purchase
Astrology - fun stuff mostly and some informational posts
Herbs - associations and precautions
Tea - witchy essential
Coffee - also a witchy essential
Bath Magic - beginner friendly
Sigils - low energy and beginner friendly
Crystals - lots of pictures, some informational posts and precautions.
Curses - if you dare
Tarot Tips - side blog
Other Divination
Anything else you are welcome to search on my blog by typing in torque-witch.tumblr.com/search/(enter word here) or you can visit my FAQ for more information.
Blog Recommendations
Witchcraft
@breelandwalker
@bibliophilicwitch
@beewitch
@belladonnaswitchblog
@cosmic-witch
@crepit-the-oracle
@daughteroflancre
@deepseamagick
@darkandnerdymomma
@emeraldthewitch
@eclectickitchenwitch
@frankiezaltar
@greenwitchredlips
@glitterbomb-goblinking
@honey-and-gunpowder
@hellboundwitch
@idontusemycauldron
@interspiritwitch
@ischys
@kitchy–witchy
@lilaclavenderandlace
@magic-for-the-masses
@mrs-k-cottage-witch
@nightkunoichi
@nightlydraconicwitchery
@oldmotherredcap
@owlsgrimoire
@piskykyle
@recreationalwitchcraft
@rainy-day-witchcraft
@stormbornwitch
@spiritscraft
@thewitchexchange
@thekitchenapothecary
@upthewitchypunx
@visardistofelphame
@violetwitchcraft
Tarot/Divination
@altarsmoke
@alethiomancer
@charnel-mansion
@deathandtarot
@blacklilydivination
@ethonydawn
@hyruletarot
@intuitive-rose
@leelahel
@limoniume
@queenofchalices
@swampseer
@thewitchmysteries
So. Yes. I am going to stop before I delete this entire thing again by accident. If I’ve forgotten someone, I apologize. If you need more information on something, please don’t hesitate to ask! (This goes for everyone!)
You’ve got some reading to do :)

Witchcraft, Where to start?

I get this question so often, And really, It seems like a simple question
“How do I start practicing Witchcraft?”
But there isn’t a simple Answer.
I can’t say, Read this book, Don’t read that one, Buy this, or have that.
Witchcraft is such a broad spectrum.
Witchcraft is a magical practice. Energy manipulation, Through intention. In simple terms.
It goes by different names, Depending on the tradition.
Conjure, Magick, Brujeria, ect

I think there a few ways to introduce yourself to the Craft.

• Be realistic. Know that real magic is not like in the Movies. We are not assigned a Fairy Godmother, Or a Magic Wand that will solve all our problems. 

•  Research different Traditions, and Religions (The internet and your public library are great places for this) . Magic is everywhere, But it isn’t always called that. Find one that sticks out to you, And study it. 

• Once you find a path take time to learn the History, How it works, The do’s, The don’ts, And the basics.

• Dedicate one notebook to document all your leanings. Use this as a reference.
  Research different forms of Divination, And try them out.

• Be redundant with your studying. This isn’t a small thing you’re learning, And you want to fully understand what you are getting into before you start to cast anything.

• Be crafty. Try DIY’ing some Witchy items

• Get connected with Others who are also learning.Tumblr is a  great place for that, As there are many Witch-Blogs here.

• Lean about your environment. Collect stones, flowers, herbs, barks, feathers, Things that are making themselves known to you.  What trees grow near you. What flowers grow wild? How can you use these magically?

Once you feel like you have reached a level of confidence (Meaning you did all your studying)

(If you chose a religion: Learn what sort of offerings are appropriate)

• Practice mini spells. Make spell bags for luck, and Confidence, Try out a Glamour Spell, Do blessings, And cleansings, Practice “Energy Feeling” exercises. 

• Be open about your study - To an extent.  (This is how you meet like minded people)

• Share knowledge with like minded people - Tell others what you have learned, And listen to what they have learned.

Witchling tips

• Read all the books and other info you can, but learn to read critically.
• Don’t be afraid to read things you might not agree with or identify with. Study is study and just because you read it doesn’t mean you have to believe it or incorporate it into your practice.
• That being said, don’t appropriate cultures or cultural practices that do not belong to your or that you have not be trained and/or initiated in. There are ways to study cultures that are not appropriative, pay attention and be respectful.
• Let your personal curiosity lead your study. What are you interested in about witchcraft? History? Divination? Plants? tarot? sigils? candle magic? charms or talismans? knot magic? Energy work? Study what you are interested in and see where it goes. There is a learning theory called “unschooling” that believes humans are naturally curious and that we should follow that curiosity to create our study. So, seek what interests you about witchcraft and find information about that.
• You don’t have to buy all the fancy witchy stuff, especially if you don’t know if you are even going to use it. Stuff you already have is fine.  Things from thrift store are cheap, and work just as well. You might not ever use that cheap athame from the witch shop, but you might fall in love with a thrift shop mason jar.
• You don’t have to spend a lot of money to practice witchcraft. Walk around your neighborhood and get to know the plants and animals, even urban spaces have unique magical things. Check out the spices in your spice rack and look up their correspondences. There are lots of books on witchcraft online for free as well as phone apps that could suit your needs.
• Check out your local library. If they don’t specifically have books on witchcraft they will still have books on plants, history, and folklore. you might also be able to check things out with inter-library loans.
• You don’t have to publicly document your path. I’m really happy there isn’t a public documentation of my witchling years or my baby punk years. Seriously, so much stumbling embarrassment. However, it is always helpful to document your progress for yourself; a hidden blog, a notebook, or google doc are just fine to start.
• There is no universal witch. If you don’t want to work witchcraft in a religion, don’t. maybe secular witchcraft is for you. If you don’t want to work with deities, don’t. If forests give you the creeps and you love cities more, great, maybe urban witchery is for you. Make your witchcraft, your witchcraft.
• There is little good in arguing with people that disagree with you, especially on the internet. If someone is not being hurtful and they just happen to believe differently than you, leave them alone. A witch that believes differently than you does not diminish what you do.
• Remember that witchcraft is a collected set of skills and practices. These are things that you hone as you find what works for you. It is not something that will be given to you or that you will have instantly. It is something to be worked at that you can always learn more.
• Basically, if you study and practice witchcraft, whatever that means to you, you can call yourself a witch. Also, if you do those things and don’t want to call yourself a witch, you don’t have to.

Q&A

As a novice witch, I was wondering if you had any tips/ suggestions for me that might help get me more into the learning process. Book suggestions would be fantastic! Thank you.

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Hello! Hm, some tips eh? I’m gonna give you the same schpeal I give to all new witches (copied from my old blog but meh).

• I really think one should take the time to figure out what witchcraft is all about - what it offers, what it doesn’t, and the benefits and disadvantages of being a practicing magic user. Not only that, but think about what interests you about witchcraft - why you want to practice, what really drew you in to the craft, what you wish to do with magic, things you like about it, and even things you don’t. Do you have any expectations? Is there an end goal, something you ultimately want to achieve from magic? Do you want to be a magic user just for a certain amount of time, or indefinitely? Figuring out these things should help round out your practice and give you a bit of a path (heheh) to follow and explore.
• There is never enough research. Really. You are most likely going to be studying and learning through your whole magical journey. I still am; I learn something new every day, and I love it. As a knowledge leech I love that part of witchcraft - spending hours reading up on various things makes me so happy. (Hey, no one said it was easy. :p) [This post] actually sums it up beautifully.
• With the tons of research that comes with studying witchcraft, it will be good to keep a notebook (or grimoire / Book of Shadows) to store all your findings in. Write down spells, references, correspondences, rituals (if you plan to use them)… anything you think you’ll need to know or want to know when it comes to practicing your craft. I keep my blog for this purpose, though without internet it’s kind of hard to access at all times, so I have a physical book as well. And it doesn’t have to be any fancy leather bound anything - I have spiral notebooks and an obnoxious orange binder. xD
• Don’t be worried if you can’t practice every single day. Maybe you can, and that’s awesome; maybe you can only work up the energy or privacy to perform spells once a week, or once a month, and that is completely valid. I only really use magic when I need it, and that’s fine too. Don’t beat yourself up for missing the moon phases or sabbats or what have you. It happens - I have missed every sabbat since I started practicing, and the only stuff I do on the full moon is cleansing my tarot deck or crystals (and I still forgot to do that yesterday, oop). We all have lives outside of witchcraft, and it’s important to maintain the rest of your life and other interests as well. As awesome as witchcraft is, don’t let it absorb you. The point of this was supposed to be, don’t feel bad for not going 150% with witchcraft all the time, but also know when it’s time to not practice witchcraft and engage in other areas of your life.
• When it comes to supplies, particularly herb related, the grocery store is more than fine. Like, 90% of my herbs have come from there, either dried or fresh. It’s still the same herb, same genus, same biological build - it will work. The whole “witchcraft is ALWAYS organic” stuff that I’ve seen floating around is bunk. Like, if that’s what you want, and what you can do, awesome, but it certainly isn’t the only thing that will work, nor should you feel bound to comply with someone else’s ideology. Get what you can afford or find, and don’t spend so much time stressing about the rest of it.
• Honestly, even if you *can’t* afford physical ingredients for spells, it’s no big deal. Witchcraft is about your intent and your energies, and how you work with them and manipulate them to bring about a desired effect. Spell components like herbs and crystals and all that are just bolsters to what’s really important - your desire to induce a certain outcome. They have uses, yes, and they help, yes, but they’re not all important, mostly just boosts for your own energies. You can be a successful witch without all the fancy herbs or rare crystals.
• It’s okay if you stick to pre-written spells by other people. Some people don’t have the energy, or the full knowledge, to yet write their own spells, and that’s perfectly fine. There’s nothing wrong with referencing another witch’s work. (Though, when you can, learning to write your own spells and using them is an amazing skill to have. I used to suck at / hate spellwriting - now I try to do it as much as I can, and it’s super beneficial to personalizing your craft which is important too.)
• That being said, you also shouldn’t feel tied down to what is written. Experimentation is encouraged, to help personalize things to you. If you’re looking at a spell and think, “Hmm based off what I know, I want to try this herb instead,” totally go for it. Give it a go, and write down your results. Personal associations for objects in spellcraft are JUST AS powerful, if not more so in some ways.
• When I said “comply with someone else’s ideology,” I meant that, if someone has one way of doing things, and you don’t agree with it, that’s fine. If you do agree with it, though, that’s cool too. If you do things differently than someone else, it doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong either. Definitely feel free to form your own opinions and experiences. Personalizing your craft to suit YOU and YOUR NEEDS is actually pretty important, and can have a big impact on your magic. If your magic is more suited to you, it is more likely to work for you.
• Believe in yourself. I’m not kidding. It’s so corny and cliche, but your magic will be so much more powerful if you have confidence in it and in yourself. Feel empowered by the awesomeness of being a witch and working with spells.

For book suggestions, @natural-magics​ compiled some [books and resources], which is a good place to start. @visardistofelphame​ has a post of [witchcraft resources galore] too. Here is some more [recommended reading]. There is also this post about how to tell if [your book on witchcraft is bullshit], which will likely be of great use when reading as a beginner. Most of my knowledge has been gathered from Tumblr or other various internet resources; I can’t afford a lot of books right now, so I’ve never really read any, and can’t recommend any personally.
Also, here are a lot of links to other resources that you may find use for:

• [Accumulating Witch Stuff on a Budget]
• [Advice for Navigating the Witchcraft / Pagan Community] (an ask)
• [Becoming a Witch] (an ask)
• [Beginner Witchcraft]
• [Beginner Witchcraft Resources Masterpost]
• [For a Beginner] (an ask)
• [FAQ]
• [Frequently Asked Questions]
• [Getting Started]
• [Guide to Witching]
• [How Do You Even Begin?]
• [How to Do Witchcraft Research for Newbies]
• [“I’m Interested in Witchcraft, Where Do I Start?”]
• [Introduction to Magic]
• [Limited Witchcraft Masterpost]
• [Magic on a Budget]
• [Masterpost of Masterposts]
• [Miss Mango’s Secular Witchcraft Tumblr Resource Masterpost]
• [The Newbie Witch - What Others Often Don’t Tell You About Beginning the Practice]
• [So…You Wanna Be a Witch?]
• [St.’s Short and Sweet Guide to (Not Asking Her) How to Get Started in Witchcraft and Magic]
• [Subtle Magical Practice]
• [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]
• [“Where Do I Start?”]
• [Witchcraft 101]
• [Witchcraft 101]
• [Witchling Tips]
• [Witchtips’ Rebloggable “Frequently Asked Questions” - Part I]

I really hope that answers your question and gives you what you need. Good luck on your path! :D

Things I wish somebody had told me in the beginning: witch edition

• This is not a competition. Take it slow, enjoy the journey. You do not need to learn every crystal correspondence within a week.
• Keep a journal/Grimoire/Book of Shadows if possible. Fill it up as you go. Do not just put the information somewhere to wait until you “have time” or “have more energy” (although these, and many more, are understandable reasons). It is less work to do a little all the time than try to catch up all at once.
• You don’t need to be anything to be a witch. You are one, regardless of your gender, skin color, religious interests… If you think you’re one, you are. Witchcraft is a path, a tool, not a religion.
• Wicca and witchcraft are not the same.
• It is totally okay to take breaks. Setting aside your craft doesn’t mean you can’t come back and continue where you left off.
• YOU are the most important tool. You do not need that expensive cauldron, or those rare herbs that have a double-digit price. Of course, supplies are needed for more complicated/powerful spells to help you out, but they are not necessary.
• If your path changes, that is okay! If you were first interested in spells but then decided to focus more on deities and their worship, that’s okay!
• On that note, it’s also okay to not know what your path is.
• Like all people, witches have their opinions about various things. Listen carefully to both sides, research, but in the end make your own opinion that fits with your morals and worldview. Neither side is necessarily wrong, but both can be true.
• Trust your gut/intuition. It knows a lot. If someone says X has Y correspondences, but in your opinion has Z, then this is true to you.
• When researching things, remember to be critical and not trust everything you read blindly. Cross-reference.
• Educate yourself on closed religions, slur words, racist symbols, appropriation of cultures and their words (see:smudging, chakra…) Do not be angry at yourself if you have used them before - you are always learning and growing as a person.
• When in doubt, ask. The community is friendly and many are more than happy to help you. Asking never hurts, but don’t treat others as your Google.
• Do not abandon science nor common sense. Witchcraft is powerful, and certain areas have direct influence (using herbs, for example), but it does not replace healthcare, therapy, or otherwise being healthy.
• Practice safety. There is a reason why people tell you in rituals/spells/etc. to do things to protect yourself. When doing witchcraft, you are dealing with great powers and energy - sometimes that might be malicious.
• Also, some general things like fire safety, checking for crystal toxicities in various substances, and herb properties are important to keep track of - these are physical things that can seriously harm you; and definitely work. Do not doubt that.
• Do not lose yourself. While witchcraft gives us great power, it sometimes makes us lose ourselves. One might become so absorbed in their path that they forget things like eating, checking on friends, doing hobbies, and so forth. This path is part of your life, but your life does not consist only of the path.
• Have fun! I believe this is one of the most important things. Witchcraft does not need to be serious; it can be Legos, glitter, pop-culture gods, sigils doodled with eyeliner… The possibilities are limitless!

How to Get Started in Witchcraft and Magic

I keep getting mail from people asking where to start and so I decided to put together a little guide to help you out. Sorry for the bluntness. I haven’t eaten. This IS NOT aimed at anyone. I’d just like to have a thing on the blog.
1. What the hell do you want?
The issue I run into the most with the “how do I get started question?” is that it’s the wrong question. No matter who you are or what you’re doing if you ask me this question I’m going to roll my eyes and go eat a sandwich and do laundry or something before coming back to your question.
The correct question is: “I want to achieve X. What is the right way of approaching X?”
Have you ever told your parent that you’re hungry and they told you that there was something in the fridge, but that’s not the thing you want? That’s what you do every time you ask me “how to get started”.
Along the same lines are:
-I want to be powerful
-I want to change my life
-I want to help my family
-I want to be … . magical
Concrete goals are your friend, friend. I want to be powerful should probably be “I want to become really strong in manipulating weather” or “I want to become really adept at controlling luck” or “I want to get really good at dream … things.”
If you have a concrete goal, then you already have a compass. No matter what my answer to you will always be:

Pick a direction and go. Figure out what interests you the most about what you consider to be magical/witchy and study that until it forks off into a different magical/witchy thing. In a few years, you’ll have a practice.

But it all starts with a concrete goal.
2. What the hell do you need?
I don’t know you, human. I don’t know what you have at your disposal. I don’t know what kind of psychological hangups you have or physical plane non-sense you have to deal with.
If “how do I start” really means, “how do I start practicing magic without my highly strict, Evangelical parents finding out?” then just say that. I can help with the second one. I have no clue what you want with the first one.
This one falls in line with the first bullet point. You have to know what you need to get done in order to get started. If you need to gain confidence, there’s a spell for that. If you need to know what a rose quartz does, there’s a guide for that. If you need to know what white feathers mean in dreams, there’s a dictionary for that.
Ask yourself, what do you need?
3. What the hell do you have?
Look around you. What is magical in your space at the moment? If you say nothing, I am not the witch you should be asking questions.
4. Why the hell?
Why do you want to learn magic? “Because it sounds cool” is totally a legit response, but it doesn’t help me help you. I can give you tips on some cool things. I mean there are like three posts on random shit you can do with your aura. I’m not an uptight cat. I get “cool”.
But you’re going to have to focus on a thing. A specific thing. Specific things, even.
5. Who the hell?
Authors? Books? St. don’t know nothin’ about no books. Seriously, most of the commercial New Age section says the same thing over and over anyway.
No really. There are blogs for that.
No … I don’t know which blogs.
6. Where the hell?
You might want to start local. I think that there’s a bit of fear mongering that goes on in the Tumblr witchy community about misinformation. While that is true, and there is a lot of misinformation out there, a good portion of it is pretty harmless. We’re not talking about cultural appropriation, or the fact that people don’t have enough sense to look up the toxicity of the stones and herb. We’re talking about the arguments about whether or not compass direction East is water or air. Or if the tarot suit of swords is fire and wands are air (spoiler: it depends on the deck and the deck’s artist).
Go meet your local witchy community if you’re so inclined. You can even go and meet your online witchy community.
I am not the witchy community. I am a bitter, old hag who has nothing to offer but dark humor, snark, and weird peppermint candy that randomly appears at the bottom of my purse. Every once and a while, I have a tip to keep you motivated.
Get off my lawn!
7. When the hell?
Seriously. Just Google time correspondence and look at a few charts and make comparisons. There’s nothing wrong with that.
If your “when” is a “Am I too young/old?” I ’m going to shrug at you. That’s not mine to decide.
****
TL;DR : Ask me specific questions that aren’t about giving you a spell and I’ll give you a nice specific answer. I’m not a teacher. I don’t really like teaching. I’m not going to hold your hand. Google is your friend. There are a ton of really helpful people online who are better and more helpful that me. I suck at being patient with novices.
The best questions to ask me are probably about technique, because that’s not something discussed often. Otherwise, there are charts for what ails you.