Its important to know that there is no one way of starting out. As individuals, we all do things a little differently from one another. Some need time to read and research, while others dive in head first. Explore and try out different methods of learning and find one that clicks right with you.
Reading, Researching, Reflecting (the three Rs): With anything, its important to actually know what it is and what it might involve. You should take at least some time to do the three Rs. If anything, it will make easing in more comfortable for yourself. Really take time to know what you’re getting yourself into. Read books, but also check the authors out. How are they viewed? Are they racist bags of shit that don’t know what they’re saying? Or are they highly respected by the community? Take time to test the waters and look about. Its never fun trying to cook a cake when you’re reading instructions from someone that confuses a cake with hamburgers. Below, I do have a few book recommendation for you to check out: (link posted below)
Test out the Waters: Think about yourself practicing. What is the feeling you get? Do you feel excited? Fearful? Indifferent? Why do you think you feel the way you do? Read a spell aloud, look up some rituals, make a poppet, etc. Try some things that you’ve read about and see how they make you feel. During this time, I would suggest maybe keeping a journal to write down your thoughts and what you feel good and meh about doing. Figure out what you like and don’t. How do you want to go about practicing?
Do what you’re reading about: Test out some of those spells, rituals, and charms you’ve been reading about. Then, you can write about your experience later and reflect upon it. Do you feel silly? Do you feel amazing? Do you feel somewhere in between?
Create your own things: From all the things you’ve done, you should try and create our own. Modify a spell, write out a ritual, think up a charm, create a sigil. When seeking to really understand and master something, the thought process behind how its created can be an amazing asset. It also helps you become more confident in your own power and creativity.
Look into the meaning: Don’t just read the words, try and understand what they mean. Why would someone word a spell like that? Why is a certain item being used over another? Why is it being done on the night of the full moon in January vs a full moon any other month? Take time to reflect upon this and how it affects you and your craft. Maybe the reason why salt is being used over sugar is because of its protective properties. Maybe you don’t need those extra protective measures, so you use sugar instead. You see that a mandrake is the main component of a spell, you try to replace it with a doll, and then discover that the spell failed without it. Why? Research into symbols, the mythology, and the history.
Keep Practicing: Its easy to lose focus with all the reading, researching, and reflecting; however, you shouldn’t allow it to stop your practicing. Witchcraft is above all a practice and requires a witch to actively participate (and actually practice).
Other Tips: I also have a list of other tips for beginners (or those wishing to practice again)
- create a group to practice and learn together
- strive to do one bit of witchcraft a day
- seek out a specific tradition (sometimes narrowing things down more is very helpful)
- seek a teacher or mentor (always be careful, but if you find a good teacher it is an amazing experience)
- show a mark of your dedication
- blend it into your life
- keep it meaningful (best way to keep laziness and indifference away)
- don’t sweat the small stuff
