I keep getting this question in my inbox so I figured I’d post the answer publicly so I can refer to it instead. First of all though, there are tons of posts about this already and if you do a quick search through the “witchcraft community” tag or “witchcraft 101″ you’ll find a lot of great advice already circulating. What I’m going to outline here is my personal recommendation, and as for all my posts this is the “YMMV” disclaimer (your mileage may vary, i.e. do what works for you and don’t take this as absolute in any way).
Step 1: Pick a spell. Any spell.
Seriously, it doesn’t matter. Well… okay, maybe don’t like… try to conjure Baphomet into your living room or something, but pick any rando spell that you feel like doing. Don’t worry about what it is, or who wrote it, or how “authentic” it is. Do these things matter? Sure, maybe, depends on who you ask, but you can figure this stuff out later. For now, just pick a spell. The only real guideline I’ll give here is that it should ideally be something with a measurable result within a reasonable timeframe. I’ll get to why later.Step 2: Bake a cake.
Don’t actually bake a cake (unless you want a cake, in which case by all means please bake a cake), but this is the part where you gather whatever it is you need for the spell and perform it as it’s written. Spells can in some ways be considered recipes in that you want to try following the directions first, and make your changes afterwards. This is especially true for a beginner or someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing yet.Step 3: Mouth feel.
The spell is done, congrats. You probably feel… nothing, tbh, maybe even vague disappointment. Why? Because this wasn’t really your magic yet, and there’s very likely something (maybe even a lot) missing. This is the most crucial part of your process. What were you expecting? What did you like, not like? It’s time to write this down, and if you’re the type of person who wants to keep a grimoire this is a great first entry. Were you hoping for more ritual? Maybe ceremonial magic is what you should look into. Did you want there to be more bubbling cauldrons? Try looking into hearth magic or herbal magic. Were you missing a chant, a poem? Look more into spellcraft and the power of words. Some key subjects you can look up: crystal magic, herbal magic, hearth magic, cosmic magic, spirit work, death magic, healing magic, bane magic, divination, folk magic, chaos magic, technomancy, sigilwork, spellcraft, hedge walking, deity worship, sex magic, blood magic, etc. If any of these sound appealing to you, do a google search and read about them a little more so you can decide whether or not you want to delve in a little further.Step 4: The cake is a lie.
This is where we drop the food metaphors, and get back to that thing I brought up in step one: measurable results within a reasonable timeframe. This is the part that seems to get lost the most in all the advice going around, and in my opinion it’s the second most important (the first one being that practicing magic feels good/right to you). Grimoires aren’t just supposed to be pretty lists of spells and correspondences, they’re supposed to contain spells that actually work. The key here is to figure out what feels right to you as far as method, and then to refine that method to achieve tangible results. If you already feel great doing magic, let me tell you… you’ll feel pretty fucking amazing when your magic starts having an actual effect on the world around you, and it shouldn’t take years of mastery for that to happen. Small magics and simple spells can be done effectively by beginner witches, and these are the things you build upon to form your craft. If your magic isn’t getting results, it’s not magic: it’s ceremony.Step 5: Rinse and repeat.
For most people there is a specific facet of magic that attracted them to it before they ever cast a spell, and while some people might know what it is straight off the bat most people don’t, and that’s fine. You don’t need to know what you’re doing right at the start, and making mistakes isn’t going to curse your house or open up a portal into the dark realms by accident (still assuming you’re doing beginner stuff and not trying to invoke dark spirits to do your bidding or something). The witchcraft side of tumblr can often look really serious and like everyone knows exactly what they’re doing all the time, but the truth of the matter is there’s a lot of trial and error and that’s exactly what magic is supposed to be. If you’re looking towards magic as something to provide all the answers for you, you’re gonna have a real bad time. It’s about looking at how other people have gotten to where you want to go, and forging your own route from there.On a final note, I’d just like to add that if anyone claims to be an absolute authority on any given topic of witchcraft or occultism, be extremely fucking wary. If anyone is saying you need to pay x amount of money or buy x number of things to be a “real witch”, be extremely fucking wary. Witchcraft existed before money, before capitalism, before industrialization and consumerism.
As always, my inbox is open if you have any questions about this (or anything else). If I don’t know the answer, I can usually point you towards someone who does or at least give you a direction to search in. Happy witching!
Tag: beginner witch
Beginner Witch Tips
WARNING: I am a sarcastic butthole and it shows through out this hot mess of a post. This is some random craft junk I have learned in my days of practicing witchcraft
Witch craft is not magic.
I don’t care what you have heard. Witchcraft is not magic. It can not turn your eyes different colors. It can not make you into a animal. You will not be able to control the weather or summon wind with your fingers. Ghosts will not do as you say. This is not Harry Potter. Case closed
Intent over tools
Do you think it’s gonna matter if you use a butter knife as an athame? Or you have to sub a white candle for another color because you don’t have the funds to buy that color? Or you had to leave out an ingredient because you don’t have it or you’re allergic? No, it’s not. Witchcraft (to me) is about mind over matter. If you are making an effort for your God/god/goddess/deity/elf/fae/etc it isn’t gonna matter what or how you got there, but the intent you had getting there
Cursing and hexing is up to you and your beliefs
Totally up to you if you believe that this is okay or not. However, if you don’t like this, do not go and tell someone else it’s wrong. If they ask you how you feel you can tell them it’s not your thing. If you do like this, do not go and tell someone else it’s fine and try to get them to accept it. If they ask you about it, you can tell them that you are into it
You do not have to have an alter
It’s up to you and your practice. And if you can where you are etc. If you want one and can not have one, draw one or, my favorite, Set up a pinterest board for your god/goddess/fae/elf/deity etc. and save things that you thing relate to them.
It’s not about fancy stuff
This goes back to intent over tools, as long as you are comfortable with what you are doing and using, do it and use it. I use salsa and yogurt containers, coffee filters taped together, M&M tubes, and envelopes to keep crap in. I use a 99¢ Wal-Mart bandanna to do spells on that I got from Girl Scout camp and it has rainbow peace signs all over it. Do I care? Nope. Does anyone else care or will they judge you? Nope. we are all in the same boat here.
Hand making things is way too underrated
I LOVE hand making things. Whether you are good or bad at it, it is a good way to save money, and personalize it just for you. Example: I made tarot cards out of printer paper that I cut out and wrote the card name, and definition of what it means (to me) and I love them. Pencil wand? Yas queen. DIY cauldron out of play-dough? Frick me u p daddy.
DONT EAT/SMOKE/DRINK SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT
You’d think I would have to include this bUT
Some things are okay to consume. Sometimes if taking a certain medicine you can’t consume that. Sometimes you are allergic to one thing, and in turn you will be allergic to that thing too. Sometimes you are pregnant and it’S HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO CONSUME THINGS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT DOESNever ignore professional medical advice and help in favor of witchcraft methods.
Case c l o s e d
Spirit workers
Not nice spirits can attach to people who have depression and anxiety more so than people who don’t
There are good and bad spirits. if one makes you feel comfomy, do not feel bad for asking it to leave/getting rid of it
Don’t ask your tarot cards every time you have a question
This happens a lot. Especially when you get a new deck and it’s so new and shiny and you can’t w a i t to get your grubby little hands on it and do crap
but you don’t want to get into the habbit of “ohgoshgollybatman I have to go to the store, okay let’s see if I’ll get hit by a car… oh and do I really need the applejuice..” or “do I REALLY need this plant..” bc the answer to that is always yes duh
Divination is not for predicting the future
Now stay with me, it is for guiding you in the future. It can not tell you what day you are going to die, who you are going to marry, etc
The future is not written in stone
Let’s sayyyyy you do a simple past, present, and future reading with tarot, and you get a bad reading for the future, it doesn’t matter. That is how it is going right now, now you can see what you need to change etc
You dont need a fancy journal for a grimore or book of shawdows
Heckadoodle I use a binder and notebook paper so I can move stuff around. I just write with a pencil and pen, and color with dollar store crayons or collered pencils.
Now, you may be thinking, “Oh but, it’s a nice binder right?” Lemme stop you right there. It is falling apart, needs to be ducktaped, has a picture of my doggo inside and I’ve used it for school for abouutt.. 7 years?
Summin’ it up: It don’t gotta be fancyIf you forget to blow out candles set a timer on your phone
I do this all the freaking time and I’ll leave a candle out, and then here comes mother. Closet underage witches know the struggle. Trying to explain why you have a burning candle left in your room. Or if you are adult and have to adult after a spell or whatever and leave the house and come back to the candle just sittin’ there. Burning away. (my mom did this once and it caught her table on fire)
Timer. Yep.You don’t have to know a certain language
This is more focused to me bc i am nerd but okie dokie
I know Latin from school, therefore I mix it into my spells (like some on @witchy-recipes-and-things) and provide a translation. I don’t want anyone to think you have to have a certain language for your craft.How to Ouija
Tbh this is too long already so if you want another post on it tell me and I’ll make one and link it
Sigils can be drawn everywhere
In your phone case, in your wallet, in a shoe, under fingernail polish, under seats, wherever whatever-I can also elaborate more on this
TAROT IS PRONOUNCED “TARO”
CONSENT IS KEY
When doing love spells, consent from the other person is a must.
You can be a christian, athiest, pagan, whatever, and still do witchcraft
It is about the craft, not religion
Witchcraft is not a religion, Wicca is
And you do not have to be Wiccan to partake in Witchcraft
Sage doesn’t have to be in cone shape to burn it
I put rubbed sage meant for cooking on a metal plate and torch the sucker Shane Dawson style but with one of the long lighters, then run around my house in my underware screaming “MAY THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPEL YOU BITCH” in Latin
When cleansing
OPEN.THE.WINDOWS.WHEN.DEALING.WITH.SMOKE
Trust your witch mother who is allergic to everything and is an asthmatic, open the windows and doors.
Also, as the smoke leaves you room through the windows or whatever, the spirits/bad vibes/etc leave with itYou don’t have to believe everything you read
Witchcraft is how YOU feel about things. No matter how other people feel about things
You can have your own corresponces for things
Like I think cinnamon is hot, deals with the sun, direction south, used for healing love etc., but it can be totally different for you
Divination doers do not have to be witches and witches do not have to be divination doers
S T U D Y
Can not stress this enough. This is the best thing to do even if you can not practice your craft where you are atm. knowledge is power.
So here is a list I’ve complied 😀 (yes I’ve made all of these, I was too bored to ask people’s permission to add things, sue me) (All of the spells are all religion inclusive)
Learn you star sign with detail
Edible Flower List
Witch Tools
Tarot Meanings Cheat SheetGood First Spell-Calming Tea Spell
DIY Charcoal Pencil
Get Shit Done Bottle
Spell to Sleep
Sea in a Bottle
Protection and Calm Bottle
Find a Item You LotReferring to “When cleansing”, Line two, words 3-4, I am now your witch mother and if you ever have any questions feel free to ask! This list was requested from a witchling and if you have any requests feel free to ask :3
Great info just gotta say here though, weather magic is most definitely a thing.
(Also for anyone confused: Magic – or “magick” – is very real, so I think OP was just referring to magic portrayed by pop culture specifically, which, like they said, is fake.
Things to Research as a Beginner Witch
• The history of witchcraft
• Famous witches, if you’d like
• Types of witches
• Types of magick (white magick, chaos magick, etc)
• Types of spells (curses, hexes, etc)
• Types of divination (tarot, scrying, etc)
• Talismans vs Sigils (and what each are)
• Seals
• Maybe some alphabets if that’s your thing
• Some witchy symbols
• Deities (For pagan witches)
• Let it spread from there!
Candlelight-magick 