Where to Begin With Witchcraft?

Witchcraft
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Experienced witches, if you were starting out, where would you begin with witchcraft? We’ve got a lot of beginner witches in the group and lots of seasoned witches, and I’d love to know, where would you recommend they begin?

What books do you love? Are there creators on YouTube or WitchTok who you find particularly helpful? (You can share their links, that’s ok.) Are there certain spells or types of magic you’d recommend starting with?

Also, beginners! Feel free to start new topic threads and ask questions. We’re here to help.

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I’m by no means a seasoned witch but I do like the books of Cunningham. I keep it relatively simple. I have an altar among some plants. My Boston Fern is the main focus of it. I do some simple candle magic which involves meditation and guiding the flame with my hands. I am super into the moon phases and positions of other celestial objects and do a lot of (solitary) dancing and hand gestures toward them. I play a lot of guitar (both acoustic and electric) and incorporate intentions into what I play.

I, too, would like to learn more about what others practice. I feel like my path is rather chaotic lol

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All those are lovely. I never thought of music magik for spell work.

I do a lot of kitchen /hearth witching. My alter is my fireplace which I change up on each of the equinoxes. I have a few little alters or maybe practice areas would be better description. I like mirror scrying as well. Admittedly I use my bathroom mirror but it works for me and I cleanse and charge it regularly.

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I think for new witches. Symbolism and crystals are a good starting point.

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that’s awesome. I love the idea of incorporating more of one’s home into a living altar

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I like Cunningham, too. Great information. Crystals, plant magic is what i learned first( even making a wish on a dandelions is magic) nature is great for simple spells, making a manifesting garden( write what you would like to grow in your life and plant it with your flowers or your herbs) if i want to grow my finances , i plant coins with my clovers by my front door or with a silver dollar plant i grow my amount of dollars i may need. Love grows near bleeding hearts or anthurium, (also great for fertility). There is a plant for everything. As you get more familiar with your plants you can start to harvest them from root to bloom for spells, tea, baths, potions, healing.
Also the little insects , they can be helpful too. Honey to sweeten the pot, a lady bug can hold your secrets and a butterfly will deliver your message, spiders help with tangled webs others have weaved. The list goes on and on. Nature magic is so easy, and abundant and you can do it inside in pots, on a balcony, in a forest or your own yard. And colours of the different flowers help on your alter, with candle magic and incense. Oh my, mother earth is amazing! Enjoy learning all the gifts she has to offer! Onelove

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Some Books I really enjoyed to get some Info are:
-The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs by Judy Ann Nock
-The Solitary Witches Green Book by Minerva Linden
-The Real Witches Year by Kate West
-The Ecclectic Witches Book of Shadows

Some Podcast Recommendations are:

  • Seeking Witchcraft (very beginner friendly)
    -Invoking Witchcraft (a little more intense)
    -The Fat Feminist Witch
    -Back On the Broomstick
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I found the the following Books to be helpful.
Drawing down the Moon by Margot Adler
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
Grimoire for the Green Witch by Ann Moura

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Hi All
I have been practicing for about 15 years, but I would never say I’m an expert.
As a Eclectic Solitary Witch, I follow many and varied practices. As I’m by myself, I do what I feel comfortable with.
I think the most important thing for a baby witch is to research, and read a lot of different books, websites and YouTube before you even start to do any magick.
I watch a few different YouTube channels, and do a lot of research on the web.
I have 2 altars, 1 permanent one, and one Sabbat one that gets changed out with each Sabbat.
I don’t use crystals a lot but I love to work with the moon cycle, I just always do what is comfortable to me, I think that is also very important, do what is comfortable to yourself, and always double check everything that you have been told. If more than 2 people say the same thing, then it’s quite possible it’s correct.
Beware of the new AI books that are being published, because they are not always correct.
The YouTube I love are
Hearthwitch
Ella Harrison
The Witches Cookery
Good luck, and have a beautiful, magickal day!

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When I started out as a witch i received a empty book of shadows from my gran. This helped me to remember the chants, spells etc etc.I had to write the spells and chants by hand, and after so many years I still write by hand in my book.

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followed all of the podcasts! thank you!

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Cunningham’s blue book, I can’t remember the name but it was my first book. I have almost all his books. Also I belong to Magicka School. I think Marcus Katz is the head. He also teaches tarot. I have all his books too. I learned a lot from Magicka School. I’m pretty chaotic also. I’ve taken stuff from everything I learn so I don’t really know if there’s a word for my beliefs. Lately I’ve gotten interested in sound. Like certain mhz healing certain parts of the body, helping with depression/anxiety and sleep. I’ve just been listening to the sounds but I think it’s time I actually learn about them. :blush: I’m kinda trying to find something natural to help with my neuropathy pain from chemo. Maybe find something to help heal all the damage chemo did. My Goddess is Isis. I’ve always had an unusual interest in all things Egyptian. I wonder if in a past life I was an Egyptian.

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I’m also someone who loves gathering information, reading and learning :smile:

I have many books I read and check when in need of information. Lately, I’m kind of collecting many related to magik, the Goddess, sacred places, personal development and my collection of oracles is also growing :blush:

I love to start the day with a short oracle reading, choosing 1/2 cards or 3 with my pendulum or with my hands, eyes closed. Sometimes during the evening, specially when there’s a Full or New Moon :full_moon_with_face::new_moon_with_face:.

I have an altar on the windowsill and another on the dining table. It’s a long table, we are 3 at home, so enough space. I have candles of different colours, crystals, plants and gifts of nature: a branch/wand I found in a forest, dried flowers, sea shells, stones, etc. Also photos of my children, my mother, my grandma (who was my spiritual guide), and myself.

When I do a reading I also like to light an incense stick (I have many), light a candle as well.

I write things I feel while drawing a card, but most of the times it’s about that moment. I don’t know what else I should do. I would say, trusting my intuition it’s all that matters. I have this idea that I’m not doing the right way but it could be just a thought. After all, there’s not just one way to do things. :dizzy:

Books that’ve been useful and guiding me are:

Moonology - Yasmin Boland
Wiccapedia - S. Robbins/L. Greenway
The Green Witch - Murphy Hiscock
The Witch’s Book of Self-Care - Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Druid Magic - Sutton Mann

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First two books i bought were Cunninghams encyclopedia of magical herbs and Hoodoo herb and root magic by Catherine Yronwode. great books to help you learn with herbs to use for what. i use mine all the time!!! highly recommend!

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If I was starting out again, I would tell myself to start by noticing and appreciating the natural cycles. In my experience, I have found that following the natural rhythms of the day, the moon cycle, the season and the sabbats to be a great way to ground my practice. I think there’s something very humbling and awe inspiring to feel your place in this magical world and the smallest ritual to honour these changes can be cleansing and healing. If I am feeling lost, I return to this fundamental idea of finding my place in nature and I think if all my books disappeared and the internet collapsed I could still find my way using the natural energy around me.

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I was having a hard time with a bos. Like what exactly do I need in one or put in one. I was getting stressed UNTIL I read somewhere that the bos is for whatever you want to put in it. It’s yours and if you just want pictures in it, then go for it. So my bos now consists of words of encouragement (for my depression) I find and like, spells, herbs I find interesting, my plans for a future natural built home which includes my research into different ideas, recipes, information I feel is important. I look at it as a book filled with stuff I’ve gotten off the internet in case if the internet was to ever go down or I end up in a “Fall Out” situation (the game).

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I would tell someone who is just learning about witchcraft that there is no right or wrong way. Do what feels right for you. Its all about your intentions and what you put out into the universe. I don’t follow one particular path, I incorporate aspects of different traditions that call to me into my practice.

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Yes, that is also nice - I actually made 2 books for myself, 1 I use for rituals, spells, and general information (I call this one my Spell book) and the other I write all my thoughts, feelings and experience in (I call this one my Grimoire)
I know you should put it all together in one book, but I just love these 2.

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Along with as many books as you can possibly read, I also recommend podcasts. There are enough witchy podcasts out there that they will come up in droves when you search spotify. It is a great resource for those who aren’t as avid a reader but also provides a wide range of information and practices that actual people are practicing today! (Just like this forum)

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I really like the Middle Aged Witch podcast. She seems very approachable and tells it in a straight forward way that’s still entertaining and educational. i’m still very new at this myself and i tend toward collecting books like a crow will collect shiny things. i know i have too many books and need to weed through them. right now i’m working on self love (because i suck at that) and learning moon magick because the moon draws me and grounds me and makes me feel whole. i’m not sure who wrote it, but i completely fell in love with the idea of using your fireplace as an altar. brilliant! i have a working altar in my bathroom (only room big enough to house it, and an ancestors’ altar. i will also be incorporating a “self” altar which will consist of a cross of things that make me happy and things i want to manifest (like a vision board of sorts)

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