Witchcraft is not something that you will decide to embark on overnight. More often than not, the seed is sown by a film, newspaper article or meeting a witch. Your curiosity is triggered and you find yourself wanting to learn more about witchcraft and how easy it is to get into. Certainly, the most important point about getting into witchcraft is to take your time, make plenty of good research and fully understand the different types of witchcraft and which one will suit you best. Importantly, you also need to know the answer to the important question – why do go want to want into witchcraft?
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Table of Contents
Getting into Witchcraft
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Read Plenty!
Before you embark on this completely different path in your life, it is well worth spending time learning about witchcraft. The image of witchcraft has certainly changed over the centuries and there has recently been plenty of attention in the media with such blockbuster films and books as Harry Potter, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and various articles in magazines and newspapers. There is plenty of information available on the subject including the different types of witchcraft, black and white magic and joining a coven. There are a number of biographies too such as What Witches Do by Stewart Farrar which describes his experiences of being a witch. Witchery – Embrace the Witch Within by Juliet Diaz guides you on how to make the journey successfully.
The Internet is ideal for finding out about witchcraft as there are podcasts, message boards, youtube videos, websites and some witches’ groups on Instagram, which are full of tips and information..
Understanding the Risks
At least that’s a common sentiment. In reality, in all my years of the craft, I’ve never felt afraid for the safety of myself or for others. As long as you follow the Wiccan Rule of Three there’s nothing you really need to worry about.
The Rule of Three (also Three-fold Law or Law of Return) is a religious tenet held by some Wiccans/Pagans and occultists. It states that whatever energy a person puts out into the world, be it positive or negative, will be returned to that person three times.
In short: there’s nothing you really need to worry about as long as you’re not trying to harm anyone else.
Learning how to get into witchcraft is really just about setting your intentions into the universe, controlling how you do that and always questioning yourself to make sure you’re not causing harm to yourself or to others. Get that right, and the rest will follow easily.
While I don’t fully agree with some of what they say, we do try and expose you to different viewpoints (especially if you’re considering getting into witchcraft) so I thought I’d include this from a reader as well:
Witchcraft is not to be taken likely as it is not something undertaken just for fun. Casting spells – even the smallest and lightest – comes at a cost and of course, you may find that not everyone wants to associate with a witch. Taking things one step further, the persecution of witches continues to this day and witchcraft is still blamed for many terrible crimes. If you decide you would like to become a witch, it is probably something you should keep private except with a selected few friends. It is also worth taking some precautions and the easiest way to protect yourself is to buy a Greek-style ‘Evil Eye’ that will avert an evil heading in your direction. The Witch’s Book of Self-Care by Ann Murphy Hiscock is a good read and explains how to pamper body, mind and spirit with the help of a little magic.
Familiarise yourself with some of the terminologies.
Like with most things, knowing what you are talking about (or understanding what others are talking about) will bring you confidence and also help you to decide exactly what type of witchcraft appeals to you. There are many different words and phrases to learn. The word Paganism is a good starting point as a person who is a Pagan does not follow one of the world’s main religions but focuses their beliefs on the earth and nature. Solitary refers to those witches who prefer to practice their witchcraft on their own, rather than join a coven. Ceremonials and rituals are important elements of casting spells and you will need time and practice to get these absolutely right. How well you cast a spell, will determine its success – but, there must be an element of caution as some spells are very powerful and it is not good if they go wrong.
Other common phrases include Black Magic which is a type of magic that usually has dark or harmful intentions and is often associated with satanism. Spells, hexes and curses are tools that you will learn much more about. It will be well worth reading up about the many different forms of witchcraft. One that you will find frequently mentioned is Wicca which was started in the mid- 20th century by Gerald Gardner. It has both female and male witches who are called ‘Wiccans’. If once you have explored all the different forms of witchcraft, you decide that you would rather ‘mix and match’ traditions rather than stick to one category, this is known as Eclecticism:
Get Only the Essentials
Whilst you are exploring whether witchcraft is for you and which type you would like to pursue, it is fun to track down your local witchcraft store and buy some of the basic essentials like candles and oils. Alternatively, take a browse on Amazon which has a good selection of books to choose from. A copy of ‘A Spell Book for New Witches’ by Ambrosia Hawthorn will prove valuable and your own Book of Shadows which is like a journal where you can record all your spells, what you used for them and how successful they were. If you love books, look our for a copy of Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical; Herbs.
Start With Witchcraft Basics
As you look for the type of witchcraft that will suit you best, you are actually at the beginning of a very new and personal journey that will be life-changing if you decide to pursue it. At this stage, it is well worth spending as much time as you can prepare yourself to grow in a new and fascinating way spiritually and emotionally. Start to follow the phases of the moon as most witches do their rituals during periods of a full moon or no moon and cast their spells to coincide with various lunar phases.
It is a good time to start reading about the different gods to find out more about them and which ones resonate with you and you would like to work with. You can practice some nice easy spells too as these will bolster your confidence and again will really help you to know that witchcraft is for you. Divination is another important facet and there are different methods to use including tarot cards, rune stones, oracle cards and automatic writing. It is a very personal choice to find the one which suits you best. Of course, whilst you are researching everything, it is not a bad idea to start practicing some of the basic rituals and to start using candles and crystals.
As the weeks progress, you will either feel increasingly comfortable about witchcraft and maybe will have found a kind that suits you perfectly or, you will have made the decision that interesting though it is, witchcraft is not for you just at this time, but is something you may consider again in the future.