Beginning your Magical Journey
When you’re just getting into witchcraft and magic, it can be super overwhelming. One scroll through Pinterest or one search on Google, and you’ll be neck deep in “How to be a Witch” blog posts and “What type of Witch are you?” quizzes. When I was beginning my journey, all I wanted was someone to outline the basics of beginning witchcraft without all the fluff. So, I’ve done just that.
Research, Research, Research
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but research really is one of the most important steps for a baby witch. However, you don’t need to learn everything under the sun about witchcraft overnight to begin your practice.
Start with the basics of whatever you’re drawn to. For me, it was astrology and tarot. The key is to find resources that you can go back to time and time again.
It’s also a good idea to have both physical and digital resources at hand- digital resources save paper and last forever, and physical copies are great for quick referencing when you’re practicing. Physically writing information down is also a great way to really learn something.
Speaking of writing stuff down, write everything down. I cannot stress enough how much writing everything down helped me when I first began my witchcraft journey.
I filled so many notebooks with questions, notes, and experiences because I knew I would want to reference them later- and it’s saved my butt countless times. You never know when you’ll need that really specific tarot spread or that personal interpretation of a protection spell- but I promise, you’ll need it eventually.
Also, don’t worry about creating the prettiest, most “aesthetic” pages of notes and information. The important part of keeping a notebook is to get everything out of your head and onto something you can look at later. However, if looks really mean a lot to you (or you just don’t have the time to fill a notebook up yourself), check out my shop for printable grimoire pages from my personal grimoire.
Learn to Harness the Power of your Mind
As a former baby witch, I completely understand the lack of confidence that many beginners feel when they jump into the world of witchcraft. Everyone seems to have all the tools, crystals, and tarot decks they could ever need and you don’t understand how you can be witch without any of it. I’m going to let you in on a secret: you don’t need anything but yourself to be a witch.
That’s right. You contain all the magic and power you will ever need. And while tools are very helpful in harnessing that power, you don’t need them to begin practicing magic.
I always tell new witches to get to know their own power by meditating. Sit and feel the life force inside you. Understand the energy that flows in your veins and your soul. When you can feel that potential, your confidence will soar.
It’s important to remember that while our minds are the key to successful witchcraft, we are not all-powerful beings and the universe will not bend to your will. A big ego is the quickest way to get the ever-loving crap beaten out of you by the universe. She will humble you. Swiftly.
One of the biggest misconceptions that eventually turns people away from witchcraft is the expectation of instant gratification. I see posts all the time that claim you can lose fifty pounds, win a million dollars, or find your soulmate if you follow a simple spell or ritual. That’s just not how this stuff works.
While you can’t magically make all your bills go away or conjure a Pegasus into your living room, you can practice manifestation to make long term goals a reality. Manifestation, put simply, is using your mind and your intention to create a tangible, visible effect. Basically, if you want something to happen in your life, you have to believe that it will. This is because your energy and your thoughts are the most powerful tools you have.
I won’t go into detail in this post about the process of manifestation- but if you want to learn more you can read all about it here.
Get Out into the World
Often times new witches will get so caught up with researching magic, that they actually forget to practice it! I’ll admit, when I was a brand-new witch, I didn’t actually start practicing magic for a good six months - and while there were other reasons, the main reason it took me so long to begin is because I was intimidated. I was intimidated by the complicated spells, the hundreds of tarot decks to choose from, the witches that seemed to know everything already.
The truth is, you have to start somewhere.
All those picture-perfect witches on Instagram and Pinterest started where you are now. They too were clueless, overwhelmed, and had no idea where to start. The important thing is to remember that every witch was once a baby witch, and the only way to progress is to move forward.
For me, this was going to the local park and laying in the grass, just to feel the earth beneath me and the sun above me. I would take a moment every morning to listen to my heart and what it was pulling me toward. Taking the time to recognize all the beauty in my world helped me feel closer to my soul and the universe, and gave me the confidence to start my craft.
When you can tap into your intuition and follow what you’re drawn to, that’s when you’re most powerful. Listen to what the universe is telling you, and act on it. Get out of your comfort zone. Explore the world. Try new things. This is how we enrich our souls and find our magic.
Use What You Have
The last thing you should worry about when you begin your craft is spending money on fancy tools and witchy props. Witchcraft doesn’t favor those who have the prettiest altars and grimoires. Witchcraft is for everyone, no matter your financial status.
For me, the first thing I began collecting were containers. I knew that I would need jars, tins and pouches to keep myself organized and hold all my goodies. Over a few months I created a tiny army of various glass jars, mint tins, old makeup bags- basically anything I could find that looked like it would be useful later on.
For you, this might look a little different. Maybe you feel compelled to go outside and forage for local plants and herbs; or maybe you begin a collection of rocks and shells to decorate your altar. Collect whatever you feel drawn to and soon you’ll see just how much you can find for free!
The important thing is to remember that witches long before us didn’t have the internet. They couldn’t go out and buy a premade grimoire or order rare herbs from across the world. They had to rely on what was around them. Go back to your roots and remember the long line of frugal and creative innovators you come from. Channel that energy and get crafting.
Just Do It
No, I’m not referencing Nike. To begin you craft, you have to just do it. Do the research, harness your personal power, get out into the world, and collect what you’re drawn to. Being a witch begins with the decision to learn, practice, and make mistakes. As cliché as it sounds, witchcraft really is about the journey, not the destination.