—things beginner witches should research
when i started out, all those lists of “research herbs! crystals! auras! deities!” with no specificity always overwhelmed me. so here’s a list of things i personally think would benefit beginners to research, with a little description for each!
- different types of witches. find the labels, the terminology, and pay attention to the ones you connect with the most. research those more in depth. i did this in the beginning of my craft and i starred green witchcraft and kitchen witchcraft, which have become a big foundation to my craft, and hedge witchcraft, and now im an aspiring spirit worker.
- the difference between witch, wiccan, and pagan. wicca has dominated a lot of sources, so make sure you know the difference, especially if you’re trying to avoid wicca.
- the history of witchcraft and different practices. especially the practices you are interested in doing.
- pick one herb. literally just one. research its folklore and its properties. don’t overwhelm yourself trying to research all the herbs that ever exist; just one. then you can decide if you want to continue researching herbs or move onto something else. same goes for crystals. pick just one to start.
- if you’re interested in religion, research different religions; open and closed. remember that (as long as the information is open) you can research closed practices; you just cant DO them. it will also help you determine what religions you feel drawn to. some closed religions and practices are open by initiation, and if that is something that interests you, you can do research into how initiations work, where they happen, and if you would be able to be initiated. also remember that you do not have to be religious to do witchcraft!! if that interests you, research secular witchcraft.
- protection and cleansing. i tend to lump these together because they go hand in hand. research how to cleanse protect yourself and how to cleanse and protect your space.
- how to set up an altar. not every witch has an altar and you don’t have to! but if you’re interested in one, research how to set one up. going out and collecting rocks, water, and flowers for my altar was what i consider the real beginning of my practice.
remember that all of these are suggestions!! i just remember feeling overwhelmed with all the other lists and i know im not the only one, so i thought this could help! and, there are many other things you can research; most importantly, look into what piques your interest.
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