#learning witchcraft

INTRODUCTION:

A book blessing.

Table of contents.

ABOUT ME:

Your current path.

Your personal beliefs.

Your spiritual journey.

Superstitions.

Past lives.

Favourite herbs/crystals/animals/etc.

Natal chart.

Craft name.

Astrology signs and their meanings.

Birthday correspondences (birth tarot card, birth stone, etc).

Goals.

SAFETY:

Fire safety.

What not to burn.

Toxic plants and oils (to humans, plants, and animals).

Crystals that shouldn’t be put… (in sunlight, in water, etc).

Things that shouldn’t be left in nature (glass, salt, etc).

Potion safety.

How to incorporate blood in spells.

Smoke safety.

Wound care.

Biohazards.

Spirit work safety guide.

CORE CONCEPTS:

Intention and how it works.

Directing energy.

Protection.

Banishing.

Cleansing.

Binding.

Charging.

Shielding.

Grounding.

Centering.

Visualization.

Consecration/blessing.

Warding.

Enchanting.

Manifestation.

Meditation.

What makes a spell work.

Basic spell structure.

What not to do in spells.

Disposing spell ingredients.

Revitalizing long term spells.

How to cast spells.

What to put in spells.

Spell mediums (jars, spoken, candle, and sigils).

Spell timing.

Potion bases.

Differentiating between magick and mundane.

Common terms.

Common symbols.

Intuition.

Elements.

Basic alchemy and symbols.

Ways to break spells.

Laws and philosophies.

CORRESPONDENCES:

Herbs and spices and their uses and/or properties.

Crystals and their uses and/or properties.

Colours.

Liquids and drinks.

Metals.

Salt and their properties.

Numbers.

Tarot cards and their meanings.

Elements.

Trees and woods.

Flowers.

Days.

Months.

Seasons.

Moon names, phases, and their meanings.

Zodiacs.

Planets.

Incense.

Teas.

Essential oils.

Directions.

Candle colours and their meanings.

Animals.

Symbology.

Bone correspondences.

Different types of water.

Common plants.

ENTITIES:

Deities you worship.

Pantheons.

Pantheons and deities closed to you.

Common offerings.

Epithets.

Mythos.

Family.

Worship vs work.

Prayers and prayer template.

Deity comms.

Devotional acts.

Angels.

Demons.

Ancestors.

Fae.

Familiars.

House, animal, plant, etc, spirits.

Folklore entities.

Spirit etiquette.

Graveyard etiquette.

Boundaries.

Communication guide and etiquette.

Spirit work safety guide.

How entities appear to you.

Circle casting.

Servitors.

Mythological creatures (dragons, gorgons, unicorns, etc).

UTILITY PAGES:

Gazing pages.

Sigil charging station.

Altar pages.

Intent pages.

Getaway pages.

Vision boards.

Dream pages.

Binding page.

Pendulum board.

Throwing bones page.

Divination pages.

Mirror gazing page.

Invocation pages.

Affirmation/manifestation pages.

Spirit board page.

OTHER PRACTICES:

Practices that are closed to you (Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santeria, Brujeria, Shamanism, Native practices).

Wicca and Wiccan paths.

Satanism, both theistic and non-theistic.

Deity/entity work.

Religious paths (Hellenism, Christianity, Kemeticism, etc).

Animism.

TYPES OF MAGICK:

Pop culture Paganism/magick.

Tech magick.

Chaos magick.

Green magick.

Lunar magick.

Solar magick.

Sea magick.

Kitchen magick.

Ceremonial magick.

Hedge magick

Death magick.

Gray magick.

Eclectic magick.

Elemental magick.

Fae magick.

Spirit magick.

Candle magick.

Crystal magick.

Herbalism.

Glamours.

Hexes.

Jinxes.

Curses.

Weather magick.

Astral magick.

Shadow work.

Energy work.

Sigils.

Runes.

Art magick.

Knot magick.

Music magick.

Blood magick.

Bath magic/rituals.

Affirmations.

DIVINATION:

Tarot cards.

Oracle cards.

Playing cards.

Card spreads.

Pendulum/how to use one.

Numerology.

Scrying.

Palmistry.

Tasseography.

Runes.

Shufflemancy

Dice.

Bibliomancy.

Carromancy.

Pyromancy.

Psychic abilities.

Astrology.

Auras.

Lenormand.

Sacred geometry.

Angel numbers.

Ornithomancy.

Aeromancy.

Aleuromancy.

Axinomancy.

Belomancy.

Hydromancy.

Lecanomancy.

Necromancy.

Oneiromancy.

Onomancy.

Oomancy.

Phyllomancy.

Psephomancy.

Rhabdomancy.

Xylomancy.

TOOLS:

Crystal grid.

Candle grid.

Charms.

Talismans.

Amulets.

Taglocks.

Wand.

Broom.

Athame.

Boline.

Cingulum.

Stang.

Bells.

Drums.

Staffs.

Chalices.

Cauldrons.

Witches ladder.

Poppets.

HOLIDAYS:

Imbolc.

Ostara.

Beltane.

Litha.

Lammas.

Mabon.

Samhain.

Yule.

How to celebrate the Sabbats.

Esbats.

Deity specific holidays.

Religious holidays (Christmas, Easter, Dionysia, etc).

Celestial events.

ALTARS:

Basics of altars.

Travel altars.

Deity altars.

Spirit altars.

Familiar altars.

Ancestor altars.

Self altars.

Working altars.

Sabbat altars.

SELF-CARE:

Burnout prevention.

Aromatherapy.

Stress management.

Coping mechanisms.

Meditation techniques.

THEORIES AND HISTORY:

Witchcraft history.

Paganism.

New age spirituality.

Cultural appropriation.

Thelema.

Conspiracy theories.

Cults.

Satanic Panic.

KJV.

Witches in history.

Cats in history.

Transphobia in witchcraft circles.

Queerness in witchcraft circles.

OTHER:

Recipes.

How to get herbs.

Foraging.

Drying herbs and flowers.

Chakras.

Reiki.

Witches alphabet.

Runic alphabet.

Guide to gardening

Your witch tips.

Resources.

Other tips.

List of spells.

Cryptids and their lore.

What is a liminal space?

How to start a dream diary. 

Recording/writing rituals.

The why, the how, and the importance of circling casting in magic

What is Circle casting?

When people talk about casting a circle, they are most often talking about casting a circle of protection. This is something to help keep you protected when you are in your most vulnerable state, for instance during a particularly taxing ritual or spell. I often describe this as a dome of protection, as large as you need it, to keep you safe. It can also work as a way to contain your own magic, to make sure your energy and magic can be focused on the thing you need it to focus on. 

How to cast a circle:

There are plenty of ways to cast a circle, but this is the way I have always done it

Make sure you cleanse yourself and your space. Just think, if you are about to but a dome of protection over you, where your energy can’t get out, and bad energy can’t get in, you want to make sure the energy of the space is right before you start. 

Draw a line. This can be mentally or physically, but draw a line around the space you want to protect. This could be directly around your altar, around the room you are in, or around your whole house. When drawing your line, do some clockwise to attract the energy of protection. 

Speak your intention clearly. When casting your circle, make sure you are clear with what you are protecting from. Are you protecting from all outside energy, or simply negative energy? Are you protecting from fairfolk coming into your circle? Make sure you are thorough with your intention. 

If working with a deity, call upon them. This is an optional step, but for the same reason you would want to be thorough with who you don’t want around, you also want to be thorough about who you do want around. If you are doing some rituals or spells, you may find you want to call upon certain deities or spirit guides, but that is wholly up to you. 

Now, go on with what you were doing. That would be rituals, spells, or well… Living your life. There are many people who simply put up protection circles on their home so they have protection in their home at all times, others only put up circles when they are working on rituals they feel need it (Some believe that having a circle up all the time can be draining for your spiritual health, or can effect some divination readings, since energies aren’t supposed to be able to come into your circle) 

When you are ready, make sure you close your circle. Thank those that helped you in your work, and thank those who respected your circle. When closing your circle, go backwards from the direction you cast, so in our case that is counterclockwise. Make sure to bless those who helped you with their travels.

Why do we cast circles?

A circle is a psychic or physical representation of protection, which is very important when opening yourself up during spells. When we are doing rituals or spells or meditations, it opens us up to receiving energy, but we can’t always control what energy is coming our way, that circle is there to only let through the energy you want to interact with during your work. Now, not all spells or rituals needs a circle cast, but it never hurts to do one if it feels right. This is just an option for you to keep you feeling safe and comfortable, especially when you don’t want to be worried about such things. 

Foundational guides, terminology, and the "why" of witchcraft.

“Blessed Be”: More Than Just a Witchy Goodbye

Do You Have to Know You’re a Witch for Magic to Work?

Do I Have to Be Psychic to Be a Witch? (Spoiler: No)

Do Witches Worship the Devil?

How to Be a Witch or Pagan Without Falling for Conspiracy Theories and New Age Cult Stuff

How to Start a Grimoire Without the Overwhelm

Is It OK to Be a Witch Without a Religion?

Red Flags to Watch for Online as a Witch or Pagan

Signs of a Witch? Let’s Clear the Smoke.

The Evil Eye, Curses, and Social Media: Are You Making Yourself Vulnerable Online?

The Practical Magic of Witchcraft Today

Types of Witches: Finding (or Creating) Your Path

What Is Witchcraft? A Practical Dive into the Mystical, Historical, and Modern World of Magic (2025 vers)

What Is Witchcraft? Exploring the Craft Beyond the Stereotypes (2020 vers)

What Makes a Witch? Breaking the Archetype

Witchcraft Is Not a Shortcut: Manifestation Requires Action

Witchcraft in the Digital Age

Weather Magic 🌧️ Rain

Rain is a form of weather based mainly with the water element. Rain can be incredibly cleansing, good for protection, and helpful with manifestation.

🌧️ Types of rainwater & their meanings

• pouring - perfect time for banishing

• raining - cleansing & growth happening

• drizzling - encouraging energy to grow

🌧️ Rain Magic

• collect it in a jar, use it in spells! can use in your baths, use it in a simmer pot recipe, make a cleaning spray with it and use it to clean your home. There’s endless possibilities!

🌧️ The rain is a powerful tool to use in magic and even better that it’s completely free. When working with rain, allow your intuition to guide you. It’s best to allow yourself to simply be in the moment and feel the energy all around you. The rain is incredibly healing, cleansing and protective. It holds memory like an elephant. When you need to release, utilize the energy from the rain.

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As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). if you are intrested in more method check the masterlist!

Discleimer: Don't start your journey as a witch by doing spells without knowing how to protect yourself.

It's important to note that the concept of spells, hexes, and curses can vary widely among practitioners. Some may follow positive and ethical paths, while others may engage in practices that involve more negative or harmful energies. Here's a general overview:

Spells:

Spells are rituals or actions performed with the intention of bringing about a specific result or change.

They can be categorized as positive (such as healing or protection spells) or negative (such as banishing or binding spells).

Spellwork often involves the use of herbs, crystals, candles, symbols, and spoken words to channel energy and focus intent.

Hexes:

A hex is typically considered a negative spell with the intent to cause harm or misfortune to the target.

Hexes are believed to work by manipulating energy to bring about negative consequences.

It's important to note that many practitioners follow the Wiccan Rede, which encourages the use of magic for positive purposes and advises against causing harm.

Curses:

Curses are similar to hexes but may be more severe or long-lasting.

They are often intended to bring about significant harm or suffering to the person targeted.

Some practitioners believe in the concept of the "Rule of Three," which suggests that any energy or intent sent out into the world, whether positive or negative, will return to the sender threefold.

I do follow the rule of three because everything comes back to you; as you sow so you shall reap. So be careful with any spell (or hexes or curses) because it may come back to you!

It's also important to approach the subject with respect and cultural sensitivity, as different traditions and individuals may have varying beliefs and practices. As with any belief system, there are diverse perspectives within the witchcraft community, and not all practitioners engage in hexes or curses.

what to do before you start a spell?

I will explain step-by-step how I prepare before any spell.

I clense my space.

I protect myself with a symbol or by praying to a god, which means that I am dedicating that spell to the specific god or asking for protection and guidance during the spell.

I prepare everything I need and clense it with smoke one by one.

The first thing I did was light up a white candle to keep track of the spell with the flame (I will do another post where I explain better how to read flames).

then I proceed to do my spell.

some other posts of basic things you should know before a spell:

healing, protecting, and grounding.

I've been practicing witchcraft for about five years and have yet to see a specific place where witches can freely exchange information so that's what I'm hoping to do here!

A few things about me I'd consider myself a chaos leaning witch, my practice tends to lack structure, and I include a lot of things that are both personal and general knowledge. I'm a college student majoring in Studio Arts and Biology. I have a cat, bunny, cockatiel, and tarantula. I struggle with multiple mental health issues, and I use witchcraft AND medicine to help live with them!

TL;DR: Paradigms are how you make sense of magic and how it fits into the world in your experiences. They aren't right or wrong and they often change!

Paradigm: a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind

Note: There are a few different definitions of paradigm depending on the field you're talking about. In the case of magic, we are using the definition above.

Paradigms are essentially how you make sense of the world around you. In magic, these paradigms are ways in which someone understands magic, how it works, and how it is used in the world.

Other people have used words like “framework”, or “beliefs/belief system”. Whatever you call it is fine!

Paradigms can and often do change over time, maybe you used to believe “xyz”, but now you’re thinking more “abc”. This doesn't make everything that you did while you believed in “xyz” invalid, it just means you understand it differently now.

Since paradigms are basically belief systems, they are not factual and are not “right” or “wrong” they simply are. One person may disagree with another, who may disagree with someone else, who may have similar but slightly different experiences than another. More than anything else, paradigms are fluid.

Furthermore, paradigms are fluid not just within ourselves but within communities too!

Here’s an example:

Say everyone in x community generally agrees that crystals hold power. However, some may believe that crystals only hold power once charged, like how a cup can only hold water once filled. While others may believe there is an inherent power within the crystal. Others in turn might believe that some crystals hold power and others don’t. Yet they all still believe the paradigm that crystals hold power.

Now let’s take a few paradigms about correspondences as another example.

In one witch’s paradigm, they might be used as ingredients that hold inherent power. -> “I am using the magical properties inherent to basil to power my money jar.” In another, the correspondences are spirits that you petition to help power the magical working. -> “I am working with the spirit of basil and asking them to help with my money jar.” In another, the correspondences are offerings that you give to a spirit that you’re petitioning. -> “I am using basil as an offering to a spirit to help with my money jar.” In yet another the correspondences are spirits that you don’t even need to petition, their very presence influences the spell. -> “I’m using basil in this spell because the spirit of basil will help influence my money jar.”

Here are some other examples of paradigms:

Spirit-Working sorcery, where spirits are petitioned for aid, and the strength of workings tends to depend on the depth of the relationship developed with the spirit, and/or success in evoking them in that instance.

Thinking or focusing on your intent in your head is fine, writing it down is better, but speaking it aloud is best.

Energy is the battery of magic. Magic is the change caused by whatever you’re doing but energy is what powers that change, be it a spell, prayer, whatever.

Gods can be called upon and petitioned for help with a spell, but the relationship between the caster and the god will determine the strength of the spell or their willingness to help. Otherwise, you can try to appeal to them with offerings to make up for the lack of a relationship, though their help will still not be as strong as if there were a pre-existing relationship.

Inanimate objects do not have spirits, but animals, plants, fungi, and humans do.

Again, these are not universal paradigms, they are just examples. I honestly don't think there even is a universal paradigm when it comes to magic and witchcraft.