Top 3 Tips For Starting Witchcraft
The number 1 question I am asked is “Do you have any tips for starting Witchcraft”. Now, if you’ve seen any of my TikTok or Instagram content, you’ll know that ALL my content is considered tips for starting Witchcraft, which got me wondering if that is truly the question at play here.
Upon reflection, it seems people don’t need tips so much as they need permission. There is a hesitancy here to just dive in because it feels overwhelming. Those interested in the path are often told to just “research”, but where on Earth does one start?
Well, I am here to tell you that ANYONE can be a Witch and begin practicing witchcraft if you genuinely want to. Keeping in mind that some branches of Witchcraft, namely Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca require initiation so you will need to locate a coven (although you can declare as self-dedicated solitary Wiccan). There is more on that topic here.
Now, for some practical steps you can take towards the path. Here are my top 3 tips for starting Witchcraft!
1. What drew you in?
What was it about Witchcraft that caught your attention?
Some common answers are crystal, tarot cards, divination, working with spirits, spell work, the aesthetic, nature, herbs and the spooky vibes. I want you to pick the number 1 thing about witchcraft that piqued your interest and START THERE!
Crystals
If it was crystals, find a crystal shop and buy a couple that really stand out to you. Now go home, read up on them, and start using them purposefully. Figure out how to cleanse them, charge them and ways you can heal yourself with them. This should keep you busy, and if you’re like me, soon you’ll have to check your pockets for crystals before you do the washing.
Tarot
If you were drawn to the craft because of Tarot cards or Divination, wanting to know the future, then I suggest buying a deck of cards or a pendulum. You can see if I have a Tarot class coming up soon to attend or If that’s a bit far out for you at this point, then download a Tarot podcast like Tarot bytes, Biddy Tarot or Tarot visions and just listen along for a while. Feel out the vibes and see if it gels with you.
I have some videos on getting started with Tarot on my YouTube channel which you can see here.
Ghosts
Was it ghosts, the supernatural and spooky vibes that drew you in? I bet you have some prominent Scorpio placements in your chart! I have a couple of podcast episodes on Mediumship, Necromancy and Death rituals that I’m sure you will love!
I’d also suggest some spooky podcasts (you can see some suggestions here) and reading up on the Occult. People like Alistair Crowley and John Dee are super interesting to dive into.
Spells
Did spell work catch your eye? There are lot’s of spells you can do, and I’ve written a few suggestions in my post on Love Magick but the main advice for you here is to simply jump in and start trying. Start small if you’re worried and remember intent is half the battle.
Make sure your space is cleansed before you begin. Things like the freezer spell, where you write someone’s name on a piece of paper who you don’t want to bother you, and pop it in the freezer are easy, small spells like that are a great jumping off point. Healing spells are another stepping stone, and I detail one on my YouTube channel here and one on spell jars here
Whilst you can find spell books, the most powerful ones will come from your own intuition. YouTube and Books provide a myriad of inspiration and knowledge that you can draw from to begin creating your own magic.
Nature
Nature and Herbs can be a big draw to the craft, and there are a few different subcategories here.
Paganism is a nature-based religion and you can be a Pagan Witch, or simply Pagan, or just a Green Witch. I’d recommend reading some content on Paganism to find out if it is the right path for you first. There is a book called “Paganism – An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions” by Joyce & River Higginbotham which is an excellent jumping off point for your journey.
If herbal healing is your vibe, you can look into some herbalism courses in your local area or even online. Often permaculture co-op’s and farms will offer these style courses. If that’s not an option for you, I highly recommend the book Herbcraft by Nerys Purchon. It’s an oldie but a goodie and will give you a great place to begin crafting tinctures and decoctions from home.
2. Document the journey
Ok so you have your main interest, and you have begun researching and maybe even dabbling a bit. This is the BEST time to begin documenting your journey with witchcraft. This can be the beginning of your Book of Shadows or Grimoire, and no, it does not have to look pretty. You can always doll it up later.
Right now, you want to date each entry, and include things like spells you’ve tried, dreams you’ve had, tarot readings you’ve done and things that come through in meditation. Trust me, you will want all of this to look back on one day.
You can also begin recording the information from your research that you don’t want to forget. Jot down candle colour meanings and crystal properties, dream interpretations and how to create a sigil. Everything you think you may want to refer to later can go into this book. I used a standard journal at first and have since split into numerous spiral notebooks. One is solely for tarot spreads, meanings and astrological card associations, another is for dream records and interpretations only. One notebook is for astrology information, new things I’ve picked up along the way, and ideas I have about certain transits and the last one is my psychic book all about events, spiritual occurrences, words/ideas received whilst meditating and other such things.
3. Get your feet wet
Anyone can call themselves a Witch, referring to the archetype of the word, but in order to be a practicing Witch you need to do just that, practice! It’s all well and good researching everything, but at some point, you’ll need to actually start doing the work. Witchcraft is a PRACTICE. It is something that you DO. The frequency and seriousness of your practice is totally up to you. Some Witches throw their crystals on the windowsill on the full moon shouting “charge my pretties” and that’s the extent of it, whereas others have a full blown coven, attend full moon circles and craft elaborate rituals. There is no one right way to be a Witch, but if you never get your feet wet and start practicing what you’ve learnt, you’ll never see how empowering, enlightening and electrifying this path can truly be.
Hopefully by now you feel a bit more confident in beginning on your chosen path. This here is your permission slip to go forth and practice. Please feel free to send me messages and photos of your books and spells as I LOVE to see your confidence and practices growing alongside my own.
Did this post answer your questions? If not, drop a comment below and I’ll get back to you!
Brightest Blessings,
Hana the Suburban Witch
Meet Hana
Hana O’Neill, the Suburban Witch is a professional Tarot & Astrology reader, Intuitive Coach and the host of the Witch Talks podcast.
