Witchcraft For Beginners

Witchcraft For Beginners

by | Nov 3, 2021 | Uncategorized | 1 comment

WELCOME TO WITCHCRAFT FOR BEGINNERS!

 

I’m so glad you made it here. I want to share my very best witchcraft for beginners advice with you. Because the number one question I hear asked by those new to Paganism or Witchcraft is ‘Where do I start’?

 

My answer is simple – Start EXACTLY where you ARE.

 

All too often the advice given to new seekers can easily add to the overwhelm, to the confusion and sense that you will never make it on this path. You may well have experienced this yourself. 

 

So I am glad you made it here, because I want to reassure you – you’ve already made it!

 

In this article I want to offer my own perspective and advice on where to begin.  It will be the first in a series of Witchcraft for Beginners articles aimed to guide you gently as you find your feet (or your wings) on the magical path. It will help you take stock and decide what YOU want from the endless potential before you. Most importantly the series will give you some EASY, PRACTICAL steps you can take today to get started.

 

So, get comfortable, get yourself a cup of tea (because tea is the witchy answer to most things) and relax!

Books? 

If you have frequented any pagan forums, facebook groups or have met other pagans at a moot or other event you have most likely heard some version of the following advice for beginners: Read, Read and read some More!

If so, you might be surprised to hear my first piece of advice: Put down the books!!

 

 

Books on beginning Witchcraft and paganism

Step away from the enticing pile of words and paper!

Keep away from the bookshop!

 

DON’T EVEN THINK OF OPENING AMAZON ON ANOTHER TAB!

 

Not even that pretty, velvet book called ‘Witchcraft for Beginners’. In fact ESPECIALLY not that one. 

You won’t find a single book recommendation on this page.

 

Except this photo.

Knowledge of the craft comes from within – and from spirit. It does not come from a book or another person. The only thing which comes from these is information.

Only YOU can make a connection with the energies and spirits which are essential for working magic and witchcraft. When you do its like plugging an appliance into the mains circuit – its electrifying! But reading about how someone else did it won’t even cause the candle to flicker.

Traditional Craft is Local Craft. It is about the gods and the spirits and the energies where YOU are. Even a book written in the same country can only be an inspiration and not an instruction. ​You cannot learn about your local area from a book, from a video or even from me. You can only learn it from being out there. ​

Similarly you do not get to know a deity or spirit from reading about them.  You get to know them by meeting them and talking to them, being with them regularly. It’s a bit like an online dating profile – what sounds nice in a book may be completely different when you finally meet them. Its someone else’s view of them after all. ​There is no substitute for DOING. ​

The wisest witch I know always taught me:

To Be a Witch, you must Be A Witch

So, before we get to reading (and if you are a bibliophile, don’t worry there WILL be reading later!) we are going to concentrate on BEING a witch. We will take it step by step, but you will see results QUICKLY. 

You need to be in the energies you want to work with, and be open to them making a connection, starting a relationship, with you. Those energies are everywhere – but they are strongest outside. So the very first thing I want you to do is get outside.

You don’t have to go very far. In fact I don’t want you to go very far. 

You just have to step outside of your front door.

Doorway to beginning Witchcraft and Magic

Once you are outside you can do anything you want. But be conscious and deliberate about it.

Take a few deep breaths feeling your lungs fill with the essence of the place you live and have your being. Be conscious of it travelling from your lungs around your body.

Notice the nature you share the space with – the grass, the trees, the birds. Don’t forget to look up to the sky, the clouds, the stars, the moon! Even in the densest urban space there is some nature to be found if you look.

Do this every day.  Even if you only have a couple of moments – just say hello to the world you inhabit.

If you cannot get outside open a window, feel the breeze on your face.

All I want you to do is experience the changing face of nature every day – and to enjoy the power of it. To feel the rain or the wind or the sun and be grateful for its gifts. To acknowledge the forces, and over time recognise the ebb and flow which happens EXACTLY where you ARE.

Know that this space right outside your home is the source of your magical power and get to know it intimately. Spend as much time as you can out of doors, safe in the knowledge you are already a witch.

You’ve started!

Looking for More?

If you enjoyed this article on witchcraft for beginners and want to dive deeper then our brand new email course for total newbies – Changing Tides – might be for you.  Or perhaps you want something a bit more advanced – Introduction to Moon Magic might be for you!

Find out more about these courses, and our other training opportunities on our courses page.

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10 Ways to Celebrate the Full Moon

10 Ways to Celebrate the Full Moon

by | Oct 27, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

With the Moon reaching the peak of its cycle tonight I am sure you are feeling the pull of the Full Moon as much as I am. Are you wondering – how do I celebrate the full moon?

For the last few days the waters in me – physical and spiritual – have been rising.

It’s the same every month, I am pulled toward the rising tides of the moon.

You may be surprised to learn that the Full Moon is not the phase of the moon in which I do most of my magical work. I like to start projects which need a boost of energy to get them moving at the full moon. But mainly it is a time for celebrating, for my previous magics coming to fruition, for relaxing with witchy friends and a time of devotion.

If you are new to Witchcraft, or maybe need a little inspiration, here are 10 ideas on how you could celebrate the Full Moon and utilise its energies. But most importantly all of these mini ritual ideas will help you to align with its energies, to feel them, and to begin to use them to achieve magical results.

1. Observe The Moon

The simplest witchcraft rituals are often the best. Just looking at the moon is a magical act and a divine communication in and of itself.

It doesn’t need to be complicated – just go outside and look! Gaze gently, see every shadow and every line. See how the light diffuses around it. See how it illuminates the world and the night sky. Just watch without expectation or assumption about what might happen. Breath deeply and enjoy!

2. Talk to the moon. 

Whilst you are outside looking at moon you might feel drawn to speak to the moon. Don’t hold back – speak what’s in your heart and mind! You can speak out loud (I often use a purposeful whisper) or in your mind. You might like to prepare something in advance if you do not feel confident. Or perhaps find a poem about the moon you like.

Full Moon Water
3. Catch the Moonlight in Water

Moon water has become popular recently – but in doing so its lost a lot of the nuances. It feels quite a fluffy new age thing now! But its not. If done right. This is NOT about filling a bowl with water and leaving it on the garden wall all night to get ‘moon water’ for spells.

This is about taking a small bowl or cup, filling it with water (rain or river water is great, or you can use any liquid such as wine) and stand under the moon carefully positioning the water until you ‘catch’ the moon’s reflection in the surface.

Spend some time focusing on the reflection and the knowledge of what you are catching so it charges the liquid. You can then use the water to bless yourself with the moon’s power, drink a little to take its energy, add a little to the bath, or maybe offer as a gift to the spirits of your home and garden. Save it in a bottle and use a drop or 2 to dress candles for spells.

The key is to make a small amount, with intention and effort on your part. Don’t dilute the magic!

Want to Go deeper? Register for the FREE Moon Magic Workshop we are hosting THIS week!

4. Catch the Moonlight in a Mirror and reflect onto yourself

Another way to capture the energy of the moon to utilise it yourself is to use a mirror. With your back to the moon hold a small mirror in your hand and focus it on the moon. Then reflect back onto your self – your face is easiest. Really FEEL the moons rays reflecting onto you. Close your eyes and breathe deeply whilst you absorb the energy and let it recharge and refresh you.

5. Take a Moon Bath!

There are 2 ways to take a moon bath in order to celebrate the full moon.

First, you simply add the moon water you made into your bath tub and just get in and relax and absorb the magical energies.

Or you can go outside, grab a blanket and somewhere to lay/sit and allow the moon light to wash over you.

6. Charge a Magical Tool…… but only if it needs it!

The energy of the Full Moon can be used to charge and consecrate a magical tool. But you don’t need to go overboard. Think before you charge – WHY?

Does it need the energy of the moon?

I personally dislike the trend for charging crystals for example – these minerals already team with the energy of the earth so why try and replace that energy with moon energy?

What are you using the tool for and will it benefit from celestial energy?

I like to charge my herb knife occasionally or my Sprowl Staff. And my silver ritual jewellery, but that’s about it for me.

7. Harvest Magical Plants

At the full moon the sap and vital energy of plants is high. Just as the moon controls the tides of the sea which are high at the point in the cycle, so too it controls the tides within every living thing.

Full of vital energy, magical plants for spell work and healing are particularly potent when picked under the light of a full moon.

Remember to harvest responsibly, only take a small amount of any given plant, only take what you will use, and live an appropriate gift to the spirit of the plant and place.

Magical Witch Herbs
 8. Acknowledge the Elements

A very simple ritual which can be done any time, but is particularly strong at the full moon is to acknowledge the elements where you live. To do this I simply go outside and take some deep breaths, and say something like:

I breathe of the Earth, of the land which Holds Me

I breathe of the Air, of the breeze which Inspires Me

I breathe of the Water, of the rivers which free Me

I breath of the Fire, of the flame which illuminates Me

I breathe of the Elements. I breathe of Life

I then spend a few moments just ‘being’.

Remember – the elements exist everywhere and all around us. Whilst some traditions attribute elements to specific directions there is no need to do this, and I do not turn or face a certain direction when I do this greeting.

9. Divination

The time of the full moon is a great time for divination.

A simple Tarot spread under the full moon can be very insightful for personal development or general guidance for the month ahead.

If you don’t read Tarot often just pull a single card and meditate on what it may mean. Worry less about what books say the card means and more about the insights which come to you using your intuition.

Its also a good time for using pendulums, runes, or my personal favourite scrying. And yes, I usually use the water in the cauldron which hangs over the fire where I work at full moon!

10. Drink Moon Tea

Finally, a moon tea ceremony can be a beautiful way to celebrate the Full Moon – and can bring together many of the previous ideas.

Using a herb that is sacred to the moon (such as mugwort, hibiscus, Aloe or Jasmine) spend time and attention making a cup of tea.

Make it as elaborate as you like – a beautiful tea pot, singing a song of the moon as it brews, a lovely cup which you fill and then catch the moon light in……

Then drink and relax and soak up the moon’s energy and light.

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Moon Magic – A Guide to Aligning your Magic with the Power of the Lunar Cycles

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by | Oct 24, 2021 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

One way you can make your magic more powerful is to align it to the tides of the moon. In this article I want to give you a quick introduction to moon magic, and how you can use it as a witch.

Gravitational pulls control the tides of the oceans and the tides within us. There is a daily ebb and flow, but also a monthly one which follows the moon cycle. As the moon travels around the earth it shows to us just a small part of itself at any given time. A small amount illuminated by the light of the moon. A reflection of one of its aspects.

Even just being aware of the lunar cycle is a magical act. In fact one of the very first exercises I recommend to new witches is to go outside every night and track the moon. Just look up and see what it is doing. You will soon find yourself naturally aligning with the cycles. This is the easiest moon magic you can do – but its also VERY powerful.

But it is important to know not just what phase it is, or what the best type of magic during that phase is, but also how it ACTUALLY feels. And by that I mean how it feels to YOU.

So the second part of that exercise is to write in a journal how you feel. What emotions have been prevalent that day? And how you feel when you just gaze up at the moon?

Watching the moon is better than an app.

Better than any almanac or dates added to a diary.

It will do something for you that I cannot explain.

It will align you to one of the most powerful sources of energy available to a witch.

And whilst it may seem difficult to know which exact phase its in then there are clues. The shape of the moon. The direction in which the horns point. The times its visible – they all go together to build up a picture. I’ve added these clues to the quick run through of phases below.

But know this – how the moon affects you and makes you feel should be the very basis of your own personal moon magic. Dont fight the tides which move through you – jump in. Enjoy! That’s what witches do best.

New Moon

The moment the moon begins to grow – to wax. It marks the beginning of the cycle.

So its good for moon magic designed to begin things. New projects. New phases in your life. New Starts.  Its also a great time for magic to help you see things afresh, from a new perspective. It brings clarity and focus of thought. As the tiny silver of light appears, so concentrated on a tiny point, so your thoughts can be trained into that razor sharp focus.

When you plant the seeds of change they will manifest through the lunar cycle – and indeed it is a lovely way to mark the new moon to plant seeds as part of your spell work. 

Another definition is the moment at which the moon becomes visible in the sky again – which is slightly later, but is possible to note without recourse to almanacs or online apps.

If you are interested in moon gardening then this is the time when the waters are low in plants too. The power concentrated in the roots. So as well as planting then gathering roots at this time is very potent.

Waxing Crescent

The first phase of the (apparently) increasing moon. Less than half the moon is lit – and in the Northern Hemisphere it grows from right to left. Meaning the horns of the crescent point left.

During this phase it rises in the day – around lunchtime, and so it sets early in the evening too. You probably won’t see it if you are looking for it in the early hours of the morning. Easiest time to see it is shortly after it gets dark.

An easy way to tell the moon phase is the time of day you see the moon in the sky! If its in the afternoon it’s a waxing moon!

Like the new moon which kicks off this phase, it is the perfect timet for moon magic to for new projects, to nurture new ventures to give them a strong start. A spell started at new moon can be boosted during this time and encouraged to start growing strong roots.

First Quarter

The point at which the moon is half way between dark and full. An exact semi circle to our eyes. This lasts just a moment really – but to our eyes it appears to be a couple of nights.

Waxing Gibbous

The second week broadly of the cycle and lasts until Full Moon. Still growing in the amount of light and building of energy.

Continues growing right to left. Starts to set later each night – so you will start to see it in the sky after midnight during this phase.

Full Moon

This one is the easiest to recognise – a full bright silvery circle of light! But judging the exact moment of fullness by eye alone isn’t easy. For this reason most witches utilise a 3 day window around the exact point to work their magic

The moment of fullness may also not be at night! So, timing your rituals becomes a matter of personal compromise. Personally I cant get into the mood to do any moon rituals when it is still light! So midnight is always the time I choose. Either the day of or the day before if possible.

At this point in the cycle its generally rising in the sky around sunset and setting with the following dawn. So visible all night.

This is the most common time for witching! It’s the time that really pulls on us. The height of the moon tide – and indeed the ocean tides which the moon controls. As they rise so do the waters within us. It pulses and the energy is unmistakeable once you have experienced it.

Its traditionally a time for celebrating the Divine – commonly in pagan circles this is often the Goddess as the moon is seen as female. However in traditional craft many see the moon as Male. Its something you have to decide for yourself. But years of conditioning from the mainstream can make it difficult to really perceive for yourself.

You can do just about any magic at this point – anything which requires a serious punch of energy! It’s a great time to bring things to fruition – either long term projects or the things you began at the new moon. Dream work is also powerful at this time so get your journals out.

Also a good time to consecrate and make magical/sacred your tools. You can charge tools that you want charging with moon energy. But think carefully on this. It adds MOON energy – and not everything needs that kind of energy. (For example I don’t really understand the craze for charging cystals at the Full Moon. They are surely the very epitome of earthly energy not heavenly……)

Plus you only need to recharge tools which lose or have used the energy previously charged into them.

If you are moon gardening, with the high tides of water and sprowl, the leaves and flowers of plants are the best to gather in at this time.

Many witches report an increase in sex drive at the full moon! So if your partner (if you have one) is doubtful of the benefits of your path here’s your chance to influence them to positive ways of thinking!!!!

For ideas for celebrating the full moon check out this post:

10 Ways to Celebrate the Full Moon

Waning Gibbous

As soon as the full moon begins to wane, or to begin its apparently reduction in size, the wanning gibbous phase begins.

During this period you won’t see it in the sky until late – probably after midnight.

But you may see it in the sky after sunrise. So the moon in morning sky means its waning!

The light reduces from right to left.

Magic turns to reduction, decreasing and removal. If you have something to let go of now is the time to start lessening its grip on your life. To begin the process of saying goodbye.

It’s a good time for slow removals – of things which take time, or you need time to adjust to.

Waning Crescent

The final quarter of the cycle – about week 4. Sometimes in traditional craft known as the old moon.

The horns of the crescent start to appear again. This time pointing towards the right.

The energy builds again – but very different from the energy whilst built in the second half of the waxing phase. It is becoming more internal  the feel it in your gut ype of energy. The energies start to concentrate in you pushing inwards instead of outwards.

Things to focus on – spirit communication, work with ancestors, endings that need to be slightly quicker (including banishing) and really focused on removal.

Dark Moon

Moon not visible in the Sky.  Concentrated energies – spirit travel, crossing the hedge, shadow work, protection and curse. Operating under a cloak of darkness

A time for rest – withdrawal from the outside world.

When the moon is dark, we see what is behind. The lack of light reveals as much as the full moons light reveals – and for me that is the Lord of the Greenwood.

I prefer to look up into the sky to discover the moon phase I am in, I guess I am just an experiential, action focused kind of witch! My moon magic starts with my direct connection and interaction with the moon. But some people like to get more scientific, and if thats you then the website lunarium is one of the best and easiest to use moon calendars about! (And it has some great articles of all the intricacies of science!)

https://www.lunarium.co.uk/calendar/universal.jsp

Learn how to Put this into Practice

If you are looking for a helping hand to put this into practice, to help you connect with the energies of the moon and use it to supercharge your magic and witchcraft then our online course Introduction to Moon Magic might be what you are looking for. 

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