12 Tips for New Witches & Magick Practitioners
Updated: Mar 16, 2023
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So you've heard the witchcraft calling! Okay, cool, great. So where do you go from there and what should you know?
The first thing I want to express, which is not a tip so much as it is a clarification that I'd like to make before we begin, is that Pagans and witches are not always the same thing. For many of us, the two go hand-in-hand. However, there are Pagans who don't practice witchcraft, and there are witches and magick practitioners who are not Pagan. They may be of a different religious or spiritual belief, or magick may simply be a secular tool they use to enhance their lives. Some of my recommendations below (particularly some of the book suggestions) will apply directly to those who are, at the very least, interested in Paganism. However, I tried to make this article apply to anyone interested in practicing magick.
That said, let's skip the preamble and jump right in. In no particular order--although the last two are my favorite--here are my top twelve tips for new practitioners.
1. Research, Research, and Research Some More
The vast amount of information in book stores and on the internet that teach about witchcraft, the occult, and magickal practices--both in a secular and spiritual context--is both painfully overwhelming and delightfully vast and diverse. The same goes for Paganism as a whole as well as its various sects, traditions, paths, offshoots, and what-have-yous. Then there's also occult orders and secret societies (real ones, not the conspiracy theory ones unless that's your jam). But oh wait, there are also different types of magick, different methods and models, too?
It's a rabbit hole of information that can be confusing and downright infuriating to sort through, and I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you: the only way to figure it all out is through discovery. You might find one order or tradition right away that has all the answers you need (more on this later), but I would argue that for most people that's not the case. It took me a solid year of reading, watching videos, and Googling questions (which often lead to either more questions or contradictory answers) to feel like I had some grasp on this whole magick thing.
Don't freak out! A year may seem like a long time, but when you discover this to be a lifelong journey, one year is nothing and you will continue to study--and hopefully enjoy doing so--for the rest of your life. The bonus is that you don't need to know everything to start practicing (more on this later in tip twelve).
In the beginning I had so many questions such as, "Do I have to commit to one path?" "Wtf is a Kybalion?" "Is Chaos Magick only for people who understand chaos theory and, like, math and science and stuff?" "What if I don't believe in deities?"
Nearly a decade into this, while I now have all the answers to the above questions, I still have other questions. That part never stops. But where do you even start when there are thousands upon thousands of resources out there? Well, here is my recommended beginner reading list (paid links below):
I cannot recommend this book enough for new Pagans. Whether you think you might be an eclectic, you're intrigued by a particular path, or you just have absolutely no idea, check this book out.
While there is nothing wrong with Wicca or books on Wicca (in fact, I'm going to recommend some below), many resources for new witches and Pagans are either Wiccan or Wiccan-leaning. The downside to this is that people coming from little or no information are set up with this idea that Wiccan rules/customs are Pagan rules/customs. Wicca does fall under the Paganism umbrella, but it does not define all of Paganism. Therefore, I would recommend The Path of Paganism so you can study Paganism as a whole before narrowing down your search for a specific path.
I could go on and on about all the great things I love about this book, but we have way too much to cover today. If you want to know more before committing the time and money to reading it, you can check out my video review:
Can I go one article without quoting or referencing the work of Jason Miller? Apparently not, and with good reason. Miller not only knows his stuff, but he knows a lot of different stuff. I would recommend this book for anyone studying magick, whether as a spiritual or secular practice. I'll let him explain it himself:
There are some books on magick that teach it purely as spiritual advancement. There are others that teach it as a form of psychological self-help that effects only inner change. While magick can and should be both of these, it is something more. The Sorcerer's Secrets is about success in practical magick; it is a book that aims at change in both the outer and inner worlds.
Admittedly, I do have a few gripes with this book, one of which is that the content and voice can be a bit condescending at times. However, don't let that dissuade you. Before You Cast a Spell still has a lot of solid educational material for anyone who is looking to pick up almost any type of magickal practice.
Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland and Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham
I have grouped these together as they are both books about Wicca and Wiccan witchcraft. Even just the title of Buckland's book will show you why some might pick this book up and not realize that they are reading a Wicca-focused book, which can make things a little confusing as you are learning.
However, whether you are exploring Wicca-specific information or not, there is a lot of value in both of these books for witchcraft beginners as they break down a lot of the basics.
To be completely honest, this is a book about Chaos Magick. If you are interested in Chaos Magick, great! Here you go! If not, I still recommend this book anyway. It is a secular look at how magick works and explains the importance of belief in practice and how to form intentions. Plus, it's funny and can be read in a matter of hours.
I have a review for this book as well:
If you are interested in the contemporary history of witchcraft or want a little taste test of different paths within Paganism, do yourself a favor and read this book. It's long but worth it.
But how else can I research?
Reading is important, don't get me wrong, but I understand that it takes time and you may want other study options. First of all, you can listen to the audiobooks with a free trial of Audible (paid link). Secondly, here are some other ways to study witchcraft and Paganism while hitting the books:
You might be raising an eyebrow at some of these because how can all of these possibly be related to magick? When you are a practitioner, magick is in everything and its practice is deeply ingrained in human history. It may take you a while of reading witchcraft books to see why art or psychology apply, but just trust me on this for now and it will pay off in the long run.
I would also suggest you check out witchcraft and Pagan podcasters and YouTubers (oh hey, this one is me!), but be sure to check their bios for what specific path they follow. As warned above, you want to understand what it is you're learning and not just assume that one rule or method applies to all, even if many do overlap.
Side note: I have mixed feelings about WitchTok. Yes, there is some valuable information on there and many TikTok content creators really know their stuff. However, there is also a lot of, well, crap on there too. I recommend staying off WitchTok until you have at least done enough study to recognize which is which, especially given that the videos uploaded there are so short and rarely supply enough information to actually set you up with a solid foundation or education.
2. Document Everything
I can, and eventually will, write an entire article about why it's important to have dedicated journals for everything. One for divination readings. One for logging your dreams. One for tracking all of your spells. In fact, I have deemed these so important that I designed and self-published guided journals for all of the above.
For one, these create an additional way to study. Consider the previous tip your classroom time while practicing and tracking said practice is your homework. It is a way to track your progress as well as what works for you and what doesn't, helping you to discover your own personal style of witchcraft.
When you start keeping a record, you might begin to notice certain patterns like your tarot readings are more accurate than your runes, candle magick has a high success rate for you while sigils don't, you keep seeing owl symbolism everywhere and that might be something you need to explore further.
Again, I could write an essay on this topic so let this small section serve as a short summary (admittedly leaving out a lot of other benefits) and take my word for it.
3. Start with the Basics
Meditate
Please read my article, "Meditation & Magick" about why it's so important and how to start.
Practice visualization
Just about every spell or ritual you will ever come across or, eventually, create yourself will instruct you to visualize something at some point. Unless you are one of the rare people with Aphantasia (in which case, it's okay to just describe aloud what it is you would be visualizing), visualization and imagination are muscles that you can strengthen and grow through practice.
One easy technique is to imagine yourself in a setting. Let's say the beach. See the sky, the ocean with the sun on the horizon, the waves coming and going from the shore. Feel the sand beneath you, the breeze against your skin. Hear the waves crash and seagulls caw. Smell the salt water in the air, taste it clinging to your lips. Don't just picture your visualizations, use all of your senses.
Learn to ground and center
The step-by-step instructions on how to ground and center would take up more article space than I would like given how much we have to cover today. At some point I will have an article about this, but in the meantime here is a video instruction guide:
4. You Don't Have to Buy Everything Right Now
You may start reading a book with suggestions of items to keep on your altar, or a spell with a dozen ingredients, or see a witchy aesthetic Instagram account with a hundred beautiful tools and trinkets that you want right now. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT rush out or hop online and buy all the things. Here's why:
Tools, ingredients, and accessories get expensive and take up space
You definitely will not need everything right away
You may find that some things don't fit into your craft at all
Most things have perfectly good alternatives that can be made or found around the house
You don't want to go out and drop several hundred dollars on a ton of stuff, some of which you will inevitably find you either didn't need for a long time or use a couple of times and then find it doesn't suit you.
One example of this is my old wand. I was broke as hell when I first started so I couldn't have gone out and bought all the things even if I wanted to--and trust me, I wanted to. I liked the idea of using a wand for directing energy, so I grabbed a beautiful wood wand I had received as a gift years ago that had become a part of my Renaissance Faire costume. I used it several times, but it honestly felt awkward: too long, clumsy in my hand, and my energy felt deadened after being channeled through it. My instincts told me to set it aside and try using just my hands, and it made an incredible difference. To this day, I solely use my bare hands to direct energy.
Some practitioners will use nothing but a wand or feel that it magnifies or better directs their energy or intent, but that wasn't the case for me. I was so grateful I didn't run out and drop $40 on an item I would use with underwhelming results a handful of times and then toss aside.
I stopped using altar cloths as they were constantly being ruined by candle wax, I prefer runes or bone throwing to tarot, and I have never once in my time as a witch felt the need for a ceremonial sword. Again, I'm very glad I took the time to feel out my practice before I bought an altar cloth in every color of the rainbow and all the rest of the things I have never felt I needed.
When the need for something arises, I encourage you to try an affordable alternative. If that makes a good fit, then by all means, make the investment and buy the item you truly want and will need and use. Just don't go racking up credit card debt to buy everything all at the same time before you have really found your groove.
5. In Witchcraft, There are No Absolutes
There are very few things in witchcraft that are 100% correct or 100% incorrect. Most rules, customs, rights, wrongs, etc. will be determined by your personal path, preferences, ethics, and talents.
I bring this up for two reasons.
Beware of gatekeepers: As much as I love this community, there are members out there that will tell you "we don't do xyz" or "abc is the only way that works." I once had someone tell me that "we" (meaning all Pagan witches) don't use crystals and they were only for new-agers. Ha! Look, there is no One Instruction Manual, no Bible, no dogma. Whether we are talking about witchcraft or general Paganism or both, every person's practice and spirituality is their own. The only exception to this is when it comes to particular traditions, paths, or covens which may dictate certain rules if that is the tradition or path you follow or coven you are initiated into. For example, the Threefold Law is a part of the Wiccan Rede. Some who do not identify as Wiccan do follow it, but it is not a general rule believed by all Pagans or all witches.
You will find conflicting information: You may find two credible sources that make contradictory statements. Is it confusing? Yes. Is one of them wrong? Not necessarily. Most likely, both statements are correct in their own ways and both sources are correct in their own experiences. Go with what feels right to you. Experiment! In fact, revel in that you get multiple options to play with. It may seem daunting, having to go through trial and error and never finding absolutes, but it's actually freeing that you get to be in charge of your own practice and beliefs.
6. Perfection Isn't a Spell Ingredient
Say you come across a spell that seems absolutely perfect, but you don't have all of the ingredients. Or it's almost perfect but some of the ingredients seem like odd choices to you. That's okay, find alternatives. The only caveat is that you don't want to pick something that seems to kinda sorta fit just so you can hurry up and do the spell or throw something in that someone else says would make a good replacement. Each ingredient should be selected and used with intention and purpose.
Again, this could easily turn into a tangent, so I will direct you to my article, "Demystifying Magickal Correspondences," that will explain why you should discover magickal properties of ingredients for yourself and how.
The other scenario that falls under this tip are slip-ups during ritual. It's really easy to get frustrated, distracted, or feel like your spell won't work if you stumble over your words while reciting an incantation, a gust of wind comes and blows a candle out, or you're certain you had just set a bay leaf right there and now it's nowhere to be found. We all make mistakes, it's okay.
The Universe won't misunderstand you or suddenly deny your wishes and no deity will smite you if you make a bit of an error. If you decide to stop and restart from the beginning every time you slip up, you're going to waste time and energy. If you get frustrated with yourself, you're going to lose focus and muddy up your intention. It's okay to make mistakes, just accept it and keep going.
7. Mundane + Magickal = Manifestation
Hopefully you already know this, but at the risk of sounding condescending I will say that the magick we perform is not what we see in movies. Magickal results take time, effort, and a path by which to get you what you want.
Doing a money spell will not make cash appear out of thin air before you with a poof. I'm sure you know that, and yet people still expect movie-magic results from their practice, just of the less poofy variety. You can cast weight-loss spells all day long, but if you don't change anything about your diet or exercise, your spell will fail. Because magick does not defy physics, and because by not changing your diet or moving more, you are denying your magick a path to manifestation.
If you cast a spell to get a job, but you aren't actively looking for a job, you are denying a path. Is it possible you will happen to meet someone in line at the grocery store, start chatting, and they could happen to be a hiring manager looking for someone with your skill set? Yes, this is absolutely possible and magick has increased the chances of this happening! But be realistic. If the odds were 1 in 1,000 and magick changed them to 1 in 700, those still aren't very good odds. But! If actively applying for the job you want puts your odds at 1 in 20 and performing a spell brings them to 1 in 3, those are good odds.
Whatever you are trying to manifest magickally, you also need to be trying to manifest on the mundane level. The mundane is how you open the path and the magick is how you grease the wheels.
I have also found that the Universe and spirit are more likely to help you if you are actively trying to help yourself.
8. Don't Exhaust Yourself
I mentioned earlier that there is a lot, almost too much, information out there and now that you've found a new spirituality or practice that clicks for you, you may be incredible excited. That is a wonderful thing! However, one of the worst things you can do to yourself is try to absorb it all and incorporate every new daily ritual you're learning all at once.
Long-term change requires baby steps while you build new habits over time. If you go from nothing to suddenly committing yourself to reading one book a week, meditating 30 minutes every day, doing a divination reading and journaling your dreams every morning, aligning your Chakras every evening, placing out offerings several times a week, binging YouTube videos, and signing up for classes and seminars left and right, not only will none of those habits stick but your brain will be so overloaded with new information that you won't be able to tell up from down.
It's just like when someone decides they want to get healthier so they go from going out to eat for every meal and never working out to jumping into a severely strict diet and exercise regimen. Nine times out of ten, this will only lead to burnout and eventually failure. You need to ease in and give yourself a period of adjustment.
Like tip number three said, start with the basics. Begin a daily meditation practice, but start with five minutes a day until it becomes a habit that easily flows into your regular routine of life and then add more time as you go. Read one book and think the information over. Jot down what questions it left you with and what you'd like to research further or incorporate into your practice. Decide what parts didn't click with you or don't fit into your beliefs and why.
Read a few general books on Paganism and/or magick. Not just one or two but several. From there, you can start finding books on specific areas that interest you as your knowledge and experience advances. But if you decide you need to read a general book on Paganism as well as study Kundalini yoga, Chaos Magick, Lunar magick, the Greek pantheon, and so on and and so on all at the same time, you're going to be reading a little bit about a whole lot and learning very little.
Again, this is a lifelong journey of discovery. So allow yourself to discover as you go or you will exhaust yourself and have very few results to show for it. Start by building a strong foundation and then build on it from there.
9. You Don't Need Any of the Following Right Away: Traditions, Covens, Mentors, Deities
I'm not saying that starting off with one of these is necessarily a bad thing, but I see a lot of questions posted online from new witches trying desperately to find one or more right away. In fact, you may find that you never need any of the above at all. None of them are ever a requirement and, if you shoehorn them in, can even be detrimental to your growth.
Traditions
If you happen to come across a very specific path that just speaks to you immediately, then by all means, go for it. But coming into witchcraft or Paganism in a general way is not a bad thing as it gives you a lot of time and room to explore different things. Like a lot of people, I started off looking at Wicca. Again, not a bad thing, but there is a lot in the Wiccan belief system that didn't sit right with me and my own beliefs. This made me realize right away that Wicca was not a good fit, so I started exploring Paganism in a general sense and I'm so glad I did.
I'm now an eclectic Agnostic Pagan, but if I hadn't given myself that room to explore, I would have robbed myself of many fulfilling aspects of my spirituality and ways of practicing magick that simply work well for me.
Covens & Mentors
Part of the reason I suggest holding off on covens and mentors is because you don't want to only be using one source for all of your information. If you are lucky enough to stumble across a mentor who offers you guidance or you become initiated into a coven either because you want to or because you are studying a closed practice and you must, continue your own study on the side with other books and resources as well.
Deities
I had been an active Pagan witch for six or seven years before I started working with a deity. Hecate has certainly brought an additional, wonderful aspect to my life, but I was also doing just fine, seeing results, and feeling fulfilled long before that happened.
You make your own magick. You don't need to force yourself into a relationship with a deity just because you think you need a patron.
10. Watch Out for Scam Artists and Predators and Don't Believe Everything You Read or Hear
Think for yourself. Check your sources. Cross-reference and ask others. I cannot stress enough how important this is. Even as a content creator with a YouTube channel and this website, I will never claim that I know everything or that everything that is right for me is right for everyone else and you're wrong if you disagree.
Just because an author is published, doesn't mean that everything they write is an absolute. Just because someone speaks with conviction and certainty doesn't mean that they aren't just pulling that information out of their butt. Use common sense, your gut instinct, and cross-referencing to decide for yourself if information is valid, and remember that even if information is valid doesn't necessarily mean it is right for you or has a place in your belief system or practice.
There are also an unfortunate amount of predators and scam artists that prey on this community. They can come in the guise of mentors, coven leaders, supposed psychics, those who sell magick services online, or just someone who wants to meet up and chat about witchcraft. Now there are a lot of legitimate and good people that fall into one of the above categories, so you'll need to watch for red flags to avoid the wolves in sheep's clothing.
Here are some red flags to watch for:
Anyone who offers to meet but gets upset or defensive if you request it be in a public space or that you bring a friend along
Anyone who claims to have seemingly incredible supernatural abilities
Anyone who asks you to give unreasonable contributions of your money or time
Anyone who pressures you into a sexual act, working naked, or just generally disregards your boundaries or pressures you to do so
Anyone who claims they have the One True Knowledge/Secret
Anyone who does not know how to say "I don't know" (again, nobody knows everything)
Anyone who condones or encourages behavior that is detrimental to your physical, mental, or emotional well-being
Please use common sense. For instance, there are covens out there that require a huge dedication of time, that want members who can drop everything and attend a meeting at a moment's notice. This is unrealistic for most people, but not unheard of or necessarily a red flag. But this should be clear before you dedicate yourself to that coven so you have a chance to decide if that is something you're okay with instead of a leader sneaking it up on you through manipulation over time.
Another example is that, yes, there are many covens who work skyclad (nude), perform rituals of a sexual nature, or work with blood magick, but legitimate groups do not hide these practices and do not pressure those who are not enthusiastically willing to consent.
I'm not a fan of performing spell work for money, but that doesn't mean there aren't legitimate practitioners out there willing and able to do so. Just be cautious of the ones who ask for exorbitant sums, keeps asking for additional payments (usually with an excuse of "I can make it work faster/better if..."), asks for your bank account or card information, doesn't accept a legitimate payment form like PayPal or Venmo, makes wild claims about their abilities or what they can do for you, or messages you out of the blue claiming they received a psychic vision about you or were sent to you somehow.
The saddest thing is, the worst kind of predators are not the ones who come swinging with ridiculous demands and abusive language right out the gate. The worst kinds are sneaky: they appear perfectly sane and normal and slowly begin manipulating, gaslighting, and escalating their behavior over time. The best way to avoid this trap is to question everything and trust your gut. I'm not trying to scare you and I don't want people being too paranoid to enjoy coven or mentorship experiences, but I also don't want anyone accidentally finding themselves stuck in a cult or following a harmful spiritual guru.
11. Conquer Your Fear
There are several reasons why someone may approach witchcraft and Paganism with some fear although they feel called to it. It could come from a religious upbringing, a worry of other practitioners cursing them, fear that family members or others may find out and either judge or downright persecute them for it, or dabbling in magick that is a little dangerous (and they should probably hold off until they have more knowledge and experience).
Because there are so many possibilities and every person's reasons and experiences are different, I can't walk you through the process of each and every one but I will touch on the above mentioned examples in a broad manner.
If you are a Pagan, you should allow that spirituality to uplift you and carry you forward instead of letting fear pull you back. If you are practicing witchcraft or working with magick, remember that it is merely a tool. Magick is not good or bad, it is neutral. It is how you use it that can be good or bad. Spend some time journaling, talking to someone or a therapist, or just meditating on what you fear and discover why you are afraid. This, and time, will help you move on and let it go.
Since curses are a common fear of new practitioners, I do want to address the fact that actually being cursed is rare. First, you would need to know and have somehow offended not just a practitioner, but one that is comfortable with cursing. Plus, if you are a practitioner yourself, there are plenty of ways to block and rid yourself of negative magick and intentions.
If you are afraid of being discovered, there are plenty of ways to practice "in the broomcloset". Even if you live with people that you don't want finding out. Not all spells need loud chants and incantations. Not all altars needs to be huge, set out for the world to see, and obvious with deity statues and occult symbolism all over. This path is incredibly adaptable and you can find ways to make it work within your limitations.
Finally, if you are dabbling in magick that could potentially be dangerous or backfire on you, there are ways to avoid negative repercussions or results. I would first say that you should always sleep on a spell before pulling the trigger--don't cast out of irrational anger or desperation without thinking things through and planning thoroughly. But you can also cast a circle, cleanse afterward, call on Spirit for protection, and perform divination beforehand to see what the results may be.
I'm not going to devote time right now to discuss the ethics of casting curses or my opinions on things like the Threefold Law and karma. But personally, I find a lot of the warnings about evoking demons and spell backfires you might find online to be exaggerated fear-mongering, so long as you do your research and plan accordingly.
The thing about fear is how empowering it is to break free from. The ultimate goal of spirituality and even practicing magick is to grow as a person and improve your life. So let this path help you to break the chains of fear.
12. Do The Thing
I got the phrase "Do the thing" from Velma Nightshade, the creator of the podcast Witches BrewHa-Ha, and I find it to be so relevant to newcomers. You might have heard that you should study for "a year and a day" before ever casting a spell. You might feel you don't know enough or you're worried you'll fail. I don't care, just Do. The. Thing.
I'm not saying you should dive headfirst into advanced practices and to be honest, your first few attempts at magick probably won't result in much. But you should start flexing those muscles: begin building muscle memory, see what feels awkward and adjust accordingly, see what you like and don't like. As I said earlier, if reading books and ingesting information is your classroom time, practicing and putting what you're learning into action is your homework. Both play important roles in learning and growing.
Again, start with the basics (tip three) but the best way to learn is through experience.
While I could probably make a list covering 100 tips or more for newcomers, I feel I have sufficiently whittled it down to not only my top favorites but the ones I feel are the most important. So I welcome you to the world of witchcraft and Paganism! May this be the start of an endlessly rewarding journey for you.
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