🌱The Basics of Witchcraft🌱
This is a small excerpt from my coven’s lessons. I’ll continue to post these so witchlings, or witches, can have this information! I hope it helps.
Witchcraft is, in my opinion, the practice of manipulating energy forces into your intent. This can also be simplified as the practice of magick. You can aid it by tools and materials, but no matter what, you are manipulating energy. That is why energy work can be very important.
The Craft started wayy back, from the start of human civilization. Before we started to get scientifically advanced and didn’t know that much, we would believe in the supernatural, that a god or spirit did this and that. Witches were the mediators between humans and the higher powers. Religion and Witchcraft may have gone hand to hand back then, but it isn’t always the case. You can practice witchcraft without believing in a higher power or deity. Here are just some things to know before stepping into the Craft:
It isn’t a game(To specify, don’t half-ass a spell. It either might not work, or worse, create chaos. We can learn about this next lesson when we learn about Energy work).
Witchcraft can be used for anything and everything you want it to be, It’s really flexible.
There are morals and ethics to learn about in the craft you should pay attention to
It is an enhancement, not a replacement to your life.
To elaborate on the last point, here is a document by Brian Windvexer that should be looked at:
Don’t Let Witchcraft Erase Who You Are:
Don’t become dependent on Tarot readings to make decisions
Don’t feel like the day is ruined if you left the house without drawing your card for the day
Don’t feel helpless if you can’t figure out a spell to help
Don’t rely on witchcraft alone to improve your relationships
Don’t forget how to speak out because you can hex at home
Don’t forget how to be confident without a candle spell
Don’t forget to discover for yourself because there are so many free resources online
Don’t get panicky if you can’t explain it with your new beliefs
Don’t lose your friends because they don’t understand the new you
Don’t avoid going out with friends so you can buy more herbs and candles instead
Don’t give up your other hobbies to practice endless energy work or Divination
Don’t neglect your job or studies to read witchcraft books instead
Don’t ask yourself ‘what would a witch do’. Ask yourself, ‘What would I do.’
Witchcraft is an enhancement to life, not a replacement for life.
There are different types of witchcraft and I’d say they are all valid. But with every practice, there are certain basics to them.
Protection - To guard and prevent harmful energies to an area/being, especially in Magick practice.
Wards: protection of an area (ie. House or room)
Shields: protection of a being (ie. You, someone else, maybe a pet)
Circles: Temporary protection ground for rituals
Here’s the best part of protection, you can think of protection in so many ways, may it be a ring of fire, a giant bubble, a castle wall, whatever your heart desires! You can even more than But, I suggest putting up protection that is similar to a membrane, so things still flow freely, letting the good things in and the bad things out.
There are plenty of techniques to set up protection, starting with visualization. Imagination is a powerful tool, and is very important in practicing energy work and the craft. Some added protection is made by adding protection-associated materials, like Salt for example.
Grounding - To stabilize your energies and stay down to earth
Grounding is a great recommendation to keeping your energies in control and staying connected to the earth. It can help recharge you with energies.
One technique to help ground yourself is to visualize a root shooting from the bottom of your spine and digging into the earth like a Tree. Gather the energies from the earth, and give off all of the negative energies you feel. Cycle the energies until you feel refreshed. You can make 2 roots and have one give the good energy and the other giving to the earth the negative energies.
It can also be as simple as shaking off and stretching!
Centering - Getting your shit together (shit as in energy).
Centering is great as it can help make a state of mindfulness and gets you to stay present in the present. It’s great mentally. It helps get scattered energy into one. Literally, getting your shit together. Centering can help as well in controlling your energies and gathering yourself up so you stay together. How energy works is that you tend to throw bits and pieces of your energy all around different areas(sometimes you may not even know it), and sometimes you just need to recharge. Most of the time you should ground after a centering.
Here’s one technique to practice centering: visualize scattered energy, making you less bright and more dull, very dim as a person. Then, imagine the pieces of energy flying back at you, morphing around you into one bubble, like a puzzle piece. You start to glow brightly again.
Meditation - Being one with the thoughts/self, calming yourself down and staying mindful and aware.
Meditation can do soooo much. It helps you mentally, physically, and spiritually. It can help your energies stay in check, and It can do so much more than that. Before you astral travel, you must fall into a state of meditation. There are two types of meditation, Concentrated and Mindful. Concentrated is when you focus on one object, sound, or mantra. Mindful doesn’t focus on anything specific, just being aware of everything that passes by in your mind. In witchcraft, if it used to help discover who you are, as well as communicate to others(spirits/deities/etc).
Now, the number one thing to focus on when meditating is to breathe. Long, regular breaths help calm down. Get into a quiet area. Now get into a comfortable position, either cross-legged or laying down. Breathe. 4 counts in, 4 counts out. Clear your mind. Now, be aware of your mind.
Disclaimer: Now not everyone has to follow these things, It’s just a suggestion. Experiences vastly differ from mine.
stormborns
jbbartram-illu
titsay
janainaart
izzy806
prguitarman
