Things I wish somebody had told me in the beginning: witch edition
This is not a competition. Take it slow, enjoy the journey. You do not need to learn every crystal correspondence within a week.
Keep a journal/Grimoire/Book of Shadows if possible. Fill it up as you go. Do not just put the information somewhere to wait until you “have time” or “have more energy” (although these, and many more, are understandable reasons). It is less work to do a little all the time than try to catch up all at once.
You don’t need to be anything to be a witch. You are one, regardless of your gender, skin color, religious interests… If you think you’re one, you are. Witchcraft is a path, a tool, not a religion.
Wicca and witchcraft are not the same.
It is totally okay to take breaks. Setting aside your craft doesn’t mean you can’t come back and continue where you left off.
YOU are the most important tool. You do not need that expensive cauldron, or those rare herbs that have a double-digit price. Of course, supplies are needed for more complicated/powerful spells to help you out, but they are not necessary.
If your path changes, that is okay! If you were first interested in spells but then decided to focus more on deities and their worship, that’s okay!
On that note, it’s also okay to not know what your path is.
Like all people, witches have their opinions about various things. Listen carefully to both sides, research, but in the end make your own opinion that fits with your morals and worldview. Neither side is necessarily wrong, but both can be true.
Trust your gut/intuition. It knows a lot. If someone says X has Y correspondences, but in your opinion has Z, then this is true to you.
When researching things, remember to be critical and not trust everything you read blindly. Cross-reference.
Educate yourself on closed religions, slur words, racist symbols, appropriation of cultures and their words (see:smudging, chakra…) Do not be angry at yourself if you have used them before - you are always learning and growing as a person.
When in doubt, ask. The community is friendly and many are more than happy to help you. Asking never hurts, but don’t treat others as your Google.
Do not abandon science nor common sense. Witchcraft is powerful, and certain areas have direct influence (using herbs, for example), but it does not replace healthcare, therapy, or otherwise being healthy.
Practice safety. There is a reason why people tell you in rituals/spells/etc. to do things to protect yourself. When doing witchcraft, you are dealing with great powers and energy - sometimes that might be malicious.
Also, some general things like fire safety, checking for crystal toxicities in various substances, and herb properties are important to keep track of - these are physical things that can seriously harm you; and definitely work. Do not doubt that.
Do not lose yourself. While witchcraft gives us great power, it sometimes makes us lose ourselves. One might become so absorbed in their path that they forget things like eating, checking on friends, doing hobbies, and so forth. This path is part of your life, but your life does not consist only of the path.
Have fun! I believe this is one of the most important things. Witchcraft does not need to be serious; it can be Legos, glitter, pop-culture gods, sigils doodled with eyeliner… The possibilities are limitless!
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