Witch Tip Caveats
Okay I've seen a lot of "beginner witch tips" posts returning to my dash and popping up in the witchcraft tag, and they often have similar themes, so here is a list of things you should always avoid/proceed with caution with in your practice.
(my credentials: I've been practicing witchcraft for 8 years, I worked with crystal jewelry at a new age store for 3 years, I'm a geology hobbyist/rock hound and pine cone collector, I grew up camping/fishing/hiking and my parents are national park pass people, I have been tending to gardens since I was a child - including vegetables, fruit trees, and flowers, and my mother worked for 10 years at a natural foods/supplements store and is trained as a chemist and pharmacy technician.)
1. DO NOT COLLECT BIRD FEATHERS IF YOU ARE BASED IN THE US
- The Migratory Bird Act bans the collection of feathers from many common migratory US birds. This act is in place to protect them from poachers. Unless you are certain the feathers you're collecting aren't protected you could get slapped with a huge fine.
2. ALL NATURE COLLECTING SHOULD BE DONE WITH CAUTION AND RESEARCH
- If you're getting into foraging, please make sure you are getting your information from a reputable source. Some foraging books on Amazon are actually AI generated and not fact checked, so they contain dangerous misinformation.
- There are places from which rocks/plants should NEVER be collected/disturbed as they can disturb delicate ecosystems and natural spaces. I know many natural parks will not let you leave with stones collected there. If you have respect for nature as a witch, please do your due diligence and be mindful of this.
3. RESEARCH CRYSTAL PHYSICAL/ CHEMICAL PROPERTIES BEFORE CHARGING THEM
- Some crystals - notably any type of quartz - will fade when left in direct sunlight. This is probably the least major consequence but if you want your crystals to stay pretty I recommend leaving them in indirect sun or moonlight if you want to charge them this way.
- Some crystals - like Selenite - will dissolve in water and should never get wet. Selenite is made of tiny strings of gypsum. Coincidentally this is also what asbestos is made out of. My coworker at the new age store told me once that she bathed with her Selenite crystal heart and it was slowly dissolving but had great energy. I told her she needed to stop this immediately bc this could literally give her cancer. Malachite also should never be put in water (especially not salt water). It will release copper, which can be poisonous if left on your hands and later ingested, or if you ingest the water the malachite was in.
4. KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE
- Do not use essential oils or oil diffusers in a room with dogs or cats. Droplets can get on their skin and poison them.
- Do not keep salt within reach or your dogs or cats, especially not salt lamps. Excess salt can poison them and salt lamps also tend to have preservative coatings that are also toxic to your pets.
5. MISCELLANEOUS
- Do not ingest essential oils (I mean it, even if the label says you can) or put them on your skin without a carrier oil.
- DO NOT PUT SALT IN ANY SOIL YOU WANT TO GROW THINGS IN JUST PLEASE DON'T YOU WILL RUIN YOUR SOIL HEALTH I MEAN IT
- Check with your doctor before using certain herbs as supplements/in teas as they can interact with your medications!!
In conclusion, I love being a witch, and I love that many others on the Internet have discovered joy and personal fulfillment in the practice, but it's important to do your research, stay safe, and be respectful to your environment.
(also if you would like cited sources, or jumping off points for further research I would be happy to provide them, but please be aware this info is readily available with a quick Google search.)