You’re not a kid anymore. You have the right to choose your own life. You can start again. If you want a cat, all you have to do is choose a life in which you can have a cat. It’s simple. It’s your right.
Each author on this list either because either they, their work, or their practice is misleading, appropriative, harmful, biased, bigoted, misogynist, racist, etc. Each of these authors have published media that is harmful to our community, or were a part of organizations that are. Several practitioners still live and/or practice based off of a lot of these materials. Several of these authors are known for producing media that is intended for newer witches, which just propagates and sustains harmful narratives within our community. Many of these authors are Wiccan, but why that is an issue will be for another article. The names highlighted in red are either especially harmful or very prevalent.
A blacklist of authors is intended to highlight problematic individuals, and/or problematic publications. Unless otherwise stated, the authors in this list should be avoided until a level of discernment is acquired through experience and research. Personally, I’d recommend avoiding all Theosophy publications completely.
Adam Blackthorn: Misleading, appropriative, and misogynistic
These are tips that I wish I had when I was starting out. Would have saved me a ton of grief.
Nearly all consumable content on witchcraft that’s readily available is either bullshit, too vague to be reproduced, or misleading.
NEVER assume you have the complete picture when it comes to reading someone else’s spells, correspondences, or guides.
Approach all witchcraft communities with caution. Not because they’re inherently toxic, but because people can be.
Cult mentalities are very common when it comes to witchcraft, mysticism, and the occult. Never adopt someone’s personal beliefs or practice as your own.
Research everything as thoroughly as possible. In every type of media, the first things you’ll see are the simple, misleading, ✨good vibes✨ bullshit that’s been watered down by New Age, trendy, over-simplified culture.
Skip crystals and herbs when first starting. Start with studying safety. Then immediately move into creating your own spells. Don’t even try to reference books or media. Just try it. Safely.
Save correspondences for last. They aren’t as important as they’re made out to be.
If a guide says or implies that visualization is energy work, move on. It’s not magic. It’s new age bullshit.
Talk to practitioners of color. Talk to practitioners of closed cultures. Get familiar with the nuances of the community. It’s 100% okay to research most closed cultures, just know that you’ll likely not find any accurate or complete information about it.
Steer clear of Wicca, ceremonial magick, theosophy, and new thought. Like as far away as possible.
Build relationships with other practitioners. Share ideas. Get inspired. Try to come up with some original approaches.
Experimentation is key. Keep a spell log. Keep a log of spiritual entities. Date it. Reflect on it. Ask others to see if they can reproduce your results.
Remain aware of cognitive and confirmation bias at all times. When you want something to work, often times you’ll end up believing it did.
Don’t shy away from the complex stuff. Your craft will never stop expanding.
Here’s my pinned post it has a ton of links to a bunch of stuff as well as information about me and my blog.
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