November 27, 2018 - Serena 4 Comments

how to become a witch: ideas for your year and a day

I wrote a post a while ago that was my top 10 tips for a beginner witch, but since then I’ve gotten a lot of comments looking for a post that goes more into detail about HOW to start practicing witchcraft.

Some traditions of witchcraft will recommend that you spend a period of a year and a day studying the craft before you officially call yourself a witch. While I definitely am not one for rules of any kind (and I’m even less here for gatekeepers telling others when it’s okay to call themselves a witch or not), I personally did my own year and a day study and I found it to be a great way to explore the different facets of witchcraft without committing to anything. I had a real problem identifying as a “witch” at first because of all the connotations that come along with it, but during that yearlong journey I felt much more comfortable with it as I learned more and more about what it meant and where it came from!

But don’t be mistaken in thinking your year-and-a-day journey is meant to keep you away from the craft before you decide to join. On the contrary, it should be an intense, hands-on, headfirst dive into witchcraft and all it has to offer before you decide if it’s right for you or not. Today I’ve compiled a list of 8 ideas for your year-and-a-day journey to help you structure a lesson plan of sorts

DISCLAIMER: these are ideas for creating your own year-and-a-day study. If you’re interested in a particular tradition of Wicca or witchcraft, they will likely have their own lessons/tasks for you to complete in that time frame. These tips can be done alongside any of those traditions, as there’s no harm in learning more! 🙂

how to become a witch: ideas for your year and a day

1. read everything you can

When I was first starting out on my path, I took everything I read as the gospel truth. The longer I studied witchcraft, however, the more I realized that truth is so subjective. Even people who claim to have witchcraft in their blood can be wrong, and just because one group believes one thing doesn’t mean that belief works for you. I honestly recommend reading everything you can to introduce yourself to as many viewpoints as possible in order to help you uncover what beliefs resonate with you!

If you’re looking for some good books to start with, I have a list of resources available to you if you sign up for my newsletter 🙂 (ok I know I haven’t actually sent out a newsletter in forever BUT 2019 is gonna be my year, baby!)

2. go outside

Honestly, such a big part of witchcraft for me has been just connecting to nature. You can read all the books you want, but you’re missing out on a wealth of experiences if you never go outside! You don’t have to know every plant or meditate on a rock by the ocean for an hour every day, but taking walks, soaking up the sun, and quietly observing nature is key to feeling comfortable and secure in the world around you.

Witchcraft can feel overwhelming at first – there are so many plants to learn, herbs to use, crystals to memorize, and more. But you don’t have to learn it all at once (or ever!) The first step is going into your own backyard and wondering “huh, what kind of tree is that?” Once you look it up, that’s one plant you’re on the path to working with in your own magickal practice. Take it one step at a time, find out what’s going on in your natural surroundings, and you’ll be surprised how much you end up learning!

(I also recommend looking into your state’s Naturalist program if they have one, if nature is really your thing. I’m doing the Tennessee Naturalist Program right now and it’s a FANTASTIC resource. Most states have them I think, so check it out and sign up!)

how to become a witch: ideas for your year and a day

3. listen to your intuition

This one is hard, because we live in a culture that tells people they’re “crazy” for following their heart instead of their head. But how many times have you had a nagging feeling about something you ignored, only for it to be right later? We’re taught to look at the facts, which is of course important – our feelings are influenced by a lot of things and can certainly be wrong. But once you learn to differentiate your intuition from a fleeting feeling, you can tap into that inherent inner knowledge whenever you want!

I don’t have any good recommendations of how to do this other than to check back in with your feelings about a situation at different times. For example, if you have a bad feeling about a relationship, check in with yourself both when you’re with the person and when you’re not. If you feel great when you’re together and only anxious when you’re apart, could that just be separation anxiety? A lack of communication making you feel distant? Or if you have a sinking feeling even when you’re together, could something more be going on?

There are plenty of people who have written way more eloquently than I have on the subject, so I encourage you to find them 🙂

4. keep a journal

So important!! KEEP A JOURNAL!! This doesn’t have to be an official Book of Shadows by any means (but it can be if you want.) This doesn’t even have to be formal at all. Every time you have a magickal experience, listen to your intuition, draw a tarot card, or try a spell, WRITE ABOUT IT. Write what you did and how it made you feel, write what you think it means for you in the big picture, write anything you want – just please keep a record of it all. This will make your life so much easier in the long run!

Keeping a journal will help you see your own progression and identify what works for you, what you maybe can do differently, and what you flat-out don’t want in your practice. It will remind you of the good things magick has brought to your life when you’re feeling doubtful. Most of all, though, it will be fun to look back on later and see where you started out!

how to become a witch: ideas for your year and a day

5. learn new skills

Are you interested in runes? Give them a try! Always loved crystals? Learn more about them! You don’t have to master anything in particular during this year-and-a-day (in fact, I think it’s pretty rare that anyone could master ANYTHING in just a year) but you’ve gotta try things out in order to see if they work for you, and I mean that. I thought tarot was a bunch of hooey before I got my hands dirty and tried it out for myself, and now it’s a core part of my practice. You might surprise yourself – this is a time to try out everything with no pressure at all to pursue it long-term, but you might find some things you love and will continue to study in the future.

6. do some research

Ho boy, is this ever important. Friends, the history of witchcraft is laced with bullsh*t. There’s so much “fake news” out there, so many “ancient traditions” that actually have only been around for a few decades, so many “one true way” to do things that are actually totally arbitrary. PLEASE do your research. Read the classics, yes – read Buckland, read Valiente, read Starhawk, read them all. They are part of our history even if you don’t subscribe to Wicca or any particular tradition of witchcraft. But please know that these things were written in a different time and place, and many of them are either made up or based on false premises (or are simply outdated.)

If you read a text, please also Google it and see what other witches have to say about it. For example, I never would have known Silver Ravenwolf was problematic when starting out – it was only once I saw some critical interpretations of her work that I realized wow, that’s… not great. I still found value in her books and they certainly helped me along my path, but I can accept them for that while also rejecting the fact that she cites a lot of fake history, encourages problematic behaviors, and makes a lot of claims about “ALL witches” that certainly not all witches believe.

Many witchy books are rife with cultural appropriation, false history, or “facts” that simply aren’t true. It’s hard to know what to believe when starting out, but if something feels off to you, it probably is. Don’t accept anything as the gospel truth. It’s up to you to figure out what you believe and how you practice, not to be dictated it by someone else.

how to become a witch: ideas for your year and a day

7. try a spell

Why not! Spells and rituals are half the fun of witchcraft, right? Many witches try to spook newcomers by saying things like “oooooh you never know WHAT will happen when you perform a spell, be caaaareful, you must be a maaaaster” but that’s really not true for the most part. I mean, maybe don’t try summoning a demon or anything in your first week as a witch-in-training, but you’ll never become comfortable with practicing spells unless you try them for yourself.

Learn how to cast a circle if it will make you feel more secure – I did this at first but don’t anymore. Start small with mostly-foolproof things like making a witch jar, trying a glamour for confidence, or doing some bath magic (the witch community on Tumblr is a great resource for simple spells.)

Sure, your spell might backfire. It’s happened to me more than once. But nobody died and I learned from the experience. Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from ever really trying.

8. figure out what you believe

Last but not least, it’s time to put everything you learned together. Bring it back to that journal you’ve been keeping throughout the year (you DID keep one, right?) and start to pencil out what, exactly, you believe about magick and witchcraft. Do you believe in deities? What about astrology? Are crystals just pretty accessories for you, or a source of vibrational magick? Do you like working with herbs, or do you have a black thumb? Would you consider yourself a green witch, a hedgewitch, or none of the above? Do you think divination is magick or simply psychology? What might you like to learn more about in the future?

Know that your beliefs can and probably will change many times throughout your journey, and that’s okay. That’s called growth! Witchcraft isn’t static: it’s a moving, living thing. It’s within you and anyone who wants to take up the call. All you have to do is answer.

And that’s my list! I’m going to end this by saying that while a year is a good, long time to think about becoming a witch, you don’t have to wait a whole year if you don’t want to. If you’re on month three and realize holy crap, this is your CALLING, then so be it. The only requirement to being a witch is to decide you are a witch. And that’s that!

Do you have anything to add? Did you do a year-and-a-day study? Let me hear all about it in the comments!

November 10, 2018 - Serena Leave a comment

my top 10 most-used tools for witchcraft

Howdy, friends! A question I get asked a lot by baby witches is “what do I need to have on hand in order to be a witch?” The answer, of course, is: nothing at all! Witchcraft comes from within you, and you can do spells and rituals without a single prop.

That said, of course, there are a few tools I have found useful and enjoy using in my practice. These are some basic things that can be used in different combinations for whatever witchy thing you’re trying to do. If you do want to have some tools available to you, these are some good ones to keep on hand.

Now, I should mention that this is a list of MY top 10 tools for witchcraft. There are some notable things missing from this list, like an athame or a wand, that I just don’t use right now. It’s worth looking into what other tools are out there if you’re not sold on all of these (or if you just want to expand your options!)

For this post, I’m going to keep the headings general in order to explain why each thing is valuable to my practice, but then I’ll also be giving you the juicy scoop on what I specifically use. Affiliate links might be used, which just means that if you purchase it through the link, I make a tiny commission at no extra cost to you! Here we go!

my top 10 most-used tools for witchcraft

1. tarot deck

Not every witch reads tarot, so this might not be for everyone, but tarot was what started me down this whole witchy journey so it will always have a place in my heart. I use tarot for divination, yes, but also for spellwork – the archetypes depicted in the cards help me with manifestation or focusing on specific themes I need help with.

My favorite: I truly can’t choose just one. The deck I’m most in tune with is the Prisma Visions Tarot, but I also adore the Moonchild Tarot, the Linestrider Tarot, and of course the Wild Unknown.

2. crystals

Crystals! What can I say? I’m a believer in the vibrational healing qualities of crystals. (If you want to learn more about this, I recommend the book Vibrational Medicine – it’s written in a very science-y way but is super informative.) Crystals can help amplify your intention in spellcraft, provide you with a little boost when you’re feeling down, and also look super pretty on your altar or as home decor. No shame in liking them just for that!

My favorite: It’s hard! I’ve always been drawn to fluorite, but of course I love them all. My crystals have all been accumulated from several Etsy shops over the years, like this one, this one, and this one.

3. cleansing spray

I don’t like burning sage, so I use a room cleansing spray instead. I even use it on myself with a combination of crystals when I feel like I need to recharge. If you can’t burn things in your living space or just don’t like the smell of burning sage, a cleansing spray can do the exact same thing to clear the energy of a room.

My favorite: I actually make my own using essential oils! You can find the recipe in part one of Practical Magick for Modern Witches, but I might share it here in the future too.

my top 10 most-used tools for witchcraft

4. incense & incense holder

Okay, I’m going to admit: incense isn’t really a tool I use for witchcraft itself as much as something I use to set the mood. But that’s important, right? I love burning incense during rituals and tarot readings, and find it useful because it represents the elements of fire and air all at once. (I usually have a candle going for fire and use the incense to represent air, but you can kill two birds with one stone if you wanna!)

My favorite: I don’t know where my incense holder is from, but it’s nothing special. My favorite incense is the Triloka brand’s lavender incense. It smells so good and helps me sleep like a baby!

5. candles

Witches love candles! You knew this was going to be on this list. I don’t know what it is about candles, but they’re just the perfect all-purpose tool and often what I use for super quick spells or mini-rituals. I love having tons of candles on hand and on my altar.

My favorite: Honestly, I use super cheap white tealights for every single spell. I’m paranoid about re-using candles for other spells so once the spell or ritual is over, I just let the candle burn down completely. You can find some at the dollar store or get 72 for about $15 on Amazon. Not bad!

6. book of shadows

Your book of shadows is a place to record your witchy journey, whether that be spells you invent, keeping track of the moon, recipes you use for the Sabbats… what have you! Something similar is a grimoire, which is basically the same but less personal: a grimoire would be more like a reference book for your spells and rituals than a journal-like recording of your experiences.

I firmly believe that even if it’s messy and not at all #pinterestgoals, every witch should keep a grimoire or a book of shadows. Even though I do have one, I still forget to update it all the time and I’m always kicking myself when I can’t remember a spell I did or what ingredients I used in a magickal room spray. Write it all down!

My favorite: Yiiiikes, my book of shadows has historically been a mess. I started off in a postbound scrapbook but never used it because I was too intimidated, so I switched to a notebook which got too messy… Now I’m using a scrapbook for my “official” grimoire and then a different book as a “bullet book of shadows” which is like a bullet journal combined with a journal of my spiritual practice. (I’ll be sharing this in an upcoming post, so stay tuned!) The scrapbook is just a black one from Michael’s and the bullet journal is a black Lechtturm 1917 dot grid.

my top 10 most-used tools for witchcraft

7. essential oils

People have mixed feelings about essential oils, but I love them. Their earthy, natural scents are so calming, and they allow someone with a black thumb (like me) to work with plant and herb energies without needing to keep any plants alive.

My favorite: I’m not a distributor anymore, but I still love Young Living. They’re so transparent about what goes into their oils and I really love them as a company, as well. You’ll have to do some research to find the brand that’s right for you, but please be aware that cheap essential oils like the ones you find on Amazon or at the drugstore are full of chemical fillers or perfume oils and are NOT the real thing. It can be dangerous to use these on your skin! Essential oils can be expensive to produce and don’t cost the same from plant to plant, so if you see a store offering rose oil for the same price as lemon, run away!

8. reference books

Oh hi, my favorite part! I’m a book lover through and through. I feel like the act of reading books about witchcraft alone makes me feel connected to my practice and I try to make time to read and learn more on a regular basis. There’s always more to learn!

My favorites: Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler is essential reading for all witches, no matter your path. It gives you a look at the history of the modern witchcraft movement and debunks some common myths that are perpetuated in the community. I also recommend The Black Toad by Gemma Gary for some Cornish folk magic, To Walk a Pagan Path by Alaric Albertsson for integrating your witchery into your daily life, and also weirdly Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham is one I keep going back to even though I wouldn’t identify as strictly Wiccan.

9. jars

Ah, jars. Jars are super versatile and useful. You can use them as containers to hold things, as makeshift candleholders, as altar decorations, or in spellwork (protection jars are my favorite thing to make when I move into a new place!) It helps to keep a few empty jars on hand for when you’re in a pinch.

My favorites: I ended up finding some jars at the grocery store when I was making infused alcohol a few years ago, so these are the ones I currently have on hand. However, this is a great opportunity to recycle! If your jam has expired, clean out the jar and use that. It’s fun to have a variety of jars of all shapes and sizes to use for everything!

10. dried herbs and spices

By this I don’t mean the fancy bundles of dried herbs you see hanging in witch cottages in the movies (although would I like to have that? very much yes.) I mean literally the kind of dried herbs you find in the spice aisle to put in soup or whatever. These can also be used in spellcraft! Things like rosemary, sage, cinnamon, garlic, parsley, and basil are all common spices with powerful magickal correspondences. Having a well-stocked spice cabinet is a great way to make sure you always have some witchy tools on hand while also making the most flavorful stews you ever did try.

My favorites: I don’t have favorites, I literally just buy the cheapest thing at the grocery store. That’s it!

So that’s my list! I hope you found something useful here (and maybe discovered that you already have some powerful tools at your disposal!) Are there any other posts you’d like to see, for beginner witches or otherwise? Let me know! I’m on a writing kick this week and I’m excited to bring you more posts soon! <3

November 21, 2017August 11, 2018 - Serena Leave a comment

diy magickal sleep spray (+ a new e-course!)

Hey witches! I’m so happy to announce that after months of hard work, The Witch of Lupine Hollow and I have launched our newest course from the Lavender + Lupine School of Magick, Practical Magick for Modern Witches: Part Two! While it’s billed as a “part two” to the first Practical Magick course, you don’t need to take the first one in order to enjoy the second. The first course covers more of the basics of witchcraft while this second one goes more in-depth about some deeper topics such as history, working with deities, finding your ancestral witchcraft traditions, and more ways to fit magick into your everyday life.

To celebrate the launch of the course, today I’m sharing one of the magickal techniques from one of our lessons: a DIY magickal sleep spray! This spray will help you sleep soundly throughout the night and can aid in dream magick. You can buy sleep sprays at the store, but it’s cheap, easy, and way more magickal to make one yourself!

You will need:

A spray bottle
1 oz witch hazel
Purified water
Lavender essential oil (if this is the only essential oil you have, you can triple the amount and omit the others)
Vetiver essential oil
Chamomile essential oil

Open the spray bottle and add your witch hazel. Add 10 drops each of Lavender, Vetiver, and Chamomile essential oils. Fill the rest of the way with the purified water and spritz away!

Lavender and chamomile are both calming oils that help you quiet your racing mind, while vetiver is a grounding, stabilizing oil that will help you stay asleep. The finished spray should smell woody and floral at the same time, but feel free to add more or less of the different oils if you don’t like the finished product – if you’re sensitive to smells, you might want to start with five drops of each oil rather than ten, then add more of whichever ones are needed.

If you use Young Living essential oils like me, Roman Chamomile will work just fine for this recipe 🙂 (And if you’re curious about why I chose Young Living, you can read all about it on my Essential Oils page!)

I hope you like this simple recipe, and if you want to see more, sign up for Practical Magick for Modern Witches: Part Two! We can’t wait to see you there! <3

July 28, 2017March 9, 2019 - Serena 6 Comments

affordable witchcraft: 7 inexpensive essentials

Hey friends! So a lovely commenter mentioned on my Witchcraft Tips for Newbies post that it might be a good idea to write a post about simple and inexpensive rituals that would be accessible for beginner witches (thanks Delfin!). I thought that was an awesome idea, but I’m actually going to break it up into two posts! This first post is going to be about inexpensive materials you either already have or can find at the dollar store/in your backyard to use in your practice, and the next post will be two simple rituals you can use them for (one for the new moon and one for the full moon!)

As much as I love posting Instagram pics of my deck and crystal collections, the honest truth is you don’t need any materials at all to be a witch. None! Just you and your intentions. The other truth is that inexpensive or handmade materials are just as good as expensive store-bought ones, and sometimes even better if you’ve poured your love into making them. So while I think these materials are relatively cheap and easy to come by, don’t think you need all of them or even any of them to get started in your craft.

This post might make some traditional witches mad because I talk about digital resources towards the bottom, but I believe witchcraft should be accessible to everyone who wants it and I don’t believe in gatekeeping. Learning how to be a witch from the Internet doesn’t make you any less of a witch than someone who was raised by witches and joined a coven as a fetus (or whatever.) It’s okay if your journey doesn’t look like someone else’s, and it’s not okay to poo-poo someone’s practice because they took a different path than you. Every witch is a real witch so let’s just get along!

Without further ado, let’s get started!

affordable witchcraft: 7 inexpensive essentials

1. Candles

Candles are my #1 witchcraft essential. I love burning candles not only for the energy and power they lend to a spell or ritual, but because they look really witchy and cool. That’s probably not the most important reason to have them, but the mood is important in witchcraft! However, you don’t need any of those giant drippy taper candles or whatever that you see on Instagram (even if they’re gorgeous). My favorite candles to use in spells and rituals are tea lights from the dollar store. It was literally $1 for a pack of them and I use them ALL the time. Tea lights are great because you can let the candle completely burn down as part of your spell or ritual if necessary without having to worry about guarding it 24/7 for days until it’s done so you don’t burn your house down. It gives you a couple hours of burn time which is more than enough in most cases!

2. Sticks and stones and nature stuff

Witchcraft is essentially a nature spirituality, so what better way to decorate your altar or sacred space than with nature? Crystals are pretty, but they can be expensive. A pretty stone from the backyard – or even better, from a natural place that has meaning to you – can serve as an equally powerful representation of earth on your altar (although they won’t necessarily have the same vibrational qualities as crystals, but tbh there are some pretty cheap smaller stones on Etsy if you’re desperate for crystals in your life.) You can make your own wand out of a stick and use pebbles to shape out a pentacle on your altar (or whatever shape you want!) You can use fresh flowers as offerings to your deities or just for decoration. Tools don’t have to be expensive – the original pagans couldn’t exactly hop on Etsy and order a custom-made altar cloth. If you want to buy fancy things for your practice, that’s totally fine and you should do it, but know that you don’t NEED those things in order for your magick to work.

affordable witchcraft: 7 inexpensive essentials

3. A notebook and a pen or pencil

This is super important. You’re going to want to keep some sort of record of your witchy journey – what spells worked, what didn’t, what rituals you did and when. But the thing is, you don’t need a fancy grimoire to make this happen. The cheapest notebook from Walgreens will work just fine. If you’re a perfectionist like I am, you can always use the cheap notebook to take all your messy notes and transfer the important ones to a fancy book later when you can afford one that you like, but don’t let the lack of a fancy notebook keep you from writing things down. No one ever has to see it but you!

4. Water

Water is a super versatile tool and it’s free from your sink! Although purified water is ~best~, who has time for that? You can make “purified” water on your own by adding salt to it. You can use this as a cleansing spray (adding essential oils if you want to make it smell nice) or leave it to charge under the full moon to make moon water. You can collect rain during a storm if you want stormwater, or collect it from a lake or ocean if that has meaning to you. You can put some water on your altar as a representation of the element or sprinkle it around your space when you’re casting a circle (if you’re into that.) Basically water can be used for as many things as your imagination allows, so don’t underestimate what you can do with it!

affordable witchcraft: 7 inexpensive essentials

5. A picture frame

One of the easiest ways to decorate your altar or sacred space is by framing an image of something that’s important to you. This could be a depiction of a deity that you work with (since statues and other representations can be expensive!), a picture of a place in nature that makes you feel serene, a picture of the ocean if you’re a sea witch… the possibilities are endless! I personally keep a framed print of my favorite tarot card in my workspace just because it makes me happy to look at it. There are no rules, but a simple picture frame can easily become a lovely centerpiece for your sacred space.

6. Pinterest

I LOVE Pinterest for witchcraft because it makes everything so easy. Not only is it a great resource for hacks and spells to do on the cheap, but I use it to make vision boards all. the. time. As much as I wish I could be a crafty person, I’m just not, so I prefer digital vision boards to the IRL variety. You can also use Pinterest to make boards dedicated to your deities or to keep a virtual Book of Shadows of a sorts. You can make the boards private on Pinterest so only you can see them and you can have as many as you want! It’s a great source of information and an awesome manifestation tool.

7. Tumblr

Who needs books when you have Tumblr? (My book-loving heart just died a little, but hear me out.) Books about witchcraft and Wicca can be hard to find in physical stores and potentially expensive if you order them online. While there’s a lot of great wisdom to be found in books, there’s also a lot of wisdom on the Internet for free. I really recommend Tumblr as a good place to learn about witchcraft – while of course there’s misinformation out there, there’s also a lot of really great tips, links to resources that people use and love, recipes, examples of grimoires and altars, etc, etc. You can also use your Tumblr blog as a little virtual record of your practice, which is nice. Basically Tumblr lets you see what real people are doing, which can be helpful as you sort through all the mess of resources that are out there. Also, while sometimes people go overboard, Tumblr witches are a lot more woke to the issues of racism, sexism, and cultural appropriation that unfortunately crop up in the witch community pretty often. It’s good to learn early on that these things aren’t okay rather than having to un-learn them after they’ve unwittingly become a part of your practice.

So there you have it! Like I said, you don’t need any of these things to be a witch but if you want them, they’re not very expensive. I hope this post was helpful! If you have any other inexpensive tools or recommendations, be sure to leave them in the comments! <3

June 26, 2017June 26, 2017 - Serena 76 Comments

how to become a witch: 10 tips for newbies!

Hi there, friends! This post is based on a question I get asked a lot – “how do you become a witch?” There’s a really simple answer to that question, but I think the underlying question within it is really, “where do I start if I want to become a witch?” So today I’m going to be sharing with you some advice to those who may just be starting down this path.

Shameless plug, but if you REALLY want to know how to incorporate witchcraft into your daily life, The Witch of Lupine Hollow and I made a whole school of courses about it ;D But it’s also cool if you just want to read this post instead. Affiliate links are marked with a *, because your girl’s gotta pay the bills somehow.

This is a bit of a long one, so strap in, folks!

how to become a witch: 10 tips for newbies!

1. you don’t need someone else to make you a witch

How do you become a witch? The simple answer is really that you decide to become a witch, and bam! There you are. Although some covens or paths of witchcraft or Wicca might require formal initiation or have specific rules about who can or can’t join, in general anyone can be a Wiccan or a witch. There’s a tradition of studying for a year and a day before dedicating yourself to the Craft, but it’s really not necessary. I initially decided I would do this, but found myself identifying as a witch long before the year and the day were over. Still, once the time was up, I just did a little self-dedication ritual more for myself than anything else and that was it! No one else’s approval required.

2. read selectively at first

Usually I would say “read ALL the things!” but unfortunately there’s a lot of cultural appropriation and just plain misinformation out there about witchcraft, Wicca, and their history. I do think there can be a lot of good things in a problematic text, but when you’re first starting out it can be hard to tell what’s truth and what’s not. One of the best resources I’ve found is Drawing Down the Moon* by Margot Adler. Adler was Wiccan herself, and she manages to debunk some of the main myths about Wicca and witchcraft without putting down the craft itself. It’s also a fascinating look at the way witchcraft and Wicca have been practiced in the United States over the years. It was written a while ago so it’s a bit dated, but not OUTdated, if you know what I mean.

Another great intro to witchcraft is The Inner Temple of Witchcraft* by Chris Penczak. My memory of reading this is that he does cross into some iffy cultural territory and sort of perpetuates some witch myths, but overall I thought his approach was a great way for someone to learn the basics of witchcraft, especially if they’re kind of skeptical (like I tend to be!)

Also, take all books with a grain of salt. If one talks about a practice you don’t like, need, or feel comfortable with, leave it. Not every witch astral travels or does blood magick, and not all witches think curses are bad. It’s okay to make your own rules.

how to become a witch: 10 tips for newbies!

3. start small

There’s so much information out there and it’s seriously overwhelming to start with, but you don’t need to be a big bad experienced witch in order to work an effective spell. Start small with materials you already have on hand, or learn the meaning of one new herb at a time and use that. Some of the most effective spells and rituals I’ve done have just been me, a candle, and the moon. Don’t let a lack of experience or things stop you from working your magic(k).

4. find your community

I don’t necessarily mean finding a coven – in fact, I would suggest not looking for a coven until you’ve been practicing long enough to be sure of your path. I thought at first that I would LOVE to be in a coven, but now I realize that while it would be nice to have an IRL community to chat with, I do my best practicing on my own. Also, you run the risk of pledging yourself to a coven dedicated to a certain deity only to find out later on that you don’t want to work with that deity after all. Awkward.

But I do think it’s important to have other witches you can learn from and ask questions of while you’re learning. I haven’t found any good forums (if you know of one, PLEASE tell me) but Tumblr has proved to be an amazing resource for all things witchery. Browse the “witchcraft” and “witches of Tumblr” tags for blogs to follow. Most people I’ve met there have been super nice! (I’m a-lavender-moon if you’d like to follow!)

how to become a witch: 10 tips for newbies!

5. you don’t need a lot of stuff

I know that Tumblr and Instagram make it seem like you need a huge crystal collection and an entire pantry full of herbs, but really, REALLY all you need to do magick is yourself. That’s it. You don’t need anything else but you and your intentions. It’s fun to collect witchy bits and bobs and I’m the last person to talk about minimalism because I buy everything, but you don’t need those things. You can make spell jars from recycled bottles or decorate your altar with rocks from your garden. Don’t give in to the pressure to LOOK witchy. It’s more important that you ARE witchy.

(Side note, I wrote an entire post about spiritual sh*t I wasted money on here, so you don’t have to.)

6. write it down

You’re probably going to want to keep either a grimoire or a Book of Shadows, but I think it’s important that you keep a spiritual journal, as well. This can be something you carry around with you everywhere and that no one will ever see but you. Put in all your messy, disorganized thoughts, write down any time your intuition is spot on, scribble about your struggles with meditation, whatever. It’s really great to have a record of where you’re at and what you’re doing with your spiritual practice. For one, it’s therapeutic, but for another, it helps you figure out the way forward!

how to become a witch: 10 tips for newbies!

7. it’s okay if your beliefs change

In fact, they absolutely will. My views about working with deities change all the time. My thoughts on reincarnation have evolved the more I’ve thought about it. My personal set of rules has shifted as I’ve grown more comfortable in my craft. Changing your views on one thing or another doesn’t necessarily mean you were wrong before, it just means you’ve got more information now and can make a better decision for the current you. It doesn’t invalidate your past.

8. your book of shadows doesn’t have to be perfect

I need someone to wake me up every morning by yelling this at me through a megaphone. I think we all fall into perfectionism when it comes to our grimoire or Book of Shadows because we want them to be the cool witch books we see on TV. Honestly, though, a grimoire is just for you, no one else, and since all of us are imperfect it’s totally okay for your book to be imperfect too. The most gorgeous grimoire in the world is totally pointless if you never actually use it for fear of screwing it up! If you’re really concerned, though, do what I do and have a million different grimoires that you use for different things and one big main one that you only put the pretty stuff in.

how to become a witch: 10 tips for newbies!

9. don’t appropriate closed cultures

Seriously, y’all. This is a HUGE problem in the witch community, partially because as I mentioned above, cultural appropriation is passed off as a normal part of witchcraft by some of the major authors in the community.

It can be really, really hard to tell at first what’s cultural appropriation and what’s not, but use your common sense and if it’s taken from a culture that’s been systematically victimized over the years, it’s probably not okay to use. I think that Native American spiritualities in particular tend to be appropriated, but you can find a way to incorporate basic beliefs into your practice without outright taking from a closed culture – for example, you can say “smoke cleansing” instead of “smudging” or “animal guides” instead of “spirit animals.”

Like I said, it can be hard to know what you can and can’t use because so much of witchcraft is a blend of things taken from historical cultures. If you don’t know if something is cultural appropriation or not, look it up. Especially if you’re a white person. We’ve stolen enough from other cultures already.

10. you don’t need to know everything

If I could tell you one thing, it’s this. No one knows anything. If they say they do (or make you feel bad for asking questions) they’re probably a jerk. There’s no bonus points for being able to recite every poisonous plant by heart when pretty much anyone can do a Google search to find the same information. I think you’ll be surprised at how quickly you DO learn, and in no time you’ll be able to rattle off all the things rose quartz is good for or what herbs can help an upset stomach. But there’s no pressure to memorize this stuff. In fact, some of the best knowledge comes from DOING the thing. That’s the stuff you end up remembering. You never stop learning in witchcraft, and that’s the beauty of it. The trick is to be comfortable with not knowing, so you can invite more knowledge in.

So those are my 10 tips for the beginner witch! I might end up doing a part two of this post in the future because I could talk about this for days probably.

Do you have any tips or resources you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to check them out!

April 30, 2017 - Serena 2 Comments

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

Beltane is tomorrow! This Sabbat isn’t one I’ve done much for in the past, but I’m so excited to celebrate this year. Beltane, also known as May Day, is a celebration of the spring and the return of the crops after a long cold spell. It’s also a festival of fertility and love, particularly the, er, physical kind. (It’s kind of a sex holiday, okay?)

I don’t know about you, but fertility is not something I’m really that concerned about at this point in my life and if you don’t have access to a Maypole, this Sabbat might fall a little flat for you. You can still celebrate in many ways, though, and I thought this would be a great day to share a recipe for a self-love bath that you can do!

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

Flowers are very much a symbol of Beltane and while you can really use any flowers you’d like for this bath. Roses are a good choice since they’re traditionally associated with love, but use whatever flowers are your favorite! Violets are growing like crazy in my yard this year – if you’re looking for a good way to use some of your backyard flowers, this is a great one. You can either just use the petals or gather whole flowers to float on the water – your method might depend on the type of flower that you pick.

(Note: please be sure to use flowers you’re not allergic to, and that haven’t been exposed to pesticides or other harmful chemicals!)

You will also need:

4 cups of whole milk
1 cup of Epsom salts
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup honey
3-4 drops of essential oil of your choice, or enough to scent it to your liking (I like lavender in my baths for calming!)

diy moisturizing milk bath for self-love

Fill the bath with water, then add everything but the flowers and swish it around. The Epsom salts will help eliminate toxins, while the milk and baking soda will work together to soften your skin. Honey is a humectant, which means it helps to seal moisture into your skin.

After those ingredients have been combined in the bathwater, lightly float your flower petals on top of the water. With each flower or petal you add, say an affirmation out loud, such as “I am confident and strong” or “My inner beauty shines through.” You can say as many affirmations as you’d like!

Finally, hop in the tub and soak a while. You can play relaxing music and light some candles if you wish, but the point is to just disconnect from the stress and negativity of your day and really unwind. Envision the Epsom salts pulling out your negative thoughts while the other ingredients work to soothe your skin. For every flower floating in your bath, say one thing you love about yourself out loud. It’s okay if you don’t mean it yet – by saying it out loud, you make it more true.

Repeat these things over and over like a mantra until you’re ready to leave the bath. Pick the flower petals out before you drain the water so your pipes don’t get clogged, then watch the bathwater swirl down the drain, taking your negative self-talk with it. All you’re left with are the positives you instilled in yourself. Additionally, you can put on some nice lotion to finish things off.

And there you have it! I’m a big proponent of magickal baths, but especially for self-love purposes, as you sort of have to confront your nekkid self whether you like it or not.

How are you celebrating Beltane? Doing anything exciting this year? I’d love to hear all about it! ♥

April 21, 2017April 21, 2017 - Serena Leave a comment

6 witchy ways to celebrate earth day

(before we start… have you registered yet for Practical Magick for Modern Witches? You only have a few days left to snag a 15% discount! Check out this post to read more about it, then register right here!)

Earth Day is tomorrow! This was never a holiday I got excited about as a kid, but now as an adult I’m all over it. Love me some nature!

Witchcraft is, to me, very much a nature-based spirituality: we work with the moon, herbs, the elements, crystals, and so many other gifts from nature in order to make our magick happen. It seems only fair that we celebrate Earth Day in return!

Aside from the ol’ reduce, reuse, recycle, here are 6 witchy things you can do this Earth Day to give back to the planet and appreciate the nature in your life!

6 witchy ways to celebrate earth day

1. Plant an herb garden

Or a tree or whatever you want, but herb gardens seem like the witchiest idea. Growing your own herbs is magick in and of itself, and plants that you tended and raised from seeds will give you a major boost in your spellwork (or, you know, in a killer lasagna.) This has been on my to-do list for a looooong time, and this might finally be the year I get around to it!

2. Create an outdoor altar

If you have a yard or even just a balcony or porch, creating an outside altar is a great way to give yourself a sacred space in the great outdoors. It can be temporary or permanent, but be sure that whatever materials you use are safe for the environment! You can use things like rocks, flowers, sticks and branches, garden accessories, string, or whatever you might have lying around. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy – it’s just meant to give you a place to take your practice outside and honor the earth.

3. Meditate outside

Whether you have an outdoor altar or not, take your meditation practice outside on Earth Day! Feel the sun on your skin and appreciate the moment. Try to pinpoint how each of the four elements is at play – dirt, dew, the breeze, sunlight, all of these are an expression of the elements.

6 witchy ways to celebrate earth day

4. Go green

Okay, so this is easier said than done, but hear me out. So many of the products we use every day are contributing to the destruction of the planet. It sounds extreme, but between the waste created during their production, the chemicals they release into the atmosphere, and the trash left behind when the container is empty, so many of our household products are anything but harmless! I hope you’re recycling already, but it’s time to take it a step further. Take a look around your house and see what products you don’t mind swapping out for a greener alternative. For me, the first step was laundry detergent and dryer sheets. I swapped them out for some natural detergent and wool dryer balls from Young Living (if you want to order some yourself, just ask! I’m a distributor, I can give you all the deets.) Next on my list to tackle is hand soap and dish soap. Even things like turning the lights off when you leave the room or carpooling to work can help. Little changes don’t take a lot of effort, but they add up in a big way towards reducing your carbon footprint! And if we want this planet to be there for us, we have to be there for her, too.

5. Gather plants and herbs

Wildcrafting is a fun way to gather plants for your own use and learn about your local environment at the same time! Just be sure you’re doing it safely: don’t harvest plants from any areas it’s not allowed or that might have chemicals present, and don’t take so much that you end up damaging the ecosystem. Stay away from roads (exhaust from cars can contaminate the plants) and don’t tresspass! If you don’t want to actually gather the plants, bring a notebook along and sketch what you see instead.

6. Volunteer

Many nature preserves or gardens have volunteer program to help maintain the area, especially on Earth Day. See if there’s something like that where you live and sign yourself up! If there aren’t any formal volunteering programs around you, you can still get out and help the planet. Head to a local park or waterway and pick up whatever trash you find.

So those are some easy ways to celebrate Earth Day! I personally am planning on doing 2, 3, and 6 for sure (and maybe more from this list if I end up having time!) I’m also reading Braiding Sweetgrass (affiliate link) which is all about creating a mutually beneficial relationship between humans and nature, the way that Native peoples did before us white folks came along and ruined everything as usual. It’s really good so far and I really recommend it if you want to think a little more about this stuff!

How are you celebrating Earth Day? Doing anything fun? I’d love to hear about it!

April 12, 2017August 11, 2018 - Serena 2 Comments

announcing: practical magick for modern witches, an e-course

practical magick for modern witches

As you may have heard if you subscribe to my newsletter, I’ve joined forces with The Witch of Lupine Hollow to create Practical Magick for Modern Witches! This is a brand new course all about helping modern witches connect with their practice.

When I first discovered witchcraft, I wish I’d had a course like this to help me along. It’s not dogmatic, it’s not a rulebook, and there is zero enforcing of our personal spiritual beliefs. Rather, it’s two modern witches demonstrating some everyday ways to have a spiritual practice without breaking the bank or running away to live in the woods!

Even if you’ve been practicing for a while, this is a great opportunity to see some fresh perspectives and re-energize your spiritual routine. Plus, you’ll have access to ask us questions about anything and everything magickal! (Not that you can’t already do that, I guess, but whatever.)
Practical Magick for Modern Witches is a six-part course with content focusing on:

Modern sacred spaces
Kitchen magick (with recipes included!)
Connecting with nature in an urban setting (like working with crystals and the moon)
Practicing spells and magick
Modern meanings of the Sabbats
Grimoires

Each section features at least three lessons on everything from altars to crystals to gardening (no matter how small your patio or apartment balcony may be), all with a contemporary, urban focus. You’ll also find videos, quizzes and journal prompts to guide you through the course. Both of us have contributed half of the course content so you’ll find the perspectives of two witches with differing but complementary modern practices.

The course officially opens on the New Moon on April 25, 2017 and will be $45.00 for unlimited lifetime access. Sign up NOW and you’ll receive 15% off the cover price – that makes it only $38, but not for long!

I’m so excited to be sharing this project with you at last! Tell your friends and fam and let’s make it a party. We can’t wait to work with our fellow modern witches – see you in class!

August 1, 2016August 11, 2017 - Serena Leave a comment

ways to celebrate the new moon

We all know that I’ve been blog-crushing on The Witch of Lupine Hollow for like, ever. (Cottage witchery with no cottage required? hello yes sign me up!!) After I mentioned in my Witchy Wishlist post that I’d been eyeing her Moonglow workbook for a while, she was nice enough to send me a copy to use and review and wow, it’s gorgeous! It got me thinking a lot about how I celebrate the moon and how I really want to be more intentional about it – usually it’s more like “oh dang, new moon tonight, guess I’ll take a bath or something.” Moonglow gave me a bunch of SUPER awesome ideas so I thought today I’d share a few easy ways you can make the most of the new moon’s energy and really celebrate in style!

The new moon is a really great time to set intentions and get real about what you want to manifest for yourself in the coming weeks. Usually what I’d do is think about my intention and light a tea light candle on the windowsill, surrounded by any crystals or tarot/oracle cards that might be relevant. For example, if I wanted to focus on healing, I might put the candle on top of the Healing card from my Animal Kin oracle deck and surround it with fluorite crystals. I let the candle burn down completely, releasing my intention into the world. It’s a simple ritual that serves me well, but it’s not very festive – it’s gotten a bit routine at this point and I find I’m sort of just going through the motions a lot of the time. This obviously isn’t doing the new moon justice!

ways to celebrate the new moon

Moonglow is broken down into sections about the different types of things you can incorporate into a new or full moon ritual for yourself, such as candles, meditation, divination, and so on. There’s information on each type of activity and how to make it work, such as what tools to use and why you might want to use certain things at certain times. It advises that you pick a few elements that work for you and combine them to form your own personalized ritual, so I decided to give it a shot!

Meditation is one thing I’m always trying to include more of in my spiritual practice, so I decided I definitely want to make that a part of my new moon festivities. Divination is a HUGE part of what I do, so that’s a given, and I like the crystals and candles that I’ve been using so far. Taking all this into consideration, my new moon ritual for this month will look like this:

Choose an intention for the upcoming lunar cycle. I personally have been focusing a lot on healing, calming, and finding peace, so mine will focus on these things.
Choose a few crystals that are relevant to my intention as well as how I’m feeling at the moment. If I’m feeling particularly negative I might choose smoky quartz, or if I’m stressed I might go with amethyst, things like that.
Sit in a comfortable position, holding the crystals in my hand. Meditate with a mantra that’s relevant to my intention – such as “I am calm” or “I am in control of my emotions.”
Choose a tarot deck that feels right in the moment. Draw three cards to discover how to make the most of this moon cycle and how I can work towards my intention.
Place the cards on the windowsill along with any oracle cards that might be relevant. Place the tea light candle on top of the cards. Arrange the crystals around the candle and the cards.
Light the candle, envisioning my intention rising with the smoke and being released into the world. Sit quietly with the candle for a while and reflect on my intention, what I’ve learned so far, and where I’d like to go. Keep a notebook on hand to write down any important thoughts.
I won’t sit there the whole time, but once the candle has burned out I’ll clean up the space, put everything away, and do a smoke cleanse of the area with a calming lavender incense.

That’s WAY cooler than just lighting a candle, right? I’m so excited to do my ritual – not only will it help set the mood for the weeks ahead, but it also makes for a calming and relaxing evening! I can’t help but think how amazing I felt after making a real ritual out of the summer solstice. If I could feel that fantastic twice a month, on the new and full moons, then why the heck not?

Moonglow also has workbook pages for each new and full moon of the year, so you can write down what you did and keep it for future reference!

ways to celebrate the new moon

If you love a little moon magic, I would definitely give Moonglow a whirl. I think it would be amazing for a budding witchling who’s still figuring out what kinds of things work for them OR for anyone who feels a little stagnant in their spiritual practice – the tips in the book can be used for any kind of ritual, not just for the new and full moons, although they’re definitely geared towards the moon cycle. I feel like this workbook really inspired me to actually DO something with the moon and not just go through the routine like I always do, and I’m really pumped to get more specific with what I incorporate – maybe fall-colored candles once September rolls around? or using things from nature to make it more seasonal? So many possibilities!

While I was sent this workbook for free to review, all opinions are 100% my own – I’d never recommend something to you that I didn’t truly love. I especially like that this workbook breaks down every moon of the year for you, so you can use the worksheets again and again and easily keep track of how you’ve celebrated each specific new and full moon! If you’re interested, you can pick up a copy of Moonglow at The Witch of Lupine Hollow’s Etsy shop here just in time for the new moon next week, and don’t forget to check out her blog – SO many great witch tips. LOVE IT.

How do you celebrate the new moon? Do you usually do a whole ritual or do you keep it simple? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to know! <3

July 8, 2016August 11, 2017 - Serena 7 Comments

the w word: what witchcraft means to me

For having a blog about spirituality, I sure have done a good job of tiptoeing around what my spirituality actually is.

I mean, you can probably guess. I’ve alluded to it before, always stopping just short of saying “this is it!! here I am!” I usually refer to it in joking terms, partly because I don’t take myself too seriously but also because I guess I take myself a little too seriously, too. You can’t just throw around the word “witch” without people having some kind of a reaction, whether it’s “me too!” or “um, you think you’re Harry Potter?” Some people object to the term (and the witches, for that matter) for religious reasons, and honestly I didn’t want to make anyone feel awkward or unwelcome on my blog because they don’t agree with my particular path. Some things are universal and I like to think that many of my posts can be applied to any spirituality without conflict. But I feel like it’s at the point where I’m limiting myself on purpose because I don’t want to push people away and well, sometimes you gotta just risk the pushing.

So, witchcraft. It’s a term I struggle with too, really, both in real life and online. There are so many connotations, so many preconceived notions and mental images of warty green women cackling around a cauldron that it’s hard to take someone seriously when they call themselves a witch. Obviously I am not one of these warty green women – I think I’m pretty normal in the grand scheme of things. So then what is witchcraft and why does it even matter?

Well, another reason I’ve avoided labeling myself publicly as a witch is that I don’t have a good answer for those questions. It can be so many things, and at the same time it doesn’t have to be any of them. It can mean believing in auras or energy, it can mean communing with spirits, it can mean meditation, tarot, crystals, herbs, yoga, spells, paganism, incense, candles, you name it. And at the same time none of these things necessarily mean that you’re a witch – in fact, people from all walks of life and all religious backgrounds use some of these things in their spiritual practices without it being weird at all. It can also mean Wicca, which needs its own explanation; for my purposes we’ll just say that while I dearly love my Wiccan brothers and sisters, that’s not how I would define my practice.

To me, witchcraft is owning your place in the universe and knowing that you’ve changed the world just by being in it. It’s believing you’re worthy of good things and recognizing that you have the power, through your intentions and your actions, to bring those things to you. It’s being in tune with nature, respecting the planet, celebrating the changing of the seasons and reflecting on how far you’ve come. It’s getting in tune with your higher self, sometimes using tools such as tarot or meditation, and listening to your intuition instead of fighting it. Some witches use wands, some have altars, some cast circles or dance naked under the moon – and some simply think good thoughts into their coffee and call it a day.

There are so many different ways to be a witch that it’s impossible to name them all, but at the end of the day I think it all comes down to knowing your power and making things happen instead of letting life happen to you. You don’t have to do it every day. You might not need your practice all the time. You might do all or none of the things I’ve described and that’s completely fine. But there’s a strength that comes from knowing who you are and I gotta say, I’m feeling that way more than nerves about publishing this post right now.

To my friends who are traveling a different path, I promise I’ll never try to isolate you. I respect all beliefs and I feel that they can all coexist, that WE can all coexist if we focus on what we have in common. I think a lot of the things on this blog are relevant to many different spiritualities, and heck, even if yours doesn’t have a name you might be able to relate – no pressure to label! But I also understand if witchcraft is too weird for you and you need to bow out now. No offense will be taken – I thought all this stuff was hella weird when I first found out about it, so I feel that.

Most of you are probably like “omg you have not been subtle about being a witch at all and everyone already knew all this,” but I think it’s important for me to put it all out there so we’re all on the same page – and so y’all know a little more about what I mean when I talk about my practice! I’m planning a lot of posts that are more true to my path and hopefully you like them – I’m pretty pumped to start digging a little deeper.

If you want to learn more about witchcraft, be careful. A lot of the more mainstream books and authors contain a lot of cultural appropriation, misinformation, and opinions presented as fact. I would actually recommend that you make a Tumblr blog and browse through the “witchcraft” tag and similar ones! While of course you always need to check your facts when you just read stuff on the internet and of course there are some not-so-nice folks out there, my experience has been hugely positive and I’ve been exposed to SO many different kinds of witches – the possibilities are endless! And of course, you can always drop me a line. I’m far from an authority, but I can probably help talk you through some stuff and direct you towards resources that are specific to what you’re into.

If you’re sticking around, I love ya. Thanks for being the actual best. I won’t pressure you, but I’d love to hear a little about your spiritual path – does it have a name? how did you find it? Leave a comment if you don’t mind sharing!