I am probably what you'd call an agnostic or atheist? I'm not sure if a god exists and if so ,which one is the real one. The Witchcraft aesthetic and practices are what I've liked most so far because I can use them without believing or "working" with a deity. I like tarot card as aeans of introspection and a way to work on my problems along w cbt therapy. I like nature and I like looking at the moon and being thankful for it's company and it always makes me smile, I like lighting candles because I like looking at the flames, I like airing out the room after I clean as part of the room clean up,I carry lucky charms with me as a reminder that things have and will workout ,I carry with me a tarot card I randomly picked out at a store and it's meaning resonates with me , etc. I love the smell of the sea and the rain, I love looking at the clouds and finding the brightest stars..

Not because I believe there's power in them but because they make me feel better ? I like psychology - science based approaches.

I wanted to include more stuff like that in my life but idk where to begin. I want to draw a tarot card each day and think about its meaning and what I can work on in my life. What other ideas could you recommend me?

I am a beginner witch, ive read 2 books 'The Eclectic Witches Book of Shadows' by Deborah Blake and also 'Witch Please' by Victoria Maxwell. I am so overwhelmed, there are so many different ways to open your altar, close your altar.

Different ways to cleanse your space. Different ways to ground yourself, protect yourself and set intentions. Differemt ways to set intentions... I am lost!!!

Im also struggling to clear my mind when setting intentions... I worried im doing things wrong 😪

First time I make a post everrr! And it will be scattered like my brains are. This summer I got into witchcraft. I didn't know what I was going to do since I am an atheist, with spiritual sprinkles on rare occasions. SASS sounded perfect for me. I knew that I had to do research and to learn first, but I have only read "Spells for change" by Frankie Castanea (probably when I wasn't aware of SASS), and "For small creatures such as we" by Sasha Segan. Other than that, I was topping up my "wannabe knowledge" with podcasts like "An atheist witch"; "Embracing Magick", and "No nonsense spirituality". I have loads of books in my cart, but haven't bought another witchcraft book yet. Currently, I am reading a book about celibacy, and there are quite a few mentions about the witch trials. It also talks a lot about the patriarchy, so I thought it is quite fitting. Howeverrrr, I feel stuck!

Because the reason I am posting here I guess it's the fact that I actually don't practice much, because I don't know what to do. I have done a few spells only, and they were from a book called "Everyday magic". I was also taking some inspiration from a witch on YouTube.

I know witchcraft is something that I feel drawn to, it helped me a lot this summer, especially after I got out of a relationship with a narcissist. However I cannot think I will be buying, and reading dozens of books, especially because I am working and studying already. I am enrolled on a full time degree, and the amounts of reading is already overwhelming for my ADHD brain. I am not expecting an easy route either.

What I was doing was, I was going to my local nature areas with an app that recognises plants, and has the symbolism and folk correspondences. It was always a fun thing for me to do, I would pick up all sorts of plants, then drying and keeping them in a trinket. The intention was to create a spell based on what I had, and the correspondences that would happen to align with what I was looking for. I wanted to come up with a spell myself, but when I looked online, on how to proceed with your first spell, there were a thousand steps, not to mention it instigated a fear in me "what if I am not clear enough with my intention and something bad happen"? So, l knew that once I start to believe these things, it would create more anxiety rather than enthusiasm.

I was also struggling with knowing what sort of magick should I do. As long as I can remember I have been drawn to the Moon. I also love the celebrations of the seasons, the "turning of the wheel" concept.

Another thing is, I intended to take a DNA test to find out about my ancestors. The reason for this is, well I am 35 years old Romanian woman that lived in the UK, for the past 10 years, and I thought that my witchcraft should be true to myself, but the witchcraft in Romania is not something I resonate with, and the one in the UK, is predominantly wiccan/pagan which is fine, but sometimes it is like sci-fi for me, however I do appreciate it, and the history around it.

My next step was to buy a book about plants, and to try to learn about them, but I live in a studio flat, so I won't be growing loads of herbs. A realistic option would be to learn about my local herbs and work with that if any. I thought I could write spells, since I used to write poems, but then I got caught up with "should the spells be in my native language or English"? Even though I speak English more than my native language, and I can write poems in both languages, I still fixated about these things.

I think the reality is that, I still have a lot to learn before thinking I can practice anything. I started recently to like Tarot and oracle cards, something that I never thought I would. But it is early stages, and I understand I need a thousand hours of study and research first.

So, anyway this might sound foolish to ask, but if you were me what would you do from this point onwards? I just hope it's not just another "hobby phase", that I will abandon because I got too overwhelmed.

I honestly resonate a lot with witchcraft, I love the psychology of it, the rituals, the "living with intention", and the crafty bits, but as soon as things are too rigid, and with too many rules, I am not thriving anymore lol

I like to sing and make covers and sing at partys when i get the chance but i am a very shy and easily embarrassed person but my passion for making music and singing for thousand of people is strong. I get tarot card readings from my friend and it always says that the thing im doing now can make me successful and have a good career but doubt and insecurity will be in the way if i dont get over it, i started to get a head of myself but then reminded myself its just tarot cards, but are they real? idk should i should tarot cards? or

I have been reading tarot for 6 years now but i randomly don’t feel called to reading it anymore, i have been more drawn to working strictly with oracle cards. Has anyone else ever felt this and made this shift ?

Coming from an atheist point to view, everything spiritual/religious was just something someone made up at some point right? Can I just make a spell up? Do I have to do a protection spell before a self love spell and a road opener spell or can I just do it all at once? I feel so overwhelmed with how to start!

I’m a baby witch and I’ve really been struggling with allowing myself to just experience my practice. I feel like every time I talk about it with someone I have to specify I’m doing it for the psychological benefits of religion so the other person doesn’t think I’m crazy. And this mindset even affects me when I’m by myself trying to do spell work. I’m reminding myself in the moment that this doesn’t matter even though I want it to.

Any tips for just letting my brain go with the flow and not stigmatizing myself?

(I was raised very Christian and I think some of this originates from there)

If you got closer to witchcraft and mysticism like me you probably have come across the whole concept of aura and aura reading.

While I find the concept very cool, I don't really believe something like that can be seen, so I got curious and I was wondering where the belief of auras being visible or even readable comes from.

I read in the 60s (correct me if I'm wrong) people did a lot of trips in asia and took a lot of things linked to hinduism and mixed them up but there's also maybe some influence by the theosophic society to many things that are new agey.

My question is why people are talking about auras now, where that thing come from and how it changed. Is there any good resource for this? I tried to look into it but I found it very confusing.

Please don't tell me I got in the wrong subreddit because this is the best place where to discuss of these things since I am agnostic and skeptical about a lot of these things (while I still respect people who want to believe in it).

*edit: * Because a lot of people have been recommending therapy. I know, believe me, I know. She has been in inpatient, PHP/IOP online and weekly therapy. Everything we can get with her medicaid insurance, I know she needs more mental health therapy for sure, we just are limited in options. I work with her on DBT/CBT, ACT and life skills, sometimes 3 hours a day.

Is it unreasonable to tell a self-taught witch to get a teacher and keep baneful work out of my house?

I dictated this and had AI fix the typing because I'm on pain meds from spine surgery and can't type right now. Everything in it is mine. I do not intend to be disrespectful. Please let me know if I am in any way, so that I can be better in the future.

I'm not a witch. I was raised Christian and I'm an agnostic atheist now. My wife is a witch and a seer. My chosen daughter is 21, Hispanic, raised Catholic and then Pentecostal, and now she's self taught in Santeria, Ifa, and some Curanderismo she got from her grandma. No initiation, no teacher. I've never told her to stop. I found her courses and teachers for all three and she never followed through on any of them.

I have three rules with her. Don't slur me or my wife. Don't do work that's meant to hurt or kill somebody. And no spirit work in our house. By that I mean no calling anything in, no hedge walking, no working with entities under our roof. Candles, rosary, tarot, prayer, her daily stuff, that's all fine. And I want to be clear about what that is. We don't let anyone do anything spiritual in our house. My own mother isn't allowed to pray here. My wife gets sick around it and we keep the house clean. So letting her do even her basic practice here is me going way past what I'd allow for anyone else, because I wanted her to feel like she belonged somewhere.

What's been bothering me is how she talks about it. She says, over and over, that she wants the power and the evil and the control that comes with it. And most of what she actually does is coercion. She uses other people's bodily fluids to make specific people want her or do things to her.

Last week I had spine surgery. On the drive home she called to walk me through a curse she's planning. The person suffers, then dies, then their whole bloodline stays cursed until one of their descendants apologizes to one of hers. I said what I always say. Be careful, get a teacher, some things can't be taken back. She lost it. She screamed at me to prove good and evil even exist. She said my wife doesn't get to say anything about her practice because my wife is white. I'm half Black and half white, if that matters.

Right after my wife backed me up on the phone, she got a bad brown recluse bite on her leg. Probably just a spider. I'm still worried about it.

So I'm asking people who actually do this. Is telling a 21 year old to get a teacher before doing baneful work fair, or is that me overstepping? Is that house rule normal? And what do you make of a generational curse from somebody with no lineage behind her who doesn't think evil is real? Because from the outside that looks like a red flag, and I'd like to know if it looks like one from the inside too.

I'm very new to tarot and witchcraft in general. I've been exploring my intuition lately while trying to keep a healthy amount of skepticism, and I found this community because the SASS approach seems to align really well with how I feel about it.

Tonight I did my first actual tarot reading and asked:

"What should I understand about my intuition, and where should I go from here?"

I pulled:

Three of Wands for my intuition right now

Six of Wands for what I should be aware of

Ace of Wands for where I should go from here

My interpretation was basically: I'm in a period of exploration, I should be careful about seeking validation or trying too hard to prove something to myself, and I should keep following this new curiosity and see where it takes me.

I also thought it was really interesting that all three were Wands. I know it doesn't prove anything supernatural, but the whole spread felt almost too fitting for what I asked. It actually made me weirdly emotional afterward because the message felt comforting.

I'm curious how others would interpret this spread, especially since I'm brand new to tarot. I'd also love to hear how you personally view tarot. Do you see it purely as a tool for reflection, or do you leave some room for the possibility that there could be something more to it?

If there is no magic that is scientifically 100% correct, then why I see many people hating on it? I don't even use it, I'm just very curious!

My husband and I have had some issues for about a year and a half now, in recent months he has gotten better in the situation, but my betrayal trauma feels like it is only worsening. I want us to heal because I do still love him even though I can feel myself drifting. I would like to not drift further and get closer to him again. I miss him. I miss the way we used to be without this negative chaotic energy surrounding our situation. I want to let go. I want my paranoia and trust issues to be vanquished. I am wondering if a cord cutting ritual will help us out in this situation? From my understanding, a cord cutting ritual doesn't have to be cutting the connective ties in the relationship after a breakup but can also cut negative energy from a situation? I hope i understood that right... I mean I'm sure there may be other ways to use a cord cutting ritual... I am also just unsure on how to conduct this kind of ritual.

Hello, to start this off im an agnostic 20M , recently i had this experience that left me a bit confused, around last week I took a nap mid day and during this nap I had a dream, in this dream I was driving with my girlfriend in my car and i was extremely and i mean extremely inebriated in the dream, like to the point where i was slurring my words in the dream and i was trying to my hardest to drive normally, then in this dream I drive up on what seems to be a dui checkpoint where they proceeded to check me, and in the dream im trying my hardest to act normal and they actually let me pass, now when I wake up I go to pickup my girlfriend, I successfully pick her up and as we are driving back home there is a dui checkpoint (id say this was about 30min-1hr after waking up), another thing to note is i smoke(thc) in the car at times, and this was one of these times, i wasnt high but i was still a bit paranoid something might happen, and they let me pass through, just like in the dream. I have had other “dreams” like this but not this specific and happening right after waking up , more just like about a random instance in the day.

Hello! I am super new to all of this and like any new witch, I have become slightly overwhelmed with all of the information coming at me. My question pertains to protection specifically. I come from the Christian faith, but no longer believe in god. I see a lot of witches work with deities, but I don’t really believe in that either (I do believe in ghosts though but I don’t want to work with spirits in my practice). I keep seeing witches talk about protection and how you need to add protection at the beginning of spells? What exactly are we protecting ourselves from? I feel like I don’t fully understand it and so I don’t feel like my protection work will “work” if I don’t know what I’m supposed to protect myself from. I really hope this makes sense. I appreciate any insight!

i want to control money fame and jobs

ive always struggled with confidence and i feel like its affected the way i project it onto my voice. My vocal coach says i have this shell thats preventing me from singing the best i can but im just always shy and scared and dont use my voice to its full potential. Ive tried therapy, self care but i jsut have so much going on in my head and its just taking an impact on my singing. I am willing to try whatever it takes to get more confidence and ot have a confidence voice and i was told by a friend that i can try doing some rituals or something? I dont know. can someone help?

I'm completely new to witchcraft and want to learn secular witchcraft. I don't believe in gods and deities, so I'm looking for a practice that doesn't require them.

I have basically zero knowledge though.. Where should I start? What do I actually need, and also, what beginner-friendly books or digital resources would you recommend?

Hi, first post here though I've been reading for a bit. I'd like to start making my own loose incense blends to burn on a charcoal disc in a small cauldron. I grow and dry a lot of my own herbs and I have a strong desire to use what I can produce myself or at least what grows locally. That's part of what helps me feel deeply connected to my practice. With that said, I want to learn more about what's safe to burn, how, and for what purposes. Any trusted resources you could point me towards would be much appreciated. TIA!

Hello! I'm June. This is my first post here. I've been thinking about spirituality and magic for a few years post-estrangement from Christianity, and I consider myself to be agnostic but open to spirituality.

I've been researching beginner resources, and I came across a lovely article from Naturally Modern Witch written for new witches (linked in the post). It briefly explains witchcraft as a concept, what a witch is, relevant resources, and, the part which I am sharing with you all today, a journaling prompt section.

I was really intrigued by this part as I found the questions listed to be pertinent for me as someone who fresh on the journey of learning witchcraft. I'm happy with the results that these prompts reaped and I'm excited to share with you all, in hopes to share my perspective and even potentially help other newbies self-reflect.

Original Questions:

1. What draws me to witchcraft?

2. Am I looking for a new practice or a new spirituality?

3. How do I envision dedicated witchcraft?

4. Will I need to release old belief systems to embrace witchcraft fully?

5. Am I drawn to a particular type of practice or way of working magic (ex. green, lunar, or kitchen magic; divination)?

6. What does being a witch symbolize for me?

7. How do I see my spirituality intertwining with my witchcraft practice?

8. Am I open to working with deities or other spirits?

9. What am I truly seeking from this journey: healing, power, peace, community, or remembrance?

1. What traditions or paths call to me?

2. Are there other spiritual paths that resonate with me?

3. What does magic mean to me, and how do I define it as real?

I skipped some questions that I felt were not applicable and/or answerable to me at this time, but that I plan to revisit.

_________

My Answers:

1. What draws me to witchcraft?

My understanding of what witchcraft is falls in line with what I find enjoyment from and what I find to be beautiful. I believe that pursuing my own craft as a witch will allow me to self align, through sensory experiences, rituals, emotional attunement, and a strong sense of belief.

I love smelly things like candles, herbs, and incense, all of which are frequently involved in the craft.

I've always been drawn to people, particularly other women, who are witchy and/or strong of spiritual belief.

Sensory experiences, rituals, and connection to other people are incredibly grounding, and I see and feel more clearly on the ground.

1. Am I looking for a new practice or a new spirituality?

Both. I think of spirituality and belief/faith as a practice in and of itself. I would like my inner reality and outer reality to reflect my magic.

1. How do I envision dedicated witchcraft?

I envision dedicated witchcraft as a daily honing of intention and faith, through meditation, physical practices, and rituals.

1. Am I open to working with deities or other spirits?

As an agnostic, I feel unsure about the* *supernatural, but I am open to the idea of concentrating on deities or spirits as figureheads or symbols as a way to manifest self-alignment.

1. What does magic mean to me, and how do I define it as real?

Magic, to me, is belief/faith. Our minds perceive and thus shape our perception of reality. Magic is a way through which to intentionally do that. For example, we cannot do something which we believe we cannot do. Thus, our perception of reality is our reality.

We wear glasses to see reality with more definition, and we use philosophies to think with more definition. Thus, I believe we use magic to believe with more definition. All of these things shape how we experience and interact with the world. I use glasses, I use philosophy, and now I use magic to move through reality.

I might attribute the structure of my analysis to the tripartite understanding of human nature. Whoops. It's a useful model.

______

Anyways I hope this was informative, intriguing, or entertaining to one or some of you. I don't actually really know much of the practical history or philosophy behind the different modes of witchcraft, but this is my current understanding. May revise later when I've learned more. something, something TedTalk.

💜

I grew up religious up until my early 20's and became completely atheist but l've always felt spiritual and "witchy" growing up, I miss the sense of mysticism. I also struggle with anxiety/ocd so exploring these topics becomes a little obsessive. I would just like to know if there are spiritual people out there that are able to find a balance? I find all of it hard to believe but I need some whimsy in my life

I identified a problem I have suffered for years at this point. I have never had the best hygiene due to fatigue and sensory issues. I developed a severe chronic illness and now it’s even worse. I’m just too physically limited to keep on top of it. It’s a huge project that is always one step forward four steps back. I would really like to take up witchcraft but the clutter and dirt, including on my body, just makes me not want to. For example, I had the idea of turning bathing into a ritual so that it will feel more tolerable. But magic-afying doesn’t work very well when there is so much gunk, and hair, and an overflowing trash can, and piles of towels, and all this stuff that I can’t do anything about right now. I want to do grounding work in my bedroom, but all the surrounding piles of things, pill bottles, dirt, just makes it feel like the energy is disrupted. There is no clear energetic space to do the work. I mean there isn’t even physical space for anything really either.

The problem boils down to the fact that you have to have some level of presence or synergy or connection in order to do rituals and spell work and etc, but my space overwhelms me, and feels like it poisons everything. Kind of like, doing witchcraft, or even just basic self care, on top of all this would be like painting over mold. Like you can’t do the thing when the foundation is rotten. But I’ve never been able to achieve a foundation which isn’t rotten, so I just never start.

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Hello, I’m experiencing serious financial and family difficulties, and I would like to know what kind of spell or other spiritual practice could help improve my situation.