So You Wanna Be a Witch?

You want to be a witch? Cool! It’s worked for me for over 35 years – if it hadn’t, I wouldn’t be bothering with it. But let’s talk about a few things related to the “I want to be a witch” thing that’s constantly popping up in my magical mailbag.

WitchTok

A couple of times a week, I get messages from people who tell me some variation of I saw this spell on TikTok and I did it but can you please tell me why it didn’t work oh by the way i’m new. 

OK, so first of all, I know there’s a ton of witchy shit on TikTok – and some of it is from really amazing and highly skilled content creators. People like Amy Blackthorn, Mickie Mueller, and other veterans are doing some really solid work to make modern witchcraft accessible to everyone, and I applaud them for it – they’re doing an awesome job of it! But for every Amy or Mickie, there are thousands of TikTok creators who have far less experience, or worse yet, offer advice that’s downright harmful – so while I’ll never say that you can’t learn anything valuable from TikTok (I replaced a showerhead thanks to the Trans HandyMa’am) the fact remains that you need to vet your sources.

The second part of this is that if you did a spell you saw on TikTok and it didn’t work, go ask the person who created the spell. I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about when you say “i DiD tHe MoLdAViTe sPeLL.” Because I didn’t create it.

Spellwork = Spells + Work

I know, I know. You got old broads like me telling you that magical practice actually requires an investment of time and effort and energy and HOW DARE WE. Well, at the risk of sounding a little bit gatekeepy, if you have visions of picking up a book of spells in a store, lighting a few candles, chanting a cute rhyme, and having all your wishes come true by the end of the week, forget it. Once you’ve taken the time to actually study and learn the basics of magical theory and principle – and made plenty of mistakes in the process – then you’ll realize one of the most important secrets of modern magic: it’s work. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Witchcraft can be for anyone… but it isn’t for everyone. The people who stick with it and become good at it are the ones who actually do the mental, emotional, and physical labor. Hell, when I first started, I mapped out potential outcomes of spells with a freakin’ flow chart – sounds tedious, but I was willing to put in the effort to make sure all my bases were covered. It was worth the work and energy and time involved.

You can light candles and make wishes all day long, but until you figure what you’re doing and why, it’s unlikely you’ll see a lot of long term success.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

Sounds almost contradictory, considering my mini-rant in the first section about TikTok, doesn’t it? But believe it or not, most veteran practitioners like it when you ask us for ideas… we just don’t want to do the work for you or school you from scratch about basic practices. Now, if you show me that you’ve actually done some research and you need clarification on something specific that you don’t quite understand… then I’m impressed, and that’s totally different. Hit me with that question! For instance:

• Good Question: So I did this spell for [purpose], and I did it on [day of the week], and I used Herb X and Herb Y, Crystal Z, and a [thing] and a [other thing], but I’m not sure I’m seeing the results I’d like. What’s happening now is [outcome]. Any thoughts as to what I might have done wrong?
• Bad Question: How do I cast a spell?

Good Question person will probably get my time and attention because they’ve clearly made an effort. Bad Question person gets a No, which is a complete sentence. That’s if they get an answer at all.

Study Other Stuff

Witchcraft doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s not just about casting spells – it’s about seeing the world through a magical lens, and the best way to do that is to study things that aren’t witchcraft at all, but that will give you more context and a better perspective for when you do cast a spell. Study folklore from around the world, anthropology, history, and literature. Study science – learn about the trees and rocks and soils in your own neighborhood, study astronomy and the planets. Study other religions – and that includes the one you might have been raised in; take a deeper dive into it, as well as gaining a solid understanding of spirituality from other cultures. Study different skills – try your hand at fiber arts, metalwork, art mediums like sketching and painting, or woodcarving.

Because the more you learn about those other things, the better equipped you’ll be to view non-magical things from a magical perspective… which in turn, makes you a far more rounded and effective spellcaster.

Just Keep Swimming

The world of witchcraft is a wide and varied collection of beliefs, practices, and skill sets. Much of it is contextual – how things work is often dependent on the situation in which we use them. No one becomes a doctor or a mechanic or a blacksmith or a llama farmer overnight – you have to study, practice, experience trial and error, and constantly push yourself to learn and grow. But if you can do that – and I know you can, or you wouldn’t have read this far – then it’s going to pay off in the long run, and you’re going to be amazing.