I am a baby witch, which means that I am brand spanking new to witchcraft. Since I find the topic so fascinating, though, I jumped at the opportunity to interview a seasoned witch for my podcast, We Are The Stigma. Here are 6 important things I learned about witchcraft from Amy Lea from Venus In Tulle.
1. Witchcraft is not evil.
Contrary to what you might think, witchcraft is not evil, and not all witches worship Satan (although the ones who do are necessarily evil). Although some people use witchcraft to cause harm, not all witches do. Just like guns, everything can be harmful if it falls into the wrong hands.
2. Witchcraft isn’t Wicca.
Wicca is a part of the Pagan religion. While those who practice Wicca may also identify as a witch, not all witches practice Wicca.
Basically, Wicca is a religion and witchcraft is a skill set.
3. Witchcraft is less about “spells” and more about the power within yourself.
To me, witchcraft involves connecting to nature and your own inner power and strength. It’s about finding harmony between yourself and the universe. When practicing witchcraft, I harness energies from within and around me while trusting my intuition. Yeah, it’s pretty badass.
4. Tarot cards aren’t witchcraft.
Although some witches use tarot cards, not all do. Likewise, not all tarot card readers practice witchcraft. Many of us believe that tarot cards tell our future, but they actually serve as a tool to help a person gain knowledge from within themselves. You can perform question readings or open readings with tarot cards, and each serve a different purpose. Remember, though, tarot cards do not equal witchcraft.
5. There are different types of witches.
As with all things, there are many types of witches as well as witchcraft! I wish I could detail them all, but as a baby witch myself, I don’t fully understand. However, here are a few basics:
- White Witches use their magic for pure, unselfish purposes. Their intentions remain pure and they insist on never causing harm, even if someone wrongs a loved one. I believe Glenda The Good Witch was a white witch.
- Opposites to white witches, Black Witches use their magic to cause harm or seek revenge. Although that might sound completely evil, their intentions can remain pure (think “an eye for an eye” or similar). Unfortunately, black magic typically causes more chaos than harmony.
- If you’re interested in walking more of a neutral, middle path, then you might want to become a Grey Witch. Grey witches believe good comes with bad and that the world is full of both dark and light. Hence, grey witches practice the balance of black and white in their craft.
- Other witches include: Green Witch, Kitchen Witch, Sea Witch, Cosmic Witch, Secular Witch, Hedge Witch and Faerie Witch.
6. You don’t need any tools to start witchcraft!
The tools I thought I needed for practicing witchcraft seemed overwhelming!. Every herb, stone, and colored candle, not to mention books, wands, grimoires, jars, etc. My witchcraft shopping list grew longer every night I spent researching. How could I ever afford all of this?
After I interviewed Amy Lea, I learned this amazing reality: you don’t need anything to practice witchcraft as long as you have yourself. She went on to explain that her first spell jar was made from an old spaghetti sauce jar, and bay leaves can be found at the dollar store. You don’t even need crystals. These things are just tools that you can use in conjunction with your own power.
Witchcraft is about the energy you put into your craft, not the money you shell out. There are no rules. You don’t need organic herbs from Trader Joe’s and crystal chalices from Etsy. Oh, and my grimoire? It’s just a mini composition book which fits in my purse.
Here’s the best advice Amy Lea provided, though: if witchcraft interests you, then just start! You can read every book and buy every tool, but eventually you must dive in head first. I let fear hold me back from so many things in life, but after talking to Amy Lea, I realized I held all the power I ever needed inside myself. I recently created my alter, and the rest just started happening from there. At the end of the day, whether it’s witchcraft or something completely different, you can do anything you set your mind to. Whether you dress in all black or practice in your undies, stop letting fear hold you back and just do it already. From spell jars to tarot cards, my life looks a bit more magical now, but I love every minute of it!
Want to learn more from Amy Lea? Listen to her enchanting podcast interview, haunt her Instagram, and follow her hashtag 100 Days of Witchcraft.
Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash
