How To: DIY Witch
Obviously I’m kidding, but in a very real sense, I'm not.
In the modern world becoming a witch is actually pretty easy … and you can essentially do all of this by yourself, with the help of the internet, of course.
A lot of beginning witches will ask, “How do I become a witch?” this question is a bit unnecessary if you think about it; the question should really be, “Have I accepted that I am a witch?” If you feel at all a pull in this direction, much like any new practice in life, you need to try it out to see if it suits you. Witchcraft is all about researching and figuring out what works best for you. And if it is, then this is your path.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll have always felt a connection to the term, the way of being, and the lifestyle of a witch, but maybe… like me, you just didn’t know how to accept it. You fussed internally about identifying as a witch. You worried about what others would think. You worried it wasn’t real. You worried about what it would mean to practice and you just hadn’t quite accepted yourself as a witch, yet.
If you’re reading this now, my hope is that you’re far enough along in your journey that you have finally accepted it. If you have, congratulations, you’re a witch. Wear that badge now, loud and proud, because you’ll need it. Being proud of who you are is a huge part of what being a witch really is about, self love and empowerment. This is the start of your path.
Now the hard part—research. Yes, research, and a lot of it.
The first few things you’ll want to research are as follows:
Types of Witches
Grounding - How to do it
Witchy Tools and how to use them
Casting a Circle - How to do it, why witches do it
Meditation - How to do it
Cleansing - How to do it
Grimoire vs. Book of Shadows
Sigils
Herbs and their properties (Sage, Lavender, Bay Leaf, Rosemary, Mugwort, etc. Literally all the herbs)
Crystals and their properties (Great basics are Quartz family (Crystal Quartz, Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz), Amethyst, Obsidian, Tourmaline, Citrine, Selenite, Satin Spar, Desert Rose, Hematite, Aventurine, Moonstone etc.)
Astrology and Moon Phases
Divination (Mirror Scrying, Crystal Gazing, Fire Gazing, Tarot and Oracle cards, Using a Pendulum, Dream Divination “Oneiromancy”)
Pagan Holidays
Deities
I could make an endless list, but this is at least something for you to go through when you first start out. Please utilize apps that are out there right now that have TONS of information on witchcraft and how to start. YouTube, for example, is an amazing resource for the new, modern, witch.
Some helpful apps would be:
Amino - Witches and Witchcraft
TikTok - #witchtok (Witchy TikTokers that we love: @the_wanderlust_witch, @vistarvi, @astridchaotexo, @thepracticalpagan, @hichaweon, @mrwitch4u, @lesby.onix, @chloec_bee, @astra.rose. (Comment if you know of any!)
On Instagram follow hashtags such as #witchcraft #witchtips #divination #witchcommunity #witchythings
Spotify Podcasts: (Us! The New Witches!), The Witch Bitch Amateur Hour, The Witch and The Medium, The Witch Wave, Witchful Thinking, Witch Path, etc.
You can find videos on literally anything witchcraft related, but be careful who you are watching and make sure that you are sourcing the information they are relaying. Fact check and make sure that you feel comfortable with the way they are laying out their process - you do not need to do things exactly the way they do them. You can choose to do it however you feel comfortable.
First things first:
Buy or dedicate a simple notebook for notes on divination, spells, and recordings.
Do not go out and buy an expensive book for your Grimoire or Book of Shadows. If you’re just starting out, you want to be able to make mistakes without worrying if you’re going to ruin this beautiful new book. Just dedicate a notebook to start out, have a few different ones if you’d like - one for divination, one for dreams, one for spells.
Cleanse yourself & your space.
Cleansing your space will get rid of any unwanted energies, negative or otherwise. It’s like starting a painting and buying a brand new canvas to work from. Ways in which you can cleanse include:
Smoke Clearing with sage, incense, palo santo, or sweet grass. Make sure to open your window to give negative energies an exit route!
Sound Clearing with singing bowls, chanting, clapping, or bells
Sweeping
Salt
Practice opening and closing a circle.
This is just to help you get used to closing yourself off from the outside world and energies. This is the ritual you should go through to create your sacred space and help you get into the mood before you cast your spell. NOTE: this does not need to be for every single spell, but definitely for ones that are a little more complex - I would, for any spell, cleanse your area before doing any spell work.
Once you are comfortable doing this and if you are on this journey alone, open a circle and cast your first spell. This could be something very small, or even a simple “I’m declaring myself a witch” ceremony. This should be deeply personal and empowering. Things you can do during this kind of ceremony should feel comfortable to you, something that is meaningful. An example would be:
Open your circle
Write an affirmation on a piece of paper: “I accept myself, I accept my practice, I am a witch who loves the earth, the energies, and the elements. I accept my path. I am a witch.”
Light a white candle
Chant your affirmation 3 times aloud
Burn your piece of paper with the affirmation on it. This will charge the affirmation and bring about your intent; declaring yourself a witch.
This is just an example of something that you could do for your first spell. You can choose to do this kind of ceremony in any way you choose. Perhaps you want to drink a spell tea, or have specific words that are meaningful to you, whatever the case is, just make sure that you are comfortable and feel empowered while doing this. If you have a friend that also wants to practice, perhaps you can have the ceremony together. You can do this kind of ceremony at any point in your practice, if it helps you feel more empowered on your path. This kind of ceremony is really for anyone that isn’t involved in a coven, because coven’s typically have their own rituals of initiation, but if you are starting out with a group who wants to be a coven, having an initiation ritual is probably a very empowering thing to do for your coven members.
Whatever your path, I hope I was able to help guide you a little, perhaps helping you find your footing. If you ever have any questions or want me to add anything to this list of “Firsts” or “Things to research” please let me know… and as always …
Stay Witchy.
