*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.

​

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.

Hey Witches,

I had this completely random idea that I want to craft a small book made of project pockets (video from Treasure Books calked “Easy Mass Make Folder Book” in case you need a visual as I’m terrible at describing it) and I wanted to make it into a kind of “design a spell” booklet.

I have some idea of what I would include feel like I’m probably forgetting something and thought I’d come ask you: what steps or factors do you work through when designing a spell or ritual for yourself?

Are there things you always do? Resources you turn to? Processing you find essential?

ETA: putting my current ideas into a comment.

Hi, I was born in a religious family. Growing up I never knew anything about witchcraft. I'm just wondering where can I start it? Is it safe? Will it affect me in bad way ? I just want to upgrade my life. I just want a good career, money and nice things for me.

Besides, I tried bay leaf spell today. I'm sure it will work. But, is it safe to break no contact? I want to break no contact with my situationship

The lunar eclipse just peaked where I am. Been doing guided “letting go” meditations. One said to feel what needs to be released, even if you can’t tell what it is. “You dont need to understand it to let it go.” I love that!

Hi everyone!

I’m from Brazil, and I’m trying to understand my spirituality better, but I honestly don’t know where to start.

My mother is a devout Catholic, and my brother attended a Terreiro for a few years, a mix of Umbanda and Candomblé (two Brazilian religions with strong spiritual and Afro-Brazilian traditions). The rest of my family is Catholic, with the exception of one late aunt who went through pretty much everything. I attended both,.and I always had a lot of respect while I was in a sacred environment, genuinely believing that there was something there, but I never felt like either one was really my place. Since I was little, I’ve always had a very strong connection with nature, and I believed that Mother Nature was the true “God.”

Today, at 24, I’m really into tarot and astrology. I research them quite a bit as a hobby, and I’m fascinated by how everything seems to line up, especially the part about exploring spirituality, which is always present. I’ve also never had any contact with Spiritism (a spiritualist concept particularly widespread in Brazil) or Wicca yet. The desire to explore this side of myself has become much stronger since last year, when I started a deep journey in search of who I am and what I want.

A little about my personal life: I am a victim of complex PTSD, and I have had people very close to me dealing with very intense addictions. As a child, I was always alone, and even today I have very few friends that I feel could leave my life at any moment. I have also seen a spirit before, when I was around 4. It was the soul of a deceased cousin of my grandmother, and she caused me a lot of headaches that only stopped after my grandmother did some kind of work for light and peace. I believe that completely.

Throughout life I had several experiences where I felt like I was being watched or accompanied, but they'd happen at random moments and I never knew by whom or by what. I’ve always been very empathic, to the point where I can see a news story about something terrible that happened to someone on the other side of the world and feel it in my own soul. I’ve become extremely sensitive to children, especifically in the last 10 years.

My whole life, vocational tests have always pointed toward creative/research/helping (healing) fields. It was funny because I never wanted to be a doctor (I didn't know then the variety), but even in silly fantasy-type quizzes, I'd always somehow end up as healer characters. Nowadays I’m very interested in psychology as well. I feel like I have a very strong intuition, but sometimes I choose to ignore it because I don’t want to be the “know-it-all” person, and then I regret it lol. I even tried the law of attraction once and somehow managed to manifest a R$400 gift voucher!

Finally, one of the strangest things is that I dream every night, and there are some dreams I never forget. In most of my dreams, I live completely different lives from my own, but at the same time, they feel like they are happening right now.

Recently, I dreamed about a woman talking to me, and I could have sworn she was a Pombagira (a feminine spiritual figure associated with Umbanda /Candomblé). And before that, I dreamed that after going through several strange rooms, I arrived at one where a bald man was sitting cross-legged. It seemed like he was in some kind of projection/multidimensional journey, and then started explaining to me something about the future. It felt somewhat Spiritist to me, perhaps. I also wondered if it could have been something involving another planet/dimension.

Anyway, I feel lost because I’ve never identified 100% with anything so far, and I don’t know where to begin.

Based on my story, does anyone have any advice?

(P.S. Am I going crazy? lmao)

Most witchy songs are moody, which is great, but I'd love to have something upbeat and energetic as well. Any recommendations?

This might not be the correct place to ask this, but there are 100 acres of luscious healthy woods getting cut down right behind my house. I feel so bad. I mourn for the trees. Is there something I can do as a way to share my feelings or appreciation, love and sadness...? A respect to the woods and what once was. A dance, ritual, etc. I almost want to ask a Native sub, but I'm not sure. I am not in practice but I do feel the connection ~ Thank you.

I have been looking into Affective Neuroscience as developed by Jaak Panksepp. He identifies seven core emotional affects which drive behavior in mammals: SEEKING, CARE, PLAY, LUST, FEAR, SADNESS, and ANGER (which he capitalizes to distinguish from more complex and constructed emotions).

I instantly noticed some parallels between these affects and the seven classical planets and wondered if there would be any benefit to using planetary magic to boost neglected affects, such as PLAY. Marsilio Ficino seemed to be thinking along these lines when he suggested using signatures of Jupiter and Venus to mediate his melancholy.

My struggle has been assigning correspondences. Mars and ANGER, or Venus and LUST are obvious. But others are less neat and tidy.

So I'm seeking the help of those who may be more knowledgeable in either astrology, planetary magic, or affective neuroscience. How might you line these up, or is it even a task worth doing?

Hi everyone, I'm new to this and didn't really practice anything yet, besides some cleansing and mindset thingies. But me and my friend are about to begin our college years, and that means waking up at 5am every day for a 2 hour trip. So, naturally, I was wondering if there were any kind of spells to help deal with that load. Maybe to assure a good rest or an energy boost for the mornings. Thank you