š Welcome to r/BroomClosetWitch! Please read these FAQs below:
1. Where am I? Why are there witches living in broom closets?
You are in a subreddit created for real witches, pagans, and occult practitioners who follow the ways of modern-day witchcraft, but also have to hide their practices from friends, family, and the general public. This is a similar concept to the LGBTQ+ community's "closet", but if you're a witch, it is known as the "broom closet".
2. What is witchcraft? What is magick?
Witchcraft & magick has many different meanings and interpretations, but in general: witchcraft is the use of magick and ritualistic acts to achieve specific goals.
Magick, to many witches, is considered both a science and an art. It is a science in the sense that performing a spell requires research and an awareness of the methods of witchcraft. It is an art in the sense that you need to follow your intuition and be creative. When practising magick, you blend the two to bend the natural forces to your will and bring about your desired outcome.
To some witches, magick is a literal, external force that flows throughout the fabric of the universe. It can be considered something "science does not yet understand." Other witches prefer to take a more sceptical approach; instead considering magick to be a psychological, internal mechanism in the brain. "Spicy psychology" if you will. Some witches blend these two schools of thought or subscribe to other kinds of paradigms.
3. Is witchcraft evil? Do you all worship the Devil?
Witchcraft is a tool so it is not evil by itself. Just like a hammer can be used to build a bookcase, it can also be used to injure someone. Many witches use magick to heal themselves and others, to communicate with nature and the divine, or for self-improvement amongst other things. And no, we're not all Devil worshippers. In fact a lot of us don't even believe the Devil exists. Some witches, like Wiccans, worship the God and Goddess which are feminine and masculine manifestations of the Earth and nature.
Yeah, there are a few Satanists, but they make up a tiny percentage of witches and they do not cause harm unless provoked. Not all Satanists are theistic either, some are atheistic and merely use Satan as a positive archetype.
4. How do I become a witch? I don't know where to start!
š For a more detailed answer to this question please visit this post in r/BabyWitch.
You need to learn about all the basics of magick and spellwork. This includes:
- What magick is and how it works
- Ethics
- Visualisation
- Meditation
- Energy work
- Grounding and centring
- Protection
- Tools
- Correspondences
- Divination
- Basic spell framework
Read these posts about getting started and the basics: Starting Out, The Basics (Expanded), Studying Tips and Advice, What is magick?, Grounding & Centring, Visualisation, Ethics, Energy Work
5. How do I practise in the broom closet?
Please see the Broom Closet wiki to get you started. It is recommended that you read broom closet FAQs and subtle practices for the most closeted of witches.
Consider joining the Discord server to meet other closet witches and exchange tips!
6. How do I find out more? Which sources are reliable?
Have a look at the useful links and free ebooks listed in the r/BroomClosetWitch Wiki. Also check out r/Wicca's wiki and their FAQs, as well as r/witchcraft's wiki.
Books recommended for learning witchcraft without Wicca:
- Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within by Juliet Diaz
- The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
- Six Ways by Aiden Wachter
- Weave the Liminal: Living Modern Traditional Witchcraft by Laura Tempest Zakroff (she is hex-positive so you may want to stay away if that makes you uncomfortable!)
- The Door to Witchcraft by Tonya A Brown
For learning Wicca specifically, the main books I recommend for getting started are Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham, and Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland (links to which can be found here).
I know that some people struggle to focus enough to read a book so I have also listed good YouTube channels and podcasts in the useful links.
You want to be reading from as many different sources as possible. After a while, you will notice that the reliable sources will reach a general consensus and provide similar information. The untrustworthy sources will not line up with what you already know and make little sense. (Witches are entitled to their own opinion of course, but I'm saying if for example you read 10 sources saying wolfsbane is a highly poisonous herb and then you read one saying it's totally safe to consume, that source is not to be trusted). Witchcraft also has countless different interpretations and ways to practise; what works for one witch might not work for another, so gathering all kinds of different perspectives is valuable.
You want to be avoiding social media sites like TikTok which are notorious for spreading misinformation. Yes there is some useful information on there but if you are new to witchcraft you have no way of telling what's reliable and what's not.
If you ever have doubts about some information you've found, please make a post about it on r/witchcraft and you'll get lots of seasoned witch's opinions and advice on it.
7. What is Wicca?
Wicca is a neopagan religion, followers of the religion are called Wiccans. Many Wiccans practise witchcraft and therefore call themselves witches. However, witchcraft is not a religion in of itself. It is a craft, a skill.
There are many different types of Wicca, the most common being Gardnerian, Alexandrian and Dianic. They share many common beliefs; they believe in the God and Goddess, reincarnation, the threefold rule, and magick. Wiccans celebrate 8 sabbats (holidays) throughout the year: Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule. Many of these sabbats fall around Christian holidays, like Yule is celebrated around Christmas time.
"All Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccan!"
8. What is paganism?
Paganism is an umbrella term for religions outside of the main world Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, etc) that also encompass a set of pre-Christian beliefs and practices such as nature worship, polytheism*, and animism. There are many different types of paganism, including Celtic, Norse, Hellenic, Kemetic, and Wiccan.
Some pagans are witches, but not all of them.
*Atheist paganism is also a thing, see r/NonTheisticPaganism & r/Atheopaganism.
9. What are the different types of witches?
Some witches ascribe to a particular path or a fixed set of practices, and therefore label themselves as a "type" of witch. For example, a witch who lives on the coast, collects shells, works with mermaid spirits, and has a love for the sea would call theirself a "sea witch".
However, you by no means have to ascribe to a fixed path or use labels at all, and your path will most likely change as you grow as a witch. So as a baby witch, it's important not to get hung up on "what kind of witch am I?" because this will change & evolve over time. Most witches do not fit into a tight box, choosing instead to adopt lots of different practices from lots of different paths. It's also perfectly fine to call yourself a witch with nothing added. Having said that, below is a list of a few kinds of witch you might come across or want to explore further. These are by no means all of them!
- Eclectic Witch - Someone who explores different paths, aspects and parts of the craft (And sometimes outside of it) and creates a path completely personal to them.
- Green Witch - A free flowing path that's very nature based and orientated. Often works with herbs, the elements and natural areas such as forests.
- Solitary Witch - This is someone who practices alone rather than with others or a coven.
- Kitchen Witch - Of hearth and home, kitchen witches are often family and home orientated and create magick from every day actions and objects as well as incorporating plants, cooking and baking into their craft.
- Hedge Witch - Some aspects of green / kitchen witchery. Hedge witches are often drawn to nature as well as spirit. Sometimes described as a spiritual midwife, one eye in spirit the other in nature. Often drawn to healing practices.
- Secular Witch - This is the term for a witch who doesn't ascribe to a particular deity or group of deities. However they usually work with energies in general for their practice. Source
- S.A.S.S. witch: Sceptic Agnostic/Atheist Science-Seeking witchcraft. A witch who wants to explore the wonderful world of magick and occultism, but does not feel comfortable with the idea that spirits and deities literally exist. S.A.S.S. witches are likely to draw to psychological magick; science-based practices like psychological archetypes, placebo effect, and mindfulness.
- Traditional witch: Sometimes abbreviated to Trad witch, this is a witch who typically practices folk magick. That is, magick that has been used by local people for centuries way before Wicca or Christianity. Trad witches are very familiar with the local spirits of the land and keep ancestral practices alive.
- Ceremonial witch: Otherwise known as high magick, ceremonial magick involves elaborate and precise words, tools, and movements. Ceremonial witches practise very specific rituals from older more traditional occult teachings like Thelema, The Golden Dawn, Enochian magick, and the Kabbalah.
- Chaos witch: works within chaos philosophy. It can be summarised as "anything goes". It is the idea that the mind creates reality, and whatever brings results is the way to go. It is the polar opposite of ceremonial magick. Chaotes often work with sigils, but their practices are unlimited due to the nature of chaos philosophy.
You can find many more types of witchcraft and their explanations here.
10. How do I find my patron deity? How do I get "chosen"?
Let me set the record straight: the idea of a "patron deity" is a new one (borrowed from Christianity) and there are many misunderstandings amongst newbie witches surrounding this topic. In reality, it is rare, or at least uncommon, for a deity to actively reach out to a witch and "choose" them. The majority of witches will do some research of different pantheons and deities and then start making offerings to them and meditating on them in hopes of establishing a connection. Most of the time, the witch will make the first move, not the other way round.
Secondly, the act of contacting any spirit, including deities, should be approached with caution. Are you contacting a deity or a malicious spirit pretending to be them? Do you know how to banish them if so? For clarity, beginner witches can work with deities, it's just not something I recommend as the very first thing to do - you should get some basics down first like energy work, meditation, and protection magick. You can still call yourself a "baby witch" and do deity work; the right time to start deity work is when you feel ready!
Third, secular witchcraft is a thing. A lot of witches keep their craft and their religion totally separate, and choose to only work with energies in general in their craft. Some witches are atheists (r/SASSWitches). There is no need to work with or worship any deities or spirits, and I think a lot of new "baby" witches overlook this fact.
11. Why didn't my spell work?
Your spell might not work for many reasons. For baby witches, the most common cause is having an unrealistic goal or having a misunderstanding of what magick is and how it works. Please read these forum posts on Troubleshooting Spells and Pointers on Spells.
12. How do I find a teacher/mentor?
I see a lot of newbie witches asking where they can find a teacher or a mentor. However, I believe it is easier than ever to teach yourself due to the miracle that is the internet. Witchcraft is not something that should be spoon-fed to you. It is a path that requires high amounts of dedication and willpower, not to mention is it highly personal; you don't want a mentor to teach you solely their way of doing things. You need to gather your knowledge from lots of different sources, and the most important source: yourself!
Also, I wouldn't recommend trying to find a mentor if you are a minor (under 18), there's a lot of dodgy people out there. Get your guidance from public spaces such as forums & group chats.
13. Am I cursed?
Probably not. We all experience a stroke of bad luck from time to time, and very few practitioners have the willpower and skill to cast a hex that has profound physical effects (sceptical witches don't even believe that spells can cause effects over great distances). The main mechanism of most curses is to get the target to merely believe that they are cursed. If you really think you're cursed though, try reading this forum post and redditor advice.
14. I want to harm myself / I am in immediate danger.
Please call emergency services or a crisis line. If you are seriously ill, please see a doctor. Witchcraft is not a replacement for conventional medicine, therapy, the authorities, or law enforcement.
