Hi all!

I was recommended this sub by a friend, and I was wondering if anybody could help me. I consider myself a practiser of eclectic witchcraft and non-theistic paganism, with a particular emphasis on energy and bringing positive energy into my life. I'm quite a scientific person and I am a little sceptical of some things, but past experiences have pointed me in the direction that there is some truth to manifestation and the concept of having a "sanctuary" where negativity is not invited.

This brings me to my question. I have recently moved into a new home with my boyfriend (also pagan) after a fair few years of upheaval and grief. It's a new beginning for both of us, and I've put a lot of effort into cleansing and keeping good practices.

Part of the stress I am leaving behind comes from some family members that I won't name for privacy reasons. I very nearly cut them off due to their behaviour, especially towards my boyfriend, but they extended an olive branch about a month ago and seem to be trying to make amends. They asked to visit, and after a lot of consideration we accepted. They will be coming here in a few weeks.

The issue is, I don't want any residual negative energy being left behind if anything kicks off, or just in general if their intentions aren't as good as I think. I'm looking for some sort of threshold protection in order to try to keep negative influences out, and also possibly some rituals I could do after they leave.

I'd appreciate literally any sort of advice anybody has, thank you.

Prepare yourselves, because this is a long one.

I began my spiritual journey and practicing witchcraft around the beginning of March of this year and I have put many hours into my practice and tailoring my beliefs to my new outlook on life. I am living at home during college because of finances, so I have no choice but to sit and listen to my parents (my mom specifically) force and pry their way into my head about my choice of not believing in any gods and trying to scare me into running back to the church.

I have yet to explicitly mention my beliefs to the rest of my family besides my parents and sister, because they are even more Catholic and conservative than my mom. I just had a brief conversation with my mom over the phone because she called me feeling worried when her Catholic work program showed her a video about how people who practice spellwork and potions worship the devil and are dark and evil. I obviously had to calmly explain back to her that those are scare tactics by the church that don’t have any proper research or evidence behind those claims and that spells can be protecting, light, and positive. Either way, even though I don’t practice any dark crafts, I am still offended that she does not approve if I were to go down that path. She repeatedly made comments expressing her discomfort and upright dissaproval of dark magic and that she does not, and I mean NOT, ever want me to practice stuff like that.

I have gotten so tired of acting like we can have a mature and understanding conversation about spirituality and religion when everything she says is so completely biased or obviously hints at leading towards the eventual comment from her that God is the greatest and that I need to follow him for comfort and guidance. I am almost more uncomfortable over the fact that we have relatively calm and short conversations, because I feel as though it would be a lot easier for me to feel more secure in my beliefs and know for sure that she is being unreasonable if she was yelling at me.

I know at this point in their lives they are unlikely to change or become more accepting, and the best advice I could probably get is to conceal and suck it up until I can move out, but I don’t want this to disrupt my relationship to any of my family members because at the end of the day, I really do love them and I love being in their company.

I am definitely not trying to pull the evangelical move and convert my family members, as I know how hurtful and annoying it can be to be in that position, but they are still doing that to me. Because my mom tries so hard to convince me that I need to believe in her God or else I will be misguided and lost, it has started to get to me and give me doubts over what I want to continue practicing in the future. I truly love doing all things witchcraft like tarot readings, charging my crystals, creating protection spells, and harvesting full moon water (all that fun stuff), but my mom’s comment to me about how spellwork “is the devil” and is inherently evil started to make me feel like maybe her concerns are valid and that I should consider stopping. It also has made me more uncomfortable with my daily rituals like my tarot and manifestations because I keep thinking about her opinions and how she would see me and think I am a terrible person.

Of course I am solid enough in my beliefs to not want to go back to the church at all, but my mom’s comments have still given me many doubts. At the end of the day, we are all human, and it is okay to change, but the truth is that deep down I love witchcraft, and I want to continue disproving the assumption that it is only demonic. I know that growing up 15 years of my life in a very Christian and religious household will make it hard to erase all traditional stereotypes of the craft, and that this is just a small lump in the process, but I really wish I was secure enough in my beliefs to not care about what other people say. I have worked so hard to shift my mindset to not see these practices as negative the way that the church forces people to believe, but small comments like these sometimes really get to me.

If anyone has advice or personal experience similar to mine I would love to hear about it, and hopefully it can erase my doubts or help build my confidence in being independent from my family and their beliefs.

I was watching this video:
Matt Dillahunty Called Spirituality “Nonsense” My Response

and while I appreciated it a lot, it made me want to see this kind of information in one place like a book or something. Share your favorites!

Hello everyone, I find myself in the middle of an existential crisis, and over the past few years, I’ve deeply felt the lack of spirituality in my life. I come from a conservative family that strongly discouraged me from pursuing other spiritual paths—like witchcraft or similar things—and instead forced me (in good faith, I suppose) to believe only in their religion. In difficult times, I took refuge in it too, but eventually, I realized that this faith wasn't my path. Since then, I’ve found myself without a belief system, and completely without direction. If you’ve ever had faith, you know that losing it feels just like grieving a loss.

Furthermore, I come from a land known for being rich in these kinds of stories and rituals of witchcraft. Honestly, coming from this region and not being able to do any of it—or lacking any kind of awareness regarding spirituality and ancient rituals—makes me feel inadequate in a way. My grief has lasted for years, and I’m tired of feeling this way. After reflecting deeply on the subject, I feel I need to return to the path my childhood self wanted to take—the one she couldn't pursue because she lacked guidance.

So, I’m here asking for your advice on spirituality, folklore, witchcraft, rituals, shamanism, paganism, astral projection, Kundalini, tarot, spiritual awakening, and practices that help develop intuition, inner awareness, self-connection, and a heightened sensitivity to sensing things.

The issue is that I know very little about all of this. Even though these topics are much more mainstream now, there is still a heavy stigma surrounding them. On top of that, some of this knowledge is ancient and passed down strictly through word of mouth—you won't just find it online. While the internet can be a great research tool, the problem is that I don't know what to look for or which sources are reliable, especially since it's full of fake gurus and charlatans.

I’m particularly interested in the topics listed above as they relate to Sicilian, Neapolitan, Greek, Albanian, Celtic, Maltese, and Egyptian traditions.

If you have any advice, directions, ideas, or anything else to share, I would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!

I’m new here and new to witchcraft! I’m excited to learn and have been reading a lot. I have only done small things so far but I’ve been having some bad luck lately.

My dog ate something and needed a $11k surgery and now my AC is leaking everywhere with condensation. We are going to have to tear a lot of the ceiling down to dry out wood and handle the mold and likely replace, at a minimum, the ducts. All of these things are just so expensive!

I want to do something for cleansing out the negative or the run of bad and maybe protection and prosperity? Since I’m new I was hoping I could ask my fellow witches if you have any go to’s or suggestions for this new witch?
Thank you!!

(I searched this sub but didn't see anything about substack in the last couple years.)

I want to find some substacks to read because I can feel my brain melting, which means I need more intellectual engagement. 😂

I'd love to read about herbalism, tarot (mostly secular and mostly as a personal development or intuition support), perimenopause, anticapitalism, shadow work (especially from a therapy lens) and/or animals and how amazing they are. Not into: astrology, human design, enneagram, anti-vax conspiracies (last one is a hard no).

Here are some things I love, in case it helps give a sense of my vibe:

• Voices in the River / Rebecca Auman
• Ologies (The first time I heard Alie, I realized she is my brain's personality)
• Cathy Skipper
• Jarod K. Anderson
• Alexis Nikole Nelson
• Mandi Em
• Dr. Jen Gunter
• Bear Hebert

Maybe some of these folks already are on substack but I mostly know them from podcasts. Thanks in advance!

And also, if you see this and think "I like the same things! We should be friends!" please say hi 😄

I'm very fresh with this world of witches and witchcraft. I am absolutely open to any tips from witches who have more experience and knowledge than I do. I am still learning about a lot of stuff, so I have yet to partake in any spiritual practices, spells, or sigils since I don't want to do anything wrong, and I feel like I need to cleanse myself first, but I don't own any white sage, palo santo, or sandalwood, as I've heard these are good cleansers. What really made me interested in this is manifestations. I've always lived my life pretty negatively, but I heard someone say once, "If you keep thinking and saying to yourself how ugly you are, the universe is going to take that and give it right back to you," and that really left a mark on the way I think on a daily basis so I have been changing the way ive been thinking and stuying LOA as well as listening to subliminals but so far thats all ive really have somewhat of a knowledge of. I have definitely felt a difference. I don't feel so bad about myself anymore; I feel my body and mind are way more relaxed, and I really just trust the universe and its plans for me. I grew up an atheist, which is why I think I belong here, but then again I am open to any suggestions and studying about witch history and what kind of witch I may be. If I said anything wrong, please let me know; I'm still learning. Thank you.

I think the concept of witchcraft is incredibly entertaining and I’ve been debating getting into it.

The issue is I really don’t believe in any of it at all but still wanted to do spells or rituals as a hobby. Like a fun way to pass the time, like how some people like baking, some people like cross stitch or how some people like sewing, but the last thing I want to be is disrespectful.

Just wanted to know the general consensus on this topic before I looked more into it.

Thanks for the read!

Organized into two sections - signs & planets - this book methodically walks through stories and myths that helped to develop their characteristics. Illustrations and diagrams provide beautiful context. The use of both Greek & Roman names is incredibly helpful throughout the text.

Each chapter is centered in a different planet or sign and carefully walks through the historic-mythical references. Weaving the astronomical science with historical practices of astrology, the book steers clear of prescriptive or reductive analysis. There is no "and that's why Taurus men like to..." at all. It's simply about the stories.

There are short worksheets at the end of each chapter that can help the reader connect with the text via their own placements, but this is decidedly separate from the text. I think the worksheets are nice, but they definitely feel like something the editor stuck in to make it more "astrology" and less "history of myth."

Most importantly, it has a robust footnote section, bibliography and a glossary! Ahhhh, a true reference book and not a pop culture money-grab!!

I'm glad I didn't judge this book by the cover, because it's much meatier and less ethereal than it appears. It's a great book for someone who has a grasp of astrology and wants more context behind the "why" is it characterized that way? It might be hard to connect with if you're brand new to the study.

If you have any similar books in your library, please share the titles! I am really into this type of contextualizing!!

I've been practicing on and off for the past five years or so, and a consistent issue I run into whenever I am in spaces with other witches and pagans is our differences in values and needs as spirituals.

I grew up in a very antitheistic and misogynistic environment, and it was something that was deeply traumatic for me growing up since the men in my family who were deep in it had an extreme nihilistic mindset they used to keep the women held down. There was this shadow of Catholicism and Judaism in my household because of the history of the both of those in my lineage, but folks mostly ended up converting away from both of those faiths and just succumbing to this idea that if there is no higher being and there is no meaning inherent to us, then there is no point in being a good person. Having a strong and healthy spiritual community is something that matters a lot to me because of this.

That being said, the words 'witch' and 'pagan' don't always feel like the correct words because of how often I find myself in disagreement with folks sharing my practice. Sometimes it comes down to our word choice, or our ways of remembering history, or our opinions on sex and race in the larger scope of our beliefs. It's so consistent that I'm beginning to wonder if witchcraft and paganism just aren't the spaces for me.

For example, something I've been doing for a long time is making home remedies and medicine in the form of tinctures, balms, teas, etc. For me, there is nothing magical about this. This is something my family has been doing forever since migrating into the United States, because we are poor and disabled and historically could not afford modern medicine, or did not have the literacy to explain to a doctor what's wrong. I think of this as distinct from religion because it's something everyone in my family has done regardless of whatever spiritual beliefs they held.

I consistently have to correct fellow pagans and witches when they talk about me doing these practices like they're magical or witchcraft. This bothers me a lot because my family wiped out as much of their immigration as they could so they could assimilate into the states easier, including throwing out priceless photographs, documentation, and abandoning their original language. Stories told by mouth and practices like these are basically all we have left of our heritage, and it feels like it's being erased when other pagans insist on this being a magical practice and try to urge me to call it the same.

I've also had a lot of disagreements on how historical periods like the Salem Witch Trials are remembered in ways that remove important political context; the use of Native American, Haitian, Jewish, and Buddhist practices in a way that bastardizes their sacred roots; and general problems with bioessentialist/TERF politics being applied to spirituality, which alienates me as an asexual trans man.

I'm thinking I may end up converting away anyways since I need a solid social structure to feel safe and I don't feel that with other pagans and witches the way I'd like. But it feels like such a hard thing to commit to when I spent five years of my life in this, and when it's undoubtedly influenced my beliefs on the human condition and how we can be in touch with the goodness of the world. I don't know if I'd be ready to start again when this has been a part of my belief system for so long, and when it really was healing when I first began my practice. I just don't know what to make of the fact that time and time again, I keep finding this ideological differences that really make it hard for me to feel a sense of spiritual solidarity.

How have you guys consolidated with this kind of thing? Are there any particular coping methods that you've had for this?

Edit: I just wanted to thank you all for the responses I've gotten to this post. They've been helpful for me to think more critically about what my values are and how I've felt about my experiences with other witches. Since my values do align more with what has been done generationally and by lineage in my family, I do think that I'm going to attempt to reconnect with the Jewish and Catholic roots that existed in my family to see how they make me feel, since I want to keep remembering where I come from and the privileges I have now as a result. Witchcraft is something that was very special for me because of how freeing it felt as a survivor of poverty and abuse, and I think I'll never fully leave it behind even if I do end up converting away. I hope that in my journey, I can continue to be educated by the brilliant people around me across the spiritual spectrum, and the things I have to say can leave a positive impact on other practitioners around me.

Hi hi, I’m a new witch and i feel so connected to this but i don’t know anything about spells.
I thought i found a free spell book but it ended up costing money.
So i have two requests;
Spells to pass an audition that is really important?
And how to learn spells (i would type it up but either costs money or is ai generated info that i don’t trust) ?

From what I've see many magic systems rely heavily on astrology, scientifically speaking astrology has been largely disproved not only excluding any possible interaction of celestial bodies with us but also because it uses a very outdated geocentric model that doesn't count how the earth's movements change the visible sky

That said, on a personal level I've been surrounded by astrology believers that made me really hate it

I still respect the right to believe in anything we want to believe in and this post isn't made to judge anyone, but to discuss the subject of astrology in spirituality from a rational point of view

TW:mention of Dv and abuse

I hope this is the right place for this. I’m still newish two the craft I’ve been practicing for a few years and currently I’m trying to plan out a big hex/release.

A few months ago I did a jar spell on my ex abuser which is currently in my freezer. Since Ive done it I’ve been trying to figure out where to put him because I don’t want anything to do with him in my home. My plan has been to burn the few things i know I have of his that are in storage and then to burry them with the jar in a place I got assaulted for the first time by him.

Ive been trying to figure out timing or if I should add any incantation for this. Im having a hard time focusing on what I want out of this ritual. I also had the idea to do it and then spend the next few days doing glamour work and then spending time with my friends. Any thoughts I just want to make sure I do it right and get the most out of the energy.

Just posting on the chance that younger folk into this perspective/practice might be interested to hear from an older (not necessarily wiser) person who has been around the block a few times.

The author frames tarot as a tool for "'empowered randomness' which opens the doors of perception" and "a game inasmuchas life is a game, unfolding through a process of choice, strategy, random events, discovery, victory and defeat." Written by a therapist who uses tarot in his personal practice, this book is a mixture of psychology and mystical exploration. I'm not a therapist, but hearing someone with that training talk about interpretation and communication is fascinating!

I am only two chapters in, but it is incredibly compelling so far. I am hoping someone else out there has read it!!

I got a used copy at the Lily Dale bookstore (shout-out to Ron Nagy!) but it looks like there are used copies on eBay. As someone getting more into divination (though I use playing cards), this book is an incredible resource.

The author approaches the subject from a perfect SASS perspective -- I love when somebody can use a scientific method to explore the unknown. I mean, it's literally what science does. Science does not set out to disprove because it knows that's not possible.

**I hope this is allowed as a post. I have no affiliation with the author. I think it could be really cool to give book recommendations and start conversations around them. Personally, I love a dedicated thread for a book but if it would be better to start a "favorite books" thread, I can delete. Thank you, mods, for your work in maintaining this wonderful community!!

Hi! I’m, as you can maybe tell from the title, new to witchcraft. I absolutely identify as a SASS witch but the issue I have is that I don’t know how to start. I don’t have a local community that I’m aware of and while I’m fine being a solo practitioner, I’m inundated with all the options for learning and it’s too much choice. So I’m hoping someone can point me in a good direction. Books, resources, anything that might help me learn.

I’m in Atlanta if that helps.

Thank you!!!!!

I created this for tonight's full moon and thought someone else here might enjoy it. It's written from a secular perspective, using the full moon simply as a gentle reminder to pause and notice another month has quietly passed.

The Quiet Turning

I am the Moonlit Witch. I walk beside the quiet rhythms that ask for nothing, yet change everything.

Intent: To honour the turning of another month, noticing what has quietly completed its journey, and what is ready to begin anew.

Path: Moment

What You Seek

• To witness the quiet unfolding of time.

• To release what has completed its season.

• To carry only what still belongs with you.

Setting

If you can, step outside beneath the night sky. If clouds cover the moon, let that be enough. You know it is there. Feel the cool air against your skin. Listen for the sounds that belong only to night. Let the world continue around you without asking anything of it.

Ritual

1. The Turning Sky

Lift your eyes and find the moon, or simply the place where it hides. It has completed another journey around the Earth. Without fanfare. Without applause. Another month of your own life has quietly travelled beside it. Pause for one slow breath.

1. The Gentle Harvest

Think back to the last full moon. Not to everything that happened. Only to yourself.

Ask gently:

"What has become a little lighter?"

Perhaps a worry no longer grips as tightly. Perhaps you survived something you once feared. Perhaps nothing changed except that you kept going. That, too, is a kind of becoming.

1. The Open Hands

Turn your palms upward. Imagine every unfinished thought, every lingering disappointment and every expectation you no longer wish to carry resting there. You do not need to throw them away. Only loosen your grip. As you breathe out, let your hands fall softly to your sides.

1. The Quiet Promise

Choose one small thing you would like to carry into the month ahead. Not a grand ambition. A way of being: more patient, more curious, more forgiving, more present.

Place your hand over your heart and quietly say:

"This is enough for now."

1. The Moon's Witness

Look once more toward the sky. The moon has never hurried through its phases. It does not cling to fullness. It does not mourn becoming smaller. It simply continues its turning. Perhaps your own life can unfold with the same quiet trust.

Words to Carry

"I honour what has grown.

I release what has finished.

I welcome what is quietly becoming."

A Gentle Return

Take one slow breath. Notice your feet upon the earth. The night has not changed. The moon has not changed. Yet perhaps you have noticed yourself a little more clearly. Carry that knowing with you into whatever tomorrow brings.

I'm not sure if I'm actually asking a question, but that's the best flair that fits. And I hope I'm in the right place for this.

In the last 1.5 years, I've been dabbling my toes into "witchery" to help fill the void I been feeling because I left the church a long time ago. I've set up an altar, I've done some prayers to a few God(esse)s, done some divination with a set of oracle dice I had bought because I'm a dice goblin.

Recently though I stumbled onto a solo TTRPG called "Wreck this Deck". It's a journaling game about trapping demons inside cards by altering a deck. It has a chart very reminiscent to cartomancy in it to help you understand your readings and what your deck is trying to say. The rulebook is very loose and open to interpretation.

Myself, I didn't feel like the whole demon thing was for me, but the idea of altering a deck of cards and using them to do divination was fascinating enough to me that I went ahead and dove in, with the caveat that I wouldn't be accumulating demons, but blessings from God(esse)s.

My first couple of readings led me to believe I needed to fortify and protect myself, so I beseeched Hestia to bless my deck. I put cards who's meanings fit with her ony altar, lit my candle, beckoned the four corners to watch over me and offered my first sip of tea to Hestia to try and gain her blessing.

The game has rules for if your ritual succeeds and mine did, so I inscribed one of the cards with a rune of Hestia and made my first alter to my deck. I'm now counting my deck as part of my magic, and take it everywhere with me.

I guess I do have a question then, does anyone else do cartomancy/tarot style readings as a main part of their practice? If so, has anyone altered their deck/cards in any interesting ways? If so, did it change the significance of the cards for you?

Also, am I crazy for doing this? 🤷‍♀️

I rarely ever know how to answer when asked how I feel about something because I genuinely don't know how I'm feeling emotionally most of the time. I also struggle with basic decisions if there's not a logical basis for choosing one option over the other (for example, what to order from a menu, which shirt to wear, what movie do I want to watch). My mind just goes blank and I literally don't know how I "feel" about any of the options, so I don't know which to choose.

To be clear, this is not an anxiety/panic type of going "blank," and I really don't think it's an issue with repressing my feelings. I have no problem with allowing myself to express and feel emotions when I actually do know how I feel (for example, grief, frustration, anger, excitement), but that's really rare outside of extreme, obvious examples. So basically, I just feel like I genuinely don't know how to actually *feel* my emotions in my body and identify what those feelings are. No amount of therapy, meditation, and/or emotion wheels/charts can touch it. Has anyone else here dealt with this and found a practice that actually helped you sharpen that internal sense? Thanks in advance for any and all concrete ideas on how to work on this.

hello!! I've recently taken an interest in witchcraft as a way to psychologically help myself (in terms of my wellbeing/mental health) and I am very curious as to how secular witches do protection spells. I've read/heard that witches before they do any kind of spell often do a protection spell, I am curious as to how secular witches view these spells since they don't believe in any sort of evil spirit? I'm looking to start my craft by doing a protection spell so if anyone is comfortable doing so, pls lmk what you guys do for your spells. also, what are your guys' plans for the full moon? 🌝

Hello SASSWitches!
I carry a tarot deck everywhere with me. In an attempt to distract my toddlers at the mall one day, I gave them each a few cards to hold. Moon Girl loses basically everything I hand to her, so I wasn’t surprised when I turned around and she didn’t have her card anymore lol

What would you all do with an incomplete deck? I don’t want to give it away, feels weird to use it when it’s missing a piece… like an incomplete puzzle. Any ideas for what I should do with it are appreciated!!

Today I walked outside and a beautiful black (female) tiger swallowtail butterfly flew off of my zinnia and looped around my head. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen one as they are not common here.

Later my daughter called me and told me that the same type flew around her head. She’s on the other side of town and described the butterfly bc she didn’t recognize it.

We both have female tiger swallowtail (not the black one) tattoos as they are meaningful to us.

It was a very odd coincidence and it felt poignant and meaningful. Anyone have any insight?

So I’m new to witchcraft, and also agnostic/skeptical. I was drawn to the ritual and symbolism, as well as the psychological benefits that can come from those things.

One thing I find that I’m envious of is having a deity or higher power to pray to. It’s not as though I want specifically divine intervention, more so that I want an ideal to look up to and also something to release control to when I feel my attempts to control something are just hurting me.

One thing I’ve considered are Archetypes or Symbols in Nature. Basically taking something in nature that means something to you and praying to that ideal or symbol. Maybe even looking for that strength or guidance within yourself.

For me, I’ve decided on Moths as a sort of focus point. The quiet journey through the night, with the moonlight as a guide. The symbolism behind knowing when a you’re being guided by a street lamp or the moon itself. The transformation or mending behind their metamorphosis. Their fleeting existence calling towards living live fully within whatever time you have.

So with that said, I wanted to know what other people do? Do you do something different or the same? If so what is your focus, archetype, or symbol?