The Modern Witch: Essential Tops for Your Journey
Hello witches! Today we are going to get the practice of being a modern witch. By default, most people who practice witchcraft practice some form as modern witchcraft because, well, we are living in the 21st century, after all! Whether you are new to path the path of witchcraft or a skeptic who has no idea why on earth someone would call themselves a witch, I suggest you read on!
Modern witches are weaving ancient truths into their lives, finding personal empowerment and spiritual healing through practices that celebrate both the mystical and the practical. It's about tapping into ancient and ancestral wisdom and traditions in a way that feels real and relevant today. Look, I'll be the first one to say that telling people that youre a witch can make you feel like an oddball, and it's taken me a long time to "come out of the broom closet" and be a bit more open with my spiritual practice.
Why do I feel the need to hide my religion? Should I both tell people my spiritual practice? I began thinking about it, and the more I decided I need to learn to stop caring about what other people think. I mean, why not reclaim a word that’s been misunderstood for centuries and turn it into something empowering? It’s not about flying on broomsticks or concocting love potions (though hey, no judgment if that’s your thing). It’s really about connection—to yourself, to the world around you, and to something bigger than all of us.
Witchcraft has seriously impacted my life in ways I never thought possible, the first time I stepped into circle, I had so much social anxiety and crippling low self esteem that I didn't even know what to do with myself, and thanks to my experience with being apart of a nurturing and supportive coven I have learned how to deprogram years of low self esteem and major depressive disorder and I've reached a point where I can truly say I feel comfortable in my own skin. Over 6 years later, I'm actually leading others into their path of empowerment, and it feels pretty damn good.
So yes, embrace the path of the modern witch , and don't be afraid to talk about it. You never know who may be on a similar journey or who you may inspire with your own experiences. And let's face it, being a witch is pretty badass. We have the power to manifest our desires, connect with nature, and tap into our intuition in ways that others may only dream of. Let's begin, shall we?
Understanding Modern Witchcraft
The path of a modern witch is one is a rich tapestry of spiritual and magickal traditions, each thread woven with the intention of embracing the power of nature and the cycles of life. At its core, it's witchcraft is about personal growth, spiritual development, and the profound connection between the individual and the natural world.
For the modern witch, this religious practice is deeply personal and varied. It’s not confined to a single set of beliefs or rituals but is instead a dynamic and evolving path. Whether you’re drawn to the ancient wisdom of the Salem witch trials or the contemporary practices of green witches, modern witchcraft offers a space for everyone to explore their unique spiritual journey.
The essence of modern witchcraft lies in its ability to empower individuals. It encourages you to honor the cycles of life and death, to find strength in the natural world, and to cultivate a practice that fosters personal and spiritual growth. By embracing these principles, modern witches tap into a wellspring of power that is both ancient and ever-renewing.
Magick vs Magic: A quite note I want to address is throughout my blog, and throughout the witchcraft community you will see two spelling of the "magic". There are two distinct ways to spell it: "magic" with a "c" and "magick" with a “k”. Simply put magic with a "k" is often used in modern witchcraft to differentiate from stage magic or illusion. A witch's magick is about how we connect and influence the around us. Further reading can be found here, and a great video explaining this is on my youtube channel.
Who is the Modern Witch?
As you can probably already tell, at its heart, modern witchcraft is deeply personal. The modern witch walks a path that blends ancient knowledge with present-day life, connecting to Spirit in ways that feel authentic and meaningful. Simply put, we the world with a deeply profound lense and are able to find the deeper meaning the nuances of life.
What makes witchcraft so healing and empowering? For one, it gives you tools to unearth and work through hidden emotions. Whether through journaling your feelings, meditating with intention, or performing small rituals, you’ll uncover layers of yourself and create space for personal growth. Working through your emotions is ultimately path out of mental slavery, and the key to cultivating personal liberation. It’s also deeply empowering to know that you hold the power to shape your practice—your magick, your rules. No two witches are alike, and that’s the beauty of it.
So, are you a witch? Well, if you feel drawn to the path of a witch, then you are a witch. Welcome home.
Building a Daily Witchcraft Practice
Contrary to what you may think, witchcraft works best when woven into the fabric of your life. A daily practice doesn’t need to look elaborate—it thrives in simple, intentional acts. Plus, we are earthly beings here on, well, earth... and our lives are meant to be lived on rooted on this planet. Too much magick isn't a good thing, trust me on that. In essence, we can tap into the heavens of divinity which is truly an elevating, heavenly, and cosmic experience but... we still have bills to pay and responsibilities here on earth so dont chase that spiritual high.
Easy Magickal Practices for Every Day:
Morning Rituals: Begin your day with a small but meaningful moment. Light a candle and affirm, “Today, I welcome peace, protection, and clarity.”
Daily Intentions: Pick an intention for the day, like “hopeful” for instance and tie your actions back to it when you're drifting away and feeling pessimistic.
Evening Gratitude: Before bed, jot down three things you’re grateful for or reflect on what lessons Spirit shared with you today.
Daily practices anchor you, bringing a sense of calm and control regardless of life’s chaos. They remind you that magick exists in even the smallest gestures and serve as a healing modality to facilitate self-healing. If you want more tips on how to live your best witchy life, check out this blog post with a lot more ways to integrate magick into your daily life.
Creating Your Altar
Okay, now for on of my favorite tips for getting started, creating an altar. An altar is a sacred space where intention and magick meet. It’s your personal sanctuary—a space to meditate, or ground and recenter yourself.
How to Set Up Your Altar:
Start Small: Don’t overthink it! Seriously. Taking the first step is hardest when embracing a new way of living, but just get the ball rolling already! Your altar doesn’t need to be some elaborate setup right away. It could be a full table brimming with meaningful items, or something as simple as a windowsill with a candle and a favorite crystal. The key is intention, not size.
Add Personal Touches: This is where it gets fun! Fill your altar with items that really vibe with who you are. Maybe it’s a photo of someone who inspires you, items you've found in nature like a feather you found during a morning walk, a wildflower growing on the side of the road, or a bottle of moon water from the last moon cycle. Items of sentiments are great too like a trinket you’ve had forever, or even something quirky, like a lucky figurine that makes you smile. Put items that inspire you in the moment.
Practice Divination: An altar can also be a perfect spot to practice divination. You could use tarot cards, oracle cards, runes, or any other form of divination that resonates with you. Keep your preferred tools on your altar and make it part of your daily or weekly routine to pull a card or cast some runes for guidance
Ancestral Guidance: An altar can also be a powerful place to connect with ancestors and seek guidance from them. You could include photos or items that belonged to loved ones who have passed, and use your altar as a space to honor their memory and ask for their support. The key is to lern how to listen to their guidance.
Refresh and Evolve: Life isn't static, and your altar shouldn't be as well—it can grow and change alongside you. Swap out items when your energy shifts or when something no longer feels meaningful. That feather losing its magic? Replace it with a leaf from a memorable adventure. Keeping the altar fresh ensures it stays alive and connected to your current intentions.
How to Use an Altar
Using your altar is all about making it your own and letting your intuition guide you. Start by deciding what feels right for you—there’s no wrong way to do this, I promise! You can sit in front of your altar to meditate, set intentions, or even just take a moment to breathe and ground down. Use it as a space to journal, pull tarot cards, or light a candle while you focus on your goals. If you’re spellcasting, your altar can be the perfect spot to gather your tools and channel your energy.
The key is consistency—visit your altar regularly, even if it’s just for a few quiet moments each day.
Discovering Your Witchy Path
Modern day witches don’t have to fit into one “type” of witch—your path is uniquely yours. That being said, exploring many different niches can help you uncover what resonates most and let this list just be used as a guide to finding a path that interests you.
Types of Modern Witches:
Kitchen witches: The kitchen witch incorporates magick into their dailyroutines through cooking, gardening, and crafting, transforming mundane tasks into opportunities for spiritual practice. The key is consistency and connection.
Crystal Witches: These witches channel the energy of crystals, stones, and minerals to amplify their intentions, promote healing, and strengthen their spiritual work. Each stone carries its unique vibration, making it a powerful tool for manifestation and balance.
Astrology Witches: Guided by the stars, these witches incorporate celestial alignments, moon phases, and planetary movements to shape their practices and decisions. They see the universe as a vast blueprint, constantly offering insight and guidance.
Lunar Witches: Lunar witches focus on the phases of the moon, harnessing its energy and cycles to manifest their desires. They see the moon as a powerful source of feminine energy, allowing them to tap into their intuition and subconscious mind.
Sex Witches: Now don't be presumptuous on this one as these witches focus on reclaiming sexual agency and empowerment, which is especially profound for those of have suffered from sexual abuse. Sex witches use sexuality as a profound tool for healing, manifestation, and self-discovery. Through practices like sacred sensuality, tantra, energy work, and sex magick, they unlock deeper layers of connection and transformation.
Yoga Witches: Harnessing the power of movement and breath, yoga witches incorporate yogic principles into their spiritual practice. They see the body as a vessel for energy and use poses, meditation, and pranayama to connect with their inner selves, the universe, and enhances manifestations. It's the heart of my blog and was a missing component to my spiritual practice!
Green Witchcraft
Green witchcraft is a beautiful and earthy branch of modern witchcraft that centers on the use of plants, herbs, and natural materials in magickal practices. Green witches are deeply connected to the earth, finding magick in the soil, the leaves, and the cycles of nature.
For green witches, the natural world is a source of healing, growth, and transformation. They often practice herbalism, tending to gardens, and crafting spells with the bounty of the earth. This connection to nature is not just about using plants in rituals; it’s about living in harmony with the environment and fostering a deep respect for all living things.
Green witches believe in sustainable living, reducing waste, and promoting eco-friendly practices. They see their magical practices as a way to honor the earth and its resources, creating a balanced and harmonious relationship between humans and nature. By living in tune with the natural world, green witches tap into a powerful source of magic that is both grounding and transformative.
Living the life of a green witch can be as simple as growing your own herbs, making natural remedies, or spending time in nature. It’s about finding the magic in the everyday and using it to create a more balanced and harmonious life.
Honoring Nature and the Moon
Moon magick is also another favorite component of my practice Whether you work with the moon’s cycles or the changing seasons, tuning into these natural rhythms can ground and amplify your practice.
Historically, those accused of witchcraft were mostly women, highlighting the gender dynamics in the narrative of witchcraft.
Moon Magick and Rituals:
The moon holds a special place in witchcraft. Start small:
New Moon: Set intentions for what you want to invite into your life.
Full Moon: Release what no longer serves you and celebrate your progress.
Dark Moon: Take time to reflect and rest and incorporate shadow work
You don’t need a fancy ritual—sitting under the moonlight with a cup of tea and your thoughts counts as magick, too. But if you want to learn a whole lot more about moon rituals and magick check out this guide.
Seasonal Sabbats and the Wheel of the Year:
The Wheel of the Year is an integral way to stay connected to nature’s cycles and celebrate the changing seasons. It’s made up of eight sabbats, or festivals, that align with the solstices, equinoxes, and the midpoints in between. Whether you’re dancing under a Maypole for Beltane or cozying up with some mulled cider for Yule, these celebrations are all about honoring the earth and its energies.
It's not about having to find 8 new witchy holidays that you now have to celebrate but understanding that each sabbat has its own vibe, traditions, and themes, and understanding those nuances can help us flow For example, Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”) is all about reflecting on endings and honoring ancestors, while Ostara gets you hyped for planting seeds—both literally and figuratively. The cool thing is, you can make these holidays as elaborate or simple as you want. Sometimes, it’s just lighting a candle and saying a few words of gratitude. Other times, it’s baking seasonal treats and going all out with decorations.
If this sounds overwhelming, I'd recommend just working with the Fall & Spring Equinox and the Summer and Winter Solstice, trust me, it's an excellent start.
Finding Your Coven or Community
Some witches prefer to practice alone as solitary practitioners, either due to personal preference or the difficulty of finding a community. Solitary practitioners often rely on books and workshops to develop their skills and practices.
While many witches walk a solitary path, finding a community can be deeply enriching. Whether it’s an online group, a local circle, or just one spirit-minded friend, having others to share your practice with can expand your magick. Trust me, it may take time to find a group that resonates with you, but when you do, it's truly a special experience.
Sharing stories and personal journeys within the witchcraft community is essential for growth and understanding. Those dynamic conversations and getting lost in spiritual discussion is a great way to learn and grow your practice and understand the many aspects of our spiritual practice.
How to Connect Authentically:
Look for welcoming, inclusive spaces—safe havens where you can talk to people and judgment has no place.
Start small. Join a free online event or attend a local moon ceremony. Meetup.com is a great place to find local gatherings.
Remember, the modern witch’s practice is flexible. You can thrive both alone and within a community.
Step Into Your Magick
Witchcraft is not about perfection—it’s about being real, being curious, and trusting in your power. Whether you’re building an altar, honoring the moon, or just lighting a candle to set an intention, each step you take is part of the magickal process. Throughout history, women have been at the forefront of witchcraft, embodying strength and resilience against patriarchal oppression. Embrace this legacy and let it empower you in your practice.
Your magick is uniquely yours, so do what feels right in your heart, and don’t stress over doing things “perfectly.” Trust Spirit, trust yourself, and remember that your path is as special and beautiful as you are.
Blessed be—may your magick grow brighter every day.
Additional Reads and Resources
It wasn't practical to fit everything about this practice into one blog post but I want to link a few blog articles that you should absolutely check out that are integral to your journey of becoming a modern witch.
Shadow Work: Many of us start on the path of witchcraft as a way to heal ourselves. Shadow work is an essential part of this process, and it involves diving deep into your fears, wounds, and patterns to uncover and release them. Check out this guide on shadow to begin the process of transformation.
Witchcraft Activism: As witches, we have a responsibility to use our magick for the greater good and advocate for marginalized communities, social justice, and standing up against the status quo. This article explores how witchcraft can be used as a tool for social justice.
Spells & Spell Jars: I do occasionally cast spells, but it's becoming less and less integral to my practice and I focus more on moon magick. Click here to learn about spells and spell jars and their uses, because I know you wanna.
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