How to Start Witchcraft: A Gentle Beginner’s Guide to Simple Magic
- Fennella McCallum
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
Beginner Witchcraft Guide
If you’re wondering how to start witchcraft or looking for beginner witchcraft guidance, you’re in the right place.
You might have noticed yourself watching the moon, collecting interesting stones, or feeling a quiet pull toward something magical, you are definitely not alone.
Witchcraft is calling many of us right now. It offers grounding, empowerment, and a deeply personal connection to the world around you. But where do you begin?
This post is the first in a series I’m calling “Your Beginner’s Guide to Witchcraft.” It is a soft place to land, a gentle introduction to the tools, mindset, and simple magic that will help you take your first steps with confidence and care.
What Is Witchcraft?
Witchcraft is the practice of working with energy, intention, nature and symbolism to shape your reality. It isn’t a religion, although some witches blend it with spiritual or religious paths. I'm personally completely secular - which means there is no religion involved in my witchcraft at all.
At its heart, witchcraft is about your relationships: With yourself, with the world around you, with symbols, stories and cycles.
If we accept that there is energy all around us - and believe that we can change or manipulate that energy - then that work is witchcraft.
Tools for Beginner Witches
To be super clear, you do not need to buy anything to begin.
Let me say that again: You do not need to buy anything to begin.
I believe witchcraft is fundamentally an anti-capitalist practice. Beginner witchcraft doesn’t require expensive tools or complicated rituals. It’s a way of seeing and being.
That said, many people enjoy gathering a few items to help them focus.
These could include:
Candles, for fire and clarity
A journal, for recording signs, spells and reflections
Stones, leaves, sticks or flowers - anything that makes you feel closer to nature
Tarot or Oracle decks - if that's your thing
Anything that helps you feel connected, calm and focused can be magical. Trust yourself to choose what feels right, and don't feel like you have to spend loads to be a witch.
*A Note On Crystals Many people are drawn to crystals, and they can be beautiful and powerful tools. But they are not essential to your practice, and they can be expensive. It’s also worth knowing that crystal mining can have a serious impact on the land and on the communities who do the labour. If you choose to use crystals, try to source them as ethically as possible. That might mean buying from small sellers who can trace their supply, or simply turning to the land around you. Stones you find on a walk (on the beach, in the forest, in the hills etc.) might not look shiny or polished, but they carry their own energy. And they come without the cost or the harm.
The Importance of Intention
A spell does not need ten ingredients and a perfect moon phase. It needs presence. It needs feeling. It needs intention.
Magic begins when you decide to bring something into being and act on that decision with purpose. That might look like lighting a candle and speaking your hope aloud. It might look like a bath where you release what is no longer yours. It might be as simple as writing something down and burning it safely.
Start with what you have. Trust your instincts. Your intention is the most powerful tool you own.
A Note on Witchcraft Ethics
One of the most common beginner questions is, “Am I allowed to do this?” or “Is this okay?”
Unfortunately, there is no single rulebook.
Your energy ripples out into the world. It is worth asking yourself questions like:
Is this spell rooted in clarity? Or desperation?
Am I acting with love? Or am I trying to control someone else?
How will I feel after I have done this? Peaceful? or guilty?
Witchcraft is about empowerment - not necessarily power. Ethical witchcraft is about being mindful of how your energy affects others.
Want a Few Simple Spells to Try?
If you are looking for easy, everyday ways to start practising, my Simple Summer Spellbook was made for you.
It’s full of quick, seasonal spells you can try with what you already have at home. You will find things like herbal foot baths, sunlight blessings and gentle spell jar ideas. No pressure. No gatekeeping. Just nourishing magic you can actually do, even in the middle of a busy life.
Simple witchcraft spells, like those in my Simple Summer Spellbook, can help you get started easily.
Ready to Begin?
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more beginner-friendly posts to help you build your witchcraft practice with confidence and care.
If you're just getting started, or coming back to the basics, keep an eye on the blog for more gentle guidance and simple magic.
Can’t wait that long? Join my mailing list to get a free Tarot Journal Companion - perfect for Beginner Tarot Readers plus fortnightly witchcraft tips straight to your inbox.