Born in deepest Cornwall, now living in wild Wales, I've been practising my personal brand of eclectic witchcraft for years and years.
What Is a Good Witch?
I’m not a great believer in ‘white witches’ and ‘white witchcraft’. To me, it’s like asking the impossible. Human beings who can claim to always be pure in mind and deed are very rare. For me, witchcraft reflects human nature across the whole spectrum. The most we can aim for is to be as good as we can be.
So, how can you be a good witch? What qualities do you need? How can you improve? What exactly is a good witch’s perspective on life?
I’ve written a great many witchy articles to date, and they are all open to questions from my readers. I’ve trawled through hundreds of them to find the most common and frequently asked questions and gathered them here with comprehensive answers geared towards being the best witch you can possibly be.
What Does Being a Good Witch Entail?
Being a good witch doesn’t mean someone who is top of the class in terms of how successful their spells are, how psychic they are, or any of those things.
- A good witch is someone who always wants to be wise, to understand how life works, and to give others the benefit of the doubt.
- A good witch learns his or her craft and keeps learning.
- They want to use their skills for both their benefit and that of others.
- They stop and think things through.
- They don’t act hastily or too impulsively.
Having said that, good witches don’t take life too seriously either.
Who Can Be a Witch?
I’d like to say anyone can be a witch, but it’s not for everyone. A good witch is curious, eager to learn, capable of putting their own prejudices to one side, and who values common sense. They might dye their hair pink and wear striped leggings, but they can be relied upon in a crisis.
Will I Go to Hell If I Become a Witch?
No, you won’t go to hell. Modern witchcraft is not about dancing with the Devil. It’s more to do with being connected to the earth, creating a happy and successful life and helping other people when called upon to do so. I’d say they are pretty good ways to avoid hell, wouldn’t you? Not that there is such a place, of course.
What’s the Best Age to Start Learning Witchcraft?
I get asked this all the time—practically every day. There is no right age. However, the younger you are, the less life experience you will have. Dabbling in spells can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. That’s where the ‘wisdom’ thing comes in. You need to know when to work magic, when to interfere and when to stand back and let things take their course.
This discernment comes with age and experience, so please, carry on learning but wait until you are old enough to become a ‘proper’ witch. You’ll know when the right time comes. And it’s always good to start small—work on those protection spells, success in exam spells, and even money spells, but avoid working spells that involve other people.
What Kinds of Things Do Good Witches Do?
These are the sort of things good witches do. They don’t do all of them but will pick out some that resonate with them:
Study
From their school work to Norse mythology, witches have an insatiable curiosity. Learning feels like feeding their soul.
Volunteer
If they have any spare time, then they might look for opportunities to give to the community. For example, early on in my witchy life, I helped out at a charity called, Riding for the Disabled. Later I worked in a charity shop for Cancer Research. More recently, my family and I took on the education of two (sequentially) Guide Dog UK puppies. Nowadays, I tend to make donations rather than do practical work, but you get the idea. Giving your time is a wonderful gift and a way to make someone else’s life a little better.
Practice Magick for Good
There is nothing wrong with casting spells that are for your own benefit. As a rich witch, you can do a lot of good in the world. Avoid doing manipulative magick, though; it always has unwelcome kickbacks. Even some magick that you believe would help someone may not be a good thing, so use your wisdom. For instance, you might work a healing spell for someone, yet that person is meant to work through their illness in order to learn an important life lesson.
The golden rule for magick is ‘don’t interfere’. Use your healing magick to relieve your dad’s back pain or to help a sick kitten. But think carefully before working on anything more impactful.
What About ‘Proper’ Witchy Activities?
Okay, there are plenty more things witches do:
- Learn the properties of herbs, plants, trees, essential oils and/or crystals.
- Study the moon cycles and how the moon relates to the best times to work certain spells.
- Delve into the significance of the days of the week, the solstices and the Wheel of the Year. There are a whole bunch of witchy celebratory days during the year you can observe.
- Learn about divination: tarot, runes, palm reading, scrying (gazing into a crystal/glass ball or a bowl of liquid).
- Following a particular witchcraft tradition.
- Being creative; expressing themselves through music, writing, painting, cooking, gardening, etc. In other words, adding beauty to the world.
- Setting up and maintaining a personal altar.
- Keep a witch journal: the story of your journey, your favourite spells, lessons learned.
So, What Do Bad Witches Do?
Bad witches are generally so unintentionally. They are the ones who think it’s perfectly okay to manipulate others to their own ends. Who place binding spells without thinking through the possible consequences. Then there are the really bad ones who curse people or cause harm. Don’t be one of those witches.
Does Witchcraft Involve Doing Harm?
Witchcraft CAN involve doing harm, but as I explained above, it’s not a thing that a good witch will set out to do. There are exceptions, however. For instance, if someone intentionally harms my family or me, then they will feel the full force of my magickal anger. No question.
How Do I Tap Into Magic in a Positive Way?
By keeping your intentions pure. By always expecting a good outcome. By using that wisdom I keep going on about.
The golden rule of good witch magick is: Don’t interfere.
I Have Visions and Weird Dreams—Am I a Witch?
Ah, here’s another very frequent question. No, it doesn’t mean you are a witch. Generally speaking, witches are made (by their own choice), not born. People who have dreams and visions and who experience empathy to a strong degree can be witches, sure, but unless they actually do witchcraft, they are psychics. And, as I’m sure you know, not all psychics are witches.
Witchcraft is a craft, a life choice; it’s not bestowed upon you by some mythical being or force. That’s not to say that some people are brought up in that way through a family tradition, but they are very rare.
What Do You Suggest as a Beginner Spell?
Protection spells can never hurt. A little money spell is always a good idea as long as it involves no one else. Spells to boost your concentration and focus are always good. Or spells to help your herbs grow or get rid of your dog’s itchies. Remember to add ‘And it harm none’ to the end of every spell.
What to Do If You Regret a Spell
Okay, there are things you can do to put it right. You can reverse/undo the spell or work a counter-spell. They won’t always work the first time, so you may have to repeat them. The reason for this is that spells can become embedded in people’s psyche. It’s relatively easy to set things in motion, magically speaking, but hard to change it later.
And, now you have experienced the negative effects of casting spells without understanding the possible consequences, be a good witch and think it through next time.
Why Do You Spell ‘Magic’ Wrong?
The alternative spelling, ‘magick’ is used in order to separate working with universal energy (spells) from conjuring and stage magic. All those sparkles and effects you see on Netflix are not real magick. Real magick is generally a very quiet and gently unfolding affair. It can happen without anyone noticing; even the person who casts the spell may have difficulty recognizing that it worked.
What Now?
It’s up to you to follow that up with the information given here and in all my other articles. You are right at the beginning of a wonderful journey. Enjoy it.
If you determine that you are a witch, this article is a good place to start figuring out what to do next.
Originally published by the author at Exemplore.
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