Various Online Resources
- Alisha Dunn
- Jan 7, 2022
- 9 min read
Broom Closet Links
B-ok - free PDFs and books (similar to pdfdrive)
Book of Shadows of a Broom Closet Dweller - my online BoS for broom closeters
Broom Closet Solutions - an article on some simple solutions for broom closet dwellers
'Coming out of The Broom Closet: You're Doing It Wrong' - article on advice for coming out of the broom closet
Divination w/ Playing Cards - article on how to get started with cartomancy
'How to Deal With People Who Want to Pray for Your Witchy Soul' - great article with advice on how to handle criticism
Illuminated Playing Cards - playing cards very close to tarot cards. Meanings here.
PDF Drive - free pdfs. Includes a lot of Scott Cunningham's works. Definitely worth a look on before buying physical books
Penniless Pagan - I realise many broom closet dwellers don't have a lot of money, so hopefully this site will help you
Sigil scribe - super quick and lazy way of creating sigils
Generic Sites & Articles
Crystal Guidance - Crystal prescriptions reference. Also has articles on cleansing and charging crystals, and beginner info
Goddess and Greenman - very good articles of the wheel of the year with lists of traditional practices, also sells an assortment of witchy items
Obscure Clouds - blog of an agnostic/atheist witch
Occult Resources - archived site that has links to websites, blogs, articles, YouTube channels and more
Spells, Exercises, and Lessons for Beginner Witches - good starting point for baby witches
Spells of Magic - the largest most diverse forum site on witchcraft and occult practices
Travelling Witch - blog on budget witchcraft and witchcraft on the go
White Dragon - an unpublished pagan magazine with many useful articles
Wicca, The Celtic Connection - I refer to this site for anything Wicca-related
Witchy Podcasts - a list of recommended witchy podcasts
Zoe's Book of Shadows - the BoS of a girl in my coven, she's an art student so it's a very pretty BoS well worth a look! It also has great information.
Witchy Retailers
List of Witchy Subscription Boxes - includes lists for UK and Australia
As Above Alchemy - selling herbal magick kits and ingredients internationally on Etsy
EarthKind - UK retailer selling loose herbs, teas, and more on Etsy
Freya's Cauldron - witchy items for sale on eBay
Mercian Forest - pagan jewellery on Etsy (UK only)
Moon Goddess Garden - a site selling witch tools, starter kits, and more
Moonchild Spiritual Emporium - a (British) site selling witchy jewellery, tools, and accessories for all seasons, sabbats, and occasions
Nature Wood Wand Shop - UK sold handmade wands and other wood/plant-based tools and ingredients on Etsy
White Moon Witchcraft - witchy items for sale on Etsy
Wings in the Night - (British) site selling alternative clothing and witchy items
Witchcraft Emporium - UK sold witchy tools, ingredients, merchandise, and pretty much everything occult on Etsy
Witchy HQ - ethically sourced crystals
YouTube Channels
(list is far from complete)
Azura DragonFaether (witchcraft, dragon magick, etc)
Bewitching.Bemused (eclectic witchcraft)
Cosmic Intuition (crystal magick)
DevineMiracles (Lightwork, crystal and angel healing, tarot readings)
Ella Harrison (Wicca)
Fraeya's Broom Closet (Broom closet witchcraft)
Freyia Norling (Nordic witchcraft)
Harmony Nice (Wiccan vlogger)
Jessi Moon Six (spells)
Kelly Ann Maddox (everyday witchcraft, etc)
Mind Witch Mama (mind witchcraft)
Raven Mystic (witchcraft & paganism)
Sedna Woo (skeptical witchcraft)
The Green Witch (green witchcraft)
The Mindful Mage (Christian witchcraft, etc)
The Skeptical Witch (science-based witchcraft)
The Witches Box (witchcraft book reviews & guided meditations)
traceyhd (tarot reviews and readings)
VanDerLand • Priestess Dandelion (witchcraft, Wicca, & spirituality)
Warner's Intuitive Tarot (tarot & astrology)
Warrior Witch Nike (witchcraft)
Podcasts
Instagram Profiles
awitchespath
wiccantips
thxvvxtchx
witchytips
Apps
Calm (Mindful meditation)
Co-Star (Astrology)
DailyHoroscope
Insight Timer (Guided meditations and meditative music)
Labyrinthos (Learn tarot, Lenormand, astrology, and moon phases)
MercuryRetrograde (Mercury retrograde alerts & info)
Moonly (Beginner info, daily planet info, runes, affirmations, & more)
My Moon Phase (moon phase tracker, with additional info like zodiac, golden hour, and best moon visibility)
#SelfCare (a self-care app with witchy vibes, including a discreet altar and tarot cards)
Star Walk 2 (point your phone at the sky and see what stars you're looking at)
Stone (crystal identifications and meanings)
TimePassages (Astrology)
Subreddits
r/AphantasicWitches
r/apprenticewitches
r/Astrology
r/AskAstrologers
r/AskOccult
r/BabyWitch
r/babywitchhelp
r/biblebeltpaganism
r/Cartomancy
r/Ceromancy
r/Christian_Witches
r/christianwitch
r/Christopaganism
r/Crystals
r/Divination
r/Empaths
r/energy_work
r/European_Witches
r/faerie
r/GreenWitch
r/Hedgewitch
r/magick
r/MagicUsers
r/MaidenMotherAndCrone
r/NonTheisticPaganism
r/occult
r/occultlibrary
r/paganism
r/pagan
r/PaganVeiling
r/palmistry
r/Popculture_Paganism
r/queerwitches
r/realwitchcraft
r/SASSWitches (Skeptic Agnostic Science Seeking)
r/SecularDivination
r/seculartarot
r/SpoonieWitches
r/tarot
r/tarotpractice
r/tasseography
r/UKWitches
r/Wicca
r/Wiccan
r/WiccanCrafts
r/WiccaKnowledgeSeekers
r/Witch
r/witchcraft
r/Witchesofthesun
r/WitchesVsPatriarchy
Baby Witch FAQs & General Advice...
One of the last things I want to talk about is common topics that I'm always seeing baby witches ask about... which sometimes aren't the most beginner-friendly topics!
Patron Deities:
First, finding your patron deity is not the first thing you need to do. It is rare, or at least uncommon, for a deity to actively reach out to a witch and "choose" them (That's just some Percy Jackson bs.). 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? Never summon anything you can't banish, so don't be hunting for your patron deity as the first thing you do.
Edit 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! (Deity work is safe literally 99.99% of the time, but for that 0.001% I recommend watching this video so you're prepared for anything weird).
Familiars:
It's a similar story with familiars. The act of getting a legitimate familiar is extremely difficult and takes a very long time. If you are wanting to "see results" from your magick, stay away from summoning familiars until you are a more experienced witch.
Tools:
Don't get obsessed with getting every single tool (or herb or crystal, etc). No one tool is essential. You don't need to spend any money to become a witch. If you see something saying "You need this tool to be a real witch!" then they're just trying to sell you something, or they're a scammer. Ceremonial or traditional witchcraft often requires certain tools, but even so, most of the time these sources will say you don't need a specific tool.
You'll see a lot of places mentioning you need white sage or palo santo for cleansing. You do not need white sage or palo santo; both are actually endangered species due to over-cultivation! Please use herbs that are indigenous to your area, or grow your own herbs. Rosemary is just as good as sage.
If you're getting into something like crystal magick or kitchen witchery, just get up to three crystals/herbs and take time to really get to know them. There are a lot of common and versatile crystals and herbs out there that can substitute a lot of other crystals/herbs (e.g. Rosemary and Clear quartz). Once you are comfortable using these 3 things, then you can slowly incorporate more tools and ingredients into your craft.
Mentors:
I see a lot of baby witches asking where they can find a teacher or a mentor. You will be much better off teaching yourself the ways of witchcraft. 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.
First spells:
Another common question is "what's a good first spell?" or "what's a spell that works every time?" And the answer to both of these is... it depends. A spell that worked for one witch isn't going to work for another. You could cast the most fantastic and perfect spell but if you didn't have the willpower to cast it then nothing will happen.
Often the best first spells to cast are protection spells, but I get it; you want to know that magick is real, you want to see results. Protection spells don't really give visible results. So instead I recommend just a basic manifesting spell, like a spell to make a wish. Choose a simple goal like "I want to have lucid dreams", or "I want to be more confident the next time I talk to my crush". Do not choose complicated goals like world peace, or ending world hunger, or controlling the weather. Don't choose goals that have too many factors involved and on a large scale.
Types of Witch:
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 herself 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
Not everything is a "sign":
So spotting synchronisations & interpreting omens is a very basic form of divination that most witches do. But sometimes baby witches can go a little... overboard. Spotting potential signs is great, it means you're opening up your awareness which is very useful in witchcraft, but that doesn't mean you need to throw out common sense!
Chances are, if you've "spotted a sign" and you're asking strangers on the internet what it means, then it's not a sign. Signs will have meaning to you, no one can interpret personal signs for you. A sign can go like this; say you've recently reached out to Poseidon for a sign that he is listening, then later on a walk in the forest you come across a seashell - that would be a positive sign that Poseidon is indeed present. (Not all signs are this obvious, but you get the idea).
But if you're suddenly noticing lots of spiders in your house - that's not a sign it's just the weather getting colder. Just take a look at these google trends for house spiders - there's a spike every autumn. If a branch landed funny after it fell off a tree... that's not a sign it's just physics (Yes I have seen someone asking if this is a sign).
If it's truly a sign, then its meaning will be obvious to you immediately, or in the following days after some meditation or something. Use some other divination methods if you're not sure what a sign means (tarot or pendulum etc).
Protection:
Protecting yourself can be as simple as taking care of yourself - getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, eating regularly, and washing yourself. These all combine into a great way to keep a basic layer of protection that will cover most, if not all, of your needs when you're just starting out. If you find yourself having received negative energy from someone/something, often just taking a shower will get rid of it.
For more in-depth protection I recommend reading Practical Protection Magick by Ellen Dugan (view here). If you don't have time to read a book right now, try these spells.
Love spells:
Just don't. There's so many things wrong with love spells, from the non-consensual spellcasting to the countless backfires & side effects. Love spells are not ideal for baby witches or any witches.
The only kind of love spell you should cast is a self-love spell. Y'all know RuPaul says it best!
To Conclude...
Sorry this post is so lengthy but like I said I didn't want to miss anything out. Basically research the stuff I listed in the bullet point list and check out the links under 'getting started'.
I hope you found this useful. My inbox is always open if you have any questions. And with that... good luck and blessed be!
Interesting Blogs on Witches: www.kavisht.com