How Witchcraft Works
You’re in the right place if you want to…
know the how behind witchcraft and magic
learn about seven principles of magic thoughtforms
understand how limiting beliefs about witchcraft holds people back
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What is Witchcraft?
In previous posts I started with the definition of the words witch and witchcraft because I think it’s important to know what these words really mean and how I use them.
Related: Talk Witchcraft Podcast - The First Episode
A witch is someone who is aware of their own power and puts that power into action. More simply, a witch is someone who practices witchcraft.
And witchcraft is the use of magic to create change in your environment, or the practice of exerting your will to get what you want out of life.
Once upon a time... magic and witchcraft were the answer to all of life's problems. People turned to herbs for medicine, food and magical answers. They wore crystals and gems as jewelry for aesthetics and as talismans for protection and other attributes. They paid attention to the phases of the moon, the direction of the wind, and the seasons of the year for practical purposes, yes, but also in search of divine messages.
Magic, in essence, is practical.
Our ancestors turned to it when they needed help: healing illnesses, protecting crops, attracting lovers, bringing luck, banishing misfortune and more.
Though our troubles may have changed slightly, modern witches aren't so different. Magic is something we use to help us get what we want or need.
So, I know I may be becoming repetitive, but I just want to be really clear about what I’m talking about.
There are countless ways to express witchy-ness but the basic meaning is that a witch is someone who is becoming aware of their power to create, and is using that power to plan and design the life they want to lead.
Seven Principles of Magic
Let’s shift to going a little deeper into how magic works. Witchcraft is a Science, an Art, and a Spiritual Practice. The magic practiced in Witchcraft works in accordance with certain principles and laws of the Universe.
Much of the science we accept as true gives us a map of the purely physical aspects of the universe. It helps us to understand and predict the way things behave in the physical realm.
To understand magic, we need a map of the subtle, nonmaterial forces in the universe.
I’m going to quickly describe seven principles of magic as they are described in what survives of the Corpus Hermetica. This is a collection of letters written by Hermes Trismegistus to his disciples and which developed into Hermeticism. Hermeticism is a non-Christian branch of Gnosticism, which allows students to take their spirituality into their own hands. You can develop your own belief system based on your own experiences with the divine.
The first principle is the Principle of Mentalism, which basically states that the fundamental make-up of the Universe is consciousness or what is today understood as information. In other words, the Universe is one infinite mind with limitless possibilities.
The second principle is the Principle of Correspondence, which tells us that there are multiple planes of existence and that there is a connection between them. There are likely infinite realms that go beyond our narrow scope of understanding, but Hermetic teaching simplifies matters by naming three: physical, spiritual and mental.
The Principle of Vibration is the third principle and it helps us understand the difference between physical matter, energy, and spirit. Basically, the difference is in the rate of vibration. Physical matter is dense and has a low vibration, the Universe vibrates at an infinite level, and in between there are innumerable degrees of vibration.
The next principle is the Principle of Polarity. It states that everything can be separated into two wholly opposite parts, and that each of those still contains the potentiality of the other. This means there is a chance that in the future one thing will exist as the other. Beyond this, you cannot qualify the dual parts. No event is perfect or tragic in its entirety. There is both good and bad in everything in the Universe including you.
The Principle of Rhythm tells us that the vibrations of the Universe are not random. Everything in this world has an order. In nature we see rhythm in the changes of season, the phases of the lunar cycle, the beats of a heart, the stages of development, and countless other patterns. It's important to remember that one cannot always be creating, attracting and increasing. We also need time for reflection, releasing and resting.
The sixth principle, the Principle of Cause and Effect, describes the way in which all of our actions and experiences relate to other events. In other words, every action instigates a reaction, and no action should be viewed in isolation. The base of this principle is that nothing happens simply by chance, you can find the root cause if you look closely, and this applies to everyone equally. This Principle is about what you put out (cause) and the result (effect) it has.
Finally, the Principle of Duality tells us that everything is dual, containing active and passive principles. The active energy is in the direction of giving out or expressing and the receptive energy is always in the direction of receiving impressions. There must be a balance in these two forces in order to see thoughtful action that results in success and creativity.
These seven principles work independently and are also intertwined. They describe how energy flows throughout the Universe and the interconnectedness of life, events, time, and space. These timeless principles have been incredibly influential to those who seek to understand the universe throughout history, which is the most basic pursuit of the Gnosis tradition.
Thoughtforms and Magic
Now, I want to talk about the idea of thoughtforms and how it relates to magic. There is a lot to say about thoughtforms that I’ve talked about before.
I want to start by telling you what they are in case you are unfamiliar.
The term “thoughtform” likely originates in ancient Tibetan mysticism, but the idea is found in countless spiritual, psychological and philosophical traditions as well.
Based on what we know about the Principle of Vibration, thought is vibrational energy that is invisible but takes form when you focus on it. Focus is like food to a thought, it gives it energy and it gains strength.
Thoughtforms have three main sources:
you,
the people you interact with, and
the society or culture you live in.
A thoughtform is created from significant thoughts, that you have interest in or opinions about, and that repeat. Any thoughts that you have (or that you are told by the people around you and your culture)—whether they about your circumstances, the issues you face in your life, or in the world at large—these thoughts will take form as they are repeated and gain more energy.
Basically, a thought form is a belief.
The more you feed a thought, the more it takes hold in your mind and eventually becomes a belief.
So, when people say, your thoughts create your reality, what we really mean is that your beliefs create your reality. Because beliefs are really strong thoughts, that you have put a lot of energy into and they have taken form. Beliefs shape how you respond to things that happen in your life.
We know from the Principle of Mentalism that we are all connected through the divine mind. So in a way, magic is simply the directed use of universal thoughtforms. The methods we use in magic are effective because they have been used many times by many different people over time.
When we repeat spells, rituals, ceremonies, and magickal workings, we give them more power. Using ingredients, tools, and materials in a particular way, gives them more power.
The first time something is done for a purpose, or something is used for something, it is through intuition. Then, it is tested and confirmed. This method or material is communicated to other magical practitioners who also test and confirm. By passing on magickal lore from one witch to the next, the knowledge of the method or material spreads and strengthens.
Each time a witch gives attention to this thoughtform and uses it in magic, it grows in power.
At the same time, your individual mind has power, as well. When it comes to dictating your own individual practice and how you use magic, you want to feel connected to what you are doing. If you don’t feel a connection to a spell, a particular way to use an herb, or something, the Universe will see this as your desire not aligning with your intention and the path for delivering your desire becomes blocked.
That’s why it’s important to understand the structure of any magical working and the reasoning behind the chosen tools and materials. This way you can adjust or re-write the spell to suit your practice or create your own.
Now, there are two types of thoughtforms: limiting and empowering. Both types of thought forms are beliefs that you hold, or that another person or your culture holds.
Limiting beliefs are those that place a limit on what someone can do.
Empowering beliefs are those that empower someone to achieve what they want.
Limiting Beliefs in Witchcraft
There are certain limiting beliefs surrounding witchcraft. I want to make sure I am really clear about where I stand on some of these common myths and misconceptions.
The first thing I want to say is that you don’t need to be trained by another witch. It certainly helps to have some guidance and help with studying. It can also give you confidence to have a mentor, but it doesn’t give you power. So if someone says, you can’t be a witch if you don’t have a formal teacher, they’re trying to sell you something.
You also don’t need to be initiated. There are some paths of witchcraft that do require initiation, but not all paths require initiation. You can choose to follow anyway your interest leads you.
Another myth, you have to be a cis woman to be a witch: not true. Not all witches cis women. Some witches are men, some are nonbinary. There are trans and gender-nonconforming witches. Magic is genderless and it doesn’t care about your sexuality either.
Witchcraft is a choice not a gene. Your ancestors do not have to have been witches for you to be one. If you come from a magical family, you are more likely to become interested in witchcraft and start practicing earlier. If you come from a non-magical family, aren't close with your family, or have severed ties with them out of necessity, you can still choose to be a witch.
There is no such thing as “black" or “white” witches or magic. It’s impossible to fully understand the consequences of your spells, and “evil” and “good” are qualifiers for a force that is neutral by nature.
You don’t have to join a coven to be a witch. A coven is a group of witches that meets regularly to perform magic and rituals. Form or join a coven if it's appealing to you, or practice alone if that’s what you want.
Your witchcraft doesn’t have to be Instagram-ready. Social media is a wonderful source of camaraderie and inspiration. It can also be disheartening to see the pristine, perfect-looking altars, clothing, and crystals on social media. Remember that your practice doesn't have to be camera-ready to be valid.
You don’t have to buy a bunch of stuff. If you look at old magical spell books and grimoires, people were often making do with what they had. Creating your own magic only makes it more powerful.
You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. The amazing thing about magic is that it’s everywhere, and we do it without even thinking about it! Your magical practice probably won’t be the same as someone else’s so don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.
There is some sacrifice involved in magic. Everything you choose to do requires you to input time and energy and sometimes that means making less time for something else in your life. Magic works because you do, so put in the time and energy.
You don’t have to find a new god or goddess to worship. If it calls to you, discover your “patron” god or goddess. If it doesn’t feel right to you, no worries. Witchcraft is a practice that can be paired with any religion, philosophy, or belief system.
Finally, you don’t have to be good at everything at once. One of the great things about magic is that you are constantly learning and growing in new ways. Things take time and practice to learn. Start with what interests you most and follow the breadcrumbs.
Now, these aren’t the only myths and misconceptions, or limiting beliefs surround witchcraft but they are pretty common and often the things that hold people back from getting started.
Homework
Your homework for this week is to join us in the Facebook Group to share your witchcraft story. Simply go to talkwitchcraft.com and look for the discussion post.
Summary
In this post, I shared with you how magic works according to seven Hermetic principles and how this relates to the idea of thoughtforms. I also shared some of the limiting beliefs about witchcraft that holds many people back from practicing.
Join us in the Talk Witchcraft Facebook group to chat about this episode with other witchy folks.
Wait, don’t go yet!
Thanks for hanging out with me today. If you’ve enjoyed this post of Talk Witchcraft, I invite you to check out mumblesacademy.com.
Mumbles Academy is the place to be for intuitive souls at any stage on their WitchPath. Whether you are a Wildling at the very beginning of witchcraft journey and looking for a safe learning environment, a Creator who is already committed to their practice and wants to develop their witchcraft skills even more, or a Sage who full of wisdom already and is ready to share that with others, Mumbles Academy was designed for you.
With monthly masterclasses and live Q&As, an extensive archive of courses and training, and a supportive community to help you along the way with encouragement and advice, Mumbles Academy is the perfect place for you to be as you as you continue on your WitchPath.
Now it’s your turn!
Comment below your biggest takeaway from this week’s episode.
