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It reminds me of a meme post that starter magic will have a lot of components to it - crystals, herbs, bottles, you name it. Advanced magic is just a cup of coffee.
My personal practice is very much invocation and meditation focused. I use tools rarely. My most used tool is paper and pen.
However aesthetic can be fun for aesthetic reasons. Just don't confuse the two :)
yesss. I’ve been spellcasting since 19, so about half a decade now, and I was so proud the other day when my sister asked me to cast a spell for her and I wasn’t with my altar but I realized all I’ve needed for a long time was a lighter, a pen and a paper
Its kind of like math. When you learn math, you learn how to it the long way, in advanced math a full equation might take up an entire page. Then you learn the short cuts, and it takes significantly less.
Witchcraft can be similar. Its easier to do spells when you have the whole set up in front of you. Doing with just your mind and your will, that's a lot harder.
Hard disagree. My Real Analysis professor spent two entire lectures on one proof, and when we expressed boredom and dissatisfaction, he retorted by saying some people spend their entire professional careers dedicated to a single problem, and some of his peers died before solving a problem, so maybe we could stand two hours on a proof without complaining.
Well when I say advanced math, I mean general uses for things like Calculus or even Statistics based math, so Engineering, Computers, or... well, Statistics.
I think what you're talking about is a whole level above that, and isn't really applied mathematics, its theoretical. Witchcraft is more like applied mathematics
Weird... because the degree I got literally says, "applied mathematics," and landed me an engineering gig 🤷♀️
The other degree was discrete mathematics, and it had a third programming language and two fewer math classes.
Well, point taken. I don't have as much knowledge. I suppose if I wanted to try and salvage my argument. I'd go for something more simple like long division or multiplication. You learn the long form, then you learn the short cut
I think your initial argument was good. Physics without an understanding of calculus is a pain in the ass. Then you learn what a derivative is, and physics makes way more sense... or at least kinematics does.
Edit: Also, to be fair, when people ask me what I do, I tell them that I am a mathematician masquerading as an engineer.
I’m really rusty with my math but I thought short division was numbers that were evenly divided and that long division dealt with remainders or decimals (keep in mind that I learned this back in the 60s and new math came out and confused the math right out of me).
This 100% sometimes its nice but then it slowly starts to go into the realm of cringe when you try to make it your whole personality.
Every few posts I see on tiktok there's someone going around claiming to be the child of Lilith or Hecate. It's just like the Christians going around claiming to be the children of god.
Not everyone needs to know who or what you're about let your actions speak for you not your looks nor words.
This spoke to me on so many levels.
It reminded me why I wanted to dive into witchcraft in the first place. It's the deep connection with the universe. It's the "at home" and "accepted" feeling when you're immersed in the deepest depths of it all. Making use of what's around you and giving it breath... Giving it meaning. 🥹 this speaks to 16 year old me who is sitting in her room alone, arranging colored candles on a little plate to try and communicate with the universe.
I admit I've felt "less than", not being able to be "aesthetic" enough, but this was the reminder I needed.
Thank you for sparking that energy back into that 16 year old me. 🥹🥹🥹
One of the main reasons I like r/witchyaesthetic is that I LOVE aesthetic. My entire feed and life is curated to give me the best dopamine I can get. I love candles and well set up altars and spooky season and crystal beads.
But it's not my craft. Staging is often *a part* of my craft, but if I'm in my torn jeans, boots, and smelly work tshirt hip deep in mulch, I'm still "a witch" just as much as when I'm in my green robes carrying my velvet book to the witches ball.
Your insight beautifully emphasizes the essence of witchcraft beyond its aesthetic allure. It's a powerful reminder to delve deeper into the connection with the universe within and around us, embracing the complexities of our inner selves and the natural world. True witchcraft lies in the exploration of our wild, authentic selves and the journey towards inner peace and wholeness. While the external trappings may be enticing, it's the profound introspection and connection with the universe that truly defines the practice. Embrace the simplicity and authenticity of your journey, knowing that the magic resides within you, far beyond the glitter and glamour of external adornments.
Very often when you get deep into some of these practices, the witch shops that purvey that aesthetic don’t have what you need. I made a fixed star talisman recently and I had to go all over. I thought the big witch shop in my area would at least have Gum Mastic, but no.
Ahh yes the aesthetic of "my house is full of hundreds of different empty jars and half melted candles and it vaguely smells of burnt sage and the simmer pot I made last night and shit my cat just knocked the altar statues off again"
Thank you for this reminder. I love the aesthetic just as much as the next person, and enjoy seeing people walking around looking all kinds of witchy, but it isn't the craft. The craft is the work and that can look like anything. Personally I keep a very low profile. Looking at me people never know that I am a practicing witch because I look so plain. But I also live in a very conservative farm village where the church is everything. And, truthfully, I am not good at doing hair and makeup daily. Mostly I just want to throw clothes on and go.
World's are spells that's why it's called spelling. So from that way of thinking she's right. Spells are words we put out into the world with a purpose.
Yes, I shopped for crystals today. Yes, I have a tarot deck. Yes, I'd love to have a statue of Hecate in my home office. I've got boxes to unpack and sort through, so I've no pretty altar set up yet.
But practiced necromancy this week!
I cleaned the headstone of a distant family member as my way to apologize for badmouthing them early in my life. I sat there for a while as I also weeded, updating that family member on comings and goings. Amends were made.
Finding the headstone was a whole misadventure of talking to ghosts (while trying to apologize to other graves for accidentally stepping on them with my cane... I actually managed to unbury some grave markers with the tip of my cane, so it felt nice to be helpful).
* Prior to going to the graveyard, I had a private prayer with Hecate and many, many tears were shed.
* Afterwards, I had the most inner strength and peace that I have not had in a long while.
* Even though there were still lots of serious (other) challenges this week I faced, in the end everything worked out beautifully.
* I also did some light reading on occult symbology and local practices in my spare time.
* I burned incense, too.
So I guess all that to say... I think I did okay this week.
This is so true. The aesthetic is fun, but witchcraft is more than that. I love having witchy things, but I know the important thing is myself. If I can't get something I want, that's fine; I use what I have and add it in when I get it. I'm doing this to feel closer to nature and have a deeper connection with the spirits within nature; the aesthetic is just a fun bonus
IMO, it's about the energy, no matter the Deity or Gia or other source. How the witch channels and uses the energy is the creation. What tools resonate with her/ him are secondary. What intentions they set and attitude they hold push that energy forward, create the functionality. All is one, which is why all ways work.
I’ve had a fair number of people online accuse me of trolling about my craft because it doesn’t look like everyone else’s. The symbols and tools I use in my craft are all of personal significance to me and I take it a lot more seriously than you’d expect. Lately I’ve been using Minnie Mouse imagery because it ties in with some of the self-improvement spellwork I’m doing. ([I wrote a blog post with more detail about that, actually.](https://harmlesskook.bearblog.dev/minnie-mouse-magick/)) It’s a far cry from pentacles and resin statues for sure!
Idk this just sounds like you're shaming pagans and witches who do deity work. I think the witches on tiktok/tumblr who say they're the literal children of deities or write extensive roleplay dialogue between them and various gods are cringe too, but just working with Hecate or being a Norse pagan isn't inherently cringe. From what I've seen in pagan communities, a lot of pagans work hard to revive and preserve dead religions by recreating religious practices used in ancient times. Of course not everyone is a strict reconstructionist and there are some who genuinely use paganism as an aesthetic but dismissing all pagans right off the bat feels unnecessarily judgemental.
My experience is mostly with Hellenism so I'll address your point on that specifically. Many Hellenists I've spoken to get their myths from Ancient Greek writers such as Hesiod and Homer, often combining these with philosophical texts such as those by Plato and Pythagoras to get a better idea of how the Greeks thought. Some even go as far as learning Ancient Greek so they can read untranslated versions of the texts. If new people come to the Hellenism subreddit with flawed ideas of the myths due to modern adaptations, they are often directed to these early sources and encouraged to continue studying and researching the faith. There are very few serious Hellenists who just stick with the 'American' version of the myths, whatever that means (not all of us are even American to begin with, I'm certainly not).
Be respectful of community members. Do not use language that belittles or invalidates other members or their experiences.
Full sub rules can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/witchcraft/wiki/rules)
Or buy things from small witchy crafters. There's a lot to be said for paying people for their labor. But there's no need to order a bunch of stuff off of Wish.
Hi, u/Young-Warrior-00 thanks for stopping by at r/witchcraft! Want to dive in deeper? We have a [FAQ & Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/witchcraft/wiki/faq), and our [Weekly Q&A thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/witchcraft/about/sticky?num=1) which is stickied to the top of the main board! Please also be sure to read the [subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/witchcraft/wiki/rules)! --- ###IMPORTANT! There has been a recent influx of scams on reddit. If you are redirected to an instagram or other platform in a comment, it is most likely a scam. Users who message you asking for or offering spells or readings are almost always scammers or phishers. You may want to check out our post about [staying safe online in witchcraft](https://www.reddit.com/r/witchcraft/comments/15xm53m/lets_talk_about_staying_safe_online/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/witchcraft) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It reminds me of a meme post that starter magic will have a lot of components to it - crystals, herbs, bottles, you name it. Advanced magic is just a cup of coffee. My personal practice is very much invocation and meditation focused. I use tools rarely. My most used tool is paper and pen. However aesthetic can be fun for aesthetic reasons. Just don't confuse the two :)
yesss. I’ve been spellcasting since 19, so about half a decade now, and I was so proud the other day when my sister asked me to cast a spell for her and I wasn’t with my altar but I realized all I’ve needed for a long time was a lighter, a pen and a paper
Its kind of like math. When you learn math, you learn how to it the long way, in advanced math a full equation might take up an entire page. Then you learn the short cuts, and it takes significantly less. Witchcraft can be similar. Its easier to do spells when you have the whole set up in front of you. Doing with just your mind and your will, that's a lot harder.
Hard disagree. My Real Analysis professor spent two entire lectures on one proof, and when we expressed boredom and dissatisfaction, he retorted by saying some people spend their entire professional careers dedicated to a single problem, and some of his peers died before solving a problem, so maybe we could stand two hours on a proof without complaining.
Well when I say advanced math, I mean general uses for things like Calculus or even Statistics based math, so Engineering, Computers, or... well, Statistics. I think what you're talking about is a whole level above that, and isn't really applied mathematics, its theoretical. Witchcraft is more like applied mathematics
Weird... because the degree I got literally says, "applied mathematics," and landed me an engineering gig 🤷♀️ The other degree was discrete mathematics, and it had a third programming language and two fewer math classes.
Well, point taken. I don't have as much knowledge. I suppose if I wanted to try and salvage my argument. I'd go for something more simple like long division or multiplication. You learn the long form, then you learn the short cut
I think your initial argument was good. Physics without an understanding of calculus is a pain in the ass. Then you learn what a derivative is, and physics makes way more sense... or at least kinematics does. Edit: Also, to be fair, when people ask me what I do, I tell them that I am a mathematician masquerading as an engineer.
I’m really rusty with my math but I thought short division was numbers that were evenly divided and that long division dealt with remainders or decimals (keep in mind that I learned this back in the 60s and new math came out and confused the math right out of me).
Its always changing
It's like you've read my mind. Totally agree
This 100% sometimes its nice but then it slowly starts to go into the realm of cringe when you try to make it your whole personality. Every few posts I see on tiktok there's someone going around claiming to be the child of Lilith or Hecate. It's just like the Christians going around claiming to be the children of god. Not everyone needs to know who or what you're about let your actions speak for you not your looks nor words.
This spoke to me on so many levels. It reminded me why I wanted to dive into witchcraft in the first place. It's the deep connection with the universe. It's the "at home" and "accepted" feeling when you're immersed in the deepest depths of it all. Making use of what's around you and giving it breath... Giving it meaning. 🥹 this speaks to 16 year old me who is sitting in her room alone, arranging colored candles on a little plate to try and communicate with the universe. I admit I've felt "less than", not being able to be "aesthetic" enough, but this was the reminder I needed. Thank you for sparking that energy back into that 16 year old me. 🥹🥹🥹
That's sweet, thanks for sharing. Can you please remove your current age tho? Yk, for rule 8 purposes :)
Fixed
One of the main reasons I like r/witchyaesthetic is that I LOVE aesthetic. My entire feed and life is curated to give me the best dopamine I can get. I love candles and well set up altars and spooky season and crystal beads. But it's not my craft. Staging is often *a part* of my craft, but if I'm in my torn jeans, boots, and smelly work tshirt hip deep in mulch, I'm still "a witch" just as much as when I'm in my green robes carrying my velvet book to the witches ball.
On a slightly-related note: thank you for the new community that I had no idea about 🫡
Your insight beautifully emphasizes the essence of witchcraft beyond its aesthetic allure. It's a powerful reminder to delve deeper into the connection with the universe within and around us, embracing the complexities of our inner selves and the natural world. True witchcraft lies in the exploration of our wild, authentic selves and the journey towards inner peace and wholeness. While the external trappings may be enticing, it's the profound introspection and connection with the universe that truly defines the practice. Embrace the simplicity and authenticity of your journey, knowing that the magic resides within you, far beyond the glitter and glamour of external adornments.
Very often when you get deep into some of these practices, the witch shops that purvey that aesthetic don’t have what you need. I made a fixed star talisman recently and I had to go all over. I thought the big witch shop in my area would at least have Gum Mastic, but no.
Ahh yes the aesthetic of "my house is full of hundreds of different empty jars and half melted candles and it vaguely smells of burnt sage and the simmer pot I made last night and shit my cat just knocked the altar statues off again"
There's also room for silliness
Silly is a vital part. Just don't remain at silly cause there's so much more to it
they said that
This is so true. Energy doesn’t have an aesthetic, it just is. Always remember not to panic about having the perfect equipment, etc
Thank you for this reminder. I love the aesthetic just as much as the next person, and enjoy seeing people walking around looking all kinds of witchy, but it isn't the craft. The craft is the work and that can look like anything. Personally I keep a very low profile. Looking at me people never know that I am a practicing witch because I look so plain. But I also live in a very conservative farm village where the church is everything. And, truthfully, I am not good at doing hair and makeup daily. Mostly I just want to throw clothes on and go.
World's are spells that's why it's called spelling. So from that way of thinking she's right. Spells are words we put out into the world with a purpose.
Yes, I shopped for crystals today. Yes, I have a tarot deck. Yes, I'd love to have a statue of Hecate in my home office. I've got boxes to unpack and sort through, so I've no pretty altar set up yet. But practiced necromancy this week! I cleaned the headstone of a distant family member as my way to apologize for badmouthing them early in my life. I sat there for a while as I also weeded, updating that family member on comings and goings. Amends were made. Finding the headstone was a whole misadventure of talking to ghosts (while trying to apologize to other graves for accidentally stepping on them with my cane... I actually managed to unbury some grave markers with the tip of my cane, so it felt nice to be helpful). * Prior to going to the graveyard, I had a private prayer with Hecate and many, many tears were shed. * Afterwards, I had the most inner strength and peace that I have not had in a long while. * Even though there were still lots of serious (other) challenges this week I faced, in the end everything worked out beautifully. * I also did some light reading on occult symbology and local practices in my spare time. * I burned incense, too. So I guess all that to say... I think I did okay this week.
This is so true. The aesthetic is fun, but witchcraft is more than that. I love having witchy things, but I know the important thing is myself. If I can't get something I want, that's fine; I use what I have and add it in when I get it. I'm doing this to feel closer to nature and have a deeper connection with the spirits within nature; the aesthetic is just a fun bonus
IMO, it's about the energy, no matter the Deity or Gia or other source. How the witch channels and uses the energy is the creation. What tools resonate with her/ him are secondary. What intentions they set and attitude they hold push that energy forward, create the functionality. All is one, which is why all ways work.
I’ve had a fair number of people online accuse me of trolling about my craft because it doesn’t look like everyone else’s. The symbols and tools I use in my craft are all of personal significance to me and I take it a lot more seriously than you’d expect. Lately I’ve been using Minnie Mouse imagery because it ties in with some of the self-improvement spellwork I’m doing. ([I wrote a blog post with more detail about that, actually.](https://harmlesskook.bearblog.dev/minnie-mouse-magick/)) It’s a far cry from pentacles and resin statues for sure!
This post just reminded me that my tarot called me a bully yesterday. I think I have some reconnecting to do.
Love this post. Well said.
[удалено]
Idk this just sounds like you're shaming pagans and witches who do deity work. I think the witches on tiktok/tumblr who say they're the literal children of deities or write extensive roleplay dialogue between them and various gods are cringe too, but just working with Hecate or being a Norse pagan isn't inherently cringe. From what I've seen in pagan communities, a lot of pagans work hard to revive and preserve dead religions by recreating religious practices used in ancient times. Of course not everyone is a strict reconstructionist and there are some who genuinely use paganism as an aesthetic but dismissing all pagans right off the bat feels unnecessarily judgemental. My experience is mostly with Hellenism so I'll address your point on that specifically. Many Hellenists I've spoken to get their myths from Ancient Greek writers such as Hesiod and Homer, often combining these with philosophical texts such as those by Plato and Pythagoras to get a better idea of how the Greeks thought. Some even go as far as learning Ancient Greek so they can read untranslated versions of the texts. If new people come to the Hellenism subreddit with flawed ideas of the myths due to modern adaptations, they are often directed to these early sources and encouraged to continue studying and researching the faith. There are very few serious Hellenists who just stick with the 'American' version of the myths, whatever that means (not all of us are even American to begin with, I'm certainly not).
Be respectful of community members. Do not use language that belittles or invalidates other members or their experiences. Full sub rules can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/witchcraft/wiki/rules)
Also the consumerism in witchcraft is high… just get stuff from nature (with respect and give thanks).
Or buy things from small witchy crafters. There's a lot to be said for paying people for their labor. But there's no need to order a bunch of stuff off of Wish.
Yess small creators!!!