Common Misconceptions about Witchcraft 🔮

lunaesteria:

• You have to be a Wiccan to be a witch
• I literally thought this until I was 23 years old and started practicing magick again. It’s hard not to believe when nearly every book, guide, and tutorial you come across is geared towards Wicca. Wicca is a religion in which its followers may practice witchcraft. Witchcraft is a practice that may or may not involve religion.
• Witches don’t cast curses and if you do, you’re a terrible person
• No, stop. The idea that cursing is “bad” stems from the Wiccan “threefold law,” you know, the whole “whatever you do will come back at you three times as much” thing. Not everyone is Wiccan, not everyone follows that belief. You do you, but don’t try to police other people’s craft.
• Witchcraft is a religious practice
• Witchcraft itself has no religious basis. You can be pretty much whatever religion you want and still practice magick. You can practice witchcraft with no religious preference whatsoever. You can choose to work with deities, or keep your craft entirely secular. Up to you.
• Witchcraft is the work of the devil and if you practice witchcraft you’re going to hell
• A Christian concept and scare tactic. Not everyone is Christian or even believe in the Christian devil or Christian version of hell.
• You have to dress the part
• I practice magick in sweat pants and a t-shirt. I find that I work best when I am dressed comfortably, not in some flowy black dress and pointy hat. You don’t have to dress a certain way to be a witch or cast spells. Some witches or magicians have ceremonial clothing that is worn during various rituals but for your every day spell, it’s really not a requirement.
• You can call yourself a witch without actually practicing witchcraft
• No, I’m not referring to those with chronic or mental illness who practice magick in a minimalistic manner. I’m referring to those who call themselves a witch for the aesthetic and don’t actually practice magick. You don’t have to constantly do spells or even involve magick in your life on a daily basis but you do have to practice magick at some point in order to call yourself a witch.
• Witchcraft is inherently dangerous
• Practicing witchcraft itself is said by some to invite spirits and entities into your life that are sensitive to the energy we give off, but that may not be true for everyone. Learn how to protect yourself from these kinds of things and you’ll be golden.
• You can cherry pick from closed cultures and use those practices in your craft
• You don’t have a “gypsy soul,” pizza isn’t your “spirit animal,” having a bundle of white sage doesn’t automatically mean it’s a “smudge stick,” and you should probably throw away that shirt that says “namaste in bed.” A lot of terms we see modern witches use these days have no cultural basis or leg to stand on in their practice. Yes, some cultures and religions are open or partially open but don’t go around disrespecting those that aren’t to sound trendy.
• You have to choose one path of witchcraft and stick to it
• Ever heard of eclectic witchcraft? You can incorporate many types of magick into your craft and it’s not a problem. Some witches get overwhelmed trying to choose a “type” but you don’t have to if you don’t want to. 
• You have to be a woman/straight/cis, whatever, to be a witch
• Heck nope. There’s no generalized rule that states you have to be a particular gender or sexual orientation to practice witchcraft. Homosexual, trans, and male witches do exist. 
• You have to be born into a family of witches to be a “true witch”
• Witchcraft is a learned practice, not something embedded in our DNA. Even if everyone else in your family is a witch, you can choose not to follow that path. The same goes for those who don’t have any witches in their family history.