• Part one talks about spells, wards, sigils, cleansing, divination and more!
• Part two talks about grimoires, crystals, wands, altars and more!
• Part three talks about this vs. that for a lot of the common terms you hear!
• Part four talks about types of witches, deities and more!

It can be easy to feel super overwhelmed when you’re first starting off. This post is for very new witches who have limited knowledge and would like a broad overview! These are my opinions, feel free to disagree but be polite about it.

This post is a little different than the other ones, it’s all about casting spells!

Grounding and cleansing yourself:

It often is harder to focus on a spell if you are stuck in your own thoughts or have the energies from the day on you. I’ll often start with cleansing myself, by burning a sage or cedar herb bundle, and then sit and take some focused breaths and becoming present in my body.

Casting a circle:

Many witches cast circles as a way to protect themselves from outside energies or unwanted spirits while they’re performing magic. You can use the elements, a salt circle, invoking a deity, etc. Click the links to learn more!  [X] [X] It is recommend you stay in the circle until you finish the spell and close the circle.

Drawing energy from something:

(So you don’t draw all the energy from yourself, which can be draining). Energy can be drawn from the elements, from crystals, deities, and many other things. This can be done by visualization and energy work or by asking. 

Casting the spell:

This is when you use your ingredients and the guidelines of the spell. It is best to be completely focused so try to avoid having distractions (like your phone) and have everything you need ready to go. 

Closing any loopholes:

Often, this is not included in the written spell so this is up to you. I usually write a list of loopholes I want to close before starting this process, so it’s handy when I’m finished with the spell! If it’s a spell you want to come to light in a certain way or by a certain time, this is when you clarify that. This post has more info [X]

Completing the spell and dispelling any energies:

Once you have finished with the loopholes, finishing the spell can be as simple as “this spell is now complete”. I recommend dispelling any energies you called on and returning them to where they belong. If you didn’t cast a circle, now is the time to rid of anything you may have attracted by performing your spell.

Closing the circle:

Closing a circle is fairly simple! All you have to do is the reverse of how you cast it. (If it was with smoke for example, you would then undo the circle by burning the bundle in the opposite direction).

Cleansing and grounding:

Cleansing here is optional, depends on the spell, how you’re feeling, and if you want to do it. Grounding is highly recommended. This can come in many forms. I often use water, putting drops on the key points of my face (forehead, eyelids, cheeks, nose, lips and chin) and sit while taking focused breaths.

Other considerations:

• Consent: If you are casting a spell on a specific person and they do not know or they have not given you permission, you do not have their consent. Spells cast to bring a general thing (to attract love instead of to make a specific person fall in love with you), with permission, or on yourself don’t need consent/already have it!
• Ingredients: Ingredients are often an important part of the spell and are included for a reason. They either represent a part of the spell, what the spell is trying to accomplish or are something you can draw energy from.
• Alternative ingredients: If you can’t get your hands on a certain ingredient, you can almost always use a substitute ingredient. Just use correspondences and trust your gut while searching for the perfect substitute. General rule: Clear quartz = any crystal, Rosemary = any herb, Rose = any flower.
• Discarding used ingredients: (Click me)
• Belief: If you don’t believe the spell is going to work – it probably won’t. To combat this, take the time to find a spell you really believe will work and write a list of ways you might expect it to present in your life.
• Intention: Similar to belief. I’ve performed magic only using a pen, paper, and my powerful intentions. The more powerfully you want something and bring it into your life, the more likely it is to appear. Intent is the end goal, why you’re casting the spell. 
• Deities: I do not use deities in my spellwork (or witchcraft at all). There is a huge amount of respect and connection-building that is required before asking a deity to help with your spell. I tend to avoid spells where a listed ingredient is a deity. (If you do have a connection with a deity, by all means ask them to help you out if that feels right to you!)
• Energy: It is common to feel drained after casting a spell. Grounding yourself, casting a circle and drawing energy from other things all help with this, but allow yourself some time to recover. [X]
• When your spell fails: (click me)
• Nullifying your spell: (click me)
• Writing your own spells: [X] [X] [X] [X]
• Related posts: [X] [X] [X] [X] [X]

I’d like to note that a part of my post turned out very similar to @lunaesteria‘s post, which you can find here. It was not intentional but I feel it’s important to acknowledge! Some things are also phrased differently there so I’d recommend reading both.