Secular vs. Religious: Making Distinctions as a Witch

It’s common now to assert that witchcraft is a “practice” as opposed to a religion in and of itself. You might hear this in the context of, “Wicca is a religion, but witchcraft is a practice,” or “Witchcraft is a secular craft–some people just combine it with their religions.” Many practitioners identify as “secular witches” …

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Baby Witches?

In this video I wonder about the implications of the use of the term “baby witch” to describe beginners. Maybe you’ve already been hearing this term, and if not, it’s all over many social media platforms (especially TikTok). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIsSLfNPfd4&t=5s Some takeaways, if videos aren’t your cup of tea: “Baby” can be a term of endearment, …

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The Benefits of Outer Courts and Training Circles

I know. Running an outer court can be a pain in the ass. Running any kind of grove, maiden coven, study circle, or other “pre-initiation” style group, especially on top of an inner court or initiate coven, can really bite the big one. They’re exhausting, they involve an impossible amount of emotional labor, and they …

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Creativity, Competition, and Community

One of my thesis advisors in graduate school told me, as I was working up my proposal and trying to figure out exactly what I was going to focus on, that building a new argument is a lot harder than tearing down someone else’s. In other words, don’t use this opportunity to only dismantle something. …

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How to Be a Better Beginner

There are tons of articles floating around about how to choose good beginner books, how to find reputable teachers, how to join friendly covens, and how to find fun and educational public events, but in all this conversation we’re missing something that’s just as important as the ability to choose good resources: how to be …

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The Hipster Witch: Aesthetics, Empowerment, and Instagram

“Who the hell is Lisa Chamberlain?” Corvus looked up from scrolling. Ever the attentive friend, she’s been closely monitoring my new book’s progress on Amazon. As it’s gotten closer to the release date, she’s become very familiar with the top 100 charts in “Wicca” and “Witchcraft” on the site. “No, seriously,” she said. “I’m looking …

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