The Craft is a lifelong journey. Like the rhythms of nature, it ebbs and flows.
During some seasons of your life, you feel especially drawn to your esoteric ways.
But life happens. Babies are born, new jobs are started, and cross-country moves are made.
Restarting your magical practice after an extended absence is a strange land between newness and experience. Sometimes, it feels like returning to an old friend. And sometimes, it feels like starting over again.
Either way, here are 4 things to consider when you are renewing your journey in witchcraft.
Have your values changed?
Often, we drift from the Craft to explore other spiritual interests.
And that’s fine.
Actually, it’s kind of what makes an individualized spiritual practice so liberating. You’re not compelled by any doctrine to do or not do anything in a solitary witchcraft practice.
Similarly, you’re free to change your worldview and perspective on the Craft.
Maybe you were fine with shadow work before, but now you feel less comfortable with it. Maybe you were dedicated to a deity that you no longer believe in or feel connected to.
Or, maybe it’s not really so much about your ethical standpoint as a practical change in your circumstances. Maybe you were living in New York, working at a high-end restaurant, and you really enjoyed incorporating your skills into a kitchen witch practice. But now, you’re living on the beach and want to try sea witchery.
Ask yourself some probing questions about why you withdrew from your practice and what you learned about yourself in the interim.
Purge.
Assuming you haven’t already, go through your magical tools and purge the ones that no longer serve you.
Unless you don’t use tools at all, there are almost certainly a few things you’re ready to let go of.
Once you start to look through them, you’ll be surprised at how your perspective on it all shifts—especially if you plan to take your practice in a new direction.
Start small. Keep it simple.
One of the wisest and most useful pieces of advice I ever got about life goes as follows:
Consistency beats intensity.
Meaning if you jump right into the deep end all over again and do all the things all at once, you’re likely to burn out quickly.
So, when restarting a magical practice, get back into your groove by picking out one or two things that you can do daily or weekly without much effort.
For example, try a daily tarot card draw. Or, simply make it a point to look out of your window and notice the moon phase every night.
Reconnect.
Did you, in your absence, also drift from your witchy friends? Assuming they were positive relationships to begin with, consider contacting some of them.
It’s always kind of awkward to contact someone you were once close to after it’s been a while since you communicated. But in retrospect, they’re usually happy to hear from you and you might be surprised by how quickly you fall back into a comfortable relationship.
Conversely, maybe you left the Craft because your witchy friends weren’t getting along very well.
You’re not alone. Just like any other spiritual community, covens sometimes go toxic.
Don’t let a negative group experience or relationship ruin it for you. It doesn’t matter what happened or why. Just recognize that you guys weren’t right for each other and set out to find a community that is right for you.
