Real lives
It can be lonely being a witch, so I used some practical magic to help myself — and others.
AsI strolled slowly through the woods, breathing in the scent of wild garlic and listening to the sound of the wind through the trees, a feeling of calm washed over me. My anxiety was finally soothed.
I’d struggled with worry and anxiety for most of my life. The constant knots in my stomach and the chronic overthinking were just things I’d learnt to live with.
But my love of nature had drawn me towards the soothing ancient rituals of witchcraft, which was just as well because it was now April 2020 and we were in the middle of a global pandemic. Like many people, I found my anxiety heightened.
Everything was so unknown, and I had loved ones who were vulnerable and high-risk. I’d also lost pretty much all of my clients at my social media agency business, which left me frightened for my future. Things definitely didn’t feel right.
I needed witchcraft more than ever.
I had already been exploring foraging — making my own beauty products and recipes with wild plants like elderflower and nettle. I was also interested in crystals, moon phases and living with the seasons.
But during that walk in the woods, something deep inside me stirred. So, before seeing a doctor or seeking therapy for my anxiety, I decided to use my witchy work to focus my energy into something positive and calm my worried mind. Back at home, I started meditating and carrying out grounding rituals, visualising roots growing from my feet into the earth and feeling a deep connection to the earth. Sometimes, I’d do this barefoot on grass to feel the connection even more deeply.
I also worked with crystals like amethyst to get me into a state of relaxation, and I did burning rituals, too, where you write down things you want to let go of and set fire to them in a cauldron.
Then I started working with wax. As I made my first peace candles, I stirred intentions of peace into the wax, along with the healing plant magic of essential oils.
The more of these soothing rituals I performed, and the more I meditated, the better I felt.
I decided to sell the peace candles I’d created with positive affirmations and rituals written on the back. They were a great success and my business grew, but I still felt there was something missing.
So, since I was finding these simple daily practices so calming, I felt a call to bring women together to share what my witchcraft was teaching me.
Suddenly, I knew what I had to do — I would create my own digital coven. It would be a safe space where like-minded women could gather to share what it means to be a witch.
