The journey of the craft can be initially overwhelming and confusing, and with an abundance of information available, it’s difficult to know where to begin or what to follow.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned so far - books are your best friend. Reading is utterly important when it comes to strengthening your knowledge on the craft. It can’t be stressed enough.
The Wiccapedia trio of books, written by Shawn Robbins, Leanna Greenaway and Charity Bedell is perfect for beginner and intermediate practitioners. It’s simple to follow and use for referencing, as well as offering realistic ways of incorporating magick into our daily lives.
Although the series is through the lens of Wicca, the authors frequently emphasize that you don’t have to be Wiccan and follow its traditions to be a witch. The craft in itself is a secular practice, not a religion. You don’t necessarily need to follow deities or celebrate the Wheel of the Year if it doesn’t resonate with you.
Wiccapedia, by Shawn Robbins & Leanna Greenaway. Photo taken by Naoimi Smyth
What I found to be especially inviting about the books was its anecdotal essence. The authors are magickal with their descriptions of personal experiences. Knowing the stories of those who have come before can really help to guide you when it comes to how magick works in play. It also didn't feel patronising or exclusive. and instead, I felt like I was part of the same journey as the authors, and what they knew, I knew too.
Tips on spellcasting, such as how to properly meditate, ground, visualise and centre are covered across the three books. This is particularly helpful as they’re the absolute fundamentals of how magick works, and picking up any one of the books won’t leave you in the dark about that.
Candles, herbs, and crystals are a constant across the books. In our article, The Secret Craft: Broom Closet Witches we mentioned that although these supplies aren’t essential, they can still be really helpful for practitioners. This is because energy isn’t tangible, but if we charge these items with our own magick and intention, it becomes something that we can see and touch. It helps to focus and direct energy into spellcasting, and the series delves into the variety of ways you can do this.
The Good Witch's Guide by Shawn Robbins & Charity Bedell. Photo taken by Naoimi Smyth
There are also lots of correspondence lists to help you develop your associations for spells. For example, green is used for money related spells, as well as basil and parsley, and purple and lavender are used for enhancing psychic abilities - you see the pattern here.
The Good Witch’s Guide dives deeper into herbal magick, with instructions on how to create teas, tonics and tinctures. It zeros in on the history of herbal medicine and spirituality that's engrained in nature, such as those who practise rootwork and shamanism. I found the contextual aspects of the book to be especially important, as it helps to solidify understandings of the different types of spirituality, and how they interlink.
Divination and improving psychic abilities are also recurring themes in the series. Spirit guides, and working with deities and celestial beings are broken down, with explanations on how to connect with them. The Witch’s Way explains further the different types of divination, such as ceromancy (the art of reading candles), palm readings and pendulums. It also provides extensive detail on spiritual astrology, numerology and the types of spells to cast under each moon phase.
The Witch's Way by Shawn Robbins & Leanna Greenway. Photo taken by Naoimi Smyth
The illustrations are rooted firmly in the whimsical, yet shadowy landscape of folklore and fairy tales. The artist, Sharon Jacobs, has a truly mesmerizing way of breathing life into the words. The covers, designed by Elizabeth Lindy, are also very aesthetically pleasing, serving as a beautiful collection.
I’m old fashioned; I like to have a physical book to hold and read. I first started my collection after first visiting Watkins (an occult bookstore), but they can also be found on Amazon and Watersones. And for those less keen on the hardbacks, the Wiccapedia series is also available on Kindle. This is ideal for our broom closet witches who aren’t able to freely have books with pentagrams etched across it!
For anyone beginning their spiritual path, I’d wholly recommend the Wiccapedia series. It really teaches you that the path you take is your own, and that’s so important to remember. And with plenty of elements touched upon across the books, you can decide which speak to you, and what you want to try. Or perhaps you want to try all of them and get a feel that way. It’s entirely up to you and that’s what makes it enchanting.
You can find all the books mentioned via Amazon/Kindle & Waterstones