I Am A Witch Who's Trying To Get Back Into Witchcraft After An Immense Amount Of Burn Out. The Burn Out

I am a witch who's trying to get back into witchcraft after an immense amount of burn out. The burn out wasn't due to the witchcraft, it was due to things piling on my brain in general. What sort of things do you suggest to ease myself back into it? If you don't have an answer that's okay, just thought to ask

I've been dealing with this myself and I actually just made a video on it that I really like not too long ago, so I think I can help you!

How to Come Back to the Craft After Burn Out (+ A Guide to doing Witchcraft with Low Spoons) 

I was burnt out in general and because of the craft, particularly because of the way I was filtering my personal practice through social media. I realized a lot of my burnout was tied to pushing myself, and shame. I feel like maybe this is common. This is a mix of both personal and witchy advice, and I may be projecting, but I think you have to focus first and foremost on not rushing back in and getting overwhelmed by adding a bunch of stuff to your routine at once and trying to do everything right or perfect. A good practice or routine is sustainable, not perfect. Perfect is the enemy of good, and also the enemy of done. I've had to focus on this a lot recently. 

With this in mind, you might be wondering where you should even begin when it comes to actually practicing again. Remember to go slow. I’d suggest thinking about what you were doing and interested in before and start practicing and researching whatever sounds the most fun when you’re ready. You could also go over any notes you had about your practice before, if you had a blog or something look at that, etc. You get the idea! It will help you remember and might inspire you. If you really enjoyed tarot for example, you could do that when you feel inspired to. Starting slow is important. if you want go slower you could just do whatever practices you were doing before, or like now, whenever you feel like it. You could also try working witchcraft into your routine. Routine is hard for a lot of people but it doesn’t have to be intense. It can just be adding one thing. That’s all it needs to be. It could be something you do once a month, once a week, when you wake up, after you brush your teeth, only some days or whatever you think will make you feel the best.  

Of course I don’t know anything about your practice but to inspire you and others, here’s some ways you can easily introduce magic into your life. 

Daily divination  A tarot card every morning is what I like to do but you could use any kind of divination you like! 

Meditation  Meditate for a few minutes every morning/evening. Even 2 minutes makes a difference. Also, despite popular belief meditation does not have to be emptying your mind. 

Dream interpretation  Interpret or just journal about your dreams! Honestly journaling in general I think is great for witches. 

Witchy items of the day  Pick out some items to carry on you for the day. This could be crystals or herbs you want the properties of, a hag stone, or other items with properties you want to draw to you or use in your practice. 

Intention in drinks & food!  If you have coffee or tea every morning or day you can stir intention into it. Clockwise for things you want in, counterclockwise for things you want to banish. Or that’s the typical belief/way people suggest doing it. You can also stir sigils into it or add items to your drinks/food with or by intention. 

Enchanting personal care  Another way you can bring magic in your everyday life is enchanting personal care products. I’d do this for added layers of warding but you could get super creative with this and do whatever intention you like. 

Sigils sigils sigils  Sigils are fun to make. You can use them for a ton of other things on this list. Stir them into your drinks. Draw a sigil on your skin using lotion. Write them on your walls for warding. Sigils, sigils, ... sigils! 

Spritz cleansing If you have a hard time cleansing or not a lot of energy right now when you DO have energy you can put together a mixture for cleansing using a spritz bottle and then you have it done and ready to go ahead of time for many cleansing sessions. Beware of herbs and things you add if you have any allergies/pets. Actually just research any plants you handle anyway. 

Layering your wards  If you’re struggling with burn out right now you probably don’t have a lot of energy so this is a tip I like for when this happens and just the long term overall. Always add small layers using different methods to your personal and spacial wards. An example of this I love is some of the above, carrying an item with strong protective properties or writing sigils on the bottom of your shoes/sewing them into your clothes/etc are some other ideas I love. Customize as needed! Be creative! 

Basically just think of things you do everyday and try to make it witchy! Or think of practices you want to do more, like maybe cleansing, and figure out how to make it easier. 

Also I did mention research. I think in addition to picking a practice to try again or add to your routine, picking a topic to research that sparks interest may help too. Here are some ideas for that!

Intention 

Cleansing 

Charging

Grounding

Warding 

Circle casting 

Consecration 

Visualization 

Meditation methods 

Divination types (some are listed below)

Tarot 

Oracle cards 

Lenormand 

Pendulums 

Runes

Scrying

Astrology 

Palmistry 

Dream interpretation 

Spell types & spell construction 

Taglocks 

Sigils 

Other symbols & what they mean

The Theban alphabet 

Color magic 

Moon phases 

The Elements 

Correspondences of days, times, etc 

Crystals 

Moon water

Black salt

Plants, herbs, and spices in witchcraft  

Local plants 

Local history & folklore 

Pantheons & their deities 

Deity work

Spirit work

Astral projection 

Hope this helps 💕

Beltane

From the edge of the woods the full Moon and I watch Beltane’s fires burn high trembling beauty licked writhing, hissing, consumed as cold silver slices deep

Sisters in cruelty, She and I she for what she takes I for what I surrender we see rivulets of tears snaking through tomorrow’s ashes

Silently, a stray cat approaches its velvet body I gather in my lap it feels warm under my hand.

Own your magic, steadfastly and unapologetically. You are your own magic, and no one can take it from you. So be fierce and fearless.

(Lessons from Baba Yaga.)

Checklist for potent spellwork

Here is a list to use as a reference when creating a spell for yourself or when appraising a spell guide. All points that are absolutely necessary for spellwork will be colored blue and all points labeled red are big red flags if missing from a spell guide.

Concepts

Intent; a truth that is held by the caster, not desire.

Passion: a related emotional state that is channeled and felt during casting.

Gnosis: a singular point of unbroken focus, which becomes mores specific the more details it includes. Includes having enough presence to build up and channel all energies and emotions required.

Target: A specific target, not a broad generalization or area of effect that is too large to be conceptualized.

Means of actualization: a realisitc and probable path for the spell to follow in order to cause the desired outcome.

Path of least resistance: the combination of the target and means of actualization that, in combination, are the most efficient options.

Circumstance: the moment in time in which the spell is cast was chosen carefully with the path of least resistance in mind.

Theory: the underlaying properties of the magic employed do not attempt to break known physical laws, use defunct concepts such as the law of attraction, or rely too heavily on personal narratives.

Practice

Energy work: the energy work is clear, conscious, and is in no way reliant on visualization.

Nodes: all correspondences are unique and accurately relate to the purpose, target, and means of actualization of the spell.

Spirits: spirits involved (if any) have ample reason or purpose to act in concordance with or in aid of the spell.

Culture: the spell and it’s components do not involve aspects of traditions to which the caster has no claim and no thorough contextual understanding up.

Experimentation: the concepts, practices, and other aspects of the (final) spell have been tested thoroughly enough to determine how to best apply them.

Physicality: the use of tools, Sigils, incantations, etc do not interfere with or break the state of gnosis required for casting.

To be fair, very few spell guides include any of the following. However, I think it’d be prudent for the community to start doing so.

Recording

Logs: an accurate and detail log is taken about the working.

Guide: (applicable only to guides) the language used adequately relays all necessary information to reproduce the spell to some degree of precision.

Language: the language used accurately and precisely represents the concepts and practices that take place during the spell.

Verification

Perspective: the inclusion of possible mundane explanations for the outcome, such as (but not limited to) placebo, statistical inevitablity, and/or mental illness.

Divination: readings are done about the working as objectively as possible, from third party diviners without spoiling details of able.

Bias: all possible biases are noted and considered when reflecting on the outcome.

Witness: the testimony of all witnesses to the results include the weight of their personal biases in relation to the caster.

Divination Masterpost

Tarot

"A Huge Tarot Masterpost" info

"Four Ways To Read Tarot Reversals" interpretation

"Tarot Tips" info

"Yes/No Tips" interpretation

"The Ultimate Yes/No Tarot Guide" interpretation

"Tarot & Oracle Spreads" info

"Tarot Technique: Dominant Energy" info

"Tarot Basics" info

"Tarot & Oracle Spreads Masterpost" info

"Tarot Tips For Beginners" info

"How To Read Tarot For Yourself" info

"How To Get The Most Out Of A General Spread" info

"How To Achieve Truthful Tarot Readings" info

"How To Get Yourself Back Into Tarot/To Do More Tarot" info

"Introduction Go Tarot" info

"How & When To Cleanse Your Tarot Cards" info

"Cleansing Tarot Cards" info

"A Detailed Guide Too Cleansing Your Tarot Deck" info

"Tarot Card Meanings" interpretation

"Five Card Spread" tarot spread

"Tarot Card Meanings Masterlist" interpretation

"Tarot Major Arcana" info

"All About Tarot: The Major Arcana" info

Other Divination Methods

"Divination101: Pendulums" info

"Pendulum Basics" info

"Pendulum" info

"Pendulum Tips" info

"Introduction To Cartomancy" info

"Cartomancy ABC Guide" info

"Types Of Divination" info

"Windvexer's Divination Masterpost" info

"Divination Masterpost" info

"Another Divination Masterpost" info

"How To Do Shufflemancy" info

"How To Make & Read Your Own Osteomancy Set" article link info

"How To Read Playing Cards" info & interpretation

"Playing Card Suit Meanings" interpretation

"Quick Reference For Cartomancy" interpretation

"Using Playing Cards For Divination" info

"Major Differences: Tarot vs. Playing Cards" info

"Major Arcana For Playing Cards" info

"When To Consult Divination" tip

"Osteomancy Masterpost" list

"Scrying: Witchcraft 101" info