This Is How Witchcraft Changed My Life Forever
My witchy origin story, a Halloween spell, and a playlist!
Death, like birth, is a secret of Nature
Marcus Aurelius
It’s the week before Halloween/Samhain. Life around us is dying, decomposing, and preparing for winter. The veil between the spirit world and the world of the living gets thinner daily.
Some call it the Witch’s New Year. This alone makes me feel like it’s the perfect time to share my witchcraft origin story. As it happens, Halloween is also the day I cast my first spell (my witchy birthday, I guess?)
I’ll never forget that day in 2016. I was at a low point and thoroughly disgusted with myself and how I was living. Desperate seems like an appropriate word.
Before then, I thought magic and witchcraft were things people did in stories and movies. I was always intrigued by it but didn’t take it seriously, even though, by that point, I was already reading tarot cards, collecting stones, herbs, feathers, and shells, and creating tiny altars in every space I inhabited.
I assumed everyone felt the same sensations I did when touching certain stones, fossils, petrified wood, and meteorites. I thought every kid collected roots and mixed potions with whatever they found in the bathroom cabinet.
Like many other witches, I was called a witch (or witchy) by other people long before I embraced the title. When I went to a yard sale held by an old man with white hair, he told me I looked like a “plant person” and gifted me packets of white sage and rose petals. “You’ll know what to do with these,” he said.
Still, I was skeptical.
As Halloween, 2016 approached, I needed a change and I was tired of waiting for something to happen. I started reading about witchcraft and realized it was exactly what I needed.
Witchcraft isn’t flying on a broomstick or tossing children into a giant bubbling cauldron. It’s tapping into the constant flow of energy surrounding us and working with that energy to amplify and focus your own power to change a situation. The keywords here are energy, focus, and power. Another one I’d add to the list is practice.
Witchcraft is like meditation with props. There are no prerequisites to begin, and the only way to strengthen your ability is through practice. There are no benefits to reap from talking about it or thinking about it. You simply have to practice practice practice.
It’s also completely accessible to anyone who wants to start right now.
And it’ll change your life.
How to Cast a Halloween Spell
The first spell I cast was on Halloween, so, naturally, it involved a pumpkin.
Other materials I needed were found around the house, including:
Matches
Paper
A pen
A knife
A fireproof container (I used a ceramic bowl, but cauldrons and cooking pots work well)
After grounding myself with a few deep breaths, I focused on my desired outcome. In this case, I wanted to release some unhealthy behavior patterns and replace them with self-love.
On the piece of paper, I wrote “I release myself from…” and then listed the specific patterns I never wanted to repeat.
On the back of the pumpkin (I had carved a jack-o-lantern on the front), I used the knife to carve a promise to myself moving forward.
I’ll never repeat what it said, but I assure you it’s a contract that remains unbroken.
***Note*** One thing I will warn you of, if you try this yourself, is to be very clear and deliberate with your words. When it comes to magic, if something can be misunderstood or taken another way, it will be. Avoid confusion by distilling your message into as few words as possible. Make sure each and every word aligns with your intention. And, of course, do no harm.
After carving my pumpkin, I went outside and burned the paper with my list of things I wanted to be rid of in the ceramic bowl. When the ashes cooled, I walked to a stream and dumped the ashes into it. You could flush them down a toilet or even bury them if you don’t have flowing water nearby.
I lit a candle in the pumpkin and let it burn out overnight, then disposed of the candle and placed the pumpkin in an area where animals would find it and eat it.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you must clean up your spell “ingredients” when you’re finished. Don’t leave them lying around.
That’s it.
It sounds so simple, but it’s truly amazing how much a tiny shift in energy can ripple through the rest of your life.
And Now, a Playlist
I made you a mixtape to complement the spooky season! Season of the Witch 🎃 is on Spotify for your listening pleasure. You might recognize some songs from other Fall playlists I’ve made, but what can I say? Tis the season to sing about death.
Along with film scores and reggaeton, it’s what I’ve been listening to. I hope you enjoy!
Thank you for reading! There’s a lot of scary shit happening in the world, and I hope you’re able to stay centered and take care of yourself through it all. I love you!
XoLauren
PS - To support my work, you can buy me a coffee or upgrade to a paid subscription. Thank you so much!