People often ask me what the most essential beginner witch research topics are. You need to learn a few topics to have a basic understanding of witchcraft in my experience. From the different kinds of spells, to the history and legal issues of witchcraft, you should know these basics.
To become a witch, you need to be ready to research a lot. A beginner witch will be filling their book of shadows with activities and research on moon phases, the different types of witches, goddess and god notes, and other study guides.
I have been a witch for more than half of my life now. Witchcraft has been my life since I was a teenager. My research has been constant and diverse in that time.
I still come back to this list and realize I need to know more about something here. For instance, while updating this list, I realized I don’t really know much about witchcraft history. Now I need to research that more.
If this list is helpful even for me as the author, I’m sure it will be beneficial for you, too.
Put these checklists at the beginning of your book of shadows.
As you learn about each of the topics, check them off.
This is a fast and easy way to keep track of what you have learned while studying witchcraft!
With these witchy topics, you can decide if you believe in deities or not, whether or not you want to do “black” magick, what kind of witch you are, and so much more.
This isn’t your typical guide to witchcraft for beginners. Instead of telling you what to do, it gives you the tools you need to begin on your own.
So strap in and get ready to begin your baby witch research projects. You’re in charge of this journey, and I have complete faith in your ability to become an amazing witch.
- Things For Baby Witches To Research
- Becoming A Witch For Beginners
- How Do I Learn To Become A Witch?
- Things That Every Beginner Witch Should Research
- The History Of Witchcraft
- Modern Legal Issues For Witches
- Resources In Your Local Area
- Types Of Witchcraft
- Types Of Magick
- Forms Of Divination
- Folklore And Myths
- Dreams And Dream Interpretation
- Energy Work
- The Best Books On Paganism And Witchcraft
- Crystals And Their Correspondences
- Lunar Magick
- Witchcraft Tools For Beginners
- Meditation
- Psychic Powers
- Special Occasions In Witchcraft
- Synchronicity And Symbolism
- Defense Against The Dark Arts
- Magick Symbols
- Spirit Work And Necromancy
- Deities And Theurgy
- Correspondences
- Astrology
- How To Avoid Cults And Toxic People
- Familiars
- Altars
- Related Questions
- What Should A Witch Research?
Things For Baby Witches To Research
If you have no idea how to start witchcraft or where to begin to find information, this blog post is perfect for you.
I will cover all of the occult and witch subjects I could think of. And don’t forget to check back on this post from time to time because I WILL keep it updated.
Some people think you need to find a teacher or guru to learn witchcraft, but that just isn’t true. You can unlock your own skills and develop them without the help of any other person.
Especially if you want to be an eclectic witch, the possibilities are endless for you to learn this craft all on your own. But even structured forms of witchcraft like Wicca require self-study.
These topics cover more than just the basics of witchcraft. You’ll go in-depth in the subjects I suggest you research.
You should get a journal or book of shadows ready. What you learn will be information you will want to carry with you for the rest of your life.
This is about more than finding the best witchcraft websites or where to start researching witchcraft. It’s about helping you to think about what information you’re still lacking.
Becoming A Witch For Beginners
When you’re new to something, you might be surprised you don’t even know what you don’t know!
What I mean is that you have no clue what to research. You know you want to learn more but can’t even figure out where to start.
You might not even know what your own skills and talents are!
Witchcraft is a vast topic with so many different aspects and things to research. Becoming a witch for beginners is often a tough road with many obstacles. Whether you’re interested in Wicca or something else, you need a roadmap to succeed in self-study.
So how do you learn how to become a witch? With this guide!
If you are a beginner witch, you need to learn a few essential topics to ensure your continued success.
If you research these topics thoroughly, you will navigate the occult world with ease and a better understanding than most beginner witches.
How Do I Learn To Become A Witch?
Eclectic Witchcraft was created to fulfill my desire to help other witches to learn their craft.
I love to teach witches about spells, herbalism, and correspondences.
However, I am only one person.
I can only write so fast and answer so many emails.
I’m juggling being a work from home mom, too, and homeschooling my son.
That means I can’t help other witches to learn how to do basic witchcraft as thoroughly as I wish I could.
For that reason, resources like this are essential in helping more witches than I ever could on my own.
Luckily, others came before me that have researched and written about anything and everything a witch should know.
So if you’re ready to start learning, the following list of beginner witch research topics will help you figure out what to research on your own.
Things That Every Beginner Witch Should Research
The History Of Witchcraft
It’s essential to know how far back into prehistory witchcraft has been around.
Witchcraft and paganism are among the earliest religions. Witchcraft was the science of the ancients.
Plus, you’ll want to learn about the different ways witches have been persecuted through the ages.
Why would you want to learn that?
First, it’s good to be able to appreciate how good witches have it now. We have more freedom to practice than ever before.
We’re so much less likely to be thrown in jail or killed for our practices.
But we should also learn about things like the witch trials to avoid repeating historical mistakes.
Other historical topics for witchcraft include famous witches throughout history.
We can be inspired by the strength of women persecuted through history for real or perceived witchcraft practice.
When we are practicing witchcraft for beginners, it’s helpful to know how witchcraft was once practiced.
You should also know what used to be mistaken as witchcraft and used to persecute others.
The history of witchcraft encompasses so much more than just Salem and the witch trials. It’s about occult societies, mystery cults, and the people that helped weave together modern witch lore.
Historical Witchcraft Topics
- Early witchcraft
- Early paganism
- Witch hunts
- Witch trials
- Salem witches
- Bridget Bishop
- Sarah Good
- Susannah Martin
- Martha Carrier
- Martha Cory
- The origin of Wicca
- Occult societies through history
- Mystery cults
Modern Legal Issues For Witches
Did you know that it is still illegal to teach minors about witchcraft without parental permission in the USA?
While witches have more freedom than ever before, that doesn’t mean we are on equal footing with other religions and craft practices.
There are even laws against fortune-telling, tarot card reading, and other practices that witches do in some states.
Practically, these laws are meant to protect the gullible from being abused and defrauded.
But these laws can also be used to persecute honest witches.
Legal Issues For Witches Topics
- Witchcraft laws in your area
- Laws against fortune-telling
- Local laws against religious discrimination
- Lawyers friendly to witches in your area
- Your legal rights as a witch or pagan parental
- Your rights in the workplace
Resources In Your Local Area
Are there any metaphysical shops or witch stores in your local area?
These stores are popping up everywhere, so you may be surprised to find that there’s one even in your rural area!
You can also check with local libraries to see if any groups meet there.
Finally, you can look online to see if there are any witchy communities near you.
Hopefully, you can find some that aren’t closed covens but rather open communities to meet other witches to become friends.
Local Witch Resources Topics
- Where local witches meet
- Any local covens
- Metaphysical shops
Types Of Witchcraft
Do you know what kind of witchcraft you want to practice? Consider your skills and talents before you choose.
You might be surprised to find that your preferences and abilities will change as you grow as a witch!
It’s best to learn about many different forms of witchcraft so that you can make informed decisions.
You’ll also be able to change and evolve as needed instead of feeling stuck in one form of witchcraft.
There’s a myth that all witches worship the earth, but that simply isn’t the case. There are so many different forms of witchcraft!
How can you know what type of witch you are without studying the different possibilities?
Types Of Witchcraft Topics
- Wicca
- Green witchcraft
- Kitchen witchcraft
- Tech witch
- Eclectic witchcraft
- Astrology witch
- Crystal witch
- Herbalist witch
- Druids
- Hedgewitch
- Chaos witch
- Hereditary witch
- Secular witch
- Animist
- Shaman
- Solitary witch
- Ceremonial witch
- Satanic witch
- Christian witch
- Elemental witch
- Traditional witch
Types Of Magick
Casting spells is probably one of the biggest reasons you decided to get into magic!
Do you want to do only positive magick?
Or are you willing to do curses?
A spell can be a combination of words or a mixture of herbs and an intention. They can be simple or complex.
You should learn about all types of magick, regardless of what you think you will do right now.
Why? Because you’ll probably change your mind as you grow in the craft. Different spells have different purposes, and someday, you may need to try something new.
There are so many different types of magick, and each one can be useful at varying times. Before you start casting spells, look into the various forms of magic:
Types Of Magick Topics
- How to craft your own spells
- Elemental magick
- Curses
- Hexes
- Blessings
- Grounding magic
- Protection magick
- Moon magick
- Herbalism
- Spirit magick
- Energy work
- Kitchen magick
- Technology magick
- Everyday magick or cottage magick
- Garden magick
- Crystal magick
- Sigils
- Flower magick
- Aroma magick
- Faery magick
- Dragon magick
- Demon magick
- Chaos magick
- Blood magick
- Candle magick
- Art magick
- Divination
- Necromancy
- Intention magic
Forms Of Divination
There are so many different types of divination out there!
You’ll want to try many different kinds of divination so that you can find the forms that work best for you.
Divination can be done to learn the future, but many divination methods are also useful to explore your own emotions and beliefs.
Forms Of Divination Topics
- Astrology
- Tarot
- Astrology dice
- Palm reading
- Runes
- Scrying
- Tea leaves
- Bone reading
Folklore And Myths
Folklore and mythology are very important to witchcraft.
Many of our magickal correspondences come from folklore and mythology about how to use crystals and plants.
Folklore also informs our beliefs about The Fae, spirits, and deities.
Learning local folklore can make it easier to work with local spirits in your witchcraft.
Folklore And Myths Topics
- Myths of gods and goddesses
- Tales about spirits and ghosts
- Myths about magick
- Folklore about crystals
- Folklore about herbs and plants
- Lore about the land you are on
Dreams And Dream Interpretation
Dreams are an important realm where magick is more potent than most other places.
The symbols of your dreams can have prophetic or emotional meanings important to the dreamer.
One can also lucid dream or travel to the astral plane while dreaming.
Dreams Topics
- Dream symbolism
- Dream interpretation
- Psychology of dream symbolism
- Lucid dreaming
- Astral travel
Energy Work
All magick is essentially energy work.
But there are a few forms of magick that rely entirely on energy manipulation.
It’s essential to learn about energy and how it works. Doing so will make all of your spells more powerful than ever before.
Energy Work Topics
- Spirit healing
- Reiki
- Chakras
- How to focus your intent
The Best Books On Paganism And Witchcraft
Knowing the right books to read is essential for every beginner witch.
Why? Because you are going to spend the rest of your life as a witch reading books.
Starting with the right books will put you on the right path earlier.
Some authors are better than others. Some books are better for certain kinds of witchcraft than others.
I have a few lists of books about witchcraft that will help you to get started.
Witch Books Topics
- Books on herbalism
- Books on Wicca
- Books on witchcraft
- Books on dream interpretation
- Books on chaos magick
- Books of spells
- Books on green witchcraft
- Books on kitchen witchcraft
- Books to learn tarot for beginners
Crystals And Their Correspondences
Crystals are the most popular tools for witches these days.
Some witches only ever work with crystals!
They’re easy to take with you everywhere you go, and they look beautiful as home decor.
Plus, crystal jewelry is easy to find and wonderful to wear.
Crystal Topics
- Which crystal is best for your needs
- How to care for your crystals
- Where to buy crystals
Lunar Magick
Moon magick is very popular these days.
Each of the moon’s phases has a different use for witchcraft.
Plus, you can charge your crystals under the moon.
Or you can make moon water.
Lunar Magick Topics
- Moon spells
- The meanings of moon phases
- How to charge crystals under the moon
- How to make moon water
- How to make moon water indoors
- How to store moon water
- Is moon water ruined if it’s touched by sunlight?
Witchcraft Tools For Beginners
The first thing to know about magickal tools is that they are useful, but not the #1 most important thing in witchcraft.
Having a useful tool can be very helpful, but you don’t need to spend a ton of money to have a good tool.
And if you don’t have one at all right now, most spells can be adapted to be done without it.
Still, these tools are used for a reason. They can direct and hold energy, making spells more powerful or more useful.
Magickal Tools Topics
- Your altar
- Athame
- Bolines
- Swords
- Bells
- Singing bowls
- Book of shadows
- Besom or broom
- Candles
- Cauldrons
- Chalices
- Crystals
- Divination tools
- Herbs
- Incense
- Offering containers
- Pentacles
- Rope or string
- Statue
- Wands
- Talismans
- Spell ingredients
- Where to buy these tools
Meditation
As one of the best ways to focus your energy and mind, meditation can be essential to a spell’s proper performance. It is one way of grounding and centering yourself so that you can focus on your intention.
Learning how to meditate can help you in all facets of your life.
Meditation can teach you how to conjure certain emotions and turn them into useful energy.
It can also help guide you to safe spaces for when you are struggling emotionally.
If you, like most witches, are using magick to help with the problems and obstacles in your life, meditation is essential.
Why? Because meditation is the number one, simplest, most affordable way to problem solve and take control over your life.
Meditation Topics
- How to meditate
- Guided meditation
- Binaural beats
- Astral travel
- Chanting
- Qi Gong
- Zen meditation
- Mindfulness meditation
- Mantras
- Self-compassion
- Relaxation meditation
Psychic Powers
Maybe you believe you have psychic powers.
Maybe you don’t.
But learning about the different forms of psychic ability might help you to trust your own intuition, too.
If you want to develop or strengthen your own powers, learning about them can help you discover the necessary techniques.
Psychic Powers Topics
- How to develop psychic powers
- How to trust your intuition
- Crystals for psychics
- Fortune telling
- Clairvoyance
- Clairsentience
- Clairaudience
- Claircognizance
- How to hire a psychic
Special Occasions In Witchcraft
Holidays, weddings, and funerals are just important for witches and pagans as they are for other people.
How we celebrate these days is different, however.
Not every witch follows the wheel of the year, but the basic concept is to follow the seasons.
Special Occasions Topics
- Weddings in witchcraft and paganism
- Funerals in witchcraft and paganism
- How witches deal with death
- Why we follow the wheel of the year
- Winter solstice or Yule
- Imbolc or Candlemas
- Spring equinox or Ostara
- Beltane or May Eve
- Summer solstice or Litha
- Lughnasadh or Lammas
- Autumn equinox or Mabon
- Samhain or Halloween
- Festivals and feasts for deities
Synchronicity And Symbolism
Synchronicity and symbolism go hand in hand.
Synchronicity is when two events happen that seem related to one another.
For instance, if you think to yourself, “I wonder if white tulips are in season right now.”
It would be synchronicity if you then walked by a garden with white tulips later that day.
Symbolism matters with synchronicity because if you keep seeing the same symbol, the meaning of that symbol is probably significant.
For instance, if you keep seeing black cats, black cats’ symbolism might be important to you.
Are you worried about your luck? Or are you looking for a sign that you should keep working on being a witch?
A black cat is relevant to those two issues.
Synchronicity And Symbolism Topics
- Synchronicity in witchcraft
- Symbol interpretation
- Coincidence in witchcraft
Defense Against The Dark Arts
Or, rather, different ways to protect yourself spiritually.
We all know about casting circles, but there are many different ways to defend against negative magick and negative energies.
Spiritual Protection Topics
- Casting circles
- Apotropaic magick
- Crystals for protection
- Herbs for protection
Magick Symbols
Symbols that can be used to enhance or direct magick are used in many types of witchcraft.
Quick deployment of the right symbol can protect you, cast a fast spell, or draw in positive energy.
Magick Symbols Topics
- Sigils
- Pentacles
- Planet symbols
- Astrology symbols
- Deity symbols
- Protection symbols
Spirit Work And Necromancy
Yeah, necromancy is real. But instead of creating zombies, we are having conversations with the dead.
Spirit work is trendy around Samhain because the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thin.
You can gain much wisdom from your ancestors. Your ancestors are also a source of blessings, lore, and guidance.
The blood of your ancestors moves through you. It protects you and empowers you.
Learn to connect with your ancestors and other spirits so that they can make you a more powerful witch. They may even need you to right the wrongs of other ancestors in your line.
Spirit work isn’t just about your ancestors, of course. You can work with the spirits of anyone that has passed on.
Spirit Work Topics
- Ancestor worship
- Seances
- Talking boards
- Dumb dinner
- Possession
- Local spirits / Spirits of the land
Deities And Theurgy
Not every witch works with deities.
If you do, though, it’s good to know how to work with them with respect.
Many Tiktok videos out there come off as disrespectful once the humor wears off.
Don’t come to a deity expecting them to be okay with you making fun of them.
Deities Topics
- Pantheons
- Myths
- Theurgy
- Offerings for deities
- How to communicate with deities
- How to find your patron deities
Correspondences
Learning how different tools and objects correspond to different purposes can help you craft your own powerful spells.
For instance, if you want to do candle magic, you should learn color correspondences. Colors have a direct impact on your candle magic and can make or break a spell!
Correspondences Topics
- Color correspondences
- Herb and plant correspondences
- Planet correspondences
- Astrological correspondences
- Crystal correspondences
- Deity correspondences
- Elemental correspondences
- Magickal tool correspondences
Astrology
Do you want to understand the stars and their influence on you?
To understand the connection between humans and the cosmos, try studying astrology.
From Western to Vedic astrology, the different kinds of astrology are elaborate methods of learning about the universe and how we exist within it.
Astrology Topics
- How to create and read a birth chart
- How astrology reveals our personality
- How astrology reveals the course of our life
- The meaning of the different planets, houses, and signs
- Compatibility in astrology
How To Avoid Cults And Toxic People
This is more important than you think.
Every coven has the potential to turn into a dangerous cult.
If you can learn to recognize the signs of a toxic person or cult-like coven, you’ll avoid joining them.
Joining a cult can genuinely destroy your life, so you need to make sure you learn these tips.
Recognizing Cults And Toxic People Topics
- The BITE model
- Signs you’re in a cult
- How to recognize manipulation
- How to identify a narcissist
- How to recognize toxic people
Familiars
Do you want a familiar?
Familiars are spirits in the form of an animal that helps you with your magick.
They protect you from negative magick and help to perform your magick.
Familiars Topics
- How to find your familiar
- Can your family pet be your familiar?
- What does a familiar do?
- What is a familiar?
Altars
Altars are your magickal space within and outside of your home.
They’re supposed to help bring you into your faith and remind you to be a witch in all that you do.
Many witches use their altars to leave offerings for spirits and deities.
It can also be where they do tarot or rune readings.
If your altar is on top of a dresser, the drawers can hold your supplies so that they’re easy to find.
Candles can be burnt on your altar. Statues of your deities and familiars can be left there.
And your book of shadows can be stored on your altar.
Altars Topics
- How to decorate your altar
- How to leave offerings on your altar
- What an altar is used for
- How to make a portable altar
- Altars outside
Put these checklists at the beginning of your book of shadows.
As you learn about each of the topics, check them off.
This is a fast and easy way to keep track of what you have learned while studying witchcraft!
Related Questions
Where Can I Learn More About These Esoteric Topics?
Witchcraft can be learned from books, other witches, and from the internet. There are so many resources available these days!
Make sure to spend time reading and watching videos from other witches. Witchcraft isn’t a stagnant practice. You don’t need to practice it the same way the ancients might have.
Modern witchcraft uses modern elements like computers, phones, and emojis.
An excellent option to learn more about witchcraft is to join an online group. Facebook, Tumblr, and Amino are three social media platforms with substantial witch communities.
Will I Ever Fully Master Witchcraft And Know It All?
Definitely not. And that’s okay!
I am a jack of all trades, which means I master none. I like to know a little bit about a lot of topics.
You may be more into deep-diving into a few skills and topics.
Neither of us will ever know it all. Witchcraft is just too large a topic!
You could study it for your whole life and still not know everything about witchcraft.
That’s why we form communities. So that someone else can fill in our knowledge gaps.
If It’s So Hard To Learn About Witchcraft, Is It Even Worth The Effort?
I think it is. I love witchcraft. I love the power that it gives me and how it changes my life every day.
While I wish I could know everything, there is also something satisfying about seeking the next mystery.
If I knew it all, that mystery would be gone. There would be no reason to seek, question, or explore.
Do I Have To Learn All Of This?
You don’t! Choose what you’re interested in, learn as much as possible, and move on to the next topic.
You’ll probably find that you revisit some topics over and over again. I end up reading about specific deities, moving on and then learning more about them years later.
The point is, your witchcraft should work for you. You don’t need to learn about anything that you think you’ll never use. There will always be time to learn it later!
Is It Okay If I Find Some Witchcraft Topics Boring?
For sure. I don’t love learning about crystals. In fact, I’m decluttering my crystal collection and working with them less and less these days.
Skip the boring stuff. You may find it more interesting later!
What Should A Witch Research?
Of course, this isn’t all of the witchcraft topics that a beginner witch could research.
There are things that I’m sure I’ve forgotten on this list.
And you’re not going to be interested in everything on it, either!
I don’t even want to spend time researching familiars because they have no place in my practice and seem a bit fluffy. But that’s just my opinion!
But you might find sigils or the witch holidays unnecessary in your practice.
It doesn’t hurt to do a quick read on them to know what they are, but you don’t have to spend a year and a day researching them.
Part of your beginning practice is about carving out a niche for yourself.
Finding what you are an expert at is how you will find friends and a community that feels like home.
It’s also perfectly acceptable to start your research on Wikipedia!
While your professors may have hated Wikipedia, it can be a valuable source of information.
Download this blog post in a simplified format. It has the ads removed for easy reading and printing. This is the perfect option for adding this blog post to your book of shadows!
You can use Wikipedia to learn the basics of most topics, plus you can find new topics you are interested in researching.
When you really find something you want to know a lot about, Wikipedia pages usually list their sources at the end.
This is where you will find books, research papers, and other websites where you can dive even deeper into your witchy interests.
Each of these topics will no doubt lead you to 10 more.
No one will ever know everything about witchcraft, and I think that’s the best part of this craft and way of life.
There is just so much knowledge and information that is held in individuals and books and history.
You will become a master in your field in time, but you will always have room to learn and grow as a witch.
And isn’t that the meaning of life, in the end? To learn, grow, and become better than what you were yesterday?
Start your research with this new and improved list of beginner witch research topics! Explore the whole world of witchcraft with this guide in hand.
Beginner Guides
Learn more about witchcraft, herbalism, and paganism with these helpful guides.
