Book Of Shadows: all about the practice and paths

Core beliefs systems & Values of Witchcraft

   Nature and the environment are extremely important in witchcraft, and that's why honoring them and exploring their wonder are the foundations for many beliefs and practices. The reason nature plays such a large role is that it provides the energy we use in spells, rituals, ceremonies, and spirit work. Additionally, nature provides us with many healing ingredients that we use to create oils, teas, tinctures, and more.
   Animals are another important extension of nature, as they often act as companions in works of magick, and they can become totems from which we draw inspiration. Many witches turn to their familiars, spirits with an animal form, to aid them in spells. (I will make an entire chapter explaining familiars later on)

The weather is also a big part of witchcraft. It can be beautiful, but it can also be destructive, and rituals, dances, and chants have been used for centuries in attempts to control it. In witchcraft, there is great respect for the rain, wind,  and sun. Witches will often collect water from a thunderstorm or fresh snow to use in spell work to capture that raw earthly energy. When it comes to nature, we organize the elements into five categories: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.

EARTH:

Earth is the sturdiest, and it represents stability, healing, peace, grounding, relaxation, and the mother holding us strong against anything that can tear us down. Spells that work with the earth are typically healing spells, calming spells, release spells, and abundance spells.

Represents: Nature, plants, soil

Characteristics: productive, practical, self-sufficient, grounded, security, giving, stable, growth

Colour: green & black

Direction: North

Seasons: Winter

Time: Midnight

AIR:

Air represents our minds, and while our bodies are bound to the earth, our minds are free to go where they like. As with our mental health, balance is key. Spells that work with air are spells that are associated with freedom, change, knowledge, and mental health.

Represents: change, wind, incense, knowledge

Characteristics: mind, clarity, logic, communication

Colour: Yellow, gold, white, light blue

Direction: East

Seasons: Spring

Time: Dawn

FIRE:

Fire symbolizes heat and passion, the thing in the world that keeps us moving forward, that keeps us fighting for what we want in life and for what we believe in. If earth and air are passive, then fire and water are active. They move, they destroy, and they bring emotion to the forefront of our minds. Spells that work with fire are ones for passion, love, movement, intensity, and power.

Represents: energy, will, destruction, healing, courage, strength, self-knowledge, sexuality, passion, heat, light, power, divinity

Characteristics: inspiration, creativity, passionate, confidence, outgoing, innovative

Colour: red, orange, gold, white, violet 

Direction: South

Seasons: Summer

Time: noon

WATER:

Water is our emotional element and is all about transformation and expression. We use the element of water for creativity and to show the world who we really are, as it is connected to our ability to clean and purify. Spells that work with water are spells for transformation, purification, emotion, cleansing, and creativity.

Represents: emotion, psychic abilities, fertility, tides, self-healing, lunar energy, reflection, deep feelings, the unconscious mind

Characteristics: compassion, flexibility, forgiveness, receptivity, indifference, instability, moodiness

Colour: blue, aqua, silver, turquoise

Direction: west 

Seasons: Fall

Time: Twilight

SPIRIT:

Lastly, the spirit is the thing we cannot touch or see. It is what makes the world so magical and mystical. Without spirit, there is no soul, no divination, no connections to other realms and worlds. Spirit is the epitome of witchcraft, and without it, everything else would just exist without meaning anything to us.