Real Witches Debunk the Biggest Misconceptions About Magick (2024)

Are witches real? Yes, they are, and we're in the middle of a witchcraft renaissance. Whether you have a favorite TikTok tarot reader or are looking to deepen your practice beyond checking your horoscopes, you may have questions about precisely what it means to be a witch. All across the world, from Africa to North American Indigenous cultures, to the Puritanical attacks of the Salem Witch trial, the witch is a figure of hope and healing or evil and danger, depending on your point of view.

As a practicing witch andAllure'sresident astrologer, it's vital to me to get the record straight about witches, who historically, have always been badasses. While unfortunately, Voodoo queen Marie Laveau is no longer living, there are plenty of witches still alive today who are down to talk about the craft. Kristen J. Sollée, author of Witch Hunt: A Traveler's Guide to the Power & Persecution of the Witch, cites Joan Wright, the first woman charged with being a witch in North America, as one of her favorite witches of all time. “She made the badass move of making light of the accusation and forgave her neighbors for speaking ill of her,” Wright says. "Although the verdict from her 1626 Jamestown, Virginia trial is lost [to history], historians believe she was most likely acquitted."

Despite the role of the witch as a healer capable of both great power and incredible forgiveness, society's fear of their power is deep-rooted. In medieval England, people associated makeup with Satan, and there are even popular myths about the government outlawing lipstick to combat witchcraft. The connection between cosmetics, perceived evil, and witchcraft is not unusual. Witches have been paying the price for enjoying life, be it by dancing naked or wearing lipstick, for far too long.

When asked about her favorite historical witchcraft moment in modern history, Sollée calls out Bri Luna's foundingof The Hoodwitchwebsite and community in 2013, which helped usher in the current witchcraft revival. Adding a witchcraft practice to your life can be a powerful act of rebellion, self-care, and even activism. But first, we must debunk some major myths lingering about witchcraft. (For instance, did you know that a person of any gender can be a witch, and that the whole black magick versus white magick thing is rather racist?) Keep reading, and regardless of your orientation, race, gender, or economic background, you'll see that you will always have a home with the witches.

What is magick?

Witches are people who practice magick. Magick, which witches like to spell with a "k" to differentiate it from stage magic, is real, too. The practice of magick is about raising and directing energy to fulfill your intentions. Witches believe that everything contains energy: This includes nature, org*sms, and of course, yourself. Have you ever had a vivid dream about someone, only for them to text you the very next day? It's possible that yourpsychic intuitionwas burning bright. When you're overwhelmed and stressed, do you ever turn your bathtub into a cauldron by filling it withsoothing salts, perhapslighting some candlesto set the mood further? That's a self-love spell. In today's busy world, finding a way to unwind, relax, and re-connect with yourself is a powerful spell indeed. Simply writing out gratitude lists or repeating a mantra is casting a spell, as it means you're injecting reminders of your self-worth into your life. The act of manifestation, and magick itself, is simply focusing energy to produce the desired effect, and it's much easier than you think.

How does one become a witch?

While some organized spiritual groups may have initiation rites, all that you need to become a witch is yourself. Many practicing witches describe a life-long connection to nature, intuition, or the heavenly bodies such as the moon or stars. Most Pagan practices tend to be rooted in nature and community, after all.

"I've always been obsessed with the unknown and ethereal, and 'listening' to plants and water," saysLiza Fensterm, an ordained minister, Reiki master teacher, and a tarot reader. "I've always been in my 'own world' all the time, 'too sensitive,' and able to just 'know things.' As I grew older, I was led to practices and habits that embraced and sharpened those innate characteristics and led to other people that experienced the same."

Some witches work best with covens or a group of witches that meets regularly to perform magick and rituals. A coven can be traditional, with 13 members and a highly organized initiation process, or it can be more laid-back and designed by you andyour witchy friends. As witchcraft has become mainstream, covens have become more casual. Some people enjoy the responsibility and framework of performing magick with a structured group, while others perform better as solo artists.

Social media can offer camaraderie, inspiration, and aesthetically pleasing rituals, such as TikTok's viral spell and tarot reading videos. But your practice doesn't have to be camera-ready to be valid. For example, many of the most powerful witches prefer to keep their practices secret and their altars private.

The upside to witchcraft's recent popularity is that it's becoming more accessible, and more people understand that witchcraft isn't synonymous with evil. However, it seems like everyone is cashing in on the witchcraft trend these days. Do youneedto drop $1,049 onGoop's Gemstone Heat Therapy Matto engage in crystal healing? Nope. Sure, tools such as crystals, tarot cards, and incense can be handy in rituals and help sharpen your practice. But, again, all you really need is yourself. [You are the witch, and the magick you practice is more powerful than any crystal money can buy. Witches of all economic backgrounds have been practicing for centuries using the tools they have at hand.

Let's say you want to wake up each morning filled with more self-love. Write an intention letter affirming how much you appreciate yourself as you honor Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. You can invoke the energy of any deity you connect with so long as you show proper respect, but Venus is a great go-to for love spells. You can also work with an ancestor or inspired celebrity, like David Bowie (a personal favorite) or Rihanna. And while it's OK to find inspiration in deities from religions other than your own, it's crucial to check in with yourself and others to ensure that you're always practicing cultural appreciation, and not appropriation, in your craft.

Can anyone become a witch?

If you feel an urge to exert your will and get what you want, you qualify. A witch is simply someone who is aware of their power and puts that power into action. If that's you, then congratulations, you're witch-material.

If you're male,nonbinary, trans, gender-nonconforming, or anything else, you too can be a witch. There is a beautiful history of women and witchcraft, partly because women have been historically silenced and have used sorcery to tap into their power and subvert the system. Think of the term "kitchen witch," which means a witch who flourishes in the kitchen: When society told women that their place was in the kitchen, some simply focused their magickal energy there.

"Historically, most people accused of witchcraft have been scapegoats, unfairly blamed for society's problems. Poor crops, infertility, disease, social conflict — anything like that could spark accusations of witchcraft against the most marginalized people in a given community, who were usually poor women over the age of 40," Sollée tellsAllure. Ultimately, though, magick is genderless, and always has been. (Regrettably, a number of modern witches grew up reading the Harry Potter series, and JK Rowling's transphobic commentsruined the magick tales for many. One thing that makes someone absolutely not a witch is being a TERF.)

"Today's most marginalized people — BIPOC, queer and trans folks, women — are similarly persecuted and scapegoated for a host of societal issues they're not responsible for. It's the same cruel process happening all over again in a new way," Sollée says. Do you have a desire not only to manifest what you want but help others fight the power? Lean into that, because that's as witchy as it gets.

Is black magick real?

You may have heard about "black magick" and "white magick." Yes, black magick is real, but it's likely not the Disney-portrayed version that comes to mind. In traditional American culture, white magick refers to "nice spells," often conducted by white ladies such as Glenda the Good Witch. In contrast, black magick refers to "evil" practices such as hexing, usually done by some scary lady with green (not white) skin.

There's no need to be scared, but hexes are indeed real. Hexes are a form of a spell, usually assumed to inflict harm on someone else, although usually, it's just a form of protection. "I have done magick to stop rapists and violent abusers. Is that black magick or negative magick? I have done magick to help women having a hard time bringing their babies into this world or to keep a marriage safe. Is that white magick or good magick? It will always depend on who is reaping the rewards," says practicing witch Mawiyah Kai EL-Jamah Bomani who was born into a family of African and Caribbean practices such as Hoodoo and Vodoun with hints of Santeria.

Like most things in life, the morality of witchcraft is not so binary. “I think magick is magick. We use it, and the outcomes may benefit one person while stifling another's desires and vice versa. That's not bad or good, black or white; it's just the willingness of one person to see their truth recognized over all others," Bomani says. Furthermore, the division of magick into "black" or "white" has racist undertones: Rituals that are commonly described as "bad" and therefore labeled "black magick" often come from traditions such as Hoodoo, which is traditional African folk magick.

So, magick can be good or bad?

Generally speaking, magick itself isn't simply "good" or "evil": It's a tool. We can all act in ways that are selfish, jealous, and petty from time to time, and, honestly, that's OK. We have good sides that are loving, too. You may have heard of "the rule of threes," or the belief that performing magick with ill intent will come back to you three times, turning the ill intent on you. The neo-pagan religion Wicca holds that "three times what thou givest returns to thee," which can be applied to positive magick as well.

But the rule of threes isn't literal. For example: If you cast a spell to steal someone's man and you and said man get together, that doesn't mean he'll cheat on you precisely three times. Hexes like this usually entail more significant blowback: If you're performing magick to cause harm to someone, you're probably in a pretty nasty, dark place. Performing magick to release yourself of anger to move on after someone harmed you can be healing. Meanwhile, using your craft to hurt someone often ends up making you feel bad, not to mention that positive energy is simply more powerful. Please work with the universe, not against it.

Often, the best way to get in touch with your loving side is to recognize that you're human. Negative thoughts are normal. Instead of acting on them, perform a cleansing ritual, dance around,go to the gym, or take a long, hot bath to soothe yourself. All such acts can be magickal rituals.

AsAllure's resident astrologer, Sophie Saint Thomas believes in the power of glamour and embracing one's sexuality — all the while, looking to astrology to navigate the intricacies of modern life.She is also the author ofSex Witch: Magickal Spells for Love, Lust, and Self-Protectionand the upcomingGlamour Witch: An Empowering Sex-Positive Guide with Spells and Witchy Beauty Tips for all Budgets and Body Types.

Read more about witchcraft:

• Numerology 101: How to Find Your Life Path Number
• How to Tap Into Your Own Psychic Abilities
• A Beginner's Guide to Reading Palms

Now, see the signs you're most compatible with romantically:

Find Sophie on Instagram and Twitter.