The connection between witchcraft and self-care is something that seems to be talked about a lot lately. There’s even a book on it, The Witch’s Book of Self-Care (which I haven’t read yet, but may pick up at some point). Now, even though for some, something as seemingly “dark” and taboo as witchcraft, and something as “light” and mainstream as self-care may appear completely unrelated, for those of us within the “alternative” spiritual community, there actually are some evident parallels.
Both witchcraft and self-care are practices that seek to have transformative effects—they’re both about investing time and energy into one’s self to alter inner (and outer) states, and generally improve overall wellbeing. Just as much as witchcraft can be about changing one’s outer reality, like self-care it can also be about changing how we feel on the inside. Often, it’s about checking in with ourselves and paying attention to our needs so we can move into a more positive physical, mental, or spiritual state of being.
My own attitude towards self-care has very much evolved alongside my witchcraft, and with my spiritual journey in general. I believe spiritual development is almost always tied up with personal development and the cultivation of self-love—and when you love yourself, you’re much more likely to devote time to your own well-being and do the things that make you feel good physically and mentally.
Of course, spiritual practice (let alone witchcraft) is by no means necessarily linked to self care, and like I said, for many people there’s no connection whatsoever. A recent blog post by Kate Freuler that caught my attention explores this peculiar connection between witchcraft and self-care. She notes that what some people call “witchcraft,” such as burning a list of things to let go of under the light of the moon, others deem “self-care,” and deny any link to witchcraft at all. And while like the author, it does bother me slightly that ritual practices that have evolved from Pagan witchcraft are becoming increasingly trendy, while the actual idea of witchcraft remains fairly misunderstood and taboo, I also understand that the label isn’t for everyone. And that’s totally okay (although burning things under the moon sounds pretty damn witchy to me).
The fact that these practices Pagans and witches have been engaging with for years are now basically becoming mainstream under the label of “self-care” just goes to show how effective and powerful they can be, whatever we want to call them.
There is no one definition of witchcraft or magick, and these things mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people (see my post on the mystery of magick for some of my views on this topic). But for me, what ultimately separates witchcraft from regular old self-care is intention, and a sense of personal empowerment. Rather than simply being about feeling good (although that’s important too), my witchy self-care about focusing on that internal alchemical process that I hope to achieve. It’s about knowing that through my actions, by caring for my physical, mental, and spiritual self, I am undergoing a potentially powerful transformation guided by my own intention. This, I believe, is the sweet spot between witchcraft and self-care.
So, without further ado, here are my top ten ways to infuse your self-care with a magickal flare!
1. Connect with Nature
Pagan witchcraft is primarily a nature-based practice, so really what better way to incorporate it into your self-care than by going outside? Plus, it’s known that spending time in nature can do absolute wonders for your mental health—in Scotland, doctors can actually prescribe a good old does of nature to their patients to treat common issues like anxiety and depression.
Now that spring weather is nearly upon us, it’s a great time to get out and take a walk through the forest or park. As you do, try giving yourself over to your senses: allow yourself to really feel the wind blowing across your face, listen to the sounds of life flourishing all around, and let yourself be fascinated by the colours, textures, and smells you encounter. Taking the time to be mindful of the incredible beauty that surrounds us is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to care for the soul.
2. Create Sacred Space
If you live in the city or find it difficult to get outside for whatever reason, create a scared space indoors—not even necessarily for ritual purposes, but simply to enjoy on an everyday basis. Decorate your space with things that bring you joy, like flowers, or books or art, as well as with objects that are meaningful to you in some way, evoking particular emotions or recalling happy memories.
My own bedroom is littered with candles, crystals, and various knick-knacks that are all special to me in one way or another. That, combined with the fact that my room constantly maintains the smell of lingering incense, means that as soon as I walk in the door I instantly feel so much more relaxed. Even when I’m not engaging in anything overtly spiritual or magickal, my room is always something of a sacred space to me, and spending time in this place that makes me feel so great is in itself a form of self-care.
3. Take a Ritual Bath
While baths are often important precursors to ritual and spellwork, they can also be rituals in and of themselves. They provide a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your body and check in with yourself physically and spiritually. They’re also a fantastic (and relaxing) way to symbolize washing away past thoughts and experiences, and great for doing release work. Plus, adding in some gorgeous bath bombs and essential oils make me feel utterly divine.
4. Do a Face Mask… With Intention
This may sound strange, but lately I’ve been getting into what you might call “face mask magick”—basically using face masks as a component of spellwork. To do this, as you’re applying the mask, think about something you want to release, manifest, heal… a feeling you want to evoke, or a mindset you want to shift into. Then, while you’ve got the mask on (preferably while you’re in a nice hot bath, for maximum relaxation), meditate on this. What’s keeping you from letting go of the past? What’s blocking you from healing? What’s standing in the way of manifesting your desires? Imagine these blocks being absorbed into the mask, visualizing all negativity surrounding your intention being sucked up into it. Then, when you wash or peel it off, let go of everything holding you back, releasing yourself from whatever’s keeping you from healing or manifesting.
Personally, I actually like to use different kinds and colours of masks for different purposes: pink for healing, black charcoal for absorbing negative energies and spiritual blocks, and green for detoxing and encouraging a fresh start. But, of course, if this is something you think you’d like to try, play around with it and figure out what works for you.
5. Adopt a Daily Ritual
Even if you take just as little as five minutes to yourself everyday to do something small you enjoy, it can have a big impact on your general sense of wellbeing. It can be something like lighting a candle in the morning to honour your matron deity, writing out your intentions for the day in the morning, or even as something as simple as drinking a cup of coffee while listening to music. Witchy or mundane, make that time for yourself on a daily basis and you’ll feel the difference it can make.
I’ve been trying to incorporate a small ritual of drinking green tea and reading a few poems into my mornings, and after a couple weeks I can already say that having that little window of “me time” does help me get into a good mindset that sets the tone for the rest of the day.
6. Mediate
One daily ritual I (and so many others) would strongly recommend is meditation. We’ve all heard about its incredible benefits for the body, mind, and soul, and I definitely notice a difference between the days when I take the time to meditate and those when I skip it. Meditation can be used as a means of clearing your thoughts and becoming more mindful of the present moment, as well as a way to focus on a particular intention, or foster a certain mindset. It’s therefore a great form of self-care, and when practiced over a longer period of time, can be exceptionally transformational.
7. Indulge in Pleasures
One of the things I love most about contemporary Pagan spirituality is that it reminds us that we are all carnal beings with animalistic desires. As such, rather than deny us pleasures of the flesh, it celebrates them. While generally, eating healthy and taking things in moderation is the way to go, sometimes you just need to say to hell with moderation, and indulge in ecstatic pleasure.
So, go ahead and eat those two (or four) pieces of double chocolate fudge cake, let yourself become wrapped up in the erotic joy of wild, kinky sex, or light some scented candles and give yourself the sweet, tender loving you crave. You’re only in this body on this magnificent earth once, so as long as you’re not hurting anyone else, just give in and let yourself do what feels good every now and then, regardless of what kinds of judgments others may try to put onto you.
8. Get Witchy in the Kitchen
Alright, so I know I just said eat all the chocolate cake, but generally taking a healthy, intuitive, and intentional attitude towards food is a wonderful form of self-care, and can help you to get your kitchen witch on. Practicing kitchen magick can be about putting your intention into the everyday task of cooking, often by blessing or enchanting ingredients before including them in the meal. But, I believe it’s also about knowing about the benefits of what you’re cooking with, such as understanding the properties associated with herbs, or the nutritional values of particular foods. It’s about knowing what’s good for your body and what isn’t, and making intentional choices based on this.
The consumption of food, like cooking, is an alchemically transformative process, so pay attention to and be mindful about what you’re putting into your body. This means eating not only what feels good (like that delicious cake), but also what gives you the proper nutrients you need to survive and thrive.
9. Practice Gratitude
There’s this idea in contemporary spiritual philosophy that if you want to move forward in any area of your life, you must first honour and be thankful for where you are now. Gratitude is a key part of my spiritual practice, and I believe it is an important part of witchcraft as well. Before any kind of internal or external transformation can occur, it’s integral that we acknowledge where we are now, and be thankful for all that we already have in this present moment.
Even on my worst days, when I’m filled with anxiety and self-doubt, I find that contemplating the circumstances of my life that have brought me to where I am today—the experience I’ve had, the people I’ve known—and being thankful for all of it is extremely helpful for my mental wellbeing. Gratitude is powerful. And when practiced regularly, it can be an amazing form of self-care.
10. Be Creative and Have Fun!
Finally, taking the time to express yourself creatively, and putting your intentions into what you create is one of my favourite forms of witchy self-care. Whether it’s painting, writing, sculpting, doodling, playing the mandolin, whatever, these modes of expression can also have powerful transformative effects, even if they just serve as a means of releasing built up emotion.
And if you’re no Picasso or Bob Dylan, don’t worry. You don’t need to be concerned with how your work looks or sounds—the pleasure is in the process, rather than the product. Make art for your soul, because you enjoy it, rather than for anyone else’s benefit. It’s an amazing feeling tapping into that creative flow where time just flies by, and nothing else really seems to matter.
Uninhibited creativity can also be a great way to reconnect with your inner child. Lately I’ve been macramé jewelry, something I used to love as a kid, and it’s just as fun now as it was back then. So, in the name of self-care, throw that paint, bang on those piano keys, and sing out to your heart’s desire—let out what needs to be let out, and celebrate your creative witchy soul.
