So, you have heard about real witchcraft. You have heard about manipulating energy, reading tarot cards, and talking to spirits to achieve a desired result – but what exactly can that result be? In all honesty, the possibilities are endless, but here I have listed a few broad ways in which witchcraft can be used. Of course, this entirely depends on how you define witchcraft, so for the purpose of this article I will be referring to it as any practice that involves rituals, divination, and magick as a whole.

Firstly, there is the obvious one: to gain material things. Maybe you want a new phone, or a promotion at work, so you cast a spell to achieve this. Most witches will tell you that you need to pair this magick with action in the mundane world – you cannot expect it to simply appear out of thin air – but it is nevertheless believed to speed up the process. In the same vein, witchcraft can also be used to influence the world and the people around you. Whilst this may bring up certain ethical questions (*cough* love spells and hexes *cough*), spells have been cast in an attempt to create social change incredibly frequently – and publicly – over the past few years. One of the most well-known examples of this is when witches gathered during the USA’s 2020 election to try to influence its outcome. Organised spell castings like this tend to spread across the internet during times of war, protest or natural disaster, so keep an eye out – you may want to partake in one! 

An underappreciated use of witchcraft is to help improve your mindset and abilities. The most common example of this would be a self-love spell because it focuses on your inner-world rather than the one out there. Magick like this does not inherently result in visible external changes, so it is often dismissed as being of lesser importance. However, it is good to remember that witchcraft essentially relies on you as the practitioner, so the quality of the results of bigger spells will likely be a reflection of your inner state. In terms of improving your skills, a slightly ironic spell you could cast is one to improve your magickal abilities. Better student spells are also popular. 

Witchcraft can also be used to gain knowledge you might not have had access to otherwise. For example, if you make contact with certain spirits or deities, they may be able to teach you certain spells, answer questions, or provide you with information that you could not find elsewhere. This leads to the development of an unverified personal gnosis (UPG), which is defined as “…a spiritual belief gained through personal experience or intuition that cannot be attributed to or corroborated by received tradition, professional scholarship, or direct citation in an accepted religious text.”1 This, of course, is very valuable as what you learn will likely be more applicable to you than what you can find in a book, and it provides you with new information you could bring to the community if you so choose to share it! 

An overlooked bonus of most witchcraft is that it functions as a great method of self-care. As it often entails meditation (or entering a meditative state of some kind), enhanced self-awareness, and a focus on the small details of one’s surroundings, witchcraft can be a very grounding and de-stressing practice. Perhaps the act itself grants some beneficial perspective beyond the influences of the spell. 

I am sure you will be able to find many more uses for witchcraft, especially ones more specific to certain paths and interests. Witchcraft can be used for just about anything – that is what is so truly magickal about it.