Are you stuck in a witchcraft slump? If so, you’re definitely not alone. The past couple of years have been pretty rough — what with the Covid19 pandemic that’s claimed the lives of numerous people across the planet, global warming, capitalism and pretty much everything else. Things are depressing, and that makes it hard to consistently practice the craft. The following article aims to help you get back on track with your spiritual practice, so you don’t fall deeper into that slump.
Take your time and make sure you’re okay
The fact that you’re reading this article shows that you’re aware that your practice has been stagnant lately, but it’s important to ease yourself back into things carefully. Keep your own self care and emotional, physical and mental health in mind. Take the time to explore why your spiritual practice has taken a hit, and what you spiritually need to remedy the situation. For many of us, general depression and fatigue from traumatic world events are to blame for our slump, but how we’ve coped with these issues is what led to our spiritual slumps. So while the world around us — global politics, wildfires and pandemic disease — is out of our control, the way we cope is. Take the time to focus on your coping mechanisms in relation to your witchcraft practice — and then consider why exactly you’ve decided to revive your spirituality in the first place.
Are you trying to come back to the craft because you feel obligated to? Are you feeling some sort of regret for ignoring certain traditional holidays or other activities you’re used to routinely participating in? Dwell on this thought for a while, and consider what the right thing to do for you specifically is. Are you truly ready to revamp your practice, spiritually, or do you still need time to recuperate, heal and figure out your priorities in life?
Do you feel called back, so-to-speak? Do you feel yourself naturally coming out of a phase of disassociation? Do you feel drawn back to witchcraft after taking a break and “going dim” for a while? Dwell on these questions for a while, and then think about what you might need to bring consistency back to your practice.
Most importantly: There is no substitute for quality mental health care. If you’ve dropped away from your spiritual path due to depression and similar issues, and you are still having a hard time coping, then you should first and foremost work on your own health. There is no shame in seeing a counselor, and there is no shame in asking for help when you need it. Furthermore, the more focus you put on yourself and your health, the better off your spiritual practice will be when you do come back to it.
Meditation and protection
If you’ve been in a slump lately, the best way to get reacquainted with your spiritual practice is through meditation and classic spellcasting. Get back to basics and practice simple protection spells to ease yourself back into frequent practice of witchcraft. Don’t just jump back into the craft gregariously intending to hex the GOP again, or win back a stray lover. Get back to basics, and recharge your witchy batteries. Easing yourself back into the craft with simpler, basic spells gets you back into practice rather quickly — and probably with a higher success rate than blindly jumping into a high ritual after a one-year hiatus.
Basic meditation and visualization exercises will also help work out any metaphorical kinks in your energy. Take five or 10 minutes a day to practice visualizing different scenes in your mind while quietly meditating. Incorporate these practice visualizations into your basic, practice spells if you choose to do any. It’s up to you how long you’re going to need to do this before you’re ready to stop. I am a fan of doing at least five minutes of visualization exercises every day, regardless of whether you’re in a slump or not. A sharp mind’s eye is always a valuable tool in witchcraft.
Socialize with other witches
Not all of us are social people, but checking in on your favorite witchcraft group on social media — or even popping into a local witchcraft supply shop — can do wonders for your motivation. Even as a solitary witch, it’s good to rub elbows and exchange ideas with others from time to time, even if your overall practice stays private. You may find other witches are also in similar slumps, and you can motivate one another to revive your use of the craft. You may also find that other witches can be incredibly encouraging when it comes to getting out of depressive episodes or situations where your ability to practice has been hindered.
Change up your reading or viewing sources
Part of being in a slump is getting stuck in routine, and while that could mean a lack of practice for witches, it could also mean general boredom. Maybe you’ve grown bored with your witchcraft practice without even realizing it. To inspire a little creativity in your craft, consider changing up your reading material or the programs you watch. For example, if you tend to only read books about hedge witchery, spice things up by reading a book that covers a topic ordinarily out of your comfort zone — any other topic, really. A large part of being a witch is studying and reading about different witchcraft concepts as it is, so this should already be something you do even when not stuck in a spiritual rut. At any rate, expanding your horizons might inspire you to try something new — and trying new things is exciting.
Have fun!
Find something fun to do involving witchcraft. If you’ve been in a slump, then it’s good for your spirit to come back to your spiritual practice with a positive experience as opposed to something related to curses or hexes. Creating witchcraft themed art is fun and a decent way to practice patience and focus — much like a visualization exercise, but with a finished work of art as an outcome. You could also go on a short trip to somewhere that you associate with that witchy feel or aesthetic. Whatever it is you decide to do to revive your spiritual practice, make sure you’re having fun and enjoying yourself. The rest should fall into place from there!
