Atheist witches are just like any other witches in that we share one thing in common: We practice witchcraft. However, we’re constantly asked where our magic comes from, since we don’t call on gods or goddesses. This is a hard one to answer because everyone has different beliefs, and atheistic witchcraft isn’t a religion with a set of rules or guidelines. The following article will attempt to broadly explain where atheist witches get their magic, and how our spells are effective.

Everything is energy
In general, atheist witches acknowledge and appreciate science — and one scientific fact is that everything can be cut down to atoms and empty space. In the book Godless Magick, the author explains that everything vibrates at different frequencies of energy, and it is because of this that it is theoretically possible to manipulate energies around us. The universe is energy. We are energy. Atheist witches, in general, believe that we are all magical beings. It’s just a matter of having the willpower, the knowledge and focus.

To be very clear, the definition of atheism is very broad, and refers only to the lack of belief in deities. The energies that surround us, and the energy of which we’re constructed are not equivalent to the acknowledgment of deities.

Our ancestors
Some atheist witches believe in spirits, and call on their ancestors to aide them in casting spells. Naturally you don’t have to believe in gods and goddesses to believe in spirits. Similarly, there are theistic witches who also call on their ancestors in some spellwork, which goes to show that deities are not even necessary in their own practices. Some atheist witches go a little further, and consider the spirits of the deceased to be nothing more than residual energy that has been left behind on our plane — there for the taking!

The Power of Suggestion
Don’t underestimate the power of psychology. Most witches, whether they realize it or not, make great use of the power of suggestion — sometimes more so than rituals, spells and magic thought. Sometimes if you can convince someone that a spell has been cast, then that is really all that is needed — and that is a level of witchery on its own.