What is witchcraft? Witchcraft is a lot of things; a calling, a way of life, a philosophy, for some a religion, a system of positive psychology, something we carry with us from past lives, or perhaps something we inherit. But above all else, witchcraft is an attitude.

If you have a comfortable armchair in a dark corner of your living room, what do you do? Feel gloomy? Sit in the dark? Or place a small table beside the armchair and place a lamp or some candles there? This turns a dark corner into a lovely restful place to read, to write and to dream. Add a warm blanket for cooler weather, a soft cushion and a stack of inspiring books perhaps on a table on the other side of the armchair. Now the darkness of the corner is a plus and you have a reading nook; a place to learn and to enrich your mind, a place to study new things and gain insight and inspiration. Perhaps you will write there too, and pass what you know on to others starting out on their crooked path – just as the authors’ of your favourite books have done.

Try it out first. Sit in your dark corner for a time and see what comes to you. Maybe if what you need is more sleep, this corner being in darkness could be a positive thing for you. The darkness can be like a womb, a fertile and creative place of replenishment and growth. We sleep deeply on the darkest nights, and so can be renewed by darkness. But if you want to read or write, a light can be useful. If you choose to leave your corner dark, see that it is a place of rest and quiet. Shift your attitude or light a candle; either way it’s really up to you. You are the one that lives with the consequences of your attitude, so think about your approach and where it is leading you. One thing we can control in our life is our attitude, sometimes its all we have and it lights the way like the lantern held by the Hermit of the tarot.

“Look where you are going, for you will surely go where you are looking” – Witch’s saying.

If you have a messed up situation in your life… what to do? Do you complain to anyone will listen, maybe hoping for sympathy? Or do you cast a spell for self love, record your insights into your Book of Shadows and start to move forward again? Maybe you write a new goal and a set of small “action steps” you can take that bring your desired outcome nearer. Perhaps you need to cut the energetic chords to someone, if it is a messy breakup. Or you envision manifesting new and happier situations, if it’s a friendship gone sour. Perhaps you cast a spell for abundance and decide also to do some work from home if money is an issue – or you decide to start a market stall and sell the candles you have been making.

What if you are having a mental health crisis? Do you lie in bed all day feeling sorry for yourself? Sure, take a day or two off and rest if you need to…but then it’s time to take action. Do you cast a spell for change and write out a new daily routine for yourself that includes daily exercise and healthful eating, rest and connecting with other people; things that make you feel good and are good for you. Maybe connect with a dietician if you are not sure what to eat for health and vitality, nutrition is now being acknowledged as key to re-establishing good mental health – there is a growing field called Nutritional Psychiatry. The Mediterranean Diet has been proven to alleviate depression better than anti- depressants in some clinical trials, and more studies are being done. Diet is also being used to help to treat bipolar disorder now. Also you can start a daily walking routine that gets your body moving and relaxes your mind, just 30 minutes a day to start with in the fresh air to create a new beginning for yourself.

What if you are having a physical health crisis? If your mobility is affected, perhaps cast a spell for healing your body, mind and spirit as they are all connected. You could meditate every morning and evening; there are many free meditations on the Insight Timer app (the largest meditation app in the world). Do you need to see a health care practitioner? A masseuse? A shaman? A reiki healer? Or a doctor or specialist? As you cast your healing spell you may be guided to the right practitioner for you, we are all different. You may start a daily practise of restorative yoga, all seated on the floor and buy a bolster you can comfortably sit on to stretch out your legs. There are many simple and very gentle restorative yoga sequences available for free on you tube.

What if you find yourself weighed down by an addiction, going around in circles like on an endless merry-go-round? Do you just give up and resign yourself to a life of misery and poverty and ill health? Or do you turn to your magic, and cast a spell for spiritual growth and spiritual realisation, for restoring balance and harmony to yourself and to your life? You may decide to connect with Alcoholics Anonymous, or Narcotics Anonymous. You may decide to reach out to a doctor and start treatment for your addiction via the methadone program. There is a very progressive clinic called “First Step” in Melbourne, which has doctors, drug and alcohol counsellors and legal practitioners all under one roof for an integrated, wholistic treatment program for addicts.

“The longest journey starts with the first step”. – Lao Tzu

Witchcraft is about taking action in accordance with your Will. If you are not where you want to be, sort it out. Take a small step to start the process. You are a priority in your own life, you are a precious jewel. A witch’s Book of Shadows is one of their most powerful tools or resources. Document anything here that you do magically, the insights it may bring and the changes it creates – showing you just how powerful magic and intention actually are. If you choose to sit in your dark corner feeling sad, it really is up to you. Witchcraft is an attitude and casting spells is a wonderful way to shift or move energy; I’ve heard it said that a spell is 95% psychological, but there is a 5% factor that can only be described as magic… Witchcraft is a tool of personal empowerment and self actualisation, it helps to connect you to your deepest self and your intuition and to your goals, dreams and desires. I am waiting on my new globes to arrive in the mail for my lamp, to go beside my armchair. My dark corner will soon become my favourite place to write, and a restful place to read and to doze.

Witchcraft and magic is about shifting your attitude. It is about helping yourself to create happiness and peace in your life, no matter what your current circumstances may be. It is the awareness that things can be changed in accordance with your Will; a very powerful realisation. One definition of a ‘miracle’ is ‘a shift in consciousness’. Witchcraft is a miracle that can happen every day if you want it to.