Witchy QnAs & More: Ask me Questions on Witchcraft!

Types of Witches/Magick Q&As

This chapter covers witch types, types of witchcraft, types of magick, and questions about specific practices.

I've decided/found out that I'm a witch and now I'm wondering what type of witch am I? ~_dis_grace_

So "witch types" are useful for organising the seemingly endless possibilities that witchcraft has to offer into manageable boxes, but witches very rarely fit into neat little boxes. Labels can be limiting when the very essence of being a witch is to escape from the status quo and discover your own unique truth.

Do not feel like you must label yourself. I suggest to only use witch types as a stepping stone rather than absolute dogma. There is absolutely nothing wrong with just calling yourself a "witch".

That's probably not the answer you were looking for, so below is a list of common types of witches. This is only a sample of a by no means exhaustive list, and I must stress again that you do not need to label yourself at all. Defining your own path is something that can take years, and continues to re-shape throughout your lifetime as a witch.

(For more witch types please see my other work 'Modern Witchcraft: Beginners Guide' and the chapter 'What is a Witch?')

🧙 Ceremonial witch: Otherwise known as high magick, ceremonial magick involves elaborate and precise words, tools, and movements. Ceremonial witches practise very specific rituals from older more traditional occult teachings like Thelema, The Golden Dawn, or Enochian magick.

🎲 Chaos witch: A chaos witch works within chaos philosophy. It can be summarised as "anything goes". It is the idea that the mind creates reality, and whatever brings results is the way to go. It is the polar opposite of ceremonial magick. Chaotes often work with sigils, but their practices are unlimited due to the nature of chaos philosophy.

🪐 Cosmic witch: Works with planetary energies, often keeps track of planetary movements and likes astrology.

🔮 Crystal witch: Likes to work with stones, gems, minerals, and crystals in their craft. They often use crystal healing, crystal grids, and pendulums.

♾️ Eclectic witch: A freeform path with unlimited possibilities. Eclectic witches mix and match different practices with whatever feels right to them. This is the opposite of a witch who may only follow a specific tradition (like Vodou) without ever incorporating ideas and practices outside of their tradition.

🌬️ Elemental witch: Works very closely with the elements. Sometimes they only work with their personal element(s), or they can also choose to work with all the elements (earth, air, fire, & water).

🌿 Green witch: Works very closely in-tune with nature. Likely grows their own herbs and natural ingredients as part of their craft. Sometimes works with the elements and nature spirits. Uses any excuse to be in nature's presence and likes to work outside.

👥 Hedge witch: A large mixture of green and kitchen witchery, with lots of work in the spirit world. Hedge witches practise "hedgecrossing" which is the act of using a dreamlike state to communicate with spirits, navigate the spirit world, or access parts of the psyche which are typically hidden.

🥣 Kitchen witch: Uses cuisine as the primary method to work magick. Every dish is a spell, and the kitchen is their altar. Kitchen witches may also work with household fae. A similar path is cottage witchery - typically a witch that is very in-tune with their home, works on balancing the energies within it, and often incorporates household chores into their craft.

🔬 S.A.S.S. witch: Sceptic Agnostic/Atheist Science-Seeking witchcraft. A witch who typically does not feel comfortable with the idea that spirits and deities literally exist. Some of the more "woohoo" aspects of witchcraft can feel alienating to someone who is more scientifically inclined. S.A.S.S. witches are likely to subscribe to psychological magick; methods that are more science-based like psychological archetypes, placebo effect, and mindfulness.

🌊 Sea witch: Lives on the coast, works with the water element, loves collecting seashells, and feels most at home in the water. May also work with mermaid spirits and faefolk of the sea, lakes, and rivers.

👁️ Secular witch: A witch who does not work with deities or spirits in their craft, preferring to work with energies in general without necessarily putting a name to them, or relying solely on their personal power.

🧹 Traditional witch: Sometimes abbreviated to Trad witch, this is a witch who typically practices folk magick; practices that have been used by local people for centuries way before Wicca or Christianity. Trad witches are very familiar with local spirits of the land and keep ancestral practices alive.

Can I be a kitchen witch even though I am not Wiccan?

Yes. Kitchen witchcraft is simply any kind of witchcraft that is practised via cooking, food, and cuisine. Since witchcraft is not a religion in of itself, it can be practised with any religion or no religion at all. Kitchen witchcraft has no ties to Wicca or any other religion, so anyone can practise it.

How can I draw sigils on myself?

You can draw sigils on yourself with anything that is safe for your skin. So there's obvious ones like felt-tip pens and non-toxic paint, but others use methods that you can rub in (this is especially good for witches practicing in secret) like cream, makeup, soap, rollerball perfume, etc. You could use henna/mehndi if you want the design to last longer, and I've seen some people tattoo their sigils that mean a lot to them, but I wouldn't do that until you know fully what you're doing/committing to.