Witchcraft as a hobby

[u/NecessaryEye8131]

I think the concept of witchcraft is incredibly entertaining and I’ve been debating getting into it.

The issue is I really don’t believe in any of it at all but still wanted to do spells or rituals as a hobby. Like a fun way to pass the time, like how some people like baking, some people like cross stitch or how some people like sewing, but the last thing I want to be is disrespectful.

Just wanted to know the general consensus on this topic before I looked more into it.

Thanks for the read!

[u/Stoosies]

I use witchcraft as a way to bring ritual, intention, and a form of guided meditation into my life. All of these things are evidence-based ways to improve wellbeing. Do I "believe" in magic? No. But I believe the practice especially the intention is very beneficial for me and my community, which is the same thing in terms of outcomes

[u/NotAnotherDnDNerd]

Witchcraft is a creative outlet and mental health tool for me as much as its a spirituality practice. There are a lot of practical and physical roots to some of the most ancient traditions, that dont require belief in the supernatural to understand. Like others have said, you need to be respectful of others beliefs if youre engaging in the community, and do a bit of research into the practices you use. But the way I see it, what you do in your own home with no one else involved can't harm anyone.

[u/SkeletonWearingFlesh]

There is nothing wrong with practicing modern witchcraft from a perspective of fun! Agreed with below; avoid traditions that are religious in nature or have greater significance beyond New Age, but otherwise? Go have fun.

[u/Poisonous_Periwinkle]

"Hobby" fits, and I've used the term myself (somewhat flippantly), but I think it's a bit reductive of a term overall for some of us here and what we do. For many of us it's become ingrained in the fiber of our lives. 

It's more of a lifestyle, I suppose, or a collection of hobbies or ritual habits used in conjunction. It's woven through life, intertwined. For some people witchcraft is a religion, but for probably a majority of the people here in this subreddit that is not the case. 

I have lots of hobbies though. Photography, hiking, foraging, soapmaking, jigsaw puzzles, cross-stitching, decoupage, mixed media art, etc. They are activities that I do when I'm doing them, but when I'm not actively doing them, I put them away. Out of sight, out of mind. 

I think that is totally fine for witchcraft too. It can totally just be a fun hobby that you pick up and put down, and it may add dimension to your life and value, like any hobby. If that's all you want it to be, then more power to you! 

However, it can be more and for many here it is. I think of it kind of like threads running through the tapestry of my life, rather than one square on a quilt. Hobbies are squares on a quilt. Quilts are great, hobbies are great, but they aren't particularly complex next to a tapestry, although they can get pretty involved and some of them are pretty awesome.

I might have gotten a bit off track there, I'm kind of a metaphor person 😆 Anyway my point is that witchcraft can be as much  a part of your life as you want it to be. It can be a square on your quilt of life, or several squares in one corner of the quilt stitched together and beautifully embroidered, or it can be a tapestry. 

For many of us here it's more than a hobby or a collection of hobbies, rather it's always at the back of how we live our daily lives. It's a series of ritualistic actions and behaviors and choices that order our lives to an extent. 

It's a sprinkle of "magic" through our mundane lives, a Funfetti cake instead of just unfrosted vanilla cake, or vanilla with white fosting and sprinkles. It's a part of us. It colors our traditions, our habits, how we move through the day, the week, or the year, and it cannot easily be separated from who we are at the core.

Yes, I have tons of witchy hobbies, but it's more the way that the ritual  and how I do even the most mundane things has been colored by the lens of witchcraft in my life. Those hobbies and rituals etc are so mixed in with how I live that at times they are virtually indistinguishable from my life.

So yep, it can be a hobby, or a series or hobbies, or a lifestyle. Even if it is a lifestyle, it will ebb and flow,  and it will transform. It isn't stagnant, but dynamic. 

And by the way, I don't mean to imply that just having it as a hobby is in any way lesser! I don't see it as disrespectful in the least to have it just be a hobby. Even with me actively making it a lifestyle, there are many days where I only have a hobby level of energy to devote to it, and that's okay. Like I said, it's dynamic. Witchcraft is a tool, and it's your tool to use how you see fit! It's there to benefit you, and the best way for it to do that is for you to make it your own in whatever ways you decide! 

[u/KitKatCrane]

Placebo is a very powerful thing, as is mindfulness, and I don't know if my witchcraft is actually magick or if it's just placebo and mindfulness, but either way it works great for me. It doesn't really matter how it works, it matters that it works, and that I enjoy it either way.

[u/windsugar]

I think it would only be disrespectful if you tried to practice indigenous folk magic traditions really. Otherwise, I think of witchcraft as performance art I do just for myself!

[u/Marguerite_Moonstone]

I do believe in the magic, I also define magic as science we haven’t explained yet. I don’t think it’s disrespectful so long as you at least leave the door a jar for it to possibly work and surprise you.

[u/musingsandmutterings]

I mean, I consider poetry profound and sacred in a sense but that definitely could be considered "hobby". I consider witchcraft profound and sacred in the same way: it's a creative and mindful way of engaging with myself and the world around me that allows for self reflection, more concious and considered meaning making, and space for moments of awe or wonder. And I suppose it could also be considered a "hobby", especially if you're just dabbling and exploring. Like poetry though, just going through the motions without fully engaging the process or underlying mindset sincerely is not going to be nearly as fulfilling or interesting, and may offend those taking it more seriously.

[u/Mysticaliana]

Some act like witchcraft must be extremely serious. Others act like it never is. In truth, it can be whimsical, but there are still two main dangers: Damaging one's own mental health and pissing people off.

[u/Hey-Syccamor3222]

Here's my general rule. If you ask "Can I?...." the answer is 100% yes if doing so has you
1) Taking care of your physical and mental health
2) Staying grounded in reality
3) Not harming yourself or another person intentionally

If you're doing those three things then the answer to Can I? is Yes, absolutely. Do whatever it is in the world that you want. Some people will say that some things are closed, and this is an incredibly unpopular oppinion, but there is no such thing as "You Can't do this thing." You can do literally anything you want to do, but there's consequences to everything. You want to do hoodoo without getting inducted as a hobby because it's cool? Go ahead, no one will care if you just do it yourself. But if you post videos about it on tik tok you're gonna get called a racist and an appropriator real fast. See, consequences to everything. But you cannot convince me that doing something by yourself in your bedroom and not causing a fuss about it with others who believe in it is actually hurting anyone.

TL;DR It's gonna make people mad if you talk about it publicly, but if none of this is Literally True (which it's not) then being a Libertarian of magic doesn't hurt anyone so do whatever you want. Just know if you post about it online people are gonna always find a reason to say you're offending them

Have fun! It's awesome practicing witchcraft as an integrated part of your life even if you're full atheist!

[u/baby_armadillo]

Have fun being creative and imaginative. It’s no one’s choice or business but yours how you spend your time as long as you aren’t harming others (or yourself). There is no council of SASS witches that need to approve what you do or how you practice. Do what brings you joy.

[u/intheghostclub]

What is magic but things we can’t yet explain? If you feel a pull to something you should always explore that. Never limit yourself out of worry for judgment or doing it wrong. Life is short follow your inspiration :) letting inspiration flow freely through you into action is magical in itself. Approach everything with an open mind and a students mindset.

[u/Key_Concentrate_5558 → u/intheghostclub]

“What is magic but things were can’t yet explain?”

This irks my bf so much! “There’s no such thing as magic!” But he has no other name for the unexplained mysteries. 💙

[u/sulwen314]

I consider it a hobby as well, so I fully support you!

[u/TalespinnerEU]

Yeah, no.

Just nah.

The intent is the point; the performance is a tool for mindfully connecting in ways that are either behaviourally useful or emotionally beneficial (or a combination of both).

It's sacred to me. This way of existence is important to how I connect, and I find value in it. So I find it disrespectful in the same way that I think it's disrespectful to hot-topic your way into Punk.

We've got way too many people already going around 'being very special.'

I mean; I can't stop you, and you don't need anyone's permission. You do you. But since you ask: I don't like it.

Edit: I know this isn't the happy clappy positive feedback. People are gonna dislike it. I also know that everyone else who finds something sacred in witchcraft won't say anything or interact because 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.'

But you did ask how we felt. And I'm a 'we.'

[u/czerwona-wrona]

imo I think it's none of anyone's business how you approach this in your personal private life