Mind-Calming in Witchcraft║Tips + Techniques ║Witchcraft 101 

You are recommended in the “elder witch” community in my area. They hate tiktok but they always drop you as a great online source. :)

In my youth I have learned a phrase from an old thinker who said, in substance: consider thoughts like birds: you can't avoid that they fly over your head, but you can avoid that they sit on your head and make their nest there. :) Thank you

definitely do guided meditation, i have yet to find someone whose voice can calm me, and yours does

Two things I noticed myself when it comes to mind-calming: 1. Some people will find (me included) that being still is worst thing they can do to calm their mind. Instead is worth to notice when our mind is naturally near this meditative space. It can be in hot bath, it can be during specific physical activity that does not require much of thought. For me it's walking so nice, long walk to the forrest will do the trick. My "foster" sister is calmed by house cleaning (she'll konmari whole house if she is too nervous). My mom will enter this meditative space when she is doing some needlework. Fidgetting or doing something simple can be better for some, so don't be disheartened by "staying still" part. 2. Other people will find that removing distractions from surroundings actually makes things worse, with mind will trying to fill the gap starts to flood your conciousnes with more and more thoughts, up until it won't longer look like different screens, but instead like stroboscopic lights. If you find that you are one of those I'll recomend to find "right things" to focus on. It don't have to be one thing, it can be a lot of stimuli, as much as you need. I found that things like overlaping soundtracks can work great for me. I use deep focus music, rainfall and some other music that matches my emotions in the moment playing in the same time. In the past (long time ago when RU-vid was just starting) I was turning on TV, radio and music from computer all at once to get similar effect. For some people it can be more natural to flood their visual space with something, there are lot of apps that helps focus with some random animations, but in early 2000s some would use just untuned tv (I cannot find how visual effect of "no channel" in old tv is called in english, we call it "snow"). Sometimes it can involve more senses, so feel free to experiment until you find "the right thing" for you. I hope it will help someone

I’ve been practicing over 30 years and I picked up some wonderful tips in this video, just as I so often do. It’s one of the things I love so much about Witchcraft - the continued learning and self development through our craft. 🖤

I love that you phrase this as “mind CALMING” versus ‘clearing’ as well. After all, we don’t want to get rid of our consciousness, just redirect focus. This has been huge in learning meditation for my complex ptsd. You always have the best tips!

I think if you, Molly Roberts, The Green Witch and Joey Morris did a joint meditation I think the world would go into full Zen.

The gaze!! I was doing that so much as a child, where i would zone out and then objects would either look like they are changing shape or I would see their energy in front of them, like an aura or something, and I had just forgotten about the whole thing. Thank you so much for reminding me!

The biggest misconception I hear is about sitting up straight people tell me they cant meditate cause its uncomfortable and im always like I never meditate sitting I lay down.

As someone who suffers from ADHD how you described your mind jumping to different stuff like that is soo true. For years I have had a terrible time trying to quiet my mind. You are so right about there being alot of info on meditation but almost all of it is the "Clear your mind.." approach which for most people is next to impossible. I greatly enjoy how you are explaining it as mind calming not clearing. In close to two decades you are the first person I have come across that has taken this approach and it just clicks. Thank you for sharing this info for those old and new alike in a straight forward and approachable why. Edited to add: as someone who struggles with insomnia this is a great exercise to help calm you mind before sleep.

I can stop thoughts but all of a sudden a full blown concert starts in my head and I CAN'T STOP IT

I love listening to you. The way you cover subjects is engaging. I would love a guided meditation narrative by you.

Put the intrusive thought in a bubble and then watch the bubble float away or mentally blow the bubble away.⚪⚪⚪

I would like a guided meditation from you. Your tone, voice, and accent would do wonders.

So I've been trying these techniques for close to a year now! They work great but I've discovered some new tricks that help me. I'll talk about them later in this comment, but first, a basic explanation of my personal experiences and distractions. I'm typically a very "chill" guy, but have some distractions that I really need to work around: loud neighbours, intrusive thoughts, uncomfortable temperatures and attention seeking cats are my major distractions. As I cannot tell my neighbours to stop stomping around and moving furniture, don't have control of the heating/cooling of my building, or can stop my cats from clawing at a shut door; I use 3 methods: 1) baths (or blankets) 2) ear plugs 3) ambient music Sometimes it's uncomfortably hot or cold in my apartment (flat) which leads to minor discomfort when trying to enter a calm state. Cold toes or sweat tingles can be very distracting after all. On hot summer days, I'll run a lukewarm bath, or a hot bath in winter, and try my best to submerge my body (most importantly my ears and toes) into the water. The water helps to mute or dampen the noises around me, allowing me to create a quiet place. Then once my body is relaxed, I try to focus on my breathing - count of 4 to 6 inhale, 4 to 6 hold, 4 to 6 exhale, 4 to 6 hold. Doing this until my body feels that low-humming vibration of absolute relaxation (like after you use a coin-operated a massage chair). Then I let my mind drift like those amazing semi-conscious naps we take after hitting the snooze button. It works a charm for me when trying to do trance, lucid or dream recall workings. The same works when cuddled up under a warm blanket, or a wet sheet in the summer heat. Regulating my body temperature is key for really productive trance works. Ear plugs are a blessing for those times when I can't run a bath or wrap myself up in a blanket. I listen to the sounds of my own heartbeat and focus on my breathing as mentioned above. Similar to counting sheep, chanting a mantra or following a guided meditation, this allows my brain to focus on something mundane and repetitive rather than getting bored trying to not.. , well, try! These rhythms naturally slow as you sink further into a calm state until you've reached that liminal point of riding the hedge, no special scents, videos, chimes or noises required. Just a pair of cheap ear plugs. The last is ambient/white noise music. I personally like thunderstorms and heavy rain; but it could be wind, waves, a babbling brook, shifting sands, birds, lofi beats, techno-rave music or whatever allows you to simply project your mind into an alternate state of reality. For me, this is my go to method every night to trigger my brain to fall asleep, and allows me rapidly go back to sleep after a trip to the loo in the middle of the night. It's not exactly witchy, but the same technique can be used in the daytime to achieve that out-of-body, astral projection state needed for dream working, lucid dreaming, spirit communication, spirit flight, communing with deities and nature spirits etc.. Hope these help anyone looking for more tekkers to apply to their witch craft?

I was in a university marching band for 6 years, and we started every rehearsal with "breathing gym," as they called it. There were the obvious musical benefits, as brass musicians, of strengthening your lungs, but I found power in the meditative, calming effects of the breath work, allowing us to focus and lock in on our practice or performance. I love that breathing is what you talked about most in this video!

Your voice is really soothing. Guided meditations would be great from you.

Thank you! I’m finally starting my spiritual/witchcraft path, after recovering from depression, that hold me back from it and I found many useful materials for beginners on your channel :3

YES DO A GUIDED MEDITATION 🤩🤩🤩

Thanks for this video. I realized in listening to this that I need to come up with a few steps for my work day to stay focused, and I think I'll start by dedicating different scents and instrumental music to work and meditation. Signals so my brain knows it's work time. This video was my kick in the pants to do it! One thing I want to share with anyone is you can learn to calm your mind! I learned something that changed my perception a long time ago from a doc. He said you can learn to relax. I was raised being told I'm a "worry wart" and didn't think I could be anything different. The doc said "You're good at worrying because you practice it. You can practice and get good at relaxing too." Mind blown! Hearth, I've listened to your videos for maybe like 3 years and I find your voice very comforting at this point. It was fine and neutral before that. Funny thing to share though, when I hear "Hey everyone" from anyone, usually i hear that in a work setting. My mind follows that with some work issue "so it's Hearth and today we're going to be talking about why the server is down" I work with technology and I feel like that's the last thing you'd want to talk about 😆

I like guided meditations okay. But I hate when they start out with the breathe in, hold it, breathe out. Breathe in, hold it, breathe out. I have asthma and COPD. My breathing is not the same as a lot of other people. So I end up gasping for breath, hyperventilating and getting all flustered! That is not conducive to meditation. I do start my meditations with deep breathing in and out. But I do it in my own time. Thanks for these great ideas! Hearth you are just The Best! Blessings! ❤ P.S. Your "fire" happy place is the same as mine! 😊♨️

I've always been able to do the eye gazer mind calming naturally, I didn't even know it was a short technique for mind calming until your video. Your videos are always so helpful thank you for all your hard work.

This came up exactly when I need it. I might use these techniques to keep calm during my exams

I find it good To forgive yourself when intrusive thoughts appear and I focus on them. It’s nice to be nice to urself

HALLO HEARTHWITCH ! BEING SO HAPPY AND RELAXED ! WATCHING AND LISTENING TO YOUR PODCASTS ! ALSO SIPPING ON SOME FRENCH BRANDY IN YOUR HONOR ! WITH RESPECTFUL LOVE ! BLESSED BE !

You should definately do guided meditation your voice is so soft and pretty

That moment on the roller coaster makes me think of the moment, as a young child, when you would jump up in an elevator just as is starts to descend….. like a moment in time when everything stands still

One visualization that has helped me in the past and what might be particularly nice for those connected to water is to actually visualize the thoughts and feelings as a waterfall coming down in front of you, just streaming down and further away into a lake. You don't have to interact with them, they just come by and then drift off. It's helped me before to let go of them to just to consider them as part of the flowing of the water.

This video is extremely helpful. Thanks Hearth! You mentioned techniques for dealing with distractions and I thought I'd add mine to the comments section, should anyone need help. Firstly, I'm one of these "chill" people you spoke of, so you might want to know that before reading further. Secondly, I also do A LOT of crafts, woodworking, and researching my various crafts on RU-vid - hence why I'm watching your videos. Thirdly, I try to keep myself in a positive mindset while crafting, cooking, woodworking etc, as being angry/distracted with a sharp, noxious or hot tool in hand can be dangerous. Now for my techniques: 1) Let things simmer, ferment, roast (both in your mind and IRL). Having things getting done by themselves clears my mind. I don't have to think about what's for dinner if it's slowly cooking away by itself. 2) give things time to cure and set. Whether crafting or otherwise, some things just need time to come together. Whether it's a painting or glue that needs to dry, or waiting for a loved one to realize that you were right, we all need to just let things "set into place" or cure (depending on the situation). 3) some things need to be done now rather than ignored. Whether it's filing taxes, addressing a scraped knee, sending a message/link to a friend while you're thinking about it, or pulling something out of the oven before it burns, there are some things that simply need to be first BEFORE doing meditations or spells. After all, distracting yourself from a burning roast to cast a spell, while trying to ignore the screaming voices in your head telling you that your food is burning is not exactly a positive thing. 4) some things can simply be put off until another day while inspiration strikes. Most chores don't necessarily need to be done immediately. A little dirt on the floors or a pile of dishes in the sink CAN be put off until later in the day or week while you concentrate on doing your spell workings on a specific date, time, lunar cycle, etc. I hope these tips help someone out there to better muffle out the constant din of mental chatter within their mind. It's a constant work in progress. I let dishes pile up and meals burn while I work all the time, but I try to better myself with each day. As of the time I'm writing this, I've paused to send a link of this video to friends while the right words were in my mind, played with my cats, and ignored my chores to ironically watch a video on how to deal with distractions. Like I said, it's a work IN PROGRESS, lol. Peace

You have become my number channel to go to for everything witchcraft, I love your videos! Thank you for sharing your knowledge 💜

I have never heard of anyone using the 4 elements/4 count breath technique but I LOVE IT! I am working super hard to improve my visualization (and my basic mindfulness), and that is an amazing exercise in visualization that is also so calming! All of the techniques you suggested are honestly super helpful. I will certainly be coming back to this video often to try all these different techniques!

I learned a lot of this in outpatient funny enough! One way I like to do a quick mind calming for generally just turning the brain on and off for a second is to do a quick slacking of the back, neck, jaw, and shoulder muscles, stare off, and exhale from the stomach. It can help with oncoming headaches too!!

I suffer very badly with ocd/anxiety thanks to changes in my mobility. Thank you for mentioning/thinking of people with physical disabilities and anxiety 🙏

I think your voice would lend itself well to guide meditations and I'd be happy to add more to my tool kit. Another option for anyone reading is to find a meditation in which you enjoy the visuals, but if the voice is grating, you can re-record it either on your own voice or a loved ones voice (I get most people "don't like the sound of their own voice" but I found I got over it pretty quickly with these exercises). In a pain management program where I learned about guided meditations, we were given this advice because it's hard to trust a stranger to keep you safe while they're guiding you somewhere unfamiliar. If it comes from yourself or someone you care about, that aspect of uncertainty is eliminated. Thank you for this video! I hadn't heard the one about focusing on the in-between-breaths one. I look forward to trying it out.

HearthWitch, I’m a Beginner witch 🧙‍♀️ and I also have severe panic attacks and manic depression. Thank you for your videos.

I have barely been practicing witchcraft for a week and a half now, and I've already learned so much from this channel. Thank you so much for being a relyable resource with an easy voice to follow and pleasurable disposition ❤

I don't usually comment, but I just wanted to thank you for including meditation that doesn't involve visualization here. I physically can't visualize, and it makes me feel horrible when the only resources I find for meditation are about visualizing. Thank you 💜

If you've been through truama and live with PTSD meditation may cause flashbacks and other symptoms. It does for me every time. I've had to skip meditations and learn how to maintain focuse without it.

Oh wow thank you so much for this video! Especially the “mind calming” and “meditation” definitions! I have recently started meditating and I usual do it a few times a weeks, but I have always found that I can almost never get rid of all the thoughts. I thought something was wrong with me lol! But this explains everything, thank you! Hearth you’re a life saver to all of us baby witches 😭 thanks for sharing all your wisdom with us over here! 💗

Got through my labours with counting my breathing. Never planned it, it just happened on the day. Its very much a natural instinct to calm and concentrate for sure x

Vase breathing also should be 2nd nature for anyone with vocal music training. When you sing, to get the best tone you use more your diaphragm (muscle under your lungs) than your lungs themselves. So the spot you want air coming out of in singing is where you want air to also return to when doing this kind of exercise.

Beautifully presented and very informative💜. As a yoga teacher I know meditation can be difficult to teach, but you kept everything very practical and used your own experience to keep everything grounded in reality. I loved that you presented a variety of techniques so that everyone can find a place to start.🌸

I like your voice. When you're readIng description of a book when looking on the back, I find it therapeutic.

i have an anxiety disorder along with bipolar disorder and this explanation really made sense to me, i do guided meditation and this helps but my mind is constantly going

This may sound like a weird thing to say, however I've been watching your videos for a long time, and you are so lovely, your voice is so calming and I have learnt a lot from you. I thought to myself frequently that I'd love to be your friend. You are such a beautiful soul we need more people like you on this earth.

My son and I watched your video together and he asked me to tell you that your voice is so calming it almost put him to sleep and that you should do a guided meditation video.

We definitely need your Voice in guided meditation! I like just listening to you as I wander around the house doing chores too. BFFs, but you didn’t know! Haha

Just what i needed, when i needed it. Thank you Hearth!

Hands down, this was the best video I've ever seen as far as techniques for meditation. It was really helpful. No, you don't have a grating voice.

yeah with the last exercise, that's the feeling I get when my anxiety peaks so my body takes that as a feeling of not being able to breath so ill stop breathing and kinda forget how to breathe again haha.

Excellent vid from a therapist, yogi, meditator, pagan!

Absolutely would love if you did guided meditation. Your voice is definitely not annoying and I find it calming. It would be fantastic

Yess! I like listening to MGK as well! Also, yes your voice is cool. I listen to your live streams while I clean my apartment. It is calming. My cats even will watch with me!

I'd love it if you did guided meditation videos! I often have your videos on in the background while I work-- your voice is calming and pleasant to listen to. ^.^

I legit sat here for 43 minutes taking notes on this without break. I wish I could do that with schoolwork :|. u just explain it in a way that actually makes it interesting :)

I think you would be excellent for doing guided meditation with people!! and your voice is definitely not annoying😊

I like listening to your voice. I'd listen to a guided meditation. You're very clear, well spoken

I’d love if you did guided meditation. I understand having self consciousness with voice, personally I think your voice is lovely, very soothing and pleasant to listen to, so I think it would lend very well into guided meditation as well as a semi ASMR type of thing. If you ever do those type of videos I’ll definitely follow them regularly

I feel so empowered when I watch your videos. Its so wonderful to have such wise info on witchcraft.

Me and my daughter have started doing meditation and visualization together. Both for different reasons and unintentional my husband decided to start meditating again. He stopped and started falling into a "hole". I'd love more videos on this subject and if you did a guided meditation I'd listen to it. Thank you Hearth.

Excellent ty...been doing guided for awhile John Moyer, Jason Stephenson, Michael Seeley to name a few 😊

Please do your own guided meditations i find your voice extremely calming. It gives me a safe feeling.

Your explanation reminds me a lot of how mindfulness practice is done. You pick a sense and then a task related to that sense. So for sight, looking at a flame, or for touch, handling something like cloth. The core point to mindfulness practice is to notice the thought, and let it go on its way without forcefully pushing it, or ruminating on it. Refocusing back on the object of your attention (Ie: Looking at the flame, or noticing the texture of the cloth you hold). Mindfulness is great because you can do it in anything. Washing the dishes? focus on just your hands doing the job, and allowing the thoughts and emotions to come and go. Eating? Focus on the flavours or textures of the food you are eating, and letting the thoughts come and go. The point is one focus of attention. Multitasking is a no go here. It's its own form of distraction. I highly recommend looking into mindfulness practice. It's a good skill to have day to day

put aside spiritual work for the day to do much needed schoolwork and suddenly this idle tab, which i had opened from days previous to sooner or later finish this playlist but hadn't been touched at all today yet, started playing. if that ain't a sign i don't know what is. but please spirits, there's so much to do and it's all due sunday 😭 (yes i'm aware of how on the nose that is sobs more) EDIT LMAO THE SCHOOL WEBSITE JUST DIED TOO. ok i understand spirits i understand

There are free programmable apps about breathing. They show you something visual like an air bubble. You have to inspire when the bubble goes up. It helps quieten my mind to follow a bubble. Though I assume some people may want to keep smartphones away from their magical practice.

I call that stillness between breaths "dropping into the Void". Fantastic video, there is so much information that's very valuable. ❤

Yes! Do a guided meditation! I put your Q&A playlist on when I'm stressed at work because listening to you talk is calming.

Waiting patiently for your guided meditation 🧘🏻‍♀️🥰 also your nails were really cute here 🤩

I've learned the gaze as "soft focus" where you let everything (visually and mentally) gently fall out of focus and a general loose awareness instead of a crisp, direct attention.

No, your voice is great. I would love for you to do some guided meditations.

I've found myself coming back to this video more than once. I'm not a beginner but my mind tends to go wild occasionally and I can't use my usual techniques to calm it. So here I am again 😄💖😄

In response to your comments about your voice. Yes, you have a pleasant voice. I will admit listening to you on your videos I find your voice calming. Even your laugh is pleasant . So yes I think you could do guided meditation for many people. Perhaps you could try a sample and see how many people respond positively.

Interesting I never really separated the two mind calimg and mind clearing in meditation I simply did what I needed at the time. Likw for spell work i like t be head empty no thoughts other than what I'm working on, but all other meditation I just enjoy a quiter mind where thoughts just pass me by an I don't interact. :)) and yeah I feel alot of ppl think that meditation is just empty mind which like you said is kinda hard in this day and age for most ppl so its good you define and separated the two😌

I find your voice pretty soothing and could see it working well for guided meditation. (But I also find my own voice harsh and grating!)

I find your voice calming. 😊🫶

I think Guided Meditations would be a great addition to your channel. I have started mixing them in with my channel and I love it. It’s so relaxing recording them . I think your voice would be very comforting to your audience since they already trust you. I would listen for sure 😉

There is this very strange method that sometimes works for me so I'll write it in case it's useful to someone. Simply, I focus on one thought and try to think as many thoughts in parallel to it, my mind gets overwhelmed and short-circuits. It is one of the hardest methods I know but it usually takes around 2-3 seconds for it to work.

I will try these techniques to find something that works. Thank you very much for the video.

Thanks for making this! Currently working on meditation for therapy and also a beginner in witchcraft, so that helps for both!

yes. your voice is very soothing and calming.

You seem like an old soul to me. I have come to the craft as a middle aged person. Your guidance really resonates! You approach the witchy journey with a maturity and clarity that is beyond your years. I am working on building a daily meditation practice. I have been using the app Calm along with some Buddhist techniques. Your element focused "happy places" technique really resonates with me as much as any of the techniques of these life long meditators that I've heard. I can't wait to try it!

I really love your videos. Learning soo much. You are just awesome and knowledgeable 🤗🤗🤗

Great info Hearth! It's so important to be able to get to this place if you want to be calm as well as do successful workings. Thank you for such an in depth video about it! XX

I was trying each exercise a little bit with you and the last one focusing on the break of breathes I immediately understood what you meant

One time I was meditating without any guidance or anything, just the sound of the rain in the background. I just let whatever thing I was imagining to happen and it was going pretty well until all the "ppl" I was imagining started charging up to me like freaky demons. All in all, ive started using meditation guides bcz of that experience

In the presence of a candle my mind takes and off goes to my astral sanctum. It does crazy spells and rituals i didn't plan onand i just observe with minimal participation. Often everything is in fast forward. Is this normal?

I think you have a beautiful voice but I’m interested in the guided meditation you were talking about. Always thank you for the content you share, For you are such a gift . Have a great year.

BRO I TRIED SOME GUIDED MEDITATION!!! AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT LIKE THEY WERE SPINNING

The pendulum pause technique was really interesting. I find meditation really hard, tried mindfulness meditation before w focus on the body but always get distracted. Focusing on the pauses really spoke to me. Thanks! I also find some ASMR sounds really calming. There's an hour long video of a guy playing with a Zen garden that just really helps me focus.

this is one amazing video. Thank you so much for sharing it. I have learned such for my own practice as well as those that I am practicing for : )

After reading someone's advice on dream yoga I have done my best to meditate before bed. I did it last night before bed after watching this video it just seemed to work better. The technique I used did change though I just concentrated on my breath and in the moment I also did my own breath counting thing. I breathed in for 1-4 then breathed out for 5-8, finishing the count rather than stopping at 4 and starting again seemed to help. Ironically didn't remember any dreams but that has actually improved since I have started doing it a little bit ago.

What I need is a spell that gives me mind calming, grounding, focusing, centering. I am going to read practical magic. Even if I am not able to "start ' I don't need to practice magic. I am ok with that I am blessed. Believe me if I wasn't I would be dead by now or a long time ago I'm a old man.

Great video, I think I picked up on some of your potential influences? Personally, I think Alan Watts is excellent for guided meditation.

Even before I finished the video and read the comments, I thought it would be great if you did a guided meditation video 💙 you have a beautiful voice ✨

When I meditate once the whole day my mind is clear

Thanks. I'm a singer and do a lot of yoga so I knew about most of the breathing techniques. But I loved the idea of focusing on the space between the breaths, I never heard about it and definitely want to try it. In addition to meditation I personally also find either playing music/singing or crafting/painting very calming. It's something you can totally get lost in, if you just concentrate how to move your fingers or on the sounds (in case of music) and textures (in case of crafting).

I would enjoy listening to your guided meditation

so pleased to watch this. thanks for putting few ads in such a long video, I can’t sleep to a video with too many ads😅 had a stressful day so I’m really looking forward to this. Blessed Be ✨

yes please can you do a guided meditation sometime that would be great

Please do guided meditations!!! I would love a grounding meditation by you bc I reference your previous grounding video.