Unpopular Witchcraft Opinions ║ Formal Training? Shadow Work? 

Unpopular witch opinion: Shadow work is the same as processing trauma and reflecting on yourself (metacognition). It's not exclusively witchy. Its honestly more like psychological processing

My unpopular opinion: No one is a 'natural" witch or born a witch. People are intuitives, epmaths, psychics, whatever. But none of that makes one a witch. Witchcraft is a chosen path. It is a way of life.

My pet peeve for the magickal community: people who use belief in twin flames or soul mates to justify not examining their very unhealthy, negative relationship because "we're meant to be 💘" "he/she/they're my other half" nah bro you're a full human soul all on your own!

Unpopular opinion: You don't need to work with deities or even believe in them.

Unpopular opinions: you don’t have to use any type of magical waters such as moon water. You don’t have to know astrology. You don’t need to know the “standard textbook” uses of an item. Use the item as you have associations with it. For example, I might use rosemary for love because that’s what it means to me. Edit: you can even find a cool stick from a family tree as a meaning for “family” regardless of the actual textbook properties

MY UNPOPULAR OPINION: You don't have to believe in the paranormal, magical energy, otherworldly realms, spirits or any type of diety to do witchcraft. I use my practice for psychological benefits. Tarot, for example, is not a way of divination or future-gazing in my practice, however it is to unlock elements of my subconscious by using intuition and bringing forth what my instincts and subconscious are thinking about. I use spell work to aid me psychologically when I feel I have nothing else I can do in a situation and I have tried everything; the spell usually makes me feel a lot better, therefore enabling me to handle the situation better which further leads to my desired outcome. I use baneful magic on very rare occasion, and as I do not believe this will harm the other person, I only use it to release anger or sadness for myself for emotional healing. As a psychology student, I often get criticism from both the psychology community and the witchcraft community for this opinion but I can say for sure, that my practice has helped me heal and develop as a person and that the human brain really is more powerful than you think.

Unpopular opinion: so many very young people are primarily learning about witchcraft from other very young people, and they're doing themselves a disservice by devaluing older practitioners and the wisdom they can share. It's not that older folks are always right or that the kids don't have valuable contributions to make - it's just that it creates a kind of echo chamber. People prioritize things heard on Tiktok or Instagram over input from others who have been practicing for decades. It's kind of weird to watch as someone in the middle.

My unpopular opinion is that you can have no tools at all and still be a witch. A lot of people think (especially with Tik Tok) that they need crystals, plants and all the juju but the truth is that none of this works unless you learn how to visualize and believe that you can actually accomplish anything. In fact, this is why I'm so against using tools until you learn how to meditate, visualize and manifest first, even if it's just a small thing. Once you grasp how you can use a cheat code in your mind, you can use tools the way Hearth told us in past videos: as props. With that being said, I also support the use of technologies in magick and the semi-recent tech witchcraft. Some people are against these practices using an app for Tarot, an illustration software to create sigils or even videogames to create poppets because they think that the only valid witchcraft is the one in which flashy tools are used. Pick any tools that you're comfortable with and might make it easy for you to create a cheat code for your mind or don't. In the end, you're free to choose either to use herbs and crystals or a tablet to create sigils and illustrations that channel your intention.

As someone who has always practiced as a solitary witch, I WISH I could find a good coven or a mentor. I’ve been kind of stuck learning on my own or via the internet. I definitely feel like I’m missing out some times.

I've been practicing >40 years and agree with pretty much everything said. Very informative.

My unpopular opinion is that the term “Baby Witch” can be infantilizing and off-putting to people starting their spiritual journeys. Baby witch may be a term that younger witches can identify with, but it can also preemptively put the idea in peoples’ heads that they know absolutely nothing about witchcraft. I know I personally started my spiritual journey a little later than most people, and I was very discouraged by the term baby witch.

It's funny because I started my journey with witchcraft right as witchcraft started to become popular but I had no idea it had become a trend at the time. I feel like it has worked out as an advantage and disadvantage for me personally. Advantage because there are more shops, resources, and community around me. But also, because I'm so new to the practice I've definitely faced some negativity from some practitioners I've met because they're like "oh you're doing it because of a trend" it was all just weird timing I guess

I agree with you so much. My biggest pet peeve is people calling their pets their familiars and then screaming at you saying you’re gatekeeping when you tell them they’re wrong 🤣 you can’t argue with facts!

My opinion on when any community gets mainstream: it's great that the tools for the community are becoming more available, but then the information in that community can get corrupted by the new people coming in. Perfect example of this, I used to play pokemon competitively. I put HOURS of work into IV breeding and EV training my pokemon for competitions and memorizing sets and spreads for every pokemon I used. I knew every pokemon's name, type, and best spreads for each generation (3 - 6) and I had a bunch of people come in and tell me that I'm wrong and you need these "candies" to evolve pokemon (basically, when pokemon go became popular) and they can't learn moves in their movesets ect. because they came in and were arrogantly ignorant. THAT'S what ruins a community and can make it turn toxic (and is what made me "grow out" of pokemon)

Yes, absolutely. I think supporting small businesses is better for the ethical procurement of magical supplies, especially when it comes to stones, oils and incense. Trees like sandlewood and frankincense are already in danger because of how they grow and their popularity. Crystals are less regulated than precious stones. We have to be careful and respectful of our resources and their impacts.

My unpopular opinion: Not everything "means something". I am in some witchcraft communities on social media that will ask each other what EVERYTHING that happens to them means spiritually and assume it is some kind of sign or omen. I swear I have seen someone ask what it means that their cat is shedding, looking for a supernatural explanation. I can appreciate looking for supernatural things in a natural world, but it is very frustrating to have an online community clogged up with posts about what does it mean that they have to poo.

Shadow work is therapy but alone which I think should be done with a qualified therapist. Honestly everyone has a body and mind and needs care for both. You can work with a therapist and still do some processing alone to. Many times mental health counselors will give home work and that can be incorporated into ones practice of shadow work. ✨

Something I have noticed in recent years is beginners calling themselves "baby witch". My unpopular opinion is that they are not respecting their paths and craft by calling themselves this way. You don't see medical students, law students or any other professionals calling themselves a baby doctor or a baby lawyer (and if you do you're not giving your profession a good image), so respect yourself as a beginner/student/novice and also respect the craft by using other terms such as beginner witch, witchcraft student, novice witch, etc. until you feel comfortable with calling yourself a witch. I know that after a while (even years) we could still feel like we still don't have all the knowledge and the power but that doesn't mean that we should reduce any merit to what we do or know by calling ourselves babies.

The deity part is so important! No one has to believe that they are real beings in order to practice magic, but if you don't see them as real autonomous entities with their own will, don't work with them... Using them just as a corresponding item is both historically inaccurate and makes no sense in practice.

As one of those old people who practiced before the boom in witchcraft on social media, I'm of two minds. First, it's done amazing things, as you said, for approachability, information spread, and destygmatization. What truly concerns me, though, is the spreading of mis- or dangerous information along with really good advice, and great lessons. I loved, very much, the old tradition of practice being passed down from witch to 'apprentice'. I recieved amazing support one-on-one, and had all the time I needed for discussion, and questions that you don't have while commenting, or watching someone's live, especially the really popular ones. The bad part of this tradition handing-down, is a more closed community that feeds on its own prejudices and false narratives. These can utterly destroy that community, or breed suspicious, insular, us vs them attitudes.

Unpopular opinion: you can be whatever kind of witch you want and you don’t need to practice like anyone else. I would love all witches to live into this so we can all be magical and accept each other.

Unpopular opinion: being an atheist/agnostic witch. I’ve struggled so hard throughout the years to find a deity that felt right, that I connected with. I’ve always loved mythologies and folklore and ancient history, but there was just that lack of belief I guess. Even when I was Christian growing up I never connected to God. So it’s been 13-14 years of waiting, either sitting idle or actively searching for a deity, to no luck. And I discovered other witches like me, and I learned I could still practice witchcraft and not believe in or have a deity. It wasn’t essential(unlike when I was first learning and got into Wicca). I always thought I couldn’t do magic without a god or goddess. But lo and behold I feel stronger and more assured in myself than ever. I don’t feel like something is missing-because I’ve accepted there isn’t. And another unpopular opinion: while I still kind of believe in magic...I think a lot of things are just your own belief, and the law of attraction. Like placebos. When I’m driving and it’s storming hard, I reach for and hold onto a piece of malachite for dear life. I believe it’ll help me get home safe, so it’s a way to calm myself. And so I end up fine. Or I did an addiction spell a few months ago to help me out with my substance abuse, and it felt like overnight I no longer craved it. The mind is a powerful thing. But some things I can’t help but know magic was somehow involved. I did a banishing spell for a friend(with her permission) with an abusive stalking ex that was steadily increasing in horrible things he was doing to her for revenge. He showed up at her work, then her house, even though he lived hours away. The police finally showed up and she got a restraining order. It’s been a month and she hasn’t heard from him. So I think maybe what I did gave him an escalating push, and finally ended it. Who knows? I’m questioning things all the time and learning.

Unpopular witchcraft opinion practising darker magick and being willing to hex/curse dosent automatically make someone a "bad witch". Sometimes cursed and hexes can be necessary to teach a lesson Vs binding someone and having them never change/grow. Also another unpopular opinion not specifically witch craft related but idk about anyone else but as a witch I am sick and tired of these law of attraction practionerrs telling people yes you can use.the LoA to get your ex back and telling them how to do it when I know as a witch in general that would probably be the only.thing most witches whether they be left or right hand path can agree on

I remember how I used to watch witchcraft tiktoks and dreamed about becoming a witch. But I didn't think my parents would be ok with it. Fast forward I have been a witch for 3+ months and not even thinking about stopping❤️

I think my biggest unpopular opinion is that beginners can do deity work. Saying only experienced witches can work with deity is ignoring people interested in paganism that don't necessarily want to use alot of witchcraft or any witchcraft in their spiritual life. Just approach respectfully and do your research.

Probably be slammed for this but, not everyone needs to study or "learn" to be a witch. For some of us it's just who we've always been. I have never felt the need for tools or special spells or incantations, I just concentrate and focus on my intention when needed. I also don't work with deities, but I will sometimes ask the general universe if there is anyone or anything that would be willing to offer up no strings attached help. Usually I ask if I am very sick or having some kind of serious issue. And if there is no help I am ok with that. I think it's great that new people want to be witches or Pagans. But I don't care for the people that come in to be looky-loos and then dash off to post something negative when the trend passes. The same thing happened in the kink community when the Shades of Grey books/movies came out. It was a nightmare.

My unpopular opinion is that you do not have to be vegan or vegetarian to be a witch or have a worth while practice.

All witchcraft is magic but not all magic is witchcraft and not every magician works with magic the same way as witches do. Also magic is universal and everyone has access to it and every religion and spiritual path has it and uses it just in different names and different ways

As a Witch of over 20 years, I had never even *heard* of "shadow work" until a few years ago and it seems like so many people in the witchcraft community really push this practice as a MUST to properly practice the Craft, which I find strange (and even dangerous). It comes from psychotherapy and really didn't have much to do with witchcraft until fairly recently (from what I can tell). Shadow work, to me, seems like something that should be done with your therapist. But that's just my opinion. *shrugs*

Personally, I'm grateful for social media bringing more witch content out. I was beginning to practice as a teenager, and was attacked by my mom for doing so, and haven't had the courage to get back into it until now. Seeing all of the witches all over the world, has made me feel so much better about coming back at 29🖤

I have to agree on the first opinion. It's great to see so many people interested in witchcraft. I think it definitely helps us dispel a significant amount of negative stereotypes. I've been practicing for almost 20 years, and seeing it become more socially acceptable has been wonderful.

The only thing I don't agree with is that you DIDNT COVER WHAT BRAND THAT EYESHADOW IS FROM? Absolutely stunning, I NEED to know, please!!

My unpopular opinions: - You don't have to follow an ancient witchcraft tradition if you don't resonate with any of them. The basic principles are mostly same in all traditions, and popculture magic is a thing. - Deity work is not required for advanced witchcraft, you can directly use the whole energy field of the Universe if it fits well into your believe system. - Man-made materials, such as "fake" crystals and plastic, are not do-not-use things. Their properties might be different from natural materials, but it doesn't make them less powerful, and exactly this difference may make them more suitable for particular spells. - Sabbats are not universal thing. It's basically an adaptation from Celtic and Norse paganism, and because of this they haven't existed in many traditions, so if you practice for example Slavic paganism or indigenous practices of your ancestors (if you're a POC) you don't need to worry about them. If you're not practicing traditional witchcraft at all, you don't need to worry about them either, because who knows, maybe you're a total nomad in heart, or a solely city person, and you don't feel connection to seasonal changes at all, or your practice is based on aliens from another planet that don't have the same seasons as Europe.

Love your eyeshadow!

I'm so glad you brought up the problem with people pushing for others to do shadow work. I've actually been thinking about this subject a lot, because I see shadow work being pushed all the time...and like, I live with a family member with severe depression, and the thought of them delving in shadow work, delving into past traumas and how they view themselves, etc. is actually pretty scary. Because I've seen how things can spiral out of control if you aren't equipped to process your thoughts/past experiences. It might work for some, but I definitely think people need to be more careful about suggesting it. I think if people have trouble processing things but want to maybe try something like shadow work...it could be more beneficial to seek out a mental health professional.

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs could be better illustrated and have more information. I found it a little disappointing.

Great as always, Hearth! About treating deities as correspondences, I agree 100% and I also think the same with plants and crystals because they're spirits as well and they deserve our respect. So when choosing a herb for a spell, it's very important for me to have a relationship with the plant spirit as much as with goddesses and gods.

My unpopular opinion to an extent ties into your second point. I'm a a little concerned about the overall commodification of witchcraft in particular concerning environmental impact and labor rights. I get that people (especially when starting out) want to buy all those beautiful and mystical things and tools, but they disregard the impact that has on the earth they claim to love so much. I know I will lose many people with my next statement, but it needs to be said: Over the last years I noticed, that practitioners knowingly avoid any information about crystal mining because they don't want to deal with the fact, that most crystals we buy are sourced in disadvantaged countries under human rights violations and causing environmental harm. I get it. Crystals are beautiful and they help in your craft, but in my opinion me feeling a little better isn't worth literal child labor.

Semi-unpopular opinion: Spiritual practice of any kind comes ultimately from within, and from intuition....So if you have a sense of your connection to spiritual life and can work on that in ways that resonate with you, that is all you need.

We shouldn't forget that in ancient times magic WAS mainstream. Occultism being popular is not really new, it's a comeback of how things were.

I am a baby witch from North America who hasn't started practicing yet, but I already have one unpopular opinion: *If I start doing candle magic, I will use gold for money instead of green.* This may be because I lived in Germany for 4 years and almost all their coins are gold. And TV shows and movies based in the time when paper money didn't exist yet had gold coins everywhere! After all of this I've just associated money with gold.

Lovely video like always, Hearth! I definitely agreed with you almost entirely on all your points. I have a few of my own unpopular/not talked about opinions: 1.) You do not need to incorporate new age beliefs/ systems into your witchcraft. 2.) You do not need to work with the moon in your practice if you choose not to. 3.) It is okay to miss Sabbats, it will come around again in a year. 4.) It is okay to be eclectic in your practice, just make sure you do your research and be respectful towards closed practices. 5.) There is no such thing as a type/ system of witchcraft that is only for beginners (I know there are people who say Green witchcraft or Wicca is for newbies who shift out eventually, but this is not the case.) 6.) Not exactly an unpopular opinion, but more so just a general opinion; Your craft is your craft. No one has a right to tell you what is wrong or right when it comes to magick. As long as something feels right for you, and if it works, I see no issue in continuing to do what you already have been. If it is not broken, why fix it. 7.) Never be afraid of going to witches who may be much older or younger than you. It does everyone some good to learn from people of the different ages. This goes for someone younger like me learning from older witches and also for someone older who may want to learn about witchcraft from a fresh set of eyes. All age groups can offer very valuable perspectives on magick. 8.) Trial and error is a part of the journey. Even with a tutor, you may fail a lot and that is entirely okay. Failure is a part of the process to really narrow down and figure out what works best for you. 9.) It is okay to take a break from practicing. If you are in a spot where you are just forcing yourself to practice just so that you are practicing, it is bad for your mental and spiritual health. Take a breather, it is entirely okay. 10.) You do not have to be vegan to be a spiritual person. All in all just remember: It is YOUR practice. And this means that it is okay to have your own opinions and way of doing things.

Unpopular opinion : altars are highly overrated. I know it's THE thing people love to share on social media and I definitely enjoy seeing beautiful altars, but I feel like unless you really practice everyday, do a ton of spells and rituals or work with deities, they're not really that useful. I have a small one and honestly it kind of just feels like a storage space for my crystals and tarot decks etc lol, a shoebox or my nightstand could serve the same purpose... maybe it's just because I don't practice enough haha but yeah I don't really see the point in having a huge permanent space where you could just as easily pull some stuff out of a box and do your spell/ritual on the floor or something

Unpopular opinion: Crystals are too much work. They're expensive and you can't tell by looking at it whenther it was sourced ethically and eco-friendly or, if you have zero experience like me, whether the rock is the right one and not a cheaper substitute or even a piece of glass. Also crystals feel like most extensively glamourised part of the craft which is off-putting. Then theres maintenance: some can't be inthe light! Some can't be in the water! Some might kill you.

Whether or not I agree and why: 1) Agreed! People act like trends are a bad thing and can never be good. Obviously, doing something *only* for the trend is maybe a bit problematic, but witchcraft becoming a bigger thing means more people are aware of it and are being educated about it!! I was interested in witchcraft for a while, but was quite unsure whether I wanted to actually participate because I didn't really find many people who did practice, but once it picked up some speed and gained a bit of traction, I felt a lot more confident in practicing because I knew there was a community I could be part of. 2) Fully agreed. It's the same thing as companies changing their logo to include the rainbow flag during pride month, and then as soon as midnight July 1st hits, they take it down. If you don't mean it or believe in it, don't market it. It also takes away from smaller businesses that sell witchy supplies because they actually know what they all mean, like she said. 3) Yep yep yep. Deities are *divine beings,* you can't just say "you are gonna help me with my spell" willy nilly without actually putting some respect onto their name. And, as Hearth said, mixing deities without knowing the mythology behind them, ESPECIALLY when mixing pantheons, can go horrifically south. 4) YES. I think this is the one I most agree with out of all of these. *PLEASE* do not try Shadow Work if you are not in a headspace to process trauma, to process aspects of yourself that have been hidden away, and/or to process the past in general. While it can be very helpful in letting go and healing, it is by no means one-size-fits-all. No one will experience Shadow Work the same way as someone else, so don't think that just because people on socials are saying how it's wonderful and amazing that it will be that way for everyone. 5) I'm actually kind of 50/50 on this one. While yes, formal training does give the student a lot of headway on learning magick and cuts out a lot of the trial & error, I think part of the learning experience should be a bit of trail & error. In my opinion, you should be able to make mistakes and not be punished for them (not saying formal training will punish you for it, but it's not completely out of the picture, let's be honest), or at least without having that worry of "Oh heck, someone's watching me do this and I don't know how they respond to mistakes, if I screw this up I'm dead". Obviously, no one likes the feeling of messing up, and I'm not dismissing that. And having a guide or tutor can 100% have its benefits!!

Im glad you shared your opinion of shadow work, i struggled for about a year to do shadow work and realized that ive actually been doing a lot of shadow work my whole life without thinking about it. Most shadow work ive done recently has been for past lives and my higherself needing some clarity.. i also struggle with depression so really ita just not something that benefits me to sit down and do

My unpopular opinion is that tarot deck's don't need to be treated with such reverence. Don't get me wrong, I love and respect all my decks, but the sheer amount of policing I see online is ridiculous - people criticizing how people handle their decks, store them, use them, etc. I also think the tradition of being gifted your first tarot deck is neat, but it's not accessible for a lot of witches, especially those who have to keep their practice under wraps. There's also a lot of rigid enforcement of what the cards mean, and I see a lot of inexperienced witches afraid to step outside the mainstream interpretations. Your own interpretations of the cards will always be more meaningful and helpful to you than anything a book can say!

I was buying a spell book and the girl at the counter said "oh have you been watching a lot of Sabrina?" I just laughed and said "yeah." I didn't get mad because she wasn't meaning to be mean. It is a shame though that that's where her mind went immediately. I'm with you on the middle of the trend argument.

Alright time to get some hate: deities aren't actual entities, they are collections of energies given forms that we tap into to channel power into our lives.

OMG THE ENDING SCENES ARE JUST AMAZINGGGGG I AM LIVING FOR THEM

Great video. Regarding witchcraft becoming a trend, I'm constantly reminded of something I heard a Wiccan Elder say about twenty years on the topic: "The Craft will endure. The Craft will endure. Through all things, the Craft will endure." It's helped me remain pretty chill during the recurring cycles. You also mention the commercialization of witchcraft. I think my biggest thing about this is that people tend to forget that one colossal truth you mentioned: You don't need "things" to practice witchcraft. A gorgeous athame or lovingly crafted wands (my husband is starting to make the latter) can be nice, but aren't strictly necessary. And I worry that this gets lost and people start thinking they can't practice because they can't "afford" it. On the topic of formal training, I'd say another advantage is the personalized feedback loop. "Oh, you had this experience? Let's explore it." "That didn't work for you? Well, let's see what we can do to fine tune or fix it for you."

Omg your bloopers. I feel you so hard! My house is a house shaped jenga game. Why did I stack all of this? And now my cat is on the stack that is slowly tipping over.🤣

I watch your channel quite a bit and although I don't comment, I wanted to let you know that I enjoy your content. Honestly speaking, we both have some similar opinions. #2: why would I spend money on something that was mass produced when a) it's probably illegally harvested or endangered, and b) the magic itself is in the making of the thing. #3: Treating deities and spirits like a gumball machine, were you put a quarter in and expect to get something out, is a good way to get fucked up. Deities and spirits don't play around. I think most people coming to witchcraft tend to have hurt from the Christian church and want to explore other religious options but can't let go of baggage. They think that worshipping and revering a goddess means kowtowing to them and that's definitely not the case. Spirits and deities have agency, which many people fail to realize or acknowledge. A spirit doesn't have to do anything for you, even if you give offerings. Lots of times your prayers and petitions go unanswered as a test from the spirits or divinity to gauge sincerity and seriousness. But people see that nothing is happening and immediately claim that deities and spirits aren't real because xyz didn't happen within the allotted timeframe. Also, think about it from this perspective: would you be willing to grant a favor to someone who talked to you sideways, made demands, maybe even insulted you? No? Then why do you expect spirits to?! #4 Shadow work came into witchcraft via writers who were also psychotherapists and psychologists and are based off of Jung's theories. I personally believe that this was done as a justification for making witchcraft seem none threatening to the public. promoting shadow work when you're not a licensed psychologist is irresponsible to me because like you said, having people try to unpack trauma alone can result in more trauma. Now here's for my own possibly controversial opinions: 1. Witchcraft is political. Think about in history the whos and whys of people getting accused of being witches (persecuted, ostracized, or executed). When you adopt the label of witch, you're taking on the history behind it. 2. Witchcraft is inherently transgressive; it's about the powerless obtaining power to give themselves a sense of control over their lives and surroundings. The uwuification of witchcraft (the love and light, shiny crystals, and capitalism of it all) is not what witchcraft is about. It's a neutral thing, how you intend to employ the energy and what you desire the outcome to be determines what kind of witchcraft you are doing. Creating a sachet bag to get a job or hexing your abusive ex are ways of working magic. And I absolutely abhor these conversations that denounce "black magic" (another term I don't like but I'll save that for another time) or harming others when that's part of witchcraft. It makes me want to scream! Witchcraft speaks to the part of society where they are unable to get redress for crimes committed against them, or are unseen, unheard, and unprotected. witchcraft is all about the people on the periphery. 3. If you want to learn about witchcraft, you should be reading books by historians, folklorists, and anthropologists. Why? Because for one thing, a lot of these New Age witchcraft books are filled with heavily plagiarized and appropriated content. Some are even written by ghost writers whose only purpose to make money off the witchcraft craze going on right now. Reading scholarly sources ensures that the information is accurate. 4. You need to have an understanding of the WHY you are doing something. Why do you cast a circle? Why are certain colors appropriate for a certain working? Why is magic spelled with a k by some? Why do you give offerings? 5. Formal education ensures that you're less likely to run into bullshit and bad history that's an unfortunate part of the witchcraft community. Like my previous point, many people are doing things but don't even understand why or the origins of a practice. 6. There needs to be more of an effort to push resources and information about non Western European witchcraft lead by BIPOC.

I LOVE the reels/behind the scenes at the end of the videos. Personally I am happy that witchcraft has gone mainstream for the time being. I have a Wiccan friend but I always felt like I would have to completely change religions to study witchcraft. Before mainstream, it was very difficult to find information about witchcraft, but now I have found you and so many other people/perspectives that give me confidence being able to step into my own craft.

I am really glad it is popular since I have always dreamed about having a different belife, but never knew I had a place to feel comfortable. Only after I found it and now feel like things makes sence :)

I can't help it.... I really dislike the term baby witch. I think reinforcing the thought you're a "baby" is fairly negative.; I say new practitioner instead. Also, I know you've covered it in live streams; familiars being your cat or dog..nope! They are spirits!

Please don’t come for me but the deity thingy x I am an atheist I’m also a witch, I don’t believe they actually exist and so In my belief system I see deity’s as personifications of nature. So I do use them as correspondences. I respect your opinion but on this issue I disagree

I don't mind it being more open. But I still feel strange telling people I'm a Witch. So I generally don't. I also use what I can from nature. She is a wonderful provider.

My parents and great grandparents raised me in a "witchy way." I seen as a kid 25yrs ago that we were different than my friends family. Over the past 5 or so years I've learned "why" they did certain things. And I'm so thankful. 25yrs ago it was taught very difficult. I feel I have grown spiritually!!

I don’t know what I love more, the actual witchy content of the video, or the bloopers/extras at the end haha. I’m glad you talked about the messy side of your place because sometimes I beat myself up for how clean and organized people’s places look on here, when really it’s just a small part on camera that looks pristine. Also loved the manic-sounding ramblings lol. Glad you mentioned that some people should seek therapy while doing shadow work. I have PTSD and have thought about doing shadow work, but when I looked into some of the questions, I realized that I should definitely not be doing it all by myself. Loved your video (like always)

I like how you jump topics so much in your “natural” self when your just being you. I do this all the time !!! And it’s neat seeing others do it It’s quite adorable and entertaining, makes me feel not alone haha. Absolutely love your videos! Unpopular option- I believe everyone has natural gifts, we are “tools” for spiritual work or witchcraft. Just over time some “lost” due to history and some kept studying through it. But now lots are waking up. I don’t believe one is stronger then the other I believe by studying and learning all we can enhance our gifts.

I am afraid to even comment there is so much hate and anger over even the most minor statements. It has become a horrible community

Hi Hearth, been practicing 45 years but a Pagan only 5 years. I love your behind the scene clutter. I always suspect posts that have the beautiful plant and crystal display in the background conceals the pile of laundry and stacks of paperwork in the corner..😆 Thanks for keeping it real

I agree with you with the witchcraft and popularity thing. The same thing happened with the movie The Craft in the 90's. Many of the new people stayed (like myself) and many also left and that's ok too. The way I look at it, at the very least those that left are not scared of witchcraft so it works to lessen the stigma.

LOVE your eyeshadow!!!

I’m glad that it became popular. As I don’t think I would have learned as much with where I am. I grateful as I have had certain beliefs that I felt alone in and didn’t have a name for it. Then I learned of witch craft and I’m like oh there you are this thing I have been partly doing my whole life but on my own semi lost. Now I’m able to learn and understand it’s deeper connections. So my life’s practice that I have been doing continues but in a new more open way. Which is certainly not a fad for me. Hugs to you Hearth for being embracing and giving us continual learning especially to us starting out in witchcraft. 💛

As someone that was trained in the craft by my father for years, I can relate to a lot of what you say. I am practicing solitary right now, because my father died a few years ago. I had to figure out on my own how to research what he didn't teach me because he died before we got there. I felt lost a lot because I didn't have anyone to talk to about it. Looking for a new mentor is something I don't really feel comfortable with, because I experienced that as a Family thing. And while I don't consider my training as complete, I am trying to teach my Wife at least some very foundational basics and I am looking forward to teaching my kids when they're old enough. I'm not really comfortable about teaching anyone outside the family. I got asked once, and the guy miserably failed at the simplest of basic stuff, stuff I could do as a 10 year old or before, and expected me to tell him how to teleport, didn't understand when I told him that's not how this is gonna work, and when he asked me for money and I said no, he insulted me and I haven't heard from him since. With Witchcraft becoming more popular, I am afraid that more people like that will show up...

I think one reason that shadow work has become so "important" is because of the necessity for it. I do agree that it must be approached with prudence and skill, and not when someone tells you that it is time. that is for each person to come to on their own and in their own time. It is helpful to find a trustworthy person who can help the one who is going into the shadow, doing it alone can be too much to bear, and connecting with a skilled person who knows how to help specific issues is wise. We don't have to do the work alone, even though the healing comes from within. There are many approaches to shadow work, and many layers for potential healing, it can absolutely start small and go deeper over time. Shadow work does not have to be traumatic in and of its self, but it is vital to know the self and to outgrow the the things that block us mentally, emotionally and physically. so that the magic can come from intuition rather than impulse. This process takes time and is highly worth the effort when one is open and ready for it.

I love your comment about the benefits of being taught by another practioner when getting started! I didn't have that when I started six years ago at sixteen, and I think a one-on-one teacher would've been very helpful. I actually really love the idea of teaching someone myself some day. 🙂

Burgundy is a very witchy color in my opinion! I love it. It looks good on literally anyone and I love Harry Potter. I have IBS and so most pants don't fit me right unless they're stretchy 🤷‍♀️so it's leisure or dresses for me. I don't get how people can "relax" in jeans but maybe if I ever get my health in order I'll understand 🤷‍♀️ I have to wear jeans for work but other than that jeans are for dressing up with a cute shirt and that's maybe twice a year. Everyone asks why I wear dresses all the time, say I'm over dressed but to me, jeans are over dressed and unnecessary 🙃can't have anything constrictive around my tummy. P.s. I would think the face is "deal with it" combined with a shrug 🤷‍♀️

We had Barbie Fashion Plates in the 80s, they were like stencils. You could switch the out fits, shoes, and head.

I always try to inform the individuals on SM what UPG and VG is. I try to help them distinguish what is an opinion vs book verified gnosis. I’m a Crone with a Virtual Coven on FB aimed to help individuals to teach them to think for themselves as a Witch Hearth. I wish more people could be like this. I’ve been a Witch for 46 years now.

The social media boom has been fantastic for paganism and witchcraft. When I started, there was so little information for the solitary witch or occultist. Over the last year of surfing the new social media boom, I've determined that there's some names that I've been mispronouncing and certain concepts that I was approaching in the wrong way.

Hearth goes bonkers! 😂 when I heard her signing off and saw there was a quarter of video left I thought "yey, blooper reel!" . 😊 anyway, my unpopular witchcraft opinion is: "intention isn't everything!".

Unpopular opinion #1 - "To call yourself a real witch, you Do Not need to actively practise witchcraft, i.e. physically practice it. You can call yourself a witch if you only choose to read witchcraft books and/or focus on meditation and energy work." The physical practice of witchcraft may not be ideal for many people - either due to cultural violence in their country or due to personal physical disability. Unpopular opinion #2 - "Witches don't need to keep an altar." You can work magick without an altar or create one on-the-go, as and when you need it. Unpopular opinion #3 - "Blackthorn, Cunnigham & Pollock don't need to be the only people whose books you refer to for witchcraft and tarot." Their books might not be right for everyone because you may not belong to the same geography that they do.

This is probably one of my favorite comment sections EVER. Thanks Hearth for starting such a wonderful conversation ♥

Been practicing for almost 20 years here and I agree with you too. Also come for the video, stay for the out takes.

I am the same way with random objects. The Dog of My Life, Cooper, just passed a couple weeks ago. I'm gutted -- but I'm also a slob. He kept me organized. He was completely unhappy if his space was out of sorts. He would meticulously put a toy in three of the corners of his favorite rug, and point his nose in the forth -- whichever corner was facing me. Sorry for over-sharing but I've been bursting to tell someone how truly special he really was. I will love him until the word no longer exists. Also sorry for comment spam (if you even see them from old videos) but I tend to binge watch channels and I feel rude not leaving a comment after someone's worked so hard to share their video. So...thanks for the video!

(TW) I'm super late to this video but still wanted to comment bc finding my practice officially in 2017 saved my life...dramatic but, I truly was at the end of my line, and when I joined the community and found my way into everything, I regained a sense of hope that I'd previously lost, and I felt like I could take on the world again and have been in a much better headspace since. I'm glad it went mainstream because who knows if I would have even been here today to make this comment, and knowing that makes me thankful for everything that's happened, good or bad. I've learned a lot and have grown so much as a result. 🙏🏻

You are by far one of my favourite witches of the net to listen too. I was most turned around on the opinion of trending witchcraft and you are absolutely right and have changed my opinion too. If it was not trending I would still be in the shadows and afraid to be my true self like I have been for the past few years. Thank you

I love your eyeshadow, your channel, your outfit and your content! You’re awesome and I hope you’ve had a great day so far 🌱☀️💕

I like the one on one training. I even like the group training. For me I was unable to do that for a long time. I did listen and trust my instincts and allowed what I now believe are my guides and angels to guide me to teachers. Like in books and now on you tube. Which is how I found you. I did not go looking for witch craft videos. I believe that the universe or my guides and angels use my you tube feed as a way to communicate subtle options that I can accept or dismiss. I’ve watched your and one other. I do not go looking as that could invite a teacher I don’t want or need. One teacher that I paid kept telling me the same information after the third session. I decided she was then milking money from me. Still good info but the repeat is not what I was paying for. Though I will look up your shop as I like your way of thinking and your approach. Great video😊

I found the point about formal learning interesting! I've never even considered the possibility before, and it's something I might look into now! Thanks for the insight!

Absolutely agree with all of your unpopular opinions, really enjoyed listening to this, especially the cling film reveal :) Thank you for posting.

Great video. Dreamer here. Things are oftenly perverted in our culture once commercialized, but I do appreciate the open mindedness that comes with it (think lucid dreaming lol) as with shadow work I have noticed more recently people are getting into it, which is good but only if you're ready for it. I've had very intense Shadow work dreams. 🌱🌱🌱

I agree that commercialized witchcraft is becoming a problem - especially where the sellers are NOT practitioners themselves. I also group people/influencers who charge money to "work with deity" into this category. I saw someone claim a priesthood to some cthonic god, but then charge people sums of money in classes to "work with" said deity. Deities and priesthoods, in my opinion, are NEVER to be capitalized on. If you claim to be a priest/ess of anything at all, you know that your bond with your powers is much more sacred than what money can buy. I also disagree with people who mix pantheons - it just is wrong on so many levels. To me, shadow work is a good thing to do BUT it is more like a psychological coping mechanism, not actual witchcraft. I also think formal training/initiation is super important. Great video!

I'm not a witch, nor do I practice Magick. However, I am learning a lot about these unpopular Witchcraft opinions. Wonderful!

Thank you! I do get tired of constantly hearing about shadow work in such a way that makes it sound like the be all end all of witchcraft. My experience with my former strict fundamentalist Christian faith was brutal. I was surrounded by fear based everything. People were so bullied into divorce and remarriage being a sin that they were trying to live celebrate. These same people were literally becoming suicidal! I came to the witchy/pagan path because it's not beating me over the head with dogma and making me feel dark scary feelings. I don't need shadow work bringing up that darkness right now, if ever.

The deity thing for sure. I don't personally work with any right now but I think its just, ya know, courteous to get to know someone before asking for stuff. But to each their own. I worry about the local witchy businesses and though I know that some stuff can get pricey, I find homemade things have more power. Whether by your own hand or another. I'm half and half on the training. While I do agree that we'd all probably gain a lot from "formal" training, I can't forget the things I learned early in my practice and studying, to be mindful of who your teacher is and what they ask for as payment.

So on the first point: about our practices/traditions just being a popular trend or whatever... I could understand how some practitioners would be more-so concerned about those who merely come in and dabble, you know? And maybe they don’t comprehend the intent behind putting energy out there. Energy we don’t need or want. That’s sort of how I see it. Witchcraft is a spiritual path and a way of life, and yes, I’ve seen some newcomers who don’t take it seriously enough and that leads to mistakes or negative outcomes.

My opinion about magical practice is... stay off of social media. It’s nothing but drama and most witches I’ve met on there can’t even take a joke. After a year of social media covens, Hecate finally told me herself, “Quit mainstream.” And I will admit, my connection with her has been stronger since I complied to her wishes! Even though there are legitimate covens on social media that I believe are more open minded, I don’t have the time to look for them. And my practices and connection with Mother Hecate are more important!

when i was first getting into witchcraft (about two or three years ago) i stumbled across a local witchcraft store in my neighborhood. about a year ago, i moved about an hour away from that area, and recently revisited friends in that area. i was crushed when i saw that the store had gone under. the owners were trained in witchcraft and herbology and genuinely cared about their customers craft. as a younger, poorer witch, i heavily relied on the knowlege of practitioners and to see them go under put a dent in my practice. i understand buying from larger companies, and i have done it myself, but if you purchase from "fast craft" stores, or non craft stores with witchcraft items (such as spencers or micheals) please, please purchase from a local store as well. i typically spend half (or less) of my budget at a larger company, and the other half at a local shop. but that is just me, so do what feels best for your craft. good health to you all.

Lol, I love that unlike a lot of youtubers who portray the super pretty perfect houses, I really appreciate you sharing your clutter habits with us outside of your recording space:) it gives a more human touch to the video, not that super clean people can't be human, but I feel like the amount of the super clean spaces shown on youtube channels have an air of a lack of realism, usually folks like the makeup tutorials, asmr, and influencers. Most people I know who wear makeup have is scattered all over the sink and aren't looking as good as new. Clutter happens, pets and kids don't help and that is life:) Things pile up no matter how much we try to keep things clean and that is okay:)

Thanks for mentioning that you don't have to (or even shouldn't) do Shadow work when and if you aren't in the right head space or been through tough things recently. I was thinking of doing some Shadow work (my first time; I felt I was "called" to do that) to understand myself more, but since I've been struggling mentally and socially, I feel like it would have damaged me more than my daily over-thinking thoughts. I thought I was ready, but guess not. It's fine, though; I'll do my research about everything and try doing it when I'm mentally and spiritually ready to do it😇

I don't mind the popularity because it has made a lot of information available to me as I'm starting my practice and I'm glad I was able to learn more otherwise I probably wouldn't be interested, let alone practising witchcraft. P.s. thank you so much for making your videos, they have helped me so much!

For your end conversation about being out at 2pm. The song does go "Only mad dogs and Englishman out in the midday sun".

My unpopular opinion: I don’t think you can “program” crystals. I don’t think humans have the power to tell crystals what to do, and that they are imbued with their own energy and nature that people can work with, but not change. I don’t like playing god over nature, I guess 🤷‍♀️

Absolutely agree about shadow work. I did a lot of that through therapy before becoming a witch. I had a moment when I started seeing it everywhere in the witchcraft community where I thought, "oh no...do I need to go through all of that again?" And I came to the conclusion that, no. I don't need to do shadow work again, just because it's labeled as "witchcraft." I've been there, I've processed it, I've moved on. Don't do anything that you don't feel you want or need to do.

As a magickal shop owner, it warms my heart to hear your "unpopular" opinion about not supporting massive corporations capitalizing on magickal practitioners and supporting small and authentic magickal and ritual suppliers like myself. Thank you for sharing this!

Its interesting to hear you talk about training as I've done nearly everything solitary.. i ask family and friends questions here and there if im stumped but for the most part ive learned all of my craft naturally. I usually find a topic that peaks my interest, do some very minimal research, and within a week i usually understand everything i need to know about it just from thought and asking my guides to give me clues