5 Reasons People Might Abandon Witchcraft
A note before we begin: I’ve seen several comments on Pinterest of people upset that I called witchcraft a “trend.” Believe me, I hear you and I’m on the same page! It is a belief and a practice, not an aesthetic. BUT there has been a rise in interest of all things “witchy” and I’ve seen an uptick of witch-themed movies and TV shows come out so there is a rise in the pop cultural trend that does effect witches in real life - for better or for worse. Many will discover their path through these channels, but many will also try it out because they like the way it looks and then decide it isn’t for them. That also isn’t necessarily wrong, as long as it is tried out respectfully. That’s all that I meant by the headline.
So, you've started on your witchcraft journey and are ready to tell the world. I know how exciting that time can be! I've actually been there a few times. There were a few gaps where I dropped the practice (most of which being college years where I had too much to deal with as-is). I only decided to come out of the broom closet a few years back, and that was when I felt it the strongest. Unfortunately, there is a running joke growing up that teenagers would just "try on Wicca like a hat" as part of their rebellious "goth" phase. When I was younger, I really didn't want to advertise that I was a witch because I feared the "teen witch phase" mocking would follow as it did for many others.
A lot of people, particularly adolescents, jump in quickly and then drop it when they realize it is not what they thought or not for them. There is nothing wrong with trying something out and then realizing it isn’t really for us! I'm guilty too, I had a "needle-felting" phase that lasted about 2 weeks. I still have a bunch of supplies sitting in a cupboard that I'll probably never felt with again.
Many (myself included) see a huge difference between a hobby like “needle-felting” and the belief/practice of witchcraft. I agree, but I have encountered several who have basically seen both as a hobby that they are trying out.
Of course, this list also is why anyone starting out may not hang onto it - along with some explanations that may potentially help anyone going through any of these keep at it if it is something they still feel called to. While there are plenty more than this, here are my top 5 Reasons why people might abandon witchcraft:
1. Witchcraft is called a "Practice" for a reason
I see it happen a lot: Someone goes from zero to ALL IN into witchcraft. They buy a much of materials and tools and then attempts 1-2 spells straight out of the first book that they bought. When the spell doesn't manifest the way they wanted, fast enough, or at all, they decide "witchcraft is bogus" and it isn't for them. Witchcraft is a practice that takes practice. Sometimes even multiple years' worth. It can take a lot of time, dedication and patience to find what will work best for you. Be ready to put in some real work, both physically and internally/spiritually.
2. Every Path is different and there isn't one right way
This one always surprises me because this is one of the things that I love most about witchcraft. I love that there's no dogma, no hard and fast rules, but apparently, some people find this to be extremely frustrating. For those in this particular situation, there are some dogmatic religious paths that coincide with witchcraft that could be followed to a T, but that kind of goes against why many want to be witches in the first place. We don't wait for someone or something else to answer us, we make it happen ourselves.
Aspiring witches could also be deterred or frustrated if targeted by those who follow a dogmatic path and believe that theirs is the only proper way. For example, many seem to believe that Wicca and Witchcraft are synonymous and that by not being initiated and putting in my "year and a day" in a Wiccan coven, I clearly didn't do it right and therefore am not a true witch. Others believe you need to be born into it, that it is passed down by family. None of that is true. Witchcraft is not something that you need someone else to validate you or initiate you into, and witchcraft itself is not Wicca nor a religious practice at all (unless you choose to integrate it into yours). It didn't stop me, but it could very well stop others.
3. The Constant Learning Curve
There are so many paths (both religious and secular) and so many different styles of practices, you will likely be constantly learning. Witchcraft is a path for the seeker of knowledge, not for the "already an expert in everything" type.
It can take years to become well-versed in crystals, or tarot, or runes, or herbalism. I'm no expert in any one of those things, but I welcome that. There's a lifetime of knowledge in even one of those focuses, and many see that as a lifetime of opportunities to learn more, but some just can't deal with that. It's a commitment to constantly learning and also to admitting that you can be wrong sometimes. There's no way that you could be the ultimate expert in every aspect of witchcraft. If anyone claims to be the end-all-be-all of witchcraft knowledge and that their way is the only right way, that's a big red flag.
4. Other Witches (i.e. "Weird" Ones)
You finally decided to go to a Pagan convention or an open coven meetup to find that they aren't the type of people you thought you were going to meet. Maybe they look and act like they are LARPing at a Renaissance Faire (no shade to the Faire or LARP communities. It can just immediately turn off some people!). Could be that you ran into some witch-elitists that talked down to you for being new. Whatever the case was, you're not into it. Finding the wrong group right off the bat can often make people believe that reflects the entire community. Oftentimes in witchcraft and paganism, that can turn someone off of it entirely.
5. Witch's Burnout
This seems to happen to most witches at some point. It can happen at any point in a witch's path, whether you're just starting out or you've been practicing for years. Going too hard, too fast. Fully immersing yourself into your craft. Doing a spell or ritual every night, every esbat, or every sabbat. However you get there, you're just plain burnt out. When this happens, you take a short break, but that break can quickly become a permanent state. The memory of the burnout might become associated with the craft itself and it is no longer appealing. Or you just embrace that you have more free time to explore other things.
If it happens, however it happens, it's okay.
Things happen, life changes and we change too. Not everyone is going to stick with it for life, and we have to try things out in order to know if they are for us or not. It's not being a quitter, it's just finding what works best. The only time it causes a real problem is when someone decides that not only is it not for them, but they have matured out of it. That also means anyone who hasn't is clearly not at their maturity or intelligence level, and they can come off condescendingly to those still in the craft. I think this goes back to that "teen witch phase" stereotype. It might also be some kind of psychological defense mechanism to justify why they didn't stick to it.
I'm not kicking myself for trying out needle-felting. I'm not here to shame anyone for trying witchcraft and deciding that it isn't for them. Whether you stick to it or not, let's just respect that everyone's path is different. Just please don't be a jerk about it.
