[Help] Where do I even start?

[mnicula]

For one reason or another, I've come to at the very least be interested, if not outright believe, in the occult. I would like to know what a good starting point would be for a complete beginner, if that is possible.

 

[Floonth1]

For one reason or another, I've come to at the very least be interested, if not outright believe, in the occult. I would like to know what a good starting point would be for a complete beginner, if that is possible.

I'm in the exact same place as you, I recently started reading advanced magick for beginners alan chapman and its been very helpful as someone starting out.
Edited out link

 

[AlfrunGrima]

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And then I would add: don not just read, but start doing. Start doing it today. And focus on meditation to get yourself to the point that your mind is not thinking in words anymore, but in pictures, feelings and symbols.

 

[Yazata]

I'm in the exact same place as you, I recently started reading advanced magick for beginners alan chapman and its been very helpful as someone starting out.
Edited out link

Do not post books outside of the Library.

 

[HoldAll]

Beginner looking for advice :3

hi there ! :3 i am a total baby in witchcraft, tho ive read into the basics. first of all i really would like to learn more about protection because i really am lost. also ive read a post and the replies said it was “spell begging” please forgive me if i am doing this right now, i have no idea...

wizardforums.com

 

[Floonth1]

Do not post books outside of the Library.

sorry my bad

 

[Wexilarious]

Read natal charts of people you know, even if it doesn't have 100% accuracy, it will give some knowledge about what personality people can have

Practice is always more interesting than theory, at least for me

 

[albie]

For one reason or another, I've come to at the very least be interested, if not outright believe, in the occult. I would like to know what a good starting point would be for a complete beginner, if that is possible.

Don't get bogged down by rituals. Try to just will stuff to happen. Get into a magical state of mind. Study the flaws in quantum physics to see that the world is illogical/magical.
If you rely on rituals you will be stuck doing them forever. Teach your mind that magic is an everyday event.
Fake it to make it. See a pigeon? Throw it some bread and say "I bet I can make that bird eat that bread." When you do that the DEEPER mind will start to believe in magic and doors will open. Then it will happen for real.

 

[Aldebaran]

Definitely check out the library here. Start picking out some books that interest you and follow those paths as far as you like. When you have reached a good destination in the path. Reach back here and grab another book that strikes your fancy.

There is no right path or good path or even a better path. Just start grabbing books that interest you; herbology, astrology, witchcraft, magick... it doesnt matter, whatever you find the most interesting!

Basic witchcraft books are usually a lot of fun. Then when things start getting serious i would say astrology and maybe herbology depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Tarot is used quite a bit in modern practice to develop intuition and for divination. These are popular ways to get started.

 

[Asteriskos]

Don't get bogged down by rituals. Try to just will stuff to happen. Get into a magical state of mind. Study the flaws in quantum physics to see that the world is illogical/magical.
If you rely on rituals you will be stuck doing them forever. Teach your mind that magic is an everyday event.
Fake it to make it. See a pigeon? Throw it some bread and say "I bet I can make that bird eat that bread." When you do that the DEEPER mind will start to believe in magic and doors will open. Then it will happen for real.

Pretty much sums up "Empty Hand Magic". Once the "deep" mind is convinced you're serious magic happens. Great post!

 

[HoldAll]

Best intro ever:

Journal - Why Magic? The Magician's Field Doctrine

We don’t turn to magic because life is “mysterious.” We turn to it because life is brutally, stupidly literal, and that’s not enough. At some point, the script you were handed stops working. The job, the relationship, the belief system, the “just work harder” loop, none of it explains why...

wizardforums.com

 

[therootbeersprite]

I started with the writings of Scott Cunningham, which you can find in the Library.

 

[otiosus]

Start from reading a book on topics that draw you. For example, witchcraft, ceremorial magic, chaos magick etc.
I first started studing chaos magick.

 

[iommicwaves]

This is the simplest instruction I’ve come across (From "Advanced Magick for Beginners" (Alan Chapman):

1. Decide what you want to occur.
2. Ensure that what you want to occur has a means of manifestation.
3. Choose an experience.
4. Decide that the experience means the same thing as what you want to occur.
5. Perform the act/undergo the experience.
6. Result.

 

[robyangel]

I'm in the exact same place as you, I recently started reading advanced magick for beginners alan chapman and its been very helpful as someone starting out.
Edited out link

I believe that Chapman’s book is one of the best written ever. I find it extremely difficult to convey certain concepts to those who have only just opened themselves to this world, and I consider it a true milestone. I will never stop praising it. I think it’s excellent for beginners, but not only for them — it’s a text that preserves such simplicity that it truly resembles the very magic that already lives within you; you only need to learn how to direct it. It’s magnificent.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Study the flaws in quantum physics to see that the world is illogical/magical.

This is the only part of your post I disagree with and if you edit out "the flaws in" and "illogical" I would agree with it again

Post automatically merged: Feb 23, 2026

I believe that Chapman’s book is one of the best written ever. I find it extremely difficult to convey certain concepts to those who have only just opened themselves to this world, and I consider it a true milestone. I will never stop praising it. I think it’s excellent for beginners, but not only for them — it’s a text that preserves such simplicity that it truly resembles the very magic that already lives within you; you only need to learn how to direct it. It’s magnificent.

Totally agree about AMFB. The other book I recommend is Stanislowski's "An Actor Prepares". If you read it from a magical point of view, it's mind blowing

 

[robyangel]

This is the only part of your post I disagree with and if you edit out "the flaws in" and "illogical" I would agree with it again

Post automatically merged: Feb 23, 2026

Totally agree about AMFB. The other book I recommend is Stanislowski's "An Actor Prepares". If you read it from a magical point of view, it's mind blowing

Perfectly agreed — two masterpieces.

 

[Zander]

Develop a meditation practice. Get comfortable sitting in silence and listen to yourself. I'd say the first thing you need to do is identify what you'd like help with, why do you want to begin learning and practicing the occult arts. Having a clear moral compass (what bothers you, what you consider right and what you consider wrong) will also help steer you into the kinds of practices and spirits to work with.

Learn protection magick. Magickal Protection by Damon Brand has served me well. You can't overestimate how important the Sword Banishing ritual will be, learn it by heart. It has helped me a lot in my practice. Banishing gives you confidence to stablish contact knowing you can end it at any time.

Details follow from there. Working with angels, demons, gods, chaos magick... I trust intuition will guide you to what's right for you.

 

[dcwilson]

For one reason or another, I've come to at the very least be interested, if not outright believe, in the occult. I would like to know what a good starting point would be for a complete beginner, if that is possible.

First of all, this is not a job interview where you need 5 years' experience working with Claude to be considered for an entry level IT job! :~> Initiation is not reserved for the know-it-alls, you just Start! Unlike the main-stream religions, you are free to look into it, and you need no experience to do it. You don't have to blindly pretend to believe anything. Magick is experimental, not revelatory, and you need a zero amount of faith! And if you're not allowed to start Right Now then you have to find someone, something else who will, or DIY - just start now! Ex:If you decide to join a Wiccan group, will they let you do magick at the very start? If they don't then it's a personality cult. I firmly do not recommend that you do anything even similar to this next bit! This is absolutely for an illustration only, and even this might get me into trouble! If you decided that someone wronged you, and you have exhausted absolutely every other route, maybe you could get yourself a ceramic plate, write your grievances against your tormentor, then emote all your emotions onto that plate and throw it as hard as you can against a wall until it breaks. The analogy being that when it breaks, so does your enemy. This is essentially what black magick is, minus all the add-ons. Focusing what you want with controlled emotion, transfer it, and then trigger it, expecting a result. Remember, magick isn't free. Even focused and controlled emotion can get out of hand! Maybe plates are too expensive. Can you afford a candle? Read some beginner's books and get a feel of what is ethical and what is not and start changing probabilities. How old is this example? It comes from ancient Egypt.

 

[Accipeveldare]

For one reason or another, I've come to at the very least be interested, if not outright believe, in the occult. I would like to know what a good starting point would be for a complete beginner, if that is possible.

Liber Null by Peter J Carrol is a good start