In a world increasingly dominated by technology and artificiality, a growing movement is calling people back to nature. Green witchcraft, with its roots in ancient traditions and a deep connection to the earth, offers a path to healing, harmony, and a more sustainable way of life.
What is Green Witchcraft?
Traditionally, a green witch is someone who works with plants such as trees and herbs for her/his craft. Today a green witch is more defined by their relationship with the natural world. A green witch has a relationship with the natural world - animals, plants, and rocks - and is passionate about their protection. Many green witches are active environmentalists.
The modern green witch understands the healing power of plants and uses spells to bring harmony to the world. Anyone can incorporate “Green” practices into their path and magical life.
Green witchcraft has seen a surge in popularity, fueled by guides like The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, And More by Arin Murphy-Hiscock.
At a green witch's core is a naturalist, an herbalist, and a healer. Green witches channel the power of flora, herbs, and the natural world. A green witch’s relationship with the Earth is sacred-it’s an important source of intimacy, safety, and connection. Because of this, many green witches also happen to be environmentalists.
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The practice of “green witchcraft” can be traced back to ancient times, when people lived in harmony with nature and relied on natural remedies for healing. Today, author Arin Murphy-Hiscock of House Witch and Green Witch's Grimoire defines green witchcraft as a spiritual path that focuses on using natural elements and energies for healing, protection, and guidance.
One of the core beliefs of green witchcraft is that everything in nature has a unique energy or spirit, including plants, animals, and even rocks. They also believe in the power of nature (including herbal and energy healing) to heal and provide guidance. Green witches have a strong connection with the cycles and rhythms of nature, and their rituals often revolve around honoring these natural phases.
Green Witchcraft and Other Paths
Green witchcraft naturally overlaps with many different spiritual and folk magic traditions. Many modern practitioners consider themselves eclectic witches, as their practice takes inspiration from multiple traditions or schools of magic.
Tips for Beginner Witches || Part One
Are Green Witches Wiccans?
Sometimes. Green witches are pagans and Wiccans are pagans. A green witch may identify as a Wiccan, a Norse, or a Celt to name just a few. There are many types of pagans. What makes a green witch a green witch is his or her affinity with nature and natural energy.
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Wicca is a modern pagan religion that uses ancient traditions and nature-based spirituality as its foundation. Wiccans often worship a Horned God and Mother Goddess, and celebrate the cycles of the moon, sun, and seasons. Most view magic as a natural law rather than something supernatural.
In her book, The Green Witch, Arin Murphy-Hiscock uses the term “living the path” instead of practicing witchcraft. This is because being a green witch is not just about magic. It is about a life choice and a way of participating in the natural realm.
- Kitchen and cottage witches are practitioners who imbue magic into their living spaces. These more domestic branches of witchcraft tend to focus on the needs of the home and those living in it. These witches can cast any spell they like, but spellwork might typically include workings for protection, cleansing, and harmony.
- Hedge witches are practitioners known for “riding the hedge” between the physical and metaphysical worlds, with the term “hedge” referring to the boundary between these realms. Hedge witches specialize in liminality. While they have a strong connection to nature and can use nature-derived tools in their practices, hedge witchcraft focuses more on the ethereal.
- Sea witches are practitioners who specialize in harnessing the power of the sea and its rich aquatic ecosystems. From working with the patterns of the tides to swimming through the ocean’s cleansing waters, these witches spend a great deal of time along the shoreline developing their personal bond with the sea (such that they might be mistaken for mermaids). The landscape of the sea becomes the stage for performing rituals or spellwork. Many take the sea witch as a symbol of environmental stewardship.
Communicating With Spirits
As green witches, we want to respect and honor the various spirits that we interact with.
Who Are The Genius Loci?
The genius loci are protective spirits of a location such as a home, a forest, or a river. Ancient Romans often dedicated altars to a specific genius locus. In Southeast Asia, an outdoor shrine is often built to honor the protective spirits of the place. Today you often hear the term applied to architecture and landscaping design.
The Fae
The Fae such as elves and fairies, often live in natural places such as among trees, waterways, and rock outcroppings. Dryads are fae that lives in the trees. Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open and you will find them.
Read also: Properties of Green Tiger Eye
Spirit Animals
Green witches are often very connected with one or more animal guardians. They may come to you in a dream, meditating, or when you are out in nature. You may connect with them because you have common traits or because they have a lesson to teach you.
Celebrating Life
The green witch celebrates life in the cycles of the moon, the seasons, and the agricultural calendar. Dancing, playing music, creating, are all part of the green way.
Steps To Become A Green Witch
If you are new to paganism or witchcraft and want to become a green witch you can follow these steps to get started.
Study, Identify, Hike
Study and learn to identify plants, animals, rocks, or other natural objects in your local area. Take long walks around your neighborhood and out in nature. Even if you live in an urban area there are plenty of places to connect with nature. Invest in one or two guidebooks to help you get started.
If you are interested in birds the Sibley Guide to Birds comes in an east and west USA version. The guides written by zoologist James Kavanagh which you can get for a variety of US states and different countries are also helpful. They are laminated pamphlets that are easy, light resources to carry around with you.
Grow
Growing plants is a fabulous way to connect with nature. You can grow houseplants, herbs, even vegetables inside or on a balcony. If you are not familiar with organic gardening you will want to learn how to grow your plants without harmful chemicals.
Create an Altar Space
An altar space can be inside or outside or definitely one of each! Altars are deeply personal and reflect the gods and goddesses you choose to honor, animals you connect with, and plants for healing power. Your altar is a place to put all your treasures and embrace natural magic.
Keep A Journal
Have some kind of book where you can write down things you learn, questions you have, and spells to try. This can be a journal or sketchbook, Book of Shadows, or grimoire. What you call it is not important. That you use it is important.
Tools of the Green Witch
Green witches have a special affinity for nature and utilize various tools to connect with nature's magic and its energy. They also use crystals for their metaphysical properties, as well as divination tools like tarot cards or runes for providing guidance and insight. Looking for the perfect tools to add to your green witchery toolbox?
- Hands - using the sense of touch
- Journal or a sketch pad- write down your thoughts and observations or draw them
- Jars and baskets for collecting plants
- Cup - to hold the element water
- Mortar and pestle for combining and blending
- Paper lunch bags and cotton sacks to carry home treasures
- Knife or pruners for harvesting
- First Aid Kit because its important to be safe when you are out in nature
- Backpack to carry your supplies when you are out in nature
Be Sustainable and Thankful
A green witch understands the importance of sustainability. Be aware of what plants and animals in your region are endangered and do not attempt to disturb them. Never gather a single species that has no others nearby. Don’t remove wildlife from the wild. They have a home and a tank or cage is a pitiful and cruel replacement. Sit quietly and enjoy spending time in their home.
If you have an affinity for healing animals you may want to consider becoming a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Advanced Green Witch Skills
You have a basic knowledge of what plants grow in the woods near your home and you have an herb garden growing in your kitchen. You have connected with the horse who is helping to guide you on this incredible journey. Now you want to continue your journey and learn more skills.
Foraging
Foraging wild plants is an important skill and takes some knowledge so you properly identify the plants. This skill not only helps you to make herbal remedies but it allows you to be self-reliant. Are you looking to make tea from plants you forage in the woods? Read Foraging for Wild Tea to learn how to make several sustainable teas from nature.
Foraging mushrooms is also an advanced skill and definitely requires a class or mentor so you know which ones are safe.
Moon Manifestation
Learning the lunar cycles helps put you in the ebb and flow of life’s cycles. Certain moons have different energies depending on their placement in relationship to the earth and sun during that month. Planning to do rituals and spells during these times can help you harness that energy for a positive outcome. Learn the different phases of the moon and what rituals work best in the various moon phases.
Crystals
Pagans use crystals to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual balance by interacting with your chakras. Chakras are energy centers in your body. Crystals can be used as a meditation tool, to make crystal grids, or to spruce up décor. Crystals have many different uses and are chosen according to their properties.
Herbs and Plants
Herbs and plants play a vital role in green witchcraft, not only for their medicinal properties but also for their energetic and spiritual benefits. Many green witches incorporate herb gardens into their homes to have easy access to these powerful ingredients. Growing your own herbs is a rewarding and sustainable way to incorporate them into your green witchcraft practice. Using organic and eco-friendly gardening methods also aligns with the principles of green witchcraft.
There are countless herbs used in green witchcraft, each with unique properties and associations. Celtic yarrow is believed to have divinatory powers and is used for protection and courage.
The Elements
The four elements, also known as the building blocks of nature, play a significant role in green witchcraft. For example, fire represents transformation and passion, while water symbolizes purification and intuition.
There are many ways to connect with the four elements of green witchcraft. For example, earth may be represented by a crystal or stone, while air may be represented by incense or feathers.
In addition to rituals, green witches also work with the earth's great elements in various aspects of their practice. They may also call upon air energy by blowing out sage or palo santo to symbolize releasing negative energy.
Lunar and Solar Energies
The phases of the moon are often used to determine the timing of rituals and spells, with each phase carrying its own unique energy for different intentions. Green witches often incorporate lunar and solar energies into their rituals and spells. They may also harness the power of the sun by performing rituals during sunrise or using solar symbols in their spellwork.
Subscription Boxes for Green Witches
Several subscription boxes cater to those interested in green witchcraft, offering curated collections of magical items:
| Box Name | Description |
|---|---|
| My Garden Box | Monthly in-season seeds to plant. |
| The Witches Moon® | A curated collection of magical items that celebrate the essence of green witchcraft. |
| Monthly Witchy Box from Bespell & Co. | 4-6 magical items each month, from Tarot cards to crystals. |
| Magickal Earth | Crystals, astrological overviews, practical magic, and a tarot card. |
| TheraBox | Self-care essentials around a new theme every month. |
| Paper Bliss | Japanese stationery items. |
| Succulents Box | Four unique 2'' succulents each month. |
| Herbal Apprentice Box | DIY medicine-making projects with study guides, recipes, seeds, and essential oils. |
| The Mindful Box by Mindful Souls | Spiritual tools to explore your innermost self. |
Living the Green Witch Path
Being a green witch isn't about casting spells and brewing potions, but about living in harmony with nature and harnessing its energies for positive change. Remember to always show gratitude towards the earth and its elements, as they are essential partners on this magical journey.
Are You a Green Witch?
If you’re a green witch, some of what I’ve written about would have resonated with you. Maybe you’ve always had a special place in your heart for the forest or feel most at home in nature. Perhaps, you’ve always had a secret relationship with houseplants or gemstones. Maybe you feel a kinship with the faerie folk or earth goddesses.
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