Red Flags to Watch For

There is bad information regarding witchcraft and magic everywhere. No one expects beginners to know how to spot bad information when they are just starting out, but that does not make learning about the various red flags any less important. Knowing how to spot bad information when researching can save you from a lot of trouble- both spiritually and mundane.

Now, bad information does not necessarily make the person a bad practitioner. Sometimes people make mistakes. How they react when told of their mistakes is what you should pay attention to. That being said, here are some red flags to look out for when researching your craft.

1. They try to claim their path is the only path, and that all other paths and methods are wrong; there are thousands of religions, spiritualities and belief systems out there. One path being different from another does not make them wrong by default.

2. They claim that a rule or ethic from within their practice is a universal rule that everyone must follow; different religions, spiritualities and cultures have different rules and different standards. Things like the three-fold law, karma, reincarnation and many other things aren't universal concepts. Don't expect other people of different backgrounds to have the same beliefs, or follow the same ethics, especially if they’re of completely different religions or traditions than you.

3. They claim that Paganism, Neopaganism, the Occult, and New Age spiritualities are superior to other religions; some people have religious trauma, but no religion is any better or worse than another. Understand that there are both good and bad individuals in all religions (including paganism), and that you cannot allow your trauma to cause hatred for the entire religion by default.

4. They claim that using things from closed or limited-access practices is okay, and that no one can tell you what to do- not even the members of the parent cultures; closed and limited-access practices do exist, are valid, and should be respected- and if it is something sacred to or rooted from a closed practice, then it is best to simply leave it alone. This does not make certain people more special than you- it just means their path is different and has different rules that need to be followed, just like yours does.

5. They claim that known open practices, or reconstructed practices from archaeologically dead cultures, are closed or limited access; this is happening more often as nationalism rises and neonazis become more bold. But things like tarot, Irish paganism, and many other practices are open. If you see somebody claim these are closed practices, be wary. These types of claims tend to actively stem from a place of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of bigotry.

6. They are blatantly sexist, racist, antisemitic, islamophobic, anti-monotheistic, homophobic or transphobic, ableist, classist, etc; some people are convinced only women can practice witchcraft and magic. Some people are blatantly racist towards bipoc and try to exclude them from witchcraft and magic. Some people try to exclude people with disabilities and mental illness because their craft is different. Be careful when coming across these types of people.

7. Their sources are based purely on personal Gnosis; if you are going into a branch of paganism, you have to study the religion and its mythology. The stories and beliefs are what provide us with knowledge of their existences, how they present themselves, their relationships with other beings and their conflicts with other beings. And your sources should be academic in nature first and foremost. Any source that is based purely in personal gnosis cannot be verified and is unreliable.

8. They believe that religion, spirituality and witchcraft can cure mental illness and disabilities; religion, spirituality and witchcraft can provide mental and physical aid in a variety of ways, but they will not cure a mental illness or disability. These things require more than things like faith and crystals, they require legitimate medical treatment. Some are not curable at all.

9. They claim medication will cloud your abilities or stunt your ability to practice magic; do not listen to people who make claims like this. If you are taking medication for something, don't stop taking it because somebody claims it is hindering your abilities. If you aren't taking medication for something but believe you should be, don't avoid it because somebody claims it is hindering your abilities. Medication is important to many people in order to have a sense of stability, and it is not going to harm your abilities.

10. They claim your mental illness or disability is a karmic thing, or spiritual gift; there are certain traditions that believe certain events involving one’s mental and / or physical health are linked to spiritual awakenings. But these are typically under very specific circumstances and there are appropriate verification processes in place in those traditions. In general, mental and physical illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions (such as Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears) are not some ‘spiritual debt’ or ‘gift’. Thy are legitimate physical medical phenomena with scientific explanations and treatments. Don't be fooled by people who make harmful claims like this.

11. The person encourages you to consume or burn poisonous plants without proper education or instruction; always study the medicinal uses of plants to learn not only their magical correspondences, but also their medical properties and proper methods of use. Before use, always check to see if the plant is not only poisonous to you, but also to any pets you have in your household. Accidents can be prevented with a little time and research, but willful negligence from an author or teacher is a major red flag.

These are but a small smattering of red flags to keep an eye out for if you’re new to Witchcraft. There are plenty more that aren’t covered here. For the most part, however, keeping an eye out is an issue of common sense more than avoiding things perfectly.

Stay safe, and always cross reference your information with academic sources, and verify that your sources are up to date and have a good reputation; there’s nothing wrong with using a ‘bad source’. But it’s much easier to utilize a ‘bad source’ properly when you know how to spot (and thereby ignore) the bad pieces in the first place.