🌒 A Letter to New Witches from a Gen X Elder
– with love, fire, and a slightly arched eyebrow
Dear Baby Witch,
First of all, welcome. Seriously. However you got here—through a broken heart, a Saturn return, an ancestral calling, or just a random crystal TikTok—you’re here. You’ve stepped onto a path that is older than memory and wilder than logic. And that’s beautiful. The world needs more people who see magic in the ordinary, who are willing to listen to stones, water, and wind. So let’s get that out of the way: I’m glad you’re here.
But now that you’re here, let me say a few things. Elder to new blood. Witch to witch.
✨ Magic Isn’t a Trend.
Witchcraft isn’t something you “do.” It’s something you live. It’s not all moon water and spell jars and aesthetic altars (though those can be lovely). It’s shadow work at 3am when everything falls apart. It’s holding space for grief. It’s the discipline of knowing yourself, not just your crystals. It’s being in relationship with the world—not consuming it.
You don’t have to be perfect. But if you’re only here for the vibes, the witchy merch, and the Instagram likes, you’ll burn out fast. Because real magic will demand things of you. It’ll ask you to grow, break, heal, and rebuild. Again and again.
🖤 Respect the Ones Who Came Before You.
We’ve been here. Before “witch” became a marketing demographic. Before the influencers and the Etsy boom. Before you could Google a spell for self-love or get a tarot deck delivered same-day. Some of us were casting circles in secret, hiding our books from judgmental eyes, risking jobs or custody or community to follow this crooked path.
And yes, we still are here. Which means you don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time you pick up a wand. Some of us have spent decades learning—through lived experience, not just reading blogs and books. So if an elder offers insight, listen. You don’t have to agree with everything we say, but don’t dismiss it just because it isn’t shiny and new. Sometimes, the oldest truths are the sharpest.
🔥 Learn Your Lineage—All of It.
Know where your practices come from. Know whose lands you're on. Know whose shoulders you stand on. It’s not gatekeeping to ask for accountability. It’s basic magical hygiene. If you’re working with deities, spirits, or practices from traditions that aren’t your own—do the work. Study. Ask. Learn. Approach with humility.
Magic isn’t a buffet where you take what feels cute and leave the rest. It’s a web of responsibility. If you're not willing to honor the roots, don't pick the fruit.
🌿 Look for a Mentor—But with Respect.
Mentorship can be powerful. Vital, even. Many of us learned our craft from another witch who had walked the path before us. But let’s be clear: a mentor is not a customer service line for your spells.
Don’t bombard someone with fifty thousand questions about why your candle flickered or why your love spell didn’t land. Sometimes, spells just don’t work. That’s part of the craft. Magic isn’t a vending machine—you don’t put in intention and always get the exact result. Sometimes you get silence. Sometimes you get redirected. Sometimes the universe says, Not like this.
So when you find a mentor, come with curiosity, not entitlement. Come ready to listen, not just collect answers. Honor their time. Be open to learning slowly. And be okay with hearing: keep practicing, and see what happens.
🧹 Slow Down.
You don’t need 80 herbs, 12 tarot decks, three spirit guides, and a moon ritual for every Tuesday. You don’t need to master everything in your first year. You will not be an expert overnight. And guess what? That’s okay. Magic isn’t about “more.” It’s about depth. Go deep. Let the work simmer. Let yourself make mistakes, course correct, and grow with your craft.
Ask more questions. Sit in silence more often. Don’t rush the becoming.
🌿 And One Last Thing:
You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
Not to me. Not to your followers. Not to that one smug gatekeeper in your coven who thinks they’re the Witch Pope.
Your path is your own. And the most powerful witches I know? They’re the ones who walk it with integrity, curiosity, and deep, raw honesty.
So if you see a witch with silver in her hair, herbs in her pockets, and a look in her eye like she’s survived more than a few tower cards—maybe don’t assume she doesn’t know anything just because she’s not quoting TikTok trends. Maybe ask her a question. Maybe sit with her. Maybe shut up and listen.
Because someday? That’ll be you. And goddess willing, you’ll be just as weird, wise, and full of fire as we are now.
With love,
& slightly singed sage,
An Elder Gen X Witch Who’s Still Here
🖤🕯️🌙
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