The Ugly Truth About Gatekeeping in Witchcraft

and How to Take Your Power Back

It is completely normal to feel lost after you’ve absorbed the history and the basics of witchcraft or Wicca.

When you have all this new knowledge but no set path forward, that “now what?” feeling can be overwhelming.

Living 15 stories up in an apartment and not feeling ready for a coven can make you feel even more disconnected; but you are actually in the perfect place to begin.

Before we look at the next steps, there is one crucial truth you need to hear:

There is no single “right” way to do magic.

Anyone who tries to gatekeep witchcraft, tell you that you must follow rigid rules, or tries to force it into a strict, dogmatic religion is only taking away from your own personal power.

Magic is yours.

It is fluid, deeply personal, and inherently yours to shape.

Here is how you can move forward from the “basics” into a living, breathing practice right where you are.

---

---

Step 1: Reconnect Deeply With Your Intuition

The very first step, and the most important one you will ever take, is tuning back into your own intuition. Your intuition is the absolute seat of your magic. Books and guides are wonderful for history and inspiration, but your inner knowing is what actually makes the magic work.

• Trust Your Gut: If a spell calls for an herb you don’t have, but your intuition tells you to use something from your kitchen cabinet instead, listen to it.

• Quiet the Noise: Spend a few minutes each day sitting in silence, learning to distinguish between your anxious thoughts and your deep, intuitive knowing.

Step 2: Observe and Flow

Once you begin to trust that inner voice, your next step isn’t to memorize complex rituals; it’s simply to observe and flow.

• Watch the World: Notice how the energy feels in your apartment during a thunderstorm versus a sunny morning. Notice the phases of the moon through your window.

• Move with the Currents: Don’t force your practice. If you feel energetic, channel that into your space. If you feel tired, allow your practice that day to be simply resting and recharging. Magic is about alignment, not exhaustion.

Step 3: Ditch the “Perfect Space” Myth

You do not need to live in a cottage in the woods, possess expensive crystals, or have a perfect altar to practice witchcraft. Magic does not require a specific setting, perfect ingredients, or elaborate tools.

Living 15 stories up in an apartment offers its own unique and incredibly powerful magic:

• Embrace the Elements You Have: You are closer to the sky, the wind, and the weather. Work with the element of Air by opening your windows, or catch the rain and moonlight on your balcony or window sill.

• Use What is Around You: A cup of tea stirred with intention is magic. Cleaning your apartment with a protective mindset is magic. The intention behind the action is the actual spell.

You Are Nature

The core of witchcraft is connecting to nature and the energy beyond it. Sometimes, living in a concrete building makes us feel separated from the earth, but remember this: You are part of nature. Your breath, your heartbeat, and your energy are as natural as any forest. You don’t have to go outside to connect to nature because you carry it within you.

Breathe.

Trust yourself.

Start exactly where you are, using exactly what you have.

Your intuition will guide you the rest of the way.

In Root & Ritual,

Ayana

---

Don’t let the transition from winter’s rest to spring’s rush leave you dysregulated. Join Root & Ritual to receive weekly insights that bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern biology. Learn to move with the rhythm of the earth, rather than against it.

---

---