How to return to the craft

heatherwitch:

I’m finally looking to the future and creating posts I can link, instead of answering the same questions over and over. It’s not that I mind answering them, it’s just that I usually don’t have the energy to give you the solid answer you deserve.

Where to start?

I generally wouldn’t recommend picking up where you left off. You spent a lot of time building up to that point, jumping right in is going to be a lot. I would recommend starting slow, and slowly building back up. Get a solid foundation back under your feet:

• Make a list of the things that you’d like to relearn, and do one per day. 
• Start at the basics, even if you knew the advanced stuff. Act like a beginner again and relearn. Chances are, you’ll learn some things you missed before!
• Don’t compare it to your old craft. Crafts and paths are constantly shifting over time, taking a break doesn’t change this, time has passed and your craft will likely be different.
• Do what excites you! Learn new things too! What drew you back into the craft? This is a great chance for a fresh start!

Drawing a blank? Here’s some ideas of things to research/relearn:

• Altars.
• Astral travel/projection.
• Astrology.
• Crystals.
• Deities (perhaps learn about a new pantheon!)
• Divination (any type)
• Local wildlife; birds, animals, plants. 
• Mythology (maybe local mythology and lore?)
• Sigil creation and using.
• Space; the cosmos.
• Spell writing and casting. 
• Spirit work.
• Warding/protection.
• Whatever you want!!

Some recommendations if you feel stuck/hit a block:

• Browse the baby witch tag and help some beginners out. They have so much motivation and inspiration, and it’ll likely leak over to you (and you’ll reinforce some of the knowledge you forgot you had).
• Buy yourself something witchy (it doesn’t have the be expensive, even just a new little candle you only burn for witchy things).
• Find a friend who is also getting back into the craft, talk about your practices!
• Look up some tips and tricks on overcoming art block/writer’s block and find a way to apply them.
• Know that it’s perfectly normal to hit blocks and lose motivation (it happens to me all the time at least). And it’s okay to take as many breaks/hiatuses as you need.