7 Types of Witchcraft

Every witch's craft is unique to them, but there are some types of witchcraft you can delve more deeply into to help you develop a practice that feels really good to you. They're all pretty awesome.

When you're first learning about witchcraft, all the information can feel a bit overwhelming. You may feel like you need to immediately identify the type of witch you want to become and then study just that one thing forever and follow all their rules for the rest of your life.

Personally, I believe nothing could be farther from the truth. Witchcraft and magick are equally mystical and practical. We manipulate the energy to manifest our intentions, and that may call for a wide variety of spells, especially as we grow and evolve over the years. So while I find it valuable to know about all the different options for harnessing your power, I certainly don't think you need to choose just one.

You will most likely feel more drawn to certain branches of magic based on your personality, interests, skills, and environment, but for the most part, you're not bound to any one thing. There are certain traditions with more of a religious aspect that may require more dedication and initiation, but that's not what we're dealing with here.

How do I know what kind of witch I am?

First off, remember that you can be a different kind of witch from day to day based on how you feel when you wake up if you want to. You're not bound to any one thing. You're also allowed to cross streams and mix colors in your craft.

If you want to start delving a little more deeply into one specifici type of practice, the best way to find your path is just to follow what lights you up. Whatever you do that makes you feel really good, there's almost certainly a way to infuse it with magick and people who are already practicing and would be happy to share.

So if you love being outdoors, you might want to learn more about how to work with plants and the spirit of animals. If you love being cozy in your house, you'll explore ways to make it more magical. If you're a passionate activist, you can learn more about how to influence the world around you with witchcraft. You don't need to stop doing anything you love because you're a witch. Just bring your practice into that thing.

Types of Witchcraft

This is not an exhaustive list of all the different types of witchcraft, simply some of the more common and accessible types. And remember, your practice doesn't need to have a label to be valid. Below you'll learn about seven different types of witchcraft you can explore.

Hearth Witch/Cottage Witch/Kitchen Witch

A hearth, cottage, or kitchen witch practices most of their witchcraft within the home. They may use spells to protect their house and family and focus much of their energy on creating a warm and welcoming environment within their home. This is where I focus much of my practice. They will use magick in cooking and cleaning and other daily tasks, making the mundane more magical.

A home-based witch is likely to have strong maternal and protective vibes, but they can be any gender (as with all witches). Common workings may be for protection, cleansing, abundance, and happiness. They may work with herbs, essential oils, food and drink, and crystals. Any spells or rituals for keeping a happy home could fall into this category.

Green Witch

Green witches love nature and living things. They may learn how to grow or forage plants and often have a knowledge of herbalism. They often have a garden or spend a lot of time outdoors. Green witches are deeply in tune with the natural world and look to it as their source of energy.

Green witches might study herbalism and potion making. They may also work with animal energy. They have a deep reverence and affinity for things that grow and are often involved in ecological conservation.

Hedge Witch

To me, a hedge witch is someone who works on the border between realms. The hedge marked the border between the organised and safe village and the wild unknown of the forest. In witchcraft, it is the border between the mundane world of science and observable reality and the spiritual realms that lie beyond.

Hedge witches may practice spirit work, astral projection, psychic practices, divination, and other ways to connect with the beyond. They may keep an ancestor altar or work closely with a deity, angels, or other spiritual entities. Hedge witches are usually deeply intuitive and sensitive to unseen energies. They may be drawn to spirit boards, tarot cards, runes, scrying, or other forms of divination that connect us to the spirit realm.

Elemental Witch

I include in this category things like forest witches, sea witches, storm witches, etc. Elemental witches work closely with the four (or five) elements in their practice. They may be more drawn to a specific element, such as a sea witch who works with the power of water, or they may work with all the elements in equal balance.

Elemental witches may love candles and bonfires, or they may absorb power and energy from storms. They may practice earthing (putting your bare feet in the dirt) on a regular basis, or they may view wild swimming as a sacred practice. It's similar to green witchery in some ways, but doesn't necessarily involve a knowledge of gardening or plants.

Cosmic Witch/Lunar Witch

A cosmic or lunar witch always has their gaze turned to the skies. They have a deep connection to the movement of plants and constellations and feel attuned to astrology. The movement of the stars is an ancient and complex body of knowledge, and there are lots of ways to use this knowledge.

If you love looking up your horoscope, you may want to delve more deeply into the sea of astrology. Or maybe, like me, you find yourself inexplicably drawn to the moon, and you want to work with the ever changing lunar energies. There are plenty of branches of cosmic witchery to dig into, and you could study it your whole life and still have more to learn.

Eclectic Witch

If asked, I would tell people I'm an eclectic witch. Mainly, this means that I can pick and choose what suits me on any given day and try a little bit of everything. It's the 31 flavors of witchcraft. Eclectic witches love it all, or at least lots of different things, and not just one. They don't feel their practice needs to be restricted to any one path.

So if you're multi-passionate and want to learn about all types of witchcraft, open up to the possibility of eclectic witchery and just follow wherever your heart leads. One day it may be to the kitchen. Another day, it may find you moon bathing or pulling out your tarot cards and crossing the hedge. Eclectic witches can do it all.

Initiatory Practices

Finally, there are a number of initiatory practices such as Wicca, Santeria, Voudon, and other specific cultural practices that require initiation in order to practice. I am not a member of any of these practices. While I think it's great to be educated about them, do be aware that some closed practices require years of study and dedication in order to become a full member. Seek out an experienced teacher if you feel called to one of these types of practices.

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As I said, these are just a few of the many types of witchcraft you can explore and practice. What types of witchcraft are you most drawn to? Let me know in the comments or get in touch on Instagram. I'd love to keep the conversation going.

And remember, magick comes from you, not the spells and materials, so as long as you have your intention and your focused energy, that's all you need. You're a witch if you decide to be one.