5 Subtle Traits of a Truly Inauthentic Witchcraft Practice and how to fix them:
Witchcraft is deeply personal, ever-evolving, and uniquely woven into the lives of those who practice it. Yet, in a time when magick is more visible than ever—shared across social media, woven into aesthetics, and commercialized at every turn—it’s easy to slip into a practice that looks the part but lacks true depth.
Authenticity in witchcraft isn’t about adhering to a specific tradition or using the “right” tools. It’s about intention, connection, and personal power. If you’re feeling disconnected from your craft, you may unknowingly be embodying one (or more) of these subtle traits of an inauthentic practice.
But don’t worry!
Awareness is the first step toward reclaiming your power.
1. Relying Solely on Aesthetic Without Substance
A beautifully curated altar, elaborate ritual robes, and an Instagram-worthy grimoire can be enchanting—but if witchcraft is only about appearance, it lacks true magick.
Signs of an aesthetic-driven practice:
🔮 Your altar is perfectly arranged, but you rarely interact with it beyond taking photos.
🔮 You own a collection of spellbooks, yet you’ve never read more than a few pages or tried a single spell from them.
🔮 You wear crystals as accessories but haven’t attuned to their energy.
Authenticity isn’t about rejecting beauty—it’s about ensuring that your practice has soul behind the visuals. An altar, for instance, should be an active space for devotion, energy work, or spellcasting, not just a static display. The key is to engage with your tools and practices in a way that feels alive, personal, and magickally potent.
2. Blindly Following Trends Without Personal Connection
Magickal trends rise and fall just like anything else. One month, everyone is making moon water. The next, it’s all about cinnamon brooms or viral TikTok spells. While trends can introduce new tools or techniques, they shouldn’t dictate your practice.
Signs of a trend-driven practice:
🌙 You jump from one practice to the next without understanding their origins.
🔥 You perform spells because they’re popular, not because they align with your energy or needs.
🌿 You gather tools for trendy rituals but don’t connect with them on a deeper level.
Magick is most powerful when it resonates with you. Instead of automatically adopting what’s trending, take a moment to ask: Does this practice align with my beliefs, needs, and spiritual path? If the answer is yes, integrate it mindfully. If not, let it pass.
3. Using Magick as a Quick Fix Without Understanding Energy Work
Magick isn’t an instant solution—it’s a relationship with energy, intention, and the unseen. A common mistake in an inauthentic practice is treating spells like wish fulfillment rather than as tools that require alignment, focus, and accountability.
Signs of a quick-fix approach:
🔮 Casting spells without setting clear intentions or raising your energy.
💰 Expecting a money spell to work without taking mundane actions to support it.
⚡ Attempting binding magick without setting, communicating, and respecting real world boundaries.
True magick requires patience, skill, and an understanding of energy flow. Before performing a spell, ask yourself: Am I energetically aligned with this outcome? If not, consider ways to build that alignment—through shadow work, energy clearing, or mundane action—to create a more potent and authentic practice.
4. Lack of Personal Study or Direct Experience
Reading about witchcraft is important, but true understanding comes from direct experience. If your practice consists mainly of consuming content without actually applying it, you might be lingering in a surface-level connection.
Signs of a passive practice:
📖 You collect books but rarely practice what you read.
🌙 You feel unsure of your own instincts and always seek external validation.
🔍 You rely heavily on correspondences and written spells without personalizing them.
Witchcraft is a living practice—meant to be experienced, experimented with, and personalized. The best way to deepen your connection is to do the work: cast the spells, observe the signs, engage with your tools, and trust your personal gnosis.
5. Ignoring Intuition and Personal Power
One of the most powerful aspects of witchcraft is the ability to trust your own intuition. While books, teachers, and traditions are valuable, an inauthentic practice often leans too heavily on external sources, neglecting the inner voice.
Signs you may be disconnected from your intuition:
🌑 You second-guess your instincts when interpreting signs or omens.
🔮 You feel like you need permission to adapt spells or create your own.
📜 You rigidly follow guides without allowing space for personal insight.
Authentic witchcraft is about empowerment. While learning from others is important, your personal experience and intuition are just as valid. Your connection to the unseen, your ability to weave magick, and your spiritual path are uniquely yours—trust that.
Reclaiming Your Authentic Craft
If you recognize yourself in any of these traits, don’t despair—every practitioner grows and evolves. The key to an authentic practice is mindfulness, engagement, and trust in your personal path.
✨ Instead of focusing on the look of witchcraft, cultivate the feeling of connection.
✨ Instead of following trends, seek what truly resonates with your spirit.
✨ Instead of quick fixes, build a relationship with energy, action, and intention.
✨ Instead of just reading about magick, practice it—experience is your greatest teacher.
✨ Instead of doubting yourself, listen to your intuition and claim your power.
Your craft is yours alone—make it sacred, make it real, and most of all, make it yours.
Stay Salty, Witches!
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