Welcome to those who sincerely seek knowledge of witchcraft. The purpose of this basic skills training is to provide a foundation of common terminology, knowledge, and magickal techniques for students both new and experienced. Upon completion of this training a student will be competent in the fundamentals of witchcraft and fully able to practice on their own. Matriculated students will also be eligible for individualized advanced study.
This training is broken into month long units. The topics covered are:
- Cosmology/Ethics
- Metaphysical Hygiene
- Sacred Space and Divination
- Correspondences and Components I
- Correspondences and Components II
- Spellcasting I
- Spellcasting II
- Defensive Magick
- Metaphysical Entities
- Shadow Work
- Cemetery Work
- Bane Magick
Each until will build upon the knowledge established in the previous unit and must be completed in order.
Unlike many year and a day trainings, Emily does not teach from within a specific tradition. This means that there is no “one correct way” to approach magick in this training. Emily will teach the techniques and approaches that she knows best, but guided exploration and experimentation with other techniques is welcome.
There are many approaches to magick; this training is specifically in the low-magick form of eclectic witchcraft. Low magick is the art of manifesting desired change in the world through one’s will. This is opposed to high magick, which is used to further spiritual development rather than facilitate mundane goals. While much of what is taught in this course can be used in pursuit of spiritual development, such lofty thoughts are not the primary goal. It’s a little bit more difficult to define eclectic witchcraft; if you ask a dozen witches to do so you will certainly get a dozen different answers. Witchcraft is a set of magickal and spiritual practices used to better the life of the practitioner. Eclectic witchcraft is simply witchcraft that uses tools and techniques from multiple traditions, practices, and cultures. This training is focused on practical magicks for manifesting positive change in the real world.
Note – As of autumn 2021 all lessons have been recorded and are available on YouTube. These recorded lessons are intended as a supplement to one-on-one lessons, but can be an alternative if you feel the full apprenticeship isn’t right for you.
Expectations
While you will be expected to work hard, you will not be expected to spend a lot of money in this training. You will not be required to buy fancy tools, special robes, or rare ingredients. Low magick is about doing what you need to do with whatever you have on hand. So long as you have access to a basic kitchen and either a yard or a community park, you will have no trouble with the materials needed for this course. (If you don’t have that, you’ll still probably be able to make things work.) There will be book recommendations throughout, but none will be required.
No specific religious or spiritual beliefs are required for this training beyond the belief that magick and the unseen worlds exist. Instead, a basic set of ethics is expected. It basically boils down to:
- Be a decent human being
- Take responsibility for your actions
- Don’t practice cultural appropriation
Students will be expected to commit a few hours a week to their training. There will be 1 one-on-one session a month, generally 60-90 minutes, with Emily to discuss the topic of the month, ask questions, and be given assignments. Additionally, the student will be expected to work on their own for a few hours a week doing research, performing magick, and reflecting. Outside the one-on-one sessions students are welcome to email Emily as questions come up. If a student is unable to meet their commitments they must give a valid reason.
In lieu of a fee for the considerable time and effort required to administer this training, students are asked to either volunteer at a local charity for no fewer than 10 hours or donate no less than $75 to an established charity. If this is a hardship, a student may be able to negotiate alternative community service.