The Beginner Witch's Handbook: Essential Spells, Folk Traditions, and Lore for Crafting Your Magickal Practice

by Leah Middleton

Unveil the Path of the Witch

Every Witch’s story begins with a step into the unknown—but you don’t have to do it alone. Leah Middleton, known online as The Redheaded Witch, is here to guide you down the Witch’s path. With gentle encouragement and advice through each twist and turn in the road, she will equip you with all of the knowledge and skills you’ll need to craft your own personalized practice rooted in traditional witchcraft. Discover answers to all your curiosities, from how to gather your tools to the best times of year for a heart-healing ritual. You’ll also discover how to connect with the flora, fauna, and ancestral spirits around you and incorporate them into your practice.

Featuring over 30 spells and rituals spanning plant magic, folk- craft, kitchen witchery and more, you’ll find new ways to harness your inner power and reimagine your craft. Let this handbook be your lantern as you enter the dark woods, and embark on your magickal journey.

Genres: Witchcraft, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Crafts

171 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2023

Reviews

[Jenna Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fellow folk practitioner I absolutely loved this book. It’s a great resources for beginners and a great read for witches of any level who want to reignite the passion in their craft or learn more about how to begin as a folk practitioner. It lays down the foundations that every witch should start with, is well researched, and the perfect combination of how to, history, and lore with the inclusion of the author’s own personal practice as well. The spells included are wonderful and all very beginner friendly and are geared towards things in life we could all use a little magic for. Leah has also included her own beautiful photographs that capture every witch and cottage core lovers dream aesthetic. I 100% recommend this book to anyone looking for a thorough but not overwhelming beginner book that will leave you inspired and itching to jump into your magical practice.

[Isabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately there were way too many errors in the sentence structure which distracted me from the content of the text. The information was helpful but brief. The spells and rituals were nice, and I will definitely be trying some of them out.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that this book was more like a tool to discover your own path and believes rather than being preached someone elses like facts. I've noticed a lot of older books (even with many other perks) have this tendency so books like this are very refreshing. I learned so much about myself reading this and where I want to go next. Leah gives you many interesting exercises and asks the right questions to get you started so I feel like this is an excellent beginner book. Or if you just need to find the motivation or direction to pick up where you left of in your practice.
There was of course some of the basic stuff in there, but together with some topics that were quite new to me too. Her chapter about ancestral work was very well written and informative. As well as the chapters on magic of place. I was doing a lot of research and reading on the side of this (really recommend to do that and to do the excersices) and learned so much about my hometown that I never knew. Will definitly continue on that new and exciting trail because there is so much more yet to learn.

Only one thing, silly, was a little bit distracting if you will. She loves to use the word "nurture" and I don't think there was many pages where it wasn't used, at least once.
If you read this book, which I recommend, please count them and let me know how many you found haha.

[Ella Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful, if you are a fan of works such as Roger J. Horne or Nigel G. Pearson books, you need this book!

From the stunning photography by Leah herself, to the charming way of storytelling, this book is such a great piece to have if you are interested in folk magic, traditional witchcraft and ancestral work. I found this to be perfect for both a beginner and advanced practitioner, with both important topics and creative spells that even a seasoned witch will find inspiring!

The topics I found really wonderful and a rarity in the witchcraft book world was a focus on healing (especially in regards to ancestry) and community

[Jael Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so beautifully written, an easy read with enough detail for the beginner practitioner to feel grounded within the practice. For individuals interested in traditional witchcraft and folk-craft, the author provides a concise overview. This is a very quick read divided into two parts, but only 160+ pages. I truly hope that the author, Leah Middleton, considers writing a more in-depth book later because I believe she has a lot to share. I have read many books on witchcraft, this is by the easiest to understand and digest while still offering a wealth of information. A truly fantastic read that I have and will continue to recommend.

[Níamh McDade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leah is a fantastic writer and this is an excellent book! This is a perfect book to get you stuck into witchcraft ♡ highly recommend

[Jessica]

Not rating this one, not because it’s bad, but because this is a great confirmation that I’m not a spiritual kind of person

[Elizabeth Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a lot of great information, but most of it just didn't speak to my journey.

[Louisa Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and how the author shares about her witchcraft path. Thank you, Leah, for being.

[Kristene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this author defines witchcraft and how she shares her experience with it through this “how to” book as well as memoir on her spiritual journey. This book was such a refreshing, realistic perspective on how to practically incorporate witchcraft into your life in simple ways. I live in the Appalachian Mountains and this author is from the Appalachian Mountains. Her perspective is from her Appalachian culture and family history, and I related to so much of it. Also, she brings a very mature perspective into looking at how trauma not only affects you personally as a spiritual practitioner but how generational trauma affects who are and how this influences your practice. She spends time focusing on the importance of understanding where you came from, your ancestory, and your heritage as well as how all of this affects your practice. This book was so much more than sharing spells (which there is a section for that; her spells are very practical and feasible financially as well as for a beginner). I related to so much in this…even as a person that doesn’t identify as a witch I identified so much with how she expresses her spirituality and how she makes every day relationships and daily tasks part of her spiritual practice. This was so refreshing and for anyone that does identify as a witch…this is a must-read and needs to be in your witchy library. If you live in the mountains you will greatly appreciate this refreshing perspective on family relationships, spirituality, and magick.

[Pat Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read for all witches!

Love the author! Loved the book! I’ve been practicing for years, and I learned a ton of lore, and techniques I haven’t tried yet!