Learn how to Cleanse yourself as easy as doing your daily routine of brushing your teeth. It doesn't have to be complicated or long. You can smudge yourself with sage or if you have a favorite incense. 
  You can also sit down and surround yourself with the 4 elements.      A bowl of water, A stone or plant, Feather or Incense and a candle. Starting with east/feather turn to face that direction and envision feathers circling you. Next, turn to the candle and envision that flame spreading around you. Next turn to the west/water, envision a stream forming around you. Last turn  north/plant and envision vines spreading around you loosely. There are many techniques and finding the one that feels best to you is always the key. 
Everyone wants to know what their power/gift is. In order to know this, you must know yourself.  Your power is inside of you and you must learn how to reach it, tap into it and of course then use it. Most people already know because they trust their feelings. They may not be able to explain but they can feel and with that, it leads them to discovering their gift. 
  You may also want to pay attention to your dreams or do a guided meditation leading you to discover what your gift it. If you are unable to find a
guided meditation cd, then make your own. Type out the scenario step by step, guiding you through and to the destination. That should be where you allow yourself to see what is before you. You don't say what it is, your mind will discover.
It will be difficult to do most things in the craft, if you can not connect with the 4 natural elements. Besides connecting with your own natural element; you still need to connect with the others. 
   It is a process that can be simple to do for those who may have thought it will take years to do. Not at all. Have more faith in yourself as well as nature. Place one element around you and let yourself feel it. This is almost like meditation. I like to use the amount of Five. 5 candles, 5 water bowls, etc. If you have a nature sound cd playing that may help as well. Just relax and allow yourself to slowly feel the element. 
   Once you accomplished that element, which could take days, weeks or even months. Then you move onto the next element and do the same thing. I also find it can be helpful to sit upon the element color that you are working on. You may even want to dress in the element color. Whatever helps you learn. There is no time limit when it comes to learning anything in the craft. 


In order to work with herbs, one must be able to connect with them. Every herb you select to use in a spell should be one that you know. Not just the magick property of it, but actually knowing the herb.
  You don't have to be a scholar or have a green thumb, but you have to be able to know the herb. A good way to do this is to NOT look up the herb properties. Go into this blindly. Smell the scent of the herb, feel it with your fingers, look at it and see the details of it. Then jot down your feelings and thoughts that may have popped into your head.
    Then use at least 3 books from different cultures. I prefer Native American, Asian, & Paganism/Wicca books. Read the properties. You may discover that what you jotted down actually  fit a description in a book(s). Also, as you go on learning about herbs, if you notice that your notes that you jotted down tend to follow more of one culture out of the other two, this may be your main source to use for knowledge and not just for herbs,but  stones, magick, etc.
The first thing people do when starting the craft is running out to purchase tools right away. Then later down the road they discover that the tool is not for them or is not needed.Selecting a tool carefully can save you not only money but a lot of grief too wondering why it is not working for you. Buy a tool as you need it. Hold the tool in your hand and feel the vibrations of it. Vibrations doesn't just mean motion but feelings. Good feeling vs. bad feeling. The tool can feel familiar or comfortable.  If given a tool, make sure it is coming from someone who is family or close as family. I have seen many covens, circles, long time friends give tools and a year or so later, they are not even on speaking terms. Then you remember who gave it to you and negative feelings stir inside, so now the tool has negativity attached to it, because it picks up on your feelings. 
Whether or not to have a Altar is based on the individual.Before you go all out, discover the true purpose of having a Altar for you. Witches have altars for many different reasons. Some will use it as a working altar, which simply means they cast their spells and other ritual activities with it. Some use it to meditate and display whatever Sabbat is at the present time. Not all Witches have altars.Some even have small portable altars. Think first, will having a altar aide you with your path? Will you actually use it? Do you have room for it? Are you comfortable having it in your household? How does it benefit you? Will you have a special connection with it?


Book  of  Wisdom