I have been thinking about the time i discovered i was a witch and i loved reliving this moment sometimes.. I can still smell my first incense which became a happy memory and still love the smell today (its called wicca) and can remember the feelings of having that empty space finally filled and that longing i had where i couldn’t work out what was missing.
Anyways, i recently thought its been almost 4 years and i still consider myself a baby witch even though i have came so far and learned so much, but how much do i really know and remember? I mean mostly everything i read related to the craft sticks to my memory like glue (unlike high school), but a refresher is always beneficial. So i have started to replay the courses here on Spells8 i so eagerly completed when starting, plus their is a few new ones i didn’t even see which was added.
So just wanted to know, does anyone else ever just go back to basics as a refresher or do you have alternate feelings and want to move on? (Don’t get me wrong i can never get enough of learning new things in the craft everyday too and it is why i live to talk to other witches here so we can share and i can progress in my craft as well).
I am constantly expanding my knowledge of the craft and learning new things. But, I am always going back and refreshing previously learned things. I actually haven’t completed all the spells8 courses and that is something I am working on doing. But I have gone back in and did some of the courses a few times just for the refresher.
I’m working through the courses. I started with the ones I have a background knowledge of and I’m still learning more as I go. Going back to basics is a great way to look at things through a new lense. You can pick up details that you didn’t understand or felt too complicated the first time. I think that’s also why we read 97 books on the same topic. You look for new information or solidify the old, adding in layers of knowledge.
I hope that makes sense. It makes sense in my head. 
I go back sometimes, mostly the tarot course but the others too. It’s always a good idea to brush up on the basics.
That’s so beautiful 
I love to return to the memories and feelings of starting my path too… sitting under the moonlight, charging my new crystals and connecting with goddess Selene 
I’ve heard the phrase “going back to basics” quite a few times here. For myself, sometimes it feels like I’ve ventured so far in one direction or accumulated a lot of different things, that I feel like I need to pause and rethink who I am today, in my craft and otherwise. Like taking apart a puzzle that I’ve been putting together and reevaluating the pieces, which still resonate and which I’ve been hanging on to because they’ve been part of the picture. It feels good to have a fresh start and visit familiar things with new eyes 
My mother taught me to go back years after. It is a great memory refresher, but it also reveals how much one has grown since then.
@Mystique I started with the courses and was so intrigued i actually barely took a break but feel i might taken in too much info as a new baby witch as well. I too am working on it but it is a slow process since i do other hard copy reading and making times for hobbies too
@cherietta That’s great you had a background and i agree it is nice to look through a different lens. I too feel some books are repetitive and i don’t mind but when a bunch of books are very similar but at least with a bit of different things too. And don’t worry i get you completely
@Amethyst Agreed for sure. Never a bad idea to go through the roots
@CelestiaMoon The memories for me are just so lovely. I little lonely but in a way not. I remember doing my self initiation out my backyard alone but felt soooo empowered i even have a pic in my bos for the memory Puzzles are my favour literally and what you are referring too
@georgia It sure does i love seeing who i have become as a witch and every day after too
I really resonated with your post, thank you for sharing it. I absolutely love going back to basics too! There’s something comforting and grounding about revisiting the foundations of the craft, especially when things feel overwhelming or uncertain. Like you, I find that most of what I learn really sticks with me, it’s like my soul remembers what my mind i only just catching up to.
But if I’m being honest and very vulnerable here, while I love to learn, I struggle with the doing. I often find myself hesitating to put what I’ve learned into practice. There’s this inner block that makes me feel unsure of myself, like something inside me is stopping me from fully trusting my own power. I feel energy deeply and I can visualize a lot in my mind but when it comes time to act, to perform a ritual or spell, I sometimes freeze up or second guess myself.
Gaia and nature call to me constantly. I feel them everywhere, in trees, wind, stones, sunlight. It’s like a soft but ever-present whisper. And still, I sometimes feel stuck or even fake, like I’m just pretending. I used to see spirits when I was young, and now I only feel them, which should be enough, but it still leaves me doubting sometimes.
There are days when I question if I’m “doing this right” or if it’s okay to believe in this at all. I’ve wrestled a lot with my spiritual identity, I grew up in a Christian environment, but the creation story never fully resonated with me. I feel like there’s so much more beyond that narrative, something ancient, cosmic, deeply natural, and I’m trying to find where I fit in it all.
I guess I just wanted to say: you’re not alone. I’m still learning to trust my intuition and surrender to the path, even when it feels messy. I’ learning that being a witch isn’t about perfection, it’s about connection, reflection, and being brave enough to keep showing up even when it’s hard.
So yes, I refresh my knowledge often, but I’m also learning to give myself grace for not always being able to put it all into action. This path isn’t linear, and we all carry old wounds, doubts, and questions. But there’s real magic in allowing yourself to be exactly where you are, even when you feel stuck.
If anyone has tips on building confidence in ritual work or reconnecting to spiritual trust, I’d love to hear them. 
Blessed Be 
Oh, yes. I went the wrong way in a big way but realized I was just doing it wrong for my path. Spells8 helped me identify what I was doing and I was able to move to a much more productive approach. The realization of needing a reset had to come from within for me (and I suspect most) but seeing what was out there helped me to the decision.
OK… that was a bit vague but I didn’t want to go into the detail needed to explain why I changed as much as answer the question you posed.
Yes, regularly. I must have read, re-read the Norse Myths hundreds of times, but each time I do, I find something I missed. Personally, with the craft I don’t think you can ever master the basics, there’s so much:
Tarot
Runes
Correspondences
Astrology
Mythology
Numerology
Casting Techniques
Herbology
Etc etc etc
I’m always re-doing lessons on Spells8 and will probably do so - forever 
You may love the book “Rebel Witch by Kelly Anne Maddox” I just can’t put it down and it covers how to build your own path and find you. 
Oh that looks interesting! Thank you @tracyS
I love this. Ive been working with a small group of people from a podcast that i listen to. And theyve built this really cool idea on Mira called the which is real and it documents how we walk our paths and sometimes Sig and zag and then come back and go even deeper into a subject. So yes I’m at the Elementals Going Back to Basics myself having just come out of the room closet a year and a half ago
Trust me i feel the exact same way you are not alone. I have to remind myseld constantly that like anything else such as studying, cooking, working etc, when we give it our best and believe in ourselfs the outcome is positive and so will your power. Its there just believe in yourself more and you will see positive outcomes. I mean thats what i tell myself anyways
If i had a dollar for each mistake, interuption or jumbling the words up i would be rich. I guess i see how i feel and if it doesnt sit right i will try again. Trust you inner self she knows if the spell or ritual is right.
Trust me you are not, and i have felt this a few times but at the end of the day we are what we believe we are just as some people believe in god or spirits etc..
@tracyS i know so much. I definitely need to up my studies in all the tarot card meanings, astrology, chakra and i am sure there are more i csnt think of right now
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement @TheMuslimWitch 
this path feels so right to me. I don’t why I always second guess myself. For some reason, words spoken in my mind and not out loud feels more powerful to me. I need to listen to my own inner knowing and stop listening to other people who do not understand.