Being a baby witch, I have to be honest. Being new to the witch community and practice, I feel a bit overwhelmed and don’t know where to start? I’ve been reading material here and other places and it’s all been very informative. My issue is what to do with all this and where do I start? I’ve been into collecting crystals for a couple years and try my best to work with them in some capacity but not sure what to do with them tbh… I just get ones that call out to me really. But there’s so much information involved in the craft my mind is all jumbled and I feel like there should or is a starting point, I just don’t know what it is? Idk if this makes any sense 
So thoughts on this from the coven is greatly appreciated. I’m very drawn to this and have been for some time, just didn’t know how to get started on my journey.
@marcie hi I think it’s totally normal to be a bit overwhelmed. There is so much info. I would suggest starting with the beginner courses offered here. Try some meditation and keep reading. Allow yourself time to grow at your own pace. There is no wrong or right way to learn, only your way. If you need anything or just need to talk feel free to message me.
Greetings I am Damerious Ravenhawk. I understand your confusion. Witchcraft or Wicca is very broad and can be overwhelming. If you go to spells8.com you can find various courses in witchcraft to help you on your journey. They even have a Wicca initiation course that will help you get started. Spells8 is a part of this coven. You may have to pay to join them I am not sure. I took a test and passed and was given a free trial for 1 year. Here are some books spells8 recommends to help get you started.
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
By Scott Cunningham
The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess
By Starhawk
Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
By Margot Adler
Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice
By Thea Sabin
Witch Crafting: A Spiritual Guide to Making Magic
By Phyllis Curott
The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft
By Ronald Hutton
Witchcraft Today
By Gerald Gardner
The Craft: A Witches’ Book of Shadows
By Dorothy Morrison
Great advise. Thank you
Hi there @marcie!
First of all, take a deep breath. You’re in information overload. The best thing about being Wiccan is that you choose what your practice looks like. There’s no right way or wrong way so keep calm and keep carrying on.
You’ve got some great advice. The Wiccan Self-Initiation Course on this site is a great place to start. Next up is the Daily Devotional which gives you ideas on what to do for each day. Ideas. Not must-haves.
There is also a Spell for Today page, which is guided by the phase of the moon. Poke around these pages a couple of weeks and see what you think. Get comfortable with the idea that you are a witch.
I’d also recommend joining in on the group ritual this week. It’s a lovely time to meditate, have a cup of tea or something else to drink, and get to talking with the coven. Here is a link to last week’s group ritual, so you can get the feel of it.
But you don’t have to come out of the gates, wand blazing, casting spells all over the place. Read some books, as @richard3 suggested. Do the self-initiation course so you can get some idea of what kind of witch you want to be.
Here is a great YouTube video on things people wish they knew when they started out. Here is another one, by our own lovely @MeganB. They may help give you some tips.
But I will tell you something that HearthWitch goes into, if you feel uncomfortable doing something, don’t do it. Be yourself, that’s all we ask of you.
Anyhow, I hope this helps you out. And thank you so much for asking this question. It’s a good one!
Hi @marcie , as a baby witch myself, I tend to let.myself get information overload. There’s so much to learn and I feel like I need to absorb it all! When that happens, I take a step back, breathe and find one thing to focus on that interests me. But I have learned your practice doesn’t have to be “perfect” either, it just has to be yours 
That made me giggle 
I see you got some great answers and ideas, Marcie! If you haven’t already explore all these witchcraft online courses on Spells8 which are specifically planned out for a beginner Witch (aka baby witches) 
For books 
There’s this one book I have been using for inspiration for a while now: Wicca: a Year and a Day by Timothy Roderick. I know it says “Wicca” in the title but I would absolutely recommend it to any beginner Witch of any path.
The author is very good at following the “one thing per day” pattern, and every day is actually useful. I’ve seen other books that only give you a very basic thought or idea, this one is probably the most in-depth.
I somehow managed to miss seeing this book listed anywhere so I’m glad I saw this! Already on order
To begin with crystals, meditate with them. Learn their properties and how to properly cleanse and charge them. If you do intense energy work, I’d suggest charging them once a month in the full moon. If you use them on others, cleanse them before and after using them with someone else. Anytime basically you use them wouldn’t hurt but it’d probably be a waste of time if you only use them and cleanse then each and every time. Any specific questions, let me know…I’m always ready to help another!!
You could even use a pendulum to see if they need to be cleansed or charged. Place the pendulum above the crystal and if it swings at a nice pace, it’s good. If it doesn’t move or barely moves, it needs to be cleaned and charged. And if it rapidly swings I have no idea 
that’s never happened to me.
The same goes for chakras with using a pendulum. But if it swings rapidly over a chakra then its over stimulated. If It moves slowly, it needs work. And at a nice pace it’s fine and healthy.
Please, don’t hesitate!!! Ask away!!! 
I appreciate all the references. Thank you! I have taken a beginner wiccan course already but I just feel like there are so many paths I like I don’t know which one to start with. But I doo like what you have listed, it will be very helpful. thank you 
Thank you so much. I appreciate the guidance. It’s very helpful
Great! I’ll be ordering it for sure. thank you 
I never thought to use my pendulum over my crystals to see their need?! I’ve never tried to use my pendulum on me and my chakras. Is that even possible? And I haven’t chronicled the ones I have collected, any advice on that? I have quite a few.
You’re welcome! I know how it’s like not knowing where to begin.
@christina4… I know that I have been here for a little over a while, but I have never seen the pendulum work broken down that way. For some reason it really clicked & I think I am going to save the information for my BOS if you don’t mind. I will absolutely give you credit for it.
I hope that information was helpful for @marcie as well! I’m sorry that I do not have more to contribute.
By all means, use the info!!
I agree with @Susurrus I use my pendulum a good bit but I didn’t know it could be used this way
On the subject of pendulums (Penduli? Pendulae?), although I am just starting with it, I found that mine did not like/prefer/work as well with a printed map as it does with a hand drawn compass rose style. Guess, we jes country out here, lol!
@Undomeher I wonder, perhaps, if that is because your pendulum is handmade thus reacting better to another handmade tool?