The Practical Witch’s Almanac 2025: Rebel Wisdom

Learn, defy, and evolve on your pagan path

The essential core of witchcraft is wisdom and change. We’ve always been rebellious and defiant, and our own traditions are not exempt from challenge. Delve into iconic witchcraft traditions like the utterance of “blessed be” and the influential Wiccan Rede, exploring their origins and relevance today. This introspective journey isn’t just about history; it’s an empowering quest. It challenges you to assess these traditions’ place in your craft. Embrace, adapt, or boldly defy these customs—this edition empowers you to shape your craft’s evolution on your terms as you travel your unique spiritual path.

This year’s edition includes:

• Weekly Schedules
• Monthly Lunar Planners
• Moon Signs & Phases
• Sabbat Times & Dates
• Eclipses & Meteor Showers
• Spells & Recipes
• Correspondences & References
• and much more!

Read on for an excerpt of The Practical Witch’s Almanac: Rebel Wisdom by Friday Gladheart, now available from our site or your local bookseller!

When you first start exploring witchcraft, it’s all about learning. You dive into magic, correspondences, deities, and rituals or set personal goals to absorb as much as possible. You might follow a tradition with a structured degree system that requires extensive study. This knowledge is invaluable in developing your practice, yet it’s just the beginning.

As you continue your journey, you transform this knowledge into wisdom through experience and practice. Wisdom also develops through critically reflecting on your practices to ensure they are still meaningful. This year’s almanac encourages you to scrutinize some of the most iconic traditions of modern witchcraft—not as an attack on these foundations but as a means to gain a deeper understanding and ensure their continued relevance for you.

This process involves questioning the origins of modern witchcraft beliefs, understanding their historical and cultural contexts, and considering the evidence that supports or contradicts them. Regularly scrutinizing and reflecting on your practice helps you rebel against stagnation and complacency.

Witchcraft is an evolving practice you can refine and enhance to grow with you, leading to a more profound and authentic connection with your path. Ultimately, you decide which aspects of your practice have maintained relevance, and wisdom grows through this consideration.

Pay Attention to Your Triggers Social Media Fatigue

Staying mindful of your triggers as you explore your beliefs and practices is crucial. One thing to watch out for is rage-bait: content designed to provoke anger and outrage. Thanks to algorithms prioritizing engagement, rage-bait is prevalent on social media— it’s all about getting those clicks, shares, and comments.

Unfortunately, the cacophony of reactionary posts tends to drown out measured discourse and thoughtful discussion. After spending time online, it’s easy to feel defensive or retreat into echo chambers where your viewpoints aren’t challenged. While this reaction is understandable online, you must continue challenging yourself in your practice.

If the challenge of scrutinizing your practices raises triggers, try to discover the cause. Were you already on the defense from exposure to social media, or is it something else? Scrutinizing your traditions and practices does not invalidate them.

Rising Religious Extremism

There has been a noticeable increase in religious symbols in public spaces, such as courthouses, public buildings, and daily commutes. There is increasingly more religious iconography and messages on the airwaves, with radio stations adopting religious programming and an uptick in political and religiously- themed advertisements and spam in our digital lives.

Meanwhile, the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, women, and marginalized communities are under attack, and school and library meetings are bowing to outraged religious conservatives. Many people find these increasingly common religious symbols and messages intrusive, particularly in a society that values the separation of church and state.

The omnipresence of religious content can contribute to a sense of feeling cornered or pressured to conform to a particular set of beliefs. This environment can be challenging for witches and others whose spiritual practices fall outside mainstream religious traditions. When we already feel threatened, it isn’t easy to scrutinize our practices.

Nevertheless, as witches, we must continually challenge ourselves to evaluate our craft to maintain its relevance. We understand that wisdom comes from a willingness to rebel against stagnation, even within our belief structures and traditions.

Embrace, Adapt, or Boldly Defy

As practical witches, our nature inclines us to rebel against anything that no longer serves a meaningful purpose. This innate rebelliousness drives us to evolve and refine our practices continuously. When you feel disconnected from your witchcraft, it is a signal to take a closer look and assess which aspects are stagnating, constricting, or outdated. This self-examination is not a sign of failure but a mark of your commitment to growth and transformation.

You have chosen to rise to the challenge of exploring your craft more deeply, demonstrating your courage and dedication. You are a witch, a “wise one,” a seeker of truth and change. This journey is an oppor- tunity to reconnect with your practice’s essence and rediscover what resonates with you. As you stand at this crossroads, consider: Will you embrace the familiar, adapt to new insights, or boldly defy and redefine your established practices? Your path is your own, and this willingness to question and transform is the essence of being a witch.

Want to keep reading? Check out The Practical Witch’s Almanac: Rebel Wisdom by Friday Gladheart, now available from our site or at an independent bookstore near you.