I have been looking into magic and all things related for a long time now and this is my first time reaching out. How do I start? What should I do? I don't want to be involved in anything dark so I'm worried that I may do something wrong to begin with. Any beginners books or anything along those lines to get me going? All help appreciated :)
If you're serious about learning how to do magic and with starting from the rock-bottom then you don't start out by casting spells, you start out by learning how and why magic works.
You see, there is no such thing as an "easy" spell or a "beginner" spell. One either understands how magic works and has mastered the basics...in which case the magic will work..or you haven't done that sort of work..and no spell will work no matter how "easy" it seems.
Casting a successful spell involves much more than finding some spell on the internet or in a book, saying some words, lighting a candle, waving a wand of any of that sort of thing. In order for magic to work you need to understand how and why it works in the first place. Grounding and centering, visualization, focus and intent, energy manipulation, etc are all necessary first steps to even begin to have a chance at a spell actually working...and more importantly to prevent a spell from back-firing on you.
So, my advice for anyone who is truly serious is to start by reading a few books and practicing the exercises those books will give you. Once you have mastered the basics you won't need anyone to give you spells, you'll be able to create your own spells that will be far more effective than anything you find on the net. Here's the books I suggest:
"Before You Cast a Spell" by Carl McColman
"Spells and How They Work" by Janet and Stewart Farrar
"The Veil's Edge" by Willow Polson
"Modern Magick" by Donald Michael Kraig
And the following links in this thread will also help you learn the basic skills necessary for effective spellwork.
If I may I would suggest you start with some time to yourself if you can get it and if not then appreciate the life that makes you busy and consider how much is intentional. Introduce some clear sustained intention when it fits even if doing the dishes or feeding a child. Be grateful for the path of the hearthrug. Acutally being grateful might be the most magical things there is and sincere thank you might be the purest spell?
So if you do get some time to yourself be grateful for that too but I suggest you sit still and become aware of what you can - a knee, a belly, a shoulder...breath ...whatever. do a few minutes at time and get used to letting thoughts pass without dragging you away. You can buil on this sort of practice and then train your body to relax itself from head to toe and your mind to settle when you say so. You can play with pictures or moods. Talking of dark - we do all have plenty of it as well as so much light and joy -y a great starting point can be to switch form light to dark - one chess square to another - or a cave in the hills to a bird in a clear sky. To be honest just getting out somewhere nice and seeing things - really seeing things then recalling them as fully as clearly as possible - in threes is best - is as good a start as anything but to be honest I am not even a witch just a passer by on the internet. even if you go to sleep just holding a pentagram in your mind it will be something - to fill yourself with a calm aspiration to know by being that whole god and spirit fully realised and balanced in all elements humble to the knowledge that you are just one of us all and we are all just one part of all life and all combinations of all dimensions. Take it easy and whatever you read just relax and love your heart and thank this earth with your feet but work with diligence on little daily drips. My tuppenceworth anyway. Hope it helps. ( form matters so do draw or doodle, paint, model, make sew whatever and as far as you can do it with love.)
