The Top 7 Best Quotes From ‘Practical Magic’ That’ll Make You Feel Magical

Practical Magic is a Halloween favorite. If you’re even a remotely spooky individual, you’ve definitely seen Practical Magic countless times. You probably wished you could be whisked away into a world where Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) existed and you, too, could dance in the kitchen at midnight drinking margaritas. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman starred in this wonderfully witchy and spellbinding movie from 1998 about two sisters born into a magical family who have wildly different love lives. It is said that all of the women are cursed in love in the Owens family, and the way that both of their lives unravels reiterates that sentiment. The movie is whimsical but brooding, and some incredibly insightful lines were said that have stuck with me for years after watching. Let’s take a look at the top 7 quotes from Practical Magic and maybe your favorite will be on here, too.

1.“There’s a little witch in all of us.”

This quote is said when Sally and Gillian need to create a coven to get rid of Gillian’s evil ex. Unfortunately for the two witches, the small town is full of women who historically were scared of and looked down on witchcraft and gossiped about the sisters behind their backs. Desperate times call for desperate measures though, so Sally uses her kids’ school phone tree to call upon the moms and they all show up in the spirit of supporting women. They all start to recall magical moments in their lives and Aunt Jet (Dianne Wiest) delivers this line. It’s a moment of solidarity that makes the women watching the film feel like no matter where they are, they belong–and there will always be a coven of women who have their back.

2. “Curses only have power when you believe in them, and I don’t.”

Sally has spent the majority of her life avoiding magic because she believes it to be a negative ability instead of something that can enrich her life. The family curse leads her to believe that if she avoids magic entirely, she won’t be cursed anymore. When Officer Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn) meets Sally, he says this line to her to encourage her to be vulnerable with him. This line is powerful and provides the perspective that the things you are scared of or shy away from are only scary because you give them the power to be scary. Take away that power, and you can reclaim more of yours.

3. “My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage.”

The aunts tell Sally this line after she has spent a significant amount of time hiding from the real world and hiding from her true self and it is such a testament to women everywhere. Where we are constantly told to be one way or another to fit in, we should be embracing ourselves fully and leaning into what makes us, us. Being normal is the easy route, but standing out and living authentically is brave and endearing.

4. “There’s a few things I’ve learned in life: always throw salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck, and fall in love whenever you can.”

This line is the most iconic from the film and was delivered by Sally, which comes full circle from her initial desire to stray from the magical path. By the end of the film, Sally now realizes that her power is what makes her life enriched and full of love. This line also reveals how witches aren’t always negative and nasty the way that the townspeople made them out to be. These witches just want to live their lives fully and experience the full bloom of love without being a topic of contempt. 

5. “There’s no devil in the craft.”

Just like the above line, this quote breaks down the misconception that witchcraft is related to the devil and demons and is always used for “bad”. It also has even more impact that Sally delivers the line because even though she has spent so much time suppressing the witchy side of herself, she will still defend the craft and steer people away from viewing it as a devil’s work. 

6. “You can’t practice witchcraft when you look down your nose at it.”

Aunt Jet delivers another zinger here when Sally is wrestling with practicing magic to save Gillian from her evil ex. While it pertains to magic, this quote is still invaluable for those who are vehemently against certain lifestyles, choices, or motivations. When you restrict yourself from something on the basis that it is beneath you, you remove your ability to allow new opportunities and growth for yourself.

7. “In this house, we have chocolate cake for breakfast, and never bother with silly little things like bedtimes or brushing our teeth.”

The aunts deliver this line to Sally and Gillian when they first move into their home to remind them that sometimes we just need to let loose and have fun. Maybe still brush your teeth, but try to be flexible with your life and make choices that fulfill you and provide happiness. Life is truly too short to be so rigid, so eat the chocolate cake.