Doing the Work: Activism Both Inside and Outside of Witchcraft
There’s a lot going on in the world these days that gives cause for concern… and pure outrage for that matter. We’ve been looking in horror at the unjust war in Ukraine, we’ve been shocked and disenchanted by the presence of the alt-right in the occult community, and now, we see the threat of the loss of our hard-won rights to privacy and women’s healthcare with the recent leak by the supreme court…
It’s enough to send us to our altars with a scornful determination like no other, hexes on our minds and fire coursing through our veins. I’m personally all for it. Sometimes there can be nothing else but to fight fire with WitchFire.
However, in this case there is plenty more we can and should do, above and beyond what we do in the confines of our homes, spurred on by our earth-shattering passion for justice and the matched rage of our spirit allies and deities.
I can’t help but think of the ancient hermetic wisdom: “As Above, So Below,” here. It’s meant as an expression of the macro and microcosms, explaining that what happens here on Earth is also happening on the astral plane or, alternately, what happens within ourselves is reflected in the world at large. When we set something into motion in the spiritual realm or we send something out into the universe (meaning a magic spell, a manifestation and, yes, even a curse or hex), what are we doing to reflect those actions in the real world? How are we helping this spiritual act become realized by our actions in our day to day lives?
A simple example is the casting of a spell to find the perfect job. Once the spell has been cast, it’s not really going to do you much good if you aren’t now sprucing up your resume and submitting it to employers looking for new recruits.
The same can be said about our magical actions involving injustice in the world around us. How will we take real life action, after we’ve exhausted our possibilities at our working altars? How do we back up our magic, baneful or otherwise, once it’s been sent out into the ether? Here’s how:
1) Donate!
In the case of Ukraine, I’ve seen a lot of beautiful magic being cast for the safety and protection of civilians or for peace, rather than battle. I’ve also seen some downright bone tingling magic being aimed directly at Russia and its heartless dictatorial leader - and rightfully so. Ask yourself now that it’s done, however, what the people of Ukraine would rather have. Your spells? Or your financial support so they can get to safer locations, feed their families, and survive another day? Why not do both?
Give your magic a foothold to manifest from with action here in the real world. If you can’t donate, you can spread the word, so others can. This is how we combine our spells and our actions to make the most powerful magic of all.
GlobalGiving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund
GlobalGiving is raising funds to support locally-led organizations throughout Ukraine. Any donations to the fund will provide essentials for refugees, health, psychological and support and access to education and economic assistance.
Donate to GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund
Razom for Ukraine
Razom, meaning “together” in Ukrainian, was founded in 2014 in New York by Ukrainians in the United States who wanted to support the country’s Maidan Revolution. Founded as a way of responding to any humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, the organization is now providing medical supplies to people on the ground.
Voices of Children Foundation
Founded in 2015 as Ukraine was engaged in fighting with Russian-backed separatists, the Voices of Children Foundation focuses on ensuring psychological support to children traumatized by war. The organization provides art therapy, traveling psychologists and evacuation assistance. They also have set up a storytelling project to share the stories of Ukrainian children growing up in a war zone.
Donate to the Voices of Children Foundation
2) Make Space for Important Voices
Finding out that the alt-right has a foothold in our community can be disturbing. Many of us have been under the misguided impression that the occult community is one of tolerance and solidarity. So, when we discover that hatred has taken root, we either observe in shocked silence or call out the malefactors, exposing them for who they are so they can suffer the consequences under the scrutiny of the public eye. The latter is better than the former, I’ve learned Quite recently, although it can be a scary thing to do. The right thing frequently is.
However, there is something even more important we can focus on – and that’s making space for the most important voices in these situations. The voices of the oppressed. BIPOC voices, LGBTQ voices, disabled voices and indigenous voices all need to be heard and understood when inequality, injustice, oppression, and mind-less hate are what’s being addressed.
We can help by listening to and centering these voices - and encouraging others to do the same. Share their views, find organizations that help lift their voices and businesses that give them the spotlight they deserve. When we amplify these voices, we also help to silence the voices of hate.
There are so many amazing content creators and authors from BIPOC and other marginalized groups in the occult community with important stories and messages that need to be shared. To say it simply, promote their’ voices and don’t center yourself in the conversation. It’s okay to feel bad about your role in an unjust and racist society, but as an ally it is absolutely necessary to realize that your role is one of support. Be careful not to practice performative allyship on social media, speak up in your own social circles, get comfortable being uncomfortable and learn from your mistakes.
This action can be taken outside the realm of social media and social settings when we learn how to be more discerning about the books we purchase, the businesses we patronize and even the podcasts or YouTube channels we consume.
Remember, continuously centering marginalized voices is a lifelong practice and we may never get it perfectly right. But that’s no reason to stop doing the work.
3) Now Make Some F*cking Noise
The supreme court leak is an appalling example of what happens when our governing bodies fail to uphold the necessary separation of church and state.
I’m not going to tip toe around the fact that this decision by some of our appointed justices is based on Christian ideology rather than an ounce of science, logic, compassion, or simple common sense. If you’re pissed off, you have a right to be! And if you can see the writing on the walls, you know this won’t stop with the banning of abortion or even the further banning of certain forms of birth control.
The ability for states to begin prosecuting women with felonies following abortions and even miscarriages comes with the added bonus of taking away their rights to vote!
So, unless you fancy the idea of living in a backward Christian Theocracy, it’s time to make noise!
Did you cast a hex? Fine! Good, even. Now though, it’s time to take action and get loud. Look for protests happening in your local area or reach out to pro-choice organizations that may need help organizing, chip away at the stigma still surrounding abortion by talking openly with friends and family, contact your senators and urge them to act on codifying Roe v. Wade or your state lawmakers and implore them to protect abortion rights, donate to abortion funds by checking the National Network of Abortion Funds for information on how to find and donate to your local organization and finally, learn and share your rights, as they are right now.
Our magic is powerful and amazing… but without any real-world action, it could fail to affect the very real and necessary change we so desperately need. So, after we clean up our spaces following a dazzling spell or a wrathful hex, let’s do the work.
