Magic for the Resistance

by Michael M. Hughes

  Other Boosts to Activism

  Other possibilities include the following:

  • Consecrating handouts or campaign literature before canvassing

  • Invoking goddesses and gods before meetings or events

  • Creating magically empowered chants or songs

  • Guerrilla rituals and mock exorcisms

  • Anointing fellow activists before direct actions

  • Smudging outside of polling places or as a means of cleansing negative energy areas (a political opponent’s headquarters)

  • Setting up shrines to victims of police shootings or to memorialize victims of street violence

  • Hexing offices of polluting corporations, the alt-right and other hate groups, predatory loan companies, and corrupt news outlets (cough, Fox, cough)

  • Distributing amulets and talismans to protesters

  • Inscribing and dressing (anointing) candles before vigils

  The more you do magic, the more possibilities you see for its use. Always look for ways to blend your magical workings with your practical activism.

  [contents]

  Chapter Seven

  Finding the Others:

  Coven and Community Building

  Many people prefer to do resistance (and all other) magic solo, while others work alone because they don’t know anyone else who shares their interests. There is nothing wrong with being a solo magician. I spent most of my life as a solo practitioner, only occasionally doing rituals with others, but the Trump binding spell required me to work with a large number of diverse groups. I led the ritual with groups of as few as three members to upward of fifty. And I loved it.

  But how do you “find the others” (a phrase used by Timothy Leary to describe finding others of similar mind and passions)?

  Finding the Others

  Social Media

  A number of resistance magic groups have formed on social media, particularly Facebook. The Bind Trump (Official) group is the largest, with members from all over the world. It is exceptionally well moderated and welcoming to people of all levels. Although it arose from the massive popular interest in the Trump binding spell, it has expanded to include a wide variety of resistance magic, with members contributing their own spells and rituals, organizing local meet ups, and sharing photos of their altars.

  Many towns and cities have witch- and Pagan-related groups on social media as well. Join and lurk to make sure the group’s political sensibilities match yours. Although rare, right-wing witches and Pagans exist, and they are pretty easy to spot. The same goes for ceremonial magic, Druid, and chaos magic groups.

  Instagram has become a popular platform for witches, too, though it functions less as a community-building platform and more as a way to develop a following, share photos of altars and ritual tools, and sell products.

  IRL

  Serendipitous encounters provide some of the most magical meetings with like-minded others, and the more magic you do, the more magical people you will encounter. Many people get a tattoo or wear a piece of witchy or Pagan-themed jewelry or a t-shirt to signal their interests. Metaphysical and occult bookstores are great places to find friends and allies, as are holistic health and natural food stores and co-ops. Look for meet-up groups conducive to the overlap of activism and spirituality, Pagan Pride Day events, workshops, lectures at libraries, concerts, and anywhere open-minded progressives gather.

  If you’re already part of an online group, consider having what my friends used to call a “fleshmeet” get-together in real life.

  Forming a Circle or Coven

  If you do meet people interested in resistance magic you may want to start a study circle, magical working circle, or coven. The practicalities of doing so are beyond the scope of this book, but I will offer a few tips.

  First, decide on the scope of your magical goals. Will you do only resistance magic, or will you do practical workings as well? Consider drawing up a live online document or charter describing your group. If it’s more ad hoc, and you’d prefer to remain flexible, that’s fine, too.

  What are your skill levels? Do you come from similar or differing traditions? Have a discussion about your preferences, skills, and what you can bring to the group. This can help you decide on your group’s structure, the individual roles, selection of reading materials, and focus of your magic.

  What issues do you want to address? It is important to share your political and social beliefs to see where they overlap and where they differ. Do you want to work within the political system, or outside of it? Locally, nationally, internationally, or all the above? Are there any issues you do not want to address? Strive to find your commonalities and focus your energies on local issues whenever possible. It’s much easier to effect change on a local level, working with spirits of your region, than to target enormous global issues (not that you shouldn’t try).

  Do you want to be public or secret? There are advantages to both. If you’re public, you can actively seek new members (and make it easy for them to find you). It also makes it easier to connect with other groups doing similar work. But being public also opens you to attacks. If you live in a very conservative town or region, being activists and open about practicing magic can bring on harassment and even violence from reactionary or alt-right individuals and groups.

  You should also keep a record of your workings. A shared online document makes it easy for everyone to add notes. Be sure to note the results, if any, so you can tweak your future rituals for optimal effectiveness.

  Joining an Existing Circle or Coven

  You may find an already established group of activist Pagans, witches, or magicians (such as one of the many Reclaiming groups around the world). Most activist Pagan groups are well-run, welcoming, and inclusive. Always trust your instincts, however. Pagan organizations and covens can have the same unpleasant and dysfunctional dynamics as any other group. Be wary of groups with an excessive focus on one charismatic leader, that are excessively authoritarian, that seek to oppose limits on your behaviors outside of group activities, and anything else that seems remotely cultish.

  Group Magic

  While many of the rituals in this book can be done alone, resistance magic can often be amplified exponentially when done as a group. Whether your group is two people or two hundred, here are some guidelines and suggestions to help make your rituals powerful, inclusive, and effective.

  Making Magical Experiences

  When you’re hosting or planning a group magical working, the more effort you put into creating a mood and atmosphere of enchantment, the bigger the payoff. Be creative with décor, music, and spell components. If you’re working outdoors, a fire is always a powerful magic enhancer and mood setter. You can create a circle with candles or rocks. Be conscientious of your guests with special needs, and plan accordingly.

  Work thematically with your deities, the elements, and your intention. If you’re doing a ritual and asking for the assistance of an Egyptian goddess, play re-creations of ancient Egyptian music as your guests arrive. After the ritual, have beer to share (Egyptians loved their beer) instead of wine or mead, and some fava beans and falafel.

  Do your best to memorize the ritual. It is so much more effective.

  Make sure everyone has silenced or (better) shut down electronic devices and tucked them away before you get to work. Nothing ruins the ritual mood like the buzzing of someone’s cell phone in their pants pocket.

  Raising Group Energy

  Although you don’t need a circle to hold and contain group energy, for many workings you may want to build the energy and then ecstatically release it. Perhaps you’ve noticed a similar dynamic during a protest march, when the group you’re marching with is chanting in unison, and a particularly powerful phrase—Throw them out! Shut it down! Peace NOW!—spikes the energy. Now imagine performing a ritual that gradually builds in i
ntensity toward a focused release of energy.

  You can feel the rise of energy and channel it via chanting, singing, increasing rhythm, ecstatic dancing, and other techniques. The idea is to raise that magical energy to its peak, then mutually channel it toward a goal or desire.

  Many of the spells in this book are crafted toward a natural peak in energy. If you are working as a group, the leader should raise her voice in volume and intensity as the ritual reaches its climax. Go over the ritual beforehand with the group so they know when to push the energy together. Those who have experienced this channeled release in group rituals know it can be extraordinarily cathartic.

  Don’t feel you must do it with every spell, however. Some spells, like group consecrations, are quieter but no less powerful.

  Group Grounding Meal

  A terrific way to ground after a group ritual is to share a meal. It can be as simple as passing around snacks, setting up a potluck, or preparing an elaborate meal. Many groups like to celebrate with wine, beer, mead, or other alcoholic beverages as well. A post-ritual meal is a great time for sharing thoughts about the ritual, planning future actions, and just having fun. If you have a celebration after a ritual, more people are likely to join the next time.

  Group Spell Jars

  One group project you might want to try is creating a spell jar. Set the goal (perhaps decreasing gun violence in your city) and find a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Each person is tasked with finding or creating an object to represent the goal of the spell. This can be a written petition, a sigil, a power image, an herb, a crystal, or anything symbolically representative of the spell’s aim.

  When your group gathers, each person places their object into the jar. Then do the group version of the Consecration Ritual, dedicating the jar to your goal. When finished, place a candle on the jar (you can affix it in place with its own melted wax) and leave the candle lit for the duration of your gathering. Every time you meet, take time to light the candle and say a prayer (silent or guided) for its goal. When the candle burns down, replace it with another.

  If you meet in a regular location, you may eventually acquire a number of spell jars for different purposes, and they can serve as a lovely visual representation of your group’s philosophy and goals.

  Prayer and Intention Circles

  Less formal group circles can also be used for directed healing energy (aimed at individuals, a threatened group, a city, or even the earth), to support those doing direct actions, to influence a vote on a bill or a candidate in an election, for more abstract goals (environmental healing, social justice, peaceful communities), or simply to pray or meditate together. The prayers and intentions may be guided with visualizations or introduced with the intention stated at the beginning and then continued in silence. Multiple groups in different locations focusing prayers and intentions simultaneously can further increase the likelihood of success.

  It is considered helpful if everyone joins hands. Ten minutes is probably the maximum time to spend focusing, especially if you are working with people new to magic. Start with five minutes and work up to ten as your group gains experience.

  For healing, the target individual may be present (seated in the center of the circle) or at a remote location, but your group should always ask for permission before attempting to heal someone.

  If you are interested in deepening this practice and examining the scientific studies supporting it, I highly recommend reading Lynne McTaggart’s The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World.

  Group Mojo Bags

  Group mojo bags are a wonderful way to unite a team of people, especially those working for a particular cause. Have everyone bring one item for themselves and one for each of the others in the group. Each item should be the same: if your antilogging magic resistance group is made up of four people, one person would bring four small crystals, another might bring four High John the Conqueror roots, and so on.

  Do a group Consecration Ritual (page 160), combining all of the consecrated items into individual bags. Each member should wear the bag as often as possible until the campaign or action is completed.

  Working Remotely as Part of a Group

  Another convenient way to work rituals as a group is to coordinate with others remotely. Everyone doing a specific ritual should do her or his best to do the working at the same time. That’s not always possible, but there is something energetically palpable when many people are taking part in a ritual simultaneously, and you can often feel a strong connection to the other participants. During the many Trump binding rituals, I and many others regularly sensed the energies of our brothers and sisters around the world doing the ritual at the same time. It was quite remarkable.

  [contents]

  Chapter Eight

  Self-Care and Resilience

  Let’s admit it—activism is not easy. As an activist, you’ve chosen to dedicate substantial time to making the world a better place—time you could be spending sitting on your couch eating popcorn and watching cat videos instead of working a phone bank, marching in the cold and rain, and getting dragged out of your congressperson’s office.

  And you had better get used to losing. If you are called to do warrior magic in defense of the earth, its animals and plants, and its oppressed, marginalized, and persecuted humans, you are choosing (or have been chosen for) a lot of failure, discomfort, disappointment, and loss.

  Why would you subject yourself to that?

  The answer is simple: because you know you are ultimately on the winning team. Team Evolution. Team Justice. And when you do win—and you will win, sometimes big victories, sometimes small—it makes all the effort worth it.

  What is the alternative—watching the world burn?

  Nonetheless, you do need to take care of yourself. I’ve seen activists burn out, fall into depression, and give up. There are a number of pitfalls for those who dedicate themselves to resistance—and most are the result of imbalances. Not getting enough sleep. Not eating well. Drinking too much. Spending too much time marching, leafletting, organizing, and demonstrating and not enough time doing joyful things with people you love.

  As in every other aspect of life, balance is the key to staying sane, healthy, and focused.

  Balance

  You can define yourself as an activist, but do not become an activist at the expense of being a friend, lover, child, parent, student, teacher, and someone who can have conversations about nonpolitical subjects. No one likes a zealot, no matter how much we are aligned with the zealot’s cause. Strive to have at least an equal balance of nonactivism in your life. That includes learning to compartmentalize your thinking and especially your conversations. Do not be the person who can only talk about civil liberties, feminism, racial justice, or environmentalism. Cultivate a diversity of interests, hobbies, and pleasures and make time for them. If you need to spend weeks working day and night on a political campaign, take time off when it’s over to relax, recuperate, and do things that give you pleasure and stimulate you intellectually.

  Avoid dogma and orthodoxy in the political and spiritual spheres, too. Always be open to the viewpoints of others, and aim for respectful dialogue and kindness in discussions, even in contentious matters.

  Balance will keep you healthy, ready, and fueled for when you are called upon to resist.

  A number of specific techniques can help, too. Here are the most useful.

  Meditation

  Learn to meditate. Nothing will benefit your magic more than this one behavior. Even better, no single change you can make will have such overall positive effects on your life.

  When I started in my twenties, learning to meditate meant reading a book (and hoping you were doing it right) or taking classes, which weren’t always easy to find, cheap, or practical. Nowadays you can download an app on your phone and get started in
minutes. There is no excuse for not beginning a meditation practice, even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time. Commit. Do it.

  If you have the time and can afford it, take a class. Nothing beats personal instruction, and a class will force you to practice (especially if you’ve paid for it). But if you can’t take a class, try an app or grab any of the thousands of books for beginning meditators.

  It’s a cliché, but any longtime meditator will tell you it’s true: the time you spend meditating paradoxically creates more time for you to do other things. Don’t ask how. Just do it and you’ll realize it’s true.

  Breathwork

  One form of meditation is particularly useful for stressed-out, beaten-down activists: breathwork, or pranayama as it is known in yoga.

  Learning to control one’s breath can be a literal lifesaver, too. Controlled breathing has dramatic effects on our physiology and consciousness. I’ve found two techniques to be especially useful: the yogic breath of fire and the 4-7-8 breath popularized by alternative health pioneer Andrew Weil.

  Breath of fire is a yogic technique that looks a lot like hyperventilation, but results in a fast, powerful alteration of consciousness that is paradoxically calming and energizing. I use it when I am tired and foggy-headed and need a burst of energy. But if you feel dizzy or light-headed, stop immediately. It’s never a bad idea to check with your doctor if you have any concerns about the safety of breathwork exercise

  To do the breath of fire, sit with your back straight. Keep your mouth closed. Exhale rhythmically with quick, forceful, rapid breaths through your nose, aiming for two exhalations per second. Focus only on the loud, forceful exhalations, as you will inhale automatically between them. Tighten your stomach muscles with each expulsion of breath. Do this for a minute at first, building up gradually to two to three minutes as you get more experienced.