Since Monday I have had congestion in my sinuses; this has kept me up at night for most of the earlier half of this week. But today that’s not why I’m awake. It’s 3am again. Thursday morning. I always think of this as the Witching hour. And I’m awake because I have an article to finish and a spell to prepare.
The Status Quo
Unless you are Sponge Bob’s friend Patrick and you’ve been living under a rock, you should be aware that there is an election in America right now. People all over the world are paying attention to one of the biggest decisions Americans are meant to make on November 3rd. Facebook and Instagram feeds are full of opinions for either side of the battle over the presidency, and if you are like me it has likely become overwhelming.
I am not one to spout my political opinions. This is not because I am ever on the fence but rather that, like I wouldn’t want a die-hard Christian attempting to convert me to their religious opinions, I have no interest in realigning views or those of anyone else. I am a dyed-in-the-wool feminist, completely Pro-Choice, and I have disagreed with the views of Republicans since I was a 10-year-old boy angry at George Bush Sr. for not writing me back when I sent him a letter concerned for the future of our environment.
The thing is though, today Americans live in a country that is deeply divided. I personally live in the Southeast of the United States. South Carolina is rife with Trump supporters. This is evident every time I leave my house and see big trucks parading up and down the small-town main streets I live near while flying their flags in support. The truth is I don’t need to leave my house to see division in the American family. I can look at my own family and see this division.
I am one of 3 registered voters in my extended family who does not want to see a second term for the Twitter-happy Commander in Chief currently in office. No amount of arguing with my family members is going to sway their opinions any more than they could sway mine. We are at an impasse. I love my family and this love is not built out of political agreement. It is built out of experience that far exceeds how they will or will not vote.
And that is how it should be. I won’t excommunicate my husband, brother, mother, or anyone else just because I don’t agree with them on this one thing. Yes, this is a triggering issue but I know who these people are and I try to understand the difference in our opinions as opposed to fighting them in order to instigate a change. Because, in truth, we all reach our own conclusions in our own time. No amount of banging them over the head with my beliefs is going to get them there any faster. So instead I lean into our differences and wait for the rare opportunity to shed light on why I feel the way I do, after I’ve heard what they have to say of course.
Witches, Mount Up
What I love about being a member of the Witching community is that I see a lot of Witches who feel the same way I do politically. Many of the Witches I follow and pay attention to are firmly on the side of Biden-Harris and this makes me happy. Knowing that in a politically charged environment, the community I choose to be a part of is in near unison is thrilling. Yes, there are outliers. Yes, there are Witch Republicans, Witches for Trump. This does not mean they are not still my sisters and brothers any more than it does for my flesh and blood family. I lean into the difference and move forward on my own magickal path. No more than I would tell a Witch how to practice their magick, would I tell a Witch where to stand politically.
There is a common thread I see in many Witches’ posts against the POTUS and I can’t honestly say I don’t agree with the sentiment. The whole idea of hexing the president isn’t the worst one out there. However, I find myself curious as to how many Witches are actively protecting against the fallout of the last four years. How many Witches are crafting spells for the win of the other team?
I was watching the last Presidential Debate and couldn’t help thinking about the old magick that the government must be filled with. Protections that fight against all this work and energy that, evidently, many Witches are contributing to. I found myself wondering if I was one of those “light and love” types that seem to catch a bad name in our community. I have no desire to hex the patriarchy. Do not misunderstand me. I am against the patriarchy; I just don’t have the wherewithal to go about hexing them every chance I get. This does not make me a “light and love” Witch though. I am a discerning Witch and I’ve discerned that I would rather put my energies into advancing the opposition which I stand behind.
I believe all Witches must follow their own path. For those Witches out there using their magick to bind Trump and hex him, I applaud you. I haven’t done any of this. It isn’t for me. I am more or less fighting the long game. This requires me to be an example for all the Trump supporters I know. It means I have to be the fella that says, “Hey it is okay that we don’t agree. We still have common ground. I won’t talk down about your political opinions, but you ought not talk down about mine.”
This has been working for me. I am not afraid to speak up about the outlying issues that really matter. I still get to speak up about equality for all and fundamental rights for women. I can still talk about how Obama changed my life by making it okay to marry my husband. I still get to mention that Obama care made it much easier for me to gain access to medical care for my HIV.
It does take a village so the fact that I am not fighting against Trump is me doing my part. Another truth is that no one has it right so I don’t mind listening to the other side of the argument. I just happen to stand firm in the idea that Biden and, even more so, Harris is the best solution to course correction in America.
Spirit Calls Us to Action
I know that there are Witches in this world who don’t feel that Witchcraft should be political. I disagree. If we aren’t careful it won’t be long before we are pushed back into the broom closet for fear of burning at the stake, be it figurative or literal.
In terms of the upcoming election I am highly aware that there is more that I can do than to just go out and vote. I can use my magick to help in some way.
I have been avoiding social media as November 3rd approaches. When I say avoiding, I mean as much as a Generation X/Millennial cis male of my age possibly can. I still have a book coming out in June 2021 that I need to support and friends all over the world I want to keep up with. I’m just not scrolling, much.
On Tuesday this week my friend tagged me in a post by Brian Sims. This is the first openly gay person elected to state legislature in Pennsylvania. I voted for him in 2012 just before I moved out of the state. His post was requesting that Witches and other magick makers use our magick to help make the best possible voting conditions on November 3rd. My friend’s tag was sandwiched neatly between three Witches – Mat Auryn, David Salisbury, and Laura Tempest Zakroff – I respect deeply and coincidentally have also requested blurbs from. I take this as a sign to take action. So here it is, the action.
You Are Magick
Magick can be performed by anyone. I do not believe that one is only born a Witch. Many of us come to Witchcraft at various points of our lives. But more so I believe that one only needs to believe, to have conviction in their behaviors in order to manifest a desired outcome. For this reason, I would petition even the non-Witches of the world who may read this article to take action and participate even if it is only this one time.
If you are a practicing Witch, I trust that you have been putting out the magick you feel led to perform. However, I would petition you as well to take action in this regard (should you be a Democrat supporter that is). What follows is a spell I’ve crafted that can be adjusted to fit your needs. You don’t need to use the same deity I do. I prefer Hekate for all things but you should definitely work with whatever makes you comfortable.
For those who are not magickal practitioners but want to take part in the spell below, I’ve made this easy for you to follow as well.
The Caveats
This year Halloween has a full moon. This is pretty rare. It only happens every 19 years or something like that. What’s more is that this moon is what is modernly accepted as a Blue Moon. So basically Halloween 2020 follows suit with the rest of this super rare year. This little trifecta is a magickal time. They say the veil is thin and spirits are more accessible. I say, what better time than to do magick for the win.
The deal with spells is that you have to believe in what you’re doing. When you tap into the energy of a plant or anything else you’re just giving yourself a boost. That said, the ingredients for this spell are incredibly accessible but if you can’t find or use one or all of them, don’t sweat it. Just the candle and the power of your belief puts the right energy out there.
This is a spell meant to help gain a win for the Democratic Party on November 3rd. Witch or not, if you choose to do this spell on the coming full moon this weekend adjust, adapt as you see fit. Because that’s how magick works in real life. In accordance with your convictions.
The Spell
Ingredients and the reasons they are included:
Aloe, this brings luck and it is a strong assist in gaining success in a spell or endeavor.
An acorn is used for good luck and they carry the wisdom and strength of the oak tree.
Pine is known for its association with new beginnings as well as strength, growth, and success.
Basil is an herb that drives away hostility. If that’s not enough, it also increases luck for employment. You see where I’m going with this one? If you only use one herb for this spell, basil is the one to use. You can find it in the grocery store. What’s more is that, this herb is great at helping to move in a positive direction away from a bad situation.
Ginger is for success but it is also known to add a boost to any spell.
Clover is commonly identified as helping one obtain a wish. This doesn’t need to be a four-leaf clover because some say that isn’t even lucky. The fact is that there is an egregore attached to this plant so the power is there regardless of the leaf count.
And finally, cloves are used to help us gain what we want. In other words, this is a great manifesting herb.
You can use any type of candle you want. I say use three but one will work if that’s what you have. Again, adapt as you deem necessary. White candles are perfectly fine but if you want to do it my way, I’m using purple, orange, and yellow.
Purple is the color of wisdom and authority.
The color orange is associated with success, justice and opportunities.
Yellow and gold are synonymous for me and yellow candles are much easier to find. This candle is meant to correspond with power and luck.
Casting the Spell
In the candles I’m carving the words: unconquerable, new beginnings, and leader. These words mean something to me because they are epithets associated with the goddess Hekate, who I always work with. You are welcome to use any word that means a win for the Democrats to you. You don’t need to go H.A.M. on finding the right words. If they work for you then they work for the magick.
After carving into the candles, use the aloe to dress the candle. This means you’re lathering the candle up so that the herbs stick to it. Normally dressing a candle is done with oil of some sort, typically olive oil. If you can’t access aloe or even olive oil most any oil will work in a pinch. Just make sure when you light the candle, it’s in a safe place because oils make a candle burn pretty intensely.
Next mix your herbs on a plate. If you have picked your herbs fresh you’ll want to dry them out. Even the acorn will need to be crushed and dried. I use my oven for this. I set it very low and keep an eye on the plants to make sure they don’t burn up. The already powdered herbs don’t need any prep if you got them from a grocery store. Now roll your candle in the mixture and let them stand to dry for a bit.
I’m dressing my candles today and setting them on my altar until the full moon. You can do this or dress and burn your candles all at once on Saturday.
Put Out the Intention
When you light your candles, sit with them. Envision the world you want to see. Imagine the day after the election when you learn that Biden has won and that the Senate majority has shifted to Democrats. This is the most vital part of the spell. Sending out your energy while watching the flames dance and burn is the connection to all the prep work you’ve done.
With any luck and a collective intention we can all work towards doing exactly what Brian Sims has asked us to do.
Don’t forget to vote, it’s your right and responsibility.
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