If you, like me, are feeling helpless and overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world right now. I am not going to declare what’s wrong or how outraged I am. We all know things are wrong. So it is up to each of us to do what we can to right it. It is hard to know what to do or even to believe that there is anything we can do. But it is always better to be doing something than nothing. If nothing else it makes us feel better and that is something in itself. So here are my suggestions for how we can at least feel like we’re doing something useful in a world gone mad. And maybe if enough of us do stuff to make ourselves feel better, actual change will occur.

1. Toggle

   Go to a demonstration

   I know a lot of people say that protests, sit ins, vigils, etc. don’t really accomplish anything and I can see how people might think that. But please allow me to rebut.

   Protesting feels like you’re accomplishing something, and that creates hope and builds momentum.

   Large gatherings of people raise energy and visibility. Every witch should know the value of raising energy toward an intention and historians know the value of visibility.

   Surrounding yourself with like-minded people raises morale and is a great opportunity to network: to hand out flyers, to get peoples’ numbers and to discover other ways to connect and make a difference.

2. Make Your Voice Heard

   You can find out how to contact your representatives in Washington at https://www.congress.gov/contact-us . There is also Senate.gov and House.gov.  Remind these folks that they are supposed to be part of a system of checks and balances, not a rubber stamp.

   Don’t forget your local representatives. A search for (Your state) Representatives will give you what you need to know. And don’t forget to contact your state’s Governor to let them know what you think. The Governors are all listed on the National Governor’s Association website https://www.nga.org/governors/

   And if, for some reason any of this information disappears, Wikipedia keeps a list of all representatives on Federal and State levels.

   And when the time comes, be sure to vote.

3. Know Your Rights
   

   While it may seem that our constitution isn’t protecting anybody these days, we do have rights. The United States Constitution isn’t just for citizens either. It covers everyone. If you haven’t read the Constitution lately, you can go to https://constitutionus.com/ to read it, download it and order a pocket Constitution for $5.No one can enter your home without a judicial warrant.  Everyone is entitled to a hearing. No one has to answer questions. Everyone is permitted to make their voice heard and to record and report.

   If your rights are violated, you have the further right to complain about it, to press charges and to sue. If you are not in a safe position to complain or a financial position to sue, contact the ACLU https://www.aclu.org/ or the Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.aclu.org/

4. Document Everything
   

   Documentation is essential for, well, apparently for reality. The most shocking thing for me is that the administration so quickly comes out with excuses for murder that demonize the victim. But even if the victims were literal demons, there are still guidelines that law enforcement is supposed to follow in cases of lethal force and in the general protection of the people in their custody. People may be getting away with things now, but remember the Nuremburg trials.

   Even if you aren’t comfortable putting your face forward as a dissenter in this climate, you can still be a silent witness. If you see something, film it. If you aren’t comfortable obviously holding up your phone, think about more subtle recording options. Installing a dash cam on your car means that your car is recording its surroundings with no obvious effort from you. If something happens, you can pull it off the camera. If nothing happens, just carry on. You might also like to invest in a small, subtle body cam to allow your body to work the same way.

   It seems dramatic, and it is, but your documentation may make the difference between someone disappearing and their family at least having a clue where to look.

   If you don’t have a camera on you, you can write down what you saw and heard.  If you see something, log it. Keep a record of dates, times, descriptions of people and store it somewhere, even if it’s just a notebook in your pocket. You don’t have to post these things online for them to be valid evidence if evidence is needed, but you can if you like. You can report ICE activities at https://www.iceinmyarea.org/  You can also post stories anonymously on Reddit.

5. Support Local and National Initiatives

   You can support various networks and initiatives that specifically target what you are most concerned about through donations, volunteering or just spreading the word through your own networks. You can find local networks by doing searches for (Mytown) Mutual Aid, (Mytown) Rapid Response or (Mytown) Community Care.

   Before you join a group, read any literature they provide you and ask lots of questions. Make sure that you are comfortable with their message, their methods and what they expect out of their members.

   https://www.mutualaidhub.org/ provides a listing of local Mutual Aid organizations throughout the country.

   Some specific groups that are active throughout the country and provide volunteer opportunities for normal people with unspecialized skillsets include:

   Amica Center for Immigrant Rights https://amicacenter.org/join-the-fight/volunteer/
   American Friends Service Committee  https://afsc.org/get-involved
   Dream for America (For youth activists) https://dreamforamerica.org/

Sprinkle it with Magick

There is a long tradition of magickal activism and witchcraft as resistance in this country. And lets not forget the whisperings that witches resisted the Nazis in Great Britain.

The nightmare regime has employed its own magic and spirit workers, I have no doubt. While some traditions condemn the use of magick to do harm or impinge on another’s will, others, myself included, consider it deadly bad luck to see something horrific and not do something to counter it.

Target ICE’s morale, make them quit. Perhaps a mirror spell to let them see how horrific the idea of masked men kidnapping people out of their beds and macing and shooting people in the street. Give the nightmares. Cast justice spells for the murderers. Target their leaders. Bind them in a freezer spell to make them ineffective and disrespected.

And then do the rest of the stuff I mentioned already.  Cast protection spells on your crew if you go out protesting, and on other protestors. Cast a variation of the form letter spell I mentioned in the New Moon in Capricorn newsletter on the letters you send to Congress. Cast spells for networking and to get your message heard. Do the mundane work and sprinkle it with magick.

Want to read more about Witchcraft as Resistance?

The Wild Hunt has operatives on the ground right now. You can read their stories there. https://wildhunt.org/

Revolutionary Witchcraft by Sarah Lyons

Witchcraft Activism by David Salisbury

Magick for Resistance by Michael M. Hughes

And let us not forget the Queen of magical activism, Starhawk who wrote the classic Spiral Dance, founded the Reclaiming Tradition and the Social Permaculture movement and whose current project The Movement We Need is still going strong. You can find out about all the things she’s up to, including activist training at her website https://starhawk.org/

Be safe out there

While safety is never guaranteed when you are resisting anyone in power, there are some things you can do to even the odds. First, stay warm and well-hydrated. Then, check out these links from people who know.

The NAACP has a very good guide for staying safe during protests https://naacp.org/resources/staying-safe-during-protest

The American Friends Service Committee has guides for a variety of situations that may come up for activists https://afsc.org/toolkits

Please Suggest any Additional Resources or Contacts for Magical Activists

Liked it? Take a second to support The Sacred Hearth on Patreon!