Magic for the Resistance Read online

  About the Author

  Michael M. Hughes is an author, speaker, magical thinker, and activist. He is the creator of the internationally viral Mass Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him, the largest magical working in history. He speaks on politics, magic, pop culture, psychedelics, the paranormal, and tarot. Michael lives in Baltimore with his wife, two daughters, and a rabbit named Toby Turnipseed. You can sign up for his newsletter at http://michaelmhughes.com.

  Llewellyn Publications

  Woodbury, Minnesota

  Copyright Information

  Magic for the Resistance: Rituals and Spells for Change © 2018 by Michael M. Hughes.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  As the purchaser of this e-book, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. The text may not be otherwise reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or recorded on any other storage device in any form or by any means.

  Any unauthorized usage of the text without express written permission of the publisher is a violation of the author’s copyright and is illegal and punishable by law.

  First e-book edition © 2018

  E-book ISBN: 9780738759999

  Cover design by Shira Atakpu

  Interior illustrations by Marie Poliak

  Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Hughes, Michael M., author.

  Title: Magic for the resistance : rituals and spells for change / Michael M.

  Hughes.

  Description: FIRST EDITION. | Woodbury : Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd., 2018. | Includes bibliographical references.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018022622 (print) | LCCN 2018024716 (ebook) | ISBN

  9780738759999 (ebook) | ISBN 9780738759968 (alk. paper)

  Subjects: LCSH: Magic. | Witchcraft. | Change.

  Classification: LCC BF1611 (ebook) | LCC BF1611 .H835 2018 (print) | DDC

  133.4/3—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018022622

  Llewellyn Publications does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business arrangements between our authors and the public.

  Any Internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific reference will continue or be maintained. Please refer to the publisher’s website for links to current author websites.

  Llewellyn Publications

  Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

  2143 Wooddale Drive

  Woodbury, MN 55125

  www.llewellyn.com

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Acknowledgments

  Serious love to the members of the official Bind Trump Facebook group, and especially the moderators who have made it such a vibrant, welcoming community: Cherry Wanders, Kerri Kor, Karen Tibbitts-Williams, and Hillary Peatfield.

  Props to my beta spell-testers: John Stone, Jonatha Nathan, Amy Miranda, Peg Aloi, Karina Higgs-Boson, Lily Lumiere, Lorie Johnson, and Jake Bowman.

  And a deep bow to everyone else who made this possible, especially:

  Nick Dickinson

  Sally Wilde

  Leonard George

  Amanda Yates Garcia

  Matt Bialer

  Elysia Gallo

  Ray Grasse

  Josephine McCarthy

  My lovely, supportive family

  And, this time in particular, my late-night partner in crime,

  Hermes.

  Contents

  Preface

  Chapter One: Welcome to the Magic Resistance!

  Chapter Two: Witches and Occultists versus Kings and Nazis

  Chapter Three: Binding Trump

  Chapter Four: Toolkit for Magical Activism

  Chapter Five: Offensive and Defensive Magic

  Chapter Six: Magic Beyond the Altar

  Chapter Seven: Finding the Others: Coven and Community Building

  Chapter Eight: Self-Care and Resilience

  Chapter Nine: Preparation for Ritual

  Chapter Ten: The Magical Activist’s Spellbook

  Conclusion: Go to Work

  Appendix

  Bibliography

  Disclaimer

  The publisher and the author assume no liability for any injuries caused to the reader that may result from the reader’s use of content contained in this publication and recommend common sense when contemplating the practices described in the work. Discussion of herbs and psychoactive substances in this book is for informational purposes only, and neither the publisher nor the author take any responsibility for any possible consequences to any person as a result of their use.

  Preface

  Before we dive in to the subject of resistance magic, let’s get a few things out of the way.

  Magic versus Magick

  The use of magic versus magick may be confusing to some. I prefer magic without the K for a number of reasons.

  Although magick as an archaic form of the word existed in the medieval era, the K was added by Aleister Crowley to make the word fit his complex Kabbalistic spiritual system and to disassociate it from stage and parlor magic (i.e., tricks). I don’t find that necessary. I’m not a Kabbalist, and my conception of magic is quite broad, embracing not just spells and rituals but visual art, writing, drama, and yes, even tricks. Many shamanic traditions employ what we would call “trickery” to startle the participants into a heightened state where the real magic and healing can then take place.

  When I performed as a mentalist (psychic magician) for several years, I utilized techniques from the fuzzy gray area between psychology, sleight of hand, and real magic. The “tricks” I performed had powerful and long-lasting effects on my audiences, and, I hope, opened many people to the possibility that magic is real.

  The word magic has worked fine for hundreds of years, and it is the preferred spelling in academic writing. And, to be frank, as a writer, I just don’t like the look of the word with the K (nor does my writing app). And don’t get me started on verbal grotesqueries like magickian.

  Magic is magic, and I’m sticking to it.

  On Appropriation

  Appropriation is an important but divisive topic in the magical community. While we should be respectful of other traditions, especially those of indigenous, oppressed, or marginalized groups, the practitioners of magic have always been syncretists, experimenting intraculturally and sticking with what worked. The Greek Magical Papyri make that quite clear—magicians of antiquity liberally borrowed gods, words of power, and symbols from the many cultures surrounding them. Not much has changed in the ensuing centuries.

  I have explored a wide variety of practices from a number of schools and traditions over three decades, but I am not an initiate in any of them, nor would I claim to be an expert in any of them. I am simply a human being lucky enough to live in an age when thousands of years of magical knowledge are available in academic libraries and a few clicks away on my laptop. I identify as a magician, first and foremost, not a Pagan, a shaman, a witch, a ceremonialist, a chaote, a Rootworker, or any other label. I am a generalist, not a specialist.

  My ethical rule is simple: if I learn something from a
tradition, I do my best to acknowledge and honor it, without claiming to be of it. I encourage you to do the same. Magic is our birthright, so go read and experiment, and when you learn something, give thanks and respect to your teachers.

  [contents]

  Chapter One

  Welcome to the Magic Resistance!

  We are living in a time of great turmoil at the edge of history. A time in which liberal, democratic values and ideas that have withstood wars and despots are under attack by rising tides of authoritarianism, nationalism, xenophobia, and racial supremacy; an era in which our very existence as a species is imperiled by a rapidly warming planet, overpopulation, and our unquenchable desire for material goods.

  And while patriarchal, top-down religions in the West are steadily losing their followers to the ranks of the religiously “unaffiliated,” more people than ever are seeking personal connections to a greater spiritual reality by embracing the worldviews of indigenous cultures and practical magical traditions.

  We are at a crossroads, and the choices before us require either a (r)evolutionary change in our values and behaviors or simply giving up and accepting an unavoidable plunge into the abyss.

  As Amanda Yates Garcia (the Oracle of LA) said, “So great is the threat to our world now that we must all become initiates. We must all become healers. We must all become shaman[s]. We must all become leaders and activists … Only if we all rise up, awaken, and hold ourselves and each other to high standards of leadership do we have the possibility of saving our world.” 1

  If you’re reading this, my guess is you would prefer to take the road to a better future.

  This book is for you. May the ideas and rituals within it help you on the journey ahead.

  _____

  Being a part of the magic resistance (represented by the hashtag #MagicResistance on social media) means working in service: service to the earth, to the dispossessed, the sick and broken, the downtrodden, the marginalized, and those with no voices; animals, trees, soil, streams, rivers, and seas. It means becoming aligned with spirits of place, the ancestors, and even the gods themselves. The magic you will find in this book is very different from most, because unlike magic done by an individual for practical means—love or money spells, for example—this magic is done for the higher good of all of us.

  Which also means the rewards are different. With practical magic, the rewards are clear: you find a partner, get a raise, or your abusive neighbor moves to a different state. There is nothing wrong with such magic. In fact, for many beginners, successful practical spells are what is needed to convince them that magic is real.

  The rewards of service magic are usually not so immediate or measurable, because its targets—deeply embedded social structures like racism, homophobia, misogyny, militarism, violence, greed, and materialism—are not going to be easily banished from human society. These social illnesses can, however, be pushed back.

  There are exceptions, of course. Very specific circumstances, such as protecting an endangered river, can have direct, measurable outcomes, such as when legislation is passed to stop a new development threatening to dump pollution into it. There are clear and quantifiable victories in this game, too. But often we must work our magic to shift the balance into the proper direction, not to score easy wins. Resistance magic is about bending reality in

  (r)evolutionary directions, either by pushing against reactionary and regressive trends or encouraging positive change.

  Unlike many magical traditions, to become part of the #Magic

  Resistance you don’t need any fancy initiations. There are no levels or grades or degrees, and you don’t need to spend a fortune on workshops or classes. All you need to do is pledge yourself to service of other sentient beings, improving our collective societal structures, and the sacred earth on which we walk. That doesn’t mean you have to become a selfless monk or nun, a humorless full-time radical, or give up having a rewarding, fun, and productive life outside of activism. Resistance magic derives its power from passion, creativity, humor, and love. The joy of doing service magic is that when you help others, you win, too.

  Because we exist within political structures, we need to work within political and social systems to address the many crises facing us. And all those crises—environmental, financial, social, and political—are crises of the spirit. For far too long the spiritual aspects of political engagement and activism have been absent from progressivism, while the reactionary right has become synonymous with a toxic form of fundamentalist evangelical Christianity. It’s time for those of us who embrace liberal values and spirituality to push back against the stereotype of the godless left and bring our gods—all of them—into the fight for our future.

  Frequently Asked Questions about Magic

  What is magic resistance?

  Magic resistance is a term for the use of magic—spells, rituals, prayer, divination, and other techniques—to resist or impede dangerous or oppressive political movements, politicians, and actions, including authoritarianism, white supremacy, racism, misogyny, xenophobia, environmental destruction, attacks on marginalized populations, and other toxic and regressive ideologies. It can be viewed as a magical form of self-defense or defense of others. But it is not just about resistance. This movement also uses magical practices to promote progressive, inclusive, liberating, and empowering political, environmental, economic, and social causes.

  How do you define magic?

  Magic, in its most basic sense, is the use of directed consciousness to effect change in the world. If that seems broad, it’s supposed to be. A ritual can create a magical effect, but so can a work of art, a prayer, a focused visualization, street theater, or a group of people marching and chanting in unison. Magic works best when it combines a mix of methodologies—that’s why a work of art, when combined with ritual and further energized by a group action or meditation, is especially effective.

  Do I have to believe in magic?

  Nope. You can do the spells and rituals in this book as a form of personal theater. They will still work, at least sometimes, if you do them sincerely and with your full commitment and energy. Practical magic is largely the enhancement of probability. If you practice the magic in this book and it seems to push your results into the positive results column, it is considered effective.

  And doing magic is most definitely useful. One doesn’t need to understand how magic works to practice it. In fact, as one very famous magician, Peter J. Carroll, put it: “Magic works in practice but not in theory.”2

  Does doing this sort of magic have personal benefits?

  One of the key benefits of resistance magic—aside from having tangible results in the real world—is to renew, refresh, and reawaken your commitment to the principles of truth, justice, peace, and equality, and to strengthen your connection to the natural world and the diverse community of individuals that surrounds you.

  Do I have to be a witch or a Pagan to use these spells?

  The system of magic in this book is designed to plug into a number of established traditions and can be easily tweaked for your own practice. Because the rituals and spells herein are built upon the core principles that underlie all magical practices, they are just as effective if you practice Wicca, traditional witchcraft, chaos magic, ceremonial magic, or folk Christianity, or if you follow no specific tradition at all. This resistance magic employs universal techniques: directional attunement, incorporation of the four classical elements, ancestor communication, calls to spirits or deity, links to astrological cycles (particularly the moon phases), voice, symbols, sensory stimulation and inhibition, ritualized movement, and consciousness alteration.

  If you don’t belong to any particular tradition, you are encouraged to experiment. A prayer to Hekate may connect more powerfully for you than one to a generic Great Goddess, or you may find that incorporating biblical psalms or working with Catholic saints is more effective th
an working with Norse gods. The best witches and magicians experiment and use what works, so don’t be afraid to try new approaches. If you don’t believe in angels or ancestral spirits, try working with them anyway—and you might be surprised. After all, does it matter if the deity or spirit you contact is objectively real or just a part of your consciousness as long as the magic works?

  Isn’t mucking around with spells dangerous?

  Of course it’s dangerous! But not anywhere near as dangerous as driving a car or riding a bicycle. Magic is a tool and can be used for positive or nefarious purposes. If you misuse it, it can have negative consequences. But since you’re reading this book, you are already aligned with sustainability, equality, peace, and social justice. And since the universe bends in the direction of those values (or at least that’s what I’ve come to believe), your magic will be aligned with those evolutionary spiritual energies and the deities who embody them. That’s a powerful safety net.

  In other words, because you are working for positive causes and results and not harmful aims or ideologies, your magic will work more effectively and will have far less potential for unintended harm or psychic blowback.

  But isn’t binding someone or casting a spell that thwarts the will of voters ethically problematic?

  Much of the magic in this book is rooted in resistance to extreme conditions and threats. It is not touchy-feely, fluffy-bunny magic because it is meant to be employed against very clear dangers and existential threats. Vodou, Hoodoo, and Conjure, for example, developed as enslaved Africans adapted their magic to their oppressive, inhumane environment and were, of necessity, protective and self-defensive. While bindings and other defensive magic can be seen as constraining the free will of the spell’s recipients, it is clearly ethical to use such spells when the target is harming or attempting to harm others. A good rule of thumb to use is this: Would you endorse a legal action to stop the target’s harmful actions or policies (say, against a minority group, a forest, or a person unjustly accused of a crime)? If so, then a magical action is absolutely ethical.