Enchanting The Resistance: Rituals & Art Spells for Resistance Magick

Resistance Magick for Joyful Dissent, Inspired Uprising and The Quest for Equality

🕯️This master post will be updated with fresh ideas regularly. Check back for more spells to enchant our pro democracy efforts.

As Art Witches, we understand the power of symbols. Defeating fascism worldwide will require a robust arsenal of rich symbols, images, and imagination to empower the People.

These humble spells and ideas are offered in the spirit of enriching our imagination and enchanting the defeat of authoritarianism.

Let's bring our Creativity, Magick, Joy, Courage, and Persistence to the fight, Witches.

LIBERTAS: Liberty as Allegory, Symbol & Deity

The Greek goddess Eleuthera and her later Roman form, Libertas are allegorical figures representing the virtue of Liberty.

Libertas is often depicted as a mature woman in flowing classical dress holding an array of sacred items related to freedom: bay laurel wreath for victory, a liberty cap (originally worn by recently freed enslaved people in the ancient world and later adopted as a pro democracy symbol), a liberty pole, spear, torch and sometimes a sassy cat as to represent independence.

She characterizes freedom from all forms of bondage, the divinity of inalienable individual rights, civil rights, and victory over oppression. She is the patron of the enslaved and formerly enslaved.

Perhaps the most famous representation of Libertas is the Statue of Liberty. Crowned by the rays of the sun, fiercely raising the torch of freedom, the chains of tyranny lay crushed beneath her colossal feet.

The witch may choose to partner with Libertas as a symbol or deity as part of their resistance magick through art, poetry, personal and public ritual, or protest.

LIBERTAS RITUAL

A Spell to abolish oppression, invoke freedom for all, and strengthen the spirit of Liberty within you.

This spell can be performed by an individual or group.

You will need:

🔥Bay leaves

🔥White candle

🔥Several strips of paper

🔥Glue stick

🔥Fireproof container

Gather your materials and center yourself in your ritual space. Light the candle. Light a few bay leaves and place them into the fireproof container as an incense offering to the Spirit of Liberty. Invoke Liberty by chanting her name, “Libertas, Libertas, Libertas.”

Make a paper chain: Make a paper chain with the paper and glue stick. As you craft the chain, keep in mind the bondage of which you wish yourself, others, the nation, the world to be freed from. Be as specific as possible.

When your chain is complete, invoke Libertas:

Lady Liberty, Libertas, Mother of Exiles

You who tend the tired and poor,

You who accept the tempest- tossed

You who uplift the masses yearning to breathe free

Raise your golden torch to shine the light of freedom

Raise your golden torch to banish the darkness of tyranny

Raise your spear to shatter the chains of oppression

Crown us with the sun and the victory wreath

Awaken and strengthen the spirit of Freedom in me.

Light the paper chain with the candle and allow it to burn to ash in the fireproof container. As the chain burns, close your eyes. Envision the smoke rising and being carried across the land.

Allow several moments of silence: see the specific situation improving and listen closely for insight as to how you can be an agent of Liberty right now and in the days to come.

Write down your insights.

Light an additional bay leaf in offering to Libertas.

Take action as inspired by your ritual.

Art Spells for Invoking Libertas

🔥Craft your own laurel wreath to keep on your altar or wear to rallies, protests and pro-democracy gatherings as a symbol of Liberty.

🔥Make or create an image of a torch to invoke the light of Freedom. Work with it in meditation or share it with others to promote Courage and Liberty for All.

🔥Create a miniature spear to use in ritual to symbolically cut and destroy all forms of bondage for yourself and others.

🔥Paint, draw or collage a page in your grimoire dedicated to Libertas. Write your own invocation to gather strength and take inspired action as an avatar of Liberty.

LIBERTY FOR ALL.

FREEDOM FOR ALL.

SO IT IS.

ANCESTOR OFFERINGS

Connection, Solidarity, & The Mighty Dead

Humans can do difficult things. Our ancestors survived wars, disease, natural disasters, economic peril, political unrest, violence, heartbreak, and times of great scarcity. When we work with our ancestors we tap directly into that golden vein of intensely scrappy, courageous, skillful wisdom.

💗It’s okay if you don’t know who your ancestors are. It’s okay if you know who your ancestors are and don’t want to work with them because they were jerks or genocidal maniacs.

💗Ancestor work can expand to encompass ancestors of the land, ancestors of vocation or ancestors through space and time who endured any kind of hardship.

💗Working with historical movement leaders, beloved dead who fought fascism in life, or saints as a form of the Mighty Dead may also feel appropriate.

In this moment of authoritarian oppression, genocide, and upswelling of Christo fascism, strengthening connection to ancestors who have faced these horrors can provide stability, inspiration, and courage to move forward with purpose.

If the notion of contacting the spirits of ancestors is too far out for you, that's okay too. Consider how ancestors reside in your physical body. Your bones, blood, fingernails, and genetics are a compilation of ancestors living on in your cells, dancing like champagne bubbles within you at this moment.

HOW TO DO IT

☕Create a little sacred altar space for ancestral work with a handkerchief on a table, a shadow box, shelf or display of photographs. If you possess a cultural tradition for creating space for ancestors, do that.

☕Place a glass of water, cup of coffee, tea, or spirits on the altar. Light a candle. Burn incense if you like it. You may wish to add additional gifts like flowers, fresh fruit or food that feels correct. I like to play music for my ancestors.

☕Then say a few words of thanks, offer gratitude for anything that is currently going well, and request help. Your own words will be the most powerful. Here’s an example of how I address my ancestors at the altar:

“Beloved ancestors. Thank you for this body. Thank you for your tenacity, wisdom, laughter, and sacrifice. I hope you enjoy this _______ (whatever the offerings are) as a sign of my love and gratitude."

Next, Make a request for help, clarity, or inspiration.

“Ancestors who have felt everything there is to feel, who know everything there is to know, I’m currently struggling with______. If you have wisdom that could assist me at this time, I’m open to receiving it.

May I tread lightly upon your backs. May I strive to be your most beautiful continuation. Thank you so much.”

Ancestor communication may come through a divination tool like tarot, a dream, sitting quietly in meditation or journaling your thoughts.

A regular ancestral offering practice will nurture this spiritual connection and build resilience.

⭐How could you plug into the wisdom of those who have come before you?

⭐Do you have a family member, movement leader, or spiritual teacher who inspires you?

THE PEOPLE'S DEVIL

Wildness & The Adversarial Spirit

The devil has long been mistreated and cast away by contemporary witchcraft as a little too earthy and too evil. If there was ever a time to welcome the horned one back into our hearts, imaginations, altars, and creative endeavors- it’s now.

This little article pertains to the witches’ devils- local chthonic entities or teachers of magick.

The folkloric (not the biblical) devil was a hero of the peasants, the downtrodden and working people. Practitioners of modern traditional witchcraft have a relationship with this form of the devil.  (If this topic is of interest, I highly recommend the book The Witches Devil: Myth and Lore for Modern Cunning by Roger Horne.)

Working with a local devil deepens our connection to the land, local spiritual ecology and empowers the adversarial spirit within us. The following is a brief ritual and incantation to make contact your local devil for the benefit of your community.

PART I

Find your local devil. Research your own local devils, urban legends, or cryptids for inspiration. You may also feel drawn to a specific location in nature: a hollow tree, unusual rock, bog, stand of yew trees or quiet cemetery to contact your devil.

Give an offering. Once you have located your devil and you have spiritually protected yourself, go out and give an appropriate biodegradable offering. (I like to give apples or oats.)

When giving the offering, specify who it’s for with a few respectful words like:

“Old one, horned one, man in black. I offer you this _____ in friendship. If there is a devil here, let us be friends.”

If you are brave (and it will not cause you bodily harm) make this excursion at night.

If going to a location in nature isn't possible, you can visit a haunt of your choice in meditation and leave offerings on your altar.

To strengthen your relationship, return to give offerings regularly.

Part II

At your altar, light a candle for your devil and recite a prayer:

“Hail to the devil, come revel with us!

Protect all on the edges from wickedness!

Snap the shackles of all who are oppressed!

May you rebuke all stupid cruelty!

Through your wisdom and cunning

Curse all who would seek to ruin freedom.

Awaken in us a wild thirst for justice.

Awaken in us your feral magick.

Awaken in us our flame of power.”

Repeat the incantation until a trancelike state is achieved. Prayer beads could be used for this purpose. You may wish to dance and invite the sensation of wildness to course through you.

Be open to ideas and inspirations that percolate in your limber imagination.

Make art.

Enjoy the feeling of liberation.

Extinguish the candle and ground yourself with a snack OR direct your crackling energy towards a specific project.

This ritual can also be used to raise energy for pro democracy, environmental, and social justice events, gatherings, or performances.

⭐What does it mean to you to be subversive?

⭐ How could embracing wildness and the energy of the adversary empower your work?

⭐How could the devil as folk hero inspire your magick and art?

🕯️This master post will be updated with fresh ideas regularly. Check back for more spells to enchant our pro democracy efforts.

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WITCH ON, WITCH BOLDLY & BE WELL