The Witch as Activist, and how to Use our Power for Good
Follow us into the spellbinding world of witchcraft as resident witchy-woman, House of Hackney founder Frieda Gormley talks to witch, author, curator and teacher of all things magical and mystical, the enchanting Pam Grossman, host of The Witch Wave podcast and co-editor and co-author of the WITCHCRAFT volume of Taschen’s Library of Esoterica series.
Pam lifted the veil on the connection between witchcraft and Nature, how to step into our power and come together to craft a better future for ourselves and the natural world.
Witchcraft has survived through subjugation and persecution, transcending history and cultures through tradition and shared knowledge; the passing down of wisdom to make the world a better place for the next generation.
Radical witchcraft is having a renaissance and being embraced by a new generation celebrating empowerment, inclusivity and community, literally being the force they wish to see in the world. Can you tell us a bit about the history of the witch as activist?
The witch has always been a magical, marginal figure.Though people of all genders have been considered witches, it’s an archetype that is often associated with feminine power - and as we know, society hasn’t always taken kindly to femininity of various stripes. And so by her nature, the witch is an “Other” - a being who represents resistance and transgression against patriarchal “norms”. And though it’s challenging to come up with one crisp definition of what a witch is, she is usually someone who works with the divinity of the natural and spiritual realms, and who uses her power to make changes that she desires on her own terms. Because of this, witches are often seen as threatening - but usually only to those who seek to diminish, silence, or oppress them.
We’re currently in an interesting time when in some parts of the world, “witch” is an identity that people proudly claim for themselves. But this is a rather new phenomenon, as throughout history the word “witch” was a negative epithet put upon the marginalized - women, queer and non-binary folks, Indigenous people, and so on - by those who are invested in maintaining the status quo. However, as we’ve seen, the status quo isn’t working anymore (if indeed it ever did). Many are waking up to the fact that a culture that oppresses the feminine, that puts profit for the few above prosperity for all beings, and that has an extractive relationship to the planet rather than one based on respect and mutual flourishing, is a culture that needs to change. And the witch is an agent of enchantment and change. She shows us a more integrated, ancient way of being, and she offers an alternative model of power than is non-hierarchical, collaborative, and ecologically-minded.
Throughout history, the witch has had a profound spiritual connection with the environment. Could you talk to us about this innate connection between witchcraft and Nature and why it’s so important?
Everyone practices witchcraft differently, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. There is no one path or set of dogma that a witch must follow. That said, most witches recognize the sanctity of nature, and honor its fluctuating energies. We do this by incorporating the seasons and life cycles of the natural world into our everyday existence, whether that’s through the spells we cast, the rituals we conduct, or the gatherings we hold. Many of our holidays celebrate seasonal shifts, and so we’re often incorporating flowers, fruit, and other plant life into our offerings. When you do this, it helps you stay connected to the earth - which is a connection that capitalism is constantly trying to sever. Witches also recognize the sacredness in all beings, including our animal friends. We know that humans are part of nature, not separate from it, and so we treat the natural world with reverence and revel in the beauty, medicine, and wisdom it so generously shares with us.
In your new book, ‘Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic and Power’, you speak about witches not being monsters, but ‘possibilities’. How can we wake the witch inside of us, and use our voices and practice to advocate for change?
Witches are often framed as disobedient, unruly, dangerous, undesirable - but as far as I’m concerned, these are wonderful things to be in a world where so often what is deemed “aspirational” is actually tremendously harmful to ourselves and to the planet. As a witch, I don’t want to harm anyone, but I do want to disrupt the status quo and help manifest a world where all beings can thrive - not just the wealthy, exploitative few. And so part of being a witch is simply remembering that each of us has our own innate power.
Right now, in this very moment, there is a force in you that you can choose to cultivate and direct toward the act of transformation. We can wake this power up in various ways: by connecting to nature, by gathering in groups with shared visions and values, by honoring the Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit that is in us and with us, always. And by being unafraid to use whatever gifts we have been given - our talents, our resources, our time - and directing them in intentional ways toward transforming ourselves and the world we live in. Even if that means we might become a bit less popular or a bit less polite.
Is there a simple ritual or way we can connect to the natural world wherever we may be?
The most powerful rituals are often the simplest! The easiest one is to go outside and find a particularly friendly tree - just whichever one your intuition leads you to - and sit with your back to it and just breathe with it. Think about how your exhalation feeds the tree, and its exhalation feeds you in a splendid, infinite loop. Send it a message of gratitude or just a bit of love. People often say trees are the earth’s lungs, but we are also the tree’s lungs! We live in symbiosis with them.
But my very favorite ritual is to go look at the moon, and embody whatever phase it happens to be in. Gaze at it with your arms spread wide, and let her light fill you. If she’s waning, think about the ways in which you also need to begin to rest, or consider elements which you feel called to decrease in your life. If she’s waxing, think of things you want to cultivate, increase, or bring energy to. The moon is a glorious guide, and she helps us bring our own luminosity to our lives here on earth.
-
Activism needs voices to speak truth and bodies to generate change. We need community and we need togetherness. It’s our time to pick up the mantle.
So use your voice, let it be heard, and be the change.
"Now is the time, now is the hour, ours is the magic, ours is the power."
- The Craft
You can follow Pam on socials @phantasmaphile, and her new book Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic and Power is out now.
Related Stories
