TikTok

Covid-19 and Witchcraft on TikTok

Covid-19 and Witchcraft on TikTok

Pew Research graph In March of 2020 the world shut down. With most of the population home and isolated from loved ones, many turned to religion as a source of comfort. According to a Pew Research Study from the summer of 2020, Americans reported more than any other economically developed country that the Covid pandemic strengthened their religious beliefs. They report “nearly threein-ten Americans (28%) report stronger personal faith because of the pandemic.” Spain comes in second, and reports 16% of people believe it strengthened their faith. Although this leaves 64% of Americans who responded believing it the uptick of interest in alternative religions online could show how teens are finding other ways to interact with spirituality in a time of distress. In articles with interviews of creators who make videos about witchcraft on TikTok and in my personal experience, two main reasons why Wicca and witchcraft has seen a renaissance during Covid is due to a need for comfort and a resonance with Wicca and witchcraft’s political history in America. Marlene Vargas and Alex Naranjo, cofounders of metaphysical store House of Intuition, believe this turn to Wicca and witchcraft during the pandemic is a way for people to engage in self healing during a time of upheaval. In an article by Good Morning America (GMA) Vargas says “‘I think people go to tarot readings or seek something outside of religion when we're really in that vulnerable state.’” At her store, Vargas and Naranjo have seen more business during the Covid pandemic. GMA writes that “[the owners] say people are starting to look for direction through spirituality and witchcraft during this confusing time, just as they were when they first founded the House of Intuition.” Owner Vargas also says “‘now I know I don't need anybody but myself. I'm good with my rituals. I can connect with myself even if the church closes down like it did during COVID.’” In a time when people couldn’t rely on the Marlene Vargas and Alex world around them, Naranjo feeling self assured was

Covid-19 and Witchcraft on TikTok This sense of comfort and control during a time of continued upheaval was a topic in Daniel Zomparelli’s article in The Cut titled “The Pandemic Turned Me Into a Witch.” He tells about a time in the pandemic where he had a sick loved one and he did a spell “to feel hope that I would see her again, that the vaccine would happen, that we would be reunited once more. And yes, it really, seriously did help.” He concludes “and that [performing the spell], even if just for a second, gives me a sense of control amid chaos.” This Wellington’s TikTok page sentiment is echoed in USA Today’s article “What's the In the same article deal with WitchTok? We Wiccan author Gabriela spoke to creators bringing Herstik says “‘We live in magic to TikTok.” We are this very intense, dark first introduced to Adam age... People want Wethington who lost his job purpose, and they want due to the pandemic and connection,’ she says. began reading tarot as a ‘But beyond that, they form of income. He turned want something that to TikTok to share his talent helps them connect to with others. The article says something larger than Wethington “believes part themselves. Something of its [WitchTok] popularity that helps them feel like comes from the sense of there's a purpose, and control it can provide magic does that. Magic people during uncertain is a way to align with times brought on by the your purpose, your coronavirus pandemic.” power.’” During a time of Wethington follows this up uncertainty, people on by saying “‘WitchTok TikTok have gravitated content is so relevant right towards Wicca and now because we learned witchcraft as a way to last year we can't control feel comfort, to feel in (things). All you can control control, and to find

It is not surprising that people during the pandemic looked to religion for comfort. In an article by University of Connecticut professor Crystal Park titled “Religion as a MeaningMaking Framework in Coping with Life Stress” she reports “some theorists have argued that religion grows out of a human need for comprehension of the deepest problems of existence.” She goes on to say “...for many people, religion is an important philosophical orientation that affects their understanding of the world, and that makes reality and suffering understandable and bearable.” Park looks at how religion can help college students who recently lost loved ones cope with the loss. She finds in the short term, depending on a person’s religious system, that immediately it was harder for the participants while the long term effects of religion and coping were positive. “For people with more time since bereavement, these effects disappeared or even reversed, suggesting a positive association between religion and longterm adjustment.” In the article “The Effect of Religion on Psychological Resilience in Healthcare

Covid-19 and Witchcraft on TikTok continued Griselda Rodriguez-Solomon and Miguelina Rodriguez. They found that “religious People of Color, faith can help individuals to particularly women, to cope with the stress of the recenter their identities pandemic, with in America. In the article Christianity/Catholicism “Interest in spirituality, elevating psychological witchcraft on the rise well-being and amid COVID-19, TikTok Buddhism/Taoism boom” Grisela Rodriguezdecreasing mental distress Solomon who is a and indirectly elevating the cofounder of Brujas of level of happiness of these Brooklyn says “‘my sister healthcare workers.” This and I and so many other shift towards religion in women, especially of times of distress is color, are reclaiming exemplified in the interest these identities because in Wicca and witchcraft on we're in need of healing TikTok during the Covid but also … we're pandemic. reclaiming things that we Another reason for were taught were antiWicca and witchcraft’s spike white, anti-European, in popularity during the anti-capitalist and my Covid pandemic is its ancestors were shamed intersection with politics for it [witchcraft].’” and social justice During a pandemic movements. When creators where the world fell apart on TikTok were interviewed, and people had endless many cited the current time, it was the perfect political climate as reason storm for reconsidering for people’s interest in our identities and place was also a time of reevaluation, and added fuel to the proverbial fire of recognizing what the United States was going through. In an article written in The Atlantic in March of 2020 author Bianca Bosker writes “The latest witch renaissance coincides with a growing fascination with astrology, crystals, and tarot, which, like magic, practitioners consider ways to tap into unseen, unconventional sources of power—and which can be especially appealing for people who feel disenfranchised or who have grown weary of trying to enact change by working within the system.” BLM protestor 23

Covid-19 and Witchcraft on TikTok She interviews witch and continued writer Pam Grossman who says “‘The more frustrated people get, they do often turn to witchcraft, because they’re like, ‘Well, the usual channels are just not working, so let’s see what else is out there,’ ” Grossman told me. “Whenever there are events that really shake the foundations of Hugh Urban in his chapter society’...’people absolutely in “Wicca and turn towards the occult.’” Neopaganism: Magic, The Covid pandemic Feminism, and epitomizes this shaking of Environmenatalism” in the foundations of society. the book New Age, The world completely shut Neopagan, and New down, which exposed the Religious Movements: weak spots and misgivings Alternative Spirtiutality in in contemporary America. I Contemporary America, remember feeling frustrated writes “...contemporary as the government failed to paganism has often gone get protective gear to hand and hand with new frontline workers and social movements such as instead strengthened deep post-1960s feminism and partisan divides, which environmentalism.” On prohibited them from TikTok in the summer of passing policy. 2020, there were many In a broadcasted story posts of witches on NPR affiliated KUAF radio supporting Black Lives titled “Witchcraft Gets a Matter. One video shows Boost During Pandemic” someone performing a Haley Smith, a local hex with the caption astrologist says “‘as a new “WITCHES FOR BLM.” The generation of people video has over 485.3K become more politically likes. The #witchesforblm active and empowered, has over 47 million views. they are pushing back on The combination between critiques that’ she says ‘are the pandemic, which rooted in colonialism, continued to expose flaws racism, and misogyny.’” in American politics and While not necessarily all society, and the Black practitioners would think of Lives Matter protests over TikTok as an alternative to established systems of religion or spirituality. The Covid pandemic has been a time characterized by fear of the unknown and political unrest. In a time where people were physically isolated from almost everyone in their lives, religion, specifically witchcraft and the TikTok community served as a way to bring comfort, control, and power during a time of upheaval. The surge in witchcraft can expand people’s tool kit for coping and resilience which, they can reach for in times of need. TikTok gave people a community and witchcraft empowered them to feel a sense of control in their lives. It is important for future research to consider the importance of