The Season of the Witch

THE SEASON

OF THE WITCH

Written By: Elissa Day and Alexa Martinez-Loza Edited By: Faveanny Leyva, Karina McCarthy & Lexi Fernandez

Witchcraft is a centuries-old practice rooted in traditional cultures across the world, most notably in Indigenous African cultures, the Americas, and Asia. Deeply embedded with the occult, witches have been historically feared and fiercely persecuted by commoners, who saw them as innately wicked and highly dangerous. Witches are powerful and self-sufficient and, as such, proved to be a threat to them. However, in recent years the practice has developed into a mainstream phenomenon, commercializing into million-dollar industries. Pagan symbols are used commonly in fashion, crystal collections have become trendy, and social media has entire subsections for witches.

It is no surprise that we ended up here. In times of uncertainty, transition and upheaval, people tend to turn to spirituality as a last resort for a sense of control. This re-emergence has brought about a growing cultural appreciation for astrology, tarot, and healing crystals, all of which serve as tools for connecting with unconventional sources of power. Witchcraft is especially empowering for women and people of marginalized identities to express their rage and frustrations against an oppressive, patriarchal society. Both in practice and as a cultural aesthetic, it is political in its outright rebellion of the status quo. It is dark and threatening and screams, “We are not here to play nice.”

Much of the appeal of modern witchcraft draws from our evolved views and relationship with it as something meant to help us, meaning practitioners can choose ideas and customize their spirituality to best fit their needs. Through this, personalized spirituality can transcend the original religion by giving individuals the autonomy to integrate modern values in useful and life-affirming ways. Even if not wholly subscribed to this identity, many people find comfort in practicing select areas of its teachings. Crystals, for one, provide a type of therapy through their various healing abilities, including enhanced immunity and increased focus and positivity. Rose quartz is well-known for its properties of love and connection and is an ideal choice for those seeking to purify and open up their hearts. Amethysts, on the other hand, are often used as tranquilizers to relieve stress, anxiety, and grief.

It is heartening to see the beauty of spirituality being widely practiced, but there is a reason the religion has produced countless myths and scary stories. With the broadening of the good sides of witchcraft also comes the bad. Singer and actress Azealea Banks is unashamed to be a practicing witch and posts many controversial videos and photos that perfectly demonstrate the modern dark side. Banks showed a video of an entirely bloodstained closet to the point where the stains appear black from layers and layers of blood. Stuck to the floor are feathers and bones, making it evident she has been sacrificing animals. Her closet/kill room, she explains, is the result of “three years worth of brujería,” the Spanish word for witchcraft. It is certainly unsettling to look at, and it’s a far cry from crystals and incense.

Pagans and Wiccas make up the peaceful, nature-loving people who practice cultural traditions based in witchcraft. They are often put under the umbrella term “witch,” which can be problematic as it is also a term used to describe certain Satanists. Wiccans, in fact, are so peaceful that their one rule is “harm none, do what you will.”

There is a popular practice in modern witchcraft that involves ‘talking to deities,’ in which someone attempts to spiritually communicate with different gods and powerful figures, two popular ones being Aphrodite and Loki. Many young teens attempt to do this after seeing it on social media, which could be dangerous for them in the long run. Demons are prevalent beings in almost all religions, with the common aspect of trickery and disguise. Leaving yourself spiritually and emotionally open to the universe could invite demonic presences disguised as helpful deities.

People often want to believe in the beautiful aspects of witchcraft and write off the darker side. But, if one is real, they both are, which could certainly prove dangerous if people go into a spell without knowing what it does. Prior research is a must when looking into witchcraft.