In the age of The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, the word witch is more likely to conjure up thoughts of headbands and chic skirts than the black pointed hat and green skin of Elfaba from Wicked. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that witches have a thriving presence on everybody's favorite social media platform, TikTok. And right now, they're banding together in order to use their powers to help protect the Black Lives Matter movement, starting during tonight's full moon.
Let us explain. Full moons have special meaning to witches. They usher in a potent energy, one that make witches' manifestations more powerful or effective. Tonight's full strawberry moon is especially intense, since it also creates a lunar eclipse in Sagittarius. And witches are preparing to use this as an opportunity to cast protective spells for those protesting the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the countless of other Black men and women who die at the hands of police, due to deeply ingrained and protected systemic racism.
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It's hard to say exactly how the decision to join forces for this virtual, witch-y protest came about. But it's happening. Videos tagged #WitchesForBLM on TikTok have been viewed more than 8.7 million times. "This is the first time modern witches are coming together universally from around the world to do the work," explains GeminiMoon, 29, a practicing witch, to Refinery29.
"The witches or practitioners are using [their] power to help aide in healing and protecting people of color, or anyone affected. Some witches are also taking the advantage of this great energy to hex the oppressors," GeminiMoon says. But just in case you're planning on searching Amazon for spell books, a word of caution: Hexes are much harder to perform than protection spells. As such, TikTok witches are warning "baby witches" to focus their energy on the latter.
All witches practice differently. Some might manifest their intentions using candles or herbs; others work with gods and goddesses; and still others stick to natural elements. No matter the mean or mode, however, #WitchesForBLM are coming together to serve and protect.
Not a believer? "The way I understand magic, it’s a mode of creating change," Catherine Tosenberger, PhD, an associate professor of English literature and cultural studies at the University of Winnipeg who specializes in folklore, previously told Refinery29. "It’s practiced traditionally by people who don’t have access to other forms of power," she said. "It’s been a way to protect yourself in a world where all the official institutions are set up to persecute you."
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When seen in that light, it's not so surprising that practicing witches are feeling a connection to the Black Lives Matter movement. "Witches, from the beginning of time, have worked with the people. If we see things that are out of balance we try our best to manifest that balance back," GeminiMoon adds.
Of course, we'd encourage witches that do have access to other forms of power — money to donate to relevant causes, the ability to join in protests, the time and means to email or call congressmen and demand change, a safe platform that allows them to speak out against racial injustice — to take action beyond magic. But if they want to take advantage of a full moon to throw a couple protective spells into the mix... It probably can't hurt, right?
"Some people choose to believe in our craft and some don’t. But in the end of the day we are all human and we just want to survive in this world," GeminiMoon says. "And seeing how people are mistreated, we will do our best to help end the racism that’s embedded within our culture, with our without magic."