Witchy Wellness

Consider it self-care for darker times. Witchcraft as self-care has become widely practiced and very mainstream.

In the mid-15th century, Europe was freaking out. There were witches (mostly women of course) everywhere making pacts with the devil and practicing dark magic. Many of the "witches" were tortured until they provided some kind of confession or names of other witches, and a lot of them were executed. The witch hunt of these dark days in history had less to do with an actual fear around the craft, though there was plenty of hysteria regarding that. The hunt for witches had more to do with power, oppression and scapegoating all of which the patriarchy has always been fond of.

Witchcraft is less about rituals and practices and more about the woman herself. She is often alienated from society, rebellious, in-tune with nature and a force to be reckoned with. I think that is the message that generates for people when they turn to witchcraft. Witchcraft offers the opportunity to assert ourselves and focus our energy on rituals of change and healing during these chaotic times.

Back in the 90s, witchcraft exploded in a huge way. There were Silver Ravenwolf's controversial books, television shows like Charmed and movies like The Craft, which opened up at number 1 at the box office. The town of Salem has been raking in that sweet tourist cash forever and ever. However, the witchcraft that was being offered and becoming popular 25 years ago was a watered down version that was easy to swallow. Even so, witchcraft was so intriguing, a powerful force of mystery. And it's mysterious ways caught the attention of the masses and sparked their curiosity. Even those who didn't believe in magic were entranced. And that is what led us up to where we are now in 2020.

Many real, practicing witches turn their nose up at this "witchcraft lite" that is being marketed to consumers. And some parts of our society still think that witchcraft is satanic. So retailers and brands have re-branded witchcraft. It is no longer just for goth-lovers and die hard witches. It has been packaged as a self-care tool for difficult times. Which if you think about it, that is truly what witchcraft is actually all about.

So why is this witchcraft trend re-emerging now? Women in particular are drawn to the practice because we still live in a world where we are constantly told that we aren't worthy. Witchcraft allows us the opportunity to worship ourselves when we sit at our alter. We can practice in whatever way feels powerful and important to us. People who turn to witchcraft are fed up with patriarchal systems and use magic to find a place that welcome self-love, empowerment and growth.

Another sign that people were turning to witchcraft was the recent trend of group hexes on conservative politicians (ahem, Trump, cough, cough) and other public figures who were labeled as evil. There have been many books addressing this. This one by Michael Hughes (who I am happy to call a friend of mine) was one of the first to kick off the hexing trend. Witches and wizards who take part in these hexes describe themselves as part of the #MagicResistance. Monthly hexes on Donald Trump have been going strong since he was elected in November 2016.

So what does witchcraft as self-care look like in our modern world? Think setting intentions, drawing daily tarot cards for guidance, or carrying out rituals for each full moon.

People everywhere are longing for something, anything that can provide a sense of goodness when the going gets rough. They want something that makes self-care a ritual, especially when mental health care is out of reach due to costs or lack of access. People simply want to add a little magic to their current self-care practice.

Other offerings range anywhere from books, to beauty products to classes offered in retail stores. Witchy products are turning up everywhere. When I was strolling around Barnes and Noble recently I stumbled upon a whole section dedicated to witchcraft and all things mystical tucked away in the spiritual section.

I love this trend, and am all on board for anything that allows people to practice feminist values and resist a culture of patriarchal oppression. I also am a believer in all things witchy and mystical, and really do think that it is all a bit magical. I'm also all for anything that gives someone who has been told by society that they are worthless their sense of power back.

So how can you explore this witchy trend? Here is a great article that I found that outlines some basic ways to incorporate witch craft into your current self-care practice. I highly recommend Haus Witch for shopping. House of Intuition is another really great place to browse magical things. I have even seen books at my local library dedicated to the topic. So if you are interested in witchcraft, just get out there and explore. It has been waiting for you for years.