Bless these stones, powers of earth (touch object to your earth symbol), water (touch water to your extended index and middle fingers and wet the object with them), fire (hold over your fire symbol), and air (hold in rising incense smoke or touch to feather); spirits of the heavens (lift toward sky) and of the underworld (lower toward altar or ground).
Consecrate these guardians to serve as wards for my polling place. May they keep the voting honest, safe, and free of meddling. May they alert the poll workers if anyone attempts to circumvent the free and fair process. So mote it be.
Blow onto the rocks, feeling your breath imbuing them with watchfulness and protective energy. Say,
Awaken to your duty. When it is done, return to your natural state with my grateful thanks.
Ideally, a day or two before voting, visit your polling place. If you can only visit the day you vote, arrive early. Enter as deeply into ritual mind as you can without causing a scene. Call out to the spirits of the place. Open your spirit to contact, and welcome the connection with whatever spirits occupy this piece of land. They may be from centuries before, or they may be recent occupants or just passersby. Just quiet your mind and use your magical senses.
Say out loud or internally (have the spell copied out if you don’t want to carry the book),
Spirits of this place, I ask you to accept my presence and my respectful offering. I beseech you to protect those visiting your home as they come to take part in the sacred act of voting. Please watch over them and forbid all those who would cheat or do harm. So mote it be.
Discreetly pour out a libation from your water bottle onto the ground as an offering to the spirits of the place.
Then place the four rocks around the polling place. Try to put them where they won’t be disturbed or dislodged, but where people will have to pass by them to enter the building to vote. The goal is to form a shield of protective energy.
When you’re done, thank the spirits of the place silently before leaving.
Healing the Earth
(Microcosm Ritual)
This is a great spell to do with kids. They enjoy helping put everything together and understand it intuitively. And though it is rather light in its imagery, do not underestimate its seriousness. As Peter Grey wrote in Apocalyptic Witchcraft, “If the land is poisoned then witchcraft must respond.” 31
Perform this ritual during the waxing or full moon.
Components
Medium-size pot of earth (organic potting soil is good if you can get it)
Green candle (any size)
Small plant (an edible magical herb, like rosemary basil, marjoram, mint, or sage is a good choice)
Small shell or other nonplastic container filled with water
Small toy animal or animal sculpture, ideally not plastic (even better if it’s an endangered animal—I use a ceramic elephant)
Goddess sculpture from your tradition (optional)
Rocks, stones, or crystals
Feather(s)
Moon and Sun tarot cards (optional)
This “little earth” that you care for connects your energy to the larger earth. It should be separate from your working altar, occupying its own place of respect, ideally near a window or on a balcony or sunny porch. This is an easy way to do “hidden in plain sight” magic because it looks just like a nice arrangement.
Place the candle in the center of the pot of earth. Plant the small plant away from the candle and add the other items, arranging them in a pleasing manner. Bury some stones or crystals in the soil. If you’re using the Sun and Moon tarot cards, lean them against the pot or place them nearby or above it. You can return them to your deck after the spell or leave them in place.
If you can do this outdoors, all the better, but near a window is fine, too.
When the arrangement is ready, do the Centering Ritual, light the candle, and quietly pray the following words while holding your open palms in front of the little “mini earth” you have created:
Mother Earth, giver, creatrix, from you I have risen and to your embrace I shall return. Spirits and elementals of this place, I offer you the humble home I have made of earth, water, fire, and air. Take residence here as you wish, depart as you will, for works of healing and regeneration.
Feel healing energy streaming from your hands into the pot. Say,
I consecrate this microcosm for the healing of the earth, all growing and blooming things, the crawling things, the walking, flying, and swimming things, the air, the forests, the waters, the deserts, and the ice and snow.
May healing and balance come to you, Great Mother, to the rocks of your bones, the waters of your blood, the green earth of your flesh, the air that carries your voice, the fire of your immense heart, and to all of your children who live and love and die beneath the Sun, the Moon, and the stars on your sacred skin.
Hold your hands on the pot and energize it with your healing energy and your graciousness for the earth that sustains you.
End the ritual with So mote it be. You can now blow out the candle.
Every day, take time to pause and say the above prayer or a short little personal prayer for the healing of the biosphere. Make sure to keep the small container of water from going dry, and keep your miniature earth clean and healthy.
Repeat the ritual on the solstices and equinoxes and on Earth Day, April 22.
When the plant starts to get too large, remove it and transplant it. Continue and honor the cycle as the plants transition from the little earth to the wider world, and enjoy the bounty in your cooking and magic. You can also gift the plants that you remove, spreading the healing energy to others.
These mini earths also make great gifts. Make a copy of the ritual and pass it along, too.
If you want to charge an object or sigil with earth energy, just place it on the soil. Extra points if you leave it overnight under a waxing or full moon.
Extra Credit
Donate money, time, or both to an organization protecting the earth.
Hands Off, Laws Off: Hekate Invocation
for Reproductive Rights
This is a spell for the protection of women’s reproductive rights. It can also be done for protection of women’s health clinics and their doctors and health care workers.
Perform this ritual during your period (if you have one), in response to antichoice votes or initiatives, to protect clinics under siege, or during the full moon. Do this ritual at night, never in the daytime.
Components
Red candle with the words Hands off inscribed on one side and Laws off inscribed on the reverse. Use a pin or a nail.
Your menstrual blood (if during your cycle) or consecrated olive oil (see the Consecration Ritual on page 160)
Incense charcoal
Cauldron or ashtray
Bay leaves and myrrh
Photo or name paper of politician, representative, judge, preacher, or other figure opposing a woman’s right to choose; or the printed logo of an antichoice organization
Piece of red cloth large enough to wrap around the candle
If it is during your period, you may want to anoint the candle with your menstrual blood. It is an extremely potent magical substance, so you only need a tiny bit spread across the surface.
At your altar dress the inscribed candle with your menstrual blood or olive oil. As you’re doing so, see and feel your fingers transferring your personal power into the wax while repeating in a whisper,
My blood, my life, my power.
Dab your blood onto the photo, name paper, or logo of your target. Feel the feminine energy overpowering your target.
Set the candle on your altar, with the target paper in front of it.
Perform the Centering Ritual and begin.
Light your charcoal. Light the prepared candle. Say the following prayer:
I call to thee, Hekate of the Crossroads
Queen of the starry cosmos
Lady of the dogs
Guardian of the realms of the dead
Come to me from the deserted places of the night
I call you to my sacred chant
Please accept my gift of incense
And hear my prayer
Of Protection
Drop bay leaves and myrrh onto charcoal. Watch the smoke as it rises to please Hekate.
Pick up photo, name paper, or logo in your left hand and hold it in front of you, just below eye level. Say with passion, ferocity, and strength,
Keep your hands off my body
Keep your laws off my body
Only life that is wanted
Shall we carry into this world
Only life that will be loved
Shall be brought forth from our bodies
Whenever the choice must be made
The choice shall be mine
My body
Is not your property
My body
Is not your domain
My body
Is not your god’s
My body
Is my own
Hands off
Laws off
Hands off
Laws off
Hands off
Laws off
Light the target paper on fire from your candle and say,
Not your choice.
Say with all of your focus and will,
MINE!
Drop paper into cauldron and let it burn. When the paper is burning, say the words of power (see note):
AKROKODÊRE MOUISRÔ CHARCHAR ADÔNAI ZEUS DÊ DAMNAMENEUS KYNOBIOU EZAGRA
When the paper has burned completely to ash, say,
The spell is cast. My body is protected.
Throw more bay leaf and myrrh onto the charcoal. As the smoke rises, say,
I give praise and thanks to Hekate of the crossroads.
May you go in peace, carrying my prayer. So mote it be.
Extinguish the candle. Clap three times to end the ritual and ground.
Wrap the candle tightly in the red cloth. Keep it stored in a safe, secret place, as a ward to protect your body and your choice, and ready to be used again if the need arises.
Note
Pronounce the “barbarous” words of power, which are drawn from an ancient ritual of Hekate, phonetically to the best of your ability. If you’re feeling ambitious, look up ancient Greek pronunciation. We really don’t know exactly how the words were pronounced, so just say them with passion.
Dance of Pan:
LGBTQ+ Protection
A spell for protection of the LGBTQ+ community calling upon the bisexual god Pan, this is a great ritual to do with friends before going to public events, pride parades, celebrations, or political actions. Perform during the waxing or full moon.
Components
Incense charcoal
Myrrh and patchouli blend (or just myrrh) or frankincense
Rainbow candle
Salt (about ¼ cup)
Chalice or cup of wine
Set up your altar normally. In the altar’s center, pour out the salt into a pile. With your index and middle fingers spread the salt out from the center to make a clear space (about the diameter of your candle). Place the rainbow candle in the clear space and the cup of wine in front of it.
Do the Centering Ritual (page 152). If you’re doing this with friends, stand in a circle around the altar and do the group version.
Light your charcoal, and when it’s ready, throw on a small pinch of incense.
Light the rainbow candle and say,
Leader:
I call on you, Great Pan
Immortal god, the world is thine
You are the world and world is you
Oh earthly power divine
All:
Hail Pan!
Leader:
Goat-footed, two-horned
Piper, lover, bacchanalian Pan
Come, attend our holy rite
And hear our fervent prayer
Pour out a tiny bit of wine onto the circle of salt. Throw another pinch of incense on the charcoal.
Raise your hands above your head. If working as a group, everyone raises their linked hands.
Leader:
As all nature is in your care,
Protect all who love
Regardless of their nature
Female
Male
Both
Or none
For love is your nature
Love, without bounds
Lower hands and bow your head.
Leader:
Protect our circle, Great Pan
Beneath the dancing stars
May your sweet pipings
Bring forth love in all its many forms
And vanquish fear and hate
All:
May the right of consenting adults to love one another prevail.
May all live and love freely without fear, persecution, or hatred.
I ask this in your name, oh great god Pan.
So mote it be!
Blow out the rainbow candle to end the ritual. Pass around the chalice of wine if you’re doing the ritual as a group. Put a small bit of the salt on your tongue, and as it dissolves feel the energy of Pan spreading into your body. You may feel energized, full of joy, and even (thanks to Pan) a little horny. Ground by putting on some music and dancing.
Calling Bullshit
This all-purpose antibullshit spell may be used against individuals or groups (perhaps a certain bullshit-spewing “news” network) who are creating, weaponizing, or disseminating lies, baseless conspiracy theories, propaganda, or “fake news.”
Best performed during the waning or new moon.
Components
White candle
Hyssop Oil or Power Oil (see pages 143–144)
Small piece of paper with written name, printed photo, or logo of target
Piece of jet, obsidian, or quartz crystal
Sage bundle, sage leaves burned on charcoal, or copal or frankincense
Ashtray or cauldron (for burning paper)
Inscribe the word TRUTH on four sides of the white candle and anoint it with Hyssop Oil or Power Oil.
Place the piece of paper on your altar, face down. Put the gem or crystal on top of the paper. Place the candle behind them.
Light the candle and your incense and do the Centering Ritual.
Point at the name or logo paper or photo and say, with as much vitriol as you can muster,
I call bullshit on you, (name of target)
Spreader of poison
Mouth full of shit
May your tongue burn
With every lie
Pick up gem or crystal and say,
This rock will draw your lies
And bind them within
So that your bullshit
Will fester and rot
Hiding from the light of Truth
Place it back on your altar and hold up the paper. Say,
I call bullshit on you, (name of target)
And may the fierce fire of Truth
Burn away your deceit
And turn your lies into ash
Light the paper from the white candle. As the flames consume it, chant with increasing vehemence,
Bullshit!
Bullshit!
BULLSHIT!
Allow the paper to burn out in the fireproof container.
Bring your hands into prayer position across your chest and say while gazing at the white candle flame,
Bright light of Truth
Fire that burns away lies
May you prevail in times of confusion
And illuminate all deception
&
nbsp; Give voice to the honest
And clarity of mind to the people
So mote it be
Blow out the candle, ending the ritual.
When it’s safe, take some of the ash from the burned paper and rub it on the gem or crystal. Then place the crystal somewhere related to defecation, such as in a bag of dog feces before disposing of it, next to your cat’s litter box, hidden in a public bathroom (the grosser the better), inside your toilet tank, or tossed into a portable toilet.
Finally, donate money or time to an organization fighting the spread of bullshit (a term I prefer over the ambiguous “fake news”).
No Borders, All One Family:
Invocation to Hermes
A spell to protect immigrants and refugees, especially those fleeing harm, and to encourage global fellowship via the invocation of Hermes.
Perform during the waxing or full moon.
Components
Printed photo of Earth from space
Blue candle
Statue or printed image of Hermes or Magician tarot card
Cut out the printed image of Earth so that it is a circle and place it on your altar between your elemental symbols. Place the blue candle on the center of the Earth. Have the statue or image of Hermes or your Magician tarot card propped up and looking upon your ritual.
Do the Centering Ritual.
Light the blue candle. Hold your arms in the orans position (arms extended to your sides, elbows bent, palms turned slightly upward; it should feel as if you are holding up a large, invisible ball).
Each time you repeat the refrain No borders, all one family, bring your hands to prayer posture, resting against your chest. Then return to the orans posture. Say,
Come unto me, Lord Hermes
Protector of travelers
Crosser of all boundaries
Bestow upon me your grace
And hear my prayer
May those fleeing persecution and danger
Be welcomed and protected
No borders, all one family
May families never be torn asunder
But united and made whole
No borders, all one family
May those who spread hatred of immigrants
Realize their kinship with all people
No borders, all one family
May boundaries dissolve
And borders disappear
No borders, all one family
May we all awaken to our common humanity
Magic for the Resistance Page 16