The witch is making a comeback. From this year’s spellbinding thriller film The Witch, to the explosion of #WitchesofInstagram, it’s clear: Feminism and witchcraft are combining in awesome ways. And it makes sense — a strong, magical version of female power? That’s a pretty great feminist statement. It’s also endlessly fun to embrace a magical way of life. And there are so many ways to connect to this wild woman archetype. Below, find seven easy ways to tap into your inner witch, and feel your power flow.
1. Get your hands on Sabat Magazine.
Launched in March, this brand-new in-print mag from across the pond is a lush celebration of feminist witchcraft. “Encouraging a coven of thought, [Sabat] preaches a fearless approach to finding the powers within,” says editor Elisabeth Krohn in the magazine’s first issue (called The Maiden Issue). And it’s awesome that the publication is actually on paper; it’s gorgeous, image-heavy and a luscious joy to leaf through. “Sabat champions tactile creativity in this screen-oriented world,” explains Krohn. And tactile creativity is a huge part of witchcraft. For super-contemporary, super-feminist witchcraft, Sabat is a goddess-send.
2. Look into the future.
A witch’s intuition is her best friend. One of the best ways to strengthen your intuition is to try a little divination. There are many divinatory forms that are fun, revealing, and will connect you to ancient symbols and archetypes. Tarot is a great way to begin; there are endless decks that feature gorgeous art and potent symbology, and you can use these cards in limitless ways. If you’re a complete beginner, you can always start with the classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck, upon which most other decks are based. There are tons of great Tarot tutorials online (Kelly-Ann Maddox’s trainee tarot course is my favorite), and many great books on the subject too (Kim Huggens’ Tarot 101 is fantastic). If cards aren’t your thing, you could try runes or scrying. Whatever your chosen method, it’s all about tuning into your intuition and opening up to the universe’s messages. You may be surprised what you discover.
3. Turn on some haunting tunes.
To infuse feminine magic into your everyday life, surround yourself with the sound of witchy women vocalists! What is music if not utterly powerful magic? Dim the lights and turn on some haunting females. Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks, and Yoko Ono are some OG ladies that will witchify your soundwaves instantly. For more contemporary artists, check out Angel Olsen, who’s got the eerie voice of an angel. Julianna Barwick‘s layered vocal loops will provide the perfectly glorious soundtrack for meditation, spiritual check-ins, or rituals. And Mima Good, an up-and-coming Brooklyn singer, will add witchy sass to your life with her fiercely feminist work.
4. Play with your senses (and incenses).
Another way to dive into a magical state is to change your sensual perception of the world, and smell is a crazily powerful way to do so. Light some incense to manipulate the energy of any room you’re in. There are so many types of incense that have different effects; identify your favorite scent for calming, energizing, romance, meditation, etc. If you pair an intention with a specific scent, you’ll begin to automatically associate the two, and your intention will grow stronger each time you light that scent. Pretty magical, no? There are also incenses for each of your chakras, so if you want to focus on opening a specific chakra, these scents will help you to do that. If you’re not a fan of incense, you may want to work with candle magic instead; lighting differently-colored candles will work the same way. It will charge the energy of a room and remind you of an intention. Personally, I have a white candle for inviting in light energy and a black candle for inviting in dark energy; a feminist witch definitely needs both!
5. Dive into history.
Witchcraft has a rich, ancient history, and it’s completely relevant to the history of women’s oppression. Read about our foremothers! Stacy Schiff’s The Witches came out earlier this year, providing a detailed account of the infamous Salem trials. There are also fun, if slightly less historically accurate, TV shows on this subject; WGN’s Salem is a scary, super-fun, feminist wild ride. You can also dive into mythology, with its magical female archetypes and badass goddesses. Read about ancient goddesses and see which ones you really connect to; personally, I don’t think anyone cooler than Medusa has ever existed. If she’s not a feminist icon, I don’t know who is. So crack a spine; witchcraft is a tradition of learning and study!
6. Make some potions.
I never liked cooking until I realized that it’s witchy as F**K. Combining natural elements over heat, to produce fuel-giving life-energy??? Um, yeah. That’s called magic. It’s also called preparing dinner. If you’re bored in the kitchen and see cooking as mundane, remember that you’re engaging in a truly badass act of magic. So shake it up! Try some brand new recipes, or try creating herbal teas from scratch; you can buy herbs in bulk and combine them to make tailor-made teas (but always be careful; know what you are ingesting first!). You can also make bath & body products from scratch– all of which is glorious, fun, productive, and incredibly witchy. Witchcraft is all about creative energy; what can you make?
7. Go outside.
The most simple of these seven steps, this is also the most important. When you want to get back in touch with your magical self, go outside and just breathe. Look up at the sky. Take note of everything around you: what season is it? How does the air smell, feel, taste? What are the tree branches up to? What’s the moon phase? Grounding yourself this way is the ultimate way to instantly connect to the earth and its energy– and using that energy is what witchcraft is all about. Find a park to sit in, or a tree to sit under. Sit and breathe, concentrating on your breath and feeling the aliveness of the air around you. You’re connecting to your own power, and to the power of mother earth– and she is one powerful broad.
Images via Instagram, Amazon, Stevie Nicks
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