Full Moons and Fascism
Rituals, resistance, and raising consciousness
TLDR: A discussion about the rise of fascism, and what that has to do with full moon rituals. BTW, our Full Moon ritual is this Friday, stay after for a consciousness raising group.
Dear Witches,
I was supposed to be on the UCLA campus today today to TA, but my class was cancelled so students could work on their finals. Otherwise I’d be there - student organizers are holding walk out today in protest of ICE’s abduction and attempted deportation of Mahmoud Kahlil, a Columbia student who organized against the genocide in Palestine.
A day after Mahmoud was jailed and threatened with deportation, the Chancellor of UCLA sent out an offensive letter, tacitly telling the student body to watch its back.
Ostensibly, his letter was to “protect Jewish students against anti-semitism.” Anti-semitism is never acceptable, but this letter was cynically exploiting the term in order to justify a crack down of dissent on campus.
Strange how, in his efforts to protect Jewish students, Chancellor Frenk didn’t mention the Jewish students at UCLA who tried to hold a seder in solidarity with Palestine and were thrown off campus last spring…
…or the anti-genocide student who was taken to the hospital with a concussion after being attacked by Zionist neo-Nazis (while the campus police stood back and watched)…
…or the art student whose hand was shattered by the police during their violent crack down on student protestors last spring. How is breaking an art student’s hand protecting students, Chancellor Frenk?
Obviously, the Chancellor’s pretense of protecting students is a total (authoritarian and unfunny) joke.
My purpose for writing to you today wasn’t really supposed to be about all this though. But I can’t help it. What you’re witnessing now is me roiling around trying to figure out how to continue my work as a writer and witch as the forces of fascism careen around destroying everything I (we) love.
Normally, before the Full Moon, I try to post a few times letting all of you know that I’m holding a ritual, and inviting your participation. I try to let you know about it, and get you excited about it.
Obviously, one reason I try to get you excited about it is because it’s how I make my living, and the more people who participate, the more stable I am financially. I have rent and bills to pay just like anyone.
(Professional witch work is a calling requiring sacrifice and tenacity only sincere dedication could inspire. There are easier ways to make a living, believe me).
But, beyond that — and more importantly — the way I make my living, through Mystery Cult, through witchcraft and ritual is something I am deeply committed to spiritually, personally, and politically. I live for it.
I want you to be excited about our Full Moon rituals, and witchcraft, and enchantment because I know the power rituals hold to keep us connected to our values and to each other.
Rituals don’t just represent connection with our ancestors, or nature, or the moon — they CREATE that connection.
Imagination and community are our greatest tools for liberation.
Rituals CREATE community. They EMPOWER our imaginations.
There’s so much to say about all this, but I’m sensitive to the fact that the longer these emails get, the less likely people are to read them (we’re all so inundated and busy and overwhelmed).
But there’s so much I want to say about this, and so much I want to discuss with you. I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU ARE, WHAT YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT, HOW ARE YOU INTERPRETING ALL OF [GESTURES BROADLY] THIS?
So, after our Full Moon Ritual on Friday, I invite you all to stay for a forum to discuss how we want to respond to the assaults on our civil liberties taking place right now, and what we can do in solidarity with Mahmoud Kahlil.
You don’t have to stay for the discussion, but if you can, you will be welcome.
At the ritual itself (on Friday at 6pm PST) we will be focusing on practicing the craft of dreaming while awake (in the spirit of Virgo and Pisces).
Fascism attempts to corrupt and diminish our dreams. As witches, we use practice our craft to keep our dreams alive.
* We want all sincere practitioners to be able participate in these rituals, regardless of their income. If you’re experiencing income insecurity, don’t be shy, please email us at guardian@oracleoflosangeles.com to find out about our scholarship opportunities.