It’s Time To Organize

Forming A Coven

And Act of Resistance

It’s the day after Christmas and I’m sitting in my house just thinking about all the things that make the community I live in, hard to live in as a person who’s not aligned with the status quo of the rest of the community I live in. Living in a very red state, in an even more crimson town, can be difficult living openly as a witch. I recognize that, as a white woman married to a white man, I have the privilege of not experiencing racism or homophobia. I have been denied jobs here because ‘what would the community think’ and ‘no one will want to come into my business’, because I am a witch. They tolerate my existence because of who I married and that’s the extent of their inclusivity. I will say there’s a few people in town that are nice to me and do appreciate their kindness. However, a few people out of a whole town doesn’t make the town an inclusive place to live. If you go down to the local coffee spot where the older men gather each morning, you’ll only have to wait a few minutes before you’ll hear something racist or on some occasions, homophobic. I am guilty of not calling these gentlemen out each time they utter an off color comment or tell a nasty joke. I have made myself a goal for 2025 though, I’m going to be a thorn in their side. I will call their racism and bigotry out each time I hear it. I want them to feel uncomfortable. I went there with my husband for breakfast a few weeks ago and while there, one of the old white men came over and just had to tell my husband a joke. It turned out to be awful and racist. I froze in that moment. My husband didn’t laugh and we just looked at the old racist jerk and he chuckled and left. I am mad at myself for not being brave enough to speak up and tell him that was awful and in no way should he think that was funny. I should be doing better. Later, I asked myself why I felt afraid to say something. I needed to unpack that in order to be a good ally. Long story short, I figured out I was afraid my husband would leave me if the whole community rejected me strongly because of me speaking out to those men. I don’t want my husband to reject me. It isn’t that he’s made me feel unsupported or unloved, it’s old abandonment trauma that made me feel like that. So, I talked to him and he made me feel secure and safe in his commitment and love for me. He also wants to be a good ally and we talked about how we would address situations like the racist jokes in the future. We both decided that these people aren’t good people, so why should we feel bad about calling them out? If things are going to change, these people need to see their resistance, and another way to live. They are in an echo chamber here and they reject and look away from anything that doesn’t line up with the narrative that validates them the most. We live here and they will have to hear and see me.

So why do I mention all of that and what does it have to do with witchcraft and witches? First, I want to share that unpacking a lifetime of racist and bigoted programming takes effort and that we all start somewhere. Secondly, this pertains to witches because there are deep prejudices regarding any sort of belief system that isn’t Christianity. One way to get those people to stop, is for us to stop hiding. I do realize that some of you reading this will not be able to be seen due to safety concerns. I’m talking to those who have the privilege and safety to be seen in the open as a witch. I am not part of a marginalized group and therefor, I have less safety issues if I am loud and proud as a witch in a conservative town.

So how do we make sure we are supporting each other in our efforts to change the world? We organize into covens. We support our local witches, pagans, and weirdos. We create a safe space for us to share our magic with each other. Supported witches are empowered witches! Once covens or at least regular gatherings are started, then we can focus on intentional actions through community involvement and by means of our craft. We can support each other in our personal and community goals.

As I get older, I crave community more than I thought I would. I’ve always been a bit of a loner and never thought I’d want to be a part of a coven. But here I am at 45, wishing I had a group of witches to hang out with and share our craft with each other. And so, that is what I’m doing. I was inspired by a guest I had on the podcast, Doni Cay, who organized huge monthly gatherings and eventually a coven. They are an author, teacher, and practicing witch for 40 years. Using her template, I’ve started a small monthly gathering in my area. We have set some goals for our group and for our work in the community. It’s really comforting to know that I am a part of a group of witches in our area. Seeing each other in person and being able to connect is priceless. We do protect the identity of the members of our group. There’s no requirement to openly be a witch, or to participate in community activities in association with our coven. We recognize that some will be able to be public, and some will not.

This coven thing is a first for me and it will be a journey that we get to share with each other because we all are new to this. I’ll share what I can here along the way! If you’d like to listen to the new episode of Witchy Woman Podcast with guest, Doni Cay, just click the button!

✨Magic is Empowerment, Resistance is Power✨