“That’s no way to save your friend, Jim, stop it! They like that, God, they like tears! Jump about, hoot and holler!” – Charles Halloway to Will, in Something Wicked This Way Comes (Film)
I think there is something important for magickal people, and all people, to remember or learn from this bit of wisdom. This Samhain my family watched the re-release of Something Wicked This Way Comes, based on the Ray Bradbury book. I think I saw it as a kid, and might have read the book, but I am not sure. I saw people on social media talking about its release and got curious. I am not a horror fan for Samhain, but I like a spooky tale. This last part really struck me in relation to the way of the world today. I see it’s wisdom in the Portland protests specifically and at the overall No Kings marches – joy.
The night before Samhain I was teaching a protection magick class at a wonderful new local shop, Omnia, and we talked about the old occult maxim, “Thoughts are things.” And much of the harm we do, unconsciously and consciously, is based in thoughts that can generating feelings leading to sensations and outcomes. Most of us are never taught thoughts are things, so we are careless with our energy. We were taught its not “real” or measurable, and only internal forces, not ones that influence the external world as well. Part of Witchcraft training is unlearning this falsehood, and embracing that our thoughts are powerful.
Our thoughts and feelings feed us, each other, the Earth, and draw to us invisible forces, feeding them as well. We can develop relationships with gods, angels, ancestors and spirits with the right mindset. A helpful ritual will give pattern to help us connect with, release, and radiate thoughts and feeling that connect us to the invisible helpers. Ghosts and entities often cause fear in their hauntings to feed off that fear generated. They can’t feed off of joy to perpetuate their existence as it is. Joy would change them if they learned to live on joy, just as joy changes us humans.
There are times for justified anger. Anger can fuel change. There are times for appropriate fear. Fear tells us to move out of danger’s way. But we can get stuck and over identify with them as a sense of self or state of being. We can become perpetual engines of fear and anger, poisoning ourselves, our environment and each other psychically.
No emotion is wrong as long as we recognize that they are states that pass through us and are not us. The Witch holds the cup, just as the soul holds the three other tools, as our essence is entwined with, but beyond the emotions, thoughts, sensation and vitality.
Back in the 90s there was a popular saying coming in both pin and bumper sticker, “If You Are Not Angry, You Are Not Paying Attention”. I’ve seen it return in recent years, understandable so. Yet I think if my friends who quoted it the most back then and with one notable exception, they are still angry and kinda of exhausted. Their life and worlds did not march their noble intentions. Anger became identity. To define yourself in terms of opposition requires you to continually evoke your opposite. You can feed the very things you wish to wither.
Whether it’s mindless astral parasites or consciously malevolent ultra-terrestrial archons, the current unfolding drama of our world is designed to generate a feast for the forces of fear, anger, hate, and greed, depleting us from creating and implementing solutions for all. Fear, anger, disgust, hopelessness are natural responses. Some get twisted into cruelty, greed and illness if we don’t process them, if we over identify with them. While they are natural, just like urine and feces, we can’t hold onto them or we go toxic. We must process them as a natural part of life, and use them, not demonize them, but not fixate as well.
Experience your emotions authentically. But then as magicians and Witches, evoke joy as a strategy to create the joyful world you want – little ways and big ways. Defend joyfully. Joy can be coupled with wit, sharpness, effective response. I see that in many of the young leftist figure emerging and rising today. They can hold the paradox of outage and compassion and so far not succumb to hate or despair. Joy can be your act of rebellion and resistance, re-enchanting your relationship with the world, and helping re-enchant humanities relationship with those unseen helping forces.
The malevolent forces of inertia and ruin want your tears. Give them hooting and hollering and frog wizards. When called the bind, to bar, to hex, do it with the loving kindness of a Tibetan death prayer. To give into total despair is to simply feed them, to water the seeds of despair they have planted.
When you cry evoke the vision of sorrow AND joy, as you weep because you love. Love is at the core of your weeping. Make them feed on that love through tears and anger. If not for the betterment of the current humans perpetuating this evil, something I am still hopeful for as I hope that all can be redeemed and renewed, do it for the psychic forces behind them and force them to change or leave us. Let us stop feeding the machine and cut it from the source of fuel. Let those who try to hold the reins of power have the current supporting them cut by laughter and joy. Invoke and feed the things you wish to grow. The tears laced with love waters the Garden of the Gods. If they want tears give them the tears invoking the love, will, and wisdom, the Beauty, Justice and Good of a new aeon.