4 necessary spells for these times

Spells to bind fascists, to release grief, to expand, and to get money

Photo by CHIRAG K on Unsplash

Happy Sunday, Soothers.

A question for you:

Have you ever tried to cast a spell?

You might be laughing that I've asked that. But really. Have you?

I think most of you actually have.

Have you ever written down a hope, a wish, a goal? Have you kept a gratitude journal? Have you ever gathered up the courage to say something that felt so close and true to your heart you thought you might explode with terror and joy the second the words left your mouth?

That's a spell.

Magic is nothing more than the intentional expression of our intuitions, our dreams, our hopes, and our connections to ourselves, to others, and to the world at large.

It's no surprise that the word spell, as in a magical invocation, literally also means to break down words out loud or on paper.

Magic is subtle. It is simple. It is misunderstood. But in spite of all of that, it is still powerful. And we can all do it.

There's a flip side to this, though.

If you're convinced that magic exists, and is just more elemental and subtle than we've been led to believe, this is the dark truth of the other side:

Evil is also more subtle than we've been led to believe as well.

I won't be the first person to introduce you to Hannah Arendt or the phrase "the banality of evil."

Here is an article that will inform those of you who don't know her work:

Can one do evil without being evil? This was the puzzling question that the philosopher Hannah Arendt grappled with when she reported for The New Yorker in 1961 on the war crimes trial of Adolph Eichmann, the Nazi operative responsible for organising the transportation of millions of Jews and others to various concentration camps in support of the Nazi’s Final Solution. Arendt found Eichmann an ordinary, rather bland, bureaucrat, who in her words, was ‘neither perverted nor sadistic’, but ‘terrifyingly normal’. He acted without any motive other than to diligently advance his career in the Nazi bureaucracy. Eichmann was not an amoral monster, she concluded in her study of the case, Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1963). Instead, he performed evil deeds without evil intentions, a fact connected to his ‘thoughtlessness’, a disengagement from the reality of his evil acts. Eichmann ‘never realised what he was doing’ due to an ‘inability… to think from the standpoint of somebody else’. Lacking this particular cognitive ability, he ‘commit[ted] crimes under circumstances that made it well-nigh impossible for him to know or to feel that he [was] doing wrong’. Arendt dubbed these collective characteristics of Eichmann ‘the banality of evil’: he was not inherently evil, but merely shallow and clueless, a ‘joiner’, in the words of one contemporary interpreter of Arendt’s thesis: he was a man who drifted into the Nazi Party, in search of purpose and direction, not out of deep ideological belief.

Evil... isn't always a willful purpose. Evil is a drifting. Evil is a disconnection. Evil is dutifully following marching orders.

Evil is turning your eyes away and accepting that it's all okay, and, well, it's generally always been like this, and someone (not me, always somebody else, not me, not us) will figure it out.

So my ask to you today is this:

Consider in your life…

Where is subtle magic expressing itself that you haven't noticed? Where is subtle evil occurring that you've cast your eyes away from?

Where do you feel joy in the face of adversity? Hope against evil?

Name it all. Know it's okay. Know this has all happened before.

Hope has fomented magic. Loneliness and terror and disconnect have sprouted evil.

We're in a time right now of both literal magic, and literal evil. And the words we choose to express in the world are going to help direct where it all goes.

Are you going to say something when you witness a minor cruelty being perpetrated?

Are you going to say something that you know is true, and vulnerable, and tender, and that someone maybe doesn't want to hear? (Or maybe their heart will thrill to it when you do say it.)

Or will your words — your spells — stay silent?

We have the opportunity, right now, right this moment, to create magic in this world. To make it into the world we fervently dare, hope, dream it to be.

So we must stay awake.

We must speak.

We must act — not just in the realm of policy and protest and calling our reps (though yes, that too) — but in the realm of energy, intention, and care.

Ritual helps us do that. Spellwork reminds us to feel. Magic helps us notice what matters — and tend to it.

Because we are not just minds. We are bodies. We are spirits. We are story.

And when we meet the grief, contraction, fear, and expansion of life with both practical action and spiritual tending, we remember something essential: that change is possible. That healing is real. That magic is alive in every choice we make.

So here are four spells — for grounding, for grieving, for growing, for releasing. Try one. Try them all. Let them shift something inside you. Let them ripple outward.

You are magic. Doesn’t it feel good?

Now:

What are you going to do with it?

And remember this, a slip of a meme I came across a while back…

Fascism is old, but witchcraft is ancient.

You don’t have to identify as a witch, or identify as a woman to do these spells. You don’t have to have an altar. Don’t have all the suggested ingredients or materials? Improvise or skip those steps. The only thing that matters is your intention. Focus that through the ritual of these spells, and I promise: It will be amplified.

#1: A spell to bind those doing harm:

Purpose: A Binding Spell can be used to slow down or stop someone who is causing harm, whether through misogyny, abuse of power, or oppressive actions. This spell doesn’t cause them actual harm (I don’t mess with that kind of magic, myself) but restricts their abilities.

You’ll need:

• A small piece of paper

• A pen (black ink is ideal)

• A small plastic or glass container with a lid (or a resealable bag)

• Water (or vinegar for extra souring effect)

• A pinch of salt (for purification)

• Optional: Chili flakes or black pepper (to make their influence ineffective)

Steps:

• Write the name of the person (or system) you wish to bind on the piece of paper.

• Fold the paper away from you, visualizing their power growing weaker.

• Place the paper in the container and pour in water (or vinegar for extra effect).

• Add a pinch of salt for protection and, if desired, chili flakes or black pepper to "spice up" their obstacles.

• Seal the container and say: “Cold as ice, your harm now slows, / Your power fades, your impact goes. / Frozen here, you cannot move /Justice rises, and you will lose."

• Place the container in the back of your freezer, visualizing their influence grinding to a halt.

• If the person changes or you no longer need the binding, thaw the container under running water, stating your intention to release them from the spell.

Dispose of the water and paper far from your home or in an outside trash can.

#2: A spell for the in-between of contraction and expansion:

Purpose: For those in transition — not quite in contraction, not quite in expansion. This spell holds you as you move from one cycle to the next.

You’ll need:

• A piece of paper

• A pen or pencil

• A candle (any color)

• A spiral (can be drawn, found in nature, or symbolically held)

Ritual:

1. Draw a spiral on the paper, slowly and intentionally.

2. As you draw, say aloud: “I walk the spiral path. Not backward, not forward, but deeper. Always deeper.”

3. Write one thing you are leaving behind on the outermost ring.

4. On the innermost part of the spiral, write one thing you are calling in or hoping for.

5. Light the candle and trace the spiral slowly with your finger. As you move inward, say: “I honor the turning. I do not rush it. I walk it with devotion.”

Optional closing affirmation: "Every step on the spiral brings me home to myself. I trust the direction, even if I cannot name it."

#3: A spell for metabolizing grief and loss

Purpose: To honor what (or who) has been lost — people, dreams, jobs, homes, versions of yourself, AN IDEA OF AMERICA AS A DEMOCRACY (sob) — and to begin weaving grief into something sacred and ongoing.

You’ll need:

• A chime candle and lighter or matches

• A list of what you’ve lost (this could be names of people, situations, identities, dreams)

• Optional: a small group of trusted loved ones

Ritual:

1. Find a quiet space where you can sit with your list. You can do this alone or with others.

2. Begin by acknowledging the presence of grief. You might say aloud:
   “I make space now for what has been lost. I do not turn away from it. I turn toward it with love.”

3. Read your list slowly. For each item, pause and speak how it affected you — just a sentence or two. Let your body feel it. Cry or wail if needed.

4. When ready, light the candle. As the flame catches, say: “This flame honors those and that which has been lost. It also symbolizes the way I will carry them forward — not as burdens, but as sacred threads in the tapestry of my life.”

5. Speak aloud how you will honor your loss in the year to come.

   • A visit to a gravesite

   • A donation or letter or offering

   • A daily moment of silence

   • A new way of living, loving, being

6. Let the candle burn beside you. If you’re in a group, allow each person to go in turn, and witness each other with reverence.

7. Afterward, take time for what arises — tears, stories, laughter, tea. Grief does not demand silence; it asks to be witnessed and held.

#4: A spell for abundance

Purpose: To clear stuck energy and invite aligned, generous abundance using feng shui and intention.

You’ll need:

• A small bowl or dish (ceramic, glass, or wood)

• A few coins or bills (real currency)

• A green candle or tea light

• A symbol of prosperity (e.g., jade, cinnamon, a written intention)

• Optional: orange or cinnamon essential oil, basil, or mint

Steps:

1. Find your wealth corner:
   Stand at the entrance of your home or a room. The far back left corner is usually your abundance area in feng shui.

2. Clear and prepare the space:
   Clean or tidy the corner. Say:
   “I clear space for wealth to enter and flow.”

3. Create your altar:
   Place your bowl in the wealth corner. Add coins, your prosperity symbol, and herbs or oil if using. Say:
   “This bowl calls in aligned, abundant support.”

4. Light the green or tea candle:
   Place your hand on the bowl or your heart. Say:
   “I release scarcity. I welcome ease. I trust in the sacred flow of prosperity.”

5. Close with this invocation:

“Money flows to me with grace.
I meet it with purpose and gratitude.
I give and receive in balance.”

Let the candle burn for 10–15 minutes, then extinguish it. Return to this ritual anytime you need to reconnect to trust, sufficiency, and support.

(You might also benefit from my spell for a new job, too)

Witchcraft, at its core, is the art of intention — a practice of shaping energy through action, symbolism, and care. It’s not about perfection or performance. It’s about choosing to honor your experience through ritual and metaphor, to speak to the deeper parts of yourself and the world around you.

And these spells aren’t about “fixing” anything — they’re about witnessing, tending, and aligning with the natural rhythms of contraction and expansion, grief and growth, fear and abundance.

You don’t have to believe in magic to try them. But you might just find that the moment you do — light the candle, speak the words, gather the objects — something inside you shifts.

Give it a try. See what happens when you let the sacred meet the everyday.

xo

Catherine

PS: A spell to release Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia on my Instagram, and more spells to fight the patriarchy.

PPS: I’m still enrolling for the Imperfect Artist’s Way until May 11!

For paid subscribers below, a Tarot spread: Finding clarity in your purpose in murky times, plus bonus journal prompts.

🌿 Finding clarity in your purpose in murky times 🌿

• Where am I right now in relation to my purpose?
  → What is the current energy or state that’s influencing how I view or connect with my purpose? This card highlights your present situation, whether it’s feeling murky or clear.

• What is clouding my clarity?
  → What external or internal factors are causing confusion or making it hard to see my path clearly? This card will highlight the obstacles, fears, or distractions that are blocking your clarity.

• What part of my purpose is asking for more attention?
  → Is there an area of your purpose that you’ve been avoiding, neglecting, or not fully embracing? This card points to the part of your purpose that wants more of your focus.

• What is my purpose right now?
  → What is my primary purpose at this moment in time? This card offers insight into what is most important for you to focus on right now, even if it feels different from the broader purpose you once envisioned.

• What do I need to release or let go of to find clarity?
  → What habits, beliefs, or attachments do I need to release in order to create space for clarity and growth? This card will highlight what’s holding you back or keeping you stuck.

• The next step on my path to clarity.
  → What action or feeling can I embrace to move forward with purpose? This card offers guidance on what concrete step you should take to clear the fog and move closer to your purpose.

Now, some journal prompts to mull on afterwards…

1. What do I fear about fully stepping into my purpose right now?

→ Identify any fears or resistance that may be holding you back from embracing your true purpose. Is there a part of you that is afraid of what will happen if you fully commit? How can you challenge those fears with love and compassion?

2. If I could release one belief or habit that’s clouding my clarity, what would it be and how would it shift my perspective?

→ Reflect on any limiting beliefs or old habits that might be distorting your view of your purpose. Imagine how your life might change if you let go of just one of them. How would it feel to release this weight?

3. What is the most exciting possibility that could arise from me living my purpose fully right now?

→ Shift your focus to the possibilities instead of the obstacles. Imagine the joy, abundance, and freedom that could come from fully aligning with your purpose in this moment. What does that look like?

4. How would I show up differently if I trusted that the universe is guiding me perfectly, even if I can’t see the entire path?

→ Reflect on how you would move through your day, your work, or your relationships if you let go of needing to know the exact outcome. What might be possible if you fully trusted the journey without needing to control it?

5. What small step can I take today that aligns with my purpose, even if it feels imperfect or uncertain?

→ Break down the next action into something small and manageable. What’s one thing you can do today—no matter how small—that will move you closer to the clarity you seek? Write out what that step looks like and how it feels to take it.