HomeOPINIONThe blue moon and the rise of ‘witch-tok’

The blue moon and the rise of ‘witch-tok’

By MAYA NAKKOUL
Opinions Editor

This Halloween will be one to remember. Not only is it the start to the holiday season that we’ve been pining for in the midst of the pandemic we have longed to forget exists, but it will be a whirlwind of energy. Oct. 31, 2020 will be a phenomenon that is known as a blue moon. This is when there are two full moons that fall within the same calendar month. For most, this will just mean that it adds to the ambiance of the night but for some this is a night to reflect, recharge, and appreciate or utilize that energy. Over the past few months (especially with the rise of TikTok), a particular light has been shone on the life and practices of pagan, wiccans, and simply those who practice other specific or general forms of witchcraft (there are many witches who exist and practice outside of religious contexts. Witchcraft is a practice/craft, not a religion).

TikTok, or rather the specific subset to it, “witchtok,” has given practicing witches a place to show what they do and educate “baby witches” or newly practicing individuals. But, as a result of this, witchcraft and spirituality as a whole has become a trend, over exposed and exploited by creators and corporations alike. Between tarot decks in Marshalls and “white sage” (or knock-off versions of it) in Five Below, the commercialized nuances to the practice are sold as trendy hobbies as opposed to tools for those who deeply connect to them and respect them.

Not only that but there is a major issue with appropriation when it comes to early practitioners not knowing what they can and can’t use while just being thrown cheap versions of tools. For example, white sage and palo santo are two methods of smudging or smoke cleansing that are popularized, but they are traditional methods in Native cultures. Not only that but several of these traditional smudging methods, including palo santo, are now endangered due to the unethical and absurdly overdone harvesting of them. An individual who is not Native is simply not supposed to use these items; the only possible ethical ways to do so are if you are gifted such items or possibly if you buy them from Native vendors, but in truth the only people who can tell you the most ethical way (if there is one) to obtain and use these items are Native individuals.

Another issue is with closed practices all together. For example, a popular video seen on TikTok that individuals often recreate is a type of spell known as a honey jar. This is a spell that causes an individual to be infatuated with another, causing the two to be “stuck” together. However honey jars are a part of hoodoo. Hoodoo and Voodoo (known to some as Vodun) are closed practices. This means that an individual cannot practice them unless they are born into the practice or are invited in by a priest or priestess.

Ultimately, if you are not born into traditions that you connect with, that does not mean there is no room for growth. There are Catholic witches, green witches, chaos witches, and any other subset individual to your specific journey that you can possibly imagine. There is no one single way to connect with your inner self and find peace in the world around you. But, it must be done in a way in which you respect the Earth as well as those on it. This means using tools which are sustainable, ethical, and does not disrespect any one group of people. Meditate on this year’s blue moon, connect with yourself and make peace with this whirlwind of a year. You have every right to your spiritual journey, the world does not need major corporations exploiting that which is individual to a person’s life and their soul.

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