September 26th, 2014

I was reading through some things on Tumblr earlier this evening, and I noticed a few things. We are all constantly bombarded online, on TV, in newspapers, and in nearly every other form of media with a constant stream of stories about war, poverty, abuse, and environmental degradation, so much so that we begin to be afflicted by this miasma of anxiety and a sense of paralysis where the future of our society is concerned. At times, the daily injustices feel truly overwhelming. What these articles too often gloss over is the fact that we are not powerless. We do not have to wait for an ineffective government entity to get their adjectives together to make a difference.
There is a line which crops up with relative frequency in Pagan circles, whether it be in music or literature or ritual. "We are the people. We are the power. And we are the change."
Pagans and all the multifarious derivatives thereof are in a unique position to advocate and to manifest change in our lives.
We are the people.
If not us, then who? Pagans represent people of all genders, sexual and romantic orientations, socioeconomic backgrounds, races, levels of physical and mental ability, religious upbringings, and geographic locations; we are quite probably members of one of the most diverse collections of religion in the world. If we will not advocate for equality between people, then who will? We all have suffered from prejudice in one way or another, and all too often we face many kinds of intolerance, for Pagans rarely fit the square peg of the traditional American (or European or Asian or African or etc.) lifestyle. It is in our hands to lessen that prejudice and to break down barriers. We may not always be able to alter people's minds where we ourselves are concerned, but we can absolutely stand up for the rights of others in our communities. If someone makes an offensive joke, call them out. If a person is getting picked on for who they are, help. You, you personally, as you are reading this, have that power.
We are the power.
Go back and reread that as many times as you need to. We are the power, and power is us. We work magick and enact rituals all the time. Who says rituals must be small? Who says that our power is finite, that we cannot stretch ourselves to the ends of the universe and back? I do not expect to do one spell and solve global warming. But I do expect that I can do a spell to solve global warming and know that my energies are going to further that cause. And if everyone does a similar spell of their own, think how much energy could be raised! Do big spells. Do little spells. Change the world one enchantment at a time. Bind and banish perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic abuse. Protect the victims. Do a finding spell to call home your neighbor's lost kitten. Enact a ritual to draw abundance into your whole community.
We are the change.
End of story. Remember that, when the negativity seems too dense. Through our efforts, magickal and mundane, we will and do change the world around us every day.