I have a confession to make.
I really didn’t think I was going to like Magic for the Resistance: Rituals & Spells for Change.
I’m ashamed to admit that I actually expected to hate it.
The skeptic in me wanted to drag this book as if it were the esoteric version of one of those novelty texts like The Philosophy of South Park or Batman and Philosophy because, for as much as I loathe our reality show president and his entire administration, it has become just as much of an industry to hate him as it has to follow him and I figured this book would prove to be just another bit of dreck to add to the pile.
I admit that I was wrong and that I owe Michael M. Hughes a bit of an apology, even if I never said any of that out loud before now.
In Magic for the Resistance, Hughes establishes a solid approach for the practice of magic as an act of activism and explores what it truly means to be a practitioner in times as tumultuous as those we find ourselves living in today. This book is full of practical approaches to ritual and spell work, not only for those who want to transform their political frustrations into something more beneficial, but also for the curious novice looking to learn the basics.
Hughes deftly accommodates people from all walks of life or levels of esoteric curiosity. Anyone who advocates for methods of resistance that bring more people into the fold should be embraced for that kind of effort but it also could be seen as a shortfall since there are large sections of Magic for the Resistance that could easily be viewed as rudimentary to anyone with a passing familiarity with something like chaos magic. A variety of magical traditions like Wicca, Hellenistic binding rituals, and Austin Osman Spare’s sigil techniques are explored and presented as an a la carte menu of magical options from which to later build a more robust practice. Some may see it as shallow but I see the benefit it serves to give a broad spectrum for people to approach magical activism and that effort could be hampered if Hughes had mired the text in hardcore traditionalism, alienating complexity, or narrowed things down to obscure or niche approaches. There’s nothing stopping the reader from using this as a jumping off point for doing their own research on any of the techniques outlined within.
Hughes keeps everything grounded in a deep and well-researched history that stretches from witchcraft in medieval Europe to Vodou during the American slave trade to the various attempts to hex Hitler to the Yippie ritual to levitate the Pentagon in the 60’s and WITCH (Women’s International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell). Work like this would be impossible without the context of what has come before and this book serves the past with a great deal of respect while keeping its eyes to the future.
The one major thing I find lacking here is that I don’t think Hughes went far enough into the exoteric side of things. There are no resources for protest to be done beyond the sphere of magic. I think the premise would have been better supported with sections on more “normie” forms of protest and resistance to further bridge the different approaches available to anyone ready to join the fray. The book assumes that whoever picks it up will already have at least a passing knowledge of direct social action or alternative political movements and that may not be the case for many. At times the political terms seemed to be nothing more than a garnish on top of an otherwise basic book of spells and Hughes plays it pretty safe by falling into the same dichotomous Red versus Blue rivalry that has helped sink our country into the mire we find ourselves stuck in.
I have a second admission that I find slightly more embarrassing than the first. I found Michael and his work during the first Trump administration and sneered at the whole Bind Trump movement with a burning cynicism. I saw it as either a grift or a cringe stunt to exploit the unrest of the times to sell some books or boost exposure. After reading Magic for the Resistance I feel a little bad for my opinions at the time and think that I now better understand the larger purpose of that particular project and the benefits to be had in building community during such bleak times.
This book, like the ritual to bind Trump, is centered on hope. The hope for change, for better things, for a community that shares the sympathy and empathy required for all of us to thrive, and for a world where our differences can be embraced instead of weaponized for political points in a game where we all lose. It’s a call for all of us to come together and use whatever tools we can to bring about a positive change in our world, not only as individuals but also as a larger community with a united purpose of ending the kind of oligarchy that is despoiling our world.
Hughes aims to find another way, not just to point our righteous anger at our oppressors, but to also find the others and reach out to build a community that can benefit us all. For how light I found the content and wished Hughes had pushed things a little farther, I still think that Magic for the Resistance stands out as a hopeful beacon and I’m glad that it’s there to draw in those who might be lost in the chaotic darkness.
Magic for the Resistance: Rituals and Spells for Change is available from Crossed Crow Books.
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