Revolutionary Witchcraft: A Guide to Magical Activism

by Sarah Lyons

A fiery, intersectional guide for activists and witches alike, Revolutionary Witchcraft is an empowered introduction to the history and practice of politically-motivated magic.

From the politically charged origins of the word "witch" to the present-day magical resistance, this bold handbook explores the role of witchcraft in our modern world. Author, activist, and practicing witch Sarah Lyons takes readers on a journey through a leftist history of magic -- from the witch hunts of early modern England, through the Salem Witch Trials, and up to our present moment. Pairing mystical acts, including sigil magic and soul flight, with core organizing tactics, like power mapping and protests, Revolutionary Witchcraft offers a blueprint for building a politically grounded magical praxis.

From social justice to environmental activism, this radical reimagining of political activism addresses today's most pressing problems with empowering, inclusive rituals and magical actions. Each chapter introduces a key concept, like dreaming big, experiencing magical initiation, and joining the revolution, supported by a surprising historical case study on the power of mystical action. Full of actionable ideas for magical organizing, and an appendix packed with customizable spells, Revolutionary Witchcraft is the perfect companion for the magical uprising.

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Politics, Social Justice, Activism, Magic

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 5, 2019

Reviews

[Elizabeth OH · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cute. Not very revolutionary nor witchy but appropriate to gift to a white feminist.

[Haliation · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to recommend a book to a new witch that was interested in the social justice aspect of witchcraft, it would DEFINITELY be this one. It does a good job of breaking down complex concepts and is completely accessible (no expensive crystals or obscure herbs needed). A lot of it is very much 101, but with so many new folks interested in the occult, this is completely necessary! I really appreciated the time given to acknowledging the destruction of the mining industry re: crystals (I think I’ve only seen this in one or two witchcraft books ever) and connecting with plants that are actually native and healthy in your local environment rather than getting a singular herb shipped across the ocean. This might seem pretty basic - but it’s completely shocking how few witch books actually acknowledge this? Thank you, Sarah!

[Ariel ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's nice to read a book about modern witchcraft that isn't just hollow girl power essays and ahistorical nonsense about Salem and Pagan practices. Sarah Lyons demonstrated at Standing Rock, and that experience influenced her practice and how she connects belief and power. She approaches ancestor work from an honest place, discusses closed practices, and addresses the religious right vs believers from other faith communities. So many recent books on witchcraft tend to be somewhat silly and cringe, but this one felt much more serious and relevant.

[Sosanna Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I'm reviewing Revolutionary Witchcraft A Guide to Magical Activism by Sarah Lyons.

Release Date - November 5, 2019

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch. I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft. I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 429,000 views.


When they say great things come in small packages, they were referring to this book. While the size of the book is small, the content within is larger than life. The cover is a mixture of a hard/soft cover and the short stature makes it easy to toss into a purse or backpack for reading on the go. The author has provided not only a healthy index but also a hefty appendix that goes on in great detail on spell books, rituals and even a new way to look at the wheel of the year. The illustrations are fantastic and show a representation of witches of color in an inclusive way. This reaches directly into the heart of the current life we're seeing in magical workings for social justice.

The books begins with an introduction to activism and the place that a witch holds in that fight. The author defines magic, politics, witchcraft and the history related to how magic was used in our ancient past. As she continues through the chapters, the author provides direction for connecting with the ancestors as well as instruction on shaking off this mundane and delving deeply into the craft for the betterment of all beings. I would note there is at least one mention of the Bible in one of the chapters and it seems to lean to the side that witches are predominately female. While I understand that for most of the world the word witch equates to someone who is female, I would loved to have seen the author set aside that particular notion and allow a non gendered view or allowing space for those who may identify as male, masculine or any other gender variant to be included in the discussion. That being said, I would like to acknowledge how the author said that they felt that witchcraft was a verb and not a noun. To me, witch is a title. It isn't a title like Mr. or Mrs. but more like Doctor. Note, it isn't specifically said in this book that only witches can be female, it is just what I perceived to be implied by the context of the book. This was my opinion and your mileage may vary.

This is one of the first modern witch books I have read that directly calls out to sitting public officials. In the section on Revolutionary History, the author specifically points to the 2016 election as being the catalyst for political witchcraft. To me this has two possible implications. One, it flies into the face of "be silent". If I want to work my magic, I want to do so in secret. I want to make sure they have no idea that I'm coming. There is also an old tale about saying a person's name gives them power. Case in point, many today some 3 years after taking office, still refuse to use the word President as it related to Donald Trump. I'm assuming the opinion is, not saying it removes its validity. We would need to examine his actions and the impact they have had on society as a whole in order to see if that is actually the case. But I digress...

As we move through the book, the author takes us through initiation, journeying, dreaming and soul flight. Reminding us that as witches we are stewards of the land. The section on Standing Rock, I found particularly moving. Many books have lofty goals when it comes to recommending what witches can and cannot do. This book actually provides real world examples of how to get involved in local politics, creating an organization and working with allies of all activity styles. From creating sigils and working with crystals to joining protests and working on access to voting this book provides ways to actually get involved with your community to create positive change.

Finally, I wanted to call out one part of the appendix that I found pretty amazing and have added to my magical practice. As a witch (a River Witch) I spend a great deal of time directly in the path of the water. My home sets on native land stolen by colonizers, and homes and families destroyed, a great people were pushed away and nearly destroyed. Today, they are still being attacked at the highest levels of our government. On page 141 the author provides a statement to the land, acknowledging the rightful ownership of the first peoples to inhabit this nation and face subsequent attack by those coming in and destroying their world.

The statement is as follows:

We honor and acknowledge the land we stand on. This is occupied territory that was once called (NAME) and is the home to (Tribe/Nation). We acknowledge that this land was stole by settlers, and that the mistreatment of its first people continues to this day. While we live in a world that settlers created, we promise to work on building a better world with the help and leadership of the land's original inhabitants. We honor this land and thank you for the many gifts you give us each day. Thank you for allowing us to fight on, with and for you.

My personal statement:

I honor and acknowledge the Catabwa and Tuscarora people who lived here on this land I now occupy. I want to thank them for allowing me to be here and to continue to grace my visions and my ritual with their energy. I acknowledge that my direct ancestors stole this land and claimed it as their own and are now know as the founders of this place called Seven Springs. I live today in a world created by that carnage and can only hope that my promise to work towards a better world will allow the land here to begin to heal from this heart break.

Overall, this is a pretty powerful piece of work. It was written in a very straight forward easy to read language. It is modern and yet still holds on to those basics that most witches will be able to see right away. I was skeptical at first, but I must say I was/am pleasantly surprised by the depth of the book and appreciated the author's guidance on inclusive speech, healing speech and open honest dialog about how our nation needs to heal from colonization.

[Bon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not wildly impressed, like some savvy reviewers. I think a lot of people would go for this as introductory material - soul flight is not something beginners should be trying, nor generic invocation of ancestors. And while protective sigils and other work could be really useful, I agree with others that more substantial activism and protest action has already been covered in books like Hood Feminism. I think an earnest reader would be better off reading one of those, and then adding in sigil work or charms you find in other witchcraft sources. This really didn't do anything for me.

[mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Witty, accessible and fairly sane, though disappointingly unpolitical.

[Alison S ☯️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded down. I knew I was going to struggle with this, as it's a book about "magic" and about political activism, neither of which I am remotely interested in. It was picked by a Book Group I'm thinking of joining - otherwise I'd never have read it in a million years. My preconceptions were right - I did really struggle with it - but I am looking forward to discussing it with other people. It's very attractively formatted and illustrated, and the writing style is quite engaging. I thought she was spot on about spiritual materialism, and I was interested to read about examples of activism such as Standing Rock and the Zapatistas (everything is written for an American audience though). There were a few useful nuggets, but overall it was a book that was trying to do too many things in a fairly shallow and surface way. The author mainly writes magazine articles, and this very much felt like an extended article, in its' tone and brevity. The supposed connections between the different elements of the book, such as politics, magic, power, "spells" and activism, felt forced and unconvincing. I liked what the author was trying to do, but it ultimately fell short and just felt very insubstantial and a bit "meh".

[Natalia Fernández-Huertas · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I want to say that this book is amazing. Sarah attempts link the magic, power and politic in an anticapitalist framework. It is interesting that de magical is like a path to power in a disenchanted world through meditation, sigils, organization and formation of actions of facts. The book is made up of magic suggestions, stories of resistance and mobilization in the world, and a bit of landing magic in a world that needs to change. I recommend it to everyone to think other possible worlds.

[Sydney Blume · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, thoughtful, concise. Great as an intro text to magic or an intro text to activism or especially as an intro text for how the two connect. Makes for great reading in short stints because many sections are just a few short pages.

[Larissa Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is set from the start, that activism is a form of magical action. If magic is about directing power (energy) toward a goal, so is politics. There aren't necessarily as different as you might think. That said, this book is clearly for direct and physical activism, rather than magical works. If you're looking for a way to merge action with magic, then you'll find it.

There are interesting thoughts like localizing your craft, but nothing is really approached with depth. This book isn't about witchcraft so much as it's about finding a spiritual tie-in between activism and witchcraft. The pieces I enjoyed are all available with more depth in other books, and the rest is just a really big protester pep talk with witchy sprinkles. So if you're looking for spells and rituals for workings toward magical resistance, this isn't the book for you.

[Lorna Vivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A accessible intersectional book that covers a suprising amount of subjects. As well as using this book to find ways to incorporate and use magic in activism, I also think it works well as a 101 on witchcraft in general.
The inculsion of The Trans Rite of Ancestor Elevation was wonderful, as was Land Acknowledgement and a range of other features.

My only negativity was i felt in some areas it was a bit brief and could have been expanded upon. Altogether I would have loved the book to have been longer

[Catherine Garretson-bilnoski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids, don't try this at home. This is not for beginners. I mean, make all the sigils you want, but stay in your body and leave the ancestors alone without a guide. She gives just enough info to be dangerous and none of the warnings on those advanced techniques. FFS, witchcraft it isn't a game or toy. If you are a not an advanced practioner looking to branch into social justice spells or an experienced protester looking to understand neopagan collegues better there are other better books out there for you.

[Farah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Connecting witchcraft to activism and social justice is nothing new, so I was interested to come across this very focused 'guide' during a time of real political and social injustice. Sadly this came across to me as trite and occasionally condescending - partially due to the writing style and partly due to the audiobook narrator. I would recommend this book more to folks who are newer both to esoteric forms of spirituality and activism in general. And maybe skip the audio version!

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starhawk for the Millenials! A great second book for any beginning Witch, adding a context and purpose. Add a chapter on abortion and it will be complete.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, I want to thank Sarah Lyons for being so open and honest about how witchcraft is more a placebo effect than anything else.  That, I think, is what turned me off to witchcraft before I was interested in it.  But I do believe, as Lyons suggests, that there is an inherent energy to everything that we do, and that our outcome is informed by that energy.  I think that witchcraft is largely about intention and then actually action, which Lyons makes very clear.  Remember that scene in Orange in the New Black where that guy goes back to that one character's store being like, "Yo, your spell didn't work, what the hell?  I burnt my resume over a candle and everything and I still didn't get a job!" And she retorts, "Okay, but did you actually GIVE your resume to the employer?"  Boom.  Intent AND action.

The same goes for activism.  It is necessary to be intentful, to know exactly what end goal you want.  But you also have to work for it.

Lyon also gives a brief history of magic and why even today it's taboo--though how it's becoming more and more mainstream as well.  Given today's political and economical climate, it makes sense that more and more women want to grasp onto something historically taboo, to take matters into our hands in the few ways that we're actually able to (hello institutional sexism!)

Overall, I found this a fascinating read that I think is a great resource if you're interested in magic as well as activism.

Review cross-listed here!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a practical book for spells and how witches really use their power. Really, we have been doing spells and sigels our while lives through religion and specific thoughts.
I will be more mindful and I will definitely try out all of the spells and activities.
One thing that struck me as neat was the regional plants spellbook you could make for yourself so that you don't have to buy anything exotic. Sarah was mindful about not buying things.
The history was most helpful as well! Especially the land acknowledgement ritual.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It's a great complement to New Moon Magic by the Missing Witches Podcasters to uplift activism through magic by working with natural cycles and simple practices.

[Bezaubernd]

[Ophelia Feyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the Author and Illustrator
Sarah Lyons lives in New York. She is a writer, activist, witch and occultist. Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications; Teen Vogue, Vice, Buzzfeed, Broadly and Slutist. In addition to all of that she is an organiser with the New York City Democratic Socialists of America.

If you visit her website you will find her blog and a space that features her published writing. She also has another site called The Fool’s Rose which is like an agony aunt style column with advice using the tarot. Her podcast, PopCult, has a few episode, spanning a few years. It doesn’t seem like she posts regular and too often, but there are some interesting episodes on there that I would recommend listening to.

The illustrator of the book is Hanna Barczyc; an artist who was born in Germany and works in New York, Toronto and Montreal. She graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design and earned a Bachelor’s degree at the Toronto Art School. Hanna has done art pieces for news publications, book covers, film posters and murals. Chances are you’ve seen her work before and not realised it. On her website it says that, “her work is deeply concerned with the conceptual idea of the feminine and all that it embodies” She has a very distinctive style and even just a quick look at her work you can see the conceptual feminine running throughout it.

About the Book
Here's the blurb:
“A bold guide for activists and witches alike, Revolutionary Witchcraft explores the history and practice of politically motivated magic. From social justice to environmental activism, this radical reimagining of civic engagement addresses today’s most pressing problems with empowering, inclusive spell work. Classic rituals, from creating charged symbols to calling on ancestors, are paired with core organising tactics, like engaging in protests and rallying allies, in this blueprint for building an ideologically grounded magical praxis. With actionable ideas and an appendix full of customisable rites. Revolutionary Witchcraft is the perfect companion for the mystical uprising.”

Originally published in 2019, the book is a couple of years old, but the main ideas and messages are still important. The world would have to be a pretty perfect place if we didn’t need activism anymore.

Simply put the book is a guide for activism and incorporates Witchcraft themes throughout.

My Thoughts
As I finished reading, and started to write this review, the news was just breaking that, in Texas, a new law had come in to effect banning abortions from the six week period. I’m not from Texas, I’m not from America, but that news will probably effect the vast majority of women etc. It’s a blow against all women and it’s more than a women’s rights issue. To know that this happened in what most people consider a ‘progressive’ country shows that it could happen anywhere. You can’t imagine the impact that it is going to have on people and you feel for them. You wonder what you can do to help and worry that you are not doing enough.

I felt the same a few weeks ago, when I read an article from a Kabul resident in the Guardian. It was from a woman at University who was scared for her life, had to hide her education and sacrifice everything that she had worked for. Again, my heart broke for these women experiencing things that I can’t even comprehend. I wanted to do something and worried that I wasn’t doing enough.

The reality is that in some instances there isn’t a lot we can do. We share information on social media, we sign petitions and we donate money. There are so many issues that you may feel passionate about, but honestly you can’t fight every one.

So that brings me to the book. It really helped to give me some perspective on activism and what I as an individual can do. The mixing of the spiritual with the political might seem odd at first. As Sarah says in the book the mixing of Religion and Politics has caused a lot of harm. However, I’ve come to see that Witches in their definition are activists. At the beginning of the book it does consider why Witchcraft is a good mix with activism. For me it’s always been that they go hand in hand.

The book starts with a few of the basics; a brief, but honest, explanation of Witchcraft history, and the politics behind it. It sets the scene and gives context for the rest of the book.

Also towards the beginning of the book Sarah addresses something which has been playing on my own mind a lot recently; the commodification of Witchcraft. It’s always been a 'thing' and you 'buy' into it as much as you want. However, over the last few years I have avoided buying anything new for my craft, especially from companies that see the 'Witch aesthetic' as something to profit from. Other than books, which for me are a huge part, if not a core part of my Witchcraft practice, I haven’t bought anything new for my craft. I now try to use what I already have and the herbs that I use I grow myself. A sentiment that is shared by Sarah is that buying the 'things' is not going to make the magick happen - there is work to be done. She uses the example of crystals when talking about this idea. This idea that buying the crystal is not enough of itself. If you think that that’s all it takes then you don’t really understand the essence of the Craft.

I did feel a little ‘called out’ when she said, “now is not the time to just take pictures of our altars, but rather to use them.” A lot of people, myself included, are caught up in this 'Witchcraft aesthetic'. However, I am glad she called me out because I feel like I do use the majority of my craft for selfish reasons and that’s something I really want to be conscious of and start to change.

As well as guiding you through activism in a practical sense, the end of each chapter features a complimentary magickal act. One of my favourites was the 'rite of initiation' which encourages a realisation. It felt very liberating and freeing. Others include making your own sigils, soul flight and honouring your ancestors. I'm glad she mentions that some people’s ancestors may have been oppressors or had racist views. We may have ancestors that we don’t want to honour, as such, but we should acknowledge and learn from their mistakes.

One small section that stood out to me was titled, ‘The Power of Words’. The basic idea was to learn about the problems in the world and name them, understand them. It’s happened to me before where people are talking about something, maybe a concept or idea and I don’t know or understand what they are talking about. Sarah explains the power is in understanding and not being afraid to learn those words and what they mean; that those words are powerful.

My favourite chapter by far was chapter 4, ‘The Pathways of Power’ and by the time I got to it I was ready to put my dreams for the world in to action. It sounds grand but this chapter really breaks down what you want to achieve and how you can go about achieving it. So much so that as I was reading it I was jotting down or ‘power mapping’ (as Sarah refers to it) all the things I wanted to work on. Then I was breaking them down further into achievable steps, and making notes of all the resources at my disposal. It really was a key chapter for my next steps. I found it really useful and full of practical tips.

I always try and give a balanced review; a few constructive criticisms, so here are a few things that you should be aware of about the book. Firstly, it is very American centred with a lot of the ideas that are discussed. Now, obviously the author is from America so this makes sense, but there are so many issues and important things out there that people feel strongly about. For me part of activism is about bringing to light issues and making people aware of things they otherwise wouldn’t be. Having said that, the stories in the book may have happened in America, but it doesn’t mean that they are America’s problem. We are a whole world and just because something is happening in one country doesn’t mean it can’t happen in another. Even if something doesn’t directly effect us, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something about it.

Furthermore, the writer’s voice might be a love or hate thing for a few people. At first I was worried that I wouldn’t get along with the little quirks and witty remarks. However, the more I read the more I grew to like the voice and I enjoyed the style. It suited the book and it’s themes. It actually makes sense to have a lighter side to what at times can be a heavy book.

Final Thoughts
If you’ve been here a while and have read some of my other reviews then you know how much I love it when authors include their personal experiences. I’m happy to say that Sarah has included a few personal anecdotes in the book about her own activism, which is great. For me it just adds much more authenticity to the book.

Although it is a small book there are some heavy issues in it. When reading I made sure to take my time with it. I don’t think it’s a book to rush through. You definitely want to be taking in everything as you read.

The book is for Witches who are, or want to be activists, with an emphasis on the ‘act’. It’s for Witches who are doing something or want to do something. If at the moment you are more of a passive Witch the book will inspire you to become active; to become the activist.

Saying that i don’t believe you have to be a Witch to read this book, although it’s obviously aimed at Witches, it’s for anyone who is conscious about the world we live in.

At the beginning when I discussed current events. I mentioned how I feel like I’m not doing enough, that there’s more I should be doing to help. But the fact is we can’t do everything, we can’t help every cause. In reality we, as individuals, don’t have all of the necessary resources or the ‘energy’ physically, mentally, emotionally and magically. It can be draining. In the end I decided to focus on the causes that are closest to my heart. There are things I can be doing and I am going to do what I can.

Ultimately, Revolutionary Witchcraft reminded me of the power of magic and that it is not selfish. It encourages a shift in perspective, away from the ego. That’s something I’m definitely going to take in to my practice from now on. I gave the book four stars on my GoodReads and I think the only reason I didn’t give it five was because I wish there was more of it!

Thank you to Running Press Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

[Jerritt Dayhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a delightful witchy book for those of us who emphasize political advocacy and social justice work in our practices. And honestly, we all should. ❤️

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came to my shelf in the most perfect timing. We are living difficult and dangerous times. This book show how Witchcraft and Activism aren't do distant. It teaches you how to make Activism in a healthy way that goes further than voting and protesting. Talks how a demonstration is a ritual. I recommend it for the witches activists who fight to change the world.

[Audra (ouija.reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I received this book, my first thought was, dang this thing is tiny! I wonder how the author is going to get anything done in 160 heavily illustrated pages? There is not a lot of content here, and what does exist is so surface level. It isn't a book I'll be keeping, let alone referring to.

I love the idea of an intersectional and radical approach to witchcraft, but if that's what you're interested in, you would be better off reading books like Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot or The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love and then layering that knowledge over your current magical practice. I feel like what is covered in this book is so basic that people who are interested in the idea of magical activism have already explored beyond what is offered here.

Honestly, I didn't find it very revolutionary or useful. Instead of a guide intended to help your practice, I think a longer book that delves into the history of this topic would be more interesting, relevant, and inclusive.

[Georgina Quinones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah Lyons seems like an up beat person with very witty personality. I love the idea of incorporating your magick to activism. It is very clever to use your witchcraft to help your political beliefs. She shares the use of spells, she describes how activism is a form of a ritual. It is a very clever the way she incorporates sigils into activism and they way she manipulates magick to get what you want in your activism. She shares her own sigil making in one of the chapters. It is a small book, so its a quick and easy read. It is a book for the modern witch, and that witch who is stands for what is right. The word Witch has no gender.

[Hannah Woodside · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a short and sweet introduction to activism and witchcraft. Doesn’t go into a lot of detail about either subject but it was a fun read. I appreciate that the author is conscious of her privilege as a white woman and doesn’t try to center her experience. This is not the book to read if ur learning about activism or witchcraft for the first time but if ur already familiar with both subjects this is the perfect book.

[Bethany]

Very much a 101 book that will not give the reader much new information on witchcraft or on activism, but does spark the imagination on how to start weaving magic into activism. Some people find a wall when trying to come up with their own spells and this is one of those books that helps to break down how to jump start the creativity.

[Siobhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revolutionary Witchcraft is an informative and entertaining read. Very relevant in this day and age.

[Lord Beardsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pleasant, discursive little book on incorporating social justice/activism in your witchcraft, (or vice versa) offers a fresh perspective on how we engage with the craft and activism.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern, inspiring, concise.

[Deja Virgilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book harmonizes spirituality and social activism! Using softness to fight!

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book & recommend to anyone who is interested in it. True gem for me personally.