Magical Resistance: Weaving Spells of Defiance and Liberation

Don't let the bastards grind you down.

You can watch the whole talk here:

Magical Resistance: Weaving Spells of Defiance and Liberation

By Lama Fede Andino

In August 1791, under the starlit canopy of colonial Haiti’s forests, a Vodou priest named Boukman led enslaved Africans in a ceremony that would ignite the Haitian Revolution. Their songs, dances, and shared resolve were more than spiritual acts—they were a spell of rebellion, uniting thousands to overthrow their oppressors and birth the world’s first Black-led republic. This story, shared in my recent talk on "Magical Resistance," is our guiding light.

As Lama Fede Andino, Director of the Tantric Revolutionary Center, I invite you to explore resistance as a form of magic: creative, collective, and resilient acts that empower persecuted communities to defy oppression. Drawing from history, speculative fiction, and modern activism, this essay offers practical strategies to weave your own spells of liberation, inspired by ancestors like Boukman and visions of a just future.

Defining Magical Resistance

Magic, at its core, is the art of aligning intention with universal energies to create change. It’s not about defying physics but about focusing heart and mind to shift reality. As the Buddha taught us to be mindful in every posture—walking, standing, sitting, lying down—magic is mindfulness infused with purpose. For LGBTIQ+ communities, minorities, and all facing persecution, magical resistance is claiming power, protecting spirits, and transforming pain into strength.

Spellwork, the practical side of magic, channels this intention through rituals—lighting a candle to honor truth, writing affirmations to shield against hate, or meditating to reclaim peace. These acts are accessible and personal, requiring no specific tradition, only a commitment to resilience.

Historical Roots: Spiritual Practices as Resistance

History reveals how persecuted communities used spiritual practices as spells of defiance. The Haitian Revolution (1791–1804) began with the Bois Caïman ceremony, where Boukman and participants invoked ancestral spirits through Vodou rituals. This was no mere gathering—it was a cultural and political act that preserved African identity and fueled a rebellion against French colonial brutality. By 1804, Haiti stood as a testament to the power of collective resolve, proving that rituals dismissed as “magic” by oppressors were sophisticated strategies for liberation.

Similarly, the Ghost Dance movement of 1889, initiated by Paiute prophet Wovoka, offered Native American tribes a spiritual response to U.S. colonial expansion. Tribes like the Lakota performed circular dances, believing they could summon ancestors to restore their lands. This symbolic defiance, a spell against cultural erasure, provoked fear among settlers, culminating in the tragic Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890. Yet, the Ghost Dance’s legacy inspired later Indigenous activism, such as the American Indian Movement. Both Vodou and the Ghost Dance fostered resilience, preserved identity, and built communal strength, subverting oppression from within. For us, these examples inspire mindfulness practices—grounding in the present moment to face hostility with clarity, much like our ancestors did under unimaginable odds.

Fictional Allegories: Magic as Defiance

Speculative fiction mirrors these historical struggles, using magic as an allegory for resistance. In Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, the protagonist Vin, a member of the oppressed skaa class, discovers allomancy—a magical system where metals grant powers like enhanced strength or emotional influence. Joining a rebel crew, Vin uses her abilities to challenge a tyrannical empire, symbolizing the agency of the marginalized. Her journey reflects the struggles of LGBTIQ+ and minority communities, showing how even the “powerless” can reshape their world. For readers, Mistborn is a call to envision defiance, a reminder that our own acts of resistance—however small—carry transformative potential.

In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the dystopian regime of Gilead strips women of rights, enslaving them as handmaids. The protagonist, Offred, resists through subtle acts—secret messages, coded phrases like “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” (Don’t let the bastards grind you down), and alliances with an underground network. These acts, though not supernatural, function as spells, defying control through creativity and solidarity. The novel’s impact extends into reality: activists in handmaid costumes have protested patriarchal policies, turning Atwood’s allegory into a living symbol. These stories offer safe spaces to grapple with injustice, inspiring us to craft our own spells—perhaps a written affirmation of strength or a public act of visibility.

Modern Spells: Art and Activism

Today’s social justice movements cast spells through art, symbols, and collective action. The Black Lives Matter movement, founded in 2013 after Trayvon Martin’s killer was acquitted, became a global force following George Floyd’s murder in 2020. Murals of Floyd’s face transformed streets into sites of remembrance, while chants like “No justice, no peace” united protesters in shared purpose. These acts—hashtags, protests, murals—are spells of resistance, shifting policies from police reform to corporate accountability. They echo the communal strength of Bois Caïman, proving that creativity disrupts power.

Similarly, Extinction Rebellion, founded in 2018, uses theatrical protests—die-ins, red-robed figures, or road blockades—to confront environmental persecution. Their 2019 London protests, like a magical incantation, led to the UK’s declaration of a climate emergency. These movements show that art and symbols, like historical rituals, unify and inspire. A practical spell you can try is designing a symbol for a cause—perhaps a hashtag for equality or a mural for peace. Infuse it with intention, share it, and watch it ripple outward, much like a chant or dance.

Casting Spells for the Future

The future of magical resistance lies in blending tradition with innovation. Emerging technologies—virtual reality protests or AI-generated art—could amplify marginalized voices, becoming new spells for justice. Storytelling, through books, films, or games, will continue to inspire, offering visions of worlds where equity prevails. Yet, the most powerful spells are those we cast ourselves. A simple ritual I teach at the Tantric Revolutionary Center is creating a personal talisman: choose a stone or object, visualize it glowing with protective light, and speak an intention, such as “May I stand resilient against hate.” Carry it as a reminder of your inner power, a tangible act of defiance.

As we close, I challenge you: What spell will you cast to resist injustice or support liberation? It might be a poem challenging stereotypes, a community event building solidarity, or a conversation that shifts a perspective. As Boukman’s ceremony sparked a revolution, as Vin’s allomancy toppled an empire, as BLM’s murals reshaped narratives, your actions—however small—are magic. Together, we can weave a future where resistance is not just magical but unstoppable.