This topic is one that Irisanya then went on to expand in “Earth Spirit – Honoring the Wild – Reclaiming Witchcraft and Environmental Activism” (Moon Books: 2023), which, as a book on collective action, includes a myriad of voices, some of whom are friends of mine! My activism is a quiet one, I marched against the Iraq war in the early 2000s, handing out fliers, calling for peace (or at the very least, honesty) and found that wasn’t the path for me. But I see the state of the world too, so I often feel like I should be doing more. This book helped remind me that there are as many ways of helping to change the world, of being an activist, as there are witches. That doing my bit in my own life and working to lift spirits and share tools is valuable too. Stories from disabled witches, from teachers, from people determined to help, and from the front lines of history. A discussion of how magic, and a magical worldview, can help us motivate ourselves. Rituals and blessings. Tips for encouraging younger generations to engage. All of these things offer hope. Hope because we are not alone in caring. Hope because those successes, those actions do help. Hope because we can be activists, just as we are, when we offer our imperfect offerings. And perhaps we, too, can be inspired to help change the world for the better. A spell at a time. ~ Halo Quin, https://haloquin.net/2023/02/08/two-book-reviews-reclaiming-honouring-the-wild/

Moon (Practically Pagan) collects meditations on the Reclaiming Witchcraft tradition in this brief, inspiring anthology. Founded in the late 1970s, the Reclaiming tradition is based in “deep, spiritual commitment to the earth, to healing and to linking of magic with political action,” Moon writes. Short accounts from Reclamation witches weave a “tapestry of many different threads,” including tried-and-true advice for being environmentally conscious (buying secondhand clothes, using public transportation), discussions of “magical activism” (which takes the form of writing, storytelling, and organizing protests), and accounts of individuals’ experiences (using directed energy to help protect the California redwood forests during protests). Suggested rituals include an “Extinction Rebellion Ritual” (which involves speaking one’s demands into being in a group setting), while an annotated timeline highlights major moments in Reclamation history, from anti-nuclear demonstrations in 1976 New Hampshire to 2017’s Dakota Access Pipeline protests. Though the takes on activism will be familiar, the personal narratives evoke a raw earnestness and urgency that will encourage readers to do their part to protect the earth. Reclamation witches and those curious about the tradition will find value here. http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781789049619 ~ Publishers Weekly

So excited for this glimpse into Reclaiming Witches' activism! This collection taps into an ongoing lineage of story and magick. (If I had to describe this tradition in only two words, story and magick might just be the ones...) I always appreciate reminders that activism comes in many forms, and the contributors here share many ways of creating magick to support that which we hold sacred. Knowing our history can inspire our future. I am in awe. ~ Cara Mia, The Pagan Perspective YouTube channel, & Assistant to the Director, Buckland Museum of Witchcraft & Magick

Many of us in modern Paganism are doing our best to respond to the call of the Earth in pain. A seemingly endless task, it can feel daunting, frustrating, lonely, depressingly insurmountable. This little book says, “Keep going,“ as if Irisanya and the intersectional group of writers whose voices she shares have taken your hands to march beside you. The stories and rituals herein are full of grief, and fury, and love, but most of all they are empowering and uplifting, and they show what we – as a community and as individuals – can do, and some of the many parts we can play. I am not a member of the Reclaiming tradition, but I came away feeling proud, heartened and inspired by a group that centres activism as one of its core tenets. This healing, this gentle but resolute strength, is the kind of magick our world needs at this moment. ~ Katrina Townsend, author of The Anti-consumerist Druid

Most pagans already are, in some way, doing what they can to help the planet. Earth Spirit: Honoring the Wild is a collection of voices from the Reclaiming witchcraft tradition, showing the range of their achievements. It is one of the most inspiring books about environmental activism I have read. As author Irisanya Moon writes: 'Activism shows up in many ways, in many forms.’ Not everyone can go on long marches or stand for hours in protest, although many do. If you reuse and recycle, if you do magic to protect wildlife, if you write poetry to raise awareness - you are still an activist. If you are looking for ideas about what more you can do, read this book. ~ Lucya Starza, author of Pagan Portals titles on Candle Magic, Poppets and Magical Dolls, Guided Visualisations, and Scrying