Shall we renew our pacts and oaths with the coming of Spring? Shall we cut and prune back that which cannot serve us?

It’s already been another week, dear readers. As the seasons change, I found myself pondering other shifts at the same time. Someone on Tik Tok made the interesting statement that for occultists, are spirits aren’t Pokemon. Now, I am going to put aside the fact that for some of us they actually are Pokemon—but rather, I want to address the spirit (do you see what I did there) of what he was saying. 

Clout and Narrative

If there is one thing I have heard time and time again from occultists that I actually trust, it’s that power and spirits aren’t merit badges. Magic is not something that exists just so you can compare yourself to someone else and either feel better or worse about yourself. It’s not a tool to farm clout. 

I do think that there is a bit of a disease in the human race as a whole. People really are addicted to the concept of clout and prestige—the idea of being superior to others by some innate factor. And I do think there is a problem with people either using their ‘power’ or the number of ‘spirits’ on their team as a method by which to try to look better than others. It’s just another manifestation of ‘more special than you’ or Main Character Syndrome. 

I’m going to take a moment to get blunt for a second. In my day job, I talk to a lot of people who describe feeling like they are ‘lacking something’ or there is even a ‘hole’ inside of them that they can’t fill. And I have that, too. I think there are more of us who have it than want to let on, because it seems like a weakness. 

But, here’s the secret: it never leaves. No matter how many people you have sex with. No matter how many brand name items you have. No matter how much money you have. No matter how many followers or subscribers you have. No matter how classy your job, your house, your spouse, or your children are. And that’s because it’s inside of us, and nothing in the outside world can fill it. It’s easier to make friends with it and accept it than spend your life chasing something that will never fill up. 

Not that I think many people will actually follow that advice. 

And I’m not saying I don’t think magic enriches our lives. I firmly know magic enriches mine. But, let’s all be honest here about the nature of things. Can we do that? The clout is never worth it. And the bigger you get while you’re still desperate and hungry to fill that hole makes people more prone to making mistakes. I think all of us have seen enough callout stories and falls from internet celebrity grace to know exactly what I’m talking about. 

The Importance of Relationships and Actions

Another issue I see cropping up again and again in both mundane and occult circle is the duality of statement and action. Oh my. Aren’t there a lot of people who will claim to be your ‘friend’ but then repeatedly either attempt to exploit your kindness, your patience, or put you in danger? Here’s the thing. That’s not friendship, because actions always speak louder than words. It’s the same with your spirits, your ancestors, and your astral allies. Time may pass very differently for them than it does us, and I do like to think that they understand our fallow periods. 

But, just like that person said, they are not tools for us to use in order to collect Clout Tokens in the mundane world. My challenge to my dearest readers is this: carefully and earnestly consider the real nature of your relationships and if that is how you actually want them to be. As long as we are alive, we can make a change. Whether these are mundane relationships or magical ones, I do wish that we could all be a little more honest about the way things actually are—and be good friends and allies to those who actually deserve it. 

Being Friendly

It may be time to examine how you interact with your spiritual allies. Do you talk to them? I don’t physically speak to mine, but sometimes I mentally tell them my troubles, or tell them a juicy bit of gossip. I am not perfect about it, but I try to keep my ancestral altar refreshed with offerings of flowers or candy. And it is not a grand altar. It’s quite small. The point is to actively take some time out of your day and make time for them.