The Rising Popularity of Spirituality and Magick
If you’ve been on social media this past year, especially TikTok, you will see the rise in spirituality and different forms of Magick on the platform. On TikTok, it has become so popular that people refer to that side of TikTok as “witchtok,” and there is enough drama to write a stream of articles on the matters. So why are these beliefs and practices becoming so popular?
My first assumption is that people have been falling out of the religions they were raised in due to corruption. I’m not saying that religions are necessarily corrupt (unless it’s a cult, but that’s a different story), but the members of the religion often use it to cause harm and bring in negativity. For example, when the Boston Globe uncovered that the Catholic Church was covering up the sexual assault of young children by their priests. Or the people that misinterpret the Bible to support their racist, homophobic, or sexist beliefs.
Having a negative connotation of something that you grew up in can have a big impact on us, because you start to lose hope in the beliefs that you had been around your whole life. Especially a religion that has a lot of rules and beliefs that don’t align to your own. It can cause you a lot of confusion and upset.
This is one reason why I think that people are turning to Magick and spirituality. Anyone can practice these, and you can really form it into something that aligns with what you believe in and value. There are Christian witches, there are lightworkers, the possibilities are endless. It is important to note that some practices are off-limits if you weren’t initiated or born into the practice, such as Brujeria, Santeria, Hoodoo, and Kabbalism.
Being spiritual and a practitioner is more about making your practice and beliefs your own and giving yourself the confidence, support, and happiness you deserve. There are obviously some basic rules to follow, but in the end it’s about you and your wellbeing.
Another major reason why I think that spirituality has become so popular this year is because of coronavirus. Being stuck at home really gave us the time to think. What is my purpose? Am I truly happy with myself? How can I be better? This curiosity led people to search something that can give them more peace of mind. Maybe they started with meditation, which led to herbal remedies, which lead to crystal buying, and then here they are — settling into their practice.
COVID-19 had another unfortunate side effect, which was negatively impacting many of our mental health situations. Many of us felt lost in their thoughts or alone, physically and mentally. A lot of times when people are at low points they look to religion to bring them peace of mind. And the appeal of spirituality and Magick is that while it comforts you, it forces you to look within yourself to find the source of your pain and help you become your best self.
For me personally, I always had a feeling that there was more out there for me. I always had an interest in the metaphysical. And because the TikTok algorithm is too good, I started receiving more and more videos on spirituality and witchcraft. I’m not a practitioner — yet — but I have been doing my research and feeling really positive about my own journey.
Did you get into a spiritual practice in 2020? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear your story.
