Dear friends,
About two weeks ago, when I was in Asheville, I woke up from a nap
with a sense that something truly unexpected and unforseeable might
occur. I was thinking of it in terms of the action in Washington,
and had a strong sense of whatever it was being positive in ways we
couldn't imagine. I brought that vision into our ritual, and we had
an amazing cone of power.

I now believe that this was the unexpected event, but there is no way
that I can call it positive. It has been a day of horror that can
have no political or moral justification. I grieve with the friends
and families of those who have lost their lives.

And I fear for the direction our country will take. Voices are
already calling for war and vengeance. We're at a crossroads, and
many of us who have been working hard for peace and justice could now
face a whole new level of repression if this becomes an excuse to
stifle legitimate dissent.

But I also believe that glimpse of possibility, and the strength of
the energy we raised, and the cumulative energy we've been working
around support for activism, are all with us. We can draw on those
energies, and on the deep intelligence of the earth herself, on
unexpected allies.

A number of people have called for magic tonight. I want to add my
voice to that call, joining some suggestions made by Pamela, Culebra
and Toni. We all have our own traditions and ways of working, but
this is the visualization I intend to use:

Hecate sits on her tripod at the crossroads in the underworld.
She holds aloft her torch to light the way for those souls who have died.
We send our love and compassion to them, their friends, and family.
Her light also illumines this situation, enables us to see it
clearly, and reveals the truth.
We look deeply at the crossroads, and feel the tide pushing us toward
a road of more war, militarization, and repression.
We hold open the possibility that there is another way.
We pour out every drop of love, compassion and hope we can and stir
it into her cauldron clockwise, stirring counterclockwise to release
negative forces.
We let the waters of her cauldron rise and create a great, flood
current that can carry us down the road of hope.

Different suggestions as to timing have been made, but I'd like to
consider the entire evening and next few days as a window.

Whatever our differences, this is a moment to unite.
Love, blessings and solidarity,

~Starhawk