Perform the Texorcism ritual to claim your power in Texas this election.
This should take 10 - 15 minutes and I know you will love it.
About the Texorcism ritual & Democrasexy…
I’m Becky Bullard, founder and CEO of Democrasexy, a creative civic engagement and pleasure activism organization. Democrasexy is all about making democracy sexy so more people do it.
I also like to call myself a civic witch.
Since election season falls into the season of the witch, I’ve combined the two into a mystical ritual – a Texorcism to cast the evil out of Texas. Even if you don’t buy into the mystical element of this ritual, the practical element of harnessing your power for this election is very real.
Perform the Texorcism ritual by following along with me in the video or via the written instructions below.
Then check out my guide on talking to people about voting.
To perform a Texorcism you will need:
2 pieces of loose paper (OR download and print this PDF if you don’t like arts & crafts)
Something you like to write with
A lighter
A candle
There are six steps…
Step one.
Light your candle and take a moment to invite in the wisdom of the Texan ancestors who came before us, like:
Ladybird Johnson, who played a crucial but unsung role in getting civil rights legislation passed when her husband LBJ was president in the ‘60s,
Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman from a former confederate state elected to the U.S. House of Representatives,
Ann Richards, the only woman elected Governor of Texas in her own right and a champion of racial and gender equality,
Emma Tenayuca, who organized the Workers Alliance in the 1930s to advocate for marginalized Mexican Americans in San Antonio,
Sarah Weddington, the Texas attorney who argued and won Roe v Wade in front of the Supreme Court when she was only 26 years old.
We also want to invite in the energies of all those who are working for good now, as well as the wisdom of future Texans. May they guide our actions to be of the greatest benefit for those living here many generations from now.
Step two.
On the first piece of paper, write three evil things you want to cast out of Texas. I wrote down school shootings, abortion bans, and anti-trans legislation. (You could also write people you’d like to remove from power in Texas.)
When you’re done, please fold that piece of paper three times and set it to the side. We’ll come back to it at the end.
You’ll notice we’re using the number 3 a lot – it’s a magical number that represents stability, openness, hope, optimism and abundance.
Step three.
On the other piece of paper write 3 positive things you would like to manifest in Texas. I am writing: affordable housing, universal health care, and equity for all.
Flip the paper over.
Draw a big Lone Star — a simple, 5-pointed start where the lines cross each other. You will want to make it as big as possible because we’ll be writing inside of it. Now, draw a circle around the star, connecting each of the points.
Congrats, you’ve just made a pentacle!
People sometimes see this symbol and think it’s evil, but actually the opposite is true. Pentacles have been used across different faith traditions for thousands of years as a talisman of protection. You’re going to invoke the power of this pentacle to bring about transformative change in Texas.
In the middle of the star you’ll see an upside down Pentagon: at the top of it, write, “My Coven”. Now take a moment and think of three people in your life who:
have similar values as you on things like abortion rights, health care, the environment, etc
are as passionate as you are about this election
you like to go on adventures with
you call when you need help doing something scary
are good at holding you accountable
inspire you
Write those 3 names down in the center of the star. You can write me down as one! Also, these don’t have to be people that are living now – I sometimes write down my chosen ancestors. These are the people who will give you strength as you activate your election powers.
As your coven, you will call these people and/or invoke their spirits to support you as you activate your election powers — you may want to tell them about this project, or even invite them to do it alongside you, and induct them into this ceremony.
Step four.
Now, somewhere else inside the circle, it doesn’t matter where, we’re going to write down 9 (or more!) people who we want to use our election powers on. Maybe we aren’t totally sure if these people are going to vote. (There’s a strong chance many people you know won’t vote without your encouragement… in the last midterm election in 2018, less than half of registered voters actually cast a ballot – only 46.3%. And that was an 18% increase over 2014!)
To come up with your 9, it can be helpful to think of different ways you know people…
Work friends, Lovers, Family, Neighbors, Your hair stylist, Your barista, Maybe you’re on a dodgeball or trivia team
Really give it some thought, but if you don’t yet have 9 names, that’s okay. Draw lines for the rest — the universe will send you these names when the time is right, trust.
The names you’ve written inside your pentacle? You are offering them protection from evil. But you also have the power to get them to vote, and that’s not magic, that’s science. Studies have shown the most effective means of getting someone to vote is to have a person they know encourage them. That’s you! You have the power! I wrote you a guide for tips on talking to your friends here.
But if you also want magic…
9 is 3 x 3 (triply powerful!) and represents the culmination of something, or the completion of a cycle to create way for something new and better.
The suit of pentacles in the tarot deck is connected with the element of earth and represents tangible success. But it’s success we have to work for, much like we have to tend a garden and get our hands dirty if we want to be able to harvest from it. If we want a positive outcome in this election in Texas, we need to get our hands dirty.
The Empress is the Major Arcana card associated with pentacles in tarot – divine feminine mother energy that has the power to create and nourish.
Step five.
Make sure you are following @democrasexy on Instagram. Between now and the election, I’m going to post suggestions for how you can reach out to your people, plus information about what some of our elected offices do that most people don’t know. Like did you know that the Texas Attorney General has discretion over which state laws to enforce? They could simply decide not to enforce an abortion ban, for example.
I’ll also post cute affirmations and general encouragement to keep you going.
Step six (last step!).
Hold your pentacle page to your heart to seal in your intentions. Then you can use it to create an election altar for Texas. My altar has my pentacle, a candle, quotes from some of my favorite chosen ancestors, some crystals, and drawings my kids did to keep me connected to the future generations who will benefit from the work I'm doing now.
Finally, grab the folded-up piece of paper with the bad things you want out of Texas.
Rip it up! It feels so good!
Then take it to your kitchen sink, or put it in a pot and take it outside (if you don’t want to set off your smoke alarm), and burn it (responsibly, please).
I like to end this ritual by repeating a quote from my chosen ancestor Ann Richards. This was something she said in her inaugural speech as governor, and now it is written on her tombstone in the Texas State Cemetery. Read it aloud for greatest impact:
“Today we have a vision of a Texas where opportunity knows no race, no gender, no color - a glimpse of what can happen in government if we simply open the doors and let the people in.”
We have the power to help make that vision for Texas a reality if we decide to act today.
To close the ceremony, blow out your candle.
Early voting in Texas runs October 24 - November 4. Election Day is November 8.
Vote411.org will tell you everything that’s on your ballot.
I’ve also created a comprehensive ballot guide for the state of Texas and Austin.
