Protective Magic: Exploring Elissa Washuta’s Collection Elissa Washuta, a Washington-based Native American writer, has created a collection of personal essays titled "White Magic" that delves into the concept of protective magic. This collection not only explores her personal experiences but also examines the ways in which different cultures use rituals and practices to instill a sense of safety and protection. **The main idea in Washuta's collection is the exploration of protective magic and its role in personal and cultural identity.** Throughout her essays, Washuta weaves her own experiences with mental health issues, trauma, and identity struggles. While acknowledging that magic is not a substitute for professional help, she explores how it can be used as a tool for grounding oneself and finding a sense of control in an unpredictable world. Washuta shares personal rituals and practices she has developed, showing how they have helped her navigate her mental health journey.
EW: I didn’t intend for it to work out this way, but I do notice that it has. It’s fair to say it’s present in just about all of my work. What I’m offering at the beginning is just a way in and I can’t possibly stay there for the whole essay. That’s the point of the essay for me: to get me somewhere else, to get me to insight, to something I didn’t know.
Mark Twain was drawn to the British Society for Psychical Research, an organization seeking to reckon with paranormal concepts countering contemporary scientific principles, because of a dream. I had an opinion about a Macklemore video interview in which a non-Native astrologer teaches him to burn white sage, a traditional medicine for California Native peoples; in the wild, it s threatened by non-Native overharvesting.
Washuta shares personal rituals and practices she has developed, showing how they have helped her navigate her mental health journey. Washuta also delves into the broader cultural and historical aspects of protective magic. She delves into the practices of her Native American heritage, drawing connections to the ancient rituals and beliefs that have shaped her sense of self.
White Magic Quotes
“Sometimes I think I'm near the end of my energy for living. I plot to travel to another world because this one seems too decimated by the white men who wanted money and skin, too dangerous to navigate because of the sentinels still roaming, raping, and gouging out the earth to maintain power.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“Maybe wanting to be special is an American condition, the swamp of entitlement from which the American dream is supposed to be able to grow.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“A place can't be so wild and so densely built, so desolate and so populous. Living in contradictions, we learn to want the strange and nonsensical. We covet and hoard rare things--rare bogs, rare rocks, rare lakes.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“A witch needs only the right look, the right stuff, the right feelings. I look at the part: like a Hollywood witch, dark-haired and pale-skinned (because of my European ancestry). And I'm into the Instagram-witch lifestyle: black dresses, lavender baths, affirmations about being worthy of things. But I don't like calling myself a witch. I don't want to be seen as following a fad, and I don't want the white witches I resemble to take my presence in their spaces as permission for theft. Really, I just want a version of the occult that isn't built on plunder, but I suspect that if we could excise the stolen pieces, there would be nothing left.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“If I'm going to die, I want to fight. I've been fighting the colonizer's whispers that I am not wanted here, not worthy of protection, nothing but a body to be pummeled and played with and threatened into submission. I have not died yet. My whole body is a fire, lit back when the world was complete, never extinguished by anybody.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“I wanted this narrative -- this one, this story, this riddle, this experiment, this trick, this device -- to teach me to love right, but all I know is that I'm not sure I can love a man who wouldn't let me die. And maybe that means I can't love a man if I want to live.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“What do David Lynch & your ex have in common? Neither of them owe you closure.”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
“You've made it clear you're on a quest for freedom, but limits will save your life”
― Elissa Washuta, White Magic
I kept those opinions to myself. Better to leave the critiques to people who don’t buy candles from stores where non-Native people sell sage bundles, I thought. The first time I browsed a magic store, I saw shelves of sage and cedar shrink-wrapped against abalone shells, and even though I recoiled, I still exchanged my money for a divination deck. I’ve been looking the other way ever since.
She examines how protective magic has been passed down through generations and adapted to fit the modern world. One of the highlights of Washuta's collection is her examination of the different cultural practices of protective magic. She explores practices such as witchcraft, astrology, and other forms of spiritualism, drawing connections between the diverse ways in which people find comfort and protection within these practices. By sharing her own personal experiences alongside her research, Washuta presents a balanced and thought-provoking exploration of protective magic. She shows how these practices can provide solace, empowerment, and a connection to something greater than ourselves. Through her collection, readers are encouraged to reflect on their own rituals and practices and how they contribute to a sense of protection and identity. In conclusion, Elissa Washuta's collection "White Magic" offers a deep dive into the world of protective magic. By exploring personal experiences, cultural practices, and the significance of rituals, Washuta presents a nuanced exploration of this topic. Her essays invite readers to reflect on their own relationship with protective magic and the role it plays in their lives..
Reviews for "Cosmic Barriers and Mystical Veils: The Symbolism of Protective Magic in Elissa Washuta's Work"
1. John - 2 stars - I found "Protective Magic Elissa Washuta" to be a confusing and disjointed collection of essays. The author jumps from one topic to another with little to no transition, making it difficult to follow the overall narrative. The writing style is also overly descriptive and sometimes bordering on pretentious. I struggled to connect with the author's personal experiences and often felt like I was reading a rambling diary rather than a coherent collection of essays.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I was highly disappointed with "Protective Magic Elissa Washuta." The essays lacked depth and substance, offering little insight into the author's experiences or the broader themes she was trying to explore. I found myself bored and unengaged throughout the entire book, desperately hoping for something to grab my attention. Washuta's writing style felt disjointed and overly self-indulgent, leaving me feeling disconnected from the narrative. Overall, I cannot recommend this book to others.
3. Mark - 2 stars - "Protective Magic Elissa Washuta" failed to live up to my expectations. While the topic of Native American identity is an important one, Washuta's exploration of it felt superficial and underdeveloped. The essays lacked a clear structure and often veered off into tangents that were unrelated to the main themes. Additionally, I found the constant references to pop culture to be distracting and out of place. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and uninformed after reading this book.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Protective Magic Elissa Washuta," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The essays lacked a clear focus and often rambled on without saying much of substance. I also found the author's writing style to be overly flowery and self-indulgent, making it difficult to connect with the material. While there were moments of insight scattered throughout the book, they were few and far between. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed and wanting more from this collection.