When Rest Becomes Resistance and Joy Hexes the Narrative

The world is on fire and I’m lighting candles

Not out of delusion or denial, but because sometimes the most radical thing a GenX witch can do is *rest, reclaim joy,* and then light a candle with purpose.

As a spiritually political witch-coach, I’ve spent this week sitting with clients and community members who are burned out, disillusioned, and feeling powerless in the face of chaos. Between corporate greed, global conflict, and watching the same generational wounds play out online like cursed reruns it’s no wonder people are spiraling.

But here’s today’s tea: **Burnout is by design.**

Capitalism feeds on your exhaustion. The patriarchy thrives when you don’t have the energy to fight. And systems of oppression *count on your disconnection* — from your body, your intuition, and your joy.

For those of us who were raised on latchkey afternoons, grunge, and backtalk, we’ve learned how to hustle. But that doesn't mean we were meant to live in survival mode. That is the real issue, we are not meant to live in the society that has been developing over the past 50 or so years.

When you think about where we've come from, ending of slavery, children no longer working in dangerous conditions, the rise of unions, OSHA, women's right to vote, former slaves having the right to vote, a developing middle class. A justice system that bends toward perfection, not away from it. We had SCOTUS Justices like Thurgood Marshall, Presidents like FDR and JFK (why are our best presidents three letter named?) , city designers like Robert Moses, fighters for justice and equality like Shirley Chisolm, Malcom X, MLK and more.

America was the shining city on the hill, where the streets were paved with gold and there were unlimited possibilities. That was only partially true. America was the place you could come to fight for what you wanted.

It wasn't easy or fair, nor did it come without extreme sacrifice for some. Native Americans for instance were, what we now would call shadow banned. They existed, but were treated like they weren't and no one, including some of them, knew how bad it was for the many diverse tribes. Notable figures including Chief Standing Bear, who successfully argued for Native American personhood in court, John Ross, the Cherokee leader, tirelessly fought against the forced removal of his people. The American Indian Movement (AIM) utilized direct action and protests to advocate for tribal sovereignty and treaty rights. Additionally, individuals like Zitkala-Sa and Madonna Thunder Hawk played crucial roles in the fight for suffrage and broader Native American rights. (wiki) We've forgotten our past, and that's by design. The rich on every side of the political aisle decimated the education system in order to keep the status quo (their power). Keep them dumb, fat and occupied and then they won't complain.

But, joy isn’t a luxury , it’s **a hex on the systems that want you numb.**

Rest isn’t laziness it’s **spiritual and political resistance.**

Taking up space, slowing down, feeling deeply all of it is magic.

🌍 Global News Highlights

• Gaza on the brink of famine
  UN‑backed food experts warn Gaza has reached famine thresholds: widespread malnutrition, starvation, and disease, especially among children. Deaths from hunger continue mounting unless aid access is deeply expanded.New York Post+13The Guardian+13The Guardian+13
  
  

• British diplomatic leverage
  The UK has warned it will formally recognize Palestinian statehood in September unless Israel eases the humanitarian crisis and returns to ceasefire negotiations. France and other EU states are echoing similar moves. AP NewsReuters+1The Guardian+1
  

• Intense Israeli violence amid hunger crisis
  Israeli strikes killed dozens more Palestinians in Gaza, including some at food distribution sites. Seven recent deaths are confirmed from starvation. Aid entry - only about 220 trucks/day vs. 500–600 that’s needed. Al Jazeera+6AP News+6Reuters+6

U.S. Democracy Downgrade: What's Happening

• From “Free” to “Flawed Democracy”
  The U.S. has been downgraded from a full democracy to a “flawed democracy”—a classification used by organizations like Freedom House and the Economist Intelligence Unit, reflecting setbacks in political culture and government functioning.Axios+4Democratic Erosion Consortium+4Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly+4
  
  

• Key issues behind the decline

  • Rising support for authoritarian-style governance among Americans (≈32%)Democratic Erosion Consortium
    
    

• Structural manipulations: Voter access barriers, gerrymandering, expanding executive power, weakening institutional checks and balances. BrookingsWikipedia
  

🌐 Earthquake in Russia’s Far East

• Massive 8.8 magnitude quake strikes off Kamchatka
  The strongest quake in the region since 1952 struck 120 km from Petropavlovsk‑Kamchatsky, triggering tsunami alerts across the Pacific—including Japan, Alaska, Hawaii, and Chile.CBS News+7Reuters+7Financial Times+7
  
  

• Impact & response
  Coastal communities saw waves up to 4 m, over 2,700 evacuations, and localized building damage. Japan evacuated nearly 2 million people, and factories—including part of Fukushima—temporarily shut. No confirmed fatalities, credited to effective warning systems and building resilience.Financial Times
  
  

• Volcanic eruption follows
  The Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted shortly after the quake, compounding regional geological instability. Reuters
  
  

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🌡️ Global Heatwaves & Climate Stress

2025 among hottest years recorded (also the coolest summer for the rest of your life)

2025 is tracking close behind 2024 in global temperature intensity, with record-breaking heat from the Arctic to Oceania. wmo.int+5blog.ucs.org+5climatecentral.org+5

• Deadly European heatwave
  Summer 2025 saw 46 °C (115 °F) heat in Portugal, Spain, Greece, and the Balkans, resulting in over 2,300 estimated deaths within a 10‑day span—attributed significantly to climate change amplification .Wikipedia
  
  

• South Asia under extreme heat
  India and Pakistan endured early April heatwaves reaching 48 °C (118 °F). Tens of thousands were affected; hundreds died in heat-related conditions. Wikipedia
  
  

• Heat events intensified by climate chaos
  Nearly half the global population experienced 30+ extra days of extreme heat over the past year, with all major heat episodes made significantly worse by human-induced warming.ghhin.org+1climatecentral.org+1