In 1998, when the first season of the series “Charmed” aired, California was experiencing a resurgence of interest in witchcraft and pagan traditions. California witches began to appear, practicing various forms of witchcraft and gathering in covens to share knowledge. Losangeleska.com shares more about the story of a modern witch.
Who is Amanda Garcia?
She calls herself a California witch. The woman lives in an original bungalow in Highland Park, where she loves to care for her favorite plants. She isn’t a gardener or a chef; she’s a witch. That’s why she needs herbs to create magic potions. For example, she uses yarrow to bless one of her clients.
She is a seventh-generation Californian. As a teenager, she attended Santa Barbara City College and later discovered dance at the community college. She then decided to move to San Francisco, followed by a year in Amsterdam and six years of study in London.
In London, she completed her bachelor’s degree in dance at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance. Amanda recounted that she worked hard choreographing pieces, but quickly became disillusioned after finishing them. She soon began working on dance films, writing novels, and other creative writing. At a certain point, she felt lost and needed answers, so she turned to the Goddess. She took a walk along London’s South Bank, went into the National Film Institute, watched a film, and picked up a brochure from CalArts. She applied to their screenwriting and film programs and was accepted into both.
Witchcraft in Amanda’s Life
She understood witchcraft from an early age because she was raised by a witch. Naturally, this couldn’t help but influence her future practice. Amanda had always been convinced she wouldn’t get into the craft. Amanda’s mother called witchcraft “Earth-centered spirituality”; she had a coven that met every full moon. The coven members would sing and perform rituals connected to nature. This further emphasizes that witchcraft is a nature-based religion focused on personal empowerment, and it has no spectators.
Amanda Garcia is a prime example of a professional witch who performs energy healings, full moon ceremonies, and exorcisms. In her opinion, many people have the wrong idea about witches, likely an image inspired by famous films and TV shows. Modern witches don’t wear pointy black hats or fly on brooms, but they do exist.
Many clients turn to the witch for help. Most of them are people who feel lost and want answers or some guidance on how to act at a particular time. One such client is artist Kathleen McKay. She shared that Amanda Garcia’s sessions are like therapy with a little help from spirits.
The Practice of Witchcraft
Amanda began holding monthly “Magical Praxis” workshops. At these events, she combined magic, critical theory, and art. Frequent guests at these events included not only those interested in magic but also artists.
A writer from the LA Times wrote an article about one of her Magical Praxis rituals, which she performed to bind Donald Trump from causing harm. Nine months after the article was published, other publications began contacting her.
“Initiated: A Witch’s Memoir”
Amanda Garcia shared her experience in a book. Readers can learn much more about her path to witchcraft, which was marked by personal trials and a search for identity. The book begins with Amanda Garcia’s childhood, when her mother, a practicing witch, initiated her into the Earth-based practice of witchcraft.
Amanda’s true coming-of-age as a witch happened much later. It occurred as a result of traumatic, spontaneous events she endured. The woman went through a difficult journey filled with hardship and trials. She delves into a world of poverty, sex work, misogyny, and the struggle for her place and identity.
According to her, it was witchcraft that saved Amanda. She was able to return to her body and reclaim her power, creating her own magical world. The book will appeal to those who appreciate candid personal narratives. It can be compared to meeting a best friend you haven’t seen in a long time, one who isn’t afraid to share everything. In the book, the author describes old wounds and expectations, creating her own intimacy.
Published in 2019, the book is filled with mythology, tales of goddesses, and magical women. Therefore, fans of mysticism and feminism will also appreciate the literary work of this practicing California witch.
The Rebirth of Witchcraft
In Amanda Garcia’s view, witchcraft is about the magic and beauty of nature. It is an interesting way of understanding the world that gives a new perspective on what we experience. Interestingly, witchcraft is currently undergoing a revival, largely thanks to social media.
For example, Amanda Garcia has an Instagram account (handle – oracleofla) with over 51,000 followers. According to her, she does most of her work online.
In recent years, the number of witches in America has grown to 1.5 million. Interestingly, San Diego, California, is the sixth of the top ten best places to be a witch. Los Angeles ranked second. The winner in the ranking was New York City. The 2022 ranking of the best cities for witches was compiled by Lawn Love, considering access to covens, Tarot, and astrology classes. Among the 18 indicators, it was important to find cities with a large number of healers, herbalists, and metaphysical supply stores.
According to this ranking, Los Angeles took second place due to its large number of covens and supplies. The city has the highest number of spiritual shops with candles and herbs.
- The Green Man. This is a shop for spell materials located at 824 N. Hollywood Way, Burbank. They believe that becoming a witch requires many years of diligent study to awaken natural gifts and skills.
- Pan’s Apothika at 4856 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles. A magical shop where you can get Tarot readings and meditate with 3 specialists. They are Mr. James Maury, a Santería priest and practitioner of magical arts; Matt Bruce, a Tarot card reader and experienced numerologist; and Anna Elisa Chet, an intuitive Tarot reader in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
Helping Others
For Amanda Garcia, witchcraft is a way to help people find peace of mind. She observes that as more people lose faith in religious institutions, they still want to be connected to spirituality and imagination. She described a ritual that can help overcome grief. Amanda asks the client to write down three things they learned and three strengths they found in themselves as a result of past events. The paper is then burned in a witch’s cauldron, and the ashes are thrown off a bridge. After completing such a ritual, clients report feeling new energy and a readiness to receive the world’s blessings.
It’s also worth adding that the woman hosts the popular podcast “Between the Worlds,” which most listeners perceive as a graduate program in Tarot and magic. Additionally, Amanda Garcia was the co-host of another podcast, “Strange Magic.”
So, what is magic? Amanda compares it to the art of changing consciousness at will. She loves her work and strives for a world with even more loving, creative, and equal people.
