It is time we, as witches, and as humans who are a part of the ecosystem, reconnect with decomposition, specifically through the process called composting; a method of curating appropriate materials to be broken down, and creating an environment where allies such as the ones described below, can do their work. Through connecting with decomposition we can learn and practice what we must do to transform our current world into the new one we dream of.
Introduction
When we return from Oz, the inhabitants are rebuilding with fabric scraps, and emerald, and porcelain, birthing their patchwork future. We step back into our own world as it crumbles around us. The old world, the one we have all lived in, is dying. It our responsibility to compost this dying old world, rather than treat it like we do so much of what we no longer use, and leave it somewhere to break apart into the spiritual equivalent of microplastics that continue to harm ourselves and our natural world.
Decomposition is a natural process, and is often misunderstood. It is seen as degrading or undignified; much of Western culture focuses on keeping decomposition from happening as much as possible; leaves are raked out of the yards they grew from, trash is sent to landfills where it will suffocate (and much of that trash is made of materials that do not decompose), and when we die, it is culturally normal to embalm our bodies to ensure that we do not return to the earth. And as a final safeguard against returning to the ecosystem, we are placed in boxes that are designed to keep us separate from the earth that we took nourishment from our entire existence, for as long as possible.
It is time we, as witches, and as humans who are a part of the ecosystem, reconnect with decomposition, specifically through the process called composting; a method of curating appropriate materials to be broken down, and creating an environment where allies such as the ones described below, can do their work. Through connecting with decomposition we can learn and practice what we must do to transform our current world into the new one we dream of.
Potential Connections Between the Process of Composting and our Magical Work
The compost bin/tumbler/box: our intention as witches. We are creating a space the composting will take place, this is intentional, just as creating a ritual is.
Adding food scraps and other organic material to the compost bin/box/tumbler etc: all of the experiences of our lives, as well as the history of this age we are living in. We add all this context, trauma, knowledge to our spell work with the intention of breaking it down into something new. (This does not mean that these experiences and history do not exist or effect us any more. It does still exist, but in a new form, that can hopefully be nourishing to us).
The organisms, both micro and macro, that do the composting: us as witches/ our community/ spiritual allies/ ancestors/ descendants. Really anyone or anything or anyone that will help do this work.
A year-long arc: Composting takes time! Things happen in stages and rituals can be structured around the three-stage process of composting described below.
The heat of the Thermophilic phase: the cone of power and intensity of ritual.
The need for each phase to occur for fully-usable compost to be made: some matter is harder to compost than others, and the process needs to be be longer or more intense, for the end product to not be harmful to the plants it is added to, or the people working with it, or eating what comes from the plants. We need to sit with and process the world that is ending and be intentional in our work for the new world.
If we leave things unprocessed, this can cause harm both in composting and in the wider world. Some items, like bones, or harder pieces of plant matter, can be re-added to the compost pile to continue breaking down. The heat of the Thermophilic phase kills off harmful pathogens that can make their way into the compost from different added materials. Certain organic materials have to be composted a certain way for the resulting compost to be safe. It takes specific methods for some (Have you heard of compost toilets!?)
Composting can take many shapes and forms: from keyhole gardening to hügelkultur to worm bins, there are many different ways to make compost, and each have their own benefits and drawbacks depending on the situation and the person cultivating the composting. There are, similarly, many visions for a better future, and just as many, if not more, different ways to make it happen. (This includes both the mundane and magical traditions/practices)
Decomposition is not inevitable: From bog bodies to dinosaur fossils, decomposition doesn’t always occur. Whether this is happenstance, or something intentional, it reflects on how magic can both be accidental or intentional, and the intentionality we put into our spellwork, as well as framing the intentions we have for our work. I think it also hints nicely at the improvisational nature of Reclaiming Rituals…
The three stages of Aerobic Composting
from ‘Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond, by Michelle Balz
pp 29-30
Mesophilic
During the first phase, the mesophilic (moderate-temperature-loving) organisms start off the party. If you continually add material to your bin, everything you throw in for the first few days is in this stage. Colonies of bacteria travel to the party on the food scraps or dry leaves and start expanding under the right conditions. Macroorganisms such as larvae and worms also much away on the delicious buffet you prepared. Mesophilic organisms generally prefer temperatures from 50 to 115 F. This stage of our composting party can last a few days to a few weeks, depending on the maturity of your pile, the balance of materials, and your climate.
The rapidly increasing numbers of mesophilic bacteria and fungi feasting on the soluble sugars and starches of the material you added. In our party analogy, your growing number of friends start eating all the best cookies, cupcakes, and soft pretzels, but that’s okay because everyone is having a good time. By eating all this food and breaking down the organic material in the pile, the mesophilic bacteria create heat as a byproduct.
Thermophilic
Like most good parties, the composting process will eventually start to heat up. Once enough heat has built up from the action of the mesophilic bacteria, the thermophilic (heat-loving) organisms step in and thrive in these conditions, Thermophilic organisms prefer temperatures of roughly 115 – 140 F. Although predominately bacteria, thermophiles also include heat-tolerant species of actinomycetes and fungi.
During this phase, the worms and other mesophilic organism migrate to the edge of the pile or back into the cool earth. The specialized thermophilic bacteria decompose material rapidly and consume oxygen rapidly in the process. If you wish to maintain the high temperatures to keep your thermophilic friends quickly decomposing, you have to aerate the pile regularly during this time. Turning the pile during this phase also integrates new material previously not in the thermophilic zone, giving the thermophiles fresh food. If your compost pile is not large enough, too much heat will be lost to the outside air, and you will not achieve the temperatures needed for this phase.
The thermophilic phase lasts a few weeks, to a few months depending on what material you add and how often you turn the pile. The high temperatures of this phase kill pathogens and weed seeds. Organisms consume the proteins, fats, and cellulose in the pile. Cellulose is the major structural compound in plants, so this is the phase when the materials break apart and no longer resemble their original structures. However long it takes, eventually our heat-loving friends get tired and leave the party, bringing us to the calmer and final stage of composting.
Maturation
This phase ushers in more mesophilic organisms for the long slow finalization of our party. The food not yet consumed , such as lignin (the tough structures that make up wood and bark), is broken down by the fungi and actinomycetes. Worms jump in too and help clean up the material into a state of finished compost. This stage can last a few months, depending on the composition of your pile and the type of compost bin you use.
Although the compost in this phase measures close to air temperature, your microorganism friends are stabilizing the material and making the nutrients ready for plant use….
Compost Chemistry
Although it may seem like magic, our food scraps require no wand or fairy dust to become finished compost. Instead they only need the ‘magic’ of chemistry. Microorganisms fundamentally change the chemical makeup of the materials they eat, pulling of the energy they need using different enzymes. Bacteria and fungi secrete these enzymes to break down the complex compounds making up what we add to the compost bin. Impressively, they create specialized enzymes specifically for the type of material they are breaking down. For example. they secrete protease to digest proteins, cellulase to digest cellulose, and amylase to digest starches.
As the food moves through the composting food web, compounds change and simplify until most are simple and stable enough for plant intake. Some microbes, however, create long, intricate chains called polymers sing the simpler compounds. Materials such as the lignin fibers mix in wood are so complex that the backyard composting process does not fully break it down. The simple compounds, complex compounds, and leftover lignin together to become the beautiful humus-filled material that we call finished compost.