Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice festival is known as Yule in many circles, the root of this word in Old Norse means wheel & it represents the lowest point of the wheel of the year… when waning becomes waxing. This is the time when Mother Night encircles the Sun in her loving arms for the longest time during his cycle, & she returns him to us renewed & full of hope. As the Sun cycle waxes new, I will be spending 12 days in celebration of the returning light with candles lit, fires burning, feasting, story telling, baking & camping out in the living room with my children working dream incubation spells. Here are some ideas for your Winter Solstice celebrations…

Incense Blend…

I will be filling my home with this wonderful blend for the whole festival time to keep my spirit adrift & to open my heart & blood to the potential of this time.

Juniper berries

Frankincense resin

Damiana leaves

Dragon’s Blood resin

Cinnamon bark

 

Dream Incubation…

This is great to do with children to honour this time of year. We place mattresses in the living area so that all of our heads are angled to a central point & set up this spell in the middle.

As the Sun sets on the longest night, write or draw your wishes on a piece of paper. Fold it once, set it at the head of your bed & place a stone on top of it (we use smokey quartz or moonstone). In the center of these wishes place a bowl of sacred water (or water from a natural source, or filtered tap water at the very least) with lavender flowers in it.

Before you go to sleep, take turns whispering your wishes into the bowl of water & as you rise in the morning, discuss your dreams from the night before & how they may be clues for making your wishes come true.

After your Winter Solstice celebrations, return the water & lavender to nature, bury your wishes under a tree & carry your stones with you or keep them under your pillow.

 

And from the inspiring Michelle Duke-

Yule Log…

The longest night is a wonderful time to go deep within, to reflect, to enter the womb of creation. Seek out those parts of yourself that have been long forgotten, lost, unloved, & prepare to reawaken them from their slumber.

Gather together- Corn Husk, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Orange rind

Fill the corn husk with the herbs & any other symbolic things that you would like to burn, for example written words or hair. Wrap twine around it to create a log shape. Toss the Yule Log into your Winter Solstice fire or burn as a smudge for your home.

)O(

MOON Gemini SUN Gemini

I have been lucky enough to be inspired again by Michelle Duke & her magickal herb mixes to develop a Dark Moon Rite that will connect me more intimately with my Fae-self, harnessing the energy of Gemini to explore integration of opposing forces within myself & release me into a more natural & magickal state. The artwork in the photograph above is by Justin Balmain. I will be performing this rite on Wednesday night the 28th of May at the Witching Hour (AEST).

Gather into your sacred space the following dried herbs in 4 separate dishes…

Lavender & Sage

Bay & Dragon’s Blood

Skullcap & Thyme

Mugwort & Vervain

You will also need 4 incense coals in 4 heat proof dishes, a green candle in an appropriate holder & a cup of warm water with a teaspoon of Poppyseeds steeping in it. If you are unable to ingest Poppyseeds then substitute with a herbal tea of your choice. A journal or paper, & a pen will also be required.

Face East, light your incense coal & add the lavender & sage. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Air… of your Mind… of your Thoughts… of your Memories… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Mental Body. Write these instructions down.

Face North, light your incense coal & add the bay & dragon’s blood. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Fire… of your Spirit… of your Crafts… of your Desires… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Spiritual Body. Write these instructions down.

Face West, light your incense coal & add the skullcap & thyme. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Water… of your Heart… of your Wellbeing… of your Cycles… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Emotional Body. Write these instructions down.

Face South, light your incense coal & add the mugwort & vervain. Send out your prayers to the Keepers there & sit quietly in contemplation of Earth… of your Body… of your Health… of your Possessions… Search for any imbalance in this area & decide where you can support a more balanced Physical Body. Write these instructions down.

Move to the center, light the candle, drink the poppyseed elixir & prepare for an internal journey…

Find yourself in a Forest, take in all that you see & become one with the space you are in. Search for tracks or signs that will lead you to the nearest Fae community. When you arrive, ask for permission to meet with someone, giving your own name. When you are together be guided by your Fae Self, be open to sharing intimate thoughts & feelings, especially the ones that came up during the beginning of this rite. Let this interaction be natural & organic. When you are ready, be sure to give thanks. Return & record your experience in your journal straight away.

Release your circle in the way that you feel most comfortable.

Snuff out the candle & relight at any time that you can revisit the words you wrote during this rite, checking in to see how you are progressing.

Toss the incense dust to the winds as soon as you can.

)O(

MOON Scorpio SUN Taurus

On the night of the Scorpio Full Moon prepare yourself for this ceremony by clearing & quietening your self & your surrounds. When you are as close to stillness as you can be without being asleep, you are ready.

Create a sacred space & settle within it. Grind together herbs for an incense mix. Michelle Duke developed a blend especially for this Moon…

Wormwood

Nettle

Patchouli

Sage

Catnip

Lavender

Grind your mix widdershins (unwinding the Sun) & chant the following as you do-

Open All & push me through

I grind & hold to Spirit true

Send me deep to wounds unhealed

A balm this journey shall reveal

Repeat this chant 3 or 9 times, light your charcoal & add your mix.

Lay flat on the ground, close your eyes & breath in the smoke. Let your journey begin at the mouth of a cave with a small stream of water flowing into it. Light a torch from the bright, big Moon & walk into the cave. Explore as long & as deep as you can, keeping your attention attuned to your senses & honouring them in your explorations. When you are ready, return by way of giving thanks to the cave & Grandmother Moon.

Surface & add more of your mix to the charcoal. Write down your experience & how you wish to bring your findings out into the mundane world, with the intent of healing to your deepest self.

When the charcoal has gone out, bury it along with the ashes in the earth under the light of the Moon.

)O(

 

 

Mabon Incense

This lovely blend was developed last Full Moon during a session with one of my students. She was put on the spot & asked to come up with an incense blend for Mabon without any warning & within a reasonable amount of time. Later, as it was burning, I was called so quickly to journey that I lay down & had a most amazing experience! Burn this blend when you wish to make haste through the veil & journey with whatever you are seeking clarity for…. Mabon blessings to you all.

Jianne’s Mabon Incense Blend – Cinnamon, Clove, Eyebright, Blue Cornflower, Damiana, Frankincense, Dalia, Geranium, Comfrey Root, Orris Root & Dragon’s Blood.

)O(

MOON Gemini SUN Gemini

DARK MOON MIRROR MAGICK

You will need:

  • pen & paper
  • a mirror
  • cloth & methylated spirits
  • salt
  • candle
  • incense

Set your sacred space & call your circle as you desire.

Begin by writing on the paper a list of all the things about you that seem to contradict each other. For example, I am friendly & easy to converse with but rarely spend time in social situations. Next group these attributes to form two different people, giving them names & form. Decide which of these you would like to embody most & allow it move into you until you become this person.

Next, take your mirror & wipe it clean with the methylated spirits & cloth. Sprinkle it with salt & then prop it against a wall where you can look into it comfortably. Light the candle & burn the incense in front of the mirror. Consider the other person that was formed from your attributes & allow their form to enter the mirror.

Look into each others eyes, recognising the differences & honouring each other for their own unique qualities. Now explore how you fit together, now move together, now communicate with each other. Be aware that this is how you divide yourself & how those divided parts support each other. Allow the mirrored form to emerge & embrace each other… At this point you can choose to merge together as one. Burn the paper together, they must be on fire at the same time.

Finish & close your ritual in a way that suits your desires & give thanks. Dispose of incense & paper ash on the next windy day off a high point.

)O(

 

Samhain Incense blend

Aurora & I came up with this blend for our gathering this Samhain…

Sage

Wormwood

Rose

Rosemary

Nutmeg

Cinnamon

Mugwort

Bay

Myrrh

Patchouli

)O(

Winter Solstice Incense Blend

On the Longest Night a blend of herbs was channeled & grounded up for burning during the Moonweavers Arcana Coven Solstice of Winter workshop. It was gentle & powerful. It was able to raise consciousness, deepen awareness, clear the energies & hold the space, all the while keeping us focused & tuned into the festivities of Yule.

Juniper berries

Frankincense resin

Bay leaf

Wormwood leaf

Bloodroot

Dragon’s Blood

Myrrh resin

Sandalwood

Orange essential oil

Amber resin

Please note that this blend is strong so keep a bit of distance from the smoke & have a small flow of air through the space.

)O(

Shadow Realm Smudge Smoke

Frankincense (resin) – 1 teaspoon

Dragon’s Blood (resin) – 1 teaspoon

Wormwood (dried herb) – 1 teaspoon

Mugwort (dried herb) – half a teaspoon

Myrrh (resin) – half a teaspoon

Vetiver (essential oil) – 5 drops

Place all ingredients in a mortar that is specifically for magickal purpose (not your kitchen one!!).

Grind 3 x 3 deosil (anti-clockwise/sunwise) then 3 x 3 withershins (clockwise/anti-sunwise).

Burn when preparing for deep journey work. Smudge from the top down.

Store remaining blend in an airtight glass container with a small piece of metal, such as a paper clip or a pin.

WARNING – this is specific for deep shadow work, meaning that if you use it without this intent, an unwanted altered state may arise & cause mischief.

)O(