THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

The Witchʼs Wheel of the Year

RITUALS, SPELLS & PRACTICES FOR MAGICAL SABBATS, HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS
 CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 The Wheel of the Year
CHAPTER 2 Yule
CHAPTER 3 Imbolc
CHAPTER 4 Ostara
CHAPTER 5 Beltane
CHAPTER 6 Litha
CHAPTER 7 Lughnasadh
CHAPTER 8 Mabon
CHAPTER 9 Samhain

Conclusion
Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR

In the span of a year, nature embraces its transformation from birth

to death. From the icy winter blanket knitted over the land, green
buds burst into flourishing harvests that soon wither into barren
fields.
These seasonal transitions once held us firmly in their grasp. Our
survival depended on cultivating a connection with the natural
rhythms of the land under the influence of the sun. The sunʼs
position in the sky dictated whether it was time to sow the fields,
reap the crops, or count the dark, hungry days ahead. Ancient Pagan
societies recognized that with each monumental solar event, the
world around them changed—at polar ends of the cycle, the solstices
brought with them the extremes of winter and summer. During
spring and autumn, the equinoxes stretched their shadows over the
land in equal length. And halfway through each season, the cross-
quarter days acted as reminders that the winds were about to turn.
Throughout ancient Pagan history, these annual events inspired
corresponding celebrations, which Neopagans in the 1950s and ʼ60s
reconstructed into the modern-day Wheel of the Year. Largely Celtic
and Germanic in origin, the Wheel of the Year is a calendar of Pagan
holidays that celebrates the quarter days (the four beginnings of
each season) as well as the cross-quarter days (the midpoint of each
season). Known as sabbats in the witchcra -based religion of Wicca,
many modern Pagan traditions have adopted these holidays, each
representing a peak time of the year to perform certain rites and
rituals in line with the rhythms of the natural world. The eight-
spoked wheel that turns upon the arrival of each holiday symbolizes
the sun from which the seasons evolve each year.
Correspondences of Wheel of the Year

HOLIDAY CYCLE EVENT DATE DESCRIPTION SPELLS & RITUALS

YULE Winter December 21 Beginning of Rebirth, blessing,

Solstice winter peace, joy, family,
community

IMBOLC Cross-Quarter February 1 Midway point Warmth, growth,

between purification,
winter and healing,
spring protection

OSTARA Spring March 21 Beginning of Balance, growth,

Equinox spring fertility, love,
rebirth, renewal

BELTANE Cross-Quarter May 1 Midway point Fertility, beauty,

between passion,
spring and romance,
summer abundance,
faeries

LITHA Summer June 21 Beginning of Vitality, joy,

Solstice summer bounty,
abundance,
healing, strength

LUGHNASADH Cross-Quarter August 1 Midway point Harvest, physical

between skills,
summer and transformation,
autumn (First prosperity
Harvest)

MABON Autumn September 21 Beginning of Balance,

Equinox autumn harmony,
(Second community, self-
Harvest) confidence,
gratitude, charity,
preparation
HOLIDAY CYCLE EVENT DATE DESCRIPTION SPELLS & RITUALS

SAMHAIN Cross-Quarter October 31 Midway point Honoring the

between dead, connecting
autumn and with spirits,
winter (Third protection
& Final
Harvest)
ORIGINS
Twelve thousand years ago, at the end of the last great ice age, a
warming climate allowed nomadic hunter-gatherers to settle on the
land they once hunted. No longer tied to the wandering herds of
wild game, these Neolithic pagans cleared forests and erected
settlements, gradually becoming dependent on crop cultivation and
animal domestication.

Knowledge of solar shi s and weather patterns became

indispensable to these farmers as efficient use of growing seasons
began to dictate survival. It is thought that ancient peoples erected
megaliths, such as Stonehenge and Newgrange, not only as powerful
sites to hold rituals but as calendars to mark important solar events,
such as solstices and equinoxes. During these solar shi s, Neolithic
peoples performed elaborate rites that venerated the deities they
believed responsible for each season. In the Germanic and Celtic
societies that followed, these celebrations evolved into a calendar of
holidays—each with distinct traditions that honored the seasonal
shi s.

Although the fixed eight-fold calendar of Pagan festivals is a

modern construct, the names and traditions hark back to those of
ancient Pagan times. The holidays we celebrate today are largely
based on Germanic and Celtic traditions but also draw influence
from the Roman invasions of Northern Europe, Eastern ideologies,
and the Christianization of Pagan Europe.

While it is thought that Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon traditions

influenced the solstice and equinox festivals on the Wheel, the
cross-quarter celebrations have largely evolved from the practices of
an ancient order of Celtic priests known as the Druids. The Druids
were responsible for maintaining religious order, appeasing the
Celtic gods and goddesses—usually by way of human or animal
sacrifice—and divining prophecies. The Gaelic calendar was split
into four quarters (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh),
with the Celtic new year beginning on Samhain and the second half
of the year beginning on Beltane. Because of this division, the
Druids considered Samhain and Beltane powerful, liminal times to
connect with the spirit realms. Each holiday traditionally began at
sundown on the evening before the celebration.

MODERN RECONSTRUCTION
In 1835, Jacob Grimm, one half of the infamous Brothers Grimm,
published a seminal work on Germanic folklore called Teutonic
Mythology, in which he outlined the bonfires associated with the
ancient Pagan celebrations of Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer,
Samhain, and more. This landmark work, along with later
publications on folkloric witchcra by authors such as Sir James
George Frazer and Margaret Murray, provided the basis from which
the leaders of the Wiccan Bricket Wood coven and the Order of
Bards, Ovates, and Druids created the fixed Wheel of the Year.

Originally attributed to Wicca, the Wheel of the Year has become

a commonly referenced calendar of holidays across many Neopagan
traditions. While many have adopted the Wheel as a whole, some
traditions have introduced variation into the basic framework. Celtic
Reconstructionists, for example, celebrate only those festivals they
believe to have been definitively celebrated in ancient Celtic society;
these are the cross-quarter fire festivals of Samhain, Imbolc,
Beltane, and Lughnasadh. Many modern Druids, however, adhere
more closely to the Wheel of the Year but with some variation; they
refer to the quarter days as Albans. Heathenry traditions (modern
religious movements based on Germanic Neopaganism) follow
several different calendar variations reconstructed from historical
and folkloric evidence of seasonal celebrations of the early
Germanic peoples and the Old Norse religion. Eclectic witches, or
those Neopagans who are not tied to any particular religion or
tradition, o en celebrate the Wheel of the Year in the syncretic style
of Wicca and neo-Druidism by fusing together the Pagan holidays of
the Germanics and the Celts.
THE ASTRONOMICAL BASIS FOR THE SEASONS
Over the course of a year, the earth completes a single orbit around
the sun. Because it is tilted on its axis, different parts of the earth get
either more or less direct sunlight depending on the time of year,
which is what creates the varying seasons. When the North Pole
reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun, it is the Winter Solstice
in the Northern Hemisphere—that part of the planet receives colder
weather over the shadowy land because there is less direct sunlight.
At the same time, the South Pole reaches its maximum tilt toward the
sun, and the Summer Solstice occurs in the Southern Hemisphere,
as it receives warmer weather over the brightened land due to more
direct sunlight. The situation is reversed when the North Pole tilts
toward the sun and the South Pole away from it: it is the Summer
Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice in the
Southern Hemisphere.

Each of the quarter holidays comes at the dawn of a new season—

a transitional, and thus powerful, time of the year to harness magick
from nature and provide your spells and rituals with additional
energy. These energetically potent transitions occur not only in the
temporal dimension (time) but in the spatial dimensions of the
physical realm. Ley lines are thought to be a supernatural energy
highway of imaginary lines connecting ancient sites, such as
Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. Many practitioners of
magick seek out these powerful places of ritual during solar shi s to
enhance their connection to the universal energy. Neo-Druids amass
by the hundreds (and sometimes thousands!) at Stonehenge to
honor the solstices and the equinoxes. Each holiday on the Wheel of
the Year, too, has corresponding sites at which Pagan traditions have
historically been carried out—and not all are archeological
megaliths or sacred landforms. Hilltops, holy wells, graveyards, and
more can be places of immense energy. If you like, create a map of
your regionʼs energetic hotspots based on your own observations
and knowledge of the land. This map can help you find the perfect
spot to perform your rituals come each turn of the Wheel.
 Beyond specific sites of energy and transitional times,
transitional spaces in nature—those that represent a boundary
where two powerful energies meet—can also bolster your magick.
The shore (where the land meets the sea) and the hedge (where the
fields meet the forest) are both powerful places to perform ritual
magick in the belly of the changing landscape. Although many
locations can add extra energy to your rituals, there is none so
personal and accessible as the home altar. Your altar may shi with
the seasons and rituals at hand, but if composed with focus and
intention, it can function as a highly concentrated well of energy.
 CELEBRATING THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR IN THE SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE
Because the Wheel of the Year is based on the Pagan practices of ancient cultures in the
Northern Hemisphere, this book focuses mainly on those climates and regional
observations. However, if you practice in the Southern Hemisphere, you can apply the
symbolic meanings of the traditions to your cra as you celebrate each turn of the Wheel on
the opposite end of the calendar. Differences from the Northern Hemisphere may include
cardinal directions for elemental associations, constellations and astronomical events,
astrological seasons, weather observances, waxing and waning moon phases, and the
directions for casting circles and circling around sacred or ritual objects.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the waxing and waning sides of moon phases are reversed
from the Northern Hemisphere, as are the circular directions of deosil and widdershins and
the cardinal directions of the elements are also reversed.

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

WAXING MOON WAXING MOON

Illuminated on right side Illuminated on le side

WANING MOON WANING MOON

Illuminated on le side Illuminated on right side

DEOSIL DEOSIL

Clockwise Counterclockwise

WIDDERSHINS WIDDERSHINS

Counterclockwise Clockwise

FIRE FIRE

South North
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

EARTH EARTH

North South

AIR AIR

East West

WATER WATER

West East
SEASONAL MAGICK
The Wheel of the Year represents not only an annual calendar of
holidays but also the natural cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. By
intertwining our magick with these seasonal turns, we can harness
the ever-fluxing energies that abound. Beginning with the Winter
Solstice, we see the rebirth of the sun as it embarks on its return to
our realm here on earth. This is the time for bidding farewell to the
old and welcoming the new—a time for transformation, renewal,
and new beginnings. As we continue around the Wheel, we arrive at
the Spring Equinox, the time of the year when all is new and
flourishing. The sun is growing in strength, the land is slowly
awakening, and the energy is balanced in perfect harmony. This is
the time for increasing magick—those rituals that harness the power
of growth. The Summer Solstice brings the height of fertile energy
as the land blossoms all around, preparing to give birth to the
harvest. This is the time for transformation and manifestation—for
giving birth to the intentions we have nurtured since the Winter
Solstice. The Autumn Equinox is once again a balance of energies
that allows us to pause and take stock of all we have grown so that
we may prepare for the dark months ahead. This is a time for
gratitude and reflection rituals—for honoring ourselves and our
journey thus far. In between these powerful, transitional holidays lie
the cross-quarter days, portals that place us on the threshold of each
season and allow us to prepare for each transition. With this in
mind, you can create spells and rituals at each turn of the Wheel so
that you may work in perfect unison with the natural cycles of the
earth.

These general truths—that the solstices call for transformation,

the equinoxes for reflection and balance, and the cross-quarter days
for preparation—provide a mindful framework for the holiday
traditions of the ancient Pagans as well as our modern seasonal
rituals. You will see that the Germanics o en burned a Yule log
during the Winter Solstice to ensure the rebirth of the sun. And
during the liminal, principal festivals of Samhain and Beltane, the
Celts engaged in spirit communication to ensure blessings for the
dark days ahead. In melding the energies of the seasons with the
roots of these traditions, we can create rituals and spells that align
with the very evolution of the universal energy.

Before performing any of the spells and rituals listed in this book,
you may choose to follow the ceremonial opening and closing
traditions of your personal practice. These could include cleansing
the energy of your space by filling it with herbal smoke, such as that
of sage, cedar, sweet grass, mugwort, lavender, or palo santo; casting
a circle of protective energy around your sacred space or altar with a
wand; charging and/or blessing your magickal tools with crystals or
light energy; calling the elemental quarters; creating threshold
wards with herbs or salt; or invoking deities. (For more information
on opening ritual elements, see here.) Incorporating the spells and
rituals in this book with your own mindful practice can only further
align your magick with that of the universe.
Altars
Focusing your working altar on the unique seasonal energies of each
turn of the Wheel can help you to make the most of your holiday
rituals. These altars will change tremendously throughout the year,
but by referencing the correspondences listed under each holiday in
this book, you can easily construct an appropriate foundation for the
spells and rituals that follow. A er arranging the basic altar items
below, add any of the corresponding symbolic items from each
holiday to your space to call upon the unique seasonal energies.
ALTAR ITEMS
ALTAR CLOTH: An altar cloth protects the altarʼs surface and can add
symbolic meaning if chosen based on seasonal colors or the
ritualʼs purpose.
ANOINTING OR RITUAL OIL: An anointing or ritual oil is a
vibrationally charged oil. Use it to consecrate or bless the skin or a
magickal tool, such as a candle, for ritual use. O en, it is cra ed
by infusing ritual herbs and essential oils into a carrier oil, such as
sweet almond oil or olive oil. For an example, see the Crone
Anointing Oil here.
BLADE OR BOLINE: Use a blade or boline (a Wiccan utility knife) for
cutting herbs and other materials as well as carving symbols into
candles or other spell items.
CANDLES: Choose candles in the colors of the holiday and place
them on the altar to draw the energy of the season.
CAULDRON OR CHALICE: A cauldron or a chalice represents the
Water element. You can use it in rituals that call for wine, mead,
oil, elemental water for cra ing, or energized water. It is
especially useful for transformation spells.
CRYSTALS: Crystals are naturally formed gems or stones with
vibrational qualities. Use them to cleanse, charge, amplify, or
protect. Crystals can function individually as amulets or
talismans, or you can form them into a grid to call a particular
energy to your sacred space. Selenite and clear quartz are usually
used for cleansing or light-bringing, black tourmaline and
obsidian for protection, citrine and clear quartz for healing, rose
quartz and rhodochrosite for love, labradorite for transformation,
amethyst and lapis lazuli for second sight, hematite for grounding,
and green aventurine for growth and prosperity.
FEATHER OR FAN: A feather or fan represents the Air element. Use
it to wa herbal smoke or energies around your sacred space for
cleansing purposes.
 FIREPROOF VESSEL: Use a fireproof vessel for burning herbs or
incense as well as spell paper or bay leaves for petition magick.
HERBS AND INCENSE: Use herbs and tree resins as altar decorations
and offerings and in preparations, such as smoke bundles,
smokeless botanical sprays, incense cones and sticks, loose
incense and charcoal discs, anointing oils (see here). Cra smoke
bundles and smokeless sprays from sage, cedar, juniper, bay,
mugwort, lavender, sweetgrass, palo santo, yerba santa, rosemary,
frankincense, and/or myrrh and use them to cleanse a space
before ritual work. You can use loose herbs in the same way and
burn them on charcoal discs inside fireproof vessels.
SALT OR SOIL: Salt or soil represents the Earth element. Use either
in grounding, cleansing, and protection spells and rituals or as
needed for particular rituals.
WAND OR ATHAME: A wand or athame (a Wiccan ceremonial blade)
represents the Fire element. Use it for directing energy during
spells and rituals.
The main altar for each holiday should either face the East (towards
the rising sun) or the direction attributed to each holiday (see the
Wheel of the Year illustration here). If you would like to call the
elements to your altar, you can place the athame or wand in the
southern direction of Fire, the feather or fan in the eastern direction
of Air, the cauldron or chalice in the western direction of Water, and
a bowl of salt or soil in the northern direction of Earth. Or, you may
choose to represent the elements with candle colors—red for Fire,
yellow for Air, blue for Water, and green for Earth—and place them
in the appropriate direction on your altar.
Preparing for Ritual
Prior to performing the seasonal rituals offered throughout this
book, you may want to do a few things to prepare. For these spells
and rituals, as well as any others in your practice, it can be helpful to
develop a small opening ceremony of sorts to prepare yourself for
cra work. You should feel free to modify the following template
based on your individual practice.

Now that we have a solid foundation for cra ing magick with the
seasons, we can begin our journey through each holiday on the
Wheel of the Year. Starting with the astronomical basis for each
holiday and historical sites with ties to these days, we can visualize
how the ancient Pagans might have looked to the skies to tune their
spiritual and practical traditions to each turn of the seasons. From
Midwinter to Samhain, we watch as the sun slowly reawakens,
bringing new life and energy to the land and people, until it gently
retreats, leaving only the harvest in its wake. From this symbolic
cycle, we create modern spells and rituals that align with the raw,
nature-based energy that drove these ancient traditions.

You will notice that many regional climate variations existed (and
still exist) among world cultures, but the symbolism of each remains
the same. If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you may feel
compelled to celebrate Beltane traditions at the time of Midsummer,
much in the way the Swedish do. Or, in more temperate climates,
you may find that Ostara rituals lend themselves to late winter as
opposed to the holidayʼs fixed position in midspring. This is
perfectly okay—this book is meant to give you the historical basis
and accompanying symbolism for the syncretic Wheel of the Year so
that you can align it with your own regionally influenced practice.
While I have tried to include only the simplest ingredients and tools
for many of the rituals, the availability of fresh herbs, crystals, salts,
and other materials may dictate alterations and substitutions based
on your location. In these cases, just apply the symbolism of the
holiday to the ritual.
Happy cra ing!
 PREPARING FOR RITUAL
1. Write down your intention for the ritual in your grimoire or journal. This helps to
focus your magick on the result you would like to achieve. You may also write down
the materials as well as the steps in your ritual (including any chants or
incantations) for future reference.

2. Gather all the materials you will need to perform your ritual before you begin. This
ensures not only that your energetically protected circle or sacred space remains intact
but that your focus remains unbroken.

3. Once you have determined the location where you would like to perform your ritual,
cleanse the area of any negative or lingering energy by ceremonially wa ing herbal
smoke, a botanical spray, or a light-bringing crystal wand of clear quartz, selenite, or
black tourmaline around the space.

4. Cleanse the materials and magickal tools you have gathered for your ritual using any
of the methods in step 3 and lay them out on your altar.

5. If your practice includes casting circles, cast a circle with a wand around your space
in a deosil (clockwise) direction, closing the circle of protection around you and all
your materials as you call energy into your space. Now you may begin your ritual.
When you are finished, open the circle by tracing your wand in the widdershins
(counterclockwise) direction. Release any energies (such as deities or the elements)
that you have called into your circle and cleanse the space of any lingering energy
with black tourmaline.
YULE

December 20–23
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
June 20–23

PRONUNCIATION:
YOOL

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
Midwinter
Yuletide
Winter Solstice
the Longest Night
Jól (Norse)
Alban Arthuan (Druidic)
Christmas (Christian)
Mother's Night

The festival of Yule heralds the arrival of Midwinter and the longest
night of the year. Beginning on the Winter Solstice, this festive
holiday comes at the time when the snow begins to fall and the
barren land no longer supports the creatures that depend on it.
Hopefully, we have successfully prepared for winter during the
harvest season and have gathered and preserved enough food to last
until spring. Light and warmth are celebrated, and the sun is
welcomed back as it first teeters on the precipice of the darker half
of the year and then finally begins its return to the land. Families
and friends gather and share in the abundance of food and drink,
kindling bonds with each other and with their ancestors who have
enjoyed festivities past. Immortal evergreens are revered for their
ability to survive the harsh temperatures, and spirited tales of
morality and kindness told around the Yule fire encourage good
cheer and full hearts even in the darkest hour.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Bells, candles and lanterns, evergreen wreaths or boughs, gold
or silver platters, mistletoe, Yule log

ANIMALS: Bear, boar, cat, elk, goat, horse, reindeer, robin, snowy owl, stag, wren

CELEBRATIONS: Caroling/wassailing, charity and gi giving, decorating the Yule tree,

feasting, lighting the Yule log

COLORS: Red, green, blue, white, gold, silver

DEITIES: Dagda, Brigid, Lugh and Ériu, Oak and Holly Kings (Celtic); Saint
Nicholas/Santa Claus (Christian); Horus, Isis, Ra (Egyptian); Christkind (German);
Dionysus/Bacchus, Poseidon/Neptune (Greco-Roman); Baldur, Frigga, Hel, Hodur,
Loki, Odin (Norse)

DIRECTION: North

ELEMENT: Earth

FOOD AND DRINK: Bay laurel, dried or preserved fruits (such as figs or apples),
eggnog, fruitcake, lambswool (a type of mulled beer) or ale, mulled wine, nuts,
pork, roasted root vegetables, Wassail or spiced cider, Yule log cake

HERBS: Bayberry, blessed thistle, peppermint, rosemary

INCENSE AND OILS: Bayberry, cedarwood, cinnamon, clove, frankincense, myrrh,

orange, pine, sage

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Bells, drum, flute, harp, piano, voice

STONES: Bloodstone, blue topaz, clear quartz, diamond, emerald, garnet, ruby,
sapphire

SYMBOLS: Ghosts, holly, light, mistletoe, poinsettia, pomander ball, sun, wheel, Yule
log

THEMES: Community, generosity, immortality, longest night, love, peace, rebirth of

the sun, return of the light

TREES: Birch, cedar, fir, holly, juniper, pine, spruce, oak, yew

ZODIAC/PLANET: Capricorn/Saturn (Sun at 0 degrees Capricorn)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
At sundown on the Winter Solstice, the earth rests in its deepest
slumber at its furthest tilt away from the sun as it reaches the 0-
degree mark in the cardinal sign of earthy Capricorn. In the
Northern Hemisphere, these Midwinter rays hit the Tropic of
Capricorn directly, resulting in the shortest day of the year for all
those above this line of latitude. Moving from this line toward the
North Pole, the land receives progressively less daylight as the angle
of the sunʼs rays becomes less direct. A profound example of this lies
north of the Arctic Circle. When the Winter Solstice casts its shadow
across the northernmost parts of Alaska in the United States,
Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia, the land remains completely
shrouded in darkness. Even at high noon, the sun barely peeks over
the horizon before dipping back down and plunging the land back
into nightfall.

Although the Winter Solstice brings incomparable darkness to the

land, it also heralds the arrival of what many Pagans refer to as the
lighter half of the year. Initially, this phrasing may seem confusing—
why is the darkest day of the year celebrated as the return of the
light? In witchcra , we must always remember the adage that in
death, there is always rebirth. Just as things can only get better from
rock bottom, days can only get brighter from the darkest hour. From
this moment until the Summer Solstice, the earth will tilt back
toward the sun. As the rays fall more directly on this hemisphere,
the days begin to lengthen. And so, we celebrate the Winter Solstice
and Yuletide season not only as a fond farewell to the darkness but
as a warm welcome to the return of the light and the rebirth of the
sun.

In the night sky, the three stars of Orionʼs Belt align with Sirius
inside the asterism of the Winter Circle—a recognizable pattern of
stars that illuminate the dome of the Winter Solstice. The seasonal
full moon that occurs in December is known as the Moon before
Yule or the Cold Moon. In North America, it is sometimes referred
to it as the Long Nights Moon because it hangs over the darkest
month of the year. The Cold Moon is a time to rest and rebuild your
energy as you rekindle the fires in your home and hearth.
ANCIENT SITES
The Winter Solstice has been a time of importance since before
recorded history. Ancient peoples across the globe—from Egypt and
many countries in Europe to Mexico and Peru—built monuments to
align with this celestial event. The most famous megalith thought to
mark the arrival of the Winter Solstice is Stonehenge, a Neolithic
stone monument built on Salisbury Plain in England. Each year,
many modern Pagans gather at the prehistoric site to honor the
return of the light and stand at the Avenue to watch the Midwinter
sun set between what remains of the tallest trilithonʼs uprights.

Other Neolithic monuments, such as Newgrange in northeastern

Ireland and Maeshowe in Scotland, welcome the Midwinter sunrise
as chambers in their tomb-like mounds fill with light. In Luxor,
Egypt, sunlight fills the sanctuary of Amun-Re as the sun rises
through the entryway of the Temple of Karnak.

CELEBRATING MIDWINTER IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

On the Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun hits the Tropic of Cancer, and all
those below it experience the shortest day of the year. The closer a place is to the South Pole,
the less daylight it receives, as the angle of the sun’s rays becomes less direct. Accordingly,
the South Pole is shrouded in darkness on the Winter Solstice. Here, the sun reaches 0
degrees in Cancer.
In the night sky, the Winter Triangle, an asterism of three bright stars (Vega, Deneb, and
Altair) from three different constellations (Lyra the Harp, Cygnus the Swan, and Aquila the
Eagle) rises in the east.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
The illumination of the chambers, trilithons, and other portals of
ancient monuments by the Midwinter sunʼs rays signaled to societies
that change was upon them. Archeological digs near Stonehenge
revealed the discarded remains of nine-month-old cows and pigs
from the Neolithic era—ritual slaughters likely performed in
conjunction with the Winter Solstice, as indicated by the timing
from birth during early spring until death nine months later. These
may have performed the dual purpose of replenishing depleted food
stores while relieving the burden of feeding the sacrificed animals
throughout the coldest months of Winter, which still lay ahead. By
this time, wine and mead made from the fall harvest had also
fermented, and there were great feasts to celebrate the abundance
of the season. Familial bonding and offerings to the Midwinter
deities were o en important aspects of the Yuletide season and
ensured that the remaining days until the first harvest would be
successful. In Neopagan traditions, the goddess, who had been
resting in her crone aspect, and the god, who had been slain, are
born as the infantile light.
Germanic Peoples
While the Winter Solstice has certainly been a time of importance
throughout many ancient societies, the Pagan holiday of Yule is
thought to have originated with the Scandinavians. The name Yule
stems from the old Norse word hjól or jól, meaning wheel. These
Northern Germanic peoples believed that the sun was in fact a
wheel that cyclically rolled away from the earth during the darker
half of the year and back toward it during the lighter half. The
Yuletide season was a time to encourage the return of the sun by
lighting a Yule log, which in ancient tradition was an entire tree that
burned in the hearth over twelve days; to feast on boar and mead; to
decorate with symbols of immortality like evergreen trees and holly
wreaths; and to worship their Yule-Beings, Norse gods and
goddesses that were associated with Midwinter.

In Norse mythology, the Yule Father, Odin, led the Wild Hunt
across the Midwinter sky, riding the galloping winds on his eight-
legged steed, Sleipnir. Accompanied by a group of spectral
huntsmen and their hounds, he determined the fate of all those he
came across. Those he deemed no longer fit to roam the earthly
realm would be rounded up and hand-delivered to the underworld.
Those who pleased him would be given gi s and sent on their merry
way. It is for this reason that many believe Odin was the Pagan
precursor to Santa Claus.

Another Christianized artifact of Pagan Yule tradition is the

folklore surrounding mistletoe. On the Winter Solstice (also known
as Motherʼs Night across much of Northern Europe), Frigga, Odinʼs
wife and the Norse goddess of love, gave birth to Baldur, the god of
light. Fearful of an ancient prophecy that Baldur would die by his
brotherʼs hand, Frigga desperately pleaded with all of nature to
protect him from harm. The tactic seemingly worked, as Baldur
quickly became perceived as immortal, but Loki, the trickster god of
chaos, heard that Frigga had overlooked the young and innocent
mistletoe that grew on the branches of the great oaks. Armed with
this information, Loki made an arrow from the mistletoe. On the
Midsummer Solstice, he tricked Baldurʼs brother Hodur, the blind
god of darkness, into shooting the arrow through Baldurʼs heart.
Baldur was sent to Helʼs domain (the Norse underworld), and
Ragnarok, in Norse tradition an apocalypse that causes the
destruction of god and man, began. So beside herself that her tears
turned the mistletoeʼs berries milky white, Frigga vowed that from
then on, mistletoe would bring only peace and love. Against all odds,
Baldur survived Ragnarok and was brought back to Frigga on the
Winter Solstice, the date of his birth. Like the Greco-Roman myth of
Persephone and Demeter and the Celtic tale of the Oak and Holly
Kings (see below), the story of Frigga, Baldur, and Hodur is
analogous to the death and rebirth of the sun each year.

Celts
Many Celtic traditions honor the Winter Solstice as the time when
Lugh, the Celtic god of light, is reborn and joins his wife, Ériu, in her
maiden form. Together, they warm and fertilize the land so that it
may blossom once more. But, in the spirit of the Yuletide season, we
would be remiss if we did not tell the tale of the legendary Druidic
battle between the archetypal Oak and Holly Kings. During the
course of a year, the two kings, each representing one side of the
duality of life—life and death—battle to sit on the throne from which
they will rule over all of nature. At the Summer Solstice, the Holly
King, disguised as a wren, takes his place on the throne to rule the
waning part of the year, bringing death and destruction to the land
as the darkness overtakes the earth. Come the Winter Solstice, the
Oak King, disguised as a robin, triumphs over the Holly King,
winning the seat and bringing renewal, rebirth, and light to the land
once more. Like the story of Baldur and Hodur, the legendary
annual battle between the Oak and Holly Kings embodies the cycle
of nature under the influence of the sun. Druids celebrate this time
as Alban Arthuan—the return of the light.
Greeks and Romans
During Midwinter, ancient Romans honored the god Saturn with a
winter festival known as Saturnalia. Saturn, the god of rules, time,
and agriculture, was thought to be absent on the Winter Solstice as
he was busy resetting the sun (or being sacrificed, depending on
which myths you believe). Ancient Romans took advantage of this
break in the norm and spent the holiday season trading rules and
business for merry-making and debauchery. Celebrants donned
syntheses, colorful party garments, in place of the traditional togas
as they celebrated with socializing, drinking, gambling, feasting,
and more. They also hung decorative wreaths and greenery and gave
gi s, o en in the form of wax candles, known as cerei, that
symbolized the return of the light.

Some ancient Greek societies celebrated the Winter Solstice

during Haloea, an ancient Hellenic festival held in honor of Demeter
(the mother goddess of the harvest), Dionysus (the god of wine), and
Persephone (the maiden goddess of spring) during the month of
Poseidon. Like Saturnalia, this festival was a hedonistic celebration
of erotic debauchery, and all bets were off during the week of
Midwinter merrymaking.
Egyptians
During the Winter Solstice, ancient Egyptians celebrated the rebirth
of the sun god Horus. According to myth, the goddess Isis (mother of
Horus) was married to Osiris, the god of the underworld. But, in
order to become pregnant, she needed magick powerful enough to
resurrect Osiris from the underworld. To accomplish this, she
tricked Ra (a sun god o en thought to be a manifestation of Horus)
into giving her his real name, which imparted a powerful magick on
its bearer. Only then did she have the power to bring Osiris into the
mortal world so that she could become pregnant with their son. This
mythological dance occurs each year as Horus is reborn on the
Winter Solstice, bringing light back to the earth.
 PROJECT

WINTER SOLSTICE STONE CAIRN

Mark the arrival of the Winter Solstice in the comfort of your own yard or
garden, or a public space such as a park.

Materials:
Found stones you can stack (10 or so)
Marker stone or object
Clear quartz tower
Mortar (optional)

A rock cairn is an artfully constructed pile of balanced stones that marks a site of
importance. You will o en see smaller cairns as trail markers while hiking or in gardens as
decorative pieces; however, they can be made quite large. Believe it or not, Stonehenge is
actually a rock cairn! You, too, can celebrate Midwinter by building your own miniature
Stonehenge with stones you find in your garden or yard and aligning it with the solstice
sun.

1) The evening before the Winter Solstice is set to arrive in your region, travel to the highest spot
on your land where the sunset is visible. Use a stone or another object to mark the place where
the sun’s dying rays fall.

2) On the morning of the Winter Solstice, collect stackable stones of various sizes and pile them
near the marker stone. The stones can be as small or large as you like—just remember that you
will want to stack them as tall as possible so that you can view the sunset between them.

3) As the Solstice sun begins to drop down to the horizon, adjust the marker stone or object so
that it aligns with the sun’s rays. In ceremony or meditation, begin to balance the rocks you
collected on top of each other in two piles on either side of the marker stone until the stacks are
as tall as they can be while remaining stable. If you would like your cairn to be very tall, you
may use mortar to cement the stones together for more stability.

4) Stand a clear quartz tower on the marker stone. Clear quartz is known as the Stone of Power
and is considered to be a “master healer.” It amplifies energy and attunes you to the vibrations
of the universal energy. A er this ritual, you can use it to recharge all of your magickal tools
with the energy of the returning sun.
5) Now you may perform your celebratory Winter Solstice ritual as the sun sets between them,
amplified by the clear quartz, just as if you were at Stonehenge.
 RITUAL

CORONACH FOR THE HOLLY KING

Honor the reign of the Holly King as he is dethroned by the Oak King.

Materials:
Writing instrument
Paper or parchment
Musical instruments or recorded songs with bells, flute, tin whistle, pipes, harp, or other
Yuletide instruments
Holly berry crown (optional)

A coronach is an Irish dirge, or funeral song, sung by ancient

Celtic women as a wailing lament (known as keening) for the dead.
This ritual coronach, ideally performed on the Winter Solstice as the
Oak King takes his place on the throne, is a farewell song for the
Holly King. The lines below serve as an example, but if you would
like to write your own coronach for the Holly King, you might find
that the ritual of writing enchants each line with your magick.
Typically, coronachs are written in any number of quatrains, with
each line having seven syllables and a rhyming pattern of abab,
cdcd, and so on.
The Holly King takes his seat,
Through Fall’s leaves and Winter’s snow.
In battle he will retreat,

Come Midwinter’s Solstice glow.

Honor him in wren’s disguise,
The waning king of darkness.

For inner truth and demise,

We thank him for his starkness.
Farewell, good King of Holly!
 It is time to hang our cloaks.
As Sun returns for folly,
We welcome the King of Oaks!

As the solstice sun begins to set, recite or sing your coronach in

its direction to an instrumental tune of your choosing. Bells, flutes,
pipes, tin whistles, and harp music are all excellent choices in line
with the season. If you like, make a holly berry crown to wear as you
perform your farewell song to the Holly King. Simply secure a few
sprigs of holly to a headband with floral wire.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Rebirth of the Sun

Many ancient Pagan traditions celebrated the return of the sun on
the Winter Solstice. The Germanic peoples lit Yule logs in the hearth
to reignite the sun and fill their homes with light and warmth on the
darkest night. These “logs” were o en entire trees that were
ceremoniously chosen, doused in an offering of mead and dressed
in immortal evergreens, and then burned over the twelve days of
Yule. Once cooled, a single coal from this Yule log placed under the
bed or in the barn protected the home and its occupants from
misfortune, until the coal was used to light the following yearʼs Yule
log. The people also lit bonfires during the Yuletide season to
encourage the sunʼs return and to honor the gods and goddesses who
were reborn at this time. Sun wheels, golden discs, circular wreaths,
candles, and lanterns are all decorative items that ancient pagans
have used throughout their history to symbolize the rebirth of the
sun.
Feasting, Gi -Giving, and Charity
Animal sacrifice was a ceremonial and o en practical part of the
Midwinter festivities for many ancient Pagan societies. They ritually
slaughtered goats, boar, cattle, and other farm animals, particularly
in the northern parts of Europe where famine was not unheard of
during the colder months. The great feasts they held let them
celebrate and share in the abundance of fresh meat as well as the
wine and mead that had finally finished fermenting. In some
traditions, this feasting would last as long as the Yule log burned in
the hearth. People exchanged desserts, candles, dolls, drinking
horns, religious artifacts, silver, coins, and more as gi s and
performed charitable acts, such as giving food, gi s, and money to
those less fortunate.

Anglo-Saxon merrymakers would go a-wassailing through their

villages as they shared jolly songs over a bowl of mulled ale or cider
(with many expecting gi s in return). The Druids of ancient Celtic
society wassailed the orchard trees with cider-soaked toasts to
ensure a good harvest the next year. Celebrants also decorated
outdoor trees with edible fruits and nuts as an offering to the
wildlife, who also suffered through the difficult winter months.
Inward Reflection
In many ancient Pagan societies, the Winter Solstice was a time to
rest; to forget about work and business and instead enjoy the revelry
of the season and reflect on all that had happened over the past year.
The word solstice comes from the Latin sol, meaning “sun,” and
sistere, meaning “to stand still.” Many believed that the solstice sun,
appearing to stand still in the sky, was resting to prepare for its
arduous journey back to the earth. This was a time for enjoyment,
yes, but also a time for deep introspection and assessment; for rest
and renewal; for cleaning out the old and welcoming in the new; and
for putting some things to bed while awakening others. The darkest
night calls for deep thought, meditation, grounding, and spiritual
preparation for the busy growing season ahead.
 RITUAL

WELCOMING THE SUN RITUAL

Honor the sun and welcome its light back into your home and spirit.

Materials:
8 white pillar candles
8 evergreen branches or holly sprigs
8 clear quartz towers (or whatever standing crystals you have available)
Blade or boline

This Winter Solstice ritual welcomes the long-awaited return of the sun, bringer of
warmth and life to earth. It is best performed at sunrise on the Winter Solstice facing the
East.

1) Before sunrise on the Winter Solstice, space the white pillar candles evenly in a circular wheel
formation that is large enough to stand in. Beginning with the northernmost candle, carve the
symbol of the sun into each with a blade or boline.

2) Form a smaller circle by placing the quartz crystals inside the candle circle, aligning the
crystals with the candles.

3) Place the evergreen branches or holly sprigs between the candles and the crystals to represent
the “spokes” of the wheel.

4) At sunrise, light each candle starting at the eastern most candle, and stand in the middle of the
wheel with your palms and head facing up to the sky as you greet the sun. Feel the light energy
enter your fingers, warming you from the outside in as it awakens your magick.

5) Once you feel fully energized, as though you are radiating your own sunlight, visit each
candle, beginning with the one at the northernmost point of the circle. Place your energized
hands around the base of each candle and name one thing that you are thankful that the sun
provides. You may use the examples below or personalize the expressions of gratitude to your
practice.

“For the light you provide that illuminates my path, I owe my eternal gratitude.”

“For the warmth that you bestow upon the land, I owe my eternal gratitude.”
 “For the healing under your gently radiating rays, I owe my eternal gratitude.”

“For the nourishment you provide the creatures of the earth, I owe my eternal
gratitude.”

“For the energy you infuse into my magick, I owe my eternal gratitude.”

“For the joy and happiness you shine on my spirit, I owe my eternal gratitude.”

“For the transformation you encourage, I owe my eternal gratitude.”

“For the manifestation you bring to my intentions, I owe my eternal gratitude.”

6) A er you have energized each candle, sit in the middle of the wheel facing the rising sun as
you meditate on all that it provides. When it is fully above the horizon, you may close your
ritual by snuffing the candles out in the reverse order of which you lit them. Set the energized
candles aside for use in future rituals.
 PROJECT

EDIBLE TREE CHARMS

Provide edible offerings to the wildlife that shares your land.

Materials:
Cranberries
Unsalted, unbuttered popcorn
Dried orange and apple slices
Unsalted peanuts in the shell
Other dried fruits (raisins, prunes, apricots, dates)
Twine or string
Tapestry needle
Thimble

You can make several different types of charms for the birds and other creatures
that share your land:

CRANBERRY AND POPCORN: Alternate fresh cranberries and unsalted, unbuttered

popcorn along the twine.

DRIED ORANGE AND APPLE SLICES: Slice an orange and an apple widthwise into ¼" (6
mm) slices. Place the slices on a parchment paper—lined baking sheet and bake for
2–3 hours at 150° F (66° C) (or your ovenʼs lowest setting). Pierce the top of each slice
with the needle and tie the loose end of the twine to the hole.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS: Soak whole or half dried fruits, such as raisins, prunes,
apricots, and dates, in warm water for 5 minutes. On each charm, alternate the
dried fruits with unsalted peanuts in the shell.
 Wildlife that does not hibernate or migrate during the winter season appreciates a
nutritious meal of fruits and nuts. Blue jays, woodpeckers, chickadees, crows, squirrels,
deer, and others spend their snowy days foraging for food to keep their bellies full and their
bodies warm. Edible tree charms are a festive way to decorate your outside trees with food
“ornaments” for the wildlife, just as the ancient pagans did in millennia past. Be aware that
if you feed outdoor animals in the winter, it is important to do so for the duration of the
season as your feed station will quickly become a valued and necessary part of their diet.

1) Prepare the string for the various charms by cutting twenty or so pieces of twine, each
approximately 10 inches (25.4 cm) long. At one end of each piece, make a loop large enough to
fit over a tree branch.

2) String the loose end of the twine through the tapestry needle and push it through the fruit and
nuts, protecting your finger with the thimble.

3) When you have finished, remove the needle and tie off the end of the twine. Hang the charms
on an evergreen tree (representative of immortality) or from an overhang of a balcony or
window hanger.
 MEDITATION

SNOW WATER MEDITATION

Collect snow water to use in ritual for meditation and introspection

Materials:
Snow, if possible, or ice
Rosemary
Juniper berries
Glass jar with lid
Cheesecloth
Ice cube tray

It is not your imagination that the world is somehow quieter when it is covered with a
thick blanket of snow. Not only does falling snow limit the distance at which sound waves
travel through the air, a fresh layer of snow also absorbs sound, dampening the vibrations
across the frosty landscape. When we use snow water in our rituals, we invite in that
stillness, that quiet solitude that allows us to hear our internal thoughts and tap in to our
hidden magick.

1) Place a clean glass jar outside while it is snowing and collect until either the snow stops or the
jar is full. Alternatively, fill a jar with ice and allow it to charge for a few minutes in the
sunlight.

2) Bring the jar inside, place it on your altar or another energetic place of your choosing, and
allow the snow or ice to melt completely.

3) Infuse the resulting water with a sprig of fresh rosemary and crushed juniper berries for a few
hours and then strain it through the cheesecloth. Pour the water into the ice cube tray and
freeze it over a few hours or overnight.

4) In meditation, massage the snow water ice cube into your third eye, lips, heart, and pulse
points (or, if chakras are in your practice, at each chakra) and feel the snow slow all that is
happening at each point. Allow it to make your body calmer and stiller as you tune in to your
internal voice. What have you learned over the past year? What do you need to leave behind?
What is it that you still require?

5) Store the remaining snow water ice cubes in the freezer for use in future rituals.
Preparation for the New Year
The arrival of the Winter Solstice means not only that the sun will
begin to make its way back to the land but that preparations will
need to be made for the new year. For many ancient pagan societies,
the end of the Yuletide season signals a time of “reset”: a fresh start
in which to begin again. While Samhain is o en celebrated as the
beginning of the new year in Celtic traditions, January 1 signals the
new year to many Neopagans and much of the modern world, dating
back to the Julian calendar of ancient Rome. This is a time to leave
behind old habits, release what no longer serves us, and set
intentions as we welcome in the fresh, awakened energy of the
reborn sun.
 PROJECT

YULE WISH POWDER

Charge your intentions for the new year and transform them into
elemental energy.

Materials:
Dried cedar leaves
Dried bay leaves
Dried rosemary
Mortar and pestle or spice grinder
Glass tube with cork

The Yuletide season is the perfect time to set intentions for the new year. At the solstice,
the sun begins its return to earth to awaken the sleeping energy, including any energies
that you have sent out into the universe. Wish powder, a fine powder made from midwinter
herbs such as cedar, rosemary, and bay, can be used to energize any new beginnings you set
for yourself and communicate your wishes to the universe by transforming them into
elemental energy.

1) Collect and dry (or purchase dried) cedar, bay leaves, and sprigs of rosemary. You may dry
these naturally by spreading them out on a screen or herb rack in a dry, dark spot for a few
weeks, or you may place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an oven on the lowest
setting for a few hours.

2) In your mortar or grinder, grind the herbs down to a powder, energizing it with your magick
by envisioning your light and energy traveling down through your hand and the pestle (or the
grinder) and into the powder. Once you finish, funnel the powder into the glass tube and cork
it.

3) In ritual or ceremony, sprinkle a bit of the wish powder into your cupped hand, focus on your
intention or wish, and blow the wish powder into the air or the Yule fire, allowing the
elemental energy to carry your intention to the universe.
 PROJECT

TAROT WHEEL OF THE YEAR SPREAD

Predict the overall theme of your new year, as well as any important
aspects of each month to come.

Materials:
Tarot cards
Grimoire or journal
Writing instrument

Divination was a common theme of many ancient pagan Midwinter traditions, as it was a
time of darkness—a time when the sun stood still and spirits spoke to their mortal families.
People told spectral tales around the Yule hearth fires, inviting ancestors in to catch up on
the latest village news, regaling deities with tales of their power and prowess, and using
divination to foretell the prosperity of the new year. Tarot cards, although not used in
ancient Pagan societies, are an eye-opening way to foretell the challenges and triumphs
that will present themselves in the new year.

1) Cleanse and charge your tarot cards in the manner of your practice and perform any rituals
you have developed to open your third eye.

2) A er shuffling, draw twelve tarot cards, laying the first card down in the twelve o’clock
position and continuing in a deosil (clockwise) direction around the circle. Each card will
represent an important aspect of each month of the year, starting with January at the top, then
February in the one o’clock position, and so on.

3) Now, draw a single card and place it in the center of the circle. This card will be the central
theme of the new year.

4) If you like, take a photograph of your Wheel of the Year spread and journal about it in your
grimoire, listing the card, its position and orientation, and what it means to you. Remember
that tarot card readings merely reveal a probability and are always subject to free will. They do
not dictate your life if you are willing to change your path.
IMBOLC

February 1
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
August 1

PRONUNCIATION:
IM-olk

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
Imbolg
Oimelc
Brigidʼs Day
Candlemas and St. Brigidʼs Day (Christian)
Februalia and Lupercalia (Roman)
Groundhog Day (United States and Canada)

The fresh breath of Imbolc arrives at the threshold at which we step

from winter into spring with the return of longer days and warmer
light. This cross-quarter festival honors the Celtic hearth goddess,
Brigid, whose triple goddess aspects rule over smithcra , healing,
and poetry. At Imbolc, she is in her maiden form, preparing her
body for new life as she embarks on the fertility rites of early spring.
All across the land, the quickening of the earth can be felt as the soil
stirs with seed. Lambing season, the time of year when the pastures
teem with new life, brings nourishing milk to the mouths of the
babes and the bellies of the farmers. The name Imbolc, in fact, is
thought to be derived from the Old Irish imbolc, meaning “in the
belly,” in reference to the ewes whose bellies swell with life at this
time of year. But this new life cannot flourish without preparation.
Pastures must be tended and fertilizer must be spread as livestock,
seeds, and agricultural tools are cleansed of winterʼs snow and
blessed for the budding of the fields. The fire festival of Imbolc
serves not only as a threshold holiday and gateway to spring but as a
time to prepare the body and spirit for new life—just as it does to the
very earth that feeds us. From the ashes of the Imbolc fires rise the
intentions of the year to come.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Brideoʼgas, Brigidʼs cross, candles and lanterns, early spring
flowers and herbs, greenery, seeds

ANIMALS: Cow, fox, hibernating animals (badger, bat, bear, chipmunk, frog,
groundhog, squirrel), lamb, phoenix, robin, white bull, white cow with red ears

CELEBRATIONS: Blessing agricultural tools, feasting, honoring Brigid, lighting a

sacred hearth fire, planting seeds, visiting holy wells

COLORS: Red, green, white

DEITIES: Brigid and the Cailleach (Celtic); Saint Brigid (Christian); Hestia, Priapus
(Greek); Februus, Vesta (Roman)

DIRECTIONS: North, East

ELEMENTS: Earth, Air

FOOD AND DRINK: Buttered bread, honey, maple syrup, milk, oats and grains, seed
cakes, spring salads

HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS: Amber, angelica, basil, bay, blackberry, bergamot,
chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, coltsfoot, crocus, daffodil, dragonʼs blood,
frankincense, iris, lavender, lemongrass, lily of the valley, melissa, mint, myrrh,
rosemary, snowdrop, trillium, tulip, violet

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Bells, drums, fiddle, lyre, piccolo, recorder, singing bowl, tin
whistle

STONES: Amethyst, black tourmaline, carnelian, citrine, clear quartz, fluorite, green
aventurine, moss agate, rose quartz

SYMBOLS: Besom, Brigidʼs cross, seeds

THEMES: Blessing, cleansing, fertility, healing, prosperity, purification, rebirth,

renewal

TREES: Hawthorn, oak, rowan, willow

ZODIAC/PLANETS: Aquarius/Saturn and Uranus (Sun at 15 degrees Aquarius)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
On Imbolc, the sun reaches 15 degrees in the fixed sign of airy
Aquarius, marking the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and
the Spring Equinox. Although night still triumphs over day, the light
has been steadily growing in length since Midwinter as the sun
continues its northerly ascent in the sky.

In the night sky, Regulus, the brightest star in the Leo (Lion)
constellation, rises above the eastern horizon, signifying the
warmth of the hearthfire and the strength of the returning sun. The
seasonal full moon of Imbolc is the Snow Moon, which is followed
by the Worm Moon—a reminder that while the snow might still be
steadily falling, spring is just around the corner. The Snow Moon is a
time to prepare, to mentally plot the intentions that we will sow
come spring.

CELEBRATING IMBOLC IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

At Imbolc in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun is at 15 degrees Leo.
In the night sky at Imbolc in the Southern Hemisphere, the Greek hero Perseus can be
found in his victorious stance, having slain Medusa (thereby preventing anyone else from
turning to stone) and saved the princess Andromeda from the monster Cetus.
ANCIENT SITES
Cross-quarter days were important to both the Neolithic peoples and
the ancient Celts, and there are several historic sites throughout the
British Isles that mark the arrival of Imbolc. On the infamous Hill of
Tara, the seat of the High Kings of old Ireland, rises its oldest visible
monument: the Neolithic Mound of the Hostages, which was
constructed around the same time as Newgrange. Sunrise on Imbolc
and Samhain fills this passage tomb with light that illuminates the
ancient carvings on its hidden stone walls. Although not much is
known about why the tomb is aligned with these two holidays, it is
supposed that these were important spiritual times for the Neolithic
and Bronze Age peoples.
 RITUAL

HEALING CLOOTIES

Heal physical and spiritual ailments.

Materials:
Small glass bottle
Small stone bowl
Oak, hawthorn, or rowan tree
Small pieces of colorful rags or ribbons
Coin or stone
Healing crystals, such as clear quartz or citrine (optional)

The 3,000-plus well sites in Ireland comprise three elements: the well and water source,
a hill or stone, and a sacred tree. At the well site, the ancient Celts would dip a piece of rag
known as a clootie into the naturally flowing spring water, wash their wound, and then tie
the rag on the branch of a tree—typically oak, ash, or hawthorn—in hopes that their
illnesses would rot with the cloth. The Celts used rags; strips of old, dirty clothing that were
worn by the ill, as ravaged as the ailment that plagued them. To this day, the rag trees are
heavy with the colorful fabric strips of those requesting the blessings of the well guardian,
but they are o en of fine silk or cotton.

1) In a small glass bottle, collect water from a fresh source, such as a spring or a stream. If you do
not have these available, use bottled spring water. Consecrate the water by cleansing and
charging it with either light energy or a healing crystal, such as clear quartz or citrine,
depending on your practice. In either case, simply call forth the healing energy of the light or
crystal and cast a circle deosil around the bottle from the top. As you do so, say a small
blessing: “Bless this water with the healing powers of the sacred wells of Brigid.” Set the water
aside.

2) Locate an oak, hawthorn, or ash tree. If you do not have access to one, choose a tree that has
offered you comfort in some way.

3) Create clooties by cutting or ripping 8–12” (20–30 cm) strips of fabric or ribbon. Some believe
that the finer the piece of material is, the more likely it is that your wish will be granted (or
your offering accepted), while others believe that you should offer a piece of the clothing you
 are wearing to transfer whatever ailment plagues you to the tree. You can follow whichever
methodology calls to you.

4) In ritual, pour a little of the sacred water into your bowl and dip your clootie into the water.
As you do this, focus on your intention, be it for physical or spiritual healing. Visualize the
bowl as the womb of the earth, where all life is created.

5) Wring out the water from the clootie and tie it to the tree branch. As you do this, say your
intention aloud, transferring the ailment from yourself to the rag tied in the tree. For instance,
if you suffer from insomnia, you could say, “Take these sleepless nights as your own.”

6) Toss your coin or stone into the bowl of water as an offering to Brigid for her blessings of light
and healing.

Brigid is a central figure in the early spring traditions of ancient

Pagans and Christians alike. Druidesses once met under the
goddessʼs beloved oak tree on a hilltop called Druim Criaidh (Ridge
of Clay) in Kildare. There they stoked her sacred fire to gain her
blessings over the livestock and crops and to ensure fertility across
the land. A er the Christianization of Ireland in the fi h century,
the ancient Pagans would not leave their beloved goddess behind
and so the Pagan Brigid became Saint Brigid of Kildare, a
Christianized version of the goddess. At the site of the goddessʼs
shrine, Saint Brigid founded a humble oratory that soon became a
large monastery. In the 12th century, Kildare Abbey, as it was
known, fell to successive attacks that le only the architecturally
stunning Round Tower and Brigidʼs Fire Temple. The latter is said to
be the original oratory and location of the perpetually burning
flame, which was extinguished sometime during the dissolution of
the monasteries in the 16th century. The Brigidine Sisters in the
Market Square, Kildare, relit the eternal flame in 1993 and continue
to tend it at their center, Solas Bhride. St. Brigidʼs Cathedral now
stands on the site of the original shrine.

Near the cathedral sits one of the oldest holy wells in Ireland: St.
Brigidʼs Holy Well, also known as Tobar Bride. To the ancient
Pagans, the waters of sacred wells seemed to spring from the very
womb of the earth. Water itself brought life, healing, and reflection,
but the idea that it came from the otherworld made it only more
powerful. Those seeking its magick made pilgrimages to the sacred
wells on each cross-quarter day as the veil between worlds thinned
and the influence of the goddesses and nature spirits was palpable.
If sipped or bathed in, the magickal waters could offer blessings of
fertility, inspiration, wisdom, second sight, and healing. Along with
other rituals, the pilgrims might have also walked around the well in
a deosil pattern to draw down its powers of strength and healing.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
Across the temperate British Isles, February and March signal the
end of winter as the snow retreats and the fields ready themselves
for planting. This was a time for the ancient Celts to sweep out the
dark, stale energies of winter and welcome the awakening of the
spring goddess. Sacred hilltop bonfires not only venerated Brigid but
encouraged the return of the sun, cleansed the land, and protected
villages from wayward spirits. The people held great feasts in honor
of the hearth goddess herself, who allowed milk to flow freely
through the barns and pastures. Farmers, too, readied their
agricultural tools, cleaning them of debris and blessing them along
with their seeds in preparation for the quickening of the earth. In
modern-day rituals, Imbolc calls for cleansing our bodies, spirits,
and homes of what no longer serves us, forming intentions for the
planting season, and preparing ourselves for the growth that awaits.
Celts
The holiday of Imbolc is based on the ancient Celtic celebration of
Brigid. In Old Irish, the root word of the name Brigid means “exalted
one,” and her name in Gaelic translates to “fiery arrow,” a nod to the
sparks she lights within us. She is the daughter of Dagda, the all-
powerful ancient Celtic earth god, and an esteemed member of the
Tuatha Dé Danann, supernatural beings that inhabited early
Ireland. On earth, she is said to not only watch over the cattle in the
fields, returning them to their rightful owners when lost, but bring
life-sustaining milk to the people by way of a mystical red-eared
white cow. Although she is not exactly a solar goddess, her triple
goddess aspects relate to the fire of life that she cradles in her
hands. These perpetual flames sustain us through winter and light
the embers of smithcra , healing, poetry, motherhood, midwifery,
fertility, agriculture, music, and keening—a wailing Irish lament for
the dead. The goddess Brigid was so vital to the spirit of Ireland and
so beloved by the ancient Celts that upon Irelandʼs conversion to
Christianity in the fi h century, she was made a saint in the Catholic
church and is now considered to be one of the three patron saints of
Ireland. Saint Brigid carries many of the same aspects as the
goddess, watching over homes and cattle and blessing pilgrims who
visit her holy wells with healing and fertility.

Although Imbolcʼs arrival signals the approach of spring, winter

does not give way easily. The fierce winds still whip across the moor,
and the fog hangs heavy over the crags. This duality of nature is
pervasive in Celtic mythology, and just as the Holly King
relinquishes his throne to the Oak King on the Winter Solstice, the
Old Hag of Winter releases her hold on Brigid come spring. Known
as the Cailleach in Irish and Scottish folklore, this crone goddess
dwells among the cliffsides, spreading death and destruction across
the land when she takes her reign over the darker half of the year on
Samhain. She is o en depicted as an ancient woman with sharp
teeth and blue-black skin who is veiled by a cloak or hood. In one
hand, she carries a formidable staff known as a slachdan that
spreads frost across the earth with a single strike. In her apron, she
carries stones that form mountains when they drop. Atop her
shoulder is perched a snowy owl, and underneath her a black wolf
streaks through the sky. While the Cailleach seems to bring nothing
but decimation to the earth, she has talents that reach far beyond
the dark days and howling winds. The most ancient of goddesses,
she is wise and captures more knowledge in the quiet stillness of
snow than most. The deer trust her implicitly to lead them to food in
the wintry forest. And with one foot in the physical realm and the
other in the underworld, she is capable of the greatest feat of
transformation: from life to death and back again.

Greeks and Romans

The ancient Romans celebrated the end of winter with a fire festival
known as Februalia in honor of Februus, the god of death and
purification. February was considered a “dead month” in which the
citizens of Rome committed themselves to meditation and
atonement as they shed their sins and made sacrifices to the gods of
the dead. These rites of purification were thought to bring great
virility and fertility to the people and the land. Juno, the goddess of
marriage and fertility, and Vesta, the hearth goddess, became
associated with the festival in much the same light as Brigid.
Februalia was later incorporated into Lupercalia, a fertility festival
honoring Faun, as well as the Christian holiday of Candlemas, which
celebrates the purification of the Virgin Mary following the birth of
Jesus.

On Imbolc, a phallic wand known as a priapus wand is placed in

Brigidʼs bed to symbolize the union between the male and female
fertile energies. Priapus is a Greek god of fertility and a protector of
horticulture. He is o en depicted as a small-statured man with an
enormous phallus.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Brigid’s Hearth
The celebration of Imbolc goes hand in hand with the veneration of
the hearth goddess Brigid. To the ancient Celts, the hearth not only
provided warmth to the home but was a central place to cook food,
fire pottery, and connect with one another over tales of adventure
and woe. At sundown on Imbolc, people would extinguish these
hearth fires and then relight them from Brigidʼs sacred flames in
hopes that the fresh, fiery energy would bless and protect the home.
They made a symbolic bed from a small basket and set it beside the
hearth. Inside, an effigy of Brigid cra ed from wheat sheaves lay
alongside a priapic wand. The family would then invite Brigid into
their home and encouraged her to lie in her bed to conceive the
season of spring.
Cleansing, Blessing, and Healing
By the end of winter, dusty corners, stale air, and overwintering
pests in the home exacerbated the struggle with depleted food stores
and famished spirits of ancient Pagans. For many months, they kept
their doors and windows (if there were any) tightly shut against the
frigid winds while the smoke from the open hearth coated
everything in soot. Imbolc was a time to cast out the shadows and
invite in the fresh energy of spring. They could finally throw open
windows and doors, sweep the floors, wash walls and windows, beat
dust from rugs and shake it from drapes, and take ash to the
compost heap or the fields. Ancient Pagans used besoms (brooms
made from ash and willow) to symbolically sweep out negative
energy and brightened any lingering darkness by bringing in early
spring flowers and greenery. And, hung about the hearth and home,
Brigidʼs crosses (four-spoked sun wheels woven from rushes or
reeds) served as talismans of protection from fire and famine.

In the spirit of Februalia and Candlemas, February was also a

time to purify yourself, to rid yourself of any negativity or heaviness
you might be harboring. In ancient times, and even in modern
religions, this might refer to sins or transgressions against the gods,
but in modern witchcra , we focus on the things that no longer
serve us. These are the toxic habits, festering thoughts, or
destructive relationships that prevent us from achieving growth.
Traditionally, ancient Pagans used fire and water during the season
of Imbolc to cleanse the body and spirit and heal illness. Smoke
from the sacred bonfires wa ed over the fields and pastures,
cleansing them of pests and blessing them with fertility. Pilgrims
traveled to sacred wells to engage in cleansing and healing rituals
and to bring the blessings back home.
 PROJECT

CRONE ANOINTING OIL

Call upon the powers of wisdom and transformation.

Materials:
2 ounces (60 ml) sweet almond oil
2 ounces (60 ml) grapeseed oil
1 ounce (30 ml) dried bay leaves
1 ounce (30 ml) dried, crushed thyme leaves
5 drops bay essential oil
5 drops thyme essential oil
5 drops cedarwood essential oil
5 drops amyris or sandalwood essential oil
5 drops black pepper essential oil
(2) 8-ounce (235 ml) glass jars
Cheesecloth
Funnel
(1) 1-ounce (30 ml) glass bottle
Crystal chips (optional)

The crone embodies the wisdom gained from her extensive experience here on earth
and beyond. In mythology, she goes by many names—the Cailleach, the Morrigan, Hekate—
a natural finale to the triple goddess archetype. She represents not only a life that has
accepted its hardships and celebrated its perseverance but one that has thrived through
transformation. To call upon the energy of the crone is to understand that only in death can
there be rebirth. Anointing oils, botanical ingredients that have been transformed into
spiritual tools, are as ancient as the hag herself and vibrate with the memory of nature. In
this oil, herbal allies that resonate with the energy of the crone are infused into a carrier oil
for ritual use. Bay and thyme contribute scents that become only stronger as they dry.
Cedarwood is eternally wise, stretching its roots far across the bogs and riverbanks. Amyris
is warm and inviting, a soothing welcome to the embattled spirit. Finally, there is black
pepper, the spice of life that burns within the crone even as she nears death. Crystals, such
as black tourmaline, black moonstone, black onyx, jet, petrified wood, and hag stones, offer
wisdom and protection on the arduous journey inward.

1) Place the thyme and bay leaves in one of your 8-ounce (235 ml) jars. Cover the herbs with your
sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil—carrier oils that are known to connect to the divine
wisdom. Place a lid on the jar and gently roll it back and forth in your hands to mix the herbs
and oils. As you do so, call forth the crone energies by incanting, “The journey of wisdom,
transformation, and death, I call the crone with bated breath.”

2) Infuse the herbs into the oil by placing the jar on a warm, sunny windowsill for 2–3 weeks or
in a double boiler set on low for 2–3 hours. Once the mixture is sufficiently infused, strain the
oil through cheesecloth into the clean 8-ounce (235 ml) jar and reserve this as your stock crone
oil. Store in a cool, dark place when not in use.

3) In the 1 ounce (30 ml) bottle, place 5 drops each of the essential oils of bay, thyme, cedarwood,
amyris, and black pepper. If you like, infuse the oil with black tourmaline, black moonstone,
black onyx, jet, or petrified wood by dropping a few crystal chips into the bottle.

4) Place a single bay leaf, sprig of thyme, or cedar leaf into the bottle and using a funnel, fill the
bottle with the infused oil. Cap and gently roll the bottle between your hands to mix the oils
together.

5) Use this crone oil to anoint candles, ritual baths, magickal tools, amulets or talismans, or your
skin to call upon all that the crone embodies: wisdom, acceptance, perseverance, protection,
and transformation. Store in a cool, dark place.
 RITUAL

BRIGID’S CANDLE OF SACRED FLAMES

Honor Brigid and bring her eternal warmth and light into your home.

Materials:
16 ounces yellow beeswax (or soy wax, as a vegan alternative)
Pretabbed 6-inch (15.2 cm) hemp or cotton wick
100 drops (5 ml) Roman chamomile essential oil
100 drops (5 ml) bergamot essential oil
100 drops (5 ml) myrrh resin essential oil
100 drops (5 ml) lavender essential oil
Dried rowan berries
Double boiler
Glass measuring cup or metal pitcher
Wooden dowel
8-ounce (235 ml) amber glass jar or other fireproof container
Label
Writing instrument
Matches

To the ancient Pagans, the hearth was the center of the home and an integral part of
daily life. Today, many of us do not have a fireplace, let alone a hearth upon which to
conduct our rituals. The sacred hilltop bonfires that once raged across Ireland during
Imbolc are also not feasible sources for Brigidʼs flames for much of the modern world. But,
like Candlemas, the Christian Festival of Lights that has origins in Pagan candle-blessing
traditions, the fiery traditions of Imbolc can be adapted and the flame of a candle used for
purification and fertility rites.

1) Using the double boiler, gently heat the wax in your pouring vessel over low to medium heat
until the wax reaches 180° F (82° C). Allow the wax to cool for 5 minutes as you prepare your
candle jar.
2) Dip the tab of the wick into the melted wax and position it at the center bottom of your
fireproof container. If necessary, push down on the tab with the wooden dowel until the wax
hardens. Lay the dowel flat across the rim of the container and roll the wick around it so it is
straight and centered.

3) In the melted wax, mix 100 drops (5 ml) of each of the essential oils. These oils invite in
upli ing and restorative energies.

4) Once the oils are incorporated, gently pour the wax into the candle container. The proper
pouring temperature for beeswax candles is around 170° F (77° C). If you are using an
alternative wax, refer to the seller’s recommendations for the proper pouring temperature.

5) Once the surface of the wax begins to turn opaque, scatter a few rowan berries on top to dress
the candle. With its white flowers, red berries, and ties to the divine, the rowan tree is sacred to
both Imbolc and Brigid.

6) Allow the candle to cure for 2 days. When it is ready, affix a label to the jar that reads “Sacred
Flame” or a name of your choosing that designates it as the flame from which all other flames
should be lit.

7) At sundown on the eve of Imbolc, extinguish all of the lights and candles in your home. Place
the Sacred Flame candle on your altar and light it in ceremony with an invocation to Brigid:
“Brigid, exalted Keeper of the Flame, dispel the darkness with your eternal light.” Using a
match as a symbolic torch, light any other candles in your home from this, Brigid’s Sacred
Flame.
 RITUAL

CLEANSING AMULET

Find an amulet that cleanses negative or lingering energy.

Amulets have been used since ancient Egyptian times to bestow magickal properties
upon the bearer. Generally speaking, an amulet is a natural object that vibrates with a
supernatural quality—in most cases, protection and healing. It can be a stone or crystal,
teeth or bones, herbs, an element (such as sulfur), a found object (such as a skeleton key),
or even a rabbitʼs foot or four-leaf clover. Imbolc is marked by the use of a great many
amulets and talismans: the brideʼog, Brigidʼs cross, and the priapic wand, to name a few.
Brigidʼs Mantle, once a magickal cloak able to spread across all of Kildare, now offers
fertility and protection on Imbolc. Year a er year, those honoring Saint Brigid lay out a
cloth above her hearth or by the barn, where it absorbs her energy, strengthening in power
each time it is laid out.

To find an amulet, you simply need to allow the amulet to find you. Express your
intention aloud and let your intuition guide you to a particular spot. There, employ
psychometry to locate your amulet. Psychometry is the ability to read a personʼs or objectʼs
experiential vibrations—the memories of its experiences—through touch. Although this
method is typically used to uncover information in forensic cases, we will use it here to
discover an amulet for clearing energy.

1) Meditate on your intention—clearing negative or unwanted energies—and allow your

intuition to lead you to a spot where you might discover an amulet to assist you. Perhaps it is a
crystal store, a beach, a forest, or a transitional place that buzzes with energy.

2) Once you are situated in this spot, close your eyes. Concentrate on opening your third eye and
charging your magick. Focus on a small, white dot that grows and grows until it is a bright
light that fills your entire vision.

3) Open your eyes and look around. Is there anything that calls to you? Do you feel drawn to a
particular shelf or stone? A shell or a fallen log? A bed of moss or a pile of leaves? Walk towards
it, keeping an eye out for glinting objects or flashing lights. Or perhaps feel for an invisible
tether that is drawing you in a certain direction.

4) Once you have located the object that draws you the most, pick it up and hold it loosely in your
cupped hands. Close your eyes and attempt to read the object. If you are suddenly filled with
bright, light, airy, or freeing feelings, then you have found your cleansing amulet. If not,
continue your search.
5) Once back in your sacred space, cleanse and charge the amulet with sunlight, smoke, or a
crystal bed or wand of selenite, a powerful cleansing stone.

6) Lie down in meditation or ritual and run the amulet up the length of your body, cleansing the
energy as you move from bottom to top. If chakras are in your practice, you may place it on
each of your seven chakras in successive order. Once you have finished, and your aura feels
bright and energized, place the amulet in a small bag to carry in your pocket. You can also
make it into a pendant to wear on your person by wire-wrapping your amulet and placing it
on a necklace chain.

Quickening of the Earth

As the Cailleach slumbers soundly in her stone bed, the days begin
to lengthen, and the seed of life emerges once more from the
stirring soil. The land has been purified, first by the frosts of winter
and now by the Imbolc bonfires that have raged on the hilltops, and
the time to prepare it for impregnation has arrived. All across the
ancient farms and pastures of the Celtic lands, Pagans consecrated
agricultural tools, blessed seeds, and put off battle season until they
completed the critical work of spring sowing. Farmers replenished
the soilʼs minerals and nutrients with layers of manure and wood
ash. Coastal communities returned their boats to the water in
anticipation of fishing and collected dried seaweed and crushed
shells all along the shore for fertilizer. In modern witchcra , this is
the time of awakening—the time to energize the magick that has
been aching to emerge from inside of us.
Weather Divination
Historically, Imbolc has been an opportune time to divine the arrival
of spring. Ancient Celtic farmers relied on the return of the sun for
planting the fields and o en turned to the Cailleach for answers. If
the day was bright and shining, the Cailleach was said to be out
collecting firewood for the long, cold days of winter that yet
remained. If there were storm clouds overhead or whipping winds
and fog, then the Cailleach had retreated to her bed, for spring
would come early that year and no more firewood was needed.
Other creatures, too, played a part in weather divination. If the
badger emerged from its sett, then the sure arrival of late spring was
mourned. In the United States, Groundhog Day is celebrated on
February 2 each year, when the highly anticipated emergence of
Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog is closely watched. If he spies his
own shadow and quickly retreats to his burrow, then spring will not
arrive for six more weeks. But if clouds hover above and Phil is free
to explore without his shadowy counterpart, then spring will come
early. In all of the lore, the message seems to be that if the sun is
shining on Imbolc, winter will surely hang on.
 PROJECT

AWAKENING POPPET

Awaken your magick a er the long winter slumber.

Materials:
4 ounces (113 g) beeswax pastilles or soy wax flakes
tealight wick
¼ teaspoon dried peppermint
¼ teaspoon dried mugwort
¼ teaspoon dried yarrow
Taglock (a bit of your hair, fingernails, spit, blood, thread from your clothing, paper with your
name on it, or other personal item to tie you to the poppet)
2 clear quartz crystal chips
Double boiler
Human-shaped mold or cookie cutter
Peppermint essential oil (optional)

In the dregs of winter, our magick can sometimes fall into a dormant state. Depression
and despair might settle in next to the meager sunlight, stale air, and empty pantries as we
use all of our energy to survive. But the quickening of the earth at Imbolc is a sign that
change is afoot. Our internal spark is waiting to be reignited. Poppets, little dollies popular
at Imbolc in the form of brideʼogs, have been used in sympathetic magick since the very
beginnings of witchcra . In this awakening ritual, you will create a poppet in your likeness
so that you may symbolically light the fire within you. You will mold beeswax, a symbol of
pollination and fertility of the earth, into the form of a human and tied to you through a
taglock, a personal item that inextricably links you to the doll.

1) Obtain or create a mold of a human form that most resembles you. This can be as simple as a
gingerbread cookie cutter or a piece of aluminum foil that you have shaped into a human
silhouette. You could also create or purchase one of the silicone molds available in many cra
stores. Regardless of the type, the mold should be at least 1 inch (2.54 cm) deep.

2) In the double boiler, melt the beeswax pastilles over low to medium heat. When the wax
reaches 180° F (82° C), remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
3) Dip the tab of the tealight wick into the melted beeswax, then press the tab into the bottom-
center of your mold.

4) Pour the melted beeswax into your mold until it reaches the top edge. Sprinkle each of the dried
herbs in turn onto the surface of the wax, saying this incantation as you do so: “Peppermint,
you will invigorate my magick. Mugwort, you will connect me to the elemental spirit energy.
Yarrow, you will protect my body and spirit while it is bound to this poppet.”

5) Drop your taglock into the beeswax before it hardens. As you do so, say, “I bind myself to this
poppet. This poppet and I are one.”

6) Where the poppet’s eyes would be, press the clear quartz chips into the hardening wax. Clear
quartz vibrates with high energy that assists in amplification and manifestation.

7) When the beeswax has cooled completely, allow it to cure for 24 to 48 hours before removing it
from the mold.

8) On the evening of Imbolc, a er performing any purification or cleansing rituals, activate the
poppet by holding it in your right hand and saying, “You now come awake in the mortal
realm. I and I alone control you. You follow my commands.” Place the poppet on your altar
and light the wick. Begin to chant, “Awaken my magick, awaken my spirit,” as you feel your
magick stir inside you.

9) When the wick has burned through and the wax has cooled, you may place the poppet under
your bed as protection until the following Imbolc, or you may use it throughout the year to
reinvigorate your magick. Simply anoint it with peppermint essential oil as you repeat your
awakening chant. If you have decided to break ties with the poppet, hold it in your le hand
and say, “You and I are no longer one. Our bind has been severed.” Then, bury it in a safe place
outdoors or lock it inside a coffin box that you hide for safe keeping. Throughout its life and
death, ensure that this poppet remains only in your possession.
 RITUAL

WEATHER DIVINING RITUAL

Divine the arrival of spring.

Materials:
Pan or shallow bowl of cold water (melted snow or freshly collected water)
White taper candle
Match or lighter

There are many methods to foretell the future. carromancy—the art of reading wax—has
origins in ancient Celtic and Roman societies. Druids in vigil were said to pour melted
candle wax into pools of water so they could interpret auguries from the symbols that
appeared. Here, you will make a prediction of the arrival of spring weather in much the
same way as the ancient Druids foretold the future.

1) Place your pan or bowl of cold water on your altar. In ritual, light the white taper candle as
you ask your question aloud: “Will spring arrive with the coming wind or ride it back as it
rescinds?”

2) As the wax begins to pool, tip the candle over the pan and allow the melted wax to drip into
the water.

3) Gaze at the wax as it cools and forms shapes in the water. Look for symbols of spring, such as
the sun, flowers, leaves, birds, butterflies, bees, and leafy trees; or symbols of winter, such as
snowflakes, gusts of wind, clouds, icicles, and dead trees.

Optional: Anoint the candle with Imbolc Anointing Oil before lighting: Infuse 4 ounces (118
ml) of sweet almond oil with ¼ cup (60 ml) each of dried cinnamon chips and rosemary
sprigs over 2–3 weeks in sunlight or for 2–3 hours in a double-boiler on low heat. Strain the
infusion through cheesecloth into a clean glass jar and add 10 drops each of essential oils of
cinnamon bark, rosemary, and myrrh oleoresin. Bottle the anointing oil and label it.
Massage one dropperful onto the candle by rubbing the oil around it 3 times in a
widdershins direction, so as to access the spirit element.
OSTARA

March 19–22
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
September 19–22

PRONUNCIATION:
o-STAHR-uh

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
Easter (Christian)
Alban Eilir (Druidic)
Vernal or Spring Equinox
Eostreʼs Day (Germanic)
Bacchanalia (Roman)

Ostara is the modern revival of ancient Pagan celebrations

welcoming the Spring Equinox. The maiden, young and energized,
frolics through the fields and forests as life blooms all around her.
This fertile energy coaxes baby birds from their eggs, bunnies from
their burrows, and seedlings from the soil, and we bring colorful egg
baskets and fragrant bouquets into our homes. But even here, on the
first day of spring, the dim light of winter lingers. Day and night fall
equally over the land, reminding us that our shadows are not behind
us just yet. The misty mornings and chilly nights drape a veil over
the yellow narcissus blooms that poke up from the garden beds, and
the tender seedlings shiver under the last breaths of frost. Ostara
celebrates the emergence of life, but it also recognizes that light can
exist only in darkness.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Baskets, bowl of soil, eggs, greenery, honey, milk, plants, seeds,
spring flowers (apple blossoms, cherry blossoms, daffodils, dogwood, forsythia,
hyacinths, lilacs, lilies, tulips, violets)

ANIMALS: Bee, butterfly, caterpillar, chick, frog, hare, ladybug, rabbit, robin

CELEBRATIONS: Egg and broom balancing, egg dyeing, feasting, fertility rites

COLORS: Pastels (yellow green, blue, purple, pink), white, black

DEITIES: Eostre (Germanic); Gaia/Terra, Dionysus/Bacchus, Persephone and

Demeter/Proserpine and Ceres (Greco-Roman); Freya (Norse)

DIRECTION: East

ELEMENT: Air

FOOD AND DRINK: Egg dishes, honey, hot cross buns, lamb, mead, new potatoes,
pork, spring greens and edible flowers

HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS: Apple blossom, benzoin (styrax), burdock, clover,
dandelion, frankincense, geranium, heather, holy basil, iris, jasmine, lemon balm,
lilac, meadowsweet, mint, myrrh, phlox, rose, rosemary, rue, sandalwood, thistle,
thyme, vervain, violet, woodruff

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Bells, chimes, harp, lyre, flute, piano, piccolo, recorder,
voice, whistling

STONES: Amazonite, amethyst, aquamarine, citrine, green aventurine, lace agate,

lapis lazuli, moonstone, tigerʼs eye, rose quartz

SYMBOLS: Air element, basket, egg, the goddess and god, new moon

THEMES: Balance, creation, fertility, growth, rebirth, renewal

TREES: Hawthorn, oak, rowan, willow

ZODIAC/PLANET: Aries/Mars (Sun at 0 degrees Aries)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
Ancient observers of the celestial sphere noticed that from the
Winter Solstice to the Summer Solstice, the sun rises and sets at
opposite ends of the horizon. When the nights are long and snow
falls from the sky, the sun rises in the southeast and sets in the
southwest; when the days are long and the air warm, the sun rises in
the northeast and sets in the northwest. But at two times a year, on
the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes, the sun rises directly in the east,
travels across the sky for precisely twelve hours, and then sets
directly in the west, where it slumbers for another twelve hours.
From astronomical observations, we now know that this occurs
because the equinox sun is traveling directly through the celestial
equator, the invisible plane that extends indefinitely into space from
the terrestrial equator. In the zodiac, the sun reaches 0 degrees in
the cardinal sign of Aries as the sun continues its northerly ascent
from the horizon.

In the night sky during midspring, one of our brightest stars, the
red giant Arcturus, rises in the east, signaling the beginning of
spring to the Celtic lands. Along with his fellow herdsmen, Arcturus
keeps watch over the Bear constellation, Ursa Major, and gives rise
to Brigidʼs lesser-known moniker, “Mother of the Bear,” as she is said
to “give birth” to Arcturus. The seasonal full moon of Ostara is the
Worm Moon, also known as the Sap Moon for the maple sap that
flows freely through the taps at this time of year. Robins and other
early spring birds flock to the soil, where the wriggling worms peek
out from hibernation. The worm is an excellent metaphor for the
rebirth that occurs at Ostara—earthworms can be completely frozen
and then, in the gentle spring thaw, come back to life. The Worm
Moon signals the time to awaken.
CELEBRATING OSTARA IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
At the Winter Solstice, the sun rises in the northeast and sets in the northwest, while at the
Summer Solstice, the sun rises in the southeast and sets in the southwest. At the equinoxes,
the sun still rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. A er this point, it will
continue its southerly ascent from 0 degrees Libra.
 PROJECT

DAFFODIL FLOWER ESSENCE

Bring joy, optimism, and light to winter’s edge.

Materials:
Freshly picked daffodils
Distilled or spring water
Clear alcohol (80 proof, typically vodka)
Small glass bowl
Tweezers
Cheesecloth
8-ounce (235 ml) glass jar with lid
2-ounce (60 ml) glass bottle with dropper
½ ounce (15 ml) glass bottle with dropper
Label
Writing instrument

The edge of winter can harbor darkness, even as the light makes its triumphant return.
In the medical world, this heavy lingering feeling is sometimes referred to as seasonal
depression or seasonal affective disorder, a clinical diagnosis whose curative measures
o en include a dose of sunlight. As one of the first signs of spring, the daffodil is thought to
brighten any spirit in need of a boost. It is cheery even on the grayest of mornings, and its
joyful disposition can bring confidence to your skills and optimism to your endeavors.
Although toxic when ingested, the flower lends itself nicely to a flower essence—a safe,
ingestible potion created by imprinting a flowerʼs vibrations onto water through the gentle
energy of sunlight.

1) Locate a patch of daffodils or purchase a small bouquet. If you are not using your own
daffodils, ensure that they are pesticide-free.

2) At noon on Ostara, prepare your small glass bowl by filling it ¾ of the way with the distilled or
spring water. Place the bowl in direct sunlight next to the daffodil plants you plan to harvest.
3) Choose flowers that are bright and whole and that exude positive energy. Request their
participation in your ritual potion: “Brightest flower in darkest hour, kindly lend your
cheerful power.” Now, cut or pinch each blossom off at the bud.

4) With tweezers, float each blossom, petal side up, gently in the water. Cover the entire surface of
the water with flowers, though make sure not to overcrowd them. Allow the daffodils to
imprint their essence on the water for 2 hours.

5) Strain the essence through cheesecloth into the 8-ounce (235 ml) jar and add an equal amount
of alcohol (so that the ratio of alcohol to essence is 50:50). Label this jar as the Mother Essence
and store it in a cool, dark place.

6) Create the Stock Essence by filling a 2-ounce (60 ml) glass dropper bottle with equal parts
water and alcohol, plus 10 drops of the Mother Essence.

7) Make the Dosage Bottle by filling the ½-ounce (15 ml) bottle with equal parts water and
alcohol, plus 1 drop of the Stock Essence. Take 4 drops of this final mixture a minimum of 4
times daily when you are feeling low, depressed, foggy, insecure, or empty.
ANCIENT SITES
Although the equinoxes have not been as celebrated in the past as
the solstices, many ancient sites around the world honor these
cyclical moments of balance. At Machu Picchu, Peruʼs ancient Incan
city, a giant stone is perfectly situated on the mountain so that each
of its corners points to one of the cardinal directions. On the
equinoxes, the midday sun appears to sit at the very top of the stone,
giving rise to its name, Intihuatana, which translates to, “where the
sun gets tied.”
The ancient Mayans referred to the equinoxes as the Return of the
Sun Serpent, in honor of the biannual homecoming of their
feathered serpent god of light, Kukulkan. They believed that
Kukulkan was the god not only of creation but of destruction. At El
Castillo at Chichen Itza in Mexico, the shadow of the equinox sun
appears to slither down the steps of the pyramid, ending at a statue
of Kukulkanʼs head.

Many other ancient sites that mark the arrival of the equinoxes exist
around the world. Angkor Wat in Cambodia is a Hindu-turned-
Buddhist temple whose central tower is crowned by the midday
equinox sun. And in Ireland, Grianan of Aileach, a medieval-era
stone ring fort, sees its inner circle divided by a ray of light as the
equinox sunrise shines through its gate.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
Ancient spring festivals celebrated the emerging fecundity of the
earth and the maiden goddesses of rebirth and renewal. At the
Equinox, the busy days of sowing slowed and the days of nurturing
all that had been planted began. In the pastures, ewes and cows
nourished their lambs and calves just as the farmers tended the
budding crops in the fields. Although the nights were still long, they
would soon succumb to the light. The shadows of winter could
almost be forgotten. In modernday rituals, Ostara calls for balance,
renewal, rebirth, growth, and new beginnings. In the spaces cleared
of shadows, we can nurture the seeds we planted at Imbolc.
Germanic Peoples
The Spring Equinox festival on the Neopagan Wheel of the Year has
origins in the presumed Scandinavian worship of a dawn goddess
named Ostara. Although evidence of Ostaraʼs worship is scant, the
early medieval-era treatise The Reckoning of Time by an English
Benedictine monk named Bede mentions her Anglo-Saxon
successor, Eostre, in passing. In his section on “The English
Months,” Bede wrote that the month of the Spring Equinox was
named Eosturmonath a er the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre and that
a great feast was held in her honor.

The origins of Eostre are unclear at best. Some say she was based
on the Germanic dawn goddess. Others insist that she is
interchangeable with Freya, the Norse goddess of love, beauty,
fertility, and resurrection. Still others believe she began her deified
existence as a localized Anglo-Saxon goddess named Eastrgena.
Although it is unclear where Ostara truly grew her roots, it is certain
that she took on new life when Jacob Grimm wrote about her in his
1835 work, Teutonic Mythology. There, he described Ostara as a
radiant, light-bringing goddess who bestowed joy and blessings
upon the world, thereby attributing her worship as the Pagan
precursor of Easter. Since then, folklore has been interwoven with
her origins, o en giving her the head and shoulders of a hare and
the ability to heal—in one case, she transformed an injured bird into
a hare that then laid colorful eggs each year in early spring. Today,
we celebrate Ostara as the young maiden who brings new life and
blossoming meadows to the earth upon the Spring Equinox.
Greeks and Romans
On the Autumn Equinox, Persephone—beloved daughter of the
mother of grain, Demeter—is abducted by Hades and taken into the
underworld. So saddened by the loss of her daughter, Demeter
allows everything on earth to brown and die. Then, on the Spring
Equinox, just when it seems that the earth will never recover,
Persephone is brought back and the land blooms once more. The
abduction of Persephone is a mythological personification of the
return of life to the earth come spring.
 RITUAL

OSTARA INVOCATION

Call upon the energy of the dawn goddess.

Materials:
Wildflowers
Dew
Pen
Paper

Invocation, the act of summoning an entity and inviting it into an energetic relationship,
has been an integral part of both Paganism and organized religion throughout history.
Shamanic journeying, loa possession in Vodou, drawing down the moon in Wicca, and
other rituals where deities, spirits, ancestors, elements, or planetary energies are called
upon are all examples of invocation. When you invoke a god or goddess, you are inviting
their energy to mingle with yours, making your body a conduit through which your blended
magick flows. In this respect, you will be working your rituals in much the same way, but
you will do so under the authority of the deity that you invoke. Calling upon Ostara is quite
similar to connecting with the feminine divine—a fertile, young, emotional energy that
resonates with the lunar aspects. As the goddess of renewal and hope, Ostara might guide
you through a creative project on which you have yet to embark. She might charge a
particularly stubborn fertility spell. Or, she might give you the confidence to dive head first
into a new relationship. Remember, Ostara is the goddess of new beginnings, so the world
is truly your oyster once you have invited her in.

1) In meditation, choose an intention or goal that you feel Ostara would be particularly useful in
helping you to achieve.

2) Pick a few wildflowers from a meadow or field and place them in your hair or in a pocket.
Collect a bit of dew and splash it on your face and wrist as you begin to feel your magick
awaken. Recognize your body as a vessel—a conduit for magick, an empty container in which
energy wells up and flows out into the universe.

3) As the sun begins to rise directly in the east on the equinox, face the dawn and raise your arms.
Recite the following invocation (or one that you have written yourself) to invite Ostara into
your body:
 Hail, Ostara, maiden goddess of dawn!
Bringer of early light to the burgeoning land,
Of baskets of eggs and lunar hares,
With blossoms and buds in your fertile hands.
Hail Ostara, vibrant goddess of spring!
Bearer of birth and all that is green,
Bestower of life and new beginnings,
Of stirring seeds and all that is quickening.
Hail Ostara, immortal goddess of renewal!
I invoke thee!

4) As you complete the invocation, feel the energy of Ostara take over your body as she fills it with
fresh, fertile energy for new beginnings.

5) If you are performing a solitary ritual, you may begin the spell work for your specific intention
now. If you are leading a goddess circle or have invited participants to make petitions of
Ostara, it is at this point that you may allow the participants to approach you to make requests
of Ostara incarnate. As you receive their petitions, you may gi them the wildflowers from
your hair or pocket as evidence of Ostara’s blessing.

6) Once the ritual is complete, dismiss Ostara by saying, “In gratitude, we say farewell to the
blessed Ostara.”
 RITUAL

PERSEPHONE’S POMEGRANATE PETITION

Write a petition to Persephone using pomegranate juice as a powerful

substitute for blood magick.

Materials:
1 pomegranate
Mortar and pestle
Cheesecloth
Empty ink pot or small jar
Quill or dip pen
Paper or parchment
Black candle
Fireproof bowl
Offering bowl

Pomegranates, said to have sprung from the blood of Adonis, have been known as the
food of the dead since Greek antiquity. Before Persephoneʼs release back to her mother,
Hades tricked her into eating six pomegranate seeds: one for every month of fall and
winter that she would spend with him upon her return to the underworld. This ritual uses
pomegranate juice as a symbolic substitute for blood to write a petition, or request, to
Persephone as she prepares to leave the underworld and return to Demeter, who will once
again bless the earth with life.

1) Cut open the pomegranate and set aside 6 seeds for Persephone in the offering bowl.

2) In the mortar, gently crush the remaining seeds so that they release their juice. Strain the juice
through the cheesecloth into the ink pot or jar; reserve the pulp for later.

3) With the quill or dip, use the pomegranate “ink” to write a petition or request to Persephone. It
is important here to choose wisely—blood magick, even when used symbolically, is especially
potent and should only be used for purposes that require a high amount of energy, such as
turning around addiction, homelessness, hopelessness, despair, or health. Since Persephone
will be bringing your petition with her from the underworld into the light, be sure to frame it
 in a positive way. For example, if you are experiencing despair, you might write, “Bring joy to
my life.”

4) Light the candle and begin to burn your petition. Meditate on it. Envision Persephone
receiving it in the underworld as she crosses the River Styx, and from there, her bringing it up
into the light to grow and blossom.

5) Continue this meditation as you place the petition into the fireproof vessel and let it reduce to
ash.

6) Bury the ash and pulp in fertile ground, such as a garden, farm field, or plant pot, so that your
petition will grow along with the plants in the earthly plane.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Balance and Harmony

On the Equinox, light and shadow hover over the threshold of spring
in perfect balance. This harmony is evident in the flurry of new life
that frolics through the forests and fields. Male and female (or yin
and yang) energies have come together as one and continue to grow
until the winds blow cold once again. The egg, a symbol of the god
and goddess working in unison, suspends the yellow yolk (the part
of the egg that physically enables the growth of the chick, represents
our outer self, and symbolizes the sun) in the white albumen (the
part of the egg that cradles the chick, represents our inner self, and
symbolizes the moon). With this in mind, as we begin our journey
over the threshold into the physical, outer sun, we must be sure that
we have not le anything behind with the emotional, inner moon.
The ancient Pagans visited sacred wells and springs where they
drank and bathed in the water to restore balance to their bodies and
renew their bond with nature. What shadows are we still harboring
that can be balanced with the light?

Rebirth and New Beginnings

All that was once frozen under a blanket of snow now comes alive in
the spring. Ostara is the celebration of rebirth, of the season when
nature feeds on itself through death. The hare, a nocturnal animal
prevalent in Ostara folklore, was considered as immortal as the
moon that died each morning when the sun rose only to be reborn
each night. In early spring, migrating birds and butterflies return to
lay eggs as hibernating animals emerge from their dens, babies in
tow. The fresh air seems to breathe life into the land, causing it to
burst with vitality. In modern rituals, we can ask ourselves: What
intentions can we send out into the world?
Fertility and Growth
Ostara is when the intentions of Imbolc begin to take hold and
blossom. Crops spring up in the fields, hares nurse the first of many
litters, the pollinators arrive in the gardens, and all around us nature
expands. This is the holiday of increase. Ostara revels in her fertility
dance across the land as the young and virile god Pan hunts so that
he may nurture all that she has grown. How can we nurture our
seeds so that they grow big and strong come harvest time?
 RITUAL

BALANCING EGG

Restore balance to your magick.

Materials:
1 tablespoon fresh spruce
1 tablespoon fresh lavender
1 tablespoon lemon peel
2 ounces (60 ml) witch hazel
½ ounce (15 ml) white vinegar
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil
6 raw eggs
(2) 4-ounce (120 ml) glass jars
Cheesecloth
2-ounce (60 ml) glass bottle with mister
White cloth
Label
Writing instrument

Egg balancing is a Chinese practice traditionally linked to Lap Chun (or Lichun)—the
first solar term in the Chinese calendar and the beginning of spring. On this day, freshly
laid chicken eggs are balanced on their ends by those seeking good fortune and luck. Since
its spread to the West, egg balancing has been incorporated into the Neopagan celebration
of Ostara. Here, it is thought that because the sun and moon are at equidistant positions
from the earth, gravity is equalized and eggs will balance on their ends. Brooms, too, are
stood on their bristles; a sight that will have anyone believe that there is magick afoot. But
in truth, an egg or broom is no more apt to stand on its own at the Equinox than on any
other day. The work that we put into balancing each is what helps us restore equilibrium to
our magick.
1) Create an Ostara Cleansing Spray: Place the spruce, lavender, and lemon peel in one of the 4-
ounce (120 ml) jars, then add the witch hazel and vinegar. Roll the jar gently in your hands to
mix, and place it in a sunny window for 2–3 weeks or in a double boiler on low heat for 2–3
hours. Strain the infusion through cheesecloth into the 2-ounce (60 ml) bottle and add 10 drops
each of lavender and lemon essential oils for calming, peace, and harmony. Label the bottle
and store in a cool, dark place.

2) Choose a flat surface on which to balance your egg, and spritz it with the Ostara Cleansing
Spray. Wipe the surface clean with the cloth.

3) Place the eggs on the clean surface, and, one by one, attempt to balance them upright. If you
like, assign each egg a particular inner emotion that you would like to bring out into the light,
and as you balance the egg, bring harmony between your inner and outer self.
 RITUAL

ENCHANTED SPELL PAPER

Create charmed paper for writing down intentions, spells, and sigils.

Materials:
10 drops rosemary essential oil
10 drops frankincense essential oil
1 ounce (30 ml) alcohol
1 ounce (30 ml) glass bottle with mister
Parchment or paper
Stamp and ink (optional)
Label
Writing instrument

Words themselves have power beyond anything we can comprehend. They represent our
deepest thoughts and ideas, frustrations, and desires. Words can activate, inspire, and
transform. They can cut as deep as a knife or soothe a wound as quickly as aloe vera.
Beyond our own modern languages, many scripts and symbols have been used throughout
time for magickal purposes—the Runic alphabet, the Celtic Ogham, Egyptian hieroglyphs,
the Theban alphabet, and sigils, to name a few—each used to convey magick to the written
word. In witchcra , we use our words not only to call upon the energies of this realm and
the next but to transform our intentions into elemental vibrations. When we send our
words—our intentions—into the Universe, they become a manifestation of our desires. In
this way, the words themselves become the spell. Enchanted paper is simply paper that has
been bound with protection, blessings, and power so that your words are well cared for on
their journey into the Universe.

1) Create an Enchantment Spray: In the bottle, blend the essential oils with the alcohol. Rosemary
wards against negative energy and creates lasting memories, while frankincense enlightens,
purifies, and travels between realms as a protector of spirit. Label the bottle and store in a cool,
dark place.

2) Collect a small stack of parchment paper, or paper that is special to you in some way, and cut
it into 4-inch (10 cm) squares.
3) In ritual, enchant each piece of paper with one spritz of your Enchanting Spray. As you do so,
say “I bind you with power. I surround you with protection. I bless you with clarity.”

4) If you like, create a magickal stamp kit: Cra or purchase a stamp that is imprinted with your
name or initials, a magickal symbol, or a word of empowerment. Then, place a drop or two of
frankincense essential oil into the ink. Now, further enchant your paper by stamping each page
with your mark.
 RITUAL

MOON MAIDEN SALVE

Prepare your body and spirit to take on new life, whether it be physical,
creative, or spiritual.

Materials:
Castor oil
1 ounce (30 ml) lady’s mantle
1 ounce (30 ml) chaste tree berries
1 tablespoon beeswax or carnauba wax pastilles
½ cup (110 g) shea butter
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
5 drops clary sage essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
5 drops cypress essential oil
Double boiler
(2) 4-ounce (120 ml) glass jars
2-ounce (60 ml) metal or glass container
Label
Writing instrument

Warning: Do not use this salve except under the direction of your physician. Avoid if you are
pregnant, nursing, or undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other hormonal medical interventions.

Although the concept of fertility can be applied to either male or female energy,
historically it has been associated with the feminine divine, which calls upon the
emotional, watery energies of the moon. In some Native American traditions, the period of
menstruation is known as moontime—the time when the menstruating person must draw
inward and seek out the deep introspection present in lunar energy. Legends of moon
rabbits or lunar hares also exist throughout Native American and Far Eastern folklore. At
Ostara, we call upon the waxing moon—the phases between the New Moon and the Full
Moon—for increase spells in which growth and expansion are desired, particularly in
fertility spells.

The ingredients in this salve serve to create a fertile field in your body and spirit and
nurture any seeds you might plant. Ladyʼs mantle, an herb whose large scalloped leaves
collect the morning dew, is o en used in holistic healing as a natural fertility treatment; it
is thought to ease menstrual pains and restore a prolapsed uterus. Chaste tree berry (also
known as vitex berry) is said to reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and
regulate menstrual cycles. Castor oil works as a tonic on the reproductive organs.

1) Create Moon Maiden Infused Oil: Place the lady’s mantle leaves and crushed chaste tree berries
in the jar and cover to the top with castor oil. Gently roll the jar between your hands to mix.
Place the jar in a sunny windowsill for 3–4 weeks or in the double boiler on low heat for 2–3
hours. Strain through cheesecloth into a clean 4-ounce (60 ml) glass jar. Label the jar and store
in a cool, dark place.

2) In the double boiler, heat the wax, shea butter, coconut oil, and 4 tablespoons of the Moon
Maiden Infused Oil until the wax and butters have melted completely.

3) Remove the salve from the heat and add the vitamin E oil and the essential oils. Clary sage,
geranium, orange, and cypress are all thought to increase fertility and/or nurture the spirit
and body.

4) Pour the salve into the 2-ounce (60 ml) container and place the container in the freezer until
the salve hardens. This tempers the shea butter so that the texture remains smooth.

5) In ritual, massage the Moon Maiden salve into your sacral chakra (the area just below your
navel) in a deosil direction and chant, “Prepare this vessel for stirring life” three times. Place
your right hand on your sacral chakra and encourage the energy to course through your center
as you feel the stirrings of new life.
BELTANE

May 1
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
November 1

PRONUNCIATION:
BELL-tane

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
May Day (Anglo-Saxon)
Walpurgis Night (Germanic)
Floralia (Roman)

Lush fields and colorful, bursting gardens greet Beltane, the second
fire festival on the Wheel of the Year. Crops have taken hold and the
rains continue to fall as life flourishes all around. The elements of Air
and Fire dance in the meadows and forests, forming a succulent layer
of dew as the sun heats the cool night air. Midspring festivals are
common during this time, each celebrating the vibrant flowers and
heightened fertile energy of the season. In the Celtic lands, it is a
liminal time when the fae folk and other nature spirits travel into the
mortal realm to partake in earthly delights and meddle in the lives of
humans. In each village, warriors bid their farewells, having had one
last evening of frolic before setting off to battle. Soon a er, the
difficult work of the harvest season will begin. But for now, it is time
to revel in the beautiful chaos and breathe life into our wildest
dreams.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Beltane dew, brightly colored ribbons, flower bouquets, flower
crowns, midspring flowers and herbs, May basket, May bush, tabletop maypole

ANIMALS: Bee, cow, goat, rabbit, swan

CELEBRATIONS: Bonfires, collecting Beltane dew, feasts, handfasting, maying,

Maypole dancing, visiting sacred wells

COLORS: Bright colors, such as magenta, sunny yellow, grass green, sky blue, and
violet

DEITIES: May Queen and King (Anglo-Saxon); Belenus and Étain (Celtic); St. Walburga
(Christian); Freya (Germanic); Aphrodite/Venus, Artemis/Diana, Flora, Hekate
(Greco-Roman); otherworldly spirits (faeries, maenads, satyrs)

DIRECTIONS: East, South

ELEMENTS: Air, Fire

FOOD AND DRINK: Berries, bread, cheese, faerie cakes, fish, grains, honey, may wine
(May Bowl), mead, milk, salads

HERBS: Angelica, apple blossom, basil, bluebell, borage, clover, coneflower, cowslip,
evening primrose, foxglove, geranium, hawthorn blossom, heather, honeysuckle,
iris, jasmine, lavender, lilac, lily, meadowsweet, peony, rose, rosemary, sweet
woodruff, thyme, wood sorrel

INCENSE AND OILS: Ambergris, frankincense, jasmine, lavender, musk, rose,

sandalwood, thyme, tuberose, vanilla

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Drums, fiddle, flute, guitar, harp, pipes, tin whistle, violin

STONES: Carnelian, emerald, green aventurine, moonstone, peridot, rose quartz,

ruby, sapphire, yellow jasper

SYMBOLS: Circles, fires, god/goddess symbols*, maypole (phallic/yonic), tree of life,

wreaths

THEMES: Creativity, fertility, love, sexuality, union, virility

TREES: Ash, birch, hawthorn, oak, trowan, willow

ZODIAC/PLANET: Taurus/Venus (Sun at 15 degrees Taurus)

* This duality represents the male/female or active/passive qualities of all things in nature,
and the symbols that you use will depend on your personal spiritual or religious practice.
These could include those of the yin/yang, Mars/Venus, sun/moon, horn/triple moon, etc.
ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
As the second cross-quarter festival of the year, Beltane is the
midway point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice.
In the zodiac, the sun reaches the 15-degree mark in the fixed sign of
Taurus. On the Gregorian calendar, Beltane represents the pinnacle
of spring and a portal to summer as the northern sun continues its
ascent, inching closer and closer to peak daylight. Here, we begin the
transition from the Air element of spring to the Fire element of
summer. On the Celtic calendar, Beltane welcomed the beginning of
the second half of the year, a powerful and transitional time for
magick.

In the night sky, the Pleiades star cluster, also known as the Seven
Sisters, rises in the constellation of Taurus just before sunrise on
Beltane. The seasonal full moons of this holiday are the Pink Moon of
April and the Flower Moon of May for the pink phlox and other
vibrant blooms that carpet the land in midspring. These are the
enchanted moons of fertility and faeries and the time to nurture all
that you have planted.

CELEBRATING BELTANE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

At Beltane, the southern sun continues its descent, inching closer and closer to peak daylight
as it reaches 15 degrees in Scorpio.
In the night sky of the Southern Hemisphere, the Pleiades star cluster is visible by following
Orion’s Belt upward to Aldebaran in Taurus but will rise just a er sunset.
ANCIENT SITES
Midspring was a time for celebration across many ancient Pagan
societies. In the Celtic lands, sacred bonfires raged on beacon hills
near each village and on small farms throughout the countryside.
Named a er the Celtic sun god Belenus, these “Bel” fires encouraged
the sun to fire up the fertile energy of the season and protect the
villages and farms from pests, disease, and evil spirits that
threatened the harvest.

The Hill of Uisneach, known as the sacred center of Ireland and

burial place of the earth goddess Ériu and sun god Lugh, is legendary
to the celebration of Beltane. Thought to be the site of the first fire lit
on May eve, the Uisneach Beltane fire could be seen by over one
quarter of Ireland. Hearth fires would be put out all across the
villages, the midlands falling into complete darkness . . . until the Bel
fire erupted into the sky. Each beacon hill would then light its flame,
forming an eye of fire with Uisneach as the pupil; the center of the
eye. Like the Hill of Tara (see here, here, here, here, and here),
Uisneach is considered to be a spiritually powerful place where the
natural and supernatural realms meet.

Depending on which archeologist you ask, the Beltany stone circle

in Ireland has origins as either a Bronze Age rock formation or a
Neolithic passage tomb that is older than Stonehenge and the
Egyptian pyramids. In either case, the name itself suggests that the
ancient festival of Beltane was celebrated here, at the plateau of Tops
Hill. In stone circles across the British Isles, people lit the great fires
of Beltane so that cattle might pass through the smoke as a treatment
for fertility and protection on their way out to the far pastures for
grazing. Cattle were so vital to the ancient pastoral Celtsʼ diet and
lifestyle that these Bel fire sites soon became central places for
trading and political business.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
In the personification of the Wheel of the Year, the god and goddess,
now mature in their love, settle into marriage in hopes that they
might conceive the child of harvest. Bonfires rage on the hilltops as
energies unite in fertility rituals alongside feverish dancing and
music. While the festival of Beltane is Celtic in origin, many ancient
Pagan cultures celebrated mid spring as a time of marriage and
blessings.
Germanic Peoples
Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht) is a relatively modern midspring
festival that is celebrated on the eve of May Day in many Germanic
parts of Europe. Although this holiday is named a er the Anglo-
Saxon missionary Saint Walburga, whose feast day is May 1, its
origins likely lie in Pagan May Eve celebrations. On Walpurgis Night,
great fires were lit in honor of the saintʼs many miraculous battles
against pests and disease as well as for protection from evil spirits
and witchcra . Nowadays, Hexennacht (or Witchesʼ Night) has
mostly taken over the Catholic elements and replaced them with a
sort of mischief night when people don costumes and break rules. In
German folklore, this Witchesʼ Night was when witches and other evil
spirits gathered in sabbath at the Brocken, tallest peak of the Harz
mountains, to engage in hedonistic revelry and plot the abduction of
the Queen of Spring.

In Norse mythology, May Day was the time when Odin returned
from the World Tree, Yggdrasil, having completed the nine days of
sacrificial hanging required for the mysteries of the runes to reveal
themselves. In modern-day Heathenry, people put out their hearth
fires and relight them from Odinʼs fire to welcome him back and to
celebrate the end of the Wild Hunt. This is also when they venerate
Freyr and Freya, presenting as the fertility god and goddess who are
symbolically joined in union at the end of the long Scandinavian
winter.

The Anglo-Saxon May Day is thought to be a variation of the early

Pagan Germanic traditions with influences from the Gaelic Beltaine.
On May eve, young lovers retired to the forest in a ritual called going
“a-maying” to consummate their union so that they might conceive a
child under the fertile canopy of the midspring trees. At sunrise on
May Day, the women emerged from the forest and danced around a
maypole to celebrate the fecundity of the earth and the new life they
hoped to conceive. During the festivities, celebrants chose a May
Queen and King, who were symbolically joined in a handfasting
ceremony to represent this union and the rebirth of the land.
 RITUAL

SACRED BEL FIRE

Call upon the fiery energy of the Beltane flames.

Materials:
Stones
Kindling
Bundle of split and dried wood
Colorful cotton or silk ribbons
Dried spring flowers
Flint stick or matches
Green chime candle
Drum (optional)

At sundown on May eve, ancient Celts extinguished all of the hearth fires in the villages,
plunging the land into total darkness. Druids tied the nine sacred woods—the first nine
woods of the Celtic Tree Calendar—into a bundle, wrapped it in ribbon, and then
ceremoniously lit it by rubbing two sticks together until they created a spark. This symbolic
celebration of the incoming Fire energy encouraged the Druids and villagers alike to dance
wildly around the flames, performing handfasting rites and jumping the burning embers to
cleanse their bodies and bless them with fertility. Revelers lit torches and candles from the
smoldering fires and carried them home to reignite the hearth fires and bless the homes. By
re-creating this tradition and sparking your own sacred fire, you can ignite the flames of
creation.

1) In an outdoor space, create a fire pit with a small circle of stones or a cast iron pot. In the
bottom, layer kindling, such as dried leaves and brush, bark, or shredded wood. If you are on
public land, check your local laws to see if a fire permit is required.

2) Collect your bundle of split and dried wood (available as “camp wood” at many roadside stops
and stores) and wrap it in the colorful ribbons. Place the bundle on top of the kindling and dress
it with the dried flowers.

3) Ignite the kindling with a method that conjures a spark—either by striking a flint stick or match
or, if you have the skills, rubbing two sticks together. If you like, beat on a drum to encourage
the kindling to ignite the logs. As you continue to beat louder and louder, visualize the flames
dancing higher and higher in the air.
4) When the flames are crackling and the smoke is billowing, begin your Beltane ritual: Dance
deosil around the fire to encourage fertility and/or creative growth or leap (safely) across the
dying embers to bless yourself with fertile, protective energies. If you are celebrating in a circle or
with a coven, you can perform a symbolic handfasting ceremony between the May Queen and
King, binding the two energies in a sacred union.

5) Once you have completed your rituals, light a green chime candle from the embers of the Beltane
fire and reignite your hearth fire and/or candles to bless your home.

Celts
Beltane is considered to be the oldest holiday in Celtic mythology and
is aptly named for Belenus, a pastoral Celtic solar god who was
venerated with great hilltop fires. Ancient Celts held his festival, the
Fires of Bel, to request his assistance in restoring the land and
encouraging the growth of crops. As a sun god, he was gi ed with
qualities of strength, virility, healing, and light-bringing, and was
widely worshipped across much of Europe. His many shrines depict
the sun riding a chariot (imagery present in other culturesʼ
mythology as well) and are present at sacred wells and springs
throughout the British Isles.

Étain, a sun goddess turned moon goddess and White Lady of the
Fae, is a shapeshi ing maiden associated with all the pleasures of
Beltane—fertility, beauty, and transformation. Also known as “the
shining one,” Étain hails from the legendary Tuatha Dé Danann
people, but her folklore tells of an even more magickal journey. In
the tale The Wooing of Étain, she enthralls the Fae King, whose jealous
first wife transforms her into a pool of water, then a worm, and
finally a fly. When Étain is accidentally swallowed by a chie ainʼs
wife, she is reborn as a mortal, eventually becoming the Queen of
Tara. But even on the throne, her journey is far from over. Through a
series of tests, she reunites with the Fae King, and together, they fly
away as swans to the faerie mounds.
Greeks and Romans
Ancient Romans constructed the Temple of Flora on the Circus
Maximus to honor Flora, the Roman goddess of fertility, flowers, and
greenery. Originally, they built the temple in honor of Flora to
petition her for the end of a long drought, but it eventually became
the site for the midspring festival of Floralia.
celebrated Flora at her temple with six days of theater, Olympic-style
games, offerings of wildflower honey and wine, fertility rituals, and
sacrifices.

Maia, the Greco-Roman earth goddess of fertility, motherhood,

and magick, is the namesake of the month of May and is o en
associated with the May Day celebrations. Maia was one of the seven
nymphs of Pleiades (daughters of Atlas and Pleione and halfsisters of
Hades) and the mother of Hermes/Mercury. In Roman mythology,
she is a goddess of spring and the daughter of Faunus, a Roman
counterpart to the Greek god of the wild, Pan. Similar to a faun or
satyr, Pan has goat legs and horns and a human torso and head, and
he is revered as the agricultural god of the fields, mountains, forests,
and pastures. There, he is known to command beasts and cavort with
nymphs and is o en venerated in natural settings, such as grottos,
with statues or carvings that artfully celebrate his prodigious sexual
prowess with a large, erect phallus.
 RITUAL

HAWTHORN FLOWER CHARM

Carry the power of fertility, growth, and protection.

Materials:
1 tablespoon dried rose petals
2 tablespoons sandalwood
3 tablespoons frankincense
Hawthorn blossoms and thorns
Wildflower honey
Mortar and pestle
Charcoal disc
Fireproof vessel
Lighter or matches
Small bottle with cap or cork (standalone or in pendant necklace form)

The hawthorn is a sacred thorn tree prevalent in many ancient Pagan societies. In the
British Isles, it is sometimes referred to as the May Bush and its pure white blossoms
referred to as May Flowers, as it is the first tree to blossom in May. Also o en called
whitethorn, the hawthorn tree is associated with fertility gods and goddesses as well as
nature spirits, such as the fae folk. On Beltane, hawthorn trees were decorated with ribbons
or clooties and thorny boughs were hung above the doors of barns and homes to ensure
protection and blessings. Atop the maypole, hawthorn was used as a yonic wreath to
represent the female energy on the phallic tree. Today, we use hawthorn blooms in spells for
fertility, growth, and protection.

1) Cra Beltane Incense: In a mortar and pestle, grind the rose petals, sandalwood, and
frankincense to a rough powder. Roses carry the vibrations of love and protection, sandalwood
deep relaxation and spiritual enlightenment, and frankincense emotional ease and cleansing.
Light the charcoal disc in your fireproof vessel and sprinkle a bit of the Beltane Incense over top.

2) Physically and energetically cleanse the small bottle by first sanitizing it with boiling water or
alcohol and then passing it through the Beltane Incense smoke.

3) Collect a handful of hawthorn blossoms, making sure to pinch or cut the stems off, and fill the
bottle halfway with the blossoms. Pour the wildflower honey over the blossoms until it reaches
 the top of the bottle.

4) Place a single thorn from a hawthorn branch into the honey, and cap or cork the bottle. Gently
roll the bottle between your hands in a deosil direction 3 times as you chant, “Fertile flowers and
protective thorn, gi me this: the power of hawthorn.”

5) Wear the Hawthorn Flower Charm against your skin or keep it in your pocket to encourage
growth or fertility, whether it be physical, spiritual, or creative. You may also use the honey in
spells of the same intention.

6) If you find the charm needs charging (perhaps you notice that the color becomes lackluster or
you can no longer feel it radiating energy) charge it in waxing sunlight for an hour.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Purification and Protection

On Beltane, we begin the transition from the Air element of spring to
the Fire element of summer. In old Irish, the word itself means
“bright fire,” an ode to the heat of the sun as it reaches for the top of
the sky. The element of Fire has been a powerful force in purification
and protection rituals since ancient times, both to rid the crops and
livestock of insects and vermin and to scare away wild animals (and
any wayward spirits). But fire has also had a common yet vital role as
a source of heat in the home. From firing stoneware to shaping
metals and cooking meals, the element of Fire is as important to our
survival as the sun. As we head into summer, however, we must
remember that when untended, fire can quickly spread out of control
—or reduce to ash. From the spring air that encourages the flames to
leap and bound across the earth to the autumn rains that extinguish
the embers, it is a fine balance.

In the Beltane rituals of modern witchcra , we are not limited to

working with the literal flames of the Fire element. Instead, we can
use tools that capture the qualities of the flame: fiery crystals, such as
carnelian and citrine, that vibrate with healing and creative energies;
the Elder Futhark rune Kenaz for warmth and enlightenment; warm
colors, such as red, orange, yellow, and gold; herbs associated with
the sun, such as cinnamon, St. Johnʼs wort, and calendula; or spirited
incense, such as dragonʼs blood, copal, and frankincense.
 RITUAL

Beauty and Eternal Youth

In the Celtic lands and beyond, the earth is covered in rich, lush
greenery and bright, colorful flowers come May. Morning dew
glistens on the flora as the fauna busily rear their young and delight
in the offerings of the season. In ancient times, those seeking
blessings made pilgrimages to sacred wells so that they might
petition the guardian spirit for fertility or healing magick. There,
maidens would walk around the well three times in a deosil
direction, drink a sip of water from the well, and then take a nap on a
nearby stone. When they awoke, they would be the bearers of a dewy
complexion. Before heading home, they might fill a small bottle with
the sacred water to capture its eternal youth. Morning dew, too, was
collected from the hawthorn trees at dawn as washing oneʼs face with
the milky waters of Beltane was thought to ensure everlasting beauty.
Fertility and the Sacred Union
At Beltane, the goddess and the god are at peak virility as their young
relationship matures into one of love and commitment. Come the
end of Beltane, they will have joined hands in a symbolic marriage
and conceived a child that will grow into the harvest. To represent
this sacred union, the ancient Celts and Anglo-Saxons erected
maypoles made from the phallic trunks of straight trees (such as fir,
birch, and ash) and topped them with yonic wreathes of spring
blossoms (traditionally hawthorn) from which they tied long,
colorful strands of ribbons. Upon returning from going “a-maying” in
the forest, young women would dance around the maypole as they
weaved the ribbons together in a symbolic union of the male and
female energies. May baskets (bouquets of spring flowers) were
gi ed in secret to hopeful lovers and a great feast was held to
celebrate all of the abundance that Beltane brought from the fields
and pastures.
WOVEN WITCH’S LADDER
Heal what ails you with powerful knot magick.

Materials:
(3) 5- (1.5 m) lengths jute twine
Iron ring for hanging
8 sprigs of healing herbs or flowers (such as calendula, nettle, sunflower, daisy, dandelion, and/
or rosemary)
Hollowed half of an orange
Olive oil
Embroidery needle
Long matches or stick lighter

Knot magick, used for thousands of years, was prevalent throughout ancient Rome as well
as the Germanic and Celtic lands. Celtic knots, although thought to have been used primarily
for decoration, represent the interconnectedness between all that exists. On the battlefield,
Celtic warriors may have used shield knots as protection from physical and spiritual
dangers. In sailing folklore, a ship captain may have purchased a magickal knot called a
sailors knot from a witch in port; each knot he untied let loose a wind that would set the ship
on course, but he was warned never to untie the last knot or the ship would surely sink.

Witchesʼ ladders—knotted ropes bound with magick—were first discovered in the 19th
century but have existed throughout folklore for much longer. Sometimes interwoven with
black chicken feathers, they were thought to hex or curse a person with death. In modern
witchcra and Wicca, witchesʼ ladders are made of any cord material and strung with beads
or woven with small charms or talismans for healing, protection, or other intentions. The
knots can be made in any multiple of the sacred numbers or a number important to you.

1) Meditate on your intention—have you been experiencing a physical, emotional, or spiritual

struggle toward which you would like to direct your magick? Write down eight symptoms that
are a result of this struggle. For instance, if you experience migraines, you could list symptoms
such as 1) Radiating pain, 2) Exhaustion, 3) Tinnitus, 4) Nausea, and so on.

2) Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of the orange peel and swirl it deosil 3 times.

3) Tie all three pieces of twine to the iron ring. Begin to braid the loose ends together.

4) As you plait, include eight evenly spaced knots along the length of the braid, and just above each
knot thread a sprig of a dried herb or flower. As you weave each herb into the ladder, bind each
symptom from the list you made earlier to a knot: “Knot of one, radiating pain; knot of two,
exhaustion,” and so on.
5) When you have finished weaving the eight symptoms into the ladder, finish it with the orange
peel: thread the end of your cords through the embroidery needle and poke it straight through
the center of the peel from the open top to the bottom. As you make one final knot on the bottom
of the orange peel, say “Knot of nine, this affliction is thine.”

6) Hang the ladder in an outdoor place that is safely away from other flammable materials (a free-
standing plant hanger works well).

7) Light the twine in the orange peel on fire. As the ladder burns, visualize the fire destroying each
of your symptoms. Once the ladder has finished burning, bury all of the remnants, including the
iron ring, in the earth.
 RITUAL

BELTANE DEW RITUAL

Receive the blessings of eternal youth and beauty.

Materials:
Cotton cloth
Glass bowl

According to folklore, if a woman washes her face with the first-collected dew of Beltane
morning, it will provide her with eternal youth and beauty. If a man washes his hands with
the same dew, he will become adept at tying knots. Beltane dew can be used in place of
sacred water in any ritual, but it is particularly useful in spells of beauty, attraction, and
glamour.

1) At dawn on Beltane, gather a cotton cloth and a small glass bowl and make your way to a dewy
hawthorn tree, meadow, or patch of grass.

2) Run the cloth against the greenery until it becomes saturated. Then, wring the dew out into the
bowl.

3) When the bowl is halfway full, place it on the ground and face the rising sun. Walk three times
deosil around the bowl while you chant, “Oh, Beltane dew, milky drops of maiden’s youth, bring
me eternal beauty, inside and out.”

4) Sit on the ground facing the sunrise with the bowl of dew in front of you. Wash your face with
the dew, massaging it into your skin in deosil circles.

5) Allow the dawning rays of sunlight to dry the dew on your face. Take care not to wash your face
until the following morning.
 PROJECT

BRIARPATCH LOVE POTION

Ignite the passion and desire within.

Materials:
½ cup dried rose petals
¼ cup crushed hawthorn berries
¼ cup damiana leaves
Pinch saffron
4 ounces (60 ml) Brandy
4 ounces (60 ml) Raw honey
(2) 8-ounce (235 ml) glass jars with lids
Cheesecloth
Label
Writing instrument
2-ounce (60 ml) amber glass bottle with dropper

Warning: Do not consume this potion except under the direction of your physician. It is especially
important to avoid if you are pregnant, nursing, or undergoing IVF or other hormonal medical
interventions and/or have heart or circulatory conditions.

There is a tragic Celtic love story that has been told since the 12th century—one of two
young lovers and a bit of magick in the form of a love potion. The Cornish knight Tristan,
who was young and hopelessly handsome, traveled to Ireland to bring the beautiful maiden
princess Isolde to his uncle Mark, the king, for marriage. As Tristan and Isolde were about to
begin their journey, Isoldeʼs mother gave her a bottle of wine that was to be drunk only by
her and her new husband. Unbeknownst to Isolde, the wine was really a love potion that her
mother had concocted in case Isolde thought King Mark too old to marry. However, Tristan
and Isolde drank the potion and fell deeply in love. Through tricks and tragedy, the ill-fated
lovers would never again meet in the mortal life: Tristan was killed by a poisoned arrow and
Isolde died from heartbreak. But even in death, their love could not be extinguished. From
Tristanʼs grave sprouted a briar that entwined itself around Isoldeʼs grave and could not be
removed despite several efforts by King Mark.
 Although love potions should never be used to change the will of another person, we can
certainly cra an elixir that will ignite our own fires inside of us. The hawthorn berries in
this potion represent the briar that forever ensnared two lovers. Medicinally, rose petals and
hawthorn berries are thought to ease stress and soothe emotions as well as lower cholesterol
and blood pressure. Saffron and damiana are proven aphrodisiacs known to increase libido.

1) In one of the 8-ounce (235 ml) jars, place the rose petals, hawthorn berries, damiana leaves,
and saffron. Fill the jar the rest of the way with equal parts brandy and honey and tighten the
lid.

2) Roll the jar gently in your hands until the honey and herbs are thoroughly mixed into the
brandy. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for 4–6 weeks, gently mixing every other day.

3) Strain the extract through cheesecloth into the second 8-ounce (235 ml) glass jar, making sure to
squeeze any liquid from the herbs. Fill the 2 ounce 60-ml amber glass bottle to keep in your
apothecary cabinet; label both containers and store the larger jar in a cool, dark place. Take 1
dropperful 2–3 times per day as needed to increase sexual desire and performance.

Faeries and Nature Spirits

As a cross-quarter day and the beginning of the second half of the
Celtic year, Beltane is considered a portal holiday through which the
aos sí (the fae folk of mythological Ireland and Scotland) travel.
While there are many different types of wee folk across cultures and
religions, the faeries associated with Beltane are descended from the
supernatural Tuatha Dé Danann. Thought to be the original and
ruling inhabitants of Ireland, the Tuatha were so saddened at the
prospect of having to leave their beloved Ireland behind upon their
defeat in battle that they shrunk themselves down so they could live
in the fairy mounds. These small hills, and the hawthorn trees that
sometimes accompany them, are said to be portals to their world,
particularly on Beltane and Samhain—the liminal times of the year
when the veil between realms is thin. Offerings to the faeries can
encourage them to grant wishes . . . and to not meddle in human
affairs just to appease their troublesome delight. The fae are said to
love all things sweet, enjoying nectar, honey, cakes, butterflies, bees,
as well as lively music and dancing. To keep them at bay, carry St.
Johnʼs wort, rue, and a bit of stale bread—or cra a willow faerie eye
to catch a glimpse of their world.
 RITUAL

WILLOW FAERIE EYE

Peer into the faerie realm.

Materials:
Willow branch
Offerings to the fae (optional)

Willow is one of the sacred trees of Beltane and is o en referred to as the Tree of
Enchantment. In the Ogham, the Celtic Tree alphabet that made up the early Irish language,
willow is the letter S (saille) and the lunar month of mid-April to mid-May. The Water
element and the moon rule it and link it to love, magick, emotion, fertility, inner healing,
and protection. It is also one of the nine sacred woods bundled for the Beltane fire. Willowʼs
connection with the magickal moon goddess Hekate allows it to travel between realms. It is
said that if you make a circle out a willow tree, you can peer into the realm of the fae.

1) From a willow tree, request a small twig that you can twist to create a sort of magnifying glass.
If you have trouble bending it, soak it for an hour or two in warm water.

2) Once you have formed the willow eye, say, “Spirits of May, come out and play. Bless me with
the sight of fae!” Now, bring the willow eye up to your le eye, the side of your body that
connects to the spirit world, and peer around, looking for any signs of the fae—such as flashes of
light or fluttering movements. Gardens, forest entrances, and the banks of rivers and ponds are
excellent places to spy the fae. They especially love the fuzzy catkins on a pussy willow tree. If
you have a fairy mound on your property, all the better.

3) If you like, leave out nectar, honey, or sweets, such as faerie cakes (tiny cupcakes) or honey
cakes, as offerings for the fae folk. It might help to dance, play lilting music, or blanket the grass
with freshly picked violets or a pot of foxgloves in an effort to draw them out.
LITHA

June 19–22
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
December 19–22

PRONUNCIATION:
LEE-tha
ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
St. Johnʼs Eve (Christian)
Midsummer
Summer Solstice
Alban Hefin (Druidic)
Kronia (Greek)
Vestalia (Roman)

Litha radiates the brilliant light of the longest day of the year. Like
Midwinter, this day represents a pinnacle moment of energy. As the
sun casts its warm glow from its peak in the sky—the highest point it
reaches all year—all the earth is filled with joy and merriment.
Today, we celebrate the season of Midsummer in much the same
way the ancient Pagans did: with feasts of fresh fruit and vegetables
from our gardens and summer catches from the warm waters,
outdoor games and pastoral picnics, long a ernoons lounging in the
heat on the sandy shores. The pollinators are busily buzzing about,
and the sweetness of roses and tiger lilies wa s through the hedges.
But with just one turn of the Wheel, the cycle of death begins. From
the sunʼs peak, we can only await its descent. At sundown, the final
farewell to summer is set in motion. Soon, the difficult work of the
harvest season will greet the turning winds, and darkness will
arrive.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Candles, citrus fruits, lanterns, lights, summer berries, sun
symbols (wheel, cross, or disc), sunflowers

ANIMALS: Bee, butterfly, caterpillar, horse, lion, phoenix

CELEBRATIONS: Bonfires, feasting, handfasting, maypole dancing, outdoor games,

picnics

COLORS: Red, orange, yellow, green, white, gold

DEITIES: Oak and Holly Kings (Celtic); Hathor, Isis, Nut, Ra (Egyptian); Apollo,
Hestia/Vesta (Greco-Roman); Baldur (Norse)

DIRECTION: South

ELEMENT: Fire

FOOD AND DRINK: Berries, carrots, cheese, citrus and tropical fruits, fish, herbed
potatoes, honey, mead, melons, milk, salads, tomatoes

HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS: Blackeyed Susan, calendula, cinnamon, clover, copal,
daisy, dragonʼs blood, frankincense, goldenrod, rosemary, saffron, sandalwood, St.
Johnʼs wort, stinging nettle, sunflower, tiger lily

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Drums, guitar, gong, harp, lyre, violin

STONES: Bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, clear quartz, red jasper, sunstone, tigerʼs
eye, yellow topaz

SYMBOLS: Balefires, disc, phoenix, sun, sun wheel, sword

THEMES: Abundance, blessing, celebration, fire, folly, fortune, mature love, peak of
growth and expansion, strength, the sun

TREES: Beech, birch, holly, oak, willow

ZODIAC/PLANET: Cancer/Moon (Sun at 0 degrees Cancer)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
At midday on the Summer Solstice, the earth shines brightly as the
North Pole reaches its maximum tilt towards the sun at 0 degrees in
the zodiac sign of Cancer. In the Northern Hemisphere, these
Midsummer rays hit the Tropic of Cancer directly, resulting in the
longest day of the year for all those above this line of latitude.
Moving away from this line of latitude towards the North pole
results in an increased amount of daylight as the angle of the sunʼs
rays becomes more and more direct. A profound example of this lies
north of the Arctic Circle. When the Summer Solstice casts its glow
across the northernmost parts of Alaska in the United States,
Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia, the land remains illuminated for a
full 24 hours. Even in the dead of night, the midnight sun stays
perched above the horizon before rising into its high position in the
noon sky.

Although the Summer Solstice brings brightness to the land, it

also heralds the arrival of what many Pagans refer to as the darker
half of the year. Similar to the Winter Solstice, you may be
wondering why the lightest day of the year is mourned as the death
of the light. Just as before, there is only one direction to go from the
peak. From this moment until the Winter Solstice, the pole will tilt
farther and farther away from the sun. As the rays become angled
from a southerly position, the days will shorten. And so, we
celebrate the Midsummer holiday not only as a fond farewell to the
sun but as a harbinger of the impending darkness.

In the night sky, the Summer Triangle, an asterism of three bright

stars (Vega, Deneb, and Altair) from three different constellations
(Lyra the harp, Cygnus the swan, and Aquila the eagle) rises in the
east. The seasonal full moons of Midsummer are the Rose Moon of
June and the Buck Moon (also known as the Thunder Moon) of July.
The fruit and flowers are ripe for the picking, and woodland
creatures traverse the tasty forests in search of luscious berries and
greens. Thunder and lightning enliven the sky as the sun prepares
the land for harvest. This is the time to revel in the pure magick that
abounds.
 RITUAL

MIDSUMMER RITUAL NAP

Charge your own energy in the golden light of the most powerful sun of
the year.

Materials:
1 teaspoon dried lavender buds
1 teaspoon dried chamomile flowers
1 lemon
Sprig of fresh lavender
½ ounce (15 ml) witch hazel
Distilled water
20 drops lavender essential oil
Freshly picked summer flowers (such as blackeyed Susans, calendula, chamomile, clovers,
daisies, lavender, and sunflowers
Empty tea bag or tea infuser
2-ounce (60 ml) glass mister bottle
Teacup
Blanket
Pillow
Sunblock and/or UV-protective clothing
Label
Writing instrument

Midsummer represents the final opportunity to rest before the busy harvest season
begins. Amidst the revelry, it is important to take a moment to recharge yourself in the final
moments of the most powerful sun of the year. What better way to do this than through a
lazy, hazy Midsummerʼs Day nap? Sleep is so vital to our survival that we spend a third of
our lives behind closed eyelids. When we tuck away into our beds, our bodies and minds
undergo a restoration process that renews our energy and maintains our conduit for
magick. Herbal allies known to soothe and calm our minds and bodies into the lull of sleep
include lavender and chamomile, which can be made into a tea for a relaxing prenap
experience.

1) Cra a Midsummer Tea Blend: In the tea bag, blend the lavender buds and chamomile. Pour
boiling water into a teacup and allow the tea bag to steep for 5–10 minutes. Place a lemon slice
on the surface.

2) Cra a Lavender Spray: Fill the glass mister bottle with ½ ounce (15 ml) of distilled water, ½
ounce (15 ml) of witch hazel, and 20 drops of lavender essential oil. Drop the sprig of lavender
into the bottle before screwing on the mister cap, then turn over gently to mix. Label the bottle
and store it in a cool, dark place when not in use.

3) Protect your skin thoroughly with your sunblock and/or protective clothing, then lay your
blanket and pillow out on a grassy area in the glow of the Midsummer sun. Lightly spray them
with the Lavender Spray.

4) Sit down on the blanket and drink your tea. As you do, meditate on a sigil for charging your
energy—this could be a sun containing your initials or perhaps a pentagram encircled by the
letters in your name.

5) Once you have finished your tea, take the flowers you gathered and arrange them into your
sigil somewhere on your skin. Your solar plexus, the chakra of personal power located two
inches (5 cm) above your belly button, is an excellent place to arrange your flower sigil (if this
proves difficult, you can enlist a trusted partner to assist you).

6) Lay your head down on the pillow and close your eyes. Visualize that the rays from the sun are
charging your sigil and that energy is entering your solar plexus and radiating throughout
your entire body. Breathe in the scent of lavender and feel its soothing, calming vibrations lull
your body and mind to sleep. If you are unable to fall asleep, that is perfectly okay. Lie in
meditation for as long as you like until you feel recharged.

7) Upon awakening, blow the flower sigil off your body and into the wind. The magick of it is
now inside of you, and you no longer need the physical remnants.
ANCIENT SITES
Ancient Pagans revered the Summer Solstice, as evidenced by
prehistoric monuments across the world. Many of these societies
were pastoral farming communities that relied on this peak sunlight
to return from battle and begin preparing for the harvest. Temples
and shrines to the gods and goddesses of the sun existed alongside
huge megaliths that acted as calendars and festival sites. Stonehenge
remains the most popular megalith at which to celebrate the solstice
—thousands of modernday Druids and Pagans arrive each June to
witness the sun rise over the heel stone in welcome of the longest
day of the year. The Grange stone circle on Lough Gur in Ireland
aligns with the sunrise as well, and people still hold celebrations
atop the mythological home of the Tuatha on the Hill of Tara. Off the
Mediterranean coast, the rising rays of the Summer Solstice sun
travel through the megalithic doorway of the Mnajdra temple
complex on the island of Malta and hit the pecked stone in the upper
le -hand corner before filling the chamber with light.

Outside of Europe, the Incan-built Temple of the Sun at Machu

Picchu in Peru is home to a sacred stone that is lit with the solstice
sunʼs rising rays. In Egypt, the arrival of the Summer Solstice meant
that the Nile would soon rise and flood the plains, a welcome sight
a er months of drought. Standing in front of the Great Sphinx of
Giza will give you a perfect view of the sun as it rises directly
between the pyramids of Khafra and Khufu.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
At Midsummer, the glowing goddess is swollen with child, enjoying
the lazy days of Summer before she gives birth to the harvest. The
god is strong like the warriors away at battle who will return to cut
the first grain come Lughnasadh. The people venerate solar deities
with great bonfires, feasts, and sacrifices in hopes that the sunʼs stay
in the underworld will be a safe and short one.

Germanic Peoples
Although not much is known about the Summer Solstice
celebrations of the ancient Germanic peoples, it is thought that at
sundown on Midsummerʼs Eve, they lit bonfires on village hilltops
where farmers discussed crops and warriors set off to battle (if they
had not gone already). People also rolled flaming wheels down into
bodies of water to signify not only the sunʼs descent but the
extinguishing of the Fire element of summer in the Water element
of autumn and the turn of the Wheel to the darker half of the year.
With these rituals, they made sacrifices and offerings to Baldur, the
Norse god of light and joy (who, you may remember, was born to
Frigga on the Winter Solstice). Midsummer is still widely celebrated
in Sweden, but there it is much more akin to the Celtic holiday of
Beltane than to other Midsummer celebrations, perhaps because the
seasons of the Northern regions lag behind those of the temperate
British Isles.

Litha, the name ascribed to the Midsummer celebration on the

Wheel of the Year by Aiden Kelly, one of the forefathers of the
Neopagan revival, was originally discovered in Bedeʼs work, The
Reckoning of Time. There, Bede mentions two months known as
Forelitha and A erlitha, which enveloped the time of the Summer
Solstice. He wrote that the Anglo-Saxon word litha related to the
smooth and navigable seas that generally occur during Midsummer.
Christianization incorporated the Anglo-Saxon solstice celebrations
into what is now known as St. Johnʼs Eve, with his feast day to follow.
Celts
For the Celts, the Summer Solstice marks the triumphant return of
the Holly King to the throne a er a six-month-long battle with his
brother, the Oak King. Ancient Druids venerated the mighty oak
tree, which they considered a doorway to the darker half of the year.
In their celebrations, they burned logs from sacred trees, of which
the oak was one, in a ceremonial hilltop fire to bid farewell and fond
blessings to the sun as they danced in revelry and ritual. As one of
three spirit nights, the Summer Solstice was also considered a
liminal time during which magickal herbs, such as mistletoe and
fern seed, thought to be at the peak of their power, were harvested.
Today, modern Druids have resurrected many of the old ways in a
Summer Solstice celebration known as Alban Hefin.

Greeks and Romans

The ancient Romans celebrated Vestalia at Midsummer to honor
Vesta, the goddess of the home and hearth (known to the Greeks as
Hestia). The festivities took place at her temple, where they
worshipped her and offered her cakes made with holy water. Like
Brigid, Vesta was the bearer of a perpetual flame, and her worship
o en called for a ritual cleansing to prepare the home, body, and
spirit to rest comfortably in the darker half of the year.
 RITUAL

OAK TREE PORTAL

Step across the threshold into the darker half of the year.

Materials:
A few slivers oak bark
30 ml olive oil
5 drops patchouli essential oil
5 drops sandalwood essential oil
5 drops vanilla oleoresin
2-ounce (60 ml) glass bottle with dropper cap

The Celtic Tree of Life forms an interwoven circle between the oakʼs outstretched
branches and its widespread roots. This symbol of balance and harmony represents the
link between the earthly realm and the otherworld, giving meaning to the expression from
the Emerald Tablet (an ancient and esoteric artifact that is said to hold the secrets of the
universe), as above, so below—all things are connected. While the Celts revered all trees as
sacred, there was none more venerated than the mighty oak. So sacred to the Druids was
this wise and magickal tree that the English word Druid derives from the Celtic word for
oak, duir, meaning doorway.

Strength, dominance, wisdom, and protection—these are all qualities the Druids
associated with the oak. Fertility, too, was an important role in the oakʼs position. During
Beltane and Midsummer celebrations, the May King, also known as the Oak Man or Jack in
the Green, is dressed in oak and hawthorn boughs as a symbol of fertility, and acorns are
o en used as the tips of priapic wands. Why, though, were oaks associated with all of these
virile qualities? Perhaps it is because the oak tree is o en the tallest in the forest and thus
receives the brunt of lightning strikes—a symbol of immense power. The site of a lightning
strike, where the heat has seared the bark and le a scar, is where mistletoe was thought to
grow. During Midsummer, the Druids would seek out these lightning scars, cut off the
potent mistletoe with a golden sickle, sacrifice a white bull, and then cra an elixir said to
cure all ailments. Here we see another concept reminiscent of the Emerald Tablet and the
alchemistsʼ prized transmutation: the philosopherʼs stone.
1) Cra a Sacred Oak Anointing Oil: Fill your 60-ml glass bottle with olive oil, and drop the oak
bark into it.

2) Add the patchouli and sandalwood essential oils and vanilla oleoresin. These plant allies are
known to transport the protected spirit to other realms. Label the bottle and store in a cool,
dark place when not in use.

3) At sundown on Midsummer’s Day, find an oak tree to which you feel a connection.

4) Anoint your le hand, the hand associated with otherworldly magick, with the Sacred Oak
Anointing Oil by putting 3 drops onto the palm of your hand and massaging it in a
widdershins direction.

5) Touch this palm to the oak tree, and feel its power and wisdom entering your body as your
energies mix.

6) Chant, “At Midsummer’s close, guide me through the season of shadows.” As you do, visualize
the mark becoming a portal to the next season. As you are pulled through the portal, remember
that the oak tree will keep you safe as it guides you through the darker half of the year.

7) When you are safely on the other side of the gateway, take your hand off the oak and thank it
for guiding you with such wisdom and strength. Welcome to the darker half of the year.
Egyptians
The Egyptian new year began on the Summer Solstice, when they
celebrated the sun god Ra on his longest day of the year. The trio of
fertility, sky, and earth goddesses known as Hathor, Isis, and Nut
were tasked with the rebirth of the land as the star Sirius rose above
the horizon from the underworld, signaling the impending flooding
of the Nile and the arrival of the planting season.

CELEBRATING MIDSUMMER IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

At Midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun’s rays hit the Tropic of Cancer directly,
resulting in the longest day of the year for all those below this line of latitude. Moving away
from the Tropic of Cancer towards the South Pole results in an increased amount of daylight
as the sun’s rays become more and more direct. Here, the sun reaches the 0-degree mark in
Capricorn.
In the night sky, the three stars of Orion’s Belt align with Sirius inside the asterism of the
Summer Hexagon. In relation to the Winter Circle in the Northern Hemisphere, the Summer
Hexagon in the Southern Hemisphere can be found lower and in a reversed position, with
Orion’s Belt pointing upward at Sirius and extending toward Canopus.
Joy, Health, and Happiness
At the peak of summer, the berries are sweet, the sun is shining, and
the shadows of the high sun are long but the shadows of winter are
forgotten. Northern European countries celebrated Midsummer
much like Beltane, with fertility rites, handfasting ceremonies, and
feasting. On Midsummerʼs Eve, revelers engage in dancing and
forest frolicking while the evening bonfires draw down the vitality of
the sun. In the morning, people erect the Maypole, which in
Swedish is called the midsommarstång, and dress it with hawthorn
and other greenery as woven ribbons unite the energies of the god
and goddess together. This is the time of year when our bodies and
spirits are most nourished—when the bounties in our gardens
provide all of our necessary nutrients. We catch fish from the rivers
and lakes and pickle or smoke them to serve alongside dilled
potatoes and fresh fruit for a day of replenishment following a
debaucherous night of romping in the woods.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Magick and Divination

Like Beltane and Samhain, Midsummerʼs Eve is considered a night
when the spirits roam free across the earthly realm. Divination
practices, all the more powerful on this liminal night, center on the
magick of the forest alight with will-oʼ-the-wisps and faerie wings
and the so ly colored blooms of June. Those seeking prophecies
pick bouquets of flowers and place them under their pillows in
hopes that they will dream of their future lovers; tear petals one by
one from the stamen until the first initial of their true beloved is
revealed; use healing flowers, potent here at peak sunlight, to make
charms and potions; rub fern seeds onto their eyelids so that the
wee folk will become visible as they fly about the mortals; and dress
barns and homes in greenery to protect them from the coming
darkness.

Protection and Farewell to the Sun

Although Midsummer welcomes the longest day of the year and the
peak of summer, the sun now begins its descent. Ancient peoples
ignited bonfires on hilltops and near springs not just to call upon the
strength and vitality of the season but to protect the sun on its
southward journey and ward away the evil spirits that would
accompany the incoming darkness. In the bonfires, the ancient Celts
burned sacred herbs, such as sage, juniper, and oak moss, for
saining (the Celtic practice of spiritually cleansing with smoke) the
cattle as they were led on their way out to pasture. Villagers carried
torches and lanterns from fire to fire so as to mark a boundary of
protection around the village. Once extinguished, the coals from
these fires were spread on the fields to protect the crops and ensure
a good harvest.
 RITUAL

BESOM OF VESTA
Perform a ritual cleansing in preparation for the darker half of the year.

Materials:
4- (1.2 m) hardwood handle (such as ash, hawthorn, hazel, or oak)
Bundle of 10–12-inch (25.4–30.5 cm) birch twigs or woody herbs (such as lavender, mugwort,
rosemary, or thyme)
3 long, slender willow branches or lengths of heavy cord (such as hemp)
Bucket of warm water at least 12 inches (30.5 cm) deep

A besom is a traditional broom typically associated with witchcra or Pagan practices

that is used to symbolically sweep negative or lingering energy from a sacred space or
home. It is o en kept at the hearth or above a door as protection against negative energy. In
folklore, besoms have been associated with witchesʼ flying brooms, upon the handle of
which a Flying Ointment cra ed from psychoactive herbs was applied. The witches would
then strip off their clothes and mount their broom to fly off into the night. Traditionally,
besoms are constructed from birch twigs that have been bound with willow onto a handle
of hazel or hawthorn, but oak, ash, or any of the other sacred deciduous woods can be
used. Woody herbs, such as lavender, mugwort, rosemary, or thyme, can also be used in
place of the birch twigs.

The handle should be approximately 4 feet (1.2 m) in length and have its bark shaved off;
you may sand it for smoothness. The bristles should be about 10–12 inches in length and
plentiful enough that they will make a full broom fan when bundled together.

1) Soak all of the materials except the handle in the bucket of water for 24 hours.

2) Lay the handle on a large, flat surface. Bundle the bristles together. Cut across the top stems to
make an even line, then that up with the handle so that the even ends are about 6 inches (15
cm) up from the bottom of the handle.

3) Tightly bind the bristles to the handle with the 3 lengths of cord—one about 1 inch (2.5 cm)
above the bottom of the handle, one about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the top of the bristles, and one
in between. As you bind the besom, say “Into this besom of tree and herb, I bind the power of
the hearth goddess Vesta. I bind the power of family. I bind the power of home. I bind the
power of connection.”
4) Allow the broom to dry for a few days before using it in ritual to energetically cleanse your
home. When it is not in use, hang it near the hearth or above the threshold to your main door
to protect your home and family.
 RITUAL

MIDSUMMER SAUNA WHISK

Invigorate your body and spirit.

Materials:
Hemp cord (12–15 inches [30–38 cm])
Bundle of fresh birch, oak, eucalyptus, willow, or rowan leaves

Sauna whisks—fragrant bundles of new tree leaves—are traditional sauna tools for
cleansing and healing rituals in Finland and Russia. Birch, oak, and/or eucalyptus are
bound together with cord and used in massage for their circulatory and aromatherapeutic
benefits. While in the sauna, gentle, repeated lashings from the whisk from head to toe
have various medicinal and spiritual benefits for the bather, depending on which leaves are
used. Birch is thought to assist in boosting the mood, calming emotions, clearing the lungs
for deeper breathing, and clearing toxicities from the blood and skin by improving
circulation. Oak imparts its anti-inflammatory qualities on the skin and relieves pain, while
Eucalyptus is an excellent ally for clearing out congestions from cold and flu. Willow and
rowan leaves, while not traditional sauna remedies, can also be used as bath whisks as they,
too, have anti-inflammatory and circulatory benefits.

1) Gather your bundle of fresh birch, oak, eucalyptu, willow, or rowan leaves and clean the ends
of the twigs so that they can be bound together, leaving the fresh foliage on three-quarters of the
twigs. This “handle” should be about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) long and fit comfortably in
your hand.

2) Place the longest branches in the middle of the bundle and the shorter branches around the
outside so that the shape resembles a fan. Bind the twigs together by tightly wrapping the hemp
cord around the base of the fan and then again about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the base of the
“handle.”

3) If you do not have a sauna, simply let the steam from a hot shower or bath fill your bathroom.
Traditionally, one bather whisks another, but if you do not have a bathing partner available,
you may whisk yourself. Dip the whisk in warm water (or cool water if you prefer a more
invigorating sauna) and gently lash at your skin going from head to toe. As you whisk, take
deep, slow breaths and allow the aroma of the fresh leaves to engage your senses.

4) Once you have finished whisking, relax in the aromatherapeutic steam for approximately 15
minutes, focusing on the energizing feeling of increased blood circulation.
 PROJECT

SERPENT’S EGG AMULET

Protect against psychic attack and hexes.

Materials:
Small glass jar
Sacred water
Serpent’s Egg (small, oval-shaped stone)

On Midsummerʼs Eve, the Druids believed that as serpents writhed together in coitus,
they formed foam balls called ovum anguinum, or serpentʼs eggs. A Druid who caught the
serpentʼs egg in the air and escape the serpent by crossing a river or stream on horse would
hold in their hand the power to transform energy. Pliny the Elder, the Roman author of
Natural History, noted that these serpentʼs eggs (also known as Druidʼs eggs, snake stones,
or Glain Neidr) were used, although not always successfully, to protect people against
lawsuits. While true serpentʼs eggs might be hard to come by, we can consecrate stones that
resemble the eggs of lore. In some traditions, hag stones or adder stones are used in a
similar way—to protect against psychic attack and repel curses.

1) Comb a beach or riverbank for a small, oval-shaped stone that is banded or serpent-like,
similar to granite, marble, ammonite, or agate. You could also seek out a hag stone—a stone
that has had a natural hole worn through it by water.

2) In your glass jar, collect water from a fresh source on Midsummer’s Day. Cleanse and charge
your serpent’s egg by dipping a finger from your le hand in the sacred water and massaging it
deosil into the egg. Perform this cleansing and charging ritual anytime you feel that the amulet
has lost its luster. Label and store the sacred water in a cool, dark place.

3) Keep the serpent’s egg in your le pocket to shield you from negative energy.
 RITUAL

PROTECTION CASTING HERBS

Pick potent protection herbs to cast into the Midsummer fire.

Materials:
Gold, bronze, or glass vessel

The herbs that the ancient Druids picked on Midsummerʼs Day were thought to be
blessed with the peak power of the sun and the element of Fire, which imparted qualities of
strength, healing, manifestation, vitality, and protection. When out foraging for your own
fiery casting herbs (herbs that will be thrown or “cast” into the fire) on Midsummerʼs Day,
you can follow a few simple rules that will help you choose wisely.

1) On Midsummer’s Day, pick a small bundle of flowers or herbs that are associated with the Fire
element. Look for herbs or flowers that mimic the color of the sun and the flames of fire (yellow,
orange, or red); are visited o en by bees and other pollinators; are associated with healing, joy,
and strength; have widespread roots or spread very quickly; or strongly affect the senses, such
as those with a spicy taste or that cause abrasions to the skin. Examples include calendula,
chamomile, elder, mint, mistletoe, mugwort, rosemary, St. John’s wort, saffron, stinging
nettle, sunflower, thyme, and verbena.

2) On a cutting board or countertop, pick all of the leaves and flowers off of the stems and place
them into a small gold or bronze vessel or glass jar.

3) At your Midsummer fire, cast the herbs into the flames as you petition blessings, such as
“Cleanse my energy!” “Protect my magick!” “Bless my spirit!” If you would like, offer a handful
to a Midsummer deity, saying something such as, “I offer to you, King of Oak, gratitude for a
bountiful season!”
LUGHNASADH

August 1
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
February 1

PRONUNCIATION:
LOO-nah-sah

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
Hlaefmass/Loafmass (Anglo-Saxon)
First Harvest
Grain Harvest
Feast of First Fruits
August Eve
Garland Sunday
Bilberry Sunday (Celtic)
Lammas (Christian)

At Lughnasadh, the darker half of the year is already underway.

Wheat, tall and golden, sways in the fields under the falling light,
ready for the first harvest to begin. The harvest of grain and first
fruits begins not long a er summer haying, when bound bales dot
the rolling farmlands and seed pods hang heavy from the dry
sheaves. Apples, peaches, blueberries, grapes, and other fruits begin
to ripen as the fields and gardens buzz with late-summer pollinators
foraging for nectar-rich plants. The flowers have long since dropped
their seeds, with only a few sunny wildflowers remaining in the
drying brush. Though the land is glowing, the light is dwindling, and
the threshold to autumn is at our feet. This turn of the Wheel brings
the difficult work of reaping all that we have sown. Harvest season
sustains us, but at a price—the seed we have nurtured from
intention to nourishment we must now cut down in the field, a
noble death that gives us life. But it raises the question: Did we plant
enough to sustain us through the barren months ahead?
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Agricultural and smithcra tools, cauldron or chalice, corn
dollies, spear, sunflowers, wheat sheaves

ANIMALS: Calf, centaur, griffin, horse, phoenix, rooster, sheep, stag

CELEBRATIONS: Bread-making, bonfires, canning, feasting, grain-harvesting

COLORS: Burnt orange, yellow ochre, olive green, gold, brown

DEITIES: Beowa (Anglo-Saxon); Lugh and Tailtiu (Celtic); Osiris (Egyptian);

Hermes/Mercury (Greco-Roman); John Barleycorn (Neopagan)

DIRECTION: South/West

ELEMENTS: Fire/Water

FOOD AND DRINK: Ale, barley cakes, bilberries, cider, colcannon, crab apples, garlic,
grains and bread, grapes, jam, nuts, onions, potatoes, squash, wild berries, wine

HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS: Barley, basil, blackthorn, calendula, chamomile,

coneflower, corn, dragonʼs blood, elder, frankincense, goldenrod, hops,
meadowsweet, oats, poppy, rose hips, rosemary, sage, safflower, sandalwood,
sunflowers, wheat

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Bells, cymbals, drums, gong, guitar, harp, lyre, sistrum,
violin

STONES: Carnelian, citrine, peridot, orange calcite, red jasper, tigerʼs eye, yellow
topaz

SYMBOLS: Corn dolly, plow, sickle, slingshot, spear, sun, wheat

THEMES: Bounty, creativity, death, harvest, preparation, reaping, strength,

transformation

TREES: Apple, ash, elder, hazel, oak, rowan

ZODIAC/PLANET: Leo/Sun (Sun at 15 degrees Leo)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
The third cross-quarter day on the Wheel of the Year signals the
midway point between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn
Equinox. In the zodiac, the sun reaches the 15-degree mark in the
fixed sign of Leo (the lion), who is ruled by none other than the fiery
energy of the sun. But as the gateway to autumn, Lughnasadh
represents an elemental shi —a cooling of the embers in the Water
just around the bend.

In the night sky, the Big Dipper drops down to scoop up the
incoming element of Water. The seasonal full moons of Lughnasadh
are the Sturgeon Moon of August and the Corn Moon of September.
The warm waters of late summer are teeming with fish and the
fields are swaying with golden grain. This is the time to reap what
you have sown.
ANCIENT SITES
In Celtic mythology, the festival of Lughnasadh commemorates the
death of the ancient goddess Tailtiu, foster mother of the solar god
Lugh. Upon her death, Tailtiu was said to have been buried under a
mound in what is now Teltown, County Meath, where the Áenach
Tailteann, or Tailteann Games, were once held alongside feasts and
festivities. This fair was later revived during the Medieval period as
evidenced by the Iron Age earthworks that have since been
uncovered.

Pilgrimages to sacred wells to dress them and to the mountains

for bilberry-picking were popular Pagan traditions that were carried
over into the Christianized holiday of Garland (or Reek) Sunday.
Today, pilgrimages are still made to climb holy mountains, such as
Croagh Patrick in honor of St. Patrick, a patron saint of Ireland. One
of the enduring traditions of Lughnasadh is the cra fair—for over
three centuries, the Ould Lammas Fair (thought to have originated
as a sheep market) has taken place in Ireland.

CELEBRATING LUGHNASADH IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

During Lughnasagh, the Southern Hemisphere sun is at 15 degrees Aquarius.
In the night sky of the Southern Hemisphere, Regulus, the brightest star in the Leo
constellation, is visible at Lughnasadh. Here, Leo will be upside down, with Regulus at the
upward point of the Lion’s trademark sickle-shaped head, signaling the fervent harvest of the
grain.
 PROJECT

COTTAGE WITCH’S PANTRY

Organize and take stock of your magickal supplies.

Materials:
Small wicker baskets
Glass jars
Labels
Writing instrument
Paper or grimoire

Of the many paths available to those who practice witchcra , that of the cottage witch is
by far the most organized. Neatly lining the cottage witchʼs shelves are jars of herbs
collected from the garden, tinctures and elixirs brewed with the phases of the moon,
simple salves cra ed from the weeds, bits and bobs collected from the surrounding forest,
and cooking spices enchanted with spells. Each jar is labeled and dated—all the cottage
witch has to do to take stock is look around. Lughnasadh is the time to take inventory of all
that we have harvested so that we can ensure our survival over the winter. In witchcra ,
this starts with our minds and our spirits and moves outward to our pantries and shelves.

1) Clear a shelf or a cabinet that is large enough to store your magickal pantry.

2) If you have loose herbs or bits and bobs in storage bags and other containers, store them in
glass jars instead. Along with your tinctures, elixirs, infused oils, teas, and so on, label the
front of each jar of herbs, noting the name of the herb, what its magickal and medicinal
properties are, and the date you received or cra ed them. Organize the jars by name, elemental
association, magickal use, or recipe, or in any way that makes sense for your individual
practice.

3) In the wicker baskets, organize your magickal tools, such as wands, crystals, mortar and
pestle, measuring cups, and spoons. Write on a hanging label what the basket contains and tie
it, face out, to the handle.

4) Now, with a quick glance at your witch’s pantry, you can see exactly what you have, what you
might be running low on, and what might be past its expiration date. On a piece of paper or in
your grimoire, make a list of things you might need to gather from the fields, gardens, or forest
before the harvest season is over.
 PROJECT

FIRST-HARVEST MARKET

Share cra ed goods with fellow makers.

Materials:
Tables and chairs or booth setups
Green and gold tablecloths
Garlands or greenery
Wheat bundles or corn stalks
Goods to trade

Markets and fairs are a favorite pastime of Lughnasadh, and many of the traditions still
carry through today. Both the Ould Lammas Fair and the Puck Fair, two of Irelandʼs oldest
fairs, are thought to be remnants of the original Lughnasadh fair, Áenach Tailteann. In
Pagan times, there might have been traditional dancing and music, livestock, theater, arts
and cra s workshops, and a market for buying and trading. Feasts of baked bilberry goods
and wines as well as breads made from the grain harvest were offered, and a sacrificial bull
was slaughtered and the meat eaten. Athletic games, such as horse racing, archery, spear
throwing, and swimming, were held, the latter evidenced by the artificial lakes created in
Teltown for the aquatic portions of the games. The fair was also a time for nearby
communities to get together and discuss politics and business. Today, we celebrate the
months of July and August in a similar vein—as a chance to come together by way of family
reunions, carnivals, festivals, cra fairs, farmers markets, and renaissance fairs.

1) To host your own harvest market, gather a group of friends, family, or community members
who enjoy making cra s, baking breads or pies, reciting poetry, reading palms or tarot,
playing music, performing theatre or cosplay, dancing, or anything that calls on their creative
sides.

2) On Lughnasadh, set up the appropriate number of booths, or tables and chairs, in a circle
around a central meeting area. If you like, request that each maker or performer bring their
own table and chair or booth setup.

3) Dress the tables in gold or green tablecloths as well as greenery, flower garlands, wheat
bunches, corn stalks, grapevines, and other symbols of the first grain harvest. Participants may
also dress their own tables or booths.
4) If you are unsure what to offer, you could try your hand at cra ing vibrant flint corn
necklaces, bilberry bracelets, Irish soda bread, corn dollies or corn sun wheels, wheat wreaths
or besoms, candle holders carved from apples or gourds, berry wine, sun tea, or handfasting
ribbons.

5) If you like, have people use the barter system and trade goods and services instead of
exchanging money.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
At Lughnasadh, the goddess has given birth to the harvest and both
she and the god must die to nourish the human race. The first
harvest of grain is a ubiquitous celebration across the world. Corn,
wheat, barley, and other grains have been dietary staples since the
forests were cleared for agriculture thousands of years ago. Ancient
Pagans worshipped agricultural gods in hopes that the harvest
would be abundant and protected from disease and pests.
Germanic Peoples
In Norse mythology, the harvest festivals were an opportunity to
express gratitude to Freyr, the god of virility, favorable weather, and
abundant harvest, with a sacrificial slaying of his beloved boar.
Although Thor, the god presiding over weather, was likely venerated
to some degree during the harvest, his wife, the goddess Sif, played a
larger part in the personification of the grain that was being cut
down, sheaf by sheaf. Just as the wheat turned golden in the fields,
Loki, the trickster, cut off Sifʼs long, flaxen locks as a terrible prank.
Enraged, Thor demanded that Loki replace her hair, and Loki set off
to the land of the dwarves, who promised hair spun from real gold
that would magically grow on Sifʼs head. Modern heathens celebrate
Freyfest at this time to honor the Scandinavian origins of the grain
harvest.

The Anglo-Saxons celebrated the first grain harvest with the

Pagan holiday of hlafmass, also known as loaf-mass. The barley god
Beowa likely inspired the character of John Barleycorn, whose
infamous 16th-century English folksong recounts the tale of a man
who personifies the life cycle of the barley crop (and the beer made
from it). Each year during the grain harvest, John Barleycorn must
give his life for the nourishment of the human race. In some
traditions, the godʼs spirit is preserved in a loaf of bread made from
the first sheaf, which is then shared between villagers at a
community feast. From the last sheaf, a corn dolly to house the
spirit of the grain mother is made and kept on the hearth until it is
plowed into the field along with the seed to fertilize the spirit of the
god. Upon Christianization of the Anglo-Saxons, the festival was
renamed Lammas, and the first bread was brought to the church to
be consecrated and shared or split into four equal parts and placed
in the corners of the barn to protect the harvest.
Celts
The festival of Lughnasadh celebrates the Celtic sun god, Lugh. A
fiercely talented warrior, Lugh was born in captivity to Cían of the
Tuatha Dé Danann and Eithne of the Fomorians. Saved by Tailtiu, a
mortal and queen of the Fir Bolg, Lugh grew up to be known as the
many-talented god whose skills earned him passage once again into
the High Kingʼs Court on the Hill of Tara. Through a series of battles
and the final slaying of his grandfather and former captor, Balor of
the Evil Eye, Lugh defeated the Formorians—the mythological
monsters of drought, famine, and darkness. Tailtiu, who set forth to
clear the bloody, war-ridden fields of Ireland for agriculture, died
therea er of exhaustion. As a homage to his foster mother, Lugh
held a festival for her each year during the first harvest in what is
now known as Lughnasadh.
Egyptians
The annual death of Osiris, the corn god (at this time, the word
“corn” described any cereal crop) and king of the underworld,
represented the cycle of death and rebirth in ancient Egypt. As the
grain stood golden and tall, Osiris was murdered by his brother Set
(the god of chaos and blight), later to be resurrected by his wife, Isis,
to conceive the sun god, Horus. Osirisʼs cycle of death and rebirth
was captured in corn mummies—molds of seeded dirt that, upon
ceremonious watering, sprouted grain.
 PROJECT

GRAIN MOTHER DOLLY

Cra a corn dolly to contain the spirit of the grain mother, Tailtiu.

Materials:
Wheat bundle (stalks 8–10 inches [20–25 cm] long)
Raffia
Grass, clovers and clover flowers, buttons, and/or other decorations

Tailtiu cleared farmland to make way for cereal crops, a staple in the diet of early
European Pagans, and thus became a part of the grain herself. Upon cutting the last sheaf,
with fields empty, the spirit of the grain needed somewhere to live. Corn dollies, or grain
mothers, were o en made of wheat or corn husk to house Tailtiuʼs spirit (or in some cases,
the spirit of the Cailleach) and protect the home until she would once again live in the fields
come spring. Weaving a dolly in the likeness of Tailtiu binds her spirit to the doll and
reminds us that even as the last sheaf falls, there is still life in all that we have nurtured.

1) Soak the wheat stalks in warm water for about an hour so that they are pliable. Dry them by
wrapping them in a towel or cloth for 15 minutes.

2) Braid several strands of raffia to form a plait about 20 inches (51 cm) long.

3) Take 15–20 sheaves of pliable wheat and make a bend in the stalks about one-third of the way
down so that they make a head-like loop on top of the wheat heads. Wrap the raffia plait
around the bend several times and tie it off in the back. As you bind the dolly in this way,
visualize that you are binding the spirit of the grain mother to it. Incant, “Here lives the Grain
Mother who will bless us and protect us until the first seeds are planted come spring.”

4) Fan the wheat heads out so that they are facing the same direction as the dolly’s “head” until
they resemble a skirt.

5) Decorate the dolly in whichever way you like, adding flower bouquets of clovers or grass,
aprons of white lace or embroidered cotton, and/or eyes of buttons.

6) Keep the dolly on your hearth or mantle to protect your home through the winter. Tend to her
each day, keeping her spirit alive and well nurtured. Come spring, assign intentions to a few
seeds and plant her with the seeds in your garden or a pot. There, she will fertilize your
intentions so that they grow to nourish and sustain you.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Reaping the Harvest

The summer haying has come to a close and the grain that was
planted in spring is finally ready to harvest. Upon the return of the
farmers from the battlefields, agricultural tools, such as plows and
sickles, were blessed, and the difficult work of cutting the grain
began. The first cut of “corn,” was made and the spirit of the grain
sacrificed. On Bilberry Sunday, the last Sunday in July, young people
took to the mountainsides to pick bilberries, the wild European
fruits that resemble North American blueberries (also known as
whorts). The berries grew amid the underbrush where the picking
was not easy. This hot day of hard work was thought to inspire love
between the young pickers, which would ideally result in marriage.
When the maidens returned from the mountainsides, they would
bake a bilberry cake and gi it to their future husbands at the
Bilberry Sunday dance.
On Lughnasadh, a great feast was had to celebrate the abundance
from the first harvest. The farmers had planted the seeds, nurtured
them, and were now reaping what they had sown. But with this
bounty came the opportunity to take stock of all they had harvested
and ensure that it would be enough to sustain them through winter.
If they found the harvest to be lacking, they might have considered
what else could be planted in time for the final harvest come
Samhain.
Skill-Building and Creativity
In modern paganism, Lugh is known as the Celtic Cra sman God, a
nod to his impressive variety of talents. In folklore, a young Lugh
seeks entrance to the High Kingʼs Hall at the Hill of Tara. There, he
convinces the gatekeeper that he has no rival in his many skills, and
he is granted admittance. Shortly therea er, he leads the Tuatha in
battle against the Formorians and earns the title of Samildanach,
meaning “many joined skills,” before ultimately becoming the High
King of Tara himself.
Death and Transformation
The first grain harvest results in the death of the corn spirit that had
been sheltered in the growing fields of wheat. At first cut, the spirit—
who may be personified as John Barleycorn, Beowa, Lugh, Sif,
Osiris, or simply the God—becomes tetherless. But the spiritʼs death
is not in vain. From the fields, he is milled into flour, kneaded into
dough, and finally baked into bread, which will fill our bellies and
sustain us through the long winter. This transformation not only
gives life to the human race but allows the spirit to be reborn come
spring. The cycle of death and rebirth is the most important concept
in the universe, and the grain harvest exemplifies it.

Lugh is credited with being a skilled blacksmith, carpenter,

healer, artist, bard, warrior, and ruler of summer storms—this last a
result of his great battle with Balor, in which his magical spear
struck lightning through the sky. Lughʼs struggles and triumphs are
an embodiment of the battle between light and dark. To triumph
over the darkest hour, we must bolster our skills to create enough
light to sustain us. Creative endeavors not only build our character
but enlighten our spirit and keep our days filled with growing
energy.
 PROJECT

BILBERRY GLYCERITE

Cra an alcohol-free home remedy for digestive issues, circulatory health,

blood sugar regulation, and eyesight.

Materials:
½ cup (75 g) fresh bilberries, blueberries, or cranberries with leaves
Vegetable glycerin
(2) 8-ounce (235 ml) glass jars
Knife or mortar and pestle
Cheesecloth
1 ounce (30 ml) amber glass dropper bottle
Label
Writing instrument

Warning: Do not consume this potion except under the direction of your physician. It is especially
important to avoid if you are taking blood thinners, aspirin, insulin, or other medical interventions.

Bilberries, while delicious when made into confections and wine, have also long been a
staple in the home apothecary. They are dense with antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, the
natural pigment that gives them their red-blue color. These flavonoids have been
scientifically shown to produce antiinflammatory and anti-bacterial effects, which can lead
to a healthier cardiovascular system, lower blood sugar, improved eyesight, and a calmer
digestive system. The tannins in the berries and leaves also act as an astringent, which can
help combat digestive issues, such as diarrhea. In this glycerite, an alcohol-free form in
which to bottle the medicinal and vibrational benefits of an herbal ally, you may use
blueberries or cranberries if bilberries are not available in your area.

1) Clean and dry the berries. Cut each one in half with a knife or muddle them with a mortar and
pestle.

2) Place the berries in one of the jars and fill the jar the rest of the way with vegetable glycerin.

3) Close the lid and label the jar. Set the infusion in a cool dark place for 4–6 weeks. Every other
day or so, roll it gently in your hands to mix.
4) Strain the glycerite through cheesecloth into the clean 8-ounce (235 ml) glass jar. Label this
Bilberry Glycerite Stock and store in a cool, dark place. Bottle into a labeled, 1 ounce (30 ml)
amber glass dropper bottle for your apothecary cabinet. Take 1 dropperful a day as needed for
short-term illnesses.
 PROJECT

FIELDS OF GOLD INCENSE

Cra an incense blend to stoke the fires of creativity.

Materials:
1 part dried calendula petals
1 part dried sunflower petals
1 part dried rose hips
Sandalwood
Mortar and pestle
Glass bottle with cork
Charcoal disc
Incense burner or fireproof vessel
Matches or lighter
Label
Writing instrument

Natural incense not only imparts aromatherapeutic benefits thanks to its botanical base,
it provides a sensory backdrop for your creative endeavors. Plant allies associated with the
sun and the Fire element are thought to ignite your passion and stimulate your mind and
spirit. Late-summer botanicals, such as sunflowers, calendula, rose hips, and sandalwood,
celebrate the intense heat that comes in August and the new paths that open up when you
follow the rapidly spreading flames of creative fire. This Lughnasadh-inspired incense is
best burned when you feel stuck in a rut, have trouble expressing your ideas, seek artistic
release, or are searching for that elusive mental spark.

1) In the mortar and pestle, blend the botanicals in equal parts (or increase the sandalwood to
two parts for a more aromatic incense) in an amount of your choosing. Grind them until they
form a chunky powder. As you do so, chant your intentions: “Stir my creativity. Ignite my
passion.”

2) Store the incense in the glass bottle and label it Fields of Gold Incense to remind yourself that it
brings the energy of swaying wheat fields and all the effort it took to reach the harvest.

3) As you work on your next creative project, light the charcoal disc in your incense burner or
fireproof vessel and sprinkle a bit of the incense on it. As the aroma fills the room, feel your
creative spirit awaken.
 MEDITATION

CRYSTAL MEDITATION FOR TRANSFORMATION

Transform what no longer serves you into potential energy.

Material:
Labradorite

At Lughnasadh, it is important to take stock of all we have reaped thus far. This is a
threshold, a cross-quarter day that will lead us into the season of death. Are there any
nonproductive areas of your life that need to be extinguished before the dark days of
introspection and rumination set in? What fields can we clear so that something else can
grow? Fire is a tool not only of purification but of powerful transformation. Some farming
practices, particularly in nonindustrial societies, use a technique known as slash and burn
to fertilize new fields for crops. This involves cutting down trees and other woody plants
and burning them where they fall. The farmers then plow the nutrient-rich ash into the
field as fertilizer for the soil, which they will sow come planting season. We can use the
same technique to prepare our own “fields”—that is, those mental and spiritual areas where
we plant intentions and nurture them into fruition.

Labradorite, the crystal of alchemy, is a powerful ally for transformation. It helps us to

seek that which resides deep within our psyche and bring the shadows into the light.

1) Sit cross-legged in a dark, quiet space. Hold your labradorite in your le hand, the hand of
otherworldly communication and shadow discovery.

2) Visualize that you are a tiny light. You bob around your own head, focusing on your third eye,
the space between your eyebrows. You get closer and closer to this spot until your light melds
with it, forming a portal into your psyche.

3) Now, you are you in your own form, and you hold a labradorite lantern in your le hand.
With it, you must weed through heavily forested woodland to seek out your shadows. Perhaps
they are hiding in the hollow of a gnarled tree or under a dead log that has been ravaged by
nocturnal creatures seeking refuge.

4) In each dark place you explore, hold up your lantern and illuminate one of the shadows. They
might be personifications of your darkest thoughts, most toxic habits, or emotional fears. Self-
deprecation, toxic dependency, uncontrolled impulsivity—these are all shadows you can
transform.
5) With your labradorite lantern, set fire to the spot where they dwell. Watch as the forest around
them reduces to ash. When a cleared plot reveals itself, move the labradorite to your right hand
and plant a seed in the plot. Visualize that from the ashes, something beneficial grows. Perhaps
self-deprecation can be transformed into self-appreciation; toxic dependency into balanced
independence; uncontrolled impulsivity into harmless spontaneity.

6) Close out the meditation by visualizing that your crops are sprouting wildly as fresh rains and
sunshine nurture them.

7) Wear the labradorite against your skin until your new intention has blossomed.
MABON

September 21–24
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
March 21–24

PRONUNCIATION:
MAB-bon

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
Autumn or Fall Equinox
Second Harvest
Harvest Home
Wine Harvest
Fruit Harvest
Witchesʼ Thanksgiving
Alban Elfid (Celtic)

Mabon is the modern reconstruction of the ancient Pagan festivals

surrounding the Autumn Equinox. As on the Spring Equinox, light
and shadow play over the land in equal length, but now the descent
into darkness is just around the bend. Autumn leaves stir and the
sunlight wanes over the emptying fields as a flurry of activity fills the
orchards and pumpkin patches. Hunters spend early mornings in
the forest, seeking out deer, turkey, and other woodland creatures
for the smokehouse. Root cellars and larders fill with hardy fruits
and vegetables as well as the efforts of summer pickling and early
fall canning. The second harvest produces a cornucopia of food,
making Mabon a holiday of abundance and gratitude when
community and family feasts celebrate all we have achieved since
spring. In modern-day traditions, we celebrate this “Witchesʼ
Thanksgiving” by honoring the reciprocal relationships we have
cultivated with nature, with ourselves, and with one another.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Acorns, animal bones, apples, autumn leaves, balance scales,
corn, cornucopia (horn of plenty), gourds, grapes and grapevines, pentacles, pine
cones, pomegranates, poppies, root vegetables, seeds, sunflowers, wine

ANIMALS: Blackbird, coyote, crow, duck, goat, goose, owl, raven, stag, squirrel,
turkey, wolf

CELEBRATIONS: Charity work, feasting, gathering, harvesting

COLORS: Burgundy, burnt orange, dark green, eggplant, brown, gold

DEITIES: Aphrodite/Venus, Dionysus/Bacchus, gods and goddesses of the

underworld (Persephone/Kore/Proserpine, Demeter/Ceres, Hekate) (Greco-Roman);
Modron and Mabon (Welsh)

DIRECTION: West

ELEMENT: Water

FOOD AND DRINK: Apples, ale, beans, bread, cider, corn, duck, goose, grapes,
mutton, pumpkin pie, root vegetables, turkey, wine

HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS: Almond, amber, amyris, apple blossom, aster, benzoin
(styrax), chrysanthemum, clove, hops, marigold, milk thistle, myrrh, oakmoss,
patchouli, rose hip, rosemary, rue, safflower, saffron, sage, sandalwood, thyme,
vetiver, walnut

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Cello, dulcimer, guitar, gong, organ, violin

STONES: Amber, amethyst, catʼs eye, citrine, garnet, peridot, ruby, tigerʼs eye, yellow
topaz

SYMBOLS: Cornucopia, pentagram

THEMES: Balance, gratitude, harvest, introspection, prosperity, reflection, root work,

shadow work

TREES: Apple, birch, hazel, oak, pine, rowan

ZODIAC/PLANET: Libra/Venus (Sun at 0 degrees Libra)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
Once again, the sun travels through the celestial equator as it rises
directly in the east and then, a er precisely twelve hours, sets
directly in the west. A er this equinox, however, the sun will move
from its position at the 0-degree mark in Libra and continue its
southerly journey away from the Northern Hemisphere until the
Winter Solstice. The nights will grow longer, and darkness will soon
take over the land. Along the sunʼs arc, the birds and butterflies will
begin their great migration south. Autumn has officially arrived.

CELEBRATING MABON IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

At Mabon, the sun of the Southern Hemisphere is at 0 degrees Aries.
The red giant Arcturus rises along with his fellow herdsmen. Arcturus keeps watch over
the Bear constellation, Ursa Major.

In the night sky, Fomalhaut, the young Autumn Star sometimes

referred to as the loneliest star, rises just above the southern horizon
in an otherwise barren stretch of sky. The appearance of Fomalhaut
at the droplets of water flowing from Aquariusʼs vessel reminds us
that we have le the Fire element behind and are now riding the
emotional and sometimes melancholy wave of the Water element.
The full moon closest to the Autumn Equinox is known as the
Harvest Moon, for its illumination of the fields that allows farmers
to reap the remaining harvests through the night.
 RITUAL

WATER ELEMENT WRITING RITUAL

Make the transition to the Water element by starting an emotional

journal.

Materials:
1 teaspoon dried apple blossoms
1 teaspoon dried jasmine blossoms
1 teaspoon dried mugwort
Mortar and pestle
Charcoal disc
Incense burner or fireproof bowl
Blank notebook or parchment
Writing instrument
 The transition from the Fire element of summer to the Water element of fall can feel like
a cool dip on a hot day. All the energy that has been wildly dancing under the heat of the
sun is now tempered by the cool rains that patter on the fallen leaves. During the equinox,
we make the transition from our outer selves to our inner selves; from the strength and
confidence that we radiate to others to the emotions we wrestle with under the light of the
moon. The Water element is associated with balance, empathy, bonding, intuition,
divination, and dreams. Water is healing and nurturing, but it can also drown us in a pool
of emotions. By creating a writing ritual for our emotions, we can thrive in the undulating
waves of the season.

1) Cra Water Element Incense: Apple blossoms, jasmine, and mugwort all vibrate with watery
qualities that assist us in emotional work. With your mortar and pestle, grind these herbs until
they form a chunky powder. Label and store in a tin or glass jar in a cool, dry place.

2) Begin your writing ritual: At the end of the day, light a charcoal disc in your fireproof vessel
and sprinkle the Water Element Incense on top. Pass the journal through the wa ing incense
smoke to cleanse and charge it with the emotional energy of the Water element.

3) Sit down with your journal and write the date at the top of the page. Meditate on how you felt
during the day. On the first line, centered and in big letters, write the dominant emotion you
felt. Perhaps it was sadness or fear; perhaps it was happiness or excitability. Around the word,
draw pictures or patterns that symbolize the emotion. For happiness, you might encircle the
word in the rays of the sun and draw summer flowers, such as daisies or sunflowers. You could
include the rune Wunjô for joy and happiness, the elemental symbol for Fire, or a little bluebird
for happiness.

4) Underneath the emotion, write what you believe elicited this emotion. Perhaps it was an event
at work, a symptom of neurodivergence, or a lack of sleep the night before. It is okay to not
know the exact cause, but thinking about the events surrounding the emotion might help you
to discover your own personal triumphs or triggers. It is only important here that you are
honest with yourself.

5) How did this emotion look? Did you cry in the bathroom, pace up and down the hall, or smile
throughout your entire dinner? All of these help us to form in our mind a visual image of the
emotion. Write this down on the next line.

6) Next, assign this emotion an element. Happiness might be Fire, fear might be Water, boredom
might be Earth, distraction might be Air—think about the qualities of each element and how
they relate to emotions.

7) Now, consider whether this emotion is something you believe needs to be encouraged or
tempered. If you want to encourage it, think of ways you can add more of its element to your
life. If you want to temper it, think of ways you can combat it with its elemental opposite. For
instance, if your emotion was distraction, an emotion with an Airy quality, you could use the
elemental opposite, Earth, to ground your energy with a hike outside, time in the garden, or a
crystal meditation with hematite.

Try this writing ritual each day to help you steer your own ship through the big emotional
waves of autumn. It might help for you to think of this exercise as a magickal mood journal.
ANCIENT SITES
The Autumn Equinox is observed at the same megaliths as the
Spring Equinox due to their identical sunrises and sunsets. The
stone where the sun “gets tied” at Machu Picchu in Peru, the Return
of the Sun Serpent at El Castillo in Mexico, the crowning of Angkor
Wat in Cambodia, and the cutting ray of light at Grianan of Aileach
in Ireland all mark the arrival of fall just as they mark the arrival of
spring.

As the equinox sun rises, it illuminates the megalithic carvings on

the stone in the back chamber of Cairn T at the Loughcrew passage
tombs on Slieve na Calliagh in Ireland. In Celtic mythology, Slieve na
Calliagh, or the Cailleachʼs Mountain, was thought to have formed
when the winter hag Cailleach dropped the stones she had been
carrying in her apron as she walked across the plains of Ireland.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
At Mabon, the god has been slain, and the grain mother, now
maturing into a crone, rests in her corn dolly above the hearth (see
here). Although this Neopagan holiday is a reconstruction of
festivals past, we still honor those deities who were venerated
during the harvest festivals of ancient Pagan societies—those
capable of descending into darkness only to emerge reborn come
spring.

Germanic Peoples
As winter loomed, the Northern Germanics felt intense pressure to
ensure a successful harvest that would sustain them through the
cold, barren months ahead. While there is not a significant amount
of historical information or traditional lore surrounding ancient
Germanic celebrations for the Autumn Equinox, Scandinavians and
Anglo-Saxons likely held festivals in honor of the second harvest
much as other cultures did. In the modern Heathenry tradition, the
holiday of Winter Finding, also known as Haustblót, is based on
medieval accounts of a fall feast that revolved around the second
harvest and included sacrificial offerings of cattle bones in bonfires,
or bone fires.

Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael (the angelic protector of

dark), which occurs throughout the British Isles on September 29,
likely has origins in the Pagan harvest festivals and has retained the
corn dolly tradition.
Celts
Although Mabon is the Neopagan name given to the Autumn
Equinox festival by Aidan Kelly, the holiday itself is a reconstruction
of ancient Pagan harvest festivals. Born to the Welsh earth mother
goddess Modron on the Autumn Equinox, the Mabon ap Modron, or
“great son of the great mother,” is the Welsh god of light. Legend has
it that at just three nights old, the Mabon was stolen from his mother
and imprisoned. When Culhwch, a young knight, fell in love with a
young woman named Olwen. Olwenʼs father, Ysbaddaden, knew he
would die on the day his daughter married, so he gave Culhwch a
series of impossible tasks to earn her hand. One of these tasks was
to slay the Great Boar, who could be killed only by Mabon ap
Modron. Eventually, the Mabon escaped imprisonment to help
Culwch kill the Great Boar. A man of his word, Ysbaddaden allowed
Olwen to marry and was slain shortly therea er. This legendary tale,
which has ties to Arthurian legend, puts the holiday in the
perspective of an imprisoned light who now begins his retreat into
unseen depths.
Greeks and Romans
In ancient Greek mythology, Persephone (known as Proserpina to
the Romans) begins her descent to Hades on the Autumn Equinox.
According to legend, she was out gathering early fall flowers in a
meadow when Hades, enraptured by her beauty, opened a crack in
the earth that swallowed her into the underworld. For six months,
all life on earth withered and died as Demeter (Ceres) mourns the
loss of her daughter. The Eleusinian Mysteries—secret rites held at
the school of Eleusis that were said to change peopleʼs view of death
—celebrated this personification of the death and rebirth of the land
on the equinoxes.

Dionysus and his Roman counterpart, Bacchus, are also honored

during this time as the grape harvest comes to an end and wine
making begins.
 RITUAL

LIBATION TO DIONYSUS

Make an offering to the god of wine, wisdom, freedom, and fertility.

Materials:
Grapevine, ivy, or bunch of grapes
Styrax (benzoin) incense
Red wine or grape juice
1 tablespoon raw honey
Small fireproof bowl or incense burner
Metal or glass stirrer
Pewter or silver goblet
Garnet wand (optional)

It should come as no surprise that Dionysus, the Olympian god of wine and pleasure,
was worshipped at many times throughout the year. The grapevines that grew readily
throughout ancient Greece were thought to be not only a gi from Dionysus but symbolic of
the godʼs presence in the mortal realm. The god, who could travel between the realms of
the living and the dead and was accompanied by maenads and satyrs, was o en offered
blood sacrifices of goats to ensure his blessings. Although you are certainly welcome to use
blood magick if it is in your practice, in this libation to Dionysus, we will use wine (or grape
juice), honey, and styrax—the most called for resin in the Orphic Hymns (and second most
requested incense in antiquity next to frankincense).

1) Find an outdoor space in which to hold your libation to Dionysus. Consecrate a grapevine,
crown of ivy, or bunch of grapes by burning styrax incense in your fireproof bowl or incense
burner.

2) Pour red wine or grape juice into a goblet until it is half full, then mix in the honey. If you
have a garnet wand, you may stir the wine with it. Garnet is a blood-colored stone named for
the pomegranate seeds it resembles. It removes inhibitions and carries the vibrations of passion
and spiritual awakening.

3) A er the honey has been mixed into the wine, take a sip of the libation and say, “I take within
me the virility of life and the power to bear the fruits of labor.” Feel the drink course through
your body as it stirs something deep inside you and activates your power to create.
4) Pour the remainder of the goblet onto the earth at the base of the grapevine, ivy, or bunch of
grapes and say, “To the god of wisdom and fertility, of banal desires and freedom from
constraints, I offer you this, the blood of grapes and incense of styrax as gratitude for your
blessings.”

Chinese
Since the Shang dynasty, the Chinese have held a mid-autumn
harvest festival during the full Harvest Moon. It is a celebration of
the rice and wheat harvest as well as a time to worship the moon,
who is responsible for giving birth to the harvest. Strings of lanterns
and offerings of fruits and mooncakes venerate Chang E, the moon
goddess of immortality, and pay homage to her origins. Legend has
it that Hou Yi, the husband of Chang E, was gi ed an elixir of
immortality in exchange for shooting down nine suns that had
brought catastrophe to his village. Hou Yi, so in love with his wife
that he did not want to live without her, gave her the elixir instead.
Chang E refused to ingest it, but one day Hou Yiʼs ill-intentioned
apprentice discovered it. Seeing no other way to keep it out of the
wrong hands, Change E promptly swallowed it. Upon gaining
immortality, she flew to the heavenly place closest to Hou Yi: the
Moon. Under Chang Eʼs light, Hou Yi le offerings of all her favorite
treats, which are now gi ed as mooncakes during the midautumn
festival.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS

Harvest and Preservation

Mabon celebrates a season of hard work, culminating in the final
reaping under the full Harvest Moon. A er this, much of the harvest
will be complete, and the land and its people can finally rest. In
ancient Pagan times, offerings of the harvest were made to the gods:
the faithful sacrificed livestock and burned effigies made from corn
husks and wheat sheaves. There were also the more practical tasks
of preparing for winter: storing and preserving food and drink from
the fields and pastures in root cellars and larders. They smoked the
meat from slaughtered livestock, canned and bottled fruits and
vegetables, and fermented the barley and grape harvests to make ale
and wine. Preservation, a concept illustrated by the imprisonment
of the Mabon ap Modron and the abduction of Persephone on the
Autumn Equinox, is the spirit of Mabon. Even though the dark and
difficult days of winter will drain all that we have given over the past
six months, we must preserve our spirit and sustain our magick to
triumph in its wake.
Abundance and Gratitude
With the second harvest complete, food and drink are now plentiful,
both on the feast table and in the pantry. But at Mabon, this
abundance comes with a catch: every bushel gathered is measured
against the requirements for winter. Squirrels have spent these early
autumn days gathering nuts, bears have fattened up for torpor,
humans have stacked and split firewood, and all across the land,
animals and people alike are stockpiling the abundance of the
season. The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, symbolizes this
abundance created from the fertile union—the phallic tip that opens
into the hollow opening of the womb from which the fruits of labor
have been born. In modern times, we have come to know the woven
wicker cornucopia that graces our feasts of thanks, but its ancient
Greek origins reveal the mythological meaning behind the literal
horn of plenty.

As a baby, Zeus was hidden in a cave and nursed by a

supernatural goat named Amaltheia. So strong was the infant god
that as he was suckling, he gripped her horn and accidentally tore it
off. Zeus, stricken by what he had done, promised that the horn
would provide eternal nourishment to Amaltheia. In antiquity, real
goat horns were filled with fruits, vegetables, and grains and
displayed as centerpieces on harvest feast tables. It was a time to be
thankful for all that the earth had produced under the guidance of
the gods and goddesses of the harvest. Even now, during this Pagan
Thanksgiving, we express our gratitude for all that we have: the
family and friends who support us, the nourishment that sustains
us, the shelter that protects us, and the hearth that keeps us warm.
Balance and Reflection
At Mabon, light and dark balance in the early autumn sky, and it is
now that we recognize that we cannot have one without the other.
Without darkness, there can be no light. And without descent, there
can be no ascent. It is time to embrace the dark—to turn inwards
and reflect upon all that we have planted since Imbolc and Ostara,
grown since Beltane and Midsummer, and harvested through
Lughnasadh and Mabon. At the end of the second harvest, the
ancients took stock of all they had and made room for what they still
needed. Balance within the self and the family became vital as the
home and hearth once again become the centerpiece of survival.
The god has been slain and the goddess matures to her crone aspect
in preparation for rest. It is the time to retreat inward, to follow
Mabon ap Modron and Persephone into the darkness, where the
only light comes from within.
 PROJECT

MULLED APPLE CIDER

Preserve the apple harvest in an enchanted, warming drink.

Materials:
2 quarts (1.8 L) farm-fresh or pressed apple cider
1 orange
2 cinnamon sticks (plus extra for serving)
2 allspice berries
2 whole cloves
1 apple
Mortar and pestle
Zester or grater
Spice bag
Mixing spoon
Pot
Serving cups
Tray

We have cultivated apples, the fruit of the gods, since prehistoric times. They symbolize
wisdom, love, earthly desire, beauty and eternal youth, immortality, protection, and
perfection. In Celtic mythology, the name of Avalon, the divine island where King Arthur
was healed of his battle wounds, is derived from the old Welsh word for apple tree. Also
referred to as the fruit of the underworld, apples are thought to be able to travel between
realms and have long been used in love spells and divination. On the Autumn Equinox, all
of the apples seem to ripen at once, producing bountiful quantities that happily store well
over the winter. In this way, they represent immortality and eternal youth. Their
wonderfully round shape and supple skin possess a perfection trumped only by the
pentagram of seeds at their center. Like Libra, the zodiac sign of Mabon, the apple is ruled
by the element of Water and the planet Venus—the ruler of love, beauty, and emotional
energy.

1) In a cauldron or slow cooker, gently heat the cider.

2) Roughly grind the cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves, and dried orange zest with your
mortar and pestle. Transfer this to your spice bag, tie it tightly, and drop it into the cider.

3) With a wooden spoon, stir the cider until simmering. As you stir, chant, “Preserve the harvest,
preserve my spirit, awaken my magick, and sustain those dearest.”

4) Ladle the mulled apple cider into clear glass mugs and serve with a slice of apple on top of the
cider and a cinnamon stick across the rim. If you like, serve the mugs on a serving tray of
bronze, the color that represents the dying harvest sun.
 RITUAL

FORTUNA’S PROSPERITY SPELL

Draw luck and fortune.

Materials:
Several pieces each of green aventurine, pyrite, and citrine
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon cinnamon chips
1 tablespoon whole cloves
Cinnamon stick
Gold leaf flakes
Small cauldron or gold bowl
Green sachet

Fortuna, the Roman goddess of prosperity, luck, fortune, and fate, is o en depicted as a
fertile, feminine figure steering life from atop a shipʼs rudder and carrying the bounty of
the harvest in her cornucopia. To appeal to Fortunaʼs good side, this prosperity spell makes
use of common herbs associated with luck, prosperity, and the Autumn Equinox. Poppy
seeds, cinnamon, and cloves create an aromatic and powerful blend for a Mabon
prosperity spell—especially when paired with stones of green aventurine, pyrite, and
citrine, which assist in conjuring growth, manifestation, and success.

1) Charge the stones by bathing them in light energy via your own projection or by way of a
selenite slab or wand.

2) On your altar, create a small circular crystal grid for prosperity by alternating the aventurine,
pyrite, and citrine. Place your cauldron or bowl in the middle of the grid.

3) In the cauldron, sprinkle the cinnamon chips, poppy seeds, and whole cloves as you incant,
“For luck and fortune, my fate be told. Grow my wealth, and bring me gold.” As you say
“gold,” sprinkle the flakes of gold leaf into the bowl. Repeat the chant as you use a cinnamon
stick to stir the pot 3 times deosil, the direction of increase.

4) Spoon the prosperity blend into the sachet and drop one of each of the stones in with it. Carry
the sachet in your right pocket until you are blessed with the luck of Fortuna.
 RITUAL

PINE CONE AMULETS

Honor the balance of light and dark.

Materials:
Several pinecones
1 tablespoon frankincense resin
1 tablespoon myrrh resin
Bowl with warm water and detergent
Distilled water
Baking sheet
Towel or drying rack
Mortar and pestle
Metal or glass funnel
2-ounce (60 ml) amber glass spray bottle

In autumn, the ground is covered with the vibrant leaves of dying trees and the cones
that have fallen from the pines. While on the tree, these protective outer shells encased
hundreds of seeds in a spiral of sacred geometry. Before dropping to the ground, they
release their seeds into the wind so new life can emerge. Even in their abandoned state on
the littered ground, these spent cones will go on to feed birds, such as robins, pine siskins,
and finches, who all enjoy what is le of the seeds.

Since prehistoric times, the pine cone has represented immortality, fertility, and
enlightenment. Art depicts it as the flame portion of a torch or candle and the top of a staff,
lighting the way through difficult times. Medicine associates pine cones with the pineal
gland—the area of the brain responsible for the modulation of sleep and the “seat of the
soul.” In this amulet, you will use the pine cone as a source of light for self-reflection. The
ancient and mystical incense blend of frankincense and myrrh contributes to the balanced
energy found within the pine cone. Frankincense carries the vibrations of power and
strength under the sun while myrrh li s the mood and brings peace under the moon. This
balance of energies on the equinox enhances our own internal work to bring balance to our
inner, emotional selves and our outer, radiating selves.
1) Clean the pine cones by soaking them in warm, soapy water and using your fingers to dislodge
any debris. Rinse them in cool water and place them on the towel or rack to dry for 10–15
minutes.

2) Heat your oven to 225° F (107° C). Line up the pine cones on a baking sheet and bake them for
approximately 1½ hours, turning them over halfway through.

3) While the pine cones bake, grind the frankincense and myrrh resins into a powder using your
mortar and pestle. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the powder through the funnel into your glass bottle.
Fill the bottle to the top with warm distilled water, and shake vigorously.

4) While they are still warm from the oven, spray each pine cone generously with the frankincense
and myrrh spray. If you like, you may also dust the pine cones with some of the powdered
incense blend. When finished, place the pine cone amulets into a basket.

5) Light a fire in your hearth or in a fire pit. Pull up a chair and begin to gaze at the flames.
Retreat inward and meditate on any shadows that might still remain. Cast a pine cone amulet
into the fire and as it burns, chant, “Illuminate the darkest hours, cast light upon the blackest
shadows.” Allow the aromatherapeutic incense to fill your body and spirit as it stimulates your
pineal gland and allows you to gain control over your entire being.
SAMHAIN

November 1
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE:
May 1

PRONUNCIATION:
SOH-win

ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
Halloween
Third Harvest
All Hallowsʼ Eve
All Saintsʼ Day
All Soulsʼ Day (Feast of the Dead)
Hallowmas
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

The third and final harvest has arrived here at the threshold of
winter and along with it, the Season of the Witch. At Samhain, all
that was once flourishing in the fields is dead. The gods and
goddesses of the harvest have been sacrificed, and the darkness is
upon us. It is a liminal time marked by wandering spirits and the
flames of protection that ward against them. Blowing leaves litter
the paths lined by jack-oʼ-lanterns and fall flowers. Apples, long
harvested from the sleeping orchards, tell the tales of our future as
they travel between realms. Costumed children roam the streets in
garb meant to disguise them as evil spirits; a trick so they can safely
receive treats. Divination, magick, and feasting are practiced under
the guidance of our ancestors who have traveled across the veil to
accept our offerings of remembrance. Deep in the darker half of the
year, Samhain is the final turn of the Wheel before the light is
reborn at Yule.
CORRESPONDENCES
ALTAR DECORATIONS: Black lace, bones and skulls, candles and lanterns, cauldron,
dried flowers, photographs of ancestors, pumpkins, scythes

ANIMALS: Bat, cat, crow, dog, owl, raven, snake, supernatural creatures
(shapeshi er, werewolf, vampire, hag, faery, etc.), wolf

CELEBRATIONS: Ancestor altars, bobbing for apples, divination, mumming, silent

suppers, trick or treating

COLORS: Orange, purple, white, black, brown, gold

DEITIES: The Cailleach, Cerridwen, the Morrigan (Celtic); Anubis and Osiris
(Egyptian); Demeter/Ceres, Hades/Pluto, Hekate, Persephone/Kore/Proserpina
(Greco-Roman); Freya, Hel, Odin (Norse)

DIRECTIONS: West, North

ELEMENTS: Water, Earth

FOOD AND DRINK: Apple, cider, mulled wine, pomegranate, pork, pumpkin pie, sweet
potatoes, turnips

HERBS, INCENSE, AND OILS: Acorn, angelica, apple blossom, cinnamon, clove,
hawthorn, jasmine, mandrake, mugwort, mullein, myrrh, nightshade, oak, orange,
patchouli, sage, sandalwood, rose hips, rosemary, rowan, rue, vervain, wolfsbane,
wormwood

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: Bells, cello, drums, gongs, sistrums, rattles

STONES: Amethyst, beryl, black tourmaline, bloodstone, hematite, howlite, jet,

labradorite, malachite, moonstone, onyx, orange calcite, peridot, ruby in fuchsite,
spirit quartz

SYMBOLS: Besom, hag, jack-oʼ-lantern, moon, pentagram

THEMES: Death, passage, remembrance, transition, transformation, wisdom

TREES: Apple, blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel, locust, oak, rowan, willow, yew

ZODIAC/PLANETS: Scorpio/Mars, Pluto (Sun at 15 degrees Scorpio)

ASTRONOMICAL BASIS
The last cross-quarter day of the Wheel of the Year represents the
midpoint between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. In
the zodiac of the Northern Hemisphere, the sun reaches the 15-
degree mark in watery Scorpio and continues its descent south,
plunging the land into darkness. The incoming element of Earth
grounds the emotional waves of Water, bringing us across the
threshold into winter.

In the night sky, the Pleiades, a star cluster also known as the
Seven Sisters, rises into the sky just as the sun begins to set, giving
Samhain the duty of hosting funerals and mourning across the
Celtic lands. The seasonal full moons of Samhain are the Hunterʼs
Moon in October and the Beaver Moon in November. With the fields
mostly harvested, the forest and river become hunting grounds for
filling the smokehouse and tannery. This is the time to protect your
harvests against the dark forces afoot.

CELEBRATING SAMHAIN IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

At Samhain, the sun continues its ascent north from the 15-degree mark in Taurus, plunging
the land into darkness. The Pleiades star cluster is visible by following Orion’s Belt upward to
Aldebaran in Taurus but will rise just before the sun does so.
ANCIENT SITES
The Cailleach, the old hag of winter, lives among the crags and
moors of Ireland. Hagʼs Head in the Cliffs of Moher and megalithic
tombs, such as those at Slieve na Calliagh (the Mountain of the Hag),
where the stone Hagʼs Chair is situated, are looked upon with
trepidation of the Cailleachʼs impending rule. There, winter storms
begin to swirl as the winds pick up and clouds threaten icy rains and
the first frost. To encourage the return of the sun, ancient peoples
held fire festivals at the Hill of Ward and the Hill of Tara, where they
made sacrifices to the sun gods and goddesses.

In Scottish lore, the Cailleach is said to have fallen asleep while

tending a well atop Ben Cruachan, a tall mountain that now hosts a
hydroelectric dam. So exhausted from herding sheep, the Cailleach
fell asleep and the well overflowed, forming what is now the
shadowy River Awe and the mirthy Loch Awe. As punishment, the
Cailleach was turned to stone at the Pass of Brander overlooking the
river. Tigh na Cailleach is a small, grass-covered home with water-
worn stones that is said to be the home of the Cailleach and her
family. Each year during spring, the family of stones is brought out
of the home and then returned come Samhain.
PAGAN CULTURES AND DEITIES
Samhain is a powerful time of the year when big cosmic events are
occurring and darkness is growing. Ancient people o en invited
their ancestors and well-intentioned spirits to comingle with the
living at festivals and gatherings, and they made sacrifices to the
gods and goddesses of the underworld at tombs and mythological
places of power. Bonfires lit the hills while candle flames and
lanterns lit the villages in an effort to ward against the evil spirits
and wee folk looking to meddle in the lives of the mortals.

Germanic Peoples
Germanic peoples celebrated the end of the harvest over the three
days when autumn turned to winter. These celebrations included
sacrificial or religious holidays known as blots. The main, public-
facing sacrifice, known as the Dísablót, was made for disir, the
female Norse spirits of fate and fertility. The álfablóts, smaller
sacrifices held on farms for localized deities, nature spirits, and
ancestors, were typically performed by women, the bearers of all of
earth. This was a liminal time for the ancient Germanics—a time
when they believed the spirits and gods were close to Midgard (the
earthly realm between the heavenly Asgard and hellish Niflhel)—and
they held a great feast to honor those in the tribe who had passed.
Modern Heathenry traditions has reconstructed the ancient Pagan
festivities of the end of harvest as Winter Nights.

In Norse mythology, Hel is the goddess of death and the

underworld and is o en depicted as a beautiful maiden on one side
and a nightmarish corpse on the other. As the daughter of Loki, god
of chaos, and the giantess Angrboda, she is a fearsome vision in her
realm of the dead. Hel travels freely through the realms and leads all
those who die to her hall, with the exception of those who die in
battle and are relinquished to either Odin in Valhalla or Freya in
Folkvang. For this reason, she is o en petitioned for entrance to the
underworld through her soaring gates of eternal winter.
 RITUAL

HEL’S ALTAR

Call upon the goddess of the underworld in a death and rebirth ritual.

Materials:
Icy-blue altar cloth
1 black pillar or taper candle
1 white pillar or taper candle
Offerings to Hel (bones, coffin nails, grave rubbings, graveyard dirt, rotting fruit)
Skull or death mask (see here)
Silver plate
Matches or lighter

Helʼs realm of Niflheim or Helheim is a cold and dark place far down below Midgard
where those who did not die heroic deaths go to meet her. Literature has described it as
garish and grim, an unkind welcome to an eternity frozen in ice. In mythology, Hel plays a
role in holding Baldur, the god of light, captive during the winter months. Those called to
Helʼs domain are ready to sacrifice a part of themselves so it can be reborn. Remember that
as you create her altar and invoke her name; her cold indifference knows no remorse, and
you will not get out of what you bargained for.

1) Meditate on an intention for this death and rebirth ritual. Perhaps you are struggling with
ruminating thoughts or are looking to leave a toxic habit or relationship behind. Consider the
two sides of it: the negative aspect you would like to leave behind and the positive outcome you
desire.

2) On a solid surface in a sacred space, lay down your blue altar cloth. This represents the frozen
chambers of Hel’s realm.

3) Place your candles on the altar, the black one on the le and the white one on the right, to
represent the duality of Hel—her duty to condemn people to Niflheim and her objective lens
that sees no malice.

4) In the center of the altar, place the skull or death mask to represent Hel’s bones, which are
visible on the skeletal side of her body.

5) In front of the skull, place your silver plate with your offerings for Hel.
6) When you are prepared to call upon Hel, light the black candle and focus on your intention.
Form it into an almost tangible writhing ball of shadows. Blow it slowly into the flame and
say, “Hel, Goddess of the Underworld, I call upon your blessing of death . . . for this part of me
to travel to your realm, beyond the gates, and into the hall of the dead, where it will never be
freed.”

7) Visualize that the writhing ball of shadows has been burned in the candle flame and
transported to Hel. Blow out the black candle.

8) Light the white candle. Visualize the constructive, positive outcome you desire as a burning
ball of white light, and wrap it in the protective coating of a seed. Blow it slowly into the flame
and say, “Hel, Goddess of the Underworld, I call upon your blessing of life . . . for the part of
me that has died to sprout new seed and flourish in the light above.” Keep this candle lit until it
burns through.
Celts
Originally known as Oíche Shamhna, Samhain was the beginning of
the Celtic new year and the start of winter across the British Isles.
Known as the night between years, it was the most powerful liminal
time, when the portal between realms opened up and the dead
walked among mortals. The fields were cleared, and any remaining
crops were le for the spirits that would cross the veil come dusk,
lest the Pooka, a folklorish Irish figure, bewitch the crops with her
urine.

The Cailleach, the Celtic dark crone of winter, wakes from her
nap and strides across the land, freezing it with a single rap of her
magical staff. O en depicted as an old woman who is deathly pale
and peers through a dark veil with one eye, the Cailleach is capable
of shapeshi ing so that she can travel the storms of winter across
the crags and moors of Ireland and Scotland. While the Cailleach
has earned a rather nasty rap, like winter itself, she is a shepherd of
preservation, leading the deer and wolves through the dark and
difficult days.

The Morrigan is the Celtic triple goddess of war, death, and fate.
In mythology, she, along with her sisters, is the spirit and
sovereignty of Ireland. She is of influential descent—a daughter of
Nuada, the king of the Tuatha Dé Danann, and wife to Dagda, god
and chief of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Thought to be able to shapeshi
into a raven, she assists those in battle and carries away the dead; a
quality which has associated her with banshees, harbingers of death
who wail or keen when someone important is about to die.

In Welsh mythology, Cerridwen is a triple goddess of the

underworld and keeper of the cauldron of transformation, wisdom,
inspiration, and rebirth. Her name is thought to be derived from the
Celtic word for “cauldron,” and like the mystical vessel, she is a
creator, a stirrer of magick and enchantment. Like the Morrigan,
Cerridwen is a goddess of prophecy and capable of shapeshi ing. In
mythology, she has two children—a daughter who is bright like the
light and a son who is dark like the shadows, symbolizing the dual
nature of humankind and nature. Legend has it that in her cauldron,
Cerridwen brewed a potion for wisdom and inspiration to improve
her sonʼs disposition. This potion had to be brewed for a year and a
day, and so she enlisted her servant Gwion to stir it. Little did Gwion
know that when he spilled three drops on his thumb and licked it, it
was only those three drops that contained the magick, and the rest
of the potion was poison. Gwion, and not Cerridwenʼs son, was
granted wisdom, inspiration, and the ability to shapeshi . This set
off a chase between Cerridwen and Gwion, with each shapeshi ing
across time and space, until finally Gwion transformed into grain
and Cerridwen, now a hen, gobbled him up. When spring arrived,
Cerridwen gave birth to Gwion and threw him into the ocean, from
which he was later rescued. The reborn Gwion then went on to
become the legendary bard Taliesin. Like many other tales
throughout mythology and folklore, Cerridwen and Gwion personify
the cycle of death and rebirth here on earth.
Greeks and Romans
The ancient Romans held two festivals in honor of their dead:
Feralia, a one-day festival in February during which the spirits of the
dead were honored with offerings at their gravesites, and Lemuria, a
three-day festival in May, when the dark spirits were exorcised from
homes. This latter tradition involved spitting uncooked black fava
beans out the door in hopes that the ghosts who haunted the home
would follow them. Upon the Christianization of Rome, Feralia and
Lemuria were moved to November and the customs adopted into All
Saintsʼ Day and All Soulsʼ Day. Along with All Hallowsʼ Eve, the
Christianized version of Samhain, this three-day period from
October 31 to November 2 makes up the Hallowtide season, a
syncretic blend of ancient Celtic and Roman festivals of the dead.

Naturally, the Greco-Roman deities of the underworld were

associated with the festivals of the dead, namely
Persephone/Proserpina, Demeter/Ceres, Hades/Pluto, and Hekate,
the latter being the goddess of the moon, magick, and witchcra .
 PROJECT

CERRIDWEN’S CAULDRON POTION

Cra a potion for wisdom, creativity, and transformation.

Materials:
Spring water
Several sprigs rosemary
Several sprigs lavender
Several springs sage
Several sprigs peppermint
A few bay leaves
Sprinkling of myrrh resin powder
2-quart (1.8 L) glass jar
4-ounce (120 ml) glass bottle
Label
Writing instrument

In her mother aspect, Cerridwen was known as a white witch: benevolent, kind, and
capable of great magick for worldly wisdom. Her cauldron could brew true alchemy and, in
the case of The Tale of Taliesin, poetic inspiration known as Awen. Although it is not
known which herbs Cerridwen used in her potion, it is likely that six were used in
conjunction with moon and planetary magick. For this reimagined version, you will use six
herbs known to carry vibrations for wisdom, creativity, and transformation. Rosemary
stimulates the mind, lavender reduces stress and upli s the mood, sage instills wisdom,
peppermint increases memory, and bay and myrrh elicit transformation.

1) Cra Full Moon Water: Fill your glass jar with spring water and place it in direct light of the
full moon for several hours. This charges it with the amplified and transformative powers of the
full moon

2) Pour the Full Moon Water into a cauldron or slow cooker and heat on low.

3) One by one, add the herbs while stirring in deosil. With each herb that you add, say the name
followed by its intention. For instance, “Rosemary for stimulating the mind. Lavender for
upli ing the mood. . . . ,” and so forth.
4) Once you have added all of the herbs, allow the potion to simmer on the lowest heat setting for
one hour and one minute, stirring occasionally.

5) Once one hour and one minute elapse, take the potion off of the heat and allow it to cool for
10–15 minutes. Strain it through cheesecloth into the glass bottle and label it. Store in a cool,
dark place when not in use.

6) Use this potion during rituals for creativity, wisdom, or transformation by anointing your
thumb with three drops and massaging it into your third eye.
Egyptians
During the period of the Middle Kingdom and beyond, the ancient
Egyptians celebrated the Beautiful Festival of the Valley to honor
their dead. Following a lively procession from the east, where the
sun rises, to the west, where the sun dies, the people made offerings
of food, drink, and flowers to the dead at their tombs. They also
worshipped Osiris and his predecessor as lord of the underworld,
Anubis, ancient Egyptian gods of death, mummification, and
resurrection, as the rulers of the dead.

Aztecs
The Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, is a modern-day Mexican
festival held on November 1 and 2 that celebrates those who have
passed. Its origins likely lie in the ancient Aztecsʼ worship of their
goddess of death, Mictecacihuatl. O en depicted with gaping
wounds and a hanging jaw, Mictecacihuatl grew up in the
underworld and spent her adult life searching for bones with her
husband so that she might restore her physical body and return to
the mortal realm. To appease her, the ancient Aztecs performed
blood sacrifices and buried offerings to her with their dead. In the
sixteenth century, Spanish conquerors moved her festival to align
with the Hallowtide festivities, adopting the traditions of
Mictecacihuatlʼs worship into the Christianized festival of the Day of
the Dead.
 RITUAL

HEKATE’S KEY

Call upon Hekate to guide you at a crossroads.

Materials:
2 quarts (1.8 L) spring water
Dried mugwort bundle
2-quart (1.8 L) glass jar
Medium-size black scrying bowl or cauldron
Skeleton key
2 black taper candles
Traditional offerings of food (such as eggs, fish, garlic, honey cakes, onions)
Small offering bowl

In Greek and Roman mythology, the night goddess Hekate holds the key to the
crossroads—a powerful vortex of supernatural energy formed when three roads pass
through each other. Crossroads have been held sacred throughout the world, particularly in
indigenous South American cultures, such as the Aztecs and Maya. They were considered
hallowed ground where ceremonial rites and sacrifices took place. Geographically,
crossroads are o en found to exist along Ley lines—the energetic highways that connect
historic places of power on earth—and at spots of transition, for example where the fields
meet the forest. It is no coincidence that crossroads see their fair share of witches, spirits,
and other supernatural entities, and this is where Hekate, the dark mother of magick
herself, waits for us, a torch in each hand.
 This spiritual crossroads can present itself as a choice over which Hekate, guardian of
the threshold, can offer you the key to her gate. She is a protector of travelers, bearer of
hidden wisdom, and guides us in heeding our inner voice as she walks beside us. Meeting
her here at the crossroads can provide us with the intuition and introspection necessary to
make informed decisions. By using the ancient divinatory technique of scrying—gazing at a
reflective surface to induce visions—you can call upon Hekate for guidance on this liminal
night of magick.
1) Cra Dark Moon Water: Fill your glass jar with spring water and charge it under the Dark
Moon for several hours. This charges it with the deep introspection and intuition available
only in the absence of light.

2) Meditate on a choice that has been difficult for you to make on your own. Consider the options
available to you and what they would look like if laid out at a crossroads.

3) At nightfall, place the black bowl or cauldron on your altar. This will be your scrying bowl.
Cleanse and charge it by waving herbal smoke of mugwort over it in a widdershins direction,
the direction of supernatural energy. Place the skeleton key at the bottom of the bowl, and pour
the Dark Moon water over it until the water reaches the top of the scrying bowl but does not
spill over.

4) Light a black taper candle on either side of the bowl to represent the torches that Hekate holds
in her hands.

5) Place the small offering bowl to the le of your altar and fill it with your offerings.

6) You are now ready to call upon Hekate. Enter a trance by focusing your energy on your third
eye (the space between your eyebrows) and gazing at the water in the scrying bowl. Gaze past
your blurry field of vision until crossroads appear from beyond the haze. Visualize that as you
walk to the crossroads. Hekate is there waiting for you.

7) Allow Hekate to guide you through your decision as she walks you to the road you must take.
When she presents you with the key, thank her for her wisdom and unlock the gate that stands
before you. Embark on your journey, knowing that Hekate’s powerful magick has also
unlocked your own intuition.

8) Slowly come out of the trance and reach into the bowl with your right hand to grab the key.
Wear it on a necklace or carry it in your le pocket until you complete your journey from the
crossroads.
ANCIENT TRADITIONS AND MODERN SPELLS
Death and Passage
For the ancient Pagans, the end of the harvest season meant there
was nothing le in the fields to reap. Everything planted in spring
and nurtured through the growing season had been cut down or le
for dead at the threshold of winter. At Samhain, the sun is on the
final leg of its descent and darkness creeps across the land. The
ancient Germanic peoples set fire to huge tarred wheels and rolled
them down the hillsides, an act thought to symbolize the death of
the sun. Like in modern witchcra , this was considered a liminal
time when the veil between the earthly realm and the a erlife
thinned so that spirits could cross over and mingle with the living.
The ancient Pagans lit the way for their ancestors with lanterns and
buried apples that would guide them on the road to their family
home, which would itself be alight with burning candles. The
ancestors might have found a door or window le open in welcome,
and, upon entering, their favorite foods waiting for them, or
perhaps an invitation to a “silent supper” (once referred to as a
“dumb supper”)—a silent meal served backwards, with dessert
presented prior to the main course. Before returning to the a erlife,
the dead might visit their ancestor altar, where photos and
mementos of their life were displayed in honor of their visit. Death
has always been an inevitable part of the human experience here on
earth, yet the dead are never truly forgotten. Just as the sun dies and
is reborn, the spirits of the dead live on.
Spirit Communication and Divination
As a threshold where magick courses between worlds, Samhain is a
powerful time to speak with spirits and divine the future. Druids
spent much of the evening tending the sacrificial fires and making
prophecies about the year to come. Apple bobbing, a popular
childrenʼs party activity at Halloween, has origins in the fortune-
telling games of the Celts. From a tub of water, a maiden would
catch an apple with her teeth, peel the skin off in one long peel, pass
it around her head three times deosil, and then toss it over her
shoulder, where it would land and reveal her true loveʼs name. Other
divination practices popular during Samhain and other liminal
times included throwing apple pips into the fires, casting nuts and
bones, scrying with candle wax, and reading tea leaves.
Protection and Warding
Along with the dearly departed, the thin veil allows in meddlesome
nature spirits and the truly evil dead. While most ancient Pagans
stayed indoors with candles and hearth fires lit to ward against
unwanted energies, others felt safe to walk around the village so
long as they donned nightmarish costumes to fool evil spirits into
thinking they were kin. The ancient Druids attended their sacrificial
bonfires dressed in animal skins for this purpose. In later years,
these traditions were adapted to fit the ideologies of a Christianized
Ireland.
 RITUAL

REMEMBRANCE CANDLE

Honor the beloved memory of your ancestors.

Materials:
White soy pillar candle
4 cups (946 ml) soy wax flakes
Tongs
½ cup dried rosemary
½ cup dried mugwort
Ancestor’s luxury (see below)
Small piece of paper
Writing Instrument
Matches or lighter

Ancestor veneration occurs throughout the many cultures and religions that ascribe to
the belief that the dead continue to exist past their physical death. Worship of the dead is
important not only because it keeps the memory of them alive but because it ensures that
they are content in the a erlife and thus think fondly of their living family members.
Appeased ancestors can be petitioned for blessings, advice, or messages from the beyond.
Petitioners leave flowers, photographs, candles, pebbles, coins or other money, mementos,
and perhaps a few luxuries that the deceased enjoyed in life at their gravesites and at the
altar in the ancestral home. Relatives tell tales of their exploits around the fire and invite
their dead to catch up on all the news they have missed since their last visit.

1) In a small double boiler or slow cooker, heat the wax flakes on low to medium heat until the
temperature of the melted wax reaches 175° F (79° C).

2) On a baking sheet or other protected surface, mix the rosemary and mugwort and gather it
into a small pile in the center of the sheet.

3) Sprinkle a tiny bit of a luxury your ancestor enjoyed in life—perhaps a little bit of tobacco leaf,
wine, perfume, or powdered makeup—on top of the herbs. As you sprinkle, say, “As above, so
below. Enjoy this luxury before you go.”

4) On a small piece of paper, write your ancestor’s name.

5) Dip the pillar candle into the melted wax using a pair of tongs and pull it out quickly. Shake
off the excess wax and roll the candle in the herbs until the surface is fully covered. Stand the
candle up on its base and press the paper with your ancestor’s name into the middle of the
candle. If the wax has already hardened, dab a bit of melted wax from the pot onto the back of
the paper and press it into the candle.

6) Light the candle (you may have to scrape a bit of wax off the wick) and place it on an altar to
honor your ancestors, where you may petition for advice or knowledge from the beyond.
 RITUAL

DIVINING RITUAL TEA

Cra and brew a tea to foretell the future.

Materials:
1 teaspoon looseleaf Assam tea
1 teaspoon dried mugwort
1 teaspoon dried, crushed rose petals (organic)
Water
White teacup with handle and saucer

Warning: Do not consume this tea except under the direction of your physician. It is especially
important to avoid if you are pregnant, nursing, or undergoing IVF or other hormonal medical
interventions.

Tasseography is the art of foretelling the future by reading the sediment le behind by
tea leaves or coffee grounds in the bottom of a cup. Although carromancy, the art of
reading wax splatters, has been practiced in Europe since medieval times, tealeaf reading
was not introduced to the Western world until tea trade routes from China and the Middle
East opened up in the 17th century. Tea blends for reading are usually made from fine
leaves of herbal allies known to expand your second sight, raise your magick, and vibrate at
the level of the third eye. In this blend, the smooth and robust flavor of Assam tea is a
flavorful backdrop to the psychic-expanding powers of mugwort and rose petals. Among
the ancient Greeks, rose divination, also known as phyllorhodomancy, was a common
method for foretelling love and marriage. Mugwort, used in beer brewing in medieval
times, is one of the most important herbs in the modern witchʼs apothecary cabinet, as it
contains thujone, which creates mild hallucinogenic effects.

Please note that as the thujone present in mugwort can be toxic in large or concentrated amounts,
please consult your physician before use.

1) Meditate on a question or intention for which you would like divine knowledge.

2) In your teacup, combine the Assam, mugwort, and rose petals. Pour boiling water over the
mixture and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
3) Holding the cup in your le hand—the side of your body that reaches into the otherworld—
drink the tea while focusing on your question, until only a teaspoon of liquid remains.

4) Swirl the cup 3 times widdershins and invert it onto the saucer. Wait 3 minutes and then
gently turn the cup over so that the handle is facing you, the querent.

5) Read the patterns and symbols that appear in the cup so that they express both the timeline
and the connectivity of the events presented. In this way, a story will unfold before you. Begin
at the rim where the handle is—this is you in your current position—and make your way down
the cup. The further away from the handle the symbols are, the less they are directly tied to
you. The further down the cup the symbols are, the further in the future the events will occur.
At the bottom of the cup lies the distant future.

6) As you make your way around the cup, look for animal symbols, letters, initials of people you
may know, flowers and trees, dates, runes, or planetary symbols that might help you to answer
your question. Once you have tried your best at interpreting the symbols as they apply to your
question, look up any remaining doubts in a symbol dictionary and see whether you can fill
any gaps that might remain in your story. For instance, you might wonder what the bear at
the top of your cup but opposite the handle might mean—this bear might reveal a difficult
situation or person currently standing in your way.
 PROJECT

DEATH MASK

Allow your shadow to protect you on this liminal night.

Materials:
Large glass bowl
½ cup flour
½ cup water
Aloe vera gel (freshly collected or organic)
Newspaper
Mirror
Acrylic paint

In antiquity, people created death masks from the faces of the dead and used them as
molds for statues and effigies; ancient Egyptians used them for mummification and burial
rites. These funeral masks were thought to protect the dead from evil as their soul traveled
to the a erlife. By donning your own “death mask” in the form of your darkest shadow, you
can protect yourself as you walk among the dead.

1) In your bowl, mix the flour and water water.

2) Rip strips of newspaper and set them aside.

3) Tie your hair back and rub aloe vera gel all along your hairline as well as your upper lip and
eyebrows to prevent the mold from sticking to your hair.

4) Focus on the shadow that you would like to protect you as you walk among the dead on this
liminal night. This is a shadow that, while powerful in its presence, will return to the
underworld with the rest of the dead, so do not fear its presence.

5) In a mirror, make a face that you think mimics this shadow. Hold the face as you soak the
newspaper strips in the flour-water mixture and place them all over your face, making sure to
leave eye, nose, and mouth holes. Add at least 3 layers of newspaper to make a durable mask.

6) Allow the mask to dry for 5–10 minutes on your face. Gently pull it off and set it aside to dry
overnight.
7) Once dry, paint the outside of the mask in a color of your choosing (traditional death mask
colors are white, ivory, or bronze) and allow it to dry for 24 hours. Don it for your Samhain
rituals before removing it and casting it off into the realm of the dead at sunrise. Do this by
saying, “I thank you for your protection, but you are no longer needed in this realm. Your
power over me has vanquished. You are amongst the dead now.” Now, you are free to dispose of
the spiritless mask as you will—either in the trash or by destroying it in a method of your
choosing.

Jack-o’-lanterns, originally hollowed out turnips or rutabagas carved into terrifying faces, are
thought to have originated with the folkloric tale of Stingy Jack, a man of ill-repute who
plagued the villages of Ireland. Stingy Jack tricked the Devil himself into agreeing never to
collect his soul, but on Jack’s death, he was rejected by Heaven. Jack returned to Hell to beg
for entrance, but the Devil refused him, offering only an ember of hellfire to guide Jack on his
way back to the surface. As Jack’s favorite food was turnips, he hollowed one out and, with
the ember, made a lantern to carry as he roams the veil for eternity.
CONCLUSION

Here, we have arrived at the death of the sun and the end of the
annual, seasonal cycle of the Wheel of the Year. What was once new
and infantile grew into a harvest capable of sustaining life even at its
darkest hour. Although the world now seems cold and barren (and
perhaps your spirit feels heavy and hopeless), as in all concepts in
both nature and witchcra , rebirth is just around the corner. In just
one turn of the Wheel, the light will be reborn and the seed of
intention can be planted once more. As you travel along your
seasonal journey, remember to nurture these seeds—your goals and
ambitions—from birth to death so that they can be reborn into
something even greater the following year. Magick awaits in
different forms at every corner and in every season, but it all leads
to one thing: growth.
RESOURCES
RITUALS
Yule
Winter Solstice Stone Cairn 29
Coronach for the Holly King 32
Welcoming the Sun Ritual 37
Yule Wish Powder 43
Edible Tree Charms 39
Snow Water Meditation 40
Tarot Wheel of the Year Spread 45

Imbolc
Healing Clooties 51
Crone Anointing Oil 57
Brigidʼs Candle of Sacred Flames 59
Cleansing Amulet 61
Awakening Poppet 65
Weather Divining Ritual 66

Ostara
Daffodil Flower Essence 73
Ostara Invocation 77
Persephoneʼs Pomegranate Petition 79
Balancing Egg 83
Enchanted Spell Paper 85
Moon Maiden Salve 87

Beltane
Sacred Bel Fire 95
Hawthorn Flower Charm 99
Woven Witchʼs Ladder 101
Beltane Dew Ritual 104
Briarpatch Love Potion 107
Willow Faerie Eye 108
Litha
Midsummer Ritual Nap 115
Oak Tree Portal 119
Besom of Vesta 123
Midsummer Sauna Whisk 125
Serpentʼs Egg Amulet 126
Protection Casting Herbs 129

Lughnasadh
Cottage Witchʼs Pantry 135
First-Harvest Market 137
Grain Mother Dolly 141
Bilberry Glycerite 145
Fields of Gold Incense 146
Crystal Meditation for Transformation 149

Mabon
Water Element Writing Ritual 153
Libation to Dionysus 159
Mulled Apple Cider 163
Fortunaʼs Prosperity Spell 165
Pine Cone Amulets 167

Samhain
Helʼs Altar 175
Cerridwenʼs Cauldron Potion 179
Hekateʼs Key 181
Remembrance Candle 187
Divining Ritual Tea 189
Death Mask 191
SUPPLIERS
Apothecary Items:
Bulk Apothecary

Crystals:
Sage Goddess

Herbs, Incense, & Oils:

Mountain Rose Herbs
ELEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCES

FIRE
Season: Summer

Direction: South

Time of Day: Noon

Moon Phase: Full

Planets: Sun, Mars, Uranus

Colors: Red, orange

Herbs: Calendula, cinnamon, nettle, rosemary, saffron, sunflower

Crystals: Amber, carnelian, garnet, red jasper, sunstone

Associations: Action, assertiveness, confidence, desire, happiness, joy, light, passion,

protection, purification, reaction, strength, transformation, warmth
AIR
Season: Spring

Direction: East

Time of Day: Dawn

Moon Phase: Waxing

Planets: Jupiter, Venus

Color: Yellow

Herbs: Bergamot, eyebright, frankincense, lavender, meadowsweet, wormwood,

yarrow

Crystals: Amethyst, kyanite, lapis lazuli

Associations: Cleansing, communication, creativity, divination, intelligence, new

beginnings, spiritual ascension, travel
WATER
Season: Autumn

Direction: West

Time of Day: Dusk

Moon Phase: Waning

Planets: Moon, Neptune

Color: Blue

Herbs: Burdock, mugwort, myrrh, rose, valerian, willow

Crystals: Aquamarine, moonstone, opal

Associations: Dreams, emotion, empathy, intuition, psychic abilities, purification,

sleep
EARTH
Season: Winter

Direction: North

Time of Day: Midnight

Moon Phase: Moon

Planets: Mercury, Saturn

Colors: Black, brown

Herbs: Cedar, comfrey, cypress, oak, patchouli, sage, vetiver

Crystals: Black tourmaline, green aventurine, jade

Associations: Career, grounding, home, nature, physical health, protection, stability,

wealth
OPENING RITUAL ELEMENTS
For each ritual or spell in this book, you can create your own custom
opening ritual to ensure you have prepared both physically and
energetically to both raise your magick and align it with that of the
universe. You can include the following elements in your rituals or
modify them to fit into your individual practice.

Cleansing Your Sacred Space

Burning herbs, such as sage, cedar, sweet grass, and lavender, as
well as tree resins, such as copal, frankincense, and myrrh, can
dispel negative or stagnant energies. The herbs can be bundled and
burned or burned as loose incense on a charcoal disc and then
wa ed into each corner of the room via a hand-held fan or feather.
Alternatively, you can use botanically infused essential oil mists of
any of the above or cleansing crystals, such as clear quartz,
amethyst, selenite, or black tourmaline. Sprinkling salt water or
elemental water around your space or washing your floor with a
botanical floor sweep can also be used to cleanse stuck energy.

Charging Your Magickal Tools

A er use, your magical tools might need to be cleansed of old
energies and recharged to reach their full potential so that they may
energetically contribute to your spells and rituals. Cleanse and
recharge them by passing them through herbal smoke, laying them
on a bed of salt, passing a clear quartz wand over them, or laying
them on a slab of selenite. You may also use your own light energy
described below in “Casting a Circle.”
Calling the Quarters
Calling the Quarters involves evoking the four elements of nature in
ritual so that you can attain an elevated energetic state. By bringing
in all four energies—Fire, Air, Water, Earth—you can reach Spirit, the
perfected balance and element of quintessence.

The simplest of the many methods for calling the quarters is to

stand at each cardinal direction and call aloud to the element:
“I call upon the North, the element of Earth, bearer of stability and protection.”
“I call upon the East, the element of Air, bearer of insight and wisdom.”
“I call upon the South, the element of Fire, bearer of action and reaction.”
“I call upon the West, the element of Water, bearer of intuition and emotion.”
Then, face the sky and say, “Spirit element, bridge to ascension, I evoke thee.”

Casting a Circle
Once you have cleansed your space and recharged your tools, you
can charge and protect your ritual space by casting a circle around
it. Gather all of the tools and ingredients you will need and lay them
out around you either on your altar or on a cloth. Hold a wooden or
crystal ceremonial wand or a ceremonial blade and stand behind
your altar or tools. Raise the wand or blade up in the air in your right
hand and draw light energy down into your body, your vessel, until it
fills your energetic aura. Point your wand or blade down and draw a
deosil circle of light around your ritual space. Visualizing that as the
beginning and end meet, you have closed the circle, encasing the
light and protecting your space from any wayward energies. When
you have completed your ritual, open the circle by drawing a
widdershins circle to release the energy. For further protection, you
may also sprinkle salt or protective herbs, such as rue, on the
thresholds (for instance, windowsills and doorways) to your space.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to my friends, family, and the witching community for

the endless amount of support and inspiration. Thank you to the
entire Fair Winds Press team for giving this book a voice and a home
—to my editors, Jill and John, I owe an eternal debt of gratitude for
your tireless dedication and limitless talent. To the design team, I
thank you for bringing the text to life and imbuing the pages with
magick and beauty. Writing this book was, itself, a journey through
the seasons—a death and rebirth that culminated in great growth. In
this, I must thank the land that supported me, the elements which
guided me, and the spirits who spoke truth from beyond.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Since the mid-1990s, Anjou Kiernan has sought the magick that
resides within us and the natural world. At an early age, she toiled in
potions and herbal remedies, explored tarot and the realm of spirits,
and began a lifelong grimoire that would ultimately lead her down
the path of sharing her cra with the community. From her
childhood spent in the woods and later settling on a magically
minded homestead in the rolling hills of rural Maine, she has
cultivated a cra based on her own observations of nature and
continued her spiritual journey through the hedges. Named as one
of Refinery29ʼs “Magical Women on Instagram You Really Should be
Following,” Anjou thrives on sharing her lifelong exploration of
witchcra and cultivation of magickal spaces. Anjou holds a
bachelor of arts in biology with a minor in anthropology and has
enjoyed many extracurricular courses in history, art, ecology,
botany, herbalism, and literature. She enjoys painting, writing,
gardening, reading, antiquing, conserving and exploring nature,
and being a mama to the most magical little boy.
INDEX
A erlitha, 117
Air (element), 13, 196
Alaska, 25, 113
Alban Arthuan, 28. See also Yule
Alban Eilir, 69. See also Ostara
Alban Elfid, 151. See also Mabon
Alban Hefin, 111, 117. See also Litha
Albans, 10
All Hallowsʼ Eve, 169, 177. See also Samhain
All Saintsʼ Day, 169, 177. See also Samhain
All Soulsʼ Day, 169. See also Samhain
Altar(s)
for Beltane, 90
Helʼs Altar, 175
for Imbolc, 48
items on, 16–17
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 153
for Ostara, 70
placement of, 17
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24
Altar cloth, 16
“A-maying,” 93, 101
Amethyst, 17, 198
Amulet, Cleansing, 61
Amulets
Cleansing Amulet, 61
Pine Cone Amulets, 167
Serpentʼs Egg Amulet, 126
Amun-Re sanctuary, 26
Ancestor veneration, 187
Ancient Egyptians, 181, 191. See also Egyptian mythology
Ancient Greeks. See also Greco-Roman deities/mythology
celebration of Imbolc, 54
Hestia celebrated by, 117
rose divination, 189
Winter Solstice celebrated by, 29
Ancient Mayans, 74
Ancient Romans. See also Greco-Roman deities/mythology
Februalia celebrated by, 54
festivals in honor of the dead, 177
Imbolc celebrated by, 54
Midsummer celebrations, 177
Midwinter celebrated by, 29
Temple of Flora and, 96
Vestalia celebrated by, 117
Ancient sites, 9
of Beltane, 92
of Imbolc, 49
of Litha, 116
of Lughnasadh, 132
of Mabon, 156
of Ostara, 74
of Samhain, 172
Winter Solstice and, 26
of Yule, 26
Ancient traditions. See also Ritual(s)
of Beltane, 100–101, 108
of Imbolc, 54–55, 62
of Litha, 121
of Lughnasadh, 133, 142–143
of Mabon, 160–161
of Ostara, 80
of Samhain, 184–185
seasonal changes and, 15
of Winter Solstice and Yule, 28, 34–35
Angkor Wat, Cambodia, 74
Anglo-Saxons, 9, 34, 93, 101, 117, 138, 156
Angrboda, 173
Animals
for Beltane, 90
celebration of rebirth and, 80
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
sacrificial, 27, 34, 134
for Samhain, 171
weather divination and, 62
for Yule, 24
Anointing oil, 16, 57, 66, 119
Apple blossoms, 153, 155
Apple bobbing, 185
Apple Cider, Mulled, 163
Apples, 39, 169, 185
Arcturus (star), 71, 153
Assam tea, 189
Astronomical basis
for Beltane, 91
for Imbolc, 49
for Litha, 113
for Lughnasadh, 133
for Mabon, 153
for Ostara, 71
for Samhain, 171
for the seasons, 10–11
for Winter Solstice/Yule, 25
Athame, 17
Autumn Equinox, 15, 71, 156, 157, 160. See also Mabon
Autumn Star, 153
Awakening, 62, 65
Awakening Poppet, 65–66
A-wassailing, 34
Aztecs, 181

Bacchanalia, 69. See also Ostara

Bacchus (god), 157
Balance, 15, 80, 161, 167
Balancing Egg, 83
Baldur (Norse god), 28, 117, 175
Balor of the Evil Eye, 139
Barleycorn, John, 138
Bay leaves, 43, 57, 179
Bear constellation, 71
Beautiful Festival of the Valley, 181
Beaver Moon, 171
Bede (monk), 75, 117
Beeswax, 59, 65, 87
Belenus (god), 92, 96
Bel fires, 92, 95
Beltane, 89–108
about, 89, 91
alternative names for, 89
ancient sites, 92
ancient traditions, 100–101, 108
 astronomical bias, 91
celebrating in the Southern Hemisphere, 91
correspondences, 90
cycle event, 8
date, 8, 89
on Gaelic calendar, 9
pagan cultures celebrating, 93, 96–97
rituals, 95, 99, 100, 104, 194
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Beltany stone circle, 92
Besoms, 55, 123
Bilberry Glycerite, 145
Bilberry Sunday, 142
Birch leaves/twigs, 123, 125
Black tourmaline, 17, 21, 57, 198
Blade, 16, 37, 199
Boline, 16, 37
Bonfires, 10, 34, 53, 92, 93, 116, 120, 121, 156, 173, 185
Brandy, 107
Briarpatch Love Potion, 107
Brigid (goddess), 47, 51, 52–55
Brigidʼs Candle of Scared Flames, 59
Brigidʼs Day, 47. See also Imbolc
Buck Moon, 113

Cailleach (goddess), 53–54, 57, 62, 171, 172, 176

Cailleachʼs Mountain, 156
Calendar(s). See also Wheel of the Year
Gaelic, 9
honoring seasonal shi s, 9
Calendula, 103, 115, 146
Calling the Quarters, 199
Canada, 25, 113
Candlemas, 47, 54. See also Imbolc
Candles
on altar, 17
Brigidʼs Candle of Sacred Flames, 59
Hekateʼs Key ritual, 181, 183
on Helʼs Altar, 175
Persephoneʼs Pomegranate Petition, 79
Remembrance Candle, 187
for weather divination ritual, 66
Welcoming the Sun Ritual, 37
Capricorn, 25
Carnelian, 100
Casting a circle, 21, 199
Castor oil, 87
Cauldron, 17
Cauldron Potion, 179
Cedar leaves, 43
Celebrations. See also Feasts and feasting; Festivals
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171, 173
for Yule, 24
Celtic Cra sman God, 142
Celtic knots, 103
Celtic Reconstructionists, 10
Celtic Tree of Life, 119
Celts, 9, 15. See also Druids, the
Beltane and, 95, 96
Imbolc and, 53, 54–55
Lughnasadh and, 139
Mabon and, 157
Samhain and, 176–177
Summer Solstice and, 117
Yuletide season and, 28
Cerei (wax candles), 29
Cerridwen (goddess), 176–177, 179
Chalice, 17
Chamomile flowers, 115
Chang E (goddess), 160
Charity, 34
Charms
Edible Tree Charms, 39
Hawthorn Flower Charm, 99
Chaste tree berries, 87
Chinese, mid-autumn harvest festival of, 160
Christmas. See Yule
Cinnamon chips/cinnamon stick, 66, 163, 165
Citrine, 51, 100, 165
Cleansing, 17, 53, 55, 125, 198
Cleansing Amulet, 61
Cleansing Spray, Ostara, 83
Clear quartz, 17, 31, 37, 51, 65, 198
Clooties, Healing, 51
Cold Moon, 25
Colors
for Beltane, 90, 100
elemental correspondences, 196–197
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24
Corn dolly, 138, 141, 156
Corn Moon, 133
Corn spirit, death of, 142–143
Cornucopia (horn of plenty), 161
Coronach for the Holly King, 32
Cottage Witchʼs Pantry, 135
Cra fair, 133
Cranberries, 39, 145
Croagh Patrick (holy mountain), 133
Crone Anointing Oil, 57
Cross-quarter days, 7, 9, 10, 15. See also Beltane; Imbolc; Lughnasadh; Samhain
Crossroads, 181, 183
Crystals. See also Stone(s); individual names of crystals
on altar, 17
for Beltane, 100
cleansing with, 198
Crystal Meditation for Transformation, 149
elemental correspondences, 196–197
Healing Clooties, 51

Daffodil Flower Essence, 73

Damiana leaves, 107
Dark Moon Water, 183
Day of the Dead, 169, 181. See also Samhain
Dead, festivals of the, 177, 181
Death
of the corn spirit, 142–143
in cycle of birth, death and rebirth, 7, 15, 25
duality of life and, 28
Samhain and, 184–185
Death and rebirth, cycle of, 57, 80, 133, 175, 177, 193
Death Mask, 191
Deities. See also Greco-Roman deities/mythology
of Beltane, 90, 93
festivals of the dead and, 177
of Imbolc, 48, 52–54
of Litha, 112, 116, 117
of Lughnasadh, 132, 138–139
of Mabon, 152, 160–161
of Ostara, 70, 74–75
of Samhain, 171, 173, 176–177
of Yule/Winter Solstice, 24, 27–29
Demeter (goddess), 29, 75, 157
Dew, Beltane, 101, 104
Dionysus (god), 29, 157, 159
Direction(s)
altars and, 17
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24
Dísablót, 173
Divination
Divining Ritual Tea, 189
during Midsummerʼs Eve, 121
Samhain and, 185
Tarot Wheel of the Year Spread, 45
weather, 62, 66
Dried fruits, for Edibel Tree Charms, 39
Druids, the, 9, 10, 28. See also Celts
Bel Fire and, 95
Midsummerʼs Eve/Day and, 126, 129
oak tree and, 119
Samhain celebrated by, 185
wassailing by, 34
weather divination and, 66
Wheel of Year celebrations by, 10
Druim Criaidh (Ridge of Clay), Kildare, 52
Dumb supper, 185

Earth (element), 13, 196

Earth, quickening of the, 47, 53, 62, 65
Easter, 69. See also Ostara
Eastrgena (goddess), 75
Egg balancing, 83
Egg, symbolism in, 80
Egyptian mythology, 29, 120, 139, 181
El Castillo, Mexico, 74, 156
Element(s), 196–197. See also Fire; Water
on the altar, 17
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24
Elusinian Mysteries, 157
Enchanted paper, 85
Enchantment Spray, 87
Eostreʼs Day, 69. See also Ostara
Eosturmonath, 75
Equinoxes, 7, 11, 15, 71, 74. See also Mabon; Ostara
Ériu (Celtic goddess), 28
Essential oils. See also Oil(s)
Brigidʼs Candle of Sacred Flames, 59
Crone Anointing Oil, 57
for egg balancing, 83
Enchanted Spell Paper, 85
Moon Maiden Salve, 87
Eternal youth and beauty, 101, 104
Eucalyptus leaves, 125
Evergreen branches/trees, 27, 37

Faeries, 108
Fairs, 137
Fall Equinox, 151. See also Mabon
Fan, on altar, 17
Farmers, 53, 62, 142
Feast of St. Michael, 156
Feast of the Dead (All Soulsʼ Day), 169
Feasts and feasting, 27, 34, 53, 120, 137, 142, 156, 161
Feather, on altar, 17
Februalia, 47, 54. See also Imbolc
Februus (god), 54
Feralia, 177
Fertility, 80, 87, 93, 99, 101
Festivals
of Beltane, 93
of the dead, 177, 181
fertility, 54
fire, 10, 47, 54, 96, 172
harvest, 138, 156, 160
Midspring (Beltane), 89
Midwinter, 29
Spring Equinox, 75
Winter Solstice/Yuletide, 29
Fields of Gold Incense, 146
Finland, 125
Fire, 13, 196. See also Bonfires; Hearth fires
Bel Fire, 95, 96
Beltane and, 92, 93, 100
Crystal Meditation, 149
Fields of Gold Incense, 146
Imbolc and, 55
Litha and, 116–117
Protection Casting Herbs, 129
Samhain and, 184, 185
tools capturing quality of, 100
Water Element Writing Ritual, 153, 155
Fire festivals, 10, 47, 54, 96, 172
Fireproof vessel, on altar, 17
First-Harvest Market, 137
Flora (goddess), 96
Floralia (festival), 89, 96. See also Beltane
Flowers
Daffodil Flower Essence, 73
divination and, 121
Hawthorn Flower Charm, 99
for Midsummer Ritual Nap, 115
Fomalhaut (star), 153
Food and drink
for Beltane, 90
Edible Tree Charms (Yule), 39
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
 Mulled Apple Cider, 163
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24
Forelitha, 117
Formorians, 139
Fortuna (goddess), 165
Frankincense, 99, 167
Frazer, Sir James George, 10
Freya (goddess), 75, 93
Freyfest, 138
Frigga (Norse goddess), 28
Fruit Harvest, 151. See also Mabon
Full moon(s), 25
of Beltane, 91
in December, 25
of Imbolc, 49
of Litha, 113
of Lughnasadh, 133
of Mabon, 153
of Midsummer, 113
of Ostara, 71
of Samhain, 171
Full Moon Water, 179

Gaelic calendar, 9
Garland Sunday, 133
Germanic Neopaganism, 10
Germanic peoples, 9, 10, 15
Lughnasadh celebrated by, 138
Mabon celebrated by, 156
Midsummerʼs Eve celebrated by, 116–117
Samhain celebrated in, 173
Spring Equinox festival, 75
Yuletide season celebrated by, 27, 34
Gi giving, Yuletide, 34
Glycerite, Bilberry, 145
Gods and goddesses. See Deities
Grain Mother Dolly, 141
Gratitude, Mabon and, 161
Great Pyramids of Giza, 11
Greco-Roman deities/mythology
Beltane and, 96–97
Hekateʼs Key and, 181, 183
 Imbolc and, 54
Litha and, 117
Mabon and, 157
Ostara and, 75
Samhain and, 177
Yule and, 29
Greeks. See Ancient Greeks; Greco-Roman deities/mythology
Grianan of Aileach, 74
Grianan of Aileach, Ireland, 156
Grimm, Jacob, 10, 75
Groundhog Day, 47, 62. See also Imbolc
Gwion, 177

Hades, 75, 79, 157

Hagʼs Head, 172
Half-mass, 138
Halloween, 169. See also Samhain
Hallowmas, 169. See also Samhain
Hare, 75, 80
Harmony, 80
Harvest
Lugnasadh and, 131, 138, 142–143
Mabon and, 156, 160, 161
Samhain and, 169, 171
Harvest festivals/markets, 137, 138, 156, 160
Harvest Home, 151. See also Mabon
Harvest Moon, 153, 160
Hathor (Egyptian goddess), 120
Haustblót, 156
Hawthorn berries, 107
Hawthorn Flower Charm, 99
Hawthorn trees, 51, 101, 108
Healing, 51, 52, 53, 55, 101, 103, 125, 129
Hearth fires, 45, 54–55, 92, 93, 95, 185
Heathenry traditions, 10
Hedges, 11
Hekate, 57, 157
Hekateʼs Key, 181, 183
Hel (Norse goddess), 173, 175
Hemp cord, 125
Herbs. See also individual names of herbs
on altar, 17
for Beltane, 90, 100
Besom of Vesta, 123
 burnt in bonfires, 121
Cerridwenʼs Cauldron Potion, 179
in Cottage Witchʼs Pantry, 135
elemental correspondences, 196
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
Protection Casting Herbs, 129
for Samhain, 171
Woven Witchʼs Ladder, 103
for Yule, 24
Hestia (goddess), 117
Hexennacht (Witchesʼ Night), 93
High Kingʼs Court, 49, 139, 142
Hill of Tara, 49, 92, 139, 142, 172
Hill of Uisneach, 92
Hill of Ward, 172
Hodur (Norse god), 28
Holly berry crown, 32

Holly King, in Celtic tradition, 28, 32, 117

Home altars. See Altar(s)
Horus (Egyptian god), 29
Hou Yi (god), 160
Hunterʼs Moon, 171

Imbolc, 47–66
about, 47
alternative names for, 47
ancient sites, 49, 52
ancient traditions of, 54–55, 62
astronomical basis, 49
celebrating in the Southern Hemisphere, 49
correspondences, 48
cycle event, 8
date, 8, 47
on Gaelic calendar, 9
pagan cultures celebrating, 52–54
projects for, 57, 65–66
rituals, 51, 59, 61, 66, 194
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Incense
 on altar, 17
for Beltane, 90, 99
Fields of Gold Incense, 146
for Imbolc, 48
for Libation to Dionysus, 159
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132, 146
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Water Element Writing Ritual, 153, 155
for Yule, 24
Intentions, for the New Year, 43
Invocation, Ostara, 77
Isis (Egyptian goddess), 29, 120, 139

Jack in the Green, 119

Jack-oʼ-lanterns, 169, 191
Jasmine blossoms, 153, 155
Jöl, 23, 27. See also Yule
Journal(ing), 21, 45, 153, 155
Julian calendar, 43
Juniper berries, 40
Juno (goddess), 54

Kelly, Aiden, 117, 157

Kildare Abbey, 52
Knot magick, 103
Kronia, 111. See also Litha
Kukulkan (god), 74

Labradorite, 17, 149

Ladyʼs mantle, 87
Lammas, 131, 138. See also Lughnasadh
Lap Chun, 83
Lavender/lavender buds, 83, 115, 123, 179
Lavender Spray, 115
Lemon peel, 83
Lemuria, 177
Ley lines, 11, 181
Libation to Dionysus, 159
Litha, 111–129
about, 111
alternative names for, 111
 ancient traditions of, 121
astronomical basis of, 113
correspondences, 112
cycle event, 8
date, 8, 111
pagan cultures celebrating, 116–117, 120
rituals, 115, 119, 123, 125, 129, 194
Serpentʼs Egg Amulet project, 126
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Loaf-mass, 138
Loch Awe, 172
Loki (Norse god), 28, 92, 133, 139, 173
The Longest Night. See Yule
Love potion, Briarpatch, 107
Lugh (Celtic god), 28, 139, 142–143
Lughnasadh, 131–149
about, 131
alternative names for, 131
ancient sites, 133
ancient traditions and themes, 133, 142–143
astronomical basis for, 133
correspondences, 132
crystal meditation during, 149
cycle event, 8
date, description and rituals/spells, 8
dates, 131
on Gaelic calendar, 9
pagan cultures celebrating, 138–139
projects for, 135, 137, 141, 145–146
rituals, 194
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Lupercalia, 47, 54. See also Imbolc

Mabon, 151–167
about, 151
alternative names for, 151
ancient sites of, 156
ancient traditions and themes of, 160–161
astronomical basis for, 153
correspondences, 152
cycle event, 8
date, 8, 151
pagan cultures celebrating, 156–157, 160
rituals, 153–155, 159, 165, 167, 195
 on Wheel of the Year, 6
Machu Picchu, 74, 116, 156
Maeshowe, Scotland, 26
Magical tools, cleansing and recharging, 198
Maia (goddess), 96
Markets, 137
Mask, Death, 191
May baskets, 101
May Day, 89, 93, 96. See also Beltane
May eve, 92, 93, 95
May King, 119
Maypole(s), 93, 99, 101, 120
Meditation(s)
Crystal Meditation for Transformation, 149
during Imbolc, 54
Ostara invocation used during, 77
Persephoneʼs Pomegranate Petition and, 79
Snow Water Meditation, 40
during Winter Solstice, 35
Megaliths, 9, 11, 116
Michaelmas (Feast of St. Michael), 156
Mictecacihuatl (Aztec goddess), 181
Midsummer, 111, 112, 117. See also Litha
Midsummer Ritual Nap, 115
Midsummerʼs Eve, 116–117, 120, 121, 126
Midwinter (Yule), 23. See also Yule
Mistletoe, 28, 117, 119
Modron (god), 157
Monuments, ancient. See Ancient sites
Moon before Yule, 25
Moon, full. See Full moon(s)
Moon phases, elements and, 196–197
Morning dew, 101, 104
Morrigan (goddess), 57, 176
Motherʼs Night, 28. See also Yule
Mugwort, 65, 123, 153, 155, 181, 187, 189
Mulled Apple Cider, 163
Murray, Margaret, 10
Musical instruments, 32
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
 for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24, 32
Myrrh resin powder, 179
Mythology. See Deities; Egyptian mythology; Greco-Roman deities/mythology; Norse
mythology; Welsh mythology

Nap, Midsummer Ritual, 115

Native American tradition, 87
Neo-Druids, 10, 11
Neolithic monuments, 26
Neolithic Mound of the Hostages, 49
Neolithic peoples, 9, 49
Neopagans, 10
New beginnings, 15, 43, 77, 80
Newgrange, Ireland, 9, 26
New Year, the, 9, 43, 45, 120, 176
Norse mythology, 27–28, 75, 93, 138, 173
Northern Hemisphere, 10–11, 13, 20, 25, 113
Nut (Egyptian goddess), 120

Oak King, 28, 32, 53, 117

Oak Man, 119
Oak tree/leaves, 51, 117, 119, 125
Oak Tree Portal, 119
Odin (Norse god), 27, 93
Odin (Yule Father), 27
Oil(s). See also Essential oils
for Beltane, 90
Crone Anointing Oil, 57
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
Moon Maiden, 87
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
Oimelc, 47. See also Imbolc
Old Hag of Winter, 53
Opening/closing ritual practices, 16, 20
Opening rituals, 198
Oranges, 39
Orionʼs Belt, 25, 91, 120, 171
Osiris (Egyptian goddess), 29, 139, 181
Ostara, 69–87
 about, 69
alternative names, 69
ancient sites of, 74
ancient traditions of, 80
astronomical basis of, 71
correspondences, 70
cycle event, 8
Daffodil Flower Essence project, 73
date, 8, 69
pagan cultures celebrating, 74–75
rituals, 77, 79, 83, 85, 87, 194
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Ostara (goddess), 75, 77
Ostara Cleansing Spray, 83
Ould Lammas Fair, 133, 137

Pagan cultures and societies, 7, 9

Beltane celebrated by, 93, 96–97
Imbolc celebrated by, 52–54
Litha celebrated by, 116–117, 120
Lughnasadh celebrated by, 138–139
Mabon celebrated by, 156–157, 160
Ostara celebrated by, 74–75
Samhain celebrated by, 173, 176–177, 181
Yule celebrated by, 27–29
Pagan Thanksgiving, 161
Pan (god), 80, 96–97
Pantry, Witchʼs, 135
Paper, Enchanted Spell, 85
Pass of Brander, 172
Patchouli essential oil, 119
Peppermint, 65, 179
Persephone (goddess), 28, 29, 75, 79, 157, 160, 161, 171
Petition, Pomegranate, 79
Pilgrimages, 52, 101, 133
Pine Cone Amulets, 167
Pink Moon of April, 91
Pleiades star cluster, 91, 96, 171
Pomegranate Petition, 79
Pooka, 176
Popcorn, for Edible Tree Charms, 39
Poppet, Awakening, 65–66
Poppy seeds, 165
Potions
 Bilberry Glycerite, 145
Briarpath Love Potion, 107
Cerridwenʼs Cauldron Potion, 179
Preservation, 160
Priapic wand, 54, 55, 61
Priapus (god), 54
Projects
for Imbolc, 57, 65–66
for Litha, 126
for Lughnasadh, 135, 137, 141, 145–146
for Ostara, 73
for Samhain, 179, 191
for Yule, 39, 43, 45

Proserpina (goddess), 157. See also Persephone (goddess)

Prosperity Spell, 165
Protection, 61, 99, 100, 103, 121, 126, 185, 219
Protection Casting Herbs, 129
Psychometry, 61
Puck Fair, 137
Punxsutawney Phil, 62
Purification, 54, 55, 100

Quartz. See Clear quartz

Quartz tower, 31
Quickening of the Earth, 47, 62, 65

Ra (Egyptian god), 29, 120

Raw honey, 107
Rebirth, 142–143, 157. See also Death and rebirth, cycle of
The Reckoning of Time (Bede), 75, 117
Reconstructionists, 10
Regulus (star), 49
Return of the Sun Serpent, 74
Ritual(s)
altar for, 16–17
Beltane, 95, 99, 100, 104, 194
Imbolc, 51, 59, 61, 66, 194
Litha, 115, 119, 123, 125, 129, 194
Lughnasadh, 194
Mabon, 153–155, 159, 165, 167, 195
opening, 16, 198
Ostara, 77, 79, 83, 85, 87, 194
powerful places for, 11
 preparing for, 20–21
Samhain, 175, 181, 183, 187, 189, 195
during solar events, 9
Yule, 31–32, 37, 194
Ritual oil, 16
River Awe, 172
Rock cairn, 31
Roman invasions, 9
Roman mythology. See Greco-Roman deities/mythology
Romans. See Ancient Romans
Rose divination, 189
Rose hips, 146
Rosemary, 40, 43, 179, 187
Rosemary essential oil, 85
Rose Moon, 113
Rose petals, 99, 107, 189
Rowan leaves/tree/berries, 51, 59, 125
Russia, 25, 113, 125

Sabbats, 7
Sacral chakra, 87

Sacrifices, 27, 34, 137, 156, 173, 185

Sage, 179
Saint Brigid of Kildare, 52
Saint Walburga, 93
Salisbury Plain, England, 26
Salt, 17
Salve, Moon Maiden, 87
Samhain, 43, 169–191
about, 169
alternative names for, 169
ancient sites, 172
ancient traditions, 184–185
astronomical basis for, 171
correspondences, 170
cycle event, 8
date, 8, 169
on Gaelic calendar, 9
pagan cultures celebrating, 173, 176–177, 181
projects, 179, 191
rituals, 175, 181, 183, 187, 189, 195
in the Southern Hemisphere, 171
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Sandalwood, 99, 146
Santa Claus, 27
Sap Moon, 71
Saturn (god), 29
Saturnalia, 29
Sauna whisks, 125
Scandinavian traditions, 9, 27, 156
Scandinavia, Winter Solstice and, 25
Scottish lore, 172
Seasonal shi s and transitions, 7, 9, 10–11, 15
Second Harvest, 151, 156. See also Mabon
Selenite, 17, 21, 61, 165, 198
Serpentʼs Egg Amulet, 126
Set (Egyptian god), 139
Seven Sisters (star cluster), 91, 171
Shea butter, 87
Shores, 11
Sif (goddess), 138
Silent supper, 185
Sirius, 25, 120
Skeleton key, 181
Skill-building, 142, 143
Slash and burn technique, 149
Slieve na Calliagh, Ireland, 156, 172
Smoke bundles, 17
Snow Moon, 49
Snow Water Meditation, 40
Soil, 17
Solstices, 7, 10–11, 15. See also Summer Solstice; Winter Solstice
Song(s), 32, 34, 138

Southern Hemisphere
Beltane in, 91
celebrating the Wheel of the Year in the, 13
Imbolc in the, 49
Lughnasadh in, 133
Mabon in, 153
Midsummer in, 120
Midwinter in, 26
Ostara in, 71
Samhain in the, 171
solstices and, 11
waxing moon phases, 13
South Pole, 11, 26
Spells and rituals. See Ritual(s)
Spirit communication, 15, 185
Spring Equinox, 15, 69, 71. See also Ostara
Spruce (fresh), 83
St. Brigidʼs Cathedral, 52
St. Brigidʼs Day, 47. See also Imbolc
St. Brigidʼs Holy Well, 52
Stingy Jack, 191, 197
St. Johnʼs Eve, 111, 117. See also Litha
St. Michael, Feast of, 156
Stone(s). See also Crystals; individual names of stones
for Beltane, 90
the Cailleach and, 172
Cleansing Amulet, 61
Fortunaʼs Prosperity Spell, 165
for Fortunaʼs Prosperity Spell, 165
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
at Machu Picchu, 74, 116, 158
for Ostara, 70
Sacred Bel Fire, 95
for Samhain, 171
Serpentʼs Egg Amulet, 126
Winter Solstice Stone Cairn, 31
for Yule, 24
Stone circles, 92, 116
Stonehenge, 9, 11, 26, 27, 31, 116
St. Patrick, 133
Sturgeon Moon, 133
Summer Solstice, 11, 15, 28, 71, 111, 113, 117. See also Litha
Summer Triangle, 113
Sun
celebrating rebirth of the, 34
seasonal transitions and, 7, 10–11
at Summer Solstice, 114
symbolized in the Wheel of the Year, 7
Welcoming the Sun Ritual, 37
Sunflower petals, 146
Sun, orbit of, 10–11
Symbols
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
 for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24

Tailtiu (goddess), 133

Tarot cards, 45
Tasseography, 189
Tea Blend, Midsummer, 115
Tea, Divining Ritual Tea, 189
Tea-leaf reading, 189
Temple of Flora, 96
Temple of Karnak, 26
Teutonic Mythology (Grimm), 10, 75
Thanksgiving, Pagan/Witchesʼ, 151, 161
Themes
for Beltane, 8, 90
for Imbolc, 8, 48
for Litha, 8, 112
for Lughnasadh, 8, 132
for Mabon, 8, 152
for Ostara, 8, 70
for Samhain, 8, 171
for Yule, 8, 24
Third Harvest, 169. See also Samhain
Thor (god), 138
Thunder Moon, 113
Thyme leaves, 57, 123
Tobar Bride, 52
Tops Hill, 92
Traditions. See Ancient traditions
Transformation, 15, 54, 57, 142–143, 149, 179
Transitional spaces, 11
Tree of Enchantment, 108
Trees. See also individual names of trees
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
Winter Solstice/Yuletide traditions and, 34
 for Yule, 24
Tropic of Cancer, 26, 113, 120
Tropic of Capricorn, 25
Tuatha Dé Danann, 108

Ursa Major, 71

Vanilla oleoresin, 119

Vernal Equinox, 69. See also Ostara
Vesta (goddess), 54, 117, 123
Vestalia, 111, 117. See also Litha
Vitamin E oil, 87

Walpurgis Night, 89, 93. See also Beltane

Wand, 17, 21, 54, 159, 199
Waning moon, 13
Warding, 185
Wassailing, 34
Water, 13, 196
cauldron/chalice and, 17
Daffodil Flower Essence, 73
Dark Moon Water, 183
Full Moon Water, 179
Healing Clooties, 51
Lughnasadh and, 133
of sacred wells, 52, 80, 101
Snow Water Meditation, 40
at St. Brigidʼs Holy Well, 52
Water Element Writing Ritual, 153–155
Waxing moon, 13, 87
Weather divination, 62
Weather Divining Ritual, 66
Weather patterns/changes, 7, 9
Wee folk, 108, 121
Welsh mythology, 157, 176–177
Wheat sheaves, 131, 137, 138, 141, 160
Wheel of the Year
celebrating in Northern vs. Southern hemispheres, 13
correspondences, 8
origin, 7
variations of, 10
Wicca, 7, 10, 103
Wiccan Bricket Wood coven, 10
Widdershins, 13
Wild Hunt, the, 27, 93
Willow branches/leaves, 108, 123, 125
Willow Faierie Eye, 108
Wine Harvest, 151. See also Mabon
Winter Finding, 156
Winter Solstice, 10–11, 15, 23, 25, 26, 27–31, 35, 37, 71. See also Yule
Winter Triangle (stars), 26
Wish Powder, Yule, 43
Witchesʼ ladders, 103
Witchesʼ Night, 93
Witchesʼ Thanksgiving, 151. See also Mabon
Witch hazel, 83, 115
Worm Moon, 49, 71
Woven Witchʼs Ladder, 103
Writing Ritual, Water Element, 153–155

Yule, 23–45. See also Winter Solstice

about, 23
alternative names for, 23
ancient sites, 26
ancient traditions and themes of, 34–35
astronomical basis of, 25
correspondences, 24
cycle event, 8
date, 8, 23
pagan cultures celebrating, 27–29
projects, 39, 43, 45
rituals, 31–32, 37, 194
Snow Water Meditation, 40
on Wheel of the Year, 6
Yule Father (Odin), 27
Yule logs, 15, 27, 34
Yuletide, 23, 25, 27. See also Yule

Zeus (god), 161

Zodiac/Planets
for Beltane, 90
for Imbolc, 48
for Litha, 112
for Lughnasadh, 132
for Mabon, 152
for Ostara, 70
for Samhain, 171
for Yule, 24
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Text © 2021 Anjou Kiernan

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