Yule
Yule, the Winter
Solstice, is usually on the 21st or 22nd of December, the
shortest day and longest night. Yule oil was the first of the eight Sabbat oils
from Natural Magick Shop. It has Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh, evergreen trees,
and holiday spices. Enjoy as a ritual anointing oil for this or in concentrated
form for aromatherapy diffusers.
Many Pagans
celebrate this occasion as the birth of the Divine Child, also known as the New
Year and Baby Jesus. This might be why we use this holiday to honor children by
giving them presents. What I think might also be happening with this holiday,
from a sociological point of year, is a ritualized re-distribution of wealth.
During the cold winter months, back in simpler times it would become clearer
who has plenty and who faces hunger as the shelves get bare. (The traditional
lump of coal for bad children might be a needed source of heat for a poor
family.) So it makes sense for adults to give gifts, and we still play out this
in our own families and in charity. If you are a starving college student, you
give your uncle a hand-woven potholder or such, and he cuts you a check for a
C-note or two.
For Pagans, it is
difficult to separate the Winter Solstice, which marks the beginning of the
solar year, with New Year’s Eve, which marks the beginning of the calendar
year. Perhaps the minor separation is just because of the Julian calendar not
working so good all the time. anybody needing charity, it can be a humiliating
thing to receive directly from wealthy people. So perhaps the “invention” of
Father Christmas a.k.a. Santa Claus makes this more graceful for both parties.
The gifts were delivered at night, through the chimney, by Santa, and nobody
need know who was giving and who was getting charity.
Other traditional
pagan motifs involve tree worship of some sort. What else would you call the
decoration of the Christmas tree? There is also the burning of the Yule log,
which according to some, should burn all night long as sympathetic magick to
bring about the return of the Sun. According to others, the Yule log was
supposed to be a whole tree that burned all YEAR long. The burning of the Yule
log, among other things, is to mark the change of the year-king from the Holly
King, who rules from the Summer Solstice to the Winter Solstice, over to his
brother/rival/alter ego, the Oak King. So if we sacrifice an evergreen tree, it
represents the peak and fall of the power of the Holly King. We burn the oaken
Yule log to give energy to the new Oak King, who rules until he is sacrificed
on Midsummer’s Day. So you would select an oak tree to cut down and divide up
among the villagers, to keep until it is burned at Yule. Pagan traditions love
to make sense of the seasonal cycles and provide continuity among the holidays.
Then, a few days
after New Year’s you have the Annunciation, which in European countries is the
end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. In Italy, there is the tradition of La Befana, a
faery-witch-crone-goddess who gives candy and gifts to good children and a lump
of coal to bad ones. Now they make a black hard candy that looks like coal, and
all the kids get it, because they have all been at least a little bad! Again,
different name, but the same idea of anonymous giving by a proxy deity, and the
honoring of children.
However you choose
to celebrate the Solstice, I hope it brings joy, friends, family, and
prosperity to you. The great thin about being Pagan is that we can celebrate
all the holidays for this time of year! So Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Yule, Kwanzaa
Blessings, Serene Solstice, and Merry Christmas, y’all!
Imbolc
Imbolc, Imbolg, or
Brigid is the pagan Sabbat on or about February 2nd. Use this oil for ritual
anointing to accentuate any ceremony or candle observance to honor this day,
and to celebrate the growing light. My Imbolc oil smells bright and fresh for
the newness of the Sun and the growing light.
I also wanted it to
have just a touch of the smell of burning candles, since this is a Candle
holiday. This holiday is also known as Brigid, dedicated to the Goddess Brigid,
and in other places, we call this holiday Candelaria or Candlemas, or Ground
Hog's Day. This holiday is often observed with blessings, consecrations and
initiations, so Imbolc oil could be used for any of these purposes no matter
what time of year.
At this time of
year, the rate of change of daylight is at a peak…you will be noticing it!
Imbolc means “in the belly” and refers to the sheep who begin to give birth to
lambs at this time of year. So the colors of the holiday are whites for the
wool and the milk, and the snow.
In Celtic lands,
this holiday is associated with the goddess Brigid, and observances include the
procession of little corn dollies in miniature beds by young women and girls. Married
women and heads of households received these representatives of the Goddess
with great respect, and often treats.
A relative of mine
from Puerto Rico told me they celebrate the holiday as
Candelaria, and the custom is to burn your Christmas tree and light candles on
this night. Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria is an avatar of the Virgin Mary who
came to south and central America from the Canary Islands, and one of her feast days is February 2nd.
A great way to
celebrate this Sabbat might be to make your ritual candles for the rest of the
Wheel of the Year. Since Brigid also keeps a Sacred Well, blessing of holy
water, or other water healing and cleansing rituals would be appropriate.
Ostara
Ostara
is the holiday of the Vernal Equinox, usually on or around March 21st.
Most
modern neo-Pagans call the Spring Equinox either Eostar or Ostara. Natural Magick Shop Ostara oil celebrates the
Spring with a very green,fresh scent that has a hint of the wildflowers soon to
come. Use it for candles dedicated to any ritual for this season, or to anoint
celebrants.
Eostar
is obviously a cognate with the words Easter and East. Many of the “Christian”
motifs for Easter are the Pagan interpretations of this time of year: pastel
colored eggs, chicks, and of course bunnies. We almost always have an “Eostar”
egg hunt for the kiddos, and maybe we paint cascarones and have a confetti
battle. Ostara is the name of a German goddess of the spring who often appeared
at this time in the form of a white rabbit. So there you have it, the Easter
Bunny, usually thought of as being a boy, is actually a goddess.
Once
I hired a friend who was from the Czech Republic to help with
packaging. She overheard me talking about Ostara to a Wicca 101 class I was
teaching. At the end of the class, she came out and told us that in Czechoslovakia they have a
custom for this time of year. The men would go out and cut little switches of
new growth from trees, then they would swat the women “about the thighs and
buttocks” until the women gave them an egg! Do we really need Mr. Freud to
explain that one to us???
The
main other Pagan cycle for this season is another fertility myth. Anyone
familiar with high-school mythology will know the basic story of Demeter,
goddess of agriculture and Persephone: Persephone goes missing, haven been
kidnapped by Hades, god of the UnderWorld, and Persephone’s mother, Demeter
grieves, causing famine and the first winter on Earth. Finally Persephone is
reunited with her mother, and the joy of their reunion brings about spring.
This drama is enacted as sacred theater in many Pagan traditions of Greco-Roman
orientation.
Beltane
Beltane is one of
the "cross-quarter days," a time in between the Spring Equinox and
Summer Solstice, usually celebrated on May 1st or May Day. Beltaneoil is a sweet, sensuous smell to celebrate the lush eroticism of the season,
as well as to greet the waking Faery folk with a fragrance worth a merry dance
or two. No more than three. Okay, we're dancing all night!
On or about May
1st, Beltane is one sexy holiday, a celebration of the erotic awakening of the
Goddess and God, sometimes portrayed by participants as a Sacred Marriage
between the May Queen and May King. We dance around the May Pole with ribbons,
adorning a phallic symbol with our wishes and desires. This tradition was
originally NOT a children’s game! Then there was the balefire jumping, where it
was alleged that the flame that got up under the maidens’ skirts was what
caused the pregnancy (obviously it was NOT what happened in the bushes around
the bonfire after the rituals). In general, as we watch Wild Nature in the
raptures of rutting, growing, and blooming, we are invited to celebrate with
equally lusty and wild abandon. Music, often very bawdy songs, dancing, costuming,
and oh, the mead!
Beltane is also the
biggest worldwide celebration of human labor, and it is only in the U.S. that “Labor Day” is not celebrated on May
1st. All over Europe and South America, May Day is about workers marching in
parades and socializing at picnics in solidarity with unions, organized labor,
and the working class in general all over the globe. It is tempting to wonder
if there are any historical connections between the Pagan holiday and the labor
holiday.
The holidays of
Beltane and Samhain are also connected to the stars, to wit, our most beloved
Pleiadean cluster. The Pleiades are in the area of the Heavens ruled by Taurus,
and we go into Taurus at Beltane. By some accounting, and according to most
Celtic traditions, it is not the exact date May 1st or October 31st which
determined the dates of Beltane and Samhain, but the dates where the Pleiades
rise at dawn and sundown, respectively. So depending on which latitude you were
in, the date would change accordingly. This helped link the Pleiades and Beltane
to the agricultural cycle, and in MesoAmerican traditions the Pleiades strictly
ruled the planting season as well.
The final Pagan
association with Beltane that I will leave you with may also be related to
Pleiadean myth. It is often said that the “bad Faeries” go underground at
Beltane while the “good Faeries” come out to the surface of Earth to live. Then
at Samhain they change places. So this is why the “Veil Between the Worlds” is
said to be very thin at these two times of year, good for spirit contact,
divinations, and journeys into the UnderWorld or OtherWorld. I have always
found that these two holidays are very much linked across the Wheel of the
Year. There is always something of Halloween in Beltane, something scary and
death-dealing that contrasts with all the flesh and flowers, and conversely,
there is always something of May Day in Samhain, a sexy sub theme to all of the
death, ghosts, and monsters. So we could celebrate Beltane by welcoming the
Bright Faeries who have awakened, and send the Dark Fae back to sleep with one
last hoo-haw.
If you don’t have
any Pagan kinsmen to celebrate Beltane with, just look to the secular
celebrations that crowd the Events section of the local newspapers at this time
of year. Because of the (hopefully) mild weather this time of year, there are
all sorts of festivals and fundraisers planned for the weekends around May Day.
You can probably find a delightfully Pagan theme within any of them, or create
one by joining in the planning committee. I bet they’d love it if you offered
to set up a May Pole “for the children,” hee hee.
One way to connect
the celebration of Earth Day with Beltane would to be to ally ourselves with
the Faery races for the Re-Greening of the world. The Earth Spirits would
probably love to see humans joining together to heal the planet as opposed to
our current endeavor to drive ourselves and everything else extinct. Perhaps we
could listen well during this time that the Veil is thin, for messages and
suggestions on how we can make our footsteps fall more lightly on Earth, and
live in a more balanced reciprocating way. Then all we would need is the
courage to do it.
Litha
The peak of the
Sun’s power is June 21st, the Summer Solstice, referred to as Litha or
Midsummer’s Day by Pagans, and the Feast of Saint John by Christians.
Especially in the more northern latitudes, this time of year is easily noted
for the long day length, a blessing to be celebrated since ancient times. Litha oil by Natural Magick Shop is full of
fiery Sun energy to bless ritual participants or add Midsummer energy to ritual
candles.
Much of what is
practiced by modern neo Pagans for our Litha celebrations is inferred and
collected in bits and pieces from many different sources. For example, St.
Eligius in the 7th century warned Flander’s newly Christianized citizens
against Solesticia, rites of “leaping and diabolical chanting. That sounds like
Pagan fun to me!
Wicca and related
neo Pagan traditions emphasize the peak power of Sun and the element of fire in
this holiday. Herbs, especially herbs known for their magickal protection
properties, are at their most potent if gathered on Midsummers’ Eve or
Midsummer’s Day. This makes sense since herbs are naturally at their most
productive during this season. I’ve read in different places that nine herbs
should be gathered to throw onto the Midsummer’s fire, depending on the
source: rosemary, thyme, marjoram,
hyssop, sage, St.
John's
wort, violets, vervain, carnations, mugwort, mistletoe, and fennel. In
particular, I have heard that mistletoe would have been gathered by the Druids
for protection charms. All sorts of herbal arts and crafts can be incorporated
for your Litha spellworking. My big project for this time of year is to make
the Dragon’s Blood oil to ensure that it is as fiery as it possibly can be.
Like the herbs,
trees are in their finest form and most rampant growth by Midsummer’s. This is
the Green Man’s wildest and most fertile time. Likewise, the Oak King reaches
the zenith of his reign on this day, only to be bested on the next by the Holly
King, who will then rule the rest of the year as days grow shorter. With this
cycle in mind, it would make sense to go out and harvest Oak wood, picking out
one nice log to keep for your Yule fire. (The rest could be your magickal
barbeque wood!) If you saved your old Christmas tree, you could also use it to
start your Midsummer’s bonfire to create a continuous cycle. The ashes of the
Midsummer’s bonfire had uses in many protection charms, and livestock would be
forced to walk through the ashes or smoke to protect them from disease.
Bonfires were also
an ancient observance of this longest day/shortest night. The fires below
reflected the fires above. Naturally, whenever fires are a part of a Pagan
celebration there is likely to be the attendant dancing, drinking, music
making, and telling of tall tales.
Speaking of tall
tales, my favorite Midsummer’s stories is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s
Dream. I always rent this one for viewing as a part of my very neo Pagan
ritual. Try to find the old black and white one where child star Mickey Rooney
plays Puck.
Shakespeare was
definitely reflecting popular beliefs that the Faeries also celebrated this
holiday in a major way, and especially it was time for the trooping fae of the Seelie
court to make wild rides through the sky. Drink some mead around the bonfire
and look up to see if you can catch the parade.
If this is not
enough to choose from for your Midsummer observances, here is an entirely new
one, originating in Japan and South Korea. It is called Candle Night, and on June
24th, many municipal lights will be turned off, and candlelight performances,
dinners, story tellings, etc. will proceed. It is a meditation on world peace
and energy consumption, and I think extremely appropriate for the fire/energy
focus of the Litha holiday.
Lammas
Lammas, or
Lughnasadh, is the pagan Sabbat on or about August 1st. It is most often
celebrated as a first harvest holiday, focusing on harvest of grains. This is a
“Cross-Quarter Day” midway between a Soltice and and Equinox. Lammas oil is
created to be both celebratory and offeratory. I have tried to give it the
smell of fresh bread and roasting grains along with the brightness of the
waning sun, since this is the first holiday after High Summer, the Summer
Solstice. Use this oil for any ritual or celebration for this time of year, and
to honor the Celtic solar god Lugh, who rules the weather and harvest of this
time of year.
Lammas is also a
time of races, contests and games of physical skill. The landscape is a village
harvest of the grain fields. This is a time of celebration (at least, if the
harvest is successful and bountiful) and all the village is at work to get the
harvest in. It is said that the contests begin with who can harvest the most
grain. Then it was said that the laborers would leave the last sheaf of grain
standing and the contestants would try to be the first to cut it down by
throwing their harvesting sickles at it.
The fields are now
clear, and there is all this open space which is available. Footraces, horse
races, team sports, all have an open arena. This becomes a sort of Pagan
Olympics, and celebration of the vigor and strength of young adulthood.
Beer is brewed from
grain, so it is easy to imagine a brewfest of some sorts becoming part of the
festivities.
Another fascinating
motif for this Sabbat is a confessional and attonement ritual. The
aforementioned last sheaf, or a Corn Dollies, or a Corn Man (the first loaf
baked from the freshly harvested grain) represented John Barleycorn, a god or
hero who represented the sacrifice that the Grain God made for the community’s
survival. He will be mourned and buried (sometimes burned/cremated) but there
is an opportunity before he is committed to the final resting place. You have
the opportunity to whisper a confession, or some secret you want John
Barleycorn to take to the grave with him. You can in this way be absolved of
your guilt, and no other living being need know your crime.
Mabon
Mabon is the recent
pagan appellation for the Autumnal Equinox, usually September 21st or 22nd.
This oil honors the elder Celtic king, Mabon, and includes herbs and resins
suitable for offeratory purposes and for any celebration of this time of year.
Mabon oil smells like Autumn, with Oaks and mosses, and a hint of apple.
Since Mabon is the
time when day and night are equal, Mabon oil could be used not only for this
holiday, but for any time that balance or clear and fair judgment is needed.
Mabon is an Elder
King, so I use this holiday and this oil to honor the wisdom and contributions
of our living mature and elder community leaders.
The main legend of
Mabon leaves one wondering why the name of this god was chosen, evidently in
recent times, to this holiday and time of year. Mabon, son of the goddess
Modrone, was kidnapped when he was only three days old. Nobody knew where he
was taken or if he was still alive. The hero Cullwch was given an impossible
number of quests to win the hand of his beloved, Olwen, and the rescue of Mabon
(now an elder king in a dungeon for his whole life!) was part of the epic. The
adventure included the aid of King Arthur’s court, and five Spirit Guide
animals, Crow, Stag, Owl, Eagle, and Salmon.
Autumn is a favored
time for outdoor activity, from camping to hunting, and perhaps we could
extrapolate from this legend to include Animal Magick, and the seeking of
Animal guides. Mabon oil would certainly harmonize well with campfire aroma and
other Autumnal nature scents.
Samhain
Samhain is the
pagan Cross Quarter Day Sabbat otherwise known as Halloween, All Saints Day,
Dia de Los Muertos, celebrated on October 31st to November 11th, depending on
the tradition. This oil is to honor the dearly departed as well as to protect
the incarnate living from any bogies or phookas may have made it across while
the Veil Between the Worlds is thin. Samhain oil by Natural Magick Shop is
sweet, sultry, and mysterious.
Samhain oil is
attractive to spirits; discarnate and noncarnate forms of beings, but its
nature is to feed and propitiate these entities, thus preserving a bond and a
boundary between the worlds. Samhain oil is powerfully activating to the Third
eye, so it can be used to make us more sensitive to messages and communications
from the Beyond. Most people find its smell to be comforting and fascinating,
as Death is Itself. For this reason, Samhain oil is helpful to resolve and
honor the grief process, no matter what time of year it may come to visit.
If popular culture
understands anything about Pagans, the Halloween observance may be the reason!
The iconic images of the Crone Witch, the Black Cat, the Scull, the Spider, and
the grimacing Jack O’Lantern are the perfect mix of attraction/repulsion for
the morbid curiosity of the human condition! Samhain is a celebration of Death,
and preparation for the Winter that is coming.
Like its opposite
holiday on the Wheel of the Year, Samhain is a time when the Veil Between the
Worlds is thin. The realms of the Dead, the lands of the Faeries, and the Human
world are said to be close. Additionally, this is a time of movement…all the
dead who passed earlier in the year now have their last feast with their
surviving family and loved ones before passing into the realm of the Dead. So
places are set for the dearly departed, portions of the meal are served to
their plates, and toasts are made to say goodbye. The Pleiades now come to be
visible in the night sky, and this is where the Seelie Courts migrate, while
the Unseelies (bad Faeries) are now free to haunt the darkening landscape. This
is also the season of the Apple harvest, but we leave one Apple on the tree for
the Apple Tree Man. Any apples left on the trees in the orchard
after Samhain night were property of the Spirits, Faeries, and/or Dead, and it
was tabu to harvest, much less eat these apples
Children act out
this seasonal change with their scary costumes, and we offer them candy, money,
and food, propitiation against the pranks of the Goblins and other malevolent
spirits, and the Dead who can find no rest. Our customary Jack O’Lantern is
carved, and his protective powers are activated with the lit candle. A fit
champion against these mischief makers.
This was a time of
revenge, and with all the Spirits, Goblins, and costumed revelers going about,
it was expected that calamities of any sort might take place. So any laborer
might have cover, to take his revenge against a feudal lord who had cheated the
sharecropper out of his share of the harvest. This harsher aspect of the
holiday still persists as Devil’s Night or Hell Night where pranks advanced to
arson and other forms of property crimes in urban cities, particularly Detroit.
One other
widespread Samhain observance is divination and prediction of the future. When
the Veil is thin, we are more likely to be receptive to messages from the
spirit worlds, dead relatives, or other informants. So here we are back at the
cottage of the Crone Witch, where she stirs her cauldron of visionary herbs, to
have our fortune told. Bring out the Tarot cards, the inadvisable Ouija board, crystal
ball, or swallow the seeds of the apple are in order to have a dream of our
future spouse. Samhain oil would be an appropriate enhancement for these or any
Samhain observances.
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