Tag Archives: tradition

Pumpkin Magic )O(

Merry meet all,

Today I want to post about my favourite orange cucurbit, pumpkins! Pumpkins are everywhere. Pumpkins are famous for fairy tale magic. Autumn colored leaves blanket my garden, as squirrels and bluejays gather nuts and seeds to store for the long winter ahead. Samhain is almost here. Now let’s gather our own Magick!

10 Ways to Use Pumpkins in Witchcraft

Long before Cinderella’s fairy godmother sent her bewitched pumpkin carriage careening towards a royal party under a reckless magic spell, this mythical fruit vined its way into the legend of witchcraft.

Here are a few ideas to bring this classic spell ingredient into your magical practice.

10 Ways to Use Pumpkins in Witchcraft

Dry roast the seeds and toss them in a mojo bag for prosperity.    The fertile abundance of seeds inside a pumpkin perfect for success mojo bags.

Use your jack-o-lantern to chase away negative energy.  Did you know jack-o-lanterns were originally carved to chase away demons?  In the spirit of this tradition, burn a charcoal disk with protection herbs like rosemary to turn away negative energy at the doorstop.

Bury your kid’s spent pumpkin in the garden to “fertilize” a wishing spell.    Never know what to do with your kid’s jack-o-lantern once Halloween is over?  The pumpkin’s magical lore makes it “ripe” for wishing magic.  Have your child write a goal for the springtime on a piece of (natural) paper, and bury it in the garden to bless his/her endeavors.   Kids move so quickly from one phase to the next, seeing their “wish” come up in the spring will remind them of how far they walked since the beginning of the school year!

Boil your cauldron.  If your kitchen-witchy, make a batch of crock pot pumpkin soup
Be sure to include plenty of “heart-warming” magical spices like chili powder or cumin.  Stir it clockwise four times and bless it for strong ties between family and friends.  Then serve it to everyone!

Leave it as an offering to the woodland spirits.  Samhain is a time to honor those who came before you. Once you’re finished with your pumpkin, take it to woods and leave it as an offering to your ancestors.   It also makes great deer food!

Use it in a group Samhain ritual.  Hollow out and carve a large pumpkin with symbols sacred to your tradition.  Light a candle inside, go around the circle and talk about your year together as a group or coven.  Discuss any remaining tensions, write them down and then agree to let them go with the start of the new Wheel of the Year.  Place a candle inside the pumpkin lantern, and one by one, burn the paper.  Watch it go up in smoke and let go. 

Save the stems.  The stem dries out and cures pretty quickly.  Leave it with your magical cabinet to boost wishing spells or prosperity spells during the next Wheel of the Year.

Draw out your inner beauty.  Mix 1/4 cup pumpkin puree with a splash of apple cider vinegar and an egg.  Use it as a mask to bring out the “enchanting” side of your inner beauty.

Place a pumpkin near your creative work space for inspiration and brainstorming.  Pumpkins connote fanciful thinking and fairy tales.  Use this energy in your work space to break out of box thinking and reach deeper.

Make a bird feeder to connect with the spirit of fire and air.  Invite winter-friendly birds near your home by making a bird feeder out a your pumpkin.  When you notice a bird near it, say a blessing and send him off with to carry a wish or prayer skyward!

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Blessed be, Spiderwitch

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Yule traditions and Symbols

Merry meet all,

The next turn in the Wheel of the Year is Yule! I can’t believe that time of year is almost here. Wow has time flown by that fast? Also, November 16 is Hekate’s night. So tonight consider cooking something special in her honor and maybe leaving it at the crossroads.

Yule is as magickal as the other Sabbats. Yule brings to mind pinecones, glittering tinsel, and keeping warm doing festive celebrations with friends and family. The sun makes its way back to the earth. 

Evergreens are a symbol of Yule. Their evergreen color represented life, death and rebirth. These lovely pine scented trees fought back the winter demons and restrained death and destruction. 

Holly leaves correspond to the masculine element. Their prickliness warded off negative spirits, protecting the home. The leaves represented hope, and the red berries symbolized potency. 

Mistletoe represented the feminine element. The leaves were the embodiment of the female spirit and the white berries and seeds were the masculine element. Druids used this plant and viewed it as sacred. 

The Yule tree is also an important pagan symbol. To some, it represented the Tree of Life or the World Tree. The Yule log was burned to protect the home. Ash wood was preferred. This tradition is Scandinavian in origin. It was believed that the faster the Yule log burned, the faster the sun would return to the earth. 

Other significant symbols that represent Yule are candles which encourage the light to burn, wreaths which symbolized the Wheel of the Year,  and bells that drove away demons. Elves became associated with Yule. The ancients believed that the spirits that assisted in the Sun’s return lived where the Elves lived. Gingerbread is also associated with Yule. It is a specialty bread. 

Nature Symbols of Yule: Holly, Oak, Mistletoe, Ivy, Evergreens, Laurel, Bayberry, Blessed Thistle, Frankincense, Pine, Sage, Yellow Cedar.
Food and Drink of Yule: Yule Log Cake, Gingerbread, Fruits, Berries, Nuts, Pork dishes, Turkey, Eggnog, Ginger Tea, Spiced Cider, Wassail

Colors of Yule: Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold
Red represents the waning Holly King. Green represents the waxing Oak King. White represents the purity and hope of new Light. Silver represents the Moon. Gold represents the Sun/Son.

Stones of Yule: Rubies, Bloodstones, Garnets, Emeralds, Diamonds

Activities of Yule: Caroling ~ Wassailing the Trees ~ Burning the Yule Log ~ Decorating the Yule Tree ~ Exchanging Gifts ~ Kissing under the Mistletoe

Deities of Yule:
Goddesses: The Great Mother and Earth Goddess, Freyja, Gaia, Diana, Bona-Dea, Isis, Demeter
Gods: Mabon, The Sun God, The Star (Divine) Child, The Oak King, The Holly King, The Green Man, The Red Man, The Horned One, Odin, Lugh, Apollo, Ra

 

 

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Yule Tides

Merry meet all,

DECORATING THE YULE LOG

I found a suitable piece of wood from a fallen tree outside. I sawed it and returned home and set it aside. I brought it in when it got close to the Yule date and let it dry. I decorated the log last night for Yule.

I used a hot glue gun to glue the holly, pine and ivy to the log. I glued the long ivy branch to the log first followed by the holly and pine. I also glued a cinnamon stick and two pine cones to the log. It was surprisingly easy to glue the items to the log. I glued the painted pine cones to the log. The log is beautiful.

Holly is toxic to cats. I am careful about that. I covered my yule log and decorations with a towel last night. I am sad in a way to burn the log tomorrow because it is so pretty. It is a Norwegian tradition and I intend to follow through with it tomorrow morning.

I have posted pictures of the log on Facebook. I am happy to get to continue an ancient tradition founded by my ancestors. I hope the weather is clear tomorrow but it’s happening anyway.

I shall post the Rit details tomorrow.

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

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