The Modern Merlin’s Corner-November/December 2024: The Sorcerer’s Guide to Winter Magick

In my neck of the woods, the early part of the winter weather season has come upon us, reminding us to slow down, and cherish time with family & friends. Many people don’t like winter, and personally, I am among them; I much prefer the warmer climate of Southern California, but alas, I am, for the time being, as they say, “stuck in Ohio”. Paganism’s interwoven beliefs and traditions concerning the colder months of the year are well documented and today many modern Pagans still imbibe those traditions, hearkening back to a time before the Church and the more organized religion we see today. Aside from the spiritual lessons and beliefs surrounding Winter, there’s a lot of magick to conjure during the dark time of the year-especially leading up to the Solstice. The days continue to grow shorter, with darkness and night reigning over the Sun and daylight. Many folk beliefs concerning Winter and Yuletide concern the spirits of the restless dead wondering about and potentially wreaking havoc with innocent bystanders. Modern Neo-Pagans don’t typically associate Winter and Yuletide with spirit communication and Veil Thinning, but historically, there are beliefs of just such things. In this entry into my monthly column, I’m going to discuss some of these parallels in folk traditions, as well as get into certain kinds of magick that I’ve found to be very effective during this time of year. Think of it as a primer on the Sorcerous side of Winter and the cold long nights.

Folk Traditions and Ancient Celebrations of Yuletide & The Winter Solstice

Throughout this article, I’m going to use the terms winter and yuletide to refer to the time of year we currently find ourselves in-specifically the three weeks leading up to the Winter Solstice, and the two weeks after the Winter Solstice. In modern American culture, yuletide starts the day after Thanksgiving (although in recent years much earlier-to the tune of months). Personally, Yuletide begins on December 1st and lasts through the whole month. Yuletide in my practice embodies several different traditions and celebrations:

1. Saturnalia-the Ancient Roman celebration of the Saturnus, the harvest and agriculture God
2. Yule-Norse/Germanic celebration of the Winter Solstice
3. Various Celtic Solstice traditions
4. Modern Neo-Pagan celebrations of the Solstice

These 4 cornerstone influences of my celebration of the Yuletide and Winter season grow, change and evolve each year, as my understanding and appreciation of them changes. After all, to stop learning is to stop living! My ancestry also plays a part in certain traditions I embody during this time of year, or I adapt them into my existing practices. My ancestry reaches from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England, to Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, with some French in there as well. Research different Yuletide traditions from folk practices in areas your ancestors hail from. You’ll be amazed by the information you find, and the beauty and power that are held in those traditions. Forming your own Yuletide traditions and beliefs, superstitions and the like is not only fun, but it also invites ancestral healing and empowers your craft and practices even more. I’m a firm believer that the best magick and best kind of witchcraft to practice is your own. 

Deities and Spirits of Winter Time and Yuletide

Paganism is filled with all kinds of different deities, that cover all sorts of different facets of life. A lot of our Pagan Gods and Goddesses are based in manifestations in nature, while also taking on more mystical, magical qualities. In short, many deities are associated with different animals, rocks, plants, times of year, colors, magic and other such things. These correspondences can do you well, but they cannot replace the value of doing the work, and getting to know a deity yourself. Even though there is a stigma about Unverified Personal Gnosis (UPG), UPG can be invaluable in developing your relationship and practice with a deity. It’s okay if the information a deity gives you doesn’t fit what others are saying; so long as you’re not being told to harm yourself or others, or are putting yourself in dangerous situations in any area of life, then the relationship is real, valid and not a result of something else, such as a mental health disorder. That said, I’m going to give you a short compendium of deities from multiple cultures and pantheons that are associated with Winter, and a few that I’ve come to associate with Winter and Yuletide through my own practice.

• The Cailleach– The Winter Hag in Gaelic Celtic countries. After Imbolc, some believe she shifts to Brigid as Maiden, however I view each deity as their own distinct being, as I am a polytheist. To me, The Cailleach is the hibernating hag that awakes after Samhain and begins freezing the Earth around us. She’s a wise, somewhat tricky crone goddess who can offer her protection to those left out in the cold; typically those who are viewed as outsiders hear her call
• Skadi – The Winter Giantess in Norse and Germanic cultures. Associated with Wolves, Foxes and Ice, this Goddess mirrors The Cailleach in some ways, but as Norse mythology fits no boxes, there are considerable differences. For instance, Skadi, being a Giant, has an enigmatic relationship with the Aesir.
• Berchta – Germanic Winter Hag/Crone. She’s said to be involved with the Wild Hunt mythos present in Germanic culture around Yuletide. A feared dark goddess figure. She pushes to transform and can eliminate the fear of death, need or scarcity.
• Baba Yaga – Slavic Dark Goddess/Hag/Witch. Baba Yaga is a force to be wreckoned with, and sometimes the going can get a little scary with her. Ultimately, if you respect her, and follow the method to her madness, you will find your magick and soul elevated to new levels. She can be harsh, but I firmly believe her antinomian, almost wild and rebellious nature and means are only presented when we fight what must change. For those looking to learn more about Baba Yaga, I leave references for her at the end, with others dealing with the magick of Winter given as well.
• Odin – Odin is likely the original Santa Claus, albeit in a different version of him than what we see in the Eddas and other Norse mythological sources. In this guise, he is involved with the Germanic idea of the Wild Hunt, therefore traveling with Berchta as Woden or Wotan.
• Krampus – The Yuletide Demon of Germany! What’s a Germanic tradition without a little fright?! Krampus can exact justice when certain people just won’t leave you alone. He’s like your yuletide magickal ally and can go after those on your naughty list, so long as you leave a nice offering for him. I’ve found he has a particular liking for medium rare steak or beef, but he also seems to like cinnamon deserts, or deserts with anise in them.

Sorcerous Workings in the Cloak of Darkness

Winter time is a good time to work with, and embrace the Darkness. Darkness isn’t meant in a sinister or evil way here; instead, it’s the other side of light. It’s the necessary balance to light; we can’t have one without the other. Darkness in magical workings can cloak you from other people or energies. It can also make it so others won’t know that you did it. I’m hex positive, but sometimes we need a little more discretion, especially if the other party involved is magickal too. Darkness can also allow us space for healing, integration and growth; in the darkness, we can shed our old skin and grow into the new one.

Nocturnal Sorcery is the practice of magic in darkness, embodying those images and energies into a ritual practice. Simply put, it’s magic after dark. Winter time is the prime time for Nocturnal Sorcery, as the dark of the night reigns supreme over the day. Nocturnal sorcery encompasses Winter magick, as the two are typically entwined. I’m writing this after sunset as we speak, and the sun set before 5 PM where I live. The veil continues to be thin, as the darkest day of the year approaches.

The Veil Remains Thin

Modern Neo-Pagans and Witches alike view Samhain/Halloween as the peak time for spirit communication, and it’s said the Veil is thinnest at this point in the year (along with Hexxenacht/May Day). However, in many Central and Eastern European traditions, late November and into December is just as frightful and spiritually active of a time as Samhain! For instance, in Romania on St. Andrew’s Eve, it’s said that Vampires roam and many local superstitions speak of rubbing an opened garlic clove over every window, door and other crevice of the home. People stay home, and it’s generally advised in the folk tradition to not go outside during this period. In other traditions, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the weeks leading up to it are active with witches, ghosts, spirits and cryptids/monsters/beasts.

Simply put, the Veil is still thin at this time of year; and no wonder! The Winter Hag rules over death, initiating it within the landscape around us, and initiating us in the ways of transformation and change. The difference is in the types of spirits and spiritual activities present; where as Halloween traditions speak of basically any and all spirits, the Yuletide traditions are markedly darker. Spirits such as Trolls, Gnomes, Elves, Witches and numerous Yuletide beasts are known to be on the prowl; not all are our friends either. Many of the folk stories, especially from Central and Eastern Europe, speak of these beings taking victims for various different means and ends. When the Veil is thin, witches work! Witches can thin the veil themselves, sure, but why bother when we can work with the natural energies present to reach across that veil?

A Ritual Meditation to Meet the Winter Hag

Seeing as the New Moon is upon us this evening, the Dark Moon is an excellent time to connect with a Crone goddess or archetype. In my craft, I don’t necessarily see “The Winter Hag” as a deity, but more as a witch’s spirit ally for the dark time of the year. For some, it helps to connect to a specific deity as the manifestation of that energy or force in nature. For others, such as myself, we simply call on the being themselves-sometimes they appear as a certain deity, other times, they are their own being entirely. Whatever the case is for you, or if you have yet to find out, is okay, so long as it works for you. Personally, in this instance, I take an approach that’s akin to Traditional Witchcraft, not identifying The Winter Hag with a deity; however, if the opposite is what works best for you, there’s tons of Winter Goddesses to choose from! All you’ll need to do is tweak certain aspects of the ritual and meditation/trance induction to fit that deity’s needs or energies, as well as your own. Remember that magick comes from the heart, and that anything you see can be a guideline; it doesn’t have to be perfect for a social media post!

For this, you’ll need:

• A statue or representation of a Crone, Winter Hag, etc. Deity statues also work if you’re going that route
• A black candle
• A Cauldron or other firesafe container
• A Pinch of Each of the following:
  • Holly
  • Mistletoe
  • Cedar
  • Peppermint
  • Anise (seed or star)
  • Cinnamon, either chunk or ground
  • Mugwort
  • Wormwood
• Musky, Earthy or Pine incense
• Black Moonstone

Combine the herbs in the cauldron, and set the black candle in the center. If you have oil(s) you’d like to use to dress the candle, that is fine as well. Set your image or statue of the Winter Hag on either side of the cauldron with the herbs and candle. Set the Black Moonstone alongside or in front of that statue or image. After this, cleanse your space using sage or another cleansing herb, and cast a circle in the way you see fit. For those looking to maximize the energies of Winter in this ritual, I recommend Treading the Mill, a Traditional Witch’s circle casting; however, Pagan and Wiccan/Ceremonial castings work as well. Remember, make it work for you! If you don’t know how to Tread the Mill, there are numerous resources online and in books that can help you. I’ll list my top two Traditional Witchcraft reads that teach how to do this in the end of this article. For space reasons, I can’t list that ritual here.

After you’ve opened your ritual space with a circle casting of your choice, partake in an inebriant-be it alcohol, cannabis, mushrooms or any other natural substance; in other words, don’t use this as an excuse to use illicit drugs. It likely won’t end well. Those who practice the Poison Path, such as myself, may find value in using Belladonna or any other type of flying ointment/salve/oil. I recommend Coby Michael’s store, The Poisoner’s Apothecary for safe and reliable products of this nature. The reason I suggest this is, the Crone, or Winter Hag, is the embodiment of the Poisoner using these plant allies to reach a liminal state-the one in which she exists-to commune with her. She holds the secrets of these practices.

Allow the entheogen to take effect, knowing you’re safe and sound in a spiritually protected and sacred, empowered space. Once you feel the effects of your chosen plant entheogen, start breathing deeply, to the count of 3. Inhale for the count of 3, hold it for the count of 3, and exhale for the count of 3. Do this in sets of three’s until the fully liminal state has been reached. Depending on the ritual entheogen you’ve chosen, you may feel as though you’re falling, or spinning. This is normal, especially for first time flyers! Now, begin turning your focus inward, and follow the prompt below. Again, alter this to fit your needs, and it helps to record this ahead of time on your phone so it’s ready, as reading and reaching this state is not easy to do, even for those of us with lots of experience. Below is the prompt to meet the Winter Hag:

You find yourself in the forest; it’s a cold, windy and dark early winter night. The Moon’s last sliver disappears, as this is a Dark Moon. As you stand at the threshold of the forest, you smell burning wood, and hear movement from deep within the woods. A fox appears, nodding its head to you, appearing to guide you to follow it into the woods. You begin following the Fox, feeling no hesitation about its intentions. The Fox leads you to an old Yew tree in the middle of the forest, with a small cottage style, handmade hut below it. Surrounding it are all kinds of mushrooms and a poison garden. The cold doesn’t seem to affect these plants, and there are red Holly berries hanging like charms over the door of the home. The Fox urges you to approach the door and knock, and so you do. The Door is answered by an elderly woman, wrinkled and weathered, but wise, powerful and cunning. She bids you and your Fox friend to come in, and you both oblige. 

You both enter the Crone’s home, and inside is a warm fire, and a cauldron brewing a magical potion. She may have magickal familiars living with her, such as a Cat(s), Owl(s), Bat(s) and other animals, such as Roosters/Chickens, Toads and Snakes. The Crone informs you that the brew is just what you need at this time. She then goes on to describe just exactly what that is, and what magical (and non-magical) qualities you’ll need for the Winter ahead. She may offer advice, ideas or ways to connect with her. She may reveal herself to be a deity, or, simply, the Winter Hag/Winter Crone. Spend as much time with her as you need and want. It’s safe to drink her brew, or eat any food she offers you, as she is not the wicked witch she’s portrayed to be. She may suggest you work on shadow work, healing, hexing and many other things. Let the conversation and experience flow where it needs to; remember, magick is about heart, not a set outline! When you’re done, thank the Winter Crone/Winter Hag, and follow your Fox friend back to the edge of the forest. When you’ve gotten out of the forest, thank the Fox, and begin returning your consciousness to your body; from your toes upwards. 

Write your experience and any messages in your ritual diary, and allow the candle to burn through. Dispose of the herbs and ritual remnants as you usually would. Return to the Winter Hag/Winter Crone any time you need to, even during Summer!

Below I’ll list some resources that may help you on your journey this winter, some specifically dealing with the Winter Hag/Winter Crone, as well as different folk traditions and myths surrounding Yuletide. Enjoy!

• The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year by Linda Raedisch
• Pagan Portals: Baba Yaga: Slavic Earth Goddess by Natalia Clarke
• Baba Yaga’s Book of Witchcraft: Slavic Magic from the Witch of the Woods by Madame Pamita
• Pagan Portals: The Cailleach by Rachel Patterson
• Weather Magic: Witchery, Science, Lore by Debra L, Burris
• The Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft by Kelden
• Besom, Stang and Sword: A Guide To Traditional Witchcraft, The Six-Fold Path and the Hidden Landscape by Christopher Orapello and Tara-Love Maguire
• The Poison Path Herbal & Poison Path Grimoire by Coby Michael (two separate books)
• Magía: Hungarian Myth, Magic and Folklore by Margít Toth
• Alpine Witchery: Austrian Folk Magic, Lore & Spellcraft

 

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Author Bio:

The Modern Merlin has been a Polytheist and Animist Pagan, Witch, Sorcerer, Wizard, Druid, Mystic, Ceremonial Magician, Occultist, Shaman, Seer and Soothsayer for 15 years, worshipping and casting magick with deities and spirits from many cultures, including Ancient Greece, Rome, Norse & Germanic, Celtic, Egyptian, Sumerian, as well as many Faeries, Nymphs, Dryads, Ancestors and other nature and land spirits and spirits of place. He is a Priest of Hecate, Diana, Hades, Lilith and Persephone. He has experience in the Left and Right Hand Paths, working with both hands as needed. He currently practices Necromancy and Deathwalking, as well as Traditional Witchcraft, Druidry, Hellenism and Ceremonial Magick, incorporating all of them into a cohesive practice, with some shamanic touches. He studies and practices Astrology as well as Tarot and other forms of divination such as Runes, Palmistry and Ogham. He has a personal blog where he shares Astrological, Pagan, and other magickal wisdom for free! He gives readings and other spiritual services on his Facebook Page, The Modern Merlin, as well other free informational posts for everyone to see!