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Book Review – The Sacred Herbs of Yule and Christmas by Ellen Evert Hopman
Book Review The Sacred Herbs of Yule and Christmas: Remedies, Recipes, Magic & Brews for the Winter Season by Ellen Evert Hopman Publisher: Destiny Books 344 Pages Release Date: September 12, 2023 This book contains beautiful illustrations of Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Jultomte, House Elves, Christmas Goat, Grandfather Frost, Snow Maiden, Krampus and Lucia. Portraits of the First Footing, The Tradition of the Yule log, Elves painting berries on holly leaves, the Holly wreath, Children carrying Mistletoe, A woman gathering Mistletoe, The practice of setting up Christmas, Elves sweeping snow, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children admiring a Christmas tree. Plates of Allspice, Almond, Apple, Bayberry,…
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#166 — The Yule Issue
Blessed Yule! — Time to get cozy and curl up with your favorite e-zine! In this issue, our authors: Celebrate a Blessed Yule with correspondences, recipes, and more… Sit down with author Ron George to discuss his Elizabeth Franklin witchy fiction series… Explore five varieties of delicious simmer pots to make your home smell like winter… Review the Rebel Oracle Deck and several of its variations… Delve into the Weiser Tarot, a newly re-drawn Rider-Waite-Smith variation… Share book excerpts & poetry… Plus — Tons of book reviews — Pagan Family Prayers & Rituals — The Wheel of the Year — GaeaGenesis — and much more!
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GoodGod!
Meet the Gods: Saturn Merry meet. In case you don’t have enough holiday activities in December, you can add the 17th to your calendar and observe Saturnalia, one of the most popular ancient Roman festivals. It occurred around the time of Yule. Though originally a one-day event that ignored the distinction between masters and slaves, the activities came to fill an entire week, making for much merry-making and lechery. Saturn was the son of Caelus, Father Sky, and Terra, Mother Earth. (In Greek mythology they were Cronus, Uranus, and Gaia, respectively.) To prevent a prophecy from coming true – that a son would dethrone him –…
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MagickalArts
What Are the Magickal Arts? … As magickal practitioners we are all “artists” in our own ways, honing our skills of creating magick, weaving patterns of energy that affect change and calling to the most Divine of our natures as we align with cosmos, greater earth and all of the many Beings that inhabit those realms. And, I like where this trend is taking us in exploring the craft in all of forms…. The Seasons Are Waxing and We Honor the Magickal Art of Our Divine Spark! The concept of the Divine Spark is one that flows strongly through varied spiritual practices. Within the pagan context this…
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Peeking in the Shadows: Crafting a Book of Shadows and Light
A Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel of the Year 2022! The Witch’s Wheel of the Year We Finish Our Journey Through the Witch’s Wheel and celebrate Yule/Winter Solstice…. We began our journey at Imbolc and now we have arrived at Yule/Winter Solstice. I invite you to revisit the pages and writings that have been crafted this year… Peeking in the Shadows: Imbolc Yule Although in many cases the celebration of Yule coincides with the astronomical date of the Winter Solstice, they are distinct in that Yule is a seasonal observance that often lasted longer than the single Sabbat date it is traditionally assigned of Dec. 20/21…
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As Above, So Below (How the Stars Became Our Hearts)
Seasons Blessings! Moving into this period of darkness and the first snows begin to fall. I come to this place of contemplation. And as with the last few pieces, I’ll lose my 3rd person textbook voice. This piece will be a bit meta, as, yes, it’s snowing and I just now started this. Lol. And I said “Lol”. And I said that I said. This message is a download, heavy on my heart with these past moons. A lesson that’s been delivered to me through my personal life, and I feel the need to share. Blessed Samhain. What a strange season it has been, closing with a lunar…
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Yule Correspondences
Lesser Sabbat – Winter Solstice Begins Wednesday, December 21, 2022 and ends on Sunday, January 1, 2023 Other Names: Jul (“wheel”, Old Norse), Saturnalia (Rome ~December 17 & 18), Yuletide (Teutonic), Midwinter, Fionn’s Day, Alban huan, Christmas (Christian~December 25), Xmas, Festival of Sol, Solar/Secular/Pagan New Year Animals/Mythical beings: yule goat (nordic), reindeer stag, squirrels, yule cat, Sacred White Buffalo, Kallikantzaroi-ugly chaos monsters(greek), trolls, phoenix, yule elf, jule gnome, squirrels, wren/robin Gemstones: cat’s eye, ruby, diamond, garnet, bloodstone Incense/Oils: bayberry, cedar, ginger, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, nutmeg, wintergreen, saffron Colors: gold, silver, red, green, white Tools,Symbols, & Decorations: bayberry candles, evergreens, holly, mistletoe, poinsettia,mistletoe, lights, gifts, Yule log,…
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WitchCrafting: Crafts for Witches
Yule Decor Merry meet. You know magic is everywhere when you can find a good idea for Yule in a YouTube video from The Home Depot. I live on a bus and use mason jars for everything from drinking glasses and vases to making kombucha and storing herbs. “Fuss-Free Holiday Decorations & Prep Techniques” now has me using them to make berry luminaries. It’s simple: put pieces of evergreen in any-sized mason jar, fill with water, add some cranberries, and float a tea light candle (removed from its holder) on top. Mine will be on my altar, but these would go well on a…
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Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times
Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for February 2022 (Photo by Wout Vanacker on Unsplash ) Bright Blessings! The holidays are behind us and it’s a new year. How time flies! For some that means you are still procrastinating about putting the Yule decorations away, doesn’t it? And the kids have absolutely begged you to leave them up, haven’t they? Have a mug of hot wassail and admire your work a bit longer why not? While you are at it, think about all the good things you accomplished in 2021. If you can’t think of anything? I can. What about the time you made somebody’s day because…
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19-Days of Illuminated Darkness 2020
The Countdown Begins… 19-Days of Illuminated Darkness 2020 This year we need the spaciousness of a returning Light that offers Hope and Healing. To bathe in the light the Solstice is to step into a mantle of power and illumination that pulls you from the stasis of longing into the temples of what can be. Join me, once again, in our fourth annual count down to the Winter Solstice and 19 Days of Illuminated Darkness. What was begun as the veils of Samhain parted and the New Year turned another cycle of the Great Wheel, continues as we welcome the Winter Solstice and the burgeoning of the Solar Light! Topics for…
