{"id":11751,"date":"2017-10-01T01:10:31","date_gmt":"2017-10-01T06:10:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paganpages.org\/content\/?p=12332"},"modified":"2017-10-01T12:28:08","modified_gmt":"2017-10-01T17:28:08","slug":"spellcrafting-spells-and-rituals-9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/2017\/10\/01\/spellcrafting-spells-and-rituals-9\/","title":{"rendered":"SpellCrafting: Spells & Rituals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Releasing the\u00a0Old Year<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Merry meet!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

While Samhain most often involves honoring the ancestors and divination, the night is also the eve of the new year.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Even if I have participated in a group ritual, there\u2019s a simple ritual I like to do alone in front of my altar, or outside when possible, as close to midnight as possible. There is no reason this can\u2019t be done in a group.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I gather some paper, something to write with, a cauldron and something with which to light a fire.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Once in sacred space, I reflect on the previous year, often flipping through the pages of my gratitude journals to remind me of all that transpired. I then reflect on what I want to bring with me into the new year, and what I wish to release and leave behind. Often it\u2019s an attitude, a thought or a habit. It can be someone who is an energy vampire, expectations or material objects. If it no longer serves your highest good and greatest joy, it\u2019s suitable for letting go.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Writing one thought per slip of paper, I light it and drop it into the cauldron, letting it turn to ash. I continue as long as there is something I want to purge from my life.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Afterwards, I stir water into the ashes and pour it on the earth, thanking all the elements for their part in the cleansing. I tend to journal a bit before opening the circle.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever you choose to do, may you have a blessed Samhain.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Merry part.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

And merry meet again.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

About the Author:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lynn Woike<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>was 50 \u2013 divorced and living on her own for the first time \u2013 before she consciously began practicing as a self taught solitary witch. She draws on an eclectic mix of old ways she has studied \u2013 from her Sicilian and Germanic heritage to Zen and astrology, the fae, Buddhism, Celtic, the Kabbalah, Norse and Native American \u2013 pulling from each as she is guided. She practices yoga, reads Tarot and uses Reiki. From the time she was little, she has loved stories, making her job as the editor of two monthly newspapers seem less than the work it is because of the stories she gets to tell. She lives with her large white cat, Pyewacket, in central Connecticut. You can follow her boards on\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a>, and write to her at woikelynn\u00a0at gmail\u00a0dot com.<\/span><\/span> <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Releasing the\u00a0Old Year Merry meet! While Samhain most often involves honoring the ancestors and divination, the night is also the eve of the new year. Even if I have participated in a group ritual, there\u2019s a simple ritual I like to do alone in front of my altar, or outside when possible, as close to midnight as possible. There is no reason this can\u2019t be done in a group. I gather some paper, something to write with, a cauldron and something with which to light a fire. Once in sacred space, I reflect on the previous year, often flipping through the pages of my gratitude journals to remind me of all that transpired. I then reflect on what I want to bring with me into the new year, and what I wish to release and leave behind. Often it\u2019s an attitude, a thought or a habit. It can be someone who is an energy vampire, expectations or material objects. If it no longer serves your highest good and greatest joy, it\u2019s suitable for letting go. Writing one thought per slip of paper, I light it and drop it into the cauldron, letting it turn to ash. I continue as long as there is something I want to purge from my life. Afterwards, I stir water into the ashes and pour it on the earth, thanking all the elements for their part in the cleansing. I tend to journal a bit before opening the circle. Whatever you choose to do, may you have a blessed Samhain. Merry part. And merry meet again. *** About the Author:     Lynn Woike\u00a0was 50 \u2013 divorced and living on her own for the first time \u2013 before she consciously began practicing as a self taught solitary witch. She draws on an eclectic mix of old ways she has studied \u2013 from her Sicilian and Germanic heritage to Zen and astrology, the fae, Buddhism, Celtic, the Kabbalah, Norse and Native American \u2013 pulling from each as she is guided. She practices yoga, reads Tarot and uses Reiki. From the time she was little, she has loved stories, making her job as the editor of two monthly newspapers seem less than the work it is because of the stories she gets to tell. She lives with her large white cat, Pyewacket, in central Connecticut. You can follow her boards on\u00a0Pinterest, and write to her at woikelynn\u00a0at gmail\u00a0dot com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":210,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/210"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11751\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}