The anticipation of the New Year has passed.
The clock struck midnight, fireworks filled the sky with color, sparkling cider was raised, kisses were exchanged\u2014and then, quietly, the moment slipped away.<\/p>\n
Resolutions were shared with enthusiasm: spoken aloud, posted across social media, and in many cases even begun. Yet as the weeks progressed, the magic, excitement, and optimism that briefly gripped the world began to fade. With each passing day, the familiar weight of \u201canother year\u201d settled back in.<\/p>\n
And once again, a familiar phenomenon unfolded\u2014one curiously bound to the number three<\/strong>.<\/p>\n In magical traditions, the number three is revered. It is a number of balance, power, and completion. In Freemasonry, it appears in the Three Great Lights, the Three Lesser Lights, the Three Degrees, and the Three Principal Tenets. In Tolkien spirituality, it shines through the Three Silmarils\u2014objects of light, beauty, and tragic consequence.<\/p>\n Yet in the mundane world, the number three often carries a more somber meaning. We speak of tragedies occurring \u201cin threes,\u201d or, as is the case here, the third week of January<\/strong>.<\/p>\n By the third week of the new year, nearly 43% of New Year\u2019s resolutions have already failed<\/strong>. By February, that number climbs to approximately 80%<\/strong>. As these failures accumulate, discouragement sets in. Resolutions quietly fade away, often accompanied by guilt, frustration, or a sense of personal inadequacy.<\/p>\n What is rarely acknowledged, however, is that this failure is not a moral or spiritual flaw\u2014it is structural.<\/p>\n Decades of behavioral research have revealed a consistent pattern: When viewed through this lens, a startling truth emerges: the traditional New Year\u2019s resolution is fundamentally flawed<\/strong>. It asks for immediate transformation without honoring how human behavior actually changes.<\/p>\n Faced with this realization, we are left with two choices. It is the second path I wish to explore, because it lies at the heart of reclaiming agency, restoring meaning, and reshaping not only ourselves, but the reality we inhabit.<\/p>\n Rather than treating January as a make-or-break proving ground, consider using January\u2014and even February\u2014as planning and alignment months<\/strong>. Instead of a rigid resolution, shift toward a single, living goal<\/strong> that unfolds slowly across the year.<\/p>\n My own practice is to choose a single word<\/strong> near the end of December\u2014one that becomes the thematic compass for the year ahead. Last year, my word was Alignment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n January was devoted not to execution, but to discernment: From there, I mapped small, realistic actions across the months. This can be as simple or as detailed as you wish, but the key is that the plan becomes visible and tangible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Pi can be invaluable allies in this process, helping to outline monthly focuses or generate ideas. The method itself matters less than committing to the act of creation and giving the goal form.<\/p>\n Rather than declaring, \u201cI will go to the gym three times a week for the entire year,\u201d<\/em> begin with something sustainable: once a week. Allow yourself time to acclimate\u2014to the environment, the rhythm, and the identity shift.<\/p>\n In later months, introduce new exercises. After three or four months, add a second day. By the end of the year, you may naturally arrive at three days a week\u2014not through force, but through integration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This principle applies equally to magical practice and mundane life. When change is gradual, it becomes enduring.<\/p>\n To really complete the process once you have your selected word for the coming year here is a short Tolkien style incantation that can be used.<\/p>\n I name this word not as a thought only, nor as a sound upon the air, By the craft of Aul\u00eb the Maker, By the wisdom of Manw\u00eb, Elder King, By the light of Varda Elent\u00e1ri, I lay aside the hunger for haste. Full Moon:<\/strong> Isilnarviny\u00eb<\/em> \u2014 Moon of the New Fire (the Returning Sun)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Vala:<\/strong> Aul\u00eb<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Holidays:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Over the past year, this column explored the foundational elements of Tolkien spirituality\u2014the Valar, lunar rhythms, and sacred observances. As I reflected during meditation on the direction of the coming year, it became clear that while these correspondences will remain present, they will no longer be the central focus.<\/p>\n Going forward, each month will center on a mundane, everyday activity<\/strong>\u2014cooking, cleaning, walking, reading, or other ordinary tasks\u2014and explore how the various peoples of Tolkien\u2019s legendarium might have approached them as acts of meaning rather than obligation.<\/p>\n We will introduce simple incantations and contemplative practices designed to transform the ordinary into the enchanted.<\/p>\n Too often, I encounter the mistaken belief that magic requires constant ritual performance\u2014monthly cinnamon blows, elaborate full-moon workings, or hours spent before an altar. When life interrupts these practices, people feel as though they have failed or become disconnected from their magic.<\/p>\n The truth is that while such rites have their place, they are not the heart of the Work.<\/p>\n The deepest magic is found in the everyday\u2014too often overlooked, rarely written about, yet profoundly powerful. Preparing food, tending a home, walking with awareness\u2014these are acts through which enchantment is sustained.<\/p>\n That is where our focus will lie in the coming year.<\/p>\n We will begin with daily chores<\/strong>, examining how they can be transformed from burdens into quiet rituals of presence and intention. It may seem unexpected\u2014but stay with me. There is more magic here than first appears.<\/p>\n I have deeply enjoyed this past year, and I look forward to continuing this journey together as we rediscover\u2014<\/p>\n A World Re-Enchanted.<\/strong><\/p>\n I am the President of Way of Arda\u2019s Lore<\/em>, a Tolkien-based spiritual organization legally registered in the United States as a church. I am a husband and father, a long-time practitioner of the occult, and a Freemason of sixteen years, affiliated with Blue Lodge, Scottish Rite, and York Rite bodies. I am also a practitioner of Dragon Magick and the owner of Mystical Source<\/em>, a metaphysical business.<\/p>\n Above all, I strive each day to learn something new\u2014and to recognize the magic woven into the world around us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The anticipation of the New Year has passed.The clock struck midnight, fireworks filled the sky with color, sparkling cider was raised, kisses were exchanged\u2014and then, quietly, the moment slipped away. Resolutions were shared with enthusiasm: spoken aloud, posted across social media, and in many cases even begun. Yet as the weeks progressed, the magic, excitement, and optimism that briefly gripped the world began to fade. With each passing day, the familiar weight of \u201canother year\u201d settled back in. And once again, a familiar phenomenon unfolded\u2014one curiously bound to the number three. In magical traditions, the number three is revered. It is a number of balance, power, and completion. In Freemasonry, it appears in the Three Great Lights, the Three Lesser Lights, the Three Degrees, and the Three Principal Tenets. In Tolkien spirituality, it shines through the Three Silmarils\u2014objects of light, beauty, and tragic consequence. Yet in the mundane world, the number three often carries a more somber meaning. We speak of tragedies occurring \u201cin threes,\u201d or, as is the case here, the third week of January. By the third week of the new year, nearly 43% of New Year\u2019s resolutions have already failed. By February, that number climbs to approximately 80%. As these failures accumulate, discouragement sets in. Resolutions quietly fade away, often accompanied by guilt, frustration, or a sense of personal inadequacy. What is rarely acknowledged, however, is that this failure is not a moral or spiritual flaw\u2014it is structural. Decades of behavioral research have revealed a consistent pattern:It takes approximately 45 days to break an old habit, and an additional 60 days for a new habit to become stable and automatic. When viewed through this lens, a startling truth emerges: the traditional New Year\u2019s resolution is fundamentally flawed. It asks for immediate transformation without honoring how human behavior actually changes. Faced with this realization, we are left with two choices.We can abandon the tradition entirely\u2014or we can re-enchant it. It is the second path I wish to explore, because it lies at the heart of reclaiming agency, restoring meaning, and reshaping not only ourselves, but the reality we inhabit. From Resolutions to Living Goals Rather than treating January as a make-or-break proving ground, consider using January\u2014and even February\u2014as planning and alignment months. Instead of a rigid resolution, shift toward a single, living goal that unfolds slowly across the year. My own practice is to choose a single word near the end of December\u2014one that becomes the thematic compass for the year ahead. Last year, my word was Alignment. January was devoted not to execution, but to discernment:What needed alignment?Where was I already aligned?What would alignment actually look like in practice? From there, I mapped small, realistic actions across the months. This can be as simple or as detailed as you wish, but the key is that the plan becomes visible and tangible. Tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Pi can be invaluable allies in this process, helping to outline monthly focuses or generate ideas. The method itself matters less than committing to the act of creation and giving the goal form. Rather than declaring, \u201cI will go to the gym three times a week for the entire year,\u201d begin with something sustainable: once a week. Allow yourself time to acclimate\u2014to the environment, the rhythm, and the identity shift. In later months, introduce new exercises. After three or four months, add a second day. By the end of the year, you may naturally arrive at three days a week\u2014not through force, but through integration. This principle applies equally to magical practice and mundane life. When change is gradual, it becomes enduring. To really complete the process once you have your selected word for the coming year here is a short Tolkien style incantation that can be used. I name this word not as a thought only, nor as a sound upon the air,but as a way set before my feet.Let it be planted in the soil of my choosing,and let its branches be known in the unfolding of my days. By the craft of Aul\u00eb the Maker,let my deeds be wrought with patience,tempered by endurance,and shaped with care befitting things that are meant to last. By the wisdom of Manw\u00eb, Elder King,let my purpose stand unclouded,steadfast amid change,and true to the higher airs from which it is discerned. By the light of Varda Elent\u00e1ri,Queen of the Stars,let this word abide in memorywhen I wander from myselfand forget the road I have sworn to walk. I lay aside the hunger for haste.I yield to the slow labor of time.For this word is not fulfilled by speech alone\u2014it lives, because I live it. Monthly Correspondence \u2013 January Full Moon: Isilnarviny\u00eb \u2014 Moon of the New Fire (the Returning Sun) Vala: Aul\u00eb Holidays: None What Comes Next for This Column Over the past year, this column explored the foundational elements of Tolkien spirituality\u2014the Valar, lunar rhythms, and sacred observances. As I reflected during meditation on the direction of the coming year, it became clear that while these correspondences will remain present, they will no longer be the central focus. Going forward, each month will center on a mundane, everyday activity\u2014cooking, cleaning, walking, reading, or other ordinary tasks\u2014and explore how the various peoples of Tolkien\u2019s legendarium might have approached them as acts of meaning rather than obligation. We will introduce simple incantations and contemplative practices designed to transform the ordinary into the enchanted. Too often, I encounter the mistaken belief that magic requires constant ritual performance\u2014monthly cinnamon blows, elaborate full-moon workings, or hours spent before an altar. When life interrupts these practices, people feel as though they have failed or become disconnected from their magic. The truth is that while such rites have their place, they are not the heart of the Work. The deepest magic is found in the everyday\u2014too often overlooked, rarely written about, yet profoundly powerful. Preparing food, tending a home, walking with awareness\u2014these are acts through which enchantment is sustained. That is where our focus will lie in the coming year. Next Month \u2013 February We will begin with daily chores, examining how they can be transformed from burdens into quiet rituals of presence and intention. It may seem unexpected\u2014but stay with me. There is more magic here than first appears. I have deeply enjoyed this past year, and I look forward to continuing this journey together as we rediscover\u2014 A World Re-Enchanted. About the Author I am the President of Way of Arda\u2019s Lore, a Tolkien-based spiritual organization legally registered in the United States as a church. I am a husband and father, a long-time practitioner of the occult, and a Freemason of sixteen years, affiliated with Blue Lodge, Scottish Rite, and York Rite bodies. I am also a practitioner of Dragon Magick and the owner of Mystical Source, a metaphysical business. Above all, I strive each day to learn something new\u2014and to recognize the magic woven into the world around us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":297,"featured_media":32714,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10004,15149,10008],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-monthly-columns","category-paranormal-folklore-mythology","category-spells-rituals"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32712","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\/297"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32715,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32712\/revisions\/32715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
It takes approximately 45 days to break an old habit<\/strong>, and an additional 60 days<\/strong> for a new habit to become stable and automatic.<\/p>\n
We can abandon the tradition entirely\u2014or we can re-enchant it<\/strong>.<\/p>\nFrom Resolutions to Living Goals<\/h3>\n
What needed alignment?
Where was I already aligned?
What would alignment actually look like in practice?<\/p>\n
but as a way set before my feet.
Let it be planted in the soil of my choosing,
and let its branches be known in the unfolding of my days.<\/p>\n
let my deeds be wrought with patience,
tempered by endurance,
and shaped with care befitting things that are meant to last.<\/p>\n
let my purpose stand unclouded,
steadfast amid change,
and true to the higher airs from which it is discerned.<\/p>\n
Queen of the Stars,
let this word abide in memory
when I wander from myself
and forget the road I have sworn to walk.<\/p>\n
I yield to the slow labor of time.
For this word is not fulfilled by speech alone\u2014
it lives, because I live it.<\/p>\nMonthly Correspondence \u2013 January<\/h3>\n
\n
What Comes Next for This Column<\/h3>\n
Next Month \u2013 February<\/h3>\n
\nAbout the Author<\/h2>\n