YULE FOREST

The Witch’s Cauldron By Adriane Campbell

Every winter season my family and I would travel to a massive balsam and evergreen forest located in the mountains. As soon as we stepped out of the car, the smells of the forest would take over your senses invoking its magic throughout your being and grounding you into its roots. This is when the spirit of the season would collect within. The trees and the crisp cool air bring such a comforting energy.

It is a time when we tend to cherish the most of all that we have and to acknowledge the good in others. Colors seem more vivid as if looking at the world through the eyes of a child. Joy is heartfelt and abundantly flowing through the magical, brisk air.

This is a time where we are gifted with an opportunity to reflect upon the year and to embody the season’s offerings of light, gratitude, and rebirth. This is a celebration of death and rebirth. It is the death of the Winter which will soon be ending and welcoming Spring where the Earth will be reborn with new life and growth. It marks a time of change and balance, when the Sun is at its most southeastern point. Then we experience the Winter Solstice which offers the longest night and the shortest day of the year. From this day forward, the Sun will rise earlier and earlier. Each day that passes will add a little more light and warmth to the chilly and quiet days of the Winter season.

This is a time to honor the sun and the Earth for this transition. You can bring the warmth and comfort into your home by honoring the Yule Traditions. In addition, it is a time to honor your own inner sun and to bask in the warmth of your personal magic.

During this time there are many ways that you can bring the Sun element into your home. Herbs can make a space magical, adding aromas and beauty that engulf the meaning of the season. Sun plants such as balsam and mistletoe are used a lot throughout this part of the wheel of the year.

Bringing the Sun into your home typically begins with your main entry door. Your entry door is where your energy flows in and from there, throughout your space. Your door is where your wreaths are placed and mistletoe is hung in the entryway.

You can create your own decorations, or you can purchase premade items. I highly suggest making your own, but if this is not possible you can always add herbs to make them your own and to add your personal intentions into the décor.

Our ancestors would bring an evergreen tree inside their living space to guarantee that there would be light throughout the year. The evergreen tree is known to retain sunlight, so it can stay green all year which is a reminder that life is forever renewable and here in the present. When we would visit the forest you could feel the power of the evergreen that shares it freely as an ancient teacher.

In addition to the trees and mistletoe there are many other herbs that represent Yule. The herbs, seeds, and plants that are also associated with the holiday are: Holly, Pinecones, Pine needles, Sandalwood, Comfrey, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Frankincense, Myrrh, & Apple Leaf.

A great way to incorporate these items into your home is to make a loose incense blend. You can burn the incense on a charcoal disc if you wish, but you can also put the herb blend into a dish to scent the air as a potpourri. In the Yule Incense ritual blend (see sidebar), we will use it to dress a white candle to burn as an offering to a healthy winter and new year.

Just be sure to keep it safely away from pets and children. Also, this herb blend also makes a wonderful gift to share so feel free to make more magic to pass along. Celebrate yourself and your loved ones.

Make your own traditions and rituals. Honor yourself and the holiday. May it be full of magic!

Blessings, Adriane

YULE FOREST

½ cup dried mistletoe

¼ cup comfrey

1 cup balsam

1 cup fir

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground cloves

½ cup apple leaves

1 white candle

4 tbsp olive oil

Simply blend the ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Grind these with intention and feel the power of the season, carry the grounding magic and celebration into your blend. Feel free to adjust the amounts or ingredients based on your preference. This is your spell!

Now pour your oil onto a plate. Place a small handful of the herb mixture onto another plate and spread evenly. Take your candle and carefully roll it in the oil and try to avoid getting any on the wick. Then place the candle in the herb mixture and coat the candle.

When you feel that your candle is perfectly dressed thank yourself and the spirits involved. Allow the candle to sit for 2–3 days before igniting the fire spirits into the spell candle.

You can store the remaining mixture into a tightly sealed container and put some into small decorative bottles as gifts. Enjoy the warmth and spirit of the plants and herbs that assisted in this creation and express your gratitude.

I hope that you enjoy the holiday season and take the time that you need for reflection and self-care. Also, always remember that you hold your own magic and that you do not have to complete rituals by the book. You can always create your own and I encourage it.

Adriane Campbell is a solitary witch who works with plant spirits and herbs, believing everyone and everything is very much alive—a single blade of grass is just as alive as we are. Adriane uses the energies of living plants to invoke their magic. She creates ceremonial items and concoctions to aid spiritual growth, and has a passion for teaching individuals how to do their own spell work as she understands the powerful magic of personal intention. She doesn’t categorize herself as a particular type of witch, but rather embraces every aspect of herself and the Craft. She welcomes everyone to free their inner witch and surf their water of truth. www.moonstonedalchemy.com | moonstonedalchemy@gmail.com