Celebrations and Rituals Now

The Spring Equinox is a time of new beginnings, of action, of planting seeds for future grains, and of tending gardens. Spring is a time of the Earth’s renewal, a rousing of nature after the cold sleep of winter. Eggs and Egg Baskets coloring eggs, bird watching, egg hunts, starting new projects, Wearning new clothes are still ways that are used to celebrate.

Rituals/Magic associated with this holiday are:
fertility rites, rituals of balance, herb work: [magical, medicinal, cosmetic, culinary and artistic,] spells for prosperity/fertility, new beginnings, potential, action, Personal renewal, world peace, honoring family & friends, Festival of light, meditation.

Customs and Practices

Yule Log
The Pagan Saxons celebrated the feast of Yule with plenty of ale and blazing fires, of which our Yule log is the last relic. The Yule log is actually an indoor equivalent of the outdoor bonfire of Midwinter Eve.
It is said that the Yule log must never be bought but should be received as a gift, found or taken from you own property.

Gift Giving
Children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges which were laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. The apples and oranges represented the sun, the boughs were symbolic of immortality, the wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour was accomplishment of triumph, light, and life.

Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Pere Noel,
Santa Claus is many things: jolly Jupiter, a smiling Saturn, and the Old God on his way to rebirth. Norse and Germanic peoples have for centuries told stories of the Yule Elf, who brings presents on the Solstice to those who leave offerings of porridge. Odin, the Norse god, is also often identified with the character of Santa. One of his titles was Jolnir, “Lord of the Yule”.

Mistletoe
Once called Allheal this sacred plant symbolizes peace, prosperity, healing, wellness, fertility, rest, and protection. Celts believed this parasitic plant held the soul of the host tree.
It was at Alban Arthan (actually 5 days after the new moon following the winter solstice) that the Chief Druid cut the mistletoe from the sacred Oak with a golden sickle.

Holly
Holly was hung in honor of the Holly King in pagan traditions and still is today in may pagan homes. It symbolizes the old Solar Year; Waning Sun; Protection, Good Luck and was particularly prized to decorate doors, windows and fireplaces because of its prickliness — to either ward off or snag and capture evil spirits before they could enter and harm a household.

Correspondence of Yule~Winter Solstice

The Plants and Herbs of Yule~Winter Solstice
Bayberry,holly, mistletoe, rosemary, oak, spruce, frankincense, ivy, fir, pine , poinsettia, “Christmas” flowering cactus, laurel

Colors associated with Yule~Winter Solstice
Red, green, gold, white, silver, yellow, orange.

Stones associated with Yule~Winter Solstice
Rubies, bloodstones, garnets, emeralds, diamonds, turquoise, serpentine, jacinth, peridot

Incense and oils You can use any of the following scents, either blended together or alone:
bayberry, pine, cedar, rosemary, juniper, frankincense, sandalwood, myrrh, cinnamon, ginger, and valerian

Animals and mythical beasts Yule~Winter Solstice
reindeer, stags, squirrels, wrens, robin, mouse, deer, horse, and bear. Phoenix, and trolls

Gods and Goddess Associated with Yule~Winter Solstice
Goddesses – Brigid, Isis, Demeter, Gaea, Diana, The Great Mother. Gods-Apollo, Ra, Odin, Lugh, The Oak King, The Horned One, The Green Man, The Divine Child.

Symbols for Yule~Winter Solstice
Yule log, mistletoe (for protection throughout the
year, best burned at Samhain the following year), wreaths, fire, garlands of dried flowers, popcorn, cinnamon sticks etc., apples, oranges, Yule tree. candles, holly, ivy, fir or pine boughs.

Foods of Yule~Winter Solstice
nuts, fruits such as apples and pears, cookies and cakes of caraway soaked in cider, and (for non-vegetarians) pork are all traditional fare. Fine drinks for the Yule celebration or meals include Wassail (a hot drink made from wine, beer or cider, spices, sugar, and usually baked apples—served in a large bowl), lamb’s wool (ale mixed with sugar, nutmeg and the pulp of roasted apples), hibiscus or ginger tea, and apple cider.

Activities of Yule~Winter Solstice
Caroling, wassailing the trees, burning the Yule log, decorating the Yule tree, exchanging of presents, kissing under the mistletoe,

Spell Work of Yule~Winter Solstice
Peace, harmony, love, and increased happiness.

The name Mabon has only been applied to the neopagan festival of the autumn equinox very recently; the term was invented by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s as part of a religious studies project. Previously, in Gardnerian Wicca the festival was simply known as the ‘Autumnal Equinox’, and many neopagans still refer to it as such, or use alternative titles such as the neo-Druidical Aban Efed, a term invented by Iolo Morgannwg. The use of the name Mabon is much more prevalent in America than Britain.
Autumnal or Fall Equinox, also known as Mabon is the time when day and night are equal. Here the land is full of the gifts of nature and the effort of humankind. The night air has a tang about it, the darkness of winter is coming and it’s time for the earth to sleep until the sun is again brought forth from the dark.
The Second Harvest
In the ancient cycle of the year, this was actually the second harvest; the first harvest festival occurs on August 1st and is known as Lammas. As methods of agriculture became more uniform and sophisticated, the autumn harvest was moved back until the last possible growing time was completed to maximize its size. As such, the Autumnal Equinox became synonymous with not only the completion of the harvest, but also the end of summer.
This final gathering of the crops and the beginning of preparations for the long winter that lay ahead marked a time of thanksgiving for all that Nature had given her children and for the completion of another turn of the Great Wheel. It was a time for feasting, celebrating the good fortune of the previous year and preparing for the long months of winter that were ahead.

Incense is made of aromatic substances or ingredients. It releases a fragrant smell in the form of smoke when it burns. Many rituals and spiritual purificatory performances use incense, a practice that is still carried on today. Incense is also a medicinal ingredient and also it has aesthetic values. In different countries, a wide variety of materials are used in the making of incense. Some fragrance materials are employed in either direct or indirect burning of incense. They are normally used in religious ceremonies, and many of them are known to be quite valuable. Essential oils or other ingredients extracted from these materials may also be isolated and used to make incense. The following list of material is used to make fragrant incense and essential oils : Agarwood, Cedar, Sandalwood, Cypress, Juniper, Cassia, Star Anise, Nutmeg, Coriander and Vanilla.

Indian incense are of two types: masala and charcoal. Masala incenses are made of dry ingredients, while charcoal incenses contain liquid scents. Masala incenses have many subgroups such as dubars, champas and dhoops.

Aesthetic use of incense
Incense can be, like art for the eyes, music for the ears, or fine cuisine for the palate, an indulgence for the sense of smell.

Religious use of incense

The use of incense in religion is found in many cultures and may have their origins in the practical and aesthetic uses considering that cultures and traditions with not much in common all use incense. One common use of incense is done as an offering to a deity.

Incense and health

The studies of several Asian Cancer Research Centers showed: “No association was found between exposure to incense burning and respiratory symptoms like chronic cough, chronic sputum, chronic bronchitis, runny nose, wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or pneumonia among the three populations studied: i.e. primary school children, their non-smoking mothers, or a group of older non-smoking female controls. Incense burning did not affect lung cancer risk among non-smokers, but it significantly reduced risk among smokers, even after adjusting for lifetime smoking amount.” However, the researchers qualified the findings by noting that incense burning in the studied population was associated with certain low-cancer-risk dietary habits, and concluded that “diet can be a significant confounder of epidemiological studies on air pollution and respiratory health.”

Essential oil fragrances

An essential oil is a distillated liquid (most frequently by steam or water) from the leaves, stems, flowers, bark, roots, or other plant elements. Essential oils, contrary to the use of the word “oil” are not really oily-feeling at all. Most essential oils are almost transparent while some oils such as patchouli, orange and lemongrass are amber or yellow in color.

The following fragrances are some of the many that can be used as essential oils : Patchouli, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Jasmine, Rose, Ylang-ylang

Essential oils can help in enhancing one’s emotional outlook on life. Although aromatherapy is not a miracle cure for serious emotional issues, the use of essential oils may assist, sometimes greatly, with particular emotional issues. Furthermore, the right use of essential oils may enhance one’s emotional outlook and provide support and help balance one’s feelings during the day. The use of essential oils for emotional health is what is often first thought of when talking about “aromatherapy.”

For example:

To Cure Anger:
Bergamot, Jasmine, Neroli, Orange, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Roman Chamomile, Rose, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang

To Vanish Anxiety:
Bergamot, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Mandarin, Neroli, Patchouli, Roman Chamomile, Rose, Sandalwood, Vetiver

For Confidence:
Bay Laurel, Bergamot, Cypress, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Orange, Rosemary

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books.

Magick is an individual action that needs to be performed in order to enable each person to direct his or her own life. True practitioners of magick are guardians, preservers, and revivers of the world’s occult truths and traditions.

Although there are many magickal traditions in the world, all of them share the same grain of truth; the individual is responsible for making her/his life work.

Many of us spend hours worrying about life, being jealous of others, getting depressed over our experiences or feeling angry at others and wanting revenge because of something they may or may not have done. Focusing on others to cure your ills is not very efficient. You can, however, get over the jealousy, the depression or the anger by just focusing on yourself, how you can get what you really, really want from your life.

When you create your own spells, remember that every action returns three-fold results. Think carefully whether you are being honest, just and kind. Remember that any spells cast to hurt another (even unknowingly) can come back to hurt you even more. IT JUST ISN’T WORTH IT.

To create spells, you have to first think of what you need out of it. You may choose love, health, prosperity, fertility, home, education, job, etc. Depending on your goal, choose the items that will help you succeed in your goal by allowing you to focus more intently on your action.

Always assume that the result has already materialized in Nature. All you are doing is to bring it closer, to make it appear in your view, in your realm, in your reality. Use positive sentences when you write your goals.

One of the major advantages of making our own spells rather than have strangers create the spells for us is that the spells we create will be customized to our own thoughts and preferences. These type of spells are the most effective of all. Visualization is one of the most important parts of the spell. It is through visualization that we bring our thoughts into reality.

Here are some ways in which you can create your own spells.

1. Decide on the goal; Remember,it has already taken place in the Universe. All you need is to visualize and bring it into your reality

2. Think of all the tools or items you need to help you visualize this goal. It could be an outdoor or indoor altar, Figurines or candles depicting the Goddess or God, herbs or flowers, holy water, oils and perfumes, paper and pen to write down your intentions, etc.

3. The best timings for the spell. If it is a spell that increases something (love, health, money, etc), it is best to cast the spell on a new moon day when the moon is waxing. On the other hand, if it is a spell in which you want to decrease something (weight, illness, curses, etc) work it on a full moon day so that as the moon wanes, your problem will disappear.

4. Next choose the time or day to do the spell. In many magickal books and good websites, you may find the correspondence between astrological positions and successful spell working.

To start, assemble all the items you need in front of the altar. Take a nice, long bath with herbal oils and essences. Dry off and wear a clean cotton robe to remove all negativity surrounding you.

Cast a sacred circle to surround yourself with positive energy. Sit in front of the altar and arrange the candles, and other items around. Burn incense appropriate to your goal. Incense is usually made of botanicals and most of them are used for specific purposes. Learn more about them if you wish to create your own spells.

Rose Ariadne has been practicing ancient forms of Witchcraft for over 25 years.

When looking at crystals, a lot of us see things of natural beauty and innate power. Then there are those among us who see nothing but a rock, it may look pretty but has no further value. They will then scoff at and deride the knowledge of those of us who believe in the power and magic of Crystals and use their physical and metaphysical properties to our advantage, These are the same people who blindly extol the virtues and benefits of our modern day technologies, with little to no thought of natures role in making these technologies possible.

Yet, many of the wonders of our daily lives that we take for granted owe their existence in some way to crystals and the mineralogical kingdom. Here are just a few examples:-
Keeping Time. In order to keep our lives on time and punctual we have come to depend very heavily on accurate time pieces. To do this most of our clocks and watches use Quartz movements. Until recently the world clock kept its time using a Quartz movement. Today it uses Atomic decay as the measuring device.

Our Computers. Imagine trying to operate in your modern lifestyle without one of these. Yet the main driving component of your computer is the silicon chip. Admittedly these are synthesized these days for uniformity and consistency, as Mother Nature doesn’t make identical duplicates. But the very first one used in the prototypes were natural pieces of silicon dioxide; Quartz.

Lasers. At the core of our modern day miracle tools are Crystals, the two most commonly used are Ruby and Emerald. The medical fraternity has come to depend on these devises; which are used predominately in eye and cosmetic surgery.

Imagine the modern day builder without his laser level, or the speaker without his laser pointer.
Precision Bearings. Very fine tolerance technical tools depend on the crystal world to provide extremely durable bearings. At the cheaper end of the scale are Quartz and Garnet through to the more expensive Ruby, Emerald, and Diamond.
There are a great many other examples that can be used to demonstrate the use of crystals in our technologies and industry, but the short list above will be satisfactory for this article.

Let’s look at some other uses; Mica is crushed up finely and provides the shine in the best brands of lipstick. Lapis Lazuli is still used (ground up of course) in some exclusive brands of eye shadow. It provides that deep blue/purple colour, very popular in Egyptian times.

And of course a variety of stones are crushed and included in many of today’s orthodox ointments, tinctures and creams.

So why should it be surprising to these people when we talk of the Healing and magical properties of these same crystals, as we use them in our day to day life. If we go back to Biblical times, the Breast Plate of the High Priest was adorned with crystals selected for their peculiar energies and properties.
The Crown and Scepter of Royalty are decorated with crystals chosen, not for their beauty (as beautiful as they are), but for the energy and power they would afford.

A very interesting carry over from times past is in our use of jewellery. For example, Diamonds (known as a girl’s best friend) are the most popular stone for engagement rings. These were originally used because of their power or property to join or bind one to the other. Gold bands were chosen as wedding rings as Gold carries the energy of and is a symbol for fidelity.

With just these few examples you can see that Crystals play a vital role in our daily lives, with more going on behind the scenes with crystals and gemstones
than may first be realized. So if we can utilize them so well in our technologies, why shouldn’t we be able to use them to enhance our spiritual and healing powers?
Of course, a lot of us already realize that these are powerful allies, to augment our spiritual lives and to assist in our healing.

About the Author

Ron is a Crystal and Reiki Master, Metaphysician and Meditation teacher who lives and works with his wife Sue at ‘Akasha Keep’; a spiritual centre dedicated to healing and teaching, located in the beautiful Somerset region of Queensland, Australia.

Before casting runes or dealing cards, ask yourself what it is that you are seeking of divination. Determine whether or not you will only see what you want to see. What will change about your outlook or your actions if the answer is the opposite? Will you repeat your reading until you find what you were hoping for? Or are you truly ready to take what is given and accept the fact that what you hope for may not be what is best, that the problem you hope to solve likely has its answer within yourself rather than without, and that no matter what promises you perceive the cards to have given you, you still have to live with your reality today. Divination, in other words, is not an escape. It is not an easy way out. If used mindfully, it will help you to see the mountains you must climb, not avoid them.
Once you have accepted this, the method you choose for divination is largely irrelevant. There is no one way that is better than the rest. Ultimately, you need to go with the form that resonates with you most. While it may seem like an ambiguous statement, you will know what form is right for you. Don’t belabor the issue. You are not tied to this deck or this method for the rest of your life. If something feels right, go with it. At a later point, more likely than not, this will shift and change, probably many times.
The most popular forms today are probably tarot cards (in one form or another) and Norse runes. Divination tools, however, are diverse beyond imagining. You can divine with almost anything. In ancient times, there were those who found truth by looking at the fresh entrails of a newly slaughtered beast, so if you want to find answers in the specks of fat dotting your breakfast sausage, go to it. A few more common methods include cartomancy, divining with cards; palmistry, analyzing the lines and contours of the human hand; tasseography, divining in a tea or coffee cup; phrenology, the analysis of the human head; and bibliomancy, finding answers by choosing random passages from the bible or another text.
The key to successful divination is to achieve an almost meditative state before your chosen instrument. For this reason, the practice of meditation in general is a valuable habit to acquire. Essentially, you are seeking to achieve a waking dream state in which your mind is not chattering on in its normal manner, preoccupied with sundry worries, and begin a journey of free association and storytelling with a willingness to let your mind go wherever it chooses to take you. No matter how unrelated an image, idea, or word may seem when it first flits across your thoughts, do not fight it. Don’t get in your own way. Your mind knows where it is taking you.
If you are an artist, this state of mind is familiar to you. It is that place you reach when you are not consciously choosing your colors or where the next stroke of paint will go. You are simply flowing along with it. Like driving a car, the minute you stop to analyze what you are doing, the process becomes awkward and ultimately detrimental.
The answers come from within yourself. Let them come.

Document Copyright © 1999 Spiritualitea.com & Sandra Mizumoto Posey, Ph.D., author of Cafe Nation: Coffee Folklore, Magick, & Divination (Santa Monica Press, 2000). This article may be reproduced as long as no changes, additions or deletions are made to the text. All the information in this paragraph must be included on the document whenever it is distributed or reproduced.