Why Yule Needs To Stay Creepy

Why Yule Needs to Stay Creepy

“…There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago…”

So I have been thinking about our Contemporary conceptualization of the Christmas season a lot lately and it’s kind of interesting. So many things we associate with Christmas – Christmas trees, greeting cards, Santa Claus, his reindeer and elves, gift-giving in general – all of these things came into vogue in the 19th Century and are very sticky-sweet, in my opinion. They’re lovely, but not filling. If we just scratch the surface of the Christmas we know and love and peek back into its history, we find something much meatier.

Before the cheerful Christmas tree, a number of other plants were associated with Christmas. The holly, associated with sacrifice and the blood of Christ, and the parasitic mistletoe, associated with the death of Baldur in Norse mythology – these were the plants associated with Christmas before the Christmas tree became the standard.

Also, the Yule log. The Yule log, meant to provide light on the darkest night of the year, was a magic charm in and of itself. If it did not burn through the night, it would be a terrible omen. By watching the fire and coals of the Yule log, one could also predict who would give birth and who would die in the coming year.

When our simple Santa Claus is reduced to his predecessors, one is left with Odin, ancient Norse God of battle, Saint Nicholas, the canonized former bishop of Turkey, and Father Christmas, the hard-drinking gluttonous representation of holiday merriment. And all of them brought ghastly friends – Odin, the spirits of the Wild Hunt and Saint Nicholas, his helpers (including Knecht Rupert, Krampus, etc.). Father Christmas, more of a personification of the season than a night visitor, undoubtedly brought many hangovers.

Before stories about reindeer, snowmen, or things of that ilk, there were ghost stories. Charles Dickens did not invent the Christmas ghost story in “A Christmas Carol,” but popularized an already-existing folkloric trend. If we look to the old tales of Christmas, we find stories about witches that rode the night air, cursing the birth of the Savior. There are stories about fairies, ghosts, and Devils that wreak havoc, frightening livestock and damaging property. In an era before television or radio, homemade storytelling was one of the primary forms of entertainment. And winter was the storytelling season.

You also have mumming, wassailing, and caroling – dressing up in colorful costumes and (sometimes drunkenly) begging for money door-to-door. As John Grossman notes in his book “Christmas Curiosities,” Christmas before the Contemporary Period resembles our Halloween more than it resembles the Christmas we know now.

Let us not forget, those of us who acknowledge the Wheel of the Year, that the season of darkness extends from Halloween to Christmas. This darkness only begins to fade when we gain back the Sun at the Winter Solstice. From Halloween to Christmas, the dead may roam the Earth and weird things may happen. In his classic “Mastering Witchcraft,” Paul Huson notes that Yule is not a time for pleasant spell work, but cursing! It is a time of dark magic and mystery. And we need this time. To understand the light, we must understand the darkness – the witches, ghosts, and Devils of the old Yuletide. Like the trees that go dormant, we must embrace the darkness of winter to grow and thrive.

Candle reading made easy

Hey loves, I don’t want to make this post suuuper long so imagine me blowing a welcome kiss to all of you and let’s get started…

The generic practice of reading fire is called pyromancy.

We can break a candle reading session down to 3 main parts:

Observation (flame watching)

Gathering & understanding (decoding fire’s messages)

Final question & Goodbye (ask if there’s anything else you should know before leaving, thank and salute fire/salamanders)

During the observation phase, watch for:

Length of the flame 1-2 min to know WHEN-the timing = PAST

Shape of the flame 2-3 min to know WHAT-the actual matter = PRESENT

Direction & behavior of the flame 3-4 min to know HOW-the true nature of it = hints at the FUTURE (see where the fire is pointing to know what type of matter it is; concentrate on the opposite direction telling you how to counteract to solve or banish whatever it might be; it also indicates what elemental energy is strongly supporting/protecting you in taking action as well as in related spellwork)

Presence/Absence of Smoke 2-3 min to understand the SOURCE of your awareness

*Keep a compass handy!

Salamanders/fire will try to communicate with you as soon as you light the fire/candle so pay attention from the very beginning. Fire energy is impulsive, blunt, active, carefree and wild. This type of divination detects negativity like WOW because it easily speaks the brutally honest truth regardless of how you feel or what’s happening. It brings up issues that we refuse to deal with. Again, it’s pure blunt energy. Because of its wild nature, fire will also charge us with optimism and explosive determination to overcome problems and bad news: typically after pyromancy we feel motivated and “ready to go”.

Length

Long-extra long: something has been bothering you for a very long time now (trust your intuition, probably for years) which you never actively faced; you’ve been quiet for too long; unsolved problems from the past are challenging your patience; relevant stuff that had to be cleared much earlier

Medium: Something that has been lurking in the back of your mind for 1-3 months, a plan or an idea that could change/shake your life but is not currently a priority to you; it might be something you heard from another person or a vague thought

Short: something intense that happened within the last couple days, a very recent thing is bothering you and has almost caught you by surprise; unexpected news from day to day, a new sudden event that physically or emotionally shook you

Shape

Double: Two things that were generated consequentially or have a common link, two entities/people united by a common theme

Super-thin line: Something you felt or suspected but never had proof of evidence about, a subtle suspicion, a doubt, an insinuation; a sneaky or secretive individual

Regular: Something/someone that you accept and is part of your routine, your own mindset, something very close and not disturbing; a solid milestone in your daily life

Round: One thing in particular that constantly “fills you up”, makes you feel complete, full, exploding or either extremely delighted; a person who represses/suppresses you, someone ghosting you on purpose just to humble you or to make you feel lesser

Behavior

Steady: things are happening in the background, far from the “public eye” and without you even realizing; you - and people around you- are calm, clueless, peaceful and the surroundings seem safe; good vibes are in the air but definitely keep your eyes open and intuition awake

Shaky, wiggly: things are visibly happening before your eyes, making you confused, uneasy or giving you mood swings; anxiety; you are able to feel bad vibes around you: take control of the situation and protect yourself Weak, petite & almost extinguished: matter/person X is now annihilating you before the eyes of everybody, but still no one defends you; seek help in others, protect yourself and take action to win this ripe, suffered battle

Directions

EAST: AIR - communication, mindset, mental/spoken/written things, logical reasoning, ideas, plans, spring, morning, sunrise, masculine… WEST: WATER - emotions, unconscious, gut feelings, passivity, illogical reasoning, intangibility, blue, flow, moisture, fall, sunset, feminine… SOUTH: FIRE - action, guidance, strength, activity, blood, warmth, creativity, masculine, red, impulse, summer, noon… NORTH: EARTH - stability, firmness, art, finance, grounding, material things, tangibility, stillness, death, birth, winter, midnight, green… (+ ALL YOUR PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE about the elements and how they can be interpreted, what meanings they have in our lives and their specific correspondences)

Smoke

Absence: you are the source of awareness: your body and soul have sent you signals about matter X and you had an inner awakening which led you to this reading

Presence: someone else enlightened you with their words and made you fully aware of matter X; something popped up as an obvious proof that you weren’t expecting to find: this has awakened your inquisitive mind and led it to this reading.

Hopefully you’ll get inspired by this post and learn something useful to spice up your divination practice:) I thank you so much for reading, xox msmoonfire

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witchun-li

6 years ago

Tag yourself

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witchun-li

6 years ago

WALLPAPERS PLANETAS/ PLANETS | DÊ LIKE!

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witchun-li

6 years ago

You can worship a deity without being devoted to that deity. You can make offerings without making oaths. It is okay. Please do not stress yourselves out because you want to make a thank-you offering but don’t want to make a lifelong commitment. Why would you need to swear oaths to say thank you? It is totally okay to just make conversation without involving vows and stuff.

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witchun-li

6 years ago

Herbal Correspondences for Vegan Witches (Or any Witches really)

Activated Charcoal- cleansing, purification, grief, health (banishing serious illness)

Allspice- determination, money, luck, healing

Almond- fertility, Goddess energy, beauty, self-love, prosperity, addiction, abundance

Anise- protection, warding against evil, preventing nightmares, psychic ability, happiness

Basil- money, beauty, protection, love, warding

Bay Leaf- money, motivation, protection, psychic powers, wish fulfillment, success, purification

Black Pepper- banishing, protection, exorcism, healing (from a serious illness/banishing said illness)

Brewer’s Yeast- motherhood, femininity, warding against illness

Cashew- money, creativity

Cardamom- lust/libido, love, fidelity

Cayenne Pepper- catalyst, lust/ libido, confidence

Celery- fertility, psychic powers, healing (especially of the bladder, kidneys, and urinary tract), weight loss

Chamomile- sleep, stress relief, love, beauty, friendship, meditation, luck, libido (mostly women)

Chia Seed- protection, health

Chili Powder- protection, hex breaking, love, fidelity

Chives- protection, weight loss

Chlorella- purification, cleansing, health

Cilantro- money, protection, peace

Cinnamon- catalyst, spirituality, beauty, love, lust, romance, healing, strength, protection, psychic ability

Clove- catalyst, beauty, love, protection (especially for children)

Cocoa Powder- beauty, health, love, self-love, grounding, romance, sex, powder, enhances hot herbs

Coconut- strength, love, beauty, protection

Coffee- grounding, protection, spirituality, energy (if caffeinated), dispelling negativity

Coriander- love, health, protection, easing pain of a broken heart,

Cumin- energy, protection, exorcism, protection from theft, love, fidelity, masculine energy

Dandelion- communicating with the dead, health, weight loss, wish fulfillment, divination, luck

Dill- money, prosperity, luck, lust, protection (especially the home)

Dulse- lust, harmony, sea magick

Fennel- health (especially digestion), protection, money, banishing, strength, vitality, libido

Fenugreek- health (women’s issues), friendship, happiness, calming, feminine energy, libido, money

Flax Seed- fertility, health, protection (especially from sickness), divination, money

Garlic- health, banishing, protection, purification, warding, willpower,

Ginger- catalyst, energy, adventure, health, confidence, lust/libido, prosperity, success, protection

Hemp- fertility, intuition, motivation, peace, harmony, stress relief

Hibiscus- health, love, beauty, heart

Holy Basil- opens heart to love, stress relief, healing, balance, grounding

Jalapeno- energy, catalyst, money, abundance

Kelp- health, money, weight loss, sea magick

Lavender- stress relief, sleep, anti-anxiety, meditation, love, depression, peace, harmony

Lemon- health, beauty, love, lust, cleansing, purification, sun magick, removing negativity,

Lemon grass- psychic cleansing, opening the Third Eye, focus, mental clarity

Licorice- love, lust, fidelity, communicating with the dead, health (digestive system)

Lime- purification, protection, harmony, calmness, tranquility, strengthening love

Maca- fertility, vitality, energy, balance, love

Maple- love, friendship, luck, happiness, wealth

Marjoram- beauty, luck, wealth, grief, cleansing, purification, warding, strengthening love, protection

Mint, Pepper- health, protection, ward off migraines, wealth, bringing about change, love, abundance

Mint, Spear- health, protection, happiness, wealth, communicating with spirits

Miso- health, prosperity, communicating with the dead, friendship

Mustard- courage, faith, endurance, success, luck, happiness

Nettle- grouding, health (especially allergies), banishing negativity, cleansing

Nori- health, harmony

Nutmeg- beauty, prosperity, money, luck, hex breaking, mental acuity

Nutritional Yeast- health, happiness, love, addiction

Oat- fertility, health, earth magick, sacred to Brighid

Onion- protection, health, banishing, warding, bad habits, prosperity

Orange- energy, emotional healing, beauty, health, love, friendship

Oregano- health, beauty, joy, energy, strength

Paprika- catalyst, energy, hexing (I don’t hex, but you do you)

Paprika, smoked- power, see Paprika

Parsley- money, luck, success, health, weight loss

Pecan- employment and career, success, security,

Red Pepper- catalyst, love, lust, confidence

Rice- rain, fertility, money, protection

Rose- beauty, love, honoring the dead, friendship, happiness, healing

Rosemary- mental clarity, focus, memory, health, love, lust, purification

Saffron- happiness, mental health, love, lust, psychic ability, addiction, weight loss

Sage- cleansing, purification, grief, wisdom, spirituality, mental clarity, protection, grounding

Salt- cleansing, purification, grounding, protection, banishing, earth magick

Sesame Seed- money, lust, passion

Soy- spirituality, psychic ability, fertility, intuition, grounding

Spirulina- health, wealth, energy

Sugar- beauty, sweeten attitudes, love, sex, drawing spells

Tamarind- love, health, happiness, family, protection (from illness)

Tea, black- energy, strength, courage, confidence

Tea, green- energy, health, weight loss, beauty, confidence

Tea, white- beauty, harmony, peace, health, tranquility

Thyme- money, protection, luck, grief, honoring the dead, grounding, glamours, confidence, loyalty

Turmeric- health (especially dealing with serious illness), happiness,

Vanilla- beauty, love, friendship, passion

Vinegar- protection, warding, weight loss, hexing, banishing illness

Walnut- connection with the divine, spirituality, mental strength, divination

Watercress- health, sex, lunar magick

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witchun-li

6 years ago

things to pay attention to during a venus retrograde

your partner! this is a big one here as venus is the planet of relationships, particularly romantic and sensual ones. make sure you’re ready for all issues to surface and be resolved.

your finances! venus is also the planet of material wealth. this isn’t a time to fool around with your money. be more frugal and know the worth of what you’re buying and selling.

your diet! venus is indulgence and she loves her sweets. keep a look out to what you’re putting into your body as it’s really important here for natives for potential glandular issues.

business dealings! venus isn’t just romantic relationships, it’s all partnerships, so make sure if you have a business partner, that you’re ready for any issues to arise.

art and music! this is a good time for artists to really look back and refine their sense of style, be cautious of new things in this area, and if you’re an artist, be careful for any issues that may arise concerning your art.

crushes and exes! past crushes or love interests or exes may spring back up on you at this time. this is not to worry you, but rather resolve issues/feelings that weren’t resolved in the beginning.

neck and lower back! venus has prescence over these two parts of the body. make sure your kidneys are doing alright and your throat is nice and silky. may be a time for sore throats and kidney stones/infections.

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witchun-li

5 years ago

I would love to make a movement where witches say they are celebrating Oíche Shamhna instead of Samhain but I know that it won't happen because people would rather stick with what they have known for years than the true name for Halloween in Irish but I might as well make a case here;

Oíche Shamhna in Irish/as Gaeilge is November's Eve, Halloween, October 31st. Even in Scottish Gael it is Oidhche Shamhna.

Samhain is the month of November in both Irish and Scottish Gael. Samhain itself is said to come from the term for Summer (Samhradh) and people suggest that in old Irish it may have been combined with the word for end to create Samh-ain.

According to mythology, Samhain was when a feast would be held as the governing bodies of Ireland decided on new laws and taxes. There was writings of sacrifices happening in honour of Fomorians, the enemies of the Tuatha dé Danann - a group of supernatural deities which include The Morrígan, Lugh, Brigid, and the Aos Sí which are the fair folk (bean sídhe, cú sídhe, fear darrig, leprechaun, púca, and selkie as examples). November 1st as well as a record of a High King giving worship to Crom Cruach on this day but being slain while doing so, Crom Cruach being a deity of sacrifice. Many other High Kings have been recorded as dying on or around Samhain.

HOWEVER IT IS BEST TO REMEMBER THAT MOST IRISH MYTHOLOGY WAS ONLY WRITTEN DOWN BY ROMAN VISITORS OR CATHOLIC MONKS, LENDING TO THE AGREED UPON BELIEF THAT MOST CURRENT MYTHOLOGY HAS BEEN MODIFIED HEAVILY TO SUIT OTHERING OR CHRISTIAN IDEALS.

This can be seen at the end of the tales of The Children of Lir where the children land on the grass in front of St Patrick's church where he baptises them as Catholic, they die, and he then gives them a Christian burial. Even the story of Tír na nÓg where Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill, falls in love with Niamh, the daughter of a sídhe of the sea includes this similar end. The end of this story includes Oisín aging increasingly upon touching Irish soil, being visited by St Patrick who either Baptises him as a Catholic, Oisín then dies and is given a Christian burial OR fights with the aged old man for months and ends up burying him in Antrim without death rites.

...

TL;DR - Samhain is November, Oíche Shamhna is October 31st. There is no recorded God/Deity that are worshipped but there are mentions of feasts and sacrifices, however these can be questionable as they were written about by outsiders who may have been attempting to other the Irish rituals as barbaric.

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witchun-li

5 years ago