Out with the Old, in with the New! Magic for New Year’s Eve

Since the olden of times, people marked transitions from season to season and the threshold between years through ritual and magic. I am inviting you to mark the departure of the old calendar year and greet the arrival of the new one with a short, simple, yet powerful charm. This charm is intended not only to spice up the energy of New Years Eve but also lend energetic support to your intentions, whether they revolve around letting go or manifesting something new in the months to come. You can approach this as  a family activity. Children could learn valuable skills such as planning, goal setting, prioritizing and building motivation. For the young and old alike, this is a great way to find closure through ritually releasing feelings and thoughts about habits, situations and people that one wishes to part ways with.

                                      Image by Leandro De Carvalho from Pixabay                                       

I usually begin this practice sitting by my altar, but any quiet space would do. You can gather the family members together and  sit around the table. Or, each person can work in separate quarters and only gather together for the final act. 
I like to light up a candle and then collect my thoughts for few moments. If you wish you can play music in the background. Surround yourself with anything that makes the moment feel tranquil and special.
 
On one piece of paper I would write all things that I want to release, let go, purge from my life. For this task I chose the softest and thinnest paper available. Toillet paper is ideal - you will understand the reason for this choicve in just a moment.
 
On the other piece of paper, I would write the things that I want to see coming to fruition in the year ahead. I mentioned 7 objectives in the previous post, and this can be a reiteration of the same list, or it can be literally the same list, if I still have it. For this list, chose paper burns fast and easy. I prefer a small square(s) of parchment or flying wish paper. 
 
Shortly before midnight, I shred to tiny pieces the release, let go, purge list. When I do this, I focus on my intent of eradicating from my life the items on the list. I drop the shreds in the toilet and intend for the deffective patterns themselves be washed off, the energy trapped into those patterns to be cleansed, freed  and made available. I flush the paper down the drain.
 
Then I get to the second piece of paper.  This part gets done outside. I ask for help from my Fairy Guides and Liminal Powers to accomplish what I wish to accomplish. You can ask for help whoever is on your team. I intend for the energy of this liminal moment to pour into the list and breathe life into the items on it. I like to re-read the list before dripping a tiny bit of rose and frankincense oils on it and set it aflame. [1] If you plan to use oils, be very careful because the oils are highly flamable. One or two drops of each is enough.  I burn the paper in a fire-proof dish that also has some sand on its bottom. As the watch the curls of smoke floating upward, I think of my petition flying to reach the higher powers. I make sure the ashes are cold before scattering them in the wind. If I use flying wish-paper I DO NOT apply any oil on it. The oil makes the paper heavy and likely to stick to the hand or whatever surface it lands on. Adding oil to flying wish paper  not only prevents it from fly up while burning and instantly dissapear, but it is a significant fire-hazard too.
 
Be still. Notice what is happening- there may be small or not so small things getting your attention. What comes to your mind? What are you picking on? Do some divination or take omens. Are you being asked to do something in return for the help you expect? Write down all that you can, even of it doesn’t seem directly connected. It may appear in a different light later on. 
 
That’s it.
 
Remember that a little magic goes a long way if backed up by practical steps. And practical steps reach farther and faster when backed up by a little magic. So, careful what you are wishing for because you might get it.
 
Until next time, 
Happy New Year, and thank you for reading!
Daniela 

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[1] If you cannot do this part right away, if you are visiting or entertaining guests, you will burn the list later on, whenever circumstances would allow to do so safely and relaxed. Just make sure that it’s getting done no later that sunset on January 1^st. 

“It’s that Wonderful Time of the Year…” Winter Holidays on my Fairy Magic Path

December is upon us. I realize that this is a statement of the obvious, but I would like to draw attention to this time called by default, wonderful. It is wonderful, yes, unless chaos takes over to the extent that there won’t be neither time nor energy left to even notice the wonder, let alone fully experience it. I am speaking from my own experience because I found myself several times exactly in this situation, and as of now, I’m done with it, really. Which statement leads to the question: what are actually my plans to restore the ‘wonder’ in ‘wonderful’, and make these weeks wonder-full?

Art credit: Daniela Simina, 2022

Zoom out to get the broader perspective.

If I could look from a vintage point at myself, my thoughts, feelings and spiritual needs in the context of this month, what would I see?  What is this month all about? What does this December-vibe suggest that I should focus on in my personal practice and my life in general?

For this year, I was considering some complex journey work, a ritual inclusive of circle casting, elaborate offerings, drumming…  It sounds interesting. It would be undoubtedly thorough. BUT would this be what I really want?  I realize that in fact, I want something simple. Meaningful yet uncomplicated, like meeting old friends. No need for protocol, just basic good manners, some food to share and a warm heart to welcome the Other. So, each time I feel drawn to create a special moment in a simple manner, I light up the candle on the altar and sit down with a steaming cup of tea or coffee and usually, a sandwich or a snack. I leave a piece of food on the offering plate on the altar and pour some tea or coffee for my Fairy Guides and Gods as well. Then our conversation begins. Or we may just sit in silence. I am keenly aware of the changes around me, the sounds, variations in temperature, ideas, images, impressions etc. I might read runes or cards asking if there's anything in particular I should know or do.

Contemplate, listen and take notes

It may sound funny, but note taking is critical. Yes, I can enter an altered state of consciousness while eating a sandwich, and carry on a conversation with Powers and Spirit Guides while sipping my tea; however, chances are that I might not remember much, if anything, once that mild trance state ends. So this time, like any other time, I begin jotting down everything that comes through. Once the chitchat ends, I spend few more minutes to organize the contents. I notice reccurent paterns of thought, bold ideas, images. They may not have a clear meaning at the moment but later on they may prove to be useful bits of information. 

Gratitude.

I genuinely express gratitude for all the achievemnts big and small.  I give heartfelt thanks for the challenges I have faced and the support I received in overcoming them.  I don’t subscribe to the “everything happens for a good reason” kind of thinking which I find overstated and largely untrue. I believe that most of the times bad stuff happens due to error, negligence, or just because. But I do believe in th eold adaggio “whenever life hands me a lemon,  I'll try to make lemonade out of it.” By facing challenges of different kinds I developed new skills and learned things that I would not have learned otherwise. In the process of overcoming challenges I also got to know myself better, to honestly tell what are my strengths and admit to my weaknesses, to own my mistakes, and to own my reality without apologizing anymore for who I am and what my limitations are. 

Planting new seeds.

The end of October and begining of November is the time frame when I take stock of both what I had intended to accomplish and what I actually managed to accomplish up until that time, which strategies were successful and which ones were not. December is the time to plant new seeds for new objectives and allow the incubation stage begin. However, incubating , as I see it, is not a passive process. What I call incubation stage goes beyond generating a bunch of ideas and then sleep on them for the rest of the month, or through the entire winter. Plans treated this way rarely come to fruition.  I’ll stick for now to agricultural analogies to explain what I mean. I think of ideas for my plans and projects as seeds. It’s not enough to just put seeds into the ground because they may either rot, dry out, or sprout something so frail that it would die way before bearing any flower or fruit. So. Once planted, seeds still need care and nurturing, like watering and warmth. By analogy, the plans that I make now need nurturing and active support before taking a definite shape and bear results. The incubation stage includes all the of the preliminaries and the supporting steps required for my plans to succeed, or sticking to the analogy, for my seeds to germinate and grow.

As an example, let's say that I plan to publish a book next year. Assuming that I already have a clear idea about the subject, I will go ahead and find a working title that will make me feel inspired and connected to my work each time I think of it. This is the seed planting stage. I might hold a little ritual to bless the project before addingit to my list of objectives for the next year. Then the incubation stage begins. I put together a list of  resources that I shall consult, start reading, take notes, think of how am I goung to structure the book, and write bits and pieces when inspiration strikes.  I also think of who is going to proofread the manuscript. I’ll make a list of people who I could ask to write endorsements and the preface. Do I need illustrations? If so, will I draw those myself or will I hire somebody? Last but not least, I shall consider publishing options. Brainstorming with friends, contemplating, getting inspired by what other people in my field are doing are also part of the incubation stage. When the incubation stage is over, I begin to write the book. 

I usually have more than just one objective in sight, so I need prioritize and budget my resources. One of these days I’ll sit again by my altar in the same polite yet casual manner, and make a list with everything I would like to manifest in the year ahead. I do not focus on constrains and limitations but on what do I want. Then I’ll write five or seven of them in order of priority with the highest ranking at the top of my list.[1] The list will remain on the altar and I will  begin tending to the incubating seeds. This means that I will apply to each objective on my list the same kind of analysis that I mentioned above. Tempting as   it may be, I wouldn’t work on all of them simultaneously. I shall start with objective ranking #1 on my list, and once the preliminaries for this one are well underway, I’d tackle objective #2. More often than not, circumstances may demand that I work on a couple of things simultaneously, or address them in different order than initially listed. It’s perfectly fine: I’ll just go with the flow and make sure I don’t create bottlenecks by undertaking too much at once [2].

Spiritual and mundane intertwine in daily life.

I can’t emphasize enough the importance I place on the mundane and spiritual going hand in hand. What do I actually mean by this?  I am a pagan walking a fairy-led path, and my beliefs inform my spiritual practice. My spiritual practice, in turn, informs how I live my everyday life and supports my every step. Hence it is only normal at this time of the year to ask for help, guidance and express gratitude to my Fairy Allies and the Liminal Powers that I honor. Which brings me to the point of considering who do I address and how during the Winter Solstice celebration.

Offering of incense and apple cider 

Photo by Daniela Simina

I celebrate the Winter Solstice as a several days holiday. While there is a precise astronomic time that marks the longest night and shortest day, the actual extending of dayligh and night shortening is felt one to three days later. For the most part, I prefer to go with how things are felt naturally in the absence of astronomical instruments and sophisticated measurements. I hold a little ritual for this occasion sometime between December 21-25. 
I invite An Dagda, Irish Deity and Fairy King in Ireland, without whom I can’t even imagine  celebrating this seasonal marker. I also acknowledge Grian, sister of fairy queen Áine[3]. Central to this holiday is The Queen of Apples, Liminal Goddess with whom I connect over healing and mysteries of the feminine nature. (I do not tie feminine or masculine to biological gender)

Offerings to the Queen of Apples, An Dagda and Grian

Photo by Daniela Simina

The way I celebrate Winter Solstice or Yule is in keeping with my stated desire for simplicity. I cleanse myself and the house with smoke. For this purpose I burn a mix of juniper and sage in a bowl which I carry around the house. I move around quickly so the smoke coming from the smoldering herbs doesn’t get excessive. As I walk around, I thank the spirits of the herbs and ask them to lend their cleansing and protective qualities to our home. I then smoke-cleanse myself and whoever else in the family is willing to undergo cleansing. In Romania, basil and rosemery are among the best known herb used for purifying spaces and people.[4] On top of the smoke cleansing, I get some a twig of dried rosemary, which i prefer to basil, dip it in water[5] and asperse around rooms, onto myself, and onto family members. 

I change the altar cloth and decorate accordingly. My altar is quite simple, with places for the Liminal Powers, a little corner dedicated to my ancestors, and a candle holder surrounded by a feather, a stone, and a shell to symbolize the Three Realms of Land, Sea and Sky. The candle at the center stands for Fire at the core of everything alive.  I also keep on the altar a couple of little bowls for offerings, my wand and my ritual blade. 

I light the candle and invite the Powers I mentioned above and any of the goodly inclined spirit beings who wish to join.  I make offerings[6]  which will remain on the altar for a little while and then be taken outside and poured out by the Fairy Tree[7]. The magic work that usually follows is specifically directed at supporting the plans I made for the coming year.  More precisely, the list of plans and objectives that I had left on the altar will receive magic/ energetic support.  After that, I take time to sit, listen, and feel. I divine and take omens to find out if the offerings are well received and if anything else is expected from me on this occasion.  The rest of the day and is dedicated to activities that involve family and friends.

All these may may sound complicated and contradicting to my expressed desire to simplify things. But, when compared to the ritual structures I used in the past, this  is a whole lot simpler. For me, what makes rituals special is not their length, nor the intricacy of their structure. I evaluate the quality of ritual actions based on where do they take me emotionally. Getting there, sellecting what to do and say challenges my ability to adapt, do only stick to what is heartfelt, to be in the moment and out of my head. Then the feeling of holiness brought by the presence of the Other spills beyond ritual time and space like bubbly champagne spills over the rim of a cup.  

 

In conclusion, what I do and how I do it is between me and Them. Simple, honest and heartfelt holds the key to sparking magic and bringing wonder in the days and nights ahead.

Until next time, happy celebrating and fairy blessings be upon you,
Daniela

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[1] This is an actual piece of guidance that I received during the first informal, unplanned meeting I had with Fairy Guides.

[2] This is where I  usually fail short, but I am honestly trying to follow my own advice for the sake of my mental and physical health.

[3] Irish fairy lore.

[4] In Romania, where Christianity is the dominant religion, house cleansing and blessing is usually done by a priest who visits the houses in his church district on the eve of specific holidays. However, I personally witnessed my grandmother and my own mother blessing the house with basil and holy water on several occasions.

[5] I use moon water, water from melted snow or ice, or rain water.

[6] Any of the following: incense, asperse around the altar water with herbal oils, food, fresh drinking water, milk, some wine or beer. The offerings may include a poem written for the occasion that I’ll burn after reading it out loud, or anything that I could craft for Them- in case I decide to offer something of this sort. 

[7] I did not know there was a fairy tree in the backyard when we moved into this house, but the fact became evident quite soon, so I learned to treat it accordingly.