Merry Meet, you magickal souls!!!!
It's time to think about Yule, which most of us have grown up knowing it as Christmas, but this particular day is also called the Winter Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is when the Sun is at its "weakest" so the day is the shortest and the night/darkness is longest. In the Southern Hemisphere, Litha (or the Summer Solstice) occurs at this time while Yule happens around 21st June.
Yule can be celebrated as the darkest night, a time to connect with our Shadow Selves and do some Shadow Work. Or it can be celebrated as a time of hope, when the Sun starts to gain strength, the days start to become longer, and warmth returns to the world.
There are plenty of plants that we can use to decorate our homes or use in our Craft to connect with the magick of Yule but here are just four:
Mistletoe - It was once believed that this plant absorbed the magical properties of its host tree and had to be cut with a silver knife at the Winter Solstice.
Holly - This plant and its berries are seen to symbolise femininity and the miracle of birth.
Ivy - This plant symbolises immortality and resurrection, and was used for healing.
Yew - This plant is associated with ancestors and/or the Underworld, and a wand made of Yew was seen as particularly powerful for ancestral work.
If there are plants we can work with, there are also crystals that are especially helpful at Yule but again, here are just four of them:
Garnet - This crystal is good for protection, energising, and strengthening.
Bloodstone - This crystal is good for healing, blending in, energising, confidence, and bravery.
Ruby - This crystal is good for manifestation, power, and connecting with the element of fire.
Carnelian - This crystal is good for fertility, abundance, new beginnings, and creativity.
Within folklore, the Holly King is defeated by the Oak King at Yule to symbolise the return of life, hope and light to the world, while at Litha, the Oak King is defeated by the Holly King to symbolise the coming darkness and coldness. Even within this story, it's all about hope and faith, that the Sun will be reborn and warmth return to the world as the Wheel of the Year turns and the wider life cycle starts again, so it's a good time to do any kind of spellwork around Hope and Faith.
But Yule isn't just about hope; it's about rebirth with the Sun going from "non-existent" during the day to having a greater presence. Yule occurs when the world is experiencing death as most trees and plants lose their leaves and are just a series of branches, so this time of year is also about light still being there in the midst of darkness, that light and life (or Spring) will return to the world.
To give us all some hope and a renewed sense of faith, I have created this Yule spread and used the Botanical Inspirations oracle deck by Lynn Araujo to see what wisdom we need right now.
In what area of our lives do we most need hope right now?
Honeysuckle - Domestic Happiness & Devoted Affection
This card is asking us whether we are happy at home, or if there's something we could do. This card could also be about our family dynamic in general with the second part.
Our home lives may not be the most peaceful or happiest but this doesn't necessarily mean that they can't be in the future.
We can still hope to achieve "Domestic Happiness" regardless of our relationship status as well because even single people living alone can find happiness in their domestic situation.
Families should be affectionate and individual members devoted to each other but this doesn't mean living in everyone's pockets and getting no peace or break on an individual level.
How can we use this Yuletide season to prepare for a rebirth?
Morning Glory - Affection & Determination
With this card, the wisdom is that we can be determined. It doesn't matter what we are determined about, just that we are.
Traditionally, Yule is the time to show affection for those we love and care about, so perhaps this is what we need to carry forward hope for: being determined that all through this winter-time, we show our nearest and dearest what they mean to us. This could be through gifts, spending time together at home or elsewhere, or writing letters. Letters are the ultimate way to show affection compared to using a computer device and some kind of electronic messaging service, because they demonstrate that we spent time finding and using our own words, pretty paper (if we have it) and a real writing tool.
Perhaps we need to show others how we could show affection and be determined about doing it ourselves.
What Shadow do we most need to acknowledge and work with at this time?
Magnolia - Nobility & Self-Esteem
With this card, we may be trying to be too noble by not standing up for ourselves, for the kind of Yule we'd like to have, or for the people we'd like to see (or not see) at this time of year.
But perhaps we are being noble by volunteering at too many places or trying to give too much in general. We only have a finite amount of money to spend on people, same with the time available to us, and with our energies.
Maybe we have an issue with how we see and value ourselves so we think we shouldn't spend time with anyone or give gifts because we think so little of ourselves, How we see ourselves can be ridiculously highlighted at this time of year but we can still do our best to improve ourselves because we are all important and matter.
What is about to be reborn in our lives from hope?
Sacred Lotus - Enlightenment
Enlightenment is essentially wisdom, in the form of understanding.
Now, enlightnment can come in a variety of themes, from personal to spiritual, family to relationships, and so much more.
So there must be something or an area of our lives that we need a deeper level of understanding. The specific thing/area may not necessarily be obvious but it will definitely make itself known when the rebirth happens.
Enlightenment needs roots, as per the wise words of Thich Nhat Hanh at the bottom of this card: "No mud, no lotus." So we know that the rebirth of enlightenment will already be rooted in our lives, but then again, it kind of should be because it's being reborn into our consciousness so that at some point in the future, we can enjoy and appreciate the wisdom we have learned.
These plants can seem unrelated but over the next 6-12 months, we could connect with their energy to help facilitate the enlightment and wisdom that we need to learn. We don't necessarily have to be growing these plants in our homes and/or garden areas, because we can use their images as well as their scents in the form of room sprays and incense - however, this doesn't mean that we can't have these plants physically in our lives.
This was deep and even I am going to have to sit with these cards for a while to integrate their wisdom in my own life. If you'd like a more personal look at what Yule wants you to know, my diary and inbox are open to everyone.
Peace and love to all!!!!
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