Day 1: Embracing the Winter Solstice
Welcoming the Return of Light
Morning
Activity: Watch the sunrise or take a morning walk to connect with the energy of the returning sun. How does the cold air feel on your skin where it is exposed? What is the quality of the light like? What animals and birds can you observe. Are there any dormant signs of life you can identify as you look at the plants and trees where you live?
Contemplate what you wish for in year ahead.
When you get back home and settled, journal your ideas to refer back to later this evening.
Afternoon
Activity: Use this afternoon to get your house in order. Clean and do laundry, refresh bedding, and perform cleansing rituals of your choice, be it water, smoke, or salt cleansing. Set up your alter with Yule/solstice appropriate decorations such as candles, sun symbols, pine boughs, crystals such as moonstone or my favorite, blue amber, and place animals such as deer or bear figurines in the space.
As I clean I like to fill a simmer pot with the following:
Oranges
Oranges are often associated with purification and cleansing. Their fresh, citrusy scent is believed to clear negative energies and promote positivity. They are also linked to abundance and prosperity.
Rosemary
Rosemary is known for its protective qualities. It can be used to create a barrier against negative energies and to safeguard a space or person. It enhances memory and mental clarity.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is associated with love, passion, and attraction. It can be used to add warmth and intensity and to attract prosperity and financial abundance.
Cloves
Cloves are known for their protective properties, especially against negative spiritual influences. They are associated with love and friendship
Frankensense
Frankincense has strong spiritual associations and is often used in meditation and prayer. It's believed to facilitate connection with higher realms. It is used for purification and cleansing, both of spaces and energies.
The significance of a clean home at Yule
Yule represents a time of purity and renewal, both in nature and in the human spirit. Cleaning the home signifies the removal of the old, making space for new beginnings, and embracing the return of light. Many believe that a clean home can ward off negative energy and evil spirits. By cleansing the space, we aim to create a harmonious and peaceful environment for the Yule season. This is also why many people engage in smoke cleansing their homes and burning incense during this time. It's a dual effort to maintain both physical and spiritual cleanliness. During the darkest period of the year, we take measures to discourage mischievous spirits from lingering around our homes and causing disturbances.
It’s customary to host gatherings with family and friends. A clean and organized home ensures that guests feel welcomed and comfortable during this special time of year.
The winter solstice is a natural time for introspection and self-renewal. Cleaning our homes can symbolize the cleansing of the soul, leaving behind the burdens of the past year and embracing the possibilities of the year to come.
In some cultures, the act of cleaning before Yule is seen as a way to prepare the home for the abundance that is expected in the coming year. It is a way of showing gratitude and readiness to receive blessings.
But why must I do all my laundry before now and not again until the new year?
This tradition is linked to the myth of the Wild Hunt.
To this day, it remains a common practice in parts of Europe, to abstain from washing clothes during the Twelve Days to prevent the Wild Hunt from becoming entangled in your laundry line and leaving behind troublesome spirits. Young women, in particular, are cautioned against hanging out their unmentionables, for fear that malevolent spirits may take an interest not only in the undergarments but in the ladies who wear them, potentially whisking them away to the underworld.
What is the Wild Hunt?
At the helm of the procession is Odin, and while the Wild Hunt is seldom seen, its presence is unmistakable through eerie sounds. One often hears the barking of Odin's two dogs, one loud and the other faint, their howls echoing as the only distinct noises. The prevailing belief is that looking upon the Hunt as it approaches brings ill fortune; it's best to avert one's gaze to avoid being caught up in the chaos. When the Wild Hunt is heard, it may signify changing weather in some regions, but in others, it can foretell war and unrest.
Evening
Herbal Concoction: This is a perfect night, the honor the returning sun with a cup of warming Golden Milk as you perform the tarot and BoS work below.
Tarot and BoS Work: Pull a single card that represents the energy of the returning light and its influence on your life in the year ahead. Pay attention to the imagery, symbols, colors, and emotions the cards evoke. Reflect on how they resonate with your current circumstances and aspirations. In your Book of Shadows, describe the cards' symbolism. Explore your emotions, thoughts, and any memories that arise during this contemplative process. If needed, draw additional cards to gain deeper insights or clarity on the messages conveyed by the initial cards.
Return to the ideas you wrote this morning about your hopes for the year ahead. Distill them down to 13 wishes you have. These wishes should be specific to you and your circumstances. We aren’t ending world hunger here. Once you have your wishes finalized, write them down on individual scraps of paper. Fold and place them in a bowl on your alter space, along with a candle, set in a bowl of salt. Fold the paper tightly so that the wishes are concealed. Tomorrow you will begin the Twelve Nights of Wishes Ritual.