THE GIFT OF WINTER WARMTH

The seed of light...

The gestational time between Samhain and Winter Solstice is deep and dark, lit only by the light from within.  We wait patiently, incubating like a seed beneath the cover of frozen earth.  From this place of darkness and retreat, the first rays of returning solar light emerge at Winter Solstice, shining the light from without.  Although Solstice is the darkest night of the year, the light grows stronger each day afterwards.  At this time, we are called to fill our emotional cups with yuletide cheer, and to celebrate hearth, home, and community. The tide turns at Solstice and we quietly take our first steps out of dormancy and into the reborn light. 

Yule (from the Norse iul, meaning wheel), coincides with the Solstice and marks the death and the rebirth of the Sun God. The Goddess, who was Death-in-Life at Midsummer, now reveals her Life-in-Death aspect. As the solar light becomes stronger by the millisecond, we begin to observe the world around us again.  Glancing outside, we see the evergreen trees radiating lifeforce from between the barren branches of the surrounding deciduous  species. The evergreens stand strong all year long, but our attention is brought to their presence so much more during winter. Many evergreen species have energetic associations with the sun and the element of fire; they seem to emanate light and warmth from within during an otherwise cold and dark time.  This energy serves as a kind of medicine for the body, mind, and soul. 

Winter tree medicine…

A particularly useful and beautiful evergreen species is Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Hemlock trees are majestic, long-lived conifers found in cool, wet, dark forests throughout New England. Ironic, for a species associated with the element of fire. They are also the largest native evergreen in the Eastern US, eclipsing even Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus - another very useful herbal ally!). These sacred trees often live to 4-500 years, with the oldest possibly living up to 1000 years. The towering leviathans of the dark forest have long enticed humans, featuring prominently in indigenous legends, and inspiring many a famous New Englander, as Robert Frost illustrates  in this poem:

“The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued”

— Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

The hemlock possesses a number of useful energetic and medicinal properties, specifically, those related to warming, cleansing, and supporting good health. The hemlock can warm and create heat, either by building a physical fire, or by way of a hot tea made with the needles.  Medicinally, hemlock is thought to possess warming and astringent qualities, and may be an immune boosting plant because of its high levels of vitamin C. The needles are where the vitamin C resides, and they are deliciously sour, tonifying the mouth, throat, and digestive tract, while promoting digestive secretions, and waking up the liver. One such way to prepare hemlock needles is to make an elixir that can be used on its own or as part of a festive yuletide libation. 

Winter Solstice Cocktail

1.5 oz cinnamon infused vodka
1 oz hemlock & wild rose elixir
1 oz cranberry juice
Club soda
Orange slice for garnish

To make the cinnamon vodka, simply place 1 cinnamon stick in 1 cup of vodka and let it sit for at least 24 hours (remove the cinnamon stick before serving). This warm and spicy infusion is the perfect base for a winter cocktail. For the elixir, just fill a 16 oz mason jar with plant matter halfway then add in roughly 75% brandy and 25% raw honey, until it’s about an inch from full. Let the elixir sit for 2-4 weeks, then strain. Once the infusions are ready, the cocktail is easily assembled by pouring the vodka, elixir and cranberry juice over ice, then adding a splash of soda water, stirring, and garnishing with an orange slice. Cheers!

A magickal Yule…

If ingestion is not something that appeals to you, another way to work with the warmth and cleansing aspects of hemlock, is through magickal and energetic means. As Yule marks the wheel turning out of the darkness and into the light; a new beginning of sorts, evergreens can be a powerful energetic ally for any meditation or spellwork you might decide to explore during this time of year.

Crafting an herbal spell bag on the winter solstice and keeping it on your altar as a reminder that the sun will always return is a wonderful way to celebrate this season. There are no rules to follow, and you can use whatever objects call to you, but for this particular herbal pouch, we simply combine a small amount of herbs, crystals, and other ingredients on a square swatch of fabric, then wrap it up and tie it off with the string.

Sea salt (for purification and protection)
Birch bark (for renewal and healing)
Dried orange (for divination and prosperity)
Hemlock cones (for warmth and transformation)
Rose hips (for love and peace)
Bloodstone crystal (for grounding and intuition)
Swatch of green fabric and red/white string

We have also written up a short charm, or incantation, that you can recite as you craft the bag and meditate on its symbolism:

“Winds of the north, east, south, and west. Elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Tonight we celebrate Yule, the winter solstice. It is the season of the Crone, the time of the winter goddess. We welcome the rebirth of the Sun, the return of light and warmth. As the Wheel of the Year turns once more. We honor the eternal cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. As above, so below, as within, so without, in light as well as shadow.”

Even though the days of winter feel long and the light creeps back slowly, the sense of impending spring remains salient and on the horizon. At Imbolc (Feb 1), the first sense of movement begins beneath the quiet ground as the seeds activate and awaken. From there, movement and life begin to come out of dormancy and the light strengthens with great force on the eventual journey back to Midsummer.

WINTER SOLSTICE: NEW BEGINNINGS AND THE FIRE WITHIN

“The Great Conjunction is the end of the world… or the beginning. End, begin. All the same! Big change! Sometimes good, sometimes bad!”

— Aughra, The Dark Crystal

Sometimes the line between fact and fiction is razor thin, and fantasy becomes reality in the minds of creative dreamers. Myths based on the cosmos have been conjured for as long as time and continue to spark our imaginations. Whether a fantastical story written by Jim Henson or traits we identify with based on our birthdate, we create rituals around that which we cannot fully comprehend; way up in the sky, as well as deep in the earth. Our human nature also encourages us to mark our personal journeys with times to begin anew, to rest, and to inspire. The beginning of winter is such a time. 

December 21, 2020 is a special date for several reasons. Keep an eye out for the Ursids meteor shower, but also, observe the rare conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. This great conjunction is not the alignment of the 3 suns of Thra, as in the Dark Crystal, which happens every 999 and one trine, but is a planetary meeting that occurs in our world every 20 years, and this event will be the closest since 1623. The 2000 conjunction occurred near the sun, making it difficult to observe, but in December 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will be much more visible if you look to the west shortly after sunset.

This cosmic phenomenon will also coincide with the shortest day/longest night of the year: Winter Solstice. The word solstice derives from the Latin sol ("sun") and sistere ("to stand still"), because the Sun's declination appears stationary. The pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (i.e., Yule or Midwinter) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. The annual celestial event is seen as the beginning of the sun's return, thus, rebirth is often celebrated. The ancient Romans, Celts, and Norsemen of Northern Europe all held their own festivals centered around “new beginnings” involving magickal plants, bonfires, celebratory libations, and feasts with close friends and family. 

The observed correlation between solstice celebrations and the celestial event actually dates to long before the Vikings or ancient Rome. Stonehenge is the UK's most celebrated site for solstice celebrations, pre-dating all these ancient cultures. On Winter Solstice, visitors have the rare opportunity to enter the site for a sunrise ceremony offered by local pagan groups. Likewise, Newgrange in Ireland (one the most famous prehistoric sites in the world) is constructed so that at dawn on December 21, a narrow beam of sunlight illuminates the floor of the structure’s inner chamber, filling the long passageway with a bright shaft of sunlight. Sound familiar? In the Dark Crystal, the burning light focused towards Thra during the very first Great Conjunction is responsible for creating the Great Shaft and revealing the Crystal deep within the mountain. Similarly, the energy of the Winter Solstice supports magick related to transitions, new beginnings, and personal renewal. Ahhh… the power of light and alignment!

Speaking of alignment, the sun and stars at Midwinter will be positioned in a very beneficial way for our minds and bodies. While we enter this sacred time of rest, reflection, and nourishment, the sun transitions from fiery Sagittarius (the optimistic and spontaneous archer) to earthy Capricorn (the patient and steadfast sea goat). This transition will remind us that in the darkest hours, light will always return. 

“The Sagittarius-Capricorn cusp is one of the most distinct and powerful of all cusp-crossings. It’s marked by the deeply meditative and magical winter solstice... This is when we’re at our darkest moment, but also when the universe reminds us that the light will return in a few months. That’s the perfect blend of Sagittarius and Capricorn energies—where hope and strength are in perfect balance.”

- Stefanie Iris Weiss, astrologer and author

Many herbs fit perfectly into the fire/earth transition and some are also commonly used in Yule rituals and as decor. Two customary methods of utilizing seasonal herbs are to blend them in hot tea, or to dry and light them as incense or in the form of smudge sticks. Either technique will arouse a feeling of warmth and grounding that will support you through the cold winter months.

White Pine (Pinus strobus): The pine tree represents rebirth and inner strength and the branches and cones are widely used in Yule decorations The plant innately corresponds to the element of fire because of its quickness to burn as well as its transformative nature, though its scent is earthy. The needles of the pine tree can be made into a tea and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Drink pine tea throughout the day to give your immune system a boost. 

 Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): Rosemary is another evergreen plant that is very purifying. In fact, it was used as an embalming herb in Egypt and was considered sacred to the ancient Greeks. Rosemary increases circulation to warm the limbs and can stimulate memory centers of the brain! Burn it in an evergreen incense blend, or drink it in a warming tea to restore your body’s inner fire.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita): Chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known. A traditional plant of the sun, and associated with many ancient sun deities (the flowers even look like tiny suns!). A classic herb to imbibe as a tea for curing digestive ailments, it is extremely calming and promotes a good night’s sleep due to its nervine qualities. Chamomile has also historically been used to brew beer.

Sage (Salvia officinalis): The name Salvia derives from the Latin word Salveo, meaning literally “to heal” or “to save” and its antiseptic qualities are indeed quite healing. Like chamomile, it aids in digestion and is frequently used with rosemary to season cold weather soups and meat dishes. Fitting to the season, sage is a plant of Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter), and may be the most well-known herb for burning in ritual cleansing of spaces and bodies.

Definitely explore and have fun with these herbs to see what magick you conjure! 

During the darkest days before the solstice, our hearts and minds have been incubating, resting, and waiting for the return of the light. As the sun’s light waxes with each day forward from Midwinter, until the Vernal Equinox, we are reminded to take the time to rest, digest, and regenerate. For spring is never far off, and as the light gets stronger, our bodies will once again begin to crave movement and fruition. We honor the cycle as we continue our journey into the light.