Rituals

Mabon, Fall Equinox and a gorgeous giftie just for you.

I love Fall, the colours, it’s as if Nature is getting all dressed up and inviting us to celebrate and appreciate all the gifts and bounty we have received (think fields filled with gorgeous fat orange pumpkins). The smell of the air, and the crispness of the early mornings, the harvest fairs and there is a sense of urgency in the air. For me there is also a melancholy that goes with Fall as I watch the trees release their gorgeous leaves and the ground starting to frost and chill, there is a sense of loss as the snow is coming and the clouds are going to drop down.

Autumnal equinox offers us delicious lessons that run parallel with our lives. Think about it; the first lesson is the balance of the dark with the light. On the equinox night and day are in perfect equal balance and as human beings we are invited to balance our own inner dark and light. Joyce Rupp, a Catholic writer and poet challenges us to befriend our inner darkness: “I gratefully acknowledge how darkness has become less of an enemy for me and more of a place of silent nurturance, where the slow, steady gestation needed for my soul’s growth can occur. Not only is light a welcomed part of my life, but I am also developing a greater understanding of how much I need to befriend my inner darkness.”

Another lesson is that of Impermanence. Spring brought the glorious buds, Summer brought the flowers and expansion and now Autumn brings the leaves falling and bare branches. Things change and they move through their cycles, they don’t stay in one space. Imagine if you were a flower and you had gone through your budding process into your glorious blossoming period and then it was demanded of you that you continually stayed in that state. It isn’t sustainable, you need to be able to turn inward, nourish your roots, cocoon if you will so that you can go into another state of budding and blossoming.

The last lesson I see that autumnal equinox reminds us of is Letting Go. Think of the gorgeous leaves that gently flutter down to the ground. The tree isn’t trying to cling onto them, nor are the leaves struggling to stay where they are, they are gently released and offered back to the earth to nourish the soil. With this we are reminded that fall is a fabulous time for putting down our burdens, for letting go of things that no longer serve us and to get out of our way and allow Spirit/Universe/God to take charge for a while.

(Can you tell I am passionate about Fall and the Equinox!)

So as a birthday gift for you I have created the Mabon Magick Manual. It is packed with information, ideas, rituals and for those of you bold enough – a spell. Before you download, you might want to take a moment to centre, ground and get present. So I have a lovely visualisation for you. Imagine you are a tree!

Sending you huge blessings for a glorious Mabon (Fall Equinox on Monday September 23rd.

Enjoy your Mabon Magick Manual – let me know what you play with!!

Ostara, Spring Equinox and 3 Easy Rituals.

Jenny Heston · 1:01 am ·

Spring Equinox is the time for birth or rebirth, it also represents the element of Air. This is the best time of the year to start new projects, focus your goals for the year, and plant the seeds for what you want to achieve. Don’t expect rapid movement, though, since things have to get going at their own pace (which could be fast, since many plants in spring seem to just appear from nowhere, but could also be slow, like a tulip poking its head gradually from the ground.)

Spring Equinox, also known as Ostara or Vernal Equinox is a point of perfect balance on the journey through the Wheel of the Year. Night and day are of equal length and in perfect equilibrium – dark and light, masculine and feminine, inner and outer, in balance. But the year is now waxing and at this moment light defeats the dark. The natural world is coming alive, the Sun is gaining in strength and the days are becoming longer and warmer. It is the first day of Spring! Ostara takes its name after the Germanic goddess, Eostre/Ostara, who was traditionally honoured in the month of April with festivals to celebrate fertility, renewal and re-birth. It was from Eostre that the Christian celebration of Easter evolved, and indeed the naming of the hormone Estrogen, essential to women’s fertility. The Goddess Ostara has the shoulders and head of a hare.

This is a time when the goddess is the Maiden in all her youthful glory, the god is reaching manhood, and energy abounds. So why not tap into that energy to bring the light into your own darkness, if you have any? For example spring cleaning is not just about your home, it’s about removing old or negative energies accumulated over the dark winter months to prepare you for glorious growth. It’s about planting seeds of intention, seeds of growth, seeds of food – it’s about shedding that heavy winter coat and picking up something a tad lighter and a bit more fun.

If we were to look through multiple cultures, Spring Equinox has, and is, a glorious time of welcoming in the light, celebrating the rebirth or creation of new things, planting seeds and releasing the old, worn and tired. For example, there is the story of the Roman god Mithras, which is similar to the tale of Jesus Christ and his resurrection.

“ Born at the winter solstice and resurrected in the spring, Mithras helped his followers ascend to the realm of light after death. In one legend, Mithras, who was popular amongst members of the Roman military, was ordered by the Sun to sacrifice a white bull. He reluctantly obeyed, but at the moment when his knife entered the creature’s body, a miracle took place. The bull turned into the moon, and Mithras’ cloak became the night sky. Where the bull’s blood fell flowers grew, and stalks of grain sprouted from its tail.”

In the Mayan culture, at Chichen Itza, spring equinox is most certainly celebrated (I have been there for this, very cool!) It’s called – The Snake of Sunlight Last but not least let’s look at the Iranian New Year, which is called No-Rooz, and happens at exactly the same time. Again, spring cleaning occurs and an altar is set up.

So in my world, no matter where you are on this planet – equinox time is about balance & harmony. Also, celebration! So whether you just take a moment to light a candle and say thanks, go kite flying, gift a friend with a crystal (I highly recommend Aventurine, Carnelian, Peridot or Sunstone), buy yourself some spring flowers and pop them where you can see them, light a fire and have friends over for a celebration, it doesn’t matter. But I do invite you to do something, even if it is just writing with a Sharpie on an egg!

But why an egg? The egg (and all seeds) contains ‘all potential’, full of promise and new life. It symbolises the rebirth of nature, the fertility of the Earth and all creation. In many traditions the egg is a symbol for the whole universe. The ‘cosmic’ egg contains a balance of male and female, light and dark, in the egg yolk and egg white. The golden orb of the yolk represents the Sun God enfolded by the White Goddess, perfect balance, so it is particularly appropriate to Ostara and the Spring Equinox when all is in balance for just a moment, although the underlying energy is one of growth and expansion.

Grab a cuppa tea and let’s share a story, about the hare and the egg, courtesy of The Goddess and The Greenman.

Once upon a time the Animal Kingdom gathered together for a meeting in a flurry of great excitement. There was to be a Very Special Party and a Very Special Guest was coming to visit them. The Very Special Guest was none other than the Goddess herself, and every creature wanted to give her a Very Special Gift.

Now some of the animals were very rich and some were very poor but off they went to prepare their gifts, for only the very very best would do for the Goddess. Hare was very very excited, he dearly loved the Goddess and although he was very poor he had a big generous heart – he was going to give her the very finest gift he could find!

Hare rushed home to see what he could find to give to the Goddess – he looked everywhere, in the cupboards and under the bed but there was nothing, even the larder was empty, he had absolutely nothing to give Her. Except for one thing. On the shelf in the larder was a single egg. And that was it. It was the only thing he had left. Hare gently took the egg out of the larder and lovingly decorated it and took it to the party.

Hare was very worried, all the other animals gave their gifts of gold and silver and precious jewels and all Hare had was the egg. Eventually all the gifts had been given and Hare was the very very last. Hare very shyly presented the Goddess with the egg. She took it and looked at him and saw the true spirit of Hare. And there and then the Goddess appointed Hare as her Very Special Animal – because Hare had given away everything he had…….

I’ve created a grounding recording as before I do any type of ritual (or when I feel tweaky), I ground. I send my roots down into the earth (as seeds do in Spring) and pull up the glorious supportive, nourishing energy.

So what are some easy and inexpensive rituals to really embrace the energy of Ostara?

Okay, I have so many! However, let me share with you a few of my favourites.

Blessing Bowl

Seeds of Intention

Buy a few bulbs or a packet of seeds. Anything colorful and exuberant will do. Write on slips of paper all the things you would like to blossom and grow over the coming season. (Love? Prosperity? A new job? All of the above? It’s up to you. These are your wishes after all.) Then take those slips and pop them in the bottom of a pot, pop the dirt on top and plant your seeds. Be sure to give them lots of good energy, light and love to help them grow!

Light a Candle and Blow it Out

What? You may be thinking – Jenny it’s not my birthday, what??? The element of Spring is Air, and what better way to play with Air than with your breath. Thus, light a candle (green or yellow would be great), but if you don’t have one of those, use what you have or smear it with a Sharpie! Grab a candle. Light it. Then breathe, breathe deep into your roots and before you exhale allow the “blaugh” (as I call it) to come to mind. Anything that is not serving you or your highest good. As you exhale let that flood out on your breathe and blow the candle out. Light it again and repeat for however long you need to. Know you are connecting with the element of Air, releasing the heavy thoughts and coat of winter and bringing the light back. (So much fun to do with kids).

So there we go gorgeous one, have a fabulous Ostara and for those of you who have been asking, there is a Equinox reading special for just 4 more days. You can find it here.

Celebrating Imbolc and 10 Easy Rituals to help you tap into the Energy.

Jenny Heston · 1:11 am ·

Let’s talk about Imbolc shall we? Also known as Saint Brigid’s day. (Though you may be scratching your head and asking who she is and why to celebrate this day).

Imbolc is a Celtic fire festival celebrating the emerging life in the world around us as well as the Goddess Brigid who represents the fire of creativity, the protective hearth fire and her fire wheel all of which cleanse and purify. Imbolc is a celebration, because for those of us in the mid winter it promises us emergence, growth, renewal and hope and massive cleansing and purification. Imbolc is also the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox and occurs on February 1st. Okay Jenn, what’s that got to do with me?

Well whether you realise it or not your body is connected to the seasons, to the energy underneath you, around you, above you and in you. Imbolc is one of the seasonal changes on the Wheel of the Year. The Wheel of the Year is more than just the seasonal changes from spring to summer to fall to winter. It also encompasses the 8 holidays, or sabbats. Each of these holidays has its own energy and its own place in the cycle that influences. Imbolc brings us the burgeoning Spring energy that feels like a whisper or a possible promise.

I spent a lot of my younger years being raised on a sheep farm in Yorkshire and holy hannah! Imbolc was present with bells on!! Cow’s udders began to engorge with milk, ready for the first births of spring. The sheep would swell and look like fluffy balloons on toothpicks all waiting to lamb (and if you have never hung out with a lamb you are missing out!) Flowers were popping out on the floor of the copse and this was a time when farmers would prepare their fields for the first sowing and fishermen would return to the sea. All preparing and ready to expand and grow.

Imbolc is “Feile Brighde“, the ‘quickening of the year‘. The original word Imbolg means ‘in the belly’. All is pregnant and expectant – and only just visible if at all, like the gentle curve of a ‘just-showing’ pregnancy. It is the promise of renewal, of hidden potential, of earth awakening and life-force stirring. Here is hope. We welcome the growth of the returning light and witness Life’s insatiable appetite for rebirth.

It is time to let go of the past and to look to the future, clearing out the old, making both outer and inner space for new beginnings. This can be done in numerous ways, from spring cleaning your home to clearing the mind and heart to allow inspiration to enter for the new cycle. It’s a good time for wish-making or making a dedication.

Imbolc is traditionally the great festival and honouring of Brigid (Brighid, Bride, Brigit), so loved as a pagan Goddess that her worship was woven into the Christian church as St Bridget. She is a Goddess of healing, poetry and smithcraft. She is a Goddess of Fire, of the Sun and of the Hearth. She brings fertility to the land and its people and is closely connected to midwives and new-born babies. She is the Triple Goddess, but at Imbolc she is in her Maiden aspect. Brigid represented the light half of the year, and the power that will bring people from the dark season of winter into spring, her presence was very important at this time of year.

So how to mark or celebrate this day? Easy. Think about it – fire, hearth, growth, cleansing (not that you have to do all of them by any stretch!)

Rituals:

Gather snowdrops if you have them!

Why? These are the first signs of Spring in the bleak of Winter. Their merry bobbly white heads remind us that all things can grow and flourish even if the conditions feel bleak. So pick a posy of snowdrops and put them on your dining room table and breathe in the promise.

Plant seeds!

I love this one, especially when doing it with the kids. Each seed you plant represents a hope or dream, and it really doesn’t matter what seeds you plant. I have planted beans in egg cartons and paper towel with the kids. I have put seeds that need longer to develop into small pots to allow them the growing time that they need before going into the ground. The key is intention and celebration

Make a Brigid cross.

These look like a fire wheel when they are woven, they are traditionally made from reeds, but if that isn’t available to you, use something else, straws, hay, pipe cleaners….. If you have no clue what I am talking about, come have a little looksee here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq0ci42PnLc

Candles

Light a shed ton of candles which represent the the Flame of Brigid and make wishes for your family and friends – the simplest form of candle magic.

Food, glorious food!

Cook a lovely meal, light candles, invite friends and celebrate the days getting longer and all the promises that are burbling in the earth.

Yoga!

In Celtic mythology Brigid was associated with an awakening hibernating serpent which emerged from its lair at Imbolc. Traditionally serpents were associated with creativity and inspiration – the powerful Kundalini energy of the Eastern Mysteries. Paths of earth energy were called serpent paths and at Imbolc they are stirred from their slumber. So stir your body, stretch and offer up in prayer pose what you desire.

Eat Cheese.

Ahhh, but not just any cheese. Eat Ewes milk cheese (and it is very delicious) as this is the beginning of lambing time!

Clean your House! (Seriously)

Start your spring off with a good thorough cleaning, and then follow that up with a spiritual cleansing. (‘Spring cleaning was originally a nature ritual’ – Doreen Valiente). Personally I love putting everything back where it’s meant to be, releasing the stuff that is no longer needed and then washing my floors with an essential oil mix of Rosemary, Geranium, Lemon and Sage. As I wash I invite the energy of cleansing and purification in.

Take a Cleansing Bath or Shower.

Imbolc is known as a time of purification and cleansing. A great way to incorporate this into your magical practice is to take a ritual cleansing bath. The purpose of a ritual cleansing is to not only clean the body, but also to cleanse the mind and soul. It’s a chance to meditate and reflect upon the things you wish to wash away–whether it’s a bad habit, negative feelings, or anything else. Thus, if bathing, pop a container of Epsom Salts in with the essential oils that make you feel cherished and soak. Remember to wash off under the shower with soap afterwards.

If in the shower, mix together sea salt, olive/avocado/sesame oil with the essential oils you love and then scrub yourself and as you do – see it anything that feels murky or mucky or not fitting just drop and disappear down the drain.

Crystals

If you have crystals around, how often do you work with them? When were they last cleansed? Crystals are part of Earth and they loved to be handled and given a purpose. So here are 7 crystals for Imbolc.

Amethyst

Peridot

Moss Agate

Onyx

Selenite

Moonstone

Sunstone

Personally, I put these in a glorious little bag, cleanse them (with sage), bless them and give them the intention of growth, expansion, purification and expansion. I then pop them under my pillow and sleep with them until March 21st (Spring Equinox).

So there we are delicious lovely, rituals that are easy (as ritual shouldn’t be a “To Do”). Wishing you a fantabulous Imbolc and that moment where you tap into your essence and be flooded with Hope, Growth, Expansion, Purification and Planning.

Winter Solstice and 9 Glorious Rituals to Tap into the Energy and Mysteries.

Jenny Heston · 8:18 am ·

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
~ Lewis Carroll

I love Winter Solstice and I can feel the energy of it for a few weeks before it even arrives. It’s dark far earlier, much colder outside and there is a desire to cocoon, wear warmer clothes and eat soup (at least for me). There is a sensation of reflection, going inwards and questioning that arrives naturally from this energy. To me this is a time where I notice those “meh” moments more and really examine my life and ask the question “Am I showing up and embodying what I am called to do?” That’s why, to me, I feel it vital to take some time out to honour this energy and work with it which in turn allows me to feel aligned. In fact I feel more balanced, connected and inspired after I have taken some time.

As a kid I used to be scared of the dark, I felt it held things that were terrifying and uncomfortable. As an adult I have learned that’s not true and have become willing to walk into the darkness and allow myself to get comfortably uncomfortable and dig deep, explore the mysteries and embrace all aspects of being human. Light and dark. You can’t have one without the other! Winter Solstice invites us with a safe open hand to step into the place of mystery, the warm comforting dark that wraps around us like a cosy blankie. Whispering in our ear – rest, be, embrace, release, create, imagine, grow ……….

So what is Winter Solstice and why celebrate it? Why take the time to honour it? The Pagan celebration of Winter Solstice (also known as Yule) is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. Winter Solstice takes place on the day where the night is the longest and the hours of sun or daylight are the shortest. In fact “Solstice” comes from two Latin words: sol meaning “sun” and sistere meaning “to stand still” because it appeared as though the sun and moon had stopped moving across the sky. This longest night of the year, followed by a renewal of the sun, demonstrates the cyclical order of the cosmos. In this way, celebrating the solstice can be a beautiful remembrance that our lives are part of a larger order, always changing, always renewing. It’s a gorgeous invitation to not be afraid of the dark or the shadow, as it is in that place is where we shift, grow and recharge.

Winter Solstice has been celebrated in various forms and for thousands of years across a myriad of cultures, all who are willing to step into the darkness and wait to welcome back the light. (And if you lived in medieval times that’s pretty ballsy!

In Britain long before the arrival of Christianity. The Druids (Celtic priests) would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it as a blessing. Oaks were seen as sacred and the winter fruit of the mistletoe was a symbol of life in the dark winter months. It was also the Druids who began the tradition of the Yule log. The Celts thought that the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter and during this time a log was lit to conquer the darkness, banish evil spirits and bring luck for the coming year.

There was Saturnalia in Ancient Rome which began on December 17 and lasted for 7 days. These celebrations were held from as far back as around 217 BC to honour Saturn, the father of the gods.

Feast of Juul – This is where we get the term Yule from at this time of year, was a pre-Christian festival observed in Scandinavia at the time of the December solstice. People would light fires to symbolize the heat and light of the returning sun and a Juul (or Yule) log was brought in and dropped in the hearth as as a tribute to the Norse god Thor. This log was burned until nothing but ash remained. The ashes were then collected and either strewn on the fields as fertiliser every night until Twelfth Night or kept as a charm.

Yalda – or Shab-e-Chelleh (night of fourty) is an Iranian festival celebrated on the “longest and darkest night of the year” – Solstice. Every year, on December 21st, Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness on Yalda Night.

Santo Tomas – a celebration in Guatemala where the Mayan Indians indulged in the ritual known as the Palo Volador, or “flying pole dance.” Three men climb on top of a 50 foot pole as one of them beats a drum and plays a flute. The other two men wind a rope attached to the pole around one foot and jump. If they land on their feet, it is believe that the sun god will be pleased and that the days will start getting longer.

So if you were in doubt that Winter Solstice might be fictitious or flaky baky, let me assure you – nope. If I were to try and explain this celebration in a nutshell it would be a time for introspection, embracing of the shadow, a willingness to walk into the dark, to then celebrate the returning of the light within and without. This is a celebration of honouring the dark before calling into the light. Also, as a side note, Winter Solstice may occur on one day, however, this is a season of Winter we enter where we walk with the dark far more and allow ourselves to release what no longer serves us.

Let’s talk rituals – some people get really weirded out when the word “ritual” is mentioned. So let’s put some myths aside right now – there is no right way or wrong way, you don’t have to have all the ingredients for a certain ritual, it doesn’t need to be complex and over the top (but if that’s your style, go for it). I personally like simple rituals that I can do with my kids, on my own, with friends I trust and I don’t ever want them to feel like I am adding to my “to do” list, especially in this frenzied time.

To me ritual is intentional and all about creating space for you to tap into the seasons, the reasons and yourself. Ritual is intention made manifest into physical form. By performing simple rituals with personal meaning to celebrate the solstice, these rituals will serve as touchstones to help you cultivate an attitude of receptiveness and appreciation that will carry you through the holiday season with more ease. A good starting point might be to make a promise this winter to spend more time listening, watching, and honoring the slower, quieter rhythm of the season.

Always, always start with setting the space. Whether it is lighting a candle, hanging a wreath of evergreens or just sitting in silence for a while. Honour yourself, your connection to Gaia and Spirit, the celebration and get clear on your intention. Let’s explore 9 easy and amazing rituals to help you tap into this gorgeous energy, gain more peace and clarity and release whatever is not serving you. There is also a fabulous Winter Solstice visualisation to really help you explore the energy of this season.

Oh yes, and as an aside many of you have asked if the Solstice Special for Private Readings will be available after Solstice. Nope. The Solstice Special ends at midnight on December 21st. So take advantage of it now and if you want to start 2019 off with a fabulous private reading to help you set the tone of the year, we can do that!

9 Easy and Powerful Rituals to celebrate the Winter Solstice

Rituals

jennyheston

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