Yule Celebrations & Season's Greetings

Edition 1 - December 2022

On this cold and wintery day in Essex, I’d like to welcome all to the first edition of Living Magically on triplemoon.net. Step into a world of inspiration, energy, and mindful living this season.

Happy Yule !!

In Pagan myth Yule celebrates the returning of the light following the shortest day. The good news is that the days will begin to get longer and lighter. Pagans believed that a Sun King travelled across the sky bringing light, although the concept of bringing light into the dark is also a feature of Christianity. It is because of the theme of light that candlelight and fire plays such an important role in Yule celebrations.

Yule on 21st December is a Pagan sabbat and resembles Christmas in lots of ways with gift giving, singing and various symbolism. Previously the Romans celebrated the Winter Solstice and the longest night of the year with a festival called Saturnalia.

For me personally my favourite way to capture the spirit of Yule is to sit around a fire with mulled wine and my favourite people. Last year we read out winter themed poems (I found on the internet) which definitely complemented the mystical wintery ambience.

If you are feeling suitably inspired pen your own Yule ditty!!

Next Full Moon – January 6th - 11pm – The Wolf Moon

The first full moon of the new year is the Wolf Moon, named the Wolf Moon by Native American tribes because wolves would howl during winter. The Wolf Moon is associated with protection and introspection.

The majesty of a full moon in a clear sky never fails to amaze and enthral, the moon is something we share with our ancestors, we have walked the earth at different times but have all shared the same moon. The spiritual meaning of the Wolf Moon is about belonging, we belong to a tribe in the same way as a wolf belongs to a pack.

You may be inspired to reach out or develop a greater connection to your own “pack” .

Mistletoe

Seasonal, beautiful and associated with the Druids, Viking Mythology and more recently Dickensian Literature, Mistletoe is still regarded as magical and sacred.

With its ability to blossom in the dead of winter whilst growing on a host tree (hemi-parasitic) and with its opalescent berries which catch the moonlight Mistletoe retains its ancient and mystical appeal.

Druids used it for healing purposes and to enhance fertility in humans and animals (Although the berries are actually toxic to humans).

Holly

Another festive favourite Holly ,which thrives in winter with its strong green leaves and bright red berries. Holly symbolises life and creativity during difficult and challenging times. The Druids believed that leaves of holly were sacred and offered protection against evil spirits as well as lightening and even wore holly in their hair.

In Celtic lore Holly symbolises natures endurance in the dark days of winter .The Romans thought that holly was the sacred plant belonging to Saturn .

The tradition of decorating with holly is widespread.

All I want for Christmas is a circular economy….

At this time of year around 30% more waste is generated. This includes over 1 billion Christmas cards which are thrown away each year. It’s estimated by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, that around 50,000 trees are cut down each year to make enough paper to wrap presents. Also, around 12 million tonnes of plastic enter our environment each year, equivalent to a bin lorry load every minute.

Approximately £4 billion is spent on unwanted gifts. That is over 60 million unwanted gifts every year! . https://www.gov.uk/government/news/24-ways-to-waste-not-this-christmas

The Definition of a Circular economy:” maximising the use of products to the point where there is practically no waste”

Unfortunately, we live in a Linear economy: where many products are made and simply discarded and while we do have a recycling economy it is extremely difficult to strike a balance in a world where we are economically reliant on consumerism.

It is a massive global challenge to preserve the limited resources of the Earth as best we can. If we can succeed we can avoid worsening moral, economic, and environmental crisis.

A circular economy is the opposite of a linear economy. It encourages businesses and people to keep reusing products to create a closed-loop system. Ultimately, this will help lower the use of resources and will have a positive effect on the amount of pollution, waste, and carbon emissions that we produce. A greener perspective can also create jobs and boost economic growth.

Individually people may feel powerless but collectively all those things you do add up to make a big difference so never underestimate the contribution you make, weather its buying less, shopping sustainably, recycling, buying local food, not buying carrier bags, home composting or just walking more often.

People are beginning to adopt a mindset of reduction as well as reusing and recycling products. The emphasis has been towards recycling which still uses energy, resources and effort so reduction is the most effective tool we have in reducing our environmental impact. The less waste you produce, the more impact you will have on the environment.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/24-ways-to-waste-not-this-christmas

December - Altar Magic

Although Personally I don’t enjoy the term “altar” because for me it has a religious connotation it would be remiss of me to not introduce the idea of creating/ enhancing your own scared space.

In fact unknowingly you probably have one already, it might be a shelf that displays things that are meaningful to you. It might be as simple as a sideboard with photographs on, you might have a table where you light a candle to mark special occasions. Any of these can be considered an altar, which is effectively a focal point and a reflection of your magical self

“Simply put, an altar is a physical object or set of objects placed in a purposeful way, and in a purposeful place, that have spiritual significance to you”

You can use your altar in many different ways it can be simply something that brings you joy and is nice to look at, or you may start to develop your own rituals or spiritual practice.

I think of my cupboard top altar as a shop window of me, I design a display to look nice , add crystals and relate it to moon phases, wiccan sabbats, anniversaries or even to how I am feeling at a particular time, basically whatever I am drawn to .

This is my own Cupboard top for December which for me symbolises winter, I have white candles to symbolise darkness giving way to light and a pottery object to symbolise gathering at Christmas, the pink rose was a gift which is the colour pink, symbolising unconditional love.

Some people will display an angel or intention card which they may choose daily or weekly, others use their alter as a focus for gratitude by adding happy jars and mementos and in some traditions altars are used to honour ancestors on a particular day.

Share your displays triplemoonnet@gmail.com.

The Wiccan Wheel of the Year

You don’t have to be a practising Wiccan to appreciate the wheel of the year. For me the Wiccan sabbats are a perfect excuse to gather with friends and family, you can take the broad themes and be as creative as you like, the sabbats are not commercialised and there is no expectation.

I feel more connected to the seasons and more mindful of the seasons and guests are always happy to celebrate something.

Whilst researching I have come across a number of sites, I think this one is worth a look if you would like to expand your knowledge. https://www.mabonhouse.co/wheeloftheyear

The Joy of Crystals

The word 'crystal' comes from the Greek word for ice, as it was believed clear quartz was water that had been frozen so deeply it would remain a solid.

Crystals have been prized for thousands of years for their beauty and healing properties.

So What Are Crystals?

• Crystals take millions of years to form underground.

• Crystals are basically an established batch of molecules or atoms.

• The way crystals are formed (by repeating chemical structures) is believed by some to imbue them with the ability to hold energies.

• There are different types of crystals, depending on the type of mineral it’s made from and the conditions it grows in.

• These differences are thought to change the effect the crystal has energetically.

• Crystals come in many different shapes and sizes, and each one has different characteristics.

You can use crystals by placing them around your home or work place.

Another lovely way to use crystals is to incorporate them into other wellness practices like yoga and meditation. Hold a crystal during meditation or when you go to sleep this this can help balance your energies.

A crystal arrangement on a dining table with candles can add to your evenings ambience.

Create a personal collection to use on daily basis. In the next edition I will share details of my personal favourites.

Wellbeing - Self Care

Self – Care has become a well-used and commonly misunderstood term. While some people view self-care as a luxury, there are many others who regard it as just another thing to add to an already exhaustive list . Equally there are some who do manage to carve out time for a hurried massage or meditation which does little to make their lives feel better.

With people living increasingly busy lives and spending increasing time residing in their heads Self care has never been more important.

Self-Care is what a person does to promote their own physical, mental, and emotional health. Neglecting self care can leave you feeling overwhelmed, tired, and ill-equipped to handle life's inevitable challenges.

Self-care is vital for building resilience toward those stressors in life that you can't eliminate and when you take steps to care for your mind and body, you'll be better equipped to live your best life. Making time to check in with yourself is the best way to get a clear measure of how you are feeling.

Self-Care takes a number of forms

· Physical self-care is about making lifestyle choices that help you stay fit & healthy because when you look after your body you will think and feel better .

· Social self-care is about maintaining connections are important to your well-being because it can be difficult to make time for friends and family and neglect your relationships when life gets busy.

· Psychological well-being involves taking good care of your thoughts and feelings and being aware of the way you speak to yourself.

· Emotional self-care is about acknowledging and expressing your feelings regularly and safely and helps you respond rather than react to life’s challenges. It's important to have healthy coping skills to deal with uncomfortable emotions, like anger, anxiety, and sadness.

· Spiritual self care is comprised of actions we take to deepen our connection with our higher self & who we truly are and what matters most to us.

· Professional self care is related to your work life and adopting self care practices that ensure you have a good work life balance.

If you are looking to improve your self-care practice you might find that completing an audit will help you to identify areas in your life that may need your attention.

If you would like to your own self care audit contact triplemoonnet@gmail.com .

Use you audit to set the foundations for creating a personal self-care plan. For information and help on creating your personal plan check back for the second edition In January 2023.

The Last Word

Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog, historically new age thinking has been marginalised and people like me were afforded labels such as witch, tree hugger or hippy because we sought out natural remedies, chose to sort our rubbish, reuse & fix things and home composted.

Fortunately, the tide has turned, and historical wisdom with practices such as wicca, natural remedies, home growing have seen a revival, as people are starting to wake up and connect with their environment and look for alternative ways to understand, live and appreciate life.

Some people say that it’s all gone too far and effectively we are doomed, personally I think that is a convenient excuse for inaction.

I believe there is hope and I still think the world is full of magic.

Be blessed

triplemoonnet@gmail.com