It’s just about time for turkey, stuffing, and familiar old songs on the radio. I always get a bit nostalgic at Thanksgiving, and I’m blessed to be able to spend Turkey Day offering up gratitude and laughter (and sometimes stress) with my family. But whether you’re flying solo this season or surrounded by second cousins, it’s important to make time for magic before you plunge into the madness of the coming months.
I want to share one of my favorite solitary spells for gratitude with you before I head to Thanksgiving dinner this week. You can totally do this spell at any time of the year, but it always springs to mind for me around the holidays.
You’ll need:
- Food (something homemade is good, but anything is fine: I prefer to use bread or another baked good, probably for the comfort factor.)
- Tea or another beverage
- A white candle, large enough to be re-lit
- A space where you can be alone and uninterrupted
Set up your space in a way that feels sacred. For me, I do this ritual at the little altar in the corner of my bedroom, which I decorate and change to suit the seasons and my moods, but if you’ve got quiet time at the kitchen table and feel safe and secure there, then this spell can just as easily be done there. Trust your instincts; you know what feels sacred to you.
Prepare the food, preferably on a pretty plate, and make yourself a cup of tea (or pour a hot toddy; whatever floats your boat!). Bring your food and drink into your sacred space, and ground and center. I like to do this sitting on the floor, legs crossed and eyes closed, but you may prefer to stand.
Once you feel rooted in the space, open your eyes and light the candle. If you want to invoke a particular deity, now would be a good time to do it. Otherwise, you can just say something like, “I pause today to offer thanks for the bounty in my life.”
Slowly, eat your food, leaving half of it on the plate. I like to talk to Goddess while I’m doing this, thanking her for specific blessings in my life, but you can be silent, too. Whatever feels right!
When you’ve ingested your gratitude, dismiss any deities you may have called, and extinguish the candle, saying, “I welcome your gifts into my life with open arms, and I am grateful.”
Next, take the remaining portion of your magical snack outside. If you have a place where you commonly leave offerings, that’s a good spot for it, but if not, just leave it under a tree or in an unobtrusive place. Don’t forget to come back for the plate in a day or two!
This spell is a nice addition to the “Spell for Comfort” I share in Chapter Three of Goddess Spells for Busy Girls, but you can totally perform it by itself, too.
Wishing you a magical Thanksgiving filled with moments of intentional gratitude!
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