Winter Magick

Winter Magick December 6, 2022

We give a lot of attention to October and Halloween as a time for witches, but December is no stranger to witches and magic either. The Yuletide season historically spans from Samhain through Imbolc, with all manner of creatures and stories filling the nights with mischief and magic. Though this time of year can be very stressful in practical matters, there are a variety of ways we can lighten our spirits and deepen our magickal practice as we journey through the dark half of the year.

Snow Magick and Winter Spirits

There are a whole host of spirits we can work with and honor this season, from faeries and ancestors to elementals and beyond. Finding the magic in this season is largely an act of listening, observation, and play. Recognizing the cold weather as Jack Frost personified brings a whole new energy to the experience of snow and ice. Make a snowman or blow bubbles out in the cold to play with him. Draw sigils in the snow with intention. Spend time snowshoeing or ice skating. Talk to the snow as it falls. Collect freshly falling snow in a bowl under a full moon and infuse it with rose petals, then use it to wash your face for a new perspective. Get to know this aspect of the weather in a very physical way and you will find many gifts within the experience.

Leave a little bit of butter out for the faeries while you’re at it and dress your home with holly. Burn juniper incense to cleanse your space and keep harmful spirits away. Surround yourself with creature comforts such as soft blankets and pillows and a selection of delicious teas. Make your living space your haven of warmth and adorn it with greenery and soft lighting to remind you of the return of spring for those days that feel too frigid for your spirit.

Working With Perchta and Other Spirits

Feed yourself with warm, hearty foods such as chicken and dumpling soup, and make aromatics such as cinnamon and rosemary a staple in your life. These will lend their warmth to you, fortifying you and giving you strength in body and in spirit to weather the harshest aspects of the season. Ask the spirit of Bear to teach you what it truly means to hibernate. In the spirit of rest, you could use this time for dream divination and exercising your psychic abilities. Put a little mugwort under your pillow and ask your ancestors to visit you in your dreams.

Perchta is a goddess who was originally known to bless the fields with snow so that they could rest before yielding generous crops the following year. Consider your own needs for rest and what you’re building for yourself. We also require rest, despite what our society would have us believe. It’s natural and good for us to align with the seasons as best as we can. Call upon Perchta to help you. Write down what you want to see blossom in your life in the coming months, and then go outside and bury your petition in the snow. Ask Perchta to make your restful season restorative and bountiful. Leave her an offering of porridge as thanks.

Self-Care Magick

This can be a difficult time of year. Caring for yourself first by honoring what your body, mind, spirit, and heart require is a special kind of healing magic. I gave a lot of active suggestions for embracing the magic of the season, but let’s not forget that this is also a season of receiving. Sometimes the magic you need is in the inspiration you get from favorite movies or books, sometimes it’s in embracing the power of “no” and setting limits on what you’ll give to others or allow in your life. Sometimes it’s in letting go and becoming friends with your grief. You have a whole host of spirits walking beside you, and they are easier to connect with this time of year. Take care of yourself, make space for joy, and know that you are never alone.

Jessica Jascha is a clinical herbalist, intuitive consultant, and writer in Minnesota. She provides herbal medicine consultations, tarot readings and spiritual mentorship, hosts the Moon Ritual Subscription, and teaches. You can find her at jaschabotanicals.com or on Facebook.

 

featured image via pixabay


Browse Our Archives