Plant plants. Depending on where you live, this may or may not be a good time to plant plants outside. You can also start seeds inside if it’s too cold outside to plant anything yet.
Dye eggs. Eggs have been a symbol of death and rebirth for over 60,000 years. However, dying them is one of the few traditions that do have Christian origins. It was the early Christians in Mesopotamia that dyed eggs red to symbolize Christ’s blood. Though there are a few sources that link it to Germanic Pagan practices as well. Either way, you can still enjoy dying eggs. There are many online tutorials explaining natural dying methods, or you can get a kit from the store.
Have an egg hunt. Whether it’s plastic eggs with toys or candy inside or actual eggs, this can be a lot of fun, especially with kids.
Balance an egg. I know that this seems weird, but it can be done! Supposedly this is one of two days a year where this is possible.
Go for a walk outside. No matter what climate you live in, this is a great way to connect with nature and whatever Ostara feels like where you live.
Decorate your home or altar with flowers. Flowers are another symbol of the fertility of the season.
Go flower picking. Many areas have flowers that grow naturally. Go for a walk and find them!
Make flower crowns or necklaces.
Make foods related to the time of year. Make and eat foods with eggs, baby greens, veal, rabbit, or any foods that are in season for you right now.
Plan a garden. This is a great time to plan a garden, unless the planting season has already begun.
Decorate a tree with wooden painted eggs. Many people decorate outside trees with plastic eggs, but wooden eggs are an environmentally friendly alternative.
Decorate your home with symbols of new life. Bunnies, chicks, baby animals, seedlings, flowers are all fun things to decorate your home with.
Have some intimate time. Fertility is a big part of this holiday, though there are some superstitious people who don’t do it during this unless they’re trying to conceive.
Bake. Challa, hot cross buns, bunny or egg shaped cookies are all things that are appropriate for this season.
Read stories about the season. Read about the Green Man or Persophone. There are many stories about this time of year.
Do animal magic. This can be anything from pretending to be an animal with young kids to doing actual shamanic work.
Go bird watching. Birds tend to be more active this time of year. You may want to learn some nice calls as well.
Dance. Find some music and let yourself go!
Do an Ostara ritual. One of these days I will get around to writing some rituals for each sabbat. When I do that, I will post the link here.
Dress in new clothes. This is an old custom for this time of year.
Make a Swedish Snow Lantern. This is a fun way to enjoy the snow, involve kids, and candles. If you live somewhere there is snow, this is a great way to spend the day.
Make a Brigid’s Cross. The Goddess Brigid is always a big part of Imbolc. This cross is usually hung over or near the entry doorway for protection?
Light candles. Candles are used as a form of sympathetic magic to help bring the sun and the warmth back after winter.
Clean your home. A long time ago, our ancestors that lived in colder climates, virtually spent all of their time indoors. As a result, their homes were well-kept during this time.
Declutter your home. Again, one of the themes of this day is about hearth and home. If you have more items than you need, take the time to figure out what you no longer need and donate, sell, or give it to someone who needs it.
Cleanse your home. Every so often, homes have negative energy build up. Now is a great time to cleanse your home of that negativity.
Do guided meditations. A lot of this day is about stillness as well. Search YouTube and find some guided meditations that you like.
Do inner work. Do lit work. Do shadow work. Learn to lucid dream, astral project, or shamanic journeying. The important this is to improve your spirituality by learning something new.
Unplug all electronics for the day. This should be a day of calm self-refllection. Electronics tend to ruin that. Turn off all electronics. If it’s something that you find difficult to do, you may want to make it a habit. Back when I was learning to meditate, I was encouraged to do it during down time like waiting in line at the post office or grocery store. However, that’s the time when most of us pull out our phones now, robbing us of those opportunities.
Light your home by candlelight for the night. I always loved candlelight. It really seems to make things seem special. It gives enough light for interactions with family and friends, but not really enough for solo activities.
Make and eat foods made with milk and dairy products. This is probably the least-celebrated of all of the Sabbats, historically. I think there were only two cultures that celebrated it, back in the day. Those that did, celebrated it because after a long and hard winter, the goats started to lactate again, giving everyone milk and cheese to eat. You don’t have to go out of your way to get goats milk and cheese, but if you do, my favorite is gjetost, a Norwegian goat cheese. But really anything to do with dairy is great. We have a homemade Mac & cheese recipe we like. Ice cream or cheesecake are also fun options. Here is a link to some other cooking options for Imbolc.
Make your own cheese. Making your own cheese is surprisingly easy. The tough part is finding creamline milk that hasn’t been ultra pasteurized. I am lucky that I have a dairy up the road that sells milk like that! Here is a how-to guide on making simple cheese at home.
Read books to improve your spiritual knowledge. There are so many great Pagan books out there. There is also a lot of fluff out there too. In order to find a good book nowadays I usually go off the recommendations of friends or go to an actual bookstore and flip through the book first. You can also try the inter-library loan system. Unfortunately, where I live, they don’t have a lot of Pagan books, even for inter-library loan.
Feed animals who might be struggling through the winter. Those of us whose ancestors lived in cold climates struggled with having enough to eat throughout the winter. Animals still experience that struggle. If you live in a cold climate, consider leaving out some food for them.
Take a walk in the snow (if your locale permits). Even if you live in a warm climate, it’s still a great idea to take a walk in nature and experience what weather is typical for Imbolc in the climate you live in.
Create a corn dolly. This sounds odd because corn is associated with Lughnasadh, but the husks need to be dried first. Apparently Imbolc was a time they were made, possibly in keeping with the need for fertility for planting at Ostara. Here is a tutorial on how to make one.
Create a protective sigil. Home magic is something that is great to do on this day. Here is a guide to making your own sigil.
Do divination. Divination is something else that was commonly practiced historically. Usually questions were asked about the harvest and community, but feel free to ask what you want to know. Don’t have a form of divination? Now s a great time to learn! Tarot, runes, pendulums, palmistry, tea leaves, scrying, the choices are endless!
Tell stories. Now is a great time for storytelling, preferably by candlelight. Pick stories that teach a lesson, teach about your religion, or traditional stories from your people.
Do a ritual. Spend time honoring your personal God’s and beliefs in a ritual.
As a Wiccan and a music teacher, one of my favorite things about the holiday season are singing holiday songs. While some people enjoy them, there’s nothing that bothers me more than Christmas songs that have had their lyrics changed to Pagan words. I think we have many other options of both traditional and original music that there really is no need for it. Here is a list of songs you can sing during Yule. I have also created a playlist for them all on YouTube so you can play through them to set a holiday atmosphere this Yule!
Traditional “Christmas” carols that are really Pagan
1.Deck the Halls – Most people think of it as a Christmas song, but there is no mention of Christ or Christmas. The lyrics of the first verse portray decorating the house with Holly, wearing festive clothes, and singing carols. The second verse refers to the Yule log and “Yuletide treasure”. This is definitely a Pagan song.
2. Here We Come A-Wassailing – This “Christmas” song is about the tradition of wassailing in Great Britain. It stems from the idea that fuedal lords shared their exceeds with the peasents. Most people think of the holiday tradition of wassailing where people go caroling from house to house and are given wassail to drink. There are also traditions in cider producing regions of England that are more in line with Mabon where they crown a king and queen who bless the fruit to ensure a good apple harvest.
3. Boar’s Head Carol – This lesser-known carol gives the details of a feast featuring a boar. There are a few Latin phrases, but none of them really translate to anything related to Christmas.
4. O Tannenbaum – Most people think tannenbaum translates to “Christmas Tree”, but it really means fir tree or pine tree. The rest of the carol talks about how the tree stays green all year round and how beautiful the tree is. How Pagan can you get?
5. The Holly and the Ivy – It is very clear that this song was originally Pagan. The entire first verse is full of nature references . It mentions the rising of the sun, a popular Solstice theme. It also references the battle between the Holly King and the Oak King, though he is referred to as the ivy in this song. For example, “of all the trees that are in the woods, the Holly wears the crown.” Only the subsequent verses are Christian in nature, leading us to believe they were added to the song after the fact. The comparisons of the holly to Mary and the Christ child in the following verses are really a pretty far stretch. We don’t have any historical evidence that I am aware of with other lyrics for the other verses, but I think that the first verse does well on its own.
Honorable mentions: Patapan – Who can resist a carol with Pan in the title? It’s mostly about celebrating with music. There is a mention of Noel in the original language, which could translate to either Christmas or Yule, though all of the modern English versions opt to use Christmas. Another honorable mention: In The Bleak Midwinter – the first verse is full of beautiful winter imagery, but the rest is all about Christ. All of the lyrics were written at the same time, so it was definitely intended to be a Christmas song. Even so, the first verse might make a beautiful addition to your carols.
Traditional “Christmas” carols that are really just winter songs
6. Jingle Bells – A lot of people think of this song as a Christmas song, but there is no mention of the holiday at all. The lyrics merely detail a sleigh ride.
7. Let it Snow – This song describes a common feeling many of us have if you live anywhere that it snows. It is the feeling of being warm and comfortable and watching it snow.
8. Winter Wonderland – The idea that the season of winter changes the landscape into a wonderland is definitely a Pagan one.
9. Jingle Bell Rock – This is a nice upbeat song about nothing in particular. It certainly doesn’t mention any holidays, Christian or Pagan.
10. Frosty the Snowman – What Pagan doesn’t love the idea of personified snow? It’s a great song for kids, though the lyrics don’t exactly make it easy for kids to remember.
Honorable mention: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – I think the title of this one describes this song nicely. There are references to holiday traditions, but there is one mention of “Christmases long long ago”. Other honorable mention: Baby It’s Cold Outside – I don’t particularly like this song because to the modern ear it sounds a lot like date rape. However, in the context of the time it was written, it was more likely meant as a woman who was reluctant to leave and felt the need to say she had to go because of societal expectations of the time.
Modern original songs about Yule
11. The Christians and the Pagans by Dar Williams – This song is a favorite of mine. It tells the story of Amber and Jane who were visiting a town for Solstice and decide to visit Amber’s “Christ-loving uncle”. It is an upbeat feel-good song with some amusing moments about the meeting of cultures like when Amber’s cousin asked if she was a witch.
12. Santa Claus is Pagan Too by Emerald Rose – I almost didn’t include this one in the list because it mentions Santa Claus. However, it’s clever and catchy and explains the Pagan origins of Santa.
13. Solstice Carol by Wyrd Sisters – This simple song is easy to sing along with and is written in Dorian mode, which seems to be a standard for Pagan music.
14. Solstice Evergreen by Spiral Dance – There is some nice imagery in addition to a singable tune.
15. On Midwinter’s Day by Damh the Bard – This upbeat song mentions other Pagan holidays and ideas, while celebrating Midwinter’s day.
Modern popular music that could be used to celebrate Yule
16. White is In The Winter Night by Enya – This song evokes thoughts of celebration and the winter holidays without directly mentioning any of them. Mistletoe, holly, candles, and colors of the season are all mentioned in this song by Enya.
17. Song for A Winter’s Night by Sarah McLaughlin – Her haunting voice really evokes the sense of winter, even though the vocals often dwell on other things.
18. Winter by Tori Amos – I chose this song because it mentions some of the symbolism of winter. Winter is a time for introspection (“Mirror mirror, where’s the crystal palace? But I can only see myself.”). Winter is also considered a time symbolizing old age (“Hair is grey and the fires are burning. So many dreams on the shelf.”). Tori Amos isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, mostly because it’s abstract and full of symbolism, but that’s why it makes this list.
19. Solstice Bells by Jethro Tull – It’s tough to believe that popular bands were playing music about the Solstice for this long, but Jethro Tull was ahead of it’s time. It is sad that in the mix the instruments overwhelm the vocals.
20. Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles – While not really a song one tends to associate with the holiday, it’s lyrics very much describe the coming of the sun.
Here is the playlist containing my top choices for each category including instrumentals, for your holiday celebrations. I tried to choose videos that didn’t have to ensure songs played consecutively.
Do you know of a song that should make this list? If so, leave it in the comments below!
Lughnasadh (the three most common pronunciations are; loo-NAS-suh, LOO-nah-sod, or loo-NESS-uh) takes place on August 1st in the northern hemisphere and February 1st in the southern hemisphere. This is my explanation of this holiday. It may or may not work for you and your path. There are a number of things that this Sabbat usually celebrates:
Fertility (in plants, animals, and humans)
The first harvest
Honor the God Lugh
Honor any other deities related to the harvest (there are many)
Some ways of celebrating culturally are:
Creating a feast with harvest foods
Baking bread
Making jelly or jam
Making tomato sauce
Preserving food (canning, jarring, etc.)
Going on a picnic
Going for a hike
Singing
Playing games, especially outdoor games
Plan a BBQ with seasonal foods
Make crafts using corn and corn husks
Some ritual ideas are:
Imbibe food with intention or energy and eat it
Make sacrifices to the local land wights, fae, or whatever else you believe in
I am part of a lot of Wicca groups on Facebook. Almost daily we get someone who is new and wants to know about Wicca or Paganism asking what they need to do. Some also ask for a teacher. Almost 100% of the people who respond to those posts send them a book list to read. There are tons of people who do not learn that way and could use a teacher. Admittedly, people are going to have to read this, but I’m not giving you full books to read. These are my recommendations for people who are new and want to learn more.
Figure out what you believe. Is there a specific pantheon you are interested in? Are you interested in a specific type of Wicca? Figure out which deities you want to worship.
How would you like to worship?
Are you light, dark, or grey? Are you interested in only good deities and harming none? Are you interested in being in the middle because nature isn’t just light? Are you interested in dark imagery and exploring the darker side of you?
Are all of these questions too much or too specific for you? Here are some good ways to get started in Wicca. There are other types of Paganism out there worth looking into as well, in case you decide Wicca isn’t right for you.
Look into different Gods and Goddesses to see which ones resonate with you.
Connect with like-minded people. Find others near you. There are a number of groups on Facebook. Join them and see if there is anyone who lives near you. Check meetup to see if there is a local group. See if there are any metaphysical shops near you. They may offer classes or at least may connect you with any groups in the area. See if there is a Pagan Pride Day near you. Attend and make some friends!
Don’t agree with my assessments about the Elements, Sabbats and Esbats, altar tools and setup, or how to create a Circle? That’s great! That means you have an opinion on how something works and that will help you better find the path that’s right for you. There is no right way to worship in Wicca. Find what works for you and do it!
Several of you may have noticed that I didn’t mention divination (like tarot cards, pendulums, runes, etc.) or spells. Wicca is a religion. While many people who believe in Pagan religions may cast spells or read tarot cards, they are not a part of the religion. There are people who do divination and cast spells that are not religious and there are people that worship in this religion without doing divination and casting spells. For those who are interested, I will include articles about those in the future.
A final note about meeting Wiccans in real life. Because this is more of a “do-it-yourself” religion than book religions, we often end up with a lot of the people that are no longer welcome in churches, a synagogues, or mosques for a variety of reasons that then choose Paganism. There are some socially awkward people, some flaky people, and some toxic people. If you see any red flags, avoid those who display them. However, there are some truly wonderful Pagans out there, so don’t let that deter you from finding your tribe!
The root of the word “pagan” originally meant to live in the countryside. Many years ago, when Catholicism was spreading throughout the cities of Europe, those that lived in the countryside still worshiped the “old Gods” because Christianity hadn’t yet spread to the more rural areas yet.
Today, Paganism is basically the revival of the worship of the old Gods and the traditions that came with them. However, Paganism is often a modern take on old religions. While it may have some similarities to some of those old religions, they rarely look to recreate exactly how worship was done originally. Different traditions may have specific ways of doing things (such as Gardnerian Wicca), but most of their traditions aren’t much more than a century old.
Because there are so many sects and traditions of Paganism, the only things they really have in common is that they are polytheistic and worship nature. There are also eclectic Pagans that take what they want from whatever religions they want and call it their own. I consider myself an eclectic Pagan, but I mostly practice Wicca these days.
The pentacle is often used as a symbol of Pagans. Contrary to popular opinion and various horror movies, this symbol is not Satanic in nature, not even when it’s upside-down. In fact, the majority of Pagans don’t believe in Satan, similar to the way that the majority of Christians don’t believe in Thor (as a God, not as a Marvel character). The points of the pentacle symbolize the five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. The circle represents many different things to different traditions. Two examples are the Wheel of the Year (the fact that the seasons are cyclical) and the Circle that is often created in which rituals are to be performed.
Many people wonder what sort of moral code of ethics Pagans follow. I’ve heard someone ask, “Without a Bible or Commandments to follow, how do you know how to be a good person?” The answer is we don’t need those things for us to be good people. We don’t need the guilt of sin or the fear of the afterlife to make us into good people. Most of us (as people, not as Pagans) already know what is right and wrong without a written doctrine. However, there is a general precept that whatever you do comes back to you times three. I have an amendment to that notion. Whatever you do comes back to you as many times as you need to learn your lesson. Wicca also has the Wiccan Rede which reads, “Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: ‘And harm ye none, do what ye will.'”
Some Pagans believe in reincarnation and others don’t. There are many Pagan explanations of where we go when we die. Some believe that we go to the astral plane where our afterlife is what we make of it. Others believe we get sent back again to live other lives. The Rainbow Bridge that seems to be a common idea recently for explaining where pets go when they die actually has Pagan roots.
One thing that I find is that the more experienced I get, the less ritual tools I need. I will list some of the more commonly used ritual tools in Wicca and their uses. Also, all tools should be consecrated (cleansed). Usually this is done by the four elements (passing it through incense, passing it through flame, sprinkling water on it, and sprinkling salt or earth on it).Â
This is actually the one I have on my altar
Athame – Pronounced “ah – thah – meh” , this a ritual knife. Different traditions have different ideas about what this should look like. Some state what color the handle must be, what it is made of, or whether or not the blade should be double-edged. It is associated with the element of fire but some traditions believe it is associated with the element of air. It is often used for channeling and directing energy, cutting things for ritual purposes, and sometimes for casting a circle or calling the elements.
Wand – This is probably the most famous ritual tool and appears in many movies about witches and wizards. However, magic doesn’t happen like that in real life. The wand has little to no power of its own. Like the athame, it is a channel for energy and is also used to direct it. Unlike the athame, it’s usually made out of wood and is associated with the element of air but some traditions associate it with the element of fire. There are many traditions that state how long a wand should be or what should or shouldn’t be added to the wood. It is usually used for casting a circle.
Chalice- This usually represents the element of water. It can be used to share ritual drinks. It can also hold liquids that are used as an offering on an altar. It can represent a womb or a vagina in various workings as well.
Pentacle – This usually represents the element of earth. It can be made of ceramic, wood, or metal depending on your preferences or that of your tradition. A pentacle has the symbol of a five pointed star surrounded by a circle. Contrary to popular belief, it does not have to be ‘point up’ or ‘point down’. I haven’t seen it used often in rituals and believe that its primary purpose is to help provide grounding and to be a symbol of spirituality. Sometimes it is kept in the middle of the altar as well.
Incense – Incense varies based on the herbs and the scents. While it is considered an air element, the uses vary based on what type of incense you are using. For example, sage is usually used for cleansing and purification.
Candle – Candles usually represent the element of fire, but their uses can vary depending on their color. For example, they can be used to represent the four elements if you choose candles with colors representing each element. They can also represent a God or Goddess. They can be inscribed with symbols, herbs, or oils for a purpose and burned to achieve that purpose.
Cauldron – These are also often associated with witches. Cauldrons can be used similar to a chalice to represent a womb. They are associated with the element of water. They can also be used to combine herbs or “potions”. Mostly, I have seen them used to burn pieces of paper with words written on them.
Salt – Salt is sometimes left as an offering in a dish or used as a cleansing/purifying agent.
Crystals and gemstones- Crystals are often chosen for a purpose (for example amethyst is used to promote the psychic abilities). Gemstones all have different uses and affiliations, similar to incense. Clear quartz can be imbibed with power and used for a specific purpose. They can also be used to represent the different elements or a specific deity.
One of the reasons I started this blog was because I was feeling really stagnant in my spirituality. I used to just celebrate the Sabbats with my Circle. Then I moved away for a year and didn’t really celebrate them much at all. I am really trying to find a way to live as a Pagan rather than just be like one of those Christians who goes to church on just Easter and Christmas. I am back, but moved a bit far to make it to every Circle, though I am close enough to attend some of them now.
Anyway, what I really want to do is make Paganism a daily habit and a family identity, now that my son is 15 months old. Now is the time to start new habits and traditions because my son will grow up thinking that this is the way things have always been because he won’t remember a time when they weren’t! My religion was always very internalized. It doesn’t help that I have to hide it at work, so my practice has almost always been in my mind and my heart. It’s difficult to do this with any religion that one converts to because one must start from scratch and learn to start incorporating new traditions. At least with the book religions, there is a set way of doing things. One thing I like about eclectic Paganism is that you can pick and choose what you like. The down-side is I have to pick and choose how to practice. There are a number of things that I need to do:
a grace or blessing for food (I wanted something relatively short and simple that rhymes, but haven’t found one that really resonates with me yet)
create holiday traditions
find some sort of meaningful daily practice that ties into my religion
find or make some Pagan decor
decorate for each holiday
make decorations for each holiday
find a way of explaining each holiday to my family and friends and find a way for them to celebrate it with us if they choose (and if appropriate)
change language from Christian to Pagan (like instead of “oh my God” replace it with “oh my Goddess”, ‘Jesus Christ” can become “Odin’s balls”, etc.)
find some Pagan-friendly children’s books to read to my son
I really like writing this blog because it gives me the opportunity to reexamine my beliefs. I have been focusing on book reviews and Sabbats lately. I love going through my books and rating them based on their usefulness to me! I also love doing each of the Sabbat posts! It’s really starting to give me some more ideas for how to celebrate each Sabbat. I have some ideas for the future too! Once I’m done with the Sabbats, I will move onto the Esbats. Then I will continue onto different deities, ritual tools, spells, and rituals. Oddly enough, out of all of those, I am least familiar with the deities. It’s probably because I see all of the deities around the world as just aspects of one Goddess and one God who, in turn, are just the male and female aspects of one energy/deity/being. As such, I really haven’t researched many of their identities or lore. Ugh, so much to do, so little time!
Anyway, I would love to hear any suggestions you have for ways to incorporate Paganism into daily practice, please leave a comment! Also, if there’s some content you would like to see on here, please comment and let me know!
After a brief introduction on some unnumbered pages, the book starts off with the first chapter: “The First Empowering Step: Setting Your Empowerment Goals”. It has a number of stories of people who improved their situations, a guide on creating sacred space, magic tools and focals, empowering your magical tools, the magic circle, empowering your circle, and closing the magic circle. Then it goes into goals and patters, how to set your empowerment goals, with a number of examples using stories and anecdotes. In this chapter, there is “The First Empowering Step: Love Meditation”, which is kind of confusing, since the chapter is supposed to be the first empowering step which is setting your goals. Then I read on and realized it’s broken into different types of goals: love, health, and prosperity. Each of these has a meditation, affirmation and prayer, how to create a sacred space for your goal, a ritual, and an oracle.
Chapter 2 is on creating your empowerment plan. This and every following chapter has another step to reaching your goals. Each chapter has a small amount of instruction, a few anecdotes or stories, and the following for each goal: love, health, and prosperity. Each step also has a meditation, affirmation and prayer, how to create a sacred space for your goal, a ritual, and an oracle for each type of goal.
Page 265 starts the appendices with appendix 1 on empowering Gods and Goddesses. Appendix B has a list of empowering crystals and gemstones. Appendix C has empowering magical tools. Appendix D lists empowering herbs, plants, trees, and flowers. Appendix E shows some magical symbols and is followed by the bibliography and index.
Verdict: 4/10
This is a great book for someone who has a lot of time to do rituals, guided meditations, and updating their altar and keeping sacred space. It is also a great book for someone who wants to spend a significant amount of time doing meditations and rituals. It was well-researched with some great guided meditations and rituals. The anecdotes made it a fun read and helped illustrate some points, but some readers might see it as “fluff” to lengthen each chapter.
However, it is my opinion that if you want to improve love, health, or money in your life, you can cast a spell or two, but a better use of your time would be actually following a plan to improve those aspects of your life. For example, if I wanted to not be fat (which I do), I could follow the guided meditations and rituals of all 12 steps of this book. Or I could spend that time cooking healthy meals and exercising. That’s why this book got a low rating. It’s not that the book was bad. It does what it says it will do. I just saw the methods offered as being too lengthy for the desired end result. And if I had a dollar for every time the author used the word “empowering”, I’d be rich.
Here is a list of book reviews I have done on Pagan topics and spirituality. It’s going to take some time for me to get a substantial list going, but here is what I have so far. Please comment if there is a book you would like me to review.
