Wintering How-Tos

A light snow in my backyard yesterday morning.

Here’s an excerpt from my short piece on Yule, also known as the winter solstice:

Fear and joy, abundance and lack, darkness and light—these tensions make up the moment of Yule.  The earthly quiet of this season makes it an ideal time to receive messages about ourselves and the world that can’t reach us when we’re so in motion, out and about in the summer light. 

(you can find it in full, for free, over on my Patreon)

The materials I need to ground into a new season are:

1. An understanding of what’s happening in nature

2. A connection to how my ancestors celebrated

3. A tangible action to embody the spirit of the season

4. A meditation

I make these materials for myself, and I post them over on Patreon and Youtube so they can help other folks attune to nature and get into a rhythm of life that feels not just sustainable but good. Yummy. Peaceful. I believe that connection to nature is a crucial piece of collective healing - and damn, do we need that right now.

Tuning In

The first thing I make for each seasonal holiday is Tuning In. (The holidays are the equinoxes, the solstices, and the other seasonal celebrations that happen between those 4 pillars.) Tuning in is about the history of the holiday and the energy of the moment, as we all experience it.

This creation’s format is: A short (roughly 4 paragraphs) written piece, with pictures. Free to all subscribers.

It is best when: You’re interested in learning through reading something short.

Meditation

The next thing I make is a seasonal meditation. I choose something I need, and I create a meditation around calling it in. This month, I wanted peace, a sinking into the quiet earth.

Format: ~10 minute meditation video, on Youtube and Patreon (free to all subscribers / available on Youtube).

Best when: You want to feel calm through connecting with nature.

Ritual

For each holiday, I share a ritual. I use a basic outline and pull from rituals I’ve already created. This is the tangible action, something hands-on that calls on the support of the seasons to move forward in peace and power. It includes accessible materials (water, salt, leaves, dirt, etc.) and usually involves a little journaling.

Format: Written ritual instructions on Patreon (access to these is $3/mo).

Best when: You want something hands-on and magical.

Personalized Tarot Pulls

I said earlier that the first thing I make is Tuning In, which is not quite true - the very first thing I do is 1-card Tarot pulls (subscribers-only). Talking directly to my supporters warms me up for the rest.

Format: A 2-3 minute video card pull, sent directly to you 8 times a year at the Wheel of the Year holidays (this subscription is $8/mo).
Best when: You want support specific to you.

• •

The winter solstice is on Sunday Dec. 21. It’s a great time to pause and be in conversation with the earth. If you’re Patreon-curious, I suggest the $3/tier - it’s cheap, and you’ll get everything above minus the Tarot pull.

If you use any of these materials, I’ll be using them right along with you. I wish you a peaceful and joyful Yule! :)

Lots of love,

Isabel

P.S. I’m going on break! I’ll be away from the newsletter until the new year, enjoy the quiet in your inbox and I’ll be back in a few weeks with more on overcoming people pleasing.

Village Witch’s Corner

Spell of the Week : 

Dive into finishing my novel (!!!!). I’m very close and letting the process carry me through.

Question(s) I'm asking this week:

Where can I take things a little less seriously? Play more, ease up, remember that it’s just one moment in time?

What I’m Reading:

By day, I’m pretty much only reading my own book as I do final revisions. By night, I soothe myself with the lightness of The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband, a Bridgerton book.

Wheel of the year:

Winter is here, December is here, the light wanes, welcoming us into hibernation and mending. Lighting candles and spending time under blankets are ways to celebrate. Slowing our motion and noticing what magic seeps in when we do is also a great one. The weight of the year so far starts to fall away and make space for the new to come in at the Solstice. To learn more about living in alignment with the seasons, sign up for my Patreon (free and paid options available)!