I hope you had a blessed Yule. The celebration of light is a beautiful time to honour the return of the sun. But in the afterglow of the metaphorical Yule fire, we can also use the celebration as inspiration.
On the day of the Solstice, I had the great fortune of gathering with some of the most amazing witches in Ottawa. We held a lovely social gathering at Witch Chest, and everyone made merry. Unlike a typical monthly gathering, we didn’t hold a formal ritual — instead, we used the time simply to embrace each other.
Upon reflection, that ironically makes the evening even more magickal. The gathering of like‑minded people sharing food, music, and camaraderie was an ancient and powerful kind of magick. A celebration of love and abundance that blessed everyone present.
As a fun activity, we made pomanders out of oranges and cloves. People perforated the fruit with various designs, which led someone to ask about the meaning of spirals. In the moment, I drew a blank.
Now, as the fires of Yule dim, I reflect on that question and it feels deeply meaningful. The Wheel of the Year, after all, is a spiral, not a loop. Each Yule brings us back to the same place, but wiser, deeper, more ourselves. It gives us new insight that can help light our path for the coming year as we become the witches we want to be.
One of the great aspects of Yule is the celebration itself — the gifts, the feasts, the joy. Not only because of the delight they bring, but because they allow us to be fully in the moment, free from life’s worries for a time. And because of that, the aftermath can be powerful.
When we have a problem to solve, sometimes the best thing we can do is stop thinking about it for a while. After the Yule celebration is over, in the darkness of the longest night, the light of inspiration can come to us. In that moment, Yule becomes a time of conscious intention‑setting.
For me, this Yule’s insight was unexpected and beautiful. In my practice, I work with the Morrígan — not a goddess typically associated with Yule. Her no‑nonsense approach to doing what must be done, as a fierce and efficient deity, doesn’t exactly scream carefree celebration. Yet like most pagan deities, she is complicated.
Despite her reputation, she isn’t only about death and war. If you look into her personas as a triple goddess, you find that she can be deeply nurturing. This Yule, I had an epiphany: in the year ahead, I am ready and willing to embrace the gentle, nurturing aspects of myself.
Too often, a ritual witch like myself gets caught up in the high magick — the ceremony, the structure, the pomp. Sometimes the most powerful magick is in the mundane. Sharing time with the community reminded me of that and helped me value the simpler side of the craft in a new way.
In that moment, it also occurred to me that everything I’ve been doing lately — including this blog — has been leading me toward embracing the more nurturing side of my personality. It allowed me to affirm within myself that this year will be a turning point, where I help lift the community to new heights. Not as a resolution, but as a soul promise.
Every day will be a chance to do a small but meaningful thing to move me along that path. After all, a marathon isn’t completed quickly. It is completed by striving consistently over a long period of time.
With that in mind, has the Yule fire brought insight to you? In the calm stillness of Yule’s shadow, what will you do with this returning light? Did Yule light a fire within you? What can you do each day or each week to make your desire a reality?
In closing, I want to offer a Yule blessing:
As the world is wrapped in darkness, may you see the light.
As the earth is frozen, may you feel the warmth of love.
As the Wheel continues to turn, may your life’s spiral dance bring you joy, peace, and prosperity.
May the cold wind of life be at your back, and the magick of the returning sun shine upon your face.
So mote it be.
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