Your spell's over, now what? 3 Ways to release or repurpose your ritual items
You waited for the perfect moon phase, gathered your supplies, and sent your magic out into the world. Now, you’re left with the remnants of your magical workings. What can be done with your leftover jars and bowls of notes, rocks, herbs, and candle wax?Whether your magical workings have come to fruition or not, you have quite a few options when it comes to releasing or reusing your past spells. In this blog post, I’m going to share three different ways to honor and release your sacred spells and objects.
You waited for the perfect moon phase, gathered your supplies, and sent your magic out into the world. Now, you’re left with the remnants of your magical workings. What can be done with your leftover jars and bowls of notes, rocks, herbs, and candle wax?
Whether your magical workings have come to fruition or not, you have quite a few options when it comes to releasing or reusing your past spells. In this blog post, I’m going to share three different ways to honor and release your sacred spells and objects.
It is the very act of your spell and ritual work that releases your desires out into the universe. The remnants left behind can serve as helpful reminders, but repurposing or releasing your spell will not break or reverse anything. There are certainly some practices that may require you to keep the components of your spell intact, however, if that’s the case, you’ll undoubtedly know. Trust your inner guidance system.
As you read through these options, know that you can use one or all of these methods to repurpose or release your spell objects. Some objects may not work for certain methods outlined below, in that case, it’s okay to combine. You can also check out this quick video I created for our Instagram page.
1. Burning Ceremony
Fire is a transformative tool, so this method goes beyond simply making space for new spells. If your spell has ended it may be time to let it transform in new ways. This method can also be helpful to aid you in detaching from the outcome of your spellwork. Fire is powerful!
A burning ceremony is a great option for spells that include paper, herbs, candle wax, and other burnable objects. Most candle wax is paraffin, which means it’s not ideal for burying in the ground, and reusing it can be time-consuming. If your spell has leftover wax, burning it is one of the easiest and safest ways to release it.
For this method, you’ll need a large cauldron, fireproof dish, or outdoor fire. Depending on what the contents of your spell were, you’ll likely want to do this outside to prevent a huge plume of smoke from inhabiting your house. As you release your items into the fire, trust that the energy will continue to transform and benefit yourself and others.
2. Release to the Earth
A gentler option is to release your items back into the Earth. For this method, it’s imperative that you only release items that are natural and biodegradable. For example, most candles are made from paraffin wax and are not suitable for this method. I also do not recommend burying glass jars or bottles. Herbs, plants, biodegradable papers, and crystals are ideal for this method. If your spell was contained in a jar or vessel of some kind, I recommend reusing it, see the next section for tips on this.
Items that should not be given back to the Earth:
Salt: salt can harm or even kill plants
Candle wax: most candles are made with paraffin wax which is not biodegradable
Anything that is not 100% biodegradable
You can bury your items in a meaningful location or in your backyard, the location itself doesn’t need to be special. If you live near a natural body of water, releasing them into the water is a great option as well. This method can be transformative like the fire but in a gentler way. I find this method is great for inspiring a sense of gratitude and giving thanks to Mother Earth.
3. Cleanse and reuse
For all the objects you want to reuse like meaningful crystals and items that don’t burn or biodegrade, you’ll want to energetically cleanse them. Because spell and ritual work evokes such strong emotions, it’s important to energetically cleanse items before reusing them for another purpose. Unless, of course, the energy you imbued your items with is something you want to keep around. However, if you performed a spell for letting go of a past relationship, and then want to use the same jar or tools for helping you gain a new career, it’ll be best to cleanse your items.
There are a variety of ways to cleanse physical objects. Here are a few simple techniques.
Place your items in salt overnight.
Hold your items in cleansing smoke like rosemary, cedar, lavender, or some other herb in line with your spiritual heritage.
For rocks or other items that are waterproof, hold them in running water.
Hold your items in your hands and call on any guides, spirits, or energies you work with to cleanse your items.
No need to let your sacred space fill up with spellwork from the past! I hope you enjoyed these tips to keep your spell and ritual practice open and flowing.
Inspired Growth Candle Ritual for Imbolc
The Celtic Sabbat of Imbolc honors the midway point between the Winter Solstice and Spring. The Earth is starting to wake up, and even though it may be quite cold still, you can start to see glimmers of nature waking up. On a personal level, this is a season to allow inspiration to stir within you. Imbolc is a call to allow your inner transformations so you can grow into the highest and best version of yourself.
The Celtic Sabbat of Imbolc honors the midway point between the Winter Solstice and Spring. The Earth is starting to wake up, and even though it may be quite cold still, you can start to see glimmers of nature waking up. On a personal level, this is a season to allow inspiration to stir within you. Imbolc is a call to allow your inner transformations so you can grow into the highest and best version of yourself. Danu Forest says it best here.
"To call in inspiration is to begin to see our life infused with spirit, to discover a new or renewed vision for greater creativity on all levels. To call in healing is to resolve the things that hold us back or limit our potential. We all have parts of our lives and bodies that need healing, and to give this aspect of ourselves a boost at this time of the year sets us up for a more empowered and happier future." - Danu Forest from The Magical Year
The Goddess Brigid is closely associated with this sabbat. Brigid brings light, inspiration, and healing and aids in childbearing. It’s her whispers which begin to rouse both you and Mother Nature during this time of new beginnings. Brigid connects deeply with the fire element and is often referred to as the “Flame of Ireland.” For these reasons, candle work is especially fitting for Imbolc. Learn more about Brigid here and more about candle magick here.
For this Imbolc ritual, you’ll be calling on the Goddess Brigid to stir inspiration within you. The ideal time to practice this ritual is on the evening of February 1st or anytime on February 2nd. Brigid is associated with the color white, so a white candle will be best for this ritual. As with all ritual work, use what you have. Your intention is the most powerful part of any ritual or spell. If you don’t have one of these items, leave it out, it will still work.
Inspired Growth Candle Ritual for Imbolc
For this ritual, you’ll need:
A white candle
Rosemary for cleansing (optional)
Bay leaf for success (optional)
A sharp tool to inscribe your candle with
Anointing oil for your candle (whatever you have on hand works, such as almond oil or even olive oil. For an extra layer of energy, try rosemary oil, chamomile oil, or basil oil.)
Safe space to burn your candle
Dedicated time to connect with your candle
Prepare all of your items and take a moment to center yourself.
Using your carving tool, write “inspire me” on your white candle. As you carve your candle, visualize yourself opening up to receiving insight and wisdom.
Rub your anointing oil over your candle and continue to visualize yourself opening up to receive inspiration from spirit.
Roll your candle in any herbs you’re using, or sprinkle them on top.
Place your candle in a fire-safe dish or holder and light your candle.
When you light your candle, call on the Goddess Brigid to join you, inspire you, and heal you. You might say something like, “Goddess Brigid, I welcome your light into this space. I am open to your inspiration and healing. So it is.”
Stay with your candle as it burns. Take 2-5 minutes to sit with your candle and softly gaze at the flame.
As the candle continues to burn, you can continue to meditate and connect with Brigid, you can write down any ideas that come to your mind, or you can simply rest and enjoy the healing light of Brigid.
When the candle is done burning, take a moment to thank Brigid for joining you and thank yourself for taking the time to connect with the season.
Just like nature grows without force, so will you. Trust that the stirrings of inspiration that you received are exactly what you need to grow into the highest and best version of yourself. Imbolc blessings, dear one!
Learn more about Imbolc and how to connect with this season here.
Winter Solstice & Yule Spell Jar for Rebirth
The winter solstice, also called Yule in Germanic traditions, is the longest night and shortest day of the year. It is the time we have the most darkness, and after the winter solstice, the sun returns — growing each day.Because of this darkness and the return of the light, the solstice is deeply associated with rebirth. A kind of new year for witches, if you will. In this blog post, I’ll share how to make a DIY spell jar for rebirth in honor of the winter solstice. This would be a great practice to do on the winter solstice or in the days after it! So what are spell bottles or jars? Spell jars are a form of folk magic that can be used for many different purposes. I share more about spellwork below - keep scrolling to read it!
The winter solstice, also called Yule in Germanic traditions, is the longest night and shortest day of the year. It is the time we have the most darkness, and after the winter solstice, the sun returns — growing each day.
Because of this darkness and the return of the light, the solstice is deeply associated with rebirth. A kind of new year for witches, if you will. In this blog post, I’ll share how to make a DIY spell jar for rebirth in honor of the winter solstice. This would be a great practice to do on the winter solstice or in the days after it!
So what are spell bottles or jars? Spell jars are a form of folk magic that can be used for many different purposes. I share more about spellwork below - keep scrolling to read it!
A LITTLE ABOUT SPELLWORK
To me, spells are about directing energy in a specific direction. They’re about using magick, which Dion Fortune defines as “the art of changing consciousness at will,” for healing, manifestation, and connection.
I believe that they can be simple, and all you really need is yourself and your energy. Other items, like the ones we’ll use in this spell, are supportive in infusing some extra magick and energy into the work — but you don’t need them to do spells.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
For this spell, you’ll need:
As with all spells, use what you have. Feel free to substitute items, and don't worry if you're missing something from this list. Your intention is the most important part of any spell!
A glass bottle/jar of any size
Salt of any kind for protection
A piece of paper and pen to write your intention
3-5 drops of oil that supports rebirth like eucalyptus or peppermint
Stones that represent rebirth to you like moonstone, green aventurine, and howlite for peace as you transform. Other stone options could include malachite, citrine, moss agate, or quartz.
Dried or fresh herbs that support rebirth like spruce, pine, or nettle.
Dried or fresh rosemary for clarity and protection.
Cinnamon stick for luck
Dagaz rune, which represents dawn. This can be placed inside your jar or drawn/painted on the outside of your jar.
White candle
Any other representations of rebirth for you
Let yourself be intuitive with your spell ingredients, and feel free to use what you have around you!
SPELL STEPS
Like any spell, you’ll want to center and ground yourself before working the spell. You might spend a few minutes meditating, letting your eyes drift around your space, or doing breathwork or anything else that feels grounding to you. Find ideas for grounding here.
When you feel ready, cleanse each of your items. You can use smoke, sound, salt, or another cleansing technique you align with.
Write your intention for the spell on the paper to add into your bottle.
If you’d like, you can paint your bottle with symbols that represent rebirth to you.
After your bottle is ready, take your time to place each item inside your bottle intentionally. Raise energy as you do this, either with deep breaths or chanting. I recommend coming up with your own chant that focuses energy on connecting to your intuition and developing your intuitive abilities.
When you’re done filling your bottle, seal it, hold the vessel in your hands, and keep chanting or breathing as long as you’d like.
Light your white candle and place it on top of or next to your spell bottle. Be mindful of your candle surroundings and never leave your candle burning unattended. Tip: Melt the bottom of your candle with a flame to make it stick to the top of your jar.
Spend time meditating on your intention as your candle burns. Connect with the feeling of rebirth. Visualize rebirth moving through your cells, making you whole. What would it feel like, look like, even sound like, to be reborn?
Ground the energy after your meditation by placing your palms on the ground and returning any excess energy to the Earth.
I recommend placing the bottle on your altar, keeping it at the forefront of your consciousness while it works its rebirth magic. Keep your Yule spell bottle out for one lunar cycle, until Imbolc, or when you feel ready to take it down.Want more ways to connect with the season of Yule? Check out these articles from our blog:
5 Samhain Rituals + Samhain Correspondences & Card Spread
The ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), celebrated on October 31st and November 1st, marks the end of our seasonal cycle on the Wheel of the Year. This is why it's often referred to as the witch's New Year. Seasonally speaking, Samhain is the third and final harvest of the season or the last rally to store and prepare for the coming Winter season.This sacred celebration reaches much farther than harvests and is also a time when the veil between the physical and spirit world is at its thinnest. The Celtic people believed that spirits walked among them during this time, so Samhain is accepted as an ideal time to communicate and connect with the spirit realm.
The ancient Celtic celebration of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), celebrated on October 31st and November 1st, marks the end of our seasonal cycle on the Wheel of the Year. This is why it's often referred to as the witch's New Year. Seasonally speaking, Samhain is the third and final harvest of the season or the last rally to store and prepare for the coming Winter season.
This sacred celebration reaches much farther than harvests and is also a time when the veil between the physical and spirit world is at its thinnest. The Celtic people believed that spirits walked among them during this time, so Samhain is accepted as an ideal time to communicate and connect with the spirit realm. Here's a fun drawing I created with ritual suggestions for Samhain. Keep scrolling to learn more about each one.
Time to pull out all of your favorite intuitive and protective tools! Let's dig into four different ways to connect with this season through ritual. I'll also share correspondences for Samhain and a card spread to use with your favorite tarot or oracle card deck.
1. Create a Samhain Altar + Samhain Correspondences
Switching up your altar or sacred space for the seasons is an easy way to bring in each celebration's energy on the Wheel of The Year. Get a quick look at how I do this in this video I shared on Instagram for Mabon.
When it comes to changing out your altar, understanding the correspondences (items that carry the similar energy) of Samhain will be helpful. Here's a list of tools and symbols that correspond with Samhain.
Samhain Correspondences:
Themes: Releasing, cleansing, divination, protection, the underworld, offerings for ancestors
Moon Phase: Waning crescent moon
Crystals: Labradorite, obsidian, onyx, garnet, hematite, amethyst
Candle Colors: Purple, black, orange, silver
Tools: Besom (broom), cauldron, any kind of divination tool
Plants and Scents: Mugwort, cinnamon, clove, patchouli
Foods: Apples, pomegranate, pumpkins, nuts, meat
Runes: Algiz, Daggaz, Ansuz, Perthro, Othalo
Gods and Goddesses: Persephone, all crone Goddesses, Callieach, Cerridwen, and Hecate
To create your altar, select items and symbols from the list above and anything else that personally connects you to this season. Clear and cleanse (both physically and energetically) your altar space, then place your altar items with care and intention. I like to end my altar creation by lighting a candle and saying a prayer for the altar's intention. It could be something like this, but feel free to tailor it to your liking.
With this altar, I welcome the final harvest season and the thinning of the veil. I remember my loved ones crossed over and all ancestors before them and share this offering as a sign of my gratitude. Myself and my space are protected from any beings that do not have my highest good in mind. So it is.
2. Sweep away negative energy with a besom
With the thinning of the veil between spirit and physical, it's essential to clear out and protect your space from unwanted energies. I shared a thorough post a few years ago with steps to perform a Samhain house cleansing and blessing; check it out here. Because I already wrote all about performing a house cleansing, I'd like to dive a little deeper into using a besom for Samhain.
A besom, or broom, is a tool used by witches to cleanse a space energetically. Though your besom can clean physically, it doesn't touch the ground when used as an energy cleansing tool. Simply open a door in your house, sweep right above the floor, and visualize negative energy leaving your space.
You can make your besom or find them for purchase at certain stores. I usually get mine from Trader Joe's and like to add my own decorations to it.
3. Connect with your ancestors and give offerings to loved ones in spirit.
There are cultures worldwide who believe that our loved ones come back at certain times to walk among us. We see this in the Dia de Los Muertos in Mexico, Hungry Ghosts day in China, and in Samhain (to name a few.)
Samhain offers us a special time to connect with, honor, and remember all those who have come before us. You can do this in various ways, including by connecting with your ancestors for guidance through your intuition, remembering loved ones and ancestors passed on, or giving loved ones in spirit an offering.
Your altar is a great place to give an offering to any loved ones who've crossed over. An offering to your ancestors could be pictures of them or favorite foods and drinks. You can also connect with ancestors in spirit through meditation and breathwork. Check out this past blog post for steps to work with your ancestors through meditation and breathwork.
Find a guided journey to your ancestors here.
4. Protect yourself!
The thinning veil is a double-edged sword for Samhain. Yes, it is lovely to connect with spirit so easily, but it also leaves you more susceptible to all energies, which may not have your highest good in mind. Because the veil is so thin during this time, take care to protect yourself and your space from any unwelcome energy.
The featured oracle card deck is The Ritual Deck.
A protection tool that works exceptionally well during Samhain is burning dried mugwort. I shared all about this plant here. Some other favorites are salt for banishing, black candles, and the Rune Algiz. Find even more protection tools and rituals in a previous post here.
5. Pull out your intuitive tools + Samhain Card Spread
If you want to connect with spirit, set the wheels in motion for a new desire, or want to learn more about yourself from a higher perspective, now's the time to pull out all the stops and dive deep into your intuitive practice. With the thinning veil between spirit and physical, the doors are wide open for profound intuitive growth, shadow work, and spiritual connections.
Here's a suggested card spread to try out with your favorite tarot or oracle card deck. Samhain tarot or oracle card spread.
In what areas of my life do I need more protection?
What bonds do I need to break free of in my life?
What areas of my life are seeking renewal?
In what areas of my life do I need to allow grieving?
What messages do my ancestors have for me?
There are endless options for performing intuitive work, but some of my favorites for Samhain are candle spells, scrying, oracle and tarot card readings, and journey work.
Samhain is a truly magical time, and I hope you can feel how special it is with everything I've shared here. Remember, there's nothing to fear. At our core, we are spiritual beings too. This unique time offers us the opportunity to connect with a realm we already know so well, even if we've temporarily forgotten. Samhain blessings, dear one!
Spellwork and Witchcraft Ethics
When we understand how powerful witchcraft and spellwork can be, we know that there is as much potentiality for causing harm as there is for healing.I don’t believe that ethics in this area (or any, really) are black and white or something that can be written in a post and passed right along to you. I think ethics are both nuanced and personal. So in this blog, I’ll be sharing a bit of my own thoughts about spellwork and witchcraft ethics, and offering some different areas of reflection for your own spellwork and witchcraft ethics.
When we understand how powerful witchcraft and spellwork can be, we know that there is as much potentiality for causing harm as there is for healing.
I don’t believe that ethics in this area (or any, really) are black and white or something that can be written in a post and passed right along to you. I think ethics are both nuanced and personal.
So in this blog, I’ll be sharing a bit of my own thoughts about spellwork and witchcraft ethics, and offering some different areas of reflection for your own spellwork and witchcraft ethics.
CULTURAL APPROPRIATION + CONSUMPTION
Ijeoma Oluo, author of So You Want to Talk About Race, wrote for Medium, “Cultural appropriation is the misuse of a group’s art and culture by someone with the power to redefine that art and, in the process, divorce it from the people who originally created it.”
Cultural appropriation is rampant in the spirituality, new age, and witchcraft communities. Sacred indigenous plants are bought and sold by white folks, indigenous knowledge is whitewashed, repackaged and sold, and practices are stolen from cultures of color.
The impacts of cultural appropriation are not just personal, they widely function to continue to funnel power towards white folks and away from Black folks, Indigenous folks, and other people of color.
I also personally feel that working with tools and practices from our own ancestry are always going to be more powerful than working with tools and practices that are not from our own ancestry!
Some reflection questions for your own practice around cultural appropriation:
What tools are you using in your magical practice, and where do they come from? If they are from cultures other than your own, how are you giving back, uplifting and supporting those cultures and peoples?
Are they sourced in ways that feel good to you and aligned with your values (for example: are your crystals mined by children? Are trees being chopped down for your Palo Santo?)?
What are the lineages of the practices you use? If you don’t know, do some research.
How were your ancestors practicing witchcraft and magic? What are their traditions? What tools were they using? What were there beliefs? (These are big questions and incredibly important ones, especially for white folks to be asking. It can be hard to find information when much of European folk magic traditions were stolen by Christianity when the religion swept over the continent, but it’s out there. To start ancestral research, I recommend checking out Sanyu Estelle’s Ancestral Altars: Europa Edition recorded class as well as Megan McGuire’s work. Cassie also loves Elen Sentier’s work on British Shamanism.)
CAUSING HARM WITH MAGICK
Just as we can do spellwork to attract love and abundance, we can also practice curses, hexes, and other kinds of spellwork to manipulate and cause harm to others.
It would be easy for me to tell you here: never use curses or hexes, never practice magic that causes harm. There are Wiccan creeds around this that you may be familiar with, the Threefold Law and the Wiccan Rede.
The Threefold Law states that whatever energy you put out will come back to you times three. The Wiccan Rede states “An it harm none, do what ye will.” There are different ways to interpret the Wiccan Rede, but most agree that it means as long as your workings harm no one, do what you feel called to.
I tend to agree with these ideas personally, but it’s not so black and white. Some Black magical traditions like Hoodoo have no such rules and use cursing and crossing in alignment with their own ethics. I think it’s important to stay in my own lane when it comes to passing blanket statements about what it is and isn’t okay to do with magic, when there are deeply rooted traditions that incorporate some of these practices.
We can expand this out and ask, too — is it truly unethical to curse or hex a person who does evil in the world at a large scale?
I don’t have answers for you, but I invite you to reflect on these questions. What settles in your body and heart when it comes to causing harm with magick?
JUSTICE
This brings me to justice. Witchcraft is intrinsically linked to justice and is inherently political, no question about it.
I invite you to ask yourself: how are my spells and magical workings contributing to justice in the world? Or are they functioning to amplify privilege and get only myself ahead?
One of my favorite practices around this was shared by Amanda Yates Garcia, the Oracle of LA. She invites us to send out any spell we do for ourselves for the collective, too. For example, a spell to attract money would also include something like, “as it is for me, as it is for all,” to ask the spell to attract money for all of us. A spell for a new home for yourself might include housing justice for all. A spell for a lover for yourself might include safe and healthy relationships for all. And so on!
CONSENT
One of the key principles in energy work is always getting consent. Energy work has real impacts, and people deserve the opportunity to be able to opt-in to receive it.
For me, this is true regardless of our best intentions - even if we want to send healing to someone we don’t know (who can’t consent) because we think it would really help them.
What is true for you? Ask yourself: what are my consent boundaries with others when it comes to energy?
As you can see, ethics is a murky field but an important one to consider for any witch! My advice is: Work from your own value system. If you’re not clear on what your values are, start there. Let your witchcraft practice reflect your ethos, and know that we all have different values & ideas of what is right or wrong.
At the end of the day, we all have to be able to sleep at night from a place of knowing the truth, not from ignorance of the impacts of our actions. What do you need to change or lean into in your practice to make that so?
3 Rituals for Mabon
Mabon, also known as the fall equinox, is the holiday on the Wheel of the Year that descends us into autumn. On this day, as with both equinoxes, light and dark find balance — we hover, suspended, at an even keel before tipping into more darkness.When we fear darkness, this descent may feel scary. But intentionally working with the seasons and the Wheel of the Year can teach us the inherent goodness in every season, and the necessity of each point in the year.
Mabon, also known as the fall equinox, is the holiday on the Wheel of the Year that descends us into autumn. On this day, as with both equinoxes, light and dark find balance — we hover, suspended, at an even keel before tipping into more darkness.
When we fear darkness, this descent may feel scary. But intentionally working with the seasons and the Wheel of the Year can teach us the inherent goodness in every season, and the necessity of each point in the year. Without the fall and winter dying season, there can be no space for growth in spring and summer.
Without the pruning and reevaluating of the dying season, the growth season brings overwhelm and lack of focus. Without the shadow work fall and winter invite in, spring and summer feel shallow — love and light with no substance. Working with ritual is a beautiful way to honor this sabbat. Scroll down to explore some rituals to inspire your practice for this sacred day and season.
Gratitude Ritual
Often referred to as the Witches’ Thanksgiving, Mabon is thought of by some as a second harvest time. A time to reap what you have sowed, and enjoy the fruits of your energy with those you love.
This gratitude ritual is inspired by this aspect of Mabon. All you’ll need is a candle in a color that connects you to gratitude, a piece of paper and a pen. You can make this fancier if you’d like by rolling your candle in oil and herbs (here are a few gratitude herbs shared by Yoga International to check out), but it’s definitely not a requirement.
Ground yourself and spend some time reflecting on the question: what are you grateful for? Think back throughout this whole year, perhaps since the last fall equinox, and free-write everything you can think of on your paper.
Maybe there’s even enough time and space from some of the harder things of the past year to find some gratitude in them (or maybe not, and maybe there never will be, and all of that is okay, too!).
When you feel complete with your list, light your candle and start reading aloud everything you’re grateful for. Take a breath and pause with each item to really feel the gratitude move through your body, to consciously connect with this energy. Depending on how long your list is and how you’re feeling, you might read your list a few times.
Then, raise energy in a way that feels joyful to you - it could be dancing, shaking your whole body, laughing, or anything else that feels good to you! Let gratitude soak into your cells. Let it infuse your body with love. When you’ve felt the energy shift, burn your gratitude list on your candle and offer up a little gratitude prayer that feels good to you — I like something simple like, “thank you, more please!” to share my gratitude and offer to the Universe that I’m open to receiving more things to be grateful for.
Let your candle burn out, or burn it for the next few days and sit in a short gratitude meditation each day while you do.
Make an Altar
Making a seasonal altar is a lovely and tactile way to honor any season. To make your altar, ask yourself: what textures, scents, images, archetypes, symbols, and items evoke a feeling of autumn for you?
Check out this video from our Instagram page for tips on resetting your altar for the seasons.
Here are some suggestions to inspire your practice, but I highly recommend letting your altar creation be intuitive:
Sticks and/or leaves from the land near you
The High Priestess tarot card, symbolizing Persephone’s descent into the underworld
Local seasonal fruits and vegetables like apples, grains, and squash as offerings for ancestors
Autumnal colored candles — brown, red, orange, and/or yellow
Pomegranates, which also symbolize descent into the underworld
Try to be as present as possible while creating your altar to really sink into the space you’re creating. After you’ve set up your altar, try spending a few moments meditating on the themes of Mabon and intention of this holiday.
Ritual to Descend into Darkness
This ritual is to be done outside at sunset (if that’s possible for you, if not, you could change it to be inside and view the sunset through a window) on the fall equinox.
Set yourself up for a pleasurable and safe sunset viewing experience, whatever that means to you! If it’s chilly, maybe you need a sweater and thick socks. Maybe you like to have yummy snacks and a drink, or a journal to write a poem about the sunset beside you. It’s up to you!
Watch the sunset and try to be as present as possible. Notice how the sun’s energy makes you feel, and how that might shift as the sun continues to sink lower and the colors change across the sky. As the sun sets, offer gratitude to the sun for its life-giving energy.
Sink into the darkness, and try to be as present as possible with it, too. Notice how your energy and the sensations and feelings in your body shift with the darkness. Ask yourself: what are the gifts of this darkness? What’s the medicine, the magic? Notice what you hear, smell, see - maybe it’s bugs singing, the stars in the sky, a smoky scent of someone’s backyard fire pit.
Speak words of love and praise aloud to the darkness. Share what you love about it. What you’re ready for. What calls to you about the darkness. If you feel called, leave an intuitive offering out for the darkness — food, a poem, a painting, a flower, anything that feels good to you.
Close your ritual with a few deep breaths, and spend some time journaling after to process your experience.
Happy Mabon! Sending you lots of love and wishes for a nourishing fall season from team Cassie Uhl. Find more rituals for Marbon here.