Woo Woo Things

Lughnasadh, the third Cross Quarter Day of the year, marks the time when the magickal household discovers if the hard work of previous months will yield a bountiful harvest. Named for the Celtic god Lugh and derived from the Gaelic word “Lunasa,” meaning August, this festival embodies the full cycle of life—celebrating both bounty and the inevitability of death. Offer thanks to the land, deities, spirits, and ancestors, and honor pollinators with birdseed and bee water stations. Welcome abundance with a harvest wreath of wheat, sunflowers, and red clover, and create table linens to symbolize plenty. Add fresh herbs like sage, thyme, and basil to meals, and release limiting thoughts by using black-eyed Susan, chamomile, and yarrow in your bath. Keep black obsidian and malachite nearby to banish negativity.

• make a bonfire
• host a potluck
• bake homemade bread
• make fresh jams/preserves
• make corn dollies
• spend time outside

Celebration of the Growing Season

Beltane, the second Cross Quarter Day of the year, marks the beginning of summer and is celebrated as a time of fertility, growth, and new beginnings. Also known as May Day, this holiday is associated with the goddess Flora and is traditionally observed by decorating with flowers and performing fertility rituals. It is a time to focus on creativity and prosperity, especially if you set intentions at Imbolc and planted seeds at Ostara. Beltane is also celebrated with fire and fertility festivals, where people jump over balefires for protection, dance around the May Pole, and ring bells to ward off bad spirits. As the end of spring planting, Beltane encourages appreciation and affection for the abundance in your life and invites the cultivation of new ideas and concepts.

• hold a bonfire for family and friends
• take action on a project you’ve been working on
• treat yourself to a special meal, music, or aromas
• decorate a tree with colorful ribbons
• make flower crowns
• dress in green
• walk your property and give thanks

Imbolc, the first Cross Quarter Day of the year, falls midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, and between the Wolf Moon and the Snow Moon. As snowdrops, violets, and primrose begin to emerge, this holiday signals the start of spring. Associated with the Celtic Goddess Brigid and once known as Candlemas, Imbolc is a time for lighting candles to celebrate the return of the sun and kindling ritual fires. This season of birth, healing, and inspiration is ideal for vows of dedication and consecration. Embrace the increasing daylight and the coming spring by contemplating what to plant in the year ahead—not just literal plants, but also your wishes, intentions, and goals. Prepare for the planting season by getting ready for spring cleaning and performing house blessings.

• Sort through your belongings and set aside any that could be donated or thrown away.
• Cleanse your space with sound ringing bells, clapping hands, playing music-to let the energies that have lain dormant the last couple of months know it is time to start waking up.
• Open up the blinds and curtains in the morning, and light candles to welcome back the Sun and bring its cleansing brightness into your home.
• Bless your seed packets, pots, gardening tools, and so on, as well as your car, your computer, yourself, your family, and your pets.
• Bless your oven, anointing it with rosemary-infused olive oil.
• Perform a house blessing by sprinkling Moon water and salt throughout your home.
• Host a candlelight dinner 
• Create meals with intention for what you want to accomplish in the coming year 
• Create authentic medieval fare such as roasted meats, hearty breads and old fashion desserts 
• Take time to meditate or journal in your candlelit room 
• Take some time to go outside and enjoy the lengthening days and increased sunlight 

Samhain, the fourth and final Cross Quarter Day of the calendar year, marks the beginning of winter and is a time to honor the dead. Traditionally associated with Halloween, this celebration involves leaving food and drink out for the spirits of the deceased, a custom also reflected in the Day of the Dead in Latin America. Samhain is a time for setting new intentions, celebrating loved ones who have passed on, and practicing divination as the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Many traditions view Samhain as the harvest of the soul, a moment when the spirits of those who died since the last Samhain either move on or return to pass on messages. This period calls for honoring the dead, renewing home protection spells, and preparing for winter by cleaning up and storing outdoor tools, tending to the garden, and airing out heavier bedding. Adding a few stitches in blue thread to your bedding can help protect your sleep during the long nights. Divination is also central to Samhain, offering guidance on what to lay to rest as the year draws to a close.

• celebrate the start of the Wheel of the Year
• make a bonfire
• host a potluck dinner
• dress up as who you want to be in the coming year
• cook old fashioned foods
• decorate an altar for loved ones who have passed on
• practice moon magick
• set intentions for the new year
• connect with family and friends