The Magic of Autumn and the Equinox

Fae Rings, Acorn Spells and Fiery leaf Falls; The Mysterious Magic of Autumn

"So here are you, and here am I,
Where we may thank our gods to be;
Above the earth, beneath the sky,
Naked souls alive and free.
The autumn wind goes rustling by
And stirs the stubble at our feet;
Out of the west it whispering blows,
Stops to caress and onward goes,
Bringing its earthy odours sweet.
See with what pride the the setting sun
Kinglike in gold and purple dies,
And like a robe of rainbow spun
Tinges the earth with shades divine.
That mystic light is in your eyes
And ever in your heart will shine."
The Pagan- George Orwell

The twilight of the year has finally approached. Day time shades of ruby reds, blazing oranges and sparkling golds bleed into midnight navies, inky blacks and iridescent silvers. The moon and sun greet and share the dominion of a darkening blue sky. People wander through a dream-like atmosphere whilst they remain awake and we know the time of the Equinox has come. We are betwixt and between, dancing a tightrope upon the day of balance, where fae and men gaze into the other's world through the murky autumn veil. Life and Death bow before life parts and Death takes the throne. The dreaminess is oppressive and beckons us to close our eyes and open our other, animals begin to den into hibernation and leaves descend in a carousel to the floor and leave twisty, spiralling, spiky trees.

Autumn is one of the most picturesque of seasons, laced with nostalgia it speaks of pumpkin spice, long nights, sweet sticky toffee apples, home made stew warm jumpers and wellies, assaults of crashing wind and heavy rain, splashing in puddles, kicking through leaves, fairy tales and early nights, bonfires and fireworks, a thinning veil and a feel of the people who have passed before. Autumn is a transitory time that symbolises transformation in itself in the most visually recognisable way. As a Pagan, one honours the cycles of life and death, and how they are paramount to existence and are a cosmic dance here upon earth, it is how Gaia rejuvenates herself and how we pass from one existence to the next in order to learn and grow; Therefore Autumn is perhaps one of, if not my most, favourite times of year. As a child I would be conflicted, one part of me would resent the coming shortness of nights meant I would have to be home earlier but another loved the extra hours of night as my imagination would come out to play more, and as an adult that part of me has never died.


Witchcraft and autumn seem to marry so easily when one conjures images of both witches and the seasons. As Mother Nature cleans house as dead leaves and plants fall and wilt and group together in the street, one then pictures a housewife, bent over her creaky brush sweeping the leaves and debris from her porch, not too dissimilar to the older crone and her broom as a symbol for a witch. The powerful and meaningful symbol of the Celtic cauldron, another common symbol of the witch,  also harbours images of Autumn too; collecting in food, root vegetables and boiling them in the pot to make substantial warming meals for the cold nights ahead.

 Autumn Fairy- Anne Stokes

Some NeoPagans and Wiccans celebrate the passing of the seasons for example the Wiccan Sabbats, also known as the Wheel of the Year. During this season the God in the form of the Oak King is sacrificed for the harvest, and in some traditions, the Holly King or the Dark God rules in his stead, therefore Autumn marks the succession, the passing from one rulership into the other.There are a few events in the season of Autumn including Mabon or Harvest Home, Feast of the Ingathering, a time of giving thanks for the harvest and for gathering new fruits of the season, and the last crops of summer and feasting in merriment. Oktoberfest took place in September another festival of drinking and feasting in merriment as well as Oschophoria, Ancient Greek festival rites held in honour of Dionysus (God of the Vine). The Norse festival of Fallfeast takes place in September and Winter Nights towards the end of Autumn. Modern Druids celebrate Alban Elfed and mark the balance between day and night, light and dark. The Christian festival of Michaelmas also occurs in Autumn and includes a lot of Pagan harvest themes such as corn dolls and harvest celebrations.

For personal craft now would be a good time to harvest natural ingredients and food from your own home if you are a gardener, or a good time to participate in home baking, experiment with breads, soups, stews, pies. The apple tree is sacred to Autumn so why not bake an Apple pie during this season and share it in festiviy? It is a season of transition so is time to get creative, sweep out and clean away the old in your home and decorate in crafty ways, use a lot of the falling foliage to make wonderful household designs from twigs, branches, acorns, nuts. towards Halloween carve your own Jack-o-Lantern with pumpkin or be extra traditional and use turnip! As Harvest is a time of celebration to wine deities why not try brewing your own mead or do some wine tasting, be merry and thankful for all you have received so far in the year. Collect some acorns, they are of the Oak which is a sacred tree connected to the God who is in his transition during Autumn so use acorns to attract good luck and fairy blessings.

Autumn is also the time for introspection. The veil is said to thin during this time and the Otherworld becomes more tangible. In mythology the Goddess descends into the underworld. In Sumerian the Goddess Inanna journeys into the underworld and so the world starts to wither and nothing grows until she ascends back and so the world is brought back to life and Spring has arrived. Similarly in Greek mythology Persephone a young fertile Goddess is kidnapped to the underworld by Hades and her Mother Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest and grain, mourns her daughter and so the earth is no longer bountiful. An agreement is made with Hades that Persephone can return to the world each year but she must return back to him for a time. When she returns the earth is fertile again and so we have the cycles of Spring and Autumn.

So as the nights get darker there is more time for rumination and meditation. It is a time to venture into the darkest parts of our mind, as Persephone and Inanna venture into the underworld, we should journey into our subconscious, and reflect on the lessons there, what in life can we give up on which no longer serves us? What can nourish us in the coming year? What have I learned this year? How can I grow? Use this time of year to learn much about yourself and your emotions and connect to the darker, or underworld deities that guide this darker half of year, and honour your own life and death cycle of inner and outer transformation. Be creative and use these reflections to inspire stories, painting, designing, sewing, anything that gets your inner artsy juices flowing. Why not try scrying? A pool, a bowl of water, crystals even a mirror are all good focus points to allow the mind to concentrate, focus and eventually lose sense of the material world to journey into the next to gain lessons and visions from the Otherworld. Always remember to ground yourself first! I like to visualise roots growing from my feet and reaching down through the floor and tying to the earth's core so I can feel Mother Earth's energy channeling through the roots into my veins and know that I am safe and rooted to the earth.

As the boundaries between here and the Otherworld breakdown towards the end of Autumn, culminating in Samhain, when the ancestors walk among us, use this time of year to honour your family, your ancestors, give thanks that you are here because of them and try connecting with their energies and have a feel of them. Why not make an ancestor shrine? Light a candle on Samhain and guide them home. Spend time with your relatives, especially the older ones and learn some family stories about the past, honour your lineage, and immortalise them into the stories we pass on.

Take this time to walk in nature, use the solemn solitary atmosphere of Autumn to connect with the spirits of the land, the fae, the ancestors of the Land, and sit out beside them in their energies. Leave some offerings giving thanks, home baked offerings are great for Autumn, some cakes or baked bread. Find some fairy rings and leave offerings, get to know the spirits around them. Pay attention to the birds you see, the animals that cross your path, signs or unusual feelings you feel, get to know spirit, during this time of year our perception opens so much more so you may find the spirit world seems more vocal!

I hope this article has inspired your love for autumn and given you some crafty Fall ideas!
Many Blessings!
Freya Rose
)O(
https://www.facebook.com/TheGoddessPage/

"Thou comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain, 

With banners, by great gales incessant fanned, 

Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand, 

And stately oxen harnessed to thy wain! 

Thou standest, like imperial Charlemagne, 

Upon thy bridge of gold; thy royal hand 

Outstretched with benedictions o'er the land, 

Blessing the farms through all thy vast domain! 

Thy shield is the red harvest moon, suspended 

So long beneath the heaven's o'er-hanging eaves; 

Thy steps are by the farmer's prayers attended; 

Like flames upon an altar shine the sheaves; 

And, following thee, in thy ovation splendid, 

Thine almoner, the wind, scatters the golden leaves!"

Autumn- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Summer Solstice and My Relighting the Sun Within

The Summer Solstice: The Zenith of the Sun and the Return of the Blogger

The Summer Solstice is vast approaching and I realise I have not written in a long time. It has been a long, dark time of mourning, betwixt the Wolf Moon of January and the Snow Moon of February, I quickly and unexpectedly lost the great Pillar Stone of my life, my patriach, my earth and solar king whom I had loved, and loved me deeply, and raised me from when I was but a seedling, to the woman I am today, with his gentle nature and the care of a wise old gardener, a brilliant father figure, he was both my grandfather and my father, my hero. What I knew of the world, and my safety within it, was put to rest the moment he took his last breath and in the time of darkness and recluse for the soul, the animal world, my Grandad's spirit went into hibernation, like the sun, he was in the depths below the horizon, and I was left to fend, adapt and grow in the winter of these months.

Summer Solstice, also known as Litha, marks Midsummer and is both the longest day and shortest night of the year. To Neopagans the Sun God is at the height of his virility and the Goddess is pregnant with child. The solstice is a joyous celebration of cycles, the sun rises and sets each day, and each year we mark the passage of the seasons and will flourish in times of abundance and strive through times of hardship and cold nights. The Goddess will again rebirth the Sun God after he perishes and abdicates his throne to his brother the Holly King, and we will soon be celebrating the zenith of the sun again. 

Two things can be symbolised with the journey of the sun and both have a personal significance with this time in my life and the lessons I have been reminded recently, as it will for many for it is the true gift of life. The first is the eternity of the soul and the passage of life with the threefold birth-death-rebirth. The sun guides us through the day and illuminates the vivid world around us  in effervescent green and blues, nourishes the ground and feeds the plant world and revitalises the animal kingdom before it sets below the horizon and plunges us into darkness leaving us to the mercy of predators. The void and darkness hints at death in our psyche, our beloved sun who provides life is lost and nowhere to be found, and there are dangers unfortold to us as we can not see them edging around the corner without light and our life can end in a moment. As humans we fear death, the ending of our short sacred time upon earth, but the ever return of the sun offers us our security, our assurance that things can return after disappearing, that things can pass on and exist elsewhere in our cosmos. The same is true with seasons, there is a poetic beauty in spring time with fresh new blossoms, baby animals, the flux between spring rain and sunshine and then summer is full of power, promise, ecstaticness, the oak is a deep green, the grass is vibrant, the sunset is full of colour and life is at its fullest.  But like all things must they start to dwindle in autumn, the leaves age and go through a fiery montage of colour, red, brown, orange, yellow, before the branches are left bare. Animals hibernate and as the rough winter approaches only the evergreens remain and life is lucky to survive the harsh  cold temperatures. 

But there lies the miracle of life, when all things seem lost, when hope has drained, when our vegetation has died and our sun seems to have eluded us, hope raises its glorious face and breaches the clouds and a new season, a new dawn, a new sun emerges once more and life on earth rejoices and is fertilised. We celebrate the Goddess and the God as they walk amongst the earth throughout our year, and give us the gift of life and spirit, we know these forces will guide and nurture our souls through this life and the lessons they teach assure us there will be a next for all things return to earth and arise from again.

The second symbol of solstice is the ascent of consciousness for as the sun reaches its zenith, so too is the mind and soul uplifted. It is believed the sun can act as a gateway between worlds and as it reaches its peak in the skies souls look upwards and aspire to journey from this world into the beyond. 

Solstice is a fire festival, fire being the element symbolising spirit and ascension, and many ancient cultures marked the solstice with monuments aligning to highlight the rising of the summer sun at olstice. Bonfires are lit, wheels burned and a procession of lanters are traditional celebrations of the solstice and to brighten ones inner and outer light. The solstice is also a favoured time for weddings, a fertile month, taking place in June, named after Juno the Roman patron of Marraige. 

My faith wavered earlier this year, but as the sun started to ascend towards spring time a slight feeling of joy was rekindled when I walked through his garden, the ghost of him hanging flowers, tending to saplings, a living icon of the Green Man himself to me, like a child I watched bewildered and the memories of my Grandad and his green thumb started to take life as the bird song returned and I cherished the gentle gardener teaching me how to grow sunflowers, the attention he paid to seeds, watering them, talking to them, rotating them indoors and outdoors to maintain the correct temperature, not too hot, not too cold, and all the time he smiled at me, he was letting me know for things to grow and flourish one must care for them, be attentive, guide them, as the sun does for all life, as the Green Man tends the forest and the Goddess tends all living things. I started to hear his voice, he began to reappear in dreams as the sun broke through the windows. And slowly but surely this empty shell of a girl started to find herself again. Now the summer has returned and the Sun is reaching its zenith, and though I doubted shortly, my belief has returned again. 

Today, clearing out his greenhouse to make space for tomato plants that he had ordered before christmas, we found a growbag at the back, abandoned in a corner, from a few summers past. It should have been withered like the others, old, dead, unwatered and threw in a corner away from the sun, a rare thing as it was considering he used to throw out the contents of the bag and renew them the next year, we found it bursting with forming perennial plants, a living symbol of the return of life. Although we could not see him, although he wasn't physically tending his garden, his nature, his spirit, has and will return again, the summer sun renewing its life.

 I know now, like the deities that guide us in spirit world, my Grandad walks hand in hand beside me, whispering to me, still tending to me like the Gentle Gardener he is, like the Green Man, and that like all things, he may have perished but he awaits the next step in the Grand cycle, rebirth, and that maybe not in this life, soon I will see him again and hug him once more. The sun will shine down again, Summer has returned. And will return.

In Loving Memory of a Gentle Giant x

Wolf Moon Ritual

Wolf Moon- Full Moon Ritual

Also known as: Chase Moon, Moon of Little Winter, Cold Moon, Snow Moon, Quiet Moon

Today is the full moon of January, 2017. It is known as the Wolf moon in Native American tradition as this moon would appear in a time of winter and scarcity and the wolves could be heard howling outside of Native American Settlements. There is plenty of associations of wolves and the more in folklore and mythology, most notable the lore of the werewolf turning man into wolf.

A January moon speaks of new beginnings, protection, new intentions, manifesting your new goals. Now is the time to act for change. This is a good time to meditate, visualise whom you want to become and what change you wish to see in your life or in the world. 

Now is a significant time to make change for the Moon is in Cancer, a water sign (like the moon), governed by the moon, making the timing more significant, which governs emotions and healing and meditation making this a great time for learning lessons, healing wounds, transmuting your emotions, and manifesting new beginnings as in numerology 2017 is a time of a big shift, a new transition, a new beginning for many so the time for change, for manifestation is definitely now so fix your intentions and manifest change!

The day of this moon is Thursday, Thors-day, governed by Jupiter it is a time of goal setting, prosperity, achieving your intentions and action so use this active, achieving energy to increase the power of your spell.

Full  moon magic is great for spiritual magic, enhancing psychic abilities, dream walking or achieving lessons in dreams, meditations, divination and a great time to direct energy into those things which are priority like careers, or healing. The moon in cancer makes great nurturing energy so healing will be in abundance.

For my full moon ritual I placed corresponding icons on my altar including Thor, for the day of the week, and the Goddesses linked to the moon, Artemis and Isis, which I felt would assist me in my healing and in manifesting my aspirations. I put a statue of the wolf on my altar paying homage to the totem animal and its energies along with white candles to manifest the healing energies of the moon. I had a vessel of moon water, water which I had blessed and left outside to soak in some moonlight, for anointing, cleansing and as an offering to Lady Moon, Selene, Isis. 

I included a prayer to wolf, and a reading of the love between wolf and moon to fit with the Native American Lore and to get in the spirit of the "wolf moon", I also included an incantation of the Lunar Queen from one of my favourite oracle decks the Isis Oracle deck by Alana Fairchild.

Incantation of The Lunar Queen by Alana Fairchild

The Lunar Queen Lady Isis, Goddess of Night,

Help me now to follow the neutral Light,

Of the Shining Moon in all her flow

I release force and fear, help me let go

Guided by the Full Moon Now I am open to receive great boon

**(please note the incantation actually says Crescent moon but I have adapted it for this incantation)**

 

To close the ceremony I made my offering to the earth and the moon and then (as funny as it is ^_^) howled at the moon in the spirit of the wolf.

Here is a little list of Wolf Moon correspondence and some information on the wolf totem:

Correspondences

Animals: Fox, Coyote, Wolf

Colours: Black, blue-violet, brilliant white

Deities: Chang-O, Freyja, Hera, Inanna, Sarasvati, Artemis, Selene, Isis, Nature Spirits

Flowers: Crocus, Snowdrop, Thistle, Nuts, Willow

Stones: Selenite, Moonstone, Opal, Garnet, Jet, Onyx

"To understand totem wolf symbols, one must first understand the heart of the Wolf. This takes time because the Wolf has had to endure many false stereotypes, misconceptions and misunderstandings.
Not at all the picture of ferocity or terror, the Wolf is a creature with a high sense of loyalty and strength. Another misconception is that of the "lone wolf." To the contrary, the Wolf is actually a social creature, friendly, and gregarious with its counterparts.
The Wolf is an incredible communicator. By using touch, body movements, eye contact as well as many complex vocal expressions - the wolf makes his point understood. Those with totem wolf symbols are of the same inclination - they are expressive both vocally and physically. Those who have the wolf as their totem animal are naturally eloquent in speech, and also have knack for creative writing" Sourced from: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/totem-wolf-symbols.html

Full moon blessings!

Freyja Rose )O(

Journeying with the Scarlet Goddess

The Lantern Light Down a Winding Road

 

What follows is a series of images I received whilst gazing at a chalice of water, perhaps it is simply a meditation, perhaps it was water scrying, perhaps I just have a vivid imagination but the images were so striking, colourful and vibrant they have imprinted on my mind's eye, and there they shall remain. I have been inspired to share these with you and hope you shall enjoy.

The way the light refracts into seven rays, red, orange, yellow, blue, green, indigo and violet, around the rim of the glass is the first thing to catch my attention and then I am drawn to the small stream of bubbles, rising in dancing glee, and popping at the surface. It's a calming sight, and one that adds a merry persona to the spirit of water sprites. 

Through a bubble I see a gold light distort and suddenly it is as if I am gazing at the sun and so the vision begins. The sun becomes partially obscured as if a bird has flew in front and then I am focused on a swan in flight, a beautiful, graceful bird of pure white. The sky starts to darken and the sun turns into a moon in the background and the swan becomes a deep scarlet red. My eyes blur as the wings continue to move in rhythmic motion and then the swan disperses into mist, becoming red bubbles itself. I watch as these bubbles drift on the wind across the starry sky lit by silver moonlight and slowly fall merrily towards earth. They float across a dark forest, the tips of the spiky trees glowing like silver cones, and my gaze focuses on a winding forest road breaking through the trees and a warm fiery light comes into view. The bubbles gather together around the fire light and form a woman cloaked in a red robe walking towards me holding her lantern outright. 

Her eyes are dark and piercing and her hair a deep red. She has a presence, the earth kisses her feet as she walks and the animals and stars stare in adoration, she has seen a thousand suns and is upon the breath of every spoken and unspoken word. She is beauty, grace and strength. Wild and majestic but graceful and regal. She is the blood of the moon and our cycles and the soul at the center of rubies. She has a twinkle in her eye and a smile teases across her lips as she holds her finger to her mouth as we stare at each other motioning for me to still, shush and pay attention.

She holds the lantern to me and the lantern explodes into the image of a phoenix, the phoenix calls, rises and creates an ouroborus around us, binding me to her before the flames engulf one another and a ring of ash settles upon the floor. The woman stays alight, the fires of enlightenment burning within her and casting a golden glow.

Before my eyes I see the burning rune Kenaz, the rune of "torch", enlightenment. As it clears and I try to focus on her suddenly her head splits into twelve lions, staring off into different directions and from her cloak three black wolves step out, one directly in front of, and one either side of her and a snake coils from her feet and winds around her, circling her, hissing as the lions roar. The wolves howl, their calls reaching the moon and I feel it reverberate into my bones, they chorus an ancient song, one I do not know the words of, as the Goddess' face returns and her fingers dip into the soil, they emerge soaked in blood and she reaches forward, drawing a ring upon, in the center of my forehead, as if I am being anointed, reborn, initiated into her mysteries. Her body ripples as I am suddenly staring at her reflection upon the black waters of a river. The wind carries ashes around me and they descend upon the waters as in the reflection the goddess turns and departs through a set of heavy doors, down into the underworld.

The vision ends.

I am sure there are many layers and interpretations to this vision, spiritual, historical, folklore and I know I have not learned or know them all yet but I do know this vision teaches me to step into my self worth and my own divinity, I have been gifted with time upon this earth and whilst I am here it is my duty to look after her for she is sacred. I know it reminds me the Goddess was worshiped in many ancient cultures and she is still active in this world today. It teaches me to not fear, but explore the darkness, both externally, and in my subconscious as that is where the true mysteries lie. It teaches me that cycles and mankind are sacred and that we should all live in harmony with nature. And furthermore she invites me to delve deeper, develop a more personal connection with her and continue to meditate, to learn the ways of the old.

If anyone has more interpretations they could offer or have some information on any of the images please feel free to comment, message or even go direct to my facebook page and contact me there! Or if you have had any of your own experiences I would love to hear so please share and comment! Thanks and blessings to you all!

 https://www.facebook.com/TheGoddessPage/

Freya Rose

)O(

Ode to the Moon

Anqet, Goddess of the Nile by Thornerose, http://www.deviantart.com/art/Anqet-Goddess-of-the-Nile-58549051

Luna, The mysterious magical Queen of the Night,

Mistress of the skies and Divine Empress of the Heavens.

The Sun rises and falls to your embrace.

You are the great guider of knowledge,

the natural magicks and sacred waters of this earth.

You who flows through my blood

with each pass of every month and

whom opens the pinecone of my sight, my third eye,

you who darkens and descends

only to rise again each time in splendid glory

and guide me through the universe.

You guide my rhythms and I rejoice in the synchronistic dance

as you cleanse my body and soul of impurities.

You are sacred, blessed and beautiful.

To you we offer ourselves.

May we stay in the eternal fountain of your nourishment and grace.

Goddess of the Moon  by Christy Tortland, https://www.instagram.com/christytortland/ or https://www.facebook.com/christytortland/

For an ode to venus on my other blog, visit: http://thegoddesscave.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/ode-to-venus.html

A Capricorn Ritual

A Ritual Honoring Capricorn

Stars have been a guide for centuries to mankind, people have studied them, stood in awe of them, as they shine marvelously above us, they guided the Egyptian souls of the dead, the three wise men to the stable of Bethlehem, inspired men such as Nostradamus and John Dee on their magical endeavors and influence our daily lives, we are even said to be made of star dust. 

A few weeks ago I posted my Sagittarius ritual, now that we are in the sign of Capricorn, and will soon be transitioning into Aquarius in a few weeks, I will share some ideas on a ritual to honour Capricorn, based on a little of what I did.

Capricorn is an earth deity so spell works involving prosperity, wealth, stability, security, banishing, protection, grounding, fertilitiy, employment, healing or working with earth elementals are all strengthened when the sun is in this constellation. If you plant herbs, now would be a good time to bless those that are planted at this time of the year.

When it comes to Zodiac work, I advocate going outdoors and soaking up some star magic, it will help balance and cleanse your energies and root you to the earth whilst your mind expands into the celestial. If you can set your altar up out there and perform the whole ritual outdoors that is great! If not just include the journey outdoors or back inside ceremonially, make it part of the ritual or dedication.

I placed nature Gods on my altar, namely Cernunnos and Dionysus, and the Goddess Artemis and Persephone, Persephone was special as we had just reached Yuletide, the changing from one season to another as the blessed sun returns, and were also headed towards a new year. Stones I included were black garnet, snowflake obsidian, onyx, jet, tourmaline. Black stones, dark, introspective, grounding and earthly like the energy of Capricorn.

Capricorn is a dark and introspective being, it teaches us the benefits of meditation when it comes to inner knowing, it teaches us that the mastery of the self is hard work, takes dedication, persistent, that we must overcome trials in order to achieve completion. That nothing is gained without effort. It teaches us to start new projects and to commit wholly to them, to look after Mother earth and our home space, to live in synchronicity with nature.

For my spell I asked for the strength to break old habits, I wrote these down on paper, I also asked to heal my body, I asked for direction as I am lacking and for my hard work to finally pay off as well as some security for the new year. I thanked the Gods and Goddesses for the gifts I have received this year and how much I have achieved, I asked for healings for my friends and family.

For a dedication I used an Orphic hymn to Dionysus, one that teaches us to value the Gods and pay them our respects, where Dionysus turns some pirates into dolphins for not recognizing him, and paying him the respect due of a God. I found this hymn appropriate for Capricorn to wishes us to respect the earth and our place upon it, to recognize where we stand that we must respect the spirits of the land and the stars for they gift us our circumstances. I also found the reference to dolphins and the sea fitting in a ritual for the sea-goat Capricorn.

When I was outside meditating under the constellation for the ritual, thinking of the creature, part sea like and part land, I thought about the stability and depth of the earth and the strength and vastness of the sea, and how that is mirrored in the heavens above us. I then proceeded to plant my intentions which I had written on paper in the northern most pat of the garden, corresponding to the element of earth and therefore of Capricorn.

At the end of the spell I closed the circle and drew a pentacle across myself, not only is it protective, it is also compared to a goat head, whom I can rightly associate with Capricorn for this spell.

This is partial extracts of what I did, meant only as a guide or to inspire some ideas on how you too could do a spell or ritual to Capricorn. Hope it has helped!

Capricorn  by Noomxbass, http://noomxbass.deviantart.com/art/Capricorn-176450431

Freyja Rose 

)O(

Zodiac Magic: Capricorn Correspondence

Capricorn: Magic, Meaning, Correspondence

Capricorn  by Noomxbass, http://noomxbass.deviantart.com/art/Capricorn-176450431

Capricorn: The Sea Goat

Capricorn is the tenth sign in the zodiac, the constellation it originates from is Capricornus. It corresponds to the celestial longitute at 270-300 degrees. The symbol is based on the primal religion of Sumerian, specifically their God Enki, with the upper part of the body portrayed as a goat and the tail of a fish. It became known as Ea later in Babylonian and Akkadian religion. Enki was the God of intelligence, creation, crafts, magic, waters and water sources.

Dates: December 21- January 19

Degree: 270- 300

Element:: Earth

Ruling planet: Saturn

Quality: Cardinal

Feminine

Tarot Card: The Devil

Day of the week: Saturday

Metal: Lead

Colours: Black, indigo, Grey, Dark brown and green

Stones: Jet, Onyx, Hematite, Tourmaline, Obsidian, Black garnet, Turquoise

Plants: Pansy, ivy, red and black poppy, hellsbane, willow, pine, elm, yew, aspen, poplar, cypress, spruce, thistle, pine, root of all plants, hyacinth, onion

Incense: Musk, opium, frankincense, carnation, comfrey, thistle

Animals: Dog, goat, donkey, pigs, cloven foot animals

Deities: Set, Pan, Hermes, Vesta, Bacchus, Dionysus, Cernunnos, Baphomet, Persephone, Demeter, Diana

Altar Decorations: Antlers, wooden animals, black altar cloth, pentacles/pentagrams, stags, gems, black or dark purple or dark green candles, eath, soil, roots

Capricorn is the goat of stability, aspiration and introspection, being ruled by saturn, Capricorn magic will be about grounding oneself, setting goals and intentions, banishing negativity and bad habits to find security and stability. It is a dark feminine sign so introspection will be increased to transform oneself, meditate and practice one's own magical abilities.

Freya Rose

)O(

Zodiac Magic: Sagittarius Correspondence

Sagittarius: Magic, Meaning, Correspondence

Zodiac: Sagittarius, by Anja Uhren, http://anja-uhren.deviantart.com/, https://www.facebook.com/AnjaUhrenIllustration/?fref=ts

This was originally posted on Wordpress but I decided to share it here too!

For those of you who do not know me I practice magic and spells regularly and also have a fascination with the stars and astrology, as people practice wheel of the year I also like to do an ode to the zodiacs so this is just a little info article on some ideas and attributions to Sagittarius in case anyone else is interested. I will try and do this for each zodiac sign as we rotate through them.

Sagittarius: The Archer

Sagittarius is the 9th astrological sign in the zodiac. It is represented as a centaur, and named the archer after Ares' mentor in archery, the Greek centaur. The centaur is both a healer and a hunter. The sign's symbol is also a bow and arrow.

Dates: November 22- December 21

Degree: 240-270

Element: Fire

Ruling Planet: Jupiter

Quality: Mutable

Masculine

Tarot Card: Temperance

Day of the Week: Thursday

Metal: Tin

Colours: Red, Crimson, Purple

Stones: Turqoise, Sapphire, Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Diamond, Topaz

Plants: Ash, Oak, Chestnut, Dandellions, Vine, Moss, Carnation, Sage, Pink Clover, Wallflower, Pimpernal, Rush, Mulberry

Incense: Cinnamon

Animals: Mare, Centaur, Lion, Eagle, Peacock

Anatomy: Liver, Hips, Thighs, Pelvis

Deities: Nephthys, Apollo, Thor, Artemis, Diana, Vishnu, Ares, Zeus, Fortuna, Tyche

Altar decorations: Horses, Athame, Arrow, Compass, Jupiter symbolism, cinnamon sprig, corresponding gem stones, red or purple altar cloth. Red or purple candles.

Sagittarius magic could concern travel, as Sagittarius is an adventurer. The archer is about focus so Sagittarius magic would be good for setting your goals and intentions, and draw upon the energy for much needed focus. Sagittarius is also concerned with Alchemy, Higher Learning, Philosophy, After life, Psychic awareness, so all magic involving transmutation, self improvement, increasing abilities or awareness, communicating with the afterlife or nature spirits. Sagittarius is also a fire sign so magic including sex magic, protection (for the centaur/archer is also a hunter and protector) and banishment, and purification. Sagittarius is also a healer so all healing magics can be performed.

Freya Rose

)O(

Yule Lore: The coming of the Sun God

Yule Lore: The Coming of the Sun God

Of The Oak and Holly King, Birth of The Sun God, The God and The Goddess, Holly and Ivy and other Yule Traditions and Lore

The Oak King and The Holly King, by Anne Stokes, http://www.annestokes.com/

The nights have began to darken, the frost is creeping in and the paving flags are glittering. Autumn is phasing out and the last crisp brown leaves are falling from the trees as many others already contrast against the grey sky in their bare spidery appearence whilst the mighty evergreens stand proud and vivacius, a lustrous dark emarald amongst the silvery hues of winter and the holly berries a ruby red, a jewel in the crown of regality of winter plants. Fires are lit and hot cocoa is brewed and the dressing gowns, fluffy slippers and hot water bottles are removed from their dark cupboards from whence they were imprisoned in the hot long days of summer. As many await the 25th December for their Christmas  celebrations many pagans are awaiting their winter celebration, their next turn of the wheel of the year for Yule, the 21st December, the Winter Solstice (or summer solstice, Litha, in the Southern Hemisphere). The Rebirth of the Sun.

Yule, from the old Norse word jul, is the shortest day of the year, where the night is longest.  The winter solstice is an old fire festival from may ancient religions and is sacred to many deities including Mithras, Dionysis, Horus, and now in Christian faiths, Jesus.

The Duel of the Two Kings

 "The winter solstice festival of Yuletide marks the longest night of the year; the turing point from when the days become longer and the Holly King is said to give way to the Oak King for the next six months."- Realm of the Ring Lords by Laurence Gardner

The year can be divided into two halves, light and dark, summer and winter. The light half the year is the half of summer, the days are warmer and longer, fertility is rampant, plants are blooming and splendid in colour, crops are growing and the people celebrate this half of the year, it is a symbol of life itself, the summer sun. The other half of the year is cold, dark, plants are dying, the climate is harsher, the frost bitter and merciless, animals in hibernation, we wait in hope for the sun to return from the darkness.

In NeoPagan and Wiccan faiths the Sun God, the Summer sun, is named the Oak King and the Winter Sun, the dark period of the year, is named the Holly King. The Oak King is at his height during Midsummer but the Holly King starts to take control and reign afterwards as the days slowly begin to get shorter when he defeats the Oak King.

 "In Celtic mythology the Oak King and the Holly King are twins. Every year at the Winter and Summer Solstices, these two fight for dominance. In actuality, these brothers are two parts of the same thing, the waxing and waning of the yearly cycles of the Earth. The Holly King rules the waning year, from Midsummer to Yule, and the Oak King rules the waxing year from Yule to Midsummer. The Holly King represents darkness, decay and destruction, and is often seen as Pluto, the Lord of the Underworld , who kidnapped beautiful Persephone and plunged the earth into winter. He also represents inner knowledge and mysteries. The Oak King, on the other hand, represents light, growth and expansion. These two mighty kings fight a symbolic battle to win the Crown of the year, at Yule when the Oak King wins, and at Midsummer when the Holly King wins. To the early Celts, trees, especially the Oak tree were considered sacred. Oak trees are deciduous, meaning that they go into a dormant state during the winter months. English Christmas Holly trees are evergreen, and maintain their foliage year round. As the cold weather approached and the Oak trees lost their foliage, the Holly trees, which had been hidden amid the leafy Oaks now stood out in their full beauty in the barren landscape. At Midwinter, it seemed that the Holly King had won and his brother, the mighty Oak King now stood naked in defeat. But, the Holly King did not really win the battle, because as the Sun begins to return once again, The Oak King rallies, and begins to re-establish his supremacy, even though it won’t be until Midsummer when the Oaks will once again be in full foliage."- The Holly King and The Oak King by Linda J. Paul, http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art6133.asp

Although there is dispute about the story appearing in Celtic tradition, as it appears to be a modern telling, Graves states that it echoes a number of archetypal pairings seen in the likes of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, or Lugh and Balor, "in which one figure must die for the other to triumph", and therefore has a basis in old traditions and is being given new life in a modern context in order to shape the customs we see today. The archetypes of the warring brothers has been ascribed an identity which can be known to all through the Oak and Holly King, encapsulating the guardian of nature so aptly that anybody can connect to them  and find truth within it, perhaps they are alive. The two can also be percieved as a single energy.

Some believe the Holly and Oak King to be the dual aspect of the horned God, he is both the light and the dark, they are the two sides of his personality, for we must suffer the darkness to appreciate the light, cycles are necessary, things must wither and die to make way for new life, the mystery of nature itself. The Holly and Oak King can therefore be described as an archetypal deity representing the journey of the sun and its affects upon the natural world. A Tree or Nature spirit, King of Nature Sir George James Frazier writes in The Golden Bough:

"His life must therefore have been held very precious by his worshippers, and was probably hedged in by a system of elaborate precautions or taboos like those by which, in so many places, the life of the man-god has been guarded against the malignant influence of demons and sorcerers. But we have seen that the very value attached to the life of the man-god necessitates his violent death as the only means of preserving it from the inevitable decay of age. The same reasoning would apply to the King of the Woods; he too had to be killed in order that the divine spirit, incarnate in him, might be transferred in integrity to his successor. The rule that he held office till a stronger should slay him might be supposed to secure both the preservation of his divine life in full vigour, and its transferrence to a suitable successor as soon as that vigour began to be impaired. For so long as he could maintain his position by the strong of hand, it might be inferred that his natural force was not abated; where as his defeat and death at the hands of another proves that his strength was beginning to fail and that it was his time that divine life should be lodged in a less delapidated tabernacle".

The two Kings duelling are also seen as featuring in Druidic lore, where the Solar King is reborn after previosuly losing his power after the  height of his reign on summer solstice, Alban Hefin, and defeated by his dark twin who takes his crown. The Solar King is reborn on Alban Arthan, winter solstice, and so marks the passing of the wheel of the year.

Alban Arthan means "light of winter" as it celebrates the day the Solar King is reborn and the sun and life will once again return.

The Holly King

So in this period of year, Yuletide, the Holly King is in his full power and the decorations of holly and evergreens are a veneration of him.

"The Holly and the Ivy, when they were both full grown,

Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown...

I am the Holly King, Lord of the Waning Year. You may know me as the Green Man or as the winter King. I rule from Midsummer to Midwinter, and my reign culminates in the festivities of Yuletide. As the wren dies to make way for the robin, soon  I will bow before my brother the Oak King.You will not see me again until the Sun once more begins to wane. As I prepare to withdraw into the deep midwinter, I contemplate the glowing light of the reborn Sun in my cup- and in this holy grail, I see visions and dreams of the year to come. 

Carry a sprig of holly with you as my token. It will protect you against fierce winter storms, and will bestow upon you the focus, direction and courage you need to succeed in your own spiritual quest.

Fill your homes with holly this season! Deck the halls! My evergreen leaves and bright red berries, seen against the barren oaks of winter, will remind you of the Life that sustains us during the bitterest time of the year."- The Holly King, sourced from: http://circleoftheyear.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/winter-solstice.html

Spirit of Yule by Anne Stokes, http://www.annestokes.com/

Birth of the Sun God

The winter solstice marks the day the Solar King is reborn and people will once again triumph, the sun will bring us blessings and new life. 

Baldr is loosely associated with Yule for he is a God, described as the bright one, who is killed by a plant associated with Yule, the mistletoe, after Loki tricks his brother Hodr, to shoot him with a spear of mistletoe.

Mithras is the Sun God in an ancient mystery Roman religion, and Persian tradition earlier, who was born around the time of winter solstice. Horus is another solar deity celebrated at Yule time.

There are others including Amaterasu,  Hephaestus and Saturn.

The Goddess

Yule is also a celebration of the Goddess, she is passing her dark stage, for example Persephone has spent her time in the underworld and will rise again now that winter has passed, and so the season of light and fertility will come. She becomes fertile to give birth to the Solar King who will bring new life to the world.  She becomes the Great Mother.

There are a few Godesses directly associated with winter solstice.

"In ancient Europe, this night of darness grew for the myths of the Norse Goddess, Frigga who sat at her spinning wheel weaving the fates, and the celebration was called Yule, from the Norse word Jul, meaning wheel."- http://www.goddessgift.com/Pandora's_Box/Winter-Solstice.htm

Frau Holle is a Norse Goddess associated with Yule whom is associated both with evergreen and snow:

"She is associated with both the evergreens of the Yule season and with snowfall, which is said to be Frau Holle shaking out her feathery mattress"-  Patti Wigington, http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yulethelongestnight/a/Winter_Sol_Gods.htm

Rhea is venerated as she gives birth to Saturn in Roman traditions, God of agriculture and seasons.

"The 'Reign of Saturn' lasted thirty days and culminated with the mid-winter feast which afterwards became Yule, or Christmas"- The White Goddess by Robert Graves

Yule also celebrates the birth of Sarasvati, the Hindu Queen of the Heavens.

The Hopi festival of Soyal is a winter solstice celebration which honors the Spider Woman and the Hawk Maiden.

Skadi is also a Norse Goddess of winter time.

Winter Solstice Night by Le-Regard-des-Elfes (Celine B), http://www.deviantart.com/art/Winter-Solstice-Night-349904912

Father Christmas and Yuletide Gifts

"As we have seen the concept of Father Christmas (with the customary holly-sprig in his cap) is a direct representation of the gift-bearing Yuletide Holly King, sometimes called Father Winter or Grandfather Frost. His one-time pagan image was brought into line with the Christian festival in the 17th century, where as Santa Claus first appeared by that name in America as late as the middle 1800s. And then, of course, there is the Kriss Kringle portrayal. Are they all the same character and, if so, how can an historical Christian bishop possibly equate with the jolly, pipe-smoking Yuletide Elf?"- Laurence Gardner, Realm of the Ring Lords

Father Chrismas is often referred to as St Nicholas in origin, however there are other influences which factor together in order to draw the Father Christmas legend we have today.

One old tradition which has evident links to Father Christmas is that of Odin. During the winter solstice Odin would head a party called the 'Wild Hunt'. Children would leave their boots filled with carrots to feed the horse Odin travelled upon, Sleipnir, who flew through the sky. Odin was said to leave Yuletide gifts to children upon his passing. When compared, images of Rudolph spring to mind with children leaving carrots and mincepies as gifts to Santa and his reindeers, who, like Odin leaves gifts in his wake.

 "After Christianity took hold, this practice was later adopted in relation to St. Nicholas. Children would leave their shoes on the windowsill or bedroom door on the evening of Dec. 5 for the saint to reward them with nuts, fruits and sweets, as CatholicCulture.org pointed out."- Zoe Mintz, http://www.ibtimes.com/santa-claus-pagan-origins-5-influences-behind-father-christmas-1736863

The tradition still continues in some Germanic countries, however in others has been replaced with hanging stockings, much like ours.

Frau Holle is also a deity associated with travelling through the night sky and bestowing gifts to children on her carriage, and is described as wearing a red or white goosedown cape.

The Holly King also contributes to our image of Father Christmas with his frosty white hair and beard, his once green clothing, and holly crown or sprig in his hat.

"There are many Celtic scholars who point Santa's beginning to the Holly King, who has been depicted with a holly wreath as a crown. Or as the Druid Holly King who wore holly in his hat. In both cases, the Holly King traditionally wore green garments with red accents. What else would a "holly" king wear."- Lady Spring Wolf, https://www.paganspath.com/magik/yule-history2.htm

Shamanism from Siberia is also said to have its influence over the Father Christmas tradition. December was the time of year where they shared gifts of hallucinogenic mushrooms. This could be where the lore from dropping presents through the tree comes from by the means in which they enetered and exited homes.

"As the story goes, up until a few hundred years ago these practicing shamans or priests connected to the old tradition would collect Amantia Mascaria (the Holy Mushroom), dry them, and then give them as gifts on winter solstice," Rush told LiveScience, "Because snow is usually blocking doors, there was an opening through the roof which people entered and exited, thus the chimney story."- John Rush to LiveScience, Magic Mushrooms May Explain Santa & His 'Flying' Reindeer by Douglas Main, http://www.livescience.com/25731-magic-mushrooms-santa-claus.html

Reindeers

One can not think of Father Christmas without also thinking of his reindeers, particularly Rudolph, just as one could not imagine Odin without his horse Sleipnir on the wild hunt. Sleipneir is a magical horse, eight-legged compared to eight reindeers, who can be described as leaping great distances, as are reindeers.

Another origin for the symbolism of the reindeer, again, harkens back to the Horned God.

"Although Reindeer have been extinct in the British Isles since the 12th Century, the horned God continued to be commerorated. Ceremonies using the reindeer antlers were often performed at Yuletide, during the twelve days of Christmas." A.T Mann and Jane Lyle, Sacred Sexuality. Sourced from: https://christmaspagandeception.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/whats-with-the-reindeer/

"Santa's reindeers evolved from the Celtic Horned God. Eight reindeer's pull Santa's sleigh, representative of the eight solar sabbats. From their late Autumn dramatic rutting displays, stags represented strength, sexuality and fertility."- The Holly King and Other Lore- Yule- the Winter Solstice "Reindeer". Sourced from: https://christmaspagandeception.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/whats-with-the-reindeer/

The number of eight reindeers can also have a loose symbolic pagan tie. If you add up Santa and his eight reindeers, the figure comes to nine. Nine is an important number in Pagan beliefs.

 "in those ancient times the number 9 was an important spiritual number. 9 witches often made up a coven. 9 feet was the diameter of a perfect circle. And maybe that's why "the whole nine yards"; which refers to the 9 yards of material for the Great Kilt worn by many Celtic highlanders is so important. When we think of Santa and his 8 tiny reindeer. And most people focus on the 8 reindeer. Well now add Santa. 9 souls travelling through the skies to bring presents for the rebirth of the year. It's a stretch, but there are those who believe this is where the 8 reindeer got their start."- Lady Spring Wolf, https://www.paganspath.com/magik/yule-history2.htm

Shamanism may have also contributed directly to our flying reindeer, especially the red nose Rudolph. The Amantia Muscaria they held sacred was red with spotted white. The shamans were also familiar with reindeer and another connection is that a 'trip' can be described as flying.

"Amongst the Siberian shamans, you have an animal spirit you can journey with on your vision quest," Rick continued. "And reindeer are common and familiar to people in eastern Siberia"- Sourced from: http://www.livescience.com/25731-magic-mushrooms-santa-claus.html

"It's amazing that a reindeer with a red-mushroom nose is at the head leading the others."- Sourced from: http://www.livescience.com/25731-magic-mushrooms-santa-claus.html

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The duration of Saturnalia, was twelve days, and the feasting is said to have influenced the christmas celebrations we have today and hence the twelve days of Christmas as it is said the three wise men took twelve days to reach Bethlehem.

The Celts also believed the sun stood still for twelve days in the middle of winter.

Yule Log

A customary tradition for Yule, or Christmas is the decorating and burning of the Yule log. The Yule log was traditionally taken from either of two trees. One such tree was the oak tree sacred to the sun God of the Druids. The Druids burned the log in the belief that the fire would banish evil spirits and bring back the sun and with it good fortune in the new year. Ash tree is the other and was sacred to the teutonic tradition.

"The ceremonial Yule log was the highlight of the solstice festival. In accordance to tradition, the log must have either been harvested from the householder's land, or given as a gift... it must have never been bought. Once dragged into the house and placed in the fireplace it was decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze by a piece of last year's log, (held onto for this purpose). The log would burn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days after before being ceremonially put out. Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. An herb of the sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the solstice."- Akasha, Herne and The Celtic Connection wicca.com, sourced from: https://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm 

Evergreen

Nearly all Yule traditions and customs include decorating the home or the Yule log with evergreens, this is because evergreens are the only plant which last through the harsh climates of winter, they stay luscius and a deep green, a symbol of both the Holly King and eternal life, that life is a great cycle and the sun will continue to return.

Holly and Ivy and the Christmas Wreath

The Holly is an evergreen plant of deep green leaves and red berries, the colours adorned by the fabled deities of Yule, the Holly King and Frau Holle.

The Holly and the Ivy represent the sacred union, the masculine and the feminine principles united in the wonderful celebrations of death and rebirth and both can be attributed to the God and Goddess.

The Christmas wreath is in the shape of the wheel, paying homage to the Great Wheel, or the Wheel of the Year, the completion and renewal of a cycle. It is also circular and therefore the symbol of the Goddess. The decorations upon the wreath, holly, berries, pine cones therefore could represent the masculine God, and the male plants are born from or unite with the Goddess.

Holly is arguably the symbol of the God, it is thorny, a deep fiery red and symbolises the Holly King, where as it is also arguably a symbol of the Goddess. Holly is the sacred plant of Frau Holle.

"Another evergreen of protection, holly's spiky are believed to repel unwanted spirits. Newborn babies used to be sprinkled with "holly water", water in which holly had been soaked, especially potent if left under a full moon overnight. Holly is sacred to Holle, the Germanic underworld Goddess, and symbolises everlasting life, good will and potent life energy. Its red berries represent feminine blood."- Sourced from: https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/yule

Ivy is similar in the sense that one can connect it to both the God and the Goddess. Ivy is sacred to both Osiris and Dionysus who symbollise rebirth or the return of the sun, however ivy also symbolises the feminine. It grows in spirals, as seen with the wreath, which symbollises the Goddess and is a plant linked to the underworld and death, often found at gravesites, and can therefore represent the feminine mysteries.

It is clear that what ever plant you associate with either the God or the Goddess, the combination of the two symbollises the unification of these principle energies.

Mistletoe

Mistletoe was very sacred to the ancient Druids as it grew on the sacred Oak tree, representing the God, and so five days after the new moon following winter solstice  a druid priest would climb the oak tree and with a golden sickle they would cut some to distribute the sprigs amongst the people. It was then hung above the door as they believed the misteltoe to carry magical properties including protection and increasing fertility. Tradition said on the cutting of the mistletoe the plant could not touch the floor as it would profane the magical plant so they used cloth to catch it.

Mistletoe can also be found in the legends of the Norse. Frigga loved her son Baldr so much she sought the promises of the four elements, everything across the land, to protect him and prevent him from death or harm, however she overlooked the mistletoe. Loki guided the arm of Hodr and shot Baldr. Upon discovery Frigga wept and her tears are said to have formed the white berries upon the mistletoe. Some people of modern pagan belief believe that there is a version of the story were Baldr is revived and so Frigg blesses the mistletoe of love and peace and speculat that this gives rise to our tradition of kissing under the mistletoe today as Frigg says she will bestow a kiss upon any whom pass under it, however it is worth noting that this version does not appear in the poetic Edda, only the revival of Baldr- no specifics on Frigg's blessing, and is likely a modern creation. Either way, mistletoe is a sacred plant and should be of no surprise to have inspired our own seasonal traditions.

Wine and Mulled Wine

Bacchus and Dionysus are both deities associated with Yuletide, so perhaps it is convenient a customary drink is mulled wine, or simply red wine, around winter celebrations as they are both Gods of Wine.

Conclusion

Many of our present traditions come from old winter celebrations at Yuletide, the rebirth of the Sun God is so magical, and the return of the sun is so worthy of celebration we should all unite in the feelings of love and peace in this time of rebirth. So from me, Season's Greetings, Merry Christmas, or in my faith, Merry Yuletide!

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Reading List and References:

Realm of the Ring Lords by Laurence Gardner
The White Goddess by Robert Graves
The Golden Bough by Sir George James Frazier
Sacred Sexuality by A.T Mann and Jane Lyle 
https://www.paganspath.com/magik/yule-history2.htm
http://www.ibtimes.com/santa-claus-pagan-origins-5-influences-behind-father-christmas-1736863
 http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yulethelongestnight/a/Winter_Sol_Gods.htm
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yulethelongestnight/p/Holly_KIng_Yule.htm
http://www.druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-festivals/summer-solstice-alban-hefin
 http://www.goddessgift.com/Pandora's_Box/Winter-Solstice.htm
 http://circleoftheyear.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/winter-solstice.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art6133.asp
http://www.brenna.co.uk/xmas.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/wintersolstice.shtml 
https://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm
 https://www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/yule
http://sacredwicca.jigsy.com/yule-sabbat 
http://www.thegoddesstree.com/MotherNature/Ivy.htm
http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/articles/mythology_folklore/mistletoe.asp  
http://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/2004/12/19/frigga-and-the-mistletoe-a-norse 
 http://brighterblessings.co.uk/articles/yule.htm
http://www.blackhillscelticevents.org/Events/CelticMistle.htm
http://www.northernpaganism.org/shrines/holda/writing/riding-with-holda.html
http://www.ladybridget.com/r/deci001.html
http://www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk/the_wheel_of_the_year/yule_-_winter_solstice.asp
http://www.livescience.com/25731-magic-mushrooms-santa-claus.html