Embodying the Magick of Yule
Yule falls on the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. It's the perfect opportunity to do shadow work and engage in reflection and who you want to be in the new year. Yule encourages us to look back on the past year, the magick we created, and the manifestations that we made, as well as the aspects of ourselves that we can release and let “die.” By embodying the magick of Yule, we can create a more sacred connection with our spirit and the season.
The Energy of Yule
Yule’s energy works with the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Traditionally, Yule is when we celebrate the birth of the Sun God, the death of darkness, and a rebirth of light. By embracing this cycle for ourselves, we can look at the end of the year with gratitude for what we’ve accomplished and excitement for what’s to come.
Birth: The First Aspect of Yule
Start by looking at the year you have just lived. What was born within you? What new talents, hobbies, and relationships have you formed?
Consider your manifestations: What worked for you? What spells were surprisingly powerful? Pull your Book of Shadows and Book of Mirrors out and reflect on the successes and beautiful synchronicities from the year.
How did you improve this year? Did you try something new or did you overcome a harmful habit in the past 12 months?
Tuning into this energy is important because it’s so easy to overlook everything you’ve accomplished and “given birth to” over the course of a year. You deserve to celebrate the newness and beauty that came into your life!
Death: The Second Aspect of Yule
While we have been conditioned to fear death, Yule reminds us that it’s just a part of the natural life cycle of everything around us. That becomes extremely evident when the world slows down, the air becomes cooler, and the leaves drop from the trees. As Yule reminds us, the darkness is always giving way to the light.
After you have celebrated the “births” in your year, consider the aspects of yourself that you’ve let go of. It’s also a good idea to consider what aspects of yourself or your life you need to let go of as you move into the new calendar year.
As we progress through life, we shed parts of ourselves, and our lives, because they no longer benefit us, just like a snake sheds its skin as it outgrows it. How could releasing these parts that no longer improve your life set you up for success in the months to come?
Finally, is there an aspect of your life or yourself that you need to mourn the passing of? Have you given yourself that time and space to fully honor your feelings? Remember, feelings are meant to be felt, and allowing them to move through your body will help prevent stagnant or negative energy from building up in your body.
Rebirth: The Final Aspect of Yule
Now that you’ve celebrated your “births” and honored your “deaths,” it’s time for the final aspect of embodying Yule – the rebirth. What rebirthing did you do this year? Were there parts of you and your life that had been dormant until you added new energy to them? This may look like rediscovering a long-lost hobby, or renewing your commitment to yourself at some point this year.
Where have you been extinguishing your light lately, when you should have been letting it shine? It’s time to forgive yourself for the mistakes you made, the things you didn’t accomplish, or the things that you “should” have done and didn’t.
It’s time to forgive the relationships you no longer need and to forgive others who have wronged you – for YOUR healing, not for them.
It’s easy to focus on the negative parts of the previous year, but the more you focus on the good that came out of it, the more you open room for more good in your life.
As you prepare for your rebirth into the new year, consider the new aspects of yourself you’d like to incorporate into your day-to-day life. Set intentions to leave the “death” parts of you in the past, and reawaken the rebirth aspects of your beloved self.
Remember, you have 12 months to explore this new, rebirthed version of yourself, so don’t try to cram it all into January.
Happy Yule, witches!
Megan W.