If we had no winter, the spring would not be

so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of

adversity, prosperity would not be so
welcome.
-Anne Bradstreet
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11
NEW
MOON
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19 20 21 22 23 24 25

FULL MOON
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YULE BALL
Saturday, December 11 · 8:00pm -11:30pm

Live music to dance to provided by Outlando Del Mar, fancy dress if you
are inclined, snacks, readers and vendors for last minute gifts. Still on
planning stages but will be affordable admission and a wonderful time!

ODINS WINTER SOLSTICE

Saturday, December 18 · 7:00pm -11:30pm

Jefferson Unitarian Church

14350 W. 32nd Ave.
Golden, CO
 As we enter into December we are entering into the darkest time of the year, the days are at their
shortest and nights are long. It is a time of deep inner personal work, we are at an in between time
and stage. We are between the element of Water and the element of Earth, which is known as the
Para Plain or Cross Element of Mud. If you think about Mud, it makes things mucky and hard to
navigate, and it also makes a traveler slow down or chose a different way toward their original
destination. It is dark and shadowy, yet healing and replenishing at the same time.

As the month reaches the end we come to our new beginning at Yule, when the Sun is reborn and
Hope is renewed. It is once again a time of communal celebration, family and tribe with great feastin
and honoring of the Crone as she passes and the Maiden begins her ascent to spring.
New Moon: Dec. 5th at 10:36 am Mountain Standard Time in Sagittarius

This is a time of magic to see a goal, complete a goal and then see another one. It is also a time to
use your vision to see direction as Sagittarius is the “seer” of the zodiac. The influence of
Sagittarius can be used to see outside your normal box and to tap into your dreams.

Full Moon/Winter Solstice: December 21st 1:13am Mountain Standard Time in Gemini.

Not only do we have a Full Moon on the Solstice we also will have a full Lunar Eclipse that we
should be able to see at its fullest at approximately 1:53 am. There is so much potential in the
magical working for this night. Not only do we have HOPE coming as the Solstice marks the
beginning of longer days and shorter nights with the return of the sun, but we also have the
Power of the Full moon, combined with a Lunar Eclipse, the powerful balance of dark and light
on a night of positive transformation.

For the sisters of OTGS, we will be working in both the dark and light, taking the workings of
our November Esbat and continuing working with fears and the dark and understanding how to
find our own personal balance and how to shine “light” into darkness. We will be working with
the Roman Goddess Angerona.
 When preparing for the holidays, we want our homes to be perfect for our friends
and family, doing everything we can to make them comfortable and inviting. We
clean, organize and decorate to make them look their very best and reflect the spirit
of the holidays. We do everything we can on a mundane level, but what about the
magical level? Our homes hold our energy and everyone who enters it. If we are rushed while we are cleaning, anxiety over wanting our homes
to look perfect, worry about if our relatives and friends are going to get along, etc. All of these energies reside around us whether we realize it or
not. They help contribute to the atmosphere during the gatherings, especially if any of our friends are sensitive to lingering emotions. These
lingering emotions in our home mix with the emotions of our guests and the potential for tension or arguments increases. If you are playing
hostess this year, there are some steps that you can take in order to minimize the tension. After you clean your home, you should cleanse it
before your guests arrive. You may do this by burning sage like when we cleanse sacred space, however, there are other alternatives. An effective
way of cleansing your home is by using essential oils mixed with water and spraying the rooms. One such recipe is as follows:
4 ounces water
6 drops of Lemon
6 drops of Peppermint Other oils that can be used are Lime, Myrrh, Spearmint, Sage, or Clary Sage. Before you begin spraying,
8 drops of Eucalyptus be sure that you have grounded and that you are in a peaceful state of mind or cleansing the area will be
12 drops of Tea Tree futile. Begin spraying an hour or two before your guests start arriving and be sure to spray every room in
your home. When you are finished, you can create an uplifting mood by using essential oils. The best oils
to create harmony and an uplifting mood are Sweet Basil, Bergamot, Cedar wood, Cinnamon, Geranium,
Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Orange, Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine, Rosemary, Spearmint, and
Ylang Ylang. Choose scents that appeal to you and distribute them around the house. You can do this by
using a diffuser, putting a couple of drops on a hot light bulb, or putting a drop or 2 on a cotton ball and
hiding it in an inconspicuous area in a bathroom. You may also sprinkle the oils on a fake plant, in a
bathroom or kitchen sink. If you are not playing hostess, you can cleanse yourself before leaving your
home and use the uplifting oils as a perfume or put a drop or 2 on a tissue or handkerchief and inhale the
aroma when it is needed.

Remember that these steps do not have to be done only during the holiday season. They
can be done anytime that you wish to create an uplifting environment. Cleansing your home should be
done on a regular basis or whenever you feel negative energies taking over you and your home.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Last month we started with self work aligned with the Wheel of the Year by taking an inventory of what
we are grateful for. If it works for you like it works for me, by doing this exercise I also found things I am
not so grateful for, or things I need to work on. This is an aspect of Shadow Work, where I find those
final things from the year that I need to finally face or let go of. As we go into the darkest time of our
year, I like to think of the three weeks leading up to Yule as “the time of me,” and I really pay attention
to what I discovered doing the journal workings of the previous month. In the world of worlds this is
a time of stress, of extra financial burden and expectation as we lead into Christmas, there are parties
and gatherings, shopping and an expectation for us to live up to something others have pre-established
around us. The one person that gets pushed into the background most in this time of darkness and
festivity is “me.”

So for the first 20 days of December, I have begun a practice of taking time, usually early in the morning,
and sit in the darkness and just meditate or relax, to commune with God Herself and Myself. While
demands upon us seem to be heavier this time of year and the energy of those around us tend to be
more stressed or depressed, taking time out for self is vitally important. Take mind of what you eat
during the day, no I am not talking about counting calories, but paying attention of how you feel vs what
you are eating. Pay attention to how you sleep or don’t sleep depending on what kind of foods you eat.
While this might not seem like “energy” work, it is work on self on how your physical energy responds
to your daily intake of fuel. It is important for a witch to keep in mind a balance of body with spirit, so
when our physical energy is down, it is hard for us to keep our spiritual energy up. Food journaling for
realizing how you feel is a good way to find a balance between body and spirit.
You can’t think of Yule or Christmas without thinking about peppermint. Candy canes and
peppermint candies are synonymous with this time of year. You see them as decorations on the
Christmas trees and wreaths and are even used by Santa to give the children after they sit on his
knee telling him their wish list. While most think of peppermint as the flavoring of candy canes
and gum, it has a multitude of uses. Colds and flu are prevalent this time of year and
peppermint can help relieve most symptoms. Sip some peppermint tea to soothe an upset
stomach. Mix it with an essential oil and rub it on your chest as a decongestant and
expectorant. Use the oil mixture to rub on your feet for a reflexology
treatment to help release the mucous from your system along
with other toxins. The oil mixture can also be rubbed on sore
muscles and aches to relieve pain. It is also great for skin
irritations as it soothes rashes and burns. During the spring and
summer months it can be used to deter insects and rodents.
Magically, it helps to enhance psychic powers, purifies an area
or objects and use it in love spells.

Mystical Properties – Purification, love, enhance psychic powers & awareness, focus

Healing Properties – nausea, vomiting, headaches, stimulates lymph nodes, upper

respiratory tract infections, decongestant, expectorant, flatulence, digestive system
disorders, burns, rashes, muscle aches, bruises, reduces mental and physical fatigue
We are in the middle of the holiday season and there is little that people associate more than cold or family
with this season then the smells of the season. Often for ritual we use incenses and sages. There is another
‘scentsable’ option for filling our homes with magic during this and any season.
Commercially produced potpourri is often composed greatly of woodchips that have been doused with
scented chemicals. There are many options to make potpourri at home for often less money and without the
toxins. The following recipes contain simple ingredients that are available at the supermarket. For any other
hard to find ingredients, look for them at natural groceries, or apothecaries.
Purification Simmering Potpourri
6 tbsp peppermint
1 t6bsp spearmint
1 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp dried lemon peal
1 tbsp dried lime peal
Protective Simmering Potpourri
(use once a week or more it desired)
4 tbsp whole rosemary
3 bay whole leaves
1 tbsp whole basil
1 tbsp whole sage
1 tbsp whole fennel
1 tsp whole dill seeds
1 tsp whole juniper berries
Optional: a pinch of dried garlic

To use any of the potpourris a commercial grade simmerer could be used but is not necessary. An old pot
that is no longer used for cooking set on the stove works great for this purpose. All of the following recipes
are single use but may be doubles or tripled for your needed use. To use any of the recipes fill your simmerer
with 2 Cups of water. Add the mixture and keep on low heat for ½ or longer add more water at 30 minutes
or as needed.
Also consider the thought of these as simple holiday gifts.
This time of year we see candy canes everywhere. Department store Santa’s give them to
children after hearing their Christmas lists and we see them as decorations on Yule trees or even
on Yule packages, but do you know the history of the candy cane? Me either so I set out to try
and find the answer. After much research, I have found this……that there is no concrete answer.
Yeah, I was disappointed too. I DID find out that, believe it or not, the candy cane has been
around for over 350 years, however, they were not always in the shape that we see them in now.
Originally, the candy cane was a hard sugar stick, straight and white.

When the European-Christians adopted the use of trees as part of their Christmas celebrations in
the 17th century, they decorated their trees with food such as cookies and sugar sticks. It wasn’t
until the late 17th century that the sugar stick received its bend and became the sugar cane. The
most popular story seems to be that the candy cane received it’s now famous shape when the
choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany bent the sugar stick to represent a Sheppard's
staff and then they were given out to children to keep them occupied when the nativity services
ran too long. However, the possibility exists that the cane received it’s bend for a much more
practical reason…..it was easier to decorate the tree if the candy stick was bent. Yeah, I’m leaning
toward this one but then again, I am a practical type person. Either way, the shape of the candy
cane spread throughout Europe and eventually landed in America sometime in the 19th century.
Candy makers would sometimes decorate the candy canes with roses in order to dress them up
a bit but their color remained white. It is not known when the stripes first appeared on the
candy cane, however, Christmas cards prior to 1900 depicted all white candy canes. Cards after
1900 showed striped candy canes and it was around this time that the candy makers added
peppermint and wintergreen flavors to them. Personally, I am very grateful that they added the
flavoring. I would think that without the flavoring, the stick would taste like a spoonful of sugar
straight from the sugar bowl, but hey, if you dig that, more power to ya.

Another theory as to how the shape occurred is that they were originally made in the shape of
“J” to symbolize Jesus. The white symbolizes his purity and the red symbolizes his blood from the
wounds that he suffered. (Appetizing, huh?) I’m sure that you have received these emails as they
make the rounds every year around this time. There is no historical evidence to prove this
theory so I say don’t believe it. Let’s face it. Some people, whether as individuals or as a group,
just want to take credit for something they did not do. I know I’ve worked with some of those
people and I am sure that you have as well.

Anywho, even though I am not satisfied with the history, I did learn a few things:

They have been around for over 350 years

They started out straight and received their curves later (like me)
And people will take credit for anything if they think they will get praised for it (ok, I already
knew this one but had to get in another dig)

Happy holidays!!
Holidays are a wonderful time to spend with your family and friends. They are a time of
great joy, fun and often times stress. To help reduce your stress, carry a piece of smoky
quartz with you. It is a fantastic mood stabilizer, balancing the energies of the body and
mind and it neutralizes negativity. Its grounding properties make it a great stone for PMS
crankiness and extreme stress or burnout and its calming qualities help alleviate panic
attacks and anxiety. Since it is a mood stabilizer, it is also great for depression which
affects many this time of year. Its protective properties create a protective field allowing
the wearer the opportunity to recover from their anxieties while keeping out additional
negative influences. Smoky quartz is associated with the root chakra, therefore, healing
the functions related to it such as the adrenal glands, kidneys, bones, legs, colon and
spine. Its cleansing properties aid in the detoxification of the adrenal glands, kidneys
and reproductive organs. Smoky quartz was important to several ancient cultures. The
Greeks believed that it was related to water, some believing that it was water that had
been turned to stone. Others used it in rain ceremonies. The North American Native
Americans used it in Shamanic ceremonies and is particularly sacred to the Cherokees.
It is believed that smoky quartz was sacred to the druids and it is the national gem of
Scotland.

Mystical Properties- transforms negative emotions into positive energy, grounding,

stabilizing, centering, uplifting, protection, calming, meditation, clarity

Healing Properties – kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas, sex organs, bones, legs, colon,
spine aids in removing toxins from the body, aids in the nervous system,
What do you do for a living?
I go to Red Rocks Community College full time and I work there also at the Library.

How long have you been on your path?

I started on this path when I was 12, but kind of strayed from the path until I was 17 when I met a friend in high school who re-introduced me to the path and
I became more active in the community.

How did you get on your path?

I have always felt like I knew all along that this was the path that I was meant to be on. I was never comfortable going to church or even being in a church. I
remember when I was little, I decided that I would become a "guardian of nature". It sounds silly saying it now but it was very serious to me at the time and
for some reason I just knew that I had to do things with nature, to protect it and work with it instead of against it. I would always make "poitions" and little
bundles of flowers and plants tied up in a leaf, soaked in water and left in a tree to dry and, i guess, as a gift for the tree or whatever spirits might be nearby. I
never knew a name for it growing up, but I just always knew what to do and what my path was.

Do you follow a particular path? ie Wicca, Shamanism, Electic

To be truthful, I’m not even really sure what most of those mean, so I will just state simply that I am a witch and that I adhere to the pantheon of Egypt
mostly, but I do experiment with other faiths at times when I feel like I need something different.

What is the most important part of your path to you?

I think the most important part of my path is doing everyday magick, natural magick, breathing in the world around me and feeling the elements i come into
contact with everyday. Being in touch with everything around me, or at least some of the time, is something that I like to do in my routine and I consider that
magick enough some days.

What's going on in your life right now?

Right now, my life is very busy with a loaded class schedule, very hard classes, and never being at home because I work and go to school at the same place
and spend an average of 12 hours here a day. I would love to see my sisters more, but I can only make it to weekend events.

What are your muggle interests?

Reading, writing, singing, astronomy, eating, sleeping, hanging out with friends, taking long showers and
having clean hair.

Favorites
Animal Cat
Color - Green
Food - Ravioli
Drink - Milk
Childhood toy - A beanie baby cat named vanilla that I took with me everywhere I went
Candle Sent - Christmas scents: Pine tree, apple cinnamon, etc.
Season - All of them, but fall might be my favorite