Connecting with Frau Holle, The Winter Goddess. 

Among the enchanting figures that emerge during Yuletide is the Germanic character of Frau Holle. She is a powerful deity of the woods and the domestic sphere and is well known for her role in
The Wild Hunt. With her folklore comes a range of old traditions that echo many of our modern holiday customs, making her the perfect deity to connect with this Yule season.  

Frau Holle’s Origins and Folklore

Frau Holle is known by several names throughout Northern and Central Europe: Holda, Hulda, and Frau Perchta are a few. Her character appears in both Norse and Germanic pagan folklore. In
Scandinavia, she is a goddess of the woods and nature, and she is closely associated with evergreen plants such as holly and mistletoe. In other parts of Europe, she is also associated with fertility and domesticity and rules over activities such as housekeeping, weaving, and spinning. Some fairy tales and folk legends portray Frau Holle as an old crone or a toothless hag, and others depict her as a young and beautiful maiden.

Frau Holle and the Yule Season

Frau Holle is intimately connected with the winter season and especially snowfall. Some believe when Frau Holle shakes out
her mattresses, white feathers fall to earth. She is said to bring gifts to women on the Winter Solstice, and many Germanic cultures hold a feast in honor of her. Frau Holle is said to be active toward the end of December into January when the days officially start to get longer. This aspect of Frau Holle is associated with the return of light, and thus joy and celebration, but she also has a dark side as well. In places where she is known as Frau Perchta, she has an army of Perchten, lost souls who closely resemble Krampus. These spirits ride with Frau Perchta in The Wild Hunt. As we discussed in our last blog post, the Wild Hunt is a cavalcade of spirits who ride on the winter storms of the Yule season. Both Odin and Frau Holle are figures closely associated with The Wild Hunt, although there are some variations among different cultures about who actually leads the Wild Hunt. Some groups depict Frau Holle as the leader of the hunt, bringing her Perchten and the souls of unbaptized children with her. Others believe Odin leads the hunt, and Frau Holle is the prize being hunted.

Honoring Frau Holle Today

If you feel a connection to Frau Holle, you can easily welcome her into your space by bringing in evergreen plans like holly, pine, and mistletoe. Because of her close connection with snow, practicing a bit of snow magic can be a great way to call on her energy. You can also use our Spell & Offering Kit to make your offering to Frau Holle. The kit includes herbs, anointing oil, a candle, and spell ideas to help you get started. As with any deity ruling over the domestic sphere, completing domestic chores will honor Frau Holle. You can also work on crafts during your winter rituals. Spinning, weaving, sewing, and knitting are all great options to connect with Frau Holle. If you want to lean into tradition, you can host a feast in Frau Holle’s name. This is typically done on or around December 25th. If you wish to begin working with Frau Holle during the Yule season, you can find everything you need in our online store, or you can visit us in person to get more guidance from one of our staff members.

Yule is the festival of the Winter Solstice, on or about December 21, the shortest day, and the longest night of the year. Celtic pagan traditions celebrated with the symbolic  battle between the Oak King who represents light (summer) and the Holly King who represents dark (winter) , the lighting of large bonfires to keep evil spirits from their crops through the dark months, and feasting.

Traditions and Symbols

Decorating the Yule tree, representing the Tree of Life, with pinecones, berries, fruit, coins, and corn to represent the hope for abundance and prosperity in the new year.

Burning of a Yule log, anointed with wassail, to symbolize the continual hearth fire and prevent bad spirits from entering the home.

Lighting candles to lure back the sun.

Harvesting and hanging mistletoe, representing the fertility of the goddess and the seed of the Oak King, above doorways for protection.

Hanging bells to banish the negative and call in the positive.

A ritual at sunrise to welcome the light and warmth of the sun back to the land.

Colors of the Season

Red for the waning Holly King

Green for the waxing Oak King.

White for purity and the hope of new light.

Silver for the Moon.

Gold for the Sun.

Plants of the Season

Bay Leaves represent prosperity, luck, and success.

Evergreens are brought indoors to symbolize life, rebirth, renewal.

Holly Leaves, symbolic of the Holly King, symbolize hope and the red berries represent potency. Mistletoe’s green leaves symbolize fertility and its white berries the seed of the Oak King.

The Yule tree represents the Tree of Life and traditionally was decorated with the gift’s pagans wanted to receive from the Gods. Seasonal fruits and nuts like acorns, pecans, walnuts, oranges, and apples.   

Yule Ritual

Yule is a time of reflection during the long nights of the winter. As the trees and flowers go through their cycles of death and rebirth it is an opportunity to examine are own personal cycles of letting go of the old and bringing in the new.

A suggested ritual to help you celebrate your rebirth this Yule.

Clearing is a way of taking out the old and making the space for the new to enter our lives. Begin by lighting the Yule incense (included in your box) in a heat proof container. Walk around your home, while burning the incense, requesting energies that do not belong to you to leave and stay away.

Once you feel your space is cleared of unwanted energies, begin at the entrance of the room, and with the bell (included in your box) in your right hand, slowly move around the room in a clockwise motion, ringing the bell in a light but quick rhythm. Allow the bell to sound as it will. Voice your intentions for what you want to bring into your life  loudly and joyously. Let the bell lead you around the house. Ringing a bell will quickly change the way your home feels and help to manifest your intentions.

Decorate your altar and home with symbols of the season. Make yourself a cup of mulled wine or cider and light your candle. Think of all your accomplishments and ways you plan to adapt to strengthen yourself in the upcoming months. Express your gratitude for your achievements and what is to come. Many pagans stay up on the Winter Solstice to greet the rising Sun with the ringing of bells.

 Discover Odin, the Norse God of War and Wisdom

 As we draw closer to the Yule season, the figure of Odin becomes prominent in our holiday celebrations. This important figure in Norse mythology is known today through folklore as well as pop culture. In this blog post, we will discuss the history of this god of war and
wisdom as well as his associations with Yule.  

Odin’s Origins in Northern Europe.

Odin can be traced through the long history of Northern Europe, from the Roman occupation through the Viking age. Thus, he has
varied attributes and a rich mythology. In most instances, he functions as a god of war, wisdom, and poetry. Other spellings of his name include Wodan, Woden, or Wotan. He is also called the
one-eyed Allfather, the other eye he gave up in exchange for wisdom. He was often depicted with wolves or ravens, or riding through the sky on the back of his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.

In heroic literature, he was the protector of heroes. Before a war, Odin was called upon to offer advice and gifts. In some Germanic cultures, he would also determine whether certain battles or individual warriors would be victorious or not. After a battle, Odin
would have his Valkyries scavenge the battlefield to bring the souls of the slain to his warrior paradise, Valhalla. From this practice, Odin became closely associated with the dead, which is apparent during Yuletide.

Odin, Yule, and the Wild Hunt.

Odin’s association with the Yule season dates far back to old Norse and Germanic pagan traditions. One of the most famous legends is that of The Wild Hunt, a phenomenon where an army of spirits rides
the winter storms of the Yule season. The Wild Hunt is made up of the spirits of those who experienced untimely death, whether from illness, accidents, or of course, battles. Included also are animals associated with death, land spirits, and deities, Odin being one of them. If you venture outside in the darkness of mid-winter nights, you might spot this horde in the sky, or worse, be picked up by one of the spirits and dropped miles away from your home. Sometimes members of the hunt would enter towns and homes to cause chaos.  

There are some contradictions in historical texts on who exactly leads this Wild Hunt every year; some believe it is Frau Holle, who we will discuss in the next blog post, and others believe it is Odin. Nonetheless, we can conclude that, due to his close associations with the dead and his reputation for riding through the sky, Odin plays an important role in the Wild Hunt.

Connect with Odin.

Yule is the perfect time to connect with Odin since his presence is ever more prominent during this season. Many will start celebrating this season with well-known traditions such as decorating an
evergreen tree or preparing a Yule log. You can find ways to incorporate Odin into these practices by using icons such as ravens or wolves to call him into your space. You can also use ingredients in your seasonal witchcraft such as tobacco, ash or elm leaves and bark, or chamomile. Leaving out food offerings is also popular during Yule; common offerings would include bread, crab apples,
and cured meats.  

Other activities you could try during this season would be throwing runes, which have their roots in Norse traditions. You could also build an altar and light a candle for Odin on the Winter Solstice.
Our Odin Offering & Spell Kit includes anything you may need to get started on your journey with Odin. You can buy this and other supplies for the Yule season from our online store, or visit us in person at our brick-and-mortar store.

Unveiling Lilith: Ancient Origins to Modern
Witchcraft

As we journey closer to Samhain, the veil becomes thinner, and the Northern Hemisphere becomes darker, there is one particular deity that urges our attention: Lilith. Her origins stretch far back into antiquity, and her mythology has evolved over the centuries through many different cultures. She earns the title “Queen of Demons” through her pernicious and lascivious folklore.

Lilith Origins and Mythology

Ancient texts dating back to around 2000 B.C. suggest that Lilith has her origins in the lilitu of ancient Sumerian mythology.These were demons of the vampire or succubus variety, and they would haunt people in their sleep, often spawning demonic children. The Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh details each class of lilitu and narrates folk tales of their interactions with humans.  

In Syria, Lilits were referred to as “divine flyers”, and depicted as winged sphinxes. The Syrians pronounced incantations to banish these demons out of the room where a woman was in child labor. In general, these early iterations of Lilith were considered entities of chaos and malevolence by ancient peoples. They were considered a danger to anyone sleeping alone, but they were particularly
harmful to female-bodied people during certain times of their sexual cycles: during virginity, menstruation, and up to an hour after childbirth.

Lilith, Judaism, & Christianity

The name Lilith is mentioned several times in the Talmud and the Christian Bible. One of the most well-known citations is in Isaiah 34, verse 14: “The wild cat shall meet with the jackals, And the satyr
shall cry to his fellow, Yea, Lilith shall repose there And find her place of rest”. The verse references the day of judgment when the earth shall be turned into a desert, where Lilith resides. This association with Lilith and the desert originates from the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Her appearance in the prophecy of Isaiah tells us that Lilith was a well-known figure in the 8th century when this text was written and that she was a demonic entity. 

It wasn’t until the medieval period that Lilith became associated with the Creation story. The Alphabet of Ben Sira is the first
text to name Lilith as Adam’s first wife. Lilith refused to lay with Adam, seeing herself as Adam’s equal and not subservient to him. In protest, she spoke the magical words of God and flew away to the Red Sea, where she bore her “demonic brood”. This is where Lilith gets her title of “The Queen of Demons”. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Lilith’s story was re-popularized, but her characterization as a succubus or vampire evolved into a fallen woman or seductress, a fearful symbol of sin and evil.

Lilith as a Figure in Modern Witchcraft

In our modern world, many are interested in reframing Lilith’s story as Adam’s first wife through a more feminist lens. She is a woman brave enough to take her destiny into her own hands, and therefore a symbol of female empowerment and independence. For others, her associations with sex and promiscuity make her a deity of female sexual pleasure and sensuality. Modern pagans often call upon Lilith for boldness, sexual liberation, and to reclaim one’s personal power. If you feel called to work with Lilith, you may use ingredients such as willow, dragon’s blood, or frankincense in your spell work. Wine and aphrodisiacs are also appropriate offerings. You may lay out statues of Lilith on your altar, or icons of owls will invoke her energy as well. If you are unsure of where to start on
your journey with Lilith, you can try out our Lilith Offering & Spell Kit, which has all the tools you need to get started. You can find it in our online shop, or you can come visit our store and talk to a member of staff who can give you more guidance.

Samhain, the third and final harvest, is one of the major festivals of the Wheel of the Year. For many Pagans it is the most important festival. The harvest is complete, it is the end of the cycle of birth and growth, the point of death. Traditionally the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest and it is the time to honor and offer hospitality to our ancestors.

Colors of the Season

Traditional colors of the season are black for death and endings, orange for fire and the bounty of the final harvest, and purple for insight and inspiration.

Plants of the Season

Pumpkins, Gourds, Apples, Nuts, Berries, Mugwort, Rosemary, Marigolds, Chrysanthemums.

Symbols

A cauldron, photos of deceased relatives and loved ones honor the passage to the Summerland and the Ancestors, the besom broom, black candles.

Additional suggestions for celebrating.

Take a walk in a natural area near your home. Observe the colors, aromas, sounds, and other sensations of the season. Gather some natural objects and add them to your altar.

Samhain is a fire festival.  If possible, have bonfire outdoors or light a fire in your fireplace or even a small cauldron. Write down a habit that you wish to end and cast it into the flames seeing it being released.

Use Tarot, Runes, Scrying, or some other form of divination to seek guidance for the coming years.

Have a craft day. Gather leaves and make leaf prints, carve a pumpkin or a turnip, bake a sweet treat.

Tap into the Halloween interpretation and pile up on the couch with a bag of candy and your favorite horror movie.

 Find a way to celebrate that brings you happiness.

Suggested Ritual

Start by creating the altar. While setting up your altar anoint the items and yourself with the Samhain oil. Think about those departed by death from your life, (family, friends, pets) as you place photographs of them on your altar. Offer them your hospitality and welcome their presence into your home.

For those who have lost loved ones in the past year, Samhain rituals can be an assistance in the grieving process and an opportunity to spiritually commune with your loved ones.

Blessed Samhain

Persephone: A Deep Dive into the Goddess of Spring and The Underworld. 

As the seasons start changing again, you may look for ways to honor the earth’s cycle. During this time of year, many look to Persephone to lead us into the dark half of the year. Persephone’s story is one many are familiar with, and in this blog, we will explore ways to incorporate this powerful goddess into your pagan practice.

Persephone in Greek Mythology

Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, agriculture, and bread. Demeter is responsible for sustaining the human race through facilitating the earth’s rich bounty. The two Goddesses together represent agriculture and the earth's continuous cycles. 

Persephone’s story begins playing in a meadow with her nymph friends. She gets kidnapped by Hades and taken to the underworld to be his bride. Demeter, accompanied by Hecate, searches desparingly for her daughter. When she discovers that Zeus was an accomplice in her kidnapping, Demeter refuses to let the earth produce food until her daughter is returned. Zeus concedes and Persephone is brought back to earth and reunited with Demeter. 

However, Persephone had already eaten the fruit of the Underworld, a handful of pomegranate seeds, and therefore was bound to return to the underworld annually for 6 months. This story is where we get Persephone’s connection with the pomegranate, a fruit associated with growth, fertility, and the life and death cycle. 

Many believe that Persephone returns to the underworld on the autumn equinox every year, and Demeter despairs at her absence until they are reunited in the spring. This annual ritual of separation and reconvening is what makes the seasons change.

Worshiping the Goddess of Spring

The ancient Greeks formed an agricultural-based cult dedicated to Demeter and Persephone, and they performed annual rites they called The Greater Mysteries at Eleusis. The rites included a ritual bath in the sea, three days of fasting, and a “central rite” which even to this day is a secret lost in time. Those who undertook the Greater Mysteries were promised a blessed afterlife. 

In ancient art, Persephone is usually depicted next to her mother, while other works show Hades and Persephone enthroned in the Underworld. Today, Persephone represents transitions and change. She also embodies duality as Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld. Her ascension to Earth signals the start of a new life cycle, yet she holds substantial power over the dead. You may feel called to work with Persephone if you are trying to get in touch with your shadow side, or are going through changes in your life. 

In general, working with Persephone is a great way to connect with the Earth as we transition into the colder, barren months. You might try a ritual bath at home, as the ancient Greeks did, or perform an offering to Persephone. Some common offerings would include flowers, especially asphodel, weeping willow, grains, and of course, pomegranates and pomegranate-derived ingredients. 

Planning your ritual with these themes and ingredients in mind will help you form a closer bond with Persephone. Luckily, our shop has all the tools you need to get started. Our handmade Persephone Offering & Spell Kit comes with an herbal blend, magickal oil, incense, a candle, and more suggestions for rituals and spells. You can find this and more tools in our online store, or you can stop by our shop in Asheville and talk to a member of our team for more guidance.