With so many different annual calendars,
Solar, Lunar, Astrological and the like,
it’s easy to dismiss the Gregorian New Year
as having scant spiritual meaning.
What’s so special about January the 1st?
As a multi-cultural person, I celebrate so many New Year’s Days every year that it gets easy to let poor old ordinary Western New Year fall by the wayside.
My family’s Jewish New Year is in September, traditionally the end of the grain harvest. We’ve always celebrated by eating pomegranates and apples dipped in honey to symbolize the plentifulness of the year ahead. Most of us Witches see Samhain (Hallowe’en) as our new year, at the time of the last harvest, the meat harvest. We celebrate by remembering the dead and sharing our ritual feast with them. The Astrological New Year at the start of every zodiacal cycle, on the Spring Equinox cannot be forgotten, and as long as we’re taking a peek at astrology, we can’t ignore the Chinese New Year in February.
And still for me, the truest feel of the New Year is with the re-awakening of the sun at Yule: the start of the rule of Capricorn, a determined, Spartan sign. I know it’s no accident that New Year’s resolutions take firm hold in January, over all the other New Years, and that’s when we truly believe we can go for the new business, shed those pesky pounds and move to our dream home. All we need is a little magic to make sure we stick to those resolutions…
Guidelines for Spells for Beginnings, Middles and Ends
At this time of year, we are lucky enough to see the sun coming back, meaning the days getting longer. It’s a brilliant time to cast spells for starting new ventures, a few of which I’ll cover in this article. As the days grow longer, the power of the spell you’ve cast increases, until midsummer in June.
However, you may want to cast a spell to bring in a new job in March, or July – what do you do then?
That’s when we turn to the moon. ‘New beginnings’ spells work best when we harness the power of the new moon and as we see the moon grow, so does our spell with it. If you want to harness both the sun and the moon to your spells this month, go for 27th of December or 26th of January.
Similarly, if you need a spell to get something out of your life, like a stalky ex or a bad habit, try to put time aside and perform your spell at the time of the waning (decreasing) moon.
The time of the full moon is great for empowering spells so if you’re in a job you like but need to get noticed or if you want to shine a light into some dark corners and find out secrets, that’s the time for you.
And what about the time of the dark moon, I hear you ask? That’s for different spells, for banishing, for endings.
Instead of drowning yourself in resolutions you’re not likely to keep ‘til February, pick one thing you’d like to focus on and do your best to stick to it. Pick just one of this month’s spells, don’t be greedy and give it your fullest intent.
Spell for Selling Your House
Patricia in Nottinghamshire requested a spell to help sell her house which has been on the market for a year. Many viewings but no offers later, it may well be time for a full magic spell. (To request your own spell, check the end of the article for details).
Many swear that burying a statue of St Joseph upside down works wonders for selling a house but I can’t attest to it personally.
I’m actually sensing that a crystal would work best for you, clear quartz with some points to be exact.
After cleansing the crystal, allow yourself some time alone with it. Hold it in both hands, as you visualise yourself leaving the house one last time, feeling happy with the money you’ve got for it, closing the door behind you and walking away. ‘Charge’ the crystal with the feelings and visions that flood you.
Keep the crystal on your front window, ‘calling out’ to potential buyers and when people come to view, display it in a prominent position.
The New Year is very much a ‘never again!’ time, so if you feel like your boss isn’t treating you with respect or as if the office pet is getting promoted over you, it’s natural to want to leave and declare that you will ‘never again!’ be treated this way in a job situation.
New Job spell
Cinnamon, mint and basil oils are the base for this simple charm. They all promote wealth, business and growth. Mix them together in a little bowl and decant to a small dark bottle. Label the bottle ‘Jupiter’, planet of expansion. When sending out CVs, dab a discreet little drop on each page.
When sitting at an interview, rub a tiny bit on your right palm, and shake the hand of the interviewer as you enter.
And here’s one from my personal Book of Shadows, the ever favourite:
My Own Private Health and Beauty (Weight Loss) Spell
Despite personally struggling with my weight my whole life, I never thought it to be a good idea to ask the Goddess for weight loss. Not because I didn’t want to bother her, as a happy, healthy devotee of the Goddess is better for Her than a sluggish, grumpy one, but because I always feared that if I asked to be lighter, I’d get ill, break a tooth or lose a leg… all of those would render me lighter, but not healthier or happier. For this reason, what I ask for is health and beauty. I trust the Goddess to make me so and quietly hope that a bit of weight will fall off on my way there.
I will do the spell again in the evening of this January the 11th. If you want to do it with me on the same day, tune into my energies or email me and let’s kick-start it all together.
Rub a blue candle, representing health, with lavender oil for beauty.
Set up a little altar with a picture of you at your happiest and any souvenirs you have from that time - a shell, a poem, anything that reminds you of being healthy and beautiful.
Light the candle and let it burn right down, and visualise yourself smiling, brimming with good health and vitality, happy and strong.
Remember to eat healthily and exercise after the spell is done!
Wishing you all the blessings for the happy New Year.
If you’d like a spell created specially for you in the magazine, write to Inbaal at inbaal@hotmail.com with HighSpirit in the subject line.
Inbaal can be contacted for readings on 075 0505 7040 or inbaal.com