Lavender is a versatile herb that has been used for centuries for its various magical properties. It is prominently associated with peace and relaxation and is often used in spells and rituals to promote calmness and reduce anxiety. Here are some of the magical uses of lavender: 1. Protection: Lavender is believed to be a powerful protective herb that can ward off negative energies and promote a sense of safety. It can be used in various protective rituals or worn as an amulet to ward off evil spirits. 2.
2. Purification: Lavender has strong purifying properties and can be used to cleanse the energy of a space or object. It is often burned as incense or used in herbal baths to purify and cleanse.
Christmas Log: How An Ancient Pagan Solstice Ritual got to be a log on your dinner table
A walk through the aisles of a grocery store during the holiday season is always filled with delectable treats centered around various Christmas traditions. One such item that has always intrigued me has been the Yule Log. A log. That you eat. Why in the Charles Dickens would you want to eat a log? Well, it turns out this tradition dates back thousands of years and here’s what it’s all about…
The Yule Log tradition appeared thousands of years ago in ancient Celtic/Scandinavian/Germanic tribes celebrating the Winter Solstice. They would find a giant tree trunk and set it on fire on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. This pagan tradition was to celebrate re-birth and these ancient people thought by burning certain types of trees such as elm, oak, beech and cherry trees it would help bring about mystical good luck in the days to come after the solstice.
During the time of these ancient celebrations both December and January were called Guili or “Yule”, and it was when this magical log was burned, one could count on a return of both light and heat from the sun’s rays.
Like most pagan traditions, they were quashed when Christianity took over, but then adopted by Christianity to fit into the agenda of the Catholic Church. The Yule Log celebration was no exception and in the 12th century the ceremony became Christian-ified with families hauling home huge logs with the youngest sibling riding it home, who brought good fortune and luck for the coming season. Once home, the medieval families would burn the massive log to bring positive future outcomes for all that were present.
The tradition carried on through the centuries and in the 1800’s the Yule log was recorded in “Christmas Observances” by J.B. Partridge with the following ritual as the proper way to celebrate the Yule Log:
•The Yule log is brought in, and is at once put on the hearth.
•It is unlucky to have to light it again after it has once been started, and it ought not go out until it has burned away.
•To sit around the Yule log and tell ghost stories is a great thing to do on this night, also card-playing.
•Just before supper on Christmas Eve while the Yule log is burning, all other lights are put out, and the candles are lighted from the Yule log by the youngest person present. While they are being lighted, all are silent and wish. The wish must not be told, but you see if you get it during the year. As soon as the candles are on the table, silence may be broken. They must be allowed to burn themselves out, and no other lights may be lighted that night.
Bringing in the traditional Yule Log.
As time moved on, large log burning fireplaces in the family home gave way to smaller hearths and so the Yule Logs got smaller. Then as we moved into the 20th century, fireplaces were replaced by furnaces and stoves, requiring the tradition to adapt once again. This time a smaller Yule Log was placed on the dinner table and candles places on top of the log surrounded by candies and treats that were handed out on Christmas Eve.
Soon the traditional real wooden table log was replaced by a cake log, which is our current incarnation of this ancient pagan ritual. The cake log is usually covered in chocolate icing and scraped with a fork to resemble the tree bark.
One of the last places to celebrate the real Yule Log was in Quebec so it is no surprise that most Yule Log cakes are produced by Quebec companies such as Vachon, who continue the tradition with their own version of the Yule Log that you see in the grocery store aisles. Both Dairy Queen and Baskin Robbins also offer Yule Logs as ice cream logs that probably should not be lit on fire.
Vachon still makes a Yule Log cake during the Christmas season available at your grocers. (Image: Vachon.com)
So there you have it, the history of the Yule Log, once an ancient pagan tradition of setting fire to a giant log to worship the sun that has now evolved into a cake you eat and wash down with a glass of egg nog…egg nog…now there’s another story…what is nog?
Merry Christmas!
•The Yule log is brought in, and is at once put on the hearth.
•It is unlucky to have to light it again after it has once been started, and it ought not go out until it has burned away.
•To sit around the Yule log and tell ghost stories is a great thing to do on this night, also card-playing.
•Just before supper on Christmas Eve while the Yule log is burning, all other lights are put out, and the candles are lighted from the Yule log by the youngest person present. While they are being lighted, all are silent and wish. The wish must not be told, but you see if you get it during the year. As soon as the candles are on the table, silence may be broken. They must be allowed to burn themselves out, and no other lights may be lighted that night.
3. Sleep and dreams: Lavender is well-known for its calming and soothing properties, making it an excellent natural remedy for sleep disorders and nightmares. Placing lavender sachets under the pillow or using lavender-infused oils in a diffuser can help promote restful sleep and enhance dream recall. 4. Love and romance: Lavender is associated with love and romance and can be used in spells and rituals to attract love or strengthen existing relationships. It can be used in love charms, sachets, or bath salts to enhance passion and deepen emotional connections. 5. Healing and health: Lavender has long been used in herbal medicine for its healing properties. It is believed to have soothing and anti-inflammatory effects, making it useful for treating wounds, headaches, and various skin conditions. Lavender oil can be used in massage oils or added to bathwater for its healing benefits. 6. Divination and psychic abilities: Lavender is believed to enhance psychic abilities, intuition, and divination. It can be used in psychic rituals, meditation, or as an offering during divination practices to enhance spiritual connections and intuition. 7. Communication and clarity: Lavender is believed to help improve communication skills and enhance clarity of thought. It can be used in rituals or worn as an amulet to promote clear and effective communication. 8. Luck and prosperity: Lavender is associated with luck and prosperity and can be used in spells or charms to attract abundance and good fortune. It can be combined with other herbs or crystals associated with prosperity to enhance its effects. Overall, lavender is a versatile herb with a wide range of magical uses. Its calming, purifying, and healing properties make it a valuable ingredient in spells, rituals, and everyday magical practices..
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