A Yule magic practitioner is someone who engages in the practice of magic during the Yule season. Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice, is a festival that celebrates the longest night of the year and the return of the sun. It is a time of rebirth, renewal, and transformation. Yule magic practitioners often use various tools, rituals, and spells to connect with the energy of the season and harness its power. They may create altars adorned with symbols such as evergreen branches, candles, and representations of the sun. These symbols serve to honor the cycles of nature and the turning of the seasons.

I finally tried Magic Leap, and I have mixed feelings

Ghostly visions, portals to other worlds -- Magic Leap is promising a wild dive into an augmented reality future. But there's still a long way to go.

I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.

• Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps

A doorway opens in the wall. Beyond it, there's a gleaming city. A robot flies through, blasting missiles at me. My hand holds a controller, but I see it as a laser blaster. I squeeze the trigger on my controller, sending energy beams at the robot. It collapses against the ottoman. A missile streams by, gleaming and a bit ghostly, and I turn to watch it fly to the opposite wall, where the CNET camera crew, a host of Magic Leap employees, and CEO Rony Abovitz watch me duck and move. The missile passes over them, unnoticed, because only I see it through the Magic Leap One headset I'm wearing.

I'm not used to being watched this much when I try new things, but maybe that's the future. In the kind of augmented reality created by headsets like the one I'm testing, we're all performers in a split experience -- one part real world, one part illusion.

I'm trying the Magic Leap One for the first time, putting the headset through its paces at the company's Plantation, Florida headquarters just a few weeks before its public debut. For years, the startup has been shrouded: It's received $2.3 billion in funding from the likes of Google and Alibaba, but the company has released only a small handful of experiential videos to the public, raising questions about the company's veracity. But now, the hardware has a price and a release date -- the $2,295 headset is available now -- and Magic Leap is ready to show its creation to at least a few outsiders.

I can tell you this: the Magic Leap One isn't vaporware. It's real, and it works. Whether it's more than a developer prototype, and whether it amazes you, is another story. My initial experience didn't blow me away, despite Magic Leap's promises. And yet, I came away thinking it's the best AR headset experience I've had to date -- including my Microsoft HoloLens escapades . Even though it's not all that fundamentally different from the HoloLens, which has been available for developers to purchase for $3,000 since 2016, the Magic Leap One feels better in terms of display, controls, graphics and immersiveness. And by immersiveness, I mean the things I see and interact with feel more real in front of me. Still, though, there are significant drawbacks to Magic Leap's AR hardware, mostly in terms of its limited field of view.

This AR system is a step forward, but not a game changer. Not yet, at least. It all depends on what comes next.

I'm a tough audience. I've tried all of Magic Leap's AR competitors over the last few years, including the HoloLens , the Meta 2 and prototypes such as Avegant's mixed reality headwear . I've tested all of its VR cousins, too. VR puts you right into another world and blocks out reality, but AR juggles a far more challenging task of trying to place virtual things into the world around you. But it's AR that many tech giants, from Apple to Facebook, are banking on as the next revolution in technology, so Magic Leap faces high expectations.

I was floored by my first experiences with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive . And, ultimately, that's probably why Magic Leap feels, to me, like a familiar stepping-stone more than a revolution. It's also a headset that seems much more targeted at developers exploring the ever-evolving future of augmented reality than it is anyone else.

And there's one other thing that became extremely clear to me: This isn't made for everyday customers yet. But, here I am, wearing it.

These symbols serve to honor the cycles of nature and the turning of the seasons. Candle magic is a common practice during Yule. Candles are lit to represent the returning light and warmth of the sun.

Magic Leap One first impressions: High-res ghostly images, with a limited field of view

Let's start with a frustrating caveat: We had no way of capturing point-of-view footage as we saw it through the Magic Leap One headset. Magic Leap shared some footage for our videos, which don't look as good as what the headset's display feels like in person. According to Magic Leap, the One uses a proprietary light field technology created through small lens chips in the goggles to project images. These chip displays are manufactured downstairs in the Magic Leap's Florida headquarters, which is a former Motorola factory. I got a chance to tour the entire place. Sealed-off bays, dust-free suits, assembly lines with robotic arms, all sit just yards away from the creative team's open office, full of comic books and board games.

Wearing the headset feels not unlike what Microsoft's HoloLens accomplishes, but brighter, crisper and with better graphics. The Magic Leap One visual experience reminds me of Avegant's retinal projection headgear that I wore years ago in its surprisingly bright, vibrant imagery. (Avegant has its own prototype light-field AR headset I tried last year , too, and it feels similar in spirit to Magic Leap's displays.)

Ghostly is a term that echoes in my mind. Images floated and displayed coherently, creating an impressive sense of depth, but the images seem more like a video game than real. Particles, smoke and other semitransparent effects look the best. The room in which I tested the Magic Leap One had slightly soft living room light, high ceilings, furniture, tables and wall art. I used Abovitz's better lit office, too, but didn't get to walk around anywhere else with the headset.

In those environments, objects like a floating, swimming sea turtle, hanging in the air, look charmingly convincing. Small objects fared the best. Bigger things revealed the Magic Leap One's biggest flaw: The display's small field of view doesn't cover everything you see in the room.

Magic Leap's visualization of its viewing area limitations.

VR headsets don't have fantastic field of view either: they're like Scuba masks. But the fact that I can't see anything beyond that mask works in VR's favor to help complete the illusion.

AR headsets have a different challenge because your viewing window isn't as large as the rest of reality. Microsoft's HoloLens feels like seeing ghosts through a small window in front of your eyes. Magic Leap's One suffers a similar fate. Get close to a virtual car, and the edges start to disappear once they hit the limits of your field of view. Magic Leap's field of view is a bit better than the HoloLens, and Abovitz is quick to explain the field of view more as a "cone" of vision: put a virtual thing 50 feet away, and it can look like it's large and filling a hallway. But not being able to see a fuller view of the room's virtual objects is a serious drawback. Sometimes I lose track of things I can't see, and require sound to help me track where the augmented things are hiding, and where to turn.

They may be used in spells or rituals to bring abundance, healing, or protection. The colors of the candles can also hold significant meaning, with gold and silver representing the sun and moon, respectively. Yule magic practitioners may also work with herbs and crystals that are closely associated with the winter season. Some of these herbs include pine, cedar, cinnamon, and cloves. These can be used in spells or ritual baths to invoke the energies of protection, grounding, and purification. Similarly, crystals such as clear quartz, amethyst, and garnet are often used for their healing and transformative properties. Rituals during Yule often focus on introspection, setting intentions, and releasing what no longer serves us. This can be done through meditation, journaling, or engaging in specific rituals such as burning a written list of things to let go of. By releasing these energies, practitioners make space for new growth and renewal in the coming year. Yule magic practitioners also honor the spirits of nature and the elements. They may engage in ritual drumming, dancing, or singing to connect with the spirit of the land and celebrate the changing seasons. These practices help to deepen the practitioner's relationship with the natural world and foster a sense of harmony and balance. Overall, being a Yule magic practitioner involves embracing the magic and energy of the winter season. It is a time to connect with the cycles of nature, honor the darkness and light within ourselves, and set intentions for the year ahead. By working with the energy of Yule, practitioners can tap into the transformative power of this potent time and align themselves with the natural rhythms of the Earth..

Reviews for "Celebrating Yule with Rituals and Ceremonies"

- Jane - 2 out of 5 stars - I was really hoping that "Yule magic practitioner" would be a captivating and enchanting read, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult for me to connect or care for them. Additionally, the plot seemed predictable and cliché. The magic elements were underwhelming, and I couldn't help but feel disinterested throughout the story. Overall, it was a disappointing read that failed to provide the magical experience I was hoping for.

- Mark - 1 out of 5 stars - "Yule magic practitioner" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was overly simplistic and lacked any distinctive voice or creativity. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed and confusing plot developments. The main character felt like a caricature, and their actions and decisions made little sense. The world-building was also lacking, leaving me with more questions than answers. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-crafted and engaging fantasy story.

- Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars - I was initially drawn to "Yule magic practitioner" because of its promising premise, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The writing felt disjointed and lacked cohesiveness, making it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. The dialogue was awkward and often unrealistic, hindering my ability to connect with the characters. Additionally, the conflicts and resolutions felt forced and contrived, further diminishing my enjoyment of the book. Overall, I found "Yule magic practitioner" to be a disappointment and would not recommend it to others.

The Significance of Yule in Witchcraft