Walking With The Light and Dark: Yule 2022
Welcome and happiest of holidays, my witchy lovelies! We’ve made our way to Yule, the second sabbat of this Wheel of the Year, but our final one of 2022. The celebrations of this sabbat begin on the winter solstice, which means that while we experience our shortest amount of daylight of the year today, we are also welcoming the rebirth of the sun going forward. It is a time of hearty celebration, while also being one of reflection upon embracing our own personal facets of light and dark.
Defying the Darkness
Yule is often associated heavily with the element of fire; bringing to mind the warmth of a crackling flame in a hearth, as well as the comforting light beckoning to us. We as humans need this warmth and light for survival, socialisation with our communities, and for solace during our darkest times. While the holidays are often filled with joy, it is perfectly natural for them to be a difficult time for many of us as well. Whether you are wrestling with overwhelming stresses life can dish out, the grief of loss, or any number of other external or internal struggles, Yule gives us all a chance to confront and process these things that might have plagued us this year so that we can move forward as our strongest and best selves.
Below I am including a few quick affirmations to help you begin your shadow work journey this Yule.
I am a shining beacon of light in the darkness for myself and for others.
There is more to me than meets the eye and I embrace every facet of my being with open arms and a loving heart.
I am ready to take the lessons I have learned from my struggles and transform them into blessings for my future.
I refuse to allow the flame within me to be extinguished.
Quick Kitchen Ritual Ideas
Knowing how busy the season can be, I wanted to give a few quick and simple ritual ideas centered around food and drink to help you stay connected to your spiritual self this holiday.
Sip on a glass of homemade mulled wine or cider with a spice mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamon and clove, along with orange slices and sweetened with honey. The grapes or apples and oranges will bring energy for abundance, fertility, beauty, happiness and celebration, while the honey and blends of spices will help attract prosperity, healing, success, and love towards you.
If you like mint, take some time to enjoy a peppermint candy cane or brew some lovely mint tea with the intent of restoring your energy, boosting positivity, and ensuring safe traveling this holiday season.
Utilize spices such as bay, horseradish, cayenne, garlic, sage, black pepper, fennel and rosemary to help you infuse your holiday meals with protective intentions and to keep any unwanted energies out of your celebrations.
While baking cookies or other holiday treats, set your kitchen space up as you would for a ritual. Cast circle, light your favorite candle, put on some festive music, and invite your ancestors, deities, or house spirits to join you and bless the festivities. Be sure to set out a plate of whatever your cooking or baking as an offering of thanks to them!
If you have a slow cooker at your disposal, it is a wonderful kitchen tool to use to help ensure a successful and less stressful holiday meal with your loved ones. Beyond that the longer cooking time allows for your magical intentions to fully infuse into your meal and intensify drastically. Below is one of my favorite long cooking holiday recipes for you to check out!
Slow Cooker Braised Beef Short Ribs with Creamy Polenta
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone in beef short ribs (protective energies, passion)
- 4 slices thick cut bacon (longevity)
- 1 1/2 lbs carrots, cut into large pieces (protection, clarity)
- 8 oz celery, cut into large pieces (restorative energies, passion)
- 12 oz onion, chopped (healing, banishment of negative energies)
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms, cut in half (grounding, healing)
- 10 cloves garlic, chopped (health, protection, purification)
- 6 oz tomato paste (luck, love, prosperity)
- 8 oz red wine (celebration, fertility, joy)
- 8 oz beef stock (strength, passion)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (abundance, beauty, fertility)
- 1 Tbsp honey (love, luck, happiness)
- 1 Tbsp salt (purification, cleansing, protection)
- 1 Tbsp black pepper (protection)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (protection, increasing energy)
- 2 whole springs fresh rosemary (protection, communication, healing)
- 5-6 leaves fresh sage, chopped (warding, cleansing, wisdom)
- 2 whole bay leaves (wishing, strength, luck)
- 2-3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 24 oz half and half or milk (love, prosperity)
- 16 oz water (cleansing)
- 8 oz yellow polenta cornmeal (abundance, fertility/life)
- 4 oz fresh spinach (vitality, money-drawing)
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese (abundance, prosperity, moon magick)
- 1 oz grated parmesan cheese (prosperity, wealth)
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (courage, success, luck)
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter (spirituality)
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste (purification)
- 1 tsp black pepper, or to taste (protection)
Instructions
- To begin, season your short ribs with 1 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper and sear them on high all sides. If your slow cooker has a saute function you can do this in there or in a separate skillet if it does not; just be sure to give them a nice, golden crust on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add olive oil and tomato paste into the bottom of your slow cooker and then add in your carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, and garlic, mixing to coat them in the oil and tomato paste mixture and add your short ribs back into the slow cooker, nestling them into the vegetables.
- In a separate bowl, combine the wine, beef stock and honey and pour the mixture over the ribs and vegetables.
- Add in the remainder of the salt and pepper, as well as the red pepper flake, rosemary springs, sage leaves, and bay leaves and stir gently to combine all ingredients.
- Set your slow cooker to high and cook for 6-8 hours or set to low and cook for 12-16 hours (good for overnight cooking!). When finished, the meat should be tender enough for the bone to be removed cleanly from each piece of rib.
- To thicken the sauce, combine 2-3 tbsp cornstarch with cool water in a separate bowl and stir into the sauce. Bring to a boil and allow to thicken to your liking.
- You can either serve the ribs whole or shred the meat and stir back into the sauce. Either method you choose, you will serve over a bed of the polenta. You can garnish this with more fresh herbs, grated cheese, or garlic chips. Enjoy!
- In a medium pot, slowly warm milk, water, and salt over medium low heat.
- Once the liquid is steaming and beginning to boil softly, bring the burner to low and very slowly whisk in your polenta to avoid lumps forming.If the polenta becomes too stiff, you may add in another cup of water or milk to loosen it to a porridge consistency. Cook for 5-10 minutes over low heat, then remove from the burner.
- Once removed from the heat, quickly stir in fresh spinach and allow it to wilt in the remaining heat of the polenta.
- Finally, stir in butter, thyme, mascarpone, salt, pepper, and parmesan and serve immediately.
