New Year, New Witch: Advice From Basic Witches
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2018 is here, and that means time to reflect, renew… and read a whole bunch of posts determined to make this year the best year ever. Which is great, really.
But what if you want to do something a little bit different?
If 2017 was the year that saw you get in touch with your witchy side (or even if you did that a long time ago), you might be wondering about how to bring a little magic to your New Year’s celebrations. Of course, for some witches, New Year’s has already come and gone, as the majority of Wiccan traditions consider Samhain to be the start of the new Wheel of the Year. Others may choose to focus their celebrations of renewal and rebirth during the longest night of the year: the Winter Solstice (aka Yule). However, there’s no reason not to celebrate the calendar New Year as well, and we’ve got some great ways to refocus and bring a little witchy goodness into 2018.
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Throw Out Your Old Resolutions (And Your Scales)
How many of us make the same New Year’s resolutions over and over again? To lose ten pounds, to pay off the credit card, to learn a new skill, etc. These are wonderful intentions to have, but if you’ve got into the habit of making (and breaking) the same promise to yourself every year, let it go!
Instead, make a new resolution with a little witchy flair to it and you may find it easier to keep. Start a meditation or yoga practise, commit to marking and celebrating each of the Sabbats or the moon cycles, keep a gratitude journal for the year, or learn to use crystals, tarot, or another spiritual tool. Getting witchy is all about connecting to nature, and there are so many ways to do that, from a commitment to eating seasonally (just set up an organic veggie box for the year and you are done!), to recycling, forest-bathing, or starting to grow your own food (or herbs, for witches in apartments). Whatever you resolve to do, focus on the soul, not the scales.
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Keep The Little Black Dress, But Skip The Champagne
The first few days of 2018 will set the tone for your year, and the energy that you put out over this time should be the kind of energy you want to keep going for the next twelve months. So unless you are hoping for a drunk or hungover 2018, think about drinking mindfully, not heavily. Champagne itself is very sugary, and the carbonation speeds up absorption of alcohol, so it’s known for causing brutal hangovers. Look into natural red wines with no sulphites added to limit the hangover, or consider boozy teas and hot drinks that will be sipped, not swigged. Warm drinks also fit with witchy traditions of celebrating winter renewal by bringing heat and warmth into the home.
Did you wear a little black dress this New Year's Eve? Black is known to help absorb and dispel negative energy, and is connected to concepts of rebirth and the start of something new. Balance it out with some brighter sparkles and crystals in jewelry that are associated with anything you want to focus on in 2018. Consider rose quartz to attract love (and self-love!), malachite to help ground you, tigers-eye to give you confidence, or citrine for wealth.
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Forget About FOMO
It’s all too easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing and worry that other people are doing something far more fabulous than you. But we know that self-confidence and staying present are a key part of creating happiness, so ditch the FOMO this year. Instead of worrying about the hottest events, think about what you really want to do. If that means hitting up the clubs, great! But it could mean sitting at home with a loved one, or even just with yourself and your favorite book. Think about turning off your phone, too. Do you really need to skim through all those perfect Instagram photos of other people’s celebrations? Wouldn’t it be better to stay truly present in your own, instead?
Most importantly, remember to keep things in perspective. If you weren't able to celebrate New Year's, there are plenty of other witchy holidays to enjoy, and every single day brings a fresh start. Make your New Year the middle of January, the next full moon, your birthday—whenever you want!
New Year, New Witch means celebrating you, getting a little bit spiritual (instead of a little bit drunk), and starting your year fresh and focused.
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A New Year Ritual For Basic Witches
You will need a black candle and a white candle of similar sizes, a fireproof dish (a frying pan works), paper, pen, sage, and clear quartz.
- Use the sage to cleanse your space, your tools, and especially the crystal itself.
- Tear the paper in half, and on one half, write down all those things you wish to let go of or receive closure on. On the other, write down all those things that you wish to attract in the new year.
- Light the black candle, and focus on the flame as you read through your list of things to release. Really concentrate on each of these things, and then burn the paper with the black candle, seeing all these things released (drop it into the fireproof dish until it is completely extinguished).
- Take three deep, cleansing breaths. Burn some more sage if you feel it is appropriate. Create space between what you want to release, and what you want to attract.
- Take your second list, and read through it, holding the crystal in one hand and focusing on how you will feel once all the things on it have manifested. Visualize all these things coming to you in 2018, and breathe them in. When you have this wonderful feeling clear in your mind, light the white candle to balance the black and to symbolize all that you are bringing into being.
- Place the paper under the crystal on your altar, and allow the candles to burn out.
