Final countdown for 2017. ::smiles:: While 2017 politically was a dumpster-fire and a half…for me personally, it was a pretty damn good year, if I do say so myself. I decided that today would be a great day to do a combined Yule and Tabula Rasa ritual.
Altar by candlight:
I just noticed that my right side of the altar is always dark – due to that only having incense. I’ll figure out a candle thing to put over on that side to balance out the light.
Altar with the lights on:
Snake totem stone that I bought at the gem and mineral show.
Leather medicine bundle
Sekhmet’s red 7-day candle
Loosely piled garnet chip necklace with an African Lion’s claw on top
Golden Sekhmet statue
Athame & sheath
Yule oil roller ball (from the Inked Goddess Creation’s Yule box) – did NOT like the smell at all on this one
Birch Yule Log (bought it last January/February – it was on sale at Michael’s for like 70% off)
White candle, Green Yule Candle (from Yule Box), and Red candle
Star witch’s ball (from Yule Box)
Horn offering bowl (bought at Hobby Lobby) with Yule Log Ritual Blessing herbs (from Yule Box)
4 tea lights – Yule is the ritual celebrating the return of the Light so more candles = yay!
Incense holder with “Stag” incense from Harvest Moon Haven
Jar with my Sacred Feather
As a part of the Tabula Rasa ritual, I look back over the year (via my blog, journals, and Facebook) and take an accounting of my year – the highlights and the low points. The low points that I struggled the most with over 2017, I wrote down on a piece of paper.
I also did a Year Ahead Spread with the Tarot:
Lots and lots of Swords (all about intellect)….and I must admit, when I drew the card for 2018 overall and found The Death card staring back at me? It sucked the wind right out of my sails for a moment. But you know what? I’ve kicked ass up until this point…and The Death card does not signify physical death, but the death of outgrown ideas and beliefs. And while those are never easy to just shake free of…they do have to be shed in order to grow. So, I just grinned, baring my teeth, and whispered “bring it” – because I will keep moving forward.
Post-ritual selfie with the altar:
Though, technically, the ritual isn’t complete at this point…just taking a break to enjoy the evening with my husband.
At around 11 pm, I started a fire in the fireplace. Seriously wanted to use the fire pit, but given that it was sleeting and in the single digits, yeah, that was NOT going to happen.
Onto the fire, I tossed sprigs of holly to burn away all the troubles of last year. I did this for myself, Leviathan, my car, and the house. David did ones for him, Josey, and his car.
And then I took the paper that I wrote the Low Points on, tore it into shreds, and threw them on the fire. They have no power over me. And the Yule Log Ritual Blessing Herbs were also sprinkled on the flames.
Then I had fun just taking photos of the flames and doing a bit of fire scrying. The flame on the left, looks like a Phoenix to me.
And that is the end of 2017. ::smiles:: Onwards to 2018!
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