The Magic of January
Elements Spiritual & Wellness Center
By The Emerald Hexe, 2022
The Magic of January
Monthly Correspondences & Symbolism
January starts the hardest part of winter, for those of us with all the seasons. It can be difficult to imagine the dark, cold bleakness of winter as the catalyst for new life. Even more so when winter is associated with death. Now if you are like me, you realize death is a very natural part of life and not something to be afraid of. Even so, it is well known that even today, more people die in the winter than in any other season, and seasonal depression is an issue with many many people.
Today, in the modern world, we are very fortunate to experience little to zero winter deprivation as our ancestors experienced. Mainly thanks to electricity, running water, and mass food production. We no longer worry about storing and preparing food to last the long haul of our frozen winter lands and hibernating animals.
Ancient Times
Throughout the time of humans, we have always aligned ourselves with nature. We entwined our daily lives in every way during every season. Our ancestors adapted and went with the flow without resistance. They worked long exhausting days to prepare for Winter. They drew life-sustaining resources from the stockpiles during the cold barrenness of winter. The seasons were until very recently at the forefront of their existence.
We cannot overlook the core of how the majority of these civilizations made it into the modern day. That being the deep wisdom of the circle of life. The observing and understanding that life does not truly end and that there is an eternal continuation.
How this pertains to the Modern World
With the convenience mindset of today’s world, there is an observation I would like to bring up. We as a society have chosen to ignore the Circle of Life. Light and warmth are available at the flick of a switch, food is available at the push of a button or swipe of a card, water runs abundantly at the turn of a tap. I am not saying this is a bad thing, work smarter not harder, and all that.
There is absolutely no reason we shouldn’t live alongside the convenience available to us. But when we forget that despite this, we are still inherently the product of nature. We ARE part of the seasons. We need the ebb and flow of seasonal life and death. For many people today this has become some whimsical notion. A fairy tale, a thing of the ancient past. We have conquered every challenge put before us and have risen above nature and drifted apart from the dark, the light, and the changing of the seasons.
It simply doesn’t really influence our lives any longer. How can we turn the modern-day disconnect back into a deep spiritual connection with nature and the universe like we used to less than a few centuries ago? To reconnect start by reembracing the circle of life and know that it is an endless cycle. That we are fundamentally connected with nature and the universe. For a lot of people, this is the big shift we feel when diving into Paganism & an Esoteric lifestyle. It goes against what we grew up believing.
In civilizations of our past, there was a reference to the circle of life in virtually every culture. Be it the Cardinal directions or the seasons, we blended with nature. We can see the beginnings of reconnection with the Wheel of the Year. It creates awareness of the Seasons and Sabbats. For a lot of others, the Wheel is built around the cardinal directions.
OK, Lewis & Clark, point the way…
I know, I know most people use landmarks and left and rights nowadays and wouldn’t be able to fight their way out of a wet paper sack if given only a compass. But calm your buttcheeks, it’s really not that difficult. We live in a time of technology. Let us utilize it. Take some time throughout your daily life and quiz yourself on the directions if you don’t already know by intuition.
The earliest records show us that people recognized the influence of the cardinal directions had on their survival. North, South, East, & West. While also acknowledging the directions in which the Sun& Moon rose and set.
A circle of life that embraces cardinal directions places new life in the East, youth in the South, the adult in the West, and the Elder in the North. So essentially like this (E) New Life, (S) Growth, (W) Full Bloom/Early Harvest, and (N) Final Harvest/Withdrawl. Both the Sun and the Moon rise in the East, no matter which hemisphere you are located. So the East is always the representation of new life.
Right now we are in the North phase, Withdrawal. We are in the depths of Winter. Sixty some odd days until spring. A time for healing and manifestation while in this sedated part of the year. The death period of Autumn into Winter is fertilizing the possible new growths of Spring. Try to think of Winter not as the time of icy winds and darkness. Look at it as I said above, the harbinger of the next season. Now...onto correspondences & symbolism of January...
January
New Year...New Me! HA! No! IMPROVED me...
As the first month of the new year, January holds some high expectations for people. They usually make very unrealistically hard goals on their list and give up when they dont succeed immediately. Ya, we’re not going to be doing that here!
Spiritually speaking, January marks a time for renewal and fresh starts. I have noticed most Cryptids...I mean humans, have a nasty habit of carrying around things from their past, mostly emotions, that really tends to drag them down. You simply cannot embrace something new without releasing the old deep trudged and unhealthy thought-forms.
So remembering your self-examinations... (cough *shadow work* cough)...look those unhealthy emotions straight in the iris and say “I am in charge here, gtfo” and get started on embracing the ~improved~ you for this year. If you have to start over a few times, that’s ok!
But How?
One way I’ve found in my research is to use affirmations instead of resolutions. Write those babies out! The beauty of affirmations is that they focus your mind & heart simultaneously on your goal. This means you’ll pay more attention to them going throughout the year.
Here are some REAL ideas for affirmations
Instead of starting your days with dread using positive reinforcement!
- “I am optimistic about what is to come”
There is no need to be afraid of things to come, be it good or bad, be confident in knowing you are capable and smart enough to handle life
You are a badass! Why WOULDN’T success come easily to you?
Yes, you do deserve abundance! Stop feeling guilty about your hard-earned accomplishments...which leads me to…
Once again, you ARE deserving
The best advice I have ever received is to pick your battles. Sometimes it is not worth the struggle
If you haven’t started your self-examination (Shadow Work) journey now would be a good time to start.
This one is a nice way to keep you up and going.
All of these are great stepping stones! Take one or come up with your own and speak it into existence. Every day and whenever you need it say it out aloud with confidence that you will succeed.
Manifestation! It’s all in your head baby…
Literally, thoughts create things!
Things in this world. Things around us. Everywhere!
We attract things by our thoughts, so swat the pessimistic & negative ones away, they won’t help you this year. When we think positive thoughts, we create positive thought energies. We become like a beacon attracting and gravitating to the same frequencies we send out.
Bear with me here we’re gonna get a little woo-woo heavy.
While you affirm your intentions, fill your entire being with the words you speak. Envision you filling your entire being with this frequency. Merge and mesh it with your etheric bodies such as your emotional and spiritual ones.
Eventually, after boosting your affirmation over and over it gets stronger and stronger and you literally become what you envision.
But wait?... Thats it?
Essentially yes…
Let’s break it back down.
First, you decide on your goal, what you would like to manifest. Keep it real and attainable. Leave any pettiness behind it will not serve you.
Second, once your goal is decided look for your affirmation. Say it out loud until you are starting to envision that that is what you are. If you find yourself uncomfortable with this step scrap it and start again. You should be one with your goal. You should feel good and the process should be easy for you to believe! The end goal is to make you feel happy at every step, not restless.
Third, when you read your affirmations, you must conjure images of what it looks like when your manifestation has been created. On top of that, you must evoke the emotions that you feel when things you desire are already in your life. Combining the affirmations with images and feelings, you become a powerful creator of your reality.
Lastly
Now that you understand what it is to affirm and manifest, you must be careful of what you think. Remember your thoughts create your reality. Also, not all of our thoughts are from our conscious mind, many of the 12,000-60,000 thoughts we have per day are in our subconscious!
95% of these thoughts are repetitive...80% of those repetitive thoughts are NEGATIVE!!!! What! Ya, that was a slap in the face for me as well. So think positive biotches!
You’re not going to fail if you have negative thoughts though. We ARE human… well most of us are anyway. Just reroute it when you catch it and reaffirm your goals to yourself and you will be well on your way to an abundant and at the very least happy 2021!
January Stones & Crystals
Garnet- The Birthstone for the month of January. Its name comes from a Latin term meaning seed-like. This association fits absolutely perfectly in the things we spoke about above! Garnet awakens our inner-fire and helps produce some of the strongest life force energy in the entire mineral kingdom. Pure strength and fortitude are activated within and the confidence in one’s self will rise to an all-time high.
Aventurine- This beautiful stone provides us strength, confidence, courage, and happiness. It renews one’s optimism for life and pushes us to take action to acquire what we want in this world. This stone urges one to get out of their comfort zone and take on new opportunities.
Quartz- outside of being a building block for modern-day life like our cellphones, medical equipment/technology, clocks, and concrete…Spiritually, Quartz has been used in almost every society and is highly regarded as a super-frequency stone, commonly adorning the tops of pyramids. It is an essential tool to keep our culture running and helps us advance to not only higher levels of technology, but higher levels of consciousness. Often absorbing negative vibrations, Quartz is a vacuum cleaner for diluted vibrations that may attach to your aura and become harmful. Whether or not you use the Quartz that you own, it should be cleansed often. Being the strongest enhancing stone in the mineral kingdom ithelps reignite our true identity while showing us the path towards enlightenment. Its clear energy acts as an amplifier of the vibrations that are put into it, making it an excellent manifestation tool.
Citrine- is a master of one's creativity center, which houses some of our strongest manifestative energies. This area has been known to be the key to not only unlocking our personal will but to also unlocking our truest desires. When one is truly looking for a change or a spark of imagination, Citrine’s energy has no bounds.
Unakite- having a special connection with one’s heart it aids in the deeper understanding of their emotional body. Simply meditating with this stone will help push out those “dead weight” feelings we continue to carry with us. These emotions serve no positive purpose and are taking up your heart occupying space. Unakite helps one push through these hardships no matter the emotional pain and allows one to truly find inner peace.
Botanicals
Sage- The earliest records of sage being used in the kitchen come from ancient Egypt, where it was used to boost fertility in women. It has become a symbol of various concepts because of the growth in its popularity. Different cultures used it in different ways, so they ended up assigning various meanings to this wondrous herb. While being known to many as an all-around health booster, ancient cultures also considered it important for protecting spiritual sanctity. They believed that sage could keep evil spirits at bay. They also used sage to treat snake bites because it had strong antiseptic properties. Even today, Pagan practitioners are known to use sage brooms to cleanse negative energies.
Frankincense- One of the oldest documented magical resins–it’s been traded in northern Africa and parts of the Arab world for nearly five thousand years. Current evidence indicates that the aroma of frankincense might help regulate emotions such as anxiety and depression. Research shows that lab mice exposed to frankincense were more willing to spend time in open areas, where they typically feel more vulnerable. Scientists say this indicates a drop in levels of anxiety. Ayurvedic practitioners have used frankincense for a long time as well. They call it by its Sanskrit name, dhoop, and incorporate it into general healing and purification ceremonies. In modern magical traditions, frankincense is often used as a purifier – burn the resin to cleanse a sacred space, or use the essential oils* to anoint an area that needs to be purified. Because it is believed that the vibrational energies of frankincense are particularly powerful, many people mix frankincense with other herbs to give them a magical boost.
Ginger- Holding a great Spiritual significance, it is widely used for rituals in order to obtain financial rewards, also to improve health, and helps strengthen psychic abilities. It is also linked to the force of fire and the Sun to help attract bliss. In natural medicines, Ginger has many benefits. Mainly in the areas of digestive ailments and nausea.
Chives- If you are looking for everlasting eternity & long life chives are your go-to! They are also symbolic of harmony, balance, and abundance. Invoke mischief with the chive. It is a great herb to use when action is needed. It stimulates and prods, and although its effects may be uncomfortable, the end results are always positive. Chop and add to salads when you want to stir things up.
Wormwood- ***Pure Wormwood oil is extremely dangerous. Use with extreme Caution*** It is a famous herb because it is used in the manufacture of a distilled beverage called Absinthe, which has a reputation for Inducing Visions. A protective magical herb prevents accidents; stimulates psychic visions and magical contact with spirits. There are some references in the occult world on how to utilize it in your Craft. It is said to macerate wormwood and soak in wine for several days, then strain. Use this wine to induce visions, aid in astral projection, and divination. OR place several tablespoons of dried wormwood leaves and flowers in a jar, cover with light olive oil, and seal. Let this steep for several weeks in a cool place, strain, and use as an anointing oil for yourself or your divination tools.
Moon Phases
New Moon- Jan 2nd First Quarter- Jan 9th Full- Jan 17th Last Quarter: Jan 25
Black Moon- Jan 31st
(A Black Moon is the second new Moon in the same calendar month…a great time to give any waters or baneful chargings a second charge in the same month)
January Runes
Fehu- the rune of 'luck'. The universe is not so much made up by chance, as by luck. Luck is a hidden but real energy field inherent in your 'hamingja'. Fehu governs the capacity to hold this luck and use it as a magical ability. This basic energy, your accumulated luck, is the foundation of the wealth and power in your life.
Uruz- The Rune of Strength. It is the rune of powerful unconscious shaping energies that need to be guided wisely as they manifest. It is an early reminder within the series that the untamed powers of creativity are not without danger – a reality quite clear in our modern technological civilization.
(More on the Rune Meanings: runesecrets.com)
January Deities
Freya- one of the preeminent goddesses in Norse mythology. She's a member of the Vanir tribe of deities, but became an honorary member of the Aesir gods after the Aesir-Vanir War. Her father is Njord. Her mother is unknown, but could be Nerthus. Freyr is her brother.
Tithonus- Tithonus was a Trojan prince in Greek mythology, son of King Laomedon of Troy and the water nymph Strymo. Eos, the Titan goddess of dawn, kidnapped Tithonus along with Ganymede, in order to make them her lovers.
Yemaya- a mother goddess, the goddess of home, fertility, love and family. Like water she represents both change and constancy bringing forth life, protecting it, and changing it as is necessary. According to legend, Yemaya's first gift to her beloved humans was a sea shell in which her voice could always be heard.
Bast- the Egyptian cat Goddess had numerous areas of influence that developed over time. She became both a nurturing mother figure and a terrifying avenger. In the early days, she was the fierce lion-headed Goddess of the lower Nile who protected the Pharaoh and the sun God Ra.
Dôn- leader of one of two warring families of gods; according to one interpretation, the Children of Dôn were the powers of light, constantly in conflict with the Children of Llyr, the powers of darkness. In another view, the conflict was a struggle between indigenous gods and those of an invading people.
Shiva-
The Morrigan- The Morrígan is an ancient Irish goddess of war, battle, prophecy, sovereignty, and otherworld power. The Morrígan is often categorized as a trinity goddess, but She does not align with the modern pagan view of the "maiden, mother, and crone." She has three aspects who are frequently depicted as "sisters" and often referred to as "The Daughters of Ernmas." Together, they are collectively referred to as The Morrígan, or the Morrígna.
In Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed the first article of 2022! If you have any questions please message for clarification. While we continue to tango around our new schedule be on the lookout for more articles, downloads, and other information on our Patreon (first) and all of our other Social Media! This article is being released first and a Podcast will be soon to follow within the next week or so. Some information will be turned Public after a 3-6 month period so you are getting full access right from the get-go if you are a Patron of ours…
Have a wonderful rest of your January our Elementals
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