Runes for the Dark Season: Guidance from Isa, Hagalaz, and Nauthiz

Winter is a time of stillness, introspection, and surrender as the sun fades. Our ancestors historically used this time to turn inward, focusing on resting and tasks of the hearth and home. If preparations were not taken seriously, this could result in catastrophic consequences for those caught unprepared. Heavy snowfalls could cave roofs, storehouses could run short, and disease and frostbite loomed in dark, dank corners. Despite all odds, our ancestors made it through even the toughest, coldest of winters, persevering in the face of hardship.

In the language of the runes, this season and our ability to survive is beautifully expressed by Isa, Hagalaz, and Nauthiz. Together, they form a triad of endurance, transformation, and necessity, representing a poetic map for surviving and ultimately thriving in the dark, just as our ancestors once did.

In today's post, we will explore how to work with these runes during the dark season, including their symbolism and their use in meditations, spells, rituals, and mantras.

Isa, the Ice Rune

When winter’s cold arrives, Isa rules the landscape. Streams freeze, seeds sleep beneath the soil, and life holds its breath. Isa teaches us the power of not moving, of standing firm until the right moment for thaw and action returns. In modern magical practice, Isa can represent frozen progress, mental clarity, or the need to maintain boundaries. It's important to note that its energy isn’t about punishment or stagnation, but containment. 

Last year, I wrote a detailed guide on Isa, in which I addressed the misconception that Isa is a bad omen. It is one of my favorite runes to work with during the winter months because of its dark symbolism, but it is ultimately a reminder to slow down, pause, and wait until we act. 

Meaning: Ice, Pause, Preservation, Concentration of energy, Introspection, Self-control

Working with Isa:

• Spell: Hold a glass of cool water and trace Isa onto it, asking the rune to bring stillness to your spirit. Take a slow sip and speak the words, “I pause. I rest. I restore.” Sit quietly for a few minutes, letting the calm settle before drinking or offering the remaining water when you’re ready to move again.
• Magic: Use Isa for grounding scattered energy, halting unwanted momentum, or preserving intentions until the right time.
• Journal Prompts: What in my life feels “frozen” right now? Beneath the surface of that stillness, what quiet growth may be occurring that I cannot yet see?
  
  

Mantra: “I am the calm between movements. I am ice, holding light within.”

Message/Gift: Isa’s gift is patience. It is a reminder that rest is not failure, but preparation.

Hagalaz, the Hail Rune

Hagalaz is the rune of hail. It is hard, cold, and unpredictable, yet nourishing. While hail initially damages all that it touches, it eventually melts, nourishing what it strikes in return. This is the paradox of transformation: sometimes, we must be broken open to begin anew. 

During the dark months, Hagalaz often manifests as emotional storms or sharp revelations that come to us in the dark as we engage in shadow work. It can feel uncomfortable, but its presence signals the necessary changes we must make to grow. Like Isa, Hagalaz is not inherently bad. Its initial message can be difficult and often feels like a catastrophe when it shows up, but it ultimately serves as a necessary catalyst for personal rebirth.

Meaning: Hail, Catalyst, Sudden change, Destruction that clears the way, Upheaval

Working with Hagalaz:

• Spell: Write a habit, fear, or pattern you wish to release on a piece of ice or paper. Let it melt or burn safely, visualizing the habit, fear, or pattern being released. Follow this up with mundane actions.
• Magic: Call upon Hagalaz during cleansing or banishing spells. Its harsh nature can help break barriers and allow for change. It is particularly powerful at aiding in habit breaking.
• Journal Prompt: What needs to be broken down so that new growth can take root?
  

Mantra: “From storm I am remade. I trust the breaking; I welcome the clear sky.”

Message/Gift: Hagalaz is the hard truth of winter. It reminds us that everything ends, yet within every ending lies the promise of a new beginning.

Nauthiz, the Necessity Rune

If Isa is the stillness and Hagalaz the storm, Nauthiz is the spark that keeps us alive through both. Its Old Norse root, nauðr, means “need” or "distress." On the surface, this seems a bad omen as well, but it's often called "need-fire," alluding to the spark that keeps driving us to overcome challenges. It symbolizes the resilience, resourcefulness, and restraint to persevere in the face of adversity, and that is exactly what our ancestors needed to survive harsh winters.

Furthermore, Nauthiz invites us to look at our true needs over our desires or distractions. What are the bare essentials we require? What do we need in this situation to make it out to the other side? It’s the rune of survival and inner strength, teaching that even when the fire seems small, it can still hold the dark at bay.

Whenever Nauthiz shows up in my rune spreads, I know that whatever may come to pass, I will come out a better, stronger person. It has shown up twice in the last year, and while I have certainly struggled, the growth I have experienced was well worth the trials and tribulations.

Meaning: Necessity, Friction, Survival, Inner fire, Constraint, Hardship, Need-fire

Working with Nauthiz:

• Spell: Light a single flame in the dark and say: “From need, I rise. From lack, I learn. Within me burns the will to endure.” Focus on your inner fire, however faint, and visualize it growing.
• Magic: Use Nauthiz to kindle motivation, persistence, or self-discipline, especially during creative or spiritual dry spells.
• Journal Prompt: What truly sustains me in hard times? What false needs drain my strength?

Mantra: “From need, my fire rises. What I require, I call inward. My inner flame is enough.”

Message/Gift: Nauthiz teaches that necessity births ingenuity, and endurance is a teacher that leads to growth and renewal.

Dark Season Rune Meditation

One of the best ways to connect with any rune is to spend time working with it, and the first step in this process is through meditation and opening yourself up to the messages the rune has to offer you. This runic meditation is designed to do just that, allowing you to connect with each rune individually and with the story they tell.

Lay these three runes out in front of you in the following order: Isa, Hagalaz, Nauthiz

As a reminder, Isa reminds us to pause and gather strength, Hagalaz to accept and endure the transformative process, and Nauthiz to use your inner light to move forward with purpose.

Sit quietly before the runes, breathing in their energy of cold, storm, and inner flame. Study each rune closely, seeing how each flows into the next, how stillness breaks away into rebirth. Reflect upon how each rune appears in your life right now, and what steps you could take to move forward. Write down any messages, epiphanies, or thoughts that arise.

Next, pick up each rune starting with Isa and hold it in your hands. Close your eyes and open your heart and mind to any messages Isa wishes to send to you. Do this for each rune, writing down your experiences as you go.

When finished, say, "From stillness, I learn patience. From the storm, I learn release. From need, I learn resilience. Thus, I walk the dark and come out renewed."

I encourage you to work through the following journal prompts to help put everything into perspective.

1. Where in my life am I being asked to slow down or stop? What strength might be quietly building in that stillness?
2. What disruption, shift, or “storm” is currently reshaping me? What truth might it be clearing space for?
3. What essential need or inner fire becomes visible when everything unnecessary is stripped away?
4. How do the energies of stillness, breaking, and need show up as a continuous story in my life right now?
5. In what ways am I being remade by this season? How can I honor the resilience I’m cultivating as I walk through it?

Dark Season Rune Spread

I have been trying to come up with more rune spreads as of late in my attempt to better connect with my Nordic ancestry. While we cannot be certain if or how runes were cast, it is clear they held meaning to the Norse. This spread is built around the meaning of Isa, Hagalz, and Nauthiz, with the runes you draw for those locations painting a picture of your life right now and what actions you need to take this winter to ensure your rebirth in the spring.

As with all divination, begin by cleansing and consecrating your space and grounding and centering yourself. If you feel called to, cast a circle and invite any deities, spirits, or ancestors you wish to guide you to join you. Hold your rune bag in both hands and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and slowly in and out, focusing on your intention to understand where you are, what is being reshaped, and what inner strength will carry you forward. With your intention firmly in your mind, say, "Through stillness, through storm, through need, I seek the wisdom of the dark season." Draw three runes and place them in a horizontal line as seen below.

Rune Meanings:

1. Rune One: The Freeze- This position reveals where energy has paused, where growth is dormant, or where your own spirit is asking for rest. It can highlight such things as a project that needs to wait, a boundary you need to reinforce, or part of yourself that is quietly gathering strength. However, Isa reminds us not to force movement but instead to let things rest.
   Write it down and reflect: What is frozen in my life right now? What is being preserved beneath the surface? What should I let rest?
2. Rune Two: The Breaking- This position exposes the forces of transformation that are clearing the way for renewal. It can signify a necessary ending, a habit or attachment that must be released, or a shake-up that creates clarity. Either way, a truth is breaking open so you may see clearly.
   Write it down and reflect: What storm or breaking is reshaping my path in this season? What blockages are being removed?
3. Rune Three: The Ember- This position points to what sustains you, that fuel in your core that will help you navigate this time or trial. It can indicate a skill or mindset that you will need to carry with you, a need that must be honored and respected, or a source of motivation. In the end, it reveals what you truly need and what you should tend to.
   Write it down and reflect: What burns beneath it all? What inner fire must I tend to move forward through the dark?

One of the major strengths of this layout is the story it tells. Position one represents Isa, showing us where the world has gone still; position two is Hagalaz, revealing what cracks exist in the ice; position three is Nauthiz, illuminating the fire you carry forward that survives the breaking. Whatever runes you draw tell this story and will help you answer the question: How does the dark season shape me?

You can download your free copy of the journal prompts below.

Isa, Hagalaz, and Nauthiz are not easy teachers, but they are certainly honest ones. They show us that life, even magic, does not always glitter. But, beneath every frozen field are seeds awaiting the warmth of spring; after every storm, the air is cleared for new breath; and in every moment of need, the ember of human perseverance glows. I hope that this winter you will recognize the strength in the stillness and that whatever storms may come, they bring clarity to your life.

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Magical and Medicinal Uses of Cypress

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Saturn
Element: Earth
Powers: Comfort, Death, Eternity, Exorcism, Grief, Healing, Longevity, Mourning, Protection, Stability

Magical Uses and History: The cypress is well known as the "Tree of Mourning," showing up in graveyards across the world to help communicate with, manage, and ferry souls. Its association with death and grief is well-documented in the myths and legends passed down through history, the most famous of these detailing the life of Cyparissus. According to ancient Greek and Roman mythology, Cyparissus's grief after accidentally killing his beloved stag transformed him into a cypress tree. In some versions of the story, Apollo, who was in love with Cyparissus, transforms Cyparissus into a cypress tree so his tears may fall forever, as seen by the tear-shaped drops the sap forms as it dries. Cyparissu's story, however, is not the only connection the cypress has with grief.

Ancient coffins were constructed using cypress in both ancient Egypt and across Europe, and the branches were often carried and burned by mourners to send up prayers as well as fumigate after the deceased had been removed. Cypress trees were planted next to or overtop of graves and even in front of houses of the deceased. As such, cypress grew to not only be associated with grief, but also death and the Underworld. This practice of planting cypresses in graveyards is a tradition that carried over well into the Victorian period, with people growing to believe lost spirits took up refuge within its branches. Needless to say, cypress is a powerful ally in death and grief magic. It can be used in spells and rituals to honor the dead, as an offering, to ease your grief, or even to provide the deceased with luck and love in the afterlife. It can also be burned as an incense or added to spells and rituals to communicate with the dead, help them cross over, or to help relieve grief.

Not only is the cypress associated with death and loss, but also immortality, which seems contradictory until you dive into the folklore. The cypress, like other evergreens, does not lose its leaves in the winter months and remains green throughout the season, making it appear everlasting. Coupled with its notorious ability to live "forever," it is no wonder it became associated with immortality, perseverance, and strength. Some cypresses are estimated to be around 5,000 years old, making them among the oldest trees on earth. However, their association with death casts this symbolism in a different light. Not only is the cypress often used to promote longevity in users, but it is also a symbol of everlasting life after death. The cypress is often depicted in Zoroastrian artwork for this exact purpose, showing up on rugs, paintings, and more throughout history. In China, the cypress was also viewed as a symbol of longevity, resilience, and strength. It was often depicted in ancient Chinese literature to represent a person of strong moral character, or in paintings to symbolize perseverance. As such, cypress can be used in spells, rituals, and rites for similar purposes. Anoint candles with cypress oil or dried plant parts to reinforce spells or to bring resilience, use cypress smoke to strengthen resolve, fortify boundaries, and help with overall endurance, or carry the wood to lengthen your life.

Finally, cypress is associated with protection and has even been used in exorcisms. Among several Native American traditions, cypress groves were places of refuge. The tree was thought to shelter humans from both physical dangers and spiritual harm, and was often used to build shelters and canoes, as the wood is durable and water-resistant. Cypress wood was used for protective charms, and its presence near water was seen as a natural guardian spirit that watched over travelers, hunters, and those venturing into liminal spaces. Some stories describe the cypress as a tree that absorbs negativity and anchors wandering spirits, keeping malevolent forces at bay. During the medieval period, known mystic and physician Hildegard of Bingen used cypress to exorcise "diabolical or magical forces" from people. Wood was taken from the heart of the tree, a hole was drilled, and water was poured through it while speaking an incantation over the person. As such, cypress can be used in spells and rituals to cleanse one's home and objects, banish negative energies, and shield oneself during spirit work or divination. Burn as an incense to strengthen boundaries, dispel unwanted energies, and clear space, or carry on your person for protection.

Cypress can be used in a number of spells, including:

      Death Spells

      Protection Spells

      Exorcisms

      Ancestor Magic & Communication

      Healing Magic

      Longevity Spells

Medicinal Uses: It is important to note that several varieties of cypress are toxic and therefore should not be ingested unless under the guidance of a professional or if you have sourced your plant material from a reputable source. Cypress has long been used in herbal medicine as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent, as well as a decongestant. As a decongestant, cypress is used to treat coughs, colds, flu, bronchitis, and general respiratory congestion. As an antiseptic, it can be used externally to treat minor cuts and abrasions, ulcers, bruises, and even acne. Today, cypress is most often used in the form of essential oil, which is diluted in a carrier oil and used to treat topical issues or diffused to treat congestion.

Preparation and Dosage: Internally, cypress bark and leaves can be taken as an infusion. Combine 1 tablespoon with 1.5 cups of boiling water. Allow the mixture to infuse for 5 minutes before drinking no more than 3 times a day for a couple of days. Again, cypress is often toxic, so please consult a professional before using it internally. Externally, cypress can be diluted with a carrier oil and applied directly to the body to treat muscle aches and pains, mild cuts and bruises, and acne. It can also be diffused or added to steam to treat respiratory issues. Cypress essential oil is unsafe to diffuse around pets, so use caution when using.

Want to print a copy of this for your Book of Shadows? Click below for your free copy!

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Book Review: Magic for the Resistance by Michael M. Hughes

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Crossed Crow Books reached out asking if I would like to review some of their upcoming books, I was absolutely stoked. On this list was the revised and updated edition of Magic for the Resistance: Rituals & Spells for Change by Michael M. Hughes. This book has been on my TBR for quite some time, so there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to read and review the latest edition.

As a witch who is heavily involved in and advocates for spiritual activism, Magic for the Resistance should be required reading, along with Tarot for the Hard Work: An Archetypal Journey to Confront Racism and Inspire Collective Healing by Maria Minnis, Heal the Witch Wound: Reclaim You Magic & Step Into Your Power by Celeste Larsen, and Tarot In Other Words: An Essential Anthology by Leading Queer Tarot Writers edited by Cassandra Snow, among many others. Magic has always been and will always be a form of resistance, so why not use it to our advantage to fight against oppressive systems such as fascism, misogyny, and racism?

The name Michael M. Hughes may ring a bell for many of you, especially if you have been following politics and the occult closely. Hughes is the same witch who wrote "A Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him" and helped lead and coordinate mass hex work. This is among the largest joint spells ever cast and is exactly the type of magic outlined in Magic for the Resistance. Now, I managed to get my greedy hands on the revised and updated edition, which is, in fact, updated to include a new introduction, updated spells, and even new ones. I greatly appreciate that this wasn't just a rerelease of an old title to capitalise on the movement. Hughes put in the work to include and modify spells to help us navigate the current political climate, including the mass deportations we are currently experiencing. I think the only thing that could have made me love this book more would be the inclusion of even more spells, rituals, and charms. Hughes made me hungry and desperate for more. But hey, I guess that is a gap I am helping to fill whenever I, too, write and publish spells for resistance. 

The book opens with lessons on using witchcraft and magic as a form of activism. Hughes, like many others before him, reminds us that we use magic to turn the tide and push the world in the direction we want it to go; magic is not fast, and the changes won't occur overnight. Just like activism isn't a one-and-done thing, neither is magical resistance. Instead, we must dedicate time and energy to shift the powers at large, recognizing we will lose a lot more often than we win, but the purpose is to never give up. At the end of a spell titled "The White Candle Conspiracy," Hughes references a brief interview with A.J. Muste, a Dutch-born American clergyman and activist who protested the Vietnam War. During this interview, the reporter asked Muste, "Do you really think you are going to change the policies of the country by standing out here alone at night in front of the White House with a candle?" To which Muste replied, "Oh, I don't do this to change the country. I do this so the country won't change me." We may never see the fruits of our activism, but at least we will leave this world knowing we left it a better place and refused to bow to a dictator.

Despite Hughes's warning that magical resistance takes time and patience, it also requires everyday, mundane actions to work. To quote, "...spiritual activism is useless without engagement in the everyday world of elections, organizing, canvassing, protests, and other forms of on-the-ground action." I couldn't agree more. You have to take real-world action for any spell, especially resistance spells, to actually work. The phrase, "Your actions speak louder than your words," holds true in this situation. Our spells and rituals demand to be fed, and we feed them by living the life we wish to see the entire world embrace.

This wonderful introduction is followed by a brief history of magical resistance, from fighting slavers to hexing the Nazis, in which he refers to witch hunters as mass murderers (preach!). This is an excellent overview of the history of magic; my only qualm is that I wish it were longer! I could read several books detailing the history of witchcraft and its uses to fight against oppression. I think such a work would be incredibly beneficial for all witches to read and would give all of us a nice reminder of where we came from and what our roots actually are.

From here, Hughes delves into a "toolkit" for magical activism, offering suggestions, spell and ritual ideas, safety tips, tool options, and so much more. He even explores the ethics of binding, hexing, and cursing, justifying such work by reminding us that we are using these types of spells as self-defense. My favorite line from this was, "If you wouldn't do something by nonmagical means, don't do it with magic." Again, yes, yes, yes. If you wouldn't kill someone, don't try to curse them to get hit by a bus. This is a great ethical reminder, one I think we all need to hear. However, I do support white people playing dirty when it comes to other white people. We must use our privilege to help those whose voices are being erased. Michelle Obama's "When they go low, we go high" does not apply when we, as white people, are fighting oppression. It's okay to be nasty...

My only point of contention with Hughes is his perspective on cultural appropriation. I have made it incredibly clear where I stand on the issue. Hughes is of the mind that if you are being respectful and responsible, then you can use whatever tools are necessary. I disagree and prefer to use tools that are not stolen from the very people I am trying to assist. It is such a colonial mindset to believe that because we are on the same team that we can take whatever we want. Some things are not for us, and that is okay. I will never be able to fully comprehend the cultural significance of Hoodoo, Santeria, Espiritismo, or other such paths. These are spiritual paths that require you to have a shared, lived experience, which I don't and never will have. That doesn't mean we can't learn from the best when it comes to building magical resistance, but I can find my own cultural means of fighting, without appropriating from closed practices. You may feel differently, and what you do in the privacy of your own home is between you and the Universe.

Despite disagreeing with this point, Magic for the Resistance: Rituals & Spells for Change by Michael M. Hughes is well worth the read, especially if you are interested in using your magic to help fight oppression. We are not free until we are all free. You can pick up your new revised and updated copy of Magic for Resistance wherever books are sold.

Author Note: I plan to continue to use my Amazon affiliate links for the time being for a couple of reasons. 1) Some of you are not protesting Amazon, and it helps me when you shop. Amazon affiliate links are the main source of revenue for my blog, even though I only average about $25 in a good month. 2) Some of you can only purchase American titles from Amazon, and you wish to support authors. I get it. I want it to be known, however, that I support the upcoming and ongoing protests against Amazon. I encourage you to try and shop elsewhere, especially for books (use Bookshop.org!), and if you cannot give up Amazon entirely, at least join us to protest this holiday season by refusing to order anything from Amazon, Target, and Home Depot on November 28th through December 1st.

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Gratitude Rune Spread Ritual

As the final leaves fall and the air sharpens with winter’s promise, the earth begins settling into her long rest. We witness the shift from harvest to stillness, from abundance to reflection, during this sacred threshold. In the United States, November is associated with gratitude and giving thanks. It is a time to honor what we have gathered, release what must fade, and prepare our bodies for renewal. In Norse paganism, this time marks the quiet aftermath of Winter Nights, during which it is not uncommon for practitioners to honor deities, landvættir, and their ancestors.  No matter where you are and what your beliefs are, the time between fall and winter is the perfect time to look back on the seasons that have shaped us and give thanks for their lessons. 

Giving thanks can take many forms, from spells and rituals to more mundane activities such as volunteering and tithing. I like to incorporate multiple magical and mundane ways of showing gratitude, letting actions speak along with my words. This includes working with the runes to weave reflection, divination, and journaling into a single act of devotion. This is where today's rune ritual for gratitude comes in. While I am posting this well into November, this ritual can be easily adapted to your tradition. Use it during Mabon or Lammas, Winter Nights or Yule, or each changing of the season. Incorporate deities, land spirits, and ancestors meaningful to you. If I have said it once, I have said it a dozen times: rework all my spells and rituals to cater to your needs and make the spell/ritual more meaningful and powerful.

What You'll Need

• Rune set
• A candle (gold, green, or white)
• A journal, notebook, or downloadable journal prompt worksheet
• Offerings, such as a piece of bread, an apple, grain, or salt

What to Do

Begin by cleansing and consecrating your tools and space using your preferred method. Call in any deities, spirits, or ancestors you wish to aid in your divination for gratitude.

Light the candle and say, "I stand at the turning of the year. I honor the hands that have fed me, the earth that has held me, The lessons that have shaped me. In gratitude, I listen."

Next, ground and center using your preferred method. For this particular exercise, I prefer to use the candle flame to help me relax, focusing on the flame's movement and my breathing, visualizing myself connecting with the earth and drawing my energy into my core.

Once you feel relaxed, grounded, and centered, it is time to begin pulling runes. If possible, hold your runes close to your heart and close your eyes. Focus on your intention, focusing on what you need to honor, not what you want to know. If needed, repeat the previous mantra: "I stand at the turning of the year. I honor the hands that have fed me, The earth that has held me, The lessons that have shaped me. In gratitude, I listen." When you feel open to what the spirits have to tell you, draw three runes and lay them out in a straight line, using the picture below as guidance.

Rune Meanings:

1. Rune One: The Gift of the Year- What bounty or blessing has this year brought into your life?
   This rune represents the fruits of your labor, aka the abundance you’ve received, whether material, emotional, or spiritual.
   Write it down and reflect: What has thrived within me? Who or what helped me grow?
2. Rune Two: The Lesson of the Shadows- What challenge or hardship has taught you the most?
   Even in struggle, there is sacred teaching. Wisdom often comes through trial.
   Write it down and reflect: What have I learned through difficulty? How has it transformed me?
3. Rune Three: The Seed for the Next Cycle- What energy or intention should I carry into the coming dark?
   This rune holds the potential for the year ahead. It is a reminder that even as we rest, the next harvest is already beginning to dream beneath the soil.
   Write it down and reflect: What will I nurture in silence? What small spark will I protect through the winter?

Write freely about each prompt. Unlike other rune spreads, this is not a fortune-telling exercise, but instead a conversation with yourself and the cycles of your own life. When finished, you may find yourself wishing to explore deeper into the meanings of the runes and what message they are sending.

Some additional prompts to explore include:

• “This year has taught me…” 
• “I am most grateful for…” 
• “I release…” 
• “I plant the seed of…”

When you are finished with your journal exercise, offer thanks to the spirits who have guided you in your reflection by leaving them an offering of your choice. Whisper your thanks to the land, spirits, ancestors, deities, and the fates that have carried you through another year.

Close out the ritual by saying, “May what I have learned feed my spirit. May what I release return to the earth. May what I plant grow in wisdom and light.” If you can, allow the candle to burn down safely or snuff it out.

Warnings/Modifications/Alternatives:

• Altering your breathing can cause a reduction in blood pressure, which can cause you to pass out. It can also trigger seizures in some people and PTSD in others. If you are worried about passing out, begin this exercise by lying down. I also suggest practicing with a friend to ensure your safety.
• If you are unable to light candles, consider a faux candle that flickers as a substitute. It can also be replaced with incense.
• Do not leave a lit candle unattended, and always have water or another fire extinguisher nearby.
• If you do not have runes, this spread can be easily adapted to tarot or oracle cards.
  
• Optional add-ins include incense, amethyst, or mugwort tea/incense to increase psychic awareness.

You can download your free copy of the journal prompts below.

Ritual and rune spreads do not need to be grand or complicated to be effective. It's a practice of presence and patience. This spread allows you to invite ancient wisdom into your reflection, learning to see both joy and hardship as teachers. Carry this wisdom like an ember into the darkness with you, allowing it to light your way.

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A Hedge Witch's Guide to Preparing the Home for Winter: Cleansing, Warding, and Blessing

The earth begins its descent into quiet as the day grows shorter and the nights longer. Nature withdraws, the spirits of the land grow still, and the hearth becomes the heart of our lives once again as frost leaves its first coat across the ground. For witches, this turning of the season is an invitation to tend our homes as holy spaces. It is a time to cleanse away the year’s lingering energies, strengthen our wards, and weave blessings into every corner.

Winter usually marked the new year in many cultures, including our modern Wheel of the Year. This makes it the perfect time to reassess our internal environments, getting rid of what no longer serves us and strengthening what does. Just as our ancestors winterized their homes with firewood, food, and wool, so too can we prepare for the cold months ahead with a little bit of magic. In doing so, we align ourselves with the natural rhythms of the earth.

Cleansing: Releasing the Old Year’s Energy

One of the first steps in caring for your home as the wheel turns toward winter is getting rid of the old. We sweep away what no longer serves us, opening our home to invite blessings in. Think of this as both a spiritual and physical cleaning as we banish stale energy, clutter, and emotional residue that has built up through the busy months.

There are numerous ways one can cleanse their home, including my Deep House Cleansing Ritual I like to perform at least once a year. If you are short on time or don't feel the need to do as deep a cleanse, there are numerous other options that will work in a pinch.

Begin by sweeping with intention. As you physically sweep, say: "With each stroke I clear the past, Only peace and warmth shall last." Sweep starting at the back of your home and working toward your front door. Sweep all debris out of your door, visualizing all heaviness leaving your home. This pairs well with a magical floorwash for cleansing.

After the house is free of debris, follow up with a spiritual cleanse using smoke, steam, or sound.

• Smoke cleanse:
  Burn cleansing herbs such as juniper, rosemary, cedar, or mugwort. Move counterclockwise through your home, saying: “With smoke and herbs, I cleanse and clear, Winter’s peace now settles here. No stagnant energy shall remain; so I will it, so shall it be.”
• Simmer pot:
  To create a simmer pot, combine orange peels, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Move counterclockwise through your home, saying: “With steam and herbs, I cleanse and clear, Winter’s peace now settles here. No stagnant energy shall remain; so I will it, so shall it be.”
  
  
  
  
  
• Sound cleansing:
  This is a personal favorite of mine. Clap, ring bells, drum, or even gently bang on pots and pans in corners and under furniture where energy feels heavy. Sound wakes stagnant energy and invites movement. Move counterclockwise through your home, saying: “Sound ringing true, cleanse and clear, Winter’s peace now settles here. No stagnant energy shall remain; so I will it, so shall it be.”

I highly recommend pairing your cleansing ritual with a physical clean. Deep clean everything, from the corners to under furniture. Clean fans and windows, cabinets, and filters. Go through your belongings and throw away anything that is broken or used up, and donate items that are gently used. Be sure to tell your items thank you for their service before letting them go.

Warding: Strengthening the Thresholds

With your home cleansed, it’s time to reinforce its boundaries. Just as you might insulate your windows or latch the shutters, spiritual warding seals your home against harmful energies, spirits, and emotional intrusion. This is always done after a cleanse, so you don't trap anything unwanted in your home.

There are dozens of ways to ward your home. One of my favorite rituals is my Home Protection Ward and Threshold Protection Spell, which I shared years ago on my blog. Please note that I have grown spiritually since posting both of these spells, and they have evolved with me, but their foundations are still highly effective.

Of course, there are other ways to ward your home, and I would be remiss if I didn't offer some new ways today.

1. Create protective runes for your front door.
   Using chalk, oil, salt water, or even invisible finger-tracing, inscribe Algiz (ᛉ) for protection or Othala (ᛟ) for home and ancestry above your main entrance. I find this is most useful with a warding oil made from sage, rosemary, yarrow, nettle, and lavender. You can also throw in rue, St. John's Wort, and mugwort if available. Really, any protective herbs will work, so use what is easily available to you.

2. Create a witch’s bottle for the threshold.
   Create a small jar filled with iron nails or pins to repel negativity, black salt or coarse sea salt, a sprig of rosemary, and a slip of paper with your home’s address and household names. Bury the bottle near your front door or behind a stone near your threshold. Recharge once a month or as needed.

Blessing: Inviting Warmth and Harmony Back Into the Home

Now that the space is clear and warded, it’s time to welcome back the energy you want to dwell with through the cold months, such as comfort, rest, creativity, and connection. This is done through blessing rituals and being mindful of how you interact with others in your home. The following short ritual is a great way to invite positivity back into your home.

Ingredients
     Gold or orange candle (white if you don't have access to colored candles)
     Lighter/match
     Small bowl of clean water with a pinch of salt
     Carnelian or clear quartz
     Sprig of pine or rosemary

Directions
Begin by cleansing and charging your tools using your preferred method. Ground and center, and invite any spirits or deities you wish to aid you. Stand in the heart of your home. This could be the kitchen, the living room, or near your altar. Light the candle and say, "From hearth to heart, I call in light; warmth of the sun in winter's night. Peace and love are found within these walls. Bless all who dwell and all who call."

Place the carnelian or clear quartz in the water bowl. Dip the pine or rosemary sprig into the water and flick droplets around your home, moving in a clockwise direction while chanting the above saying. Visualize your space filling with soft, warm, golden light, inviting harmony, peace, happiness, and joy into your home.

When finished, I highly recommend making an offering to your house spirit. If you have never made an offering before, this is a great time to start cultivating a relationship. In Norse traditions, household spirits or húsvættir are commonly left offerings as appreciation for their continued protection, aid, and blessings. Most house spirits enjoy milk, honey, bread, and salt. Leave a small offering bowl near the hearth/stove once a month with a whispered “thank you” for their aid. You may also consider leaving daily offerings if you have been particularly neglectful of your house spirit. Taking care of your house spirits is a great way to invite blessings into your home, as they are notorious for caring for their owners in times of great need.

When you’ve finished your cleansing, warding, and blessing, take a moment to sit quietly and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You have prepared your home not just for the cold, but for spiritual rest. I always like to reward myself with a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate, a snack, and a good book. Winter is the time of the hearth, after all; a time for storytelling, dreaming, and re-enchantment. By tending your space with intention, you turn your home into a living altar, one that shelters both your body and your spirit.

May your winter be filled with rest, relaxation, peace, and joy.

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