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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We'Moon 2026 Astrological Planner Review

Last year, I had the great privilege of writing an article for We'Moon that debuted in their 2025 astrological datebook. This year, I have the great pleasure of reviewing the 2026 datebook and calendar!

First and foremost, this is an astrological datebook created by womyn as a countermovement to our racist patriarchal society. This means they purposely amply the voices of womyn from cultures and walks of life that are traditionally marginalized, including our transgender and non-binary kin. They honor both the diversity that exists in our community, as well as our shared experiences. There isn't anything else quite like their datebook on the market, and there certainly isn't a company that deserves your support like We'Moon and Mother Tongue Ink do. Each article, piece of art, spell, ritual, and poem is created by womyn; no AI is used. Every year, I am blown away by others' creativity.

The 2026 edition is themed “Full Circle,” celebrating cycles of growth, renewal, and transformation. Each week-at-a-glance spread includes moon phases, moon signs, planetary movements, void-of-course periods, and seasonal markers. The planner also features annual horoscopes, ephemeris tables, and a comprehensive lunar overview.

But what truly sets We’Moon apart is its creative heart. Every planner contains over 100 pieces of art, poetry, and prose contributed by womyn from around the world. The result is a planner that feels alive. It is something to be read, savored, and sat with during your daily or moon-based rituals.

On top of this, each astrological datebook is dedicated to an organization. This year, they dedicated their datebook to the Sunrise Movement, a youth-driven, women-led organization for climate action and environmental justice. Considering We'Moon uses Hansol paper, which is 60% recycled, with solvent-free soy- and vegetable-based inks, I am not surprised they chose to support such an organization.

While I love this planner, the planner is content-dense, making it ideal for reflection, but possibly overwhelming if you prefer minimal, business-style layouts. Furthermore, while there is space for notes, the format isn't designed as an hour-by-hour appointment book, more a record of dates and major events. Finally, all astrological data is listed in Pacific Standard Time; users in other time zones will need to adjust for this difference.

Take it from me, this is the best astrological datebook on the market. You can order your 2026 astrological datebook and calendar now online at We'Moon.ws and use discount code Willow26 to take 15% off your order!

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Still Water Mirror Spell For Reflection

Last week, I discussed how to embrace stillness and silence in your practice through tea, meditation, and shadow work journaling. In a world that tells us to be constantly loud and moving, it is a spiritual act of resistance to do the opposite. Winter reminds us to take time to rest and rejuvenate. During this time, the darkness reflects the shadow we harbor inside ourselves, making it the perfect time for reflection. Today's spell builds upon embracing stillness as a magical act through the use of a "mirror" to help you find calm, clarity, and connection to the unseen.

What You'll Need

• Small bowl of water
• White or black candle
• Match or lighter
• Pinch of salt
• Isa, Laguz, and Perthro runes

What to Do

This spell is best performed on Sunday or during the new or dark moon. Begin by cleansing your tools and work space using your preferred methods. Follow this with grounding and centering and inviting any of your spiritual guides to join you.

Place the bowl of water in the center of your workspace with the candle behind it so that the flame will reflect on the water's surface. Place the runes to the right, left, and in front of the water bowl.

Light your candle and sit in the quiet, dimly lit space. Breathe deeply until your body softens. Take time to relax and feel the tension leave your body. 

When ready, sprinkle the salt into the bowl of water and stir clockwise three times, saying: “As this water stills, so shall my mind. In the silent stillness, wisdom I find.” 

Gaze into the surface of the water, watching the flame flicker in the surface's reflection. Don’t force any visions. Instead, let your awareness expand outward and inward at once, opening your mind to the mysteries and fates. If your mind begins to drift, gently return to your breath and refocus on the water's surface.

Continue breathing deeply, allowing messages to flow freely through you as you watch the flame flicker across the water's calm surface. End when you feel full, calm, gently altered, and when the messages stop.

If needed, snuff out the candle and dispose of the water outdoors as an offering to the spirits.

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.
• The water's surface acts as a mirror in which messages can be received, much like a crystal ball. Generally, these messages are visual symbols, pictures, and images, but they can also be feelings, smells, sounds, or a sense of knowing. Trust in your intuition to guide you.
• If you are unable to light candles, consider a faux candle that flickers as a substitute.
• Do not leave a lit candle unattended, and always have water or another fire extinguisher nearby.
• If you do not have runes and prefer to use tarot, The Hermit, Four of Swords, and the High Priestess represent introspection, needed rest, and inner wisdom, similar to that of the runes I chose for this spell. 
  
  

Why You Did It

Understanding the whys of a spell (or ritual or recipe) is just as important as performing it. It helps you understand the process so you can modify the spell or ritual to suit your needs, and it helps guide you in writing your own. It's my intention to provide these explanations so that you can build a better understanding of how spells are written and executed, so you can modify and build your own spells (the goal of my Spellcrafting Series).

Because this spell is designed for stillness and reflection, Sunday or the new/dark moon is best because they too are associated with stillness and reflection. Sunday is often viewed as a day of rest and relaxation, making it the perfect time to invite quiet stillness into your life and practice. The new and dark moon have similar correspondences, although I much prefer the use of the dark moon over the new moon. The dark moon is the complete absence of the moon, the ultimate symbol of rest and reflection. The new moon, however, is more aligned with new beginnings, but is still a great time to set goals for the future and garner insight from beyond.

A bowl of water with a pinch of salt is used during this spell to act as a sort of scrying mirror, helping to open your mind to the messages from the beyond. Water is also associated with calm, healing, silence, and emotions, while the salt helps to purify and remove any blockages that may be preventing you from achieving stillness. The salt was stirred into the water clockwise to invite or draw messages toward you, as well as manifesting your intention of receiving visions.

The black or white candle was lit to connect you and your intention to the Otherworld. Furthermore, the flame was viewed as a reflection in the water's surface. This was done to help quiet your mind and help entice visions from the Otherworld to rise to the surface. Watching the flickering flame helps reduce your heart rate, relax your muscles, and induce an altered state of consciousness, opening you to embracing quiet stillness in your life and to the messages the spirits wish to share with you. White or black is chosen here for their connection to shadow work (black) or stillness (white; think snow).

Isa, Laguz, and Perthro runes were used to strengthen your intention and invite the desired outcome. Isa represents ice and therefore corresponds to stillness, quiet, and reflection. Laguz, however, is the rune of water and represents flow, intuition, emotion, and the subconscious. Perthro is the rune of mystery and the unknown, connected to fate and the divine. Each of these runes invites us to be still and open ourselves up to the will of the fates.

Finally, the water was disposed of outside with gratitude as an offering to the spirits who aided in your spell, whether through guidance or messages. 

Want to break this spell? Because the nature of the spell is to receive insight and guidance, there isn't a way to break it.

Remember to record this spell in your Book of Shadows or use my Spell/Ritual Worksheet for reference later.

***

After everything that has happened in the past year, I find myself turning toward this time of year wanting to learn more about myself and the lessons I have been dealt. Between the election results a year ago, the loss of someone very close to me, a health diagnosis, and a marriage, things have been far from "settled." While there have been plenty of wonderful things that have happened over the last year, there have also been some trials that have tested me. Having spells and rituals centered around peace, reflection, and healing has certainly helped me process everything that has occurred, leaving me well and able to plan for the future. I hope they offer you the same solace.

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New Book Announcement: Encyclopedia of Herbal Magic, A Witch’s Reference Guide to Magical Herbs for Every Season

I am very delayed in making this announcement (mostly because the last two months have been absolutely wild), but I come to you today to let all of you know my third book, written in collaboration with Lisa Chamberlain, is available now! I actually wrote my part more than 5 years ago and wasn't sure it was ever going to come to fruition, but here we are!

Herbs of the Year: Encyclopedia of Herbal Magic: A Witch’s Reference Guide to Magical Herbs for Every Season, with Herb Lore, Magical Uses, and Spell Ideas is perfect for beginning witches yet still valuable for more seasoned practitioners. It features 40 magical herbs and is aligned with the Wheel of the Year. From angelica (Angelica sylvestris) to yew (Taxus baccata), you’re bound to meet herbs both familiar and new as you journey through the seasons. The power of these plants can be used in just about every magical working you perform.

In Encyclopedia of Herbal Magic, you’ll find: 

• 40 magical plants you can easily use throughout the year, no matter where you live 
• Entries detailing the plant’s common and scientific names, magical correspondences, known folklore and history, and common magical uses 
• A variety of spell ideas and magical tips for working with these plants in your practice 
• A ritual for establishing a magical relationship with plants, whether in the wild or in your backyard 
• Advice for how to harvest plants sustainably and more!

I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed turning my passion for herb folklore and writing into this beautiful piece!

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The Silence Between Seasons: How to Embrace Stillness as a Magical Act Through Tea, Meditation, and Journaling

As the winds turn sharp and the days begin to wane, the world seems to take a long, inward breath. The fields lay bare, trees stand skeletal against dark skies, and even the spirits grow quiet, lingering in the hush between harvest and rebirth. This is the silence between seasons, a threshold in time where life pauses for the briefest of moments.

In a world driven by capitalism and the constant need to hustle and bustle, it can be difficult for many to embrace this silence. We are often viewed as lazy or unmotivated during times of rest, leading many to continue working even after they have reached total burnout. In witchcraft, this silence between seasons is not a time of emptiness or laziness, but instead a time ripe with potential. This is the perfect opportunity to rest, recharge, reflect, and plan for the future. It is in the dark that we are able to find ourselves and plan the road ahead. When we resist the modern urge to fill every quiet moment, we can rediscover what the ancestors knew well: the soul speaks most clearly when the world grows still. Stillness becomes an act of rebellion instead of a sign of laziness, allowing us to take back control over our lives.

Furthermore, to pause is to honor the cycles of death and rest that sustain all life and growth. It honors the mystery or rún of our world, helping connect us to the cycles of change and recharge before life is reborn anew. Within Norse mythology, this quiet stillness is represented by Odin hanging from the branches of Yggdrasil seeking enlightenment, where Hel keeps her cold dominion, and the time the völva takes to listen before she speaks a prophecy. I find myself leaning more into my spirituality as the winter months come, relying on that silence to bring comfort and peace.

There are many ways we can connect with this silence and embrace stillness in our magical practices, from meditation to teas to spell work. Today I offer a tea recipe, guided meditation, and journal prompts to invite the magic of stillness, peace, and silence into your own practice and engage in shadow work. I find combining these methods, particularly the tea with the meditation, works best. These can also be added to your daily practice during the winter months to better connect with the magic of the season.

Ritual Tea for Stillness

The tea recipe below is designed not only to promote calm and stillness but also to open you up for reflection and shadow work. I have included a series of shadow work journal prompts at the end of the post to help guide your reflection and intuition. Chamomile and lavender bring calm and tranquility, mugwort enhances your psychic ability and spiritual connection, and rosemary stimulates your memory and cleanses away stress. I encourage you to sweeten this tea with your favorite sweetener, as mugwort tends to be rather bitter when brewed.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dried chamomile

1 teaspoon dried lavender

1 teaspoon dried mugwort

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Sweetener of choice

Instructions:

Combine the herbal mixture with warm water (200° F) and allow the tea to infuse for 7-10 minutes. While the tea infuses, stir in your sweetener, stirring counterclockwise while saying, "In silence's brew I release all stress; The stillness speaks and I shall listen." Breathe in the aroma of the tea before enjoying. As you sip, visualize tension leaving your body, your heart rate slowing, and your mind quieting.

This tea pairs incredibly well with the following guided meditation or a relaxing ritual bath.

Guided Meditation

Find a comfortable position to sit or lie. Close your eyes and take several slow breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel your body settle, your heartbeat steady, and your mind begin to slow. Continue breathing until you feel relaxed and centered enough to begin the guided meditation.

When ready, imagine yourself standing in a winter forest. The trees are bare, their branches etched against a pale, misty sky. A slight breeze blows, but the snow muffles all sound. The air hums with silence.

You begin to walk. The world feels suspended in time. There is no past, no future, only now. You reach a clearing where the snow lies smooth and untouched. You stand or sit upon the earth. Beneath you, the land sleeps and dreams of warmer days, but for now, it is content to revel in the stillness of winter.

In that stillness, listen. What you once thought was nothingness is actually the slow pulse of life, hidden away beneath the snow. Roots, sleeping seeds, resting spirits breathe deep and exhale, the promise of tomorrow alight. Their silence is not absence; it is potential waiting to be born. 

Breathe with that rhythm. Let it seep into your bones. Open your heart and mind to any messages the earth, spirits, and land wish to convey to you. Sit in the stillness until you feel numb, allowing messages and relaxation to flow through you.

When you are ready, whisper to yourself: “I am the quiet between seasons. I am the space where magic waits.” When you return, carry that calm within you as you work through the journal prompts below.

Shadow Work Journal Prompts for the Silence Between Seasons

1. When I sit in silence, what parts of myself try to fill the quiet first? (Notice the thoughts, worries, or memories that rush forward. These often reveal what your shadow most wants to avoid.)
   
   
2. What emotions or truths arise when I stop distracting myself with motion or noise? (Describe them without judgment. They are your soul’s whispers, not intruders.)
   
   
3. If stillness feels uncomfortable, what might that discomfort be teaching me? (Shadow often hides in resistance, so be sure to explore what silence threatens to uncover.)
   
   
4. What part of me craves rest but fears being still? (Write from that part’s perspective. What does it believe will happen if you slow down?)
   
   
5. What has the “winter” of my spirit been trying to teach me? (Reflect on the cycles of withdrawal, endings, death, or inner cold. What wisdom lies beneath them?)
   
   
6. What truths have I drowned out with noise, busyness, or external validation? (Be honest here. What message keeps echoing in the background, waiting for quiet to be heard?)
   
   
7. What am I holding onto that silence asks me to release? (This could be guilt, control, fear, or grief. Be sure to name it, thank it, and imagine setting it down.)
   
   
8. What does “rest” mean to me beyond physical sleep? What does my soul’s rest look like? (Define what true restoration means for you  beyond productivity or spiritual performance.)
   
   
9. What part of my shadow is ready to be held, not fixed? (Consider one wound, insecurity, or regret that needs presence more than healing right now.)
   
   
10. What wisdom does the silence between seasons want to share with me right now? What messages did you receive from beyond? (Let the answer come as an image, a feeling, a single word, or a whisper from your deeper self.)

I find brewing a second cup of tea while working on the shadow work journal prompt helps me recall my journey and opens myself up to being more honest and reflective in my answers. I end my stillness ritual and reflect with the following mantra: "In stillness, I find my power. In silence, I remember who I truly am."

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

The silence between seasons is not a void to be feared or shunned with more work. Instead, it is a sanctuary to be honored and respected. In this quiet season, let yourself rest without guilt. Engage in radical self-care by resisting what the overculture insists upon. As the night continues to lengthen and the frost gathers, I invite you to find beauty in the pause. It is in winter's stillness that we can listen to the whispers of fate and deepen our magic through reflection and rest.

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