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Community, Venus Retrograde, Ritual

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Posted December 24th, 2021

One thing I took away from last week’s Seasonal Magic celebration of Solstice was the clear sense that community makes us stronger. For some, a community of one other may be all we need; for others, small, medium, and large groups of diverse and divergent members fill our cup. Whatever it is for you, I hope you have your community in large spoonfuls over the next few days. 

In addition to Solsticetime, we honored the stationing of Venus into retrograde, December 19 – January 29. The is the least frequent of all the retrograde and as you know, Venus rules love, beauty, and what we value (in physical and energetic form). Retrogrades are a great time to reflect on the power of the planet, to reassess and reevaluate how we show up for love, how we invoke beauty into our lives, and how we manage our financial affairs and live out our core values.

It’s a great time to let go of that which no longer serves. Bless and release!

As you reflect on the gifts and opportunities that 2021 held for you, consider what you’d like to invite in once you’ve honored the release. The active acknowledgment of our 2022 wishes may not come forth until Imbolc, February 2. For now, we honor the dropping off and letting go phase of our regeneration. We stand strong and rooted, like a tree without leaves, as we allow the grief, relief, and love to wash over us. 

You might feel tiny flickers of desire and if so, honor them! In fact, during a Venus retrograde, Fridays (Venus Day) are a good time to do ceremony with respect for your values, loves you’ve lost and the changing face of beauty (maybe yours, as you enter a new phase of life). Don’t do anything drastic to your appearance during this cycle, and if you’re revisited by a past love, evaluate any choices you make against the truth of what you value. 

Create a short mantra about your values for 2022. Rhyme if possible! This helps the brain relax into receptivity-mode vs. getting overly analytical. It doesn’t even have to be a good rhyme! Just capture the gist, like this: “I commit to my values in the year that is new and honor my magic, to my own self be true.” Every Friday for the next 8 weeks:

– Light a candle. 

– Call the directions. 

– Invite your inner Sage and guides.

– State your mantra 3 x. 

– Close with “So mote it be” or another closing phrase of your choosing. I’m just giving you a witch-option 🙂 

When we do ritual, we connect with something greater than ourselves. When we do a ritual that others, too, are doing – even in the privacy of our own homes – we remember that community is with us always, both in body and in spirit, and we are never alone.

If you’re not unplugged tomorrow, stay tuned: I think the Yule Fairy may be dropping off a treat here…xoxo