A Druid’s Web Log – January 2022 – Welcoming the New Year with Sacred Smoke

Another year dawns and most of us are feeling mixed emotions. It is a time of renewal and a time of anxiety – climate disasters and an ongoing pandemic make the future feel less than hopeful But our ancestors faced many challenges too, and devised ways to cope. One of these is to purify the home and ritual space with fragrant herbs at New Year’s, to bring in peace and good feelings.

Purification by Smoke

White Sage is fast becoming an endangered plant due to over use.

Many of us are familiar with the Native American practice known as “smudging” or purification with smoke. This is a spiritual practice that is done all year, usually involving the burning of White Sage (Salvia apiana) or Sage mixed with Cedar, such as Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis). It is a lovely custom that purifies an area of negativity. After these herbs are burned, a gentle herb such as Sweet Grass (Hierochloe odorata) is burned to pull in positive forces (because nature abhors a vacuum).

Saining

Europeans also have herb purification rituals using smoke, especially at the times of Yule (Christmas) and New Year’s. In Scotland there is the custom of “saining” (blessing, protecting) at Hogmanay or New Years. To do this, water must be collected from a “dead and living ford” meaning a place where the living cross and the dead are carried over a stream, either where coffins are born across a bridge, or where hearses carrying coffins drive over the water. This must be done before sunrise, in silence.

The water is taken to the house and sprinkled on all the beds, and into every room. When everything has been blessed by water, all windows, doors and entrances to the home are closed, and Juniper branches (Juniperus communis) are burned in the hearth. Smoking branches of Juniper are also carried to the barn and outhouses to bless them.

The smoke is allowed to build up in the house until no one can stand it anymore, and then windows and doors are flung wide to admit the air of the new year. Everyone has a wee dram after that, and a good breakfast.

This custom reflects the old Indo-European idea that the world is made of fire and water (Scandinavians would say fire and ice, which amounts to the same thing). A bridge where the dead are carried across is literally a liminal space, between life and death, used by both the living and the dead. New Year’s Eve is an in-between time when one year ends and the other begins. The walls between the Worlds are thin and protection must be taken.

You can burn branches of juniper any time you feel the need to cleanse an area.

The Germanic Rauhnächte

The Rauhnächte are the days between the Winter Solstice (December 21) and Epiphany (January 6), known as the “Smoke Nights”. It is said that evil Spirits and ghosts are particularly active at this time, likely because it’s the darkest time of year and most closely resembles their Underworld home. Because the world of winter and cold seems familiar, they emerge to mingle with the life above ground. With so many wandering dead about, sensitive souls may even be able to hear their voices. It’s considered a good time to do divinations and prognostications for the future, because the Spirits will aid the process.

Many people still take pains to protect their home from these spooky Spirits by fumigating the house with herbal incense, or by making small fires in the garden. Fragrant resins such as Spruce (Picea abies) and Frankincense (Boswellia sacra) are said to do the trick. Green herbs such as Common Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Juniper are also employed. But any fragrant herbs will do.

To properly protect the home, begin at the cooking hearth or the oven and then smudge the corners of the kitchen. Move out to every other room of the house, spreading fragrant smoke into each corner and space. Then carry the smoke outside to the barn and other buildings. This should be done every day for the twelve days.

And a warning – do not put clothing or bedding outside on the line at this time or evil Spirits might get tangled up in them!

BOOK NEWS

My new children’s book: “Once Around the Sun: Stories, Crafts, and Recipes to Celebrate the Sacred Earth Year” will be on sale April 19, 2022 in the U.S. The UK on-sale date is about 6 weeks later. It is available for pre-order at https://www.innertraditions.com/books/once-around-the-sun and other retailers worldwide here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Once-Around-the-Sun/Ellen-Evert-Hopman/9781644114148

UPCOMING EVENTS

FEBRUARY 18-20, 2022

On February 19, at 2:45 PM Eastern

WitchCon (virtual conference)

A class on Scottish Herbs and Fairy Lore

https://www.witchcon.com/workshop.php?presenter=ellen-evert-hopman&workshop=One&location=Sat-PM-0145-Jupiter

MARCH 5, 2022

1-4PM CST

Women’s Wellness Series (virtual class)

The Witching Herbs – Working with Baneful Plants: Healing, Magick, and Homeopathy with Ellen Evert Hopman

https://www.midwestwomensherbal.com/inourownhands-2022?fbclid=IwAR072lLA_uaOmb-blARwPpf4Xk2gu6xaQhCeJF5ijBWcZHxmVKg3EAcLSOk

Use code Ellen10 and get a discount!

JULY 15 AND 17, 2022

http://www.witchsfestusa.org/

WitchsFest 2022 will be held July 15th through July 17th with Virtual days again on the Friday and Sunday

and live classes in-person in New York City’s Astor place on Saturday, July 16th.

I will be offering on line talks via Zoom on Friday and Sunday

*Below you will find the usual collection of gleanings from the media. And a reminder! You can find all my books and DVDs here www.elleneverthopman.com If you order from me you will get a signed copy and a personal note! *

ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS

This Fancy Footwear Craze Created a ‘Plague of Bunions’ in Medieval England (modern high heels do the same thing)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-europeans-obsession-pointy-shoes-caused-painful-bunions-180977969/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20211230-daily-responsive&spMailingID=46182461&spUserID=OTAyNTEyNTgyOTc2S0&spJobID=2143466009&spReportId=MjE0MzQ2NjAwOQS2

Norse runic text found in Oslo

https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/12/norse-runic-text-found-in-oslo/142383

Marble statue of a woman (possibly Goddess Hygeia) found at Epidaurus

https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2021/12/marble-statue-of-robed-woman-discovered.html

More Archaeology News

HERB NEWS

Meadowsweet monograph

https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/meadowsweet-filipendula-ulmaria.html

Grindelia benefits and uses

https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/grindelia-herb.html

Licorice root medicinal uses

https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/licorice-root.html

Stinging Nettle benefits and uses

https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/stinging-nettle-herb.html

More Herbal News

HEALTH NEWS

How to prepare to take the Covid vaccine

https://medium.com/fieldnotes-from-natural-medicine/how-to-best-prepare-for-your-vaccine-c5d73063312d

Why people believe Covid conspiracy theories

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2021/oct/26/why-people-believe-covid-conspiracy-theories-could-folklore-hold-the-answer?fbclid=IwAR0McrOaPRoT1zn6Xy2mavUjqToEkAyhAS8j70qCetcFkEtNIBpx9WBibGE

Fact Check: Will We Be Microchipped With Vaccine Passports? (Not.)

https://www.iflscience.com/technology/fact-check-will-we-be-microchipped-with-vaccine-passports/?utm_source=The+IFLScience+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f58a98f2a6-TWIS-DEC-20-24-2021&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3aa1738e2a-f58a98f2a6-272652172&mc_cid=f58a98f2a6&mc_eid=55efccce90

How Psychedelics alter consciousness

https://www.iflscience.com/brain/how-psychedelics-alter-consciousness/

More Health News

CLIMATE AND NATURE NEWS

A new perspective on Black Holes

https://www.resonancescience.org/blog/Black-holes-to-be-or-not-to-be?fbclid=IwAR06tg1hV9oNBmc8FHUObcilYTqe7SwIqSR2WXSu2a8xBfgtnrw9fcY1YRc

Cuttlefish can pass a test designed for human children

https://www.sciencealert.com/cuttlefish-can-pass-a-cognitive-test-designed-for-children?fbclid=IwAR0l9RNJiX7g_GwH2IhnnMXoIpt1G7tgmhMH1g_44hRpstMCK6qdN2ejN5I

The search for the elusive Planet X (or is it a black Hole?) continues

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210216-the-massive-planet-scientists-cant-find?at_custom3=BBC+News&at_medium=custom7&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom4=631CAF86-689E-11EC-995C-D7053A982C1E&at_campaign=64&at_custom2=facebook_page

Alaska was 65 degrees in December. A new heat record. ☹

https://gizmodo.com/alaska-broke-its-all-time-december-heat-records-1848277124?utm_medium=sharefromsite&utm_source=_facebook&fbclid=IwAR1FIHoXYYjEwEwwAvqomptEZ0z-_nMtRgGEAfeMciMa5ryioUgMp87902U

More Climate News

CELTIC NEWS

Women executed as Witches in Scotland to be issued pardons

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/19/executed-witches-scotland-pardons-witchcraft-act?fbclid=IwAR3TvXmVaik0H8ytO-V1klfRlLVwbzuixZyFZUqiF4npKp-dXcJtnxLWD-s

The Wren song (video)

When Christmas was banned in Scotland

https://blog.nrscotland.gov.uk/2018/12/10/christmas-banned-in-scotland/amp/

Harp music from Brittany (video)

FAIRY NEWS

The Whitethorn tree (video)

Why Ireland takes Fairies seriously

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/ireland-fairies?fbclid=IwAR2Uzl6-zMMP7vS0FLDT0GfhHxz9J7RCKQZ5r1ykILk1-wl8BDSUWHpZ84Q

Krampus, a Germanic Yuletide Spirit

https://wildhunt.org/2021/12/the-running-of-the-krampus-into-modern-times.html

RELIGION NEWS

Pew research: the number of Christians in the USA is declining

https://wildhunt.org/2021/12/studies-show-us-christians-decreasing-in-number.html

Celtic spells and counter spells (paper)

https://www.academia.edu/19783791/Celtic_Spells_and_Counterspells?email_work_card=view-paper

Plurality of belief among contemporary Druids

https://www.academia.edu/6358025/Plurality_of_Belief_in_Contemporary_European_Druidry?email_work_card=view-paper

Jesuits to return 525 acres of South Dakota land to Rose Bud Sioux tribe

http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2017/05/jesuits-to-return-525-acres-of-south.html?fbclid=IwAR1yvwXRcoRLWvXkKLf52yGnhRbZcfwbbelwkHP9UvUzVBe62AyF5xOzfq4

ARTS NEWS

Louis Wain’s cat art

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-louis-wains-exuberant-cat-art-at-the-bethlem-hospital-180979287/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20211223-daily-responsive&spMailingID=46155101&spUserID=OTAyNTEyNTgyOTc2S0&spJobID=2142675899&spReportId=MjE0MjY3NTg5OQS2

64 fox face portraits

https://mymodernmet.com/roeselien-raimond-fox-faces/?fbclid=IwAR1F9_v72bMJWVohfm4hftrmHz8sFKhxWEnCtD6Q-U1Ls-mXi1tn0InHLm4

Henri Matisse art goes to the Baltimore Museum

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/baltimore-museum-becomes-major-hub-for-henri-matisse-art-180979273/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20211222-daily-responsive&spMailingID=46149553&spUserID=OTAyNTEyNTgyOTc2S0&spJobID=2142558539&spReportId=MjE0MjU1ODUzOQS2

Six art galleries in unexpected places

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/six-art-galleries-in-unexpected-places-180979238/?utm_source=smithsoniandaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20211216-daily-responsive&spMailingID=46118502&spUserID=OTAyNTEyNTgyOTc2S0&spJobID=2141897770&spReportId=MjE0MTg5Nzc3MAS2

POLITICS AND ETHICS

Lawsuits as a way to mitigate the climate crisis

https://wildhunt.org/2021/12/lawsuits-as-a-tool-to-mitigate-the-climate-crisis.html

Modern day slavery uncovered in Georgia

https://www.ajc.com/news/this-has-been-happening-for-a-long-time-modern-day-slavery-uncovered-in-ga/SHBHTDDTTBG3BCPSVCB3GQ66BQ/?fbclid=IwAR0WGM2SNfPJOXp8xf8OnWVzPS5-yQ8GfXPfYFJbqdiC24btpJR_vlZxz5c

Elizabeth Warren tells Elon Musk to actually pay some taxes and stop freeloading off everyone else

https://reason.com/2021/12/15/elizabeth-warren-told-elon-musk-to-actually-pay-taxes-and-stop-freeloading-off-everyone-else/?fbclid=IwAR3lU3w8I17YPFXl1AsQgYfWp_ghofGoC5fREiKxgvNsaDy1vczDVo04PxA

More Politics News

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