Crooked Ravn

Unbridled Thoughts of a Social Deviant

Category: Paganism, Witchcraft & Western Esotericism

  • Making My Own Tarot Deck: The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress

    Making My Own Tarot Deck: The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress

    I have finished three more cards for the Tarot Deck I am making and I’m working on IV: Emporer. So far I have made The Magician, High Priestess and The Empress. I chose to use Odin as The Magician, A völva as The High Priestess & Freya The Empress. I will talk about why I chose these and the symbolism on the cards as well as talk about Rider Waite Symbolism.

    The Magician

    Symbolism in Rider-Waite

    In the Rider-Waite version of the card, there is alot of visual symbolism. Some examples include: Flowers for manifesting ideas and aspirations, a hand poiunting to universe and another pointing at the earth for “As Above, So Below” concept, the Infinity Symbol for unlimited potential, a pentagram as symbol of the elements, and a red cloak to showcate experience and knowledge.

    Odin as The Magician

    Odin is perfect to prepresent The Magician considering his backstory, In Odin’s story, he gouges out an eye and drops it into Mimir’s Well in order to have cosmic insight, prophecy, and knowledge of hidden truths. This is denoted by his eye patch. I alsohave runes surrounding him because he also sacrficed himself and hung himself bleeding from Yggrasil for nine freezing days and nights without food or water in order to gain the sacred knowledge of the runes. He also has two ravens, Huginn (Thought) & Muninn (Memory) that represent knowledge and experience. They are his eyes and ears flying across the Nine Realms and granting him immense wisdom and knowledge. He himself symbolizes manifestation and aspiration, because in the stories he stops at nothing to manifest his aspirations for sacred knowledge and cosmic insight. I also represent the elements on this card, The sun represents fire, rocky cliff represents earth, turbulent waters represent water and show that there is wind that represents air.

    The High Priestess

    Symbolism in Rider-Waite

    She sits in front of a veil that separates the realm of the divine and the physical world, the letter B represents Boaz and the letter J Jachin which is symbolism of equalibrium like yin and yang. Her headdress represents the three phases of the moon honoring the triple goddess, she holds scrolls, and has a crescent mood at her feet. This represents having a foundation of intiuition.

    The High Priestess as a Völva

    She wears a veil over her eyes that represents her vision beyond the veil into the divine realm. Her tatoos, rune belt, and bone headdress represent her connection to shamanism and esoteric knowledge. Also, Volva’s are known for being Seers using intutiiton and divine connection to guide others including Jarls. Her staff allows her to weave fate and perform rituals.

    The Empress

    Symbolism in Rider-Waite

    Some of the Symbolism includes, Scepter to symbolize Power and Guidance, Red Bedding symbolizes creativity and sensuality, Venus Symbol represents using power and love to shield others, crowned by 12 zodiac stars, foliage to symbolize connection to nature, Pattern on dress symbolizes abundance and fertility, wheat also symbolizes abundance and providing for others.

    Freya as The Empress

    She has her staff to symbolize power and guidance, her violet dress symbolizes divine connection, inner peace and goddess energy. She has a red jewal in her crown as a nod to the red of creativity and sensuality, but she also also a known goddess of love and fertility. She is in nature and surrounded by flowers, woods and water symbolizing her connection to nature and fertility. The flowers and her golden hair is also a nod to fertility and abundance. Her cats also represent femininity, fertility, and protectiion.

  • Making My Own Tarot Deck: The Fool

    Making My Own Tarot Deck: The Fool

    I have been wanting to make my own tarot deck for a while and I am finally starting. I will post each card I make on here as I make them. I am using ArtRage Lite and Canva to make my tarot deck. I discuss the symbolism in “The Fool” tarot card and how I utilized it in my version of the card.

    The Fool

    For The Fool, I looked at some of the typical symbolism and then made it my own. I know in the card there is usually a simple of purity like a white rose or something similar, a puppy or other small innocent looking animal to show a loyal companion and innocence, cliff face to show recklessness, and mountains or an area to begin your journey and the sun or sunrise to show beginnings and joyfulness.

    I decided to make Loki my fool. He tends to embody freedom and a mix of trickster and even niavety in many stories in norse mythology where he ends up getting caught up in things he shouldn’t and having to fix those problems he started. He also embodies change, adventures and new beginnings. Without his shenanigans and adventures the gods wouldn’t have gotten their weapons or golden hair or other treasures . So, he symbolizes the reckless and optimistic start of an adventure for good or worse. I am using his Fire to symbolize Purity, Baby Fenrir to symbolize a loyal companion and innocence, and he is sitting on a cliff over a ravine and with the view of mountains and a sunrise to represent the start of a new journey.

    My Loki “The Fool” Tarot Card vs. Rider-Waite Tarot Card

    Loki. The Fool Card
    My Version with Loki as The Fool. ©Crooked Ravn
    Rider-Waite The Fool Tarot Card
    Rider-Waite Version of The Fool.
  • Embracing Creativity & Building Community

    Embracing Creativity & Building Community

    Once I embraced my creativity and promised myself not to let other people keep me from doing the things that make me happy, my sense of happiness and fulfillment returned. Now I radiate the energy I need in order to attract the energy I want from people. It can be a hard thing to achieve especially after a long period of despair.

    Honestly, I didn’t know if I’d ever reach this point. It was like a switch flipped in my brain. It actually occured after a dream with a goddess speaking in an old tongue. She presented me with a purple goddess statue. Researching the roots of the words and sounds online, I found out it was a most likely a mix of Babylonian, Arabic, and interestingly French which I know. It felt like a gift from Ishtar/Inanna, one of my goddesses. After that dream, I had a surge in self-love & compassion as well as creativity.

    Embracing Creativity

    I am actually working on an art piece depicting being blinded by despair. It is unfinished, but I will post it once it’s ready.

    I have also recieved the Art for All Scholarship at Makerspace. So far, I have taken a sewing class, and leatherworking class so far. I plan to continue leatherworking and joined leatherworking club at makerspace. Hopefully, I can also invest in learning woodworking, 3d printing, ceramics and metalworking. Having creative community is also very fulfilling.

    First attempt leathwork tooling ever. Makerspace Class w/Pegeen.

    I also hemmed up some jeans I got at the thrift store and made denim pouches with the leftover cloth.

    Denim pouches made from excess Jean length.

    Then I made a tarot deck wrap for my tarot cards. It’s not perfect and the cord has rough edges, but it was fun to make and practice sewing.

    Tarot Deck Wrap.

    I also fixed a bunch of clothes I had that needed mended. I need to get more black paint for mixing so shading is easer before I get back into painting.

    Finding and Creating Community

    Volunteering

    I am volunteering for Isaiah, Faith in Minnesota and the Jake Johnson campaign in order to flip the house so that we can prevent further attacks on targeted groups, and so that we can promote diversity and inclusion in our county. No longer willing stand back, wallow in self-pity, and do nothing while the current administration continues to take away people’s rights and create discord among the masses, I decided I’d rather be productive and take action in whatever ways I can.

    I’m also volunteering for Living Earth Center in Mankato, which not only maintains a community garden & farm but also promotes sustainability and environmental justice.

    Becoming More Involved With Existing Groups

    I am also trying to get myself to go to more local groups focusing on lgbt+, interfaith, and art. I’m hoping to audition for the Queer Choir when auditions start again.

    Creating My Own Community

    I am also starting my own local social group for Witches, Pagans, Heathens, Practitioners of Esoterica and non-judgemental allies. It’s called Nexus of the Cosmic Tree, because the concept of a World Tree is present in many spiritual belief systems internationally. Nexus represents the community as we all come from different branches and roots of the Cosmic Tree.

    For events, I’m starting with a coffee meetup, Pub meet up, and gaming meet up. However, I’m planning to eventually collaborate with other organizations, practitioners, and more in order to host events and classes on different practices. Also, I’d like to work with artisans and Makerspace in order to to host classes on how to create your own supplies for practicing these arts.

    All are welcome as long as you can commute to events in the Greater Mankato Area.

  • Art As a Spiritual Practice

    Art As a Spiritual Practice

    Lately, I have found myself getting lost in different art or crafting projects. Once I start, it’s like I’m not even thinking anymore. I just let my hands and intuition guide me towards a finished project.

    I love art. I have loved it since I was a child. I took art classes in high school and resented myself for not going into the arts for University. I had all these voices in my head. You aren’t good enough. Other people’s voices. “Art isn’t a practical degree. Neither is Music. It’s a throwaway Degree.”, “You Would Be Good If…” and the dreaded, “Yeah. It’s good.” or “It’s Okay.” with no sign of any kind of feedback or approval in their voice. You wonder if they even looked at it. Also, I wasn’t given the resources for success in childhood even if I wanted to.

    In College, I was a science student roomed with a bunch of art students my freshman year. I was so envious and resentful. It pushed me to cut out the arts and stop enjoying them even as a hobby. However, in the process of doing that, I also cut out a piece of my soul. Art gives life meaning. Creation gives life meaning. I was too focused on school to stop and realize how much.

    After I graduated college, I didn’t go to grad school due to being to hard on myself and burnout. I started getting jobs nothing at all like what I intended for my degree. Plus the normalization of toxic workplaces and Autistic Burnout. I dropped hard. Quite a few years later, at my lowest, I found crochet and painting again. As I started to let the arts back into my life, I started to slowly feel alive again. It gives me purpose and means a lot to me on a deeper level than most would understand.

    I come from a family of people who like working with their hands. Whether that is through Art or wrenching on vehicles and motorcycles. On my Mom’s side, my great great grandfather was a shoemaker, all the women in the family are amazing at fiber arts. My mother also liked jewelry making for a while. My brother is a great artist. My dad and my paternal grandfather both worked in the same shop, scrapping, building things, working on vehicles. My dad was a welder and fabricator before he passed. I have cousins and uncles who sculpt or paint or draw. Being a craftsman is something in my blood.

    Also, I am pagan and one of my Deities is Lugh, Irish Celtic Deity. He is master craftsman. I have Ulster Scot/Scotch Irish ancestry through the great grandfather who made shoes. Sometimes I wonder if finding Lugh was fate for me. When I am creating art or crafts, I feel a deep connectiion to him and to my ancestors. Sometimes when I am doing art, I feel like they are doing it through me. Guiding my hands. I’m in awe of what comes out of it.

    Some of my favorite mediums so far are painting, digital art, crochet, and I like to create my own decor or household items. I like finding things at garage sales, thrift markets, or old items people don’t want and upcycling them. I used to draw alot and I still can, but I’m out of practice. I just got a scholarship for Makerspace and I will be learning woodworking, leatherworking, sewing, 3d Printing and probably more if I can afford it. I don’t have space in my apartment for many of the machines I’d need to do some of these activities at home.

    I will admit that sometimes I see other people’s art and I am immediately humbled and can be too critical of myself. I always had a hard time considering myself an artist. However, I also know that art is about the journey and self expression. Also, more than likely there is someone out there who will appreciate it. If not for the aesthetic, then at least they will enjoy the story behind it. I’m not just an artist. I’m a craftsman and creator.

    I will never let other’s opinions of me keep me from doing the things that feed my spirit and soul.

  • Last Month Embodied Radical Change, Good & Bad.

    Last Month Embodied Radical Change, Good & Bad.

    Hello, Everyone!

    It’s been a while since my last post due to some unexpected changes and some mental overwhelm. I missed writing, but I’m back.

    Talk About Radical Change

    As I talked about in my previous post, A Reason To Celebrate, I successfully completed my legal name change, had been trying to settle into the area I live, and tried to make friends. However, my roommate had given me a sudden 30-day notice with little to know warning or communication. Well, fast-forward a month. I have my own income based apartment! Yay! The necessary documents are changed to match my legal name. Also, Some promising friends or at least good aquaintances and community opportunities have presented themselves.

    However, this change did not come easy. I was probably had my last dash of sanity and hope was slipping away. One thing after another kept going wrong until, miraculously, the day before my thirty days was up… I received the news. I had an apartment. Not a board and lodge, not a room, not a roommate in a room, but my own apartment. It might not be the fanciest apartment but it is mine. Ever since, it seems like all the things I wanted are slowly starting to line up in both expected and unexpected ways. Talk about radical change.

    Like The Tower in Tarot, everything came toppling down at once. My body and mind became overwhelmed and shut down until the seeds of change started to grow where it once stood. All that’s left is to nourish those seeds and grow. I want to focus on self care, self love, and self-growth.

    Super Snow Moon Energy

    Also, all of this occured right around the Super Snow Moon that was Leo Moon Sign, which I discussed in Channel the Radical Energy of the Snow Moon. I mentioned the Tower. I had invoked this energy with a focus on the above deities and this is how it turned out. Fitting.

    My three main deities are Loki, Morrigan, and Freya. Loki is very much about radical change, freedom, and transformation. Morrigan is about finding strength through determination, sovreignty, and hard won battles, Freya is much like Morrigan, but is also about Love. Not just intimacy with others, but loving yourself and finding yourself. Therefore, it makes sense that this would be how I would find change.

    I kept getting readings saying to embrace change, trust intuition and my spirituality, trust that the universe or gods have me in mind. However, even if I see the value in radical change and embracing those moments of uncertainty and liminality is hard for me. I kept telling myself that without a bit of chaos there would be no opportunities for change and maybe it was for the best, but I still felt that fear of trusting the universe.

    Spot On Tarot Draw

    Also, if you look at my Tarot Reading on January 28th, here, I talk about burning out and reaching a point of exhaustion before perservering. However, while what I put as an interpretation of the first card was true, I’m noticing it has a completely different meaning as well in terms of becoming ungrounded financially and in terms of housing. It could be about how my roommate and I have conflicting communication styles, needs, and triggers so there was a lot of social anxiety, and perseved selfishness involved as well.

    Introspection

    This time of dealing with burnout also involved a lot of introspection. I was actually officially diagnosed with Autism officially not long before this happened. I was doing more reading into Autism and realized I had been falling in and out of Autistic Burnout for months now. Also, I wasn’t having normal panic attacks, anxiety, and depression. It was meltdowns or shutdowns. Overwhelm and overstimulization would build up until I shut down or lashed out. I also started to look at my past and realize how many of the thinks I had trouble putting into words that weren’t “normal” were my Autism. I also have ADHD so I’m extra spicy and all of those symptoms compound with my Autism. Even with my roommate situation, it boiled down to communication issues and overwhelm.

    The burnout got much worse as I got more overwhelmed and I lost the ability to take care of myself or leave my room. Everything felt impossible. It’s like my Stamina Bar was at zero and all the things I could normally do I couldn’t anymore. I also became much more obviously autistic with lower distress tolerance. I was ready to give up and felt abandoned by society and people who don’t understand, but I’m here now.

    Moving out is probably for the best. Living there wasn’t the right foundation for success for me. It allowed me to build the right foundation for me to heal, grow and change. It took every ounce of strength for me to get here, but I am. Focusing on myself and finding peace in the universe till I have enough stamina to grow into who I want to be.

  • Channel the Radical Transformative Energy of the Snow Moon

    Channel the Radical Transformative Energy of the Snow Moon

    Super Snow Moon in Leo

    Yesterday, February 1st at 4:09 PM CST, the Super Snow Moon filled the night sky. It reached it’s peak Sunday, but will appear full for about 3 days.

    A Call To Action

    Falling under the sign Leo, many of us will be embracing authenticity, creativity, courage, and confidence. Since Mars is in Aquarius, people will be driven to act and confidently manifest social change, intellectual ideas, personal freedom, radical change and self-growth. We could all use a bit of this energy in our own lives. To be willing to stand firm in your beliefs and live authentically without fear, is important. This could also be channeled as a call to action against the unstable and oppressing systems of power we face in the world today. So I will light a candle and channel the energy of the full moon. I light this candle for all of us fighting for what we believe in and for those we have lost in the process. May we channel the energy of this full moon so that we as a society may change and evolve until we manifest our dream shared of a better future. 

    The Tower

    In Tarot Readings, we often talk about The Tower when we discuss radical change, both good and bad. The Tower is an unstable structure built on old systems and beliefs that no longer serve us. Resisting change will cause the foundation will inevitably crumble and take The Tower down with it. Sudden upheaval often feared, but sometimes The Tower needs to fall, and radical change is necessary in order to lay the foundation for the future. Remember, after The Tower comes The Star bringing hope and rejuvenation while we build new foundations for the future. This card is relevant in what is happening right now. People are resisting change and holding onto values that no longer serve us and this unstable system collapsing under the pressure. 

  • Tarot Resources

    Tarot Resources

    When it comes to tarot, I’m not an expert and I tend to just follow my intuition and have a conversation with my deck. However, sometimes it’s nice to find inspiration for spreads or reads online. Sometimes using guidebooks or tarot journals can be useful as well. I often times look at traditional spreads & spreads online and make them my own. I have found some good online resources & other resources for learning tarot.

    Global Searching Icon White Background

    Online Resources

    Emerald Lotus Divination is a resource I love to use. She has a large tarot spread library consisting of many Shadow Work, Self Growth, and Transformation spreads. Most of these aren’t showing timelines and in depth predictions but they are showing you what to work on within yourself.

    Website: emeraldlotusdivination.com

    Labyrinthos is another resource I have used often. It has a great guide to tarot meanings and some good spreads. They also have free tarot lessons and digital decks if you are interested in that.

    Website: labyrinthos.co

    Biddy Tarot is a popular online resource for tarot that I haven’t personally used yet. Here you can find free & paid tarot readings, card meanings, certification classes & an online community.

    Website: biddytarot.com

    Book White Background

    Books

    Guided Tarot: A Beginner’s Guide to Card Meanings, Spreads and Intuitive Exercises for Seamless Readings, by Stefanie Caponi is a book I was gifted when I first started. It provides some basic spreads, gives in depth meanings, has a quick reference chart, and explains how to do a reading with intuition exercises. It is a great book for just getting started. You can find it on amazon, here.

    Buy it on Amazon.

    The Weiser Tarot Journal: Guidance and Practice by Teresa Reed is an amazing tarot journal I’m using right now. I absolutely love it and it includes includes fully illustrated layouts and instructions for eight spreads-1-card, 2-card, 3-card, 4-card, Celtic Cross, Horseshoe, Astrological Wheel, and Weiser’s own Ankh spread. It also includes 208 Journal Pages and 1,920 full-color Tarot Stickers.

    Buy it on Amazon

    Make A Junk Journal

    One thing that I’ve also wanted to do was make my own Journal or Grimoire for divination in the style of a Junk Journal. These are very scrapbook inspired journals. The purpose is repourpusing, upcycling, and collaging using old books, envelopes, magazines, paper, and bind it together and fill the pages with tags, sketches, cards or memories loose or in pockets. There are no specific rules but some people turn it into a guide or grimoire with information in it. Other’s turn it into a journal for journaling their reads. You could do both.

    This is on my list for the future. I just tend to not have much left for repurposing because I already do that a lot for other things. I could do a thrift & used goods book. I found a great guide for making one and I’ll post the link. You would just make it so that it fits your needs whether that’s divination or an overarching grimoire. You can also find pages on etsy or pinterest that have all the tarot information on them already. Some can be edited on Canva.

    Guide: https://vervainandtheroses.com/junk-journal-grimoire-reasons-to-start/

  • Tarot Read (1/28/26): Need For Balance, (Includes Keywords, Interpretations, and Reflection)

    Tarot Read (1/28/26): Need For Balance, (Includes Keywords, Interpretations, and Reflection)

    I asked the cards to choose what to tell me for a picture to post for an example read. This is what they chose. Honestly, it’s spot on. I drew Queen of Pentacles Reversed, Ace of Wands Reversed, and Nine of Wand. Overall it discusses needing to find balance and focus on self-care. I have shown keywords, interpretations and my reflection below.

    Queen of Pentacles Reversed

    1. Queen of Pentacles Reversed

    • Keywords: Unkempt, Self-absorbed, Greedy.
    • Interpretation: I have become so absorbed and hyperfocusing on my blog, social media, trying to balance my budget for creative classes/social groups, and trying not to overbook my planner that I am neglecting self-care and overextending my energy and finances
    Ace of Wands Reversed

    2. Ace of Wands Reversed

    • Keywords: Lack of Energy, Lack of Passion, Delays, Creative Blocks.
    • Interpretation: I may be overextending and starting to lose energy or show signs of burnout due and if I continue I might deal with burnout.
    Nine of Wands

    3. Nine of Wands

    • Keywords: Persistence, Perserverance, Close to Success
    • Interpretation: This card is telling me that persistence is key. I’m close to success in these endeavors and the exhaustion is temporary and success can’t be won without hard work. I need to stop overextending myself in order to find enough balance and energy to continue.

    Reflection

    This is true. Between appointments, trying build a local social life, trying to invest in Makerspace and creative classes, and working on my blog I have felt like I’m overextending a bit. S, I’m going to try to find more balance between making time for rebuilding energy, self-care, self-growth & investing in all of those aspects instead of overestending my energy, time, and finances.

    The tarot deck I used in the featured picture above is the Lost Hollow deck.
    Available on Etsy.

  • 2026 | Wheel of the Year & Lunar Calendar

    2026 | Wheel of the Year & Lunar Calendar

    Wheel of the Year

    • Imbolc (Spring Fire Festival): February 1st-2nd
    • Ostara (Spring Equinox): Mar 20th-21st
    • Beltane (Summer Fire Festival): May 1st-2nd
    • Litha (Summer Solstice): June 20th-23rd
    • Lughnasadh (Fall Fire Festival): Aug 1st-3rd
    • Mabon (Fall Equinox): Sept 21st-24th
    • Samhain (Fall Fire Festival): Oct 31st-Nov 2nd
    • Yule (Winter Solstice): December 20th-23rd

    Lunar Calendar (Minneapolis, MN/Central Time)

    January

    3rd: Super Wolf Moon in Cancer

    18th: New Moon in Capricorn

    February

    1st: Snow Moon in Leo

    17th: New Moon | Solar Eclipse in Pisces

    March

    3rd: Worm Moon | Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon) in Virgo

    18th: New Moon in Pisces

    April

    1st: Pink Moon in Libra

    17th: New Moon in Taurus

    May

    1st: Flower Moon in Scorpio

    16th: New Moon in Taurus

    31st: Blue Moon in Sagittarius

    June

    14th: New Moon in Gemini

    29th: Strawberry Moon in Capricorn

    July

    14th: New Moon in Cancer

    29th: Buck Moon in Aquarius

    August

    12th: New Moon | Solar Eclipse in Leo

    28th: Sturgeon Moon | Partial Lunar Eclipse in Pisces

    September

    11th: New Moon in Virgo

    26th: Harvest Moon in Aries

    October

    10th: New Moon in Libra

    26th: Hunter’s Moon in Taurus

    November

    9th: New Moon in Scorpio

    24th: Super Beaver Moon in Gemini

    December

    9th: New Moon in Sagittarius

    23rd: Super Cold Moon Cancer

  • Exploring the New Year & Its Meaning to You | Pagan’s POV

    Exploring the New Year & Its Meaning to You | Pagan’s POV

    When you think of the New Year what comes to mind?

    I think of the New Year I think of going out with friends and drinking, watching a parade or watching the ball drop on TV at Times Square. I think of all the people writing New Year’s resolutions and working towards positive change for the year ahead. No, I’m just talking about all the marketing ploys to get you to buy a new you and make impossible and expensive goals that people can’t follow through with. Sometimes it’s hard to see the positive themes hidden beneath the capitalistic agenda.

    Deeper Meaning of New Year’s Celebrations

    There are some deeper themes I think of in regards to the New Year. One is celebrating the end of one annual cycle and the start of a new one. Another meaning of New Year’s celebrations is the idea of new hope, new opportunities, new beginnings, self-growth, and transformation. I don’t mean in terms of purchasing happiness, but as a time to look inward and focus on inner transformation and manifesting dreams. It’s also a great time to do shadow work or chakra work. Transforming into the healthiest and most authentic version of yourself and embracing new beginnings in the New Year.

    Why Celebrate on January 1st?

    Many of you completed your New Year’s celebrations already. but why do we celebrate it on January 1st? In America and many western countries, we celebrate January 1st as the beginning of the New Year. This is because we follow the Roman calendar. Julius Caesar reformed the Roman Calendar to start on January 1st many, many years ago. It’s a date and celebration that has been modified by forces in power in order to assimilate certain cultural populations into their own celebrations. Yule, Christmas as we know it, Easter, and all the other Marketing holidays we know were created by assimilating various belief systems into one celebration. However, they all have very interesting origins in their respective cultures.

    Exploring Modern Pagan Alternatives for New Year’s Celebrations

    Because Paganism is an umbrella term for many diverse belief systems, there is no specific Pagan New Year that is the right choice. it depends on your personal beliefs and what resonates with you or what is historically associated with your belief system. It could also be what the people close to you and your personal community celebrates in order to appreciate the community during this time. However, for those curious about learning about more options, there are some sabbats, pagan traditions, and observances that could be what you are looking for.

    While many Pagan calendar’s followed similar cycles, they may choose to celebrate the turning of the year at different points of time on the calendar. I mean, it’s a Wheel or Cycle so where does it truly start and end? It would vary based on what values were important to that specific culture and what their seasons were like historically.

    If you are an eclectic Pagan or Spiritual without a specific pathway, you may be looking for a time of year that resonates with you that isn’t the modern marketing holiday.

    Popular Times of Year to Celebrate Turning of the Year

    Samhain

    • It is one of four fire festivals that marked the changing of the seasons and the changing of the 2 seasons in the Celtic Tradition and was adopted by Wicca as a Sabbat and The Pagan New Year.
    • Associated with the thinning of the veil allowing fairies and the dead to walk among the living. It is a time to honor the dead.

    Yule (Modern Winter Solstice Celebration)

    • Takes place as a Solstice Celebration for Modern Pagans. It is timed in a way that blends Christmas, Yule & The Winter Solstice into a Yuletide Celebration in the end of December.
    • Represents the Longest Night & Return of the Sun. It’s a key shift in the year towards renewal and growth. This is a great time for reflection, self-growth, enlightenment and renewal now that the darkest days are behind us. This is when we nurture self growth and reflect in order to be ready to plant the seeds for change in Ostara.

    Yule (Norse Reconstructionist Midwinter Festival Blót)

    • They celebrated their turning of the year on the full moon after the new moon following winter solstice instead on the Winter solstice itself and many Reconstructionists choose to celebrate it on that date.
    • It typically took places during the coldest time of year before the days start warming.
    • Symbolized the end of a period of ice and welcoming transformation & change.

    Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)

    • Spring Festival & Lunar New Year
    • Symbolizes usher out the old year and bringing forth the luck and prosperity of the new one. It is also about honoring ancestors and family.
    • It exists as a reflection and preservation of traditional Chinese Philosophy & Culture as the Spring Festival once January 1st was adopted as the official New Year.

    Other Options for New Year’s Celebrations:

    Imbolc

    • Also known as Brigid’s Day. Spring Fire Festival. 1/2 way point between the Winter Solstice & Spring Equinox.
    • Would be a Spring Festival Turning of the Year similar to Chinese New Year and on the opposite end of Samhain on the Wheel.
    • Themes of hope, growth, nourishing new beginnings.

    Ostara

    • Spring Equinox. Solar Holiday.
    • Represents start of Spring & beginnings of the brightest and warmest days so could be a great time to celebrate if you are partial to Spring as your Turning of the Year
    • Symbolizes Balance, Planting the Seeds for the Future & New Beginnings

    Hags Day

    • Pagan Observance, January 1st.
    • On this day, we can observe Hag’s Day to honor the goddess as She Who Transforms. An older woman such as the Crone aspect of the Triple Goddess or a stand-alone goddess that represents wisdom, power & transformation. Some examples are Cailleach, The Morrigan, or Hecate.
    • Celebrate & honor the aspect of the goddess many people hesitate to connect to simply because powerful wise women are feared in our historically patriarchal society.
    • Focuses on shadow work, self-reflection & transformation.

    Mix & Match: Extended Yuletide Season

    • Some practice Yule for 3 days and other’s lengthen it to 12 days or more.
    • Honor more aspects of their life and have a focus for each day. Many start it around the Winter Solstice until the New Year,
    • Take a more eclectic approach to Yule. but you could also place it whenever you’d like and add or remove days as you wish based on your own personal beliefs.
    • Have a day for the Yule cat or Yule lads. Celebrate Saturnalia in your own way. Have an Ancestor’s Day. You could even put Hag’s Day on there.

    I’m sure there are many other potential holidays from the many belief systems that encompass Paganism that could be great alternatives or additions, but I won’t list all of them here. I highly suggest exploring reliable sources online to find what works best for you.

    What Resonates With Me

    Both Norse Paganism and Celtic Paganism, which I connect to most, follow the two part/season year. So, I will celebrate the beginning of the yearly cycle in Samhain with my friends. However, as a Minnesotan, I feel drawn to celebrating surviving another round of Ice and frigid Winter. Use Midwinter Festival as a way embrace new beginnings and hope for the upcoming spring. Winter Solstice through to Norse Midwinter Festival can be my turning of the year. Thank the Dark and the Ice for what they teach me during my period of reflection and gain enlightenment from my reflections with the coming of the new light and renewal.

    I’m also a huge fan of shadow work so Hag’s Day speaks out to me. The Cailleach, The Morrigan, and all the other crones or hags are great examples of wisdom, power and transformation. Celebrating Hag’s day to honor both shadow work and mature wise and powerful women seems like a win-win.