The Wild Hunt (https://wildhunt.org/tag/winter-solstice)
“Under a sliver of new moon and the sound of church bells,” writes Meg Elison, “the town Witch was sat in the corner of the café with her tarot cards spread out, ready to read for the people of this small Berkshires town.” (The Witch is Meg.)
“This is the solstice’s quiet gift,” writes Erick DuPree. “Its power isn’t in revelation, but in the small, stubborn persistence of light. The sun returns not with fanfare, but with a flicker — a single flame that dares to whisper not yet done.”
In this week’s Pagan Community Notes, even as the holiday season unfolds, we pause to mark the passing of Priestess Rae Beth, who has crossed the veil. We take a moment to honor her life and remember her lasting contributions to modern Pagan practice. Regardless of the religious preoccupations and fervor of some communities, the Solstice will arrive—marking a shared turning point around the world. We close this Yule week of Pagan Community Notes with songs to honor the season and a moment of gratitude.
Now a year’s worth of cinnamon, nutmeg, or black pepper, can be acquired for less than a day’s wages, brought halfway round the world in hours or days on a journey that once took months, fraught with danger. The world we live in is a miracle that’s killing us all, and we don’t think about either of those things enough.
With just two days to go, I made use of one of my few free days to go downtown and get a few supplies: gift wrapping paper, thick craft rope, glue, and a big burlap bag. I had found out what to do: instead of having someone dressed as Santa delivering gifts, I would have someone don a homemade Yule Goat costume.