A Yule gift A Ritual
Yule supplement 2011
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A Ritual for Yule Alison Sutton reveals how to harness the powers of the Season
Yule Gifts
Make your own Wreath
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24 Chilkwell Street Glastonbury Somerset, UK BA6 8DB Magazine Coordinator/Editor: Ellen May Long Artworkers: Alison Jones (aliaussie.info) Harris Lam (DKHL Design) Yuri Leitch (yurileitch.co.uk) Cover Image: Lisa Iris
Contents 5 6 8
Regular Contributors: Ceri Norman, Georgina SirettHardie, Jamie Alexzander, Kim Huggens, Liz Williams, Nic Phillips, Sharlene Belusevic, Steve Madog
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Subscriptions www.conjuremagazine.co.uk Advertising Ellen May Long editor@conjuremagazine.co.uk
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With special thanks to: Lisa Iris for her zodiac artwork. All Artwork is Copyright 2011 Lisa Iris. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission from Crystal Wind™ (www.crystalwind.ca) Exclusive Licensed Worldwide agents for Lisa Iris (www.lisairis.ca) ImageRoxx Design Studio for their zodiac background artwork (www.mpfx3d.com) The Watchers for their continued support and fashion feature production on behalf of Conjure (www.thewatchersuk.com)
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From the Editor A word on the contents of this supplement A Ritual for Yule Alison Sutton shows how to tap into the energies of the season and manifest our dreams for the future with this simple ritual With Thanks to our Cover Artist… Esther Remmington, creator of our cover art, ‘Winter Wonder’, shares her artistic processes Taming the Savage Unicorn Ever wondered where our modern obsession with fluffy mythical creatures and misunderstood monsters comes from? Liz Williams may have the answers Ancient Mother, Stone Woman A poem from Vanda Lloyd, Priestess of the Goddess Reincarnation and Christianity Frank Beswick uncovers evidence for reincarnation in Christian sources, and how these tracks may have been covered over Who is the Real Santa? Father Christmas or the All Father? Ceri Norman sheds some light on the mythical gift-giver Make your own Wreath A Yule activity that’s fun, free and makes for a fantastic natural decoration or gift! Recipe: Cranberry Tart Sharlene Belusevic has this from her macrobiotic repertoire, for a delicious and healthy dessert
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from the editor:
Season’s Greetings! It hasn’t been a perfect year in many ways, and I’m sure I’m not only one who feels this way. Uncertainty, change, and upheaval have been widespread, I believe affecting everybody, irrespective of class or any other difference. Sometimes, trying to muster a midwinter celebration seems daunting, and this year could be particularly difficult. Hopefully this supplement will provide a little light relief, with an article on manifesting our dreams for next year from Alison Sutton (p6), an exploration of the origins of Santa from Ceri Norman (p20) and a delicious, seasonal recipe from Sharlene Belusevic (p23). A handmade Yule wreath makes a beautiful, sustainable gift, so turn to our how-to guide on page 22 if you’re feeling crafty. Plus, there are plenty of Yule gifts featured in this supplement, if you’re still looking for the perfect treat for a loved one. And, if you’re feeling a bit humbug, we’ve even snuck in a couple of articles in which the ‘Y’ word doesn’t feature - see Liz Williams’ Taming the Savage Unicorn on (p12) and Frank Beswick’s Reincarnation and Christianity (p16). Lastly, Vanda Lloyd’s Ancient Mother, Stone Woman (p15) deserves a mention, as a wintry poem that focuses on the Goddess in Her winter aspect, at a time of year when the God usually gets more airtime.
Wishing you a fantastic Yule!
ELLEN MAY LONG EDITOR Editor@conjuremagazine.co.uk Photograph © Alexandra von Hellberg To subscribe, visit www.ConjureMagazine.co.uk
Yule supplement 2011 5
A Ritual for Yule ALISON SUTTON
Alison describes how to make and consecrate a manifestation board to help maintain progress throughout even the darkest of months… As the sun enters the sign of Capricorn, we come again to the shortest day and the longest night, and our Wheel of the Year continues to turn as another cycle ends and begins. At any point on which we stand on the Wheel of the Year, it is important to remember that it is all part of a cycle. There is no beginning and no end, and it constantly moves, second by second. In order to stay in the present and to continue our growth, it’s good to take some time out of our busy lives to re-asses. So, as the darkness begins to slowly recede and we move once again into the lighter half of the year, let’s take time to reflect and celebrate the sun’s birth-day and return. The sun’s strength will now start to grow
from the winter solstice, gracing us with its presence a little more each day, although imperceptibly at first, until we greet the next solstice again. Very little outward growth is visible now, as all of the earth’s energy is turned within, fertilising the ground for new growth to come, and so it should be in our own lives. The time between Samhain and Yule is a time spent incubating our personal plans, ideas and aspirations until we can put them into action and manifest them as we bring forth the wisdom of our inner journeying through the dark back out into the light. In short, it is time to name our dreams. Creating a manifestation board is a good way of keeping your focus on your dreams and
where you want to put your energy. Pictures and symbols will remind you of what you want to bring into your life and where your magickal intention needs to be focused. Assemble it as you would a collage, with a few key words such as “weekends away doing things I enjoy". Then, every time you notice it, you’ll reinforce your dreams, helping to bring them into your life. I have found this to be a very effective tool for manifesting, as it prompts me to take action to create the future I desire. Having made your dream board, you may like to charge it with your magickal intention, to open your heart and mind to unlimited possibilities that the year ahead holds.
The time between Samhain and Yule is a time spent incubating our personal plans, ideas and inspirations… To subscribe, visit www.ConjureMagazine.co.uk
Yule supplement 2011 6
Charging your Manifestation Board… Have your board and three new candles to hand – red, green and gold, and burn incense made from ginger, pine, sage and chamomile. Sit for as long as is right for you in meditation in the darkness to embrace the gifts of the dark – dreamtime, quietness and peace. Be grateful for the present, for having this time and opportunity to actively create in your mind’s eye all those dreams and ideas you wish to give life to as the light returns. Then you may like to say the following (Note: you can substitute ‘Goddess’ for ‘God’, or the name of a specific force or deity): “Goddess in all your aspects I call to you to thank you for your presence in my life, and ask you to be present with me in all I do.” Then, lighting firstly the red candle, say: “Come with your beauty and creativity. Bring your energy of activation to all areas of my life that need to get moving, all those places that need action. Remove any fears blocking me from forward movement and allow me to harness all my personal creative power and to explore my hidden treasures making my dreams into reality.” Notice what you notice and feel what you feel.
Then, lighting the green candle, say: “Come, allow me to be all that I wish to be. Come as the mistress of magick as I connect into the mysteries of the Alchemist. Allow me to know and be unafraid of my personal power. Help me to weave my visions into reality and allow me to understand the power of knowing, of daring, of willing and of keeping silent.” Then lighting the gold candle, connect to the abundant magickal potential of what is to come and speak aloud your intentions as represented on your board for the coming year, allowing your words to give your dreams power and form. As you say the words see yourself merging with the images, create the possibilities without thinking how, just believe, with no constraints or limitations. Work the energy. Allow the wax on each candle to melt a little and, taking any necessary safety precautions, drip some wax from all three candles onto the same place on the board, merging the energies of dreaming, planning and manifesting and leave it to harden. Place the candles close to each other and allow to burn out if possible or re-light the following day.
Alison is a Priestess of Ceridwen, a Witch and a teacher of the Craft. There are many differing opinions on almost every aspect of the Craft, so Alison seeks to share her personal experiences first and foremost. www.alchemyofbecoming.co.uk www.alchemyofthemind.co.uk To subscribe, visit www.ConjureMagazine.co.uk
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All Artwork is Copyright 2011 Esther Remmington. All Rights Reserved. www.estherremmington.com
With Thanks to our Cover Artist… Our cover art, ‘Winter Wonder’, was created by Esther Remmington, a British artist with a penchant for fairytales, folklore & mythology. Here, she talks about what drives her to paint. I first began creating art at an name but a few of my favourite and techniques to further develop early age and it has continued to subjects. my art. Each image I create has be my passion in life. Aside from it's own story to tell, an important My inspiration comes from the training in Graphic Design, I am message to share and I hope will beauty of nature, my spiritual a self-taught artist. In 2006 I evoke different emotions with beliefs and my interest in launched my first website and fairytales, folklore and mythology. each viewer. started offering my images of I mainly like to work with It is my belief that we should all Faeries for sale. Over the years watercolours, acrylics or colour follow our hearts and dreams. my work has gained interest and pencils but always enjoy This is my dream. What’s yours? evolved to include Gods, experimenting with new media Goddesses, and animals, to Blessings, Esther To subscribe, visit www.ConjureMagazine.co.uk
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The language of the cosmogramms is a medium to communicate with invisible worlds, used to improve a space energetically, balancing its energies. Cosmogramms for gardens and houses, carved on white marble by Italian artist Alexandra von Hellberg.
Alexandra von Hellberg/ email: sandra.vh@gmx.net
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Taming the Savage Unicorn LIZ WILLIAMS
When I walk down Glastonbury High Street, I see windows full of ornamental unicorns, resin-cast dragons, cute elves, serene angels and pretty fairies. The bookshops all have copies of Twilight, with brave Bella and her sparkly vampire boyfriend. All of these supernatural entities
are popular with a great many of the pagan community, but when we start looking back into the history of many of our symbols and icons, the reality is almost invariably darker. Why do we feel a need to make that which is terrifying, dangerous, or alarming into something which is safe? Is it
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an issue of control, or is there something else going on? Take unicorns. In medieval times, they were portrayed as destriers: the formidable warhorse of the battlefield, trained to trample enemies beneath their hooves. In folklore, a unicorn is a fearsome beast, who can only Yule supplement 2011 12
be tamed by a virgin who is pure of heart. Medieval tapestries show unicorns with their heads in the maiden’s lap – a piece of symbolism which we may not need to examine too closely. But the point of the unicorn was that it was a wild animal: a spirit of the forest, representing that which is untamed. Fairies, too, have an ambivalent role in folklore. There is a widespread story of the midwife who helps at a fairy birth, but who steals some ointment she finds and rubs it on her eye. As soon as she does so, she can see that the beautiful castle and the fine furnishings that surround her are nothing more than leaves, and the lovely child which she has just brought into the world is a wizened, contorted thing. Months later, she sees the fairy father at a market, and when she shows that she has recognised him, he blinds her in the eye through which she can see him. Fairies started to become sweet in Victorian times: resembling rosy cheeked children, far from their former amoral, unhuman incarnations. We do this with all manner of entities – angels, who once inspired fear and awe – are turned into fluffy invisible friends. Vampires, depicted by Bram Stoker as innately foul and verminous, become the handsome, soulful love interests of modern fiction. Dragons change from the laidly, land-ravaging worms of Saxon times to helpful totem animals. The process is now underway with that most
modern of demons, the serial killer – beginning with Hannibal the Cannibal, who is perhaps Dracula’s most linear literary descendent, being violent to a superhuman degree and yet who is charming, erudite and, at the end of Robert Harris’ novels, a sinister romantic interest. Dexter is his descendent – sure, he kills people, but only if they deserve it. He’s a nice guy really. Sort of. And don’t get me started on zombies. There are even cuddly Goetic anime demons on the net if you look hard enough. We used to stock figures of the demons from the Grimoire Verum in one of our shops in Glastonbury and invariably the response would be: ooh, isn’t he sweet? No, he isn’t! He’s a corpulent, malice-filled elephant! This isn’t necessarily a modern phenomenon. It’s been a factor throughout human history, with stories and tales told about the gods, the anthropomorphising of the wildness of nature. It starts to take a real hold with the Victorians, but its roots lie in folklore: in all those All Hallows Eve customs of dressing up as ghosts, as ghouls, of getting to them before they get to you. This isn’t an inevitable process – Terry Pratchett’s portrayal of elves remains one of the most historically authentic in contemporary fiction. But what lies behind our need to render the ‘other’ down into the explicable, the understandable, the tame? I venture to suggest
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that this urge to make things safe is an attempt to tame the savage, the wild, the unpredictable. Romance and romantic control also play a part: Bella’s journey in Twilight is similar to the travails undergone by Laurell Hamilton’s Anita Blake, also torn between a vampire and a werewolf lover. It’s analogous to the phenomenon of women who befriend murderers in prisons – he might be a monster, but he’s my monster. I understand him; he needs me. At the back of this lies ego: I’m the only one who understands, and so I’m the only one who can control him. Ego is wrong, however, for these things often end very badly. You can lose a lot more than an eye. The wild cannot be tamed for long. It emerges from the world, and from the darkness of the human psyche, taking new forms and new significances. It cannot be contained within the limits imposed upon it by humanity’s inability to confront the dark. Perhaps, rather than striving to tame the unicorn, to make everything anodyne and safe, we should be looking back at one of the original purposes of magick – to transform ourselves into people who can face danger as it stands, in all its wild glory. Liz Williams © 2011 Liz is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in Glastonbury, England. She has a PhD in Philosophy of Science from Cambridge University. Yule supplement 2011 13
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Ancient Mother, Stone Woman VANDA LLOYD Sit with me, come sit with me, For I am the Ancient Mother As old as the land itself. Come now, come sit with me; Touch the stones of my earth, For, through the touch of the stones, You will feel my bones – Feel my wisdom inside of you. Come, listen; listen with me. Listen for my words On the breath of the air. Can you feel me? Can you feel my airy touch upon you, On your skin? Can you feel me? Or do you deny me, deny my ancient face, Wanting always youth and beauty? Perfection! Look at me; look at my lines of age. Look at my ancient crow’s eyes, At my lined skin and the flow of earth. Do you still deny me? Yes, I am ancient - as old as time. My lines, my crow’s eyes, my earth, My ancient being. Do you deny me with thoughts of youth? My lines are the marks of knowledge and wisdom – The marks of time, Of rights of passge, Of the ancient ones. Come now, come touch the stones of my earth. Touch my bones. Feel me; Come, feel me in the air, Listen to my sounds, Sounds of ancient wisdom. Come: do not deny me. Vanda Lloyd © 2011 Vanda is a writer, poet and Priestess of Avalon living in Glastonbury. Her books, Avalon Dreaming and Avalon Journeying, as well as her Sabbat Calendar, Avalon Reflecting, feature poetry set alongside stunning photos of Avalon and the surrounding levels. www.avalonreflections.co.uk
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Yule supplement 2011 15
Reincarnation and Christianity FRANK BESWICK
Every soul enters the world fortified by its successes and weakened by its failures. These might sound like the words of a Hindu, a Buddhist or a Druid, but in fact they belong to Origen, the greatest Bible scholar of the early Church. Origen had his own views. You may know that Christianity has always needed to draw on philosophy to express its doctrines. Origen drew on the philosophy of Orphism, which postulated a
cyclic world in which souls reincarnate. As in Hinduism, Orphism accepted an endless cycle of worlds being created and destroyed, with souls returning once in each cycle. This led to his unique doctrine of apocatastasis: the idea that all souls would return to God in the end, even Satan. This did not appeal to most of the
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bishops, but none could deny his vast scholarship. Reincarnation was a doctrine accepted in Egypt where Origen lived. Previously, it had been taught by Clement of Alexandria, whose creative mind had led him to write stories of worlds before Adam, all of which are now lost. After Origen, Synesius had argued that souls descend from the Yule supplement 2011 16
Jesus did not at any time deny was very scared and regarded higher realms and must reincarnation. them as nightmares. When he quickly return else they must took to studying religion he wander long in the earthly The doctrine lasted until the was stunned to see the ritual regions. There are certain sixth century when the and the clothes in his dreams affinities with Gnostic Emperor Justinian, renowned were those of the Catholic Christianity here, as the for his interference in religious mass. He began to wonder Gnostics taught reincarnation. matters, pushed the second had he had another life and However, we must not of Constantinople to was remembering the rituals in overrate the Gnostics, as they council deny the pre-existence of the which he had participated. offered a spiritual elitism soul and condemn a group incompatible with the gentle Cardinal Newman had a called the Origenists. This inclusiveness of Jesus, who similar experience. He was was open to all people. Emperor Justinian, renowned raised strictly evangelical Protestant with no exposure But what did Jesus himself for his interference in to Catholic rituals. Yet from say on the issue? There is a clue in John, chapter 9. religious matters, pushed the being a young child he persisted in drawing strings Jesus and his apostles second council of of beads. He later realized passed a man born blind, who was begging. The Constantinople to deny the that these were Catholic rosary beads, which he had apostles asked Jesus pre-existence of the soul never seen in his exclusively whether this man or his Protestant childhood. He parents had sinned that he always wondered whether he be born blind. This was a clear school of thought had nought to do with Origen, long dead. had had an earlier life from reference to the belief held by which memories lingered, a life many Jews that humans had a They held the belief that after many reincarnations a person in which these beads had series of lives and could be meant much to him. punished for sins committed in could be as holy as Christ. This is not a Christian position. What becomes apparent on an earlier existence. Still, reincarnation was caught further research is that for too This was Jesus’ opportunity to up in the trouble and the long, Christians have had an deny reincarnation, but he did doctrine fell from favour. over-simplistic view of the not. He merely declared that In later years the idea has afterlife: heaven and hell, and, he was born blind so that the begun to resurface. One of its in Catholic thought, purgatory. works of God might be exponents was the Anglican In truth, the afterlife is manifest in him. Jesus then theologian Geddes probably richer and more cured him. So Jesus himself MacGregor, who wrote complex than we have did not deny reincarnation. extensively on the subject. thought. Ultimately, we grope Furthermore, in Matthew 17 Like many religious dissidents, through the darkness for a the disciples ask Jesus why he began with an experience glimpse of what lies beyond. the scribes say that Elijah that didn’t fit and which Frank Beswick © 2011 must return before the unsettled him. As a child he messiah comes, and Jesus attended a pre-reformation Frank is a Christian, a lecturer replies that Elijah has chapel. He had always been in Religious Studies, and has returned. They understood that taught that Catholic priests also taken an interest in Celtic he was speaking about John were like wolves. However, he He is concerned the Baptist. Of course, various underwent recurring dreams in spirituality. with the ultimate questions of people give different which a man with a wolf’s the nature of reality, which tie interpretations of these texts in head dressed in strange in with his masters degree in an attempt to explain them clothes was conducting a ritual philosophy. away, but the sense is that in the church. As a child he To subscribe, visit www.ConjureMagazine.co.uk
Yule supplement 2011 17
N
ewly opened Cauldron Crafts is an online store for all your magical needs, whether you’re a Witch, Druid, Shaman, Heathen, follower of the Fae, or a traveller on any other path.
We hope you enjoy this selection of our favourite Yule gifts and stocking fillers. Bright Blessings,
Cauldron Crafts Beautiful Druidic oak leaf necklace in a sumptuous antique bronze tone. The detail on the oak leaf is excellent. This is a very unusual necklace and would look great on anyone who works with Dryads, the Oak King, Brighid, Herne, the trees or follows the path of the Druid. Chain: approx 18 nches. Pendant: approx 5cm long.
Mini Cinnamon Besom £5.50 These mini besoms are the ideal size for sweeping your altar space, your aura or for hanging beside the fireplace or the main doorway. They are also a great size for giving as gifts, particularly for handfastings, house blessings, etc. Approx 15cm long. Size and colour will vary as they made from natural materials.
Oak Leaf Necklace £10
Gentle yet powerful, protective amulets of amethyst have been popular for centuries. Pendulum measures approx 23.5cm in length. Amethyst drop is approx 3.5cm long. As well as this lovely pendulum you will receive, via email, a FREE copy of our e-book on Dowsing.
Bracelet ÂŁ35 et J nd a r be m A Amber and jet are two very sacred stones in many traditions, especially Wicca. Both are linked with protection, power and magic, but each in its own way. In modern Wicca, amber represents the God, and jet is said to represent the Goddess. Finished with black spacers, sterling silver fastenings and a sterling silver pentacle charm. Measures approx 20.5cm. Pentacle charm approx 1cm diameter. Presented in a black gift box.
Amethyst and P entacle Pendulum ÂŁ7.5 0
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Who is The Real Santa? CERI NORMAN
Will you be leaving out any offerings this Yule for a bearded, jolly old man? You probably grew out of all that years ago, but you might just reconsider if we look deeper at who that old man with the white beard really is... Santa Claus is a figure of our childhoods, supposedly based on a 4th century Turkish Bishop by the name of St Nicholas of Myra who gave out gifts to the poor, but look deeper an consider this – do they have many reindeer in Turkey? And how come Santa is said to live at the North Pole or in Lapland? Why, if he’s based on St Nicholas, does he not live in Turkey? Snow features heavily in the idea of
Yule, yet a white Christmas is pretty elusive. Perhaps the origins of Santa lie further North in Scandinavia, where reindeer and snow are far more commonplace. The ancient legends of the North feature Odin, god of Wisdom, Magick and War. Odin has only one eye, having exchanged the other for wisdom at the well of Mimir, and he traditionally has a long, grey beard. According to the ancient Skaldic poem Óðins Nöfn (Odin’s names) he was known as, amongst other things, “Langbarðr” (Longbeard) even “Jólnir” (Yuleman). Odin is a fascinating deity; He is interested in gaining as much
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wisdom as He possibly can, and wanders through the worlds as a traveller, sometimes on foot and sometimes riding out to lead the Wild Hunt. The Wild Hunt is known throughout Europe and led by many different gods, goddesses and heroes, depending on local lore. It is a spectral hunt featuring lost souls or monsters, and to see the Wild Hunt was considered a very ill omen indeed. The Wild Hunt is also said to ride out during the winter, most famously at Samhain and Yule. Odin’s steed for the Wild Hunt is the magickal, eightlegged horse Sleipnir, who, according to legend, could Yule supplement 2011 20
traverse great distances in very little or no time at all – exactly as Santa’s reindeer are said to do on Christmas Eve. Sleipnir’s eight legs eventually became the eight traditional reindeer, before Rudolph joined the team. According to Phyllis Siefker in her book Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas, Spanning 50,000 Years, the practice of children leaving out offerings of food and drink for Santa and his reindeer is a leftover from the Norse practise of leaving out gifts for Odin and Sleipnir. In the Havamal (Sayings of the High One – in other words: Odin)
The practice of children leaving out offerings of food and drink for Santa and his reindeer is a leftover from the Norse practise of leaving out gifts for Odin and Sleipnir there is the line “one gift always calls for another”, so Odin was said to leave behind gifts of sweets and blessings in exchange for the offerings. In this Odin was given the name “Oski” (Wish-giver). Norse children would apparently put carrots or straw into their shoes as food for Sleipnir and this is reminiscent of the custom of leaving out stockings. The Sámi peoples of Sápmi, better known as Lapland, traditionally used straw instead of stockings in their boots, which were often
made of reindeer skin. The Sámi peoples are most famously linked in our imaginations with reindeer herding and brightly coloured clothing. They have a custom of feeding the red and white Fly-Agaric mushroom to their reindeer and collecting the urine to drink. The reindeer's digestive system gets rid of the more harmful toxins, and leaves much of the hallucinogenic substances behind. Could this be the origin of flying reindeer? When Odin travelled in the world of Men, he was often elusive, transitory and disguised. He wore a pointed hat, with a wide brim and long flowing robes and carried a special spear, his equivalent of St Nick’s Crosier. Odin is a shapeshifter and magician, two characteristics that Santa also shares – after all, Santa can allegedly stop time, not to mention get down the chimney. Like Santa, Odin was also acquainted with Elves. The word Elf comes from the Germanic Alf, and the Svartalfs (Dwarves) created gifts for the Gods such as Odin’s spear and a special ring that could magickally duplicate itself. Odin sits on a High Seat from which he can see all the Nine Worlds. Two black ravens called Huginn and Muginn tell him all that has happened in the Worlds. Could these be the origins of the Black Jacks or Black Peter who spy on us all throughout the year? Yet
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Odin sits on a High Seat from which he can see all the Nine Worlds. Two black ravens called Huginn and Muginn tell him all that has happened in the Worlds. Could these be the origins of the Black Jacks or Black Peter who spy on us all throughout the year? another of Odin’s names was Sanngetal (Truth-finder). Odin’s real gift is not sweets or other transient blessings, but wisdom. He discovered the Runes, and in some accounts, gave them to mankind. So this Yule, think about sharing the old stories with their wisdom. It may be time to reinvigorate the tradition of leaving a little something out for Odin and Sleipnir, too. Have a magickal Yule! Ceri Norman (ARR) © 2011 Ceri is a Priestess of Brighid and perpetual student of the earth’s mysteries. Her first novel, Celtic Maidens, a fantastic supernatural thriller, is out now. Ceri also makes Pagan jewellery and prayer beads for her online shop www.cauldron-crafts.co.uk Sources: Havamal – Poetic Edda Óðins Nöfn (Skáldskaparmál ) – Edda Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men: The Origins and Evolution of Saint Nicholas, Spanning 50,000 Years by Siefker Yule supplement 2011 21
You will need: Ivy Holly Yew Twine or string Ribbon Scissors/secateurs
Step 1 Collect your greenery. Ivy is a climber, but once it has climbed up and over something, it will start to trail downward – pick lengths of ivy that are hanging, not climbing. They will be more flexible and easier to bend into the basic shape of your wreath.
Step 2
Once you have your ivy, holly and yew, select 3 of the sturdiest lengths of ivy and tie together using the twine (green twine or string works best) overlapping a little to form a sturdy circular shape. Tie at the overlapping point, not at the ends of each ivy strand.
Step 3
Now that you have your basic wreath shape, weave the remaining ivy strands through each other, reinforcing the ring you are making. Once you are complete, you should have a ring that will keep its shape when hung on the wall. To subscribe, visit www.ConjureMagazine.co.uk
Step 4
Use sprigs of holly and yew, or even fir, to strengthen any weak points in your wreath, tying or weaving them into the overall design. Trim any straggly or blemished leaves but try to keep your wreath’s rustic appeal – at Conjure HQ we call this ‘designer straggle’.
Step 5
Now you’re ready to decorate. One of the simplest ways to do this is with a bit of old ribbon or a length of spare material, which you can tie to the bottom of your wreath in a bow shape. Small baubles can be tied in or affixed with wire, as can extra berry-laden sprigs – try mistletoe, for example.
Step 5
Hang somewhere prominent in the home and enjoy! Maintain your wreath by spritzing regularly with water. Your wreath should last 3 to 4 weeks at least if cared for in this way. Yule supplement 2011 22
Macrobiotic | Vegan | Delicious
Macrobiotic food tasty enough for a Yule feast?
Sharlene Belusevic shows how with a recipe for Cranberry Tart Method To make the filling, combine all the ingredients in a pan and cook on a low heat for about an hour. To make the pastry, whisk together the oil and rice syrup. Combine the flours and salt in a bowl and slowly add the liquid, mixing until the dough just comes together. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead a couple of times, just enough to form a smooth, soft ball. Flatten the dough ball by gently patting it into a thick round. Press the dough evenly into an oiled tart tin. Prick all over with a fork and refrigerate for an hour. Preheat the oven to about 190C. Bake pastry case in the centre of the oven for 45
Ingredients For the Filling: 2 cups of fresh cranberries 2 cups of apple or orange juice 1 tablespoon of raisins (optional) 1 tablespoon of orange or lemon zest 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamon 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves 1/2 tablespoon of finely grated ginger 2-4 tbsp rice syrup, to taste a pinch of salt For the Pastry: 1/2 cup of olive oil 1/4 cup of brown rice syrup 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour 2/3 cup of chickpea (gram) flour pinch of sea salt
minutes until golden. Take it out and allow to cool. Then spread the cranberry mixture into the tart shell and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. Serve with oat cream or soya custard.
Sharlene Belusevic Š 2011
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Yule supplement 2011 23
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