Rounding the Year: The Wheel Turns & July is Here

I always feel a little odd when I turn over a page on the calender and realise we are in July - already half the year is over. We are in the hottest days of the year, but the longest day is behind us. In the summer I love to get out and about: visit the coast, walk in parks or the countryside to see flowers blooming, and go on trips to ancient sites. The picture at the top shows great willowherb, which I photographed on a lakeside ramble last weekend. It usually flowers between July and August near water.

However, with half the year gone I need to remind myself of plans I made at the start, and catch up on my progress. I've just looked back at my list of resolutions I blogged about in January. Here's an update:

1: Start to write a new book on practical magic or divination to be published in Moon Books' Pagan Portals series.

This seems like a good place to officially announce that I have a contract to write Pagan Portals - Dowsing, and I'm about a third of the way through the first draft. I've been enjoying the excuse to use my pendulum more, and create a new book about divination techniques.

2: Write poems or invocations for the eight Wheel of  the Year festivals. 

If you look back through the blog archive, you can see I've posted poems for Imbolc through to Summer Solstice.  I'll be writing one for Lammas later this month.

3: Continue to blog about about seasonal or witchy crafting every month. 

I'm up to date with this resolution, but I'm starting to run low on ideas. If you can think of a witchy or seasonal crafting project I haven't blogged about yet, please leave a suggestion in the comments.

4: Visit at least six more parks, nature reserves, woods and other green areas in London, then post photos of them to show how the city has oodles of spaces with grass, trees, plants and wildlife. 

Summer is the perfect time for me to get out and about and do more of this! I'm looking forward to it.

5: Visit six historic, magical or witchcraft-related places that I've never blogged about before. I'll post photos and details.

I'm taking this as another reminder to get out more.

6: Walk a ley line.

I'm putting this on my summer outing list too. I'll probably combine it with practising my dowsing.

7: Interview at least a dozen pagan authors.

I conducted a few interviews at the start of the year - more are needed.

8: Do divination for the world at least once a month

What's your favourite tarot or oracle deck? If you leave a comment, and I have the set, I'll use it to post my next reading or so. You can read earlier ones over the past few month's posts.

9: Create 12 posts about magical books I've read.

Nearly there, but not quite. I won't stop at 12 either as reading is one of my favourite things.

10: Create a candle labyrinth and post a picture.

Not yet, but I'm pleased to have been reminded of my intention.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/05/rounding-year-cow-parsley-or-mother-may.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/04/rounding-year-forget-me-nots-in-grass.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/rounding-year-daffodil-in-my-garden.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/rounding-year-too-soon-for-silver-birch.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/green-london-japanese-gardens-in.html

Poem for the Wheel of the Year: Under the Solstice Sun

One of my resolutions for 2025 was to write a poem for each of the eight festivals in the Pagan Wheel of the Year. The Summer Solstice is this Saturday, June 21st. I wrote the words below a few days ago, not only about the Solstice in general, but also about the current situation many of us are facing this year.

We are at the tipping point,
Change the only constant.
Victors are always vanquished,
eventually.

The Wheel turns
even when it seems still.
It has no top or bottom
except in perspective.

The longest day
is no longer that tomorrow.
The sun is harsh
for those who burnt.

Take to the shadows
if you must,
for you will have
your time too.

Dancing by moonlight
in joy, and love, and
that for all existences
if you cannot dance today
in your true colours
under the Solstice sun.

Copyright Lucya Starza, June 2025

You can find other seasonal ideas in my book Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year, published by Moon Books along with my other titles.

The picture at the top shows my rainbow chalice on my Summer Solstice altar. The picture below shows some of my books.

Previous related posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-wheel-poem-for-imbolc-2025.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2022/02/poetry-her-presence-lipogram-poem-in-e.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2022/08/poetry-of-witchcraft-spell-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/a-poem-for-spring-equinox-march-20-2025.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/05/a-poem-for-beltane-we-walk-through.html

Craft: Magical Flower Art from the Greenoaks Gathering

Here's a close-up of some beautiful flower art a group of us made at the Greenoaks Gathering. The picture at the bottom shows they entire thing. We used foraged grasses, leaves and flowers to create a pattern inspired by the summer solstice sun. It was a lovely communal activity. Afterwards we spent some time contemplating what we'd created then talked about what it reminded us of or symbolised to us in any way. It's an activity you could easily include in a solstice celebration or ritual.

Here are suggestions for things to do when your art is complete:

• Meditate on what you have created 
• Photograph it before the greenery fades
• Press the flowers to preserve them
• Dry them to later use in spells or incense blends

If you repeat this several times over the course of the wheel of the year, you can observe patterns in the cycle of the seasons, as well as increase your awareness of what’s in bloom when. 

There are more ideas for seasonal activities in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year.

Ethical foraging

When picking wild flowers or plants of any kind, don't take more than you need. Only take things that are growing abundantly. Make sure you’re foraging somewhere you have permission. Don’t trample plants – keep to paths and grassy areas. Don’t uproot anything, just snip a bit off it. Don’t pick rare flowers or plants.  Leave plenty for wildlife and for other people to enjoy. Some wildflowers are protected by law - if in doubt, check or leave it alone.

Previous seasonal flower pictures

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/07/july-mandala-lavender-mint-meadowsweet.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/06/summer-mandala-sun-wheel-of-leaves.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/06/june-mandala-summer-solstice-sun-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/10/autumn-mandala-leaves-in-green-gold.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/04/spring-mandala-jill-in-green-from.html

Rounding the Year: A Hot May Brings Early Wild Roses

This beautiful white wild rose bloomed to perfection in my garden this week - almost a month earlier than last year. This isn't particularly unseasonal - according to the Woodland Trust, they normally flower from May to June - but it is a tiny bit premature. The reason has to be the hot weather we've had from late April onwards. In fact May 1 was tipped to be the hottest on record. 

I do love warm days, but it's also a sign that climate change is a real environment problem. We can all do a little bit more to help keep our cities and towns cool, such as using cars less often if possible, or at least turning engines off when traffic isn't moving. If you have a garden, fill it with plants, trees and flowers rather than use concrete, boarding or fake grass as outside ground cover. It doesn't matter if it grows a bit wild.

In previous posts I've blogged about the folklore of wild roses. You can read about that in my Rounding the Wheel post on June 11 last year.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/05/rounding-year-cow-parsley-or-mother-may.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/04/rounding-year-forget-me-nots-in-grass.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/09/rounding-year-rosehips-and-raindrops.html http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/05/pagan-eye-dog-rose.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/05/may-mandala-stone-circles-and-wild.html

Rounding the Year: Cow Parsley or "Mother May Die"

Cow parsley flowers in hedgerows and wild spaces from late April all through May and into June. The one in the photos self-seeded in a patch of my garden I'd left to grow wild. I'm pleased I did that, as this is just one of the plants providing pollen for bees and nectar for butterflies.

Although I think I'm moderately good at identifying common wild flowers, I got a second opinion over this because it's very similar in appearance to poisonous hemlock. That's supposedly one of the reasons  innocent cow parsley earnt the folkloric name "Mother May Die", to teach children to be very careful if foraging. You don't want to make a deadly mistake. However, I've heard other origin stories, including the idea that it drops petals really fast and your mother will have a fit if you bring it indoors to make a mess all over the place.

The easiest way to tell the difference between cow parsley and hemlock is by looking at the stems. Hemlock has smooth stems with purple blotches, while cow parsley has hairy stems and no purple blotches. 

Magically, cow parsley is useful in spells for protection. Mind you, it's association of being unlucky to bring indoors means you're best growing it around the outside of your house, rather than picking it to make a flower arrangement for your altar. 

Other traditional uses for cow parsley include in herbal remedies for colds, and children making whistles and pea-shooters out of the dried stems. If you want to try that, you really want to make sure you aren't using hemlock by mistake.

There's some more useful information about cow parsley on the Woodland Trust website and on the blog Plant-Lore.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/04/rounding-year-forget-me-nots-in-grass.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/rounding-year-daffodil-in-my-garden.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/rounding-year-too-soon-for-silver-birch.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/green-london-japanese-gardens-in.html

Rounding the Year: Forget-Me-Nots in the Grass

Here's a close-up photo of forget-me-nots flowering in my garden. In fact they are all over my lawn, along with primroses, bluebells and other pretty wildflowers. It looks so beautiful, and I know bees and insects have a feast there. I'm always in such a dilemma over whether to mow the lawn at this time of year. 

I like to take part in No Mow May, so I either mow the lawn before May or after it. You might think the most environmentally friendly thing to is to wait. But, along with all those lovely wildflowers there are brambles and tree saplings eager to take over. My rubbish mower wouldn't be up to the job of tackling them - or even very long grass - in 5 or 6 weeks' time.

What I've decided to do is mow some of the lawn, remove the worst bramble culprits by hand, but leave areas of forget-me-nots, primroses, bluebells and the like a bit longer. I did pick a few to put in a vase on my kitchen window sill. The petals are apparently edible and a few look nice floating in cold drinks.

Magically, forget-me-nots are good for love spells, especially for keeping yourself in your partner's thoughts when you are away from each other. This could be another reason to sprinkle petals into glasses of wine you might share on a romantic afternoon in a springtime garden.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/rounding-year-daffodil-in-my-garden.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/rounding-year-too-soon-for-silver-birch.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/green-london-japanese-gardens-in.html

Rounding the Year: The Trees Are (Mostly) Green Again!

The Wheel of the Year seems to speed up in April. Just a fortnight ago I blogged that we'd reached peak blossom; now new leaves - mostly green - are more prevalent than pink and white petals. Of course, it's worthwhile remembering that not all leaves *are* green! You can see some beautiful red ones in the picture above. Again, rather than write a load of words, I'm sharing photos I took in my garden, the local park, and in the streets around where I live.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/rounding-year-daffodil-in-my-garden.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/rounding-year-too-soon-for-silver-birch.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/green-london-japanese-gardens-in.html

Rounding the Year: Peak Blossom in Photos

This week it seems we've hit peak blossom in my local town. Rather that write a load of words, I'm sharing photos I took yesterday in my garden and in the streets around where I live. This is my one of my favourite times in the year!

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/rounding-year-daffodil-in-my-garden.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/rounding-year-too-soon-for-silver-birch.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/03/green-london-japanese-gardens-in.html

Rounding the Year: A Daffodil in my Garden

Daffodils seem to be out everywhere after a few days of sunshine. The picture above shows one of many growing in my garden.  They are an iconic flower of March and the weeks around the Spring Equinox. However, seeing them always makes me feel a little sad because this is the time of year that my mum died. 

She loved the daffodils that grew around our house. Shortly before she died I picked a large bunch of them to put in a vase near her bed. Now, the sight of them reminds me of her, and the happy memories are tinged with lingering grief.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year  and any of my other Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion  you can find them via my publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

You can also find my books at London bookshop Treadwell's at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury: https://www.treadwells-london.com/

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2022/03/pagan-eye-daffodils-blooming-in-my.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/02/pagan-eye-first-spring-daffodils-of-year.html

Rounding the Year: Spring Flowers & Blossom

The collage above shows photos of spring flowers and blossom I've seen while out walking in aid of Cats Protection. As well as raising money for a good cause, I also find that getting out and about raises my spirits. Some of my walks have been in parks - including my local one at Crystal Palace - but many have been along streets in suburban South London. There's plenty of nature to be found in cities.

Big Winter Roam

This February I'm raising funds for the charity Cats Protection by taking on the Big Winter Roam challenge. I'm aiming to walk 100 miles over the course of the month and raise £100. That's £1 per mile. Obviously I'd love it if people support my challenge to help to make a better life for cats. 

So far I've done an average of four miles per day. I started on Saturday with a walk from my home in Penge, London, SE20, to the stone circle at Hilly Fields, Lewisham. You can see a photo I took there on this page too. As well as ambling around Crystal Palace park, I've gone further into London to walk along the Thames embankment, and strolled indoors at the Tate Modern art gallery. 

If you also want to contribute a little money to Cats Protection, this is the link to my Just Giving page.

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to find my books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year or any of my Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion , you can find them at publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com

In London, you can find my books at Treadwell's Bookshop, 33 Store Street, WC1E 7BS. https://www.treadwells-london.com/

You can also view Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon.

(Note: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/im-doing-pilgrimage-to-raise-money-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-wassailing-apple-trees.html

Magical Craft: A Wheel of the Year Vision Board

I made a vision board based on the Wheel of the Year and the seasons. The picture shows an empty template, which you could copy, and the version I filled in myself.

A vision board contains images or words that represent our goals, often used for help in manifesting the things we wish for. According to Psychology Today, they can be effective: “This may be due to how vision boards help us gain self-awareness and self-reflect on what is important to us.” Personally I think there can also be a bit of magic involved too.

What you need:

• Paper 
• Pens or pencils
• Something to draw a circle with, such as the lid of a jar or a mug

On a blank sheet of paper, draw a circle. It doesn’t have to be an exact circle, but you can draw around a mug or small plate or jar lid.

Visualise the circle and the wheel a bit like a round clock, so 12 midnight equates to Winter Solstice in the Wheel of the Year. At the top write Winter Solstice. At the bottom write Summer Solstice, to the right put Spring Equinox, at the left put Autumn Equinox. Imbolc goes between Winter Solstice and Imbolc; Beltane or May Day goes between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice, Lammas after Summer Solstice, and finally Samhain after Autumn Equinox. In the middle write the year – 2025. You can put a circle around the year if you want, but you don’t have to. You can also indicate the spokes of the wheel with dashes. 

Once you have the basic outline, you can start to write words or draw pictures inside it. I use more words because I’m a writer rather than an artist, but you could use more drawings if you prefer. Start in the space just to the right of “Winter Solstice” inside the circle, going from the centre of the circle out to the edge. Write words and phrases, or draw symbols, that are inspiring and feel in tune with the energy of January. As examples, I have things like “slumber, rest, dream, hope,” because they are things I like to do at the start of the year. You might have different words – this should be personal to you. 

Move around the vision board, writing words or drawing pictures that fit in with your feelings and hopes about the time of year. For example at Imbolc I have “poetry” because one of my resolutions is to write a poem for each wheel of the year festival, Imbolc is the start and also is a time to honour Brigid, a goddess associated with poetry.  Carry on round until your Wheel of the Year vision board is full of things that will inspire you to achieve all you desire.

There are more ideas for seasonal crafts and magic in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year or any of my Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion cheaply, now's your chance. My publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink, is offering 50 per cent off all e-books until the end of January. All you need to do is:

• Click here > https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
• Choose your e-book(s)
• Click 'Add to basket for direct download.'
• Click on your shopping basket
• Click on 'Do you have a coupon?'
• Apply promo code WINTER50  and Validate.
• Proceed to Checkout.

You can order any e-books from any of Collective Ink's imprints. Moon Books publishes well respected titles on magickal topics, particularly the Pagan Portals series. Other imprints cover mind, body, spirit subjects, culture and politics, history and fiction.

If you want to search for my books, you can go straight to my Lucya Starza author page. I've written on candle magic, poppets, guided visualisations, scrying and the wheel of the year as well as my novel Erosion. 

You can also view Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon. 

(Note: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/02/craft-heart-shaped-vision-board-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/01/a-mandala-of-leaves-flowers-berries-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/02/wassailing-apple-tree-in-springtime-by.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/01/craft-how-to-make-brigids-cross-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-time-to-start-new-journal.html

Rounding the Year: Wassailing the Apple Trees

I enjoyed a traditional winter wassail on Saturday. It was a lovely community celebration in an orchard local to me, in Beckenham, Kent, on the border of south London. Wassailing the orchards is an old British tradition to ensure a good harvest. 

The word 'wassail' originally comes from an Anglo-Saxon term 'waes hael', meaning ' be well'.  It now means sharing a drink of mulled cider or lambswool punch (warm ale mixed with baked apple pulp), or a blessing of orchards. Both the drink sharing and the blessing are associated with this time of year. Any chance to have a bit of fun is welcome in the cold month of January, but especially if it might help bring good health in the year ahead. 

The picture at the top shows the master of ceremonies with the wassail bowl and Morris dancers who performed at the event. 

A few years ago I did a private wassail in my own garden with a traditional brew of lambswool punch. You can read about that here: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2022/01/wassailing-my-apple-tree-with-lambswool.html

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I share seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and customs as well as a record of what's happening in nature. 

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year or any of my Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion cheaply, now's your chance. My publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink, is offering 50 per cent off all e-books until the end of January. All you need to do is:

• Click here > https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
• Choose your e-book(s)
• Click 'Add to basket for direct download.'
• Click on your shopping basket
• Click on 'Do you have a coupon?'
• Apply promo code WINTER50  and Validate.
• Proceed to Checkout.

You can order any e-books from any of Collective Ink's imprints. Moon Books publishes well respected titles on magickal topics, particularly the Pagan Portals series. Other imprints cover mind, body, spirit subjects, culture and politics, history and fiction.

If you want to search for my books, you can go straight to my Lucya Starza author page. I've written on candle magic, poppets, guided visualisations, scrying and the wheel of the year as well as my novel Erosion. 

You can also view Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon. 

(Note: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/02/wassailing-apple-tree-in-springtime-by.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/01/magical-wassail-under-frosty-full-moon.html

Rounding the Year: Time to Start a New Journal

I love to start a fresh magical journal in January to indicate a new beginning. The things I write inside include notes I take when I attend workshops or talks, but more importantly it can be a record of spells I’ve done, things I’ve seen when doing divination, insights from guided visualisations, and similar. I keep it separate from notebooks for mundane stuff like shopping lists, and from my regular diary.

The picture above shows the two I'm deciding between using in 2025. Behind them you can see some of my journals from previous years. It doesn’t really matter what your journal looks like from the outside except that you should feel good about it. My husband often gives me beautiful new notebooks as presents. He gave me the blue one on the right for Yule just gone. I love it, but as you can see from the photo, many of the working journals I've used in the past are regular wire-bound ones. 

If you have one with a boring cover that says something like “Basics Notebook”, you can personalise it by sticking a picture on it. That’s what I did with the one on the left. In fact, crafting to personalise your notebook makes it even more magical in my opinion.

Once you've picked your book, you could do this ritual to enchant it: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/06/spells-enchanting-book-for-wish-magic.html

You can find out more about journaling through the seasons in my book Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year. I'll also be talking about journaling in my online workshop with the College of Psychic Studies this Wednesday. The details are below.

Magical Ways to Guide your Life 

On Wednesday 15 and 22 January I'm running a two-part online evening class, Magical Ways to Guide Your Life in the Coming Year. It is about releasing things that are unwanted and helping to manifest what you want in the year ahead. There will be a cleansing ritual, guided visualisations, journaling and some candle magic.

The two-session course is being run online via the College of Psychic Studies. It starts at 7pm this Wednesday and ticket are: £85 or £65 for members. Here's the direct link for more details and to book: https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/workshops/myth-magic/magical-ways-to-guide-our-lives-in-the-coming-year/

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year or any of my Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion cheaply, now's your chance. My publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink, is offering 50 per cent off all e-books until the end of January. 

All you need to do is:

• Click here > https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
• Choose your e-book(s)
• Click 'Add to basket for direct download.'
• Click on your shopping basket
• Click on 'Do you have a coupon?'
• Apply promo code WINTER50  and Validate.
• Proceed to Checkout.

You can order any e-books from any of Collective Ink's imprints. Moon Books publishes well respected titles on magickal topics, particularly the Pagan Portals series. Other imprints cover mind, body, spirit subjects, culture and politics, history and fiction.

If you want to search for my books, you can go straight to my Lucya Starza author page. I've written on candle magic, poppets, guided visualisations, scrying and the wheel of the year as well as my novel Erosion. 

You can also view Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon. 

(Note: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/11/rounding-year-fallen-leaves-in-my-local.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/10/rounding-year-mushrooms-in-my-local-park.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/11/rounding-year-first-frost-of-winter.html

The Bad Witch's 10 New Year Resolutions for 2025

The start of January is when I think about what I'm going to do in the year ahead. As I've mentioned before, I usually make a long list of goals rather than a single resolution. I have personal aims and wishes, but I also make a public list of 10 things I intend doing on my blog. Below is what I'm planning to post about in 2025.  It includes some things repeated or carried over from last year, and some new things.

1. Start to write a new book on practical magic or divination, hopefully to be published in Moon Books' Pagan Portals series along with my earlier ones on candle magic, poppets, guided visualisations, scrying and the Wheel of the Year.
2. Write new poems or invocations for the eight Wheel of  the Year festivals. 
3. Continue to blog about about seasonal or witchy crafting every month. 
4. Visit at least six more parks, nature reserves, woods and other green areas in London, then post photos of them to show how the city has oodles of spaces with grass, trees, plants and wildlife. 
5. Visit six historic, magical or witchcraft-related places that I've never blogged about before. I'll post photos and details.
6. Something I failed to do in the past few years but want to do this year is walk a ley line.
7. I'm continuing my interviews with pagan authors and aim to post at least another dozen.
8. I'll also continue to do some form of divination for the world at least once a month and post about it.
9. Reading is probably my favourite pastime, so expect to see at least another 12 posts from me with my thoughts about magical books I've read.
10. Finally, I want to create a candle labyrinth and post a picture.

By the way, I think the photo at the top is the one I took for the very first post I made when I started blogging many, many years ago. It felt appropriate to use it again, to show I can stick to my goals.

Whatever your plans, I hope 2025 offers you all the opportunities you want. Happy New Year!

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-reflections-on-new-years.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/new-year-resolutions-looking-back-at-my.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/01/the-bad-witchs-10-new-year-resolutions.html

(Note: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Rounding the Year: Reflections on New Year's Eve

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I've been sharing seasonal pictures, words and crafts over the past 12 months. However, what I've mostly done is go for walks and photograph things in nature. The photo above shows bare trees reflected in water. 

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are good times for us to reflect on what has happened over the past year and to think about what we want to do going forwards. One of my intentions is to take more walks in nature, take more photos, and share them. 

Below is an extract from the final chapter in Rounding the Wheel of the Year, offering a contemplation for New Year's Day:

A Contemplation for New Year's Day

The wheel has turned... This is a new year, a new beginning, a chance to start again – although there will be some overlaps, some repetitions. We are continuing on our path and it looks similar, but there has been a shift and we aren’t walking on exactly the same ground. The wise witch who taught me said this: 

The Wheel of the Year isn’t actually a circle, it’s a spiral. Each year we follow a similar path, but never quite the same. It shouldn’t be identical. We shouldn’t repeat the same things over and over again in an identical way. We should learn from what we did in the past and use that knowledge moving forwards.

 Look back at all you did in the year that has gone. Reread your journal, your poetry, the words of your favourite rituals. Browse again through any scrapbook, art, photographs you created. Go for a walk or look out of your window and think about what you have observed – or grown – as the seasons changed. Think about the intangible things too – memories, wishes, hopes and dreams. Congratulate yourself for all you have achieved, and give yourself a hug for any sadnesses too. Offer thanks to the deities, spirits or ancestors you worked with. 

Now, look to the future, moving both onwards and upwards in that spiral. Think about what you want to continue from last year, what changes you want to make, and what ambitions you have for the year to come. Close your eyes, picture in your mind or think of words to describe how you see the way forward. 

Open your journal again and write that down. Light a candle and make a wish for the best that can happen in the months and seasons ahead. Remember that change is inevitable. Embrace each day and what it brings in the magic of each moment in the spiral of the years.

Where to Find my Books

If you want to buy Rounding the Wheel of the Year or any of my Pagan Portals witchcraft books, or my Gothic novel Erosion cheaply, now's your chance. My publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink, is offering 50 per cent off all e-books until the end of today, December 31st. 

All you need to do is:

• Click here > https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
• Choose your e-book(s)
• Click 'Add to basket for direct download.'
• Click on your shopping basket
• Click on 'Do you have a coupon?'
• Apply promo code WINTER50  and Validate.
• Proceed to Checkout.

You can order any e-books from any of Collective Ink's imprints. Moon Books publishes well respected titles on magickal topics, particularly the Pagan Portals series. Other imprints cover mind, body, spirit subjects, culture and politics, history and fiction.

If you want to search for my books, you can go straight to my Lucya Starza author page. I've written on candle magic, poppets, guided visualisations, scrying and the wheel of the year as well as my novel Erosion. You can read an excerpt from Erosion here: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/10/seance-with-skull-from-my-gothic-novel.html

You can also view Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon. 

(Note: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/12/rounding-year-wintery-bare-trees-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/11/rounding-year-fallen-leaves-in-my-local.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/10/rounding-year-mushrooms-in-my-local-park.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/11/rounding-year-first-frost-of-winter.html

Winter Solstice Eve Spell: Let Go of the Old Year

Today is Winter Solstice Eve. Here's a spell you can do as the sun sets before the longest night of the year. You can do this spell without any equipment at all, but here are some nice but optional things:

• A candle in a suitable holder, and be somewhere safe to light it
• A journal and writing implement
• A warm drink and something seasonal to eat.

Check the time of sunset where you live. In London it is at 3.53pm on both 20th and 21st December. Find a safe spot where you can observe the dusk as day becomes night. You could do this spell indoors near a window that faces west or go to a park, hill or sacred site with clear views of the western horizon. 

Spend some time contemplating the year that has passed. Give thanks for the good things, acknowledge the less pleasant things, recognise the emotions these memories bring and any lessons that can be learnt from the experiences. 

Then give thanks to the sun for the light and warmth it has provided over the past 12 months. Wait until night has fallen and all around is darkness. Decide what you want to let go of, or need to let go of, from the year that has passed. Bid those things farewell.

When you are ready, light your candle if you have one, or use another form of illumination. Make notes if you have a journal, and enjoy a warm drink and seasonal food if you wish. Give thanks to whatever gives us light in the darkest times, such as candles, Yule sparkles, and even the electric bulbs we use in our homes. 

This spell could also be done on New Year's Eve. 

Traditionally, people kept candles or fires alight throughout the longest night, but for safety you should put out naked flames when going to bed or leaving the room.. Also please remember not to stare at the sun for eye-safety reasons.

You can find more seasonal spells and folklore in my book Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year.

Get my book Pagan Portals Books at 50% off

My publisher Moon Books, which is part of Collective Ink, is offering 50 per cent off all e-books until December 31st, including mine. 

All you need to do is:

• Click here > https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com
• Choose your e-book(s)
• Click 'Add to basket for direct download.'
• Click on your shopping basket
• Click on 'Do you have a coupon?'
• Apply promo code WINTER50  and Validate.
• Proceed to Checkout.

If you want to search for my books, you can go straight to my Lucya Starza author page. I've written on candle magic, poppets, guided visualisations, scrying and the wheel of the year as well as my novel Erosion. 

Previous Related Posts
Christmas Candle Spell for Love, Joy and Hope: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/12/christmas-candle-spell-for-love-joy-and.html
Yule Tree Visualisation for the Winter Solstice: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/12/yule-tree-visualisation-for-winter.html
Guided Visualisation for Winter Solstice Eve: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2019/12/guided-visualisation-for-winter.html
Big Hugs Candle Magic: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/12/spells-big-hugs-candle-magic.html

Rounding the Year: The First Frost of Winter

Many parts of England have seen the first snowfalls of the season. It didn't settle enough in my area of South East London for me to photograph, but the next day I woke to see the sun shining down on the first frost of winter. I took the photo above of thick frost on a car roof in the street outside my house. 

Perhaps, as a nature-worshipping pagan, I should have taken a picture of frosty plants or grass instead, but this sight caught my eye as looking arty. I'm a city witch, and believe the manmade environment is still part of nature to some extent, not entirely separate from it. 

The first frost has an important impact on plants, however. Some late blooms will now wilt, not to be seen again until next year. Some berries and fruits are best picked after the first frost, including rosehips, medlars, and sloes. The cold softens them, makes them easier to prepare for cooking, and improves the flavour. Rosehip syrup, sloe gin, and medlar jelly are things traditionally served at Yule, so this is a good time to make them if you feel inclined. 

Sharing seasonal photos

Inspired by ideas in my book Rounding the Wheel of the Year, I've sharing seasonal pictures, art, crafts, words and other creativity. I'd love to encourage readers to record what's happening in nature in various ways including photographs, journalling, drawing or painting and crafting. 

Here are ways to share the things you're doing or what you see out and about as the wheel turns:

• Leave a comment on this post about what you're up to
• Find my prompts to share on my Facebook Page: Lucya Starza Pagan Portals Author
• Share on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) with the tag #RoundingtheYear

Where to find my books

You can order both the ebook and the paperback of all my books from publisher Moon Books' website as well as view Pagan Portals - Rounding the Wheel of the Year on Amazon. 

(Notes: I earn commission from advertisers for some links.)

Other previous related posts
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/09/rounding-year-rosehips-and-raindrops.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/11/rounding-year-fallen-leaves-in-my-local.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/09/rounding-year-autumnal-michaelmas.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/10/rounding-year-mushrooms-in-my-local-park.html