Almond Tree Almanac

03/01/2026

And so it's time to pack away the bright twinkling lights and sparkly baubles, and we are left with the quiet peace of winter. A little pause and the out breath - time to rest and nurture ourselves. After the busy celebration of Christmas and the New Year, we can take stock, reflect on the year that's gone, and let our minds rest for a moment on the year ahead. This is the time of the Water element in Chinese medicine - when everything is stripped back to bare branches. When we can see the backbone, the underlying structure of everything - bold and strong.
For me, this month is about paring back a little - reducing activities to a minimum, warm drinks, nourishing food, curling up with a good book, cosy nights in. Brisk walks to connect in with the energy outside, but not forcing - instead, resting, replenishing, gathering energy.
It is also a full moon this evening - the Wolf moon, a great time - particularly this close to the start of the year, to release - to let go of anything you do not wish to carry into this year. Old habits, grudges and memories - let's sweep out the old to make way for the new 🌕

21/12/2025

Beautiful words 💜

Wanted to share a Watchers Yule Ceremony Visualisation with you that I wrote specially for anyone who like me can’t get to be with others in person this year, for whatever reason.

First of all decide what you will wear for this vision. I am in my Solstice Dress with Greenmen and moons on, with my Green Velvet cloak.

Lie down.
Close your eyes and breathe in deeply and exhale 3 times. Let your whole body relax.

See your favourite Stones in your mind surrounded by ancient Woodland and just walk in.

Then join with me within the Circle of Stones. I visualise the Rollright Stones but you can be anywhere. Your are an astral body not a physical being now.

You hear my voice say.

Welcome to Watchers of the Old Ways Winter Solstice Yule Ceremony.

The shortest day is this Sunday the 21st of December this year.

We are now at the threshold of Winter, as it gets darker and colder it’s time to embrace our inner Bear.

Everything in nature is showing us the way to return to our caves, our safe spaces, for reflection and learning from the events of the last year.

It’s been a tough year in so many ways. Many of us are feeling exhausted and feeling the need to rest to be alone to retreat away from society from all the noise...all the news.

But nowadays we fight this natural way of being as Winter arrives with bright lights and too much alcohol, overspending and buying things we don’t really need.

Many people are made sick at this time of year, both physically and mentally from the pressure to conform, to spend time with people and families they may avoid at other times of the year.

Not this year. This is not what this time of year is truly about, nature leads the way, the plants pause and many creatures go inwards and hibernate.

We must learn from Mother Nature and the Great Bear Spirit, look up to the stars more, they watch over us always.

Ursa Major is a constellation in the northern sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater she-bear. She is made of stardust like us, shining with limitless energy and inner power.

We have everything we already need within us if we take the time to pause and look deeper.

Some will also follow the tradition on Yule of laying a table space for a departed loved one.

Many moons ago we used to lay three spaces for the goddesses, with a knife each to cut the threads of life, of fate.

We hold our own space now we are all one with our Ancestors. Imagine a cloud full of lights taking turns to shine, like the timed flashing lights on a Yuletide tree.

We bring plants and greenery into our homes and weave them together at this time into Garlands or table decorations, some of us even bring a whole tree into the house!

Traditionally The Holly King battles the Oak King and the Oak King wins at Yule time.

I wanted to do something different for you, to talk about communing and growing together with our plant allies this year instead. People uniting in these difficult times rather than taking sides, battling and causing divisions.

History shows us that the plant allies we used at this sacred time were those thriving in this season.
Symbolic Yuletide and Solstice plant allies used for decorations include:

Evergreens like spruce as symbols of immortality as they stayed green whilst other trees lost their leaves.

Yew a very sacred tree represented the death of the old year and were seen as a connection between this world and the next. The berries seeds are poisonous so take care.

Oak trees often seen as the Druid tree, were revered for being long-lived. Even though they were not evergreen, they were symbols of eternal life and considered a source of protection, strength, and endurance.

Rosemary, an evergreen shrub was called the herb of the sun. It is also used to improve memory so a powerful plant ally to weave into your Garland to remember loved ones no longer with us.

Bay, an evergreen herb used in garlands and comforting teas. Bay laurel also signifies courage and strength. The Romans revered it and wove it into garlands to wear on their heads.

Birch is a sacred tree within the mythology of the Celts and is thought to have very protective influences.

Mistletoe stood for peace, happiness and kisses. For romance, vitality and fertility. It is also prepared correctly with knowledge, a powerful healer even though the berries are poisonous. Revered by the Druids.

Holly was used for magical protection and good luck, for fertility and eternal life.

Ivy symbolised fidelity, faithfulness and healing. It’s used in binding spells too so it can be used to pull all the other elements of the Garland together, uniting all the individual meanings.

Pine cleanses and it symbolised peace, healing, and joy.

Pine resin is in the incense I made for Yule. Every element of this ritual is woven together and steeped in deeper ancient meanings.

Fill your mind with the scent and meaning of these plant allies as we manifest all of humanity coming together at this time.

I have recreated Ursa Major the great bear spirit constellation in mirror stars on the ground within my Altar space, inside the circle of stones I can visualise me walking in the sky.

Look up to the stars tonight and realise this is just a moment in time, we are protected and watched over, we are stardust.

We will now do a wishing cone together for 2026.

See yourself putting a slip of paper with your wishes written on it into a fir cone that will then be burnt in the ritual fire. As the cones burn, your wishes will be released into the universe through smoke.

Now gently return to your body open your eyes and breathe in deeply.

Blessed be.

Wishing you and yours love and peace for 2026.

Rebecca Henderson
Watchers of the Old Ways.

20/12/2025

Tomorrow, December 21st, we celebrate Yule, the winter solstice. A time of peace and inward reflection - a pause to consider the energies and events of the year past, and perhaps to gently plan for next year.
This is the shortest day, and the longest night - a time to tuck ourselves up to hibernate - a brief pause - embracing nurturing, peace and calm. It doesn't feel much like this as we approach Christmas - this bright bauble of energy in an otherwise quiet time. But stop to appreciate the quiet little acts of self care - warm drinks, cosy slippers, a snuggly bed - time after the Christmas rush to read a book, go for a walk on a brisk, dry winters day, to appreciate nourishing meals.
To celebrate Yule, align your energies with that of the season - perhaps bringing in greenery from the garden - holly, ivy, mistletoe and fir. Decorating the house with reds, golds and greens and filling your space with the glorious notes of cinnamon, ginger, frankincense and orange. Baking warming, festive spiced foods. Lighting candles to celebrate the turning points - the longest night, the shortest day - after this point we embrace the returning of the light. We begin the slow, gentle flow back towards the warmer days. How lucky are we to experience this soft ebb and flow of the seasons - yin and yang - dark to light.
Wishing you all a blessed solstice.

17/12/2025

Beautiful winter day break - glorious colours 🧡

22/11/2025

💜

This points to the Celtic idea that liminal spaces, times and places that are “betwixt and between”, carry unique power. Dusk, thresholds, and seasonal turnings are moments when ordinary boundaries dissolve, allowing mystery, transformation, and connection with the unseen to emerge. It’s a reminder that change and renewal often arise in the in‑between, where certainty gives way to possibility.

🕯️Invitation for a Simple Threshold Ceremony/Ritual

1. Choose a liminal moment; sunset, dawn, or standing in a doorway.
2. Light a single candle (or hold a stone/leaf if outdoors).
3. Speak aloud: “ I stand betwixt and between, in the place where endings meet beginnings. May mystery guide me, may transformation find me.”
4. Pause in silence for a few breaths, feeling yourself held in the in‑between.
5. Extinguish the candle or release the object back to the earth, closing the threshold.

© DailyShaman 2025

06/11/2025

How beautiful 💜

The Bear Who Carried the Stars

There was once a bear so old that even the mountains could not remember the time before him. He was called Orun, meaning the silent flame. His fur shimmered in the colors of the cosmos—deep indigo, streaked with fire and light, as if he carried a piece of the universe upon his back.

Orun lived beyond the northern winds, where the sky touched the edge of creation. Each winter, when the earth froze and the stars drew close, he would rise from his slumber and walk beneath the night sky. The other creatures said he was searching for something—something lost when the world was young.

No one dared to ask him what it was.

But one night, as the auroras danced and the snow whispered like silk, a small fox followed his tracks. The fox was young, reckless, and curious—unafraid of legends. “Great Bear,” he called out, his voice trembling like wind against ice, “why do you walk beneath the stars alone? What do you seek in the silence?”

Orun stopped. His breath rose like mist and lingered, glowing faintly with starlight. For a long time, he said nothing. Then, in a voice deep as thunder and gentle as snow, he answered:

“I am not seeking the stars, little one. I am carrying them.”

The fox tilted his head, confused. “Carrying them? But the stars belong to the sky.”

The bear looked upward, and the universe seemed to ripple through his fur. “Once,” he said, “they did. But there was a time, long ago, when darkness tried to swallow the heavens. The stars began to fall—one by one—burning out before they touched the earth. The world grew cold. The rivers forgot how to sing. The hearts of living things turned to frost.”

His eyes glowed faintly, reflecting constellations the fox had never seen. “So I gathered what light remained. I caught the falling stars and kept them close, so their warmth would never die. Each spark I carry is a memory of what once was—a promise that the night will never win completely.”

The fox stared, his tiny heart aching with something he did not understand. “Does it not hurt, Great Bear, to carry the fire within you?”

Orun smiled, a slow and ancient smile. “Yes,” he said. “But to carry pain is to carry purpose. Light does not live without the dark to cradle it. We are both.”

And with that, the bear lifted his great head, and the sky opened above him. From the depths of his chest, a gentle glow began to rise—stars shimmering like tears—spilling into the heavens until the firmament blazed anew.

When dawn came, the fox was alone again. The snow was marked only by the fading shape of a pawprint—vast and luminous, like a constellation pressed into the earth.

That morning, for the first time, the fox looked up and saw the stars still burning in the daylight, faint but unyielding.

From that day on, the animals of the north spoke of Orun, the Bear Who Carried the Stars. They said that whenever the world feels cold and endless, if you close your eyes and listen, you can still hear his heart beating in the sky—a deep, rhythmic pulse reminding all living things:

Even in the darkest night, someone is carrying the light for you.

05/11/2025

💜🌕

Tonight is the Full Frost Moon, so called because the frost and ice will start to set in as the earth grows colder, animals will start to hibernate for the winter months, the last leaves will fall from the trees and the land will become barren. This is also known as The Beaver Moon.

The Moon is in the sign Ta**us. We are amidst some strong planetary alignments that are heralding a need for profound change and revolution inside and out. Our attitude is of foremost importance during this time and can empower us and see us through whatever we are facing. Gratitude for what we have and a willingness to move with the energy that is calling is required.

The Full Moon tonight will also be a Supermoon. The Supermoon occurs when the Moon is the closest to the earth more than any other time of the year, making the Moon appear up to 30% bigger and brighter than usual. The Supermoon not only affects nature such as the tides and wildlife it also affects us, our emotions will be heightened, our senses will be sharp, things that were hidden or in the shadows can now be seen. A Supermoon amplifies the effects of a normal Moon, we will be feeling ultra-sensitive and emotional at this time.

This particular Full Moon will not be boring and will have an unpredictable vibe along with it. The places we have been feeling stuck in our lives may suddenly begin to move or shift. If emotions are clogged, they may surface and flow, let them, don't hold anything in, let your emotions out.

The Ta**us Full Moon will be filled with raw emotions. Everyone is going to feel it on some level. You can feel your emotions go from high to low to all over the place. We may have trouble sleeping and experience wild and vivid dreams but don't worry as this will pass over the next few days. Be aware of dualistic thoughts, emotions and behaviours, this may be generating a lot of mental stress and tension plus sending out mixed signals to others and the universe. Try to stay grounded and find a balance. Finances are illuminated on this Full Moon, to watch what we are spending and to improve or bring in any extra income.

Tonight's Full Moon brings change, we are coming to the end of the year with Yule and the New Year fast approaching we must become empowered to make the changes necessary to shift our situation. It is up to us and the time is now. We must let go and surrender to the deeper current that is transforming us. You are the master of your destiny. Take your power back from society and other people. Learn from your past mistakes. Vow to do better next year. Make a commitment to your success. Be adaptable. Make friends with change. It is not the enemy. Change is your friend. Change sheds the old and gives birth to the new.

This Full Moon is about communication, higher learning and our sense of creativity and adventure. Something has been building inside of us and now is the time when the energy of the cosmos demands that we let it out. We are magnets to our desire right now, we have the power to attract what we want toward us. Ta**us is the sign of deep thinking, work and stability, this will give us a boost in mind and body power, we will be able to see things more clearly, we will see our own truths and a fog will be lifted that can show us a path that can lead us into improving ourselves both spiritually and mentally.

This Full Moon look into yourself and ask yourself what you need to move forward, ask yourself how you are going to achieve this. Use the energy of this Full Moon to heal and gain strength. Ask the Goddess for guidance and to lead the way to a more positive and happier life. Tonight is a good time to determine just what you value and want to stand for, what you want to create in your life and carry forth into the next cycle of your evolution.

Have a blessed Full Moon. May the Goddess watch over you.

05/11/2025

Beautiful full moon energy - the Frost moon, Oak moon or Beaver moon - tonight we have a super moon, when the moon is closest to the Earth in its orbit - hopefully we will see this beautiful moon above all of the bright sparkly fireworks and through the smoke and clouds. If not, the beautiful lunar energy will be present - and perhaps it will be clearer tomorrow evening.
Time to release, time to let go, to breathe out - in conjunction with the autumnal energy, this is a great time to clear any emotions that you need to disperse, any memories, and habits or limitations that are holding you back.
If you are having a bonfire this evening, write down anything you would like to purge, and allow the fire to burn this away.
Put out any crystals you would like to cleanse, perhaps some water, allowing it to absorb the lunar energies 🌕

31/10/2025

20/09/2025

Over the next few days, we celebrate the Autumn equinox - a time of balance, the energy of late summer genty letting go into the softer, slower autumnal seasons. The breath out and the easing away from activity, bustle and abundance.
You may like to honour this change in the energy by going for a walk and observing the changes in the hedgerows and fields around you. Perhaps making a warming, comforting meal from local, seasonal produce. Gather leaves, acorns, warm orange and red colours and make a little space in your home for a little piece of autumn 🍁🌰🍂