Illuminated Fate

12/21/2025

12/21/2025

Happy Yule to all! This is an excellent explanation of Yule if you aren't familiar from our dear friend Beatrix at Bodhi Imports

12/20/2025

12/17/2025

It’s Day 5 of the 12 Days of Yuletide and today we’re talking about Mistletoe!🌲💋

Mistletoe can be traced back to pagan traditions as well as Norse and Roman festivities. What we know mistletoe to be today is very tame in comparison for its original intended uses.

In many historical contexts mistletoe is seen as a plant related to fertility, abundance, and protection. While today people kiss under the mistletoe, it used to be used in fertility rituals around the Winter Solstice/Yule/Saturnalia. It’s a hardy plant and the fact that it is seen in the same light as evergreens can give hints at even more reasons why it was said to help couples conceive if they participated in these rituals and ceremonies. There’s a very fun story in Norse mythology where the plant was left out of being informed not to harm Odin’s son Baldur, and in this mixup ended up killing him by being used by Loki as an arrow. When Baldur was resurrected F***g was so elated that they declared mistletoe a symbol of love and started the tradition of kissing underneath it to express this sentiment.

In more modern times it was seen as an excuse for men to receive a kiss from a woman who was caught underneath of it, and it was seen as bad luck to refuse. (We don’t condone this behavior, but it’s an important part of the history unfortunately.) There’s also a tradition in some places that you pull a berry off with each kiss until they are all gone.

No matter how you see it, mistletoe has become a symbol of passion and love, its boughs still being used across the globe today to liven up holiday traditions. I do want to give a warning that Mistletoe is a poisonous plant, so please use caution when decorating with it or if you are wanting to use it in your own traditions. Try to keep the plant away from your lips please 😉

12/17/2025

Just a few more days! Here's some ideas to prepare!

12/17/2025

Day 4 of the 12 Days of Yule is the Yule Log! 🪵

Fire has been a huge part of winter celebrations for as long as people have been observing the holidays. Fire is a symbol of life and is associated with the Sun. The Yule Log itself is associated with both Norse Yule traditions and Germanic Winter Solstice celebrations. In Norse society it was normally a hardy oak log that was burned to honor the Norse gods to help them survive the winter. In other traditional Solstice celebrations a log would be cut, decorated, and burned to symbolize the sun’s rebirth in the new year. Often Yule logs would burn for long periods of time and the ashes would be kept to use in the next year’s fire to symbolize longevity and continuation of life.

We can also see a common tradition of lighting bonfires for this same imagery. Typically the Yule log and bonfires are used during big communal celebrations as well as in individual families homes for warmth, comfort, and to bring people together to observe the longest night of the year, and the beginning of the new season.

Does your family observe the Yule log traditions? Are you someone who uses a wood fire to help you get through the cold months?

Stay tuned for day 5 tomorrow!

12/11/2025

Poetry and The Human Experience

12/10/2025

What's your favorite song or poem?

12/10/2025

What's your favorite poem or song?

12/09/2025

We have a few appointments open for readings this Thursday 12/11/25 at Oddballs & Outkasts! Message now to reserve your time!

12/09/2025

The Truth Always Comes Out

12/08/2025

Facing Past Moments and Emotions