Samhain, at the end of October, is considered the start of the new year among most Pagan and Wiccan groups. And the Winter Solstice and Yule on the 21st of June is also an important gateway in the wheel of the year as this is the moment when the sun starts to increase in force again (in the northern hemisphere).
Read our guide to Samhain here.
New Year, on the first of January, became the start of the New Year among the Romans in 45 BCE when Julius Caesar decided that the calendar needed reforming. He chose January because it is the month of Janus, as the god represents beginnings and transitions, and he has two faces so he can look both backward and forward.
Despite not being one of the major Wiccan holidays, New Year is still an excellent time to cast spells to set your intentions and manifest prosperity for the coming year. The positive energy created by so many people celebrating and sending out energy wishing for luck and transformation creates a shared energetic force that we can tap into to give extra power to our spells and rituals.
We have three favorite types of rituals that we like to conduct at the new year. Cleansing rituals to expel negative energy and prepare ourselves to take on the new year with fresh energy. Intentions rituals that help firmly set our intentions and draw power for their manifestations. And good luck rituals to attract a bit of fortune for the new year.
Cleansing Rituals
It is great to start the new year by cleansing yourself of any negative or unwanted energy from the previous year. New Year’s Eve can be a great time to conduct any of your favorite cleansing rituals. Use incense to clear energy out of your space, or use a Selenite, Amethyst, or Tourmaline wand to expel negative energy.
But, at New Year, you might be more focused on cleansing your own physical energy. This can be done by bathing in nature, in the Ocean, or in a clean natural lake. If you prefer to do your cleansing at home, run yourself an Epsom Salt bath.
To conduct a ritual cleansing, make sure you have a shower before you enter your bath, as you want to feel clean during your soak. Add a few drops of sage and frankincense essential oils to your bath water for more potent cleansing.
Burn a cleansing white candle while you bathe and focus your mind on the flame. Send negative thoughts and the sources of your negative energy to the flame and imagine them burning up and floating away in the smoke as you bathe.
In the hours following your bath, try only to do things that nourish your body. Moisturize your skin and eat foods and drinks that nourish and invigorate your system.
Intension Rituals
New Year is a time when many people like to set intentions and resolutions for the new year. You can conduct rituals that give your intentions more force and give you and the universe enhanced energy to make them manifest in the coming year.
Start your ritual at first light on December 31st. Take a small piece of green or brown cloth and place it on the earth. Pour a small mound of ground cinnamon onto the cloth and visualize the cloth as a fertile foundation and the cinnamon as nourishing earth.
Next, take some seeds in your hand, one to represent each of your main intentions for the coming year. Hold each seed in your hand and focus on your intention. When it is clearly visible in your mind, plant the seed in your cinnamon. Once you planted all your seeds, leave them in the sun until sunset. As the sun sets, gather the cloth and seal it around the cinnamon and seal it with a gold ribbon.
Take the bundle with you as go about your business. When you and all the people around you are sending out positive energy at midnight, take out your bundle and focus again on your intentions, channeling the positive energy that you need around you into your bundle.
After the ritual is done, place the bundle in your sacred space. You can hold it in your hands and focus on your intentions whenever you need energy, focus, or guidance in the coming year. When you no longer need the bundle, you should bury it in the earth.
Good Luck Rituals
You can also set yourself up for the best possible new year by attracting some good luck. One of the best spells for good fortune is a luck jar.
Get yourself a clean glass jar. Cleanse it thoroughly with soap and water, and then incense. Gather crystals and herbs with lucky energy, such as quartz, peridot, and tiger’s eye for crystals and orange tea, bay leaves, lemongrass, and peppermint for herbs. Also, gather other things that may represent good luck to you, such as something made of gold or small objects linked with previous luck or success.
Take these objects into your magic circle and sit before a burning candle. Slowly and with the intention of both giving and receiving positive energy in the coming year, place these items inside your jar in layers. Once it is full, you can seal the jar using the wax from your candle.
Keep your spell jar on your altar, beside your bed, or where you work if you are looking for fortune in your professional pursuits.
