It’s September which means that in the Celtic Tree Calendar it’s the month of Vine. Vines are climbing plans who are always trying to reach new heights. They twist and turn and bust through whatever they need to in order to get to where they need to go.
There are many debates about whether or not the Celtic Tree Calendar is a legit thing or if it’s something that was created by modern practitioners {Robert Graves is often believed to be the source of this system}. But it’s still interesting because we are entering the time of the second harvest of the season, the fruit harvest.
When we think of vines, we think of grapes and then think of wine. Wine was often used in the past, and still is, for creating inspiration and removing inhibitions. Artists drank it to rouse their creativity and warriors drank it to inspiring them to fight uninhibited.
This is a great time for inner development to try to reach new heights in an area of your life, but it’s also a good time for letting go.
Like vines we’ll climb higher if we first let go of whatever has been holding us back, just like how the trees are releasing their leaves as the fall season begins.
This ritual is a great tool for letting go of bad habits, frustrating relationships, problems around situations you’re dealing with…anything that you want to release with love and peace. And, to add a little kick to the connection to Vine Month, we’ll use a piece of vine in our work {but don’t worry…if you can’t get any vines, you can use ribbon or string}.
Vine Ritual For Releasing
You’ll Need:
- a white taper candle + holder
- a carving tool like a knife or dull pencil
- a piece of paper + a pen
- a piece of vine {or brown embroidery thread}
- a small jar, like a baby food jar
- a cauldron or pot large enough to hold your paper
- {optional} Van Van or Releasing oil
Use salt water to cleanse the candle to make sure it’s clean. Using the carving tool, carve a peace sign in the side of the candle along with any names or people involved or simply what it is that you want to release.
If you want to use oil, anoint the candle with it in long upward strokes from the bottom to the top, being sure to cover the whole candle in oil. Then place the candle in the older.
With the paper, write a list of all the things that you need to release. If you’re issue is related to a person you can write a letter to that person expressing all your frustrations. If you’re using oil you can also anoint the paper by putting a dab of oil in each order of the paper and in the center.
Now roll the paper up like a scroll and use the vine or thread to tie it closed.
Light the candle and take a few minuets to sit in reflection, thinking about the thing you want to release. What would it feel like to be free of this for good? How is it really impacting your life now? How do you feel vs how you want to feel?
When your reading take your scroll holding it in the center and light one end of it in the candle flame and say:
By the light of this flame
With love and peace for all
I let this go for good
And release it the fall.
Drop the burning scroll into the cauldron and let it burn itself down. When it’s gone out completely put the ashes and any pieces of paper and vine left over into the baby food jar and seal. Put the jar next to the candle on your altar.
Snuff out the candle and light it again for a little while each night until it burns itself out, taking time each time to sit in quite mediation sending love and peace to the people and situation you’re releasing.
When the candle has finally burned itself out you can toss any wax leftovers. Take the jar with the ashes and go outside and toss the ashes to the wind {or sprinkle on the ground} with a final prayer or blessing for peace.
Once the fall season is over and the leaves have all fallen from the trees, peace around the situation will have been restored and whatever you needed to release will have left and moved on with love and blessings.
