On Sunday, January 19th, the Divine Warrior Witches gathered with community at Crescent Moon Gifts in Tacoma, WA for the first ritual of our 2025 Wheel of the Year series.
Throughout 2024, we followed a theme of deity, honoring and exploring the energies of over a dozen gods and goddesses. For 2025, we have decided to embrace a theme of crystals!
Throughout this turning of the wheel, the educational portion of our events will now include a presentation lead by Divine Warrior Witches Rowan & Jasper, during which both the physical and metaphysical properties of select crystals will be presented and discussed.
SO BELOW | Imbolc
Presented by High Priestess Serenity
Imbolc, the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, is a time of new life and new beginnings. For our ancestors, while this time brought hope after a winter of struggle, the isolation was not yet over as the cold weather and extended darkness made it too risky to travel or gather.
Like our ancestors, we're now being called to rest, reflect, and ration our energy. Collectively we've faced repeated traumas. The time to move forward is now, but the way forward is first through rest and repair. We embrace rebirth, like the snake that must shed its skin in order to grow, we're asked now to shed what no longer serves us in order to make room for what comes next.

MEDUSA
Presented by High Priestess Heather
Bringing an energy of steady determination, Medusa has been working overtime lately to empower the collective in our fight towards justice. A survivor herself, Medusa often appears to other survivors who, after incredible darkness, are ready to do the slow and steady work of rebuilding brick by brick.
Medusa was once a beautiful maiden, and stories regarding how and why she eventually became a gorgon, with snakes for hair and a gaze that turned men to stone, have varied over time. As a group, we discussed the various tellings, ranging from basic vanity to violent assault, and reflected on how and why these tales about and perceptions of Medusa have changed throughout history.
We also shared Laura Tempest Zakroff's Medusa sigil and invocation, a beautiful piece to help fortify the collective, which can be found on the Patheos blog post: The Medusa Sigil.
AS ABOVE | Aquarius Season
Presented by High Priestess Cawnawyn
JAN 19 - Sun Enters Aquarius
JAN 20 - Sun Conjunct Pluto in Aquarius
JAN 29 - New Moon in Aquarius 9°
JAN 30 - Uranus stations Direct in Taurus
FEB 4 - Jupiter stations Direct in Gemini
FEB 12 - Full Moon in Leo 24°
FEB 18 - Sun Enters Pisces
FEB 23 - Mars stations Direct in Cancer
FEB 27 - New Moon in Pisces 9°
MAR 1 - Venus Retrograde in Aries
MAR 13 - Lunar Eclipse in Virgo 23°
MAR 20 - SPRING EQUINOX
MAR 20 - Sun Enters Aries
Watch the "As Above" Message for Imbolc here:
CRYSTALS | Jade and Obsidian
Presented by Rowan and Jasper
Rowan and Jasper shared their knowledge with a beautifully detailed presentation on the evenings selected crystals, Jade and Rainbow Obsidian. Knowing a mineral or crystal’s mundane characteristics can be helpful in knowing their metaphysical properties, as composition and color can be indicative of effects.
The first crystal presented was Jade, with a focus on Nephrite and Australian Jade. Nephrite Jade is a calcium magnesium iron silicate mineral, incredibly durable due to its fibrous structure. Historically sourced from China, Washington Jade can also be found on our beaches in the Puget Sound. Australian Jade is technically a separate mineral known as chrysoprase, a chalcedony. Often referred to as Jade due to its beautiful deep apple green to light green coloration, black inclusion of hematite or magnetite can also be found.
Green Jade is a stunningly vibrant stone often associated with serenity, fertility, luck and truth. When connected with the heart chakra, Jade increases passion and love, especially self-love.
Obsidian is a form of volcanic glass composed primarily of silicon dioxide with trace amounts of iron and magnesium. Rainbow obsidian forms from the rapid cooling of lava, which causes trapped gas bubbles to form in layers, providing a flash effect when polished. Inclusions such as these, which some might think of as flaws, are often makes crystals unique and beautiful.
Primarily, Obsidian works as a protective crystal, known for absorbing negative energy. Akin to the symbology of a serpent shedding what is no longer useful, this crystal assists with reducing destructive habits and empowers positive change.
THE RITUAL
For ritual we drew on Medusa's strength and stoicism as we explored themes of rebirth. Beginning with a guided meditation, written by Heather and produced by Cawanwyn, warriors were asked to confront fear with curiosity as they embarked on a journey to meet Medusa in her place of refuge.
Reawakened, all then gathered to craft prayer beads. Similar to praying a rosary or reciting mantras with a mala, chanting is a powerful magical tool, and having a string of beads to cue our lines is not only helpful but can also aid in producing a meditative state or trance experience.
Rowan and Jasper sourced beautiful nephrite jade, Australian jade, obsidian, and lava rock beads to be used for this craft. The table was alive with chatter until quiet concentration took over as warriors found their rhythm.
The ritual space also contained a large mirror, which warriors were invited to visit individually for a mirror gazing experience. Facing our fears often requires facing ourselves; something that should be done with compassion and without judgement.
CAKES
For Cakes & Ale, warriors enjoyed a snake bread, lovingly prepared by Cawnawyn, washed down with sparkling apple cider.
The recipe for this Brigit’s Serpent Bread was found in the book Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions by Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill.
Ingredients:
4 Cups of Flour
3 Tablespoons of Sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
4 Tablespoons of cold Butter
1 1/2 cups milk (or milk alternative)
Jam/Preserves
Dried Fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots, currants, or cherries)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Set aside six dried fruits (for three pairs of serpent eyes).
3. Soak the rest of the dried fruits in the water while preparing the dough
4. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into a bowl.
5. Cut the butter into small pieces and mix with your fingers. Butter should integrate with the flour enough to make the mix look grainy.
6. Create a well in the center of the dough and pour milk in. Mix and knead the dough until just combined. The dough will be very sticky and wet, but be careful not to overmix it, or the dough will become tough.
7. Divide the dough into three parts.
8. On a well-floured surface, roll and pull the dough to create a long, thin cylinder and thin with a rolling pin until it is approx. 1/4in thick.
9. Spread jam on the dough but not quite to the edge.
10. Lay soaked dried fruit along the jam-covered dough.
11. Roll the dough around the jam and dried fruit, pinching the dough to close.
12. Form one end of your roll into a triangle head shape and place two of your set-aside dried fruits to create the eyes of the serpent.
13. Grease/oil a cookie sheet. Place the tube on the cookie sheet into a loose spiral.
14. Repeat with the other two sections of dough.
15. Bake at 450° for 18-25 minutes.
Enjoy!
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