Seasonal Meditations for Wiccans, Witches & Pagans

“Earth, teach me stillness.”
– Ute Prayer

Harmony with Earth’s Cycles: Seasonal meditations are somewhat unique in that they often achieve results after one try. Why? Because a seasonally focused meditation brings the individual into harmony with the earth’s cycle, and the focal points of that cycle. Since humans are animals, they have an instinctual awareness of this already. The meditation simply activates that awareness, taking it out of idle and putting it into gear.

For the purpose of congruity, each of these meditations uses the imagery of a tree as a starting point. The tree represents the self: The roots are your feet, the trunk is your back, and the top represents your arms and head. In determining what type of tree you will be, choose one you can visualize clearly, especially the foliage which changes with the season.

Spring Seasonal Meditation for Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans

In your mind’s eye, see yourself as you are right now, in as much detail as possible. Slowly allow the furniture around you to transform into small bushes, flowers, and other natural objects. Allow the room and ceiling to fade away, replaced by a forest canopy.

All around you plants are still touched with the slightest hint of snow and ice. Beneath this, new grass is pushing its way up toward the sun. Other than an occasional bird, the forest is hushed and very peaceful. Accept the calm as part of yourself . . . Breathe it in like air.

As you sit among the plants, small tendrils appear in your feet and legs. They reach to the earth to embrace it and immediately turn into woody roots. You can feel the roots burrowing in the rich, cool soil, filled with moisture from the thaw. Your body becomes a tree trunk, secured to the ground by the roots. Your arms become naked branches, with nothing but buds to keep them warm in spring’s chilly winds.

If you look, you’ll notice the sun slowly rising on the horizon. Its warmth makes sap move more quickly through every part the self-tree, energizing and awakening your senses. You can feel the earth and its creatures awakening with you. Linger in the moment of revival, sensing earth’s breath in each breeze and knowing it as your own.

Stay as long as you wish, until you feel wholly refreshed and attuned to nature, then slowly adjust your breathing to a normal pace. See yourself transform back into a person. Open your eyes and make notes of the experience.

Summer Seasonal Meditation for Pagans, Wiccans, and Witches

In your relaxed state, visualize the forest from the spring meditation, only this time the trees and plants are covered with leaves and flowers. The air is filled with the scent of roses and the sounds of happily buzzing insects. Listen to their song as it drones with the Earth’s vibrations.

Below you the earth also pulsates with life. The water in the soil flows freely, taken up by your roots into the well of your spirit. Drink fully of this nourishing elixir until you feel you can drink no more.

Overhead the noonday sun shines brightly. Reach upward to greet these radiant beams, to embrace them, and welcome the sun god’s energy into your spirit. Feel the cleansing power as the golden rays are absorbed by your leaves and branches. The warmth fills every cell in your body, chasing away any lingering sickness or negativity.

Remain in the sunlight; breathe deeply of it and the warm summer airs until you feel totally rejuvenated. Then, return to our normal self and breathing patterns, making notes of your experiences.

Fall Seasonal Meditation for Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans

In your visualization, you walk into the forest at twilight. The trees around you now bear leaves in red, orange, yellow, and a hint of brown. Sit near one of these trees, and slowly transform into your tree-self, the color in your leaves reflecting that of the neighboring foliage.

Once you’ve completely transformed, stop, and assess how the earth around you feels. Everything is slowing down, settling, preparing to sleep. Consider ways that you, too, can slow down a settle and simplify your life. Slow your breathing a little more and feel peace settle over you like a balm to your weary soul.

Feel the tree of self. Do you notice how the sap moves more slowly through you now? How your leaves feel like they’re barely holding onto the branches? Let the leaves fall; they represent burdens in your life that you no longer need to bear. Release them to the earth, to the soil. Now your branches feel much lighter, much easier to sustain even without as much sunlight.

Enjoy the feeling of liberation and ease; relax in the cool fall air−let it refreshes your spirit. Then, slowly return your visualization and breathing to the normal self and make notes of the experience.

Winter Seasonal Meditation for Pagans, Witches, and Wiccans

The Sacred forest is hushed and calm when you come into it by night. The moon illuminates snowflakes gently falling to the ground. The trees are bare but for some icicles that hang off the branches like Nature’s Yule decorations. Settle yourself into the snow and transform into a barren tree.

All around the earth is still. Birds are quiet. Animals are hibernating, and even the soil seems to be asleep beneath the white blanket. Now, as your branches reach to the sky, there is little warmth to greet them. Your sap moves very slowly.

The moon overhead is welcoming and comforting. You have all you can do to stay awake. The sense of restfulness is overwhelming. This is a moment of magic−a moment that hangs on the edge between winter and spring, just before the wheel turns again. But for now, you will sleep in the Mother’s loving arms. Tarry in restfulness as long as you need, then awaken renewed.

Memorization & Recording Your Meditation Sessions

Memorizing descriptive visualizations is hard. If can work with a partner, they can read the activity to you, allowing for pauses so you integrate the experience. An alternative is recording it in your own voice (add background noises and music for enhancement). Just as with the partnered option, leave yourself pauses in the reading. Personalize the material as you wish.

Adapted from “Wicca 2000,” by Patricia Telesco. All rights reserved.