January is for the wolves…
“January is the month for dreaming.” – Jean Hersey
Happy 2023, Witches!
How goes the first week of the new year?
If you're still in hibernation mode, we salute you. We love any excuse to stay in with a good book, roast some chestnuts over the fire, and rest after a year of creative ebbs and flows.
In a capitalistic society, we sometimes speak about rest in hushed tones, as if our desire to be still is a sign of weakness.
But if we never rested, would we ever dream?
For witches and magick makers, dreams continue to be a potent source of inspiration. Maybe it's because the first fairy tales originated in Dreamland.
Some theorists suggest that while we sleep, the soul leaves the body to explore more magical, whimsical worlds. In Dreamland, we adventure to our heart's desire, collect seed-shaped stories, and upon rousing from our beds, we scatter them throughout the waking world. It would appear that after many years of planting fairy tales in our gardens, within our hearts, and between the pages of our favorite books, these stories' ancient roots continue to twist and weave between worlds.
Perhaps our dreams also inspire through their love affair with the moon. In the Little Witch Series and our new, longer Little Witch Tales (more on those in a minute!), our nightly compass is more than just a cold lump of cosmic dust - she's Mother Moon. Like the unicorn nightlight from our childhood bedrooms, Mother Moon is our tallow candle, our lantern. She is both tender and reliable, a caretaker and confidant.
And, can you believe it – you (yes, YOU) have been by our side, drawing down the moon's grace with moon spells and stories for an entire year! And for that, Little Witch's cauldron overflows with gratitude.
As a token of our appreciation, we've arranged an upcoming giveaway with friend and fellow witchy maker, Verona Black! The full details will be shared soon, but in the meantime, make sure you're following @pointyhatpress and @veronablack on Instagram!
And on the topic of Pointy Hat Press, have you heard that we have two new books slated for release later this year?
You asked for longer stories – we listened. You requested full and dark moon tales – we took heed. You told us we needed more Madam Spider – obviously, we agreed.
It feels fitting that these exciting announcements coincide with another magickal happening – our first birthday!
Thanks to all of you, we crowdfunded Little Witch Hosts Samhain Supper, partook in folktale week, and had a scavenger hunt with a coven of fairies, familiars, friends, and book-wielding witches – all before Little Witch turned 1!
And now, in honor of this bewitching day and the first full moon of 2023, you are officially invited to once again, dream, dance, and howl beneath January's Wolf Moon.
Known as the Wolf Moon, Old Moon, Quiet Moon, or Moon After Yule, January is a great time to connect with our wild side. And what better teacher than the mighty, magical wolf?
In the wild, wolves howl to establish territory and communicate with the pack. When faced with natural barriers (like long distances or heavily wooded areas that might block their calls), wolves do what we do.
They sing to the moon.
By howling with their snouts pointed skyward, wolves ensure their messages travel far and wide, so in turn, pack members heed their calls. In folklore, wolves symbolize loyalty, community values, and ancient, primal wisdom. They are guardians of nature, rarely crossing the boundary that separates the wild lands from the tame.
They are also mysterious beings, often feared, so it's no surprise that the Wolf Moon coincides with the Wild Hunt, a midwinter parade of ghosts, witches, and forest creatures. Author Katherine Rundell says, "Wolves are the witches of the animal world," and while we might argue that owls, snakes, cats or *insert your familiars here* give the wolf a run for its money, we do feel rather wolfish when the moon waxes full. In fact, this month's moon has us so inspired that we added a new journal to the shop! If you missed out on the last journal from our Moon & Vine Collection, you can pre-order the newest one here. Pointy Hat Press's signature journals are seasonal and printed in small batches, so be sure to grab one while you can!
A few suggestions for honoring the Wolf Moon:
Without leaving the comfort of your cozy den, grab your journal and reflect on communication, connection, and resilience. Is it easy for you to adapt to changing circumstances? What do you feel most connected to at this moment? How do you communicate when faced with obstacles? How would it feel to howl at the moon—both literally and metaphorically?
Engage in a full moon meditation. Like the wolf, the moon speaks to the unconscious world and our dreams. In tarot, the Moon card represents truth, even when cloaked in shadows and fears. Meditating on the Moon card encourages us to do the thing (whatever it may be) even when we're scared. This is one way we learn to test and trust our intuition. What stories, illusions, fears, and truths will this full moon illuminate?
Craft an offering for the animal world. Wolves have a symbiotic relationship with ravens and other scavenger birds, so consider hanging a birdfeeder or scattering a handful of seeds outdoors for your feathered friends.
Read stories and folklore about the wolf. Tales like 'La Loba', the story of Leto (the Wolf Goddess and mother to Artemis and Apollo), or anything from the wild-woman bible, Women Who Run with Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés.
Get to know what's blooming. And what's resting. Depending on where you live, much of the earth is likely still sleeping. However, there are several plants that bloom in late winter - Camellias, Snowdrops, and Witch Hazel, to name a few.
Enjoy the Wolf Moon, Witches!