Rituals for living in season renew our sense of personal power and understanding of the underlying magick of the universe that sustains us. The magick is presented in an artful fusion of Astrology, Numerology, Feng Shui, and Wicca. In the branches of The Wise Hazel Tree, these ancient traditions lead the way around the wheel of life, helping our dreams and those of the Great Mother unfold more true to form. Consider life’s course if in autumn, we follow nature’s cue and take stock of our accomplishments alongside harvest celebrations of nature’s bounty. Or, as nature sleeps, we slow life’s pace in winter to allow time for self-care and reflection. Once spring blooms, we could find ourselves more rested and ready to begin work on new ideas and ventures. Following our intention, the sunny days of summer would shine on our growing dreams and daily endeavors. Carolann Gregoire is an independently licensed social worker and holds a Masters degree in social work from the University of Kansas. Formative years in the 1960's influenced her inquisitive nature and passion for helping others. The impact of physical setting on agency clients steered her in the direction of Feng Shui and environmental wellness. The path to the Goddess began as child's play under a canopy of trees in the creek behind her house. Later, designing rituals for Sabbats, and life's essential passages rejuvenated this innate bond with Mother Nature. Her love affair with trees continues in Columbus, Ohio where she lives with her husband, Tom and dogs Oskar, and Pippin. The Wise Hazel Tree Rituals for Living in Season By Carolann Gregoire Balboa Press Copyright © 2018 Carolann Gregoire, MSW All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-982202-37-8 Contents Acknowledgments, vii, Author's Note, ix, Introduction, xi, All is Well in the Fall of the Leaves, xii, An Autumn Essay, xiii, September~ Celebrate Accomplishments, 1, October~ Honor the Dead, 13, November~ Express Gratitude for Life's Bounty, 28, All is Well in the Stillness of her Womb, 42, A Winter Essay, 43, December~ Trust the Sun's Return, 44, January~ Rest With the Soul, 61, February~ Welcome Your Bliss, 82, All is Well Under Spring's Enchantment, 100, A Spring Poem and Essay, 101, March~ Implant Ideas, 103, April~ Tend the Soil, 120, May~ Discover the Divine Feminine, 134, All Is Well in the Shade of the Tree, 154, A Summer Essay, 155, June~ Nurture New Life, 157, July~ Foster Growth, 176, August~ Prepare to Harvest, 191, Appendix, 205, Guide for Ritual Making, 206, Glossary, 211, Suggested Reading, 219, CHAPTER 1 September Celebrate Accomplishments September's Sensual Nature The first whiff of fall in early September fills our senses with all manner of things associated with school. Sometimes, the aromas are not always pleasant or appreciated. This could be because school signals the end of summer. Very few of us are ready to fall back into the daze of school. It's a shock to our collective system still accustomed to the carefree life of summer. We can empathize with parents and kids still in summer mode having to manage the frenzy of the first day back which arrives far too quickly. Like it or not though, there is nothing like the scent of school to ground a soul back in the pursuit of learning. The olfactory sense seems to work overtime inside educational walls. For grade-schoolers, pencil shavings and new crayons add to the new, shiny classroom smell. The power of the nose is not lost on parents. As we walk through the door we're hit with our own memories. The aroma of school disinfectant and floor polish conjures up our own set of recollections. For students, the taste of stadium hotdogs and brats will forever trigger the memory of infectious camaraderie and school spirit inspired by sporting events. The sounds of school are also explicit, beginning with the change in street sounds from the flash of skateboard wheels to the lumbering groan of a school bus full of kids. The noise of classroom doors slamming shut, the click of shoes down the stairs and the hushed reprimands of students out in the hall flow in and out of earshot. The commonplace noise of school becomes embedded shaping to some degree how we will respond later to similar sounds. Hopefully, the more pleasant sensual offerings will outweigh the painful ones, such as the drumming of marching bands. Happening upon a practice after school is an unexpected treat. Whatever we were doing or thinking stops as the compelling beat pulls us into the moment. For a brief time our own internal rhythm is thrillingly in sync with something outside of ourselves. The musical pulsing of drums awakens the sleeping artist within and wishful thoughts of joining the band arise. The weather is another influence on the feel of early September. The wind picks up blowing some of summer's heat away offering the crisp promise of cooler days to come. True to form, our day may begin with a morning walk in a