The 8th Day of Yuletide

Skadi, Bells, and a recipe for Chai Warming Elixir

My google search for the artist has not yielded fruit. If you have their name, please let me know.

Skadi

An earth goddess of the Vanir, she is the goddess of the hunt, winter, and mountains. She is a warrior goddess said to have brought the skill of archery to her people.

Skadi is a jotun and is often pictured wearing skis.

On a personal note, I’ve been leaning into a space where I have the time and breath to work intentionally with Skadi. Recently I dreamed of her and of wolves. The next day, sharing the dream with my therapist, she told me she had had almost the same dream.

Skadi, it seems, is open and waiting to be invited in now. Not the most famous of Norse goddesses but one of the most sovereign and powerful. I look forward to spending more time with her in my personal practice.

Bells

I think of bells at this time of year as a sound that rings out long and clear in the cold winter air. A type of sound healing that is shared with anyone who the vibrations move through.

Bells, maybe more appropriately spoken about on New Year’s Eve, are strongly associated with ringing out the ‘Old’ and ringing in the ‘New’. The Old and New Years, in this case.

In the Middle Ages bells were used to call people together and to communicate between church parishes. There is a suggestion of an old belief that ringing the bells would protect people from evil spirits. As an Energetic Clearing Practitioner who works with bells, I would say that this is accurate as to how it works, whether the roots of the belief are myth or reality.

It’s hard to imagine the winter holidays without bells everywhere, on the harnesses of the Reindeer from the North Pole and in the towers of churches all over the world.

The silvery sound of bells has become part of this season.

Chai Warming Elixir

Given that Skadi may lead us out into the cold, wild weather, I offer you a wonderful warming remedy that can be used to warm you up once, or to warm you overall if you tend to run cold, or live in a very cold climate and need some help with feeling warm.

Please do adjust quantities up or down to suit your needs.

1/4 c cloves
1/4 c star anise
1/4 c crushed cinnamon sticks
1/4 c grated, fresh ginger root or 1/8 c grated, dried ginger root
1/4 c cardamom pods
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
place all into a saucepan and cover by about 1” with fresh water, bring to a simmer, simmer until liquid is reduced to just 1/4 inch over the top of the herbs. Sit aside to cool.
Place all into a quart jar, cover with vodka or brandy, or other 40 proof or better booze of your choosing and allow to steep from the new moon until the full (or two -six weeks if you don’t work with the moon cycles). Decant by straining through a wire mesh strainer. Line it with muslin or cheesecloth if you’re super-picky about sediment. Mix with honey—about 1/3 honey to 2/3 tincture.
Take this by the spoonful as medicine for cold, or enjoy as a cordial over ice or with hot chocolate or coffee. The chai taste is delicious, warming, soothing, and beautiful. Mine typically comes out with a reddish tint thanks to the cinnamon sticks.