Open everyday through Dec. 24th
Weekdays we are often open until late in the evening.
Barefoot on the Crooked Path: Yule
By Melinda McNutt, Seanchaidh
Yule or Winter Solstice: the shortest day/the longest night of the year usually arrives in our Northern Hemisphere December 21st or 22nd. Granny was clan matriarch; we’d gather around her hearth, light candles from the Yule log, feast, sing, tell stories and hold vigil for Great Mother as she labored through the darkness. On Bay leaves we would write things we wanted to let go and things we wanted to see grow. We’d toss them into the fire, freeing us things, thoughts and folks that cultivate the best of us. I would fall asleep at some point to be woken by Granny’s brass bell, she would lead us away from the warmth of her hearth out into the cold, dark of the forest. Candlelight shadows danced around us as we navigated the narrow trail, through the woods to the edge of the field where the sky kissed the horizon. We would find each other and comfort there, wrapped in handmade quilts and blankets. Aunties poured mugs of hot cocoa and told tales of our births, lest we forget the pain we caused our mothers and the unconditional love that binds us all.
We’d feel Great Mother’s womb rise and fall in rhythm with Uncle’s Bodhrán drum. We were her supporters, her cheerleaders… her doulas. Down to the beach, marching in time with the heartbeat of the drum….to the oceans edge. Candles in the sand, beyond the reach of the waves, in silence we’d stand until the first jingles of the tambourines released us. We’d spin, face the East, the drum would speed, the tambourines would flash, our voices would raise….a symphony of emotions, pain and promise! We’d continued until the light peeked through the trees.
The path back to Granny’s hearth, was easier to navigate in the dawn, still it was unfamiliar and parts of it made my stomach tingle with fear… for no reason other than it was unknown and new. Years later I discovered that Gran led us out into the darkness via one path and home to the hearth via another. It was done on purpose, to put us on a new path into the light and to leave the dark path behind.
It’s been a dark year in many ways and now more than ever, we must be the light in the darkness. We must find cause for laughter, love and joy despite the bitter sweetness of an unfamiliar hearth or the strange distance you feel in a “Zoom Room” holiday. Band together in the cold and dark, provide help, nourishment and shelter when you can. Learn to accept kindness from strangers and return it. Be the spirit of generosity when the climate is cruel and indifferent. Live in hope, in light and love.
Yule says, it’s not over even at the very moment when it appears to be. Carry the evergreen in your heart as you prepare to integrate the old with the new. Be the people of the returning light, knowing that however bad it gets, seeds wait in the soil beneath our feet; the promises of new growth and re-birth. We cannot be defeated unless we allow it. Let us take this season more deeply into us, as we will be needing Yule not only in December, but throughout the coming years. Never doubt that the light will return to you and yours.
My Granny set my bare feet on the Cooked Path and her teachings root my steps today. In my culture, the Seanchaidh (seanchas) or storytellers are regarded as the wise ones. In ancient times, it was the storytellers’ job to be the genealogical guardian to keep the memory of long-dead ancestors fresh. Their role is to know the tales, poems and history and to recite them. My Gran was a great Seanchaidh. I do not claim to be wise however, I am proud to be like her, a storyteller and I am honored to share time with you. Slán agus beannachtaí (goodbye and blessings)
Merry meet Christina the newest member of the Air and Fire team! She’s been in the local pagan community for over a decade but is originally from Virginia. Christina is a Massage Therapist at Wellness Within Body Therapy which is the business she built from the ground up. She loves working with stones and is at Air and Fire on Mondays!
FIND ALBERT THE ALBINO PEACOCK FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $100
The beloved albino peacock Albert is an inspiration to many and has become somewhat of a Boulder Creek mascot. Shop local and find the hidden albino peacock in participating businesses in downtown Boulder Creek for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to the BC business of your choice, courtesy of the BCBA. There will be a new winner each week now through the end of December. This fun game is being put on by the Boulder Creek Business Association to promote small businesses in town. We love it and thank them for this!
Uplifting Joy KitKit contains
1 Happy Potion
1 handcrafted natural soap
1 Air Candle
1 Success Magickal Oil
1 pocket stone to anchor and support the process
1 Large cotton pouch
Instructions
Through the end of December, you can purchase our soap at $8 each. In January they go up to $10 a bar. Extensive time, energy, and planning go into each batch along with high-quality ingredients that our customers love.
Happy Soap
It has a citrus spice smell and seems to be full of sunshine. We use essential oils of sweet orange, tangerine grapefruit and a touch of cinnamon. These essential oils are used to relieve stress & tension, increase energy, stimulate circulation, assist digestion and enhance moods. They help ward off depression, which is especially beneficial during the dark time of the year when there is less sunlight. Stamped with an image of the sun they are a perfect Solstice gift!
We make our Peppermint Soap just once a year around Winter Holidays. It has a smooth creamy texture and yummy smell. Bathe with it and float on a peppermint cloud. We use peppermint essential oil grown in the USA. It has a wide range of benefits, the smell is stimulating and can increase alertness, concentration, and focus.
The bay leaves are robustly aromatic and are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants making them beneficial in skin care. It acts as a natural astringent and helps to relieve stressed skin which can bring on wrinkles and acne. Bay leaf oil is anti-bacterial and anti-septic helping to control acne and it's a tonic for hair.
Patchouli Hemp Soap is back! You might think this is a hippie soap, it is... but there are a lot more benefits of use than one may realize.
Hemp seed oil is one of the world's richest sources of polyunsaturated fats, including the essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6) and GLA (gamma Linolenic acid), which make it an excellent natural emollient and moisturizer for the entire body. Use it on your hair instead of shampoo to clean, strengthen and stimulate hair growth.
It’s made with 7 ingredients of water, olive oil, coconut oil, beeswax, spirulina, and 2 kinds of sea kelps. The addition of sea kelp and spirulina contributes multiple nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants as well as texture to the soap.
We use essential oils from 11 different species of trees that lend both their aroma and energy to this unique blend. It Smells refreshing, green and woodsy with a deep grounding undertone. We fortified this particular batch with a generous dose of Hemp seed oil. The energy is masculine, nature and growth oriented. We've got a lot more to say about this soap, read about it from the link below.
We collect the St. John's Wort Flowers that grow wild in the Santa Cruz Mountains and bloom just once a year. We steep them for months making an infusion known to have many skin healing benefits. Magickally speaking, this is very auspicious soap. Read more about it from the link.
It is delightfully warming and highly fragrant. It almost smells like a warm kitchen mulling yummy goodness to drink in. It is made with: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamon & orange peel as well as essential oils of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and orange.
Our Lavender Soap has a soothing, calming effect and is especially nice before bedtime to prepare for dreamland and improve sleep. We use French Lavender and Lavendin essential oils in our formulation. These oils are well known for their relaxing, calming effects and can reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression.
This is made with the sacred white sage plant grown on Madre Grande Monestary. We have swirled activated charcoal into this batch which has boosted the action to purify and banish toxic energy while assisting the removal of impurities and toxins from the skin. Our soap is blessed and prepared with essential oils of lemongrass, sage and hyssop. Use for 7 days in a row to assist overcoming a block, jinx, or curse. Blessings on this work. Batch ready 12/10
We have a new array of crystal massage wands, facial massage rollers, and acupuncture Gua Sha Boards, as well as chakra healing sets. Some stone selections are jade, rose quartz, dragon's blood jasper, quartz, amethyst, obsidian, agate, unakite & howlite.
Fossil Otodus Obliques Shark Teeth from Morocco are approximately 45 - 60 millions years old. It is an extinct genus of the Mackerel shark that lived during the paleocene and Eocene epochs.
They call it "Resin on a stick", this handcrafted incense is high quality and long burning. Each stick burns approximately 2 hours and people the scents. Burn the whole stick or put out andy save the rest for later. Occasionally a stick may go out on it's own (they don't add chemicals to keep it burning) just relight and enjoy. Keep them out of the sun. This incense is well worth the price.
Beautiful stone and leather bond journals, perfect for that special someone who loves to write!
A pallet containing hundreds of new statues just arrived today and we will be getting them out on the floor this weekend. We have a delightful abundance of new fairies, dragons, gargoyles, skulls, creatures, Krampus, animal totems and Deity statues throughout the store. We just hand selected a large assortment of stunning new minerals specimens such as agate, amethyst bowls, fluorite, green moonstone, labradorite, rose quartz, elestial quartz, tiger's eye and more. The shop is very full right now so come in and have some fun looking around.
Tarot helps us look within ourselves to understand our emotions, the reasoning behind our words and conduct, and the source of our conflicts. ― Benebell Wen
So many beautiful tarot decks we have them layered from floor to shelves and more decks are on their way.
Mother, wife, warrior, witch―the divine feminine figure has multiple voices and forms. Each goddess represents an aspect of woman, nature, and the Divine. Use this exquisite deck to seek out the wisdom of Goddesses from mythologies around the world.
Journey into the vast and fascinating world of this unique tarot as it reflects the beauty and power of the great wheel of life. Featuring round cards populated by fairy-like creatures of earth, air, fire, and water, the Circle of Life Tarot Deck offers an unconstrained approach to reading.
With Ask an Angel Oracle Cards you can meet and commune with a host of safe and welcoming guides for higher insight, practical direction, and loving counsel. This lovely deck invites you into a peaceful space of love and light through the celestial artwork of Toni Carmine Salerno. The guidebook includes instruction on how to use the cards, information on twenty-eight angels and visionary card interpretations so you can receive spiritually conscious answers from your heavenly messengers.
Llewellyn's 2021 Magical Almanac: Practical Magic for Everyday Living
For more than twenty-five years, this almanac has provided useful spells, rituals, and ideas that inspire all levels of practitioners to improve their connection to the elements. This year's edition features dozens of compelling articles, grouped by the element, on mythology and symbolism in art, tantric kundalini magic, home protection, color magic, vision board magic, shamanic cleansings, weather magic, the magic of touch, and much more.
With more than two dozen enlightening and inspiring articles that explore modern Witchcraft topics and magical techniques, Llewellyn's 2021 Witches' Companion is a must-have for today's practitioners. This collection presents some of the finest writers and compelling subjects that will empower your life and improve your community.
Services are offered in-person, by phone or on a virtual platform.
Book your appointment today.
Tarot Readings and Spiritual Consultations with Emelia
Readings are available by appointment over the phone or 1 person in the "Reading Room" at the shop. Tarot readings with spiritual consultation are offered by Emelia, an intuitive Spiritist, and Priestess in the Anderson Feri Tradition of Witchcraft. She has been studying the tarot for nearly twenty-five years and reading professionally for eighteen years. Prior to reading at Air and Fire, she was a Spiritual Consultant at Botanica Caridad Del Cobre, in Alameda. Her readings are empowering and involve intuitive tarot card analysis with spiritual guidance. Her reading style is based on a fusion of Western Magickal Tradition & Ancestral Spiritist practice.
May include aura strengthening, crystal healing, chakra balancing, and energy clearing.
Benefits of Reiki:
*Reduces stress
*Promotes meditative states
*Brings personal awareness
*Enhances spiritual connection
*Supports natural self-healing
*Balances energies in the body
*Eases pain and discomfort
*Adapts to the needs of the recipient
Call to schedule an appointment.
Hypnotherapy sessions for breaking habits, spiritual reclaiming, positive body image, inner child, past life and regression work. Services can be done via telephone or face to face using web video conferencing.
Barefoot on the Crooked Path: Yule 
