Your retreat journal is here for the 12 omen days
Your winter talisman retreat for the 12 omen days to download and enjoy
Thank you so much to
from the beautiful wild soul collective for her permission to use this photo.Hello and welcome to the Winter Talisman retreat journal
This is your chance to sink into winter magic.
Everything you need is in this post as I don't want to clutter up your inboxes. I suggest you download the retreat journal and print the pages you need. All led rituals and meditations are below and I hope can be downloaded too.
If you're on email you may not be able to see everything I've written here and may need to download the app.
How to do the Winter Talisman retreat
The 12 omen days between the 26th December and the 6th of January are “days out of time” as they were added onto the end of the calendar year to align with the solar year. Because these days are liminal, it is said we will receive messages and signs from our environment more easily.
How to follow the omen days
Each day you will try and connect with one sign or message. Don’t overthink it and trust yourself. On the 26th of December you’ll connect with an omen or sign to represent January. On the 27th the omen will represent February and so on until you reach December. In the omen days tradition each omen was meant to be a prediction of a theme for the future months to come. However, I like to think of the theme of each omen as a creative muse for the month rather than an exact prediction.
How to use the retreat journal
The retreat journal has 12 days of tarot inside. I have drawn 12 cards from the Wild Unknown Tarot, one for each day. Each card brings a message about how to become more intuitive.
You only need to read one day at a time.
For each day there is also a journal page which you can either print out or use to guide your writing each day.
By the end of the 12 days you'll have 12 meaningful signs to take you through the whole year. If you start late don’t worry. As long as you assign a day to a month for the following year it is fine but this will go behind the paywall on the 13th January.
My main message to you is to stay playful.
What do you mean by receiving messages and signs?
To receive a message or a sign from your environment is a moment when something in your surroundings represents something deeper to you than its usual everyday meaning.
The world is alive with meaning. Sometimes the breeze in the trees wakes you up to a message about your own freedom. Perhaps a robin in your garden reminds you of a dear friend. There is no logic to it. All you have to do is be open and write it down. Stay with what feels good and loving.
How do I find signs?
Signs can be found most commonly in nature. However, I have found over the years that you find meaning in the most unexpected of places. In song lyrics, films, books, podcasts, at bus stops or even (or in my case especially) at the check out in a supermarket. Don’t limit yourself to where you’ll feel more in touch with a deeper current of connection to the world. Maybe even at the bottom of your coffee cup.
Tips
Hawk astrology says to choose an exact time of day to receive the sign and a subscriber at
said her practice was to open the door in the morning and look outside. This became her time to receive signs.It's your choice. I'm going to use my daily walk as the time to receive signs.
Download your retreat journal here
Here is your booklet with 12 days of tarot guidance, your journal to fill in each day, a poem, a flower oracle, a meditation on mugwort and 3 tarot spreads.
A playlist for the 12 omen days
I have created a playlist with a magical folk mood to enliven you through the omen days. Listen on your winter walks. Only available with Spotify.
Opening Ritual
Before you start, here is a short and sweet ritual to help you connect with your intentions for 12 days. Here you'll get to know my voice and connect with me a little.
A grounding meditation for each day
A short led meditation on the body with an introduction. Meditation starts at around 2 minutes. I suggest starting your day with meditation as this supports a more intuitive mind.
A closing ritual for the end of the 12 days
A way to close the 12 days and reflect on how you might bring what you have learned into 2025.
A yoga Nidra by Lauren Barber
from the publication ‘Held’ has kindly given permission to use this yoga nidra which is usually for paid subscribers only. Yoga Nidra helps you relax deeply which in turn helps open your ability to be in connection with the world.You can access this Here
Further creative activities for the omen days
I love this oracle collage idea from
Or, an idea I borrowed from
is to make a word cloud from all the words in your journal over the omen days. There are many free apps to help you do this.Gratitude
Huge gratitude to all the women who have contributed to the Winter Talisman
for her poem, for her meditation on Mugwort, for her flower oracle which fits our theme perfectly, for her Romjul prompts which you can discover more about over on her publication and for inspiration for a tarot card spread.All of this can be found in your retreat journal.
Also thanks to
who introduced me to this practice and Hawk Grubb from Hawk Astrology.Wishing you creative play and magic.
If you wish to share anything over the 12 days please do. I'll be checking in here.
If you would like to become a paid subscriber I aim my writing at women in midlife who are looking for ways to stay in touch with their own creativity and magic through this transitional time with tarot.
Merry Christmas and happy new year
Claire Amritavani Brown
Thanks so much for including my mugwort meditation! 💚🙏🏻✨ this is a scrumptious thing you’re offering!
So grateful to be in community doing this practice this year 🙏🏻💞