Chapter V Astro-nutrition series: Capricorn Season & the Wintering-Self ~ Into the house of Crone & Bone ❆ (recipe enclosed)
Capricorn season arrives with the weight of winter in her bones. In the way an old folktale may begin ~with a forest, a chill wind, and a path that winds deeper & narrower the farther you go.. The trees stand high above as wise witnesses, whilst sleeping stones hold the form of your treading foot ~ Snow is muffling everything except your own breath..you look around.. noticing that this is the threshold where the world begins to feel older, stranger, and far more honest.
Welcome to another chapter in this series. Having arrived at the Winter Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest night has gently given way to new light once more. Let us not move in quick haste..we are at the mid-winter point, still & deep within the woods of frost and starlight. A place of quiet dreaming. Of quiet listening. Of quiet surrender.
A quick reminder before we continue: this is symbolic guidance, not replacement for medical advice. You know your own body & life circumstances, I don't. so please do your own research & ignite your own magick alongside what I'm sharing, check in with yourself, take what resonates, leave the rest. <3
Capricorn is ruled by the planet Saturn, known as the lord of karma & the keeper of time, structure, endurance ~thresholds. This is the place in the zodiac where life on the outside slows & contracts. Whilst on the inside, whispers of ambitious adventure & strength of integrity grow.
Here we come to meet the architecture of the body itself. Our bones, joints, teeth, skin, connective tissue, all the frameworks that hold us upright, carrying our weight, and that which endures long after softer things have passed.
There is also a strong affinity with the Gallbladder in this sign. This small bile producing organ gives purpose & power to the assimilation & absorption of our sacred food, most notably ~ the processing of fats ~ this substance of thick, globular-biological origin that often gets a bad wrap (rightly so in some cases) But fat is much more necessary that we are led to believe.. fat stores energy, strengthening our life force and keeps us satiated and warm in times of need.
This is a season of strengthening what must last. Of learning what truly supports us when the landscape turns sparse and the nights grow long. Capricorn teaches us how to winter well ~how to conserve energy, fortify our foundations, and tend the deep structures that allow us to keep going when we need to..
“ The Sea-Goat represents absolute mastery of the material plane. It can climb the highest mountain, swim the widest ocean, dive to the bottom of the deepest sea. Nothing can stop it. Once Capricorn sets an intention, it either fulfils it or dies in the process of trying.” —Excerpt From The Book of Earth, by Steven Forrest
That said, Saturn knows that cooking up lasting transformation takes time, structure, a solid plan, discipline, and yes, a shed load MORE thyme.
Venturing up mountain is no small feat. Without proper multi-dimentional nutrition, eventually we will meet terrain that will bring us to our knees.
Saturn gives us the ability 'to do what we do not feel like doing' when the need calls for it.
One example is truly and deeply knowing when it's time to REST & regenerate our multi-dimensional selves.
Physically
Emotionally
Mentally
Spiritually
Capricorn is Discernment. Integrity. Maturity. Resilience. Purposeful Action. Loyalty. Legacy.
Saturn is Discipline. Determination. Obstacles that make us stronger. Challenges to overcome. Karma & Time.
Saturn wants to know: do you have the foundation in place? what’s the actual structure that may be needed here? how are we building something that is sustainably lasting?
In myth and instinct alike, this is Bear time.
The great body retreats inward, entering the dark den of earth to repair, metabolise, and dream itself whole again.
The Bear knows that survival is not forged through constant motion, but through restraint, nourishment, and deep rest.
Saturn may understand this language intimately on some level being on the same axis with Cancer, the sign ruled by our great mother, The Moon. She knows all about transitioning, from showing face ~ to retreating into the dark night as healing time.
Astro- tip: We can look to the opposite sign on the axis to retrieve clues and insights about the other. We can't know the fullness of one without the other.
I've been delving deeper into old folktales and symbolic characters of late, this season somehow calls for it.. and there's one I'd love to introduce you to, maybe you've heard of her, maybe you've even met before..
She dwells somewhere at the edge of the forest, where frost silences the ground and the path grows thin. There stands a wandering hut & the home of slavic Elder, Baba Yaga ~ perched on bony chicken legs, her hut turns slowly... listening intently..
To me, Baba Yaga is a crone of Capricorn: uncompromising, ancient, and exacting. She feeds us not what we crave, but what will strengthen us.
Bone-deep nourishment.
Hard truths.
Slow medicine like roots pulled fresh from frozen ground: bitter, necessary, fortifying ~ dished up with a questionable wink that devours us whole.
Capricorn season asks us to return to our ancient & wise elders~ to our inner crone & marrow rich bones.
To the mountain within & without. To the architecture inside us where resilience is built quietly amongst the resistance that may appear along our path.
This is nourishment for slow fortified endurance.
Food for structure & most importantly, survival.
Medicine for the long winter ~ in body, and soul.
Imagine a small cabin set deep within a snow-filled landscape. Its shutters clatter softly, beckoning you closer as the harsh, biting wind cuts against your face. Peering past your own reflection and the steam of your own breath, you catch a glimpse of an altar of antler and flesh...
Roots hang in drying bundles beneath stone eaves, and the hut glows amber against the blue-black night. A low, ancient groan hums beneath it all.
Something stirs and prickles, deep within your blood and Gall'
Ancient as frost, sharp as flint, wise in the ways that terrify and liberate.
Baba Yaga is not known as a woman of soft nourishment in the light of summer, but the deep, unforgiving mid-winter-kind: dense, mineral-rich, bone-building, boundary-forging..
She will consume you like warm soup if you don't have your wits about you.
She is not about comfort,
but soulful initiation.
Will you step inside her lair, willingly?!
Will you adhere to her requests in exchange for her wisdom?
A cup of contemplations to sip on whilst cooking:
➵ Where in your life are you standing at the edge of the forest, at a doorway or threshold unsure whether to knock or turn back? What part of you knows the cost of entering, and what part knows the cost of staying outside, on the edge?
➵ Recall a time when something stripped you to the marrow ~ a season that felt unforgiving, but ultimately formative. What did it build in you that comfort never could?
➵ If you were to step into Baba Yaga’s hut today, what would be your offering to her? What would you leave behind with your shoes at the door?
Enter The Crone's Kitchen:
You make your decision..& the door creeks open, you've found this place not by searching, but by slowing down enough to notice the way in has been there all along.
The air is cold and resinous, carrying the scent of earth, smoke, and dried roots.
Clay jars line rough wooden shelves, their lids sealed with wax and ancient time.
Bundles of evergreens & bitter herbs hang from the rafters, shadows stretching long in the low light. Somewhere, a pot murmurs quietly, broth thick with the spell of roasted bones and perseverance, fed just enough flame to keep it alive & simmering through the dark night.
This is the Crone of Capricorn’s kitchen.
Nothing here is rushed.
Nothing is wasted.
Everything has a reason for being kept.
The work is slow, deliberate: peeling roots, skimming fat, grinding seeds, stirring until the body remembers how to soften again.
Bear medicine moves through the space, the knowing of when to gather, when to store, when to rest.
Food here is heavy, mineral-rich, warming without excess. It sinks into the bones, oils the joints, moistens dry skin, steadies the heart. It teaches the body how to endure, how to hold structure without becoming brittle.
In the Crone's kitchen, nourishment is not indulgence.
It is a deep devotion.
It is a prayer to time beyond
A quiet tending of what must last through the dark, so that when the earth turns once more toward light, there is something strong and alive conjuring beneath the bright blanketed earth.
“Each planet represents a particular set of needs. To experience basic well-being, all of those needs must be met, at least to some degree.
The Book of Earth: Making It Real (The Elements Series 2) —Steven Forrest
MORE ON FATS::
Inspired by the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, I often return to the role of good fats as a kind of ancestral nourishment ~ a foundational ingredient in my cooking especially through the winter months.
Traditional fats such as extra virgin olive oil, butter, ghee, tallow, lard, bone broth, egg yolks, nuts, seeds, and oily fish provide not only concentrated energy, but the very building blocks of our hormones, nervous system, and cell membranes.
In colder seasons, when the body naturally seeks warmth, rest, and repair, adequate fat intake helps stabilize blood sugar, support immunity, carry fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), and keep us deeply satiated. These fats are not excess ~ they are insulation, protection, and stored sunlight, echoing the wisdom of our ancestors who instinctively leaned into richness when the days grew dark.
In traditional systems, this process supports essence-building ~ the deep reserves of vitality that govern immunity, fertility, resilience, and longevity. Fat nourishes the nervous system, moistens dryness, grounds scattered energy, and anchors us into the body, especially during winter when the body naturally turns inward to restore. It supports emotional steadiness, and the capacity to feel safe enough to rest, repair, and digest life fully.
On a subtler level, fats help us receive ~ not just food, but experience. They slow us down, soften sharp edges, and allow nourishment to penetrate beyond the surface. In this way, fat is not excess, but medicine for containment: holding warmth, memory, and strength so that the body can trust the season it is in.
Seasonal pantry essentials:
~ extra virgin olive oil
~ butter/ghee
~ tallow/lard
~ bone broth
~ egg yolks
~ nuts/seeds
~ oily fish
A SPELL FOR THE WINTERING SELF:
A simple bowl to invoke strength & warmth: Squash & Honey Porridge with Grounded Spices.
A soft, comforting bowl for mornings that feel heavy or evenings that ask for gentleness.
Essence:
This sweet offering brings moisture to dry tissues, steadies blood sugar, and feels quietly indulgent without excess.
Ingredients:
- Warm cereals (organic oats, millet)
- Roasted or steamed winter squash or sweet potato (mashed)
- A big spoon of butter/ghee or EV coconut oil
- A drizzle of raw honey or maple
- Pinch of cinnamon, ginger & dandelion root powder if you have it
- Optional: ground flaxseed or pumpkin seeds
- Optional infusion on the side: marshmallow root/liquorice root/dandelion root
Method:
Cook grains slowly in water, leftover herbal infusion or diluted milk of choice until soft and creamy. Stir through mashed squash, butter, spices, and honey. Keep the heat low. This wants patience, not boiling.
Stir clockwise, speaking: “I gather what I need to rest well.”
Serve warm, & top with roasted seeds if desired.
How to eat:
When you need to feel held. Especially good after fasting, travel, or emotional depletion.
(Don't worry if you don't have certain herbs to hand, this is only guidance.. Get creative with what you have available in your own pantry and conjure your own bowl of warmth & gentle sweetness)
Alas, it’s Yuletide!
& I wish you the warmest season’s greetings & a festive "cheers" from my winter kitchen to yours~
May light and dark walk with you in exactly the ways you need to continue evolving along the spiral of life. May we know our privileges and share from them. May we awaken to our deepest dreamings, and remain open to receiving the gifts of this time ~whether they arrive neatly wrapped or not. And may we slow down enough to notice the blessings that meet us, in all their shapes, sizes, and unexpected forms.
with love & blessings from this snowy nook to yours ~A bendith, Be well.
Gx
