As a tree connected with the goddess Brighid, birch reminds us to be courageous as new opportunities present themselves. Birch is also a tree of thresholds, and traditional birch besoms were once used to sweep away the old year. This spell is designed to guide you to sweep away old ways of thinking, fear, and negative self-reflection and to help open you up to new opportunities. You will need a charcoal tab, a heat safe container, some ground birch bark, and a besom or broom.

On a table, light the charcoal tab in the heat-safe container and drop ground birch bark onto it to release its smoke. When ready, pick up your broom and work in a clockwise circle around the table with a sweeping motion. As you do so, say something like this:

I call upon the spirit of the birch to sweep away the old, and the power of courage to make me bold. As I do this, new opportunities will open for me. I as will it, so mote it be