Killing Frost

The Killing Frost is the first life-ending freezing of the season due to frost. It clinches the deal on autumn and ushers in the energy of winter. Green foliage gives way to white tipped death.

Death however, like crystalline frost, is pure power. It is not the gentle comma of fall, but the abrupt period at the end of a seasonal sentence.

In Alaska, we are given a heads up that this is coming in that we can see it a long way off. We have ‘Termination Dust’, that is, the first visible fresh snowfall on the mountainsides. We see this begin at the top of the mountain, and hold fast as it silently strides down the mountain toward sea level. When the termination dust settles upon the elevation that we each live, winter has come to us. And, like the finality of death, there’s no turning back from the stillness of winter.

I mention these terms because they have magickal significance to offer. Just as a first kiss and first sexual coupling are energetically powerful, so are first frost and first snow.

Killing frost and termination dust are literally the kiss of death. They come quietly like thieves in the night and take the last of the living with them. As they settle in and we wake, we register a new purity, an energetic cleansing. We can literally smell the change in the air and notice that the slate has once again been swept clean. We are at ground zero, and neat enough, this usually occurs in our area around Samhain, so it’s doubly potent for us here on the Kenai Peninsula.

I mention these things because in the autumn we pagans begin downshifting toward our season of introspection. While we may or may not realize the specific things or ideas in our lives that need to be called, we best be thoughtful and heed the strength of the Killing Frost.

The waters from the first frost and first snow are very, very powerful. They are dark moon in their core. The inherent energies of the element of water stand on their own, but when changing phases and seasons they seem to shift octaves. When we take this souped-up water element and bring it together with our magickal intent combined & our own spiritual energy, incredible results will occur. They literally have to.

So, heed this witch tip- collect the frost from the killing frost. Scrape it into a sterile jar and drop a smidge of alcohol in it to preserve it (ice vodka anyone?). Killing frost is technically any frost which kills, so I’d guess that collecting all of your first frosts up to the point when all seasonal greenery is fully dead as a direct result of them would work as well, but the first is the most potent by far. Grab as much as you can because you won’t be able to collect another batch of for another year. As you can imagine, Killing Frost is more difficult to collect in abundance than Termination Dust, so be set up beforehand.

 

To grab Termination Dust collect up the first snow as it first begins snowing. Be mindful that snow will melt to @ 20% it’s original volume roughly, so you’ll need five jars worth of snow to make a jar of snow water. Use these sacred and ultra strength fresh waters in spellwork which deals with endings. Not all Killing Frost or Termination Dust occurs on a dark moon of course, so you’d do good to notice the moon phase that you collected these within..as that is what you’re waters are also inherently attuned to as well. The first of the first snow is Termination Dust, and the rest of the new snow has a tinge of new moon/beginnings energies to them, so best to bear that in mind. (New snow could similarly be collected for new beginnings..)

These waters are guaranteed for one year & are automatically great for any dark moon magick. They can be incorporated into any working which aims to end habits, circumstances, or even bind someone.

Happy Reeving,

       Peninsula Pagan