I grew up with the belief that the witching hour was at midnight - the point at which we enter a new day, according to our human notions of time.

There was always a sense of shiveriness* around midnight, because that was part of the teaching that came with the learned belief. As it was conveyed to me - albeit through implied rather than overt language - the witching hour was something to fear because witches were “bad” and perhaps even evil.

My child self was convinced and so appropriately fearful. My current self, not so much.

The truer witching hour

There is a magical time on the clock that occurs in the middle of the night, when a lot of people are - or would prefer to be - sleeping.

Many is the night that I wake up to see the time 3:33 and others in its vicinity (always between 3:00 and 3:33) on my bedside clock.

My guides led me to understand that those times are more in energetic alignment with what might be termed a “witching hour.” And what they mean by that is, an hour for witching; for making magic; for engaging with ancestors and other energies.

By the feel of that hour, I completely agree. Midnight feels positively sterile in comparison.

Practically speaking, though, that isn’t ideal. If you’re anything like me, too much activity around that time frame means we’re unlikely to go back to sleep. And that may very well mean we don’t have the rest we truly need to navigate the day coming.

Sometimes, however, it can’t be avoided. Even though I may stay in bed, the energy is such that magic-making, energy-working and ancestral engagement are in full swing in spite of my human self.

Does all the activity sometimes freak me out to some degree? Yup. It sure does, at times. Mostly, though, the energy expresses itself in a way that doesn’t trigger my ego’s fear reaction.

Another (more inclusive) name

Of course, this hour isn’t just for witches. It’s a misnomer, for sure. The way my guides refer to it is, “the celestial hour.” The reason for that is…

“We notice this hour is one in which the dream state engages with the higher self, which interacts with the soul and all that is. Here, then, we have the celestial nature as all and everything is of the stars.”

That makes sense to me. “Celestial hour” feels more universal which, by its very nature, is more inclusive.

Whatever we may call it, that hour is one filled with possibility and potential, and with opportunity for some serious upleveling work. Something to keep in mind the next time you wake up to find yourself in its thrall.

Blessed be.

*new word alert