Hi there, I've been a solitary, eclectic pagan for about 20 years, off & on. I have always felt the draw of the Goddess & have acknowledged Her even when I really wasn't practicing. I'm not Wiccan & I really don't strictly follow a Celtic or Asatru path. I'm not into a lot of New Age hoo-ha that has infiltrated Paganism. I'm currently reading into the 1734 Tradition & Clan of Tubal Cain. I read books on Traditional Witchcraft, the Occult, The Robert Cochrane Letters, Evan John Jones, Doreen Valiente, Robin Artisson, Peter Paddon. I'm on a few Yahoo groups devoted to these topics, as well as others. I tend to stay away Llewellyn books, as I tend to find them on the "Fluffy" side of things. I'm currently learning all about the lost art of Enchantment through gesture & Visceral Magick. I am also a student of Southern & Appalachian Conjure.
As you may see, I have taken down the Yule theme to my blog and put up a New Year's theme. I chose a blue theme, as a calming & refreshing way to come down after all the holiday craziness. I know that the Julian Calendar doesn't celebrate it til this upcoming weekend and we Pagans already had our New Year's with Samhain. I have a little montage of New Year's pix off to the upper right.
This is a busy time for me as well. First, there was Yule/Solstice, then came Christmas and now, next week I will be celebrating my birthday (as well as my son's father, too, the day after) School stars back on the 4th for my little guy. Busy, busy, busy!!
I managed to get my 2010 Witches Datebook (Llewellyn) and the Sabbats Almanac & the Witches Almanac (not published by Llewellyn) all before the New Year arrives. I just have to get out to the calendar kiosk in the mall to pick up the Witches Calendar & a mother's calendar for the kitchen. They're starting to go on sale, now that Christmas is done. They're even cheaper after Jan 1st, but the pickins are slim.
Well, that's about all that I have for now. I've been cleaning a lot around the house, since I was away last week for the holidays. I spent 4 lovely nights with my family and I am glad to be back home with my 2 kitties, who missed their mommy a lot.
I'm still on a high from last night's Yule Ritual & Feast that I attended. It was glorious!!! I got there about 20minutes before it began, sat with my friend, Heddy and her friend, Cathy, who was wearing sandalwood. I had some patchouli in my hair, so we smelled so good last night. That our little joke all night, about how we were the best smelling Pagans there.
We chatted until it was time for the ritual to begin. We all lined up to be cleansed by a sage smudge, so I even smelled better lol!! Cathy & I were the only 2 who shed our winter boots to go barefoot for the ritual. I think it makes the energy flow better when there's nothing between you & the floor. It was an indoor rite, as it is very cold now here in the Maritimes to go outside for a ritual, not as mild as it is over in the UK & Europe to do outdoor rituals.
The room was in total darkness as we joined hands & cast the circle. We chanted, called the quarters (Heddy welcomed the North) and chanted some more. The ritual itself was a beautiful one. It's been ages since I've participated in a group ritual for a Sabbat. The only other one was Samhain in '93 and I had no idea what I was doing when they asked me to call on the element of the West, but I digress.
There was about 30-40 who participated in the rit. There were a few children who got to light the Yule Log. We all got candles to welcome the coming sun as the days are going to be growing longer. The Wheel is definitely turning again.
Then, there was a huge feast after the ritual. We had roast turkey, tofurkey for the vegans, mash potatoes, corn, carrots, mixed veg, 2 kinds of stuffing and gravy. There was also hot apple cider to warm your insides...yummy. Just when you think you've had your fill, out come the desserts: pumpkin pies, cookies, a Yule Log cake, more sweets. I do have to thank my friend, Lisa, who slaved over a hot oven preparing this feast. She did an awesome job!!
I got to meet some more new friends, as well as those who I met at the Witches' Ball a month ago. We all sat around the table discussing issues important to Pagans, books we've read, music and how we should all go see "Avatar". I guess it's has a very Goddess-friendly view of things & an important message as well. I do plan on going to see it after hearing about it from one of the ladies at our table.
All in all, I had a wonderful time last night. I was so energized when I came home I had to ground some of that energy before going to bed, so I danced around my livingroom to Blackmore's Night. I tired myself out so much, I don't even remembering hitting the pillow.
Hey, I just wanted you to know that it's been a very busy Yule season so far in my household this year. Between looking for a job and raising my son, I haven't been on here as often as I would like.
An update to what's going on with me. I've been making Pomanders tonight. What are Pomanders, you ask?? They're a very fragrant smelling holiday thingie that I make each year. You take an orange and poke whole cloves in a pattern into the skin of the orange. I make about 9 of these (3x3x3) and place them in a basket in my livingroom. The combination of the orange & cloves is to die for!! They smell so yummy!! I would take pix, but the batteries are dead in my camera & I'm broke til Friday when I get my CCTB (that's a monthly cheque I receive in Canada for being a mom) to get more batteries.
(My son standing in front of the tree)
The tree is up & decorated, as well as my apt is getting more festive as the days go on. I set up a Yule log again this year, adorning it with gold & silver candles. It sits in the place of honour on my coffee table. Lights are eveywhere!! In the windows, around my entertainment center, the window between my diningroom & kitchen. It's so well lit, that would think the sun is out shining on these long cold nights.
(This was taken last Yule)
We had our 1st snowstorm the other night, but since I live near the ocean, we didn't get as much as I thought we would. But, never fear, there is a Nor'Easter on its way for tomorrow. I love winter & everything about it. I'm very lucky to live on the Atlantic coast of Canada.
There is a Yule dinner & ritual coming up on the 19th of this month that I am thinking about attending. It's a Potluck feast. I'm looking forward to going & celebrating the season with my fellow Pagans in Halifax. I hope I get to see some familiar faces that I met at the Witches' Ball last month.
So, that's an update from me. I thank everyone who follows my blogs & leaves me feedback & comments. Your words mean a lot to me. I've only been on this journey with the Goddess for 3 yrs & I've learned so much. I enjoy sharing with you all what I've learned. I am on Facebook if you want to add me: Rowan Silverstar
Yule is the time of year when Pagans and Wiccans celebrate the Winter Solstice. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, this will be on around December 21, but if you're below the Equator, your Yule celebration will fall in June. This Sabbat is considered the longest night of the year, and following Yule, the sun begins its long journey back to earth. Try some or even all of these ideas -- obviously, space may be a limiting factor for some, but use what calls to you most.
Colors of the Season:
Winter is here, and even if the snow hasn't fallen yet, there's a definite chill in the air. Use cold colors to decorate your altar, such as blues and silvers and whites. Also find ways to include thereds, whites and greens of the season. Evergreen boughs never go out of style, so add some dark greens as well. Cover your altar with a cloth in a cool color, and then add candles in a variety of different wintery shades. Use candles in silvers and golds -- and sparkle is always good too!
Symbols of Winter:
Yule is a Sabbat that reflects the return of the sun, so add solar symbols to your altar. Gold discs, yellow candles, anything bright and shiny can represent the sun. Some people even get a large pillar candle, inscribe it with solar symbols, and designate it as their sun candle. You can also add evergreen boughs, sprigs of holly, pinecones, aYule log, and even Santa Claus.Consider antlers or reindeer, along with other symbols of fertility.
Other Signs of the Season:
There's no limit to the number of things you can put on your Yule altar, as long as you've got the space. Consider some of these items as part of your Sabbat decor:
Many cultures have winter festivals that are in fact celebrations of light. In addition to Christmas, there's Hanukkah with its brightly lit menorahs, Kwanzaa candles, and any number of other holidays. The Pagan holiday called Yule takes place on the day of the winter solstice, around December 21. On that day (or close to it), an amazing thing happens in the sky. The earth's axis tilts away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere, and the sun reaches at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. As a festival of the Sun, the most important part of any Yule celebration is light -- candles, bonfires, and more.
Origins of Yule: In the Northern hemisphere, the winter solstice has been celebrated for millenia. The Norse peoples viewed it as a time for much feasting, merrymaking, and, if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed, a time of sacrifice as well. Traditional customs such as the Yule log, the decorated tree, and wassailing can all be traced back to Norse origins.
Celtic Celebrations of Winter:
The Celts of the British Isles celebrated midwinter as well. Although little is known about the specifics of what they did, many traditions persist. According to the writings of Pliny the Elder, this is the time of year in which Druid priests sacrificed a white bull and gathered mistletoe in celebration.
Roman Saturnalia:
Few cultures knew how to party like the Romans. Saturnalia was a festival of general merrymaking and debauchery held around the time of the winter solstice. This week-long party was held in honor of the god Saturn, and involved sacrifices, gift-giving, special privileges for slaves, and a lot of feasting. Although this holiday was partly about giving presents, more importantly, it was to honor an agricultural god.
Welcoming the Sun Through the Ages:
Four thousand years ago, the Ancient Egyptians took the time to celebrate the daily rebirth of Horus - the god of the Sun. As their culture flourished and spread throughout Mesopotamia, other civilizations decided to get in on the sun-welcoming action. They found that things went really well... until the weather got cooler, and crops began to die. Each year, this cycle of birth, death and rebirth took place, and they began to realize that every year after a period of cold and darkness, the Sun did indeed return.
Winter festivals were also common in Greece and Rome, as well as in the British Isles. When a new religion called Christianity popped up, the new hierarchy had trouble converting the Pagans, and as such, folks didn't want to give up their old holidays. Christian churches were built on old Pagan worship sites, and Pagan symbols were incorporated into the symbolism of Christianity. Within a few centuries, the Christians had everyone worshipping a new holiday celebrated on December 25.
In some traditions of Wicca and Paganism, the Yule celebration comes from the Celtic legend of the battle between the young Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King, representing the light of the new year, tries each year to usurp the old Holly King, who is the symbol of darkness. Re-enactment of the battle is popular in some Wiccan rituals.
At the Winter Solstice, we celebrate Children's Day to honour our children and to bring warmth, light and cheerfulness into the dark time of the year. Holidays such as this have their origin as "holy days". They are the way human beings mark the sacred times in the yearly cycle of life.
In the northern latitudes, midwinter's day has been an important time for celebration throughout the ages. On this shortest day of the year, the sun is at its lowest and weakest, a pivot point from which the light will grow stronger and brighter. This is the turning point of the year. The romans called it Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun.
The Roman midwinter holiday, Saturnalia, was both a gigantic fair and a festival of the home. Riotous merry-making took place, and the halls of houses were decked with boughs of laurel and evergreen trees. Lamps were kept burning to ward off the spirits of darkness. Schools were closed, the army rested, and no criminals were executed. Friends visited one another, bringing good-luck gifts of fruit, cakes, candles, dolls, jewellery, and incense. Temples were decorated with evergreens symbolizing life's continuity, and processions of people with masked or blackened faces and fantastic hats danced through the streets.
The custom of mummers visiting their neighbours in costume, which is still alive in Newfoundland, is descended from these masked processions.
Roman masters feasted with slaves, who were given the freedom to do and say what they liked (the medieval custom of all the inhabitants of the manor, including servants and lords alike, sitting down together for a great Christmas feast, came from this tradition). A Mock King was appointed to take charge of the revels (the Lord of Misrule of medieval Christmas festivities had his origin here).
In pagan Scandinavia the winter festival was the yule (or juul). Great yule logs were burned, and people drank mead around the bonfires listening to minstrel-poets singing ancient legends. It was believed that the yule log had the magical effect of helping the sun to shine more brightly.
Mistletoe, which was sacred because it mysteriously grew on the most sacred tree, the oak, was ceremoniously cut and a spray given to each family, to be hung in the doorways as good luck. The celtic Druids also regarded mistletoe as sacred. Druid priests cut it from the tree on which it grew with a golden sickle and handed it to the people, calling it All-Heal. To hang it over a doorway or in a room was to offer goodwill to visitors. Kissing under the mistletoe was a pledge of friendship. Mistletoe is still forbidden in most Christian churches because of its Pagan associations, but it has continued to have a special place in home celebrations.
In the third century various dates, from December to April, were celebrated by Christians as Christmas. January 6 was the most favoured day because it was thought to be Jesus' baptismal day (in the Greek Orthodox Church this continues to be the day to celebrate Christmas). Around 350, December 25 was adopted in Rome and gradually almost the entire Christian Church agreed to that date, which coincided with Winter Solstice, the Yule and the Saturnalia. The merry side of Saturnalia was adopted to the observance of Christmas. By 1100 Christmas was the peak celebration of the year for all of Europe. During the 16th century, under the influence of the Reformation, many of the old customs were suppressed and the Church forbade processions, colourful ceremonies, and plays.
In 1647 in England, Parliament passed a law abolishing Christmas altogether. When Charles II came to the throne, many of the customs were revived, but the feasting and merrymaking were now more worldly than religious.
Here in Nova Scotia outdoor coloured lights play an important part in the local celebration of the mid-winter season. With the day turning to darkness so early in the North, it is cheering to look out into the cold and dark at lights sparkling and glittering in the crisp air.
Our celebration of Children's Day is inspired not only by the pagan celebrations of mid-winter but arises also out of the Japanese holidays of Boy's Day and Doll's Day, which are two separate days in the spring, when boys and girls of a certain age are presented to the temple and honoured with special gifts. The Shambhala Children's Shrine is modeled after the display of ancestral dolls traditional in homes on Doll's Day.
Our sangha is our village, our clan, our family. Our children belong to all of us, and are bright reminders of the future of Buddhism. We celebrate them and the Great Eastern Sun together at the darkest time of the year, with open-hearth parties and cheerful festivities.
~~The Unconquered Sun first appeared as an article by Janet Shotwell in The Karma Dzong Banner (Vol III, No 11, December 1991, Halifax, Nova Scotia).
