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In the cold dark month of December, the winter solstice brings with it the celebration of Yule, an ancient tradition. For those who practice or take an interest in the pagan and wiccan spiritual paths, this holiday, or sabbat, offers a rich array of themes and ideas to reflect upon. Let's learn a little about Yule and the ways to celebrate it.
Yule is the first sabbat after Samhain, which falls in October and is considered the witch's new year. The pagan "Wheel of the Year" includes eight sabbats overall, spaced evenly throughout the twelve months. The four minor sabbats correspond with the equinoxes and solstices. Yule, being the winter solstice and thus the shortest day of the year, brings the promise of increasing light and warmth from this point forward. Thus, it has always been celebrated as a time to rejoice. The date it falls on varies a little from year to year. It's on or around December 21st in the Northern Hemisphere, and around June 21st in the Southern Hemisphere.
As we can tell from the other types of religious celebrations that occur during this time of year, the focus is on light. Our ancient ancestors used this time to honor what they considered to be the sun's rebirth. People paid homage by lighting bonfires in fields. Also, evergreen boughs were laid in baskets. The evergreen tree is a symbol of life, since it retains its leaves even throughout the winter months. The tradition of hanging mistletoe during this time goes back to the Druids of Celtic culture. They believed that mistletoe was the seed of the Divine since it has no roots; it was considered a sacred plant from the sun. The Druids of the ancient British Isles would carefully harvest mistletoe deep within the woods.
Symbolically, Yule is when the Oak King, representing the light half of the year, defeats the Holly King. The entire Wheel of the Year is a symbol for the back and forth struggle between light and dark, warmth and cold. One of the main representations of this is the eternal battle between the Oak King and Holly King figures. Some traditions view the Oak King and Holly King to be dual representations of the Great God, the overarching male archetypal deity. In fact, the Holly King may well be a forerunner of Santa Claus. The Oak King equates more with the green fertility god of spring.
Yule's colors are white (representing light), gold (sun, prosperity), green (life), and red (passion, the promise of new life). Use these colors to decorate your altar or any other space that holds significance for you. Furthermore, icicles, bowls of snow, or even clear quartz representing ice are appropriate for adorning your sacred spaces. Of course, evergreen wreaths and boughs are a wonderful decoration, as well as baskets of fruit (some people like to stud the fruit with cloves).
Common incenses during the Yule time include cedar, bayberry, cinnamon and pine.
Common herbs are laurel, blessed thistle, evergreen, bayberry, frankincense holly, mistletoe, oak, pine, yellow cedar, and sage.
Common stones to use around Yule are jet, clear quartz, ruby, diamond, alexandrite, garnet, kunzite, blue topaz, citrine, green tourmaline.
The spells of this time focus on harmony, peace, joy and universal love.
Yule is a time for introspection. You may feel moved to take walks in the quiet of the snow, or burn a log and calmly gaze at, listening for the whisperings of your inner wisdom. You can certainly decorate a holiday tree in your home if you so choose, blessing ornaments with different intentions, and even making your own ornaments.
In the Yule season, the earth and it's path around the sun are in a period of re-setting. You too can use this as a time to rest, regroup and recharge. It's also a time to feast and enjoy friends, family, and the domestic comforts, which most people naturally gravitate towards. Enjoy the magic of this darker and quieter time on earth. Reflect on the lessons you've recently learned and things experienced, enjoy the pause it affords with loved ones, and prepare for where life will take you next as the more active part of the year approaches.
Dylan Greenley has been studying and practicing pagan spirituality for several years, with an emphasis on Celtic traditions. He wants to disseminate solid information on the subject and hopes you have enjoyed this article and perhaps learned something new!
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