Yule Ritual -2007



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Yule Ritual -2007

Laira

PREPARATION:

The Northern altar, covered with a green cloth, is adorned with evergreens such as pine, rosemary, bay, juniper and cedar. A Yule log candle is in the center, surrounded by smaller green candles.

The cauldron, placed in the center of the room, has a gold candle placed within it. Laira assigns Quarter Calls.

CLEANSING:

Participants leave the main room and are cleansed by white sage smoke.

After having been purified, participants go to the door of the main room. Carl is

stationed outside, he presents the challenge: “Let all those who desire

attendance receive the Blessing of the Mistletoe. Let none be here but of

their own free will. How do you enter?" (response: in perfect love and perfect trust)

MISTLETOE BLESSING: (as participants enter ritual space, Carl touches each

head with mistletoe.) and recites these instructions: “The darkness and cold is upon you in this midwinter season. Just as your ancestors, you have many fears. You will be protected in the cave. Do not be afraid but go forth. Meditate in silence on the significance of the season. When the time is right, all will

be made clear. Bright Blessings be with you on this longest night."

Participants enter main room and are seated on the floor around the cauldron.

Recorded chanting is heard as all are seated in the candle lit room.

CB and Laira read the following prelude from a location unseen by the group:

PRELUDE:

(adapted from a writing by Timothy Roderick,

Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar, 1998.)

Laira:

My Wise One, have you noticed that the light of the Sun has vanished little

by little? Now darkness and night hold us in their grasp.

CB:

Fear not, my Lady. This is a sign that we must prepare for one of the great

mystical hinges of the year. This tide of darkness marks a season of

celebration that our ancestors called Yule.

Laira:

Ah yes. It was long ago, when our guides and mentors in the ways of spirit,

would conjure at the sacred moss-clad stones, as the Sun was reborn from the

womb of night. These people of the art celebrated a midwinter festival that

we, their children, recreate in their memory. After their magics, the elders

gathered to tell stories of their own ancient teachers, who were seers

that lived long before any of us can remember. They were known to harvest

green sprigs of mistletoe from their barren sacred oak trees, in honor of the

season. How they must have seen that mistletoe as a spark of life, in the

midst of death!

CB:

As this tide approaches I see rivers and lakes freeze over. The trees are

frosted with snow. They lie dormant, while animals sleep and dream for

countless nights. Know that the season of Yule is the same tide of darkness

and rebirth as it was for our ancestors. Look out at the silent, still

world! It is from this ice and sleep that the glorious Sun, that quickens

the world once more, is reborn.

Laira:

And it is wise to learn from the Sun, my Lord. It teaches that even in the

darkest of life's circumstances there are always green sprigs of light and

hope, just like the mistletoe. The birth of light happens when you recognize

your own "sprigs" of potential and life at the center of darkness. Still,

many ask, "how do we recognize these?"

CB:

Then we must tell them, that even when a tree is dormant, or when an animal

takes on the winter sleep, it lives still. Though it may appear dead, it has

simply retreated from the world of visible activity for rejuvenation and renewal.

Laira:

Yes, we must help them to become as the sacred oak and move into their inner

core. They must journey within, to their spiritual center, where they too

can find a place of life's renewal, hope and rebirth.

CB:

They must tread the path of Yule and attune to the magic and power of the

season. Speak to them, my Lady. Show them the way.

Laira: (First Meditation)

All who lie in darkness, within the sound of my voice, breathe deeply and

close your eyes. Imagine that you have journeyed to an ancient oak grove

that stands tall in the stillness of winter. Snow covers the ground and the

bark of the tree appears black from the saturation of rainwater and snow.

Stand at the base of the tree and think of a situation in which you need

guidance. Imagine that you project this situation like a movie onto the trunk of the tree. Once the scene has finished and faded from the tree trunk, notice the sprig of mistletoe that has grown from the spot. A word is written on one of the leaves. This word is the key to the resolution of your situation. Once you have read it you may open your eyes. Use the message of the mistletoe to help you move into Action. And now the time has come to move from the darkness into the light. All stand and heed the words of The Lord.

(Lady Annabelle leaves the room.)

Main Body of the Ritual:

CB says, “The Space will now be cleansed.” Someone sweeps the ritual area with besom.

Laira raises her athame toward participants. "Be it known, The Circle is about to be cast. “

Three knocks are heard.

Lady Annabelle re-enters the room with a golden candle.

CB: "All rise. The Lady approaches."

Lady Annabelle: "In the Beginning, there was the Mother Goddess. She brought forth the

God who was the Sun and light of the world. From this, some say, all life

began."

CB: (chant, leading participants)

Higher as the fire climbs

other places, other times,

as we celebrate tonight

will be remembered in this rite. (refrain)

Laira: We come together on this night

to perform an ancient rite,

as our elders did before

throughout the world, in days of yore.

We look back now and look ahead.

We mourn because the Sun God's dead.

CB: (refrain above)

Laira: Through Winter's gauntlet we have come.

This longest night, we seek the Sun.

The Season's Wheel must turn again,

if all this darkness is to end.

And so we build the fires high

To guide the Light back to the sky.

CB: (refrain above)

Laira:

So now we come with hope, to bring

rejoicing for the Newborn King.

The Mother Goddess births Renewal.

With joyful hearts, we welcome Yule.

CAST CIRCLE:

Lairaa (with athame, 3 times around, deosil) "I cast this circle thrice about, a world within, a world without. In sacred space, we all invite. To welcome Yule, this

longest night."

CALLING THE QUARTERS:

Beginning in the East Quarter, and proceeding deosil, the quarters are called by participants.

INVOCATION AND CHARGE*:

CB and Laira:

The Lord and Lady we invite

To guard and guide us on this night.

CB:

Oh Mother, this we light for Thee.

May all your children blessed be! (CB lights Goddess candle on Norther altar.)

Laira:

Now we invoke the Lord of Light.

The Yule log will be blazing bright.

And with it every hope and fear

will be made right in this New Year. (Laira lights God candle on Norther altar.)

CB: All hail the Lord of Light!

THE DEATH AND REBIRTH OF THE SUN KING:

Lady Annabelle: "Children of the Lord and Lady. Have you noticed that the light of the

sun has vanished little by little. This is a sign that we must prepare.

Soon darkness and night will hold us in their grasp. This tide of darkness

marks the season of the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. The

Sun King has reached the end of His reign, and now bids us farewell."

(Laira hands CB a quartz crystal)

CB: "The God is the sun of the old year sinking now into darkness to His

rest. Stay not His path, for it is ordained as the Wheel turns to Winter.

But before He departs to sleep, He offers to perform one last service for

thee. If there is anything with which you have finished in this cycle, be it

emotions, habits or workings, give these to Him now, and He will take them to

the Summerland, there to be returned to the Cauldron of Rebirth. Let any who

have such, come forward now."

Laira: "Visualize the work or emotion, that which you are releasing. Hold

your hand over the crystal and will the energy of the thing into it."

Each participant does so in turn.

Laira: (when all are finished) "The Wheel turns, the year has flown. Rest now

my Lord in the dark of the night." (CB, holding the crystal, is covered with a black veil)

Bridget: "The sun is gone! The earth is cold! How will we survive this darkness?"

Lady Annabelle: "Did we not speak of resting, and of the Cauldron of

Rebirth?”

Airwyn: "But when will The Sun King awaken? How long must we wait?”

Lady Annabelle: "The Sun King will be reborn through the Goddess. Let us aid his

passage through her and back to the light by chanting."

All Chant:

The night is dark, the sun is gone,

Yet we know the Wheel turns on.

Through midnight's hour, solid dark

Within our hearts remains a spark. (3X)

(Lady Annabelle removes the veil.)

Lady Annabelle: "Welcome Lord. You who have died are now reborn. Lend us your light

and warmth through the winter months as we await the spring."

CB: "My thanks to you all for your care and devotion. To bring good

fortune to your hearths for the New Year, let us now light the Yule Log and

pass the flame to each of you. Once having burned with the Yule fire, the

candles will contain the luck of the log for you to take home. As you hold the light, visualize that which you wish to accomplish in the coming year. (CB lights Yule log. Uneva passes gold

candles to participants. CB lights a candle from the log, then lights

individual candles.)

All Sing:”Deck the Halls”

CB: "Though we must now extinguish these candles, carry their flame in your

hearts until you light them again in your own homes."

CAKES AND ALE: (Participants seated)

OPEN CIRCLE:

CB: "And now as the Sun returns to the sky, we have kept the faith with our

ancestors and it is time to open the Circle."

(Participants will dismiss Quarters as before)

Laira: "Lord of the Sun, Lady of Rebirth, we thank you for joining our Circle

on this longest night. We ask your Yule Tide Blessings. We have come

together in love and peace. Let us depart the same way. Remember, all there

is, is love and in every moment there is wisdom."

CB: "We have stood before the sacred Cauldron of Rebirth, knowing that one

day we too must pass through the Cauldron to be reborn. All honor to the

Lord and the Lady! Bright blessings of Yule be with you.”

Sing: “The Circle is open, but unbroken.”

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