Yule

First thoughts on Yule; Winter Solstice, the Return of the Sun

Diagram show the Sun in relation to the Earth at the Equinxos and Solstices.

Yule is a Fire Festival and a Lesser Sabbat which occur at the solstices and equinoxes (Greater Sabbats are connected with the agriculture, the earth, seasons and high energy) Yule is celebrated during the Winter Solstice between 20^th-23^rdDecember in the northern hemisphere. The Solstice is a still, pivotal point of the Sun; at Winter this means the shortest day and longest night. The Sun movies from Sagittarius (mutable fire) to Capricorn (cardinal earth).

The origins of the word Yule are thought to be from various origins; Old English geõla, Old Norse jõl, and Anglo-Saxon Iul meaning wheel (turning of the year) the latter two being used for the time of the Winter Solstice. Another name isAlban Arthan meaning Light of Arthur/Bear.

People celebrating the return of the sun by the sea at the winter solstice.

Ancient peoples who were hunters could not hunt at this time of the year, meat animals were scare, there was little sun light and the weather often prevented going outside at all. Would there be enough food to last the winter and would this time ever end they wondered. Then miraculously the sun began to return, slowly at first, but gave hope of the promise of the spring and summer to come. They knew however bad the next few months were, life would continue.

Mid Winter Solstice Sunset at Stonehenge

Where is the still point in your life? How will you celebrate the return of something in your life whether it is a person, a change, a plan, good health etc? What supplies do you have to sustain you through the winter and where are they stored? What darkness can you leave behind as you face the coming light?

Second thoughts on Yule: the Gods and Goddesses

Yule is the seed time of year, when the Goddess once more becomes the Great Mother, again giving birth to the Sun God, who died at the Harvest and journeyed to the Underworld to await his rebirth. From the longest night comes the new spark of life and hope, the Sacred Fire, the Light of the World.

‘Hope grows with the days, so celebrate’.

Also, it marks the vanquishing of the Holly King, God of the winter/waning year, by the Oak King, God of the summer/waxing year. Although some people see the Kings exchanging their rule at the Equinoxes (Ostara and Mabon).

Father Christmas on his Sleigh with Gifts and pulled by his Reindeer.

Nowadays for some, Father Christmas has taken the place of the Holly King, his Sleigh the solar chariot, the eight Reindeer representing the eight Sabbats, their Horns represent the Horned God/Goddess, the North Pole symbolises the Land of Shadows and the dying solar year and the Gifts are to welcome the Oak King and as a parting gift from the Holly King.

As the dark days begin to recede, and the light begins to return, what are you creating now to release later in the year? Are you a winter Holly King or an Oak Summer King? What gifts can you offer to yourself, others, the environment, the world in general?

Third thoughts on Yule: Things to Do

Bake a Yule Log Cake
Be generous, give to Charity
Bring in a Yule Log and Decorate it
Burn a Solstice Candle, for the returning sun God and the Light
Burn a Yule Log
Burn ash wood for Prosperity
Celebrate and have Fun!
Decorate your home with Evergreens and Mistletoe
Decorate/tend Houseplants
Exchange Gifts
Feed the Birds (particularly with sunflowers)
Go Wassailing (wish health to) to Apple Trees (for a bountiful crop next year)
Make a Wreath using natures seasonal products
Make an Orange pomander using Cloves
Make Resolutions
Place Lights and Candles around your home
Ring the Bell to greet the Solstice Morn
Sing
Star gaze at Ursa Major (the Great Bear)
Strengthening Family/Friend Bonds

You might like to use Yule to do any of these to improve your life:

Focus on Child Within
Meditate on a lit candle for strength and guidance to overcome the unwanted and bring in the wanted
Think and act on Forgiveness
Give Gifts
Let Go of anything unhelpful or unwanted
Let in Hope (Light Out of Darkness)
Feel at Peace and offer Peace to those around you and the environment
The Rebirth of something you have lost or forgotten e.g. relationship, hobby, financial independence, confidence
Take time to Reflect on the past, to inform you for the future
Renew old friendships, pastimes etc.
Sacrifice something to make space for something new and beneficial
Spend some time in Silence
Provide Support or Provision for someone or some cause

You might like to add these, or their representations to your seasonal sacred space:

Animals: Bear, Boar, Reindeer, Squirrel
Birds: Eagle, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Owl, Robin, Snow Goose, Wren
Colours: Gold, Green, Red, Silver, White
Drink: Hibiscus/Ginger Tea, Eggnog, Mulled Wine, Wassail (ale, honey and spices or mulled apple cider)
Food: Apple, Fruitcake, Nuts, Orange, Pear, Roast Turkey
Gemstones: Bloodstone, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Diamond, Garnet, Jet, Moldavite, Ruby, Serpentine, Snow Quartz, Quartzite
Goddesses: Crone, Eve, Fortuna, Frau Holle, Frigga, Gaia, Great Mother, Holda, Isis, Maat, Mother Earth, Skaldi, Snow Queen, Spider Woman
Gods: as Greenman [Cernunnos, Gwyn ap Nudd, Herne, Holly King, Woden]; Sun Gods [Attis, Lugh, Mabon, Mithras, Ra, Sun Child, Sol Invictus]; associated with a cycle of birth, death and resurrection Balder, Janos, Jesus
Herbs: Bay, Bayberry, Blessed Thistle, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clove, Moss, Rosemary, Sage, Sunflower, Valerian, Yarrow
Incense/Oils: Bayberry, Cedar, Cinnamon, Clove, Frankincense, Ginger, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Pine, Rosemary, Spruce, Wintergreen
Mythical beings: Phoenix, Trolls, Yule Cat, Yule Goat, Yule Elf
Time of Day: Dawn/Midnight
Symbols/Decorations: Bells, Candles, Evergreens, Holly, Lights, Mistletoe, Poinsettia, Gifts, Yule Log, Yule Tree, Spinning Wheel, Wreaths
Trees: Apple, Birch, Cedar, Elder, Evergreens, Fir, Holly, Ivy, Juniper, Mistletoe, Oak, Pine, Pinecones (Evergreens retain sunlight and stay green all year, reminding that life is forever present and renewable, even if unseen; a symbol of hope), Scots Pine, Yew
Wheel of Year: death of the Holly King (winter); reign of the Oak King (summer), rebirth of the Sun God; night of greatest lunar imbalance; shortest day of year
Metals: Gold, Silver