Sunday, December 13, 2015

Sabbat Yule


Sabbat Yule

winter_pine_trisk_by_msli.jpgFor those in the North, December 20 is the start of Yule with Mother's Night.  Yule this year also has the honor of a full moon on December 25, a rare event.  Midwinter (Winter Solstice or Yule) has been recognized as a significant turning point in the yearly cycle since the late Stone Age.  The ancient megalithic sites of Newgrange and Stonehenge, carefully aligned with the solstice Sunrise and Sunset, exemplify this.  The reversal of the Sun's ebbing presence in the sky symbolizes the rebirth of the Solar Goddess and presages the return of fertile seasons.  From Germanic to Roman tradition, this is the most important time of celebration.

The Sun is out of sight, resting old age. This is the drowsy time for beauty, dreams, psychic dreams, psychic awareness, spirituality, sleep, sex, purifications, love, friendships, peace, releasing stress, healing wounds.  A time for the Dark - for Earth and Winter.

God is born during Yule, the God is a youth, unsure of his strength.  He, like a boy from birth to adolescence, doesn't really notice the Goddess.  She herself is recovering from his birth at Yule, cleansing and regaining her maidenhood.   Dark Divines reigns as the Year and Divines transitions.


Other Names: Midwinter, Sun Return, Pagan New Year, Saturnalia, Winter Solstice, Finn's Day, Yuletide, Festival of Sol, Jól, Great Day of the Cauldron, Festival of Growth

Activities: Decorating Yule Tree, Gifts in Memory of Deceased, Storytelling, 12 Nights, Wild Hunt, Make a Yule Log, Mother's Night, Feast, Go Unplugged for a Day, Bonfires  

Altar: Upon cloth of red, green, white and gold is laid a great bowl of spiced cider with ladle and cups, cakes in appropriate shapes, apples stuffed with nuts and dried fruits, and the figure of a great golden Sun. An eight-spoked wheel is hung from the ceiling, laden with evergreen boughs and candles, and the Yule tree is lit with lights.

Animals: Stags, Horses, Squirrels, Wren, Boar, Pigs, Cats

Attunement Teas (Individually or Blended): Cinnamon, Mullein, Lavender, Willow Bark, Yarrow

Colors: Red, Green, White, Gold

Deities: Newborn God, Triple Goddess, Father Time, Holy Mother

Elements: Earth and Fire

Foods: Feasting, ideally with others - Poultry, Dried Fruit, Egg Nog, Pork, Mulled Wine, Beans, Wassail

Goddesses: Angerona (Roman), Frigg (Norse), Changing Woman (Apache), Holda (Germanic), Gaia (Greek), Brigitte (Voodun), Freya (Norse), Hannah (Sumerian), Ma'at (Egyptian), Nox (Roman), Pandora (Greek), Virgin Mary (Christian-Gnostic), Skadi (Norse)

Gods: Apollo (Greco-Roman), Balder (Norse), Helios (Greek), Janus (Roman), Oak/Holly King (Anglo-Celtic), Ra (Egyptian), Hod (Norse), Bragi (Norse), Father Sun (Native American), Jesus (Christian-Gnostic), Mithras (Persian), Odin (Norse), Saturn (Roman)

Key Action: Meditate, Introspection, Feeding Birds, Dormancy, Giving to those Less Fortunate

Meaning: Rebirth of God, Honor of the Triple Goddess, Return of the Sun and the Waxing Year, Non-Celtic New Year, Healing

winterore%20Yule.jpgMythical Creatures: Phoenix, Trolls, Mermecolion, Krampus, Elves, Jólakötturinn, Yule Lads

Offerings: Hospitality, Peace, Gratitude

Plants: Holly, Mistletoe, Evergreens, Poinsettia, Bougainvillaea, Cinnamon, Bay, Pine, Valerian, Myyrh, Peppermint

Ritual Oils: Rosemary, Myrrh, Nutmeg, Saffron, Cedar, Pine, Wintergreen, Ginger, Frankincense, Cardamom

Songs: Last Night of Hope, Wassail Wassail all over the Town 

Stones: Bloodstone, Ruby, Garnet, Onyx, Turquoise

Symbols: Evergreen Trees, Yule Log, Holly, Eight-Spoked Wheel, Wreaths, Spinning Wheels, Light/Darkness, Mother/Child

Taboos: Extinguishing Fire, Traveling Unnecessary


              Boar's Head Carol

Traditional Medieval English Carol

            Winifred Hodge Rose

The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedecked with bay and rosemary,
And I bid you good Heathens be merry,
Together on this holy day!

Chorus:
Odin, Thor and Ingvi-Frey,
Frigga, Freya bless this day!

The boar's head, as I understand,
Is the fairest dish in all the land,
When thus bedecked with a gay garland,
Presented on this holy day!

Chorus:
Odin, Thor and Ingvi-Frey,
Frigga, Freya bless this day!

The steward hath provided this,
In honor of the King of Bliss,
Who on this day to be feasted is!
Now glad betide Frey's holy day!

Chorus:
Odin, Thor and Ingvi-Frey,
Frigga, Freya bless this day!


















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