The rituals with which these gods were celebrated have long since been forgotten. It is based on the celebration of the solar and lunar periods included in the Wheel of the Year, which Wiccans celebrate by worshiping the corresponding gods. The winter solstice, the darkest and longest night of the year, is a time of reflection.Why not take a moment to offer up a pagan prayer for Yule? It was a time of introspection and planning for the future. Over the centuries, pagan Celtic customs merged with Christianity to produce some uniquely Celtic Christmas traditions for the winter festival. See more ideas about winter solstice, solstice, yule. When finished close the ritual and open the circle. "I am a child of deity, I am part of the creative life force which moves the universe, I am part of all that is; Though we are apart, we are ever together - For we are all one in the spirit of our Goddess and our God. The Yule Rite: Enter Sacred Space, stand before the altar. The word Yule comes from the Germanic “Jul” and means “Wheel.” At Yule we celebrate winter, and the rebirth of the Sun. (32) In Celtic tradition, trees were considered sacred because they were the homes of deities and spirits. Christmas has been marked in Ireland since St. Patrick brought Christianity to the island in the fifth century. Holly sprig Mistletoe sprig Black votive candle Green candle White candle Gold candle Cauldron. If you have the structure of a ritual that you can offer for this page, please send it in. Music Enya - And Winter Came. It’s origins are Celtic and quite humble. Although the Yule season marks the middle of winter, colder times were still to come. Mother Earth invocation: (place hands on the floor/ground) I call out to the Earth Mother You who support me. Yule, or Winter Solstice traditions are many and generous, and are shared not only with Christianity with the birthday of the Christ Child, but with many pre-Christian Pagan traditions and indeed more recent ones. your own Pins on Pinterest It was important to put aside staple foods for the coming months, because it would be many months before anything fresh grew again. The Druids (Celtic priests) would cut the mistletoe that grew on the oak tree and give it as a blessing. Yule or Yuletide ("Yule time" or "Yule season") is a festival historically observed by the Germanic peoples.Scholars have connected the original celebrations of Yule to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin, and the pagan Anglo-Saxon Mōdraniht.. Later departing from its pagan roots, Yule underwent Christianised reformulation, resulting in the term Christmastide. Mary and her Son. Discover (and save!) Try a different devotional each day, for the 12 days of the Yule Sabbat, to give you food for thought during the holiday season—or simply incorporate the ones that resonate with you into your seasonal rituals. At Samhain the Goddess followed the God into the Underworld and the Earth began its long winter slumber. Add flour and baking powder. At Winter Solstice, we call out with our innermost being for the return of the light, and we honour its return. The festival of the Winter Solstice and Midwinter, Alban Arthan, Yule, Mother Night, the start of a new year and the rebirth of the new sun. Aug 1, 2014 - This Pin was discovered by Danielle Goodwin. The 2020 calendar shown below is an amalgamation of traditional pagan holidays still being celebrated across the world today. When the days grew colder and the nights grew longer, people of ancient times would light candles and gather round fires to lure back the sun. Some rituals were observed by the entire populace, as part of the sacred fire festivals of Samhain and Beltane. This ritual is intended to open you up to the positive energy & countless possibilities available at the beginning of a brand new year. Origins of Celtic Christmas. Yet many of the holiday’s ritual are centered deep in old Irish and Celtic traditions. Some examples: Leaving a candle in the window of the house to guide Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem to give birth was inspired by an old Celtic ritual of … Yule is celebrated at the Midwinter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Celtic Deities With current trends toward the resurrection and reconstruction of the old religions, it would be possible to spend weeks writing about the various deities of each culture. The solstice is the twice yearly event when the sun appears to be at its highest or lowest point above the horizon. Rituals. Yule - Winter Solstice. Consider, as you think… Winter Solstice Rite : The Oak and Feather Grove Twelfth Night Ritual – also known as Wassail Eve Yule is a traditional holiday holding roots in various northern European traditions, particularly that of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples. It became a symbol of Christmas, morphed into a … The yule log has its roots (and often simply was a root) in Norse mythology, and from there it was all up and up. May Christ and His Saints stand between you and harm. The Eternal Flame. - Monty Python This site has received hits since Aug 4, 2000 COPYLEFT: The entire content of all public pages in The Pagan Library (graphics, text and HTML) are free information, released under the terms of the GPL. Celtic Yule Cakes 2-3 Tablespoons Boiling Water 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 3/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder 2 Cups Powdered Sugar 2/3 Cup White Sugar Grated Orange Zest 1 1/3 Cup Sultanas 1 Tablespoon Milk 1 1/4 Cup Flour 1/2 Cup Butter 2 Eggs (Beaten) Beat eggs, butter, vanilla, orange zest and sugar together. In ancient Pagan times, the Winter Solstice was the time when people believed the new sun god of the year was born. A Celtic Yule Blessing The Celtic people knew the importance of the solstice. Here is a special Yule Prayer Song and Winter Solstice Ritual you can use. Fill the well, Light one of the three candles. 1) Place the gold God candle at right top of altar, and the white Goddess candle at the top left.2) Place your Cauldron to the right of the altar, with the black votive candle, Holly sprig around it, inside. Solitary Yule Ritual By Asiya. 1. ), the Celtic New Year and the beginning of the long, dark half of the year, the entire village would extinguish their hearth fires and ceremonially relight them from the King's fire. Yule and the Yule Log runs the eve before the winter solstice to New Year's Day, or Hogmany to the Celts. Preparation. During the celebration of Samhain (Nov. We’ll learn more shortly as we consecrate and set our Yule log alight, later in the ritual. In the northern hemisphere the Winter solstice usually occurs annually between December 20 and December 23. Leave behind negativity–anything that’s holding you back–leave it behind with the old year, and make your new year dreams come true. Tools Needed. Since this is primarily a Celtic web site, I will focus mainly on those of early Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Quote of the moment: "If it's not a personal question, are you a virgin?" Surviving in Ireland to this day the wren hunting is a pan-Celtic ritual that takes place on December 26. It also includes full and new moon dates, zodiac periods, the Celtic Tree months, and a few other noteworthy dates. Wicca is a neopagan religious cult that combines some elements of Celtic paganism with the English Hermetic tradition to create magical and occultist practices, rituals and celebrations. Called Yule, it is one of the traditional Celtic fire festivals and marks the return of the light after the longest night of the year. )O Today I welcome you back from the darkness!" (Celtic Rune of Hospitality) Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Be all else but naught to me, Save that thou art; Be thou my best thought In the day and the night, Both waking and steeping, Thy presence my light. The custom of burning the Yule Log was performed to honor the Great Mother Goddess. Early Celtic calendars measured months according to the moon's revolution of the earth. The Yule Log pastry, often decorated with nuts, cream, or cheese (or all three) is also a symbol of the Yule fire, which before burning was inscribed with runes, and decorated with sprigs of other trees – particularly holly, which stayed green all year – another reminder of the coming of the light. The roots of the Christmas traditions that we recognize today can be traced back to pre-Christian celebrations of the Winter solstice. The Pagan Federation, an umbrella group for Pagan organisations, describes Paganism as a spiritual nature-venerating belief system rooted in … Hold a Solitary Goddess Ritual for Yule, the Winter Solstice If you're a solitary practitioner, but want a goddess-themed ceremony for the winter solstice, this ritual can be done by a … In essence, Yule symbolizes the renewing cycles of life, as well as rebirth, rejuvenation, and growth. State purpose: "Hail the Sun! 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