YULE TO GO - The Ritual Begins

Dear Folks -

We are about to begin the round robin Yule ritual. All are invited to participate. What will happen is that I will begin and hand the next part of the ritual to someone with some directions about what should happen next. When someone does not pick up the ball in a reasonable amount of time, I will jump back in and fill in the holes.
There are many different folks here who practice many different ways; some may not quite seem to go together, but we are here to share, not judge.

Please == if you have any questions as we go, please post them in the 'Preliminaries' section, not here in the ritual itself; that way we can keep continuity for those who may wish to print or copy this ritual for their personal use.

Thank you, and goddess bless.

**spoken in the darkness**

At this time do we know the dark of the year. The season of life is past and all is cold. Let us now rejoice that the darkness will soon end through the rebirth of the golden Solstice Sun.

We recognise the night of the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. Darkness has triumphed, but it will soon give way and change into light. The breath of nature is suspended. All wait while within the cauldron the Dark King is transformed into the Infant Light.

We watch for the coming of the dawn, when in the dark winter night the Great Mother will give birth once again to the Golden Solstice Sun, who is the bringer of hope and the promise of summer.

At this time there is stillness while time itself stops...
Then the Wheel of the Year turns again to bring the light.
Let us now recognise the Elements of nature.

{A white candle is now lit and passed from the center of the circle to the East. All face East. The East (air) is invoked.}

*Kiama stands in reverence to the East*

Hail, Spirits of the element of Air,
Guardians of the East!
We welcome you to our circle,
And ask you to watch over and bless us
As we celebrate the Winter Solstice!
Blessed be!

(A red candle is lit in the centre and passed from the centre to the South. All face South. The South (Fire) is invoked)

::Tigerlily holds up the candle, facing South::

Hear me, Great Dragon,
Spirit of Fire, come to me.
By the heat of my blood
I am kin to you, Lord of Lightning:
Bless this circle with your power
lend your fiery joy to our rites.

(West is next)

(A blue candle is now lit in the center and passed from the center to the West. All face West. The West (water) is invoked.

Holding the candle aloft:

Spirits of the West, Guardians of Water. We invite you to lend your powers to our circle. Let us feel the depth of your emotions. Bless us with your presence on this Solstice.

(North is next.)

{A green candle is lit in the center & passed from the center to the North. All face North. The North (Earth) is invoked.}

*MeeWah holds the candle aloft, bows once to acknowledge North*

O Spirit of the North,
Ancient One of the Earth,
We bid ye welcome to this circle
As we celebrate the Winter Solstice.
Ground us with thy presence;
Charge this circle by Thy Powers!

Next we should invoke the Goddess, and the God.

After they are invoked, we will sit in the semi-darkness and discuss the season, how we have experienced it, and things we have done to celebrate it,or how different people/traditions see this season. This is meant to be informal and does not have to be presented in a 'ritual' format.

Who will invoke the Goddess, and the God?

O Great Goddess, Lady of the Moon, Earth Mother to us all, we thy children call upon ye this Solstice night! Grace us with thy presence; bless us with thy life-giving powers. We seek to honor thee, who creates life from death! Hail, Mother Goddess--we bid thee welcome!

(The invocation of the God is next.)

Hail unto thee Great God Herne.
Thou Lord of Life, Thou Lord of death.
Thou Lord of forests, fields, and glens.
Thou Lord of the hunt, of the predator and the prey.
Great being of all men.
Blood of our blood, bone of our bone.
Heart of our heart.
Body of our body. Life of our Life.
Soul of our soul wee call unto thee.
Heed our call and come to us, thou great Lord.
All Hail Herne!
All Hail Herne!
Hail unto thee Horned One.
Hail unto thee Stag King.
Hail unto thee Holly King.

{All sit. At this time, we can discuss this season for those participants who are not pagen/wiccan/witches. tell us what things you have done in the past, how you have celebrated, and even some things that have gone wrong!}

red tapered candles are handed out to all the participants in the circle. the first candle is lit off the alter candle and slowly the entire circle begins to fill with light as each person lights the candle of the next person beside them.

after all the candles are lit, the yule log is brought in front of each person. they drip the wax from their candle and place their wish(es) into the log...sealing them with wax.

when everyone has dripped their wax onto the log...the yule log was held up to the God and Goddess and we asked, "God and Goddess, hear our wishes and our dreams. Please assist us in creating these realities for ourselves and our loved ones. With the burning of this log, our wishes will come up to Your ears. so mote it be. Blessed be. an it harm none, do as ye will."

the participants candle's flames are put out.

in light,
jade