A Yule Ritual from the Madison Chapter A Yule Ritual -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meet & Greet Make decorations for the tree. Craft supplies provided by ritual leaders. Put decorations on the tree as decorations are made. Sing Yule carols before beginning ritual. Ritual Purification Using a white feather (provided naturally by a friendly cockatiel) dipped in salt water, each person is sprinkled on the head, heart, and feet while saying: "May your head and heart and path always be in harmony" As circle forms, room is dark, chanting begins. "In the beginning there was darkness, there was darkness and the sea and night." by Sparky T. Rabbit (alias Peter Soderberg) FACING THE DARKNESS-written by Kath Walker "In our beginnings we came from the darkness of the womb. There we were created and nourished and we grew in preparation for our birth into the light. Within us we still carry that fertile darkness. There we hold seeds of hopes and dreams to come. There we nourish our visons of love, joy, and peace for all. There we shield tender roots until they are strong enough to emerge and flourish in the light. Look within yourself to that warm dark. Enjoy these wonders. Spend a little time tending and caring for these creations to come." Allow a few minutes for meditation. CAST CIRCLE Quarter Calls written by Nancy Vedder-Shults. As South is called, a fire is lit in the fireplace (which luckly was in the South). Center Spirit of the Center and the cauldron of transformation -As we celebrate the longest of nights, let us rejoice in the darkness and remember the light. For this is the time when the wheel turns - Out of the darkest hour, the light is born anew, attend our circle this night!" West Spirit of the West, spirit of water as snow and ice - As all of nature is dusted white, as the lakes freeze over and the rivers no longer course, help us to remember the sound of running water, the ebb and flow of our own emotions, for after the winter the spring must surely come, attend our circle this night!" North Spirit of the North, spirit of earth, its plants and animals - As we travel through these cold and blustery days, the trees are bare, the birds are flown, winter is upon us. Help us to remember the living sap in the trees' roots, the evergreens and their promise of renewal, the bears sleeping in their hibernation and most of all, friends and family, who hold us in the warmth of their hearts -- even in the dead of winter, attend our circle this night!" East Spirit of the East, spirit of air and the icy blasts of winter - As the north winds blow and the wind chill drops, Let us be invigorated by the stark beauty of this season and the knowledge that out of the old, the new is born. Let the winds of change roar through this night, sweeping away what we don't need to make room for what's to come, attend our circle this night!" South Spirit of the South, spirit of fire and the blazing Yule log - In this season of dark and cold, burn brightly in our lives, rekindling hope in the face of death with the spark of spring in the depth of winter. "For I who have died am alive again, And this is the sun's birthday." Attend our circle this night!" "As the flame grows this night, so shall the young sun grow 'til Midwummer." INVOKE THE GODDESS AND GOD-Nancy Vedder-Shults "Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother who presides over the longest night of the year. Hecate, Cerridwen, please grace our circle tonight. Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother, Take us in. Hecate, Cerridwen, let us be reborn." Chant - "Hecate, Cerridwen, Dark Mother take us in. Hecate, Cerridwen let us be reborn." by Patricia Witt "At this season, we celebrate the rebirth of the sun god, who brings with him in his wake the others gods who die and are reborn. So let us invoke the Sun God, Sun God, BE here Now!. Let us invoke the Horned God, Horned God, be here now!. And let us invoke the Green God, who graces our altars as evergreen, Green God, be here now!" Chant - "Hoof and horn, Hoof and horn. All that dies shall be reborn. Corn and grain, corn and grain. All that falls shall rise again." by Ian Corrigan Here invite others to invoke other gods and goddesses of the season. DANCING WITH SHADOW--Written by Susan Felstehausen "We will now dance with our shadows, our dark side we wish were not there, the pieces of ourselves that make us feel uncomfortable, unhappy ashamed. Our self worth has been denied and undermined by our culture, by authority. Embrace these aspects of yourself. Love yourself. Hug and hold yourself. Heal and integrate those shadows as you dance. When you feel integrated, add a piece of wood to the fire to symbolize the fire burning brighter within yourself." Basket of kindling is placed near the fire. Dancing performed to "Uma" on "Since the Beginning" by Layne Redmond and the Mob of Angels (any slower, gentle free-form piece could be used). Not everyone may finish their dancing before the music is over. When this ritual was performed, the group just picked up a beat and kept it going with rhythm instruments. TREE LIGHTING--Written by MaryEllen Bell "Some things are best in the darkest, coldest days before Yule. It is now that we know the warm pleasures of hearth and board, of stories told only in the winter; of poems we have time to read or write; of songs we take time to sing. Now, when we look to the sky and deep into ourselves, we see things we could not see when too much light shown on them. Now comes Aurora in the North. Now come long, clear, and starry nights. Now come the nights when we praise the tree that is ever green and the pure cold light of a billion suns, while we wait for our own sun to return. " (plug in tree lights as last line of above is spoken) Chant/Round & Dance around tree "Come now, people dance and sing! Hear the bells of Yuletide ring! Come dance and sing!" by Nancy Vedder-Schults (Small bells are placed under the tree and the children are invited to ring them during the chant) REBIRTHING--Written by Denise Griffith "We began by nurturing ourselves in the abundant darkness. Once nourished, we struggled with our shadows, through the dance we brought ourselves to a point of harmony, blending the parts into a strong whole. Now we are ready to mirror the return and growth of the light by being reborn ourselves. As you enter under the womb veil, visualize yourself as you would wish to be. As you come out and are blessed, take the candle given to you and light it off of the altar candles. Visualize your new self being given the spark of life, of growing energy. Once your candle is lit, feel free to share your increasing vitality by lighting any of the unlit candles about the room then rejoin the circle. Adults, please assist the children with their candles." Two people to hold a black fabric veil to serve as womb. As each person goes under, the people holding the veil say "May the Dark Mother take you in" and drop the veil over the "baby's" head and torso. After a moment, the veil is lifted. As each person comes out "baby catchers" say "By Oak, Ash, and Holy Thorn, blessed be the day you're born", and give the person a candle. Small individual candles with paper drip-guards were used (picked up at local church supply store). Have the participants remove the paper guard before placing the candle in the box so each candle takes up less room. As birthing was performed, Nancy Vedder-Shults sang: "I am the light in the darkness, I know how to sing. I'll teach you how to dance and shout, Many gifts to you I'll bring. I am the dark in the light. My words to you are true. Quiet, center, still your thoughts, I will heal and comfort you. I am the fire in the shadows. My flame will ever rise Out of the dark and waning year. My spark it never dies." by Nancy Vedder-Shults "It is a tradition to make birthday wishes. As we celebrate both the rebirth of the Sun, without whom, no life would flourish and our own rebirth, place your candle in this box" (one of the leaders begins, candles are placed in a box with sand in the bottom [Hopes & Concerns box]) FINAL DANCE TO CALL BACK THE LIGHT-- Chant - "We are awake in the night. We turn the wheel to bring the light. We call the sun from the womb of night." by Catherine Madsen CLOSE THE CIRCLE "Let us now thank the god and the goddesses who have blessed our circle." After each name ALL will say Stay if you will, go if you must." DISMISS THE DIRECTIONS--Written by Nancy Vedder-Shults South Spirit of the South, spirit of fire and the blazing Yule log: Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have burned brightly in our lives, rekindling hope in the face of death with the spark of spring in the depth of winter. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." East Spirit of the East, spirit of air and the icy blasts of winter: Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have invigorated us with the stark beauty of this season and the knowledge that out of the old, the new is born. Your winds of change have helped us to let go of what we don't need in order to make room for what's to come. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." North Spirit of the North, spirit of earth, its plants and animals: Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have helped us to remember the living sap in the trees' roots, the evergreens and their promise of renewal, the bears sleeping in their hibernation and most of all, friends and family, who hold us in the warmth of their hearts -- even in the dead of winter. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." West Spirit of the West, spirit of water as snow and ice - Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. You have helped us remember that ice and snow are made of water, that even in winter our emotions ebb and flow, and that after the winter, the spring must surely come. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." Center Spirit of the Center and the cauldron of transformation - Thank you for blessing our circle tonight. With your help we have celebrated the longest of nights, rejoicing in the darkness and remembering the light, watching as the wheel turns and out of the darkest hour, the light is born anew. Thank you and farewell....Blessed be." "The circle is open but unbroken. May the peace of the Gods and Goddesses go in your hearts. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again!" General chaos and merry making, pot luck, etc.