Merry Yule to All!!!
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
December 21, 2007 4:21am CST
It's December 21st... Yule to all Pagans, when the Sun God is reborn to the Mother Goddess, and begins to grow in strength again, until Midsummer Solstice. May you all gain strength and grow, spiritually with His light and warmth.
In explanation, to other religions, this is a time of celebration for all pagans and for me, the beginning of a New Year, when new life begins to stir below ground, ready to push forth its beauty in Spring, as the Sun grows warmer and the cold, frosty weather diminishes. The trees' buds burst into green leaf and the flowers begin to bloom, covering the Earth with colour and richness, as we, ourselves, grow in personal spirit. So turns our Wheel of the Year, and our cycle of life, birth, death and rebirth... and with this, hope for betterment, gaining of wisdom, and growth in spirit. Today, I am happy in my celebration, and ask you all to please join with me in celebration.
So, Brightest Blessings to everybody on this Earth. May peace, health and love prevail, and may you all grow in strength and wisdom. Merry Yule and a Prosperous New Year!
2 people like this
10 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
21 Dec 07
Well this is weird I just had done a responce to some on ehere that I hadnt seen ya in weeks and here you are !
Merry Yule to you too! and Prosperous new year.
Thanks for shareing what this time of year means to you hugs
And I have always thought this way about the ding and the beginning of new things and wait for the flowers to start blooming and trees to get the new buds on . But as I look at my trees (yup i have trees here 3 of them) even though the wind blew like mad last night still have lots and lots of leaves on them but also ground is covered with leave. Son in law has work cut out for him when he starts his vacation lol
So happy that youhave posted I have missed ya welcome back hugs hugs and blessings.
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
23 Dec 07
oh yes ya can lol
enjoy your festivals and have lots of fun .
and I am healing just fine thanks now if I can get away with out haveing chemo I will be doing great! find out about that Jan 10th.
Oh yes soo the flowers and his year am changing places to put my tomatoes maybe I will get more than blooms lol hugs and blessings
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Dec 07
Oh, I can be the weirdest when I put my mind to it, my dear friend. ha ha ha. Here I am! I love to share this time of year with everybody. It's a very special, and significant festival and it won't be too long before we're walking amongst the flowers and trees again.
I've missed you too, Sweetheart. I hope you're healing and feeling well, and that you have a wonderful Holiday time, amongst your family. Love and Hugs come with Brightest Blessings. xxx
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
21 Dec 07
The Solstice is technically tomorrow... granted it's like 1 am or something. Or so says my calendar. I was planning on celebrating tomorrow or tonight sometime. :)
I never really learned to appreciate Winter Solstice until I moved north, and discovered those days where it's dark when I go to work and dark when I get home. Before I moved to where I live now, the holiday really didn't move me as much. Now though, it becomes a moment of hope to grasp onto in the long winter... a reminder that the sun is indeed coming back, and that somehow I will hang on through another winter!
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Dec 07
Technically, a solstice can shift between four days, depending on the angles and positioning of the Sun and planets, but nonetheless, Celtic celebrations would start at dusk, the previous evening, so back we come.
I still maintain that 21st is the shortest day and from 22nd, the light grows longer and stronger. The same at Midsummer, which if you work technically, can also shift. I, and most English people still celebrate on the eve, (20th) and with the rising Sun, on 21st. The public is given access to Stonehenge from 10 p.m. on 20th, to 9.00 a.m. on 21st, and Glastonbury celebrate at the same time.
Therefore... the actual Yuletide is past for me, but I enjoyed it, and have no other way of explaining the special feelings I had on the 21st. I have to go with my instincts.
Brightest Blessings to you, my friend. Enjoy your celebrations and may the light of the new-born Sun God light your path throughout the coming year.
P.S. Nothing to do with the conversation, but have you heard of Gregorian? Their good to listen to. :)
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Dec 07
And who can blame you for sticking to family traditions. I think that's wonderful. Yes, sunset to sunset is the time to celebrate, and in my case, the rising Sun on the 21st, is when I honour the Sun God, as do various other groups here, including the Druids of Stonehenge and Glastonbury Tor. The Druids tend to "drum up" the Solstice Sun.
We'll all differ a little in various areas, but when it comes down to it, I think all religions and beliefs, come down to the same traditions but just carry their celebrations out in slightly different ways. Now, if we could all beg to differ and accept each other, we would have a caring, peaceful World. Oh, for THAT day! :)
Blessed Be!
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
22 Dec 07
*nods* Day is actually from one sunset to the next, not from sunrise to sunset, isn't it? :P
Personally I plan to be in ritual at the time of the actual exact Solstice, hence my being up late. I'm a weirdo like that, but I got that tradition of trying to do things at exact times from my great-grandmother. It's one of those things where it's a question of her traditions vs. historical ones I suppose, but I tend to bow to hers in those cases unless my instinct says otherwise.
I'm glad you had a wonderful celebration! :)
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
26 Dec 07
Thankyou darkwing now I have a question for you.
Christmas is celebrated in both hemisphere's and opposite seasons. It's summer here and winter in the north. So my question is, because it seems to be seasonal, when do the pagans in the southern hemisphere get to celebrate Yule?
@Darkwing (21583)
•
26 Dec 07
A very good and frequently asked question, my friend and one which causes controversial discussion, whenever brought up! :)
Everything is opposite in the southern hemisphere, so their Yule will be celebrated on June 21st and their Midsummer Solstice on December 21st. Does that answer your question, my friend?
If you're interested in further detail, I can point you to a website with information that might help. Try the following:
http://www.puertasdebabel.com/wicca/beliefs/wheel.htm
You'll find a Wheel of the Year for both northern and southern hemispheres here, and a more detailed explanation as to why they differ. Any questions I can answer arising from that, please feel free to ask. I know you have been showing interest in our beliefs, so any time I can help, you know where to find me.
In the meantime... have a great Holidays period and a wonderful 2008. Brightest Blessings, love and hugs. x
@Darkwing (21583)
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22 Dec 07
Yes, it's Midwinter Solstice my friend... the longest night and shortest day. The rest, I think I explained in the discussion. We also know this time as Yule, which is the traditional Christmas from days gone.
Thank you for your wishes, which I will return, threefold. Brightest Blessings, love and hugs to you. xxx
@Darkwing (21583)
•
26 Dec 07
I start my New Year, with Yule, my friend, so I'm already there, but I also like to celebrate with my friends and acquaintances in the Village. On 31st December at midnight, we all meet in the Street, outside the pub, whether we've been drinking and feasting together or not, join hands, and on the strike of midnight by the Church Clock, we sing Auld Lang's Syne, let off party poppers and wish each other a Happy New Year, with hugs and kisses. I think it's important for everybody to get together, whatever their beliefs and creeds, at times such as this. It makes for a great Village Community Spirit, and I love it all!
Brightest Blessings my friend... Happy Holidays and I hope your 2008 brings you much in the way of happiness and treasures. Love you! xxx
@goinliveinfive (561)
• United States
21 Dec 07
Thank you for your warm greeting and for your explanation of what the season is. I think too many people fail to recognize where the true roots and traditions of this time of year actually lie. Brightest blessings to you as well and may you have a happy and healthy new year.
Em Hotep,
GL5
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Dec 07
Thank you, my friend. I'm happy to share my traditions with you, as a fellow human being. No matter what our beliefs and religions are, we're all the same deep down, and I think it's wonderful when we can all live in love and harmony.
Thank you for your blessings... they are truly well-accepted. I wish you love, light and spiritual growth in the coming year, with Brightest Blessings.
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
21 Dec 07
And a happy yule to you too darkwing, may the year ahead bring you all you deserve,
blessed be
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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21 Dec 07
Merry Meet and thank you so much, Eskarena... it's quite a fitting day today, here. I think it's probably the whitest Midwinter Solstice I've seen in many a year. There's a hard frost, as there was yesterday, and it's staying for the duration. Everything is white and a beautiful, glittery sight to behold.
The Yule Log is in the grate, and bringing warmth and light to my home, even though the skies are grey and there's no sign of the Sun, but I feel very happy and thankful for my life right now... and hope you have the same feeling, my dear friend. Blessed be we!
1 person likes this
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
21 Dec 07
MERRY YULE to you too AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME AS WELL!!! YAY!! 5 yrs and counting LOL
Peace, love, prosperity in all its forms and blessings to all on this wonderful day :-D
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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21 Dec 07
Oh wow! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY from me, too! What a wonderful day to be married! Did you bond with a Handfasting as well?
Whatever... have a great day of double celebration, with Brightest Blessings in perfect love and perfect light... may it shine on your path for always!
@anastazia (154)
• Canada
21 Dec 07
Merry Yule & Happy Winter Solstice to you and yours! This is my first year celebrating Winter Solstice. I'm so glad that I am it feels so wonderful and natural. I wish to send that warmth and happiness to you and all that may read this. This is a time for wishes and brightness of future blessings, isnt it great! So I wish you all Bright Blessings and Happy Holidays and may I stand in belief that wishes will and do come true.
bb smiles
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Dec 07
Yes, it is a wonderful time and so traditional and as you say, natural.
Your wishes and dreams will come true if you believe enough, which I feel you do. May the increasing light of the Sun God guide you on your path, always, my friend. Have a great celebration this Midwinter Solstice. x
@CatAnna (98)
• United States
21 Dec 07
Yes if you want to get technical about it, the time of the Winter Solstice here is 1am tomorrow but we're starting our celebration today... stringing lights and baking sun-shaped cookies (not hard to do LOL)and we'll lighting candles and turning on the light-strings for the first time at sunset this evening. A few years ago I made a "wheel of the year" cake with 8 points but I don't have the time or ambition to do that this year. And dernit we don't have a fireplace for a Yule log so our focal point will have to be a Really Big Candle LOL! Brightest Blessings for a beautiful magickal Solstice and may all your dreams come true in the year to come.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Dec 07
A really big candle is fine. It has the same effect of welcoming light into your home, and if you feel comfortable with it, that's the thing to do. The beginning of light and warmth again, is the order of the day, and to my mind, that's exactly what you're doing with your candle... so that leaves me only to wish you continued growth with the reborn and increasing light and warmth of the Sun God, throughout the year. May your harvest be plentiful, my friend, as your seeds grow to fruition.
Brightest Blessings, in love and in light. x
