YULE Winter solstice Gwyl Canol Gaeaf /|\

Gwyl Canol Gaeaf (Winter Solstice) Yule
Druid ar Môn
22nd DEC 2007

Holly King / Santa Claus: There are as many theories of a "historical" Santa Clause (or "Saint Nicholas") as there are ethnic cultures. As an Keltic folk archetype however, the old man wreathed in holly is the Holly King. He represents the "waning year", the "old year", or the "dark half" of the year. At winter solstice the Oak King (or the Sun, or the New Year) is born, and the Holly King's reign is over. Mistletoe: The mistletoe was sacred to the Druids. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe may derive from the custom of enemies refraining from killing each other if they should happen to meet under its sacred branches. Presumably the custom became friendlier and friendlier with time. Other scholars say that the lusty connotations of the plant derive from the belief that the clusters of white translucent berries were drops of the God's (or the Oak King's) semen. The Oak King takes the place of the Holly King, and rules the waxing year, or the "New Year Candles: The extinguishing of candles at winter solstice rituals (including Amaltheia's) represents the deep darkness of the longest night. Their relighting shows us that the light will return to us. In the moments of total darkness, we are "between the worlds": between the old year's death and the new year's conception. Yule Log:
The word "yule" is from the Saxon word for "wheel". The Yule Log,O.E. geol, geola "Christmas Day, Christmastide," from O.N. jol (pl.), a heathen feast, later taken over by Christianity, of unknown origin. The O.E. (Anglian) cognate giuli was the Anglo-Saxons' name for a two-month midwinter season corresponding to Roman December and January, a time of important feasts but not itself a festival.
Burned at Midwinter, is a magical bridge between one year and the next. The fire under the Yule log is lit with a piece of last year's Yule Log, symbolizing the continuity of the cycles of life. The ashes of the Yule log were scattered on the fields to ensure fertility




WEB PAGE TO KATE
http://www.witchcraft.org/kate.htm

LINK TO LISTEN TO
Emma Restall Orr, Joint Chief Druid of the British Druid Order; Kate West, a Wiccan High Priest of the Hearth of Hecate and Richard Thomas, an Anglican priest discuss modern Paganism.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/holydays/autumnequinox.shtml

PAGAN WICCA LINKS FROM THE BBC
http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/searc...

YEAR CHART YOU CAN PRINT
The Pagan seasonal cycle is often called the Wheel of the Year. Almost all Pagans celebrate a cycle of eight festivals, which are spaced every six or seven weeks through the year and divide the wheel into eight segments.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• YULE
• Pagan
• Welsh
• Druid
• Wicca
• Gwyl
• Canol
• Gaeaf
• yule
• Christmas
• Xmas
• winter
• solstice
• pentagram
• craft
• witch
• mass

[celticbattleaxe]

Excellent video! Have a most blessed and joyous Yule/Alban Arthuan! )O( )O( )O( /l\

~ Bréinann

[jimsim3]

@celticbattleaxe Thank You, and the same to you, may the Awen be with you always/|\

[SiggyStern]

Hello my friend, I very much like your video,and looking through it I noticed this second poem (O voice of the great spirit) that is very very very beautiful, where did you get it from? I love it !!!

Have a beautiful Yule!

[jimsim3]

@SiggyStern hi Sig's, Its from a native American prayer by Chief Yellow Lark of Lakota Sioux in 1887, the firstone you know is from Gorsedd Prayer" by Edward Williams 1780, I've often thought Druidism and native spirituality share the same path. and it why I used the to prayers. /|\

[apacheblue99]

I love it!

[jimsim3]

@apacheblue99

Many blessing friend, may the new season be good to you.

[Yana5733]

Nice day my wiccan sisters and brithers!

Blessed be!

[Thulgon]

Unfortunately, Catholic propaganda centuries ago distorted the real symbolism of the pentagram.

[terry1unger]

Good Stuff !!!

[JericoDeAngel0]

Beautiful ! I'm so gladd to find it ! Thank You. )0(

[GAEAvideo]

You did an amazing job....this was the first Yule video I could find without any Triad influence...wonderful...can't wait to see more of your inspirational work )O( Blessed Be )O(

[kikzit]

beautiful, i wish the ending were less severe.. and not cut off. i've looked for other versions of this.. can't find one. it would be wonderful if the uploader would take the time to furnish a version w/o the abrupt cutoff..... happy solstice..

[celticbattleaxe]

@jimsim3 Blessings given, Blessings received :D

Mai ysbryd Awen yn eich arwain bob amser! )O( )O( )O( /l\