Friday Form A Circle - Yule Ritual for Groups

Yule Ritual For Groups

Supplies

• Incense
• Bowl of salt
• Bowl of water
• Two green altar candles
• Anointing oil
• An unlit taper candle for each celebrant
• Cakes and wine
• Slips of parchment paper and writing utensils
• Holly and ivy decorations
• New Yule log
• Matches
• Foil paper squares for candles

Incense, bowls of salt and water, anointing oil, taper candles, should all be placed on the altar. The new Yule log can be placed under the altar or somewhere else convenient within the circle area.

Opening

"Yule celebrates the birth of the Sun-child and His promise of returning warmth, but this is also a time, when we give thanks for Winter's enchantment, and the icy spell of its bewitching beauty."

Casts the circle:

"I conjure thee, o circle, that thou may be a meeting place of love and joy and truth, a shield against all evil, a boundary between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones, a wall of protection that shall preserve and contain the power that we shall raise within thee. I bless and consecrate this circle in the names of the Mother Goddess and the Horned God."

Celebrant with oil, anoints celebrant next to them and so on each saying, “Welcome Yule”. A person carries salt water around the circle, sprinkling celebrants gently.

Invocation Of The Elements

All face each direction in turn and hold out their athame or their right index finger as the invocation is made. All speak the last line of each, simultaneously drawing an invoking pentagram.

East:

"Spirits of the East, Powers of Air
With your gifts of light and clarity
We hail you and invite you
To join our Circle This Solstice Eve.
Sweep clean our minds and prepare us for the ideas of the New Year"

All:

"Hail and welcome"

South:

"Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire
With your gifts of passion and love
We hail you and invite you
To join our Circle This Solstice Eve.
Purify our hearts and prepare us for the challenges of the New Year"

All:

"Hail and welcome"

West:

"Spirits of the West, Powers of Water
With your gifts of depth and feeling
We hail you and invite you
To join our Circle This Solstice Eve.
Let our emotions flow and prepare us for the feelings of the New Year"

All:

"Hail and welcome"

North:

"Spirits of the North, Powers of Earth
With your gifts of substance and life
We hail you and invite you
To join our Circle This Solstice Eve.
Grant us stability and prepare us for the tasks of the New Year"

All:

"Hail and welcome"

Invocation Of The God And Goddess

The celebrants stand in a circle holding hands, facing the altar.

Invoke the Goddess:

"We invoke thee, Most regal Queen of Winter,
Luminous Lady in white.
Whose glistening jewels glitter about us.
Be with us now!
May we know thy cold and shining beauty
And feel the warmth of thy love.
Welcome!"

Invoke the God:

"O ancient God of the Forest,
Mighty Hunter in the winter sky
In this, Thy season of Sacrifice
Be with us now!
May we share the warmth of thy hearth fire.
Welcome!"

The Death And Rebirth Of The Sun King

Participant: "Tonight we celebrate the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. The Sun King has reached the end of his reign, and now bids us farewell."

All chant:

The night is dark, the sun is gone,
Yet we know the wheel turns on.
Through midnight's hour, solid dark,
Within our hearts remains a spark.
Who will light the sacred fire,
Bringing back our heart's desire?
Sacred fire, kindled bright,
Leads us back into the light.
As the flames around us glow,
So may love within us grow.
Waken Sun King, be reborn!
Bring us light this Yuletide morn!"

Participant: "Welcome, Lord. You who have died are now reborn. Lend us your light and warmth through the winter months as we await the spring."

Priestess:"My thanks to you all for your care and devotion. To bring good fortune to your hearths for the New Year, let us now light the Yule log and pass the flame onto each of us. Once having burned with the Yule fire, these candles will contain the luck of the log for you to take home to your own hearths. This is the time to voice your own individual wishes."

Each person can say things they would like to accomplish or see happen in the New Year. (A time to heal, let go and move on) After everyone has voiced their wishes or thoughts for the new Year.

Participant:

"As we now extinguish these candles, carry their flame in your hearts until you may light them again in your homes."

All extinguish candles, and stand in a circle. The new Yule log is brought out and placed in the center of the circle.

Cakes And Wine

You may take parchment paper to write what you wish for the new year Consecrate cakes and wine. While partaking of cakes and wine each person takes a slip of parchment, and writes on it something they wish to accomplish or manifest during the coming year. The slips are attached to the Yule log. When all have done this, all celebrants pick up the wine chalice, and all gather around the log, extending their hands over it.

Consecration Of The New Yule Log

All:

"We toast the new year."

Participant pours a small libation onto the Yule log saying:

"In token of the new year's promise we consecrate this sacred wood, as a focus for the energy through which we accomplish our tasks and manifest our desires during the next cycle."

All celebrants should will energy into the Yule log, with a chant

All:

Chant –

Bring back the light.
Bring back the light.
Bring back the light…

Until another participant raises a handful of incense above their head throwing it into the coals releasing the spells.

(Chanting till it ebbs)

Thanks To The God And Goddess

Participant:

"Great Goddess, Mother Earth. Your presence has held us, protected us, guided us, and blessed us this night in our celebration of the Sun's return. We thank for your many blessings, for your grace and goodness, for your beauty and wisdom. Stay if you will, go if you must. Blessed Be."

Participant:

"O Horned Lord of Winter's Darkness, we give Thee thanks, for Thou teachest us well of inner Mysteries through the cold, the dark, and the foreboding spell of Winter, even as we rejoice in Solstice joy! Blessed Be"

Thanks To And Dismissal Of The Elements

Quarters are dismissed, starting in the East. Again, all face each direction in turn and hold up their athame or right index finger as the dismissal is given. All speak the

"Hail and Farewell",

drawing the dismissing pentagram in front of them.

East:

"Spirits of the East, Powers of Air
Your presence this night
Has brought the first stirrings of the new sun.
We thank you for your gift of clarity
And for your presence in this circle.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Blessed Be."

All:

"Hail and farewell"

South:

"Spirits of the South, Powers of Fire
Your presence this night
Has opened our hearts to life and to love,
We thank you for your gift of purity
And for your presence in this circle.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Blessed Be."

All:

"Hail and farewell"

West:

"Spirits of the West, Powers of Water
Your presence this night
Has soothed and cradled us
and connected us to our first home--the sea.
We thank you for your gift of empathy
And for your presence in this circle.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Blessed Be."

All:

"Hail and farewell"

North:

"Spirit of the North, Powers of Earth
Your presence with us this night
Has anchored and strengthened us.
We thank you for your gift of stability
And for your presence in this circle.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Blessed Be."

All:

"Hail and farewell"
"The circle is open, but remains unbroken."
"Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!"

Adapted from a ritual found at A Most Spellbinding Place

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.