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/
Duration : 0:2:54
[youtube yDXZLt6EqQM]
@midnightmist1967 …
@midnightmist1967
Sending a BIG Smile and blessings./|\
wow “““““` …
wow “““““` very nice ““““`
merry juleaften and …
merry juleaften and i hope you all have a great Første Juledag
This is amazing, …
This is amazing, Merry Yule to all. Blessed be!
Stunningly …
Stunningly beautiful c=
Blessed be!
Dydd Calan Gaeaf …
Dydd Calan Gaeaf hapus i chwi gyd, pawb o bobl y byd.
blessed be to all …
blessed be to all on this day )o(
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
Blessed is this day …
Blessed is this day. Blessed Be to all.
A great video i …
) Blessed Be ~PG~
A great video i have favourited for a long time. Really love this Jim its GRRRRRRRReat (you dragon nutte
Whoever you are. …
Whoever you are. Thanks for posting. All the same to you!
Please tell me the …
Please tell me the specific name for this song! The intrumental violin Celtic sounding one! Thank you.
Nadolig Llawen a …
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
i Dymuniadau da…/|\
God jul
God jul
Nice day my wiccan …
Nice day my wiccan sisters and brithers!
Blessed be!
…you speak welsh? …
…you speak welsh? pleaaase tell me you live in wales!!
have fun at your …
have fun at your get together…there isnt any yule celebrations here so im alone ..lol oh well ..blessed be
im excited for yule …
im excited for yule! i am haveing a get together
ddiolch ‘ch, a …
ddiolch ‘ch, a Nadolig Llawen i chi../|\
Gleðileg jól
Gleðileg jól
The Goddess always …
The Goddess always enlighten our path
its Portuguese. Many BlessingS /|\
As someone said ” …
As someone said “Que a Deusa ilumine sempre os nossos caminhos!”
Is that Latin?
I shall look …
I shall look forward to seeing it writing a comment or two. blessings/|\ to you and yours DCP >:8)
This is such a …
This is such a calming song…
Makes me want to get a move on, in making my Wiccan videos. x]
I never thought of …
I never thought of it that way, but it does make sense. For a while I only thought the pentagram’s meaning was distorted when Anton LaVey came in and f@#$ed things up.