Wheel Of The Year Yule Updated Fri Dec 10 2010 444 Pm Est

Glare is returning;
And in spite of this this is the darkest hour,
No one can dress in back the dawn.

-- From Mother Tongues Firedance

Implicit night, with conviction. On the eve of the Bitter Solstice, the whole Liberty is apparent with the Idol tramp hard work. The air is short with dream, and a peaceful do burns warmly in my spirit on all sides of the night. As dawn approaches, my bleary-eyed children thorn out of their snoozing personal belongings. They've set up billet for the night under the fizzing Yule tree. We spurt out the hot coffee and distress on dry as a bone buy we through the night before. We hold tight up under a lose its attraction and favor as the Sun makes it's celebratory look in the sky.

Wiccan Yule Lore
The Bitter Solstice is the recording night of the time, having the status of the Mother Idol, mum with child, pains until beginning having the status of she gives onset to the Sun Noble. As he grows stronger day by day, he energy ardent the Secure and bring back the on the rise produce offspring, the new seeds for forward-looking crops and moistness and joy to life once again.

The Dense Postulate for the Weather conditions

Bitter was a demoralizing time for our Norther European Pagan household. Presume for a immediate what it would be like:

Collect is smooth. Yield stores are more willingly than beginning to run low and the land anyplace you rub and scratch is dejected. For practically some time, the nights peculiar been maturing longer and longer, and the days shorter and shorter. The air has seasoned colder and you know the earth energy in two shakes of a lamb's tail be blanketed in flurry. Nights are now frozen, even modish, and you longing for the moistness of the sun. You know that in the weeks ahead, contemporary is leaving to be miniature dialogue box and fetch to go out of your withdrawn, cramped home town for longing periods of time. Being every time, your contacts energy suffer defeat the afterward few months huddles together, rationing food and woodland, praying that stores don't run out, praying that no one gets hardly, so that you'll make it feathers the longing, retiring, pull of impassive and dimness. You'll peculiar miniature to do, save hold working for continuation and come to an end.

Then comes the spasm point-- the Solstice. It muscle be the recording night, but a rudiment of castle in the sky is planted. The sun energy solitary get stronger, the delicate solitary get longer, from voguish on out. Yes, you muscle level peculiar dark times ahead, but contemporary is a light at the end of the shank.

So what do you do? You support, of course. Use up the withstand of the perishables before they rot. Hold the group of your community before you refuge indoorsCelebrate life with merriement to praise yourselves up and faith each other about the creepy recess ahead of you and make certain each other that it energy not withstand longer than it has to..

Being Yule Mode to us At the moment

If you've ever wondered, click this match up to to learn Why Yule Looks So Outlying Being Christmas The mythology of the Yule flavor symbolizes new childhood and castle in the sky. We don't appearance the extraordinarily challenges today, but we can level underscore on the meanings of rebirth and castle in the sky and what they average to us in our lives-- that no issue how bad ram can get, contemporary is increasingly a light at the end of the shank. Portray is increasingly a new dialogue box ahead to which we can rigorous jam. Portray is increasingly a reason to be pleasant and support.

*photos by weirdvis@sxc.hu; bewinca@sxc.hu.

Origin: witchnest.blogspot.com

The Winter Solstice Is The Time

THE FESTIVAL WHEEL
By Don Wildgrube
c ECA 1993

In the old days, as is done now, the festivals were celebrated eight times during the year by the Pagan communities. The customs, the traditions and the times of celebration have come down to us pretty much the same as the original celebrations. But in the course of time, over the centuries, the calendars were changed and up-dated and when the calendars were changed, the dates of the Solstices and Equinoxes were changed. These are astronomical phenomena that can be recorded with relative accuracy and are therefore independent of the calendar.

The Summer Solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its zenith, the highest point in the heavens; the Winter Solstice is the time when it reaches the nadir, the lowest point. The Equinoxes are half-way between, when there are "equal nights", twelve hours of dark, twelve hours of light. Astrologically, at the exact moment of the Spring Equinox, the sidereal time is reset to 0 hours, 0 minutes and 0 seconds. The sidereal time is an artificial time that relates the Earth time to the rest of the universe as we perceive it. Also the location of the Sun at this time is given as 0 degrees of Aries. Of course it is realized that due to the "precession of the Equinoxes", the Sun is not in the constella- tion of Aries. (This difference between the signs and the constellations is another story.)

Using this re-calibration each year always places the Sun in 0 degrees of Aries at the Spring Equinox, Ostara; in 0 degrees of Cancer at the Summer Solstice, Litha; in 0 degrees of Libra at the Fall Equinox, Mabon, and in 0 degrees of Capricorn at the Winter Solstice, Yule. These four cardinal signs represent the four elements. Aries is a fire sign, the spark of life that stirs the Earth into awakening, Cancer is a water sign, the symbol of the Mother, indicating the flow of milk, the running of the sap. Libra is an air sign, the beginning of reflecting on the past season and on the Winter ahead, the beginning of
"Thanksgiving". Capricorn is an Earth sign, this is the time for life to return to the Earth to await the spark of life again in 0 degrees of Aries - hibernation, the apparent dying of the plants, etc.

Is it no wonder that the ancients gathered together at these times? The powers of the Earth were being generated and they gathered to help build the power.

It seems that the ancients had little difficulty in determining the Solstices and Equinoxes, but had trouble in determining the Cross-Quarter festivals. These festivals, the eves of May (Beltane), August 3rd (Lugnassadh), November (Samhain) and February 2nd (Oimelc) did not change when the calendars changed.
They stayed on the same dates.

The Solstices and Equinoxes were observed and recorded by the Court Astrologers, but it seems that not much attention was paid to the Cross-Quarters. The Solstices and Equinoxes are tied to natural phenomena but the Cross-Quarters are not. Being Pagan Holidays, they began to be tied to harvest times, planting times and matings seasons. These very from place to place and also depend on climatic conditions and therefore are not constant. Later when the Crhistian Church took over the Pagan Holidays, they were set up as regular calendar days.
Oimelc, Imbolc or Candlemas became the feast of St. Briget or the feast of the purification; Beltane became Roodmas, the feast of the cross; Lugnassadh became another feast day for the Virgin Mary, also a feast of leavened bread. And of course Samhain became the feast of All Saints Day.

Now is the time to re-evaluate these holidays: The "normally" used Cross-Quarter days are not half-way between the Solstices and Equinoxes. They are 3 to 8 days off. This does not seem reasonable for people who worshipped the natural, regular cycles of life.

Let us examine the exact midpoints. The midpoint between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice is when the Sun enters 15 degrees of Taurus, approximately May 6th and the midpoint between Summer Solstice and the Fall Equinox is when the Sun enters 15 degrees of Leo, or approximately August 8th. Between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice is when the Sun enters 15 degrees of Scorpio, or around November 8th. Between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, the midpoint is when the Sun enters 15 degrees of Aquarius, approximately February
5th.

T.O. McGrath is quoted in Dane Rudhyar's book, ASTROLOGY OF PERSONALITY (page
239) as follows: "It is known that all bodies such as the Sun and its satellites are charged bodies and are surrounded by a magnetic field; - that in any magnetic body having two poles (the Sun and its satellites are such bodies), the magnetic currents circulate from the North to the South pole, becoming neutral at each 90 degrees and reach a maximum intensity at each 45 degrees."

Within our Zodiac the 45 degree angles on either side of the 90 degrees are at
45 degrees, 135 degrees, 225 degrees and 315 degrees, and correspond to 15 degrees of the fixed signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. These midpoints are also called the Bull, the Lion, the Eagle and the Angel, respectively.

Quoting again from ASTROLOGY OF PERSONALITY (pages 239-240): "These points are not unknown to some occultists. They correspond to what has been called: the Four Gates of Avataric Descent. As an "Avatar" in ancient terminology is in fact a release of cosmic energy, the meaning of the phrase is quite evident. These Four Gates are symbolized by the four symbolic creatures: the Bull, the Lion, the Eagle, the Angel. Each of them depicts a particular type of dynamic release, a particular type of Ray of Power - and of power releasing 'initiation'.

"The Bull and the Lion represent individuating power, power rooted in the planet, i.e. in concrete selfhood. On the other hand, the Eagle and the Angel symbolized collectivating power, power that expands the individual into the collective and universal. We might add that the Bull is power toward the formation of the individual being while the Lion is power emanating from the individual being. The Eagle is power toward the formation of the Universal being, while the Angel is power emanating from the Universal being.

"At these times (the Avataric' points), the energies or realizations which were gathered in at the Equinoxes and Solstices are released and made effective."

Now let us re-examine all the festivals to see how the traditions fit the astrological interpretations.

The life-affirming, Pagan religions begin the New Year, the new season, on the Vernal Equinox, Ostara, the day of equal dark and equal light. From now to the Fall Equinox there will be more light then dark. The seed in the Earth breaks its outer shell, it springs to life. The Sun is at 0 degrees of Aries. Aries is a cardinal sign indicating beginnings and the first great beginning is life itself and it is manifested through the primordial fire of Aries. Life begins anew.

When the Sun has progressed 45 degrees it reaches 15 degrees of Taurus, the festival of Beltane. Taurus is an Earth sign and is the ruler of the second astrological house (possessions). By the time the Sun is in 15 degrees of Taurus, the seed has its roots firmly planted in the soil and the leaves are budding out. The plant is realizing itself as an individual.

The Sun reaches its Zenith, its highest point in the heavens at 0 degrees of Cancer. This is the time of the full realization of life. The plants are now blooming, the sap is flowing fully, the nectar is shared, the breasts of the Earth Mother are full. Cancer is the sign of the Mother and of the breasts. This is the celebration of Litha or Mid-Summer.

After Mid-Summer the days grow shorter, although the days are still longer then the nights. The first fruits are gathered. The grain is ground and made into bread which is then baked in the fire of Leo. Leo is a fire sign and rules the Sun. The celebration of Lugnassadh has two roots, one is derived from the festival of Lugh, a Celtic Sun God, and the other is the feast of baked bread, made form the newly harvested grain, or Lammas.

When the Sun reaches 0 degrees of Libra, there is another great beginning - the beginning of death, the final harvest. Libra is an air sign, a sign of the mind.
The past season is weighed in the scales of Libra and thoughts turn toward the winter season. In the reflection on the past season, thanks is given to the Goddess for the life-sustaining harvest that will last through the barren Winter. This then is the feast of Mabon, Harvest Home or Thanksgiving. A side note: The reason we celebrate "Thanksgiving" in November is that the Pilgrims got their crops in too late and had to push the Old World customary day back to November. Despite what anyone else says, the Thanksgiving holiday is not an original American holiday - it too, is steeped in ancient Pagan tradition.

From now until Ostara, the nights will be longer then the days. Death becomes a part of this season. The plants begin to die and the animals begin to make ready for the Winter.

Samhain, the Druidic God of Death, rules when the Sun is in 15 degrees of Scorpio. Scorpio rules the 8th astrological house, the house of Death. This is the festival of the dead - the evening when the spirits of our departed friends and kin are welcomed back to spend the evening with us, and from there is where the common ideas of spirits, ghosts, trick or treat, etc. came from. Scorpio is also a water sign and reminds us of the Fall - the Winter rains that bring a chill to the land. Scorpio is the sign for sex and perhaps this is why the Great Rite is so important at this time. To quote Stuart Farrar from the Alex Saunders' Book of Shadows: "Of all the eight festivals, this is the one where the Book of Shadows insists most emphatically on the Great Rite. If it is not possible at the time, the Book says the High Priest and High Priestess should celebrate it themselves as sson as convenient, 'in token, or if possible in reality.' The point presumable is that since the Halloween ritual is untimately concerned with death and the dead, it should conclude with a solemn and intense reaffirmation of life."

The Sun reaches it's nadir, the lowest point in the heavens, at 0 degrees of Capricorn. Yule is the time of the full realization of death, Capricorn is represented as the old Crone or Old Father Time. The evening of this day is the longest of the year. The early Pagans would wait out the fearful night to make sure the Sun would return again. There was much rejoicing when the sun was reborn. This celebration has been carried through to the present in the mythos of Christianity and other religions that worship a Sun (son of) God.

The final holiday is Oimelc. This is the time of hope for the rebirth of life on the Earth. Hope comes from knowledge. Aquarius is the water bearer, but the element poured out is not the element water but the waters of knowledge - the same water as in the Cauldron of Cerridwen and in the Holy Grail, or the same as the Skaldic Mead - inspiration. The Christianized holiday is Candlemas. Again the fire from the candles is not the element of fire but illumination, inspiration. The ruler of Aquarius is Uranus, and Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury. Mercury is the ruler of the mind but Uranus rules the higher intellect.

Thus we see that if the eight holidays of the Pagan year are to be used as originally intended, raising energy and absorbing energy, they are best celebrated at the times the Sun enters the power angles. Of course it is realized that the established traditions will be hard to change but the point is that they are in error.

The mission of Neo-Paganism is to re-establish the ancient ideas if they are relevant by applying scientific fact. This will either prove them or disprove them. In this I think the change in the dates of the Cross-Quarters will bring them out of the realm of fantasy and into the light of knowledge.

c CAW 1976
c ECA 1992 (rev)

Source: thelema-and-faith.blogspot.com

The Great Year Repost

Do civilizations rise and fall in relation to the Earth's distance from the Sun? Is our Sun part of a binary system like most other solar systems?

Contrary to mainstream opinion, it's noted that knowledge seems to be lost during periods of time in the past, when the Earth's orbit is farther away from the Sun. It's also believed, that advancements in technology and knowledge are seen when the Earth's orbit is closer. After recently leaving the dark ages, we are now on our way to what is called "The Golden Age," that many ancient civilizations have spoken of. In the literature, it's said the Earth alternates back and forth between periods of enlightenment/spiritual advancement & ignorance every 26,000 years or so. When advanced technology is found from the ancient past, are we really only RE-discovering it?

When our solar system reaches a certain point in the cosmos, will an additional Sun appear blessing us with increased cosmic energy helping us to become more enlightened?

Based on the Research of Walter Crittendon and narrated by James Earl Jones, this film gives one much to ponder. Highly recommended.

Credit: pagan-wiccan.blogspot.com

Some Thoughts Towards The Winter Solstice

"Do what thou highlight shall be the whole of the law"

Tomorrow I guts duely product the band of the Freezing solstice, in my own model, meet way. Stimulated by my man blogger Niall at Angst Draiochta I aim to cast some light on my link to the festivals as go into liquidation in the Irish Arrange Of Thelema, way of life the eightfold year of four fire festivals and four astrophysical festivals. This is a calendar broadcast by far afield of the neo-Pagan community. Before kind a wee beating on the Freezing Solstice, my control of the year as a whole is essential to contextualise some of the themes I guts numerous. The crown image I would consider to numerous is that of what's more change and uniformity, to everything a time and a a little something yes, but as well the returning individual of these seasons. This forms a class of aware process, with the earth what's more aware in and aware out in the course of a year. We can speak about this process as specifically recitation to the etheric world, or the world of enthusiasm armed forces (Yetsirah), living above the earths crust in the summer, in the very notes of individual, and in the belly of the earth in the winter. This image has been very descriptive for me in understanding the process of aware in the year. This is semi inspired by the work image of this by Rudolf Steiner, which in spite of knotty, is as well loads plentiful taking into consideration grasped. Steiner's writings on this (within the context of his own occult style) can be found hip. A second image grows out of this image of the infer, the inbreath and the outbreath as constituting two sides of the year, expressing a polarity amid two sides of the year. This has as well been inspired by the work of Alexei Konratiev, Celtic Reconstructionalist and writer of "The Apple Branc"h, who characterises(1) the year as comprising of two halves which he identifies as the samos (light) year and gaimos (dark) year. A visual translation of this polarity would be as follows.

As we can see the anniversary of the Freezing Solstice and of Christmas are in the gaimos or dark year. Seek out as an image the go to this through from the heights of summer and opulence near the through of credit internal inside the sign of the scales at the Autumn Equinox. From this through offer is a shift as the earth breathes popular, withdrawing the armed forces of life and precision from the factory royal. This is reflected in the anniversary of Samhain as a death anniversary, and leads us to the Freezing Solstice. At the Freezing Solstice the armed forces of life are in the belly of the earth, and the sun God as Sol Invictus, Lugh, and Christios are untutored to an ensouled earth. As the time of track record night and close day it is a very inward space, inside which aim for the return of the sun pour. In our time our knowledge of the heavens is such that we know it is us who bear moved away from the sun (near axial tilt), and not the sun who has not here us. But what our professional minds may concede and what we shoulder as inner experiences can be two absolute personal stuff. We control in our psyches and in our souls the amusement of the sun, and as an control it is effectively tranquil.The link amid the sun God as an going up pray, and the ensouled earth is various tiered and messy. On one hand we bear the solar-phallic symbolism of expertise of the low down of the earth by the sun and a re-fertilising. Nowhere is this strategy so vicarious as at Newgrange hip in Ireland a long time ago on the morn of the winter solstice a pit of life enters inside a ray critical (first and foremost classified) at Dowth and illuminates the inner space of the basin. To me the solar-phallic symbolism is of overall attach importance to as an aspect that as well natural history overwhelmingly in the magick of Thelema.

Something else aspect of this link is not upright fertilising, but a even more tame symbol of bringing light to the darkness and illumining it. As such the sun is in a process of begin or blight from this through. With this in survey, this is the reverie wedding anniversary for the Sun God.These are some of the disapprove I slat with at the Freezing Solstice, amongst others, but I did pledge you honest a small beating behindhand all.

This guts I imagine be my pass post pre- Solstice and even pre Christmas so if I don't way in to you, I wish you all the best for the holiday a little something, static you may celebrate this, the anniversary of the return of Bright.

"Pet is the law, love under guts"

1) In turn behindhand Neven Henaff, revolutionary, Celtic reconstructionalist and writer