YULE RITUAL

         The celebrants gather in a room apart from the ritual area.
         It is best if the ritual can be held in a room without lights
         and with no heat.  Priest and Priestess may choose to cast
         the circle before hand and allow all to enter through a
         portal, or cast after the candle lighting. At the time for
         the ritual to begin, the warden and maiden lead all into the
         ritual area with only one dim candle to light the way which
         circles to the Southern tower and stays there.  As all shiver
         in the darkness, the priest and priestess, at the Southern
         tower begin, alternating:

         It is winter.
         It is night.

         We await the Sun.
         We await the light.

         In this darkness
         In this night,

         We await the warmth.
         We await the light.

         (Together:) And slowly it comes.

         (As they have moved around the cirle saying these things, the
         Priestess Widdershins and the Priest Deosil, they light
         candles which completely surround the circle. By the time
         they have finished, the room should be very bright.)

         Circle is cast if not already.  Salt and water. Fire and air.
         Quarters summoned in manner appropriate to the season.

         God Invocation
         Priestess:

         Horned God, Winter God, Father of the Sun, with frost upon
         your beard and the blazing of Yule fires in your eyes, you
         bless us with your presence. We greet you.

         Goddess Invocation
         The Winter God (lighting the appropriate candles, which are
         held by women appropriately dressed):

         White is for the Maiden, divine and joyous child.  Fresh as
         the snow is her taper.  I give greetings, Blessed One.

         Red is for the Mother, warm embracing creation queen.
         Scarlet as the winter sunset is her taper.  I give greetings,
         Regal One.
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         Black is for the Crone, keeper of magical mysteries.  Ebon as
         the stormy night is her taper.  I give greetings, Wise One.

         Queens of winter, Sister, Mother, Grandmother, I greet you
         and ask your blessings upon your people gathered here.

         The three Goddesses, dividing the parts appropriately, invoke
         the Sun (the Maiden then crowns the God with a crown of
         candles or other appropriate crown, the Mother gives him a
         staff with a pine cone tip and the Crone gives him a kiss):
         Return, oh, return!  God of the sun, god of the light,
         return!  Darkness has fled -- Thou hast no enemies.  O lovely
         helper, return, return!
         Return to thy sister, thy spouse, thy mother who loveth thee!
         We shall not be put asunder.  O my brother, my consort, my
         son, return, return!  When I see thee not my heart grieveth
         for thee, mine eyes seek for thee, my feet roam the earth in
         search of thee!  Gods and men weep for thee together.  God of
         the sun, god of the light, return!  Return to thy sister, thy
         spouse, thy mother, who loveth thee!  Return!  Return!
         Return!

         The God raps three times on the altar with his wand

         Sun King:
         Newly born, am I.  What wisdom says the watcher of the east
         to aid me and those gathered here with me?

         East:
         This is a time for entering wilderness and seeking its
         magical strengths.  A time for standing alone and godlike,
         and seeing all things clearly.  It is a season of joy!

         Sun King:
         What wisdom says the watcher of the south?

         South:
         This is a time of active seeking, both without in nature and
         within oneself.  Eagerness and resolution shall concern
         mysteries and create results.  It is a season of courage!

         Sun King:
         What wisdom says the watcher of the west?

         West:
         This is a time for devotion to the way of the wild places and
         seeking the calmness of solitary locales.  A time for finding
         understanding, and confiding only in trusted friends.  It is
         a season of meditation!

         Sun King:
         What wisdom says the watcher of the north?

         North:
         This is a time to know the endurance of the hills, and to so
         grow in one's own inner firmness.  A time for scrupulousness
         and thoroughness and considering all things.  It is a season
         of confidence!

         The Winter God:

         Rich are these gifts of knowledge.  Soon I will give way to
         my Son, but until that time mine is the feast and the season
         of joy.  (The God blesses the feast as is customary for the
         group.)

         Each Deity and Watchers is thanked and bid farewell as they
         were invoked.

         The circle is released as is appropriate to the group.

         Notes:

         If anyone is crowned with a crown of candles, a veil helps
         with the dripping wax.  Holly can be pretty uncomfortable,
         too, so ditto.

         Portions of this are liberally stolen from the Magical Rites
         from the Crystal Well by Ed Fitch.  It's great stuff and you
         may want to use it outright, rather than my mutilated
         version.

         If you have enough people and candles, everybody may be naked
         by the end of this.

         It's great to use your oldest male as Winter and your
         youngest male for the Sun (kids are great suns).  Same for
         the Goddesses.

         Obviously, this is just an outline that can be spindled,
         folded and mutilated any way you like.  The opening part with
         the candles we have used for more than one Yule and it's
         really great.

         We have also done a guided meditation into Herne's Grove,
         rather than a Winter God invocation.  It involves a treck
         through the winter forest, trudging through snow until you
         find the lone pine tree in the clearing in the heart of the

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