YULE RITUAL for a small gathering...

                        Galen Starwalker


A circle may be marked on the floor, surrounding those who will
participate in the ceremony.  An altar is to be set up a little
north of the center of the circle.  The altar should have an image
of the God and Goddess with an incense burner placed in front of
the images.

Two white altar candles, dishes of salt and water, goblet of wine
or fruit juice, cauldron with a special candle to symbolize fire
and light, a little bell (if you have one) the athames and a small
dish of the cakes or cookies for the Cakes and Wine ceremony.

When everyone is ready the participants should assemble in the
circle area.

Purify and cast the Circle but do not light the candle in the
Cauldron.

Designated Priest:

     "Let it be known that the Circle is about to be cast, let none
     be here but of their own free will."

The Priestess then says:

     "This is the night of the solstice, the night that the
darkness is    triumphant over light, and yet on the morrow, the
dark begins to      give way and the light will return.  The spirit
of nature is   suspended, all living things wait the transformation
of the Dark
     King into the Infant Light.  We watch for the coming of dawn,
when
     the Great Mother will again give birth to the Divine Child,
The Sun
     God who is the bringer of the life of Spring and the promise
of   Summer.  We call the Sun from the womb of night. Blessed Be."

All:  "Blessed be."

The Priest then calls the quarters; making the sign of the invoking
pentagram in each direction.

Facing East, saying:

     "Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, we summon, awaken and
     call you up to guard the circle and protect us in our rite.
Come      to us now on the cold winter wind and breathe into us the
spirit    of the pure joy of life.  So mote it be!"

All:  "So mote it be!"

Facing South, saying:

               "Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, we summon,
awaken    and call you up to guard the circle and protect us in our
rite.     Come forth from the fires that warm this winter's night.
Kindle    within us the warmth of spiritual awakening.  So mote it
be!"

All:  "So mote it be!"

Facing West, saying:

     "Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, we summon, awaken and
call      you up to guard the circle and protect us in our rite.
Come forth     from the frozen streams, from the driven snow.
Bring us the water  of life to wash away our fears and resentments
that we may find    peace of mind.  So mote it be!"

All: "So mote it be!"

Facing North, saying:

     "Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, we summon, awaken and
call      you up to guard the circle and protect us in our rite.
Come forth     from the fertile bosom of our Blessed Mother Earth,
and nourish us      so that our faith may grow in strength.  So
mote it be!"

All: "So mote it be!"

     The priest then takes the wand, and starting at the north,
draws it along the entire circle clockwise back to the north point,
saying:

         "The circle is sealed, and all herein
          Are totally and completely apart
          From the outside world,
          That we may glorify the Lady whom we adore.
          Blessed Be!"

All repeat: "Blessed Be!"

     The priest now holds the wand out in salute towards the north
for a moment and then hands it to the priestess, who also holds it
out in salute.  She motions to the group to repeat the following
lines after her:

         "As above, so below ...
          As the universe, so the soul.
          As without, so within.
          Blessed and gracious one,
          On this day do we consecrate to you
          Our bodies,
          Our minds,
          And our spirits.
          Blessed Be!"


Priestess:

     "To die and be reborn,
     The Wheel is turning,
     What must you lose to the night?"

All: "Fear."

Priestess:

     "Fear is lost to the night.
     Fear is lost to the night.
     To die and be reborn,
     The Wheel is turning,
     What must you lose to the night?"

All:

     "The light was born,
     And the light has died."

Priestess:

     "Everything passes,
     All fades away.

The High Priest places a pinch of salt on each member's tongue,and
says:

     "My body is salt,
     Taste the breath of death."

Priestess:

     "You are entering a space of perfect freedom."

     As everyone visualizes their hopes for their new life to come
with the coming of the Sun the Priestess gives each a drop of honey
on their tongues, one by one, saying:

     "Taste the sweetness of life."

All:

     We are awake in the night!
     We turn the Wheel, to bring the light!
     We call the sun from the womb of night!"

The Priestess says:

     "He sets his face to the West, but in the East arises!"

Priestess:

    "Queen of the sun!
     Queen of the Moon!
     Queen of the horns!
     Queen of the fires!
     Bring to us the Child of Promise!"

All:

     "It is the Great Mother
     Who gives birth to Him,
     It is the Lord of Life,
     Who is born again!
     Darkness and tears
     Are set aside,
     When the sun comes up again!"

Priestess:

     "Golden sun,
     Of hill and field,
     Light the earth!
     Light the skies!
     Light the waters!
     Light the fires!"

All: "Io! Evohe! Io! Evohe!"

The High Priest lights the cauldron candle, and all begin chanting:

     "I who have died am alive again today,
     The Sun is born again!

     This is the birth of life and love and wings,
     We are born again, we shall live again!
     The Sun Child, the Winterborn King!"

All:

     "The Dark God has passed the Gate,
     He has been reborn through the Mother,
     With Him we are each reborn!"

     "The tide has turned!
     The light will come again!
     In a new dawn, in a new day,
     The sun is rising!
     Io! Evohe! Blessed Be!"


The Priestess now faces the altar, takes the goblet of wine in both
hands, raising it offering it to the Lady and the Lord saying:

     "We give thanks to the Gods for that which sustains us."

The Priest, also facing the altar, takes the plate of cakes,
raising it and offering it to the Lady and the Lord, saying:

     "We give thanks to the Gods for that which sustains us."

All: "So be it. May we ever be aware of all that we owe to the
Gods."

The Priestess holding the goblet with both hands faces the Priest.
The Priest, holds his athame between his two palms, point down,
faces her.  He slowly lowers the point of the athame into the wine,
saying:

     "In like fashion may male join with female,"

Priestess:

     "For the happiness of both, and let the fruits of the union
     promote life,"

Priest:

     "Let all be fruitful and let peace, happiness and good will
be
     spread throughout all lands."

The Priest then raises the athame, replacing it upon the altar.
The Priestess holds the goblet for the Priest to sip the wine,
and the Priest holds it for the Priestess, replacing it upon the
altar.

The Priest then takes up the plate of cakes, holds them before him,
turning to the Priestess.  She touches each of them with the point
of her athame, saying:

     "This food is the blessing of the Gods to our bodies,"

Priest:

     "Let us partake of it freely, and as we share, let us remember
always to see to it that what we have we share with those who have
nothing."

The Priestess takes a cake and eats it, offering one to the Priest
who also takes and eats a cake.

The Priest then takes the goblet and offers the wine to each of the
Coveners in turn as the Priestess offers them each a cake.

Priestess:  "As we enjoy these gifts of the Gods, let us remember,
             without them, we would have nothing,"

Priest:

     "Eat and drink. Be happy. Share and give thanks. So Mote It
     Be."

All: "So Mote It Be."

     Now is the time for discussion and teaching.  Wine and light
refreshments may be served.  When the meeting has ended, all will
stand and silently meditate for a moment.

Priest facing East, making the sign of the banishing pentagram,
says:

     "Lords of the watchtowers of the East, return now to the brisk
     Winter winds which are brimming with the excitement of the
year's
     climax.  Take with you our blessings and thanks. Hail and
     farewell!"

All: "Hail and farewell!"

Facing South, making the sign of the banishing pentagram, says:

     "Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, return now to the
     fires of the Winter Hearth. Take with you our blessings and
thanks.   Hail and farewell!"

All: "Hail and farewell!"

Facing West, making the sign of the banishing pentagram, says:

     "Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, return now to the
frozen    streams and snow fields. Take with you our blessings and
thanks.   Hail and farewell!"

All: "Hail and farewell!"

Facing North, making the sign of the banishing pentagram, says:

     "Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, return now to the
Earth     where seeds nestle awaiting the warmth of Spring.  Take
with you  our blessings and thanks.  Hail and farewell!"

All: "Hail and farewell!"

Priest:  Raises his athame in salute, says:

     "We came together in perfect love and perfect trust, in love
and  friendship, let us part in the same way. Let us spread the
love we   have known here outward to all; sharing with those we
meet on
     our separate ways."

Priestess:  Raises her athame in salute saying, as all coveners
raise their athames in salute also:

     "Lord and Lady, we give you our thanks for sharing this time
     together in our rite. We give you thanks for watching over us,
for
     guarding us and for guiding us in all things.  Love is the
Law,      Love is the Bond, Merry did we meet, merry do we part;
and merry
     will we meet again."

The priestess will then take the wand and tap each candle to put it
out, starting at the north and going clockwise around the circle,
while saying:

     "Our rite draws to its end.
     O lovely and gracious Goddess,
     Be with each of us as we depart.
     The circle is open but not broken!
     So Mote it be"

All: "So Mote it be!
     Merry Meet, Merry Part,
     May the Love of The Lord and The Lady,
     Be always in your heart."




Adapted from the published works of Raymond Buckland, "Complete
Book of Witchcraft;" Janet and Stewart Ferrar, "A Witches Bible
Compleat;" Starhawk, "The Spiral Dance," Michael Fix, "Harvest Home
Ritual" (posted on a BBS somewhere), and my teacher and mentor,
Durwydd MacTara.