|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Dec 16, 2010 11:07 am
Esiris So- if you're on your own, what are you planning to do? Honestly, I have no idea. This isn't one of the Sabbats I have a really strong connection to. I guess it depends on how many spoons I have left by the time I get to the 21st. If I'm not sleeping, I might watch the sun rise, but I won't deliberately stay up. I don't get enough regular sleep anymore to want to effectively sabotage whatever circadian rythym I do have left. Maybe I'll drink a bottle of wine.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:50 am
I found the perfect solstice/Christmas crossover outfit. My friends and family are mostly Christian so there's a lot of holiday parties and celebrations I go to which I like to be there for but I also like to carry my own faith with me without "rubbing it in people's faces" (my family is pretty sensitive to my religious beliefs cause they think they've failed to save my soul). I've found a peacock in in a phoenix-ish position. The teals, blues, and purples are kind of perfect for this time of year where it's the darkest but where light is going to be re-born out into the world. I'm very happy that it goes with my color scheme and the imagery is appropriate for both celebrations. Sorry, I just wanted a place to gush a bit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 3:53 pm
Morgandria Esiris So- if you're on your own, what are you planning to do? Honestly, I have no idea. This isn't one of the Sabbats I have a really strong connection to. I guess it depends on how many spoons I have left by the time I get to the 21st. If I'm not sleeping, I might watch the sun rise, but I won't deliberately stay up. I don't get enough regular sleep anymore to want to effectively sabotage whatever circadian rythym I do have left. Maybe I'll drink a bottle of wine. That sounds like a good idea. Hey Blindfaith- your outfit sounds lovely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:40 am
First Yule celebration is done with. Yay! I pulled it off! So for the eve of, I'll be doing some solitary heathen stuff and day of, I'm off to a small ritual with friends, run by someone who's not me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 3:35 pm
CalledTheRaven First Yule celebration is done with. Yay! I pulled it off! So for the eve of, I'll be doing some solitary heathen stuff and day of, I'm off to a small ritual with friends, run by someone who's not me! We demand full play-by-play of group ritual! xd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:25 am
I'm still waiting for my join request to be accepted, but I don't know how long that will take. My coven is celebrating yule on the night of the 20th, into the 21st. There will be a full lunar eclipse that night. ^_^ I'm so excited. It will also be my first Yule as High Priestess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 1:34 pm
It was a fairly basic Yule blot type of thing. I didn't require the full three rounds on the blot because a lot of people seemed uncomfortable with the speaking in front of everyone. I just did a round to the gods and opened it up for toasts boasts and oaths. There were a couple of big ones for that last. I will be wearing my oathring to rituals I go to with this group over the next year to remind folks of thier oaths. I think next year will be done by candle light, not electirc lights. The dimness can make people less self conscious a the flickering quality can give it more of a feel of something special. We had good mead and a lovely concoction called Berens Jeager (sp) that basically tastes like honey and fire. There was also much apple cider (non-alcoholic) for the non-drinkers. It was a little backward since feasting and ham was done first (between family ritual and adult ritual). Also, Loki seemed quite comfortable at the standing outsiders alter and I was thrilled to see they've added an ancestors alter since I was last in attendance.
It wasn't a very big deal over all. I was just really nervous because I've never done a ritual in front of people before. I pulled it off though and I'm glad I stuck to it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:05 pm
CalledTheRaven It was a fairly basic Yule blot type of thing. I didn't require the full three rounds on the blot because a lot of people seemed uncomfortable with the speaking in front of everyone. I just did a round to the gods and opened it up for toasts boasts and oaths. There were a couple of big ones for that last. I will be wearing my oathring to rituals I go to with this group over the next year to remind folks of thier oaths. I think next year will be done by candle light, not electirc lights. The dimness can make people less self conscious a the flickering quality can give it more of a feel of something special. We had good mead and a lovely concoction called Berens Jeager (sp) that basically tastes like honey and fire. There was also much apple cider (non-alcoholic) for the non-drinkers. It was a little backward since feasting and ham was done first (between family ritual and adult ritual). Also, Loki seemed quite comfortable at the standing outsiders alter and I was thrilled to see they've added an ancestors alter since I was last in attendance. It wasn't a very big deal over all. I was just really nervous because I've never done a ritual in front of people before. I pulled it off though and I'm glad I stuck to it. mmmm. Barenjager is fantastic liquer. My coven's quite fond of it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 8:47 pm
So, did everyone enjoy the Solstice? I enjoyed the ritual with friends more for the friendships than the actual ritual. Too, ecclectic neo-pagan for my taste. Still, good companions count for a lot. And I got an awesome gift! Paxsons's Taking Up the Runes. Yay!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 8:52 pm
CalledTheRaven So, did everyone enjoy the Solstice? I enjoyed the ritual with friends more for the friendships than the actual ritual. Too, ecclectic neo-pagan for my taste. Still, good companions count for a lot. And I got an awesome gift! Paxsons's Taking Up the Runes. Yay! Yay! biggrin I haven't done my Midsummer blot yet. I want to honour Tyr with chilled white wine, but I don't have any chilled white wine at present so I guess that's something I need to buy tomorrow. I'll look out for that Berenjager too, that looks tasty. I did my summer solstice ritual last night that was sort of weird and kinda unfulfilling, but I think it's because yesterday was really unpleasantly hot and I wasn't in the mood to celebrate something I found uncomfortable and mildly distressing. sweatdrop
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 10:14 pm
Morgandria mmmm. Barenjager is fantastic liquer. My coven's quite fond of it. It's become my Roomie's favorite way to feed Papa Legba.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:58 am
I'm new to Pagan/Wicca beliefs and everyone in my town is pretty much devout catholic. My family aren't, but my parents went BALLISTIC when I asked them for some new candles for Yule. It's incredibly hard to cast a circle with your parents in the next room. Anyone got any advice for next years? I'm incredibly unorganised, so I'd need a year to plan xd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 11:07 am
Valkyrie_x_Cain I'm new to Pagan/Wicca beliefs and everyone in my town is pretty much devout catholic. My family aren't, but my parents went BALLISTIC when I asked them for some new candles for Yule. It's incredibly hard to cast a circle with your parents in the next room. Anyone got any advice for next years? I'm incredibly unorganised, so I'd need a year to plan xd Practice your basics- casting a circle shouldn't be difficult just because there's someone in the next room. You might also want to figure out what you're celebrating, it can help focus your ritual.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 12:23 pm
I think that this Yule has been the most symbolic for me in the last eight years. I finally got a job that will begin after the new year, one that will require a lot of introspection and perseverance to get through the rocky first parts of life in a new job in a new state (plus other complications). In living through the shortest day, I felt an opening up and a coming out to the other side. The experience wasn't entirely complete, and my divinations in the group ritual spoke a lot about needing to wait on certain things with measured patience, but things are starting to look up.
Blackberry mead is also delicious. 3nodding
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Distinct Conversationalist
|
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 7:24 pm
My ceremony ended up being rather short and simple. My NeoPagan friend and I poured some of her father's homemade spiced wine into her flagon while we made food, then we went outside and said a few words to our gods of choice with our rather varied friend group (from Catholic to atheist, and only like, two of them took it seriously which made us feel kind of stupid), poured out the wine at the base of a tree, then went back inside, filled the flagon again and put it on her altar, and continued partying.
I didn't really know what I was doing, and neither did she, but we both felt good that we had someone to do it with. Neither of us has any close Pagan friends (let alone Heathen for me), so having a partner in Paganism was probably the best part about my Yule.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
