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Winter Solstice Ritual
 
 Set up four altars, one at each Direction. These should be beautifully decorated with symbols of the Direction and lots of candles.

A fifth altar should be set up in the Center. It should have a Yule log with triple candles on it as well as Solar symbols. Plates or baskets of Sun Cookies should be stashed at the Center Altar.

Candles with drip collars and chant sheets should already be placed on all chairs for participants. Have a few extras at each altar. If preparation time allows, the drip collars can be decorated with sun sign (stickers, painted designs, stamped designs...this is a good November project for the planning group).

As the people gather outside, the GATEKEEPERS explain that they will be entering sacred space. When the doors are opened, everyone is aspurged with water sprinkled from cedar sprigs by the GATEKEEPERS as they pass through the doors. As they take their seats, they find a candle and a chant sheet on the chairs. Drums and rattles should be available for participants to use.

Half of the candles on the altars shall be lit. Each Direction has a GUARDIAN already sitting in place. The CRONE and The SHROUDED SUN GOD are also seated at the North altar.

The RITUAL LEADER is standing by the Center altar.
 
As everyone enters, begin drumming and chanting:

Finish when all are in place.
 
RITUAL LEADER: (Greet and extend Welcome to all)
Ancient people saw the flow of time as circular, not linear, and the Changing Seasons were understood as a Great Wheel, the Wheel of the Year. To this season was given the name Yule, an Anglo-Saxon word meaning wheel. The green wreaths that decorate our doors and windows are a symbol of the new year and its turning.

Tonight we are gathered to observe the turning of the Wheel in this season. Tonight we celebrate the Holy Night of the Winter Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the longest night of the year. Yet this night, in the time of greatest darkness, the light is reborn. After tonight the Sun will grow stronger and stronger, 'til we reach the time of the longest day at the Summer Solstice.

The ancients believed the people must help the Light to be reborn, by honoring this time of darkness. The people were to watch and wait, holding hope in their hearts. The return of the light was not taken for granted. And people never forgot how their very lives depended on its return. While the people waited, they prayer and feasted. They decorated their homes so that the new light would find welcome and beauty in the new year. They exchanged gifts with one another in honor of the life-giving gift of the increasing light. And while they waited, they told stories...Stories to explain the light's coming and going.

Tonight we will tell one story of how the light makes rich our lives. We will tell a story of the turning Wheel of the year and how the light will be reborn. Let us now cast the circle to make sacred this space as we celebrate the return of light in the midst of darkness. Will everyone please rise and face the East...(steps out of center).
 
Directions are called by the GUARDIANS while standing at their altars.

GUARDIAN OF THE EAST calls the direction.

GUARDIAN OF THE SOUTH calls the direction.

GUARDIAN OF THE WEST calls the direction.

GUARDIAN OF THE NORTH calls the direction.

RITUAL LEADER calls the Center.
 
THE CRONE: (stepping to the center)
I am The Crone, the Old One who rules the time of Winter. Do you know my names? Hecate, Cerridwen, Spider Grandmother - I am midwife of life and death, the Changer, she who stands at the crossroads. I am the storyteller.

This night I have brought the guardians of each direction to tell the story of the Sun God, a story of Life, Death, and Rebirth! Listen! (Return to seat.)
 
EAST GUARDIAN: (stepping to center)
I am the East, the place of dawn, ruled by the element of Air. I am the breath of Life, of speech and song. I watch over all the winged ones. I am the season of Spring, the season of birth and new creation surging forth.

Can you remember the Spring? Life surges forth in buds and sprouts. The trees dress their branches in new leaves as the sap rises to rouse them from sleep. The birds return from the realms of the South to raise their children. New life comes forth and multiplies. The Earth warms and leans towards the Sun as she greens and blossoms. Each day the young Sun rises in the East and each day grows stronger. Each day the time of light lasts longer. Did you think it would last forever? The Wheel turns! (Spin in circle and point to the South. Return to seat.)
 
SOUTH GUARDIAN: (stepping to center)
I am the South, the place of mid-day, ruled by the element of Fire. I am the passion and laughter of life. Keeper of Earth's fertility. Guardian of all that walks and crawls on the Earth. I hold the gift of fertile Earth from whence your crops come forth. I am the blessing of children, the keeper of truth and innocence. I am the season of Summer.

Can you remember the Summer? The fruit sets upon the vines and the branches of the trees. The herds fatten on the thick grass of the upper pastures. Young animals scamper and play under the watchful eyes of the older animals. The young birds learn to fly. Your own children take shade under the glorious leaf canopy of the trees. The Earth leans nearest the Sun, radiant in her beauty. The Sun, strong and hot, is at the peak of His power. And the light exceeds the darkness. Did you think it would last forever? The Wheel turns! (Spin in circle and point to the West. Return to seat.)

WEST GUARDIAN: (stepping to center)
I am the West, place of dusk, ruled by the Element of Water. I am the guardian of life's water - from the oceans' depths to the waters of the womb that rocked you before your birth. I am the sweet rain satisfying the thirsty Earth, and keeper of all that swims and lives in water. I am the place of all that lies below the surface, of intuition and dreams. I am the season of Fall and I rule the time of Harvest.

Can you remember the time of Fall? Do you remember the backbreaking labor of harvesting the grains and fruits and vegetables? The vines and trees heavy with their bounty? Now the young animals take their places beside the elders and begin the great migrations to the realms of the South and the pastures of the lowlands.

The trees transform from deep green into glorious gold, orange, and red, - their true colors shine forth before they drop their finery, leaf by leaf, to the ground. Your own children must be dressed against the evening chill and you labor to make ready for the coming darkness. The Earth stands apart from the Sun who grows cooler, and the light begins to die. Did you think it would last forever? The Wheel turns! (Spin in circle and point to the North. Return to seat.)
 
NORTH GUARDIAN: (stepping to center)
I am the North, the place of midnight, ruled by the Element of Earth. I am the place of the ancestors and ancient wisdom, of all that has walked the Wheel through millennia and knows the way. I rule the time of Winter.

The time of Darkness is now upon us. A time of cold and scarcity when the northern-most Earth leans farthest from the Sun. The Sun gives brief light and little warmth. The life that was lies shattered and still - retreated like refugees in the migration of herds, the flight of the flocks. The trees stand stripped and naked in their poverty, imprisoned in ice, bowed and broken by storms. In suffering and hardship you learn what is essential. Your wealth is taken, your weakness exposed, your dreams perish. Even the God, too, dies! (Return to seat.)
 
At this point the SUN GOD rises and slowly and silently walks deosil around the circle. As He passes each altar (starting with East), one candle is held up by the GUARDIAN for him to blow out. All the other candles on the altar are then extinguished by the GUARDIAN and a HELPER recruited prior to the ritual. The SUN GOD then moves to the next altar. After reaching the North altar, He waits for the candles to be extinguished and then turns and walks to the Center, where He dies.

THE CRONE covers the dead God with a shroud. The only light left burning is the triple candle on the Yule Log representing the Triple Goddess. Let there be silence for a minute or so.
 
THE CRONE: (standing in center)
My children, there are many kinds of darkness - the darkness of death and suffering, of hatred and war, of bloodshed. The darkness of fear and despair, the darkness of cruelty and injustice. The darkness of sorrow and loss.

Yet, all these, as great and terrible as they are, are held within another and far greater darkness. The darkness which preceded all. The darkness from which all creation surges forth. This is the pregnant darkness - the womb darkness - the darkness of the Great Mother, She who is the Source of Creation.

And you, Her children, She does not forget. You are not abandoned nor forsaken. Even now the Goddess labors to birth the Sun. Trust the laboring darkness, for the time of Awakening and Light comes. A time when burdens shall be lifted, and refugees welcomed. Grief will be healed, dreams reborn, and all of life renewed. The slumbering animals are dreaming of it. The seeds in hardened shells know the time and push forward through darkness, seeking light. Reach with your life toward the Mother as She reaches with unconditional love toward you, Her children. The Winter Solstice promises new dreams, new hopes and new light...Be not afraid!

Will you help the light to be reborn? (People, led by GUARDIANS, answer YES!) Do you, the people, hold the light in your hearts? (People, led by GUARDIANS, answer YES!) Then help the Wheel turn! Help the light be reborn! (Drumming, yelling, by all.)
 
Begin chant (We Will Kindle a Fire):

Chanting continues until the candles on all the altars have been lit.
 
The CRONE now walks forward and lights the Winter Solstice candle from the Triple Candles of the Yule Log. The SUN GOD arises, and He, the CRONE, and the GUARDIANS throw off their dark clothes to reveal bright or light colored clothing. Put crowns on with streamers (be careful not to set yourself on fire!). CRONE returns to North altar.

The SUN GOD now walks slowly around the Circle, stopping at each altar while the candles are relit (by GUARDIANS with assistance of HELPER). Drumming and chanting continue.
 
RITUAL LEADER: (stepping to center)
The people in darkness have seen a great light and though this light is yet small, it grows stronger as it grows in each of us. We will now pass the light to you, so it may grow strong with the coming year. (Explain that the light will be passed to every one around the circle.)

EAST GUARDIAN steps to center and lights a candle, then returns to altar and lights the candles of the people at the end of the rows behind the altar, telling them to pass it to the person next to them. When the light comes to the break between the seating sections behind the next altar, that GUARDIAN takes a candle and transfers the light across the aisle to the next section. This continues around the room until everyone has a lit candle. The idea is that the light will start in the East and move deosil around the circle.
 
RITUAL LEADER:
You are invited to share with us your hope for this new year. (People stand and express wish for the new year. It would be helpful to prompt a few people ahead of time to get things started.)

RITUAL LEADER:
Cookies are brought out from under the Center altar. Talks about Sun Cookie and the symbolism of taking the light within yourself.

We have brought for each one here a sun cookie, so that we might, in this way, take the newborn Sun into our bodies, so that it can feed our hearts. I now ask the new Sun God to charge and bless these gifts we have brought for you.

SUN GOD: Charges the cookies with light and life.
May these cookies bring light and life to those who eat of them. May their hope be strong through all the days of the coming year.
 
The four GUARDIANS come to center and take a basket of cookies back to their altars. They then pass them out to the people behind them. Meanwhile a solo drummer provides a low beat for background. When all the cookies are passed out and people have had a chance to eat them the RITUAL LEADER speaks.

RITUAL LEADER:
Let the Sun God now bless the people!

SUN GOD:
Out of Darkness Light is reborn. Carry the hope of this moment like a torch in your hearts through the coming year. Let it sustain you in your times of darkness, and be a symbol of blessing in your times of joy. Let Peace be with you. (steps back to North)
 
RITUAL LEADER:
Let us now thank the Directions.

Directions are thanked by the GUARDIANS while standing at their altars.

RITUAL LEADER thanks the Center.

GUARDIAN OF THE NORTH thanks the direction.

GUARDIAN OF THE WEST thanks the direction.

GUARDIAN OF THE SOUTH thanks the direction.

GUARDIAN OF THE EAST thanks the direction.
 
RITUAL LEADER:
Let us begin our celebration of the new year by singing...Holy Shining Wheel of Radiance.

After completion of the song, begin drumming, dancing, and feasting (potluck desserts in church hall).

Ritual created by Mary Marsh, 1994 as adapted from the poem Prayer for the Winter by Mary Wolch-Marsh, 1984.
 
  First performed December 18, 1994 by The Olympia Chapter of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (OlyCUUPS), at the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Olympia, Washington.
 
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