Wheel of the Year | Writings of a Pagan Witch

When it is just me and my children celebrating the Sabbats, we tend to do something very simple, short and sweet. For instance, today we are putting up our Solstice Yule tree, and so while we are decorating, I will light some candles and we will talk about how we celebrate Yule as the shortest day of the year, longest night. And about how this marks the midpoint of winter, from the Winter Solstice until Summer Solstice, the days will gradually grow longer.

Several years back, when we had extended family around, we did this ritual to celebrate Yule.

Winter Solstice

Yule Ritual

Altar Set-up
As usual, except South candle is not lit
Only candle lit should be the Source candle
One small candle for each person around the edge of the altar.

The Circle is created.

HPS:
We gather tonight to await new light. In ancient times it is said that a maiden prepared to become a mother, to bring forth a special Son who would bring in a new age. On the night, the Maiden, who is also Mother and Crone, prepares to welcome the Sun, the light of a new year. Let us now prepare ourselves to welcome the new light within.

HP extinguishes source candle

HPS:
Once again the wheel has turned full circle. It is Winter Solstice – night of the longest darkness, as the Sun awaits in the shadows. We meet to call him back, Return, O Lord of Light! Be reborn this night, as the great wheel of life must ever turn.
As we wait in darkness, we are surrounded by the great Celestial Sphere, where we may look upon the faces of the Mighty Ones and see in them a reflection of our own eternal souls. I now do call upon their energies to shine within us as I proclaim this to be a circle of power, truth, love, and light reborn.

HPS lights the Source candle

HPS:
I call the God. Return from the shadows, O Lord of Light. The wheel has turned. We call you back to warm us, to charge the seeds of spring within us, within the hearts of all.

HP lights the God candle from the source candle

HP:
I hear you, Lady. I greet you with joy and with the first light of new possibilities that were only dreams when last we met to turn the wheel.

HPS lights the Goddess candle from the source candle

HPS:
I greet you Lord with joy and with the rays of hope for a new beginning in the future to come.

HP:
Come to me. I bring you new light.

HPS:
As tonight a Sun is reborn, as darkness gives way to light, so should we now let go of all fears, all doubts, all outworn ideas, all projects finished – anything in our lives that holds us away from the new beginnings that will lead to new growth. As you light your candle, let go of the past, walk with the light, and be as the Sun reborn.

HPS directs each person present to pick up the white candle on the altar and move clockwise around the circle. As each passes the HP, he lights the candle from the God candle.

During this time the HPS lights the South candle from the source candle.
People set their candles around the edge of the altar once all have returned to their place.

Now is the time for feasting and celebrating.

Once completed, the circle is closed using the usual method.

Find this on Zazzle

For more Solstice ideas

The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas – US Link

UK Link

Winter Solstice Altars (heddyjohannesen.wordpress.com)
13 Ways to Celebrate Yuletide by Selena Fox (completehealthcircle.com)
Let’s Talk Witch – Pagan symbols for Yule Tree (witchesofthecraft.com)

Your name:
Catherine

Do you follow any particular religious path? What is it? Are you part of any particular tradition? Can you share with us what that is?

I do not follow a particular path. I have taken my knowledge from many different pre-Christian faiths.

How long have you practiced witchcraft?

Since 1996.

Were you born a witch, or did you become a witch? At what point did you know?

I believe that everyone is born with the potential to be a witch, but their early environment steers them in one way or another. Since I was young, I always felt drawn to the Earth. When other children played with dolls, I had more fun playing outside in the grass and climbing trees. When I came of age at 13, I was finally able to put a name to my affinity to Nature.

Do you follow, or have you dedicated yourself to, any particular deities?

I am officially dedicated to Isis and Thor. It’s a curious combination, I know. Thor actually came to me first, when I came to a point in my life where I would have to make a life-changing decision. Isis came soon after when I entered into the Mother stage of my life.

What type of crafting are you best at, or do you focus on the most? i.e. herbs, stones and crystals, candles, divining

I don’t really have a specialty when it comes to the Craft. I am not much of a spell-caster. I have on occasion used a spell to ward of persons who posed a threat to my family. I am more centered on Prayer and Meditation.

I have not had much experience with herbs. I have worked with stones in the past. I am very fond of candles and incense and I use them in all of my devotions. I also read the tarot, and every reading I have ever made has been right on the dot.

Do you celebrate the Sabbats? All or just some of them?

I will be perfectly honest and say that I try to celebrate all of the Sabbats. I am a very busy woman and sometimes the thought of organizing myself, my husband, and two kids into any format for ritual is intimidating. But I do try to explain the Sabbats to my children. For us, the two Sabbats that get the most attention and care are Samhain and Yule.

Books! How many books about witchcraft do you own? Have you written any of them?

I have so many books! Books specifically about witchcraft and Paganism are about 11, and they cover everything from witchcraft to magic to aromatherapy. I also own a lot of fiction and anthropology books.

What have you been doing recently that is craft related?

My most recent craft working is covering. I have felt called by Isis to cover my hair while I am at home attending to my duties. It’s not really a requirement, but a request and I have found great comfort and strength with it. I am also preparing my seeds for planting, a ritual all by itself.

Magical and mundane life. Are they kept separate or are they combined?

In my life, I believe they are combined. Not a second of the day goes by without me looking outside and marvelling at Nature, or seeing my statues of Isis and Thor and contemplating them.

Are environmental issues important to you? What are you doing or how have you adjusted your life and your practices in response to these issues?

They are important to me. I have taken steps to reduce our water and electricity use, and I compulsively recycle.

Do you have a familiar?

At the moment, I do not. I have a cat, but she is not interested in the job (yet). I am incredibly drawn to frogs as my totem animal.

Do you have a craft name? Do you believe craft names should be kept secret, or can they be shared?

I do have a craft name. I do not necessarily believe that they should be kept secret, unless it is being used as a pen name for the sake of protecting the writer or for someone who is not ‘out of the broom closet’ yet. However, I believe that we need to come out in the open and show our good morals and good deeds to lessen the negative connotations of what it means to practice our faith.

If you have children are you raising them in the craft?

Yes we are. We are not piling it all on them at one time, but we use every experience in life as a teaching experience.

Do you wear, or not wear, any particular clothing or covering? Do you wear this all the time or only when doing magical work, or a bit of both?

I do not dress in a particular way, just normal everyday casual. As I said before, I am wearing a tichel-style head covering when I am at home, but when I go out, I wear a simple headband.

What are your views on ethics in witchcraft? Do you follow the 3-fold law or the Wiccan Rede?

I believe that ethics is part of our character. I do follow the 3-fold law and the Wiccan Rede because I believe they are part of our everyday karma and I have seen it work.

What is something you know now that you wish you had known when you first identified as a witch?

I can’t think of anything in particular. When I began, I thought I could learn it all in a short amount of time. 15 years later, I now know that learning is a constant, and I will learn new ways and new knowledge throughout all of the periods of my life.

Name one ritual tool you just wouldn’t want to do without?

Incense. I love the way it smells. 🙂

Is there anything else you would like to tell the world?

One of the things I really wish people would understand is that we are not devil-worshippers and we don’t dance under the full moon naked (well, mostly, lol). Most of all, I want people to see us as normal and not some fringe group with radical ideas. Our faith is not different than the Christian faith in its early days.

What links would you like to spotlight?

Mom on a Spiritual Journey , my blog

Witchvox, my source for events and information