Yule 1984

Julia Phillips

Circle is cast and Quarters erected.

HPS

We now stand at the turning of the year.

Dark Lord

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter,
All fades and passes, day to night.

Dark Lord extinguishes candles leaving only altar candles alight.

HPS

Let us dance for the long year's end, for the sun sets quickly in the West, and we begin the long night of hope.

Coven do Wheel or Cord dance widdershins about the cauldron chanting:

Time and Death, Life and Seasons, All must pass, All must change.
Star Child now leaves the circle, and stands behind the veil in the North.

HPS stands at the cauldron in the center, wearing a black veil.

HPS

I am the Hag who engendered you all;
I am the Three and the One who is here;
I am the log that is ripe for burning;
In my end is your hope of beginning.

HPS now lifts the cauldron aloft and presents it to each quarter. She returns to the center, and lights the cauldron candle, from which she lights a quarter candle for each member of the coven. The quarter candles are placed in their respective quarters.

Narrator

This is the night of the Solstice; the Mother Night. Now darkness triumphs, and yet gives way and changes to light. Time stops, and all wait while the cauldron of the Dark King is transformed into the infant Light. We watch for the dawn when the Mother again gives birth to the sun, who is the bringer of hope and the promise of summer. Holly gives way to Oak, the Wren to the Robin, Old to New.

Narrator

We stand now in the long night, we pray for the sun's return. In darkness and shadows the Great Mother groans. The Mother labors to bring forth the sun from her pain. From her cries of labor comes forth our cries of welcome; from her toil and anguish our hope is reborn. Let us now call forth the Great Mother, and the Lord of Life, her husband and son.

The Star Child emerges from behind the veil, and lays at the feet of the HPS. The HPS points to the Star Child and proclaims:

Behold the Child! Here lies our king!

The HPS crowns the Star Child with a crown of mistletoe. She removes her veil and announces:

I am the Mother who brought forth the child;
I am the inspiration, and I am the rebirth.

Narrator

You are the ecstasy of the blessed
You are the light of the sun's beams
You are the lordly door of welcome
You are the guiding star
Yours is the step of the roe on the hill
Yours is the step of the white-faced mare
Yours is the grace of the swimming swan
You are the jewel in each mystery

Coven now do Wheel or Cord dance deosil about the cauldron chanting:

Power of soil and power of air,
Power of fire and power of water,
Power that spins the wheel of birth,
Spins the wheel of joy and mirth,
Spins the wheel of sun and moon,
Push, push, push, Open the gate.

Power of spell and magic free,
Eternal power that binds the sea,
Weaves the web of infinity,
Light of dark and light of day,
Speed the spokes fast on their way,
Push push push - ah ah
Open the gate, So Mote It Be!

HPS now invokes the Lord of Misrule into the circle. He is challenged upon entry by the Dark Lord, and must explain who he is, and why he is there. The Lord of Misrule is now in charge of the circle, and may behave as he sees fit. At some point, he must take the burdens of the coven for the previous twelve moons and pack them in his bag.

Cakes and Wine.

The Lord of Misrule must be ritually hunted as a wren to bring about his downfall. The coven mime hunting the wren chanting,

"Burn the bush, hunt the wren"

When he is discovered, the coven point their athames at his neck to symbolize his death. Close ritual.