WINTER SOLSTICE

Rite Recap: Solitary Winter Solstice Rite, 12/29/07
Location: Home Shrine

Spiral Spirit PG was supposed to have a Yule ritual on the 29th of December but major life circumstances hit a couple of our members just prior and we decided to cancel the rite and celebrate the Solstice seperately. I worked up a ritual outline and observed the Solstice at my shrine.

The rite was very similar to my usual observances, outlined closely following the Core Order of Ritual laid out by ADF. I started with an offering of whisky to the outdwellers and then processed in to my shrine, which I'd already prepared. I grounded and centered with the Two Powers meditation and offered oats and cornmeal to the Earth Mother.

After offering to the Kindreds, I moved to the main offering to the Deities of the Rite. I was/am undertaking training in a tradition of British Traditional Witchcraft and my teacher had sent me an outer court ritual for Yule; I incorporated the central libations from that rite into my ADF ritual and offered libations of oil to Rhea (historically a Titan and mother of Zeus and thus the Olympians) and to Asterion, the tradition's primary masculine deity. Asterion is more difficult to attest to historically: UPG warning! I offered a libation of milk according to that tradition and meditated on the rebirth of the Sun in the darkness of mid-Winter.

The omen was as follows:

Ancestors: berkana

Spirits: gebo

Gods: raidho

Berkana is generally new beginnings, new growth; gebo is a gift, or mutual exchange; and raidho is a journey, path or travel. The most unusual thing about this omen was its similarity to the omen my grove received at Samhain (an act of divination in which I did not participate); see my account of that ritual and you will notice that the runes are the same although the kindreds who offer each gift are different.

I called for the Waters and received the blessing in my belly. I closed my ritual in my usual way, and felt blessed by the Kindreds and glad for the return of the light.

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