Sabbats Almanac: Samhain to Mabon - Kristoffer Hughes 2018
Cosmic Sway by Charlie Rainbow Wolf
Yule
THE SKIES ARE FAIRLY quiet as we ease into Yule and the holiday season. The biggest news is the annular solar eclipse on the 26th. This is a full eclipse, but not counted as a total eclipse because the Moon’s distance from the Sun doesn’t quite cover it, and will leave the notable “ring of fire” around the Moon still visible during the transit. The path of the eclipse will be most profound over Indonesia.
Solar eclipses are harbingers of change, and what better portent to have at the end of one calendar year and the beginning of another? Just as the old year is ending and the new year is beginning, the eclipse brings both an ending and a beginning. It may not be life-changing for you, but it will have a knock on effect. Perhaps someone close to you, or something on a more widespread scale, will affect you in some way because of the eclipse.
Sometimes it takes hindsight to see what the eclipse initiated. This eclipse will have some ongoing influences—right through to the next annular solar eclipse at midsummer, 2020. In Capricorn, you should expect the energies of this eclipse to be practical, unassuming, and perhaps a bit uncompromising. It’s a good time to sow the seeds of determination and plan for what you want to accomplish in the New Year.
Eclipse patterns occur on (roughly) a nineteen-year cycle, so if you want to see how this eclipse might affect you, look back on where your life was taking you nineteen years ago! Of course, other planets will be in different positions, and that has to be taken into consideration. However, the Sun represents your personality, your authentic self, so this reflection isn’t a bad measure of what is influencing you, and a reflection on what you might want to change this time around.
This eclipse also makes a conjunction with Jupiter, meaning that the changes the eclipse instigates will take on an expansive and somewhat philosophical slant. New ideas are plentiful, but you’ll have to remain diligent to see whether they hold water or not. This is also an aspect that could highlight foreign affairs—either personal exchanges or political events. Because eclipses have a tendency to make things seem larger than life, it’s usually best to wait until the dust settles before making any important decisions.
Jupiter is playing nicely with Uranus as Yule opens, too. This is usually a good influence, one that brings favorable results. The atmosphere is optimistic and uplifting, and pleasant surprises are possible. What better way to celebrate the festive season than with these two guys playing “Father Christmas” in the skies?!
Expectations may not be met, but that’s okay. It’s easy to get ruffled, but it’s also easy to recover. The disappointments are usually minor, with other opportunities coming along that make up for what might have been missed. It’s a period for taking calculated risks, for being hopeful about their outcome, and for pursuing a bit of what you fancy rather than spending too much time listening to others. This transit brings a broader vision and open-mindedness, and that’s usually a good thing!
Another interesting planetary feature is the ongoing dance between Mars and Pluto. They’re quite chummy at the moment, after being at loggerheads several times this year. This is an aspect of perseverance, of taking the initiative, of making necessary changes that will lead you to your goals. You’ve heard the old saying, “Either I will find a way or I will make one”? That sums up this aspect in a nutshell. It’s likely to be hard work, but it has the potential for sowing seeds that will reap great rewards in the long term.
There’s really not a whole lot else going on as Yule opens. Venus is on its way through Aquarius, Mercury is direct and behaving itself in Sagittarius, and Mars is quite at home in Scorpio; all the inner planets seem fairly content. Apart from the stellium in Capricorn at the time of the eclipse, the skies are fairly quiet, which should lead to some favorable frequencies for seasonal celebrations!
Yule Celebration: Welcoming the Light
Yule is the date when the Oak King takes back his crown from the Holly King, and the daylight starts to lengthen. It’s opposite Litha on the wheel of the year, so it’s only fitting that the celebration be one that echoes Litha’s themes. Welcoming back the light during Yule (which lasts into January) seems even more apt because of the solar eclipse on the 26th. You’ll need the following items:
Holly leaves (fresh, not plastic; if you can’t obtain fresh ones, use paper cut outs)
Scraps of wool fabric, about 4" in diameter. If this isn’t possible, use an old t-shirt or bed sheet. Any natural fiber will do.
Small scraps of paper
A pen
Wool yarn. This must be wool and not man-made.
A Yule log or candle.
As soon as the sun sets, or as soon after that as possible, light your Yule log or candle. If you wish to welcome any spirits, or cast a circle, now is the time to do so. It’s best if you can do this after you’ve bathed and before you’ve had anything to eat, but as this is a sunset ceremony, that may not be possible, and that’s okay. Remember, it’s always your intent that is the most important, not what you actually do.
Next, write what you’d like to banish in the new year. Maybe there’s a habit you want to break, or a personality trait you’re working on improving. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, just a word or even a symbol will do. Put this and the holly leaf or its representation onto the scrap of fabric . This symbolizes the Holly King being taken down by the Oak King. Tie the pouch shut with the wool yarn.
Once everyone has made their bundles, continue with your usual Yule food and activities. What you do with your ties next is entirely up to you. It’s very fitting to hang them on an oak tree, and if you have one on your property, by all means do so. If no oak trees are available, tying them onto your Yule tree is also appropriate. Leave them there until the 6th night, and then when you take down the tree, remove the ties and bury or burn them. If you’ve done this as a community activity, the ties might be used collectively, or each participant could take their tie home with them. Remember to remain reverent, and to respect the death of the Holly King as he fell in battle once again so that the light might return.