(burn bayberry candles throughout the ritual for happiness, health, laughter, love, friendship, fortune, peace, tranquillity and everything that is good for the coming year)

Merry Meet - let us hold hands as we gather here tonight in perfect love and perfect trust as we are friends, we are family. On this night of Yule we welcome the coming of light and rebirth. Close your eyes and relax/release; take a deep breath in/and out - feel all the tension, negativity leaving you. Breath in and out deeply. Let all your muscles relax. Visualize the moon in all her glory, full and bright, feel her warmth descend upon you. Follow her silver moonbeams ever slowly down, down to the ground. There upon the sleeping earth lies crisp white snow like a blanket protecting the life soon to be reborn.

Watch the moon’s beams give life to an endless field of glitters and sparkles dancing for you as you walk through this field of diamonds. There is no sorrow as mother earth laughs in her sleep. She knows that with the coming of light there will be warmth once again and she will blossom in all her glory. Breath in, breath out. Your energies are strong. Focus on love, light and happiness. Center on family and friends, trust and honesty. Ground in knowledge and wisdom. Breath in/breath out. We will now welcome Winter’s Solstice.

(purify with frankincense and saltwater)

(sprinkle saltwater around and make the gesture of sweeping with a broom away from the circle)

With strength and love we cleanse this space, all negativity be gone this place.

On this special night, we sweep away and purify, evil do we chase and bid forever no more of it for us to face.

So mote it be

(then circle again and with incense bless each person)

Goddess blesses and rejoices

Goddess loves and gives us choices

Feel as one with her ,

hear the nature’s noises

feel as one with us,

we are her voices.

Blessed Be.

The circle is cast,

now beyond time and place,

we enter a space of perfect freedom.

True in love we’ll ever be,

brothers and sisters are we.

We live and let live,

We fairly take and fairly give.

Blessed Be.

CALLING QUARTERS

Powers of Earth, Cold of the North, Guardian of the Darkest Night,

we invite you to join us here this longest night and guard our North. Ancient Mother, the snow falls hard and deep, please help us find healing this night. (light the candle and ring bell)

Powers of Air, Blowing from the East, Guardian of Dawn, we invite you to join us here this longest night and guard our East. Ancient Brother, while the world is wrapped in sleep, please help us find inspiration this night. (light the candle and ring bell)

Powers of Fire, Warmth from the South, Guardian of High Noon, we invite you to join us here this longest night and guard our South. Ancient Father, the sun lives once again and the time of light is waxing, please help warm our hearts and spirit this night.

Powers of Water, Snow of the West, Guardian of the Evening, we invite you to join us here this longest night and guard our West. Ancient Sister, while icy winds blow, we know this too, soon, shall pass. Please help us control and make stable our emotions this night.

Gracious Lord,

you are strength, vision, fire, passion and wisdom. You are warmth in darkness and lover to our wondrous lady.

This night we welcome your rebirth.

Your spirit is ever present in all things; the forest, the stag, the bear, the wolf the very path we tread, the waterfall, the twinkling stars and all that is good.

And when our time has come, you will be our guide. You will take us to that world between worlds and offer us peace and rest.

You are the protector of all things Wicca. Honor us with your presence, we invite you, attend our circle and bless us. Heal our hearts and strengthen our spirits. We are forever your sons and daughters.

Blessed Be. (light candle and ring bell three times)

Gracious lady

creator of life and all that is wild and free.

You remain as always the solitary guiding light in darkness.

You are love and emotion and have taught us to honor all living things, for we ourselves are of eagle, wolf , fish and butterfly and all things. We are Wicca and you our protectress. Through your guidance we destroy no life save, to preserve our own. We are simple yet complex, we seek out wisdom by listening to the whispering of the wind, the songs of birds and the roar of water. Honor us with your presence, we invite you - Attend our circle and bless us. We celebrate you as we welcome the ever-returning God of the Sun.

Blessed Be. (light candle and ring bell three times)

"Strong sun, returning sun;

the light burns and the wheel turns

Strong sun, returning sun;

the shadows fade; by magic bade;

Strong sun, returning sun;

(repeat above - everyone in circle - together)

"I light this fire in your honor,

Mother Goddess.

You, who have created life from death, warmth from cold,

The sun lives once again.

(light the cauldron)

Great God of the Sun, we welcome your return, the fire of love, the power of the wind on our faces. As you have asked us - we shall ever follow our hearts and instinct; no matter where they shall lead, for you are our shelter, our protector and are there in our time of need.

Blessed Be.

Though we live and let live,

fairly take and fairly give,

I am sure that each of us has something we would like to dismiss or banish from our own lives. Whether it be sorrow, hurt, agitation, impatience, over indulgence, etc.

Let each of us, now, before our lord and lady and those ancients we have called to and invited here; let us ask them to take them forever from our lives, our minds and in exchange, ask them to instead grant us a favorable quality or characteristic. Something we would like to change about ourselves or to enhance.

"I call to the darkness, Come embrace my _________________ (negative emotion, thoughts or characteristic).

(go around circle and each person will take a turn)

THEN

"I call to the light, come endow upon me ___________________ (positive emotion, thoughts or characteristics). Bring them to me, I accept them."

CAKES AND ALE

Let each of us say a silent prayer to the Goddess and God, for a stretched out hand of tolerance in the world. Peace on Earth, Good will to all.

Merry Yule.

Eat, drink and be merry. Sing carols/talk.

Ancient Lady, Mother Goddess

Thank you for turning the Wheel that enlightens body, mind and spirit. Thank you for attending our circle here. Stay if you will, go if you must in Love and Light.

Blessed Be.

THANK THE GOD

Ancient Lord, Father God

Thank you for turning the Wheel that enlightens body, mind and spirit. Thank you for attending our circle here. Stay if you will, go if you must in Love and Light.

Blessed Be.

Spirit of the West, Power of Water

Ancient Sister, Thank you for attending our circle here and for cleansing our body, mind and spirit. Stay if you will, go if you must.

Blessed Be. (snuff flame)

Spirit of the South, Power of Fire

Ancient Father, thank you for attending our circle here and for warmth of body, mind and spirit. Stay if you will, go if you must.

Blessed Be. (snuff flame)

Spirit of the East, Power of Air

Ancient Brother, Thank you for attending our circle here and for stillness of body, mind and spirit. Stay if you will, go if you must.

Blessed Be. (snuff flame)

Spirit of the North, Power of Earth

Ancient Mother, Thank you for attending our circle here and for the healing of body, mind and spirit. Stay if you will, go if you must.

Blessed Be. (snuff flame)

I am the daughter of the earth and water and the nursling of the sky;

I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores

I change, but I can never die. (Percy Shelley)

The Circle, our world between worlds, is now open, yet remains unbroken. We, as friends and family - brother and sister; Merry we meet, Merry we part and Merry we meet again.

Blessed Be.

Merry Yule and Brightest Blessings to all.