Yule: The Festival of Light

Found in France, at the end of the 19th century, The Coligny-Calendar is a compilation of pre-Christian Celtic systems of timekeeping, including the Gaulish Coligny calendar, used by Celtic countries to define the beginning and length of the day, the week, the month, the seasons, quarter days, and festivals. The Gaulish Coligny calendar is possibly the oldest Celtic solar/lunar ritual calendar. Evidence has shown that it was made under the auspices of the Druids, as it shows the Druidical belief in lucky and unlucky days. Each month is divided into a good half (marked “MAT” or auspicious) and a bad half (marked :ANM” inauspicious). The year was divided into a light half and a dark half. As the day was seen as beginning after sunset, so the year was seen as beginning with the arrival of the darkness, at Samhain. The arrival of the light half of the year started at Beltane. This observance of festivals beginning the evening before the festival day is still seen in the celebrations and folkloric practices among the Gaels, the Irish and the Scots.

The Wheel Of The Year: or four seasons are known as Solar Festivals, the cross quarter days are marked by Fire Festivals, together they form The Wheel of the Year. These holidays are celebrated from sundown on the date of the holiday through sundown the next day.

The Festival of Light

This is also the Winter Solstice. This is the time of the rebirth of the Sun God. It is the longest night (or shortest day) of the year, but yet it is filled with the promise of lengthening days of light to come. The winter solstice has long been celebrated as the birth of the sun, festival of light, of life itself. It is a time for introspection, contemplation and planning for the future. Yule means “Yoke of the Year”, celebrated as the seed time of the year, the longest night and birth time of the new Sun King OR Son of God. On this darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and once again gives birth. Celebrated all over the world and in different cultures including the festival of Winter Solstice and the Christian festival of Christmas (US, Ireland, Britain, Europe), Yule (North Germanic, Scandinavians).

When: December 21, 22 Season: Winter Solstice Represents: Rebirth “Sun standing still” Virtues: Intention, Peace, Contemplation, Introspection Symbols: Boughs, Trees, Mistletoe, Yule Log, Green Man Gemstone: Quartz, Clear Quartz, Snow White Quartz, Snowflake Obsidian Color: Gold, White, Violet Essential Oils: Cedarwood, Frankincense, Ginger, Myrrh, Peppermint, Pine, Sandalwood Remedies: Angelic Root, Cayenne, Lemon, Ginger, Juniper Berry, Peppermint Flowers: Holly Berry, Mistletoe, Narcissus, Pine, Paper White, Poinsettia Element: Earth Direction: North Life Event: Peace, Power Lunar: Oak Moon or Cold Moon Body Healing: Peace Mind Healing: Mindfulness Spirit Healing: Sacred Spirit

Click HERE to Connect with your Daily Horoscope!

About the Author

Connect with Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac http://www.peacefulmind.com

Therapies for healing mind, body, spirit