Yule Log Winter Solstice Celebration

127 Keystone Avenue,Reno NV 89503

21 December, 2022

Description

A Yule Log is a special ceremonial log lit on the night of the winter solstice or Yule. We will be gathing next to the light of the fire to make our own ceremonial Yule logs. Participants will then go home and burn their winter solstice log. It is a ritual performed to help re-ignite the sun. Traditionally, a Yule log fire kept burning all night as a symbol of light on the year’s darkest night. In ancient times, the burning of the yule log would occur in a fireplace or at a large bonfire to celebrate Yule; and the return of the light. Traditionally, people kept a piece of the yule log to help ignite the next winter’s yule log. Step 1. Gather your ingredients: either foraging, harvesting your yard or bringing from your favorite outdoor space it should be items that have meaning to you. Here are some ideas to get you inspired, I am sure you can tell why all these things are on the list. - pinecones & mushrooms - greenery (holly, ivy, juniper, etc.) - wire, ribbon or string to fastening elements to the log - candles - cloves, cinnamon, myrrh, cloves, pine resin, frankincense, cinnamon sticks or any other seasonal essential oils - apples and pomegranates - Things you can burn that remind you of your accomplishments this year (pages from a day planner, locks of hair, images from vison board, to-lists etc.) Step 2. Source your log - again make sure this log has meaning to you, draws you some how or is glowing and asking to be a part of the magic. You also want to make sure the log you select is the size that will fit in your burn barel or fire place. “Traditionally, people would go out and try to find the biggest log they could – the yule log was supposed to last you for 12 nights, and to keep it burning for that long it would have had to have been really giant. This has to do with the occasion on which the pagan tradition was celebrated – on the winter solstice, the longest, darkest day of the year, on December 21. After decorating the log, you burn it as a celebration of the return of the sun. It’s a very cosmological celebration, which is one of the things that I find attractive about it. It is linked to Agrarian societies and their connection with nature, and so all of these elements of the log, in one way or another, have to do with that link to nature and what happens in the winter months.” Step 3. Grounded and present- before the event please make sure to ground yourself & cleanse the items that you are bringing to the gathering. Here are some ways to do that: - sage yourself and the items you collected - walk barefoot for 5-10 min outside on bare earth - take a shower and put on fresh clothing for the ceremony - allow your items to cleanse themselves under the light of the full moon if at all possible. - meditate in nature - do yoga outside Please bring all these things as well as your prepared grounded being to the event location. There will be light refreshments, if you would like to bring anything to eat or drink please do so (make sure to label ingredients so folks with allergies can be aware). We will be hosting "make an edible yule log" days befor this event. If you are interested in that event please look for it on the Grounded Goddess Gathering events page. Happy Winter Solstice Ya'll yule loggers