Lawrence Cornett III
WINTER SOLSTICE THEMES
I. Aspects:
A. Shortest Day of the Year
B. Rebirth of the Sun
C. Shift from waning to waxing Sun
D. Great Mother gives birth to Sun-child-the bringer of hope and promise of Summer
II. A time to:
A. Celebrate the Rebirth of the Sun
B. Give and receive gifts
C. Make choices to leave negative patterns to darkness
D. Give birth to new projects, dreams, and aspirations
E. Do magical oaths
III. Special Tools and Symbols:
A. Holly Wreath, Mistletoe, Ivy
B. Oatcakes (Bannock)
C. Bayberry Candle
D. Orange with candle and skewers with nuts and fruit in cross formation (solar cross)
E. Yule Log
G. Burning Cauldron
H. Solstice Tree
I. Gifts
IV. Ritual Actions:
A. Send into paper what want to wane and burn it (or send it into the dark) then charge something you want to Wax (or charge a talisman on what you want to wax – maybe burn it to send it)
B. Build a solar beacon cone of power
C. Do magic to help a charity including collecting & charging a donation
D. Calling down the power to read the present through understanding of the past and vice versa
E. Mystery play, symbolic death and rebirth of the Sun, Dark King transformed to infant of light, Oak King kills Holly King, etc.
F. Mithraic ritual
G. Magickal Oaths
H. Saturnalia feast, etc.
H. Solstice biddings, drinking bouts, etc.
I. Kindle Yule Log
J. Light candles-place in center of circle as symbol of reborn Sun
K. Hang a symbol of something you want to happen on Yule Tree
L. Potlatch-gift giving
V. Chants:
A. Solstice Fire, burn away, Relics of a bygone day
Solstice Fire, burning bright, Come to us on Solstice night
B. Flying undying swift-horsed Sun (repeat 4 times for elements),
Ahura-Mazda (3 times while spinning and arms out stretched)
Shine, shine, shine (3 times arms forward channeling power to center). Repeat above, building power in center
C. Honor to the Winter Sun, Child bringer, Wind, dark current, The comforter, the consoler, hearts end and sorrows end.
D. Children of Earth, Await the Rebirth
Return of Light, Push back the night.
E. Light is returning, even though this is the darkest hour. No one can hold back the dawn.
Let us keep it burning, let us keep the light of hope alive. Make safe the journey through the storm.
One planet is turning, Circle her path around the Sun.
Earth Mother is calling her children home (by Charlie Murphy)
F. Various Solstice Carols