Wicca Day 14 Of Yule Logs And Woods

Today we're going to look at the basics of Yule logs. Believe it or not this is actually quite a topic. There is a lot more to Yule logs than you might think. For this post we're going to start with looking at some of the basic history as well as the kinds of woods that are often used and what they represent. When you are making a Yule log as an altar piece picking out the kind of wood you're going to use is especially important. When you're putting one together to actually use in a fireplace like a regular log, it's still important but it is a little different because it's going to burn with intention.

A few days ago I talked about the holiday tree concept while answering an Ask A Witch question. In there the topic of Yule logs came up briefly since the two seem to be somewhat tied. In Scandinavia whole trees would be cut down and brought back to the home. In a somewhat ritualistic way a team of men from the family would go out, pick the tree, chop it down, and have it dragged home by house and oxen. They would come singing songs and celebrating. Once they arrived the tree would be brought into the home an the log end would be dressed in cider and wines and then decorated with pieces of greenery.

The log end of the tree would be placed in the hearth and would burn either for 12 days straight or 12 hours depending on the log. The timing of when this would happen would depend on the holiday being celebrated and various family traditions. Each day as the log burned down the tree would be pushed a little more into the hearth to put more of the log into the fire. When the log was finally extinguished the ashes would be tossed into the local wells to purify them of harmful energies. It was also believed that these ashes would help remove disease from the wells and water too. A small piece of the log would be saved to use at the starter for the next year's log.

The Yule log and the tree itself were honored as representations of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Burning the log was thought to bring blessings, healing, and good fortune. When the tradition was adapted into the Christian holiday of Christmas it was burned as a representation of the light of the Baby Jesus. Today many Pagans who still work with the Yule Log burn it for the same reasons that our ancestors did, to bring back the light and bring in blessings and luck for the coming year.

Eventually the tradition died out in Europe during the 19th century as the inclusion of hearths and fireplaces began to decline in new homes. The use of existing hearths began to die down as well but many Pagans seemed to carry on the tradition. Today we often see the log fashioned into a decorative altar piece with holes for candles. So while the log itself isn't burned it is still set alight in a manner of speaking and often serves as the center piece of many people's rituals.

What Wood to Use

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to picking the wood for a Yule log. You can work with something that is traditional to the season, or you can work one of the nine sacred woods.

Traditional Woods

During the winter season there are a few trees and woods that are common.

* Fir - used for protection, guarding against harmful influences and spirits, helps to prevent and ward off illness
* Spruce - very similar to fir trees in properties but spruce is particularly helpful in warding off harmful spirits
* Pine - has properties of immortality and resurrection, particularly helpful for work that deals with rebirth and bringing in new life
* Yew - a traditional tree the symbolizes death and rebirth, eases fears of darkness and the unknown

The Nine Sacred Woods

There are nine woods mentioned in the Wiccan Rede that are considered to be sacred. These are birch, oak, willow, hawthorn, hazel, apple, fir, and vine. However there is another set of nine sacred woods that are acknowledged that vary slightly which are taken from the first nine woods of the Celtic Tree calendar. These are birch, rowan, ash, alder, willow, hawthorn, oak, holly, and hazel. Which nine you decide to honor and work with would depend on tradition. As I'm not Wiccan and I do work with the Celtic path, I honor the nine form the tree calendar.

* Birch - considered in some Celtic traditions to be a Goddess tree, honors the Goddess and the feminine aspect, adds life to things
* Rowan - a strong protector that creates a shield of protection around those who work with it, also brings strength, inner peace, patience, and wisdom
* Ash - a holy wood, sacred to the dead, connected to spirituality and spiritual growth
* Alder - another protection wood but one that is particularly inclined to protection in emotional situations and helps to protect against broken hearts, it has also been seen as a warrior's wood since the heads of the slain where often displayed by warriors on spears made of alder wood
* Willow - a healing wood, brings blessings and healing
* Hawthorn - (also known by some as just "thorn") honors the faeries when combined with oak and ash, cleansing, keeps negative energy away, protective and defensive
* Oak - brings balance, fertility, protection, draws good luck and success,
* Holly - mainly used for protection and prosperity
* Hazel - prophecy, divination, wisdom, water magick and energy

One you have picked your wood you'll want to go through the process of blessing it and preparing it for ritual use, whether you're going to burn it or turn it into an altar tool. Tomorrow I'll share some rituals for your Yule log and tips on crafting one for your altar.

Books in PDF format to read:

Jean Seznec - Survival Of The Pagan Gods
Gabor Klaniczay - Witchcraft Mythologies And Persecutions
Michael Jordan - Dictionary Of Gods And Goddesses

Tags: the craft wicca  black magic ritual  worshipping satan  magic spells now  wicca magick spells  white magic herbs  wichcraft spells  love spells black magic  meditation poses  

An Important Book That Is Sure To Stir Controversy

404: Advanced Goddess Thealogy, June 7, 2007

Most popular versions of Wicca, to the extent that they attempt serious thealogical explorations at all, tend to envision the wiccan Goddess as some brand of "Jehovah in a dress," a female deity, for sure, but still "deity" as that term has been defined for the last several thousand years by Middle Eastern religions like Christianity, Judaism or Islam, a supernatural "other" who created the universe and who from then on stands "outside" Creation somewhere, looking down on humans from "above." Just like the Christian G-O-D, only a girl. I'm sure many will take insult at this uncharitable characterization, but I shared it, too, without even realizing it, before I read "Wicca 404," so I'm not pointing fingers. It's very hard to recognize how subtly trapped we might be within a Christianized worldview until we have had opportunity to see our understanding (or lack thereof) contrasted against a view as utterly foreign to the "big wo/man in the sky" conception of deity as is Esra Free's wholly pantheistic "Great Cosmic Goddess." This is deity as natural phenomenon, not just some lovey-dovey "Goddess of Nature" out there somewhere, but the whole physical universe, the entire natural world, as the living, breathing body of a being as physically real as you or me, whose spirit we intuit as Divine Intelligence (Goddess), and within whose physical, emotional and spiritual life processes we humans play an integral, organic, even cellular, role. Starting from the simple contention that wicca is a natural, as opposed to a supernatural, religion, Free builds a convincing step by step case for a view of the Goddess that I think our pre-Christian European ancestors would have wholeheartedly endorsed. Along the way, she explains how and why magick works, why we human beings exist, and just exactly what we ought to be doing with our lives. This is mind-expandingly good stuff with the potential to reshape Wicca as we have come to know it here in 21st Century America. Take heed!

That praise delivered, the reader should also be warned that Esra Free is V-E-R-Y opinionated (negatively) toward Christianity (and to a lesser extent, Islam and Judaism), and expresses something of a grudge, as well, against Traditional Coven Wicca. In the second half of the book, a chatty and revealingly personal interview with the author from the pages of The Wiccan/Pagan Times, she repeatedly opens her response to various questions involving covencraft with versions of the phrase, "I'll probably make somebody mad saying this, but..." - and then she goes right ahead and says things she might have been wiser to hold her tongue about, unless she is intentionally trying to start a "witch war" with Traditionals. Which may well be exactly what she hopes to accomplish, as she is clearly a staunch champion of Solitaries everywhere, and of their stature within the Wiccan community. She even coins the (to my mind, quite brilliant) phrase "coven of solitaries" to describe groups all over the world (including her own "Cosmic Goddess Coven") who use the word "coven" to describe their assemblages, but who freely admit to having no connection to anything even vaguely resembling any supposed "Paleolithic Lineage" going back to pre-Christian times. They ("we," as this describes me and mine to a tee) are, instead, learning the Craft from books, from each other and from hard-won personal mystical experience, and for Free, that's what Wicca is all about. She paints a highly democratic/romantic image of brave bands of solitaires coming together to push back the farthest frontiers of magick and human culture that seems as consciously calculated to alienate Traditional wiccans as it is designed to inspire Solitary practitioners. I will be very curious to observe how the Traditional community responds to this book, especially should the "coven of solitaries" concept catch fire...

My only other "negative" comment about the book is that it has something of a "copped together" feel to it, as if the "Wicca 404" in our hands represents a sampling of a larger, perhaps unfinished, work (that may still be forthcoming?). Free mentions in the interview section that much of the material included in the book originated in lessons developed for initiates into the "Cosmic Goddess Coven," so maybe that explains it. The first five chapters work fluidly together as a seamless and convincing exploration of Free's pantheistic understanding of the true nature of the Great Goddess of Wicca. Her chapters on the Wiccan God and on "Doing" (with acknowledged reference to the early 20th Century metaphysical "Work" of Russian mystic G.I. Gurdjieff) seem a bit abbreviated and "forced" after that long, smooth flow. Her chapter on "Eclecticism," while thoughtful and thought-provoking, once again bolsters Solitaries at the unsparing expense of Traditionals. As a Solitary myself, working with a group of magickal friends who meet Free's definition of a "coven of solitaries," I must admit that I personally enjoyed her perspective a great deal - but I can see where it's going to raise hackles amongst a certain crowd. 'Nuff said...

Wicca 404 is a bit uneven in places, but overall, the author's take on the Goddess, and our role as human beings in her life, is nothing short of breathtaking in its scope. The interview is highly entertaining, and the first five chapters are outright revolutionary in their pantheistic re-visioning of the core theological underpinnings of the Wiccan religion. I predict that this book will stir up a number of stormy but ultimately healthy and long-overdue controversies in the Wiccan/Pagan community. It's worth the price just to know what everybody's going to be talking about...

And speaking of "price," here is my final assessment of Esra Free's "Wicca 404": I initially read this book as a .PDF download sent to me as a free review copy by the author, who found my blog on the Internet and hoped I might help publicize her book by publishing a review. Well, here's the review, and what's more, I am right this moment heading off to drop the very reasonable $8.95 necessary to add a print copy of "Wicca 404" to my magickal reference bookshelf. I recommend you do the same!


Books You Might Enjoy:

Tuesday Lobsang Rampa - The Third Eye
Robert Bruce - Treatise On Astral Projection
Thomas Voxfire - What Was Aleister Crowley
Medieval Grimoires - The Grimoire Of Honorius
Austin Osman Spare - Book Of Pleasure Or Self Love

Mabon What Does It Mean

Mabon is very much like Thanksgiving. Most of the crops have been reaped and abundance is more noticeable than ever! Mabon is the time when we reap the fruits of our labor and lessons, both crops and experiences. It is a time of joy, to celebrate that which is passing (for why should we mourn the beauty of the year or dwindling sunlight?), looking joyously at the experience the year has shared with us. And it is a time to gaze into the bright future. We are reminded once again of the cyclic universe; endings are merely new beginnings.

Since it is the time of dying sun, effort is also made to celebrate the dead with joyous remembrance. It is considered taboo to pass a burial site and not honor the dead. Natural energies are aligned towards protection, wealth, prosperity, security, and boosting self-confidence. Any spells or rituals centered around balance and harmony are appropriate.

From: Magickal Winds

Books in PDF format to read:

George Lyman Kittredge - Notes On Witchcraft Ocr Version
Troth Aor - Odinism What Is It The Odinic Rite
Aleister Crowley - Book 4 Part I Meditation

Tags: pagan incense information  magic grounding connecting  know paganism wicca  superstitions witchcraft  wicca magic  ablution year  practical rituals magical  festival terminus  kybalion study philosophy  representation mass  dogma magie part  emagazine  

Gardenerian Wicca

Named after Gerald B Gardner, this tradition enfolds elements of ancient traditions and, because of it's local origins, the folklore and customs of English paganism. It uses the basic pattern of a ritual circle, and the elemental quarters for earth, air, fire and water, though the colour symbolism differs from most other traditions in that the colour for air is blue and earth is brown or black and water is green. Gardenrians tend not to emphasize the element of spirit.

Gardnerian wicca venerates the horned god of the green wood and the goddess of nature.

Books You Might Enjoy:

Melita Denning - Mysteria Magica Book V
Marian Green - A Witch Alone
Paul Huson - Mastering Witchcraft
Gerald Gardner - Witchcraft Today

Different Paths Of Wicca

The roots of wicca can be found all over the UK and Europe, in the spiritual focus of our ancestors and in strands of paganism that have withstood the buffeting of time by disguising themselves as folklore and country wisdom.

The story of modern Wicca's awakening, however is far more recentand began in England in 1951 with the repeal of the 1736 witchcraft Act, subsequently replaced by the Fraudulent Mediums Act.
The impetus for it's repeal was it's employment in the prosecution in 1944 of a Medium called Helen Duncan, who attracted the attention of the naval authorities by revealing to the public the sinking of ships whose details had not yet been released.

A number of public figures were concerned that the act and the fact it was still on the statute books, was a slur on the reputation of British law, consequently it was repealed.
The acts repeal effectivly legalised witchcraft in England and enabled the publication of works describing the practices of covens.

Here are a few examples of the key expressions of the many different styles and flavours of wicca, (but remember that a paragraph cann't encapsulate the meaning of a tradition which has its own influences, history and customs.)

HEDGEWITCHES AND SOLITARIES
The traditions outlined above are generally practised in groups but in wicca there are mant witches who practise on their own. The accurate title of this group is "Solitaries", and they may practise any tradition of wicca; what sets them apart is that they work alone. Solo workers are sometimes called hedgewitches, though strictly speaking Hedgewitchery is the work of a wise woman or cunning man serving a community, knowlegeable in the ways of nature and herbal magic and traditional healing. The nicetiys of distinction are not always observed however, and some city witches are keen to use the term to emphasize the origins of their spiritual path.

HEREDITARY
In Wicca an hereditary is a witch who has inherited craft knowledge through their own family, or initiation into an hereditary group. Since the practices of such groups will differ according to what has been passed on to them, it is almost impossible to pinpoint what any particular hereditary practises.

ECLECTICISM
All witches are, to some extent eclectic, but eclectics are those who do not align themselves with any particular tradition and instead select, borrow, appropriate and redefine to suit their purpose, elements of other traditions. All done respectfully, of course

Books You Might Enjoy:

Idres Shah - The Book Of Power
John Dee - The Calls Of Enoch
Mike Nichols - Eight Sabbats Of Witchcraft

Common Questions About Wicca

Wicca is still, unfortunately seen as a bit of a taboo-even in today’s society. This article addresses some of the common questions pertaining to this issue and intends on educating without prejudice, in attempts to reduce ignorance and bigoted attitudes towards Wiccans.

I think it’s only appropriate that we get the obvious questions out of the way first! I will advise that I answer questions honestly, some may be offended by my answers however they are the truth. Here goes…

Isn’t Wicca just worshipping the devil?

No. I understand why some people may have reached this conclusion but it’s genuinely not the case. The devil/Satan is a Christian concept, centred on the image of the Greek God Pan. Christians felt intimidated by Earth based religions and as such any worship of a deity other than the Christian God was deemed as Satanism.

Do Wiccans dance around naked and take part in vulgar orgies?

Again, another common misconception. Whilst Wicca remains an Earth based religion, focusing on nature and all things natural, that doesn’t mean that we lose all clothing at any given opportunity. Besides, I wouldn’t want anyone seeing my flabby bum just because I believe in different things to you.

As for the orgy part, I imagine there will be some Wiccans that take part in orgies, as there will be Christians, Hindus, Catholics and members of all religions that take part in orgies. I don’t think a person’s religion defines their sexual preferences. Personally, I have never indulged in those types of frivolous activities, my ticker couldn’t take it.

Do Wiccans sacrifice animals in rituals?

That depends really…Do you think my Mother-in-Law would count? I’m kidding, I love my mother-in-law to pieces and besides, she’s Wiccan too! In answer to the question, no! Most Wiccans are either vegetarian or vegan so to sacrifice animals in ritual would be rather pointless and hypocritical.

Why do Wiccans wear the pentagram? That’s the sign of the devil!

It’s really not; the inverted pentagram has been adopted by some satanic groups, similarly to the inverted crucifix. I can’t for the life of me understand why though…Can they not make up their own design? The pentagram symbolises the five elements (Earth, air, water, fire and spirit.)

Some may be interested to know that the pentagram was actually used by medieval Christians to symbolise the five wounds of Christ.

Are Wiccans witches?

The short answer is yes, the long answer is a little more complex. The general rule of thumb is to remember that all Wiccans are witches, but not all witches are Wiccan. Wiccans follow a Pagan belief system and as such Wicca has religious ties to it. Witchcraft however does not. The term “Wicca” was created in the 1950’s by a gentleman called Gerald Gardner.

Wiccans practice witchcraft and follow the Wiccan rede, a sort of law that prevent you from doing harm to others. In general use it prevents Wiccans from doing anything that may be construed as evil or bad. We also follow the threefold law which implies that anything bad you do will come back to you times three.

Who can become Wiccan?

Anyone can become a Wiccan, some even claim that they have been Wiccan since birth-particularly if their parents followed the same belief system. Wiccans are not limited by occupation, social status, colour or creed. There are Wiccans from all walks of life all across the world. There are doctors, solicitors, social workers, and counsellors etc that follow the Wiccan path.

What type of religion is Wicca?

Wicca is a nature based polytheistic religion. That basically means the worship of more than one Goddess or God.

Where can I find out more information? (And make sure you’re not lying to me)

There are thousands and thousands of online resources full of information about Wicca. I do have my favourites, but I think in this instance it would be better to name a source that we all know and recognise, but more importantly, trust.



Books You Might Enjoy:

Solomonic Grimoires - The Magic Of Armadel
Simon - The Complete Simon Necronomicon
Anonymous - The Mystical Qabbalah
Anonymous - Protection Of Space
Paul Huson - Mastering Witchcraft

Beltane

Beltane(April 30th / May 1) Also known as Roodmas or May Day. Many wiccans and Pagans celebrate Beltane. It is one of eight solar Sabbats. This holiday incorporates traditions from the Gaelic Bealtaine, such as the bonfire,but it bears more relation to the Germanic May Day festival, both in its significance (focusing on fertility) and its rituals (such as May pole dancing). Some traditions celebrate this holiday on May 1 or May day, whiles others begin their celebration the eve before or April 30th.

Beltane has long been celebrated with feasts and rituals. The name means fire of Bel; Belinos being one name for the Sun God, whose coronation feast we now celebrate. As summer begins, weather becomes warmer, and the plant world blossoms, an exuberant mood prevails. In old Celtic traditions it was a time of unabashed sexuality and promiscuity where marriages of a year and a day could be undertaken but it is rarely observed in that manner in modern times.

In the old Celtic times, young people would spend the entire night in the woods "A-Maying," and then dance around the phallic Maypole the next morning. Older married couples were allowed to remove their wedding rings (and the restrictions they imply) for this one night. May morning is a magickal time for wild water (dew, flowing streams, and springs) which is collected and used to bathe in for beauty, or to drink for health.

The Christian religion had only a poor substitute for the life-affirming Maypole -- namely, the death-affirming cross. Hence, in the Christian calendar, this was celebrated as 'Roodmas'. In Germany, it was the feast of Saint Walpurga, or 'Walpurgisnacht'. An alternative date around May 5 (Old Beltane), when the sun reaches 15 degrees Taurus, is sometimes employed by Covens. (Both 'Lady Day' and 'Ostara' are names incorrectly assigned to this holiday by some modern traditions of Wicca.)

The May pole was a focal point of the old English village rituals. Many people would rise at the first light of dawn to go outdoors and gather flowers and branches to decorate their homes. Women traditionally would braid flowers into their hair. Men and women alike would decorate their bodies. Beltane marks the return of vitality, of passion. Ancient pagan traditions say that Beltane marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Stirred by the energies at work in nature, he desires the Goddess. They fall in love, lie among the grasses and blossoms, and unite. The Goddess becomes pregnant of the God. To celebrate, a wedding feast, for the God and Goddess must be prepared. Let Them guide you! Breads and cereals are popular. Try oatmeal cakes or cookies sweetened with a dab of honey. Dairy foods are again appropriate...just make a lovely wedding feast and you are sure to enjoy yourself! An early morning walk through a local park or forest could be fun for everyone. Gather up some plants or flowers to display in your home. Mom and daughter could braid their hair, and weave in a few tender blossoms.

Blessed Be!



Books You Might Enjoy:

Sepharial - Astrology And Marriage
Melita Denning - The Aurum Solis
Rabbi Michael Laitman - The Open Book
Edward Bulwer Lytton - Zanoni