darkazana 1,736 Posted October 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2013 Blessed Samhain. The end on the old year in the Wheel Of The Year and the start of the new. A time when the veil between the worlds of the dead and the living is at its thinnest and spirits can roam. This is the time to remember those who are gone before, and a place should be set for them at your table. A time of looking forward. In agricultural circles this is the time when people prepared for the long dark days of winter, by slaughtering animals which would not make it through the winter and salting down the meat. The last feast of the year when some fresh meat and foods would be available, until spring brought forth the new life. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Bright Blessings to all at Yuletide. This is the time to celebrate the return of the sun to our land. A time of birth. Yuletide follows the dark days of Samhain, and after the shortest day (today) and the longest dark hours the sun will be welcomed back to our world where the sunlight hours will now grow longer. Most symbolic of this time will be the Yule log, which many Christians have incorporated into their festival in the form of a decorated log, or even the chocolate variety. The Yule log, traditionally of ash, was burned at the winter solstice to draw back the sun, and would be big enough to burn throughout the Yuletide celebrations. Long before Prince Albert introduced the decorated Christmas tree into our homes in England, evergreens were traditionally dressed in shiny glittering objects at Yuletide as offerings to attract the light of the sun back into the year. Here also is the start of the tradition of the giving of gifts at this time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Long before Prince Albert introduced the decorated Christmas tree into our homes in England, evergreens were traditionally dressed in shiny glittering objects at Yuletide as offerings to attract the light of the sun back into the year. Here also is the start of the tradition of the giving of gifts at this time. Thought that was due to 3 old geezers bringing gold etc.etc., Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Jesus was actually born in the autumn, and the church aligned his birth with the Yuletide celebrations as they had such a powerful effect on the people. the Magi arrived many months after the birth of Jesus, and the act of offerings was already long established, as described above. The church were very clever in associating the old religions with their own in a bid to attract people away from their traditional ways of following the natural cycle and rhythms of the earth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 No one knows when Jesus was born darkazana,or even which year ! Anyway talking about politics,paganism and religion will get us a smart rap over the knuckles from `on high' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Happy Yule everyone 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilboro-lad 294 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Big celebrations in Liverpool, 'Yule never walk alone'. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hippo girl 1,995 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Off to Primrose hill today, not to a Druid ceremony this time. but to see my grandaughter !!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Good old Primrose Hill...The first mucky joke in a schoolboys repertoire....'I've been up Primrose Hill' Wonder how many women have had to live with that name? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted December 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 #30 Stan Ah yes but this is clearly marked as a Pagan thread and can be avoided at all costs if desired! And actually it was known that Jesus was born in autumn, I do believe there are some scribings to the fact and that he was crucified on a Friday. It is irrelevant anyway, my point being that the church aligned it all up with existent celebrations to encourage people to convert to Christianity, but still keep many of their festivals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MELTONSTILTON 452 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 Happy Yuletide to one and all......... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted December 21, 2013 Report Share Posted December 21, 2013 The Bible never mentions "3 old geezers" Just wise men, could have been dozens of them for all we know, all we know are the three types of gifts, again, could have been dozens of each, whereby most would have to have been returned to Walmarts for an exchange.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Blessed Imbolg or Candlemass if you prefer This is the time when brooks and rivers run high, and we see spring floods in water meadows (so far so true this year!!) old vegetation is being broken down and the ground is being prepared for new growth. The land is literally being washed and made fresh again (unfortunately modern intensive farming doesn't always allow for this) The first signs of spring are appearing, snowdrops, winter aconite and hazel catkins. New born lambs are appearing. Imbolg (which means Ewe's milk) is a time of new beginnings. A new start and the growth of light and lengthening of the days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Anyway talking about politics,paganism and religion will get us a smart rap over the knuckles from `on high' Slight correction, not respecting beliefs or opinions perhaps. An interesting thread which I missed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 I am happy to put my faith in a lot of what the Bible says. I have a lot of theories, but loving my fellow man and (trying to) forgive bad things is OK with me. If I am wrong (and as a married man I'm well used to being wrong) then I'll just find something else to do when I'm dead. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted March 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Blessed Ostara (or Eostre) The time of the Spring equinox, where once again the daylight and night hours are the same length, but from now on the light will increase over the darkness. This is the time of new fertility, hence the name Eostre, the time for resurgence in every way. Chicks hatch out, coming from the dark to the light, and daffodils emerge from the earth, a renewed self. Rabbits (or more traditionally, hares) are the symbol of new fertility which is from where the term "Easter Bunnies" originate. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomlinson 879 Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Still waiting for my own equinox. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 I could do with a resurgence. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bilbraborn 1,594 Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 There's plenty of 2 legged creatures breeding like rabbits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MELTONSTILTON 452 Posted March 20, 2014 Report Share Posted March 20, 2014 Blessed Ostara or Alban Eilir, as some others also call it, darkazana 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Yay...the 21st....the Spring Equinox is here at last. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Bright Blessings at Beltane Mayday Many of us will have celebrated this ancient day, as we still do with a bank holiday. This is the festival of love, the sabbat about the dance of love, when our ancestors danced around the Maypole which represented the male entwined with the female. The theme is the union of opposites, for a more creative result. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fynger 841 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Aye ...Happy Bealtaine Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsd6Fjc9MVs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poohbear 1,360 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Many of us will have celebrated this ancient day, as we still do with a bank holiday. So that's what it was! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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