Leaves of the Willow

This evening, our Grove came together to celebrate Yule. This ritual was different than many others we have done, as the potluck was in the middle of the ritual, rather than after the ritual as we usually do it. As a result, this was probably our longest ritual on record, lasting a full two hours.

We tried many new things in this ritual as well: it was a sumbel format, which morphed into a blot; we utilized a pre-recorded attunement; and the aforementioned move of the potluck into the middle of the rite. Some things worked and some things need work, but that is the way of our rituals.

At one point, when passing around the horn, Seamus looked over to me and said, “Look around the room: we’ve come a long way from you and Joe in the darkness.” I had to agree, though I let him make the toast regarding that point (honour was given to Teutates, the gardener whose hand has always guided this Grove). I was somewhat more consumed with the omens we had received:

1. Have our offerings been accepted? Ing – God from the east, yes.
2. What do the Powers offer in return? Perþo – companionship in the hall.
3. What further need do the Powers have of us? Raðio – travel, movement in partnership.

What I saw in these omens was a real feeling of having traveled and moved over time, forming partnerships and moving with the folk in good ways, always watching out for one another. As a result, we have grown and changed and become the people that we always wanted to be: the People of Three Cranes.

While the origin of the word “yule” is rather obscure, we know it comes from the Old Norse jól, a 12-day festival of the Pagan Norse. Beyond that, the meaning of the word itself really is anyone’s guess (even the Oxford English Dictionary doesn’t hazard a guess). Still, it is a joyful time, and tonight’s ritual was also full of joy for all of us: together under one roof, sharing in joy and fellowship along our path.
    -Rev. Michael J Dangler