Today was the Grove’s Yule Rite, celebrated in honour of Cerridwen and with a rebirthing theme. It was not so long ago, just last year, in fact, when Yule was our smallest rite, when it drew no more than around 30 people. It is with joy and trepidation that we found that our Grove is growing stronger and drawing in more people: this year, Yule drew around 68 people! We go forth into a new year with numbers we never expected to see!
This was also the first rite since Lughnassadh 2008 that we have received a negative omen when we asked if our offerings have been accepted. This time, as last time, the omen was Hagalaz, the hail-storm. Our seer made a graceful piacular offering, however, in response to the negative omen, which pleased the Kindreds; our omens that followed were good and right for the occasion: Berkano, Dagaz, and Isa.
Berkano tells us that our offerings have been accepted: here, the fertile and flexible birch tree, which can survive even the harshest of weather and hardship grows healthy and strong. Even hail cannot break the spirit of this tree.
Dagaz tells us that the Kindreds offer us a new day, a brigh and shining dawn. This is an amazing and ideal omen for the winter solstice, particularly one that centers around this theme of rebirth.
Isa tells us that the Kindreds require of us the inward-looking vision, the contemplative path that shows us the way toward discerning between that which is beautiful and that which is dangerous.
These are good omens, indeed.
The rite went very well, though: each person received a token to take home, we collected over 50 toys for local donation, and several canned goods as well. Functionally, the ritual flowed beautifully, and though hiccups are virtually required in public ritual, they were small in this rite. I even got the chance to try out a new Waters litany, when I was presented with three vessels instead of two: we drew the blessings from the underworld waters and the heavenly waters, then mixed and mingled them together to bring in all the blessings from all the worlds. It was an awesome experience to combine these waters, and I cannot wait to write up the litany.
One thing is clear, though: the ritual teams have put together some amazing and impressive rituals. All of them, from Samhain to Lughnassadh to tonight, have done amazing things for our Grove. I am so proud of all of them.
-Rev. Michael J Dangler
