Our Yule Log by Bendis

The Yule log is a remnant of the bonfires that the European pagans would set ablaze at the time of winter solstice. These bonfires symbolized the return of the Sun. The Yule log can be made of any wood. Each releases its own kind of magic:

• Aspen: invokes understanding of the grand design.­
• Birch: signifies new beginnings.
• Holly: inspires visions and reveals past lives.
• Oak: brings healing, strength, and wisdom.
• Pine: signifies prosperity and growth.
• Willow: invokes the Goddess to achieve desires.

On the night of Yule, carve a symbol of your hopes for the coming year into the log. Burn the log to release its power. Save a piece of this year's Yule log for kindling in next year's fire. You may also wish to decorate the log with greenery, flowers, ribbons and herbs for magickal intent. Some choices might be:

• Carnations: protection, courage, strength, healing, increases magical power, vitality
• Cedar: wealth, protection, purification, healing, promotes spirituality
• Holly: dreams, protection
• Juniper: Exorcism, protection, healing, love
• Mistletoe: a catalyst, fertility, health, success, protection, banishing evil
• Pine: healing, wealth, protection, purification, exorcism, exorcism, fertility, wealth
• Rosemary: health, love, protection, exorcism, purification, increase intellectual powers, peace, blessing, consecration, very powerful cleansing and purifying
• Roses: love, courage, luck, health, protection, beauty

Ribbons can be used according to their color magic correspondences. Each year my family gathers to decorate and burn the Yule Log. We have collected what we wish to use for days and we all have an assortment of colored ribbons, fresh sprigs of pine and holly, anything to make it merry! We have little slips of paper and once we have decorated our log, we each write down on those papers all of the things we wish to banish, let go of or remove from our lives; those things that are simply in the way or no longer useful. Then on more scraps of paper we write all of our wishes, all of our dreams, our hopes - what we want to manifest in the coming year. All of these tiny scraps of paper are then tucked in amongst the decorations to be offered to the fire. Then we turn on some good dance music, something that will induce trance and we all dance, keeping our focus on that which is yet to come, igniting the spark of creativity within us. When the music ends we gather around the Yule Log and together we toss it on the fire. My daughter has prepared a mix of powdered coffee creamer and glitter and all of us sprinkle or toss this onto the fire. It ignites into many sparkles of light. Shouting with glee we all stand transfixed as our log burns and as we see our dreams in the fire.

May your holidays be as blessed!!!