Yule is upon us here in the Southern Hemisphere; the astrological date and traditional date are actually just 24 hours apart which is quite often unusual of any Sabbat. June has been very mild so far in my little corner of the world but yesterday (the 21st) it decided to come in quite hard with rain and wind. Today it has continued to be rainy, windy with a smattering of rolling thunder; the Cailleach has come storming in ready to begin the season. However following the Indigenous calender of this region – Kaurna – then we are only just seeing the start of the Kudlila (Winter) season now.
What is Yule? Yule, the Winter Solstice, is the point in the Witches Calendar where it is believed to be the longest night and shortest day of the year before the dark part of the year is over and the light will now begin to emerge. Of course, whether you are in the Southern or Northern Hemisphere, Yule traditionally sits half way through the first month of winter and the light is a little ways off returning yet. Yule is a time of celebration, light, welcoming the year ahead and feasting. It is also a time of rest, relaxation, going inward and reflecting on the year that has gone and what you wish to see in the year ahead. Of course we realise that two weeks into the month of June, we’re not going to suddenly see the days get shorter and have more light; we’ve still got July and August to go of winter, although July is generally the darkest and coldest month of the three.
Winter is a good time to take stock of things and see what’s what in your life; especially now with the cost of living and housing crisis escalating. We’re in a troubled times and everything is uncertain so it is a good time to go inward and assess where you’re at and where you want to grow. Yule is a bittersweet time for me, it signifies that winter is truly in swing but it has been almost a year since I lost my beloved Bella, my heart is still broken, my soul is still very sore. I still struggle daily not having her here with us and I don’t think the pain will ever truly lessen.
I don’t have a Yule altar to share, I’m honestly not feeling it at the moment; even though I tried to make the commitment to have an altar for each Sabbat, I think I am going to stick to the four Sabbats I want to observe for now.
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