At http://paganwiccan.about.com there is a list of 12 Days of Yule Devotionals and I think they are wonderful! I will share them here, along with my own thoughts on how you can journal on the Daily Devotions. I will also share some other Winter Holidays, traditions, and Lore to consider, which you can also choose to journal or blog about if you wish!
Day 1 - Dec. 10 - Monday
Prayer to The Earth at Yule:
Just because the earth is cold doesn't mean there's nothing going on down there in the soil. Think about what lies dormant in your own life right now, and consider what may bloom a few months from now.
"Cold and dark, this time of year,
the earth lies dormant, awaiting the return
of the sun, and with it, life.
Far beneath the frozen surface,
a heartbeat waits,
until the moment is right,
to spring."
By Patti Wigington, http://paganwiccan.about.com/
My Journaling/Blogging suggestion;
Say the above prayer a few times through the day. Let yourself feel the chill of the earth. Instead of hiding in the warmth of indoors and sweaters, take a moment outside to feel the chill in the air. Consider how the trees go dormant.... they aren't dead... they are simply conserving their energy for spring when they can burst forth with new life. Ask yourself if there is anything in your life that you need to let "go dormant" for awhile. Is there anything that just isn't working out right now? It's okay to put some things on the backburner for awhile. Maybe the timing just isn't right and that's why it's not working out. You may be more succesful if you try again later. You may have other things you need to focus on at this time. Winter is a good time to simplify and minimalize your life. Journal about what things you can "let rest" for now, and how you can simplify your life and put your energy only into the things that carry the highest priority for you.... just as the Earth lets her plants and animals sleep and hibernate through the harsh winter months!
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December 10th is also a day of an Ancient Roman Festival - The Festival of Lux Mundi, or "Light of the World", a time to honor the Roman Goddess Libertas. Today is a good day to consider your freedoms. Express gratitude for the freedoms you have, and call upon Libertas to help free you from any restraints. Ask her to help you shine a light into all dark areas of your life. Light some extra candles and holiday lights around your home and ask for Libertas to bring freedom and justice into the world and your life. If you have a cat or cats, be sure to offer them some special treats and pampering tonight, as they are associated as friends of the Roman Goddess Libertas! Here is some info on the Roman Goddess Libertas;
One of the most popular of the Roman deities, Her name is the Latin word for freedom. She is an ancient goddess who probably goes back to the beginning of...
the Republic. The daughter of Jupiter and Juno, She was depicted as a Roman matron arrayed in white, holding in one hand a broken sceptre, and in the other a pike surmounted by a pileus, or cap. Both were symbols of emancipation; i.e., Roman slaves were released from bondage by a ritual which they were touched with a wand and given a stocking cap as a symbol of their freedom. At her feet lay a cat, an animal that is an enemy of all restraint.
In Roman mythology, Libertas is the goddess of freedom. She is the embodiment of liberty. Originally a goddess of personal freedom, she later became the goddess of the Roman commonwealth. She was particularly revered by slaves who had achieved their freedom. In works of art, Libertas is represented as a matron with the pilous -- a felt cap regarded as the emblem of liberty.
Libertas is immortalized in a statue that stands at the entrance of New York harbor as a beacon to welcome all newcomers. For decades, She had been an official symbol of the French Republic, and was presented to the USA as a gift from the people of France in the 1880s. Every night, She shines Her light of hope across New York Harbor.
From “An Inner Journey; The Moon, Mythology, and You” blog found at http://
In Roman mythology, Libertas is the goddess of freedom. She is the embodiment of liberty. Originally a goddess of personal freedom, she later became the goddess of the Roman commonwealth. She was particularly revered by slaves who had achieved their freedom. In works of art, Libertas is represented as a matron with the pilous -- a felt cap regarded as the emblem of liberty.
Libertas is immortalized in a statue that stands at the entrance of New York harbor as a beacon to welcome all newcomers. For decades, She had been an official symbol of the French Republic, and was presented to the USA as a gift from the people of France in the 1880s. Every night, She shines Her light of hope across New York Harbor.
From “An Inner Journey; The Moon, Mythology, and You” blog found at http://
My Journaling / Blogging suggestion;
Make a list of the freedoms you have that you are thankful for. Also list the things that bring "light" into your life - things that make you happy and joyful! Express your gratitude and then light some extra candles or put up some extra holiday lights to represent all the little freedoms and joys that bring light into your life! The nights are long and dark, but we can find light if we just look for it!
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and Happy Journaling! If you choose to post your journal on your blog, please include a link to this post, and leave a comment below with the link to your journal. If you choose to keep your journal private, that is fine too, but your comments are appreciated!
my blog post is here; http://tarotmom.blogspot.com/2012/12/12-days-of-yule-day-1.html
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