Winter Solstice takes place in the season of many winter holidays. Most of these have some focus on lights in the dark, renewal, or the gifts of the season. After seeing some folks post in the ADF Parents Special Interest Group pictures of their Yule Advent Spirals, I decided I wanted something of my own, but I also wanted to create a liturgy to go along with. Thus, the Winter Solstice Spiral Liturgy was born.

I asked Rev. Michael J Dangler of the Magical Druid to design and make a spiral for me. We settled on a three armed spiral with space for seven candles in each arm and one large candle in the center. The liturgy is likewise divided up into three sets of seven, with a large candle set up for the final day, and our family celebration.

The basic outline for the liturgy is focusing on the ideas of Storm, Water, and Fire. This allows the liturgy to move from dark to light as we progress closer to the solstice. There will be more and more candles lit each day to combat the increasing darkness, up until the Sun is honored on the final day when the nights begin growing shorter again.

The liturgy itself follows a basic template with a very simplified version of the ADF Core Order of Ritual, with only the center portion, the “being of the occasion,” changing between the days. Then the last day has a ritual and tradition all it’s own. This draws from the tradition our family has developed and practiced in past years.

I’m including the outline of spirits honored each day below, and then each day I will post the full liturgy for that day. The liturgy begins on Dec 1^st, and moves through December 21^st, with an extra piece for the morning of the Solstice.  You can purchase a copy of the full liturgy in Kindle or Paperback on Amazon or get a copy of the pdf by supporting me on Patreon.

Day 1: The Destroyer

Day 2: Solitude

Day 3: The Winds of Change

Day 4: Nourishing Rains

Day 5: Clear Skies

Day 6: Justice

Day 7: The Winner of Waters

Day 8: The Waters of Blessing

Day 9: The Waters of Purification

Day 10: The Ferryman

Day 11: Memory & Forgetfulness

Day 12: The Mistweaver

Day 13: The God of the Sea

Day 14: The Mother of Waters

Day 15: The Son of the Waters

Day 16: The Center of Worlds

Day 17: Hearth & Home

Day 18: The Need Fire

Day 19: The Fire of Transformation

Day 20: Inspiration & Vision

Day 21: Sacrifice & Order

Morning following the Solstice: The Sun

 

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