Yule, or Winter Solstice, is a high holy day that predates Christmas by thousands of years. It’s one I’ve recognized and celebrated for more than a decade. Because of the nature of the Mayan calendar focus on 12/21/12, Yule has come to the forefront this year as a most sacred of holy days. I’m quite tickled about that, and feel inspired to elaborate on some of the mythology of Yule.

Artwork by J.M. Leotti

What I am most familiar with is the God and Goddess story, which illustrates the circle of death and rebirth intertwined with the wheel of the year. At the Winter Solstice, the Sun God (the light returning)  is born of the Goddess. It’s likely this helped fuel the Christian myth of the son of God being born at this time. The Sun God grows and is a small boy at the time of Imbolc (February 2nd). He continues to mature through the Spring Equinox, and by Beltane (May 1), he is in his prime. He mates with the Goddess at this time of the rising sap and riotous blossoming in nature, and then reaches his peak of power at the Summer Solstice (strongest light). From there, he begins his decline through the harvest festivals of Lammas (Aug 1, Autumnal Equinox, and Samhain (Halloween). During the harvest time, symbolic sacrifices might be made to return his energy to fertilize the earth (ie, burning a straw man, or effigy). During his decline, the Goddess rises in her power, as ruler of the dark time of the year, the feminine, the womb, and the time of hibernation. And that takes us back to Winter Solstice, when the Sun God is reborn.

Triple Goddess
Google Images

This Yule has a specific sequence of magical numbers that make it special as well… 12/21/12 translates to 3/3/3, which is sacred to the Goddess. This relates to the Triple Goddess, maiden, mother, and crone (wise woman). Same with 12/12/12. I’ve been pondering the most appropriate ways that I might immerse myself in the energy of this time, and I love what my dear friend Dr. Deb Kern shared on her blog. I’m going to post it below as she wrote it, and I’ll likely be following most of her suggestions.

I sometimes think that the ancient Mayans had a sense of humor about all this… perhaps they gathered in circle around a fire to talk about the future and the calendar. Let’s assume they had advanced knowledge of the Law of Attraction and the concept of critical mass. I imagine them talking about it like this (envision with me, if you will, the elders having this conversation):

Mayan pottery depicting a religious ceremony

Listen people, I’ve received a vision that people of the future are going to overpopulate the earth and overuse her resources, so how can we help them  understand that they are headed for disaster if they stay on that path? Hmmm, how about if we make the calendar end on the sacred date of 12/21/12? Great idea, I see where you are going with this… many of them will think that’s the end of the earth, but many more will perceive it as a time to shift into the next spiritual and evolutionary phase… so they’ll create that all on their own with a critical mass! Excellent, let’s roll with it.

My personal belief is that while the earth’s and humanity’s changes are rapidly accelerating, they are still gradual. Humans need time for their nervous systems to adjust to energetic upgrades and evolutionary shifts. The more prepared we are, the more of a shift we experience within ourselves. It’s that microcosm, macrocosm thing… as within, so without. More and more, I believe the changes are internal, and that’s ultimately what impacts the collective experience. So, whether you celebrate this season with others, with your beloved, or with yourself, remember that you are ALWAYS the ultimate creator of the reality you are experiencing. All of it.

With deepest blessings to you and yours as we enter the time we have been waiting for! I’m SO EXCITED! Love, Amrita

Dr. Deb Kern’s recommendations:

How to purify the body:

1. Between now and 12/12/12, cut out sugar, wheat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners and processed foods. Drink lots of water and ginger tea. I will be eating kitchari. If you’d like to join me, just click here to learn how to make it.
2. From 12/12/12/ – 12/21/12 do a juice or raw foods cleanse. I have been intimidated by this kind of cleanse in the past, but I feel very confident because I’ll be following the “Jump Start Cleanse” created by Krystalle and Artemis Keszainn, creators of the “Cleanse ATX.” Their 10 Day Jump Start Cleanse is available online as a virtual program with DVDs and e-books to guide you. What I love about it is that they have different levels of cleansing available. So if juicing is too big of a challenge, you can choose to use raw foods. Just click here for the “Jump Start Cleanse” (not the New Year’s cleanse because you will have to wait until January for that one).

How to purify the mind:

1. Cut WAY BACK on the amount of computer, TV, radio, newspaper, idle chat.
2. Add more yoga, dance, meditation, prayer, quiet time in nature.
3. On 12/12/12 set aside time to reflect on any areas in your life (habits, thoughts, relationships, jobs, material possessions, debt, food, addictions, etc) that are blocking you from living your BEST life. Write those down on paper. Then reflect on all of your gratitudes and write them down on a second piece of paper. Finally, reflect on your hopes, dreams and desires for yourself, your family, your friends and the entire world. Write those down on a third piece of paper.
4. On 12/21/12 (Winter Solstice) build a fire or put a candle in the bottom of a large metal container and burn the papers. Whatever your tradition is, pray as the fire metaphorically transmutes the blockages and magnifies the power of your gratitudes, hopes, dreams and desires. I chant as I burn the papers and I end with the Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic .

Do whatever feeds your soul!