Paganism Yule

[Eclectic]

Yule is a Pagan holiday that celebrates when the Goddess gives birth to the Sun God. In some cases, the Slain God. The holiday which is celebrated Winter Solstice is a celebration of life emerging from darkness.

Here are some links to help you learn a little more about this tradition:

Ancient Origins: yule
Yule Celebrations
History of Yule

If there is anything else you'd like to know about the holiday, just ask me.

 

[Arvind]

In which country, Yule is taken as an official holiday? Or perhaps which religion that celebration belongs to.

Sorry in advance for my ignorance.

 

[Eclectic]

In which country, Yule is taken as an official holiday? Or perhaps which religion that celebration belongs to.

Sorry in advance for my ignorance.

Yule is a Pagan holiday

No ignorance, you just didn't see it. As for which country, I'm not exactly sure as of yet which country actually acknowledges Yule, or any other Pagan holiday for that matter. I can say that it isn't widely recognized in the U.S. as a holiday we can get off from work/school. (Or even mentioned at all). However, Paganism in general (b/c it's such an umbrella term) goes far back, before the Christian times. I would say that because Christianity (for lack of better word) "took over", they kinda downgraded the status of Pagans. But I'm pretty sure in the U.S. some of the Pagan traditions are recognized.

 

[Arvind]

What comes under the umbrella of the term 'Pagan' ?

 

[CaramelChocolate]

What comes under the umbrella of the term 'Pagan' ?

Paganism is like the European Hinduism, Hinduism being the Asian Paganism I guess.
Hinduism is a term for a mixture of faiths and obviously not the original term for the followers of Santan Dharm.
Paganism is an umbrella for faiths like Wicca.... I don't know anymore... Maybe Electic can fill this one!!

Yule falls a few days before Christmas... Basically Christmas is a man made festival which came in about 200 years ago I think, they invented Christmas to boycott Yule.

PAGAN PRACTICES TODAY [Not many people know this!]

• "Touch wood" - I don't know about America and other counties but often people say "touch wood" in replacement for I hope so, or in God's grace. Then they will touch the closest peice of wood. This practice stems from the Pagan idea that trees are sacred
• Christmas trees - From the idea that trees are sacred, these were deocated at Yule, which is around Christmas time.
• Mistletoe - At Christmas this is hung up at Christmas. People kiss under it... This is because a Pagan Goddess of love is associated with mistletoe.

NOTE: I have actually been informed that the term Pagan is offensive and was created by Christians and used in a derogoratory way... So when I use this term, I mean no offence.

~CaramelChocolate~

 

[Arvind]

That s a good information about Pagan practices. O yea, this 'Touch Wood' thing seems to be very global!

Honestly, I have no idea about Pagan or Christianity, so any question is not meant to offend, or sound derogatory. In case of any inadvertent mistake/quote, please forgive me.

Regards.

 

[Eclectic]

Paganism is like the European Hinduism, Hinduism being the Asian Paganism I guess.
Hinduism is a term for a mixture of faiths and obviously not the original term for the followers of Santan Dharm.
Paganism is an umbrella for faiths like Wicca.... I don't know anymore... Maybe Electic can fill this one!!

I most definately will! Sevadaar, what you see here is very little compared to what is really out there. Defining Paganism, in my opinion, can be a little harder than defining Christianity. But it is just as broad if not even broader! Heathen Dawn was kind enough to answer the questions of Neutral Singh here when he asked about the General beliefs of Paganism. She covered the meaning of Paganism, why it's an umbrella term and what it originally meant (country dweller). So the general basics of Paganism that she has described, is accurate compared to what I've studied.

There are many types of Paganisms such as the Asatru (which are much more traditional than the Neo-Pagans of today), Wiccans, Druids,

There are so many things you can learn about Pagans here at Witchvox.

Yule falls a few days before Christmas... Basically Christmas is a man made festival which came in about 200 years ago I think, they invented Christmas to boycott Yule.

Don't always think without checking your resources first. This happend with holidays such as Halloween. When the Catholic church were looking for converts into their religion, the holy days (holidays) were moved closely to the Pagan days so that the transition from Paganism to Christianity was easier for the Pagans.

NOTE: I have actually been informed that the term Pagan is offensive and was created by Christians and used in a derogoratory way... So when I use this term, I mean no offence.

~CaramelChocolate~

Check the thread I mentioned earlier about heathenDawn's description of Paganism.

however, if you want to learn more, I can direct your attention to a few websites (if not somehow incorporated in my response above):

The Witches Way
Pagan Database

I have a list of books as well if anyone is interested.

 

[Arvind]

Thanks Eclectic. That s a load for information for my little head.

Regards.

 

[Eclectic]

lol, give it some time to settle.

 

[Lee]

In which country, Yule is taken as an official holiday? Or perhaps which religion that celebration belongs to.

Sorry in advance for my ignorance.

Arvind Ji,

Some good info ther, but allow me to give you some more.

Yule as alreday been hinted at is the old pre Christian celebration of midwinter. The early Christins in the uK(and probably other parts of the world) not only took on board pre Christian(read Pagan) Holy days and Christianised them in an effort to garner followers, they also built churches on many Pagan holy sites.

Much of the Christmas celebrations, tree, yule log, present giving, leaving food and dring out for Santa(Cakes and ale). Mostly come from Nordic roots, and all have their own meanigs. To decorate the tree with bright baubles for example, keeps the evil winter spirts our of the house.

 

[spnadmin]

Lee ji

I wonder if anyone has set about a systematic analysis of the percentage of Christian practices that have pagan as opposed to Jewish roots. The sources would include ancient Druid and Nordic, late period Hellenic/Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Syrian, pre-Islamic Persian, as well as local folk traditions throughout pre-Christian Europe (Balkan, Italian, Iberian, etc.).

 

[Lee]

Lee ji

I wonder if anyone has set about a systematic analysis of the percentage of Christian practices that have pagan as opposed to Jewish roots. The sources would include ancient Druid and Nordic, late period Hellenic/Greek and Roman, Egyptian, Syrian, pre-Islamic Persian, as well as local folk traditions throughout pre-Christian Europe (Balkan, Italian, Iberian, etc.).

Umm I'm not sure but I belive the book 'The Golden Bough' may be a good place to start looking.

When you think of it, the old Pagan faiths were really amongst the first of spirtual thoughts that mankind had, so I guess all that has come after has been built upon the roots of Paganism.

Breaking and shareing food and drink, singing to God, danceing, all rituals are at heart symbolic reinactments(mummers), holy days, special hours, holy crerures, all of these have Pagan roots.

 

[spnadmin]

When you think of it, the old Pagan faiths were really amongst the first of spirtual thoughts that mankind had, so I guess all that has come after has been built upon the roots of Paganism.

Lee ji

Thanks for the direction. I will get that book. But also I agree with the statement above. Yet my own thoughts are that much was also about fertility and ancestor worship, life and death, and appeasement of the cyclic and powerful forces of Nature that were hard to adapt to and to understand.

 

[Lee]

When you think of it, the old Pagan faiths were really amongst the first of spirtual thoughts that mankind had, so I guess all that has come after has been built upon the roots of Paganism.

Lee ji

Thanks for the direction. I will get that book. But also I agree with the statement above. Yet my own thoughts are that much was also about fertility and ancestor worship, life and death, and appeasement of the cyclic and powerful forces of Nature that were hard to adapt to and to understand.

Yes indeed, which I guess is why we still have things like All Saints Day(ancester worship) and Harvest Festival(Thanking God for bountyfull winter harvest) in Christainity.