In the long list of December festivities, the Pagan celebration of Yule is often overlooked.
The last of eight Pagan sabbats (celebrations) in the calendar year, Yule celebrates the return of the sun, taking place at the winter solstice when the sun appears to stand still just before the days begin to lengthen once again. Other sabbats are similarly timed throughout the year according to solar and lunar cycles and agricultural seasons.
In Las Cruces, the Yule celebration is conducted by the Desert Spirit Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPs), the local chapter of the national CUUPs ministry. According to Desert Spirit CUUPs council member Larissa Gibbs, Yule is “the promise that the cold and darkness will leave, and the sun and life are back on their way.” Like the Christmas story, the myths behind the Yule celebration are heavy in birth imagery, and many myths describe a goddess giving birth to the sun god.
Community is an important aspect of the Pagan Yule gathering, recognizing that we are “together on the spiritual path of being in touch with nature and the cycles of the Earth—and understanding how we fit into these greater life cycles,” Larissa notes. “Yule is a time to light a candle and think about those who have gone before you and be thankful for your family and the food on your table.”
She adds that Paganism remains misunderstood and emphasizes that it is neither devil worship nor anti-science. A research biologist by training, Larissa teaches high school science, and her husband and fellow CUUPs council member, Victor, is an anthropologist/archaeologist. A basic definition of Paganism is the family of non-monotheistic spiritual belief systems heavily influenced by pre-Christian traditions. Many different forms of Paganism exist; however, all of them emphasize the divinity of nature and Earth-centered spirituality.
What can you expect at the Desert Spirit CUUPs Yule celebration? The service begins with the celebrant “casting a circle,” or creating the sacred space within which the rituals will be performed. The celebrant may salute the four directions and/or elements or invoke certain gods/goddesses or deities. A teaching about the holiday follows, along with music, poetry, and wassail (mulled cider) as an offering to the spirits of nature. Victor likes to include everyone sharing a “Toast, Boast, and Oath” to recognize the passing of time—toast something positive from the past year, boast about something you were proud to have done, and solemnize an oath for something you want to do before the summer solstice arrives.
The Desert Spirit CUUPs Yule celebration takes place on December 21 starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church (2000 South Solano Drive). Throughout the year, services consisting of a potluck and a ritual or teaching are on the third Saturday of each month from 6 – 8 p.m. The public is welcome both to the Yule celebration and services. Learn more about the Desert Spirit CUUPs on their Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/1308232272875707.
