Winter Solstice Rituals in Wicca: Winter solstice, also known as Yule, is an important celebration within the Wiccan tradition. It marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year, symbolizing the return of light and the rebirth of the sun. During this time, Wiccans perform various rituals to honor this sacred event and welcome the coming of the sun's warmth and light. One common ritual observed during the winter solstice is the lighting of a Yule log. The Yule log, traditionally made of oak, is decorated with festive greenery, such as holly or mistletoe, and is then lit using the remnants of the previous year's log. This ritual symbolizes the release of the old and the embracing of new beginnings.
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Sonny92 Although Phil Swanson s vocals are sadly missing from this latest Hour of 13 release, this is still a pretty good album of occult-themed trad doom from Chad Davis. The flat letterboxed version released by Image on DVD was fine for its time, with Redemption eventually issuing it under their own banner in a solid anamorphic upgrade.
This ritual symbolizes the release of the old and the embracing of new beginnings. As the log burns, it is believed to bring luck and protection for the coming year. Another important ritual is the circle casting ceremony.
Black magic rites
The story, what there is of it, skips back and forth over the centuries as a cult of devil worshipers in a castle rounds up women to harvest as a blood offering. Their purpose is to bring back their supernatural founder, Isabella (Nude for Satan's Calderoni), who was tied up and burned alive by angry villagers (for reasons never made entirely clear, but apparently she was a sorceress of some kind). The castle's owner (Hargitay) brings his stepdaughter, Laureen (also Calderoni), to party down with some of her friends, and the stage is set for a rampage of red-cloaked orgies filled with ample flesh, blood drinking, and big holes punched in people's chests.
Much of the cast from the already extreme Delirium reunite with Polselli here, apparently trying to push the boundaries of narrative horror filmmaking as far as it can go without breaking. (And some might argue that not only does it break, but Polselli and company grab all the shattered pieces, fling them in the air, and do a samba on top of them.) The entire thing is amazing to watch, sort of like what might happen in Mario Bava and Kenneth Anger dropped acid together in a castle. On top of that you get cultists running around in makeup and red tights, which might be some kind of homage to Hargitay's beloved turn in Bloody Pit of Horror. (The former husband of Jayne Mansfield has quite the exploitation track record, to put it mildly.) On top of that there's some bug-eyed comic relief courtesy of the astonishing Stefania Fassio as Steffy (with an iconic hairdo), a dizzying music score by Gianfraco Reverberi that skips genres every five minutes or so, and that aforementioned dual role for the gorgeous Calderoni, whose career began with A Quiet Place in the Country and lasted barely over a decade. As for Polselli, he had at least one more outrageous shocker up his sleeve later the same year with the mondo/porn/horror hybrid Rivelazioni di uno psichiatra sul mondo perverso del sesso, but that one proved too extreme for a release by any English-language distributor; hopefully someone will get around to that one eventually. In the meantime, we now have a gorgeous HD version of this bonkers cult classic; as long as you don't expect it to all make much sense at all, just sit back and enjoy all the mayhem.
The flat letterboxed version released by Image on DVD was fine for its time, with Redemption eventually issuing it under their own banner in a solid anamorphic upgrade. However, those were easily bested by Redemption's upgrade on Blu-ray and DVD in 2012 from Kino Lorber. The color scheme for this film has always been a bit insane, but the Blu-ray version pushes it into overdrive with a visual assault of hellish reds, purples, blues, yellows, and everything in between. The negative has been kept in fine condition over the years (not surprising considering how few prints were actually made), and while there are some little white specks here and there, it's in nice shape with as much detail as the film stock will allow. As usual for Kino/Redemption titles, this has been left essentially untouched without any digital smoothing or noise clean up; the photography is intentionally a little soft at times, but this looks like an accurate and very pleasing presentation. The mono Italian track (an English one was apparently never created) is presented with optional English subtitles. Extras include the long Italian theatrical trailer ("La psicosi del terrore crea il terrore che uccide!") and bonus ones for Hatchet for the Honeymoon , Lisa and the Devil , The Nude Vampire , and Shiver of the Vampires.
Over a decade later in 2023, Indicator revisited the film from separate 4K UHD(!) and Blu-ray editions in the U.S. and U.K, featuring a fresh 4K restoration from the camera negative that offers a significant improvement with greater detail, much more gradation in the colors (especially with HDR on the UHD), and a great deal of extra horizontal image information with the 1.85:1 framing looking more balanced than the zoomed-in 1.78:1 of the prior transfers. This transfer also fixes some severe fading that affected the right side of the image for portions of the first reel (see second comparison frame grabs below.) The DTS-HD MA Italian 2.0 mono track is also in excellent shape and features improved optional English subtitles. A new audio commentary by the always amicable team of David Flint and Kim Newman covers ties to literary horror works including Dracula, the essentials of Polselli's filmography, the possible reasons for the film's long period of obscurity, and Hargitay's life story and career. Eugenio Ercolani's "The 7th Art According to Ralph Brown" (33m43s) is a fascinating look at the first half of Polselli's career featuring an archival timecoded VHS interview with the filmmaker dotted through comments from Hargitay and director and programmer Luca Rea (who worked with Polselli on a retrospective of his work), touching on various urban legends about his personality and offering some context for his works that seem to exist in some warped galaxy of their own. In "When We Were Crazy" (18m32s), a very bemused Reverberi looks back at his music career starting in childhood, his time in pop music, his own lack of interest in the horror genre, and his memories of Polselli and scoring this film with a "tribal" approach. In "Chaos Magic" (38m47s), Stephen Thrower presents his own entertaining appraisal of this film and its filmmaker whose progression from the 1950s onward reflected a dedication to his craft that veered into some highly orthodox storytelling directions. Finally in "Rock Delirium" (24m57s), soundtrack expert Lovely Jon extensively analyzes Reverberi's somewhat mysterious place in the Italian film music canon (along with his younger brother, Gian Piero), with his commercial music background informing the genre-fusing approach taken to this project. Also included are the Italian trailer and a 16-image gallery, while the 80-page book included with the set features a new essay by Miranda Corcoran ("Black Magic Rites and Popular Satanism in the 1970s"), a "Blood, Sex and Gialli" interview with Polselli by Jay Slater covering his entire career, Andrea di Francesco and Giuseppe Policelli's "Renato Polselli: The Cinema Is Not Art" editing together Polselli's brief comments about most of his films and topics like pornography, and a new study by Roberto Curti, "The Rites of Censorship," about the director's troubled history with the local censors.
Directed by Renato Polselli
Italy 1973
Wiccans create a sacred space by casting a circle using their athame, a ritual knife, or their wand. The circle represents a boundary between the physical world and the spiritual realm, providing a space for magical work and worship. During the winter solstice, the circle is cast to amplify the connection with the energies of the sun and the rebirth of light. Offerings and prayers are also commonly performed during winter solstice rituals. Wiccans may create a small altar dedicated to the sun or the gods and goddesses associated with the sun's rebirth. Offerings such as herbs, crystals, or personal items are placed on the altar as a symbol of gratitude and devotion. Prayers, invocations, or chants are recited to honor and connect with the divine forces that bring life and light to the world. Divination and spellwork are often incorporated into winter solstice rituals as well. It is believed that this time of year holds powerful energy for manifestation and insight. Wiccans may use divination tools like tarot cards, crystals, or runes to gain guidance or clarity for the coming year. They may also perform spells to release negativity, set intentions, or attract abundance and growth. Overall, winter solstice rituals in Wicca are a time of celebration, reflection, and spiritual renewal. They honor the cycle of the seasons, the eternal cycle of life and death, and the return of the sun's light and warmth. These rituals allow Wiccans to connect with the natural world, embrace the power of transformation, and find inspiration as they begin a new year filled with hope and magic..
Reviews for "Exploring the connection between the natural world and Wucca winter solstice rituals"
1. Emma - 1 star
I attended the Winter Solstice Rituals Wucca and it was not what I expected at all. The rituals felt disorganized and lacked any real meaning or purpose. It seemed as though the organizers were simply going through the motions without any true understanding or connection to the traditions they were attempting to replicate. The atmosphere was also quite chaotic, with people talking over each other and no clear direction. Overall, I was disappointed and felt that my time and money could have been better spent elsewhere.
2. John - 2 stars
I was excited to participate in the Winter Solstice Rituals Wucca, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The rituals themselves were confusing and seemed to lack coherence. It felt as though the event was more focused on creating a spectacle rather than providing a meaningful experience for the participants. Additionally, the organization of the event was poor, with long wait times and a lack of clear instructions. I left feeling unsatisfied and disillusioned with the whole experience.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I have attended several Winter Solstice rituals in the past, but the Wucca event left me feeling underwhelmed. The atmosphere was not as serene and peaceful as I had hoped, but rather chaotic and loud. The rituals themselves seemed rushed and poorly executed, with participants lacking a clear understanding of their roles. While I appreciate the effort to create a unique experience, it ultimately missed the mark for me. I would have preferred a more authentic and spiritually fulfilling celebration of the Winter Solstice.
4. Michael - 1 star
The Winter Solstice Rituals Wucca was a complete disappointment. The organizers seemed more focused on the aesthetic aspects of the event rather than honoring the true essence of the Winter Solstice. The rituals felt forced and insincere, lacking any genuine connection to the natural world or the spiritual significance of the solstice. The event also seemed to lack proper planning and organization, leading to a chaotic and disjointed experience. Overall, I would not recommend attending this event for anyone seeking a meaningful and authentic celebration of the Winter Solstice.
5. Emily - 1 star
I had high hopes for the Winter Solstice Rituals Wucca, but unfortunately, it was a letdown. The rituals felt superficial and lacked the depth and spiritual significance I was anticipating. It seemed as though the organizers were more focused on the commercial aspect of the event rather than creating a meaningful experience for participants. The lack of organization was evident, with confusion and miscommunication among the participants. I left feeling disconnected and unsatisfied, wishing I had chosen a different way to celebrate the Winter Solstice.