Hello, hello my radiant little sun beams!
I’m writing today to share another passion of mine, Cyclical Living, and to introduce you to The Wheel of The Year and the eight Sabbats encompassed within it.
You may have noticed over the past few months that I observe some odd little holidays throughout the year. So far, I have shared information and blessings on my Instagram and Facebook pages for Yule (Jun 21st), Imbolc (Aug 7th), Ostara (Sep 22nd), Beltane (Nov 8th), and Lithia (Dec 21st). These seasonal celebrations, collectively referred to as Sabbats (another word for holidays/festivals/celebrations), are encapsulated by what is known as the Wheel of the Year, or the Great Wheel. I was first introduced to the Wheel in 2010, after developing a keen interest in the practice of Witchcraft. Since then, consciously observing and living in alignment with the turning of this magical Wheel has become one of my favourite methods for Cyclical Living.
Cyclical Living refers to the observation of, and personal alignment with, the varying microcosmic expressions of the Universal Birth-Life-Death-Rebirth cycle that permeates our reality. This cycle is ever recurring, in various forms, throughout the natural world, including within ourselves. The Menstrual cycle, Lunar phases, Solar transits, Planetary movements, and Seasonal shifts all follow a cyclical pattern of Birth, Life, Death and Rebirth. The act of pausing to reflect on, celebrate and honour each phase of this cycle, allows us to understand, connect with, and accept the way in which these phases are being reflected in our personal realities, giving us the opportunity to navigate our lives and experiences with more joy, ease, grace, alignment, and connection.
As Earth-based beings, we are connected to this time, place, and planet, whether we acknowledge and celebrate that connection or not. By observing and aligning with the cyclical nature of the natural world, we can observe, honour, and support our own inner cycles. By working to align our lifestyles (social calendar, workflow, creative process, etc.) with each phase, we can connect more deeply with our Earthly-Human experience, Spiritual natures, and the time and place in which we consciously exist. This depth of connection naturally brings about healing because we are working with life's natural rhythms, nurturing and supporting ourselves in all our phases, rather than working against them by controlling, forcing, striving, and grasping. Our experience of life becomes more open, receptive, spacious, and free flowing, thereby supporting our overall well-being. After practising various forms of Cyclical Living over the past few years, it has become one of my greatest passions!
In this post, it is my intention to explore the Seasonal cycles of the Earth, as reflected and celebrated within the Wheel of the Year and the eight Sabbats, to help you develop your own understanding of the Earths seasonal energies, ebbs, and flows, become aware of how the phases are being reflected in your own life, and perhaps explore your own ways of observing, honouring, celebrating, and working with them to guide, support and enrich your Earthly-Human experience.
So, let’s begin!
Overview
The Wheel of the Year is symbolic of complete personal and environmental alignment, offering us a way to acknowledge, honour, navigate, and live in alignment with the Earths seasonal shifts, and the various expressions of the Birth, Growth, Death and Rebirth cycle found throughout the natural world, and through this conscious recognition of our external realities, we are prompted to recognise and celebrate how these states are reflected within our own inner realities. The eight Sabbats encapsulated within the Wheel are markers of time spaced evenly throughout the year, designed to acknowledge, honour, and celebrate agricultural and astronomical events, as well as draw one's attention to the Earths seasonal transitions from light to dark and back again. The Sabbats are times of real and symbolic power, celebrated to honour the seasonal cycles of the Earth, and in so doing, honour those cycles reflected in our own lives, staying in sync with nature, and by extension ourselves. By observing this calendar, we strike a balance between the world of spirit, the world of the physical, and the present moment, flowing with the natural patterns and rhythms of life.
Brief History
In the ancient past, our lives and survival revolved around observing and working with our natural environment. As such, various ancient cultures developed their own methods for charting and following the Earths cycles, marking the passing of time by observing and responding to the seasonal shifts of the land on which they lived. Their deep connection to, and awareness of, the changing seasons, and the way in which they moved from light, to dark, and back again, allowed them to take full advantage of the naturally occurring periods of fertility and growth, prepare for the subsequent descent into fallow periods of scarcity, death, and decay, and celebrate the return of abundance once more. Many of these early civilisations also acknowledged and worked with the natural cycles present within the individual (such as the menstrual cycle, the journey from birth to old age, and sleeping and waking cycles, etc.), and began to live in even deeper alignment with the natural world. Although time in modern cultures is typically regarded as linear, the cyclical nature of life continues to be recognised and honoured throughout the world.
Ancient Celtic culture is often regarded as the origin of the Wheel of the Year, however, there is evidence that identical seasonal celebrations were observed in ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, and Nordic cultures, with the Germanic Folk Tales documented by Jacob Grimm being a key influence on the Wheel we are familiar with today. Therefore, the modern Wheel of the Year can be viewed as an amalgam of various ancient polytheist folk practices found throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
The Eight Sabbats
The Wheel includes four Solar Festivals, also known as Lesser Sabbats or Quarter Days, and four Fire Festivals, also known as Greater Sabbats or Cross-Quarter Days. The four Solar Festivals are determined by the transitions of the Sun and where it is in relation to the Earth, meaning the dates for each vary from year to year. These Sabbats mark the astronomical beginnings of each season and celebrate the height of seasonal energies as they reach their peak expression. The Equinoxes represent periods of equilibrium, wherein day and night are of equal length, and the Solstices represent periods of polar opposition, the longest day and shortest night of the year (Lithia), and the longest night and shortest day of the year (Yule).
· Yule – the Winter Solstice, height of Winter
· Ostara – the Spring Equinox, height of Spring
· Lithia – the Summer Solstice, height of Summer
· Mabon – the Autumnal Equinox, height of Autumn
Each of the four Fire Festivals occur halfway between the Solstices and Equinoxes, marking the transitions of the Earthly seasons, and celebrating significant seasonal changes. These Sabbats represent the gateways into each season and are also considered high points of seasonal energy. Traditionally, ritual bonfires would be lit to celebrate the overarching energies of change and transition at these times and assist the shift from one seasonal energy to the next, symbolically burning away the old (purifying), and lighting the way for the new (clarifying).
· Imbolc/Bride – the gateway from Winter to Spring
· Beltane – the gateway from Spring to Summer
· Lughnasadh – the gateway from Summer to Autumn
· Samhain – the gateway from Autumn to Winter
As the foundation for the modern Wheel arose in the Northern Hemisphere, the traditional Sabbat dates cater to the seasonal shifts of the North, with Winter occurring in the months of December, January and February, Spring in March, April and May, Summer in June, July and August, and Autumn in September, October and November. However, we can align the Sabbats with Southern Hemisphere cycles simply by reversing the Wheel so that the Sabbats celebrated in the North and South are opposing each other. Living in Australia, I follow a Southern calendar, but I often include an acknowledgment of the Sabbats occurring in the North as a way of connecting with my Irish, Scottish and English ancestors. Sometimes, those who are native to one hemisphere but are living in the other choose to maintain their connection to the land of their ancestors by living in alignment with the seasonal cycles of their birth or ancestral home, rather than the hemisphere in which they live. Practice in whichever way feels in alignment with your personal journey, there is no right or wrong. Another difference between modern and traditional dates, is our ability to track astrological movements. Our understanding of where the Sun is in relation to the Earth, and the shifting of the Seasons, has become more accurate, so now all dates vary from year to year as we are capable of pinpointing exactly when the Solstices and Equinoxes will occur.
Below I have included a summary of each Sabbat, including common names, upcoming dates for both Northern and Southern hemispheres, the Seasonal energy they honour and embody, and associated symbolism. I haven’t gone into great detail in this blog as it is my intention to post write ups on each Sabbat individually as they occur in 2021, as well as host Circle events to honour and celebrate them. Please remember that this information is also limited by my knowledge and experience. If I haven't covered something, or something I have written does not resonate, continue your own independent research and exploration, discover your own cultural and ancestral traditions, and find what works for you. These are just some of the ways we can observe and honour the Earth and her cycles, and by extension, our own inner cycles. There are many more ways in which you can engage with your Earthly-Human experience to the benefit of yourself, those around you, and Mumma Earth.
Yule
Also known as: Winter Solstice, Feill Fionnain, Midwinter, Festival of Rebirth
Date for Southern Hemisphere: June 21st, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: December 21st, 2021
Seasonal Energy: Deep Winter
On this day we reach the PEAK of Winter, the shortest day and longest night of the year. Many Witches consider Yule to be either the year’s beginning, or the end. From this moment, the days begin to lengthen again, and this Solar Festival serves to honour and celebrate the return of the Sun, light, and life to the Earth. The new-born Sun offers a fresh start and, literally, a new day. It is a time of renewal and hope.
This seasonal shift is a symbolic reminder that the ultimate product of death is rebirth. We have survived the harshest part of Winter, overcoming the death and darkness of the season, and are now preparing to re-emerge in the coming Spring.
Traditionally representing the time of the first planted seed, Yule is an ideal time to set our intentions for the coming year. Take a moment to reflect on your Winter experiences, and the seasons gifts of rest, reflection, and renewal. Now is the time to let go of that which needs to die for you to truly harness the growth and abundance of Spring. Dive deep, do your inner work, and lay your foundations. As you begin sowing your own seeds of abundance, creation, and manifestation, remember that all the energy you put out shall be returned threefold as the Earth’s natural abundance slowly returns.
Let this be a day of introspection and reflection, particularly on the gifts that the death and darkness of Winter provide us with, such as rest, reflection, renewal, re-birth, peace, silence, stillness and spaciousness. After Yule, we slowly begin to emerge from our Winter hibernation, as the days grow longer and we welcome in the fertility, growth and abundance of Spring!
This Sabbat offers us an opportunity to ground down deep, transmute and alchemise your Winter experiences, reflect on the deaths (both literal and metaphorical), and prepare for the impending re-births! Yule is a time to cultivate strong roots and prepare to rise, set your intentions, and sow the seeds of your endeavours, allowing the death and decay of Winter to nourish those seeds. Remember, strong roots bear fruits, so ground down DEEP into your being, and set strong and firm intentions.
Traditional symbols of Yule include Fir Trees and other evergreens, as they symbolise the spark of everlasting life amidst death, so consider burning pine incense or oils and placing fir tree branches, wreaths, or place pine cones on your altar or around the house, and surround yourself with the colours red (bloodshed of birth), green (the growth process), and white (the innocence of new life).
Imbolc
Also known as: Brigid, Candlemas, Imbolg, or Brigid’s Day, Feast of Bride, the Festival of Lights, Feast of the Waxing Light, Feast of Pan, Lupercalia
Date for Southern Hemisphere: August 7th, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: February 3rd, 2021
Seasonal Energy: Gateway from Winter to Spring
Imbolc is a Fire Festival that marks the mid-point between Yule (the Winter Solstice) and Ostara (the Spring Equinox) and celebrates the emergence of Spring after our Winter hibernation.
As you can see, this festival of light and fertility goes by many different names, but the more common Irish-Gaelic name Imbolc translates to "in the belly" or "ewes milk", and aptly represents the first foetal stirrings of the Earth as she responds to the wakeup call of the returning Sun. At this time, we experience the quickening of light and life as leaves begin to sprout, and flowers begin to bloom. Winter has passed, the agricultural year has begun, and it is time to prepare for Spring. Traditionally marked by huge blazes, torches, and fire in every form, Imbolc also carries with it the symbolism of illumination, inspiration, transmutation, and renewal. The seeds sewn at Yule have begun to manifest, and now is the time to celebrate newness as the Earth begins to awaken and we slowly emerge from the cold and dark of winter.
As is evident by a few of its alternative names, this festival is also dedicated to Brigid (pronounced more like Breej, with a rolling r) the Irish Goddess of light, fire, poetry, smith craft, creativity, healing, wisdom, fertility, and midwifery. She is also considered the guardian of hearth and home, with a perpetual fire burning in her honour in Kildare, Ireland. Through her blacksmithing abilities, Brigid converts base metal into things of beauty that can better serve us in our daily lives. She is called upon when one wishes to connect with their passions and motivation, and in times of transformation.
With all this in mind, Imbolc is the perfect time to clean and organize our living environments, as well as our minds, bodies, and spirits in preparation for the upcoming season of growth. It is a time of purification through the returning power of the Sun, following the shut-in life of Winter. Shake off the doldrums of late Winter and light the fires of creativity and inspiration, clear out old habits, beliefs, ideas, patterns of behaviour, and limiting conditionings. Spend some time meditating or journaling on what you wish to consciously release, and what you wish to cultivate this Spring, and if you set intentions at Yule, consider how you may continue to nourish and nurture them as they begin to bloom. It may be nice to open all the windows, turn on all the lights, and light a few candles in your home (even just for a moment), with the intention of releasing the cold, darkness and stagnation of Winter from your physical, as well as mental-emotional and energetic, spaces, and to celebrate the return of the Sun, light and life to Mother Earth! You may also like to go for a walk in your surroundings and observe the budding plants, dress in white, use rose oil or incense, and think of yourself as the young one who has all the possibilities ahead of them.
Ostara
Also known as: Spring/Vernal Equinox, Eostar, Oestarra, Eostras Day
Date for Southern Hemisphere: September 23rd, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: March 20th, 2021
Seasonal Energy: High Spring
The name of this ancient Solar Festival comes from the Germanic Spring/fertility Goddess Eostre, mother of the dawn. This day represents a period of balance and equilibrium before the Summer season, where day and night are of equal length. After Ostara, the balance will tip, as days grow longer, and nights grow shorter.
Growth is the theme, as Ostara is a time of fertility, birth, and renewal. Winter is over and Spring is finally upon us, and we celebrate the rebirth and fertile abundance of our Mother, the Earth. Light increases as the Sun returns, thawing the frost and fuelling Mother Earths rapid growth. The growing season for plants and animals has officially begun. Birds are nesting and flowers are blooming. Butterflies and Bees are busily gathering nectar, pollinating as they go.
As the energies of nature subtly shift from the sluggishness of Winter to the exuberant expansion of Spring, the Earth beneath our feet is striving to produce new growth. It is our responsibility to tend to this new growth. Give back to the Earth by planting seeds gathered at the last harvest, tending to the new growth in your gardens, and expressing gratitude for the abundance around you.
Hares and eggs are traditional symbols of Ostara. The hare represents virility and fertility, and eggs are symbolic of fertility, budding new life, and potential growth. A time of new beginnings and taking action, take this opportunity to plant seeds for future gains, both literally and symbolically. Make time for planting and feeding new projects, and focus your attention on any new beginnings, recoveries and rebirths occurring in your life. It is a good time to Spring clean both you inner and outer worlds, organising and eliminating any clutter in your home and personal spaces, and balancing yourself and the subtle energies within you. Adorn your home and altar with vibrantly coloured candles and perfumed blossoms, and take some time to honour the various expressions of fertility, abundance, new life, and balance occurring around you.
Beltane
Also known as: May Eve, Bealltainn, Beltaine, Bealtaine, or May Day
Date for Southern Hemisphere: November 7th, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: May 4th/5th, 2021
Seasonal Energy: Gateway from Spring to Summer
Known by many names and occurring when the Sun is at 15 degrees Taurus (although often celebrated on May 1st), Beltane celebrations are thought to have been drawn from 2 sources, the fire rites from Celtic tradition, and the flower rites from the Roman Floralia.
An ancient fire and fertility festival that marks the beginning of the planting cycle, and the beginning of Celtic summer, Beltane (Bel - Welsh sky god, tan - fire = fire in the sky) was observed and celebrated to ensure a good growing season and a bountiful harvest. A light-hearted and joyful celebration of sensuality and sexuality, the Maypole was a popular tradition. Representative of the phallus, symbolising fertility and virility, once decorated it would often be buried, symbolising the "impregnation" of Mother Earth, and acting as an offering to Her to support Her growth and new life.
Like Samhain, Beltane is believed to be a time when the veil between the worlds is thin. It is a great time to connect and communicate with nature spirits and deities, and to really take pleasure in life by enjoying all of natures gifts. All the seeds sewn in previous months should be sprouting now. This applies to the seeds of ideas and plans as much as crops. Did you set intentions at Yule? Take some time to assess what is coming to fullness in your life now, and what may need a little extra tending and nourishment.
In Celtic tradition, all the fires in the land were doused the night before Beltane, and the nine sacred woods were gathered in preparation for the birthing of the new fire, which was thought to purify all evil forces. A predawn procession would culminate on the hilltops, where the fires were rekindled at the rising if the sun. Torches lit from the Beltane fire were taken home to light the new fires of the year. Another common tradition would be leaping the Beltane fire for a fortunate Summer. Livestock would be guided between two fires to cleanse and protect them and ensure a good yield for the season, single members of the community would leap over the flames to attract a partner, couples would jump together to strengthen their existing bond and bless their union, and women wishing for children would jump to enhance fertility. Maybe you can light a wee symbolic Beltane candle and do a little leap for yourselves to lend a little extra magical potency to your projects or relationships!
Lithia
Also known as: Summer Solstice, Midsummer, St Johns Day, Feill Sheathain
Date for Southern Hemisphere: December 21st/22nd, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: June 20th/21st, 2021
Seasonal Energy: High Summer
Also known as the Summer Solstice, Lithia is the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The light has triumphed, and we have reached the height of the Summer Season, but what goes up must come down, and after this day the Sun will begin its descent into darkness as Autumn slowly approaches.
Lithia is a joyous occasion, a time of fullness and abundance for all wildlife, including people, and a time for like minds to gather and share in the bounty of Mother Earth. She is awash with fertility, the crops are planted and growing, the woods and forests have reached their peak fullness, fruits are ripened, full and heavy on their trees and vines, and the Sun is at its highest and brightest. The powers of nature are in full bloom, bursting with light and life, and although the days grow shorter after Summer Solstice, the time of greatest abundance is yet to come!
Lithia is a time of beauty, love, strength, and energy, rejoicing in the warmth of the Sun. The power of this Sabbat is protective, healing, empowering, and revitalising, adding a powerful charge to all spells, crystals, and herbs. As Lithia is a celebration of abundance, it is also a celebration of service, sharing, and giving back to the Earth, who has worked so hard to support, nurture, nourish and sustain us. It is a celebration of doing our parts to prepare for the harvest season, both agricultural and personal! This involves sharing with our communities, giving back, and performing random acts of kindness.
Take stock of what is coming to fullness in your life right now, preparing to harvest the seeds planted at Yule, and how you can take advantage of what you have, both in service to your highest good, and the highest good of others.
Lughnasadh
Also known as: Lughnasad, Lammas, August Eve, Feast of Bread, Festival of Lugh
Date for Southern Hemisphere: February 3rd/4th, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: August 6th/7th, 2021
Seasonal Energy: Gateway from Summer to Autumn
This Sabbat is named for Lugh, the Celtic Sun God of light, fire, crafts, and skills, paying homage to him for his role in the Earths fruitfulness, and saying goodbye as he wanes in the sky. The English name for this Sabbat, Lammas, means “loaf mass”, reflecting this Sabbats role as the festival of the first harvests. Lughnasadh marks the middle of Summer and the beginning of the harvest season! Mother Earth is at her abundant best, the fruits of her labour evident all around us, and she is worshipped for the rich bounty that she has bestowed upon us.
For the ancient Pagans, this was a time of both hope and fear. They held hope for a bountiful harvest and abundant food, but they feared that the harvest wouldn’t be large enough and that the cold months would be filled with struggle and deprivation. On this day, we too are encouraged to address our own fears and conditionings around scarcity and abundance, to begin harvesting the fruits of our labour, and as always, to celebrate and express gratitude for what we have.
The plants of Spring are beginning to wither and drop their fruits and seeds for our use, and to ensure future crops. Herbs, roots, and flowers are ready to be harvested and can be spread, hung, dried, and stored in airtight containers or frozen. The first batches of fruit jam, preserves, and flower syrups are made and stored. Wheat, corn, and other grains are prominent symbols at this time, representing and embodying the harvest energies of this Sabbat, and corn dollies are made to honour and celebrate the first harvest. As summer passes, we remember its warmth and bounty in the food we eat. Every meal is an act of attunement with nature, and we are reminded that nothing in the Universe is constant.
Lughnasadh celebrates the fullness of life and the bountiful and abundance of Mother Earth. Time to give big thanks for her bounty and state your hopes and intentions for what you wish to harvest sacrifice or transform. As much as it is an Earthly harvest, Lughnasadh is also a time of personal harvest. What aspect of your life has reached a state of fullness that calls to be shared with the world? Perhaps a creative project you have been working on, a career venture you have been working towards, a personal relationship or business partnership you have been cultivating, or something more personal, mental-emotional, or spiritual in nature. What is ready to be acknowledged, expressed or experienced in its fullness for you?
Mabon
Also known as: Fall/Autumnal Equinox, Harvest Home, Witches Thanksgiving
Date for Southern Hemisphere: March 20th, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: September 22nd, 2021
Seasonal Energy: Deep Autumn
At Mabon (named after a Welsh God whose name means "great Sun"), day and the night are equal in length, in sublime balance. The two equinoxes are times of equilibrium, the Spring Equinox (Ostara) represents balance and neutrality before action, while the Autumnal Equinox represents the balance and neutrality that follows action. A period of rest and reprieve following all the activity and action of Summer and the harvest season. For many locations, Mabon coincides with the final harvest of grain, fruits, and vegetables, and is a time for taking satisfaction in the work of the Summer, and for reaping the benefits of the harvest season. Give thanks for Mother Earths bounty, celebrate her abundance, and share in the joy of harvest.
Mabon marks the astrological beginning of Autumn and the second/final harvest, and is known as Witches Thanksgiving as it is a celebration of gratitude for the years harvest, both agricultural and personal. Along with the agricultural harvests, we are also asked to acknowledge and express gratitude for the harvest of creative projects, work endeavours, relationships etc. and to honour all the time, energy, effort and love we have put into these personal endeavours for them to finally bear fruit, as well as honour the contributions of others, including Mother Earth and our ancestors. Now is the perfect time to remember our ancestors, and thank them for their contribution to our abundance.
The beauty and bounty of Summer is giving way to the desolation of Winter, and after this day of rest and equilibrium, the darkness will slowly begin overtaking the light. Fruit preserves and jams were often made at this time, to begin preparing for Winter.
Samhain
Also known as: Samhuinn, Halloween, All Hallows Eve, Hallowmas, All Souls, Feast of the Dead, November Eve, Feast of the Apples
Date for Southern Hemisphere: May 5th, 2021
Date for Northern Hemisphere: November 6th/7th, 2021
Seasonal Energy: Gateway from Autumn to Winter
For many Witches, Samhain (pronounced Sow-en) represents the New Year and is the most important Sabbat. It is a time to remember our ancestors, to honour the end of the growing season, to reflect on the past year, and to celebrate the harvest and all that has been accomplished. This Sabbat marks our descent into Winter as the Sun wanes in the sky, days grow shorter, and Mother Earth draws her energy inward, away from the surface.
Samhain symbolises death in the cycle of life, and the significance of its role and teachings in our personal realities. It is a time of rest, reflection, descent and decay, and as it marked the last day of the calendar year in many ancient cultures, it is also a time for tying up loose ends and putting things to rest. It was also recognised as a time of sacrifice, as livestock was gathered from the fields to either be put up for the Winter, or slaughtered, dried, salted, smoked, and stored. Farmers put their crops to bed and gave everything that was left to Mother Earth by leaving it in the fields to rot. Wines and ciders were made, seeds were gathered for future crops, and any perishables were jarred, pickled, and preserved for the Winter. This literal and symbolic time of death is what prompted the belief that the veil between life and death is at its thinnest.
The main function of the day was to honour, remember, and pay respect to those who had died during the year, those who came before us, and any livestock who gave of their lives to sustain communities during the Winter when food is scarce. On this Sabbat, the veil between spiritual world and the Earth is at its thinnest and we can connect with ancestors loved ones and wise ones more easily through divination, rituals and ceremonial celebrations. A common tradition is to lay a place at the table, or leave out a candle for any lost loved ones who may wish to "return home" for the evening. It can also be nice to lay out their favourite food, drinks, photos or personal items on a special altar in your home, as a simple way to honour their memory.
This (along with Beltane) is one of the best times for practicing any form of divination, introspection, or self-enquiry, as messages from guides, ancestors, and elemental beings are clearer and more accessible than ever. Samhain is the perfect time to meditate, use tarot and oracle cards, runes, crystal balls or mirrors, and any other form of introspection or divination to connect with your highest self for guidance and clarity.
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