Wheel of the Year

Information about Wheel of the Year

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The Wheel of the Year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere these festivals are commonly shifted by six months to match the local seasons.
Sabbats
Samhain
Yule
Imbolc
Ostara
Beltane
Midsummer
Lughnasadh
Mabon
The Wheel of the Year is a Wiccan and Neopagan term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year. These festivals are referred to by Wiccans as Sabbats.

In many forms of Neopaganism, natural processes are seen as following a continuous cycle. The passing of time is also seen as cyclical, and is represented by a circle or wheel. The progression of birth, life, decline and death, as experienced in human lives, is echoed in the progression of the seasons. Wiccans also see this cycle as echoing the life, death and rebirth of their Horned God and the fertility of their Goddess.

Eight Festivals

Wiccans, and some Neopagan groups which are influenced by Wicca, observe eight festivals which they call "sabbats".[1] Four of these fall on the solstices and equinoxes and are known as "quarter days or Lesser Sabbats". The other four fall (approximately) midway between these and are commonly known as "cross-quarter days," "fire festivals," or Greater Sabbats. The "quarter days" are loosely based or named after the Germanic festivals, and the "cross-quarter days" are similarly inspired by the Gaelic fire festivals. However, modern interpretations vary widely, so Wiccan groups may celebrate and conceptualize these festivals in very different ways, often having little in common with the cultural festivals outside of the adopted name.[2]

The system of eight yearly festivals held on these dates is unknown in older pagan calendars, and originated in the modern Wiccan religion. [3]

The eight major festivals (or "sabbats") are distinct from the Wiccan "esbats", which are additional meetings, usually smaller celebrations or coven meetings, held on full or new moons.

Festival name Date Sun's Position
Samhain (/ˈsawənʲ/), Last Harvest, Blood Harvest, Ancestor Night, Feast of the Dead, Nos Galen Gaeoff1-2 Nov (alt. 5-10 Nov)≈ 15° Scorpio
Yule, Cuidle, Alban Arthan, Midwinter, Winter Rite19-23 Dec (winter solstice)0° Capricorn
Imbolc, Brigit, Brigid's Day, Candlemas, Bride's Day, Brigantia1-2 Feb (alt. 2-7 Feb)≈ 15° Aquarius
Ostara, Earrach, Alban Eilir, Lady Day, Festival of Trees20-23 Mar (spring equinox)0° Aries
Beltane, Beltaine, May Day1 May (alt. 4-10 May)≈ 15° Taurus
Midsummer, Litha, Samradh, Alban Hefin, Aerra Litha, Mother Night19-23 June (summer solstice)0° Cancer
Lughnasadh (/luːnəsə/), Lammas, 1st Harvest, Bread Harvest, Festival of First Fruits1-2 Aug (alt. 3-10 Aug)≈ 15° Leo
Mabon, Foghar, Alban Elfed, Harvest Home, 2nd Harvest, Fruit Harvest, Wine Harvest19-23 Sept (autumn equinox)0° Libra

Etymology

While most of these names derive from historical festivals, the non-traditional names Litha and Mabon, which have become popular in North American Wicca, were introduced by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s. The word "sabbat" itself derives from the same roots as Sabbath (Christian) and Sabbath (witchcraft), namely Old English sabat, Old French sabbat, Latin sabbatum, Greek sabbaton (or sa'baton), and Hebrew shabbat, which means "to cease or rest".

"Litha" also occurs in the Venerable Bede's "Reckoning of Time" (De temporum rationis, 7th century), which preserves a list of the (obsolete) Anglo-Saxon names for the twelve months. Ærra Liða ('first' or 'preceding' Liða) corresponds to June in our calendar. Æfterra Liða ('following' Liða) is July (in the Northern hemisphere). Bede writes that "Litha means 'gentle' or 'navigable', because in both these months the calm breezes are gentle and they were wont to sail upon the smooth sea."

Dates

Dates for the festivals vary widely. There are many forms of Wicca and Neopaganism, all of which may have somewhat different traditions associated with the festivals. Therefore there is no definitive or universal tradition observed by all the groups. Most Pagans are somewhat flexible about dates, tending to celebrate at the nearest weekend for convenience.

Hemispheres

As the Wheel originates in the Northern Hemisphere, in the Southern Hemisphere many Neopagans advance these dates six months so as to coincide with the natural seasons as they occur in their local climates. For instance, an Australian Wiccan may celebrate Beltane on the 1st of November, when a Canadian Wiccan is celebrating Samhain.

Quarter Days

While the cross-quarter days traditionally fall on the Kalends of the month, some Neopagans consider them to fall on the midpoint of the two surrounding quarter days. These modern calculations tend to result in celebrations held a few days after the traditional dates (see above table).

Sun Sabbats and Moon Sabbats

"Sun sabbats" refer to the quarter days, which are based on the astronomical position of the sun. "Moon sabbats" can be observed on Full Moons, typically the one closest to the traditional festival date or the 2nd full moon after the preceding quarter day. This would place the Moon sabbat anywhere from 29-59 days after the preceding solstice or equinox. Moon sabbats can also be observed on the nearest Lunar phase to the Cross-quarter day according to the table at right.

Origins

Most of the holidays of the Wheel of the Year are named after Pre-Christian Celtic and Pre-Christian Germanic religious festivals. However, a great deal of liberty has usually been taken with the forms and meanings of these festivals, due to the influence of turn of the century romanticism as well as the eclectic elements introduced by Wicca. The similarities between these holidays generally end at the shared names, as Wicca makes no effort to reconstruct these ancient practices.[4] Wiccans observe the festivals of the Wheel of the Year together in a form of universalism not corroborated by any historical continuity.[4]

There is no place in Europe where all eight festivals have been observed as a set, and the complete eightfold Wheel of the Year was unknown prior to modern Wicca.[4] In early forms of Wicca only the cross-quarter days were observed. However, in 1958 the members of Bricket Wood Coven added the solstices and equinoxes to their original calendar, as they desired more frequent celebrations. Their High Priest, Gerald Gardner, was away visiting the Isle of Man at the time, but he did not object when he returned, since they were now more in line with the Neo-druidism of Ross Nichols, a friend of Gardner's and founder of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.[5]

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Narratives

Among Wiccans, the most common Wheel of the Year narrative is that of the God/Goddess duality. In this cycle, the God is born from the Goddess at Yule, grows in power at Vernal Equinox (along with the Goddess who has now returned to her maiden aspect), courts and impregnates the Goddess at Beltane, wanes in power at Lammas, passes into the underworld at Samhain, then is once again born from Her mother/crone aspect at Yule. The Goddess, in turn, ages and rejuvenates endlessly with the seasons, being courted by and giving birth to the Horned God. Versions of this myth vary from coven to coven, shifting the birth, conception, or death of the God to different sabbats.

Another, more solar, narrative is of the Holly King and the Oak King, with one ruling the winter, the other the summer. These two figures battle with each other endlessly as the seasons turn. At Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King is at his weakest. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King's favor; he vanquishes the Oak King at Yule. Then over the next months, as the sun waxes in power, the Oak King slowly regains his strength; at the Spring Equinox he begins to triumph until he once again defeats the Holly King at Midsummer.[6]

See also

References

1. ^ [1] Wiccan Veterans waging new war Devon Haynie March 3, 2007
2. ^ [2] "The Wheel of the Year/the Sabbats"
3. ^ [3] "The Eightfold Wheel of the Year" Moonhunter 2003
4. ^ Hutton, Ronald. The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles. Oxford, Blackwell, 337-341. ISBN 0-631-18946-7. 
5. ^ Lamond, Frederic (2004). Fifty Years of Wicca. Sutton Mallet, England: Green Magic, pp. 16-17. ISBN 0-9547230-1-5. 
6. ^ Farrar, Janet and Stewart (1988). Eight Sabbats for Witches, revised edition. Phoenix Publishing. ISBN 0-919345-26-3. 

External links

Samhain (pronounced /ˈsˠaunʲ/ from the Old Irish samain) is the word for November in the Gaelic languages.
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Yule is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule in late December or early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar.
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Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day.
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Ostara is a modern Neopagan holiday. It is loosely based on several holidays which were celebrated around the vernal equinox (when day and night are nearly of equal length). The modern holiday does not have a strong relation to any known historical Pagan religious observation.
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Beltane or Bealtaine (Irish, pronounced IPA /ˈbʲɑlˠ.t̪ˠə.n̪ʲə/) is an ancient Gaelic holiday celebrated around May 1.
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Midsummer may refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the diverse celebrations of it around the Northern Hemisphere, but more often refers to European celebrations that accompany the summer solstice, or to Western festivals that take place in June
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Lughnasadh (Old Irish pronounced IPA: [luɣnəsə], Modern Irish Lúnasa IPA: [lu:nəsə]
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This article is about the Neopagan festival Mabon.
For the Welsh mythological character, see Mabon ap Modron. For the Welsh politician, see William Abraham.

Mabon

Harvest Home, The Feast of the Ingathering, Harvest End, Autumnal Equinox
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Wicca is a nature-based religion found in various countries throughout the world. It was first popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant.[1]
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Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient and pre-Abrahamic Pagan religions.[1][2]

These movements are extremely diverse.
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EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001. Their greatest hit, their debut single "time after time", peaked at #13 in the Oricon singles chart.
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Seasons

Temperate
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Tropical
Dry
season Cool
Hot
Wet season

A season is one of the major divisions of the year, generally based on yearly periodic changes in weather.
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Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient and pre-Abrahamic Pagan religions.[1][2]

These movements are extremely diverse.
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Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the delivery of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus.
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Personal life (or everyday life or human existence) is the course of an individual human's life, especially when viewed as the sum of personal choices contributing to one's personal identity.
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For the state of being elderly, see .
"Old Age" is a song recorded by the American rock bands Nirvana and Hole. For years, it was known only as a Hole song, first appearing as a B-side on their 1993 single "Beautiful Son," and again on their 1997
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Death is the permanent end of the life of a biological organism. Death may refer to the end of life as either an event or condition.[1] Many factors can cause or contribute to an organism's death, including predation, disease, habitat destruction, senescence,
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Wicca is a nature-based religion found in various countries throughout the world. It was first popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant.[1]
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The Horned God is a modern syncretic term used amongst Wiccan-influenced Neopagans, which unites numerous male nature gods out of such widely-dispersed mythologies as the Celtic Cernunnos, the English Herne the Hunter, the Hindu Pashupati and the Greek Pan.
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goddess is a female deity. Many cultures have goddesses. Most often these goddesses are part of a polytheistic system that includes multiple deities. Pantheons in various cultures can include both goddesses and gods, and in some cases also intersex deities.
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solstice occurs twice a year, whenever Earth's axis tilts the most toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to be farthest north or south at noon. The name is derived from Latin sol (sun) and sistere
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equinox can have two meanings:
  • The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment - see below.

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In British and Irish tradition, the quarter days were the four dates in each year on which servants were hired, and rents and rates were due. They fell on four religious festivals roughly three months apart.
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A cross-quarter day is a day falling approximately halfway between a solstice and an equinox. These days originated as pagan holidays in Northern Europe and the British Isles, and survive in modern times as neopagan holidays.
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Germanic paganism refers to the religious traditions of the Germanic peoples preceding Christianization. The best documented of the Germanic Pagan religions is 10th and 11th century Norse paganism.
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Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Celts until the Christianization of Celtic-speaking lands. At various times those lands included Gaul, Ireland, Celtiberia, Britain, certain territories on the Danube, and Galatia in Asia Minor.
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Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "an old country dweller, rustic") is a term which, from a Western perspective, has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or cultic practices or beliefs of any folk religion, and of historical and contemporary polytheistic religions
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Wicca is a nature-based religion found in various countries throughout the world. It was first popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant.[1]
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An esbat is a ritual observance of the full moon within Wicca and other Wiccan-influenced forms of Neopaganism. Some groups extend these celebrations to include the dark moon, or even the first and last quarters.
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Full Moon may refer to:
  • Full moon, the phase of the moon
  • Full Moon (band), a late '70s/early '80s hard rock band
  • Full Moon (album), a 2002 album by Brandy Norwood which also includes a song of the same name:

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