Wiccan Wonders: Into the Forest Once More

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The Wheel of the Year is something unique to Paganism and Wicca. Simply put, it’s a "calendar" of sorts that is sometimes drawn for a visual affect that shows the eight Sabbats, or holidays, Wiccan and some Pagans celebrate. For the most part, I’ll say "Wiccans do this," or "Wiccans do that," but realize that there are many Pagans, too, that celebrate these. I say Wiccans because it’s something Wiccans do, too, and since this site is about Wicca, I’ll talk about it in terms of Wicca. These Sabbats, if I remember correctly, are all based on ancient, Pagan, pre-Christian faiths and many, if not all, were more specifically celebrated by the Celts (pronounced "Kelts", not "Selts"). There are still many Celtic Pagans around, but now many other types of Pagans, including Wiccans, celebrate these holidays, too.

The Wheel of the Year is called what it is because Wiccans see the Sabbats as a cycle, hence the turning wheel in the name. Every year, the same things happen and the cycle continues. Wiccans see many other things as cycles (life/death, moon phases, etc.), too.

Anyways, the Wheel is usually depicted like so:

Picture: Created by MystiqueDragon. Click on the image for a Full View of it.

If you read the Basic Wiccan Beliefs page, you probably remember this picture. You also probably remember the basic outline of the Sabbats I gave. All I really said there was that the Sabbats are, in order of date, Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltaine, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, and then back to Samhain. To a Wiccan, the "New Year" begins at Samhain. Although I as well as many other Wiccans celebrate January 1^st’s arrival, according to the seasons and Nature, the New Year actually begins on October 31^st (as marked by the ancient Celts).

For each Sabbat, I’ll give its name and pronunciation (italics indicates main stressed syllable), other names it is called, what date is usually falls on (some have two because it depends on the year)*, what is celebrated on that Sabbat, common activities, and some classic associations (like deities, herbs, incenses, colors, etc.). The names and pronunciations may confuse you, but realize the names are from the Gaelic language, one that is different from English. Please be sure to read how to pronounce it so you aren’t saying it wrong. ;) At the end, I’ll give links to some sites with versions of the Wheel of the Year story, as well as a boiled down version by me. I’ll start with Samhain and go from there by date.

*Please note that the dates given are for the Northern Hemisphere. There are sites out there with the Southern’s dates, such as Wikipedia. If you live in the southern hemisphere, disregard the dates on these. Also, when I say something like "this date – this date" I don’t mean it lasts three days. I’m saying that it could fall on one of the mentioned "this date"’s or any in between those. It depends on the year, and to find out when it is this year, there are many places online that say.

For easier navigation through this page, click the name (in the list below) and it will take you to the appropriate Sabbat.

Pronunciation: Sah-win (not "Sam-hayn") and/or Sow-in (the ‘sow’ sounds like ‘ow’ with an ‘s’ in the beginning)

Also called: Halloween, Last Harvest, Blood Harvest, Ancestor Night, Feast of the Dead

Date(s): October 31 (usually)

What is being celebrated?: Samhain is very important to Wiccans. Not only is the Wiccan New Year, but it is a time to honor those that have died. It is to honor not only people we knew and our ancestors, but to mourn the "death" of the Lord and to think him for giving us the crops we sowed. This is a time when the Veil between the worlds – that of the living and the non-living – is thinnest. This Sabbat is dark and celebrated at night, but don’t be confused. Samhain is not a sad time but a festive one. We are thanking the Lord for his sacrifices and remembering that he will return. We are also remembering loved ones and showing them that we still remember them. Also, this is the "last harvest" in a way because this would be the last time people who grew crops could gather them and store them for the long winter months ahead.

Common Activities: Communing with spirits (usually of loved ones), partying around a fire, and throwing weaknesses into the fire are all common festivities on Samhain. This is a good time to try contacting spirits and inviting them to join in the fun (Want more info on spirits and the afterlife? Check out the "The Afterlife: What Happens When We Die?" page.). Also, keeping things dark is common. Usually once the sun sets, all candles are extinguished and all lights turned off. Then, sometime people light a large bonfire outside and only relight indoor candles with fire from it (unless, of course, they do an indoor ritual and light candles then without making a bonfire). One other thing some people do with this large bonfire is write their weaknesses on paper and cast the paper into the fire as a way of trying to get rid of them. It’s said that this comes from the ancient Druids of Ireland who put sacrifices into wicker "cages" and threw it into the fire to honor their deities. Of course, Wiccans don’t make live sacrifices, but they played off of this ancient ritual to rid themselves of weaknesses and fears. Parties during Samhain are also popular; make Samhain a time of happiness, not gloom! Lastly, because the Veil is thin on Samhain, divination is a great idea. Crack out your Tarot cards, bring out the ol’ scrying bowl, or carve yourself some runes to cast and see what’s in store for you!

Don’t be afraid to take part in other activities that even Non-Wiccans do: carving pumpkins, going trick-or-treating, making masks, and even telling ghost stories for a real thrill!

Associations:

Colors - Black, orange, white, dark brown, and gold are some.

Symbols – You may see jack o’ lanterns, apples, gourds, black cats, and besoms as decorations during Samhain.

Candles – The candles colors you might use in rituals are black, orange, silver, white, or gold.

Incenses – Apple, mint, and sage are usually used, although many others are acceptable.

Deities - Any Gods associated with death, rebirth, etc. For Goddesses, it's your choice completely on which type you think fits. Note: There is no such God named "Samhain" in which this holiday was named after. This is a myth that people still believe, although it is not true!

Other – Spirits, Ouija boards, other forms of divination, parties.

Pronunciation: Yool

Also called: Winter Solstice

Date(s): December 21 - 23

What is being celebrated?: On Yule, Wiccans recognize that the night of Yule is the longest night of the Year. This is the time when the Lord is in the Lady’s womb, waiting to be reborn. Wiccans wait for the morning light to return, symbolizing the God’s return, bringing with him light and warmth. It is seen as a dark time because the night is long and cold, but Wiccans focus on the coming daylight. The night can be seen as the Mother’s labor and Wiccans may perform rituals to help her through the birth.

Yule is, although many would deny this in ignorance, the holiday Christmas is based on. Long ago, when Christians were trying to convert Pagans, they thought it’d be easier for them to "transition" into Christianity if their holidays were on the same days. Many "Christmas" traditions are actually ancient Pagan ones.

Common Activities: A common activity during Yule is, of course, gift exchanging. A less obvious tradition, though, that many people also do is creating a Yule log. For more info on a Yule log and how you can make (and use) your own, visit this site. There are many more traditions Wiccans practice at Yule, but many are ones Wiccan families make themselves. Feel free to start your own traditions for Yule! Physically turning a "Wheel of the Year" representation is also something many Wiccans do. By doing so, they are trying to help the Goddess as she prepares to give birth. Probably the most seen tradition is that of decorating a fir tree – now usually called a "Christmas tree." Hanging holly in your home and on a fir tree is also something you can do. Lastly, a fun craft you can make is a wreath, which actually represents the Wheel of the Year.

Associations:

Colors – Red, green, silver, gold, yellow, and orange can be used.

Incense – Pine, cinnamon, juniper, and cedar are common.

Deities: The Oak King, Odin, Ra, or any "lad"-stage God all work. Isis, Demeter, Gaia/Gaea, and Diana are all Goddess that can be used, too.

Symbols – The Yule log, the Oak King and Holly King (read the story here), wreaths, mistletoe, holly, and poinsettias.

Pronunciation: Im-bulk or Im-bowlk or Em-bulk (the "im" is said like "him" without the ‘h’)

Also called: Imbolg, Imbolic, Oimbolc, Bride’s Day, Candlemas, Brigantia, The Festival of Lights

Date(s): February 1 - 2

What is being celebrated?: Imbolc is both the welcoming of Spring and the farewell to Winter. Because the God is growing up, this is a time of light and merriment. The Sun is becoming brighter and is out for longer. Although you many not notice it right away, this marks the time when the days are getting longer again. At this time, the Goddess is no longer purely a mother but is becoming a bride for the Lord. He is still young, but when he is older, they will be together. This is a time of renewal. The main Goddess (aspect) celebrated at Imbolc is that of Brigid (which can be spelled a variety of ways). Brigid is typically pronounced like "breed," by the way, not as is looks.

A holiday that was put on the same day as Imbolc for reasons I’m not sure of yet is Groundhog’s Day.

Common Activities: Although this may or may not be true, I’ve heard that having rituals for Dedication or Initiation are common on Imbolc. Be it a first Dedication, a renewing of a Dedication, or Initiation, Imbolc is a good time for this. Because this is a time of renewal and bringing newness into your life, it is also a good time to clean your home (and yourself, non-physically). Dust off your altar, maybe clean it up a little. A fun craft for Imbolc you may want to think about it making a Brighid’s Cross. If you search online, there are many sites with instructions on how to do so. During Imbolc, to show the light that is returning, light candles and set them in your windows or have a party around a bonfire. Some people even create representations of Winter and throw them into a bonfire to signify Winter’s end.

Associations:

Colors – White, red, pink, yellow, orange, and brown.

Incense – Cinnamon, violet, vanilla, wisteria, myrrh, and frankincense.

Symbols – Besoms, flowers (usually white or yellow), Brighid’s Crosses, and corn dollies.

Deities – Goddesses - Any Maiden Goddess, Brighid, Aradia, Gaia, Innanna, Athena. Gods – Any God of Love and Fertility, Eros, and Februus.

Pronunciation: Oh-star-uh

Also called: Spring Equinox, Eostre

Date(s): March 20 - 23

What is being celebrated?: Ostara marks the official first day of Spring. The Goddess is in her Maiden form again and is waiting for a lover. She is fertile and the God is growing older and becoming stronger. Everything is turning green again. This is a time of beginnings, a time to plan ahead and plants seeds of ideas so that they’ll grow and develop later in your life. On this day, the amount of day and night are equal because both the God and Goddess are strong and present. This is a celebration of the Earth’s fertility as Spring arrives.

Once again, I’ll point out something about this holiday and why the name may seem a little familiar. Think about it for a second. What does the word "Ostara" or, better yet, "Eostre" sound like? If you guessed "Easter," you’re right. Just like the holiday of Christmas, Easter was the Christian invention to try to get Pagans to stop worshipping their gods. And, like Christmas, many of the traditions have Pagan origins.

Common Activities: The most obvious is probably decorating eggs. If you’d like, decorate eggs in whatever way you want and use them as talismans or as decorations for your altar to recognize Ostara. Decorating with flowers is a good idea, too, seeing as flowers are blooming all around again. When getting flowers, try to make it worthwhile by walking outside and picking wildflowers or getting some from your garden rather than driving to a store, polluting the air, and wasting money on store-bought flowers. Planting seeds in a normal or magickal garden is something you can do on or around Ostara, too.

Associations:

Colors – Light greens, light blues, pastels, and paler bright colors are all great. The most common are pale/light greens, yellows, and pinks.

Incense – Jasmine, rose, sage, and strawberry. I’d check first, but I think that any floral scent would work, too.

Symbols – Eggs, flowers (Spring types), bunnies, and pale pastel colors.

Deities – Artemis and Diana.

Pronunciation: Bell-tayn

Also called: May Day, Beltane, May Eve, Walburgisnacht

Date(s): May 1

What is being celebrated?: Beltane is the day that the Lord as a lad becomes a man. He is grown now and no longer a child. He falls in love with the Goddess and they are together. On Beltaine, the Goddess is impregnated with the God. Please realize that the God she is with as a lover and the God she is impregnated with now are, indeed, the same God, but different "aspects" of him, in a way. This is because for him to be reborn after he grows old and dies, he must be in reborn from the Great Mother. It may seem strange, but that’s how it works. Because Beltaine is the night when the Goddess is impregnated, some High Priests and Priestesses will reenact this union of the God and Goddess. Obviously, this isn’t usually done before the rest of the coven, especially if there are younger people. Some people think this is sick or wrong, but it is not just sex, it is a symbolic act done between two consenting adults. No children take place in this or people that are not old enough and it is always consensual. Most of the time, though, to represent this happening, a coven or group of people will, rather than literally having a union, dance around a Maypole. The act of wrapping the ribbons around the Maypole is symbolic, or a metaphor for what is said to happen on this night. It’s usually more common for people to have Maypoles than to perform the "High Beltaine" rite.

Common Activities: Dancing around a Maypole, ritualistically reenacting the Lord and Lady’s union, jumping over bonfires and dancing around bonfires are the most common activities you’ll see on Beltaine. Dancing around a Maypole is very popular and is preformed like so: a large pole is erected outside and has many colorful ribbons attached to the top. Participants all take one ribbon in one hand (the one closest to the pole) after every other person faces the same direction (one person faces clockwise, the person next to them, counterclockwise, the next person, clockwise, and so on). At this time, music and drums are usually played and the merriment begins. A participant facing one direction will begin moving the way they are facing. Depending on where you are, you will start with a different action, but the two actions are to either raise your arm that is holding a ribbon to let someone pass under your arm or go under someone’s raised arm. This continues in a pattern until all the ribbon is wrapped around the pole. Afterwards, people are usually tired and may fall down where they are to rest and breathe. It’s a very powerful but energy-consuming act. For reenacting the union, it is usually (in a coven) the High Priest and Priestess who do so alone. It differs from coven to coven, though. If you are uncomfortable with this, make sure that when you join a coven that they don’t do this, then. Another common activity is lighting large bonfires and leaping over them. Of course, there is a fire hazard here, so be careful. Jumping over fires, though, can be done safely as long as jumpers go quickly. Jumping over fires is supposed to, again, represent the Great Union. People also say that doing this is cleansing and blesses/protects those who participate. Large fires can also be used to dance around.

Associations:

Colors – Green, pink/red, orange, and white.

Incense – Spring scents (flowers), violet, and vanilla.

Symbols – Fires (especially large fires), Maypoles, and flowers.

Deities – Belinios ("the Sun King") and pretty much any Goddess (or just "Lady").

Litha

Pronunciation: Lihth-uh

Also called: Midsummer, Summer Solstice

Date(s): June 21 (although it could range from the 19^th to the 23^rd)

What is being celebrated?: Being the "opposite" of Yule, this is the longest day of the year. The Sun God is older and at his peak. He is strong and bright. The sunlight He gives is helping the crops grow for the upcoming harvest. It is a time of great magick and Sun magick is more effective. Like at Beltaine, fires are lit to resemble the Sun’s light. Wiccans (and Pagans) honor the Sun today and thank Him for the warmth and light He has given.

Common Activities: Like at Beltaine, many bonfires are lit. People even sometimes light wheels on fire and roll them down hills after dark or light disks on fire and throw them into the air to symbolize the Sun’s might. Litha can also call for feasting in the God’s name.

Associations:

Colors – Yellow/gold, green, and brown.

Incense – Rose, myrrh, lily, and lavender.

Symbols – Fires, Sun and God symbols, and some flowers.

Deities – Most Gods can be used and since it is a God holiday, most Goddesses can be used, too.

Pronunciation: Loo-nah-sah (it’s a Gaelic word, hence the pronunciation looking different from how you may think it’s said)

Also called: Lamas or Lammas, First Harvest, August Eve

Date(s): August 1 (may sometimes be on July 31)

What is being celebrated?: The word "Lughnasadh" is related to the God "Lugh," who is usually the God (aspect) celebrated at this time. The Corn God is also celebrated at this time. It is the first of the Harvest fests and so it is the time when we can reap the fruits of our work. Although many people now-a-days don’t have crops or fields of food, typically this is when people start to get the food they’ve grown. There are two more harvest fests (Mabon and Samhain) coming up, so this is just the start. Lammas (meaning "loaf-mass") is a time when people usually celebrate and have feasts and drink. It is a happy time, although it is when the God starts to change, become old, and eventually will die. It is still a long time before that happens, though, so we celebrate His being here now and acknowledge the fact that his power is starting to decrease and the days will soon become shorter again.

Common Activities: Feasting and merrymaking is common for this time because it was common a long time ago to reap the benefits of labor, which back then applied more to the literal labor put into growing crops. Now, though, the "labor" could apply to a specific person in a different way. If there is a personal labor you have done, now is the time to take the benefits of this labor that are waiting for you. Remember, though, this not all "crops," real or metaphorical, are ready to be harvested - yet. Getting married is also popular around this time. It is said that this was the day that Lugh got married and so many people act as He did and do the same. This is a time to be happy and begin to prepare for the Winter months. They may seem far away, but it’s never too early to start. Also, canning foods is popular and if you’ve never done it, this might be a good time to do so.

Associations:

Colors: Orange, yellow, gold.

Incense: Rose, sandalwood, aloe.

Symbols: Grains, crab apples, pears, grapes, bread, wheat, etc. all work as good decor as well as good symbols of the Sabbat.

Deities: Artemis, Demeter, Mother-stage goddesses, Gaia/Gaea, Frey, Ishtar, and Ceres are some of the Goddesses you can use. For Gods, Odin, Llew, Dagon, Bran, and all Father-stage Gods work well.

Pronunciation: May-bon (‘bon’ being said like ‘on’ with a ‘b’ at the beginning) or May-bone

Also called: Autumn Equinox, Thanksgiving

Date(s): September 21 - 23

What is being celebrated?: On Mabon, day and night are once again equal. It is the second harvest of the year and another time when you should consider harvesting your crops and preparing for the cold months ahead. Although it is not noted to be celebrated by the ancient Celts, as most of the Wiccan holidays are, it is old and was the "original" Thanksgiving. Along with all harvest food, wine is very important on Mabon because the grapes can be harvested now. Many people honor the God Dionysus (the god of wine) at this time because of this. At this time, not only is the God growing weaker, but the Goddess is moving into her Crone aspect. The Sun continues to be lower in the sky and the Goddess is growing old with Him. Remember, though, that He is in Her stomach, so even when He does finally let darkness take over, He will be reborn later. Some people also say, though, that at this time, the God’s ‘Horned God’ aspect comes out more prominently to protect everything as He is sleeping.

Common Activities: Feasting, like on many Sabbats, is very popular on Mabon. The drinking of wine, though, is also important on this day. Some people will also offer some of this harvest food to animals outside. It is a time of dancing, feasting, and sharing, just like how many people see Thanksgiving.

Associations:

Colors: Orange, red, maroon, brown, and indigo.

Incense: Pine, apple blossom, patchouli, clove, cinnamon, and sage.

Symbols: Pine cones, acorns, leaves (from autumn), and Mother-stage statues.

Deities: Persephone, Pamona, Morgan, and Demeter are all Goddess associated with this Mabon. As for Gods, there is the Wicker (or Corn) Man, Hermes, Thor, wine-related deities, and Thoth.

After Mabon, the Wheel will turn back to Samhain.

Broom Closet Witch: Wheel of the Year (part of a blog)
The wheel of the year (from the looks of it, it's for the S. Hemisphere)
Sabbats- The Witches Wheel of the Year
The Wheel of the Year - Spirituality (From BellaOnline)
Moonchild Wheel of the Year Calendar
Summerland Grove - Wheel of the Year

The above links lead to parts of other Web sites that will give you different stories that explain the Wheel of the Year more in depth as well as their take on each Sabbat. I’ll also give you, as promised, my "boiled down" version here. It may seem strange at first, but realize it is pretty metaphorical. Also, I will not be listing what Sabbat goes with each "stage" of the story, but if you look over the info on each individual Sabbat, it’ll either say or be easy enough to figure out. J

The story of the Wheel of the Year could "start" a number of places because of how it is a wheel that is ever-turning. I’ll start with the God’s birth, though. First, the Goddess gives birth to the God. This is the time of the year when the sun starts to return, making the days get longer again. This happens because, in a way, the God "is" the Sun. After a few months, the God is a young boy. The days grow longer still and the Goddess raises the God. When He finally becomes a man, the God abandons his title as Her son and becomes her lover. This is the part that many don’t understand. It is not an incestuous relationship. It’s a hard concept to explain, so I won’t even try to here. Anyways, they become lovers and a while later, the Goddess is impregnated. They both know that after this, the God will grow older until He dies, but that it is He that also the baby in Her womb. Finally, the God reaches the peak of His age and starts to grow older. As you can see, the Wheel takes only a year to make a full turn, and yet the God has time to be born, live, "be" in the Goddess’s womb, and die. It happens fast and happens a lot.

As He starts to get older and older, They start to say their goodbyes to one another. A few months later, the God dies and descends into the "Underworld." This is when Winter generally begins because the Sun is less present. While the Great Mother is sad at the loss of Her love, She holds hope in the fact that He will be reborn from her womb eventually.