The sun is vital to survival, and early Samhain traditions had a lot to do with fire and burning in a call to the sun. It marks the start of the dark part of the year. The day is also often used for commitment ceremonies or even renewing of the vows. Four Lesser Sabbats (Wiccan Holidays) As we have established, the eight Sabbats generally represent the masculine energies of the Sun God. Each point on the Wheel is thought to correspond with a certain point in the god’s lifecycle. Similarly, we can see the Moon Goddess take on the Maiden, Mother, and Crone forms as the months pass. A festival to honor Odin’s sacrifice on Yggdrasil, for wisdom and the knowledge of the runes. 28–May 3: Floralia

Still, it is worth celebrating the Lesser Sabbats, because they are powerful days as well. The sun’s position is impossible for any human to change. October 2: New Moon in Libra – for performing shadow work on your deepest relationships, examining your capacity for empathy, and learning how to be more graceful and harmonious when interacting with others – particularly those you love. Exact time: 2:50 p.m. EST These are the four Wiccan holidays that are determined by the solar cycle. While these might seem more fundamental than the Greater Sabbats, they were less essential to living than the Greater Sabbats.Full moon — Wind Moon, also called the Pink Moon, at 11:31 pm. April is a month of pending rebirth, as the earth and soil prepare for new life to sprout. This will appear as a supermoon, visible over the course of April 26 and April 27, according to NASA. Oct. 31: Winter Nights/Vetrablot – Norse celebration of the arrival of winter November 2022 Holidays

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon; Zell-Ravenheart, Morning Glory (2006). "Book III: Wheel of the Year". In Kirsten Dalley and Artemisia (ed.). Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons And Reasons. Book-Mart Press. pp.203–206. ISBN 1-56414-864-5. a b Harvey, Graham (1994). "The Roots of Pagan Ecology". Journal of Contemporary Religion. 9 (3): 38–41. doi: 10.1080/13537909408580720. The most common ways to celebrate are with flowers, dancing, and bright colors. This is where the May Bush and Maypole traditions came from.

Now that we know the history and the significance of the Wheel of the Year, it’s time to watch it turn. Before we explain each of the Sabbats, remember that this calendar is cyclical for a reason. There are no beginnings or endings in nature, so the Wheel never stops turning. Even so, we have to start our list somewhere — so we might as well choose the festival that marks the end of the old and beginning of the new calendar year. Yule aka the Winter Solstice – December 21st-22nd

Suggested Celebration Planning: Late night Saturday March 27, the sweet spot after 1:12 am when moon enters Libra, and before peak Sunday afternoon at 2:48 pm. By contrast, we’d celebr Some authorities claim the Christian festival of All Hallows Day (All Saints Day) and the preceding evening are appropriations of Samhain by early Christian missionaries to the British Isles. [37] [38] Practice [ edit ] Starhawk (1999). The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess: 20th Anniversary Edition. San Francisco: HarperOne. pp. 197–213. ISBN 9780062516329. October 31: Samhain (High Autumn)– Sabbat of death and rebirth, occurs at a magical time when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest.But the real turning point in the process of constructing a modern neopagan calendar came more than a century after Grimm’s treatise was published. The Mid-Century Construction of the Wiccan Wheel of the Year Ross and Olivia Robertson posing in fancy dress at Huntington (now Clonegal) castle Ireland This is probably the most common holiday in the world across all cultures. It is celebrated as Christmas and Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice. Note: because the equinoxes and solstices happen at precise moments in time, they may fall on different dates in different parts of the world, and the date can vary from one year to the next. Therefore, a range of possible dates is given for the solar Sabbats. It should be noted that these eight holidays do not belong to Wicca alone—many contemporary Pagan traditions also observe some or all of the Sabbats. However, the metaphorical mythology surrounding the God and the Goddess, and each Sabbat’s portion of the overall story, is what makes the Wiccan version unique. This divine pair is responsible for all creation in Nature, and each has crucial roles to play in the cycles of plant and animal life during the course of the year. As the God represents the Sun, and the Goddess the Earth, their relationship is seen in two ways: as mother and child, and as procreating lovers.

For the ancient Pagans, Lughnasad 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. At Lughnasad, modern Wiccans also face their fears, concentrate on developing their own abilities, and take steps to protect themselves and their homes. Celebrate the first day of summer in Scandinavian countries March 18 - April 14 - Celtic Month Alder 20 - Ostara/Alban Eilir/Spring Equinox Apr. 28 – May 3: Floralia – Honors the goddess of spring flowers & vegetation. See Persephone May 2022 Holidays Smith, Bonnie G. (2004). Women's History in Global Perspective. University of Illinois Press. p.66. ISBN 978-0-252-02931-8 . Retrieved 14 December 2015. The pre-Christian observance obviously influenced the Christian celebration of All Hallows' Eve, just as the Taoist festival affected the newer Buddhist Ullambana festival. Although the Christian version of All Saints' and All Souls' Days came to emphasize prayers for the dead, visits to graves, and the role of the living assuring the safe passage to heaven of their departed loved ones, older notions never disappeared. Hume, Lynne (1997). Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 9780522847826.

Precision vs. Ease in Ritual Planning

December 1: New Moon in Sagittarius – embrace the concepts of courage, understanding, and awareness. Spend time meditating in nature or exploring the world to see it from another’s point of view. Exact time: 1:22 a.m. EST Ostara often has rituals associated with fertility. This is why eggs have made their way to modern-day Easter.