Much like the moon, the seasons wane and they wax, they expand and contract, like breathing inwards and breathing outwards. It could be a decision about an existing relationship, a temptation, or a choice of a potential partner. One catch, most of the time the card comes with a sacrifice. The Wheel of the Year represents a pagan holiday calendar that’s split into 8 sections, or sabbats. These 8 sabbats divide the year equally, marking the beginning of each season as well as their mid-points. This is exactly why these seasonal changes were so important to them, as was the variance in hours of sunlight they would have during the day. The name Mabon, is a more recent term that has been given to the time of Autumn equinox as unlike many other points of the wheel of the year, there is little evidence to suggest that this time was widely celebrated.

Wheel of the Year Tarot – Lo Scarabeo S.r.l.

Mabon gets its name from a prominent figure from Welsh literature and mythology, Mabon ap Modron, although the sabbat itself has little to do with the myth. Mabon is a festival of thanksgiving to the Earth for providing us with such a bounty. You can incorporate it into many aspects of your life. Depending on your preference, you can make your observances informal or festive. Pronounced sah-win, this is one of the four Greater Sabbats and one of the most popular ones. It is observed annually on October 31st, approximately halfway between Mabon and Yule. Some Wiccan traditions consider Samhain an essential sabbat, and many see it as the Pagan New Year.Ostara, which falls on the first day of spring, marks the newfound balance between light and darkness. This sabbat was named for Eostre , the Germanic goddess of dawn. New beginnings, abundance, and great potential are the focus of this celebration. Not long, after the Spring Equinox has passed comes the celebration of Easter and the two definitely seem to be interlinked in various ways.

Wheel of the Year Tarot - Tarotopia Wheel of the Year Tarot - Tarotopia

The Numbers will never add up to zero, so is the Fool card completely skipped? Should the Fool be counted as 23 instead?This sabbat is focused on giving thanks above anything else. Reflect on what you’ve been given, and what seeds of ideas you can plant for the new year. Give yourself something to look forward to through the doldrums of winter. The Major Arcana of the Wheel of the Year Tarot show mythical creatures, as well as the person himself. This approach reflects the main idea of paganism. People here are not slaves of some god sitting on a cloud. On the contrary, each person is a real creator of his own destiny. Yes, he can seek help from Mother Earth, forest spirits, or deceased relatives. But a person performs specific actions himself. It is he, and not someone else, who sows the seeds, cares for the future harvest and collects it in the fall. Similarly, with the dark manifestations of the soul. An example of this is the Devil card, where passion and depravity are simply personality traits, and not a specific evil spirit. Animals were led down from the summer pastures and the weaker ones were slaughtered so that food resources could be spared. Many of the ways these points of the Wheel of the Year are celebrated today are modelled on much older pre-Christian traditions and celebrations. In fact, many of the traditions of festivals such as Samhain (Halloween), Yule (Christmas) and Beltane (May Day),have been passed down over the years and evolved and altered as time has passed. Why Were the Points of the Wheel of the Year Important to Our Ancestors?

The 8 Sabbats and How to Celebrate Them – Writual Planner

Samhain is probably the most well known of the Sabbats, as it ties in with Halloween, a time when the veil between the spirit world and the world of the living is at its thinnest. Samhain is celebrated on 31st October -1st November in the northern hemisphere and the 31st of April - 1st May in the southern hemisphere. During the fire festival Imbolc, Brigid, the Celtic goddess of motherhood and fertility, is honored by celebrants. Traditionally, a sun wheel, or Brigid’s Cross , is made by all who wish to honor the goddess and then burned to celebrate the continuity of life. Lughnasadh, or Lammas , indicates the midpoint between summer and autumn. This sabbat is the final celebration of the warm season and a time to start preparing for the cold seasons. It also marks the first harvest of the year, which are typically grains. Rather than being determined by absolute calendar dates, the dates are determined astronomically. The equinoxes mark the days of the year when daylight and darkness are equal in length, and the solstices mark the longest and shortest day of the year. Lesser and Greater Sabbats What Are The Greater Sabbats? Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon are known as the lesser sabbats. These are the pagan seasonal holidays, more commonly known as solstices and equinoxes.

The Wheel of the Year Tarot Reading

The Minor Arcana of the Tarot Wheel of the Year are divided into four groups. They correspond with the seasons of the year, as well as with pagan holidays. People practicing natural witchcraft celebrate holidays – Yule, Ostara, Lita and Mabon. These four turning points correspond to the changing of the seasons. Therefore, the minor group is distinguished by vivid plots illustrating the daily affairs of people in a given season. For example, on the Two of Wands, a guy and a girl make props for legumes. Time of action – hot summer.

Wheel of the Year - Energetic Tarot A Beginners Guide to the Wheel of the Year - Energetic Tarot

The Wheel of Fortune card asks you to be optimistic and have faith that the Universe will take care of your situation in the best way possible. Meditation and visualization can reinforce your intention to bring increased abundance, good fortune and prosperity to you. Your life is about to turn in more positive directions if you are willing to grow and expand. Keep your mind open to all kinds of synchronicities and signs from the Universe. The magic of fate and destiny is behind you, and miracles are happening. The World tarot card is usually a good sign. It basically means taht you are on the right path and can make the right decisions on your own. Where The Moon tarot card says to trust your gut, The World card is telling you that your gut can be trusted. One of the two pagan Sabbats is associated with a specific God or Goddess – the other is Imbolc or Brigid’s Day. The festival of Lammas is celebrated annually on August 1st, approximately halfway between Litha and Mabon, the autumnal equinox. Lughnasadh/Lammas RitualIf you choose to celebrate the festivals on the Wiccan calendar, how you choose to do so is up to you. If you’re part of a coven, you and your fellow witches may have follow certain rituals and customs connected to the holiday. If you are a solitary practitioner, take the time to learn about each Sabbat and learn about the colors, foods, and decorations associated with each. Imbolc is known in Celtic traditions as Brigid’s day, due to its association with the Celtic goddess Brigid. It was said that by leaving Brigid offerings, that she would bless harvests with abundance and provide good healthy crops. She is a fertility goddess and so is very important during springtime. Brigid is the goddess of smithcraft, creativity, healing, poetry, fire and even battle. She eventually was remodelled as a saint after the Christianisation of Ireland and Imbolc later became known as St Brigid’s day. The Wheel of the Year details the different pagan Sabbats that are linked with the years changing seasons. These are holidays and celebrations that focus on what each season gifts to us and it is predominantly centred around food and sustenance.