Wheel
of the Year
A brief
introduction - by whitewolf
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Wheel
of the Year |
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The Wheel
of the Year has its roots in a time when we were more in tune with Nature.
A time when we worked side by side with Nature, aware of the changing weather
and seasons, working the land so that our communities might have a sustainable
harvest for the cold months of winter. Nowadays we have supermarkets offering
us an ever widening variety of food throughout the year - the average man
on the street has no need to worry that heavy rains may have destroyed half
of the local crops. In our modern society of fast-track life we barely find
time to acknowledge the changing seasons, let alone the relevance they have.
As a society we have forgotten that we are part of Nature.
Thankfully many folk customs and traditions have continued down the ages and
still survive today. The stories and customs associated with each sabbat,
or festival, may vary depending on your own path [and location] - what follows
is but a brief introduction to each of the festivals which make up the wheel
of the year.
Samhain
[pronounced "Sow-in"] - Summer's End - Festival of the Dead
Samhain, or Halloween as it is perhaps more commonly known, is a time for remembrance.
A time for honouring the memory of those who came before us. Samhain is the
Festival of the Dead when we welcome our ancestors into our homes to share a
celebratory feast in their honour. Now is a time of endings & beginnings, &
as we move into the Celtic New Year it is a time to reflect & give thanks for
all we have received and accomplished. As Nature begins to turn inwards & the
light fades from the skies, we too must look inwards, take stock of our progress
& plan for the New Year ahead.
Yule - Midwinter
- Winter Solstice - Alban Arthuran
The days have been growing shorter and colder as we now reach the shortest day
of the year. The Sun is at its lowest point. Traditionally fires and yule logs
would be burned to encourage the light to come back, homes would be decorated
with evergreen foliage and offerings of greenery and red berries would be made
so that the light might come back and trees and vegeatation would grow again.
It is at midwinter that the Mother Goddess gives birth to the Sun God, [who
then grows a year for each day of his life until the 12th Night]. As the days
begin to show signs of growing longer and the light slowly returns, it is a
time to celebrate with feasts of the finest stored foods, songs of thanks, and
a time for community spirit.
Nebyn - 12th Night
The Sun God, born at Midwinter, has now aged a year for every day of his life
and has reached adulthood. This is the night the young God [or maturing boy
or girl] will be initiated into the wisdom of the clan and receive his name,
his magical weapons and instructions for his life. The Twelfth Night is also
traditionally the time that the winter celebrating and feasting would end.
Imbolc [pronounced
"Im-olk"]
Now is the time for new growth, as the tiny bobbing heads of Snowdrops and the
uplifted faces of Crocuses appear. The Goddess is now renewed and welcomed back.
Sacred fires were traditionally lit on hilltops to attract the new Sun, and
in warmer climates the first Ewe's milk was available after the Winter. In some
areas a celebratory drink called "Lambswool" was drunk - made from cider and
water mixed with the flesh of roasted / baked apple - the frothy white mixture
somewhat resembling Lambs' wool.
Spring Equinox
- Ostara
As the soil warms up and becomes workable, the time for preparing the earth
and sowing corn and barley arrives. As Spring unfurls her golden daffodils,
and catkins bob in the trees amongst fresh new growth, we are reminded of renewal
and new life. Light has triumphed over Darkness as Day and Night are now equal
and the days continue to lengthen. All around Nature is rejoicing. The Sun helps
to dress the Earth in her new green gown as the Maiden Goddess mates with the
Green Man to ensure that the wheel of the year keeps turning.
Beltane [pronounced
"Bel-tain" - and often spelt Beltain / Beltaine]
Beltane, a festival of fire, is the beginning of the Celtic Summer. Fires would
be built and young couples wishing to strengthen their bond, or young women
wanting to ensure fertility, would leap the fire. The maypole symbolises the
binding together of the fertilising Sun power above with the nourishing Earth
power below. Beltane is a time of merry-making, love and pleasure. With the
warmth of Summer on her way, this was the time when Animals would be set free
from their winter quarters, and cattle driven through bonfires of medicinal
herbs to cleanse them from ticks.
MidSummer - Summer
Solstice - Litha
The Sun is at his Zenith during the Summer Solstice, when fires would be lit
to strengthen the Sun and build courage before he starts to decline. The harvesting
of Hay begins, the sheep would have been sheared [usually between Beltane and
Midsummer] and the wool prepared for spinning . As the fullness of the Sun in
all his power shines down on the Earth, now is a time to celebrate success,
achievement, courage, health and happiness.
Lughnasadh [pronounced
"Loo-nasah"] - Lammas
This is the first of the harvest festivals when we celebrate the bountiful Earth
and the fullness of life. The Corn Harvest is upon us and the God is willingly
sacrificed, to be transformed into bread and ale. Corn dollies were traditionally
woven to local designs from the finest ears of corn and bound with red ribbons
- in some areas of Britain these would be saved until the sowing of the next
years crop.
Autumn Equinox -
Mabon [pronounced "Ma-bon"]
The Autumn Equinox is a time of balance - the hours of light are equal to the
hours of darkness. From here the nights begin to grow longer and colder. Both
grain and fruit harvests have been gathered as we give thanks for our harvest
and acknowledge the waning power of the Sun. Leaves fall and rot into the Earth,
a reflection of the Horned God's journey into the underworld, the womb of his
Mother. Now is the time for contemplation, meditation and study as the life
force energy turns inward.
Festival
Dates [roughly speaking]* for the Northern Hemisphere :
Samhain 31st October
Yule 21st December
Imbolc 1st February
Ostara 21st March
Beltane 1st May
Litha 21st June
Lughnasadh 1st August
Mabon 21st September
*Celebrations usually lasted
for several days/nights either side of the festival.
Some traditions celebrate the 8 major festivals [generally excluding Nebyn]
mentioned above, others focus on the 4 main fire festivals : Imbolc, Beltane,
Lughnasadh and Samhain, whilst others may choose to focus on the Solstices and
Equinoxes. The important thing is to discover the relevance of the festivals
to you and your path - how you will celebrate the cycle of life and death, the
wheel of the year, and how you will choose to honour the God and Goddes of your
own path.
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