Wheel of the Year
A brief introduction - by Gillie Whitewolf

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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