#esabats

[babysfirstpentagram]

Hey! What exactly are the holidays or whatever you celebrate? Is holiday a correct term? Can you explain them too? Is Yule one..? Or Bethane? Both?

Order of the Pagan Holidays that **I** Celebrate: Imbolc: Feburary 2nd. The beginning of the end of winter. Days get a little longer, but where I live, this is where we typically get snow.

Ostara: March 20th or 21st, depending on the year. The officially beginning of springtime.

Beltane: April 30th. When you can start to plant your summer crops so they are ready by autumn. Also known as Mayday.

Litha: June 20th or 21st, depending on the year. This is the summer solstice, in which we thank the earth for accepting our crops.

Lammas or Lughnasdh: August 1. This is the start of the fall harvest, or first harvest.

Mabon: Sepetember 20th to the 23rd. Celebrating the beginning of autumn.

Samhain: October 31st. The beginning of winter, the night of the spirits.

Yule: December 19 to the 23rd. The shortest day of the year, the winter solstice.

They can be called esbats, the wheel of the year, holidays, anything you want.

See HERE why we don't call them sabbats.

Also, depending on the pantheon you work with or the religion you are apart of, you may celebrate something different altogether! That's okay too, just do what you think is right (as long as it does not involve a closed religion!)

‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

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[rowanblaez]

Consent

After I finished my holiday entries in my Grimoire, I decided the next obvious step was to go back through each one and check what I wrote down in the “celebrations” suggestions for what things should have instructions.  Example: for some there’s the suggestion of making flower or antler crowns, so I’m going to put in a tutorial on how to make those. Same goes for cornhusk dolls, bread, and all that fun stuff. For Beltane, one celebration suggestion was sex magick.  This doesn’t really seem like my thing. Doubt I’ll ever do it or participate in a ritual with it. But since I brought it up under that holiday, I wanted to write about it. Most importantly, I decided to dedicate two pages -beforehand- to consent.  Cults are a thing and they can pop up in any religion, belief system or group - including paganism - and tend to blur the lines of consent. Knowing this and how vital consent is in all forms of magick, I’m actually a little shocked I’ve never seen this topic in anyone’s Grimoire or Book of Shadows entries - at least none that I’ve found online. I never intended to post photos of my book’s pages, but I feel this topic is extremely important. Once I’m finished with it, I’ll post a photo.  I hope anyone making a Grimoire or BoS reading this decides to include this topic in their book as well. If such an entry helps even one person down the road, it’s worth it.  

[city-witch-magix]

Esabats

Coincides with the full moon

This is a time to commune with the gods in your tradition. 

In some groups the Esabat ritual is followed by cake and ale ceremony. 

You can also tie it in with Drawing in the Moon. 

First you should cast a circle or ritually purify the area. You need a bowl and a moon candle (traditionally white, unscented, and pillar-style) that can be decorated with sigils or inscriptions with a hot knife. Adorn your altar with lunar symbols- mirrors, silver ribbons, white crystals. This incantation can be substituted with other names of deities

Turn to the altar, and hold your arms open wide. Tilt your head so that your face is skyward—after all, this is a celebration honoring the full moon. Say: “Goddess of the moon, queen of the night, keeper of women's mysteries, mistress of the tides, you who are ever changing and yet always constant, I ask that you guide me with your wisdom, help me grow with your knowledge, and hold me in your arms. At this time, light the moon candle, and take a moment to reflect upon the gifts you have in your life.”

Hold the bowl of water to the sky. Say: “The moon is the symbol of the mother, and she watches over us day and night. She brings the changing tide, the shifting night, the flow that changes women's bodies, and the passion of lovers to their beloved. Her wisdom is great and all-knowing, and we honor her tonight. Keep your watchful eyes upon us, great mother, until the cycle returns once more, and bring us to the next full moon, in your love and light.”

Think about how your life has changed over the past moon cycle. Meditate on all the things that you are thankful for.

TIP: Use the moon water over the next month for watering plants, making offerings, or doing spellwork

Source: https://www.learnreligions.com/esbat-rite-celebrate-the-full-moon-2562864