Wheel of the Year (Sabbats)
This is an interpretation of the general pagan wheel of the year, many of these sabbats have very specific meanings correspondences with the Wiccan god and goddess as well as other Celtic gods and traditions, I am a pagan who does not worship deities ( post about that on my blog too) so this is a basic rendition of how I recognize and celebrate sabbats. Much of this is taken from the book Paganism: an introduction to earth centered religions, by Joyce and River Higgenbotham so go check that out for more detail. diagram is origional by me (@gh0st--wh0re )
The first holiday celebrated in the year. When the winter solstice arrives, we know that we are halfway through the dark half of the year. The darkness that has been growing since the Fall Equinox reaches its peak at the winter solstice, making this the shortest day of the year.
Imbolg falls midway between the winter Solstice and the spring equinox and reminds us that daylight is growing and that winter will soon be gone. As a symbol of the growing light, pagans bless and light many candles on this holiday.
Sunlight has continued to grow since Imbolg. At the spring equinox, daylight has grown to the point where there is as much daylight as darkness in a day. Light and darkness are in perfect balance on this day and will not be again until the fall equinox. Ostara marks the beginning of the light half of the year. It's a time to celebrate balance and the arrival of spring, as well as the freshness of a new day and new beginnings.
Beltane occurs halfway between the spring Equinox and the summer solstice. This is an exuberant holiday that celebrates sexuality, fertility and the unfolding of spring. A well known Beltane celebration is the Maypole dance, as well as wearing wreaths or crown of flowers, the crowning of May Queen and the lighting of bonfires.
The summer solstice marks the time when the sun is at its maximum power and is the longest day of the year. It also marks the midpoint in the light half of the year. The themes of this season are growth, fruitfulness, abundance, and strength; the celebration that occurs before solstice day is known as Midsummer's eve, and is considered a night of potent magick. It is common for pagans to light bonfires at the solstice to celebrate the warmth and light of the sun.
The first of the harvest festivals, Lammas marks the beginning of the harvest cycle. Lammas literally means “loaf mass,” and celebrates the first grains harvested for the baking of bread. Lammas is celebrated with feasting, games, and contests. Loaves of bread are baked and blessed and shared by all.
As with the spring Equinox, this is the point at which light and darkness are in equal balance. The fall equinox marks the change from the light half of the year to the dark. From the equinox forward until spring, there will be more darkness than daylight everyday. The fall equinox is a time of harvest, appreciation, reflection and preparation for winter. This is a time of transition as we watch gardens fade and leaves turn color and drop. The balance experienced here is different from that of the spring which is poised and ready to leap into action. Here we experience the calm of rest after labor.
Samhain (pronounced Sah-ow-un) popularly known as halloween, marks the end of the pagan sacred year. It's the first festival to occur in the dark half of the year. This is the time of year when agricultural societies decide how many animals to slaughter based on available grass and feed, the number of breeding livestock needed for the following year, and the amount of meat required to survive the winter. Serious mistakes in these calculations could mean death and starvation. For the ancient Pagans then, Samhain was a time of death in a very real way. As observed by pagans today, Samhain is a festival that celebrates several things: The end of the harvest, a change from the activities of summer to the quietness of winter, the beginning of the new pagan year and the honoring of ancestors and the dead. It is also a time when we acknowledge and honor the sacrifice of animals we kill in order to live. It is a time when we come to terms with death and are openly encouraged to process our fear of it. It is a time when we acknowledge the hard moments of life that we usually do not think or talk about. If there are things we need to let go of, samhain is a good time to release them. On this night the veil between the worlds is considered at its thinnest and the dead are thought to return and visit. Pagans may encourage this by setting a place at the table for ancestors who care to join them. They may honor their ancestors by speaking their names and recalling fond memories.
In addition to Sabbats there are also 7 rites of passage that correspond with both the wheel of the year and the circle of life. These rites are listed very basically in the diagram attached and are color coded to what season or sabbat they correspond with.
hope this was helpful to anyone! asks and dms are open as always <3
