The Wheel of The Year: A Beginner's Guide to Celebrating the Traditional Pagan Festivals of the Seasons

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Wheel of the Year. (2020). Retrieved 6 August 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_Year#Autumn_Equinox_(Mabon)

It might also be related to the goddess Ashtorah or Asherah, who was the ancient wife of the Semitic god El. The earliest origins of the Wheel of the Year are from the four Celtic Fire Festivals. The Celts divided the year into two seasons, summer and winter, and marked the transition between these seasons with four Sabbats: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st, marked the beginning of spring and the start of the agricultural season. It was a time for purification and renewal, as well as a time to honor the goddess Brigid. Beltane, celebrated on May 1st, marked the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice and was associated with fertility and new growth. It was a time for feasting, dancing, and celebrating the union of the god and goddess. Lughnasadh, celebrated on August 1st, marked the beginning of the harvest season and was a time to give thanks for the bounty of the earth. It was also associated with the god Lugh, who was said to have sacrificed himself to ensure a good harvest. Samhain, celebrated on November 1st, marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was a time to honor the dead and the thinning of the veil between the living and the dead. Even if you’ve never planted anything, you can harvest, come fall. Working on yourself during the year can also result in a rich bounty! So the themes of the seasonal festivals can have many parallels to our personal lives, as well. Bonewits, Isaac (2006). Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York, New York: Kensington Publishing Group. pp.179, 183–4, 128–140. ISBN 0-8065-2710-2. These eight festivals, or sabbats, are natural pauses in the year where we can give ourselves permission to slow down and take a breath. To reflect on our lives, our choices, and our beliefs. To tune in to the earth’s energy and feel more in flow and in harmony with her rhythm.Lamond, Frederic (2004), Fifty Years of Wicca, Sutton Mallet, England: Green Magic, pp.16–17, ISBN 0-9547230-1-5 Raven Grimassi (2000). Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft. St Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Worldwide. p.219. ISBN 9781567182576.

Another fun task is our Pagan Crossword Clue Sheet which will be enjoyable for your learners to complete after they have learnt about Paganism and Pagan traditions, festivals, and beliefs. What are the main Pagan festivals? On this day (and night), the veil between this world and the unseen world is said to be at its thinnest. Souls and spirits of loved ones may visit us, which is why offerings of food and wine are often left at the front doors. This is also known as the Feast of Hecate—the chief Goddess presiding over magic and spells. Lammas is a beautiful opportunity to write a list of everything you have learned, experienced, and achieved this year.Even Jacob Grimm of the Brothers Grimm fame tried to shed some light on ancient Anglo-Saxon paganism in his 1835 treatise on Germanic mythology. One of his contributions to the Wheel of the Year included the name of the deity we celebrate during the spring equinox — Ēostre. According to Grimm, the goddess was so deeply rooted in pagan beliefs that Christians had to adopt her when creating their spring holiday — Easter. Working with the wheel of the year is not a new way of living; it’s the oldest way, one that you may subtly remember from many, many lifetimes ago. What is the wheel of the year? a b Hlobil, Karel (2009). "Chapter Eleven:Slavic Mythology". Before You. Insomniac Press. ISBN 978-1-92-658247-4. If 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. At dawn on the longest day, at Stonehenge, the two stones which are located outside of the main circle, called the Heel Stone and the Slaughter Stone (now prone), channel the sun in alignment and the first rays hit the centre of the circle. Lughnasadh

a b c d e f Drury, Nevill (2009). "The Modern Magical Revival: Esbats and Sabbats". In Pizza, Murphy; Lewis, James R (eds.). Handbook of Contemporary Paganism. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill Publishers. pp.63–67. ISBN 9789004163737.

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Where do you want to focus your energy over the next few months and beyond? What seeds do you wish to plant? And what do you need to support you through the creation? Ostara (Spring Equinox) – 20th-23rd March Eric P. Hamp believes it may come from Proto-Indo-European, and could stem from “milk” and “cleansing”. The name “Eastre” or “Eostre” comes from the proto indo-european root “aus/eas” meaning “to shine” and “the east” (since the sun shines from the east). Our word “east” clearly derives from this root. Likewise, the word Austria comes from the same indo-european root since it is the kingdom of the east or the “austra”. The Catholic Church does not formally call the feast “Easter” but rather “Pascha”– a word derived from the Aramaic word for “Passover”. Only English and Germanic lands use the term related to “Easter”. THE HISTORY OF WORD USAGE AND ITS MEANINGS IN THE CONTEXT Imbolc. (2020). Retrieved 5 August 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc#:~:text=The%20etymology%20of%20Imbolc%2FImbolg,referring%20to%20a%20ritual%20cleansing. Hume, Lynne (1997). Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press. ISBN 9780522847826.