The Wheel of the Year
This section is designed to give you an overview of the Wiccan Holy-Days,
or "Sabbats". Please note that nothing on this site is "etched
in stone", and is meant to be used as only a GUIDE.
Back in the Olden Days, there were only two seasons, Summer & Winter
(referred to as the "Light Half" and "Dark Half" of the year, respectively).
The two main Sabbats, "Beltane" & "Samhain" mark these
"switch-points", and are the two Major Sabbats in the Wiccan year.
It is important to note that Samhain is also the Old Celtic "New Year" and,
since that night belongs to neither year, the spirits of those who
have Passed On are free to come thru that "crack in time" to visit
their friends/family they knew on Earth.
This is how all the "Hallowe'en" customs originated. BUT....this Sabbat
was once a joyous celebration (much like Thanksgiving), but the early
Christian people added their "demons" & "devils" and made the holiday what
is is today. (And THEN they want it banned because it's "too demonic" !
LOL! Go figure!)
The "dashed" lines refer to 4 other Sabbats, "Litha" & "Yule",
the longest and shortest (respectively) days of the year. These dates
can vary up to 3 days in any given year. (Btw...."Yule" means "Wheel").
The other 2 "dashed" lines are "Ostara" & "Mabon", the days
of Equal Day and Night. These are the first days of Spring & Fall,
respectively. (Most people don't know that "Ostara" is the Goddess of
Orchards....again, the early Christians modified that word to "Easter"!).
The last 2 Sabbats "Lughnasadh" & "Imbolc", cut the Light
& Dark Halves of the year. "Imbolc" (meaning "in the womb") is when
the Summer Goddess begins to stir to life within the cold Earth (this
was changed -- bastardised might be a better word! -- into a groundhog
coming out of the ground to determine whether or not he sees his
shadow!
"Lughnasadh" ("mourning for Lugh") is the first of the 3 Harvests,
that of corn. "Corn" is symobolically referred to as "Lugh" (the Grain
God), who "dies" (is cut down) around this time.
About the Chart:
Move your cursor over the various words; a short synopsis will appear.
If you click on the name of a Sabbat, it will take you to a page describing
it in more detail.
Also, the dates of the Sabbats are for the NORTHERN hemisphere; click
on the button to view the SOUTHERN hemisphere dates.
