Here is where the religious part of Witchcraft comes into play. There are two major types of rituals in Witchcraft: Sabbats and Esbats. Sabbats are the 8 days of the year that coinside with the change of season and the cycle of the Sun. In Wicca lore, the Goddess and God fall in love (celebrated at Beltane), unite, and the Goddess becomes pregnant. As the Sun looses its warmth and strength, so does the God (Lughnasadh). The Goddess watches in sorrow and also in joy, knowing the God is dying, yet lives on inside Her as Their child. The God dies (Samhain) yet lives on inside the Goddess. He is reborn (Yule) and the Goddess recovers from childbirth (Imbolc), watching the God grow into a man. When his growth is complete, they reunite and the cycle continues. Yule (Dec. 21, Winter Solstice) marks the rebirth of the God. It is to remind us that the product of death is rebirth. Imbolc (February 2)marks the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the God. This is the Sabbat of purification after the shut-in life of winter, and it is the festival of light and fertility. Ostara (March 21, Spring Equinox) marks the first day of spring. This is the time of beginnings, of action, of planting spells for future gain, and tending ritual gardens. Beltane (April 30) is the celebration of the union between the Goddess and God. It marks the emergence of the young God into manhood. Midsummer (June 21, Summer Solstice) marks the time when the powers of nature reach their highest point and is an ideal time for magic of all kinds. Lughnasadh (August 1) is the time of the first harvest. Mabon (September 21, Autumn Equinox) marks the completion of the harvest begun at Lughnasadh. Nature declines, draws back its bounty, readying for winter and its time of rest. Samhain (October 31) marks the death of the God. It is a time of reflection, of looking back over the last year, of coming to terms with the phenomenon of life whic we have no control over...death. This is the Pagan New Year's Eve.
Esbats, these are the full moon rituals. They are to remind us of creation and of the cycle of life. When the moon is in its full, it symbolizes the Mother aspect of the Goddess.
