|
The Wiccan SabbatsThere are eight (8) Sabbats in a Wiccan Wheel of the Year. Four (4) fall on the equinoxes or solstices, and the other four (4) fall midway between a solstice or an equinox. The Wheel of the Year begins with Yule, and ends with Samhain (pronounced SOW-HEN). Order of the Wheel of the Year
The Sabbats go Clockwise Order of the Sabbats Yule, Imbolc, Ostera, Beltane, Litha, Story of The Oak King and the Holly King Wiccans believe that in each of us is light and dark. The God is no different. His two halves are symbolized by the Oak King and the Holly King. Light and Dark. Summer and Winter. The Sabbats represent his eternal struggle with both halves of himself. His light side is the Oak King, and he rules from the Sabbats of midwinter to midsummer. He is the bringer of light, returning out us of the darkness to enjoy the warmth of the sun. His dark side is the Holly King, and he rules from the Sabbats of midsummer to midwinter. He is the bringer of darkness, reminding us all that, we too, must endure darkness to appreciate the light. Only through the existence of barrenness, can we truly appreciate bounty. The Kings battle at Litha (midsummer), the longest day of the year. The Holly King defeats the Oak King, so the days begin to grow shorter and colder, until we arrive at Yule, the shortest day of the year. Just when we are afraid there will never again be warmth and light, they battle again. This time, The Oak King emerges victorious, and so the days grow longer and warmer. Each King (or half of the God) rules for six months out of the year, and so the battle of darkness and light, winter and summer, coldness and warmth, continues in an endless cycle. Each King (or God half) are honored with the celebrating of the 4 Sabbats of their season. The Story of The Wheel of the Year The Sabbats actually tell the story of the relationship between the God and Goddess if you put them all together. At Yule, the God is reborn. As a baby, he represents the returning warmth and light. At Imbolc he is growing stronger, just as the days are growing warmer and longer. At Ostera, he is a young man, who falls in love with the Maiden Goddess. At Beltane, he takes the Goddess as his bride. At Litha, the God and Goddess consummate their powerful union. He impregnates the Goddess, and then begins to weaken. His weakening state represents the growing darkness, and the onset of winter. At Lammas he prepares to shed his physical body so that his spirit can be reborn as the babe, now safe in the Goddess's womb. At Mabon, the Mother Goddess protects her growing God-child, while she also mourns the passing of her love. At Samhain, the God may be dead, but he is also growing stronger as the babe inside the Goddess's womb. The Goddess is still deep in mourning for her lost love, but is also anxiously awaiting his rebirth at Yule. The cycle of life, death and rebirth is continued each year, and celebrated with the Sabbats. We are reminded that as is the cycle of the God, so is the cycle of man. We are born, we live and we die, only to be reborn again. 4 Greater Sabbats
Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas, Samhein Imbolc (Candlemas, Brigid's Day) February 2 (1) This is one of the most popular of the Sabbats in some Celtic sects, as it is known as Brigid’s Day. Brigid was one of the most beloved of the Pagan goddesses. She was the Celtic Goddess of fire (forge and hearth), poetry, healing, childbirth, and unity. (When the Christians realized that the people would not give up this Goddess, they made her a Christian Saint. Saint Brigid is possibly the most popular saint in Irish history.) This day is also called Feast of Pan, Feast of Torches and Oimelc. This is a celebration of the returning light. The days are growing longer, and the promise of warmer days is felt. This is a time of initiations and self-dedications, and planning your Wheel. May 1 This is a spring festival. It is celebrated as a festival of light. It focuses on fertility and conception. It is most recognized and celebrated by dancing around a maypole. The maypole is the phallic symbol representing the God, while the bright, colorful streamers represent the womb of the Goddess. This is the festival that celebrates the union of the God and Goddess to conceive the sun-child. Bonfires are also a large part of this celebration. Couples jump over the flames to ensure their own fertility. This day is also called May Day. This is a celebration of fertility and love. Many weddings and handfastings are preformed during this time. Some practitioners will preform sexual rituals and sex magic during this festival. August 1 (2) This is the first of the autumn harvest festivals. This is when the first of the harvest is coming in. You are beginning to enjoy the fruits of your labors over the past few months. This is usually celebrated through the baking of corn or wheat into breads and cakes. This is when the Pagans of the past would begin to stock up their food for the coming winter. This is also one of the more somber holiday, as the Goddess is sad to see the God weakening, and he will soon die. It is bittersweet, because she is also happy, for even though he is dying, he lives on inside her as their sun child. This day is also called August Eve, The Feast of Bread and The First Harvest. This is a celebration of thanks giving and harvesting. It is a time to gather the first fruits of the harvest, and prepare for winter. It is the time to show appreciation for all that you have. Samhain (pronounced SOW-HEN)(Halloween) October 31 (November 1) This is the festival at the end of the Wheel of the Year, and possibly the most celebrated of the Sabbats. This is the final harvest festival and a festival of darkness. It is thought that anything left in the gardens or the fields after Samhain should be left for the God and Goddess. This is the time to mourn the God who has now died. Knowing he will be born again at Yule ensures that for every death, there will be some sort of rebirth. Some Wiccans will celebrate this day by having a silent supper, or a feast for the dead. This day is also known as the Day of the Dead, All Hallows Eve and The Last Harvest. This is also the day that most believe the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead, or the spiritual and the physical, is the thinnest. This is a good time for communicating with spirits on the other side. This is a festival for the dead. Remembering, honoring and paying respects to ancestors and those who have passed on is what this Sabbat is all about. This is also a time of endings and the promises of new beginnings. 4 Lesser Sabbats
Winter Solstice: Around December 21 This is the beginning of a new Wheel of the Year. It is where the rebirth of the God is celebrated. It is the longest night of the year, and therefore celebrated as the first of the returning sun festivals. From here on out, the days will grow longer and warmer. Most traditions will celebrate by decorating trees, burning Yule logs, feasting and exchanging gifts. This day is also known as Winter Solstice and Midwinter Feast. This is the festival that most know as Christmas. It was adopted by Christians in an attempt to ease the transition for the Pagans during the early days of Christianity. This is a time of new beginnings, a time to make plans for your future and celebrate your existence. Vernal Equinox: Around March 21 This is a fertility festival. The God and Goddess are courting and falling in love, and the Oak King is strengthening. The day and night are equal, but the light is overtaking the darkness. This is a good time to plant and tend the gardens, to feast and enjoy the company of others or just to sit and enjoy the returning warmth of the sun. This day is also known as Eostre and Festival of the Trees. This is a fertility celebration. Preparing, planting and tending the gardens and fields are usually done at this time. It is a time for planting and tending the seeds of your desires. Summer Solstice: Around June 21 This is a fertility celebration, and a celebration of light. The Holly and Oak Kings prepare to battle. The Holly King will lose his battle to the Oak King. It is the longest day of the year, and light’s triumph over darkness is honored. It is a celebration of the light, as now the days will grow shorter, and the nights will grow colder. It is a celebration of bounty, and about enjoying the fertile growth of summer. This day is also known as Summer Solstice, Midsummer Feast and Mother’s Night. This is a festival of fertility, love, bounty and light. It is celebrated with lots of feasting and jumping over bonfires for luck. It is a good time for any type of magic. Autumn Equinox: Around September 21 This is the second of the harvest festivals. The God is now dying. He is preparing to shed his earthly skin so he can be reborn. This is also known as the weaver’s festival. The braiding of cords and weaving of wheat into spell work is a popular way to celebrate. This is a time when day and night are once again, equal, but the days will now shorten, and the nights will lengthen. It is a time to be thankful for all that the Earth has provided, and prepare for the long nights of winter. This is a time when sharing the bounty of the harvest is encouraged. Feasting and spending time with others while enjoying the last bits of warmth of the days, are how this festival should be celebrated. This day is also known as the Autumnal Equinox, Fruit Harvest and The Second Harvest. This is a festival of thanks giving, sharing and completion. This is the time to concentrate on unions and binding ties of loyalty, friendship and love. Each of the Sabbats have distinct symbology, foods, and celebrations. Witches celebrate the light, but equally the dark. The barren landscape of winter has just as much magic as the lush bounty of summer. Search Amazon.com ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Want to ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Return to New Age Gifts
|
