The Wheel of the Year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere these festivals are commonly shifted by six months to match the local seasons.

The Wheel of the Year is a Wiccan metaphor and calendar for the cycle of the seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year. These festivals are often referred to as Sabbats. The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is north of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On the Earth, the Northern Hemisphere contains most of the land and about 88-90% of the human population. ... The Southern Hemisphere is the half of a planets surface (or celestial sphere) that is south of the equator (the word hemisphere literally means half ball). On Earth it contains five continents (Antarctica, Australia, most of South America, parts of Africa and Asia) as well as four oceans (South... This article is about the Celtic holiday. ... Yule is the winter solstice celebration of the Scandinavian Norse mythology and Germanic pagans. ... Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. ... This article is about the solar holiday. ... This article is about the Gaelic holiday. ... Midsummer celebration, Ã…mmeberg, Sweden Midsummer, also referred to as Litha by some Wiccans and other Neopagans, refers to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the religious celebrations that accompany it. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Mabon is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats of American Neopaganism. ... The pentagram within a circle, a symbol of faith used by many Wiccans, sometimes called a pentacle. ... A season is one of the major divisions of the year, generally based on yearly periodic changes in weather. ...

In Wicca and Wiccan-influenced forms of Neopaganism, natural processes are seen as following a continuous cycle. The passing of time is also seen as cyclical, and is represented by a circle or wheel. The progression of birth, life, decline and death, as experienced in human lives, is echoed in the progression of the seasons. Wiccans also see this cycle as echoing the life, death and rebirth of their God and the fertility of their Goddess. Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is any of a heterogeneous group of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient, primarily pre-Christian and sometimes pre-Judaic religions. ... Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy with the emergence of a newborn infant from its mothers uterus. ... Personal life (or everyday life or human existence) is an individual humans personal, private career (including, but not the same as, their employment career), and is a common notion in modern existence -- although more so in more prosperous parts of the world, such as Western Europe and North America... A woman at over 90 years. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Pashupati-like figure on the Gundestrup cauldron The Horned God is a modern syncretic term, invented to link together numerous male nature gods out of such widely-dispersed and historically unconnected mythologies as the Celtic Cernunnos, the Welsh Caerwiden, the English Herne the Hunter, the Hindu Pashupati, the Greek... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the agriculture A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. Many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both the conventional genders and in some cases...

Eight Festivals

Wiccans, and some Neopagans who base their practices on Wicca, observe eight festivals, which are commonly referred to as "sabbats". These fall on the solstices, the equinoxes and the four intermediate dates between these events. The solstices and equinoxes are commonly known as "quarter days"; the four dates falling (approximately) midway between them as the "cross-quarter days" or "fire festivals". In some calendars each cross-quarter day marks the start of a season. The eight festivals are distinct from "esbats", which are smaller festivals falling on a full or new moon.^{[citation needed]} Observers of the festivals may consider days to begin at sundown rather than at midnight, in which case these festivals begin on the preceding evening. The quarter days are loosely based, or named after, the Germanic festivals, and the cross-quarters are similarly inspired by the Gaelic festivals. However, modern interpretations vary widely, so Wiccan groups may celebrate and conceptualize these festivals in very different ways, dominantly having little in common with the cultural festivals outside of the adopted name. Solstice is an astronomical term regarding the position of the Sun in relation to the celestial equator. ... In astronomy, an equinox is defined as the moment when the sun reaches one of two intersections between the ecliptic and the celestial equator. ... In British and Irish tradition, the quarter days were the four dates on which servants were hired, and rents and rates were due. ... A cross-quarter day is a day falling halfway between one of the four main solar events (two solstices and two equinoxes) and the next one. ... A season is one of the major divisions of the year, generally based on yearly periodic changes in weather. ... Wiccans and many other Pagans celebrate the esbats, which are the full moons. ... Composite image of the Moon as taken by the Galileo spacecraft on 7 December 1992. ... The lunar phase depends on the Moons position in orbit around Earth. ... A red sunset panorama Sunset, also called sundown in some American English dialects, is the time at which the Sun disappears below the horizon in the west. ... For other uses, see Midnight (disambiguation) Midnight, literally the middle of the night, is a time arbitrarily designated to determine the end of a day and the beginning of the next in some, mainly Western, cultures. ... Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Celts. ...

This article is about the Celtic holiday. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Yule is the winter solstice celebration of the Scandinavian Norse mythology and Germanic pagans. ... A solstice is either of the two events of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. ... Symbol of Capricorn Capricorn is an astrological sign, which is associated with the constellation Capricornus. ... Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the solar holiday. ... Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight). ... Symbol of Aries Aries is an astrological sign that is associated with the constellation Aries. ... This article is about the Gaelic holiday. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Midsummer celebration, Ã…mmeberg, Sweden Midsummer, also referred to as Litha by some Wiccans and other Neopagans, refers to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the religious celebrations that accompany it. ... A solstice is either of the two events of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Mabon is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats of American Neopaganism. ... Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Etymology

While most of these names derive from historical festivals, the names Litha and Mabon, which have become popular in North American Wicca, were invented by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s. The word "sabbat" itself derives from the same roots as Sabbath (Christian) and Sabbath (witchcraft), namely Old English sabat, Old French sabbat, Latin sabbatum, Greek sabbaton (or sa'baton), and Hebrew shabbat, which means "to cease or rest". Mabon is one of the eight solar holidays or sabbats of American Neopaganism. ... We dont have an article called Aidan kelly Start this article Search for Aidan kelly in. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... == == <nowiki>[[[[[[[[[{{pov|date=18:21, 30 January 2007 (UTC)}} {{Christian theology}} {{dablink|This article concerns the Sabbath in Christianity. ... Francisco Goyas Los Caprichos: Linda maestra! (Nice mistress!) - witches heading to a Sabbath In Christian folklore, the Sabbath (also known as Witchs Sabbath) was a gathering supposed to have been celebrated by Satanists, witches and warlocks to honor the Devil, offend God, Jesus, the sacraments, the cross, and... The Shabbat table is set: two covered challahs, a kiddush cup, two candles, and flowers. ...

Dates

Dates for the festivals vary widely. There are many forms of Wicca and Neopaganism, all of which may have somewhat different traditions associated with the festivals. Therefore there is no definitive or universal tradition observed by all the groups. Most Pagans are somewhat flexible about dates, tending to celebrate at the nearest weekend for convenience.

Hemispheres

As the Wheel originates in the Northern Hemisphere, in the Southern Hemisphere most Neopagans advance these dates six months so as to coincide with the natural seasons as they occur in their local climates. For instance, an Australian Wiccan may celebrate Beltane on the 1st of November, when a Canadian Wiccan is celebrating Samhain. The word hemisphere literally means half sphere or half ball; when used in the singular form, it refers to one of the halves of a spherical object. ... This article is about the Gaelic holiday. ... This article is about the Celtic holiday. ...

Quarter Days

While the cross-quarter days traditionally fall on the Kalends of the month, some Neopagans consider them to fall on the midpoint of the two surrounding quarter days. These modern calculations tend to result in celebrations held a few days after the traditional dates (see above table). The Kalends (Latin k/calendæ, -arum), (or calends) correspond to the first days of each month of the Roman calendar. ...

Sun Sabbats and Moon Sabbats

"Sun sabbats" refer to the quarter days, which are based on the astronomical position of the sun. "Moon sabbats" can be observed on Full Moons, typically the one closest to the traditional festival date or the 2nd full moon after the preceding quarter day. This would place the Moon sabbat anywhere from 29-59 days after the preceding solstice or equinox. Moon sabbats can also be observed on the nearest Lunar phase to the Cross-quarter day according to the table at right.^{[citation needed]} Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. ... The lunar phase depends on the Moons position in orbit around Earth. ... This article is about the Gaelic holiday. ... Composite image of the Moon as taken by the Galileo spacecraft on 7 December 1992. ... In English-speaking countries, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year. ... This article is about the Celtic holiday. ... Composite image of the Moon as taken by the Galileo spacecraft on 7 December 1992. ... Lunar phase refers to the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer, usually on Earth. ...

Origins

The holidays of the Wheel of the Year take their names from Pre-Christian Celtic and Pre-Christian Germanic religious festivals. However, a great deal of liberty has usually been taken with the forms and meanings of these festivals, due to the influence of turn of the century romanticism as well as the elements introduced by Wicca. The similarities between these holidays generally end at the shared names, as Wicca makes no effort to reconstruct these ancient practices.^[1] Wiccans observe the festivals of the Wheel of the Year together in a form of universalism not corroborated by any historical continuity.^[1] Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Celts. ... Germanic paganism refers to the religion and mythology of the Germanic nations preceding Christianization, including Norse, Anglo-Saxon mythology, information obtained from archaeological finds and remnants of pre-Christian beliefs in the folklore of medieval and modern Germanic peoples. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Universality (philosophy). ...

There is no place in Europe where all eight festivals have been observed as a set, and the complete eightfold Wheel of the Year was unknown prior to modern Wicca.^[1] In early forms of Wicca only the cross-quarter days were observed. However in 1958 the members of Bricket Wood Coven added the solstices and equinoxes to their original calendar, as they desired more frequent celebrations. Their High Priest, Gerald Gardner, was away visiting the Isle of Man at the time, but he did not object when he returned, since they were now more in line with the Neo-druidism of Ross Nichols, a friend of Gardner's and founder of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.^[2] The pentagram within a circle, a symbol of faith used by many Wiccans, sometimes called a pentacle. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that New Forest coven be merged into this article or section. ... A group of British druids, congregating to celebrate the summer solstice at stonehenge. ... Ross Nichols (1902-1975), a Cambridge academic and published poet, founded the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids in 1964, and since then, he wrote prolifically on the subjects of Druidism and Celtic mythology. ... The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids or OBOD is a Druidic order based in England. ...

Narratives

The most common Wheel of the Year narrative amongst Wiccans is the God/Goddess duality. In this narrative, the God is born from the Goddess at Yule, impregnates her with Child on the Vernal Equinox, courts Her maiden aspect at Beltane, wanes in power at Lammas, passes into the underworld at Samhain, then is born from Her mother/crone aspect again at Yule. The Goddess, in turn, ages and rejuvenates endlessly with the seasons, being courted by and giving birth to the Horned God. Many versions of this myth variate from coven to coven, shifting the birth, conception, or death of the God to different Sabbats. God, as a male deity, contrasts with female deities, or goddesses. While the term goddess specifically refers to a female deity, words like gods and deities can be applied to all gods collectively, regardless of gender. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the agriculture A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. Many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both the conventional genders and in some cases... This article is about the Gaelic holiday. ... In English-speaking countries, August 1 is Lammas Day (loaf-mass day), the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year. ... This article is about the Celtic holiday. ...

Another, more solar, narrative is of the Holly King and the Oak King. These two figures battle with each other endlessly. At Midsummer the Oak King is at His height, but the weakened Holly King also begins to regain His strength at that moment. At the Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King's favor, and He vanquishes the Oak King at Yule. At this moment, the Oak King begins to regain His footing, and finally manages to turn the tables at the Spring Equinox.^[3] Holly King may refer to: Holly King (actress) (born 1976) - American film actress, TV personality, and reality TV contestant Holly King (artist) (born 1957) - Quebec artist [1] Holly King: Landscapes of the Imagination (ISBN 0-88884-725-4) by Pierre Dessureault Holly King (myth) - A mythical figure [2] Category: ... Midsummer celebration, Ã…mmeberg, Sweden Midsummer, also referred to as Litha by some Wiccans and other Neopagans, refers to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the religious celebrations that accompany it. ... Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight). ... Illumination of the Earth by the Sun on the day of equinox, (ignoring twilight). ...

See also

• Celtic calendar

The term Celtic calendar is used to refer to a variety of calendars used by Celtic-speaking peoples at different times in history. ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Hutton, Ronald. The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles. Oxford, Blackwell, 337-341. ISBN 0-631-18946-7. 
2. ^ Lamond, Frederic (2004). Fifty Years of Wicca. Sutton Mallet, England: Green Magic, pp. 16-17. ISBN 0-9547230-1-5. 
3. ^ Farrar, Janet and Stewart (1988). Eight Sabbats for Witches, revised edition. Phoenix Publishing. ISBN 0-919345-26-3. 

Ronald Hutton is Professor of History at the University of Bristol and is an occasional commentator on British television and radio on the history of paganism in the British Isles. ...

External links

• Seasons (astronomically) by Archaeoastronomy
• About the Sabbats by Judy Harrow
• The Eightfold Wheel by Moonhunter