There are eight seasonal festivals and thirteen full moons. Over the year you can create eight Seasonal rites, this way you feel harmonized with nature and the Divine. Each festival can be dedicated to a specific God or Goddess, they each have their own individual rituals and they are great ways to celebrate the Seasons with the ones you love. Below I have listed the Seasonal festivals starting with the first of the year.
Samhain (31st October) - Also known as Halloween, Samhain is the most important Sabbat of the Witch's year. It marks the beginning and end of the Wheel of the year. The time when the Goddess returns as the Grandmother, she is past her bearing time but she can still pass on her wisdom through Spirit; for that reason, Samhain is a perfect time for you to practice your Divination skills.
In the Celtic calender, Samhain is considered to be a day outside the normal year, when a veil between the worlds of the living and dead were thinnest. For this reason, Samhain is also a day to commemorate you Loved ones, however, we do not summon the Spirits as it is not right to disturb the peace of those that have gone.
It is traditional to light a candle in the window, to welcome home the spirits and repel the bad ones. Another tradition is to honour the Horned one and go on 'The Wild Hunt'. The Wild Hunt is when the Horned one collects up lost souls, some covens enact the Hunt by setting a course and running though the woods.
Yule (21st December) - Yule marks the Winter Solstice, days begin to lengthen and the rebirth of the sun is celebrated. It is traditional to bring evergreen plants into the house, to give a reminder of life returning. Holly represents the God and Goddess as the berries signify the Mother returning and the green leaves symbolize the Holly King, he reigns until this time. On Yule, it is traditional to make a Yule log, this is not the eating kind. The Yule log is a wooden log with candles lit inside it, each member of the family would light one and express a wish for the oncoming Season.
Imbolg (2nd February) - The first signs of Spring are appearing at this time, it signifies the return of the Goddess as the Maiden and the God is reborn as a young man. Imbolg means 'in belly', which can be interpreted to mean the land and animals are pregnant. Now can be a good time to plant seeds in your garden.
Oestara (21st March) Oestara marks the Spring Equinox, a time when day and night are equal, it is also the time for balance and for throwing out the old to bring in the new. This Sabbat is celebrated as a Spring Festival, as you can see the leaves, first buds and shoots of the corn. Oestara is also a brilliant time for 'Spring cleaning'
Beltane (1st May) - Beltane is the second most important Witch's festival, it is the marriage of the God and Goddess, the Goddess becomes the Mother and the God returns to reign beside her. Again, it is a day when the veil between our worlds are thin, so be very careful when working magic at this time, as the spirits are at their most mischievous and your results will not be as accurate. Due to the Great Marriage, this festival is also linked to fertility. Traditionally at a May Day festival, you would find a partner if you did not have one. Beltane is a time for Witches to Handfast (get married), they would make their promises to eachother, a gold and silver cord is fastened around their hands to symbolize their union.
Litha (21st June) - Litha marks the Summer Solstice, it represents the height of the Sun Kings power, after this day his power decreases as the days shorten. Now is a good time to have an outdoor barbecue or picnic with your family, as the hot and green days are at their most delightful. The Goddess is still in her phase of the Mother, with the coming harvest she is full of promise.
Lammas (1st August) - The harvest is brought in, this festival is often related to sacrifice and death as we have to repay what we have been given. A great feast would be made with the new harvest to celebrate the blessing of the land. Small cakes would be made in the shape of men to honour the Corn King, this is the origin of the Gingerbread man. Bread can also be made in the shape of a sheaf of wheat, this is the Lammas bread. Lammas is a good time for considering the positives in your life.
Madron (21st September) - Madron marks the Autumn Equinox, day and night are equal and again this is the time for balance. Madron is also at its height of Harvest, it is the time for returning things to the way they should be. This is a time for forgiveness and to make up for regrets, it is the festival of Healing.
And so the Sabbats continue on to Samhain, that is the Wheel of the Year.
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