The Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year is a modern Pagan term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year. These festivals are often referred to as Sabbats / ̍ s æ b ə t / . While the term Sabbat originated from Judaism and is of Hebrew origin, the festivals themselves have historical origins in Celtic and Germanic pre-Christian feasts. These festivals are understood by some neo-pagans to be the Bronze Age religious festivals of Europe. As with all cultures' use of festivals and traditions, these festivals have been utilized by European cultures in both the pre- and post-Christian eras as traditional times for the community to celebrate the planting and harvest seasons. The Wheel of the Year has been important to many people both ancient and modern, from various religious as well as cultural and secular viewpoints.

Celtic FestivalsSamhain Winter Solstice (Midwinter, Yule)ImbolcSpringEquinox (Ostara)BeltaneMidsummer (Summer Solstice)Lughnasadh (Lammas) Autumn Equinox (Mabon)

Resources: *Not Scholarlyhttp://paganpages.org/content/http://acbalsmoon.blogspot.com/http://www.chalicecentre.net/celtic_festivals.htm

For many of us, finding time to celebrate the sabbats can be a challenge, even in the summer months. Just trying to find the time to

do all the usual things we have to do between work and home can make finding time to fit in a sabbat ritual tough! Many times we forget

that honoring the seasons and deity do not have to be a huge celebration, fancy rituals and huge feasts. Of course the sabbats can be one or all of those things, but do they have to be? Of course not. Honoring the change of season can be as simple as a candle lit, a prayer said, and a toast made. Just 5 minutes out of your day to

reconnect with your beliefs, your culture and the earth.

Samhain Samhain (pronounced “sah-ween”) comes from the Gaelic term “Samhuin”. Samhain is the Celtic New Year and means “summer’s end”. History of Samhain This celebration began at sundown on October 31st and ended at sundown of November 1st. It is celebrated on the eve of November 1 as the Celts measured the day from sunset to sunset. The Celtic year began with its dark winter half, when the Earth rested and fertility was renewed. Samhain (pronounced /sow-en/) was a time when spirits could mix freely with humans, when the veil between the physical world and the Otherworld was thin. This suspension of time extended to the laws of society, so that many kinds of boisterous behavior could be indulged. The cattle and sheep had been brought in from the fields, the crops harvested and leaves are falling, ushering in a new season, winter. The Samhain feast marked the distinction between the joys of Harvest and the hardships of the approaching winter. Samhain was a time of divination and a time of adjustment from outdoor to indoor activities, many of which split down gender lines.

In the eighth century, the Catholic Church took November 1st and turned it into Allhallows Mass then eventually All Saints Day. This was the day to celebrate the saints that did not have a day on their own. The church was competing with the pagans who were already celebrating the dead and their ancestors.

Samhain originated as a pastoral festival, held to assist the tribe's fertility, to honor the ancestors, provide protection from evil forces, and repay the gods (and later the saints who replaced them) for the tribe's plentiful Harvest. A portion of the crops also may have been left in the fields unharvested, the due given to the spirits of the land. In some areas, several beasts were sacrificed whose life-energy was believed to replenish the soil.

At sunset on October 31, clans or local villages begin the formal ceremonies of Samhain by lighting a giant bonfire. The people would gather around the fire to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. It was a method of giving the Gods and Goddesses their share of the previous years herd or crops. In addition these

sacred fires were a big part of the cleansing of the old year and a method to prepare for the coming New Year.During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, and danced around the bonfire. Many of these dances told stories or played out the cycles of life and death or commemorated the cycle of Wheel of Life. These costumes were adorned for three primary reasons: The first was to honor the dead who were allowed to rise from the Otherworld. The Celts believed that souls were set free from the land of the dead during the eve of Samhain. Those that had been trapped in the bodies of animals were released by the Lord of the Dead and sent to their new incarnations. The wearing of these costumes signified the release of these souls into the physical world. Not all of these souls were honored and respected. Some were also feared as they would return to the physical world and destroy crops, hide livestock or 'haunt' the living that may have done them wrong. The second reason for these traditional costumes was to hide from these malevolent spirits to escape their trickery. The final representation was a method to honor the Celtic Gods and Goddesses of the harvest, fields and flocks. Through honoring the deities, Celts were giving thanks and homage to those deities who assisted the village or clan through the trials and tribulations of the previous year. And to ask for their favor during the coming year and the harsh winter months that were approaching.

When the community celebration was over, each family would take a torch or burning ember from the sacred bonfire and return to their own home. The home fires that have been extinguished during the day were re-lit by the flame of the sacred bonfire to help protect the dwelling and its inhabitants during the coming winter. These fires were kept burning night and day during the next several months. It was believed that if a home lost its fire, tragedy and troubles would soon follow.

Bonfires were built, (originally called bone-fires, for after feasting, the bones were thrown in the fire as offerings for healthy and plentiful livestock in the New Year) and stones were marked with peoples names. Then they were thrown into the fire, to be retrieved in the morning. The condition of the retrieved stone foretold of that person's fortune in the coming year. Hearth fires were also lit from the village bonfire to ensure unity, and the ashes were spread over the harvested fields to protect and bless the land.

Originally the "Feast of the Dead" was celebrated in Celtic countries by leaving food offerings on altars and doorsteps for the "wandering dead". Today a lot of practitioners still carry out that tradition. Single candles were lit and left in a window to help guide the spirits of ancestors and loved ones home. Extra chairs were set to the table and around the hearth for the unseen guest. Apples were buried along roadsides and paths for spirits who were lost or had no descendants to provide for them. Turnips were hollowed out and carved to look like protective spirits, for this was a night of magic and chaos. The Wee Folke became very active, pulling pranks on unsuspecting humans. Traveling after dark was not advised. People dressed in white (like ghosts), wore disguises made of straw, or dressed as the opposite gender in order to fool the Nature spirits.

Samhain CustomsAncestor altar, costumes, divination, carving jack-o-lanterns, spirit plate, the Feast of the Dead, feasting, paying debts, drying winter herbs, masks, bonfires, apple games, tricks, honoring and consulting ancestors, releasing the old, understanding death and rebirth, entering the underworld, divination, dance of the dead, fire calling, past life recall, transformation, Wiccan new year, wisdom of the Crone, end of summer, thinning of the veil between worlds, death of the year, night of the Wild Hunt, begin new projects and end old projectsSymbols & Decorations: Apples, autumn flowers, acorns, bat, black cat, bones, corn stalks, colored leaves, crows, death/dying, divination and the tools associated with it, ghosts, gourds, Indian corn, jack-o-lantern, nuts , oak leaves, pomegranates, pumpkins, scarecrows, scythes, waning moonFoods: Apples, apple dishes, cider, meat (traditionally this is the meat harvest) especially pork, mulled cider with spices, nuts-representing resurrection and rebirth, nuts, pomegranates, potatoes, pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, squash, fall fruits, fall vegetables and food.

Herbs and Flowers:Almond, apple leaf , autumn joy sedum, bay leaf, calendula, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, hazelnut, marigold, mums, mugwort, mullein seeds, nettle, passion flower, pine needles, pumpkin seeds, rosemary (for remembrance of our ancestors), rue, sage, sunflower petals and seeds, tarragon, wild ginseng, and wormwoodAnimals: Stag, cat, bat, owl, jackal, elephant, ram, scorpion, heron, crow, and robinColors: Black, orange, redStones/Gems: Black obsidian, jasper, carnelian, onyx, smoky quartz, jet, bloodstoneGoddesses: The Crone, Hecate(Greek), Cerridwen (Welsh-Scottish), Arianrhod (Welsh), Caillech (Irish-Scottish), Baba Yaga (Russian), Bast (Egyptian), Al-Ilat (persian), Persephone (Greek), Hel(Norse), Kali (Hindu), all Death & Otherworld GoddessesGods: Horned Hunter(European), Cernnunos (Greco-Celtic), Osiris(Egyptian), Hades (Greek), Gwynn ap Nudd (British), Anubis(Egyptian), Coyote Brother (Native American), Loki (Norse), Dis (Roman), Arawn (Welsh), acrificial/Dying/Aging Gods, Death and Otherworld GodsSamhain Revival

A time to honor ancestors and the life cycle. If you’ve ever done genealogy research, or if you’ve had a loved one die in the past year, this is the perfect night to celebrate their memory.

If you want to celebrate Samhain in the Celtic tradition, spread the festivities out over three consecutive days. You can hold a ritual and feast each night. Be flexible, though, so you can work around trick-or-treating schedules!

This is a good time for us to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our lives. Think about the things you did in the last twelve months. Have you left anything unresolved? If so, now is the time to wrap things up. Once you’ve gotten all that unfinished stuff cleared away, and out of your life, then you can begin looking towards the next year.

A time to wrap up the old and prepare for new things. The earth is slowly dying around us and this marks the cycle of life. Take stock and look at things you want closure, termination with or resolution. This is the end of the last twelve months (Celtic calendar) and a time to start anew.

Beginning at sunset on October 31st celebrates and have feasts for 3 nights to honor the dead, your ancestors and to have closure with the last twelve months.

Burn Incense: Copal, sandalwood, mastic resin, sweet grass, wormwood, mugwort, sage, myrrh or patchouli

Use any of the above customs to create new traditions, feasts or rituals to honor your heritage.

Midwinter Christmas is the Christian name for Winter Solstice or Midwinter. Yule is another name for Winter Solstice.

History of Winter SolsticeThe solstice was a special moment of the cycle of the year as astronomy directed many events and traditions during ancient times. Communities were not guaranteed to live through winter and lived off of the work of the previous months. Starvation was common in winter between January and April, also known as the famine months. In temperate climates, the midwinter festival was the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. Wine and beer made during the previous months was fermented and ready for drinking. Winter solstice is the start of the solar year and concepts of the birth or rebirth of sun gods are central to this celebration. Most of the customs, lore, symbols, and rituals associated with "Christmas" actually are linked to Winter Solstice celebrations of ancient Pagan cultures.

In old Europe, it was known as Yule, from the Norse, Jul, meaning wheel. Today, many people in Western-based cultures refer to this holiday as "Christmas” but its roots are Pagan.

Emperor Aurelian established December 25 as the birthday of the "Invincible Sun" in the third century as part of the Roman Winter Solstice celebrations.

Shortly thereafter, in 273, the Christian church selected this day to represent the birthday of Jesus, and by 336, this Roman solar feast day was Christianized.

January 6, celebrated as Epiphany in Christendom and linked with the visit of the Magi, was originally an Egyptian date for the Winter Solstice.

Mistletoe, which was sacred because it mysteriously grew on the most sacred tree, the oak, was ceremoniously cut and a spray given to each family, to be hung in the doorways as good luck. To hang it over a doorway or in a room was to offer goodwill to visitors. Kissing under the mistletoe was a pledge of friendship. Mistletoe is still forbidden in most Christian churches because of its Pagan associations, but it has continued to have a special place in home celebrations.

Winter Solstice CustomsLá an Dreoilín, Wren day (Celtic, Irish, Welsh, Manx)For an unknown period, Lá an Dreoilín or Wren day has been celebrated in Ireland, the Isle of Man and Wales on December 26. Crowds of people, called wren boys, take to the roads in various parts of Ireland, dressed in motley clothing, wearing masks or straw suits and accompanied by musicians. Previously the practice involved the killing of a wren, and singing songs while carrying the bird from house to house, stopping in for food and merriment.Mummer's Day, Montol (Celtic, Cornish people)Mummer's Day referencing the animist garbs, or Darkie Day referencing the soot facing ritual, is an ancient Cornish midwinter celebration that occurs every year on December 26 and New Year's Day in Padstow, Cornwall. It was originally part of the pagan heritage of midwinter celebrations that were regularly celebrated all over Cornwall where people would guise dance and disguise themselves by blackening up their faces or wearing masks. In Penzance the festival has been given the name Montol believing it to be the Celtic Cornish word for Winter solstice.Yule (Germanic peoples)Yule or Yuletide ("Yule-time") is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. Winter Solstice Revival

Some contemporary Pagan groups, not necessarily Celtic in nature, honor the forthcoming "Sun Child" at this time of year by burning an oak Yule log. They also honor the Goddess in her many Mother aspects; and the Father God as Santa Claus in his Old Sky God, Father Time, and Holly King forms.

Create a Kissing-Bough - Hang a garland of greenery, shaped like a double hooped May-garland or crown from the middle of the ceiling in the main room (or dining room). Adorn the Kissing-Bough with candles, red apples, rosettes of colored paper and bunches of mistletoe hung in the center of the hoop.

Create a Pagan Winter Solstice framework for the entire holiday season - understand that Christmas Eve and Christmas, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have their origins in Winter Solstice celebrations of a variety of Pagan cultures through the ages.

Decorate your home with sacred plants connected with Winter Solstice: evergreen wreaths & boughs, mistletoe, holly, and ivy. Learn about the Pagan symbolism of each.

Adorn the home with sacred herbs and colors. Decorate your home in Druidic holiday colors red, green, and white. Place holly, ivy, evergreen boughs, and pine cones around your home, especially in areas where socializing takes place. Include holiday herbs in an evergreen wreath and then place it on your front door to symbolize the continuity of life and the wheel of the year.

Harvest a Yule tree in a sacred way from a tree farm that practices sustainable agriculture. Set up the Yule tree in your home and decorate it with lights, sun symbols, and other Winter Solstice images. Reflect on blessings of joy, renewal, and well-wishes as you decorate the tree.

Kindle lights to represent the Sun. Decorate with electric lights and candles. On one of the nights of Solstice, turn off all lights, experience the longest night, reflect on renewal and peace, and turn the lights back on to symbolize the birth of the New Solar Year.

Learn about holiday foods, symbols, customs, and/or lore from an ancestral ethnicity and incorporate something you have learned into your celebration of Yuletide.

Burn a Yule Log in a hearth, in a bonfire, or by burning candles on, in, or near a log of Oak on an altar.

Imbolc Pronounced em-bowl’g. Also known as St Brighid’s Day, Irish: Lá Fhéile Bríde, Scottish Gaelic: Là Fhèill Brìghde, Christian: Candlemas. History of Imbolc Imbolc (Gaelic for "in the belly"), is also known as Candlemas, the Festival of Lights, or the Feast of St. Brigid. At this cross-quarter or midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, we begin to see the first signs of life and the promise of spring! We celebrate the triple Goddess Brigid (Ireland), also interpreted as Bride (Scotland) and Brigantia (England). She is the ultimate domestic Goddess, keeper of the sacred hearth flame and the patroness of poets, healers, and craft workers. Inspiration is the spark of her passion and we drink at her sacred spring of knowledge!Imbolc CustomsLighting candles to honor the Virgin Goddess, honoring the growth of the Sun God, celebrate the middle of winter, celebrate lambing, seek omens of Spring, storytelling,

cleaning house, bonfires, indoor planting, stone collecting, candle kept burning dusk till dawn; hearth re-lighting. Burn incense or oil of jasmine, rosemary, frankincense, cinnamon, neroli, musk, basil, and myrrh. Themes include conception, initiation, insight, inspiration, creativity, mirth, renewal, dedication, breath of life, life-path, wise counsel, plan, prepare.Symbols and Decorations: White flowers, marigolds, plum blossoms, daffodils, Brigid wheel, Brigid’s cross, candles, grain/seed for blessing, red candle in a cauldron full of earth, doll, Bride’s Bed; the Bride, broom, milk, birch wood, snowflakes, snow in a crystal container, evergreens, homemade besom of dried broom, orange candle anointed in oil can be used to symbolize the renewing energy of the Sun’s rebirth.Foods: Dairy, spicy foods, raisins, pumpkin, sesame & sunflower seeds, poppy seed bread/cake, honey cake, pancakes, waffles, herbal tea.Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay, benzoin, celandine, clover, heather, myrrh, all yellow flowers, willow. Flowers include sweet pea, wisteria, apricot, and carnation. Animals: Firebird, dragon, groundhog, deer, burrowing animals, ewes, robin, sheep, lamb, other creatures waking from hibernation.Colors: Brown, pink, red, orange, white, lavender, pale yellow, silver.Gemstones: Amethyst, garnet, onyx, turquoise.Goddesses: Virgin Goddess, Venus, Diana, Februa, Maiden, Child Goddess, Aradia, Athena, Inanna, Vesta, Gaia, Brigid, Selene (Greek), Branwen(Manx-Welsh).Gods: Young Sun Gods, Pan, Cupid/Eros (Greco-Roman), Dumuzi(Sumerian).Revival of Imbolc • Kindle Your Inner Flame: Light a fire in your hearth or make/decorate and bless a special candle for your altar. Take some time to purify your mind, body, and soul. Then invite Brigid to spark your creativity and fan the embers of inspiration! Be sure to rake the ashes in your fireplace smooth before you go to bed so you can see Her footprints in them, in case she passes that way during the night. • Wear Brigid’s Mantle: Leave a shawl, scarf, handkerchief, scraps of fabric, or string in a tree or bush outside your door on Imbolc Eve. Brigid’s blessing will transform them into “Brat Bhride” (Brigid’s mantle or cloak) for personal protection and health throughout the year. • Weave Brigid’s Wheel: These charms can be made from rushes, palms, wheat, willow or even colorful pipe cleaners and can be hung above your hearth or door to protect your home throughout the year.• Make Butter: Imbolc is closely associated with mother’s milk (ewe or sheep’s milk in particular), and the act of making butter is nothing short of magical! You could simply beat heavy whipping cream in a mixer until it “breaks,” but nothing compares to hand shaking real butter in a glass jar—it’s much easier and more fun that you might think. Be sure to support your local, organic dairy! • Visit Sacred Springs: If you are lucky enough to have a natural spring or seasonal stream near your home, now is a great time to consecrate your body and respectfully collect Her sacred waters for magical workings. Be sure to leave an offering in reverent gratitude, such as a colorful ribbon or yarn of natural material tied to a nearby branch. • Create a Vision Board: Grab a stack of magazines, some poster board, and start placing words and images together into a collage that represents what you’d like to attract and manifest this year. This is a great activity to help kids visualize their intentions and indentify common goals for your family. Put them in a spot where everyone can see and encourage one another! • Start Your Spring Cleaning: Clean out your hearth, cut through the clutter, and use your besom to clear out any stagnant energy. Smudge each room, your ritual tools/altar, and open the windows to let in some healthy, fresh air!

Ostara (Spring Equinox)

Pronounced Oh-star-ah. Also known as Ostre, Oestre, Eostre, Rites of Spring, First Day of Spring, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Alban Eiler, Bacchanalia, Mean Earraigh, Pasch, Caisg, PessHistory of Ostara Ostara is recognized between March 20-22. It falls on the vernal (spring) equinox, when the days and nights are now of equal length, and winter gives way to spring. Ostara is a name derived from the Germanic Goddess of springtime. Eostre was her name, and Eastre was her festival. The rabbit was a symbol of this Goddess, and eggs symbolized fertility and rebirth. If you were a pagan, you would use this day to welcome the arrival of spring by blessing your seeds and celebrating the renewal of life. Ostara (Spring Equinox) is considered the start of spring; flowers begin to blossom and bloom. And color returns to the Earth. Ostara is one of the only two days in the year when day and night are equal. Because of this day of symmetry, balance is one of the many magical themes for this Sabbat. All about potential: the potential for balance above and below, and the potential for growth, renewal and the possibility of new starts.Ostara CustomsIt is customary to garden, plant seeds, bless your seeds and gardens, and plant blessings. Some customs are to wear green (St. Patrick’s Day), purchase new (or up-used) clothes, celebrate the Celtic bird festival, create egg baskets, color eggs, host egg hunts, and start new projects and new planting. Themes include balance, growth, communication, invention, new growth, new projects, greening of nature and the balance of light and dark. The essences of this sabbat are strength, birthing, completion, power, love, sexuality, embodiment of spirit, fertility, opening, beginning, plant and animal fertility, and sowing. It is customary to burn incense and oils of African violet, jasmine, rose, strawberry, lotus, magnolia, ginger, sage lavender, and narcissus. Symbols and Decorations: Daffodils, tulips, violet, iris, narcissus, any spring flowers, eggs, butterflies, cocoons, and rabbits. Plants for this Sabbat include celandine, cinquefoil, crocus, daffodil, dogwood, Easter lily, Irish moss, ginger, hyssop, linden, strawberry, gorse, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, jonquils, narcissus, olive, peony, rose, tansy, violets, woodruff and all spring flowers. Ostara symbolizes the beginning of spring, new life and rebirth, the God and Goddess in their youth, balance, and fertility. Colors include blue, pastels, pink and yellow. Foods: Hard-boiled eggs, honey cakes, fresh seasonal fruits, milk punch, leafy green vegetables, dairy foods, apples, nuts, flower dishes, sprouts, fish, maple sugar candies, hot cross buns, sweet breads, milk, punch, and egg drinks

Animals and Mythical Beasts: Rabbits/Easter bunny, snakes, Pegasus, unicorns, chicks, swallows, and merpeopleColors: Light green, lemon yellow, pale pink, pastels, gold, grass green, robin’s egg blue, and lemon yellow.Gemstones: Amethyst, aquamarine, rose quartz, moonstone, bloodstone, and red jasperGoddesses: all love, virgin, and fertility Goddesses; Ostara (the German Goddess of Fertility), Eostre (Saxon Goddess of Fertility), Flidais (Irish), Kore, Blodeuwedd, Gaia (Greek), Hera, Persephone (Greek), Maiden, Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake (Welsh-Cornish), the Green Goddess.Gods: all love, song & dance, and fertility Gods; Cernunnos (Celtic), Dagda(Irish), The Great Horned God (European), Odin (Norse), Thoth, Pan (Greek), the Green Man, Hare, Youthful Gods, Warrior Gods, Taliesin, Lord of the Greenwood (English).Revival of Spring Equinox

Do whatever cleansing you would like (smudging with sage, sweeping with a besom, ringing of bells, infusion of herbal water). Cleanse yourself and your space.

Light a bonfire. Set up the altar and decorate it with themes, colors and symbols of Ostara. Clear away the debris and stagnant energy left over from the cold dark months

prepare mentally, physically, spiritually, for a fresh start in the spring. Light a candle at your altar, center yourself, and ponder on what seeds you would like

to sow in your life this year. Write down everything which comes to you in a list, then choose three of them that you can really focus on: one for yourself, one for your family or community, and one for the planet.

In the modern world, we are continually bombarded with distracting stimuli. The straight, orderly furrows of a ploughed field remind us of the need to focus on our own projects. Look at ways in which you can clear space and time in your week for cultivating the delicate new shoots that will appear.

A seed will remain forever dormant unless it is planted in earth that has been well prepared for it. What groundwork do you need to do before your seed-ideas can germinate?

Beltane Beltane is the anglicized spelling of the Goidelic name for either the month of May or the festival held on the first day of May. History of BeltaneBeltane was an ancient Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Beltane is the second principal Celtic festival (the other being Samhain). It marked the beginning of summer and is the last of the three spring fertility festivals. Beltane and Samhain were the leading terminal dates of the civil year in medieval Ireland, though the latter festival was the more

important. Celebrated approximately halfway between spring equinox and the summer solstice and traditionally marked the arrival of summer in ancient times. Beltane, like Samhain, is a time of "no time" when the veils between the two worlds are at their thinnest. No time is when the two worlds intermingle and unite and the magic abounds. It is the time when the Faeries return from their winter respite, carefree and full of fairy mischief and fairy delight.

On the night before Beltane, in times past, folks would place rowan branches at their windows and doors for protection, many otherworldly occurrences could transpire during this time of "no time".

Traditionally on the Isle of Man, the youngest member of the family gathers primroses on the eve before Beltane and throws the flowers at the door of the home for protection.

In Ireland it is believed that food left over from May Eve must not be eaten, but rather buried or left as an offering to the fairy instead.

Much like the tradition of leaving of whatever is not harvested from the fields on Samhain; food on the time of no time is treated with great care.

Another common aspect of the festival in early 20th century Ireland was the hanging of May Boughs on the doors and windows of houses and the making of May Bushes in farmyards, which usually consisted either of a branch of rowan/mountain ash or more commonly whitethorn/ hawthorn which is in bloom at the time and is commonly called the 'May Bush' or just 'May' in both Ireland and Britain.

Furze was also used for the May Boughs, May Bushes and as fuel for the bonfire. The practice of bedecking the May Bush with flowers, ribbons, garlands and colored

egg shells is found among the Gaelic Diasporas. On Beltane eve the Celts would build two large fires, Bel Fires, lit from the nine sacred

woods. The Bel Fire is an invocation to Bel (Sun God) to bring His blessings and protection to the tribe. The herds were ritually driven between two needfires (fein cigin), built on a knoll. The herds were driven through to purify, bring luck and protect them as well as to insure their fertility before they were taken to summer grazing lands. An old Gaelic adage: "Eadar da theine Bhealltuinn" - "Between two Beltane fires".

The Bel fire is a sacred fire with healing and purifying powers. The fires further celebrate the return of life, fruitfulness to the earth and the burning away of winter. The ashes of the Beltane fires were smudged on faces and scattered in the fields. Household fires would be extinguished and re-lit with fresh fire from the Bel Fires.

In ancient Ireland there was a Sacred Tree named Bile, which was the center of the clan, or Tuatha. As the Irish Tree of Life, the Bile Pole, represents the connection between the people and the three worlds of Bith: The Skyworld (heavens), The Middleworld (our world), and The Otherworld. Although no longer the center life, the Bile pole has survived as the Beltane Maypole.

Beltane CustomsBeltane’s association with fire also makes Beltane a holiday of purification. It is common to build a May Pole, burn fires, burn incense or oil of frankincense, lilac and rose. This is a time to fertilize or boost your gardens and plants. Examine your goals (you are half way through the Celtic year) and nurture or boost your existing goals. Host a party with mummers, a bonfire and other Beltane customs. Make garlands out of hawthorn. Plant seeds or new plants. Host a feast and a dance. Symbols and Decorations: May Pole, strings of beads or flowers, hawthorn garlands, mummers costumes, ribbons, spring flowers, fires, fertility, growing things, ploughs, baskets, and eggs. Decorate in colors of green, soft pink, blue, yellow, red, and brown. Food: dairy, bread, cereals, oatmeal cakes, cherries, strawberries, wine, green salads.Herbs and Flowers: almond tree/shrub, ash, broom, clover, Dittany of Crete, elder, foxglove, frankincense, honeysuckle, rowan, sorrel, ivy, lily of the valley, marigold, meadowsweet, mint, mugwort, thyme, angelica, bluebells, daisy, hawthorn, ivy, lilac, primrose, St. John’s Wort, yarrow, and basically all flowers.

Animals: Swallow, dove, swan, cats, lynx, leopard Colors: green, soft pink, blue, yellow, red, brownStones/Gems: emerald, malachite, amber, orange carnelian, sapphire, rose quartzDeities: Flower Goddesses, Divine Couples, Deities of the Hunt, Aphrodite, Artemis, Bast, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Maia, Pan, the Horned God, Venus, and all Gods and Goddesses who preside over fertility.Revival of Beltane

The Maypole (Bile pole) is an important element to Beltane festivities, it is a tall pole decorated with long brightly colored ribbons, leaves, flowers and wreaths. Young maidens and lads each hold the end of a ribbon, and dance revolving around the base of the pole, interweaving the ribbons. The circle of dancers should begin, as far out from the pole as the length of ribbon allows, so the ribbons are taut. There should be an even number of boys & girls. Boys should be facing clockwise and girls counterclockwise. They each move in the direction that they are facing, weaving with the next, around to braid the ribbons over-and-under around the pole. Those passing on the inside will have to duck, those passing on the outside raise their ribbons to slide over. As the dances revolve around the pole the ribbons will weave creating a pattern, it is said that the pattern will indicate the abundance of harvest year.

The Maypole dance as an important aspect of encouraging the return of fertility to the earth. The pole itself is not only phallic in symbolism but also is the connector of the three worlds. Dancing the Maypole during Beltane is magical experience as it is a conduit of energy, connecting all three worlds at a time when these gateways are more easily penetrable. As people gaily dance around and around the pole holding the brightly colored ribbons, the energy it raises is sent down into the earth's womb, bringing about Her full awakening and fruitfulness.

Today in some towns and villages a mummer called Jack in the Green (drawing from the Green man), wears a costume made of green leaves as he dances around the May pole. Mumming is a dramatic performance of exaggerated characters and at Beltane the characters include Jack in the Green and the Fool. The Fool, and the Fool's journey, symbolism can be understood in relation to Beltane as it is the beginning of beginnings, the emergence from the void of nothingness (winter), as one can also see the role of the green man as the re-greening of the world.

Arise at dawn and wash in the morning dew: the woman who washes her face in it will be beautiful; the man who washes his hands will be skilled with knots and nets.

If you live near water, make a garland or posy of spring flowers and cast it into stream, lake or river to bless the water spirits.

Prepare a May basket by filling it with flowers and goodwill, and then give it to one in need of caring, such as an elderly friend.

Beltane is one of the three "spirit-nights" of the year when the faeries can be seen. At dusk, twist a rowan sprig into a ring and look through it, and you may see them.

Make a wish as you jump a bonfire or candle flame for good luck—but make sure you tie up long skirts first!

Make a May bowl —wine or punch in which the flowers of sweet woodruff or other fragrant blossoms are soaked—and drink with the one you love.

Midsummer Also know as Lithia, St. John’s Day, Gathering Day, Summer Solstice, Sun Blessing, Gathering Day, and Whit Sunday. History of MidsummerMidsummer is the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, and takes place on a day between June 21 and June 24 and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different cultures. According to the old folklore calendar, summer begins on Beltane (May 1st) and ends on Lughnassadh (August 1st), with the Summer Solstice midway between the two, marking MID-Summer. Midsummer celebrates the arrival of summer, when the hours of daylight are longest. The Sun is now at the highest point before beginning its slide into darkness. Midsummer or summer solstice is a lesser Sabbat or a low holiday.

The fire festival or Lith- summer solstice- is a tradition for many pagans. Some people believed that golden-flowered mid-summer plants, especially Calendula, and St. John's Wort, had miraculous healing powers and they therefore picked them on this night. Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits .The solstice itself has remained a special moment of the annual cycle of the year since Neolithic times. Rural spots light bonfires on hilltops. This tradition harks back to pagan times and is now associated with "St. John's Night".Litha is usually celebrated on June 21st, but varies somewhat from the 20th to the 23rd, dependant upon the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. At Litha, the veils between the worlds are thin; the portals between “the fields we know” and the worlds beyond stand open. This is an excellent time for rites of divination. Those who celebrated Litha did so wearing garlands or crowns of flowers, and of course, their millinery always included the yellow blossoms of St. John’s Wort. The Litha rites of the ancients were boisterous communal festivities with morris dancing, singing, storytelling, pageantry and feasting taking place by the village bonfire and torch lit processions through the villages after dark. People believed that the Litha fires possessed great power, and that prosperity and protection for oneself and one’s clan could be earned merely by jumping over the Litha bonfire. It was also common for courting couples joined hands and jump over the embers of the Litha fire three times to ensure a long and happy marriage, financial prosperity and many children. Even the charred embers from the Litha bonfire possessed protective powers – they were charms against injury and bad weather in harvest time, and embers were commonly placed around fields of grain and

orchards to protect the crops and ensure an abundant reaping. Other Litha customs included carrying an ember of the Litha fire home and placing it on one’s hearth and decking one’s home with birch, fennel, St. John’s Wort, orpin, and white lilies for blessing and protection.

Midsummer is a time to absorb the Sun’s warming rays and it is another fertility Sabbat, not only for humans, but also for crops and animals. Some consider the Goddess to be heavy with pregnancy from the mating at Beltane – honor is given to Her. The Sun God is celebrated as the Sun is at its peak in the sky and we celebrate His approaching fatherhood – honor is also given to Him. The faeries abound at this time and it is customary to leave offerings – such as food or herbs – for them in the evening. Although Litha may seem at first glance to be a masculine observance and one which focuses on Lugh, the day is also dedicated to the Goddess, and Her flowers are the white blossoms of the elder.Midsummer Customs The Midsummer Sabbat is a time to celebrate both work and leisure; it is a time for children and childlike play. It is a time to celebrate the ending of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning year, in preparation for the harvest to come. The joyous rituals of Midsummer celebrate the verdant Earth in high summer, abundance, fertility, and all the riches of Nature in full bloom. This is a madcap time of empowerment, beginning of the harvest, honoring the Sun God, honoring the pregnant Goddess, traditionally the time for weddings, and for communication with the spirits of Nature. Other Celtic Midsummer meanings include the crowing of the Sun God, death of the Oak King, assumption of the Holly King, and the end of the ordeal of the Green Man. Burn incense or oil of heliotrope, saffron, orange, frankincense & myrrh, wisteria, cinnamon, mints, rose, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, and pine. Symbols and Decorations: The sun, oak, birch and fir branches, sun flowers, lilies, red/maize/yellow or gold flowers, seashells, summer fruits and flowers, feather and flower door wreaths, sun wheel, fire, circles of stone, sun dials, and bird feathers. Foods: Honey, fresh vegetables, lemons, oranges, summer fruits, summer squash, pumpernickel bread, ale, carrot drinks, mead.Herbs: Anise, mugwort, chamomile, rose, wild rose, oak blossoms, lily, cinquefoil, lavender, fennel, elder, mistletoe, hemp, thyme, larkspur, nettle, wisteria, vervain ( verbena), St. John’s Wort, heartsease, rue, fern, wormwood, pine, heather, yarrow,oak & holly trees.Animals: Wren, robin, horses, cattle, faeries, firebird, dragon, thunderbirdColors: Blue, green, gold, yellow and red.Gemstones: Lapis lazuli, diamond, tiger’s eye, all green gemstones, especially emerald and jadeGoddesses: Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Venus, Aphrodite, Yemaya, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar, all Goddesses of love, passion, beauty and the Sea, and Pregnant,lusty Goddesses, Green Forest Mother; Great One of the Stars, Goddess of the WellsGods: Father Sun/Sky, Oak King, Holly King, Hur, Gods at peak power and strength.Revival of Midsummer

Host a Lithia party Divination related to romance and love Float paper boats with blessings on a river/stream to bring luck and love to whatever

may find it, or to the land. Singing and dancing around a bonfire while hosting a feast Outdoor picnic feasts Create crowns out of flowers Light bonfires

Hold all night vigils that include singing, feasting, and celebrating with others Herb gathering Weddings Gather mistletoe in oak groves Leap between two fires Women walking naked through gardens to ensure continued fertility Enjoying the seasonal fruits & vegetables Honor the Mother’s fullness, richness and abundance Put garlands of St. John’s Wort placed over doors and/or windows & a sprig in the car

for protection.

Lughnasadh Pronounced: Loo-nas-ah Also known as Lammas, Lunasa (meaning August), First Harvest, August Eve and Fire Festival. History of LughnasadhLammas is celebrated August 1st and is the first of three harvest festivals. In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day (Anglo-Saxon hlaf-mas, "loaf-mass"), the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop, which began to be harvested at Lammastide. The loaf was blessed, and in Anglo-Saxon England it might be employed afterwards to work magic: A book of Anglo-Saxon charms directed that the lammas bread be broken into four bits, which were to be placed at the four corners of the barn, to protect the garnered grain. In many parts of England, tenants were bound to present freshly harvested wheat to their landlords on or before the first day of August. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is referred to regularly, it is called "the feast of first fruits". The blessing of first fruits was performed annually in both the Eastern and Western Churches on the first or the sixth of August (the latter being the feast of the Transfiguration of Christ).

Lughnasadh celebrations were commonly held on hilltops. Traditionally, people would climb hills on Lughnasadh to gather bilberries, which were eaten on the spot or saved to make pies and wine.It is thought that Reek Sunday—the yearly pilgrimage to the top of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo in late July—was originally a Lughnasadh ritual. As with the other Gaelic seasonal festivals (Imbolc, Beltane and Samhain), the celebrations involved a great feast. In the Scottish Highlands, people made a special cake called the

lunastain, which was also called luinean when given to a man and luineag when given to a woman. This may have originated as an offering to the gods.

Another custom that Lughnasadh shared with the other Gaelic festivals was the lighting of bonfires and visiting of holy wells. The ashes from Lughnasadh bonfires would be used to bless fields, cattle and people. Visitors to holy wells would pray for health while walking sunwise around the well. They would then leave offerings; typically coins or clooties.

Lammas means "To give in Marriage to Lugh". Lammas marks the middle of summer and beginning of the harvest season. Lammas is considered a time of thanksgiving. The Sun's strength begins to wane and the plants of spring begin to wither and drop their fruits or seeds for our use as well as to ensure future crops. At this time, we become conscious of the sacrifice the Sun God is preparing to make. We experience a sense of abundance at the same time we begin to feel an urgency to prepare for the death of winter. First grains and fruits of the Earth are cut and stored for the dark winter months. Lammas also represents the culmination of the marriage between the Goddess and the God that took place on Beltane. The God now becomes the product of that blessed union - the bountiful fruits and grains - and must be sacrificed. He is the personification of the crops that must be harvested for the survival of the people. Underneath the symbolism of sacrifice is the theme of rebirth. The Corn God must die, and He has to do so in order to return. Without the sacrifice, the cycle stops. Although His strength is waning, His essence is still palpable as His energies begin to merge with the harvested crops. It is at this time that the Sun King has reached the autumn of His years, and His rival (or dark self) has just reached puberty. The Sun God has reigned supreme over the ripening grain during the hot summer months. His dedication, perseverance, and action in tending the seeds sown in spring bring a ripe and fruitful bounty. Although Lammas is the first of the harvest festivals, fertility imagery may still be found, as there are still crops in the field continuing to grow and livestock and game that have yet to be killed. As the God is honored for His harvest, so the Goddess is honored for bringing forth the first fruits, much as a new mother is honored.Lughnasadh CustomsLammas is the first harvest festival. The aging of the deities is celebrated; the Sun God is honored as well as fathers or father-figures. This is a time to offer thanks. The ideas of prosperity, abundance and generosity are celebrated. Feasts that focus on continued success and connectedness are central to Lammas. The essences of Lammas include fruitfulness, reaping, prosperity, reverence, purification, transformation, change. These essences can are symbolized in the customs of The Bread of Life, The Chalice of Plenty, The Ever-flowing Cup, the Groaning Board (Table of Plenty). This is also the time of the Celtic Grain Festival. The purpose of Lammas is to honor the first harvest; drink to the Goddess in appreciation of Her bounty; offer loaves of sacred bread in the shape of the Sun God. It is customary to burn incense or oils of Allspice, carnation, rosemary, vanilla, rose, aloe, sandalwood, chamomile, safflower, and eucalyptus. Symbols/Decorations: Symbols include corn dollies, cornucopia, grains, the Sun; It is customary to decorate with corn, hay, gourds, corn dollies, shafts of grains, sun wheels, red and yellow flowers; use wheat, barley or oats; decorate with fruits and

vegetable; decorate with baskets of bread; sickle, scythe and threshing tools; harvested herbs; bonfires; bilberries; God figurines made of bread or cookie dough.Foods: loaves of homemade bread (wheat, oat and corn); barley cakes; corn; potatoes; summer squash; nuts; acorns; wild berries and bilberries; apples; rice; pears; berry pies; elderberry wine; crab apples; mead; crab; grapes; cider; beer; grains; and roasted lamb. Herbs: Ash, camphor, caraway, fern, geranium, juniper, mandrake, marjoram, thyme, sunflower, wheat, acacia, heather, ginseng, sloe, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, aloes, frankincense, hollyhock, oak leaf, wheat, myrtle. Animals: roosters, calves, the Phoenix, griffins, basilisk, centaurs.Colors: red, gold, yellow, orange red, orange, golden yellow, green, light brown, gold, bronze and gray. Gemstones: aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, and yellow diamondsGoddesses: Tailltiu (Irish), Rhiannon (Welsh), the Mother, Dana, Demeter, Ceres, the Barley Mother, Corn Mother, Luna, other grain and agricultural Goddesses, and the waxing Goddess. Gods: Lugh, John Barley Corn, Lleu, Dagon, Dionysus, plus all sacrificial Gods who willingly shedblood/give their life that their people/lands may prosper, all vegetation Gods & Tanus, Gaulish Thunder God, Taranis Romano-Celtic Thunder God, the waning God.Revival of Lughnasadh

As of old, host people for a feast decorated with items listed above. Have people sing and danced jigs and reels to the music of melodeons, fiddles and flutes, and hold uproarious sporting contests and races.

Crown a woman or an effigy of one with summer flowers and seat her on a thrown with garlands (with flowers and ribbon) strewn at her feet. Dancers can whirl around her, touching her garlands or pulling off a ribbon for good luck. In this way, the ancient Goddess of the harvest will be remembered with honor.

Bake bread and eat with bilberry jam or blackberry jam. Give out baskets of bread and/or jam.

Mabon Pronounced (MAY-bone or MAH-bawn).Also known as Autumn Equinox, Harvest Home, and the Feast of the Ingathering. History of MabonThis sabbat is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and the God during the coming winter months. The name Mabon was coined

by Aidan Kelly around 1970 as a reference to a character from Welsh mythology. In the northern hemisphere this equinox occurs anywhere from September 21 to 24. Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three pagan harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas / Lughnasadh and followed by Samhain. Mabon is a celebration of the vine harvests and of wine. It is also associated with apples as symbols of life renewed.

This is a time to visiting burial cairns or graves of dead loved ones to honor their memory and passing. The Celts honored this sabbat by placing an apple on the burial cairns of their loved ones. Avalon, one of the many Celtic names for the Land of the Dead, literally means the "land of apples". These acts symbolized both thankfulness for the life-giving harvest, and the wish of the living to be reunited with their dead.Mabon CustomsMabon is a time of prosperity. Celts used this sabbat to seek protection and security for the coming winter months. Themes of harmony and balance and preparation are central to Mabon. Other themes include the balance of light and dark; beauty, joy, fullness of life, harvest of this year’s desires; strength; power; equality; balance; appreciation; wealth and reincarnation. This is a time to prepare for Samhain as well. Symbols/Decorations: wine, gourds, pine cones, apples, acorns, grains, pomegranates, vines, dried seeds and horns of plenty. Indian corn, red fruits, autumn flowers, red poppies, hazelnuts, garlands, fallen leaves, oak sprigs, figurine of Mother Goddess, Mabon wreath, grapes, marigolds, harvested crops, rattles, sun wheel and all harvest symbols. You can burn incense or oil of pine, sweetgrass, apple blossom, benzoin, myrrh, frankincense, jasmine, sage wood aloes, black pepper, patchouli, cinnamon, clove, oak moss and sage. Foods: breads, nuts, grapes, apples, pomegranates, corn bread, wheat products, grains, acorns, seeds, dried fruits, corn, beans, squash, onions, carrots, potatoes, hops, sassafras, roast goose or mutton, wine, ale and cider. Herbs: cedar, ferns, hazel, acorn, astor, benzoin, grains, honeysuckle, hops, ivy, marigold, milkweed, mums, myrrh, oak leaf, passionflower, pine, rose, sage, tobacco, thistle, vegetable, and Solomon’s seal. Animals: dogs, wolves, stag, blackbird, owl, eagle, birds of prey, salmon, goat, gnomes, sphinx, Minotaur and Cyclops.Colors: red, orange, russet, maroon, brown, gold, deep gold, green, orange, scarlet, all autumn colors, purple, blue, violet and indigo. Gemstones: sapphire, lapis lazuli, yellow agates, carnelian, yellow topaz, and amethystGoddesses: Modron (Welsh), Bona Dea, Land Mother, Aging and Harvest Dieties, Triple Goddess, Persephone, Demeter, Ceres, Morgan, and Epona. Gods: Mabon ap Modron (Welsh), Sky Father, The Green Man, wine gods, aging gods, John Barley Corn, and Hermes. Revival of Mabon

Make wine Gather dried herbs, seeds and seed pods, plants and use for décor Walk in nature and gather above listed things Offer libations to trees and land Adorn burial sites with leaves, acorns, and pine cones to honor those who have died. Mabon is considered a time of the Mysteries. It is a time to honor Aging Deities and the

Spirit World. Mabon is when we stop and relax and enjoy the fruits of our personal harvests. Prepare for cold weather

Cut willow wands

Eat seasonal fruit

Leave apples upon burial cairns & graves as a token of honor