TYPE 4

THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR - LISTED

A: LUGHNADSADH 2ND FEB. A FIRE FESTIVAL, HARVEST HOME, THE WANING GOD &

WAXING GODDESS.

B: MABON 21 ST MARCH. NATURE RITE, 2ND HARVEST, GOD DIES & HIS PRESENCE FELT

IN GODDESS'S WOMB.

C: SAMHAINE 30 TH. APRIL, 1ST MAY, FIRE FESTIVAL, DEATH & REBIRTH, WITCHES

NEW YEAR.

D: YULE 21 ST JUNE, NATURE RITE, BIRTH OF GOD.

E: IMBOLC 1ST AUGUST, FIRE FESTIVAL, FEAST OF LIGHT & PURIFICATION, FIRST

STIRRINGS OF SPRING, THE LORD AS A CHILD, THE GODDESS'S RECOVERY FROM

DELIVERY.

F: OSTARA 21 SEPTEMBER, NATURE RITE, THE CYCLE OF PLANTING & REBIRTH OF PLANT

& ANIMAL.

G: BELTAINE 1ST NOVEMBER, FIRE FESTIVAL, THE GOD REACHES MANHOOD & MATES

WITH GODDESS.

H: LITHA 21ST DECEMBER, NATURE RITE, THE GOD HAS REACHED HIS PEAK, ALL NATURE

CELEBRATES IN A RAINBOW OF COLOURS, THE VEIL BETWEEN EARTH & THE FAIRY

REALM IS THINNEST.

THE NATURE FESTIVALS ARE ALSO THE SOLAR RITES, THE SOLSTICES & EQUINOXES,

THEY ARE :

WINTER SOLSTICE - YULE.

SPRING EQUINOX - OSTARA.

SUMMER SOLSTICE - LITHA.

AUTUMN EQUINOX - MABON.

THESE COLLECTIVELY ARE KNOWN AS THE LESSER SABBATS.

THE GREATER SABBATS ARE :SAMHAINE, IMBOLC, BELTAINE, LUGHNASADH, WHICH ARE

FIRE FESTIVALS OF NATURE, & ARE THUS ALSO NATURE RITES. IT IS BEST TO REFER

TO THE GREATER & LESSER RITES OF THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR.

THE TIMES BETWEEN FESTIVALS ARE ALMOST EQUAL: THERE ARE 6 WEEKS BETWEEN A

LESSER RITE & A GREATER ONE, & 7 FROM A GREATER RITE TO A LESSER RITE, MAKING

4 EQUAL DIVISIONS OF 13 WEEKS IN A YEAR.

THERE ARE USUALLY 13 FULL MOONS & 13 DARK MOONS PER YEAR, THESE ARE REFERRED

TO AS ESBATS.

SABBATS - CELEBRATIONS, WORSHIP.

ESBATS - WORSHIP, SPELL WORK HEALING, BANISHING, MEDITATION, PATH-WORKING,

INITIATION, CRAFT WORK, EARTH HEALING ETC.

CIRCLE NIGHTS OR LESSON NIGHTS ARE ONCE A WEEK & ARE USED TO TEACH, DISCUSS,

READ MYTH & POETRY, MEDITATE, DO PAST LIFE WORK & DEAL WITH COVEN BUSINESS.

THE CIRCLE EVENING IS INFORMAL & THE USUALLY A FINGER SUPPER OR HIGH TEA,

EACH PRESENT SUPPLIES SOME THING TO EAT & DRINK.

THE SABBAT IS A HIGH FEAST & ALL PRESENT CONTRIBUTE TO IT.

THE ESBAT ENDS WITH A SIMPLE FEAST, USUALLY WITH SOUP, BREAD, COLD MEATS,

CHEESE, PICKLES & WINE OR ALE. ALL BRING SOME THING TO EAT & SHARE.

WHEN ATTENDING A SABBAT, ESBAT OR CIRCLE NIGHT PLEASE PHONE TO CONFIRM & LET

US KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BRINGING AS WE MAY END UP HAVING PICKLES THAT NIGHT.

BLESSED BE.

THE FESTIVAL WHEEL.

THE GODDESS GIVES BIRTH TO A SON, THE GOD REBORN, THIS IS IN NO WAY AN

ADAPTATION OF CHRISTIANITY. THE WINTER SOLSTICE HAS LONG BEEN VIEWED AS A

TIME OF DIVINE BIRTHS. BAAL WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN BORN AT THIS TIME, AS WAS

DIONYSIS, ATTIS, MITHRAS, & OTHERS.

THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH SIMPLY ADOPTED IT FOR THEIR USE IN 273 C. E. YULE IS A

TIME OF THE GREATEST DARKNESS & IS THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR. EARLIER

PEOPLE NOTICED SUCH PHENOMENA & SUPPLICATED THE FORCES OF NATURE TO LENGTHEN

THE DAYS & SHORTEN THE NIGHTS. WICCANS SOMETIMES CELEBRATED YULE JUST BEFORE

DAWN, THEN WATCH THE SUN RISE AS A FITTING FINALE TO THEIR RITES.

SINCE THE GOD IS SYMBOLISED BY THE SUN, THIS MARKS THE POINT OF THE YEAR WHEN

THE SUN IS REBORN AS WELL, THUS THE WICCA LIGHT FIRES OR CANDLES, TO WELCOME

THE SUNS RETURNING LIGHT.

THE GODDESS SLUMBERING THROUGH THE WINTER OF HER LABOUR, RESTS AFTER HER

DELIVERY. YULE IS THE REMNANT OF EARLY RITUALS CELEBRATED TO HURRY THE END OF

WINTER & BRING THE BOUNTY OF SPRING. TO CONTEMPORARY WICCANS IT IS A REMINDER

THAT THE ULTIMATE PRODUCT OF DEATH IS REBIRTH, A COMFORTING THOUGHT IN THESE

DAYS OF UNREST.

YULE IS ALSO KNOWN AS SOL INVICTUS, SATURNALIA, WOLFMOON, ALBAN ARTHUAN.

IMBOLC.

MARKS THE RECOVERY OF THE GODDESS AFTER DELIVERY, THE LENGTHENING PERIODS OF

LIGHT AWAKEN HER. THE GOD IS A YOUNG LUSTY BOY & HIS POWER IS NOW FELT IN THE

LONGER DAYS. THE WARMTH NOW FERTILISES THE EARTH & CAUSES THE TREES & SEEDS

TO SPROUT & GERMINATE , & SO THE EARLIEST BEGINNINGS OF SPRING OCCUR. THIS IS

A SABBAT OF PURIFICATION AFTER THE SHUT IN LIFE OF WINTER, THROUGH THE

RENEWING POWER OF THE SUN. IT IS ALSO A FESTIVAL OF LIGHT & FERTILITY, ONCE

MARKED IN EUROPE WITH HUGE BLAZES , TORCHES , & FIRE OF ANY FORM. FIRE HERE

REPRESENTS OUR OWN ILLUMINATION & INSPIRATION AS MUCH AS LIGHT & WARMTH.

IMBOLC IS ALSO KNOWN AS FEAST OF TORCHES, OMIELC, LUPERCALIA, PANS FEAST,

SNOWDROP FESTIVAL, FEAST OF THE WAXING LIGHT, CANDLEMAS, ROODMAS,

OUIAMELGITIS, BRIGANTIA, IMBOLG, FESTIVAL OF PURIFICATION & LIGHT.

OSTARA.

THE SPRING EQUINOX, ALSO KNOWN AS THE RITES OF SPRING, EOSTRA'S DAY SPRING

FESTIVAL, VERNAL EQUINOX, ALBAN EILER, GROUND HOG DAY, OESTER'S DAY. ISHSTAR

'S RITE, ASTARTA'S DAY. THIS FESTIVAL IS THE FIRST DAY OF TRUE SPRING, THE

ENERGIES OF NATURE SUBTLY SHIFT FROM SLUGGISHNESS OF WINTER TO THE EXUBERANT

EXPANSION OF SPRING. THE GODDESS BLANKETS THE EARTH WITH FERTILITY, BURSTING

FORTH FROM HER SLEEP & AS THE GOD STRETCHES & GROWS TO MATURITY HE WALKS THE

GREENING FIELDS & DELIGHTS IN THE ABUNDANCE OF NATURE. ON OSTARA THE HOURS OF

DAY & NIGHT ARE EQUAL, LIGHT IS OVERTAKING DARKNESS, THE GODDESS & GOD

IMPEL THE WILD CREATURES TO REPRODUCE. THIS IS A TIME OF BEGINNINGS, OF

ACTION , OF PLANTING, SPRING CLEANING OUR HOMES & MINDS. BELTAINE.

THIS RITE MARKS THE EMERGENCE OF THE YOUNG GOD INTO MANHOOD, STIRRED BY THE

ENERGIES AT WORK IN NATURE, HE DESIRES THE GODDESS, THEY FALL IN LOVE &

UNITE. THE GODDESS BECOMES PREGNANT OF THE GOD. THE WICCANS CELEBRATE THE

SYMBOL OF HER FERTILITY IN RITUAL. BY FEASTING & TRADITIONAL HANDFASTING

RITES.

BELTAINE IS ALSO KNOWN AS BELTANE, MAY DAY, FEAST OF THE SACRED FIRE, THE MAY

POLE FESTIVAL, BEALTAINE, LADY DAY , FEAST OF BELENOS , BRAN 'S FESTIVAL,

FEAST OF HOLLY & OAK , FEAST OF BEL , GOLUAN NIGHT , BEL FIRE , WALPURGIS

NIGHT , WALPURGISNACHT , WALBURGS EVE , BELONTIA, FLORALIA.

MAY POLES SUPREMELY PHALLIC SYMBOLS WERE THE FOCAL POINT OF ANCIENT ENGLISH

VILLAGE RITUALS. MANY PERSONS ROSE AT DAWN TO GATHER FLOWERS & GREEN BRANCHES

FROM FIELDS , FORESTS & GARDENS USING THEM TO DECORATE THE MAY POLE. THEIR

HOMES & THEMSELVES.

THE GREENERY ESPECIALLY THE MAY ( HAWTHORN) & THE FLOWERS REPRESENTED THE

GODDESS., THE OAK REPRESENTED THE GOD & WAS ALSO USED FOR DECORATION AT THIS

TIME. HAWTHORN OR MAY FLOWERS WERE ONLY PICKED AT THIS RITE , IT WAS

CONSIDERED BANEFUL AT ANY OTHER TIME.

LITHA.

MID-SUMMER, SUMMER SOLTICE, DEC. 21, ALBAN HERUIN AND FALLOW FESTIVAL OF THE

NORTH. WHEN THIS FESTIVAL ARRIVES THE POWERS OF NATURE REACH THEIR HIGHEST

POINT. THE EARTH IS AWASH IN THE FERTILITY OF THE GODDESS & GOD. IN THE PAST

BONFIRES WERE LEAPT TO ENCOURAGE FERTILITY, PURIFICATION, HEALTH AND LOVE.

THE FIRE ONCE AGAIN REPRESENTS THE SUN FETTERED ON THIS TIME OF THE LONGEST

HOURS. ITS IS A CLASSIC TIME FOR MAGIC OF ALL KINDS.

LUGNASADH.

ALSO KNOWN AS LADY'S RITE, LUGUNASSATIS, LUGH'S RITE, LUGHSMASS, LUNOSA,

LAMMAS, THE GUL OF AUGUST, HLAF-MASS. HLAFMESSA, FEAST OF BREAD, LA LUNASA,

AUGUST EVE AND HARVEST HOME. THIS IS THE TIME OF THE FIRST HARVEST WHEN THE

PLANTS OF SPRING WITHER A ND DROP THEIR FRUITS OR SEEDS FOR OUR USE, AS WELL

AS TO ENSURE FUTURE CROPS. MYSTICALLY, SO TOO DOES THE GOD LOSE HIS STRENGTH,

AS THE SUN RISES FARTHER IN THE SOUTH EACH DAY AND THE NIGHTS GROW LONGER.

THE GODDESS WATCHES IN SORROW AND JOY AS SHE REALISES THAT THE GOD IS DYING

AND YET LIVES INSIDE HER AS HER CHILD. THIS FESTIVAL ORIGINALLY COINCIDED

WITH THE FIRST REAPINGS. AS SUMMER PASSES, WICCANS REMEMBER ITS WARMTH &

BOUNTY IN THE FOOD WE EAT. EVERY MEAL IS AN ACT OF ATTUNEMENT WITH NATURE &

WE ARE REMINDED THAT NOTHING IN THE UNIVERSE IS CONSTANT. THIS FESTIVAL

BELONGS TO THE GOD LUGH, THE CELTIC GOD ALSO KNOWN AS JOHN BARLEYCORN, THE

DYING GOD OF DEATH & REBIRTH. HIS BLOOD IS REPRESENTED BY THE SCARLET POPPIES

THAT BLOOM AT THIS TIME. CAKES & BREAD FOR THIS FEAST ARE USUALLY MARKED WITH

THE 8 SPOKED WHEEL OF THE FESTIVALS.

MABON.

ALSO KNOWN AS ALBAN ELVED , ALBAN ELFRED , WINTER FINDING & 2ND HARVEST

FESTIVAL. THIS IS A TIME OF BALANCE. WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE HARVEST WHICH HAS

BEEN SAFELY GATHERED IN & WE SAY FAREWELL TO THE FALLEN GOD WHO IS

REPRESENTED BY THE SUN WHICH WILL SLOWLY LOSE ITS POWER AS THE WINTER

APPROACHES. AS THE LEAVES CHANGE COLOUR WE AS WITCHES THINK ABOUT THE FINAL

GATHERING BEFORE THE WINTER SETS IN. IT IS A BUSY TIME FOR US, AS NOW IS THE

TIME TO HARVEST OUR HERBS, COLLECT SEEDS & SEED PODS FOR SPRING PLANTING & TO

DRY OUR MAGICAL HERBS:- SOME FOR COOKING & SOME FOR RITUAL USE. BERRIES &

FRUIT ARE GATHERED TO MAKE ELDER ROB, SLOES FOR SLOE-GIN, HERB VINEGARS,

WINES & BRANDIES & HONEY BEER IS MADE NOW TO READY OURSELVES FOR THE WINTER.

WOOD & PINE CONES ARE GATHERED FOR RITUAL FUEL & HOME USE. THIS IS A TIME OF

JAM, JELLIES, PICKLES, CHUTNEYS & BOTTLED FRUIT MAKING. A TIME FOR DRYING

MEAT, FISH & FRUIT, FOR SMOKING HAMS & BACON & STOCKING OUR LARDERS FOR

WINTER USE. (GEM ELIXIRS & HEALING HERBS) THE BIRDS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN & OUR

SUN FLOWERS ARE HARVESTED SO THAT WE MAY FEED THEM DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.

ONCE AGAIN DAY & NIGHT ARE EQUAL, POISED AS THE GOD PREPARES TO LEAVE HIS

PHYSICAL BODY & BEGIN THE GREAT ADVENTURE INTO THE UNDERWORLD. MABON IS THE

COMPLETION OF THE HARVEST BEGUN AT LUGHNASADH THE 1 ST HARVEST. WE LOOK

TOWARDS RENEWAL & REBIRTH OF THE GODDESS & GOD IN SPRING AS YOUNG VITAL

BEINGS & SO OUR WHEEL TURNS IN ITS CYCLE OF DEATH & REBIRTH IN EACH & EVERY

SEED OR NUT. THE GODDESS NODS IN THE WEAKENING SUN , THOUGH FIRE BURNS

WITHIN HER WOMB & SHE FEELS THE PRESENCE OF THE GOD EVEN AS HE WANES.

SAMHAINE.

ALSO KNOWN AS LA SAMBA , THE WITCHES NEW YEAR , SUMMERS END , MARTINESS ,

NOVEMBER EVE , FEAST OF APPLES , ALL HALLOWS , FEAST OF THE DEAD , WEST WIND

SABBAT, HALLOWS EVE , HALLOWMASS , HALLOWEEN , SAMONI , ANCESTOR NIGHT ,

SAMANA, ELDER TREE MOON , NUT CRACKER NIGHT , SAMAN. AT THIS TIME WICCANS SAY

FAREWELL TO THE GOD, THIS IS A TEMPORARY FAREWELL, HE IS NOT DEAD BUT NOW

LIVES WITHIN THE WOMB OF THE GODDESS & PREPARES TO BE REBORN OF HER AT YULE.

THIS FESTIVAL WAS ONCE A TIME OF SACRIFICE, THIS WAS THE TIME OF THE YEAR

WHEN ANIMALS WERE SLAUGHTERED TO ENSURE FOOD THROUGH OUT THE WINTER. SAMHAINE

IS THE END OF THE WITCHES YEAR & ALSO ITS BEGINNING. WHEN THE LEAVES FALL WE

GET READY FOR THE START OF THE PAGAN YEAR. SAMHAINE IS A NATURE RITE, ONE OF

THE FOUR ANCIENT FIRE FESTIVALS & IS ONE OF THE GREATER SABBATS. THE ORIGINS

OF THE NAME ARE OBSCURE BUT IT IS SAID THAT IT STEMS FROM THE GAELIC WORD

PRONOUNCED SOMETHING LIKE "SAVEN". SO WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE. AT THIS TIME

OF THE YE AR WE LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE & FORWARD TO WHAT WE ARE ABOUT

TO DO. HERE AT THE END, WE BEGIN THE NEXT SPIRAL ROUND. IN THE COURSE OF THE

YEAR'S WORK WE SHOULD FIND OUT A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN AND

OURSELVES. IT ALSO BRINGS US TO THE TIME WE REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON

& FOR US TO FACE OUR OWN EVENTUAL DEATH. THESE DAYS MANY PEOPLE FEAR DEATH

YET IT IS ONLY THE END OF ONE SPIRAL & THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT. FOR

CENTURIES HELL HAS BEEN PORTRAYED AS AN ACCURSED PLACE FULL OF PAIN AND WOE

WHERE MISERABLE SINNERS WILL PAY FOR THEIR MISDEEDS IN THIS LIFE. WICCANS SEE

DEATH AS CHANGE, A TIME OF REST BETWEEN LIFE TIMES. IT IS HERE IN THE

PHYSICAL THAT WE LEARN, GAIN WISDOM, EXPERIENCE AND MAKE AND PAY BACK KARMA.

BLESSED BE