The 'Wheel of the Year' is a Neopagan 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 referred to by Wiccans as 'Sabbats'.
In most 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 the
God and the fertility of the
Goddess.
Eight Festivals
Wiccans and some Neopagan groups observe eight festivals which are commonly referred to as "sabbats".
[1] Four of these fall on the
solstices and
equinoxes and are known as "
quarter days"; the other four fall (approximately) midway between these and are commonly known as "
cross-quarter days" or "fire festivals". The "quarter days" are loosely based or named after the
Germanic festivals, and the "cross-quarter days" 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, some having little in common with the cultural festivals outside of the adopted name. The "quarter days" and the "cross-quarter days" are also referred to as "Minor" and "Major" sabbats, respectively.
[2]
The system of eight yearly festivals held on these dates is unknown in older
pagan calendars, and originated in the modern
Wiccan religion.
[3]
The eight festivals are distinct from "
esbats", which are lunar-based festivals falling on a
full or
new moon.
| Festival name | Date | Sun's Position |
|---|
| Samhain (//), Last Harvest, Blood Harvest, Ancestor Night, Feast of the Dead | 1 Nov (alt. 5-10 Nov) | ≈ 15° ♠|
| Yule, Alban Arthan, Midwinter, Winter Rite | 20-23 Dec (winter solstice) | 0° ♑ |
| Imbolc, Brigid's Day, Candlemas, Bride's Day, Brigantia | 2 Feb (alt. 2-7 Feb) | ≈ 15° ♒ |
| Ostara, Alban Eilir, Lady Day, Festival of Trees | 19-22 Mar (spring equinox) | 0° ♈ |
| Beltane, May Day | 1 May (alt. 4-10 May) | ≈ 15° ♉ |
| Midsummer, Alban Hefin, Aerra Litha, Mother Night | 19-23 June (summer solstice) | 0° ♋ |
| Lughnasadh (//), Lammas, 1st Harvest, Bread Harvest, Festival of First Fruits | 1 Aug (alt. 3-10 Aug) | ≈ 15° ♌ |
| Mabon, Alban Elfed, Harvest Home, 2nd Harvest, Fruit Harvest, Wine Harvest | 21-24 Sept (autumn equinox) | 0° ♎ |
Etymology
While most of these names derive from historical festivals, the non-traditional names ''Litha'' and ''
Mabon'', which have become popular in North American Wicca, were introduced 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".
"Litha" also occurs in the Venerable Bede's "Reckoning of Time" (''De temporum rationis'', 7th century), which preserves a list of the (obsolete) Anglo-Saxon names for the twelve months. ''Ærra Liða'' ('first' or 'preceding' ''Liða'') corresponds to June in our calendar. ''Æfterra Liða'' ('following' ''Liða'') is July (in the Northern hemisphere).
Bede writes that "Litha means 'gentle' or 'navigable', because in both these months the calm breezes are gentle and they were wont to sail upon the smooth sea."
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.
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).
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.
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.
[4] Wiccans observe the festivals of the Wheel of the Year together in a form of
universalism not corroborated by any historical continuity.
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.
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.
[5]
Narratives
Among Wiccans, the most common Wheel of the Year narrative is that of the
God/
Goddess duality. In this cycle, the God is born from the Goddess at Yule, grows in power at
Vernal Equinox (along with the Goddess who has now returned to her maiden aspect), courts and impregnates the Goddess at
Beltane, wanes in power at
Lammas, passes into the underworld at
Samhain, then is once again born from Her mother/crone aspect at Yule. The Goddess, in turn, ages and rejuvenates endlessly with the seasons, being courted by and giving birth to the Horned God. Versions of this myth vary from coven to coven, shifting the birth, conception, or death of the God to different Sabbats.
Another, more solar, narrative is of the
Holly King and the
Oak King, with one ruling the winter, the other the summer. These two figures battle with each other endlessly as the seasons turn. At
Midsummer the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King is at his weakest. The Holly King begins to regain his power, and at the
Autumn Equinox, the tables finally turn in the Holly King's favor; he vanquishes the Oak King at Yule. Then over the next months, as the sun waxes in power, the Oak King slowly regains his strength; at the
Spring Equinox he begins to triumph until he once again defeats the Holly King at Midsummer.
[6]
See also
★
Celtic calendar
References
1. http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1172877012955&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112188062620 Wiccan Veterans waging new war Devon Haynie March 3, 2007
2. http://wicca.timerift.net/sabbat.shtml "The Wheel of the Year/the Sabbats"
3. http://www.manygods.org.uk/articles/essays/wheel.html "The Eightfold Wheel of the Year" Moonhunter 2003
4. The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles, , Ronald, Hutton, Oxford, Blackwell, , ISBN 0-631-18946-7
5. Fifty Years of Wicca, , Frederic, Lamond, Green Magic, 2004, ISBN 0-9547230-1-5
6. Eight Sabbats for Witches, revised edition, Farrar, Janet and Stewart, , , Phoenix Publishing, 1988, ISBN 0-919345-26-3
External links
★
Seasons (astronomically) by Archaeoastronomy
★
About the Sabbats by Judy Harrow
★
The Eightfold Wheel by Moonhunter
العربية
ä¸å›½
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिनà¥à¤¦à¥€
Italiano
日本語
Português
РуÑÑкий
Español
