CYCLES of NATURE
Wheel of the Year
Nature, in her ancient round, turns. As she breathes and dances with the sun, we her children are born and birth and wither away. So much effort is made in this age of cell phones and bionics to promise immortality and eternal youth. But the seasons of our Mother are inevitable, and in a way, the ephemeral quality of Life is its beauty. The fact that within death, new life and beauty germinate–there is eternity. There is the assurance of dawn and progress.
Observing the cycles of nature, and learning to relish the beauty and bitterness of each season brings a sense of stability and calm to my life. As a mystic witch, I observe the cycles of nature via the festivals of my ancestors who hail from Scandinavia, Germany, and the British Isles. Many modern-day witches and neo-pagans refer to these festivals as the Wheel of the Year.
IMBOLC – February 2
Known as St. Brigid’s Day in Ireland, symbolism focuses on the Sacred Flame, the Sacred Well, poetry, craftsmanship, and newborn of the flocks. This is my favorite holiday. It’s a time of introspection; a time to focus on purity, intellectual creativity, and new beginnings.
OSTARA – March 20
Christians celebrate Easter and Jews celebrate Passover around this, the Spring Equinox. Flowers are in bloom, bunches of baby animals are about, and the sun is stretching his legs after his long winter’s nap. Ostara is a goddess of fertility and the dawn that may have been venerated in Germany when the Grimm Brothers were collecting oral folktales of northern Europe.
BELTANE – May 1
The first day of summer (May Day) is a festival of bonfires and wild abandon. I like to think of it as being similar to Mardi Gras, where all the strict rules are suspended for a few nights. Practitioners allow themselves to indulge in the “rites of May” and sow some wild oats. Depending on the tradition, this day may be observed similarly or identical to Litha (Midsummer).
LITHA – June 21
‘Tis the Summer Solstice! Bring on the bouquets, the busty dresses, the colorful ribbons, the May Pole, and any other phallic symbolism you can find! It’s the height of summer, and don’t the pagans know how to do it well! If Beltane wasn’t lusty enough for you, Litha should be the most intense of the fertility celebrations. It venerates the ‘hieros gamos,’ the Sacred Marriage of the God and Goddess (the sun and earth). From their union comes our bounty. Because of this, Midsummer is a traditional time to perform a marriage. Life is good, and this is the holiday to make noise, feast, light things on fire, and enjoy the day while it is long.
LAMMAS – August 1
The first harvest; a festival of threshing wheat and bread-baking. A time of gratitude, to work hard to reap what you have sown.
MABON – September 23
Autumnal Equinox and the second harvest; a feast of apples and honey. I like to think of this as “witch’s Thanksgiving.” We bid farewell to the glory of Summer, and store up our harvest for the Winter. A great feast is had with friends and family to offer gratitude to the land, and to each other for all the hard work and neighborly help through the year.
SAMHAIN – October 31
Samhain (sow-uhn) is a very sacred time for witches, as this is the time when the veil between our world and the spirit world is very thin. It is a great time for solemn contemplation, dark arts, psychic phenomenon, and the best time to communicate with our ancestors. Americans celebrate this as Halloween, a day of facing death and the gruesome truth of decay. Mexicans observe this and the following first days of November as ‘Dia de los Muertos.’ Parades and feasts are held in honor of their beloved dead during this time.
YULE – December 21
Another one of my favorite holidays is Yuletide. In the homelands of my ancestors, Winter Solstice was the darkest time of year. In the far north, the sun hardly rises at all. Yuletide is a time to forgive your neighbor, because no one should have to suffer the darkness alone. Burn the Yule log, break out your summer stores, roast the best pig, and pass the mead! Sing songs, dance, give gifts, and be merry. You’re not alone; let good will abide.
Imagine how connected and grounded you feel gathering with friends and family during your traditional family festivals. Now, imagine feeling that way every six weeks or so. That feeling is the reason I have incorporated these festivals into my life. Preparing to observe these special days gives me something to look forward to and brings me back to the earth.
I encourage every woman on a Folkmother path to discover and observe those festivals and traditions that speak to them. If you have no connection with the traditions of your ancestors, feel free to borrow from the list above.
If you would like some perspective on developing your own feasts and holy days, join the Folkmother Tribe and and become a paying member to get access to Wheel of the Year workshops as they are released.