(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Wheel of the Year: An Overview. [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-10-03 In the comments section of my recent diary about Mabon a reader asked about the possibility of my writing an explanation of the Wheel of the Year- the cycle of holy days which are celebrated by many pagans and others here. There have been entire books written about these celebrations; I can't go into great depth about them all in a single diary. But I can give a brief overview. The first thing to know is that these are seasonal celebrations which honor the cycles of Nature and the Earth. As such, they can be, and are, celebrated by non-pagans as well. There are Christians, agnostics, and atheists who celebrate some of these holidays. There also are secular and Christian counterparts for some of them. Halloween, Christmas, and Candlemas come immediately to mind. The gods being honored, if any, have different names and stories, but many of the traditions for each holiday can be nearly identical. A diagram of the Wheel of the Year as celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere. Another thing to know is that not all pagans celebrate these holidays. (Paganism isn't a big umbrella, it's an enormous umbrella.) Different paths and traditions have their own calendars of holy days; then, too, not everyone is particularly interested in seasonal celebrations. That's perfectly fine. These aren't obligatory; we can observe some, ignore others, or just sit back and enjoy watching other people celebrating. The Wheel of the Year as I and others here celebrate it is strongly influenced by some of the traditions of Wicca. Gerald Gardner, founder of Gardnerian Wicca, had a hand in it's creation. Seasonal celebrations are as old as humankind itself. Modern celebrations include traditions for which archaeological evidence goes back several thousands of years, and plenty of recent innovations as well. There are very many different ways that people celebrate these holidays, which are known as "Sabbats" by some of us. There are two solstice celebrations, two equinoxes, and four holidays falling in the midpoints between. Eight in all. The one coming up, Samhain aka Halloween does seem to be a universal favorite. It's known to some of us as "Pagan New Year". The ways in which each holiday is celebrated can vary. It's something of a running joke in the pagan community that our holidays tend to be full of eating, drinking, dancing, and sex. To a certain extent it's true. But there's usually a lot more going on. And for us, the fun stuff itself is considered sacred. (Believe me when I tell you that Beltane as celebrated by a solitary hedgewitch looks rather different from that of a Dianic Wiccan coven) There's a lot of diversity in paganism, and it's reflected in how we celebrate. And because they are seasonal in nature, the days on which they are celebrated are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. While we in the north are celebrating Samhain later this month, our friends in the south will be observing Beltane. While we are approaching the winter solstice and Yule, they await the summer solstice and Litha. The springtime celebrations- Imbolc and Ostara,- focus on the warming of the world around us, on new green growth, baby animals being born, the joy of expanding Life surrounding us. It's a good time for setting intentions and beginning new projects. And for venturing outdoors, stretching our limbs, and breathing in the energies of Life waking and unfolding all around us. Summer celebrations- Beltane and Litha, - center around the continued growth of living things, and the enjoyment of that which is ready for harvest. The intentions we set and the projects begun earlier are growing, expanding, and taking shape under our care. Most people know about Beltane being celebrated by making love. But like it's opposite on the Wheel, Samhain, Beltane's a good time for divination. The veil between the worlds which gets really flimsy at Samhain is rather thin at Beltane as well. Because of this, many people who want a baby consider Beltane a good time to try to conceive. The autumn holidays- Lughnasadh and Mabon- mark the season of harvest beginning as the daylight hours grow shorter. It's a time for reaping what we've sown, literally and metaphorically. The Earth has begun it's process toward the darker, colder coming winter. Wild creatures begin to prepare by gathering food and creating warm, comfortable burrows, or by starting the long migrations to warmer climes. This is considered a favorable time for releasing from our lives those things which no longer serve us. Winter holidays- Samhain and Yule- are favorites for many of us. Lots of parties, music, feasting and drinking and exchanges of gifts. Costumes, candy, and kisses under the mistletoe. There is however a serious, even solemn aspect to these holidays. At Samhain we acknowledge Death itself as a facet of Life; a thing to be respected and honored. Special altars are created for honoring our ancestors, and offerings of food, drink, and flowers give testament to the enduring love between departed family members and friends, and those yet living here. Yule marks the shortest day and longest night of the year; it's a time to look ahead towards the returning light and warmth, to remember the beauty of Nature renewing itself. That which has passed away from us is eventually restored in one form or another. We ourselves are restored, body, mind, and spirit, within the endless turning of the Great Wheel. I had intended to make this a brief overview; I honestly did try! As it is, there's so very much more to say, and know, about all of this. I've spent over forty years doing it, and I'm still learning. Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/3/2196844/-The-Wheel-of-the-Year-An-Overview?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/