Post by cygnet on Jan 15, 2009 16:54:43 GMT
The Wheel Of The Year.
There are eight Sabbat celebrations that mark the annual solar cycle. These fall into two categories - the Greater Sabbats (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh) and the Lesser Sabbats (the equinoxes and solstices given the names of Yule, Ostara, and Mabon).
A Celtic day ran from the time the sun set, so the Greater Sabbat celebrations generally begin on what we would consider the evening before, as soon as the sun has set (i.e. Lughnasadh celebrations start at sunset on 31 July). The Celtic year starts and finishes with Samhain (pronounced 'Sow-een') for much the same reason - in terms of the solar year, having passed the autumn equinox and daylight getting shorter, Samhain is the equivalent of sunset. Yule then, is the equivalent of midnight.
The traditional Wiccan texts divide the solar year into two parts ruled by the Oak King who is reborn at Yule taking over from the Holly King. The Oak King rues from Yule to Litha (the midsummer solstice) where the two kings battle it out and the Holly King takes over to rule until Yule. Each King is subject to a sacrifice and resurrection (through mating with the ever-living Goddess in her various guises) between each cycle at Beltane, Lughnasadh or Samhain. The important thing, however, is to mark the solar year sinking to its lowest at Yule (the winter solstice) and waxing in strength to Litha (the summer solstice) and then waning to start the process again at Yule. The energies can be used in much the same way that the waxing and waning cycles of the moon are. It is also important that any rituals that you might write mark the relevance of those cycles to the fertility of the Earth, helping to germinate the seed in spring, coming to full flower in summer, fruit and harvest as we approach autumn and decay ready for rebirth as we approach winter.
There are eight Sabbat celebrations that mark the annual solar cycle. These fall into two categories - the Greater Sabbats (Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh) and the Lesser Sabbats (the equinoxes and solstices given the names of Yule, Ostara, and Mabon).
A Celtic day ran from the time the sun set, so the Greater Sabbat celebrations generally begin on what we would consider the evening before, as soon as the sun has set (i.e. Lughnasadh celebrations start at sunset on 31 July). The Celtic year starts and finishes with Samhain (pronounced 'Sow-een') for much the same reason - in terms of the solar year, having passed the autumn equinox and daylight getting shorter, Samhain is the equivalent of sunset. Yule then, is the equivalent of midnight.
The traditional Wiccan texts divide the solar year into two parts ruled by the Oak King who is reborn at Yule taking over from the Holly King. The Oak King rues from Yule to Litha (the midsummer solstice) where the two kings battle it out and the Holly King takes over to rule until Yule. Each King is subject to a sacrifice and resurrection (through mating with the ever-living Goddess in her various guises) between each cycle at Beltane, Lughnasadh or Samhain. The important thing, however, is to mark the solar year sinking to its lowest at Yule (the winter solstice) and waxing in strength to Litha (the summer solstice) and then waning to start the process again at Yule. The energies can be used in much the same way that the waxing and waning cycles of the moon are. It is also important that any rituals that you might write mark the relevance of those cycles to the fertility of the Earth, helping to germinate the seed in spring, coming to full flower in summer, fruit and harvest as we approach autumn and decay ready for rebirth as we approach winter.