BELTANE

Beltane is celebrated April 30th or May 1st. This is the celebration of rebirth, life and love. A familiar tradition of Beltane is the Maypole. The ribbons on the pole are white and red to represent the Goddess and God. There is love between the Stag Lord and the young Green Earth Goddess at this time, an awakening of their sexual union and of the magickal energies within. A time for them to bring forth their magickal intentions upon the Earth. This is a time for new beginnings and projects.

OSTARA: SPRING (VERNAL) EQUINOX

This Sabbat occurs in Mid March when night and day are equal. This Sabbat is considered one of fertility, and is the second of the spring celebrations. Seeds are blessed for future planting. Eggs are coloured and placed on the alter as Magickal talismans. The Easter Bunny and baskets of flowers are also Pagan in origin and symbolic of Ostara. The colours light green, lemon yellow and pale pink are colours of this Sabbat.

It is traditional at this time of year to buy or make oneself a new broom (or a new staff if you are male). Both should be ritually consecrated. Brooms are given names in the same way as Familiars and a naming ceremony may be incorporated into the Ostara ritual.

Breads and sweet cakes should be served at dusk and a breakfast feast should coincide with the sunrise on this day.

SABBATS - THE WITCHES YEAR (DATES)

Samhain - October 31
Yule (Winter Solstice) - On or around December 21
Imbolc - February 2
Eostra (Spring Equinox) - On or around March 21
Beltane - April 30
Litha (Summer Solstice) - On or around June 21
Lughnasadh - August 1
Modron (Autumn Equinox) - On or around September 21

SABBATS - THE WITCHES YEAR

SAMHAIN - The Celtic New Year. Samhain is the feast of remembrance for all those who have gone before to the Summerlands (the resting place on the astral Planes for all Wicca).

YULE - The mid Winter celebration of the rein of the White Goddess and the Stag Lord, God of Hunting (Both seasonal representations of the God & Goddess). Yule ir Iul is Nordic for Wheel and is symbolic of the turning of the year with the weak Sun gaining in strength after the Long Darkest Night, to combat the oncoming coldness of Mid Winter.

IMBOLC - The daughter of spring is born of the White Goddess after her sexual union with the Horned God last Beltane. Although not out of the rein of the White Goddess yet, it is a hope of the Spring that is near.

EOSTRA - The beginning of the rein of the Green Spring Goddess, the fertile energies being concenrated into the earth, bringing the Green mantle once more to the forest, trees and fields.

BELTANE - This is the era of the sexual union of the Stag Lord and the young Green Earth Goddess bringing forth their fertile intentions upon the Earth, a time of sexual awakening of the magickal energies within.

LITHA - This is the height of the rein of the Green Goddess bringing her aspects to bear on the fields & the harvest. The Lord of the Wildwood, the Foliate Man, is in his reign, powered by the energies of the strong Sun.

LUGHNASADH - The feast of Lugh (or Llew), the Fertile God, the year is now in its wane, dark aspects now creep into the magickal processes of the Earth. Doubts as to the abundance of the harvest. Deep doubt and serious prayer to the Goddess for aid, as she transcends from her transition from Green Goddess, into a mature, fertile Mother Goddess image (portrayed as a Golden Harvest Goddess).

MODRON - The Gold of the harvest colours appear in the woodlands and the Golden Goddess is well into her reign. In the fields, the Harvest is now gathered in, much to the praise of the Goddess. Corn Dollies are made in her honour and sacrificed under the plough, as it prepares the ground for another year. She has taken part in the magick of the season and prepares to take on her new role at Samhain, that of the White Goddess. The Lord of the Wildwood is also prepared for his transition into the Stag Lord at Samhain, ready for a seasons hunting.