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[Samhain] [Yule] [Imbolg] [Ostara] [Beltane] [Mid Summer] [Lammas] [Mabon]

                    Sabbats are solar festivals that honor the God. However, both deities are revered during these festivals.
                      The Sabbats represent and celebrate the seasonal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
There are 8 Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year.
They tell the stories of the Deities, of their relationship, and the effects this has on the Earth.
There are many variations of the myths, but there is a common thread that links all mythologies.
Below you will read the Myths of the Celts Sabbats.
For more information on individual Sabbats, click on the name of Sabbat on the text links above.
 
 
 

            The ancient Celts measured the Solar year on a Wheel, circle or spiral, which symbolzed for them the whole Universe: a vast Wheel whose rolling could be seen in the cycles of heavenly bodies and in the progression of the seasons--their image of time was thus cyclical, not linear as we think of it now.  Celtic heroes of old rode upon the silver wheel, which dipped into the sea, to Emania, the Moon's Land of Death.

            There were four major divisions of the ancient Celtic Year which corresponded to the Spring  Equinox, the Summer Solstice, the Autumn Equinox, and the Winter Solstice--each of these had a distinct characteristic. The celebrations were associated with the life cycles of the Celtic dieties. These dieties and their relationships played a large role in the understanding of the cycle of Life, and so were also part of the Great Wheel of the Year.
 

Samhain-October 31st
Samhain is the festival of the dead and is also known as Hallows, or AllHallow's Eve. It is the Witches New Year.The veil between the worlds of the living and of the dead are thin. It is a time to honor the ancestors and to honor the Lady of Death Herself. Samhain is the feast of The Dark Goddess, She who claims all living as her children. It is the death of the Year. There is a profound stillness that occurs between Samhain and Yule, when the Golden Solstice Child is born.
 

Color: black, orange

Scent: patchouly

Tarot Cards: Death, Judgement, Wheel of Fortune

Deity: Hecate, Cerridwen, Nepthys, Persephone in Underworld aspect, Kali,The Morrigu, Macha

For the Altar: an image of the Dark Goddess, pictures of ancestors, bones, pumpkins, gourds, apples, corn stalks, dried flowers

Samhain Activities: Create masks, craft a besom, bob for apples, visit gravesights of the dead, divination, plan and record instructions for your own funeral rite.

Honor the Dead: Leave out a dish of cakes and drink for the ancestors. Light a candle and spend some time with loved ones who have passed over into Summerland.

Dumb Supper: This is a formal feast eaten in silence. A place is set for the Lady of Death.

Ritual Mask Making:
A mask of plaster gauze is applied to the participants face while she is in a light trance. A guided journey may be employed to find a mask in the Otherworld. Once the mask is located the participant "puts it on" and itis captured with the gauze mask. Be sure to use liberal amounts of petroleum jelly to prevent the mask from sticking. When the mask is dry the participant then paints and embellishes it to reflect the astral mask.

Yule- Winter Solstice-date varies- around December 22nd
Yule means Wheel. It is when the wheel of the Solar Year begins to turn after the stillness of the Dark Time. The Sun Child, in golden splendor, is born out of the Womb of Darkness. Yule brings great joy and celebration. Even the Angelic Hosts and all the Heavens rejoice in this birth. The promise of the Great Mother has been fulfilled: That which dies is born again, Darkness gives way to Light. The Great Wheel spins and we reflect upon what has come to pass and what is to come.
 

Color: Gold, Red, Green

Scent: Frankincense

Tarot Cards: The Sun, Judgement

Deity: Helios, Apollo, Mabon, Lugh, Ra

For the Altar: The Yule Log, mistletoe, holly, ivy, pine cones, evergreenbranches

Yule Activities: Bring an Evergreen into the home and decorate with fruit,nuts, and berries, create apple pomanders, make wassail or mulled cider,sing pagan carols. The Yule log may be lit at Yule or at the Festival ofLights. See the section on Festival of Lights for a description of this custom.Yule begins the tide of Earth, a good time to construct a Pentacle. It must be noted here that most of the customs of Christmas have their roots in Pagan tradition so feel free to reclaim them!

Some Pagan Carols: Deck the Halls, Here We Go A'wassailling, The Holly andthe Ivy, O Tannenbaum

Wassail Recipe
1 gal. Cider 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
6 cored apples 1 Tbs. grated nutmeg
4 cinnamon sticks 5 whole cloves
1/2 tsp. ground mace 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger 2 quarts good ale
Slowly simmer all except the ale. Pour into cups and add ale about half andhalf.
 

Imbolg, or Candlemas - February 2nd

Imbolg is also known as Candlemas. The Lady who retreats at Lammas returns at Candlemas, polar opposites on the Wheel. We light candles so that She may find Her way out of the darkness of Winter. Candlemas is the point in the year when the spark of Spirit meets the womb of matter. We celebrate this union of Lord and Lady. It is a time of young love and new inspiration. Candlemas marks the first day of Spring. It is also the Feast of Brigid, the Triple Goddess of healing, inspiration,and crafting. We honor our creative talents as gifts of the Goddess.
 

Color: White, red

Scent: gardenia

Tarot Cards: Strength, The Hanged One, Ace of Wands

Deity: Brigit

For the Altar: A Briid's Bed made of straw or wheat, first flowers of Spring, newly made candles, creative tools, strawberries, cherries, bleeding hearts,apples, red and white carnations, valentines. The Old Corn Mother of Lammas may be placed in the Briid's Bed.

Candlemas Activities: Make altar candles, magickal oils and incense blends for the coming year, Wash and iron altar linens and robes, bless and consecrate your creative tools of arts and crafts. Candlemas is a good time for candlespells and love magick.

Candlemaking

Melt wax in a tall tin can that sits in a pot of boiling water. Be sure and use a candy thermometer, wax flashes at a low point. Research the proper temperature for the wax you are using. Sort all of the candle stubs by color that are left over from last years rituals. Be sure and save these, and ask your friends to, also. Melt these stubs along with your plain wax and candle coloring blocks. While dipping the strings to make tapers a very trance-like rhythm is experienced. Put on some music and allow yourself to get into a meditative state. Concentrate on the color and intended use of the candles that you are making. But be aware enough to pay attention to the hot wax and fire!

Candle Colors for the Ritual Year

Hallows-black

Yule-red and green

Candlemas-white

Spring Equinox-lavender and yellow

Beltane-rose

Midsummer-dark green and burgundy

Lammas-wheat, corn green

Fall Equinox-rust, harvest gold

Full Moon-white, red, black

Ostara, or Spring Equinox- (varies-around March 22nd)

 Ostara is also known as Spring Equinox. We greet the return of Spring. It is a time of new growth, of planting seeds, both in the garden and in the heart. The last days of Winter give way to warmth and light. It is a fertile time, a time of balance and hope. Kore, the Maiden returns from the Underworld where she is known as Persephone.Where she steps flowers bloom. Her Mother Demeter, the Earth, rejoices intheir reunion.
 

Color: Lavender and yellow

Scent:Narcissus

Tarot Cards: Temperance, The Empress, Daughter of Wands, The World

Deity: Maiden Aspect of the Goddess; Kore, Blodeuwedd, Elain, Oestre

For the Altar: Lots of Spring Flowers especially Narcissus,the flower of Kore, colored eggs, rabbits, pussy willow, seeds to be blessed for the planting season.

Spring Equinox Activities: Flower wreaths for ritual, daisy chains, coloreggs, start a garden, begin new projects, plant a seed in the psyche and harvest at Fall Equinox, invoke elementals for assistance in the garden.Create an outdoor altar or shrine. Spring issues in the Fire tide, a good time to craft a wand.

Natural Dyes to Color Eggs

agrimony -yellow -clarity

alkanet- red -strength

annetto -orange -communication

beet juice -dark red -transformation

blueberries -blue -rest

blue malva- blue -peace

carrot tops -yellow/green -fertility>

chlorophyll -green -prosperity>

coltsfoot -green -growth

henna -dark red- passion>

hibiscus -red- love

juniper -brown -protection>

marigold -reddish -female power

onion skin -rust -strength

red cabbage -bright blue -spirit

saffron -yellow- intellectual powers

sumac -black -sorrow

turmeric -gold -energy

Eggs may be etched with runes or other symbols after they have been colored.

Beltane-May 1st

The Marriage of the Lord and the Lady. The Queen of May reigns, She is theGoddess of Love and Beauty. Her totems are the Rose and the Dove. The Maiden has matured to Queen and Lady. Beltane is a fire and fertility Festival,the first day of Summer. The Maypole, symbolizing the shaft of life, is planted in the Earth. We encircle the maypole in a dance of celebration. The attraction of magnetic opposites, the dance of the Universe is mimicked in the maypole dance. We celebrate love, sexuality, and fertility.

Colors:Rose, Red, White

Scent:Rose, Jasmine

Tarot Cards: The Empress, The High Priestess, The Star

Deity: Beltia (Babylonian, The Lady of the Heavens),

Aphrodite (Greek,Love),Astarte (Babylonian, Love and War)

Freia (Norse, Love), Hathor (Egypt,Delight, Innanna (Sumerian, Love and War),Isis (Egypt,Great Mother,

Enchantress), Mari (Amour), Venus (Roman, Loveand Beauty) Vajra-Varahi (Tibetan, Ecstatic Bliss).

For the Altar: Fresh roses, fresh rose petals strewn around the Circle, jasmine and other fragrant flowers, wreaths, rose quartz and amethyst.

Beltane Activities: Beltane is celebrated in two parts: a ritual on May Eve(April 30), and a garden party Feast on May 1 or thereabouts. Other Beltane Activities include stringing rosaries from dried rosebuds and dried seeds or berries, flower wreaths for ritual and feast, making love in the garden to ensure bountiful crops.

Beltane Wishing Tree

Choose a special tree and tie strips of colored cloth on it's branches and make a wish. Use appropriate colors and chanted runes. Here are some suggestions:

blue- protection and good health -"Lady of the greenwood tree, protect yourchild, blessed be."

pink- friendship and harmonious relationships-

"Tree of beauty, silent friend, all relations to me mend."

green - prosperity- "Lady of the Beltane Treee tree, grant to me prosperity."

white- blessings and peace-"Cloth of white upon this tree, bring my soul tranquility."

red- true love- "Charm of red on Beltane Tree, bring my true love unto me."

The Beltane Feast

The Maypole

The Maypole is a large pole of wood that is firmly embedded in the Earth.The top of the Maypole is festooned with garlands of flowers. A ribbon for each dancer is attached to the top of the pole. Ribbons may be of any color and about one and a half the length of the Maypole. The Maypole dance works best with an even number of dancers. Every other dancer goes widdershinsand every other dances deosil. Old Celtic music or Morris dance music is played. The dancers weave in and out and over and under each others ribbons to create a plait or braid of woven ribbons. The Maypole may then be lifted from the ground and lead in a procession of dancers.

The Belfire

Light the Beltane Fires in the Cauldron if it is a large one, or a fire pit,or if you are fortunate enough, light a fire on the beach.

"Nine woods in the cauldron go, Burn them quick and burn them slow.

Elder be ye Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye be."
 

Twigs or branches of wood should be gathered for the Belfire in early spring and tied together in faggots. Each type of wood represents a different quality and should be carefully chosen for the fire. Here are some suggestions for magickal woods: birch-rebirth, rowan- astral travel, alder-prosperity,willow-feminine power, ash-intuition, hawthorn-faeries, oak-strength, power,holly-warrior energy, hazel-creativity, vine-good harvest,ivy-love, reed-action,pine-renewal, apple-magick. Intentions and wishes for the season are chanted in rune as each wood isplaced on the fire. Jumping the Belfire and passing through the smoke ensures success. Couples may jump the fire to bind their love and devotion and ensure fertility.

Jack O' the Green

A Jack O' the Green may be chosen from among the male celebrants to preside at the Beltane festivities. A charm may be baked into May Cakes and given to each male. Whoever gets the prize is crowned with a wreath of green leaves and declared the Jack. He may ride the rod, a decorated riding stick, to demonstrate his virility.

The May Queen

A female is chosen from among the celebrants to preside at the Feast. The Jack tosses a flower wreath behind him and whoever captures it becomes the May Queen. The Jack O' the Green crowns the May Queen who then leads the dancing and procession.

Maywine

May wine is a traditional drink made of sweet white wine infused with sweetwoodruff. A German type wine like grey reisling will work. A punch may be made of this wine by adding strawberries, sparkling water, sugar to taste.Ice cubes that have been frozen with small roses in the trays, strawberries and edible flowers are a beautiful addition.
 

Midsummer - varies, around June 22nd

Scent: cedar, pine

Color: Moss green, burgundy red

Tarot Cards: The Sun, the Fool, The Emperor

Deity: Pan, Herne, Cernnonus, the Green Man, Robin Hood, Queen Mab

For the Altar: the silver branch, stag horns, acorns, pine cones, hawthorn, faerie figures, sunstones (citrine or amber), mead

At Midsummer the Sun King has reached his zenith and begins his decline.Midsummer is to the Solar cycle what the Full Moon is to the Lunar Cycle.We honor Pan, the god of the deep woods and of the wild hunt. He is the creative life force and consort to the Goddess. At Midsummer, like Hallows, the veil between the worlds is thin. But this time of year the creatures of the Otherworld emerge, the Faerie folk and Earth elementals. They are playful tricksters who revel in their pranks and encounters with the Plain Folk.

Midsummer activities: wreath making, divination, dreamworking, astral journeying,herb gathering, herbs collected at midsummer eve are most potent. Mistletoe is collected in a white cloth, do not let it touch the ground. Use for spells of protection and love for the year. This is the best time of the year forfaerie magic or journeying into the realm of faerie.Midsummer ushers in theWater Tide and is a good time to obtain a Chalice.

To See Faeries

Midsummer Eve at dusk is precisely the best time for viewing faeries. Oak,Ash and Thorn are called the Faerie tree Triad of Britain, and where all three grow together one can see Faeries. Marigold water ribbed on the eyelids will help gain Faerie Sight. Be forewarned that faeries are unreliable at best. Do not be seduced into more than a brief encounter. And never take anything back from the realm of Faerie.

Faerie Offerings

barley

foxglove

ginger

amethyst crystals

small fancy cakes

four leafed clover
 

Midsummer Riddle

"Green is Gold,

Fire's Wet.

Future's Told,

Dragon's Met."
 

Lammas- August 1st

Colors: Wheat, corn green, poppy orange

Scent: cinnamon

Tarot cards: Judgement, The Empress, Priestess of Discs, 10 of Discs

For the Altar: Lammas Loaf (Grain Bread), corn dolly, a sickle, a basketof harvest from the garden, corn, wheat, squash blossoms, dried herbs.

Lammas is the first of three harvest festivals. It marks the beginning of autumn. Lammas is the Feast of First Fruits. We begin to reap the fruits of our harvest. The Grain Mother sacrifices her son so that all of Life maybe renewed. She retreats in sorrow to mourn her loss and will return as a young Maiden at Candlemas. We give thanks to the Great Mother, and to the god of the Grain, for the sacrifice of Life so that all may live.

Lammas Activities:

Wheat weaving, canning, preserving, bread making, harvesting and drying plants,reflecting- time to begin turning inward.

Lammas Loaf

A few days before baking the Lammas Loaf you may sprout some wheat to be added to the loaf. In this way the spirit of rebirth is present in the loaf.Use any whole grain recipe for the loaf. Sprinkle the loaf with a numberof different kinds of seeds before baking.

The Old Corn Mother

A Corn Mother may be made from corn husks, wheat stalks or both. Corn maybe harvested with the sickle, say:

"Mother of Corn I harvest Thee, In Spring Thou wilt a Maiden be!"

The corn husks and wheat are woven and wrapped to resemble a female figure.She may be adorned with dried flowers, raffia, and seeds, nuts and berries.The Corn Mother is placed on the Altar for the Lammas Ritual. She is placed in the Briid's Bed at Candlemas.

Grain Offerings to the Guardians of the Watchtowers

At Lammas offerings may be made to each of the Guardians of the Watchtowers.

Spirits of Air - wheat

Spirits of Fire - corn

Spirits of Water - rice

Spirits of Earth -barley

Mabon or Fall Equinox - varies, around September 22nd

The Fall Equinox is the Wiccan Thanksgiving Feast. The Gathering is done and it is a time to celebrate the bounties of the Harvest. It is a time of balance, the light of day and darkness of night are of equal length. We enter the sign of Libra, the scales are balanced. We pause to take a breath before entering the darkness of Winter. The warmth and light of Summer must pass. This is the time of the year when the Greater Eleusinian Mystery was performed in the ancient Goddess temples of Greece. The Mystery of Eternal Life was revealed by the Priestesses, it was embodied in a single shaft of wheat. We witness the abduction of Persephone into the Underworld and mourn with Demeter the Great Mother. We, too, step into the darkness and willingly enter the Underworld in search of our beloved.
 

Colors: rust, harvest gold

Scent: Oakmoss

Tarot Cards: The Empress, The Crone, The Tower

Deity: Persephone, Demeter

For the Altar: a pomegranate, figs, wheat, dried flowers, gourds.

Fall Equinox Activities: Make Thanksgiving bundles, read the descent of Innanna,the Abduction of Persephone, and other myths of the journey to the Underworld.Prepare for the Winter months. Fall ushers in the tide of Air, a good time to acquire and/or embellish an athame or kerfan. Weather Magick to bring on the Rains. (in California anyway!)
 

Thanksgiving Bundles

Take two green corn husks and place one on top of the other to form a cross.Place a corn kernel, for each thing in your life that you are thankful for,at the center of this cross. Name the thing as you pick up and place each kernel.When you are done bring the husks straight up to wrap the kernels together and tie with raffia to form a bundle. Feathers may be inserted into the bundle to transport your thanks to the gods. Wear this around your neck to remind yourself of your blessings.

"Corn and Grain, corn and grain,

All that falls shall rise again.

Hoof and horn, Hoof and horn,

All that dies shall be reborn."
 

Mulsum Recipe
Mulsum is mulled wine or cider. Add to a good quantity of red wine or apple cider: cloves that have been stuck in a small lemon or apple, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Heat throughout and place in mugs with a stick of cinnamon.