The Wheel of the Year…..

There was three kings into the east,
Three kings both great and high,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn should die.

They took a plough and plough’d him down,
Put clods upon his head,
And they hae sworn a solemn oath
John Barleycorn was dead.

But the cheerful Spring came kindly on’
And show’rs began to fall;
John Barleycorn got up again,
And sore surpris’d them all.
… Robert Burns …

What is the Wheel of the Year?

The Wheel of the Year is a reflection of the recurring cycles of the Natural world. Traditionally, these celebrations were very closely tied to the cycles of the agrarian culture of Western Europe and were marked by those specific seasonal rites of celebration. There are eight festivals or celebrations that mark the turning of the Wheel, the never-ending movement of time and the changing of the seasons and tides of nature.

The Cycles of the Wheel

The cycles represent birth, death and eventual rebirth and are symbolized through the continuum of life held within the mythos of the God and Goddess. The cycle of the God is one of sacrifice, moving from his birth at the Winter Solstice in the form of the return of the light (Sun) to his claiming of manhood and fecundity at Beltane to the sacrificial God of the Harvests at Lammas. The Goddess moves through her forms of triplicity- Maiden – Mother and Crone and remains as the undying one.

The Sabbats

Four of the Sabbats are known as the “cross-quarter” or Greater Sabbat celebrations, and include Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain. The remaining four, or Lesser Sabbats mark specific astronomical positions of the sun. These are the Winter and Summer Solstices and the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes.

Reading and Resources:

This month we have a couple new book offerings that will offer ideas about how to create your own celebrations of the Wheel, give more information about the origins and cultural associations with the Sabbats and how to incorporate the energy of the Witch’s Wheel into your practice.

Life and its cycles are all around us.
Open your heart to the experience,
open your mind to the collective wisdom
and come dance the circle of the Wheel….

Blessings Bright on Your Journey..

What is the Wheel of the Year