The Wheel of  the Year

SAMHAIN	YULE	CANDLEMAS
OSTARA	BEALTAIN	MIDSUMMER
LAMMAS	AUTUMN EQUINOX

THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR

SAMHAIN October 31st.  Tide of Recession       Samhain to Candlemass         Negative  Good Hood The Feast of the Dead, dedicated to the ancestors. The beginning of the Wiccan new year. The God has died, and the Goddess journeys into the underworld. In some mythologies she is captured by the Dark Lord and carried below. The changing or the reign now takes place, the Goddess tires and passes the sword of power to the God. The veil between our world and the underworld is at its thinnest, on this night the dead are invited to share our celebration. The Decent of the Goddess

YULE December 21st.  Winter Solstice Tide of Recession       Negative  Good Hood  The Celebration of The Phoenix This is the shortest day of the year. The Goddess gives birth, The Sun is reborn, and as the length of the day grows longer the Sun Gods power grows. This Sabbat is a promise that spring will come. The Goddess knowing that the world is growing cold, sends her son to bring light back to the world

CANDLEMAS February 2nd.  Tide of Lustration      Candlemas  to Bealtaine       Positive  Purification this Sabbat celebrates the earliest stirring of spring. Typically a time for cleaning .also a time for planing. The goddess is called to and the growing child of light finishes nursing and begins to explore and define his world.

OSTARA March 21st.  Spring Equinox Tide of Lustration        Positive  Purification The Goddess returns from the underworld and is reborn as the young maiden. The powers of light and dark are equal but the light is growing stronger. Eggs are decorated not only as a symbol of fertility but of the aura. The young Horned God reaches maturity and begins to chase the young Goddess. The need for union

BEALTAIN April 30th  May Day Tide of Activation      Bealtaine to Lammas      Positive  Selfhood The counterpart to Hallows. The sword of power is passed to the goddess. The may pole as a symbol of the god ( and of the three worlds ) is danced around .the goddess receives the seed of the God, thus ensuring his rebirth.

MIDSUMMER June 21st. The summer solstice Tide of Activation          Positive  Selfhood   The Celebration of The Lion The longest day of the year. The sun is at its height. In some tradition the Goddess is impregnated, in others she is already full with life. Candles and fires are lit to honor the sun god at his height. The Holy King, God of the waxing year begins his rise to power.

LAMMAS August 1st.  Tide of Consolidation   Lammas to Samhain        Negative  Benevolence The festival of bread and of harvest. The first fruits of the harvest the grain is now ready the earth ripens and changes just as the Goddess grows heavy with the God child inside her. corn dollies are made.

AUTUMN EQUINOX  September 21 Tide of Consolidation     Negative  Benevolence The tide is balanced but darkness is gaining the upper hand. A changing of gears is called for. The Sun God grows old and tired he begins to sleep. ( He begins his decent into the under world) grape vines are entwined to represent the spiral of reincarnation.