The Sabbats celebrate the circle of life– birth, death and rebirth. These seasonal holidays had been followed for many years by various historical cultures including the Nordic, Celtic and Greek and go by different names depending on the culture. They are attuned to the natural rhythms and cycles of nature and the passing seasons.
The major Sabbats include the four predominant agricultural festivals, Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lammas. The lesser Sabbats include the equinoxes and solstices, yule, Ostara, Litha and Mabon. Around the midpoint of the season is where the major Sabbats occur. The lesser Sabbats occur at the beginning of the seasons. The Vernal Equinox occurs every spring the day when the hours between dawn and sunset are precisely same to the hours among sundown and sunrise. Each fall the Autumnal Equinox is when the darkness of the night and the hours of daylight hours are even. Midway among each equinox marks the Solstices. Daylight is at its longest and the hours of darkness are at their shortest at Summer Solstice. The Winter Solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year
The Sabbat begins at sundown on the eve of the dates given and continues to sunset of the Sabbat. Each Sabbat is spaced at approximately even intervals during the year. By celebrating the Festivals, you attune yourself to the cycles of nature and the magick that each season brings.
Wheel of the Year Cycle
All Dates for Northern Hemisphere. The dates are opposite for the Southern Hemisphere
- Yule, which takes place at winter solstice in December. The lady gives birth to the Lord and then rests.
- Imbolc is in February. During this time the Lord is a younger boy and the girl recovers from giving birth.
- Ostara marks the first day of spring at the Spring Equinox. It is the awakening of the Earth. The Lord is a developing youth at the moment.
- Beltane or May Day represents the time when the Lord has grown to manhood and falls in love with the lady. The two unite producing the bounty of Nature. During this time the Lady becomes pregnant by the Lord.
- Summer Solstice is the point in midsummer when everything in Nature is at its peak. There is abundance all around us. During this time the Lord and the Lady are at the height of their powers.
- Lammas/Lughnassadh is the day in August of the primary harvest. the primary grains are cut The Lord starts to weaken at this time.
- Mabon is the second harvest. The daytime grows shorter, and Earth readies for the slumber of winter. The lord is dying.
- Samhain is the final harvest. The Lord dies to be reborn once more at Yule.
