12/3/2019 The Wheel of the Year in Wicca – A Complete Guide

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The Wheel of the Year in Wicca

– A Complete Guide
 May 4, 2019  tetraktysadmin
 Wheel of the Year, Wicca, Witchcraft

The Wheel of the Year is at the core of the Wiccan

practices and it is used by a lot of modern witches. If you 
follow the Wiccan path, understanding it is a crucial step Privacy -

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12/3/2019 The Wheel of the Year in Wicca – A Complete Guide

in your spiritual journey. What is it exactly? Why do we

practice it? How does it work? In this article, I am sharing
with you all I know on this topic. You will learn that
following the Wheel of the Year goes further than simply
observing the eight Sabbats.

What Is the Wheel of the Year?

This is a traditional representation of the Wheel of the

Year.

The Wheel of the Year represents the never-ending cycle

of the seasons. As the wheel turns, the seasons change,
and when a year has passed, the cycle starts over. Just like
a calendar, it regroups the eight Wiccan Sabbats that are
observed throughout the year.


The Eight Sabbats
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12/3/2019 The Wheel of the Year in Wicca – A Complete Guide

The word “Sabbat” comes from the “Witches’ Sabbath”, a

medieval term designing an assembly that practices
witchcraft. Indeed, the Sabbats are not regular holidays:
they are days of power when we practice magick. In
addition, each Sabbat falls on a focal point during the
year, when nature has a speci c energy. This is why there
is a speci c ritual for each one. Even if the Sabbats are
based on ancient Celtic festivals, they also exist in a lot of
other cultures under di erent names. Furthermore, there
are two types of Wiccan Sabbats: the Sun festivals and the
Fire festivals.

The Sun Festivals

The Sun festivals are called as such because they are

related to the Sun’s position around the Earth. For this
reason, their date varies slightly each year. Amongst the
four Sun Sabbats, there are two equinoxes (Mabon,
Ostara) and two solstices (Yule, Litha). During the two
equinoxes, the day and the night are of equal length:
nature is in a perfect equilibrium. Thus, during those
Sabbats, all magick should be aimed in reaching balance
in your life. In contrast, the two solstices are moments of
extreme imbalance between dark and light, where one
triumphs over the other. Indeed, the Winter solstice
(Yule) marks the longest night of the year while the
Summer solstice (Litha) celebrates the longest day of the
year. Those two Sabbats are times of transformation,
appropriate for protection and puri cation spells.

The Fire Festivals

Contrarily to the Sun Festivals, the Fire Festival are not

related to the Sun’s position around the Earth. They
always happen at the same date each year, when nature’s
energy is particularly powerful. The Sabbats of Samhain,

Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh fall under this category.
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Additionally, in ancient times, the Fire Festivals marked

the cycles of agriculture and breeding. Even today, these
days of power are celebrated in various cultures under
di erent names (for example, a lot of cultures have their
own feast of the dead in late October with a similar
aesthetic to the Wiccan Samhain).  

Southern Hemisphere Wheel of the Year

Since Wicca comes from Europe, the traditional Wheel of

the Year is made for the Northern Hemisphere. If you live
in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed;
thus, you need to reverse the dates of each Sabbat as
shown in the picture above.

The Legend Around the Wheel of the Year

In Wicca, there is a legend to explain and illustrate the 

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Wheel of the Year. It is said that at each Sabbat, the
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Goddess and the God transform themselves to enter a new

state re ecting the cycles of nature. You don’t need to
actually believe in that legend: consider it like a symbolic
way of representing the cycles of the seasons. As the
wheel turns, the myth repeats itself over and over in a
never-ending cycle. Below you will nd a summary of that
legend. Keep in mind that it varies from one Wiccan
tradition to another: this is the version that appeals to me
the most.

Yule/Midwinter/Winter Equinox – December 21

At Yule, the Goddess has the aspect of an old and wise

woman, the Crone. During the long night, She gives birth
to the God. With the God’s birth, the sun comes back. Even
though it is the longest night of the year, the light
prevails.

10 Ways to Celebrate Yule Without a Coven

Imbolc/Candlemass – February 1

At Imbolc, the Goddess is puri ed from giving birth. She

takes the aspect of the Mother, nourishing and gentle.
While She is nursing the young God, the milking season of
the cattle begins. Even in the coldest month of winter, the
days become lighter and the seed are being planted for
spring.

Imbolc Threefold Ritual for Solitary Witches and Covens

Ostara/Eostre/Spring Equinox – March 21

During the Spring Equinox, the Goddess becomes the

Maiden, young and fertile. The God becomes a young man.
The night and day are in balance: thus, the Goddess and
God have equal power. 
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Ostara Seed Blessing Ritual For Solitary Witches

Beltane/May Day – May 1

Selene and Pan by Diane Ozdamar

During the night of Beltane, the Goddess and God are

joined together in the Sacred Marriage. With their union,
dark and light are united like two faces of the same coin.
All nature blossoms to celebrate this big event. The veil
between the worlds becomes thinner, allowing the faeries
and the spirits to join the celebration.

Beltane Weaving Ritual for Solitary Witches 

Litha/Midsummer/Summer Solstice – June 21

At Litha, the Goddess is pregnant with the God. At the

same time, the God becomes older, and more mature.
Even though He is at the peak of his glory, He knows that
He will have to sacri ce Himself soon, for the sake of the
harvest. 
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Litha Ritual : Drawing Down the Sun on the Summer

Solstice

Lughnasadh/Lammas – August 1

Lughnasadh marks the rst harvest of the year, of cereals

like corn and wheat. To make it happen, the God gives
away a part of His power, reminding us that each reward
comes with a sacri ce. As the God weakens, the Goddess
gets stronger.

Lughnasadh Gratitude Ritual: A Bread & Beer Celebration

Mabon/Fall Equinox – September 21

Mabon is the second harvest of the year, of fruits and

vegetables. As the crops are being harvested a second
time, the God becomes even weaker. We reach a second
point of balance between the Goddess and the God, the
night and the day. The Goddess becomes more powerful,
and passes from Mother to Crone.

Mabon Solitary Ritual

Samhain

Samhain is the Celtic New Year and the third harvest, of

squashes and roots. It is also associated with the slaughter
of the cattle. At this time, the God dies and descents into
the Otherworld. Hence, the veil between the worlds is
thinner, allowing the dead and the ancestors to roam
freely amongst the living. The Crone Goddess reaches the
peak of Her power. With the God’s death, the nature
slowly withers, but there is still hope because the Goddess
is pregnant.

13 Ideas to Celebrate Samhain Without A Coven 

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The Wheel of the Year as a Practice

A Masque for the Four Seasons by Walter Crane

To truly understand the Wheel of the Year, you must

practice it. Celebrate each Sabbat, even if it’s only by
doing simple things. Then, after a year and a day, you’ll
start to get it more. With time and practice, you will be
able to attune to the energy of each Sabbat. On a side note,
keep in mind that the Wiccan practice is not limited to the
Wheel of the Year. Wiccans also celebrate the 13 lunar
cycles of the year by doing Esbat rituals, but more on that
later.

An extended Wheel of the Year

If you want, you can easily customize the Wheel of the

Year by adding extra holidays that speak to you. Here are
some suggestions:

Lupercalia/Valentine’s Day – February 14

Lupercalia is the Roman ancestor of our modern

Valentine’s Day. I always celebrate it by performing a
ritual, even if it’s not an “o cial” Wiccan Sabbat. Make it
a day to celebrate LOVE in all its forms. It goes beyond 
chocolate and roses! Privacy -

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Self-Love Ritual for Valentine’s Day

Your Birthday

Your birthday is a special date since nobody else has the

same than you! It is your OWN day of power, the perfect
time to celebrate YOU and to connect with your Higher
Self.

5 Simple Birthday Rituals for Pagans And Witches

Earth Day – April 22

As pagans, we have a special connection to Mother Earth.

During Earth Day, spend some time to take care of nature.
For instance, you could cast a spell to heal the Earth.

Mothers Day and Fathers Day

If family is an important value for you, feel free to

integrate those holidays to your personal Wheel of the
Year. Celebrate motherhood and fatherhood by holding a
ritual to celebrate your loved ones.

Final Thoughts


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At rst sight, the Wheel of the Year is rather simple.

However, when you dig deeper, you realise that it is way
more than a simple calendar. To truly understand it, you
need to practice it. Then, with time, you will nd your
own meaning in each Sabbat. However, if you are new to
Wicca, following the Wheel of the Year can be
overwhelming. If you celebrate each Sabbat by doing
simple things, you will get it quickly. Then, when each
Sabbat feels natural, you can customize the Wheel of the
Year by adding extra holidays that mean something to
you. But wherever you might be in your spiritual journey,
remember this: the key is not to know which Sabbat to
celebrate, but to know WHY you are doing it.

Do you work with the Wheel of the Year? What is your

favorite Sabbat? Let me know in the comments section
below!

Blessed be,

cycles of nature guide mythology pagan

rituals sabbats spirituality wheel of the year

wicca

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This Post Has 4 Comments

Kathy
May 6, 2019 at 3:49 pm

This is so beautifully described, Tsona. I think I

understand it more than I’ve ever understood it
and I’ve read several Wicca books.

tetraktysadmin
May 12, 2019 at 11:29 am

Hello Kathy!
Thank you so much, I’m glad that I could
help you!
Blessings,

-Tsona
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