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The Wheel of the Year

Your Friendly Familiar

The 8 Sabbats of the Pagan/Wiccan Calendar

In modern times, many different types of calendars being followed (one source I found suggested approximately 40 are used around the world today!).  Probably the one most familiar is the Gregorian Calendar.  Other ones used by many include the Chinese Calendar, the Hebrew/Jewish Calendar, the Buddhist Calendar, Hindu Calendars, the Hijri Calendar, amongst many others!  But are you familiar with an old Pagan Calendar that is used by Pagans, neo-Pagans, Wiccans, Witches, and many others?  This Calendar is also known as the Wiccan Calendar or “The Wheel of the Year.”  I had a lot of fun learning about this cool calendar and hope you will enjoy learning about it, too!

Table of Contents

    The Wheel of the Year

    To start, in this Calendar, a day starts at sundown.  So, for example, the New Year that happens on Halloween does nottake place from 00:00 (12:00 AM) to 23:59 (11:59 PM).  Instead, the day starts from sundown on October 31 to the following sundown on November 1.  Not only are the days measured differently, but the number of holidays is different. In the Pagan/Wiccan Calendar, there are only 8 traditional Sabbats, also known as holidays or celebrated festivals.  You may notice that most, if not all, of these traditional festivals tend to fall on religious holidays that are celebrated today (such as Christmas, Easter, etc.).  That is no coincidence!  In fact, many of the more modern holidays can be traced back to these original Pagan Sabbats.  You can learn more about the specific festivals in separate posts I’ve made about them.  For now, we are just reviewing them as a whole.  Below is the list of the 8 holidays of the Pagan Calendar:

    *NOTE: The Sabbats take place on nature-based events, such as during Winter/Summer Solstice, the Autumn/Spring Equinox, and during times of harvest.  As a result, the dates of the Pagan holidays are not always fixed.  For example, the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere may happen on December 21 or 22 depending on the year.  Therefore, you may need to check your resources to know the precise dates of a specific year’s Sabbats.

    The Mythical Story Behind the Wheel

    The Wiccan Wheel of the Year is unique in that each Sabbat is like a chapter of a larger, overarching story about the God and the Goddess.  For background, in Wicca, the God and the Goddess are the creators of Nature.  The God and Goddess are known by many names, depending on the time of year.  For example, The Goddess herself is also known as the Lunar Goddess of Fertility and the Dawn, Eostre, or even Mother Nature to some.  Also, over the course of the year, at some point the God will be known as the Sun King, the Oak King, the Holly King, and even the Child of Light.  Not only that, but the God is also sometimes known as the Horned God or the Green Man, depending on the person or context.  The God and Goddess have their specific roles and representations in the different aspects of Nature, such as animal life and the cycle of plants.  In general, the God is symbolic of the Sun while the Goddess is the Earth.

    Their relationship is unique in that in specific parts of the year there are either mother-and-child or lovers.  Their story can be followed if you look at the Wheel of the Year and see the clear notions of life, death, and rebirth.  We can start with the New Year (Samhain) when the God has died from self-sacrifice and is adventuring through the Underworld.   At the same time, the mourning Goddess is heavily pregnant.  In the middle of Winter (Yule), the Goddess gives birth to the Child of Light, who is actually the God, and his rebirth is celebrated.  As Winter is ending (Imbolc), the God grows up and one is preparing for Spring and the gifts Nature will provide.  The Spring Equinox (Ostara) announces Spring’s arrival and the Goddess greets her consort, the God.  They are equal, co-creates of Nature.  Afterwards, Spring is in full swing (Beltane) and the feminine energy of the Goddess is balanced with the masculine energy of the God and the lovers participate in sex.  The Summer Solstice (Litha) announces Summer’s presence and with it the celebration of the God and Goddess’s marriage.  Also, the Goddess is officially pregnant as a result of conceiving during the previous Sabbat’s consummations.  The Summer season ends (Lughnasadh) and the God’s strength begins to fade while the Goddess mourns his upcoming, inevitable death.  The Autumn Equinox (Mabon) marks the beginning of the new season.  At this point, the Goddess advances into becoming a Crone and the God is aging, too, reflecting on the daylight hours beginning to shorten.  Then we return back to the Pagan/Wiccan New Year (Samhain) where the God passes away and the cycle of death, rebirth, life, and death will repeat itself once more.  

    The Lesser Sabbats & The Greater Sabbats

    Now that we looked at the Calendar as a whole and looked at the mythical story behind it, we can move forward in examining the festivals in further detail.  This Calendar is convenient for the 8 holidays are evenly spaced out throughout the year with one taking place approximately every 6 weeks.  Many enjoy this for not only convenience of one holiday passing and instantly having another one to look forward to, but it also allows followers to be reminded throughout the year consistently of Earth, the gifts nature brings, and also the spiritual side of the God and Goddess.  The year is the “Wheel” and as each season passes, the Wheel is being turned forward.  Thus, with the consistent, evenly spaced reminders of the nature surrounding them, followers of this Calendar refer to the forward motion of one season passing into the next as the “turning of the wheel.”  The 8 Sabbats can be broken down into two sets of 4 holidays: 4 Lesser Sabbats (Solar / Sun Holidays) and 4 Greater Sabbats (Cross-Quarter / Seasonal Holidays).  Let’s go over these two categories:

    The Lesser Sabbats (Solar / Sun Holidays)

    The Lesser Sabbats consist of 4 Solar Holidays: 2 Solstices (Yule [Winter Solstice] & Litha [Summer Solstice]) and 2 Equinoxes (Ostara [Spring Equinox] & Mabon [Autumn Equinox]).  During the Solstices, the length of daylight hours (on Litha) or night hours (on Yule) is at its maximum.  During Equinoxes (on Ostara & Mabon) the length of daylight and night hours are exactly equal at 12 hours each.  These Sabbats can be considered as “Earth Festivals” because they occur during important marks along Earth’s annual trajectory around the Sun.  That’s also why these holidays are sometimes called “Sun Sabbats.”  One should note that even though these Solar Holidays are categorized as “Lesser Sabbats,” it does not mean that these festivals are any less important than the Greater Sabbats.  The term “Lesser Sabbats” is mainly used for classifying the different holidays.

    The Greater Sabbats (Cross-Quarter / Seasonal Holidays)

    The Greater Sabbats consist of 4 Cross-Quarter or Seasonal Holidays: Samhain (October – November), Imbolc(February), Beltane (April – May), and Lughnasadh (August).  They are considered “Cross-Quarter” Festivals because they approximately halfway between solar points of the Solar Holidays of a Solstice and Equinox.  These Sabbats are also considered Seasonal Holidays because they mark the change of the season: Samhain for the ending of Autumn, Imbolcfor the ending of Winter, Beltane for the ending of Spring, and Lughnasadh for the ending of Summer.  Some say that these festivals are called “Greater Sabbats” because there tends to be stronger energies during these times.  However, it does not necessarily make them any more important than the “Lesser Sabbats,” for the term “Greater Sabbats” are primarily used for classification purposes.

    The 8 Sabbats in Detail

    Now that we reviewed the 2 categories, we can dive deeper into each holiday.  Let’s have some fun learning about them together!

    (1) Samhain (October 31 – November 1)

    This Cross-Quarter Festival is considered the Celtic New Year and marks the final harvest of the year along with the ending of Autumn.  The modern holiday Halloween can be traced back to Samhain, which is why you would see so many similarities in imagery and celebrations.  For many magic practitioners, Samhain is a special time of year because the veil between our physical world and the supernatural/spiritual world is at its thinnest.  As a result, many people who practice magic of various types take advantage of this time by trying to communicate with the dead or other activities since their psychic/magical abilities may be heightened.  In general, it is a time to reflect on the ancestors that lived before us and express thanks for all that we received for this past year.  It’s also a time for letting go of things that no longer serve us, start to think about our intentions for the new year, and to seek guidance.

    (2) Yule (December 19 – 23*)

    For the Winter Solstice, the length of the dark hours will finally start to subside for more daylight.  This holiday has changed over time with the rise of Christianity into becoming Christmas and, as a result, you can see many common elements between Yule and Christmas.  During this time, we welcome the arrival of the Sun and celebrate by holding a feast, decorating trees or homes with seasonal themes.  Yule logs are also burned at this time to protect one’s home and to bring good luck for the upcoming year.

    (3) Imbolc (February 1 – 2)

    The Cross-Quarter Festival that falls in early February marks end of Winter.  Some say that Imbolc has over time transformed into what is now known as Valentine’s Day.  On a spiritual note, many give thanks to Brighid and hope for an abundant upcoming Spring.  Also, this is a traditional time for Witch initiations or rededications.  Otherwise, this is a time to mindfully set goals, aspirations, and intentions and prepare taking action towards them once Spring officially arrives.

    (4) Ostara (March 19 – 23*)

    This Spring Equinox Sabbat recognizes Spring’s arrival along with Nature’s renewal of life and abundance.  With the rise of Christianity, Ostara has morphed into what is the now more well-known holiday known as Easter.  For many, planting seeds and taking walks along Nature are ways to celebrate Nature.  It’s also a time to “plant” your intentions and goals you made ealier into fertile soil.  In other words, now is the time to start the commitment in seeing them come to fruition. 

    (5) Beltane (April 30 – May 1)

    The May Day Cross-Quarter Holiday takes note of the changing of the season with the upcoming end of Spring.  It is really well known as the holiday of bonfires and fun lovemaking (even in the woods!).  It is also one of the few times of year when the veil between the human realm and the magical realm is faded.  Many magic practitioners find their gifts and practices strengthened during this time.  

    (6) Litha (June 19 – 23*)

    The Summer Solstice Holiday is when the daylight hours are at their longest and the Summer season is in full force.  It’s the first holiday to recognize the times of harvest, so many Pagans and Wiccans give thanks and hope for an abundant harvest year.  

    (7) Lughnasadh (August 1 – 2)

    The beginning of August has the Cross-Quarter Sabbat that recognizes the end of Autumn.  It’s harvest time and one is to give thanks for what Nature has provided this year.  With the rise and spread Christianity, Lughnasadh has now been referred to as Lammas with similar forms of celebration, such as the baking of bread.  On a more traditional spiritual side, the baking of bread could be seen as the God’s power being transferred into the harvest’s grain with the bread baking being symbolic of his life cycle being completed. 

    (8) Mabon (September 20 – 24*)

    The Autumn Equinox Festival marks the second harvest and the arrival of the Fall season.  Many say that the modern North American holiday of Thanksgiving can be traced to Mabon for they do share some similarities.  Both holidays carry Autumn imagery of plant life and both are celebrated by holding giant feasts with family, friends, or other loved ones.  Mabon is a time of year to give thanks and appreciation for this year’s harvests and also a time for self-reflection.

    Celebrating the Sabbats

    One does not have to believe in the God or Goddess to celebrate or even follow the Pagan/Wiccan Calendar.  Not everyone who follows the Pagan/Wiccan Calendar believe in the mythology behind it.  Many people (magic practitioners and not) follow and/or celebrate this Calendar.  For many, it’s a consistent reminder of Earth and Nature’s gifts along with the changing of the seasons.  For others, it may be just an opportunity for self-reflection and finding time to be with loved ones.  Typically, these festivals are celebrate with a big feast with friends, family, or other loved ones or having some sort of bonfire.  Some places hold festivals specific for the time of year with themes/activities for that specific season.  If you are a part of a coven, then your celebrations may take place in the form of specific customs or rituals specific to that Sabbat.  If you follow Paganism or Wicca privately, then you can learn more about the details behind each Sabbat so you can celebrate in whatever way works best for you.  It can be grand and elaborate!  It can be small and simple!  Everybody celebrates in different ways!

    So what are your thoughts on the Wiccan Wheel of the Year?  Do you follow Pagan/Wiccan festivals?  If so, which are your favorite and how do you celebrate?  If you don’t follow, are there any holidays that you celebrate that can be connected to any of these Sabbats?  How are they similar or different from what you celebrate?  Thank you very much, my friends, for sharing your thoughts and personal experiences!  I love learning from you and I look forward to continue learning and sharing with you what I’ve learned.  Until next time!  

    ““They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”

    – Andy Warhol

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