The Sabbats

The Sabbats
What are the sabbats? In very basic terms, they're very old sacred holidays of pre-Christian times, usually related to farming and the seasons (such as Spring or harvesting celebrations). Many today celebrate these in the tradition of the original pagans. It wasn't isolated to witches or the like, of course, but as the Christian Church began to take over, they discouraged these celebrations and eventually (although it took a long time) they were only practiced by the "pagan" unbelievers. So, feeling communion with nature, we strive to re-establish these celebrations and "get back to our roots."

Of course, not being farmers, its difficult (often damned near impossible) to achieve the same type of feeling. Especially since information on how all these things were originally practiced is often illusive. But we do it anyway because these are celebrations of nature, the seasons, and fertility and prosperity, all of which are still very important. It is a way to feel very magickal (not to mention historical) and have a wonderful holiday surrounded by other reveling pagans!

General Info

Name	Date Celebrated	Also called	Sun's position
Yule	December 21st	Midwinter	Rebirth of the Sun
Imbolc	February 1st or 2nd	Imbolg, Lady Day	First stirrings of Spring
Ostara	March 20th or 21st	Spring Equinox	Spring
Beltane	April 30th or May 1st	Beltaine, May Day	Joining of the Goddess and the God
Midsummer	June 21st	Summer Solstice, Litha	Height of the Sun's strength
Lughnasadh	July 31st or August 1st	Lammas, Harvest Home	First harvest, decline of the Sun
Mabon	September 23rd	Vernal Equinox, Autumnal Equinox	Second harvest
Samhain	October 31st or November 1st	All Hallow's Eve, Halloween	Third harvest, death of the Sun, end of Celtic Year

More info

LAMMAS AUGUST 1ST: Also known as Lughnasaad is named for the Celtic sun God Lugh. It is not only a celebration of his triumph over enemies and a time to honor him, but a thanksgiving for the first harvest of the year. The ancient Druids lit sacred yellow candles to honor the death and rebirth of the God during this time.

MABON/AUTUMNAL EQUINOX SEPTEMBER 20TH-23RD: The time of year when day and night are of equal length. After the Equinox the days begin to grow shorter as we head into the season ruled by the Horned One. Also the second harvest of the year and a celebration to welcome the coming of fall.

SAMHAIN OCTOBER 31ST-NOVEMBER 1ST: The third and final harvest of the year, Samhain is the night when the veil between the world of the living and the dead grows thin. The living honor their ancestors and departed family by opening their homes to the spirits and paying homage at their burial spots. It is a celebration of the never-ending cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

YULE/WINTER SOLSTICE DECEMBER 20TH-23RD: The darkest night of the year Yule is a celebration of the Tree of resurrection and rebirth. Lighting the Yule log helps the Lord of Light return so that the Goddess can bring light to the world again and celebrate the birth of a new year. The tree itself was a representation of birth and was decorated with the symbols of life to encourage the return of spring and fertility.

IMBOLC/CANDLEMAS FEBRUARY 2ND: A celebration of the first stirrings of life for the new year. Imbolc is a welcoming of spring and the beginning of the first plantings of the year. It was also the time of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the renewed source of the divine energy and representative of the Goddess.

OSTARA/SPRING EQUINOX MARCH 20TH-23RD: The time of year when day and night are of equal length. After the spring Equinox the nights begin to grow shorter as we head into the season ruled by the Goddess. People continue planting their crops and welcome the coming of spring.

BELTANE MAY 1ST: This celebration, also called May Day is the celebration of fertility and the peak of spring. It was a time when celebrants went into the freshly plowed fields along with the King and Queen of May, who were representations of the Goddess and her consort the Horned One and imbued the soil with their fertility blessings and welcomed summer.

LITHAS/SUMMER SOLSTICE JUNE 20TH-23RD: During the solstice the Goddess and her consort unite, their energies merging. It is a celebration of this union between male and female and the coming Divine child that is born from that union. In the planting of the crops and their harvest during the fall we see the union of the God and Goddess and the child conceived.

Temple of Isis

For a great page with detailed info and activities, visit Spirit Online's "The Eight Pagan Sabbats."