The Sabbats
The Sabbats tell the stories of the Goddess and God relationship
and the effects they have on the Earth.
Yule (Winter Solstice) (December 21)
This is the day that the Goddess gives birth to the God. Yule is a time of the great darkness or the shortest day of the year. In earlier times people noticed this phenomena and supplicated the forces of nature to make the days grow longer and the nights shorter. This is also the time when the Sun was considered "reborn".
Wiccans would often light candles or fires to welcome the returning
light of the Sun. Yule is typically celebrated before dawn to welcome the new Sun.
Imbolc (February 2)
Imbolc marks the coming of spring, representing the recovery of the Goddess after giving birth to the God. The God is young and his power is felt in the longer days. Seeds begin to germinate and sprout, marking this as a time of fertility.
Ostara (Spring Equinox) (March 21)
This Sabbat marks the first true day of spring. The hours of the night and day are equal, light is starting to overtake darkness. The Goddess and God impel creatures of the earth to reproduce. This is a time of beginnings and tending gardens.
Beltane (May Day) (April 30)
Beltane marks the return of vitality of passion and of hopes consummated. Beltane celebrates the union of the Goddess and God.
Midsummer (Summer Solstice) (June 21)
Midsummer or the Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year. It is the time when the powers of nature reach their highest point. The Earth is awash in the fertility of the Goddess and God.
Lughnasadh (First Harvest) (August 1)
Lughnasadh is the time of the first harvest. The days are growing shorter and the crops are dropping their fruits and seeds to ensure future crops. Wiccans remember its warmth and bounty in the food they eat.
Mabon (Autumn Equinox) (September 21)
Mabon is the completion of the harvest. Night and day are once again equal. Nature declines, and readies herself for winter. The God prepares to leave His physical body toward renewal and rebirth from the Goddess.
Samhain (All Hallows Eve) (October 31)
At Samhain the Wiccans say farewell to the God as He readies to be reborn of the Goddess at Yule. Samhain is a time of reflection, of looking back and of coming to terms with life. Wiccans feel that on this night the separation between the physical and spiritual realities is thin. Witches remember their ancestors and all those who have gone before.
