Sabbot

Celebrating the Seasons Lore and Rituals by Selena Fox Excerpts from a work in progress by Selena Fox The Solstices, Equinoxes, and mid-points between, also known as the Cross Quarters, have been celebrated by a variety of Nature peoples around the world and across the ages. Today, Wiccans and other Pagans often blend together ancient as well as contemporary approaches to celebrating these seasonal festivals. For each of these holidays, I get a brief overview and share some associated customs. I have had direct experience with all of these. The Sabbat cycle I describe here reflects the climate zone in the Northern hemisphere where I live as well as my own multi-cultural, spiritual approach with a Wiccan emphasis. Feel free to adapt these customs to reflect your own environment and spiritual path.

SAMHAIN: Also called: Halloween, All Hallows Eve, All Saints & All Souls, Day of the Dead Dates: October 31, early November Colors: black, orange, indigo Tools: votive candles, magic mirror, cauldron, pumpkins, divination tools. Energy: death & transformation; Wiccan new year goddesses: Crone, Hecate Gods: Horned Hunter, Cernnunos, Anubis Rituals: honoring ancestors, releasing old, foreseeing future, understanding death and rebirth. Customs: jack o'lanterns, spirit plate, ancestor altar, divination, costumes.

WINTER SOLSTICE: Also called: Yule, Jul, Saturnalia, Christmas, solar/secular New Year. Dates: around December 21 colors: red, green, white. Tools: mistletoe, evergreen wreath, lights, gifts, holly, Yule log, Yule tree. Energy: regeneration & renewal. Goddesses: Great Mother, Isis, Mary, Tonazin, Lucina, Bona Dea. Gods: Sun Child, Horus, Jesus, Mithras, Santa/Odin, Saturn, Holly King. Rituals: personal renewal, world peace, honoring family & friends. Customs: wreaths, lights, gift-giving, singing, feasting, resolutions.

IMBOLC: Also called: Candlemas, Oimelc, Brigid's Day; merged with Lupercalia/Valentines Day. Dates: February 2, early February. Colors: white, red Tools: candles, seeds, Brigid wheel, milk Energy: conception, initiation, inspiration Goddesses: Brigid, Maiden Gods: Groundhog, other creatures emerging from hibernation; young Sun Rituals: creative inspiration, purification, initiation, candle work, house & temple blessings Customs: lighting candles, seeking omens of Spring, cleaning house, welcoming Brigid.

SPRING EQUINOX: Also called: Ostara, St. Patrick's Day, Easter Dates: around March 21 Colors: green, yellow Tools: eggs, basket, green clothes Energy: birthing, sprouting, greening Goddesses: Ostara, Kore, Maiden Gods: Hare, Green Man Rituals: breakthrough, new growth, new projects, seed blessings Customs: wearing green, egg games, new clothes, egg baskets.

BELTANE: Also called: May Eve, May Day, Walspurgis Night Dates: April 30, early May Colors: rainbow spectrum, blue, green, pastels, all colors Tools: Maypole & ribbons, flower crowns, fires, bowers, fields Energy: youthful play, exhuberance, sensuality, pleasure Goddesses: May Queen, Flora Gods: May King, Jack in the Green Rituals: love, romance, fertility, crop blessings, creativity endeavors Customs: dancing Maypole, jumping fire, mating, flower baskets.

SUMMER SOLSTICE: Also called: Midsummer, Litha, St. John's Day Dates: around June 21 Colors: yellow, gold, rainbow colors Tools: bonfires, Sun wheel, Earth circles of stone energy: partnership Goddesses: Mother Earth, Mother Nature Gods: Father Sun/Sky, Oak King Rituals: community, career, relationships, Nature Spirit communion, planetary wellness Customs: bonfires, processions, all night vigil, singing, feasting, celebrating with others.

LAMMAS: Also called: Lughnassad Dates: August 2, early August Colors: orange, yellow, brown, green Tools: sacred loaf of bread, harvested herbs, bonfires Energy: fruitfulness, reaping prosperity Goddesses: Demeter, Ceres, Corn Mother Gods: Grain God, Lugh, John Barleycorn Rituals: prosperity, generosity, continued success Customs: offering of first fruits/grains, games, country fairs

FALL EQUINOX: Also called: Mabon, Michaelmas Dates: around September 21 Colors: orange, red, brown, purple, blue Tools: cornucopia, corn, harvested crops Energy: appreciation & harvest Goddesses: Bona Dea, Land Mother Gods: Mabon, Sky Father Rituals: thanksgiving, harvest, introspection Customs: offerings to land, preparing for cold weather, bringing in harvest

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			Sabbot Celebrating the Seasons Lore and Rituals by Selena Fox Excerpts from a work in progress by Selena Fox The Solstices, Equinoxes, and mid-points between, also known as the Cross Quarters, have been celebrated by a variety of Nature peoples around the world and across the ages. Today, Wiccans and other Pagans often blend together ancient as well as contemporary approaches to celebrating these seasonal festivals. For each of these holidays, I get a brief overview and share some associated customs. I have had direct experience with all of these. The Sabbat cycle I describe here reflects the climate zone in the Northern hemisphere where I live as well as my own multi-cultural, spiritual approach with a Wiccan emphasis. Feel free to adapt these customs to reflect your own environment and spiritual path. SAMHAIN: Also called: Halloween, All Hallows Eve, All Saints & All Souls, Day of the Dead Dates: October 31, early November Colors: black, orange, indigo Tools: votive candles, magic mirror, cauldron, pumpkins, divination tools. Energy: death & transformation; Wiccan new year goddesses: Crone, Hecate Gods: Horned Hunter, Cernnunos, Anubis Rituals: honoring ancestors, releasing old, foreseeing future, understanding death and rebirth. Customs: jack o'lanterns, spirit plate, ancestor altar, divination, costumes. WINTER SOLSTICE: Also called: Yule, Jul, Saturnalia, Christmas, solar/secular New Year. Dates: around December 21 colors: red, green, white. Tools: mistletoe, evergreen wreath, lights, gifts, holly, Yule log, Yule tree. Energy: regeneration & renewal. Goddesses: Great Mother, Isis, Mary, Tonazin, Lucina, Bona Dea. Gods: Sun Child, Horus, Jesus, Mithras, Santa/Odin, Saturn, Holly King. Rituals: personal renewal, world peace, honoring family & friends. Customs: wreaths, lights, gift-giving, singing, feasting, resolutions. IMBOLC: Also called: Candlemas, Oimelc, Brigid's Day; merged with Lupercalia/Valentines Day. Dates: February 2, early February. Colors: white, red Tools: candles, seeds, Brigid wheel, milk Energy: conception, initiation, inspiration Goddesses: Brigid, Maiden Gods: Groundhog, other creatures emerging from hibernation; young Sun Rituals: creative inspiration, purification, initiation, candle work, house & temple blessings Customs: lighting candles, seeking omens of Spring, cleaning house, welcoming Brigid. SPRING EQUINOX: Also called: Ostara, St. Patrick's Day, Easter Dates: around March 21 Colors: green, yellow Tools: eggs, basket, green clothes Energy: birthing, sprouting, greening Goddesses: Ostara, Kore, Maiden Gods: Hare, Green Man Rituals: breakthrough, new growth, new projects, seed blessings Customs: wearing green, egg games, new clothes, egg baskets. BELTANE: Also called: May Eve, May Day, Walspurgis Night Dates: April 30, early May Colors: rainbow spectrum, blue, green, pastels, all colors Tools: Maypole & ribbons, flower crowns, fires, bowers, fields Energy: youthful play, exhuberance, sensuality, pleasure Goddesses: May Queen, Flora Gods: May King, Jack in the Green Rituals: love, romance, fertility, crop blessings, creativity endeavors Customs: dancing Maypole, jumping fire, mating, flower baskets. SUMMER SOLSTICE: Also called: Midsummer, Litha, St. John's Day Dates: around June 21 Colors: yellow, gold, rainbow colors Tools: bonfires, Sun wheel, Earth circles of stone energy: partnership Goddesses: Mother Earth, Mother Nature Gods: Father Sun/Sky, Oak King Rituals: community, career, relationships, Nature Spirit communion, planetary wellness Customs: bonfires, processions, all night vigil, singing, feasting, celebrating with others. LAMMAS: Also called: Lughnassad Dates: August 2, early August Colors: orange, yellow, brown, green Tools: sacred loaf of bread, harvested herbs, bonfires Energy: fruitfulness, reaping prosperity Goddesses: Demeter, Ceres, Corn Mother Gods: Grain God, Lugh, John Barleycorn Rituals: prosperity, generosity, continued success Customs: offering of first fruits/grains, games, country fairs FALL EQUINOX: Also called: Mabon, Michaelmas Dates: around September 21 Colors: orange, red, brown, purple, blue Tools: cornucopia, corn, harvested crops Energy: appreciation & harvest Goddesses: Bona Dea, Land Mother Gods: Mabon, Sky Father Rituals: thanksgiving, harvest, introspection Customs: offerings to land, preparing for cold weather, bringing in harvest