| The Sabbaths are festivals to celebrate the changing of nature Some witches consider Samhain the witches new year as it the Celts new year, some others do not. But i like to think as Imbolc at the new as. Like miss Crowley said : "For most people it is easier to think of the year starting with awakening of the life forth." Times may vary between a day ahead or day behind depending where you are in the world! It is said only two festivals a long tome ago were originally celebrated, Beltane and Samhain, to bid welcome and farewell to the seasons of birth and death. Commonly know as the fire festivals. The people would light controlled bonfires, one by one until the whole countryside was alight. These fire festivals was associated with planting, harvesting, and hunting ceremonies. As European history continued two additional holidays were added Imbolc and Lammas, creating the four fire festivals. The most interesting meaning of sabbat is from the french translation Se'battre meaning to frolic. The first half of the year is about the outer world as daylight dominates and as the seasons progress it gets darker and colder, and nightime dominates and less people are outside and so the second part of the year causes us to turn to reflection, and our inner or/and spiritual selves. If your starting on the path of wicca, there is nothing that says you must denounce your former holiday beliefs. I celebrate christmas not becuase im christian just becuase i was brought up celebrating it, not in religious overtones but becuase it was a fun time for our family. IMBOLC - 2 FEB SPRING EQUINOX- 21 MARCH (days and nights are of equal length) BELTANE- 1 MAY SUMMER SOLSTICE (Midsummer)- 21 JUNE LAMMAS- 1 AUG AUTUMN EQUINOX- 21 SEPTEMBER SAMHAIN (HALOWEEN) 31 OCTOBER YULE -21-23 DECEMBER IMBOLC- After a cold hard winter, the suns strength returns to awaken the land. It is a time for new plans to begin, and old ones to be dispersed. Even though no life may show beneath the soil, it begins to stir. The Goddess is maiden and young as is our Lord. It is time to rid the old and welcome to new. The earth is just awakening and things are yet to be born. it is a good time to plan! The energy of the Earth is renewed. Food: Dairy Foods, spicy and full bodied foods, dishes made with peppers, leeks, onions, garlic, Chives, spiced wines, and dishes containing raisins are all foods symbolic of the sun, and are also traditional. SPRING EQUINOX (OSTARA)- Light and dark are equal but daylight is waxing. We can see the fertility returning to the land,It is the start of spring, and wildlife, and fertiltiy is returning to the land. Animals reproduce Lambs are being born, flowers bloom, and new life flows. The egg is a symbol of new life, it is time to make plans and dreams come true! A traditional vernal Equinox pastime is to go to a field or florist, pick some flowers, and take them home to divine with them. The flowers represent your inner thoughts and emotions. It is time to plant those plans and sow those seeds. Foods: Those made of seed, Sesame, Pumpkin, and Sunflower. Leafy green vegetables. BELTANE- This the time when the fertility awakens in humans and the Goddess who is now mother and she takes her consort the lord by his hand, and of couse nature does what is intended. Fertility is abound, plentiful and the earth has much to offer. Without this eternal dance of life all would cease to exist. All of us know the traditional may pole dancing. It is another old pagan custom. The pole usually made from the wood of the Yule tree is set a pitch in the ground. The red ribbons represent the God and the white ribbons the Goddess. The girls/Maidens dance Doseil/clockwise to represent the combining of the Goddess and god, and also female and male. Maypole dancing was traditional usually around this time of year or at the Spring equinox. Couples would go into nature and do there part to ensure good summer and Autumn harvests. Some pagans would even ride astride broom sticks or hobby horses, to show the corn, crops ect how high to grow. Perhaps this is where the misconception of witches flying broomsticks came about. At this time i toast to the goddess and god and thank them for the endless abundance, and life. Weaving and plaiting are traditional arts. Representing the joining together of two things. Foods: Usually dairy foods are traditional. MIDSUMMER- The sun reaches it's glorious height in the sky. Nature has reached it's fullness and peak.Our lord has poured all his strength into the land. He and the goddess are growing older. Because the sun has reached its final height in the sky, it must fall. As we make our journey into the cold months. It is obvious to see the sun loose its warmth. So the god now turns his head to the shadows. Now is time to start fulfilling those goals, and do change as well. Light will wane, and the darkness will increase. Powers of nature are at there highest point, and from here will wane It was traditional to leap the ritual fire for purification, and renewed energy. Food: Fruits |
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