Sabbaths and Cycles, page two

Sabbaths and Cycles

Moon and Sun

You may have noticed I described half the holidays with reference to the Sun, and the other half with reference to the Earth. This is not to say that those Sabbaths are only about the Sun, or only about the Earth. Each Sabbath is about both the God and the Goddess (at least how I see it). I simply described the turn of the season holidays in reference to the Sun, and the middle of the season holidays in reference to the Earth. I could have done it the other way around. That was basically just me trying to be creative.

Still, there are some themes running through each grouping. The 'solar' holidays were easier to describe than the 'terrestrial' holidays, but it makes sense that this is so. Things that are solar are by nature easily seen and understood. Also, the 'solar' Sabbaths celebrate times of definite amounts of solar energy, while the 'terrestrial' Sabbaths celebrate periods, during which solar energy is variable. Yule celebrates an event (the solstice), and Imbolc celebrates the season of spring.

Although both the Goddess and the God are celebrated, all Sabbaths can be thought of as solar, while all Esbats can be thought of as lunar. I say this because the Sabbaths are bigger, more blatant holidays, and the Esbats are quieter, more reflective holidays. I realize I'm not describing my position on this issue very well, and when I figure out which words I need, I'm going to edit this section.

Solar and Lunar Traits

Lunar
Feminine
Subtle
Broad Focus
Changeable
Softly Defined
Flexible
Relationships
Obscured
Mystery
Concept Based
Quality
Metaphor
Horizontal

Solar
Masculine
Obvious
Specific Focus
Definite
Firmly Defined
Ridged
Rules
Easily Seen
Science
Event Based
Quantity
Description
Verticle

A discussion of femininity and masculinity veers a little bit off course. I'll have to put that in sexuality or gender section. Until that section is up, however, I should point out that masculine is NOT the same as male or man, and feminine is NOT the same as female or woman.

How do the seasons effect us personally?

Samhain- October 31. A sabbath of darkness and the dead.

Yule- Around December 21. Winter Solstice. Longest night of the year.

Imbolc- February 2. A sabbath of lights, torches, etc.

Ostara- Around March 21. Spring Equinox. Day and night are equal, days start to get longer.

Beltane- April 30. A sabbath of fertility, vitality.

Midsummer- Around June 21. Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year.

Lammas- Auguest 1. A sabbath of harvest, thanksgiving.

Mabon- Around September 21. Fall Equinox. Day and night are equal, days start to get longer.

Some people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder during the winter months. It is a disorder that causes people to feel depressed. Here's how it works, to my knowledge. During the winter people wear more clothing, and are generally outside less. Less sunlight touches their skin, causing a decrease in the production of vitamin D. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are similar to those of depression. Many people who are not effected with Seasonal Affective Disorder still feel "down" during the winter months. Perhaps it's the dreary landscape, perhaps it's the lack of exercise, perhaps it's feeling cooped up. Whatever the reason, the effect is the same. A lot of people get depressed during the winter. They draw themselves inward. They look at personal issues. They get in touch with their emotions and think some things through. Such is the spirit of the season.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is just one example of how the seasons effect us. In this case the effect is physical and emotional, and many would say, negative. But the turn inward during the winter months doesn't have to be negative. If we understand the energies that are effecting us, we can use them in a positive way. Instead of getting depressed and withdrawn, we can focus on reviewing the year and coming to terms with the things that have happened. We can plant seed of growth for the spring. We can capitalize on the energies of the season. What we do with the energies that are going to be around us anyway is up to us. It's a matter of decision, a matter of mindset. This is true with many things. To give an example not related to the seasons, I once heard an woman working at an herb shop tell a customer not to think of her hot flashes as a problem to be solved, but a power surge to be tapped.

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