| Wheel of the Year Overview |
| The Moon Path Chapter of Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) Unitarian Universalist Church of Ft. Lauderdale, 3970 NW 21st Ave. , Ft. Lauderdale, Fl 33309, 954-484-6734. http://MoonPathCUUPS.org Study group 7:30pm every Thursday evening http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MoonPathCUUPS/ Subscribe: [email protected] We share and learn from each other and do something different each week. There are various traditions represented by our members. Some of us are solitary, and some of us are members of various covens. Anyone interested in learning more about the Wheel of the Year, Pagan Ritual, Drumming, Herbs, Tarot, Esbats, Sabbats, or just being a Pagan, is welcome. The Year is divided into Quarters by the Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, and the Fall Equinox. Halfway between the Solstice and Equinox is the Cross Quarter. These Quarters and Cross Quarters are called the Wheel of the Year of the Sun. Vernal Equinox (March 20-22) Mid Winter (February 2 Cross Quarter) May Day (May 1 Cross Quarter) Winter Solstice (December 20-22) Summer Solstice (June 20-22) Mid Autumn (November 1 Cross Quarter) Mid Summer (August 1 Cross Quarter) Autumnal Equinox (September 20-22 In the highlands of Scotland and England all the Cross Quarters are considered times of being able to cross over to the "other world". We hold eight open to the public Sun Celebration Festivals each year. Vernal Equinox (March 20-22) is one of the 4 Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between the two Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations, Mid Winter and May Day. Exactly opposite the Autumnal Equinox (September 20-22) on the Wheel of the Year. Vernal Equinox is a festival of fertility/rebirth and the first day of Spring. Eggs representing the cosmic egg of creation are decorated. In the Ancient Mediterranean lands it was celebrated as New Year's Day and as the first day of the first sign of the Zodiac, Aries. It is a time of conception and new beginnings; a rebirth of the world after the cold Winter months. The Vernal Equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on it's apparent journey northward, when day and night are of equal duration. It is a time of equilibrium, moving toward the light half of the year. May Day (May 1) is one of the 4 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between the two Quarter Sun Celebrations, Vernal Equinox and Summer Solstice . Exactly opposite Mid Autumn (November 1) on the Wheel of the Year. May Day is a festival of Rebirth, a celebration of the re-awakening of the earth, the opening of the flowers, the rebirth of all that had 'died' throughout the Winter's cold rule. It is traditionally a fertility festival, an encouragement for the crops to begin growing and the cattle to give birth to the next generation. May Day is a time of community and opening ourselves to those around us. Summer Solstice (June 20-22) is one of the 4 Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between 2 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations, May Day and Mid Summer. Exactly opposite Winter Solstice (December 20-22) on the Wheel of the Year. Summer Solstice is a festival of the Sun, the longest day of the year, and the first day of Summer. It marks the division of the year with the peak power of the Sun. The dark or waning half of the year begins now. A favorite month in which to be married and to gather honey to make honey mead. Native Americans still perform Sun Dances at this time of year to honor the Sky Father. The Sun Dance is a ceremony of rebirth, and spiritual renewal. Mid Summer (August 1) is one of the 4 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between 2 Quarter Sun Celebrations, Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox. Exactly opposite Mid Winter (February 2) on the Wheel of the Year. Mid Summer is a festival of the First Harvest and breads are made from the early grains of barley and corn. The grinding of the grain represents the harvest and death (or transition), adding sprouted wheat and yeast represents resurrection, and the consumption of the food represents the cycles of nature and new life. Days continue to shorten with less and less sunlight. It is the start of winter storing to prepare for the coming darkness of winter. It is a time to sit and take stock of your life. Mid Summer is the first of three harvest festivals. The other two being Autumnal Equinox and Mid Autumn. Autumnal Equinox (September 20-22) is one of the 4 Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between 2 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations, Mid Summer and Mid Autumn. Exactly opposite Vernal Equinox (March 20-22) on the Wheel of the Year. Autumnal Equinox is a festival of the Second Harvest and the first day of Autumn. A time of Thanksgiving for the abundance of the year, and sharing that abundance with others.. The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun crosses the equator on it's apparent journey southward, when day and night are of equal duration. It is a time of equilibrium, moving toward the dark half of the year. Autumnal Equinox is the second of three harvest festivals. The other two being Mid Summer and Mid Autumn Mid Autumn (November 1) is one of the 4 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between 2 Quarter Sun Celebrations, Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice. Exactly opposite May Day (May 1) on the Wheel of the Year. Mid Autumn is a festival of the Third, and final, Harvest and the time to honor our ancestors who have gone on before us. Sometimes celebrated as The Day of the Dead. The Ancient Celts celebrated it as New Year's Day. The end of the "season of the sun" and the beginning of "the season of darkness and cold." Animals too weak to make it through the winter were slaughtered. Mid Autumn is the third of three harvest festivals. The other two being Mid Summer and Autumnal Equinox. Winter Solstice (December 20-22) is one of the 4 Quarter Sun Celebrations in the wheel of the Year. It is halfway between 2 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations, Mid Autumn and Mid Winter. Exactly opposite Summer Solstice (June 20-22)on the Wheel of the Year. Winter Solstice is a festival of Rebirth of the Sun, the shortest day of the year, and first day of winter It marks the division of the year with the lowest power of the Sun. The light or waxing half of the year begins now. Ancient Egyptians celebrated for 12 days, to reflect the 12 divisions in their sun calendar. It is the time to look on the past year's achievements and to celebrate with family and friends. Mid Winter (February 2) is one of the 4 Cross Quarter Sun Celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. It is halfway between the two Quarter Sun Celebrations, Winter Solstice and Vernal Equinox Exactly opposite Mid Summer (August 1) on the Wheel of the Year. Mid Winter is a festival of spiritual purification and dedication; with cleansing and purification rites conducted for each room in preparation for the birth of spring. This is the origin of 'Spring Cleaning'. It's the appropriate time for new beginning and re-dedications. Mid Winter is the time considered by some to be the start of spring. The quickening of the seeds of spring within the earth. Though in early February the days are growing noticeably longer, this is still a dark time. |
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| Moon Path CUUPS |
| Last Modified 04/09/2008 |