The meaning of these holiday observances is threefold. One aspect of the holiday emphasizes our connection to nature. Our ancestors were highly dependent upon nature, and their lives revolved around the cycles of the seasons. In this modern day and age, walking on our paved roads and buying our vegetables in cans at convenience stores, it is easy to forget that we are still part of the Earth. No matter how “advanced” our species becomes, we are still highly dependent upon the planet for all of our needs. Pagans do not see human beings above nature, but part of it, and so it is important to recognize our connection to the natural world. By becoming attuned with the cycles of nature, we can strengthen our connection to Mother Earth.
Another aspect of Pagan holy days is the life cycle as it is reflected in the cycles of nature– the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth. Each season is identified with a certain stage in life, and that stage of life is honored and celebrated in its respective season. This is also mirrored in the mythological birth, life, death and rebirth of the Sun God, which is the third part of the trio.
The connection to the divine is the final aspect of the Pagan holidays. The feminine aspects of the divine are represented by the Goddess archetypes, and the male aspects of the divine are represented by the God archetypes. Throughout the changing seasons we see the eternal dance between the two. The mythology is by no means taken literally; it is merely the story we use in order to connect to the divine and wrap our feeble mortal minds around the concept of divinity so that we can relate to The Creator (in whatever forms we believe it takes). The myths explain the unexplainable.
The life of the Sun God, from his birth to his death in the Wheel of the Year, is seen as a symbolic representation of the divine in connection to nature.
This is the Last Harvest and New Year's Eve to the ancient Celts. Being "between years," it is considered a very magical time, a day when the veil separating the the physical plane and spiritual realms is most permeable. This is a good day to practice divination: scrying, Tarot readings and Rune casting are all particularly effective. The practice of donning costumes... especially scary ones... grew out of the ancient fear of evil spirits passing through the veil along with the benevolent ones and pumpkin carving evolved from the practice of painting hideous faces on gourds to keep "gouls and goblins" away from the home. Samhain is also a day for honoring our ancestors and one of my favorite rituals is the Dumb Supper... laying an extra place at the dinner table for those who have passed over to the Summerlands.
Samhain, Witch's New Year, All Hallow's Eve, Hallowe'en - October 31
Probably the most misunderstood Pagan holiday of all. Halloween is based loosely on Samhain (pronounced sow-en, meaning “summer’s end”). But Halloween is largely an American Secular holiday that has little or nothing to do with its roots. The skewed myths of evil spirits, human sacrifices and devil worship have absolutely nothing to do with this final harvest festival. Call it Shadowfest, Dia De Los Muertos, or All Hallow’s Eve, for Pagans this is a time to celebrate death as a part of the life cycle. At this time, we look back in time and honor our ancestors and those who have gone before us with laughter and tears. We speak their names, put their pictures on our altars, and keep their memories alive, acknowledging the contribution they made to our lives. We make “sacrifices” to them in the form of bowls of ripe fruit or grain, dishes of food, soul cakes, alcohol and other beverages, little gifts we make, smoking incense. We morn the passing of the Sun God, who dies and makes His journey into the Summerlands. He will be born of the Goddess again at Yule, bringing the Wheel full circle again. Pagans do not fear death, but see it only as a transition. The eternal spirit will move on to the Summerlands and prepare for a new incarnation, just as the seeds resting below the ground will lie dormant in the cold Earth until the return of the light will beckon them back to life after the long, dark winter.
Yule / Winter Solstice on or near December 21st
Here in the northern hemisphere, nights get longer and days get shorter until the day of the Winter Solstice when the cycle reverses. The word Yule comes from the Norse Jul meaning wheel. On this darkest of nights, the Goddess becomes the Great Mother and once again gives birth to the Sun God. This is a fire festival so celebrate with a Yule log in the fireplace, candles on the table and lights on the tree. Evergreens, holly, ivy and mistletoe, symbols of fertility and everlasting life, remind us that the cold darkness of winter will eventually give way to the warmth & new growth of spring.
Also known commonly as Yule, this day sets the wheel in motion. The Winter Solstice marks mid-winter, and the shortest day of the year, when the sun is at its southernmost point. The celebration revolves around mythology of the divine birth, an ancient concept associated with this solstice that long predates Christianity. The Goddess in Her form of Great Mother has given birth to the Sun God. He is young and weak, but from this point on will grow stronger every day, warming the land and bringing back the season of growth. It is a time to be grateful that even in the darkest of times, there remains a seed of light. Traditions of bringing in evergreens to decorate, hanging holly, exchanging gifts, kissing under mistletoe, lighting yule logs, caroling, wassailing, feasting and general merry making date back to two ancient holidays: Saturnalia, the Roman mid-winter festival, and Zagmuk, the Mesopotamian year-end celebration.
Imbolc / Imbolg / Candlemas - February 2nd
Imbolc means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother) and in the womb of Mother Earth new life is truly stirring. The young Sun God is growing and his strength is beginning to be noticeable. If you look closely, you may notice a snowdrop or a crocus pushing its way out of the still-cold earth. This is traditionally a day of purification, of sweeping out the old to make room for the new... both physically and emotionally. Celebrate by lighting LOTS of candles to encourage the young Sun; if you like to make them yourself, this is an auspicious day to do it. As nuts and seeds symbolize new beginnings, enjoy some sesame cookies or nutbread while visualizing yourself co-creating a loving, joyous & prosperous future.
Oimelc, Candlemas, The Feast of Waxing Light, and yes, even modern Groundhog’s Day, all are tied into this ancient holiday, the beginning of spring. The Sun God grows stronger and the Goddess– Mother Earth– begins to rise from her long period of rest after childbirth. As the world begins to thaw, the first stirring of spring is felt. Mankind can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the winter will soon be coming to an end. For Pagans, this is a time for cleansing and purification, and to continue celebrating the waxing of the year.
Ostara - Spring Equinox - on or near March 21st
The Life Energies are building quickly now and the very air seems to vibrate with promise.
This day is also called Ostara, named after Eostre, the Teutonic Goddess of the spring at its height. Day and night are equal, but the light half of the year is now overtaking the dark half. The seeds begin to sprout and new life springs forth from the land. For Pagans, this is a time of renewal– a time to plant our own “seeds” in our lives to encourage personal growth. This is the first fertility festival, as the young Sun God is coming into maturity. He begins to feel the stir of desire within when He looks upon the Goddess in her maiden (virgin) form. Bunnies, eggs, and seeds are all ancient fertility symbols associated with this time of year.
Beltaine / Beltane / May Day - May 1
From the Irish Gaelic Bealtaine meaning Bel-fire (the fire of Bel, Celtic God of light) Beltaine is primarily a fertility festival; the Land represented by the Goddess is now ripe and fertile and the Sun God expresses His Love for Her. Celebrate by establishing a woodland or garden shrine and gathering flowers to adorn your living space... and yourself!
More commonly known as May Day, the second fertility festival is a full-blown celebration of start of the summer. The land is ripe and bursting forth with new life. The Goddess and God marry and unite in the “Great Rite” (sexual union), and he plants his seed within her womb. This is symbolized by the central tradition of the season: the romp around the May pole. The May pole’s symbolism is two-fold. The first is the sexual connotation; the May Pole (a prime phallic symbol representing God) is driven into the Earth (representation of the Goddess). Being a fertility festival, this holiday also celebrates that part of our life that accompanies fertility: sex. Loving sexual energies abound at this time of year, so it is not uncommon for Pagan lovers to enact their own version of the Great Rite in a private Beltane tryst. But the fertility celebration does not have to be about physical fertility; some people take this holiday to celebrate the fertility of other things, such as the creative mind. The second of the pole’s symbolism is the weaving of the ribbons, which demonstrates the union of separate things entwining together to become one.
Midsummer / Summer Solstice - on or near June 21st
Midsummer, or Litha, is the longest day of the year, and the shortest night. Pagans celebrate the zenith of the Sun God’s power, when He is burning brightly in all His glory. It is a time for great revelry, but marks the point where the power of the Sun God will begin to wane. The great Wheel turns as the Earth begins to head toward the dark half of the year. Traditionally, this is a time when magic is at its most potent, and the fairies and elves are at their most playful. It is also a prime time for taking advantage of the magic of the Earth, and so many plants and herbs are collected to be dried or used for medicinal and magical purposes.
Midsummer is the longest day of the year. It's not harvest time yet, but Mother Nature is impressively lush. The veil between the Faerie realm and our world is thin so don't be surprised if you catch a glimpse of an otherworldly someone on Midsummer's Eve! Celebrate with a bonfire and if you're into herb magick, any plants gathered at this time are particularly powerful. Or just stroll through a park or woodland area and bask in the glory of our natural world.
Lughnasadh / Lammas - August 1
Even though Lughnasadh occurs at the warmest time of the year, it marks the time at which days become noticeably shorter and so is considered the starting point of the autumn quarter of the year. The autumn season contains three harvests, and Lughnasadh is the first of these, the time when the first corn harvest is cut. The name is derived from Lugh (pronounced 'loo'), a Celtic deity of light and wisdom. At Lughnasadh, bread from the first harvest was eaten in thanks. Baking, sharing & eating bread is a wonderful way to celebrate this holiday and if you can, attend a Renaissance Faire, Medieval Festival or Highland Games competition. The jousting matches and caber & sheaf tosses were no doubt inspired by that aggressive war god Lugh :-)
Known also as Lughnasadh, named for the Celtic God Lugh, this is the first of the autumn harvest festivals. Lugh (a Celtic God of Light) was a multi-skilled God, and Pagans often take this opportunity to be grateful for their personal gifts and skills. It is also a time to be grateful for the Earth’s abundant gifts. The grain is ripe in the fields and the vines are dripping with fruits. Baking bread is a traditional activity of the season; as the dough is kneaded and the delicious smells fill our kitchen we are reminded of the many blessings of nature. We are also reminded of how care of the “seeds” we have planted in our lives, with hard work and nature’s grace, come to fruition.
Mabon / Autumn Equinox - on or near September 21
Mabon is the time of the second harvest, when fruits are ready for collection. The land is showing clear signs of the journey towards winter - leaves are beginning to turn and birds are gathering for migration. Mabon is a time to consider which aspects of your life you wish to preserve and which you would prefer to discard. This is the Pagan Thanksgiving, a time to appreciate and enjoy the fruits of your labors. Commemorate Mabon by making wine, feasting with friends, planting bulbs to bloom in the spring and put out feeders to help those brave birds who don't migrate get through the long winter ahead.
Commonly known as Mabon, this is the second harvest of the year at the zenith of the fall. At this point, light and dark are once again equal, but now the light is being overtaken by the dark half of the year. The Sun God is growing older, His strength is waning. The Goddess is saddened, knowing Her lover will soon be making His journey to the Summerlands (afterlife), but takes comfort in the life– the seed of light-- growing within Her. We feel the nip in the air and see the leaves turning colors and falling away. We continue to celebrate the harvest and be thankful for nature’s bounty, but with the knowledge that the dark days are now upon us. It is a time to prepare for the coming Winter, a time to journey within ourselves and contemplate our lives and our place in the universe.
Certain things about these holidays tend to differ from place to place, or among different cultural sects. The names of the festival, the exact days on which they are celebrated, the specific myths they draw upon may vary, however the spirit of the celebration and its connection to the changes in nature is a constant for Pagans everywhere.
Blessed Be!
