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Sabbats
Chalice of Light © Robin Wood 1997
Long before Caesar of Rome created the calendar which is in use throughout the world today, the Priests and faithful of the Old Gods of Paganism followed and tracked the Seasons by looking to the stars, the Sun, and the Moon, watching for the signs that would herald the seasonal change, or Turning of the Wheel.
As in the Old days, the Wicca, as Priests or Priestesses and Witches, celebrate the turning of the 'Wheel of Life' through the Eight Sabbats, and thirteen Esbats (Full Moons). These Ritual Occasions are the symbolic embodiment of how we perceive and experience the world as the days and seasons of the year move ever onward, and forward, in an un-ending inexorable Cycle of Birth - Life - Death - Rebirth.
The Sabbats are, for us, a celebration of the turning of the Wheel of the Year, which reflect the various stages of the endless Cycle of Life. The Rites are also symbolic of the Cycles that we as individuals go through in our lifetime, and in our cycle of lives. The inner journeys, the ones to discover ourselves, are also reflected in the Esbats, Rites which honor the waxing, ripening, and waning of our Moon, perceived throughout the ages as a reflection of never ending cycle of the seasons - of Nature Herself.
| Sabbat:
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Date:
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Description:
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| Samhain |
October 31 |
All Hallows Eve; The Goddess descends to the Underworld,
and the Wheel once again begins the eternal Cycle of Life. It is on this day that
the world of men and the Spirit realm are at their closest. It is traditionally a
time to remember those who have gone before us.
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| Winter Solstice |
Dec. 21
Approximate |
Yule ("Wheel") The longest night of the year; from this
time on, the days start increasing in length. The Lord of Light is reborn of the
Goddess, the Divine Birth.
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| Candlemas |
February 2 |
Imbolg or Oimelc("in the belly") It is the 'quickening'
or stirring, the promise of Spring to come, for life once again begins to stir in
the barren and sleeping land. The Goddess returns from the Underworld.
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| Spring Equinox |
March 21
approximate |
Vernal Equinox; Day and night are equal, but day is
increasing - the Light has conquered the darkness. The Young Lord has proven
Himself, and been given His Name and Arms by the Mother. The Green God arises
in the fields. |
| Beltane |
April 30 |
May Eve It is the day of unbridled passion, of the
Love Chase - of the Courtship of the God and Goddess.
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| Summer Solstice |
June 21
approximate |
Midsummer Eve; This Sabbat marks the longest day of the
year, and from this time forward the days decrease in length; the Sun has reached
its height, and the Lord of Light begins to wane in strength. The Sacred Marriage
of the God and Goddess. This is a time to celebrate, for the fields are planted,
and there is a brief rest before the coming harvest.
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| Lammas |
August 1 |
("loaf mass") also called Lughnassad The First-Fruits of
the Harvest, and as such a day of giving thanks - but also one of sacrifice as the
God-King becomes a willing sacrifice to ensure the success of the next planting season.
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| Autumn Equinox |
Sept. 21
approximate |
Mabon Night and day are equal, with night increasing in
length; it is the time that we bid farewell to the warm embraces of the Sun God, for
He has died and resurrected to become the Leader of the Wild Hunt - and also the Lord
of the Dead in the shadows of the Underworld.
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| And so the Wheel has turned full cycle, and we return to Hallows once again.
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