Lore: It's the longest night and shortest day of the year. Yule is the return of the sun and
rebirth of light. It's a time of new beginnings. A great time for dedication to new projects.
A traditional practice is the creation of a Yule Tree. (This is how 'Christmas Trees' got started).
The tree can be decorated with traditional Wiccan crafts such as dried rosebuds, cinnamon sticks,
popcorn or cranberry garlands, crystals, apples, oranges and lemons. The celebration welcomes the
rebirth of the sun Gods and Goddesses.
Back to Wheel
Lore: Fertility and growth are celebrated at this time. Initiations into groups or covens
are convened at this time. One tradition calls for the lighting of all lamps or candles in
the home just for a few moments to honor the suns return. Persephone returns from the pool
re-born.
Back to Wheel
Lore: It's time to get in touch with that inner child. Taking walks through meadows, taking in
the rebirth of the plants and animals that had been dormant through the winter. It's an ideal
time to plant seeds or work on your magical garden. Spending time doing things you remember as
a child, blowing bubbles, drawing, dressing up. Persephone returns to her mother Demeter from
the underworld and all earth blooms in celebration.
Back to Wheel
Lore: Beltane approches the height of fertility of the year and is symbolized by womens passions.
The Goddess in all her beauty bearing blooms and greening the land. It's the time where the maiden
moves into the mother phase. Persephone has come of age and is discovering sexuality. Traditionally
in Wiccan England couples would make love among the fields on May eve and it was said to enhance
the fertility of the growing crops. It symbolizes the weaving of the Earth and the Universe
which can be acted out with the May Pole.
Back to Wheel
Lore: Longest day and shortest night of the year. It's the first Sabbat of the waning year. It's when
the Mother is at her peak sexually and fertility wise. Everything is in full bloom and the promise of
the harvest is still a ways away. Persephone goes to rejoin her grandmother Hecate in the underworld.
Her Mother Demeter distraught by her absense stops all growth and death begins. The Goddess who was
born at Yule has now grown to maturity.
Back to Wheel
Lore: A time of the early harvest, when the Mother begins her croning. What has been asked for during the
Summer Soltice is ready to be. Along with celebrating the first fruits of harvest it can also be a good time
for bonding with animals and nature.
Back to Wheel
Lore: The promise made at Summer Solstice and Lammas has been fufilled. The children of the Mother are
nourished from her great abundance. The Goddess born at Yule has reached menopause, and is croning.
Persephone is in the underworld and Demeter has halted all growth until her return.
Traditional activities include walking in forests, gathering seed pods and dried plants.
Back to Wheel
Lore: As the wheel of the year turns, this Sabbat marks the death of the old and the beginning of the
new. Traditionally viewed as the one night where the veil to the other world is the thinnest
therefore easier to commune with those who have passed before us. The Crone is revered and may
be why the ugly old witches with warts on their noses are always portrayed at this time for
Halloween. The candy given out to trick-o-treaters may have stemmed from the tradition of leaving
food outside ones door for the souls of the dead. Candles left in windows were believed to
light the way of the dead to the lands of eternal summer. Burying apples in the hard packed
earth feeds the passed ones on their journey. This is a great time to rid oneself of baggage of
negative thoughts from the past. To put to rest what has been done and think ahead to new beginnings.
Back to Wheel
Back to A Pagan Place