The wheel of the year is integral to pagan traditions, helping us to recognize and pay respect to the ever-changing cycles that make up natural life. It also speaks of times when the veil between this world and others is thinnest, providing opportunities for ritual work, connection with spiritual entities, and amplifying magickal energy.
It is at the beginning of summer that we celebrate Beltane (also known as May Day). This holiday marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice and is traditionally celebrated on May 1st each year. During this celebration, people embrace the themes of cleansing and renewing energy.
The pronunciation of Beltane may vary depending on regional accents, but it is commonly pronounced as "BEL-tayn" or "BEL-tahn." However you choose to say it, Beltane carries with it a sense of enchantment and ancient wisdom as it honors the union between the Goddess/Divine Feminine and God/Divine Masculine. It symbolizes the balance between feminine and masculine energies and celebrates life's eternal cycle.
During Beltane, rituals are performed to honor the union between the masculine and feminine energies within both nature and ourselves. It is a time to celebrate love, passion, and connection with others. Bonfires are lit to symbolize purification and transformation, while dancing around them signifies joyous celebration.
Colors play a significant role in Beltane celebrations. The vibrant hues of green, representing growth and fertility, are often seen adorning altars and decorations. The warm tones of yellow and orange symbolize the sun's strength and vitality during this season of rebirth. Herbs hold their own special significance during Beltane. Delicate blossoms like lilac, rose, and hawthorn are commonly used to honor this festive occasion. These fragrant herbs not only add beauty to rituals but also invoke feelings of love, passion, and abundance. At the heart of this ancient festival lies the god Ba'el (aka Bel, of the Canaanite Pantheon), a deity closely associated with Beltane's vibrant energy and fertility.
If you're interested in embracing Beltane through ritual, consider what aligns with your practice, such as connecting with solar and fire energy through bonfires, grilling out, cooking or baking using ingredients that represent solar energy, performing a powerful fire ritual, or creating art using colors associated with the holiday.
No matter how we choose to honor Beltane, its transformative energy encourages us to appreciate the beauty of nature and all it brings into our lives. Take a moment to fully immerse yourself in the spirit of Beltane - use colorful decorations, burn herbs, or simply spend time outdoors to truly feel connected with all that this powerful season has to give. May you experience abundance, joy, and peace through your celebration of Beltane!
Join The Mystic's Journey in-depth pathworking program today! Through this 3.5-year program, you'll learn about the seven threads of magick that comprise the fabric of our universe, how to work with these threads to weave your own fate, and truly step into your authentic and unique spiritual path with confidence, clarity, and direction.
Every time a student enrolls in The Mystic's Journey program I've built, they're not only accessing everything I have created and learned, but they're also making it possible for me to continue teaching full time.
What YOU get access to:
Coursework to learn about mysticism
Rituals, journal prompts, meditations, and more
Free downloadable grimoire pages
Side quests to learn 42 types of magick
Engaging community forum
Earn crystals as you complete coursework
Beginner and advanced resources
App for convenient learning on-the-go
Enroll TODAY and join an incredible community of witches and spiritual practitioners that are motivated by wisdom, embody their magick, and trust their intuition.
The wheel of the year is integral to pagan traditions, helping us to recognize and pay respect to the ever-changing cycles that make up natural life. It also speaks of times when the veil between this world and others is thinnest, providing opportunities for ritual work, connection with spiritual entities, and amplifying magickal energy.
Ostara marks the Spring Equinox - the start of Spring - when winter wanes and new life begins to bloom anew with longer days, warmer temperatures, and emerging flowers. It's seen as a time for new beginnings, a point of balance between light and dark, and death/dormancy giving way to new life. As such, Ostara is a particularly sacred event within the pagan Wheel of the Year. Many pagans observe it by honoring their deities, celebrating with friends or family, gardening, meditating on renewal and transformation, crafting art or objects associated with the season, and more. It's an opportunity to reflect on the small miracles of life and express gratitude for nature’s beauty and bounty. Most importantly, Ostara reminds us that all living things have an inner spark that can be nurtured to create joy and abundance in our lives; may we embrace its spirit - rebirth, renewal, hope, transformation - bring light into our lives and make this world a better place.
The correct way to pronounce the pagan holiday Ostara is "Oh-star-ah". The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, who was celebrated at the beginning of spring. Since this holiday marks a time for new beginnings, many celebrate by welcoming nature's renewal with ritualistic activities such as decorating eggs, planting gardens, and gathering in circles for sabbats. Although some aspects may have changed over the years, the intent remains: to connect with nature during this special season.
The thinness of the veil at Ostara makes it an ideal time for spiritual activity. Many pagans believe that this shift in energy allows them to connect more easily with spiritual beings, leading to a deeper understanding of the divine. It is also believed that this shift in energy helps to open up pathways of communication, making it possible to receive messages from other realms.
The color of Ostara is usually green, symbolizing new life and growth. Some also associate it with yellow, signifying the warmth of the sun that comes with spring. White is often seen as a representation of the Maiden Goddess, who brings rebirth and new beginnings to our lives. Lastly, pink or violet represents fertility and abundance in all its forms - spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.
All of the herbs used in Ostara celebrations have special meanings that can help bring peace, joy, fertility, and abundance into your life. Chamomile’s delicate white flowers symbolize harmony and serenity; it’s known to promote relaxation and restful sleep. Lavender conjures up a vision of freshness and purity; its calming fragrance evokes feelings of contentment. Marigold brings protection and vitality; its vibrant orange petals bring joy, warmth, and increased fertility. Sage (that is ethically sourced and appropriate for your culture/heritage) is the ultimate purifier; it’s used to rid a space of negative energy and restore balance. Rosemary encourages courage, strength, and clarity of thought; its pungent scent helps keep the mind focused on positive intentions. Finally, mint brings healing energy and a sense of renewal; it has been used for centuries to cleanse away physical and emotional ailments.
Ostara, though closely associated with the goddess Esotre because of its name, is also closely associated with Frigg and Freya (of the Norse pantheon), Persephone (of the Greek pantheon), and Cybele (of the Greek and/or Roman pantheon). Whether you understand these figures as actual personified beings, archetypal energies, or energies of mythology, their stories can be powerful to research and explore in conjunction with this point in the wheel of the year.
If you're interested in embracing Ostara through ritual, consider what aligns with your practice, such as connecting with fertility and earth energy through gardening, cooking, or baking using ingredients that represent joyous energy, creating art using colors associated with the holiday, or (my personal favorite) devoting time cleansing your home and decorating with fresh flowers, newly potted plants, or floral decor to your deity or spirit guide(s) of choice.
I love dedicating my energy to working with the energy of flowers and plants because it's symbolic of the new life that's blooming and unfolding at this point in the wheel of the year. Florals bring a joyous and spirited energy to the home that is a nice way to fill the newly cleansed space so things feel balanced and at peace. It's also a great time to honor the power of the divine feminine while finding the balance between the sacred feminine and masculine energies flowing through all of us.
No matter how we choose to honor Ostara, its transformative energy encourages us to appreciate the beauty of nature and all it brings into our lives. Take a moment to fully immerse yourself in the spirit of Ostara - use colorful decorations, burn floral herbs, or simply spend time outdoors to truly feel connected with all that this powerful season has to give. May you experience abundance, joy, and peace through your celebration of Ostara!
Join The Mystic's Journey in-depth pathworking program today! Through this 3.5-year program, you'll learn about the seven threads of magick that comprise the fabric of our universe, how to work with these threads to weave your own fate, and truly step into your authentic and unique spiritual path with confidence, clarity, and direction.
Every time a student enrolls in The Mystic's Journey program I've built, they're not only accessing everything I have created and learned, but they're also making it possible for me to continue teaching full time.
What YOU get access to:
Coursework to learn about mysticism
Rituals, journal prompts, meditations, and more
Free downloadable grimoire pages
Side quests to learn 42 types of magick
Engaging community forum
Earn crystals as you complete coursework
Beginner and advanced resources
App for convenient learning on-the-go
Enroll TODAY and join an incredible community of witches and spiritual practitioners that are motivated by wisdom, embody their magick, and trust their intuition.
The wheel of the year is integral to pagan traditions, helping us to recognize and pay respect to the ever-changing cycles that make up natural life. It also speaks of times when the veil between this world and others is thinnest, providing opportunities for ritual work, connection with spiritual entities, and amplifying magickal energy.
For pagans, Imbolc is a time to celebrate renewal and hope. This period is seen as a liminal space between darkness and light; it’s the time when winter's chill begins to soften, and nature slowly begins to stir again with new beginnings. It falls on the first day of February and is one of eight traditional Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year.
Imbolc is traditionally pronounced "im-bulk," with a short emphasis on the second syllable. The festival, which marks the halfway point between winter and spring, is celebrated by many pagans around the world and honors the beginning of new growth and the return of light after the darkness of winter. Celebrations often involve feasting, bonfires, rituals, and other festivities. No matter how you pronounce it, Imbolc is a time to celebrate the changing of seasons. It's a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future with hope and optimism.
On this day, many pagans will cleanse their homes and hold rituals to honor Brigid – the goddess of fire, poetry, and healing. They will light candles to symbolize the return of the sun and may also give offerings to Brigid in the form of herbs or flowers. Additionally, they may spend time reflecting on personal growth goals for the year ahead. Whether you understand this figure as an actual personified being, historical saint, archetypal energy, or energy of mythology, her story can be powerful to research and explore in conjunction with this point in the wheel of the year.
Red and white are the traditional colors for Imbolc, symbolizing purity, strength, and courage. Red represents the life-giving energy of spring that is just around the corner, while white symbolizes new beginnings and purification of the spirit. Traditional Imbolc herbs can be used as an aid in this process. For example, purifying plants such as sage, myrrh, and frankincense are often used in smoke-cleansing rituals. Simultaneously, healing herbs such as rosemary, mint, and thyme can be used to bring positive energy back into the body. Finally, flowers like lavender and chamomile can be brewed into teas or burned as incense to promote relaxation and soothe a worried mind.
If you're interested in embracing Imbolc through ritual, consider what aligns with your practice, such as connecting with solar and fire energy through bonfires, cooking or baking using ingredients that represent solar energy or are made over an open flame (such as a cookout), performing a powerful fire ritual, creating art using colors associated with the holiday, or (my personal favorite) devoting time writing poetry with and for the goddess Brigid, or your deity or spirit guide(s) of choice.
I love dedicating my energy to writing poetry because it's sacred to the goddess Brigid who is a powerful symbol of life, fertility, and creativity that aligns with the rebirth portion of the ever-rotating lifecycle and wheel of the year.
No matter how we choose to honor Imbolc, its transformative energy encourages us to appreciate the beauty of nature and all it brings into our lives. Take a moment to fully immerse yourself in the spirit of Imbolc - be creative, embrace the passion of fire energy through burning herbs or candles, or simply spend time outdoors to truly feel connected with all that this powerful season has to give. May you experience abundance, joy, and peace through your celebration of Imbolc!
Join The Mystic's Journey in-depth pathworking program today! Through this 3.5-year program, you'll learn about the seven threads of magick that comprise the fabric of our universe, how to work with these threads to weave your own fate, and truly step into your authentic and unique spiritual path with confidence, clarity, and direction.
Every time a student enrolls in The Mystic's Journey program I've built, they're not only accessing everything I have created and learned, but they're also making it possible for me to continue teaching full time.
What YOU get access to:
Coursework to learn about mysticism
Rituals, journal prompts, meditations, and more
Free downloadable grimoire pages
Side quests to learn 42 types of magick
Engaging community forum
Earn crystals as you complete coursework
Beginner and advanced resources
App for convenient learning on-the-go
Enroll TODAY and join an incredible community of witches and spiritual practitioners that are motivated by wisdom, embody their magick, and trust their intuition.
The wheel of the year is integral to pagan traditions, helping us to recognize and pay respect to the ever-changing cycles that make up natural life. It also speaks of times when the veil between this world and others is thinnest, providing opportunities for ritual work, connection with spiritual entities, and amplifying magickal energy.
It is at the peak of winter that we celebrate Yule. This holiday marks the longest night and shortest day of the year and is a time to pause and reflect on the darkness before we welcome in the light when springtime rolls around again after winter ends. The Pagan tradition of Yule signifies death and release in preparation for growth in the new year. It is a spiritual time to honor both endings and beginnings.
The connection between Yule and the new moon also creates an opportunity to release unwanted patterns or energies through ritual. It can be used as a time to embrace inner transformation via meditation or reflection while also allowing ourselves to rest within the dark cycle of life. As one ritual ends, another begins with this powerful lunar energy.
The word Yule is derived from the Old English word, ‘geōl’. This term was used to describe the midwinter festival that was celebrated in Scandinavia and Germany. It is believed that this word may have been related to a root meaning “wheel” or “turning around,” likely referring to this holiday being both the beginning and end of the Wheel of the Year. Over time, the name for this festival eventually changed into Yule. It is celebrated on the Winter Solstice, which falls in December, from the 21st to the 23rd every year.
The Yule season is a special time of year, and the veil between this world and the other realms is particularly thin during this period. Dreams seem more vivid, and it is easier to sense or see supernatural phenomena such as ancestors, spirits, and fae. To those with open eyes and hearts, it can be a magical opportunity to commune with the divine and gain insight into mysteries beyond our physical realm. If you are drawn to explore these energies further during yule-time, take some time for stillness and meditation.
Yule is a time to celebrate the release and reset of nature, and many ancient symbols are associated with this holiday. The traditional colors of Yule are rich and evocative, each one symbolizing something different. Red represents the burning flame that lights up the cold winter nights and brings warmth and comfort to those who gather around it. Green is a reminder of life in the darkest months, representing growth even when all appears still. White stands for purity and new beginnings, while gold celebrates prosperity and abundance. Yarrow, mistletoe, barberry, holly, ivy, and rosemary are just some of the many herbs associated with Yule. And goddesses such as Frigga or Odin (from the Norse pantheon), Astarte (from the Canaanite pantheon), and Gaia (from the Greek pantheon) can provide additional guidance during these celebrations. Whether you understand these figures as actual personified beings, archetypal energies, or energies of mythology, their stories can be powerful to research and explore in conjunction with this point in the wheel of the year.
If you're interested in embracing Yule through ritual, consider what aligns with your practice, such as connecting with lunar energy through symbolism, cooking or baking using ingredients that represent the season, or (my personal favorite) devoting time to creating magical decor or wards to your deity or spirit guide(s) of choice.
I love dedicating my energy to telling cosmic stories of the divine through my ceramic village displays because hiding things in plain sight to me fits with the lunar and new moon energy of the Yule season as we prepare for the coming winter months that symbolize the rebirth portion of the ever-rotating lifecycle and wheel of the year and light growing amongst the darkness.
No matter how we choose to honor Yule, its transformative energy encourages us to appreciate the dark seasons of our lives. Take a moment to fully immerse yourself in the spirit of the winter solstice - use meaningful decorations, burn herbs, or simply spend time cozying up indoors with a cup of wassail to truly feel connected with all that this powerful season has to give. May you experience warmth, joy, and release through your celebration of Yule!
Join The Mystic's Journey in-depth pathworking program today! Through this 3.5-year program, you'll learn about the seven threads of magick that comprise the fabric of our universe, how to work with these threads to weave your own fate, and truly step into your authentic and unique spiritual path with confidence, clarity, and direction.
Every time a student enrolls in The Mystic's Journey program I've built, they're not only accessing everything I have created and learned, but they're also making it possible for me to continue teaching full time.
What YOU get access to:
Coursework to learn about mysticism
Rituals, journal prompts, meditations, and more
Free downloadable grimoire pages
Side quests to learn 42 types of magick
Engaging community forum
Earn crystals as you complete coursework
Beginner and advanced resources
App for convenient learning on-the-go
Enroll TODAY and join an incredible community of witches and spiritual practitioners that are motivated by wisdom, embody their magick, and trust their intuition.
The wheel of the year is integral to pagan traditions, helping us to recognize and pay respect to the ever-changing cycles that make up natural life. It also speaks of times when the veil between this world and others is thinnest, providing opportunities for ritual work, connection with spiritual entities, and amplifying magickal energy.
It is at the peak of summer – when the days are the longest and lightest – that we celebrate Litha (also known as Midsummer). This holiday marks the midsummer solstice, a time of great abundance and increased magical energy. During this period, the sun is in its highest position in the sky and its effects can be seen all around us: ripening crops; busy bees gathering nectar; birds chirping away in their nests. All this bounty speaks of joyousness and fertility, enabling us to embrace the spirit of Litha fully.
The correct pronunciation of the pagan holiday Litha is "lee-tha" but it is also modernly accepted to pronounce the pagan holiday as “lie-thuh.” The name Litha comes from a Germanic word meaning "June" and is celebrated on the Summer Solstice, which falls in June or around the 21st of June every year.
At Litha, the veil between our realm and the otherworld is particularly thin. This makes it an ideal time to perform magical workings, prayer, and meditations, and connect with the spiritual realm and sources of divine wisdom. As we step into this time of abundant light, we are also invited to open up to a deeper understanding of our own magic. We can use Litha as a portal for tapping into our intuitive knowledge and unlocking new layers of spiritual insight. Through ritual practice, meditation, divination, or any other form of connection with Spirit that resonates with us, we can commune with the energies of this powerful season and gain access to its transformative potential.
Litha is a time to celebrate the growth and abundance of nature, and many ancient symbols are associated with this holiday. Traditional Litha colors include yellow, representing the sun's energy and power; green, for the growing crops; and blue, for the sky's openness. Herbs such as chamomile, daisy, lavender, rosemary, and mugwort can be used to honor the season. And goddesses such as Frigga or Freya (from the Norse pantheon) and Astarte (from the Canaanite pantheon) can provide additional guidance during these celebrations. Whether you understand these figures as actual personified beings, archetypal energies, or energies of mythology, their stories can be powerful to research and explore in conjunction with this point in the wheel of the year.
If you're interested in embracing Litha through ritual, consider what aligns with your practice, such as connecting with solar and earth energy through gardening, cooking or baking using ingredients that represent solar energy, performing a powerful fire ritual, creating art using colors associated with the holiday, or (my personal favorite) devoting time harvesting fresh berries and vegetables to your deity or spirit guide(s) of choice.
I love dedicating my energy to harvesting because it's symbolic of the ripening crops that have been provided to us by the earth as we prepare for the coming winter months that symbolize the death portion of the ever-rotating lifecycle and wheel of the year.
No matter how we choose to honor Litha, its transformative energy encourages us to appreciate the beauty of nature and all it brings into our lives. Take a moment to fully immerse yourself in the spirit of the summer solstice — use colorful decorations, burn herbs, or simply spend time outdoors to truly feel connected with all that this powerful season has to give. May you experience abundance, joy, and peace through your celebration of Litha!
Join The Mystic's Journey in-depth pathworking program today! Through this 3.5-year program, you'll learn about the seven threads of magick that comprise the fabric of our universe, how to work with these threads to weave your own fate, and truly step into your authentic and unique spiritual path with confidence, clarity, and direction.
Every time a student enrolls in The Mystic's Journey program I've built, they're not only accessing everything I have created and learned, but they're also making it possible for me to continue teaching full time.
What YOU get access to:
Coursework to learn about mysticism
Rituals, journal prompts, meditations, and more
Free downloadable grimoire pages
Side quests to learn 42 types of magick
Engaging community forum
Earn crystals as you complete coursework
Beginner and advanced resources
App for convenient learning on-the-go
Enroll TODAY and join an incredible community of witches and spiritual practitioners that are motivated by wisdom, embody their magick, and trust their intuition.
The Wheel of the Year is an ancient Pagan tradition that celebrates and honors the cycles of nature and the changing seasons. It is a way to connect to the spiritual energies of each season, giving thanks for each cycle's unique gifts while preparing for upcoming changes.
The Wheel of the Year consists of eight seasonal holidays, referred to as "Sabbats," that occur at equal intervals throughout the year. For most of my life, I felt a strong connection to the importance of the changing of the seasons. As a child, I was fixated on "the first day of spring" and the moment when it became clear that summer was ending and autumn was arriving.
As I pursued esoteric wisdom studies, I discovered that the cycles of nature that were deeply revered in Paganism were telling a story of death to rebirth to life that was incredibly important to me from a mystical standpoint. When we go through a process of "dying" while on our wisdom journey, this can occur in the physical sense by removing things in our physical life that no longer serve us (such as people, objects, habits, etc.). Still, death can also occur in the emotional and spiritual spheres of being by eliminating, releasing, or banishing anything not aligned with our highest good. This "death" of sorts, allows room for us to rebirth aspects of ourselves that otherwise would've been stunted in growth, which paves the way for a more fulfilling life and path forward.
This death to rebirth to life cycle doesn't occur only once but repeats throughout our journey as we continue to heal and expand. This process mirrors the same ever-turning Wheel of the Year in ancient Pagan traditions. So when we learn about the individual Sabbats, why they're essential in Paganism, and what energies come with each celebration, we can align our practices to be in flow with what's ever-changing in nature and the seasons. The dates can vary year to year based on when the different planetary events occur and which hemisphere you live in. The below is based on the Northern Hemisphere and is inverted if you live in the Southern Hemisphere.
Yule is the time of the winter solstice and symbolizes the fullness of death, darkness, release, and what I often associate with "new moon" energy. As the Wheel of the Year turns and we get into the celebrations of Imbolc and Ostara, the spring equinox, the darkness, and light begin to balance out, and energy of fertility, rebirth, and new ideas increases. This increase continues through Beltane and Litha, which is the summer solstice and marks light being at its maximum point in the Wheel of the Year. The energy of this point is that of life, harvest, bounty, joy, and what I often associate with "full moon" energy. As the seasons do, though, the Wheel of the Year continues turning, moving through Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain as the energy of death, darkness, and release grows into Yule.
By engaging with this cycle, we recognize both the ever-changing nature of the world, as well as our ever-evolving spiritual growth. As we move through the Wheel of the Year, we can learn to appreciate and understand each season's unique gifts. You may already be in flow with the seasons, not even realizing it from a spiritual perspective.
An example of seemingly mundane ways we may already recognize the energy of the Wheel of the Year is spring cleaning. After the long period of winter, the busy holiday season, and the dreariness of the cold, spring returns, and we feel motivated to clean. Everything from purging our closets to throwing out old junk to dusting the house. This urge we feel about cleaning and putting our home back in order comes from the same energy that nature feels when it's time to let go of the old and rebirth new sprouts, plants, blossoms, and life to what's been bare, snow-covered ground for many months (depending on where you live, of course).
Another example is the urge you may feel in the summertime to get outdoors, soak up the sun, travel, and enjoy life without worrying about work, school, or other priorities we often have in life. This is the "life" energy we experience in the light-dominant half of the Wheel of the Year.
When we apply these mundane aspects to our emotional and spiritual spheres of life, we can then also prioritize releasing emotions that are no longer serving us during the Yule half of the year and increasing joy and positivity in the Litha half of the year.
We can also use the Wheel of the Year to recognize how our actions are intertwined with those of nature and give thanks for all she offers us. With this understanding, we can live more harmoniously with our environment, becoming greater stewards of ourselves and nature. May the Wheel of the Year bring you joy and growth in your spiritual journey. Blessed Be!
Join The Mystic's Journey in-depth pathworking program today! Through this 3.5-year program, you'll learn about the seven threads of magick that comprise the fabric of our universe, how to work with these threads to weave your own fate, and truly step into your authentic and unique spiritual path with confidence, clarity, and direction.
Every time a student enrolls in The Mystic's Journey program I've built, they're not only accessing everything I have created and learned, but they're also making it possible for me to continue teaching full time.
What YOU get access to:
Coursework to learn about mysticism
Rituals, journal prompts, meditations, and more
Free downloadable grimoire pages
Side quests to learn 42 types of magick
Engaging community forum
Earn crystals as you complete coursework
Beginner and advanced resources
App for convenient learning on-the-go
Enroll TODAY and join an incredible community of witches and spiritual practitioners that are motivated by wisdom, embody their magick, and trust their intuition.
