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 (Winter Solstice) | December 20 - 23 | Read More
- Imbolc (Midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox) | February 1 - 2 | Read More
- Ostara (Spring Equinox) | March 19 - 23 | Read More
- Beltane/May Day (Midpoint between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice) | April 30 - May 1 | Read More
- Litha/Midsummer (Summer Solstice) | June 19 - 23 | Read More
- Lammas (Midpoint between Summer Solstice and Autumnal Equinox) | August 1 | Read More
- Mabon (Autumnal Equinox) | September 21 - 24 | Read More
- Samhain (Midpoint between Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice) | October 31 - November 1 | Read More
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!