Wheel of the Year

290 12 0
                                    

The wheel of the year is the calendar of events for holidays of the craft. You might be most familar with Yule. It's very close to Christmas and its often referred to as Yuletide, or the twelve days of Christmas. Some believe this is the time for the transition between the two kings. The holly king and the oak king fight for dominance of the season. The next holiday is Imbolc, this is the holiday which coined the original term 'spring cleaning'. The idea is more of a spring cleansing. A practice in which people light a white candle in each room to purify and cleanse the stagnant spirits of winter. A simpler alternative is flipping on the lights in each room and doing a bit of cleaning. Ostara is the holiday that follows Imbolc.  Ostara falls on the spring equinox which varies from year to year. It is a predecessor to Easter, what was once a celebration of the Green Man is now a celebration of Christ on the cross. Beltane is celebrated on the first day of May, otherwise known as May Day. The most common tradition is dancing around the May Pole, making flower crowns, and romantic divination. Litha, also known as Midsummer, or Midsomar, it is celebrated on the summer solstice. In celebration of the day being so long, it's often customary to light a bonfire and spend time outdoors. Alternatively you can light candles, and perhaps take a walk. Lughnasadh or Lughnasa is the begininng of the harvest season. Some common activities include playing sports, offerings of fruit, feasting with family. Mabon is a celebration that takes place on the autumn equinox. It is very similar to Thanksgiving. It is common to eat together with family, and tell stories. The particular story that goes with Mabon is how the God of light is defeated by the God of darkness creating longer nights. Samhain is pretty commonly known as Halloween. It is the night when the spiritual veil is thinnest, the holiday officially starts at dark and goes on until the morning of November 1st. It is celebrated with bonfires and dancing. 

Witchcraft A Beginner's GuideWhere stories live. Discover now