As I mentioned in a previous blog post that there are tenets that exist that create the foundation of Wicca even if you are a Modern Eclectic Wiccan. There is a line, a boundary for everything, a point when something stops being one thing and transforms into something else. There are characteristics or traits that identify Wicca as Wicca. I will continue to discuss these characteristics or tenets in this blog. I have already discussed other tenets and today I will continue with the next one, which is:
- Celebrating the seasons as aspects of the earth cycle during a sabbat at its proper time.
Wicca is a spirituality or religion that can easily be described as nature worship because we inherently understand that the land beneath our feet and the sky above our heads are manifestations of The All. We recognize the sacredness of the earth and view Her as a sentient being that with the aid of her consort, the God, births and sustains all life and compassionately embraces us in death. We respect the natural flow of earth’s energy, which existed prior to our own physical manifestation and we seek to live in harmony with that force.
One of the ways in which we cultivate a harmonious relationship with this earth energy, our Mother Gaaia, is through honoring and celebrating the seasons with sabbat rituals. We track the shifting of energies with The Wheel of the Year, which many times is a physical representation or calendar of the eight Wiccan festivals. These festivals are divided between the Major and Minor sabbats, The Major sabbats or cross quarter days are the midpoints between the solstices and equinoxes. They are Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnassa (or Lammas). The Minor sabbats are the solstices and equinoxes, which are referred to as the quarter days. They are; Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon.
Each of the sabbats mark an important shift in earth energies and the changing of the seasons. Though many places on the earth do not see the physical manifestations of all four seasons there is still a shift in the energy that flows within the earth. Wiccans should honor and celebrate that shift regardless of how it manifests for them wherever they reside. During the Autumn when the seeds that were planted in the Spring are ready for harvesting, we celebrate that time with the harvest festivals of Lughnassa, Mabon, and Samhain. When the nights become shorter and the days become longer we celebrate the return of the Sun and light with the festival of Yule. When the first stirring of the seeds occur beneath the thawing earth we mark it with celebration on Imbolc. When the day and night finally become equal and when the first sprout breaks through the now thawed soil of the Earth we celebrate with the festival of Ostara. We celebrate the mating season, when all life is primed for bringing forth more life and sustaining new growth we mark that energy with the sabbat of Beltane. When the sun is at its peak in the heavens and the days become shorter and the long nights of Winter are upon us we celebrate with the sabbat of Litha, which then brings us full circle back to the harvest festivals.
One of the ways in which we cultivate a harmonious relationship with this earth energy, our Mother Gaaia, is through honoring and celebrating the seasons with sabbat rituals. We track the shifting of energies with The Wheel of the Year, which many times is a physical representation or calendar of the eight Wiccan festivals. These festivals are divided between the Major and Minor sabbats, The Major sabbats or cross quarter days are the midpoints between the solstices and equinoxes. They are Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnassa (or Lammas). The Minor sabbats are the solstices and equinoxes, which are referred to as the quarter days. They are; Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon.
Each of the sabbats mark an important shift in earth energies and the changing of the seasons. Though many places on the earth do not see the physical manifestations of all four seasons there is still a shift in the energy that flows within the earth. Wiccans should honor and celebrate that shift regardless of how it manifests for them wherever they reside. During the Autumn when the seeds that were planted in the Spring are ready for harvesting, we celebrate that time with the harvest festivals of Lughnassa, Mabon, and Samhain. When the nights become shorter and the days become longer we celebrate the return of the Sun and light with the festival of Yule. When the first stirring of the seeds occur beneath the thawing earth we mark it with celebration on Imbolc. When the day and night finally become equal and when the first sprout breaks through the now thawed soil of the Earth we celebrate with the festival of Ostara. We celebrate the mating season, when all life is primed for bringing forth more life and sustaining new growth we mark that energy with the sabbat of Beltane. When the sun is at its peak in the heavens and the days become shorter and the long nights of Winter are upon us we celebrate with the sabbat of Litha, which then brings us full circle back to the harvest festivals.
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