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The Wiccan Wheel: Greater Sabbats and The Less

In the Wiccan spirituality, a respect for Nature and its elements, the dual forces in life and that of cause and effect form the basis for its practices.

In recognition of the forces of Nature and their relationship to the daily life, a Wiccan celebrates eight seasons known as sabbats according to the Wheel of the Year.

The sabbats are composed of two kinds: the Greater Sabbats and the Lesser Sabbats.

The Greater Sabbats occur on dates of high energy. The Lesser Sabbats occur on the equinoxes and solstices which indicate the onset of each of the four seasons of the year. The dates for each of the sabbats differ according to the northern or southern hemisphere. For example, in the northern hemisphere, Samhain (Halloween) falls on October 31; in the southern hemisphere, it is on May 1. Hereafter, the dates referring to the various sabbats will cite those for the northern hemisphere first, followed by those of the southern hemisphere.

Aside from the sabbats commemorating the different seasonal aspects and marking the passage of the sun through the sky, they also tell the story of the life and the passing of the God; and of the life shared with the Goddess. The God is often represented by the sun; the Goddess, by the moon. The deities personify the dual energies of male and female; light and dark, yang and yin. Since the God and the Goddess are known by many names depending on the tradition and the pantheon chosen, for reasons of general information and to avoid offending anyone, any references to the deities will be referred to simply as the God and the Goddess (though some Wiccans focus on the matriarchal aspect solely).

Samhain (Halloween) - October 31/May 1. The first of the Greater Sabbats, it is the holiest of the sabbats and in some traditions, marks the beginning of the new year. It is the last of the three harvest festivals that begin at Lammas. It is one of the two days in the Wheel of the Year where the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest. The day is given to honoring those who have passed on (usually with the lighting of candles in the name of the departed accompanied by prayer/petition to offer blessings or to ask for guidance); completing the preparations for Winter; introspection and divinatory and/or magickal workings. This time of year is when messages from spirit can be more easily conveyed. As the last harvest of the year, seeds are gleaned and saved for the next planting. On this day, the God completes his descent into the underworld and within the Goddess, the seed has been planted for the new God.

Yule (Midwinter Solstice) - December 21-23. The first of the Lesser Sabbats, it marks the first day of Winter when the day has the shortest hours and the night is the longest. In some traditions, this is observed as the beginning of a new year. From this day on, the days lengthen and the nights are shorter. The occasion represents the promise of new beginnings, new hope. Family and friends are honored. Some take this day to state their intentions. Celebrations include the exchange of gifts, the lighting of Yule logs, singing, feasting. On this day, the Goddess gives birth to the new God; and light and warmth return to earth.

Imbolc (Candlemas) - February 2/August 1. The second of the Greater Sabbats and also known as the Festival of Lights, Imbolc is observed as the first stirrings of Spring when the earth reawakens. Traditionally, it is a time for re-newed creativity and inspiration and thus lends itself to Wiccan initiations and re-dedications. It is also a time for house blessings or protection; for purification, "spring cleaning." The Wiccan view does not recognise "sin" per se, but rather the purification or spiritual cleansing where one discards in a literal and figurative sense what is no longer of use. Old ideas or old ways and things, negative habits etc. in order to make way for a new phase of life. It is celebrated with the ritualistic lighting of many candles and bonfires at sundown that burn until sunrise. The myriad of lights is to symbolically light the way to Spring. This is also about six weeks after the birth of the God child when the Goddess recovers from childbirth and emerges from confinement.

Ostara (Spring/Vernal Equinox) - March 21-23/September 21-23. The second of the Lesser Sabbats, it marks the first day of Spring when the day and the night are of equal length. The focus is on creativity, fertility and spiritual renewal. It is also a time for giving back to the earth, such as by planting seeds previously harvested; or planting herbs, flowers or trees as an offering. This is a good time for "seed" projects, for cultivating new growth of all kinds. Eggs are often used to represent the occasion, symbolic of life and of fertility. The egg white represents the nurturing energy of the Goddess; the yellow yolk the vital procreating energy of the God; the shell their union as one and complete. At this time, the Goddess is in her maiden form; the God - an adolescent.

Beltane (May Day) - May 1/October 31. The third of the Greater Sabbats, this is the second time of the year when the veil is thinnest between the worlds of the living and of spirit. As with Samhain, the dead are remembered; magickal workings are performed. This is a time of fertility, creativity and heightened sensuality. It is a festive occasion when plantings have taken hold; new alliances are formed; a mating season for all living creatures on the earth. Couples declare their intentions and handfastings take place. Craft fairs begin. Bonfires represent fertility as do maypoles which are erected with ribbons entwined around them. Participants grab a ribbon to dance clockwise around the pole. The more mature God and Goddess consummate their union.

Litha (Midsummer Solstice) - June 21-23/December 21-23. This is the third of the Lesser Sabbats & marks the first day of Summer. The day is longest and the night shortest. The occasion celebrates fulfillment, the peak of fruition of all the endeavors thus far. It is a classic time for magickal workings, when the fey manifest. Festivities are held at night to gives thanks for the bounty, to share bounty with others and with the earth. The seeds from the fruit that is consumed are planted at this time. From here on, the days grow shorter and the nights longer. The God takes his place as the lord, the Goddess as the lady. From here on too, the strength of the God wanes as the daylight begins to wane.

Lammas (Lughnasadh) - August 1/February 2. The fourth and last of the Greater Sabbats, it marks the ending of Summer and prefaces Autumn. The first of three harvests occurs, acknowledging the sacrifices made to bring harvest in all areas of the life. The occasion calls for an appreciation and an understanding of the efforts made to promote advancements in life; to learn from mistakes; to rededicate the self to purpose. It is also seen as a grain harvest since this is when the first grain is harvested but it also includes gleaning the other ripe vegetation. Thanks are given for the bounty as this is what will provide sustenance through the coming Winter. The God begins his retreat into the underworld, having provided the last of his waning energies for the harvest.

Mabon (Autumn Equinox) - September 21-23/March 21-23. The fourth and last of the Lesser Sabbats, this marks the first day of Autumn. Day and night are of equal length. The second harvest occurs. This is also seen as the "Witches' Thanksgiving," when the celebrations include giving thanks for whatever is harvested and for all those involved in the culmination of harvest. At the same time, preparations are made for the approaching fallow time of Winter. This begins a time of introspection, of turning inward towards the quiet as the daylight continues to wane and the shadows lengthen. The God continues his descent into the underworld (which is completed at Samhain).

The Wiccan Way is underscored by its spiritual view of the sacredness of all life and the interconnectedness of that life; of living a life in harmony and responsibility with the environment. The spiritual theme underlies the daily Wiccan life and all of its celebratory and ritualistic aspects. The process brings each practitioner closer to the natural cycle of life and death; to the understanding that all things have their place in the natural order of beginnings and endings.

An it harm none, so mote it be. Meewah Reynolds