The Witches Holidays

To understand the Withces Holidays, a basic understanding of the Wheel of the Year helps. The Witches Year begins on Samhain, or Halloween. Samhain marks the time of year when the Sun God departs into the Underworld. The Mother Goddess, in the form of the wise, Old Crone, mourns the "death" of her consort, the season turns cold and the days grow shorter as the nights grow longer. As the Sun God departs, so too does the life of nature. While the Goddess mourns, she does not despair, however, because She has the knowledge that She is the Bringer of Life, and on Yule, the Sun God will be reborn from Her womb. Yule, or the Winter Solstice, marks the time of year when the Sun God is reborn, and with his arrival from the Underworld, the days begin to grow longer. The Goddess takes the form of the Maiden, and rejoices at the return of the God. Imbolg, around February 2nd, marks the time of year when the Goddess recovers from giving birth to the God. The youn Goddess awakens to the growing strength of the young God as She nurtures Him. The days continue to grow longer as the Sun God grows stronger. On Ostara, the Vernal Equinox, the Sun God is now strong enough to conquer the darkness, and the length of day and night become equal. Witches gather and celebrate at this time to hasten the coming of Spring, and the Goddess responds by revitalizing life on earth. Beltane, (April 30-May 1) is the time when nature, as represented by the Goddess, is ripe and fertile with life and vitality. The God expresses his love for the Goddess, and the two are joined in marriage and the flowers of Summer bloom in their honor. In the ecstasy of their happiness, the God impregnates the Goddess as she takes on the form of the Mother. On the Summer Solstice, Midsummer, the God is at his strongest, makring the time when daylight is longest. The Goddess and God revel in their love and happiness, flooding the earth with growth and fertility. Lammas, or August Eve, marks the change from growth to harvest. The Mother Goddess gives birth to grains as the Sun God's strength wanes and the days become shorter. Mabon is the Autumnal Equinox and marks the time when day and night are equal. The Goddess, transitioning into the form of the Crone, gives birth to the Second Harvest of fruits and vegetables. The Sun God continues to lose his strength and begins to prepare for his journey into the Underworld. The Wheel of the Year completes its cycle with the return to Samhain. The Goddess gives birth to the Third Harvest of meats and, again, mourns the death of the Sun God. The child in her belly gives Her hope though, for as the Wheel of the Year is an endless cycle, so to is Her story.

Now that you have a little background on the Wheel of the Year, click on any of the below links for more information on each of the particular holidays.

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