Practitioners of EarthCraft observe 8 annual Sabbats
as shown above in the Celtic Wheel of the Year.
Ostara, the Spring Equinox & Mabon, the Autumn
Equinox, as well as the Summer Solstice Litha
(Midsummer) & the Winter Solstice Yule are known as
Quarter Days. Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh (Lammas),
& Samhain are known as Cross Quarter Days. These
days have Names that are Ancient & Christianized &
Secular:
Samhain = All Hallow's Eve = Hallowe'en
Yule = Christmas
Imbolc = Candlemas = Groundhog Day
Ostara = Easter
Beltane = May Day
Litha = St John's Day = Midsummer
Lughnassad = Lammastide
Mabon = Michaelmas
Samhain (October 31)
Samhain is the Celtic New Year where we honor the
Ancients & our Ancestors. Samhain celebrates the third
& final harvest. This is a time to assess the harvest in
our lives. We inventory the blessings of the preceding
year, and take stock of the abundance in our lives,
trusting that these blessings will sustain us through
difficult or less fruitful times. With the end of the
harvest, the last yields of Summer give way to the
coming Winter. Samhain reminds us that all things
pass away in time. Just as the leaves fade and fall from
the trees, so we must allow for loss and passages in
our lives. This is a time to celebrate all the aspects of
our lives that are dropping away from us: relationships,
situations, pain, emotions, old identities. These are
now passing away to make room for new growth.
Samhain is an ideal time for releasing old conditions in
our lives that are constricting our growth and progress.
Honor the lessons and experiences these situations
have brought you, and then bid them farewell.
In Old Europe, Samhain was the celebration of the end
of the Old Year and the start of the New. More
accurately, it is the space between the years-the old
year is dead and the new year has not yet begun. It is a
time out of time; a space outside of the natural order.
As such, it is a time when the division between
dimensions or levels of reality are thinnest. This division
is referred to as “the Veil between the Worlds”.
Therefore, Samhain is an excellent time for divination.
Samhain is also known as the Feast of the Dead. At
this time, ancestors and departed friends are honored.
Memories and stories are shared, and it is customary to
set out extra places at supper for departed loved ones.
Since the Veil between the Worlds are thinnest on this
night, it is believed that it the best time for dead souls to
make contact with the living. People sometimes use this
time to make contact with those on the other side. This
should be done in a spirit of invitation or opening the
channels for any voluntary communication the dead
may wish to send with the intent deepening
understanding or closeness with departed loved ones,
never to control or command.
Yule (December 21)
Yule is the first day of Winter & we celebrate the return
of the sun. Yule marks the longest night of the year-the
triumph of the dark half of the year. Night and darkness
have reached their apex and the Wheel turns to restore
balance. The dawn heralds the return of the sun,
bringer of light, warmth, and growth. In the days
following Yule, the sun’s power grows steadily,
encroaching upon the night, pushing back the
darkness. The darkness of this longest night holds
many lessons. One of the most powerful is the
awareness that hope and light spring forth from
deepest darkness. Here, indeed, is the message “that
the darkest hour comes just before the dawn”. As we
wait quietly in the darkness, we honor the stillness and
the mystery of the night, and light the Yule log to
summon the sun’s return. In the summoning of the sun,
we work in partnership with Nature to preserve balance.
Similarly, when faced with difficult challenges in our
lives, we are partners with the Universe in manifesting
hope out of despair.
The Yule tree (recognized in modern times as the
Christmas tree) is an ancient symbol of life, fertility and
vitality. Even in the dead of Winter, the Yule tree is
evergreen-a reminder of the lifeforce of Nature. Trees
are brought into the house and decked with lights to
celebrate Life and the returning of light after the
darkest night. Yule is also a celebration of dawning
potentiality. As darkness gives way to light, the Earth
lies sleeping. To us, the Earth appears dead, but deep
within Her soil lies the slumbering seed awaiting the
power of the new born sun to activate its growth. At
Yule, we look within ourselves for the sleeping seeds,
and identify the situations, blessings, activities we would
like to germinate and grow in the coming year. We
honor the need for the regenerative stillness, the rest
before the energetic growth of springtime. Yule is a time
of transformation and rebirth. Rituals and personal
healing work centered around rebirthing are customary
at this time.
Imbolc (February 1)
Imbolc, also known as Oimelc, is Gaelic for "Ewe's
Milk". Imbolc celebrates the earliest signs of Spring: the
blossoming of the earliest flowers (in some climates
snowdrops and crocus appear around this time), the
first signs of thawing. At this time the sap begins to rise
in the trees. The seeds which slumbered at Yule begin
to germinate. It is the “quickening” of the Year.
Imbolc is a time of purification, a time to clear away any
last dregs which may still be holding us back as we
move toward the growth and brightness of Spring. This
holiday is a traditional time for initiations and
dedications of oneself to new levels of spiritual
exploration & commitment. Through the preparation for
and process of initiation, one is purified and focused for
the tasks and growth ahead. This is an ideal time to do
a thorough Cleansing & Blessing for your home.
Imbolc is a sacred feast that honors a Celtic goddess
known as Brigid. Brigid was also Christianized & her
saint day is observed on this day. In honor of the
growing light, and in honor of the Brigid’s perpetual
flame, it is traditional to burn candles to celebrate this
feast, particularly silver and white candles. It is
customary to make and/or bless candles to be used for
the coming year. On this night, people ask for Divine
favors, blessings and insight for the coming year. The
insight received may shape the challenges and
blessings of the year.
Ostara (March 21st)
Ostara is a celebration of the awakening of the Earth.
All around us, the Earth reveals Her vitality: in the soft
haze of first greening, in the swelling of buds, in the
song of the robin. The seeds within the soil have
sprouted and are pushing out into the sunlight.
Likewise, within us it is time for the seeds we have
nurtured since Yule to come into the light and begin to
flourish. It is a time of new beginnings, the freshness of
dawn. The Earth is young again and so are we. Now is
an ideal time for planting, or for decking your home or
altar with flowers. Many people bless the seeds for
their gardens on this day.
Ostara is a fertility feast, both summoning and
celebrating fertility. It is traditional to dye or paint eggs
on this day. The egg is an ancient symbol of fertility and
possibility. Eggs are often painted with symbols, images
or colors to magickally evoke qualities or events which
we desire in our lives. This, of course, has become a
custom associated with Easter, but it’s origins reach far
back into the indigenous traditions of Europe.
At the Spring Equinox, the day and night are in
equilibrium-light and darkness are in perfect balance.
Yet light is in ascendance; in the days that follow, the
darkness gives way to the growing light. It is a time to
embrace both the light and the darkness, to
acknowledge the dualities within ourselves, to bring
polarities into balance, and honor the balance in all
things.
Traditionally, bonfires were lit on this night and cattle
were driven between the fires to purify them and
promote fertility. People leaped over the flames for
fertility and good luck (Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candlestick!)
Ostara takes it’s name from the Teutonic Goddess
Eostre or Ostre, whose name is also the origin of the
Christian holiday Easter. Ostre was traditionally
honored on this day, but it is appropriate to honor the
Goddess in all her maiden forms. We are renewed by
the joy of the Maiden.
Beltane (April 30)
Beltane is the last of three Spring festivals. Spring is in
its fullest expression; fertility and life is all around us.
Traditionally this was a time for blessing the fields and
the animals to promote fertility and abundance. Fertility
rites are performed, such as leaping the fire, and
dancing the maypole (an ancient fertility symbol with the
pole representing the phallus and the woven ribbons
representing the vulva). It is a time for celebrating love
and union: the fertility of people, plants and animals,
and also of projects and endeavors. It is a unashamed
celebration of sexuality -- the joy of sexual union and
love. In Celtic tradition, lovers found each other by the
glow of the bonfires, and made love on the hillsides.
Through these rights the fertility of the Earth is
stimulated sympathetically. Beltane is a very popular
time for handfastings & marriages.
Joy and celebration are the hallmarks of Beltane. It is
not a time for deep contemplation or meditation, but
rather a time to dance with the energy and rhythms of
the earth. To celebrate life and growth in all its forms,
within and without. It is a time to call energy for new
projects and undertakings, and to honor the growing
fullness of our lives.
Midsummer (June 21st)
Midsummer, also known as Litha, is the counter-point to
Yule on the Wheel of the Year. It is the longest day-the
triumph of the light half of the Year. When the sun has
reaches its peak, the Wheel turns to restore balance. In
the days that follow, the nights will grow longer and
longer, the sun’s power slowly waning. Traditionally, the
Celts set wheels (as symbols of the sun) on fire and
rolled them down the hillsides to celebrate the power of
light, and recognize the imminent decline of the sun.
Bonfires were lit and jumped, and the ashes scattered
on the fields to bless and fertilize them.
Despite the name, Midsummer actually marks the first
day of Summer. It is a time of ripeness and fullness.
Summer is in full bloom and the Earth is alive with
abundance and the promise of the harvest to come.
The energetic, passionate dance of Beltane has
deepened to a rich, deep pulse, the promise of fertility
maturing into abundance. Yet the knowledge that
tomorrow the sun begins to wane reminds us that all
things fade, that change is inevitable, that Nature
demands balance. Here in the height of Summer, we do
not mourn the passing of things, but celebrate the the
fullness of our experiences.
Midsummer has long been associated with magick,
bright mystery and faery realms. It is a time when the
veils between the human world and the Land of Faery
may be easily parted. This is a night to leave offerings
of milk and bread for the Fay Folk to ensure their
goodwill and promote harmony. Midsummer is a good
time for magickal workings and journeying between the
worlds.
Lammas (July 31)
Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, celebrates the
first harvesting of crops, the first of three harvest
festivals. The Earth yields up Her first gifts to us, a
blessing from the Mother and the product of our human
hands. It is a time to celebrate the fruitfulness of the
Earth and fruits of our labors. We have sown and
nurtured, and now we are reaping the benefits in
rhythm with the Earth. Corn and grains are of particular
significance at this holiday. Traditionally, the newly
harvested grain is made into bread to be shared with all
in celebration. The word "Lammas" is an Old English
word meaning "Loaf Mass". Fruits and vegetables are
ripe and ready for canning and preserving. We
celebrate and partake in the fullness of the Earth while
beginning to make provision for the cold months ahead.
The Gaelic name for this festival is Lughnasadh. It is a
holiday sacred to the Celtic god Lugh. Lugh is
associated with the power of sun and light, and so fires
were burned in honor of him on this day. In addition to
his associations with light, Lugh is a god of Skill and
Craft, a master of all human skills. On his feast day, it is
particularly appropriate that we celebrate our own
abilities and skills. It is a time to ask ourselves: What
are my talents? What are my skills? How do I express
my creativity? How do I use my abilities to recraft my
world, to add beauty, color, richness? Our skills may
include woodworking, needlecraft, art, music, dance,
sports or communication, organizing, healing,
parenting, problem solving etc. Whatever our talents or
abilities, this is a time to recognize them and honor
them, and to share our recognition of the talents and
abilities of others around us. If you have had an interest
or urge to develop a particular skill or creative outlet,
now might be the time to make a pledge or commitment
to yourself to pursue your interest. By offering the fruits
of our labors back to the Universe we enrich both
ourselves and our world.
Mabon (September 21)
Mabon is the counter-point to Ostara on the Wheel of
the Year. It is the first day of Autumn and the second of
three harvest festivals. At Mabon, the harvest is at its
fullest. This is a time for thanksgiving, of celebrating the
fruits of our labors, the rich blessings we have received.
It is traditional to fashion a corn dolly from the last
stalks of grain to be harvested. It was believed that
these stalks contained the "Spirit of the Corn". The
bundle of grain is formed in the shape of a woman, the
Harvest or Corn Mother. Traditionally, the corn dolly
was hung first in the barn to preside over the threshing
of the grain, and then in the farmhouse until the
planting of the new grain in Spring. Today, the dolly is
placed on the altar for the Mabon celebration and then
hung in the house or on the front door until springtime
when it is brought into ritual again to signal the return of
the growing times.
Mabon is a bittersweet time when the abundant Earth is
pouring forth Her harvest and yet Summer has faded
into Autumn and signs of the dying year are all around
us. Night and day are once more in equilibrium, but now
light gives way to the ascendancy of darkness, and the
coming of Winter. We are entering a time of stillness
and reflection. This is the time to take stock of our lives,
and give thanks for all things, because all experiences,
the joyful and the challenging, teach and enrich us.
This honoring of all facets of our lives prepares us for
Samhain when we will release those aspects of our lives
which no longer serve us. From Mabon to Ostara, we
are drawn inward, to quiet contemplation, to exploration
of deep mysteries found in silence and in darkness, to
laying the groundwork for future transformation and
growth.
as shown above in the Celtic Wheel of the Year.
Ostara, the Spring Equinox & Mabon, the Autumn
Equinox, as well as the Summer Solstice Litha
(Midsummer) & the Winter Solstice Yule are known as
Quarter Days. Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh (Lammas),
& Samhain are known as Cross Quarter Days. These
days have Names that are Ancient & Christianized &
Secular:
Samhain = All Hallow's Eve = Hallowe'en
Yule = Christmas
Imbolc = Candlemas = Groundhog Day
Ostara = Easter
Beltane = May Day
Litha = St John's Day = Midsummer
Lughnassad = Lammastide
Mabon = Michaelmas
Samhain (October 31)
Samhain is the Celtic New Year where we honor the
Ancients & our Ancestors. Samhain celebrates the third
& final harvest. This is a time to assess the harvest in
our lives. We inventory the blessings of the preceding
year, and take stock of the abundance in our lives,
trusting that these blessings will sustain us through
difficult or less fruitful times. With the end of the
harvest, the last yields of Summer give way to the
coming Winter. Samhain reminds us that all things
pass away in time. Just as the leaves fade and fall from
the trees, so we must allow for loss and passages in
our lives. This is a time to celebrate all the aspects of
our lives that are dropping away from us: relationships,
situations, pain, emotions, old identities. These are
now passing away to make room for new growth.
Samhain is an ideal time for releasing old conditions in
our lives that are constricting our growth and progress.
Honor the lessons and experiences these situations
have brought you, and then bid them farewell.
In Old Europe, Samhain was the celebration of the end
of the Old Year and the start of the New. More
accurately, it is the space between the years-the old
year is dead and the new year has not yet begun. It is a
time out of time; a space outside of the natural order.
As such, it is a time when the division between
dimensions or levels of reality are thinnest. This division
is referred to as “the Veil between the Worlds”.
Therefore, Samhain is an excellent time for divination.
Samhain is also known as the Feast of the Dead. At
this time, ancestors and departed friends are honored.
Memories and stories are shared, and it is customary to
set out extra places at supper for departed loved ones.
Since the Veil between the Worlds are thinnest on this
night, it is believed that it the best time for dead souls to
make contact with the living. People sometimes use this
time to make contact with those on the other side. This
should be done in a spirit of invitation or opening the
channels for any voluntary communication the dead
may wish to send with the intent deepening
understanding or closeness with departed loved ones,
never to control or command.
Yule (December 21)
Yule is the first day of Winter & we celebrate the return
of the sun. Yule marks the longest night of the year-the
triumph of the dark half of the year. Night and darkness
have reached their apex and the Wheel turns to restore
balance. The dawn heralds the return of the sun,
bringer of light, warmth, and growth. In the days
following Yule, the sun’s power grows steadily,
encroaching upon the night, pushing back the
darkness. The darkness of this longest night holds
many lessons. One of the most powerful is the
awareness that hope and light spring forth from
deepest darkness. Here, indeed, is the message “that
the darkest hour comes just before the dawn”. As we
wait quietly in the darkness, we honor the stillness and
the mystery of the night, and light the Yule log to
summon the sun’s return. In the summoning of the sun,
we work in partnership with Nature to preserve balance.
Similarly, when faced with difficult challenges in our
lives, we are partners with the Universe in manifesting
hope out of despair.
The Yule tree (recognized in modern times as the
Christmas tree) is an ancient symbol of life, fertility and
vitality. Even in the dead of Winter, the Yule tree is
evergreen-a reminder of the lifeforce of Nature. Trees
are brought into the house and decked with lights to
celebrate Life and the returning of light after the
darkest night. Yule is also a celebration of dawning
potentiality. As darkness gives way to light, the Earth
lies sleeping. To us, the Earth appears dead, but deep
within Her soil lies the slumbering seed awaiting the
power of the new born sun to activate its growth. At
Yule, we look within ourselves for the sleeping seeds,
and identify the situations, blessings, activities we would
like to germinate and grow in the coming year. We
honor the need for the regenerative stillness, the rest
before the energetic growth of springtime. Yule is a time
of transformation and rebirth. Rituals and personal
healing work centered around rebirthing are customary
at this time.
Imbolc (February 1)
Imbolc, also known as Oimelc, is Gaelic for "Ewe's
Milk". Imbolc celebrates the earliest signs of Spring: the
blossoming of the earliest flowers (in some climates
snowdrops and crocus appear around this time), the
first signs of thawing. At this time the sap begins to rise
in the trees. The seeds which slumbered at Yule begin
to germinate. It is the “quickening” of the Year.
Imbolc is a time of purification, a time to clear away any
last dregs which may still be holding us back as we
move toward the growth and brightness of Spring. This
holiday is a traditional time for initiations and
dedications of oneself to new levels of spiritual
exploration & commitment. Through the preparation for
and process of initiation, one is purified and focused for
the tasks and growth ahead. This is an ideal time to do
a thorough Cleansing & Blessing for your home.
Imbolc is a sacred feast that honors a Celtic goddess
known as Brigid. Brigid was also Christianized & her
saint day is observed on this day. In honor of the
growing light, and in honor of the Brigid’s perpetual
flame, it is traditional to burn candles to celebrate this
feast, particularly silver and white candles. It is
customary to make and/or bless candles to be used for
the coming year. On this night, people ask for Divine
favors, blessings and insight for the coming year. The
insight received may shape the challenges and
blessings of the year.
Ostara (March 21st)
Ostara is a celebration of the awakening of the Earth.
All around us, the Earth reveals Her vitality: in the soft
haze of first greening, in the swelling of buds, in the
song of the robin. The seeds within the soil have
sprouted and are pushing out into the sunlight.
Likewise, within us it is time for the seeds we have
nurtured since Yule to come into the light and begin to
flourish. It is a time of new beginnings, the freshness of
dawn. The Earth is young again and so are we. Now is
an ideal time for planting, or for decking your home or
altar with flowers. Many people bless the seeds for
their gardens on this day.
Ostara is a fertility feast, both summoning and
celebrating fertility. It is traditional to dye or paint eggs
on this day. The egg is an ancient symbol of fertility and
possibility. Eggs are often painted with symbols, images
or colors to magickally evoke qualities or events which
we desire in our lives. This, of course, has become a
custom associated with Easter, but it’s origins reach far
back into the indigenous traditions of Europe.
At the Spring Equinox, the day and night are in
equilibrium-light and darkness are in perfect balance.
Yet light is in ascendance; in the days that follow, the
darkness gives way to the growing light. It is a time to
embrace both the light and the darkness, to
acknowledge the dualities within ourselves, to bring
polarities into balance, and honor the balance in all
things.
Traditionally, bonfires were lit on this night and cattle
were driven between the fires to purify them and
promote fertility. People leaped over the flames for
fertility and good luck (Jack be nimble, Jack be quick,
Jack jump over the candlestick!)
Ostara takes it’s name from the Teutonic Goddess
Eostre or Ostre, whose name is also the origin of the
Christian holiday Easter. Ostre was traditionally
honored on this day, but it is appropriate to honor the
Goddess in all her maiden forms. We are renewed by
the joy of the Maiden.
Beltane (April 30)
Beltane is the last of three Spring festivals. Spring is in
its fullest expression; fertility and life is all around us.
Traditionally this was a time for blessing the fields and
the animals to promote fertility and abundance. Fertility
rites are performed, such as leaping the fire, and
dancing the maypole (an ancient fertility symbol with the
pole representing the phallus and the woven ribbons
representing the vulva). It is a time for celebrating love
and union: the fertility of people, plants and animals,
and also of projects and endeavors. It is a unashamed
celebration of sexuality -- the joy of sexual union and
love. In Celtic tradition, lovers found each other by the
glow of the bonfires, and made love on the hillsides.
Through these rights the fertility of the Earth is
stimulated sympathetically. Beltane is a very popular
time for handfastings & marriages.
Joy and celebration are the hallmarks of Beltane. It is
not a time for deep contemplation or meditation, but
rather a time to dance with the energy and rhythms of
the earth. To celebrate life and growth in all its forms,
within and without. It is a time to call energy for new
projects and undertakings, and to honor the growing
fullness of our lives.
Midsummer (June 21st)
Midsummer, also known as Litha, is the counter-point to
Yule on the Wheel of the Year. It is the longest day-the
triumph of the light half of the Year. When the sun has
reaches its peak, the Wheel turns to restore balance. In
the days that follow, the nights will grow longer and
longer, the sun’s power slowly waning. Traditionally, the
Celts set wheels (as symbols of the sun) on fire and
rolled them down the hillsides to celebrate the power of
light, and recognize the imminent decline of the sun.
Bonfires were lit and jumped, and the ashes scattered
on the fields to bless and fertilize them.
Despite the name, Midsummer actually marks the first
day of Summer. It is a time of ripeness and fullness.
Summer is in full bloom and the Earth is alive with
abundance and the promise of the harvest to come.
The energetic, passionate dance of Beltane has
deepened to a rich, deep pulse, the promise of fertility
maturing into abundance. Yet the knowledge that
tomorrow the sun begins to wane reminds us that all
things fade, that change is inevitable, that Nature
demands balance. Here in the height of Summer, we do
not mourn the passing of things, but celebrate the the
fullness of our experiences.
Midsummer has long been associated with magick,
bright mystery and faery realms. It is a time when the
veils between the human world and the Land of Faery
may be easily parted. This is a night to leave offerings
of milk and bread for the Fay Folk to ensure their
goodwill and promote harmony. Midsummer is a good
time for magickal workings and journeying between the
worlds.
Lammas (July 31)
Lammas, also known as Lughnasadh, celebrates the
first harvesting of crops, the first of three harvest
festivals. The Earth yields up Her first gifts to us, a
blessing from the Mother and the product of our human
hands. It is a time to celebrate the fruitfulness of the
Earth and fruits of our labors. We have sown and
nurtured, and now we are reaping the benefits in
rhythm with the Earth. Corn and grains are of particular
significance at this holiday. Traditionally, the newly
harvested grain is made into bread to be shared with all
in celebration. The word "Lammas" is an Old English
word meaning "Loaf Mass". Fruits and vegetables are
ripe and ready for canning and preserving. We
celebrate and partake in the fullness of the Earth while
beginning to make provision for the cold months ahead.
The Gaelic name for this festival is Lughnasadh. It is a
holiday sacred to the Celtic god Lugh. Lugh is
associated with the power of sun and light, and so fires
were burned in honor of him on this day. In addition to
his associations with light, Lugh is a god of Skill and
Craft, a master of all human skills. On his feast day, it is
particularly appropriate that we celebrate our own
abilities and skills. It is a time to ask ourselves: What
are my talents? What are my skills? How do I express
my creativity? How do I use my abilities to recraft my
world, to add beauty, color, richness? Our skills may
include woodworking, needlecraft, art, music, dance,
sports or communication, organizing, healing,
parenting, problem solving etc. Whatever our talents or
abilities, this is a time to recognize them and honor
them, and to share our recognition of the talents and
abilities of others around us. If you have had an interest
or urge to develop a particular skill or creative outlet,
now might be the time to make a pledge or commitment
to yourself to pursue your interest. By offering the fruits
of our labors back to the Universe we enrich both
ourselves and our world.
Mabon (September 21)
Mabon is the counter-point to Ostara on the Wheel of
the Year. It is the first day of Autumn and the second of
three harvest festivals. At Mabon, the harvest is at its
fullest. This is a time for thanksgiving, of celebrating the
fruits of our labors, the rich blessings we have received.
It is traditional to fashion a corn dolly from the last
stalks of grain to be harvested. It was believed that
these stalks contained the "Spirit of the Corn". The
bundle of grain is formed in the shape of a woman, the
Harvest or Corn Mother. Traditionally, the corn dolly
was hung first in the barn to preside over the threshing
of the grain, and then in the farmhouse until the
planting of the new grain in Spring. Today, the dolly is
placed on the altar for the Mabon celebration and then
hung in the house or on the front door until springtime
when it is brought into ritual again to signal the return of
the growing times.
Mabon is a bittersweet time when the abundant Earth is
pouring forth Her harvest and yet Summer has faded
into Autumn and signs of the dying year are all around
us. Night and day are once more in equilibrium, but now
light gives way to the ascendancy of darkness, and the
coming of Winter. We are entering a time of stillness
and reflection. This is the time to take stock of our lives,
and give thanks for all things, because all experiences,
the joyful and the challenging, teach and enrich us.
This honoring of all facets of our lives prepares us for
Samhain when we will release those aspects of our lives
which no longer serve us. From Mabon to Ostara, we
are drawn inward, to quiet contemplation, to exploration
of deep mysteries found in silence and in darkness, to
laying the groundwork for future transformation and
growth.
| Practitioners of EarthCraft observe 13 Esbats which coincide with each Full Moon. January Wolf Moon - The moon in deepest of Winter. In earlier times a time when the wolf came close to the villages to seek food. Celtic - Alder - Masculine Moon of Completeness Exorcism; Prosperity; Banishing; Healing Ritual - January is the time to conserve energy by working on personal problems that involve no one else. It is also a time for protection rites and reversing spells. During this month the energy flow is sluggish and below the surface. February Storm Moon - The storms come in silence. They blanket the world in coldness. Celtic - Willow - Feminine The Witches' Moon; Moon of Balance Romantic Love; Healing; Protection; Fertility; Magick for Women Ritual - February is the time for loving the self, accepting responsibility for past errors, forgiving yourself, and making future plans. At this time the energy flow is working toward the surface; good for purification, growth, and healing. March Chaste Moon - Like Diana, all of Nature at this moment is pure potential waiting to be fulfilled. Celtic - Ash Feminine Moon of Waters Prosperity; Protection; Healing Ritual - March is the time for new beginnings, breaking illusions, and seeing the truth in your life however much it may hurt. The energy flow breaks into the open, a good time for growing, prospering, and exploring. Light and Dark are in balance now. April Hare Moon - Rabbits leap and play carefree in their mating and joyful in their games. Celtic - Hawthorn Masculine Moon of Restraint; Moon of Hindrance; Summer Moon Fertility; Peace; Prosperity; Binding Ritual - April is the time for working on your temper, emotional flare-ups, and selfishness. The energy is flowing into creating and producing; a good time for change, self-confidence issues, taking advantage of opportunities, and realizing self-reliance. May Dyad Moon - Sacred Marriage of the God and Goddess. When all meet their opposites in perfect balance and in perfect harmony. Let there be beauty strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence, within you Celtic - Oak Masculine Moon of Strength; Moon of Security; Bear Moon All positive purposes; Magick for Men; Fidelity Ritual - May is the time for strengthening the connections with supernatural protectors and beings around you. The energy is in full flow making this a good time for intuition, propagating, and connecting with faeries and nature spirits. June Mead Moon - After the bees have gathered their pollen and nectar the hives are filled with honey that is waiting to be gathered. Celtic - Holly Feminine Moon of Encirclement; Moon of Polarity Protection; Prophecy; Magick for Animals; Sex Magick Ritual - June is the time for decision making, taking responsibility for present happenings, working on personal inconsistencies, and for strengthening and rewarding yourself for your positive traits. The energy is in full, but restive, flow, the Earth tides are turning making this a good time for protection, strengthening, and prevention spells. July Wort Moon - gathering of herbs, the word wort is old Anglo Saxon for "herb". Celtic - Hazel Feminine Moon of the Wise; Crone Moon Manifestation; Spirit Contact; Protection; Fertility Ritual - July is the time for dream-work, divination, and meditation on spiritual goals and plans. The energy is slower and more relaxed, proper for success and prosperity spells. This month is the time to start preparing for the colder and darker months ahead. August Barley Moon - A time to contemplate the eternalness of life. The grain in the bread we eat are descended from the first grain ever gathered. Celtic - Vine Androgynous Moon of Celebration (Property dependent on the type of vine) Blackberry - Prosperity; Protection; Sacred to Brigit Blueberry - Spirituality; Dream Magick, Grape - Fertility; Inspiration; Prosperity; Binding, Thistle - Courage; Protection; Strength Ritual - August is the time for harvesting, gathering, and appreciating. The energy flow is slowing more and now is the time of vitality, health, and friendships. September Wine Moon or Harvest Moon. A time of true spiritual initiation. Since wine was, and is, such a sacred fluid, the Pagans of old named this Lunar month the Wine Moon. Celtic - Ivy Masculine Moon of Buoyancy; Moon of Resilience Healing; Protection; Cooperation; Exorcism Ritual - September is the time for organizing and straightening up physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual clutter. The energy flow is resting and Light and Dark are in balance. October Blood Moon - In days past a time for gathering food for the winter. The harvest supplemented by hunting wild animals or by slaughtering domestic ones. Celtic - Reed Feminine Moon of the Home; Hearth Moon; Winter Moon; Moon which Manifests Truth Fertility; Protection; Love; Family Concerns Ritual - October is the time for inner cleansing. Meditate on the laws of Karma and thoughts of reincarnation. This is the time of letting go, justice, balance, and inner harmony. November Snow Moon - Ahead are the dark months of winter. The Spirit is most active when the body is still. Celtic - Birch Feminine - Moon of Inception; Moon of Beginning, Protection of children; purification; creativity Ritual - November is the month of transformation. It is time to prepare for the coming winter and a time to strengthen communication with the god or goddess closest to you. The energy flow is taking root and preparing to flow once more. December Oak Moon - The moon nearest the Winter Solstice. Like the Divine Child who is born to die and dies to be reborn anew, the ancient Oak has its trunk and branches in the material world of the living, while its roots, the branches in reverse, reach deep into the Underworld, symbolic land of the Spirit. Celtic - Rowan Masculine Moon of Vision; Spirit Moon; Astral Travel Moon, Healing; Personal Empowerment; Divination Ritual - December is the time of Spiritual Paths. The Earth tides are turning and it is time to reach out to friends and family, the lonely, and the needy. This is the month of death and renewal. Spells should be aimed at endurance and provision. Blue Moon Comes but once a year The moon that occurs second in a one month period. NEW MOON PHASE Used for personal growth, healing, the blessing of a new project or venture, etc. If done correctly, success should be obtained by the first Full Moon. The Crone is transformed into the Maiden. It is a time of renewal and new beginnings. The Maiden is the continuation of all life; her color is white, denoting innocence and newness. She is the springtime, the dawn, eternal youth and vigor, enchantment and seduction, the new and waxing moons. DARK MOON PHASE The three days before the New Moon is the time called the dark of the moon. This is when you can't see the moon in the heavens. Traditionally, this is a time when no magick is performed. It is a period to give yourself rest. Meditation and vision questing can be performed now, but without a specific magickal purpose. However, The Crone, or the Dark Mother, rules this time, and if her magick is needed, now is the time when you should use it. WAXING MOON PHASE Between the New Moon and the Full Moon. This is a good time for attraction magick, especially between the New Moon and the First Quarter. The Waxing Moon is the time for invoking the Goddess in her guise of Maiden. WANING MOON PHASE Between the Full Moon and the New Moon. A time for banishing and rejecting things in our lives that we no longer wish to carry around with us. Negative emotions, bad habits, diseases, and ailments can successfully be banned during this time. The Mother Goddess is transformed into the Crone or Dark Mother, black is her color, the color of darkness where all life rests before rebirth. This aspect of the Goddess is Winter, night, wisdom, counsel, the gateway to death and reincarnation. |
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