I don't observe the Wiccan wheel of the year because I'm not Wiccan. I'm also not agrarian, so I don't observe planting and harvesting times as closely as a farmer would. Many of us live in urban or suburban areas and don't have the same connection to the cycles as our ancestors did.
I do observe some changes during the year, and I do celebrate some sabbats. I’ve just shifted the focus a little bit to fit my beliefs and more contemporary lifestyle. For example, I don’t really observe Beltane because it’s more Wiccan. The veil opens a bit at that time (stronger in the Southern Hemisphere at Samhain), so I may do a bit of divination, but not much more.
Litha and Lammas are more centered around agriculture, and while I respect and revere harvest deities, I have other ways of offering support to the growth, harvest, and transport of the crops and the people responsible. Mabon/Harvest Home/the autumn equinox remains a celebration of thanksgiving.
For me, Ostara is the new year. It makes sense to start the new year in the spring rather than in the cold, gray dead of winter. There’s little life or color in January. The Persian new year of Nowruz also occurs around the same time.
The year ends at Samhain. A lot of witches and pagans observe Samhain as the ‘death’ of the old year. Some begin their new year right away while others wait until Yule. For me, there is an “in between time” that begins at Samhain and stretches on until the winter solstice. Meatless meals are the norm during that time, and that can last until Imbolc, even. The veil is still kind of thin until Yule, just not as thin as at Samhain.
The winter solstice brings us the longest night. I like to keep vigil and celebrate at dawn the next day, a fast to feast sort of thing. With brunch. It’s about lights, time spent with loved ones, a warm welcome to longer days coming, and different food.
The time between the winter solstice and Ostara is often the coldest, snowiest, and iciest of the year for us. That’s why I like to mark Imbolc as a bigger celebration of fire and lights. More candles, the Yule tree still up, gifts, and all the other things you’d associate with Yule. Just at Imbolc.
Why? The days are getting longer, but the change isn’t noticeable yet. The weather can be dreadful. January and February feel like the longest stretch of the year to some. It’s at that time that we need the most light, the most warmth, the most cheer. Think of it as encouraging the sun to strengthen, to return to full power again.
I actively observe Ostara, Mabon, Yule, Samhain, Imbolc. There are special foods, special activities, ritual, etc. Beltane, Litha, and Lammas are more relaxed. They're just kind of "Yay, summer!" all together.
How does your wheel compare?
