The wheel of the year
Forgotten festivals in a modern world

As part of the New Year celebrations we often find ourselves reflecting on the past year, and looking forward to the future; however we are not so likely to think about why we are celebrating on this day. New Years day actually only started to be celebrated universally on January the 1st, many years after the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in the sixteenth century.

Before the advent of clocks and calendars, people were more in tune with nature’s timing; without electrical lighting they woke when the sun rose and slept when it went down, and they followed the cycles of the seasons as opposed to being a slave to the 24/7 hectic lifestyle most of us follow today.

Throughout the ‘wheel of the year’ people celebrated eight seasonal festivals, which surrounded the natural cycles of the sun and moon. Without even knowing it many of us may still be working with the seasons rather than against them; for example in Winter as its colder and the days are shorter, we may stay in more, and so this can be a time for introspection, reflection and possible spiritual growth. Whereas the beginning of summer is a good time to start creative projects, to get out and about, and for socialisation and procreation.

Four of the festivals (the solstices and equinoxes) celebrate the power of the sun and the moon at the time. The Equinoxes represent the middle/turning points of a season, while the solstices represent the beginning of a new season. The other four festivals, are Celtic in origin, and are linked more with the annual cycle of planting and harvesting of crops. This article will take a brief look at the eight festivals, and throughout the coming year I will look at the Celtic celebrations in more detail.

These festivals were traditional throughout Europe, and predated Christianity. However as you read through this article, it is quite apparent that the Christian faith has adopted a lot of the celebrations. There are many theories as to why they did this; one being that they wanted to make their new faith appeal to people who would had been worshipping and celebrating the old ways for centuries. Slowly over time the focus of the festivals changed from being a time to celebrate the natural cycles of the earth, sun, and moon, to becoming considered to be holy days.

Samhain, The Celtic New Year October 31st

Samhain is Gaelic for ‘the summers end’ and is known as the Celtic New Year; it marks the end of the summer and the start of the winter. It is a time for reflection of the past year and to look forward to the future. It is believed that this is the one time of the year when the veil between this world and the other world is at its thinnest. The other world could therefore release fairies and mischievous spirits, and the dead could return to warm themselves by the fires of the living.

During the celebrations the Celts built huge sacred bonfires, sacrificed animals and brought food to share in a celebratory feast. They also often wore costumes such as animal heads and skins.

Samhain is one festival that seems to have been adopted by Christianity. The modern day Halloween is from the Christian festival called All Hallows eve. This and the following two days; All Saints and All Souls day were for remembering and honouring the dead.

Winter solstice, Yule, or Albun Arthuran December 21st or 22nd

This is the shortest day of the year, and is when the moons power is as it’s strongest. It is thought the winter solstice celebrations started when people feared the sun would die, so they decorated evergreen branches and lit fires, which they believed would transfer energy from the evergreens, give power to the sun and stir up new life.

It is traditionally celebrated by feasting and putting up holly wreaths (which symbolised the wheel of the year), and hanging lights from evergreen branches. The traditional Pagan Yule celebration is also a twelve day event ending on the twelfth night in the first week of January.

The focus of celebrations are the rebirth of light after being overwhelmed by darkness on the shortest day of the year, and the hope of lighter and longer days to come.

Imbolc, Imblog or Oimelc February 2nd

Imbolc means ‘ewes milk’ and this festival celebrates the beginning of the return of the light, the start of the lambing season, and the first green shoots appearing. It refers to the potential for growth in whatever area of life growth is needed.

Imbolc represents the end of winter (actual and emotional). It is a time of new ideas, and a good time to take the first steps of launching new projects. Although this is the first festival of spring, the land is often still frozen at this time, so Imbolc is a reminder that new life stirs within the earth.

Spring equinox, Alban Eiler, or Ostara March 21st

The day and night are of equal length, however from this point the suns power gets stronger and the days start to increase in length. Fertility returns to the land and this is traditionally a time to plant new seeds. Alban Eiler is Gaelic for ‘the light of the earth’; a light which is returning after the winter. In pre-Christian times, one story tells of the maiden goddess mating with the sun god to conceive a new child of light at this time.

This is a time of new beginnings, such as starting new creative projects or maybe a new love. It represents a time and opportunity for change, and for saying goodbye to anything in your life you don’t want anymore. Many cultures celebrated New Year on this date, before the introduction of calendars.

Beltane or Beltaine May 1st

Beltane is a celebration of the first day of the summer. It comes from the Celtic word meaning ‘bright fire’. Fires were traditionally lit to symbolize the strength of the sun. On the eve of May, the Celts lit fires using nine different types of wood, and cattle were driven between the fires to cleanse them and to encourage fertility. Beltane is also said to be a great time for fairy activity especially around standing stones.

Beltane has even stronger energies, associated with fertility, than the spring equinox. It is a time for increased optimism, confidence, and energy in any projects you want to take on board, and it is also a good time for passion and the consummation of love.

Summer solstice, Midsummer, Litha or Alban Heruin June 21st or 22nd

This is the longest day; when the suns power is at its height, and fruit is ripening. It is a celebration of light triumphing over darkness, and the beauty light brings to life. The summer solstice represents power and joy; and it’s a time when happiness, strength, and energy are at its highest. It is one of the festivals that are still celebrated today, on the eve of the solstice at stone circles such as Stonehenge.

Stories tell of the sacred marriage of the earth and the sky, or the land king and the goddess or priestess. At the summer solstice the God’s power and virility has reached its most potent, and he knows that after the festival he will start to lose this energy. In a bid to stop the God’s power from diminishing, the Goddess, who was very much in love with him, would light fires and throw sun wheels down a hill.

Lammas or Lughnassadh August 1st or 2nd

Lammas is a celebration of the harvest of grains. Lammas or ‘loaf mass’ in Saxon language was a time when the first grain was baked into bread and cakes. It is also a time of giving thanks to nature for all it provides, and a time to ‘count our blessings’.

In Celtic tradition Lughnassadh is the festival of the Irish god Lugh; who dies every year with the harvesting of crops. His spirit descends into the earth to be reborn later on in the year.

Autumn Equinox, Alban Elued, or Mabon September 21st or 22nd

Now day and night are of equal length again, but this time the moons power is getting stronger and the days start to shorten. This is a time for completing tasks, resolving disagreements, consolidating finances, and generally getting things in order.

Alban Elued is Gaelic for ‘light on the water’ and refers to the sun moving away over the water and leaving darkness behind. The Autumn Equinox is the final festival of the season of harvest, and is also traditionally a time when animals are slaughtered and preserved to provide food for the winter months. It is time to recognise that the wheel of the year has turned, and summer is now over.