The Wheel of the Year

Overview

The wheel of the year is a series of 8 festivals spread throughout the year marking the seasons of the Earth’s rotation around the Sun. It offers a way to attune to the cyclical nature of life and helps us to be present and to accept the current moment with gratitude. The truth of these cycles is also observed in the liturgical calendar, the daily cycle of the Earth’s rotation, and the very breath we breathe. Below are some ways to observe each of the feasts (festival components) and a description of each feast and some of its themes (Feast Descriptions). How do you like to celebrate the seasons? Would you add any to them?

Festival Components

These are the potential components for each festival program.  There are as many ways to celebrate as their are people. The offerings below are some general patterns that people seem to like. These are options for those who want to participate in the season and experience it more deeply. You can take all, some, or none of these offerings. How do you like to mark change in your life?

Ceremony - Working with and attuning to the spiritual energies of the moment and to embrace the divine gifts.  Engage with this through, ritual, prayer, mediation, and other spiritual practices. 

Incorporation into Community Life - Establish the connection between the energy and theme of the season with your communal and social life and practices. For instance, by observing seasonal festivals such as Apple Fest, Honey fest, or May Day celebrations in your community with joy and gratitude. If you’re part of a church community: How could you observe the season in Sunday morning worship? What are other community gatherings/events that resonate with the themes of the seasons?

Forest Church - Engage the natural world with Awe, Observe what’s happening, Interpret this wisdom for your life. More about how I like to do it here.

Sharing and Celebrating our Creativity (Eisteddfod) - A party where we bring forward our art, music, stories, poems, and dance.  This can take many forms such as a contest, sharing circle, or organized concert.

Feast Descriptions

Below is a description of each of the 8 feasts in the wheel of the year as observed in many earth centered spritual traditions. The themes identified are only some of the ways that people think about the seasons. This is accompanied by some thoughts for the ways the cycle of seasons attunes to the Christian liturgical calendar, the day, and our breath. Do these make sense to you? What would you add?

Samhain

Around Nov 1st and Closing of the harvest and gathering for winter.  Leaves have fallen off the trees. End of one year and the beginning of another.  Honoring of the dead.  A “thin” time.

In the Christian calendar the feasts of All Saints Day & All Souls Day

In the daily cycle it is the beginning of the dark

In the breath cycle, it is the final exhalation

Winter Solstice/Alban Arthan

Around Dec 21st, the darkest night and rebirth of the sun/spiritual new life.  Seeds are germinating.  Things are moving and growing but underground/unseen.

In the Christian calendar: The season of Advent & Feast of Christmas

In the daily cycle it is midnight

In the breath cycle it is the stillness and emptiness before inhalation

Imbolc

Around Feb 1st, the first signs of new life, buds and shoots.  New life is growing but must still be nurtured and protected.  Sowing of first seeds.

In the Christian calendar: The Feast of St Bridget, Candlemas, & Presentation of the Lord

In the daily cycle it is first light

In the breath cycle it is the first moment of inhalation

Spring Equinox/Alban Eilir

Around March 22nd, with an emphasis on sowing seeds, rising power of the sun, preparation for summer.  Leaves returning to the trees.

In the Christian calendar: Lent & Annunciation Day

In the daily cycle it is the dawn

In the breath cycle it is the rising breath

Beltane

Around May 1st and has an emphasis on fertility and mating.  Flowers in bloom and bees buzzing. 

In the Christian calendar: Easter and/or Pentecost depending on the season

In the daily cycle it is the climbing sun

In the breath cycle near full inhalation

Summer Solstice/Alban Hefin

Around June 22nd and has both the height and the nadir of solar power.  The height of greening in nature.  Authentic self giving.

In the Christian calendar: John the Baptists’ Feast

In the daily cycle it is high noon

In the breath cycle It is the stillness before exhalation

Lughnasadh

Around August 1st and is a time of receiving the first fruits of the harvest as well as fruit ripening.  Preparations for the fullness of the harvest.  Also a time of playing games and sports.

In the Christian calendar: Lammas (Loaf mass)

In the daily cycle it is the afternoon sun

In the breath cycle It is the initial exhalation (pushing breath)

Autumn Equinox/Alban Elfed:

Around September 22nd and is the time of the fullness of harvest activities.  The leaves falling from the trees.

In the Christian calendar: Feast of the Archangels 

In the daily cycle it is the setting sun

In the breath cycle it is mid exhalation

Key References:
https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-festivals/the-eightfold-wheel-of-the-year 

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/

Forest Church by Bruce Stanley https://books.google.com/books/about/Forest_Church.html?id=scYbzgEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description