Sabbats and Esbats - The Sabbats Tell the Story of the Goddess and God
The Sabbats tell the story of the Goddess and God. In festival form, they reveal a seasonal and agricultural Wiccan legend.
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Four of the eight are related to the Solstices and the Equinoxes.
Samhain: Celebrated October 31st
Samhain is pronounced "sow-en" and is the Wiccan New Year, both a beginning and an ending point of the ever turning wheel . At this time the third and final harvest of the year is celebrated, a yeild that ensures that life witll continue throughout the harsh winter ahead. But as life is celebrated, so is death. Witches traditionally believe Samhain to be a time when the viel seperating the world of the living from that of the dead ( the otherworld ) is parted, and ancestors may join in the festivities.
Popular activities include communication with the dead. divinations to see what the New Year holds and the hosting of the "dumb supper" , a feast for both the living and the spirits of the dead that is held in complete silence. The modern festival of Halloween has its roots in Samhain. The popular childrens custom of Trick -or-Treating stems from an Old English practice in which children went door to door begging "soul cakes " to feed the wandering spirits. Many Wiccans also mark the symbolic death of the Horned God on this night.
Samhain Incense:
1 TBSP Nettle 1 TBSP Calendula
1 TBSP Bay Leaf a little bit of Oak Leaf
1 TBSP Tarragon 2 drops Frankencinse
1 TBSP Sage 2 drops MyrrhPlace all ingredients in a bowl to be used for magical purposes.The Frankincense and myrrh are resins used to bind the ingredients and retain scent. Burn on an instant-light charcoal in a screened incense burner.
Yule : Celebrated December 20th - December 23rd
Yule is celebrated on the winter Solstice, and is an observance of the turning of the solar year from waning to waxing. This is the most important Sabbat in the Teutonic traditions, the word Yule coming from the old Norse jul, meaning "wheel". Some Mythology teaches that the Sun is the newborn son of the Goddess, others that the Sun is the wintertime Crone who has turned her Virgin form again.
The Christmas practice of venerating lighted trees and burning the Yule log--both symbolic of the divine gift of fire to humanity-- all come from the European Pagan customs. It is also customary on this Sabbat to greet the rising Sun on the day it starts to grow once again and to reenact the battle between the Deities who represent both the dark and light halves of the year. At this time the Deities of Light will emerge victorious. This is not a mockery of Christianities Holy Day. The Winter Solstice is an ancient Pagan festival that early Christian leaders adopted as the symbolic date of Jesus' birth.
Winter Solstice Incense:
Pine Needles myrrh
Cinnamon dried apple leaf or wood
FrankincenseBlend all ingredients. You want to make enough to use during your ritual and to share with others. Put some in a small bottle with a cork and tie a ribbon around its neck to give as a gift. To charge it, place in your magic space before using it in ritual.
Imbolc : Celebrated February 2nd
Imbolc, also called Imbolg or Oimelc, is also known as Candlemas because of the tradition of lighting a profusion of candles to symbolize the growing warmth of the waxing Sun.
In terms of the agricultural year, this was the time when ewes milk began lactating , hence the translation of Oimelc as "ewes milk". At this time many Witches honor the young Goddess as the waiting bride of the Sun God. Others see her as being the Sun itself coming to bring spring to earth. Traditional practices on Imbolc are wearing of candle-studded headresses by women, divinations to see how much longer winter will last, and the destructon of harvest icons such as the Grain Dolly, an effigy of a female woven from grain cut down in the fall.
Imbolc Incense:
Heather Benzoin, dragons blood, storax or myrrh
sage ChamomileBlend all Ingredients and keep in a magick bag bottle or jar
Ostara : Celebrated March 20th - March 23rd
Ostra, celebrated at the Spring Equinox, is named for Eostre, a TuetonicGoddess of Fertility.
Ostara is a time of balance, in which the powers of dark and light are equal, and from which light will emerge triumphant. As the Earth warms it begins to grow green again. All around us are the images of Fertility. Crops can be planted, animals awaken from their winter hibernation and mate, and the young Goddess and God are having their own sexual awakening, beocoming aware of the allure of one another. Many customs that were adopted into the Christian Easter celebrations are rooted in the festival of Ostara, including the coloring of eggs, which are symbolic of the Sun, Fertility and Eternal life, and of a cute little bunny ... a fertile creature of there ever was one On this Sabbat it is customary im many Witches Covens to host a noisy ritual to stir Mother Earth awake.
Ostara Incense:
Patchouli Verbain LavenderPlace all ingredients in a magick bowl or bag with Springtime colors. To charge, bring into your sacred space or Magikal Circle during Ritual.
Beltane : Celebrated May 1st
Beltane celebrates the sacred marriage of the Goddess and God, from whose union will be born the Autumn harvest. Almost every Beltane custom in some way symbolizes this marriage. The practice of filling May Baskets with symbols of fertility, such as eggs or nuts, is a representative of thier joining. The custom of weaving around the May Pole with long strands of colored ribbon is another. The pole represents the phallus of the God, which penetrates the ribbons that make up the birth canal of the Goddess. The act also symbolizes the transformation of the virgin Goddess into her mother form.
Beltane Incense:
Marjoram Nettle Broom Woodruff 2 drops Dana OilMix all ingredients using the coupld of drops of Dana Oil to bind it. Carry in a magick bag or store in a magick bottle.
Litha : Celebrated June 20th - June 23rd
Litha ( midsummer) is celebrated at the Summer Solstice, and marks yet another major point in the Solar Year. At this time the Sun is honored at its peak potency, though from this point until Yule the year will be on the wane. Some traditions see the Sun as the God, fierce and powerful, others see it as the Mother Goddess warming herself -- the Mother Earth who is pregnant with the coming harvest. It is customary at Litha to begin gathering summer herbs to dry for wintertime use, and to reenact battles between dieties who represent both the dark and light halves of the year. At Litha the dieties of darkness emerge victorious, and the Sun begins to weaken.
Litha Incense:
Heather Wheat or Crushed Corn
Oak leaves Sunflower leaves
Rosemary Vervain 3 drops Mermaid OilCombine all ingredients and keep in magick bag or bottle
Lammas : Celebrated August 1st
Lammas is the celebration of the first harvest, particulary grain products.The word Lammas is old English for "loaf mass," and even today breads play a central role in the Lammas feast. Though the Celts saw this Sabbat as the beginning of their Autumn, today we enjoy this festival as the waning of summer in which the first fruits are readily available. The Irish called Lammas by its Irish name, Lughnasadh, after their Sun/Sacraficial God, Lugh. This has been translated as "Lughs Wedding." In Celtic terms this means Lugh became wedded to the land --The Goodess-- in a sacrad marriage. As the grain is cut down, so is Lugh, symbolically sacraficed so that his people may continue to live.
Lammas Incense:
Dried RosePetals Apple Leaf Irish Moss
Barley Yarrow Wheat
Basil 3 drops Lugh Oil 3 drops Ceridwen oilBlend ingredients and keep in a magick bag or bowl. To charge, put in sacred space or bring to the Lammas Ritual for the energy of the Sun, growth, healing, wealth and protection.
Mabon : Celebrated September 20th - September 23rd
The last Sabbat of the year, Mabon, is named for the Welsh God who is called the "Great Son." This festival is celebrated at the Autumn Eqinox and marks the second of the three harvest. Apple and Berry harvesting, cemetary visitions, and wine making are a central feature of this observance. In Welsh mythology, Mabon was stolen from his mother when he was 3 days old and taken to live in the dark underworld until rescued in the Spring (compare also with the Greek myth of Persephone). The myth underscores the fact that after the night of balance, darkness triumphant over light, and will remain so until Ostara.
Mabon Incense:
Marigold Yarrow Wheat
Dried Apple Fern
Rosemary Myrrh
Bittersweet Frankincense
Passion Flower Dried Oak LeavesMix well 3 Tablespoons of each ingredient. Place the bowl in your Magick space or Magick Circle so it will be charged. Place on a cabinet or table at home or office, use in prosperity spells.
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| Esbats | Wheel of the Year |
