Wheel of the Year
By Freya Savitri Sampson - Custodian Eartheart
In ancient times religion did not exist. Their customs were fluid within everyday life; their rituals, beliefs, and traditions were an oral tradition, passed down experientially, rather than rote-learned. In ancient Celtic culture, time was cyclical/circular, not linear/rigid. It was as much a part of the nature as forests, mountains, rivers and sky. It is thought ancient Celts observed four seasonal festivals evenly spaced throughout the year
12 12
Supernal Magazine
– Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. These are called ‘Cross Quarter Days’, and are approximately midway between each of the equinoxes and solstices. Equinoxes and solstices make up the other four celebrations; Yule, Ostara, Litha, and Mabon called ‘Quarter Days’. The timing is based on the Sun’s transition, therefore are solar festivals. It’s generally thought that pre-Christian people didn’t celebrate the eight festivals. Later, these yearly festivals/
sabbats, became the current Wheel of the Year, popularised through 1950s Pagan and Wiccan religious movements. Wiccan celebrations may also include full and dark moons as events. Countless pictorial versions of the Wheel exist, with festival positions varying. Roots in several cultures mean a plethora of names and spellings used; pre-Christian, Christian and contemporary, Wicca and modern Paganism; where no universal tradition is observed across the board.
