The Sun
The Wheel of the Year
Nature-based spirituality is a path centered on our relationship with the natural world,
in which all of nature is seen as sacred and interconnected. It embraces a spiral rather
than linear perspective of time, honoring infinite transitions through the cycle of
life, growth, death, and rebirth.
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Nature is viewed as a spiritual guide filled
with Divine wisdom. As part of nature, we
have the ability to co-create with the Divine
to intentionally manifest that which we wish
to see, both in ourselves and in the world.
The spiritual practice of the Wheel of the Year offers an invitation to connect physically
and spiritually with the wisdom and energy
of our Mother, the Earth.
Eight Sabbats
The Wheel of the Year is comprised of eight sacred days, also known as Sabbats or High Holidays (holy times), which are evenly spaced throughout the calendar year, resembling spokes on a wheel. Each Sabbat corresponds to an important turning point in nature’s journey through the seasons.
When we follow the Wheel, we become aware that the Earth moves through a predictable cycle of slow, quiet restfulness in the darker, colder months, through a rising awakening as the warmth and light increases and new life returns, into an exuberant burst of growth and abundance, the harvest celebrations of thanksgiving follow, and then the land around us goes fallow and it is time for us to descend back into the dreaming time.
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And then the Wheel turns and the cycle begins again.
Seasonal Energies
Each sabbat has its own particular energy which dictates the general theme of the holiday and the magickal work that is most supported. These are portal times, when all beings have direct access to this sacred energy.
By devoting our attention to the Wheel of the Year, we can attune ourselves to the Earth’s energetic cycles and listen to nature’s divine guidance remembering that we are part of the truth that All is One and All is Her Love.
The Wheel of the Year also explores the different ways we see the Goddess and the God at each season. The Goddess and God have many aspects, many different personalities, much wisdom and many lessons to share… they change as the seasons change and teach us not to be afraid of change. Winter will always be followed by spring, just as summer will give way to fall and winter.
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For more information on each Sabbat, or High Holiday, please click on the names below.
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Please note: we are addressing the Wheel from the perspective of the Northern hemisphere, where we live. One of Her mysteries to contemplate is the mirroring of the Sabbats in the Southern Hemisphere. For example, when it's Ostara in the North, it's Mabon in the South.
