Sabbats The Witches Wheel of The Year Beltane - The Land represented by the Goddess is now ripe and fertile and the Young God expresses His Love for Her. This is a time of joyous reveling as the first flowers of Summer are gathered in their honor. The celebration in Ireland commenced on the eve of the festival at sunset. The word Beltane probably stems from bel - meaning "shining" or "brilliant" or "favorable" - and teine ("fire"). The name may be connected with the Celtic god Belenus, and the festival is known for the lighting of bonfires. Litha - The days of the first harvesting of herbs as the Earth now begins to share her bounty. This time of the longest days is celebrated as a fire festival. The season between the planting and the harvest, June is also the "traditional" month for handfastings and weddings. Lammas/Lughnasadh - The First Harvest. Plants are "setting their seed" already for the next year as the cycle of Nature continues. The Sun (Son) still burns brightly, but already the passing of the days begins to herald the coming of Autumn. The young animals are now almost full grown and our plans-planted with high expectations in the spring- are beginning to come to fruition. Lughnasadh is named for the Celtic god of light Lug or Lugh. Mabon - The Second or Continuing Harvest. Now, as at Ostara, the days and nights are equal once again. gardens are in full bloom and heavy with nature's bounty. There is a slight nip in the air already and preparations begin to prepare for the long cold months which are to come. Samhain - The Last Harvest, the Celtic festival, which signals the beginning of winter in Ireland. The Earth nods a sad farewell to the God, knowing that He will once again be reborn of the Goddess and the cycle will continue. This is the time of reflection, the time to honor the Ancients who have gone on before us and the time of "Seeing"(divination). As we contemplate the Wheel of the Year, we come to recognize our own part in the eternal cycle of Life. The word Samhain means "end of summer." It was an agricultural and pastoral festival marking the time when crops were gathered in and stored for the winter, and when livestock were taken back down to their home fields from the mountain pastures. Because it initiated the dark season of the year, Samhain was associated with the dead and paved the way for the later celebration of Halloween. Yule - Yule is the time of greatest darkness and the longest night of the year. The Winter Solstice had been associated with the birth of a "Divine King" long before the rise of Christianity. Since the Sun is considered to represent the Male Divinity in many Pagan Traditions - including those surrounding the solar hero Mithra(s) - this time is celebrated as the "return of the Sun God" where He is reborn of the Goddess. It was a natural time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who was characterized as the light of the world. Imbolc - The earliest whisperings of Springtide are heard now as the Goddess nurtures Her Young Son. As a time of the year associated with beginning growth, Imbolc is an initiatory period for many. Here we plant the "seeds" of our hopes and dreams for the coming summer months. Ostara - The first true day of Springtide. The days and nights are now equal in length as the Young God continues to mature and grow. We begin to see shoots of new growth and swelling buds on the trees. Energy is building as the days become warmer with promise. The similarity of this name to Easter, the holiday that supplanted it, is no accident. The emphasis on fertility remains in images including rabbits (famed for their prodigious mating habits), eggs and newborn chicks. The fertility goddesses Ishtar and Astarte also have names that derive from the same root.