Post by robincragin on Oct 27, 2015 16:51:37 GMT -5
In honor of the changing spiritual seasons of our lives, Witches celebrate eight annual seasonal celebrations that they call sabbats. The word “sabbat” is itself the subject of speculation. Some scholars believe that the word may have its origins in the Hebrew ahabbathi, which refers to the planet Saturn. Other accounts suggest that the word has its origins in the rites of Dionysus, whose celebrants would cry out “Sabai!” during the height of ecstatic trance. Some scholars trace the word back to Witch trial testimonies of the sixteenth century. In one French account, an accused Witch stated that her voce would chant, “Har, har, Hou, Hou, danse ici, danse la, joue ici, joue la. Sabbat, sabbat!”
Whatever the true origins of the word, the Witches’ sabbats mark eight annual passages of earthly and spiritual energy. Together, these eight sabbats comprise the Witch’s wheel of the year. Each of the four seasons begins when the sun enters into one of the cardinal astronomical constellations. These four seasonal celebrations are the solstices and equinoxes. The dates of the solstices and equinoxes vary from year to year because the earth does not orbit around the sun in a perfect circle of 360 degrees. The Winter Solstice begins when the sun enters the sign of Capricorn. Spring Equinox marks when the sun enters Aries. Summer Solstice starts when the sun enters Cancer, and the Fall Equinox is when the sun enters the constellation of Libra.
The remaining four sabbats—Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas—are the greater sabbath. In Wiccan lore, these sabbath are “as old as time itself.”
The greater sabbats are on fixed calendar dates, unlike the solstices and Equinoxes. The ancients of Old Europe positioned these celebrations on days that coincided with their agricultural cycles of planting, growth, and harvesting. The greater sabbats are rooted deep within the rhythms of the earth herself. Since the four greater sabbats align with the cycles of the earth, Witches believe that they are feminine in their character and energy. The solstices and equinoxes, marked by the sun’s passages, are masculine in their energies.
Here are the eight sabbats in their order, their type and energy. Take time to memorize the sabbat names and dates. In the coming days you will learn more about the meaning of each of these sabbats.
Samhain: (pronounced: SOW-en), October 31, a greater sabbat, feminine
Winter Solstice: December 19-23 (when the sun enters Capricorn),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Imbolc: February 2, a greater sabbat, feminine
Spring Equinox: March 19-23 (when the sun enters Aries),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Beltane: May 1, a greater sabbat, feminine
Summer Solstice: June 19-23 (when the sun enters Cancer),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Lammas: August 1, a greater sabbat, feminine
Fall Equinox: September 19-23 (when the sun enters Libra),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Whatever the true origins of the word, the Witches’ sabbats mark eight annual passages of earthly and spiritual energy. Together, these eight sabbats comprise the Witch’s wheel of the year. Each of the four seasons begins when the sun enters into one of the cardinal astronomical constellations. These four seasonal celebrations are the solstices and equinoxes. The dates of the solstices and equinoxes vary from year to year because the earth does not orbit around the sun in a perfect circle of 360 degrees. The Winter Solstice begins when the sun enters the sign of Capricorn. Spring Equinox marks when the sun enters Aries. Summer Solstice starts when the sun enters Cancer, and the Fall Equinox is when the sun enters the constellation of Libra.
The remaining four sabbats—Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane, and Lammas—are the greater sabbath. In Wiccan lore, these sabbath are “as old as time itself.”
The greater sabbats are on fixed calendar dates, unlike the solstices and Equinoxes. The ancients of Old Europe positioned these celebrations on days that coincided with their agricultural cycles of planting, growth, and harvesting. The greater sabbats are rooted deep within the rhythms of the earth herself. Since the four greater sabbats align with the cycles of the earth, Witches believe that they are feminine in their character and energy. The solstices and equinoxes, marked by the sun’s passages, are masculine in their energies.
Here are the eight sabbats in their order, their type and energy. Take time to memorize the sabbat names and dates. In the coming days you will learn more about the meaning of each of these sabbats.
Samhain: (pronounced: SOW-en), October 31, a greater sabbat, feminine
Winter Solstice: December 19-23 (when the sun enters Capricorn),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Imbolc: February 2, a greater sabbat, feminine
Spring Equinox: March 19-23 (when the sun enters Aries),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Beltane: May 1, a greater sabbat, feminine
Summer Solstice: June 19-23 (when the sun enters Cancer),
a lesser sabbat, masculine
Lammas: August 1, a greater sabbat, feminine
Fall Equinox: September 19-23 (when the sun enters Libra),
a lesser sabbat, masculine