Llewellyn's 2024 Witches' Calendar

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Since the Christianisation of Europe, a more secular version of the festival has continued in Europe and America, commonly referred to as May Day. In this form, it is well known for maypole dancing and the crowning of the Queen of the May. The summer solstice, or Litha, is one of the four ‘lesser sabbats’ and the high point of the solar year. The God has reached the zenith of his power (the summer solstice being the longest day of the year) and the dawn of the 21st June (or thereabouts) is his crowning glory. Ostara is a name for the spring equinox in some modern pagan traditions. The term is derived from a reconstruction produced by linguist Jacob Grimm of an Old High German form of the Old English Ēostre, a proposed Anglo-Saxon goddess for whom, according to Bede, feasts were held in her eponymous month, which he equated to April in the Julian calendar. [26] Starhawk (1999). The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess: 20th Anniversary Edition. San Francisco: HarperOne. pp. 197–213. ISBN 9780062516329. The light is fading, and the dark is setting in. This month is a great time to reflect on your own roots and where you came from. Take time to honor your ancestor as the veil between the worlds thins. Be open to receiving psychic messages, meditation and journaling.

Apr. 15: Sigrblot/Sumarsdag – Norse celebration of the first day of summer in Scandinavian countries Practices vary, but sacrifice offerings, feasting, and gift giving are common elements of Midwinter festivities. Bringing sprigs and wreaths of evergreenery (such as holly, ivy, mistletoe, yew, and pine) into the home and tree decorating are also common during this time. [16] [18] [19] Vivianne Crowley (1989). Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Age. London: Aquarian Press. pp.162–200. ISBN 9780850307375. Aside from the associations with Stonehenge and ‘New Age’ movements, most people would probably confess to knowing little about pagans, or even who they are - modern paganism may refer to several different groups such as Wiccans, heathens, and Celtic neopagans. Yule is a holiday that’s celebrated by more than just Wiccans, and in fact, it’s probably more commonly known as the winter solstice. It’s the day of the year when nighttime is at its longest.Offerings of food, drink, various objects, etc. have been central in ritual propitiation and veneration for millennia. Modern pagan practice strongly avoids sacrificing animals in favour of grains, herbs, milk, wines, incense, baked goods, minerals, etc. The exception being with ritual feasts including meat, where the inedible parts of the animal are often burned as offerings while the community eats the rest. [42] [43] Gardnerian Book of Shadows: The Sabbat Rituals: August Eve". www.sacred-texts.com . Retrieved 20 September 2017. Imbolc is the traditional Gaelic name for 1 February and traditionally marks the first stirrings of spring. It aligns with the contemporary observance of Groundhog Day. It is time for purification and spring cleaning in anticipation of the year's new life. In Rome, it was historically a shepherd's holiday, [21] while the Gaels associated it with the onset of ewes' lactation, prior to birthing the spring lambs. [22] [23] We Wiccans (and other pagans) might call this holiday Ostara, but it’s more commonly known around the world as the spring equinox. This means it’s one of two days in the year when daytime and nighttime are the same length.

Southern Hemisphere: Imbolc – honoring the goddess Brighid and return of the light after the long winter)Celtic pagans mark the festival by making corn dollies and Wiccans bake bread in the shape of the God. Mabon March 19,20 – Ostara/Spring Equinox [Greater Sabbat] (Mabon/Autumn (Vernal) Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere) An ENORMOUS thank you to our LlewellynCon presenters today: Sterling Moon, Carmen Turner-Schott, Lindsay Fauntleroy, and Elhoim Leafar! Rebirth abounds in April as the Earth is ready to sprout forth new life from the dormant winter. Get outside and feel the crisp air as it begins to take on a new warmth. Enjoy the change of the season by planting seeds either figurative or literal! Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Debra DeAngelo, author of The Elements of Horse Spirit, Pagan Curious, and the new Sacred Massage.