Annual feasts

Why celebrate annual feasts or sabbats? Sabbats symbolize the cycle of life, death and rebirth. This cycle can also be found within us. By celebrating these feasts we shape and acknowledge the cycle and dedicate ourselves to nature, which we belong to.

Samhain.

It is cold outside, trees are barren, the weather is harsh. Nature seems dead; food is stored for coming winter. Comfortably we stare in the fire with the curtains drawn; this is what feels best right now. You are balancing on the edge of waking and sleeping, just like nature itself. This is samhain, death in life, time for remembrance, time for contemplation. The veil is very thin, not more than a haze. Behind the veil you see what went before and what is yet to come.

Yule (December 22nd).

The longest night, cold and dark with a promise of warmth and light. Birth of the light. Only a weak glimmer but hope is born and better days are coming. Hope, love, warmth, togetherness. Grateful with what you have, grateful for what is coming. Dance the dance of life in death.

Imbolc.

The first newborn flowers, fragile and vulnerable. Sometimes growing in snow covered earth. The dust of winter is slowly fading; new ideas are being born. Still a little seed. Perhaps you reject an idea; perhaps you let it grow. It bubbles inside, just like the earth that slowly comes back to life.

Ostara (march 21st)

Nature bursts open, everything is young and inexperienced, everything is fresh and newborn. Creativity awakens, you burst of life, you grow. You look upon the world with new eyes. Try everything, you are aloud to make mistakes, this is how you grow.

Beltane.

Nature is being impregnated, everything longs for love and lust. There is a fertile soil beneath your feet. You merely have to use the thrusting force to put your ideas into action. You act, form your ideas and plans. You feel strong and undefeated. Use your life force, use the forces that surround you.

Litha (June 22nd)

It’s warm, sometimes suffocating, fiery. The sun rules supreme. Everywhere there is benefit and abundance, the chalice is overflowing. It’s midsummer, the longest day. Although nature is abundant, she shows her shadow, dark times lie ahead. Enjoy the benefits and appreciate what nature gives to you. Dance the dance of death in life.

Lammas.

The first harvest is collected. Nature gives us her fruits. We see what our labor has given us, we harvest and use its gifts.

Mabon (September 21st)

The last harvest, the big sacrifice. De power of the sun is visually weakening, we return inside to distinguish what we want to leave behind, what our sacrifice is going to be. What we don’t use, we return to the earth so that it can transform.

I wanted to paint a picture of the cycle of nature, the cycle within us. I haven’t put dates next to the harvest feasts because they are dependent on the constitution of nature. The solar feasts can be placed exactly around a date because they depend upon the position of the sun. To give substance to the feasts I could suggest my community (sorry, Dutch only) where I explain the symbolism and give examples of ritual ingredients. There are beautiful books written about sabbats, therefore it isn’t useful to repeat the contents here. Read, learn and apply.