This is a study project mainly looking at the cycles of
the Earth, the Sun, and the Moon, and how they affect us
and Nature all around us on a yearly basis. This is often
called by Pagans 'The Wheel of the Year'. It includes particularly
solar Sabbat festivals; astrological moon sign transit information,
and the Ogham system of studying lunar cycles - because
we have women leading those aspects of the study. It can
also include any other yearly observances that people want
to discuss - whether it is Valentines Day, a yearly Goddess
Festival, the first leaves falling from the trees, or what
they did on the Full Moon. This is an ongoing study project
for the group, which all members are open to contribute
information, or reflection to as and when they wish. We
would encourage everyone to share rituals, lore, personal
notes, feelings, experiences and accomplishments around
living in harmony with the wheel of the year.
SUN
From a Dianic perspective, The Sun has Her yearly cycle
where symbolically she is born at Midwinter Solstice, then
waxes till she is at her strongest at Midsummer Solstice,
with much heat and light, and then She wanes again back
to Midwinter (in literal terms the Earth has traveled once
around Her of course). The Sun has 8 solar festivals, which
represent significant points in the solar year (see more
below). They can be seen as 8 spokes to the solar wheel.
The 12 traditional cultural calendar months (i.e. January,
February, etc) are also considered solar, and are another
way of dividing up the time within a Year.
MOON
The Moon has Her own cycle of 13 moons, which does not match
up exactly with the solar year. Many lunar systems correct
this yearly to restart the lunar calendar at the same time
as the solar one - this usually happens at the Winter Solstice.
Every 16 years, the solar and lunar wheels come back into
harmony before going back to their independent rhythms.
There are many names for each moon of the year - from many
cultures all around the world. Many of them reflect on the
local weather and climate (e.g. ice moon), or cultural activities
(e.g. hay moon - harvest) or animals seen at that time of
the year (e.g. hare moon) ... e.g. so there is no standard
'Dianic' system of naming the Moons. There is also the Ogham
system of naming the moons - which names each moon cycle
by a letter from the Ogham alphabet. This is sometimes called
the Lunar Tree Calendar. The letter is also associated with
a tree and other correspondences, all symbols referencing
ancient Mysteries thought to be taught by the Druids. These
Mysteries correspond to energies prevalent in those cycles
and help us to move through the year with greater understanding
of our lives. There are 4 phases to each Moon cycle -
1. Dark (culturally called ‘New’) when Her face
is not lit.
2. Waxing - when She appears as a growing ) shaped crescent
3. Full when all Her face is lit by the Sun O and
4. Waning, when she appears as a diminishing ( shaped crescent.
EARTH
I think of the four seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn
- as being 'Earth' parts of the wheel... because though
they can be assigned a particular section of the solar -
or lunar - wheel (e.g. I say Spring starts at Imbolc - 2nd
Feb - but others would say Ostara - the Spring Equinox at
around 21st March) in fact it varies so much from one place
to the next when the first shoots start growing through
the Earth... if there is snow or ice, when it starts to
thaw, or maybe there was never snow or ice all winter...
some places have a long drawn out Spring season, some places
seem to go straight from Winter to Summer in a couple of
short weeks. etc. So this is about the reality of what happens
to Nature around you in your part of the world.
(LWTW)
- Sabbats
This is an ongoing study of the Sabbats as they occur around
the Wheel of the Year. These are also sometimes called the
'Holy Days', or 'Solar Festivals'. The lesser Sabbats are
Midwinter Solstice (Yule) where the nights are long and
the days are shortest, Spring Equinox (Ostara) where they
are in balance, but light is gaining, Midsummer Solstice
(Litha) with longest day, shortest night and Autumn Equinox
(Mabon) where day and night are once again in balance but
dark is gaining. The Greater Sabbats - also called the Celtic
fire-festivals, or the cross-quarters - because they fall
between the other 4 - are Samhain (Hallow’een), Imbolc
(Candlemas/ St Brigid’s Day), Beltane (May Day), and
Lammas/ Lughnasad (Harvest). In order they are Samhain,
Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon. It
is a Celtic tradition to consider Samhain the start of the
year, instead of Yule. These festivals mostly draw on Celtic
tradition, reflecting the English origins of Wicca, which
Dianicism developed out of.
Many Dianics celebrate these Sabbats - as do other branches
of Wicca and Neo-Pagan witchcraft. However there are significant
differences between how the solar year is mythologised in
Dianicism to how it is in Gardnerian/Alexandrian and most
other dualistic traditions of Wicca which see the sun as
God, and the Goddess as his Mother / Lover / Grandmother
through the year.
Some Dianics do not celebrate the Sabbats, preferring to
draw on other Goddess Traditions for their festivals. At
present, no one leads discussion of Goddess Festivals from
around the world, but these should also be considered part
of Living within The Wheel.
As each Sabbat of 2004 approaches, basic information about
the Sabbat will be posted, including some suggestions for
activities to honour this festival. We have someone providing
this basic information for systers from the Northern Hemisphere,
and someone providing it for women from the Southern Hemisphere
- because we celebrate the 'opposite' festival to each other.
However, we encourage members to participate in this aspect
of LWTW by passing on information you have gathered, and
sharing how you celebrate it (if you do) and experiences
you have had in the past celebrating these Sabbats, and
any suggestions for others on activities, rituals, or things
to reflect on about this festival.
(LWTW) - Moon Signs
These are posts that are done each the time the moon changes
its astrological sign throughout each lunar cycle. The moon's
astrological sign changes every 2 to 2 1/2days and her transit
though each sign is discussed - a general mood and energy
are apparent during each moon sign. These posts will keep
you updated on what is happening on a regular basis. Feel
free to ask questions about these postings and/or to add
information to them.
(LWTW)
- Ogham
The Ogham system is usually associated with trees. Each
Moon cycle is named for an Ogham letter of the alphabet
with associated trees, goddesses, stones, birds and various
other correspondences. Each letter encompasses a multitude
of information. Ogham is also a divinatory system. As each
letter is studied and taken into ritual space, Mysteries
are revealed concerning the energies of the cycle. It is
requested that members do the research and post and then
the leader of this aspect of LWTW will collect and post
to our files. She will, of course also contribute to the
pool of knowledge.
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