The Eight Fold Year
The Eight Fold Year is followed by most pagans.
As the earth follows it's yearly elipses around the sun different seasons
come to pass. Pagans celebrate the seasonal quarters and cross quarters.
These Festivals are called Sabbats by Wiccans. The beauty of the Lord being reborn to the Mother aspect of Godess. The Lord then uniting with the Maiden aspect of Godess, to produce the bounty of harvest. Then the Lord withering to the Crone aspect of Godess and the cycle starting anew. This to me is overwhelmingly beautiful. Many books I have read state Celts mainly practiced Samhain, Imbolg, Bealtaine and Lughnassadh. Though most pagans practice the eight Festivals, four are lunar aligned and four solar aligned, they are:
Alban Arthuan
December 21st. "Light of Arthur". The Winter Solstice. Also known as Yule by many traditions. This Festival celebrates the Death of the Holly King and the Rebirth of the Oak King. The Mother aspect of the Goddess comes to bear. This is the shortest day of the year, from now on days will grow longer.
Imbolc
February 2nd. Also known as Candlemas, Imbolc or Imbolg. This is the
first of three spring festivals and celebrates purification and the coming
of spring. Days are still growing longer as the Holly King grows. Traditionaly this festival honours the goddess Brighid.
Alban Eiler
March 21st. "Light of the Earth". Also known as Ostara. This Festival
celebrates the Spring (Vernal) Equinox and fertility. Planting has begun.
This is the second of the three spring festivals. Day and night have reached a balance and are equal in length.
Beltane
May 1st. Also known as Mayday or Bealtaine. The beginning of Summer.The last of the three Spring Festivals. The celebration of the young Oak King coming into manhood and his union with the Goddess (Maiden). The Pagan Celts of the past use to light bonfires and passed cattle between them for purification. Many Pagans today hold their ritual around bonfires. A traditional time for marriages and dancing around the maypole. Days are still lengthening as the Oak King matures.
Alban Heruin
June 21st. "Light of the Shore". The Summer Solstice, also
the longest day of the year, nights will begin to grow longer from here.
The celebration of the Summer Solstice and the crowning glory of the Oak King.
Lughnassadh
August 1st. "Feast of Bread". Also called Lammas. This is the first
of three Harvest Festivals. Welcoming the coming of the Harvest. From the
union of the Oak King and the Maiden Goddess we reap the fertile bounty.
This Festival is often celebrated with fresh baked loaves of bread and cakes from the harvested grains.
Alban Elued
September 21st. "Light of the Water". The Autumnal Equinox. The
second and main Harvest festival. This marks the beginning of preparation
for the winter months ahead. This is a time of equilibrium, for days and
nights are once again equal.
Samhuinn
October 31st to November 2nd. Also known as the Pagans New Year,
Samhain, All Hallows Eve, and Halloween. This is prononced Sow-in, with the
ow ryhming with cow and a long "i" sound. The third and final Harvest Festival prior to winters onslaught. The veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is weakest. It is a time for contacting lost loved ones. Nights are much longer then days for the Crone aspect of the Goddess comes to bear.
There are many different traditions of
Pagans, Wiccans, Druids, etc. Not all believe the same and practice their
faiths differently. This is just a short preview of my understanding of
the Eight Fold Year as pagans see it. I myself mainly hold only the four in reverence. This information came from many different sources. Mainly the books listed on my Bios page.
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Background song "Flowers of the Forest" by Mike Oldfield
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