The Bespoke Wheel of the Year / Crossed Sabbaths

The Wheel of the Year represents an annual cycle of seasonal celebrations observed by many modern pagans. It highlights key solar events throughout the year, such as solstices, equinoxes, and their midpoints. While these practices vary in their incorporation of folk traditions, some may argue that local climates do not always align with these customs. The Celtic Wheel is designed to reflect the weather patterns of Northern Europe. We may have a very different climate and therefore, different needs. (e.g., in South Florida / Hurricane protection brought to the May full moon). Even without focusing on agriculture, we can use seasonal symbols to deepen our spiritual journeys. Examining how these holidays are traditionally celebrated provides a framework for reaching our goals. This way, we create a personalized Wheel tailored to our unique selves and ambitions.

A Wheel has no beginning and no end, so you can start anywhere, but traditionally, we begin with Samhain: The end of the growing cycle marks the start of the next.

Codeword—Root

It may seem like everything is dying around us, but nature is working on its roots, and so should we. The third and final harvest is complete, and the crops have been put away. It’s considered unlucky to gather any more. What remains should be returned to the Earth for next year's crop. Possibly the biggest festival of the Witches’ year, Samhain is a time to remember those who have passed. The veil is thin, and we can reach out to our ancestors.

Activities:

Bonfires, ancestor altars, silent suppers. Symbols: Gourds, apples, black cats, Jack-O-Lanterns, besoms.

Foods:

Ale, apples, beef, bread, cakes for the dead, cider, cranberry muffins, gourds, grains, mulled wine, nuts, pork, poultry, pumpkin pie, and any traditional foods of your culture.

Herbs:

Mugwort - Dreams and Ancestor Work

Rue - powerful banishing

Rosemary - warding and purifying

Incense:

Rosemary: Purifying, protective, and ideal for memory.

Frankincense: Great for uplifting spirits and sacred connections.

Myrrh: It anchors spiritual awareness and is believed to assist in healing.

Spells:

Use these herbs and scents to connect with the ancestors, find courage, and engage in divination.

Stones to carry this season:

Black Obsidian – grounding, protection

Serpentinite – Connecting to ancestors

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Winter Solstice (Yule): Rebirth of the Sun, marking the longest night—a time for introspection and planning for the future.

Codeword - Rest:

relax and reflect on the past year. Share highlights with others and celebrate their achievements. Encourage and support future efforts.

Activities:

More fire! Wassails, stories, caroling, gift exchanges, simmering pots of seasonal scents like bayberries, pine, sage, yellow cedar, cinnamon, and citrus.

Symbols:

Yule log or small Yule logs with three candles, evergreen boughs or wreaths, holly, mistletoe hung in doorways, gold pillar candles, baskets of clove-studded fruit, poinsettias, and Christmas cactus.

Foods:

Cookies and caraway cakes soaked in cider, fruits, nuts, pork dishes, turkey, eggnog, ginger tea, spiced cider, wassail, or lamb's wool (ale, sugar, nutmeg, roasted apples).

Herbs:

Cinnamon—used in spells to attract love, money, luck, or success.

Bay Laurel—symbolizes protection, healing, wisdom, and strength.

Incense:

Pine, cedar, bayberry, cinnamon.

Spells: Use these herbs and scents for renewal, abundance, and personal growth.

Stones to carry this season:

Moonstones, white and black – balance, The Ready & Set before the GO.

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Imbolc: Halfway between winter and spring. During the dark season, seeds from the previous year begin to germinate beneath the surface. Hope appears in the subtle signs if we observe. The traditional lambing season starts now. Herd animals have welcomed their first offspring of the year with life-giving milk. This time marks the blessing of seeds and the consecration of agricultural tools. Decide what to add to your garden. 

Activities:

Create a Brigid’s Cross, a Brideo'gas (corn dolly), decorate besoms, make jewelry, and add a sparkle to lift your spirits.

Symbols:

White flowers and candles, Brighid's crosses, and ploughs (cultivating)

Traditional Foods:

Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Poppyseed Cakes, muffins, scones, and breads, all dairy products, Peppers, Onions, Garlic, Raisins, Spiced Wines, and Herbal Teas

Herbs:

Angelica – protection, banishing negativity, attracting positive energy

Basil – attracts love and money

Incense:

Basil, Bay, Wisteria, Cinnamon, Violet, Vanilla, Myrrh

Spells:

Use these herbs and scents to mark new beginnings, gain insight, and make plans.

Stones to carry this season:

Selenite – cleansing and preparing

Amethyst – calming, opens the third eye, enhances dreams

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Spring Equinox (Ostara): As spring reaches its midpoint, night and day are in perfect balance.

Balance of light and dark, with warmer days ahead.

Codeword – Bud 

During the Spring Equinox, new life emerges, inspiring us to become the best versions of ourselves, shape the ideal world we imagine, and craft our destinies. We see the seed beginning to sprout.

Activities:

Gardening, decorating, and hiding eggs; baking egg bread; watching the sunrise; making fairy cakes and potions; spring cleaning (Minerva’s Day). Decorate with spring flowers like jonquils and tulips.

Symbols:

eggs, chicks, bunnies, new growth, wildflowers, Bees, robins

Foods:

Leafy green vegetables, dairy products, nuts, and seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, and pine, are also included. Flower dishes and sprouts (chamomile, lavender, roses, pansies, hibiscus, dandelions)

Herbs:

Lemongrass - enhancing mental focus, intuition, and psychic awareness

Thyme - Healing, Calming, Peace, Protection, Courage

Incense:

Jasmine, Rose, Strawberry, Floral of any type

Spells:

Utilize these herbs and scents to promote growth, creativity, and balance.

Stones to carry this season:

Rose Quartz - encourages self-love and acceptance

Snowflake Obsidian – balances the light and dark, encourages harmony

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Beltane: Beltane means 'fire of Bel,' or Belinos, the Celtic Sun God. This festival marks the young Sun God's transition into manhood. Influenced by the powerful forces of nature, he longs for the Goddess. Folklore shows the masculine Sun embracing the feminine Earth, symbolizing the renewal of life. This story represents the land's fertility and signals the start of the new growing season.

Codeword – Flower

This is where we begin to see results. The flower is opposite the root. Were those roots strong enough? What would you do differently? The veil is thin now, too. The Fae might show themselves.

Activities:

Dance around the Maypole, make flower garlands and crowns, have bonfires, and jump over the fire. Historically, all community fires were extinguished during the festival, leaving only the bonfire dedicated to Bel to burn. Once the festivities ended, community members would take a piece of the hearth fire to light their home fires. Dress candles and light them from a single source.

Symbols:

Fire, Flowers, Wedding Feast for the Lord and Lady, May Baskets, Fairies, butterflies. All the pollinators.

Traditional Foods:

Braided bread, Dairy, Honey, Oatcakes

Herbs:

Crocus: love, visions

Daisy: love, innocence, hope

Dandelion: divination, dreams, wishes

Incense:

Peppermint – mental clarity

Orange – creativity

Spells:

Use these herbs and scents for love, relationships, and manifestation.

Stones:

Tiger’s eye – protection, clear state of mind, personal power

Aventurine - quietens the mind and alleviates stress.

Hag Stone – protection and second-sight

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Summer Solstice (Litha): Celebration of the Sun’s zenith. On this longest day, light and life flourish. At mid-summer, the Sun God reaches his peak strength, seated on his green throne, ruling over the forests. From Yule to Litha, it is said that the Oak King rules. On Litha, the two battle for the crown, and it is then that the Holly King triumphs. The Holly King will rule through fall until Yule, and the cycle will begin again.

Codeword – Fruit This is our moment to shine! Unlike the rest period after Yule, our intention is coming to life.

Activities:

Handfastings, Wild Crafting/ foraging, making dream pillows and sachets, sun tea, and leaving gifts for the Fae.

Herbs:

Mugwort, Vervain, Chamomile, Rose, Honeysuckle, Lily, Oak, Lavender, Ivy, Yarrow, Fern, Elder, Wild Thyme, Daisy, Carnation

Foods: 

Garden-fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables

Incense: 

Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Wisteria

Spells:

Use these herbs and scents for self-care, courage to succeed, and positive body image.

Stones to carry this season: 

Carnelian: enthusiastically joins us on our summer joy, self-discovery, and adventures.

Fluorite - quietens the mind, alleviates stress, and helps make decisions.

Lammas/Lughnasadh: This is the first harvest of corn or grain. The Feast of Lugh commemorates his Mother, celebrated with games and crafts. Recognize that the hot summer days will soon end. There is an abundance, but be mindful of waste; crops must be stored in preparation for winter. The god symbolically loses some strength as the sun moves farther south each day and the nights grow longer. 

Codeword – Bread: Literal or symbolic, this is the finished product. Opposite Seed, did you reap what you sowed? Spring plants wither and drop seeds to ensure the survival of future crops. Brighid, the goddess of protective fire, and Imbolc / Lugh, the god of forging fire, and Lughnasadh.

Activities:

Bake bread, make corn dolls, weave wheat, host Celtic games, hold horse races, or attend the craft fair or Renaissance fair.

Symbols: 

Sickles, Scythes, Corn dollies, sunflowers, Bread

Foods:

Corn, Apples, Pears, Grapes, Grains, Bread, Berries, potatoes, mushrooms, hearty stews, meat pies

Herbs: 

Parsley - Passion, Purification, Protection

Fennel - Not just for digestion, fennel also brings courage, purification, and protection

Incense: 

Rose - Peace, Happiness, Luck, Protection

Sandalwood - Love, Protection, Healing, Spirituality, Cleansing

Spells:

Utilize these herbs and scents to cultivate abundance and gratitude.

Stones to carry this season: 

Citrine – can lift the mood and energy levels by channeling the sun's energies.

Pyrite – shield from negative energies

Autumn Equinox (Mabon): The balance of light and darkness, the second harvest, and a feeling of gratitude define this season. Day and night are once again equal in length, but this time we acknowledge the approaching darkness. The Druids refer to this celebration as Mea'n Fo'mhair, which honors The Green Man, the Forest God, through offerings to trees.

Codeword—Return. We should start thinking about the return to darkness and how far we have come. Opposite Bud, our energies are gathering back within ourselves to end another cycle.

Activities: Give thanks, bake pies, light a black and a white candle, create nature art, and host a Pagan Pride Day.

Symbols: 

Gourds, pinecones, acorns, grains, corn, apples, Cornucopia, pomegranates, vines such as ivy, dried seeds.

Foods: 

Breads, nuts, apples, pomegranates, and root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions, and pumpkin pie

Herbs: 

Honeysuckle – love and money

Passionflower – Friendship and forgiveness

Solomon's seal – Wisdom and Luck

Incense: 

Anise, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Sage, Pumpkin Spice

Spells:

Use these herbs and scents for balance, forgiveness, and remembering..

Stones to carry this season: 

Smoky Quartz - Provides grounding and protection.

Lapis Lazuli - Courage, creativity, communication, and healing.

The Wheel ends and immediately starts again. You have as many chances left to spin with this wheel as you have trips around the Sun. So “How does it get any better than this?” We make it better this time around!

Blessed Be!