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The Witch's Corner
Marjorie Rose
This is the first of a series on practical Witchcraft by Marjorie Rose. She is a High Priestess (second of three degrees) of Our Lady of the Sycamores, a coven in the Los Angeles area. Her tradition follows the early Egyptian pantheon (before the cult of Osiris). She is also a member of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS).
The Festival Cycle
Wiccans and other Pagans share a unique concept of the passing of time and the seasons called the Wheel of the Year. On a simple level, it tells the story of the Goddess and the God as they progress from rebirth, to youth, maturity, and the assumption of responsibility, on to old age, and back to renewal and rebirth. Following the Wheel of the Year and the Festival Cycle allows us to renew our connection with the Earth and with our own life processes. We too can participate in this endless cycle that all creation, including the Lord and the Lady, is bound to the follow.
The exact observance of the Festival Cycle varies somewhat with each tradition. Some traditions, such as the Dianic Separatists, don't invoke the God, others might just differ in when they celebrate a certain event. The details given here are my coven's particular interpretation of our mythos, including the use of color, flowers and foods.
Yule, December 21st
This is the first festival in our Wheel. It represents the renewal of the Lady in the Underworld and the subsequent rebirth of the Lord as the Sun King. Most traditional foods and decorations work very well. We use black candles on the altar until we declare the Lord's rebirth, then we change the candles to white. We do weather scrying with the Yule Log.
Candlemas (Imbolg), February 2nd
The Lord and the Lady return to the Upper World! We use light pastel colors for the altar (yellow, blue, pink, and very pale). The altar usually has a pot of bulbs planted at Yule to represent the fertility that is yet unseen, but nonetheless present. Spring flowers such as Crocus, Hyacinth and Daffodils, help carry the feeling of renewal and rebirth.
Spring Equinox, March 21st
The Lord and the Lady begin their courtship and the world rejoices! This is the first fertility festival within our cycle. Our altar will have green candles for Him and rose or pink for Her, spring flowers and new green branches. We feast on young chicken, decorated eggs, lamb and fruit.
Beltane, April 30th
We are cordially invited to the Wedding of the Lady and the Lord, This is our main fertility festival, and we pull out all the stops! We dress the altar with roses, gardenias and any other highly scented or sensuous flowers, dark green candles for the Lord and bright red for the Lady. Traditionally, we bring sensuous foods for our feast as well. We've had strawberries dipped in honey and chocolate, caviar, French and Italian pastries, Beef Wellington, Chinese delicacies and even Champagne! Then, we feed each other. Many pagan weddings take place now.
Midsummer, June 22nd
This festival represents maturity and responsibility. The God makes the personal sacrifice of going into the grain, thus insuring the continued survival of humanity. The Goddess, knowing the necessity of this sacrifice, gives up her lover and becomes a widow. This time, the altar has bright red candles for the Lord and dark green for the Lady. We use bright summery flowers like sunflowers, marigolds, zinnias, coriopsis, daisies, or nasturtiums. The feast can include anything, but always has breads shaped like suns.
Lammas (Lughnasadh), July 31st
This is the Grain Festival. Because it was usually performed before the household ovens, we use this festival to give thanks to Hestia and other goddesses of the hearth, and any other household gods we might have. The altar will have gold candles for Him and light purple or lavender for Her. Mums, asters, squashes and grains complete our decorations. Our feast usually consists of breads, beer, stews and other grain dishes. The feast is often the main body of our worship. Autumn Equinox, September 21st.
Having assured the survival of humanity, the God goes to the Underworld to await his renewal and rebirth. This is the last harvest festival in our Wheel. We use autumn leaves, mums and autumn fruits and vegetables for decoration. The candles are brown for Him and dark purple for Her. We eat heavy dishes—lots of meats, soups, stews, breads, apples, pears, etc.
Hallows (Samhain), October 31st
This represents the end of the year for us. Now that the Lady has seen the harvest in, She can go to the Underworld to renew herself and rebirth Her love in the Sun King. This is also the time when the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. For us, it is a time to remember those who have gone before and to look in to the future. The altar has black candles. Often, I use PineCones to represent survival. In our group, everyone brings a candle for those dead who touched their lives. We keep the light going by remembering our past until the light of the Sun King returns. Then, we each bring a dish that reminds us of someone and we sit around eating and telling anecdotes. We usually scry to determine what the Lady wants us to deal with during the long winter. It is a beautiful way to end the year. This is usually a closed ritual. It can get teary and emotional, and this can be embarrassing with strangers.
Meditating on the individual festivals is the best way to determine how you should celebrate. However, it is perfectly acceptable to follow someone else's Cycle. It is more important that you get into sync" with the Wheel of the Year, observing the changes going on around you within you. I have my students pick ten trees and bushes nearby to keep diary of the physical and energy changes they see and feel during the year. You will feel the ebb and flow of energy levels as the year progresses.
Another good way to become firmly planted onto the Wheel of the Year is to eat according to the seasons. Learn what fruit and vegetables are harvested at that particular time and enjoy them then. White corn in early summer is a joy, fresh blueberries in June are wonderful, and acorn squash or pumpkin soup in November is marvelous. Try growing a small vegetable garden if you have room. Even an apartment balcony will accommodate a small pot of cherry tomatoes and a few herbs.
The Wheel of the Year allows us to re-establish that important link with the Earth and the Gods that this modern, materialistic society has severed for most of us. Following the Wheel is the first step onto the Path of the Wise. Blessed Be!
Basic Reading on the Wheel of the Year
Grandmother of Time, Z. Budapest
Wheel of the Year (Living the Magical Life), Pauline Campanelli
A Witches Bible Complete, Janet & Stuart Farrar
Spiral Dance, Starhawk
1990, Marjorie Rosen |
