Wheel of the Year
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Lammas: the harvest that feeds the soul
In the Southern Hemisphere, the beginning of February marks the celebration of Lammas, also known by the Celtic name Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-na-sah). It is the festival of the first harvest, one of the great sabbats of Celtic tradition. The name Lammas derives from the Old English “loaf mass,” in reference to the medieval custom of…
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Imbolc: the flame of Brigid
In the Southern Hemisphere, August 1 marks the celebration of Imbolc, one of the minor sabbats of Celtic tradition. Located between winter and spring, this festival announces that the earth, still silent, is slowly beginning to awaken. Its name derives from the Gaelic i mbolg, “in the belly” a reference to the life that forms…
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Yule and winter
Winter begins with a solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, it takes place around June 20 or 21 and marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year. At this moment, the Sun reaches its lowest apparent height in the sky, and darkness lingers longer. But there is a beautiful detail. It is precisely…
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Mabon and autumn
Autumn, like spring, is marked by an equinox. It is an astronomical phenomenon in which the Sun shines directly on the Equator, causing both hemispheres of the Earth to receive practically the same amount of light. The result is days and nights of very similar length. It is when nature begins to slow down, leaves…
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Wheel of the Year
For a long time, I wanted to write this text. The ideas would linger around my thoughts, but some more urgent matter always came up. Then, at bedtime, they would return. As if there are things that only rest when they finally find a place on paper or, in this case, on the screen. In…