Samhain, Hallowmas, All Hallow's Eve (October 31)
The Celtic New Year. The time when the Sword of Power is exchanged from the Goddess to the God symbolizing the beginning of His reign.  The land is no longer lush and fertile; winter is fast approaching.  A dumb ~ or silent supper ~ the last repast for those who have died this year, is shared and as we bid a final farewell for this lifetime.  Traditionally, it was considered inappropriate to mourn after Samhain.  Any crops still standing in the field after Samhain were considered the property of the faeries, and it was very unlucky to harvest after this day.  At RavenStone, we gather together to cleanse and ready the house and property, and we elaborately carve pumpkins that then line the pathway to the circle for ritual.

 

Yule, the Winter Solstice (around December 21)
The shortest day and the longest night.  Many Christian traditions were borrowed from the old ways, including decorating an evergreen tree with symbols of life to remind the tree of its summer bounty. Yule marks the birth of the Sun King as from this point forward the days will be getting longer and longer. Other traditions include the war of the Holly and Oak Kings, kissing under the mistletoe, burning the Yule log, and caroling or wassailing.

 

Imbolc, Candlemas (around February 1)
The banishing of winter, this is the celebration of the transformation of the Goddess from Crone to Maiden.  The goddess statue is ritually bathed and veiled in white.  Often associated with the fire goddess Brigid, implements of light such as candles and lamps are blessed.  As a test of faith, the ancients extinguished the hearth fire, traveled to ritual, and returned with an ember from the bale fire with which the hearth fire was relit. 

Eostre, Ostara, the Vernal or Spring Equinox (around March 21)
The day and night are of equal length.  This holy day is dedicated to the fertility goddess Eostre whose symbols are the hare and the colored egg.  Hmmm. Rabbits and eggs...where have we seen those two?  Wait.... Eostre.... Easter.... ahhhhhhhh!  One of the foods traditionally used to honor the goddess Eostre was a round cake or cookie with the symbol of the equal-armed solar cross.  This later came to be know as..... the hot crossed bun!  (As a favorite teacher was wont to say, "There is one story, and one story only.")

Beltane, Lady's Day, May Eve (April 30)
The wheel has journeyed half way 'round to one of our biggest festivals. At Beltane, the Sword of Power returns back to the care of the Goddess symbolizing the beginning of Her reign of the Wheel.  The earth is bursting with life.  Anciently, the entire month of May was dedicated to the union of the God and Goddess, and it was considered very unlucky to marry during the month.  Thus, there came to be a glut of weddings in June!  The Beltane fire is jumped for fertility.  A Maypole decorated with a wreath of flowers and ribbons of green and white is danced by celebrants dressed in white and green. The men dance in one direction, and women going the other.  The intertwined ribbons are then divined to foresee the coming year.   We traditionally gather a week before to cleanse and prepare the house and land (that's where the idea of Spring Cleaning was born!)  On the day of the celebration, we bedeck the site with flowers...wreaths, garlands, bouquets, May Baskets for the neighbors, petals, flowers, flowers, flowers!  

Midsummer, the Summer Solstice (around June 21)
The longest day and  the shortest night.  This was the time when the Faerie court traveled. Fools caught on the crossroads were rumored to be captured by the faeries.  The legend of the Green Man or the Green Knight, whose smiling face surrounded by leaves can be seen carved on Medieval buildings, is remembered. This night marks the height of the sun's power. The fertility of the earth is celebrated to its fullest as from this point on, winter will be coming quickly.

Lammas, Lughnassa (around August 1)
This celebration was anciently the first grain harvest of the season.  With a stroke of the scythe, the Corn God is voluntarily and symbolically sacrificed that the children of the Goddess may be fed.  The God then moves to the Summerland as the Guardian of the Dead to warm and welcome the souls who reside there prior to resurrection and rebirth. At RavenStone, we focus on the personal sacrifices we must make to nurture our dreams and desires to fruition.

Mabon, Michaelmas, the Autumnal Equinox (around September 23)
Once more the day and night are of the same length.  The best of the harvest is stored for seed in preparation for the coming year's planting.  Tools are cleaned and repaired.  The people ready themselves for the approaching winter. Traditionally the fruit and nut harvest.