The Goddess of Summer Solstice People from every culture and era have held spiritual and religious celebrations in June! Most are holy days, linked to the Summer Solstice. Officially, it’s the first day of summer. On this day, literally, the sun appears to stand still as it reaches the zenith of its climb through Heaven. From this day forward, it will slowly descend, the days growing shorter as we move toward winter. The Pagan Community celebrates Litha, the Summer Solstice, on June 21st. It‘s the longest day of the Pagan year, halfway between Beltane on May 1st, and Lughnasadh on August 1st. At this sacred and fruitful time, the Oak…

Beltane The May Queen For thousands of years, the official beginning of summer on May 1st was celebrated in the joyous fire festival of Beltane. Beltane means “the fires of Bel.”  Celts believed that, at this time, the shining God of the Sun returned to Earth to banish winter and marry the Earth goddess. From this sacred union of god and goddess, fertility and abundance would return to the world, ensuring the survival of the people for another year. Beltane celebrations reflected these ancient beliefs. A May Queen was selected to represent the virgin goddess. Her consort, the May King, or Green Man, was chosen to unite with her in…

The Winter Solstice was about the rebirth of the sun. The Spring Equinox is about the rebirth of the earth. The signs of this massive stirring are everywhere! Soaking rains shift to brilliant sunshine, and back again. Soil softens. Snowdrops creep out. Shoots of tulips, daffodils and crocuses push, green, through drooping winter pansies. Birds return. Hibernating animals wake up. Days lengthen. Nights shorten. Slowly but surely, Earth is turning toward March 21st, the Spring Equinox, when day and night will be in perfect balance.  The time of Ostara, Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, who has lent her name to this Sabbat, is at hand. What bliss, after the harsh winter…

In a world where we can turn up the thermostat when we get cold, it’s hard to imagine the sufferings of our agrarian Celtic ancestors in winter, centuries ago. Light and heat were generated by fire. Shelter and warm clothing for all but the rich was woefully inadequate. Starvation was a constant threat. If harvests had been poor; if precious livestock perished in the bitter cold, or from lack of adequate feed, new calves and lambs would not be born. The necessary food supply would fail, and scores of people, particularly the young, the old and the vulnerable, would perish. Imagine then the joy of common folk when Imbolc arrived!…

Yule, and other Solstice celebrations of light, is over, and winter is setting in. Though we celebrated the rebirth of the Sun King, and the turning toward the light in December, the reality is that spring can seem a long way off in the gloomy days of January! Nights are still dark and long. Branches are black against a frozen sky. Snowflakes swirl on bitter winds, and snow crunches crisply beneath winter boots. Noses, fingers and toes are red with cold. There is beauty in this, but hardship too. For those of us who don’t enjoy it, January is strong meat! It takes a sturdy character to love winter’s rigorous…

Many cultures and faiths have winter celebrations that are really festivals of light. We don’t have to look far to find them. In our own time, we have Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa. All of them feature brightly lit candles, holiday decorations, family gatherings, and gift exchanges, in an atmosphere of celebration and gratitude for the blessings of the year. Celebrations of light and the return of the sun stretch back into antiquity. Over four thousand years ago, the Egyptians celebrated the daily rising of Horus – god of the Sun. He was the child of Isis, Queen of the Immortals, and a Moon goddess. The Greeks and Romans also held…