The Wheel of the Year: The Wiccan Festivals for the Southern Hemisphere Samhain: ( April 30th ) It's the Wiccan New Year. A time for meditation and remembering of those who have passed away, coinciding with the end of the harvest, and when they say the veil between this world and the other thins to it's most. In the anglosaxon countries it's celebration lived on with the Halloween feasting, taking some of it's symbols like Jack o'Lanterns. A sabbath traditionally considered as excellent for divination, and on which offerings are left at the doorsteps for the souls of the Dead which come to visit. At this Sabbath we celebrate de death of the God and the promise of his rebirth in Yule Yule: ( June 21st to 23rd) The Winter Solstice Festival, when the sun, after it's withdrawal and the longest night of the Year, starts to come back closer to the Earth. This new closeness marks the rebirth of the God from his own seed planted on the Goddess, and was later taken by christianity as Christ's birth day (keep in mind Yule falls near christmas in the northern hemisphere). It's a solar festival, in which traditionally all lights and fires were put down, lighting a new one by midnight using rubbing methods. Then, from that first fire all the rest were lit. We find something similar in the England of the victorian period with the Yule Log, which was burnt slowly all along the year and was said to prevent the house from being struck by lighting.

Imbolc: ( August 2nd )

Fire festival, taken by the christians later to their Candlemass celebration. At this time we celebrate the first hints of spring after the long winter. It's the childhood of the God, and a celtic traditions honours on this day the Goddess, calling that feast Brigantia.

Ostara: ( September 21st - 23rd )

Spring Equinox. The God is young, and him and the Goddess fall in love, their love renowing Nature like the sun that gently caress the earth, also inspiring the animals to multiply. It's a feast of love and growth.

Beltane: ( October 31st )

Celebrated with famous fires, it's perhaps the most well known Sabbath after Samhain. It's THE fertility festival, where we celebrate the union of the Goddess and the God. It still survives in the May Poles in some places of the Northern Hemisphere. This celebration was condemned by the Church, saying it promoted indecent sexual behaviour.

Midsummer: ( December 21st - 23rd)

Summer's Solstice, where the God reaches the peak of it's power before starting it's withdrawal again. The shortest night of the year, and traditionally good for magick and love rites. Lughnassadh: ( February 2nd ) The feast of the celtic god Lugh, identified with the Sun, and one of the names the God can take upon Himself. The power of the God is lesser, but even then he blesses the cattle in a traditional ceremony where they're driven over the ashes of the fires lit during the festival.

Mabon: ( March 21st )

The Autumn Equinox, when the Earth gets ready for the absence of the God and the days start to get sensibly shorter. It's a good time for meditation and introspection.

Wheel Of The Year Southern Hemisphere Samhain: (april 30th) Yule: (june 21st -23rd) Imbolc: (August 2nd) Ostara: (September 21st-23rd) Beltane: (October 31st) Midsummer: ( December 21st -23rd) Lughnassadh: (february 2nd) Mabon: (March 21st)

Solitices And Equinoxes - Southern Hemisphere

Autum Equinox	Winter Soltice	Spring Equinox	Summer Soltice
March 20	June 21	September 22	December 21
Mabon	Yule	Ostara	Midsummer

Solitices And Equinoxes - Northern Hemisphere

Wheel Of The Year Northern Hemisphere Yule ( December 21st -23rd) Imbolc:(february 2nd) Ostara:(March 19th - 22nd) Beltane: (May 1st) Midsummer: (june 21st -23rd) Lughnassadh: (August 1st) Mabon: (September 21st-23rd) Samhain: (1st November)

Spring Equinox	Summer Soltice	Autum Equinox	Winter Soltice
March 20	June 21	September 22	December 21
Ostara	Midsummer	Mabon	Yule