In this episode of Guided Voyage, I share the mythic story of the Wheel of the Year — the eternal dance of the Sun God and the Earth Goddess as they move through the seasons. This story reminds us that life is not linear but cyclical, always turning, always renewing.
As you listen, notice how each season connects to the F.L.O.W. framework:
Focus on what matters.
Live in rhythm with nature.
Open to practice through small rituals.
Witness the changes unfolding.
Samhain (Oct 31) — Honored by lighting candles for ancestors, setting an extra place at the table, and walking among the falling leaves to reflect on endings and beginnings.
Yule (Winter Solstice, Dec 21) — Celebrated with evergreen boughs, yule logs, fires, and vigils through the longest night, welcoming the return of the Sun.
Imbolc (Feb 1–2) — Marked with hearth blessings, candlelight, home cleansing, and rituals of renewal.
Ostara (Spring Equinox, Mar 21) — Celebrated with planting, decorating eggs, and bringing flowers indoors as symbols of fertility and balance.
Beltane (May 1) — Honored with bonfires, dancing around maypoles, and rituals for vitality, fertility, and joy.
Litha (Summer Solstice, Jun 21) — Celebrated with midsummer herb gathering, bonfires, and rituals to mark the Sun’s power at its peak.
Lughnasadh (Aug 1) — Honored with baking the first bread, offering first fruits, and community games or gatherings.
Mabon (Autumn Equinox, Sept 21) — Celebrated with apple cider, wine, harvest feasts, and rituals of gratitude and balance.
This telling of the Wheel of the Year blends myth and folklore drawn from modern Pagan and Wiccan traditions. Primary references include:
Farrar, Janet & Stewart. Eight Sabbats for Witches (Robert Hale, 1981).
Cunningham, Scott. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Llewellyn, 1988).
Starhawk. The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (Harper & Row, 1979).
Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon (Beacon Press, 1979).
If you’d like to dive deeper into the Wheel of the Year and seasonal living, I recommend:
Glennie Kindred, Sacred Celebrations: A Sourcebook — accessible rituals and seasonal lore.
John Matthews, The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas — deep dive into solstice traditions.
Emma Restall Orr, Living with Honour: A Pagan Ethics — thoughtful reflections on living in rhythm with the cycles.
Caitlín Matthews, The Celtic Spirit: Daily Meditations for the Turning Year — beautiful daily readings tied to the Wheel.
✨ May these resources guide you as you weave the wisdom of the seasons into your own life.
The Eight Sabbats & Traditional Ways of Honoring ThemReferences & SourcesRecommended Reading & Research